Sunday 18 April 2010

Mark Harrison - cover artist

It's been a while since I posted a piece focused on a particular artist, so I'm making up for that fact now with this post about Mark Harrison.

I first came across Mark's work through legendary British comic 2000AD. He's illustrated everything from Durham Red to Pulp Sci-Fi but I particularly remember his visceral art for Gordon Rennie's Glimmer Rats.

However, roughly eight years after Glimmer Rats I found myself working with Mark myself. He realised the cover for Unnatural History - featuring a duel atop a steam train and a T-Rex with St Paul's Cathedral in the background - and since then has produced every Pax Britannia novel cover (including Al Ewing's El Sombra and the forthcoming Gods of Manhattan).

You can visit Mark's own website here, and see his other novel covers, alongside his comic artwork and concept paintings for computer games.

Meanwhile, here are his six Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novels to date in their full gruesome glory.

Enjoy...

Unnatural History

Leviathan Rising

Human Nature

Evolution Expects

Blood Royal

Dark Side

Win! Win! Win!

Just another reminder that I'm currently running a competition to Win a walk on part in Dark Side the next Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel. It's in support of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and you've got until next Sunday to enter.

So far, those people who have already entered have raised a fantastic £77. But wouldn't it be great if we could make the Pax Britannia contributions top £100?

Come on, you know you want to have your name immortalised in print! I mean, who wouldn't?

If you haven't entered the competition yet, don't be put off - any donation will do, no matter how small. After all, it is for charity. Just remember to tag your donation with the comment 'Jon Green sent me' to qualify.

To find out how to enter, click here.

Good luck and (if you've already entered) thank you.

Dr. Johann von Lithos

Like these?


Then you're bound to love Dr. Johann von Lithos' steampunk-flavoured site which has everything from a film trailer for authentic version of H G Wells' War of the Worlds through Steampunk Faeries to milliner's plans for you to make your own top hat!

Enjoy...

Thursday 15 April 2010

The 20 Most Recommended Steampunk Novels (apparently)

Although I can't help noticing that the Pax Britannia books are notable by their absence from this list.

Of those that have made it, I've read a fair few - most recently Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan. And Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates is simply sublime.

War of the Worlds - Steampunk style

Now this looks cool (cooler than Tom Cruise's effort anyway)...

I'm a Steampunk

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Pax Britannia concept sketches

I've been meaning to show these off for a while but what with one thing and another.... Well, you know how it is.

Anyway, a while back Simon Parr (a.k.a. Pye Parr) produced some concept sketches for Pax Britannia completely off his own back. He's also the man who came up with the very cool PB logo.


The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted some of these concepts in the Pax Britannia video (which you will also find at the bottom of this blog post). However, I've never properly shown them off in all their glory, so here they are.

Please note that all of these images are copyright (c) Rebellion Developments Ltd 2010, and are reproduced here with permission.

Ulysses Quicksilver - Hero of the Empire

The indefatigable Nimrod

The Rolls Royce Silver Phantom Mark IV

Ulysses Quicksilver's gun

Ulysses Quicksilver's sword-stick

Automaton Bobbies a.k.a. Robo-Peelers

The Barghest (from Human Nature)


Zap! Kapow! Kablooey!

Stuck for what to buy the Gentlemen Adventurer or Lady Steam-power Pioneer in your life? Then you need the Steampunk Liberator Gun - or something like it.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

Luc Besson's new film looks like it could almost be a French (and female) equivalent of the adventures of a certain Ulysses Quicksilver, Esquire.

Dark Side competition

It's great to see so many people getting behind the current Win a walk on part in Dark Side competition I'm running in support of the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Abaddon Books have been bigging it up as have the guys over at Pornokitsch. And there's been a fair bit of banter on Twitter and Facebook.

Even better than that is the fact that a number of people have already entered (and been very generous into the bargain). But if you haven't entered yet, don't be put off - any donation will do, no matter how small. After all, it is for charity. Just remember to tag your donation with the comment 'Jon Green sent me' to qualify.

Good luck and (if you've already entered) thank you.

Friday 9 April 2010

Win a walk on part in Dark Side

Have you ever fancied seeing yourself immortalised in print in a rip-roaring steampunk adventure? Well, if you have, here's the perfect opportunity. Interested?

The Prize
A walk on part in the next Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel Dark Side, due to be published by Abaddon Books by the end of the year. It will be up to me how you appear in the book and whether you're a hero, a villain or a third class laundry room attendant, but your name will appear somewhere within the book.

How to Enter
All you have to do to qualify is make a small donation to charity. My sister-in-law is running in this year's London Marathon for the Devon Air Ambulance. If you sponsor her via her Just Giving page, along with the comment 'Jon Green sent me', then on the day of the marathon I will put all qualifying names into a hat and, after the race, get my sister-in-law to pick one. It really couldn't be easier.

So, if you'd like to enter this competition simply follow this link. To find out more about the work of the Devon Air Ambulance click here. I look forward to reviewing your entries in due course.