100 months - a review by Glenn B Fleming

I never met John Hicklenton.

We all have our heroes and sometimes we meet them. Whether they appear less in reality than in your head is down to you; should they let you down because they show their greatness, their frailties, their humanity, is, again, your perception.

I've met lots of my heroes. From my dad to Jack Kirby to Moonwalkers. They all showed me their greatness, their frailties and their humanity. They never let me down.

I never met John Hicklenton.

John's final work, 100 months, is lavishly illustrated, not for the squeamish and not for the weak of mind. It's an honest book, a passionate book and a disturbing book. It is illustrated using immense talent, great love and unforgiving anger; a book faced with a true deadline, literally, placed upon it. It meets that deadline head on.

"For you shall have returned to the dust you came from. Your work forgotten." John, you got that bit wrong - you and your work will never be forgotten.

Those of you out there, family, friends, professionals who met John and laughed with him and held him and cried with him and loved him are all very, very fortunate people. I envy you. Through his work, he showed me his greatness, his frailties and his humanity. He never let me down.

I never met John Hicklenton. In person. I wish I had.

Glenn B Fleming November 2010

100 months is written and illustrated by John Hicklenton.

First published in Great Britain in 2010 by Cutting Edge Press.

www.cuttingedgepress.co.uk
www.animalmonday.co.uk
www.heresjohnnyfilm.com

Cutting Edge Press:PRESS RELEASE

100 MONTHS
by the late John Hicklenton (1967-2010)
Foreword by Pat Mills

Published 18 November 2010 Hardback £19.99

"To me, Johnny Hicklenton is the Jimi Hendrix of British comics."- Pat Mills

THE FINAL, TRAGIC TESTAMENT OF THE LATE JOHN HICKLENTON,
ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST COMIC BOOK ARTISTS

"I was lucky enough to have Johnny Hicklenton draw my first published story, and I knew from the start that his was a unique and powerful vision. 100 MONTHS is a heartbreaking final vision: one man going head to head with death, and with Death, and with life. I felt lucky to be allowed to read it and fortunate that Johnny made it for us before he left. It lingers and it haunts, and, ultimately, affirms." - NEIL GAIMAN

John Hicklenton was one of Britain's most celebrated comic book artists, famous for the brutal, visceral draughtsmanship he brought to the 2000 AD/Judge Dredd titles, transforming their cartoon dystopia into a circle of hell. 100 MONTHS is John's final graphic novel, a parable of environmental devastation in which Mara, Warrior and Earth Goddess, seeks revenge against the Longpig: a satanic personification of capitalism, red in tooth and claw, whose followers, a legion of the damned, look quite a lot like...us.
John's artwork was uniquely disturbing and powerful, too much so for some comic book fans, and his career was dogged by requests that he 'tone it down'. In writing and drawing 100 MONTHS, John faced no such censorship, and gave free reign to a vision that is both starkly beautiful and apocalyptic. The world of the Longpig is rich in killing fields and scenes of mass crucifixion recalling Goya at his darkest. The title, taken from HRH Prince Charles's warning that there were 100 months remaining to prevent cataclysmic climate change, reflects the urgency of both the book's prophetic voice, and the spirit and circumstances in which it was written. John took his own life with the assistance of Dignitas in Switzerland on 19 March 2010, following a heroic struggle with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. 100 MONTHS was drawn and written in foreknowledge of his own imminent death, and its quality of intimate insight into universal themes of life, death and the planet's own survival seems at times to come from a place between worlds, to have been transmitted from the Hades, Western Lands or Sheol of the ancients to the 21st century as a cry of warning.
Its words those of a prophet, its artwork transcending the comic book form, 100 MONTHS will redefine the adult graphic novel.

JOHN HICKLENTON was born in Guildford in 1967 and spent the last years of his life in Brighton. He is best-known for his work on the titles 2000 AD, Nemesis the Warlock and Heavy Metal Dredd. His brutal, visceral draughtsmanship radicalised the 'Judge Dredd' character and rejuvenated the 2000 AD stable. He was diagnosed with MS in 2000, and took his own life on 19 March 2010, aged 42. His life, work and illness are the subject of the Animal Monday documentary Here's Johnny, which was broadcast on More4 and was the first film in history to win two Grierson awards.

Notes to editors:
PAT MILLS 'the Godfather of British comics' who worked with Hicklenton for many years and ADAM LAVIS, co-director of Here's Johnny and art director of 100 MONTHS are available for interview.
Images from 100 MONTHS are available on request.
100 MONTHS will be featured in the exhibition, 'That's Novel' at
the London Print Studio, 425 Harrow Road, London W10 4RE from 22 October - 18 December 2010 as part of Comica, London International Comics Festival. Tel: 0208 969 3247. Nearest tube: Westbourne Park.
Writer Pat Mills, cartoonist Clint Langley and film director Adam Lavis of Animal Monday will be discussing Johnny's work and 100 MONTHS at Waterstones, 71-74 North Street, BRIGHTON at 7.15pm on Thursday 18 November. Tel 0843 290 8181.

For further information, please contact:
Margot Weale

HYPERLINK margot.weale@ntlworld.com Tel: 020 8962 6315 Mobile: 07759 054 727
or
Beth Macdougall
HYPERLINK "mailto:beth@mga-pr.com" beth@mga-pr.com Tel: 020 7836 4774 Mobile: 07860 831418

A celebration of the life and work of John Hicklenton (1967-2010) on the publication of his final graphic novel

2000AD writer PAT MILLS, documentary film director ADAM LAVIS and graphic artist CLINT LANGLEY celebrate John Hicklenton's life, career and crowning work: 100 Months

Wednesday 17 November 7pm LONDON PRINT STUDIO, W10
Thursday 18 November 7.15 pm Waterstones, BRIGHTON

For fans of 2000AD and Judge Dredd, Brighton-based Graphic artist Johnny Hicklenton needs no introduction. He was one of Britain's greatest comic book artists, famous for the brutal, visceral draughtsmanship he brought to his craft. Published on 18 November, 100 MONTHS is Johnny's final graphic novel, a fantastically dark, apocalyptic fable, warning that we only have only 100 months left to save the planet. Johnny took his own life with the assistance of Dignitas in Switzerland on 19 March 2010 following a heroic ten-year struggle with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. This event celebrates his life and his uniquely dark and powerful vision, with fellow writer Pat Mills, graphic artist Clint Langley and Adam Lavis of Animal Monday, director of the film 'Here's Johnny' winner of two Grierson awards for best documentary.

London Print Studio, 425 Harrow Road, W10 4RE
Nearest tube: Westbourne Park. FREE. Tickets available in advance, tel 0208 969 3247

Waterstones Brighton, 71-74 North Street, Brighton BN1 1ZA. Tickets on the door £2
Enquiries tel 01273 206 01