A brief chat with John Higgins.

Also at the Bristol Comics Expo was John Higgins who is currently soaking up the fame for being the colourist for Watchmen. I guess for many the notion of a comics colourist is like that of a painter and decorator is to a interior designer. However, both writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons have both been very clear that Higgins contributed well to the quality and atmosphere of the story and was afforded a great deal of freedom to apply his own expertise and creativity.
Higgins, or more likely Higgins slightly sleazy agent, was giving away sketches with purchases of his first graphic novel (Razorjack), so I joined the queue. Whilst I waited I chatted with Higgins and the guy in front of me whose sketch Higgins was working on about photography. He really seems to enjoy the depressionist era work of photographers like Arbus and Lange and how they told the tale of the collapse of the last vestiges of the frontier culture of America.
When it came time for my sketch, Higgins apologised for the wait. I replied that it was enjoyable to watch a piece of artwork come out of an artists hands, a Tony Hart moment (oh the embaressing nonsense that I can spout at short notice). He told me that his partner had once been featured in The Gallery and still had the certificate for it.

In the authors own words, Razorjack won't win any literature prizes, but I, like The Guardian think it's worth a read. Hopefully others will to because, if it does well, Higgins is showing some promise to be a good storyteller.

Higgins' Rorschach will be taking framed pride of place on my living room wall.