Brendan McCarthy

For other people named Brendan McCarthy, seeBrendan McCarthy (disambiguation).

Brendan McCarthy
Born	1955 London
Nationality	British
Area(s)	Writer,Penciller,Artist,Colourist
Notable works	Shade, the Changing Man Highlander Rogan Gosh Mad Max: Fury Road

Brendan McCarthyis aBritishartist and designer who has worked for comic books, film and television.He co-wrote the filmMad Max: Fury Road.He is the brother ofJim McCarthy.

Life and career

Early life and work

Brendan McCarthy was born in London. After leavingChelsea Art Collegein London, where he studied film and Fine Art Painting, McCarthy decided to become a full-time artist. He created theindependent comic bookSometime Storieswith art college friendBrett Ewins.His first paid commercial work was a one-page stripElectrick Hoaxin the British weekly music paperSoundswith another art-school escapee, writerPeter Milligan,in 1978. McCarthy held a solo exhibition of paintings, drawings and collages at the Car Breaker Galleryin London, a squat inLadbroke Grove's Republic ofFrestonia.

Comics

McCarthy started working for2000 AD,including runs onJudge Dredd,as well as creatingSooner or Laterandpost-apocalypticsurfingstoryFreakwavewithPeter Milligan.In 1983 McCarthy collaborated with Milligan andBrett Ewinson punk indie seriesStrange Days,published byEclipse Comics.He created and drew a two-issue series featuring his alternative "media-bratsuperhero"Paradax from the anthology.

Cover of theRogan Goshcollected edition.

Over the next few years he worked for the2000 ADspin off titlesCrisisandRevolver.ForRevolver,McCarthy drewRogan Gosh(later compiled into a single edition by theVertigoimprint ofDC Comics). ForCrisis,he originated the story and art forSkinwhich proved to be highly controversial, withCrisisrefusing to release the story and their printers refusing to print it due to claims of it being "morbidly obscene".The story was eventually being released byKevin Eastman'sTundra Publishingin 1992.

He designed the characters forGrant Morrison'sZenithstrip in 1987,Doom Patrol (creating Danny The Street) and on Morrison andMark Millar's Marvel seriesSkrull Kill Krew.He also produced covers and character designs for Pete Milligan's revamp ofShade, the Changing Man.In 2005 he released a limited edition book of his artSwimini Purpose,which is now a rare collector's item. In 2006, his work was featured in the final issue of DC Comics'Solo.His comic had new takes on characters such asThe Flash,Batman,andJohnny Sorrowand he considers the single issue to be one of his best works.

In 2009, McCarthy was commissioned by Marvel Comics to create a new take onDoctor Strange.The mini-series was ultimately published asSpider-Man: Feverin April 2010.Brendan returned to2000 ADin 2010 on aJudge Dreddstory withAl Ewing,spoofingDr Who,and with whom he created a popular new story,The Zaucer of Zilk,which he has described as a cross between Harry Potter and Aladdin Sane: "A glammatronic phantasmagoria."The series debuted in March 2012. It was reprinted by IDW in a new format with both issues quickly selling out.The Zaucer of Zilkappeared in many "best of the year" lists.

In 2013 he publishedThe Best of Milligan & McCarthy,a brand new collection of comic works co-created with Peter Milligan, throughDark Horse Comics.McCarthy wrote and drew a graphic novel titledDream Gangfor the publisher that was released in July 2016.A collection of his classic Judge Dredd stories from over 35 years of work was collected by IDW in hardcover and released in January 2017.McCarthy completed artwork on a newChopperstrip for Rebellion Publishing in 2018 and a sequel toThe Zaucer of Zilk,published in 2020 in2000AD.His final strip for the magazine,Nakka of the S.T.A.R.S.,was published in 2021.

Film and television

Beginning in the 1980s McCarthy has worked extensively in TV, producing designs for an ultimately unmadeDan Darelive-action television series, as well as storyboards for the Arabian animated TV seriesNew BabylonandJim Henson'sThe Storyteller.

He was concept designer/board artist on the filmsHighlander,the first live-actionTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfilm,Lost in SpaceandThe Borrowers.He was also hired bySaturday Night LiveproducerLorne Michaelsto write and design for the filmConeheads.

McCarthy spent much of the remainder of the 1990s working in film and television, most notably as the production designer of the animated science fiction TV seriesReBootand as the character creator forWar Planets.In 1997 he was then asked to co-write and designMad Max: Fury Roadwith directorGeorge Millerafter meeting in Hollywood. The film was shot in 2012, with McCarthy visiting the set inNamibia.It was released in 2015, with the final film receiving many "best of the year" awards including six Oscars.It was McCarthy's first Hollywood screenplay, and he was the original Production Designer on the movie. The pair also created and co-wrote a new animated feature calledFur Brigade.

Bibliography

Interior comic work includes:

• Sometime Stories#1 (of 2 produced) (script and art, withBrett Ewins,Broglia Press, 1977)
• Sounds:"The Electrick Hoax" (script and art, withPeter Milligan,Spotlight Publications, 1977–1978)
• 2000 AD(anthology,IPC Media/Fleetway/Rebellion):
  • Tharg's Future Shocks:
    • "Robot Repairs" (withRobert Flynnand Brett Ewins, in #37–38, 1977)
    • "Stasis" (withCharles Swiftand Brett Ewins, in #54, 1978)
    • "The English/Phlondrutian Phrase Book" (withAlan Moore,in #214, 1981)
    • "Sixty Hours that Shook the World" (as R. Jones, with Peter Milligan, in #391, 1984)
    • "Bad Maxwell!" (as J. Roberts, with Peter Milligan, in #402, 1985)
    • "Do You Copy?" (with Peter Milligan, inSci-Fi Special'85, 1985)
  • "Encounter: The Day of the Phoenix" (text story by Oniano, with Brett Ewins, in #56, 1978)
  • Walter the Wobot(withGary Rice,in #82, 84–85 andJudge Dredd Annual'81, 1978–1980)
  • Strontium Dog:
    • InStarlord,2000 AD's short-lived sister title:
      • "Kane's Kolossal Kasino" (with Bill Henry, inSummer Special'78, 1978)
      • "The Demon Maker – Master of Chaos!" (withT. B. Grover,in #17, 1978)
    • "The Town that Died of Shame" (with Alan Grant andColin MacNeil,inSci-Fi Special'88, 1988)
  • Judge Dredd:
    • "Bring Me the Head of Judge Dredd!" (withJohn Howardand Brett Ewins, in #88, 1978)
    • "The Day the Law Died! Parts 5, 17" (with John Howard and Brett Ewins, in #93 and 105, 1978–1979)
    • "Untitled" (with an uncredited writer and Brett Ewins, inAnnual'79, 1978)
    • "New Year is Cancelled" (with John Howard, in #146, 1980)
    • "The Wally Squad! Parts 2–3" (with T. B. Grover and Brett Ewins, in #391–392, 1984)
    • "Riders on the Storm!" (with T. B. Grover and Tony Riot, in #472–473, 1986)
    • "Atlantis" (with T. B. Grover, in #485–488, 1986)
    • "Report to the Chief Judge" (with T. B. Grover and Tony Riot, inJudge Dredd Annual'87, 1986)
    • "The Witness" (withAlan GrantandSteve Whitaker,in #500–501, 1986)
    • "Blood Donor" (with Alan Grant, in #519, 1987)
    • "Oz – Parts 5, 7–8, 14–16" (with Alan Grant, in #549, 551–552 and 558–560, 1987–1988)
    • "She-Devils!" (with John Wagner, Alan Grant, Brett Ewins and Tony Riot, inAnnual'88, 1987)
    • "Full Mental Jacket, Parts 4–5" (with John Wagner andSteve Parkhouse,in #581–582, 1988)
    • "Spock's Mock Chocs" (with Alan Grant, Steve Whitaker andJamie Hewlett,in #614, 1989)
    • "Doctor What?" (withAl Ewing,in #1712–1713, 2010)
    • "Night Zoom" (with John Wagner, inSci-Fi Special'16, 2016)
    • "Hoverods" (with T. C. Eglington, in #2033–2034, 2017)
  • ABC Warriors(withPat Mills,in #120 and 127–128, 1979)
  • Ro-Jaw's Robo-Tales:"Ye First Robote" (with Gary Rice, in #166, 1980)
  • Sooner or Later(with Peter Milligan and Tony Riot, in #468–486, 488–496 and 498–499, 1986)
  • Zaucer of Zilk:
    • "Zaucer of Zilk" (with Al Ewing, in #1775–1784, 2012)
    • "A Zaucerful of Zecrets" (withPeter Hogan,in #2162–2169 and 2171–2173, 2019–2020)
  • Tharg's 3rillers Present:"Nakka of the S.T.A.R.S" (withRoger Langridge,in #2222–2224, 2021)
• Vanguard Illustrated#1–3: "Freakwave!" (script and art, with Peter Milligan, anthology,Pacific,1983–1984)
• Scream!#7: "The Punch and Judy Horror Show" (with James Nicholas, anthology, IPC Media, 1984)
• Strange Days#1–3 (with Peter Miligan and Brett Ewins, anthology,Eclipse,1984–1985)
• Paradax!#1–2 (with Peter Milligan,Vortex,1987)
• News on Sunday:"Summer of Love" (seven episodes, with Peter Milligan, 1987)
• Crisis(anthology, Fleetway):
  • New Statesmen:"Riding the Tiger" (withJohn SmithandJim Baikie,in #11, 1989)
  • Artoons(one-page illustrations, with Tony Riot, in #15–24, 1989)
• A1#1: "The Hollow Circus" (script and art, anthology,Atomeka,1989)
• Deadline#20: "Flaming Carrot"(withBob Burden,anthology,Deadline,1990)
• Revolver#1–6: "Rogan Gosh: Star of the East"(with Peter Milligan, anthology, Fleetway, 1990)
• Shade, the Changing Manvol. 2 #22: "A Pale Afternoon" (with Peter Milligan,DC Comics,1992)
• Skin(with Peter Milligan andCarol Swain,graphic novel,Tundra Publishing,1992)
• Rock Power:"The Ballad of Toad McFarlane ('cept It's Not a Ballad)" (with John Wagner and Alan Grant, IPC Media, 1992)
• Solo#12 (script and art, withSteven Cook,Howard Hallis,Jono Howard,Tom O'Connor andRobbie Morrison,DC Comics, 2006)
• Captain America: Who Won't Wield the Shield?:"Doctor America" (withMatt Fractionand Howard Hallis, anthologyone-shot,Marvel,2010)
• Spider-Man|Spider-Man: Fever#1–3 (script and art,Marvel Knights,2010)
• House of Mysteryvol. 2 #27: "Long Strange Trip" (withMatthew Sturges,co-feature,Vertigo,2010)
• Age of Heroes#4: "Captain America: Man of God" (withElliott Kalan,anthology, Marvel, 2010)
• Judge Dredd Megazine(anthology, Fleetway/Rebellion):
  • Judge Dredd:"The Walking Dredd" (withRob Williams,in #311, 2011)
  • Chopper:"Wandering Spirit" (withDavid Baillie,in #395–399, 2018)
• Scalped#50: "The Art of Surviving" (withJason Aaron,among other artists, Vertigo, 2011)
• Rocketeer Adventures#4: "Flight of the Aeronaut" (withJohn Arcudi,anthology,IDW Publishing,2011)
• Judge Dredd#2: "The Good Parts" (withDuane Swierczynski,co-feature, IDW Publishing, 2012)
• Justice Leaguevol. 2 #23.3 (withChina Miéville,among other artists, DC Comics, 2013)
• Dark Horse Presents(anthology,Dark Horse):
  • "The Deleted" (script and art, with Darrin Grimwood, in vol. 2 #32–35, 2014)
  • "Dream Gang" (script and art, in vol. 3 #1–4, 7–10 and 14–17, 2014–2015)
• Doctor Fatevol. 4 #17–18 (withPaul Levitz,DC Comics, 2016–2017)
• The Spirit Centenary Newspaper(script and art, anthology,LICAF,2017)

Covers only

• 2000 AD#33, 39, 41, 405, 517, 524, 536, 553, 588, 607–608, 622,Annual'89 and '91, 761,Action Special'92, 1571, 1960, 1975, 2087 (IPC Media/Fleetway/Rebellion,1977–2018)
• Judge Dredd's Crime Files#3 (Eagle,1985)
• Judge DreddMega-Special'89,Yearbook'93 (Fleetway, 1989–1993)
• The Best of 2000 AD#41, 46, 49, 77–78, 101–102 (Fleetway, 1989–1994)
• Mister Xvol. 2 #1 (Vortex,1989)
• The Saga of the Man Elf#1 (Trident,1989)
• Shade, the Changing Manvol. 2 #1–13, 24–29, 31–32 (DC Comics,1990–1993)
• Judge Dredd: Muzak Killertpb (Titan,2002)
• Dan Dare#3 (Virgin,2008)
• Judge Dredd Megazine#272, 329 (Rebellion, 2008–2012)
• Peter Parker#4 (Marvel,2010)
• Jonah Hexvol. 2 #56 (DC Comics, 2010)
• Xombivol. 2 #1 (DC Comics, 2011)
• Catalyst Comix#3, 6, 9 (Dark Horse,2013–2014)
• Judge Dredd#13–16 (IDW Publishing,2013–2014)
• Doctor Fatevol. 4 #16 (DC Comics, 2016)
• The Electric Sublime#4 (IDW Publishing, 2017)
• Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye#6 (DC's Young Animal,2017)
• Black Hammer: The Quantum Age#4 (Dark Horse, 2018)
• Kick-Assvol. 2 #13 (Image,2019)
• Prodigy#5 (Image, 2019)

Awards

• 1992: nominated forEisner Awardfor "Best Cover Artist", forShade, the Changing Man
• 1993: nominated forEisner Awardfor "Best Cover Artist", forShade, the Changing Manand "Best Graphic Album: New" forSkin

External links

• Official website
• Brendan McCarthy Showreelon YouTube
• Brendan McCarthyatIMDb
• Brendan McCarthy interviewed by 2000adreview.co.uk
• Brendan McCarthyat theGrand Comics Database
• Brendan McCarthyat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)