The Phoenix Comic with Amber Eyes.

When I dropped out of art college it was with a clear aim - I wanted to make comics for kids, comics as startlingly original and inspiring as the ones I grew up reading. Sadly that publishing world was dying by the time I got there, opportunities were thin on the ground and getting thinner. In the 20 odd years that have elapsed since then I've given up that dream as the world of comics has drifted away from what should be its prime readership with most of the opportunities to create comics for kids revolving around merchandise projects.

Things are changing though. Kids love comics, it's instinctive for them to read stories on paper where words and pictures live together. The flag ship for this resurgence in UK comics is The Phoenix comic. It isn't tied in to any TV, Movie, game or toy franchise, it doesn't come in a bag with a toy on the front and minimum reading content within, it is quite simply a collection of stories for kids to read. What a zany idea!

Anyway, I desperately wanted to do something for Ben Sharpe, the editor, and I was really pleased when I realised I could squeeze in this little four page one-off story written by Ben Haggarty.

Whether you're reading this as a creator, a reader or a parent I suggest we get behind this thing and see if we can't make the next generation of readers as inspired as I was by reading comics.

Subscribe to The Phoenix and find out more about it here.