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John Riordan

@johnnyriordan.bsky.social

300 followers 380 following 150 posts

Comic artist, illustrator, co-creator of Hitsville UK and trustee of the Blake Society, currently creating a graphic novel about Blake

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 2

As it’s dawned on me just how long it's going to take to draw my ludicrously ambitious graphic novel about William Blake, I've decided to serialise it on Substack (and try to at least part-finance its creation)

You can read the first 12 pages and subscribe for more
open.substack.com/pub/loshighway

LOS HIGHWAY | John Riordan | Substack

John Riordan's work-in-progress, serialised graphic novel about visionary poet and artist, William Blake. Click to read LOS HIGHWAY, by John Riordan, a Substack publication. Launched 3 hours ago.

open.substack.com

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 1d

Wrote another thing for the wonderful Mindless Ones. Not telling you which my piece is, but shockingly it has nothing to do with William Blake! 😱

Mindless Ones @mindlessones.bsky.social · 1d

Issue #27 of our newsletter is out now, ft. Mobb Deep, The Straight Story, Armies of Darkness, a third haunting, Meltdown, a hive of Gammon Worms, Tony Harrison's V, and more!

Well hello Mister Fancy-Pants

Hive of the Gammon Worms. The Straight Story. The Vile Dead 3: Army of Darkness. A Brief History of British Comics 4: MELTDOWN. Haunted: Thing Three. Why can’t I finish painting my kitchen?!?!! v.

mindless-ones.ghost.io

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 8d

In case I haven’t already mentioned it, I’m serialising LOS, my graphic novel about William Blake, on substack.
First 12 pages are free, then each month I’ll add more pages for paid subscribers, fresh from the drawing board.
open.substack.com/pub/loshighw...

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 11d

It’s #nationalpoetryday here in the UK. My fave poet (printer, painter, visionary etc) is William Blake, and I love him so much I’ve embarked on an ambitious graphic novel about his life! If that sounds up your alley you can follow and support the project at open.substack.com/pub/loshighway

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Reposted by John Riordan

John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 12d

Latest pages from LOS, my work-in-progress graphic novel about William Blake, now up at loshighway.substack.com/p/los-part-3
Thanks to everyone who's subscribed to support this project so far!

LOS part 3

'My first Vision of Light'

open.substack.com

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 12d

Latest pages from LOS, my work-in-progress graphic novel about William Blake, now up at loshighway.substack.com/p/los-part-3
Thanks to everyone who's subscribed to support this project so far!

LOS part 3

'My first Vision of Light'

open.substack.com

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Reposted by John Riordan

The Blake Society @blakesociety.bsky.social · 12d

Infinite Liberty: Georges Bataille reading Blake in Postwar France - join us on zoom next Wednesday 8 October, 7:30 PM for Stuart Kendall's talk on the influence of Blake on French philosopher, Georges Bataille.
More info and FREE registration at blakesociety.org/product/infi...

Infinite Liberty: Georges Bataille reading Blake in Postwar France - The Blake Society

Stuart Kendall discusses the influence of Blake on French philiosopher, Georges Bataille.

blakesociety.org

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 12d

The horror! The horror!

John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 17d

A good week for delivery of absurdly beautiful (sonically and visually) albums - Cardiacs’ long awaited LSD and Cate le Bon’s dreamy Michelangelo Dying

Reposted by John Riordan

Dan Whitehead @danwhitehead.net · 25d

This has the exact same energy as that “fifth housemate in The Young Ones” photo.

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 25d

I presume Prince Andrew’s been invited to the dinner? Seems a bit unfair otherwise 🤔

John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 27d

…It is also, frankly, the platform most likely to enable me to part-finance this insanely time-consuming, ambitious project. Pleased to meet you, have a nice day, etc.

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 27d

I’m aware that there are dreadful, far-right bell-ends on substack, but there are also writers and artists whose work, and indeed politics, I admire greatly. I came to the conclusion that if it’s good enough for them it’s probably good enough for me…

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Ed Davey @eddavey.libdems.org.uk · 28d

I've written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, urging them to join me in condemning Elon Musk's dangerous remarks inciting violence yesterday.

As leaders, we must stand together and make clear Musk will face serious consequences for these actions.

Letter from Ed Davey to Keir Starmer condemning Elon Musk for inciting violence and urging unity to defend democracy.

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 28d

Here's my latest substack malarkey, in which I catch up on some recent 'Blake Bollocks' and then describe how I printed the chapter titles of my WIP Blake graphic novel on a replica 18th century printing press in Houston.
Read and subscribe! etc.
open.substack.com/pub/loshighw...

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 28d

In a further attempt to ingratiate myself with my Mindless heroes, I wrote another thing for them, inevitably about Blake, but also H.P. Lovecraft (who I've never actually read 😬) and Grant Morrison

Mindless Ones @mindlessones.bsky.social · 29d

Issue #23 of our newsletter is out now, ft. William Blake and the Sea Monsters of Love, THAT ACCURSED SPIDER-MAN!, Peter's Thoughts, B.Eno, Scottish brunch at Boisdales of Belgravia, the tragedy of Future, and the spectacular finale of Doomed Summer!

Brace yourselves, here’s the real blockbuster!

Doomed Summer's End. Web of Spider-Man. Scottish Friction: Brand New Day and Peter's Thoughts. Polypus in Boots. Comics Creator Survey. B.Eno. Dogshit binfire. Boisdales of Belgravia.

mindless-ones.ghost.io

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Reposted by John Riordan

Jim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · 29d

Absolutely !!!insane!!! to me that the UK government, lobby and newspapers litigate at length every minor infraction by the BBC, rival newspapers, or what some random columnist has posted. But all of them just carry on not even commenting about this media owner. He’s not hiding, he’s telling you!

Anthony Zacharzewski @anthonyzach.be · 29d

The owner of and absolute unquestionable algorithm controller of a preferred communications channel of the UK Government calling for violence and the overthrow of the Government. www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Elon Musk addresses the ‘unite the kingdom’ march crowd via video link – UK politics live

Met Police believe 110,000 people attending rally, with one group in Whitehall throwing projectiles at officers

www.theguardian.com

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · 29d

Oh Musk, you bug-eyed, drawn-on-stubbled nepo twat, go and ‘unite’ someone else’s country

John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 12

Oooh, love the golden profile portrait on the cover, and the angels

John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 7

Yay! Apocalypse time!

John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 7

Honoured to be an honorary Mindless one today. Thanks to my coolest buddies for letting me hawk my Blake comic on substack

Illogical Volume @nearit.bsky.social · Sep 7

Guest art and writing from @johnnyriordan.bsky.social alongside a regular contribution from Dan Cox makes this a Hitsville reunion issue!

Can't wait for more of John's Blake comic.

loshighway.substack.com?ref=mindless...

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Mindless Ones @mindlessones.bsky.social · Sep 7

Issue #22 of our weekly anthology is out now. This bumper issue ft. David Bowie, the three Rs (repetition repetition repetition-uh), Lisa, Crazy Jane, William Blake's house, Prospect Cottage, Scarfolk, the mean streets of Lochee, and a perilous sense of loss.

Decline when aloof from nature

Songs from the backseat: Bowie. Lisa. Scottish Friction: Aftersun/Janine. Doomed Summer: Jane. Los. Scarfolk. What I tell you three times is true. Britain's Bronx. Derek Jarman/John Donne.

mindless-ones.ghost.io

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 5

Of course Bowie was working on a musical set in the 18th century! And there was going to be something about the ‘Gorden’ Riots - surely Blake would have got a look in? www.bbc.com/news/article... @philiphoare.bsky.social @andyw23.bsky.social

David Bowie's final project was a musical set in London - BBC News

Shortly before his death, the star wrote dozens of notes for a musical set in 18th Century London.

www.bbc.com

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 4

I’m 3/4 of the way through this brilliant, sprawling behemoth of a book, all about Blake and the artists, writers and weirdos who followed in his wake. I’ll be talking to @philiphoare.bsky.social next Wednesday 10 Sept on zoom with @blakesociety.bsky.social Join us!
blakesociety.org/product/phil...

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Nev Fountain wants you to buy his book please. @nevfountain.bsky.social · Sep 4

Most watched on BBC news I player? Farage getting ripped to shreds by a US congressman. There you go, BBC. There’s your fucking audience.

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John Riordan @johnnyriordan.bsky.social · Sep 4

Morning! x