View source for John Allison (comics)

{{short description|British artist and webcomic writer}}
{{Other people|John Allison}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox artist
| bgcolour         = 
| name             = John Allison
| image            = John Allison, 40 Comic Barcelona.jpg
| imagesize        = 
| caption          = John Allison at the [[Barcelona International Comic Fair|Barcelona Comic Fair]] (2022)
| birth_name       = John Allison
| birth_date       = {{birth year and age|1976}}
| birth_place      = 
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| nationality      = British
| field            = [[Webcomic]]s
| training         = 
| movement         = 
| works            = [[Bobbins (webcomic)|''Bobbins'']], ''[[Scary Go Round]]'', ''[[Bad Machinery]]'', ''[[Giant Days]]''
| patrons          = 
| influenced by    = 
| influenced       = 
| awards           = 
}}

'''John Allison''' (born 1976) is a comic writer and artist. He has been producing comics since 1998 and his work has won multiple [[Eisner Award]]s.

== Biography ==
Allison started creating [[webcomic]]s in 1998 with ''[[Bobbins (webcomic)|Bobbins]]'', a series which ran on [[Keenspot]]. He ended ''Bobbins'' in 2002, later saying that he had fallen out of love with the rough and ready nature of 'Bobbins', and at the same time started a new comic, ''[[Scary Go Round]]''. Then, in 2009, he ended ''Scary Go Round'' and started ''[[Bad Machinery]]''. In an interview, Allison said that he ended ''Scary Go Round'' because "the work I was doing was becoming somewhat uninspired. I had a lot of characters that I didn't care about, and I was making whole runs of strips about characters that people didn't really like... I had lost perspective and direction. I was also losing readers for the last year and it was evident that changes had to be made."<ref name="Dueben">{{cite web |author=Dueben |first=Alex |date=2009-12-28 |title=John Allison's "Bad Machinery" |url=https://www.cbr.com/john-allisons-bad-machinery/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125034052/https://www.cbr.com/john-allisons-bad-machinery/ |archive-date=2021-01-25 |accessdate=2022-08-01 |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref>

Allison described ''Scary Go Round'' as "a comic that I've been making since 2002. It started off as a comic about barmaids Tessa and Rachel, then it became more about Shelley Winters and her bizarre escapades. In recent times it is kind of a split between the Shelley Show and Tackleford Grammar School. It's always evolving." ''[[Bad Machinery]]'' focuses on several of those grammar school children, now teenage detectives.<ref name="Dueben" />

In 2013, Allison pitched a spin-off from ''Scary Go Round'', ''[[Giant Days]]'', to Boom! Box, a newly formed [[Imprint (trade name)|imprint]] of [[Boom! Studios]] for established artists outside the comics industry.<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-11-22 |title=Boom! Studios announces new imprint Boom! Box, an experimental line of titles created just 'for the love of it' |url=http://blog.boom-studios.com/2013/11/boom-studios-announces-new-imprint-boom-box-an-experimental-line-of-titles-created-just-for-the-love-of-it/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216113234/http://blog.boom-studios.com/2013/11/boom-studios-announces-new-imprint-boom-box-an-experimental-line-of-titles-created-just-for-the-love-of-it/ |archive-date=2020-02-16 |accessdate=2020-04-14 |publisher=Boom! Studios}}</ref> The series follows three young women—Esther de Groot, Susan Ptolemy and Daisy Wooton—who share a hall of residence at the [[University of Sheffield]]. The series began as a six-issue limited run, and was then picked up as an ongoing series. In 2016, ''Giant Days'' was nominated for two [[Eisner Awards]] and three [[Harvey Awards]], with a fourth Harvey nomination for Lissa Treiman's work on the comic.<ref name="Eisner 2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.comic-con.org/awards/2016-eisner-award-nominees|title=2016 Eisner Award Nominees|accessdate=14 December 2016|publisher=[[Comic Con]]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419182522/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/2016-eisner-award-nominees|archivedate=19 April 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Harvey 2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/29977-2016-harvey-awards-nominees-announced.html|title=2016 HARVEY AWARDS Nominees Announced|date=5 July 2016|accessdate=16 December 2016|publisher=[[Newsarama]]}}</ref> In 2019, it won two Eisner Awards, for Best Continuing Series and Best Humor Publication.<ref name="Eisner 2019 2">{{cite web|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards-current-info|title=Eisner Awards current info|date=20 Jul 2019|accessdate=14 April 2020|publisher=ComicCon International San Diego|archive-date=7 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607093909/https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards-current-info|url-status=dead}}</ref> It concluded later that year with a special over-sized issue.<ref name="Brewer">{{cite web |author=Byron Brewer |title= DF Interview: John Allison brings his acclaimed series to a close with 'Giant Days: As Time Goes By' |publisher=[[Dynamic Forces]] |url=https://www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/interviews.html?showinterview=IN08091951323 |date=2019-08-09 |accessdate=2019-10-19}}</ref>

The success of ''Giant Days'' led to further work with independent presses. Allison went on to write the series ''By Night'' for Boom! Studios, and both wrote and illustrated ''Steeple'' for [[Dark Horse Comics]].<ref name="Brewer"/>

In 2024, Allison published a [[Conan the Barbarian]] webcomic on his website. Despite the character being [[public domain]] in the UK, he received a cease-and-desist from Conan Properties International, the holders of the Conan IP rights in the United States. This caused Allison to cease publication of the webcomic, saying that he did not "have the time or the energy to contest this."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnston |first1=Rich |title=Creators Getting Cease And Desists Over Conan And Red Sonja |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/creators-getting-cease-desists-over-conan-and-red-sonja/ |website=bleedingcool.com |language=en |date=2 May 2024}}</ref>

Allison currently resides in [[Letchworth Garden City]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=7 February 2020|title=John Allison|url=https://www.comic-con.org/cci/2020/special-guests/john-allison|access-date=2020-10-13|website=Comic-Con International: San Diego|language=en}}</ref>

==Works==
* ''[[Bobbins (webcomic)|Bobbins]]'' (1998–2002, 2014–present)
* ''[[Scary Go Round]]'' (2002–2009)
*''[[Bad Machinery]]'' (2009–present)
* ''[[Giant Days]]'' (2011, 2015–2019)
* ''By Night'' (2018–19)
* ''Steeple'' (2019–2024)
* ''Wicked Things'' (2020)<ref>{{cite web |title= John Allison's "Bad Machinery" |publisher=[[BOOM! Studios]] |url=https://www.boom-studios.com/archives/john-allison-and-max-sarin-announce-wicked-things/|date=2019-12-03 |accessdate=2020-02-22}}</ref>
* ''The Great British Bump-Off'' (2023)

== Awards ==
{{Incomplete list|date=October 2020}}
{{Awards table|2}}
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Bobbins (webcomic)|Bobbins]]''
| UK [[National Comics Awards]]: Best Online Strip
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2002 National Comics Awards |url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/national02.shtml |website=Hahn Library |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030050632/http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/national02.shtml |archivedate=2007-10-30 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=National Comics Awards 2002 |url=http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=news&page=newsimage&choice=awards02 |website=2000AD |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060216121640/http://www.2000adonline.com/index.php3?zone=news&page=newsimage&choice=awards02 |archivedate=2006-02-16 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Bobbins (webcomic)|Bobbins]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]] in three categories: <br>* Best Use of Color <br> * Best Site Design <br> * Best Female Character
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web |title=2002 Winners and Nominees |url=http://ccawards.com/2002.htm |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305104006/http://ccawards.com/2002.htm |archivedate=2016-03-05 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]]: Outstanding Original Digital Art
| {{won}}
| <ref name="CCA2003">{{cite web |title=2003 Ceremony |url=http://ccawards.com/2003.htm |website=CCAwards |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305014748/http://ccawards.com/2003.htm |archivedate=2016-03-05 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]] in three other categories: <br>* Outstanding Art <br> * Outstanding Environment Design <br> * Outstanding Use of Color
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="CCA2003"/>
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]]: Outstanding Art
| {{won}}
| Joint winner with [[Mac Hall]]<ref name="CCA2004">{{cite web |title=2004 Results |url=http://ccawards.com/2004.htm |website=CCAwards |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064319/http://ccawards.com/2004.htm |archivedate=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]] in six other categories: <br>* Outstanding Comic <br> * Outstanding Writing <br> * Outstanding Environment Design <br> * Outstanding Character (Writing) <br> * Outstanding Comedic Comic <br> * Outstanding Story Concept
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="CCA2004"/>
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]]: Outstanding Comic
| {{won}}
| <ref name="CCA2005">{{cite web |title=2005 Results |url=http://ccawards.com/2005.htm |website=CCAwards |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305092106/http://ccawards.com/2005.htm |archivedate=2016-03-05 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]] in three other categories: <br> * Outstanding Art <br> * Outstanding Environment Design <br> * Outstanding Layout
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="CCA2005"/>
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]]: Outstanding Comic
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="CCA2006BestComic">{{cite web |title=WCCA 2006 - Outstanding Comic |url=http://ryanestrada.com/wcca/ceremony/comic.htm |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308195933/http://ryanestrada.com/wcca/ceremony/comic.htm |archive-date=8 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]] in three categories: <br> * Outstanding Comic <br> * Outstanding Character Writing <br> * Outstanding Writer
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web |title=Outstanding Comic |url=http://ryanestrada.com/wcca07/ceremony/comic.htm |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185412/http://ryanestrada.com/wcca07/ceremony/comic.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Outstanding Character Writing |url=http://ryanestrada.com/wcca07/ceremony/characterwriting.htm |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202444/http://ryanestrada.com/wcca07/ceremony/characterwriting.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Outstanding Writer |url=http://ryanestrada.com/wcca07/ceremony/writer.htm |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211652/http://ryanestrada.com/wcca07/ceremony/writer.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
| [[Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards]]: Outstanding Character Rendering
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="CCA2008">{{cite web |title=Here are Your 2008 WCCA Winners! |url=http://www.ccawards.com/2008finalists.html |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304015138/http://www.ccawards.com/2008finalists.html |archivedate=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Giant Days]]''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Continuing Series
| {{nom}}
| Allison wrote for Giant Days. The nomination was for John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal.<ref name="EisnerNom2016">{{cite web |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/04/here-are-your-2016-eisner-award-nominees/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421121635/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/04/here-are-your-2016-eisner-award-nominees/|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 April 2016|title=Here Are Your 2016 Eisner Award Nominees|date=20 April 2016}}</ref>
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Giant Days]]''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Writer
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="EisnerNom2016"/>
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Bad Machinery]], Vol. 5: The Case of the Fire Inside''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Publication for teens (ages 13–17)
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/herocomplex/la-et-hc-eisner-awards-2017-nominations-list-20170502-story.html|title=2017 Eisner Award nominees include 'The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye' and 'Saga'|date=2017-05-03|newspaper=LA Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-10-13}}</ref><ref name="EisnerWinners10s">{{cite web |title=2010-Present |url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present |website=Comic-Con |date=2 December 2012 |accessdate=13 October 2020 |archive-date=13 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213024118/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Giant Days]]''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Continuing Series
| {{nom}}
| Allison wrote for Giant Days. The nomination was for John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal.<ref name="EisnerNoms2018">{{cite web |last1=Salkowitz |first1=Rob |title=Eisner Award Nominations For 2018's Top Comics Announced |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2019/04/27/eisner-award-nominations-for-2018s-top-comics-announced |website=Forbes |accessdate=13 October 2020 |date=2019-04-27 }}</ref>
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Giant Days]]''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Humor Publication
| {{nom}}
| Allison wrote for Giant Days. The nomination was for John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal.<ref name="EisnerNoms2018"/>
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Giant Days]]''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Continuing Series
| {{won}}
| Allison wrote for Giant Days. The nomination was for John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal.<ref name="EisnerWinners2019">{{cite web |last1=McMillan |first1=Graeme |title=Eisner Awards: The Complete Winners List |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/2019-eisner-awards-complete-winners-list-1225835 |website=Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=13 October 2020 |date=2019-07-20 }}</ref>
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Giant Days]]''
| [[Eisner Award]]: Best Humor Publication
| {{won}}
| Allison wrote for Giant Days. The nomination was for John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal.<ref name="EisnerWinners2019"/>
{{end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web |url=http://bobbins.keenspot.com/cast.htm |title=Bobbins - was a daily comic strip |publisher=Keenspot |accessdate=2009-09-11}}{{spaced ndash}}official website
*{{cite web |url=http://www.scarygoround.com/ |title=Bad Machinery|accessdate=2009-09-24}}{{spaced ndash}}official website

{{Authority control}}

{{John Allison}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allison, John}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British webcomic creators]]
[[Category:British comics artists]]
[[Category:Web Cartoonists' Choice Award winners]]