Design/Production/Editor:
Black Tower UK Gold Collection vol.1 [BTC&B,2009]
Black Tower UK Gold Collection vol.2 [BTC&B,2009]
Black Tower UK Gold Collection vol.3 [BTC&B,2010]
Black Tower UK Gold Collection vol.4 [BTC&B,2010]
Back From The Dead [BTC&B,2009/reprinted 2010]
The Collected Adventures Of Mark Tyme [BTC&B,2010]
The Collected Purple Hood [BTC&B,2009/reprinted 2010]
The Centaur Heroes vol.1 [BTC&B,2009/reprinted 2010]
The Centaur Heroes vol.2 [BTC&B,2010]
Creator/Scripter:
Two Hot Girls On A Hot Summer’s Night [Eros Comix,Seattle 1991-2009]
Two Hot Girls On A Hot Summer’s Night [My Excess,Edinburgh,2010]
Maeve [Eros Comix,Seattle,1997]
Maeve [My Excess,Edinburgh,2010]
Sizzlin’ Sisters [Eros Comix,Seattle,1997]
Sizzlin Sisters [My Excess,Edinburgh,2010]
The Darke Child [My Excess,Edinburgh,2010]
Editor/Production & Contributor
Tales Of Terror [Black Tower Comics & Books,2009/2010]
Black Tower Adventure [Black Tower Comics & Books,1984— ]
Cruisers In The Clouds [prose] [Black Tower Comics & Books,2010]
Editor/Production/Author & Artist
The Bat Triumphant! [Black Tower Comics & Books,2009/reprinted 2010]
Krakos:Sands Of Terror [Black Tower Comics & Books,2010]
Merriwether:God’s Demon-Thumper [Black Tower Comics & Books [2009/2010]
Journey Of The ID:The Dr Morg Trilogy [Black Tower Comics & Books,2010]
The Iron Warrior:Jungle Terror [Black Tower Comics & Books,2010]
Author/Production
Some Things Strange & Sinister [Black Tower Comics & Books,2009/2010]
Some More Things Strange & Sinister [Black Tower Comics & Books,2010]
The Hooper Interviews [Black Tower Comics & Books,2010]
COMIC BITS ONLINE is the web version of the Comic Bits magazine Edited and run by Terry Hooper [aka:"The Prof","The Un-person"]. Terry, currently residing in The Library of The Weird & Unusual in the existential dimension known as “The Vale”, has over thirty years experience in the comic industry as script writer,artist,freelance Editor,publisher,comic packager and creators agent and much more.
Comic Book Writer,Artist,Editor & Publisher -Black Tower Cg and author of Some Things Strange And Sinister[2009].
On Leaving education in 1974 Terry went to work for H. Tanner & Son, a small printing firm based in Southmead,Bristol. When he moved to Manston, Kent, in 1977, he began working as a paste-up assistant to Philips Printers;this involved designing and then laying out/pasting up newsletters,commercial flyers,etc.,etc.. From 1980-84 he worked for Bennings Printers and Stationers,Keynsham,where he put together publications as well as advertising material until the company ceased trading in 1984.
During 1977 he also began writing articles on astronomy,meteorological phenomena,space exploration and other general subjects –something he has continued up until this date (2011) in the UK and Europe as well as United States. In the UK the main market has been the County Magazine trade.
During the mid to late 1970s,he was employed as a sales rep helping to promote toys such as The Micronauts,Atlantic Soldiers ,Action Force figures and sets and other products. This involved visiting retailers,setting up displays,propmotional material and so on. This led to his designing a series of toy soldier style sets for Hong Kong manufacturers such as “Dawn of Man” and “Space Frontier”. Privately,this led to taking part in Games Workshop events and even war-gaming.
From 1982-84 Terry took over the running of Comic Haus comic store in Detmold,Germany,which was failing badly in the market. he made the store a profit maker and was then put in charge of the Hameln Comic Haus,whose situation he turned around;both stores made such profits that the owner sold for a bigger profit!
Between 1984-1994 he worked freelance as a writer/artist/editor/agent in comics as well as comics journalism for MU Press,Blue Comet Press,Fantagraphic Books,Eros Comics,Dorne,Fleetway,IPC and others in the United States,UK and Europe. During this period he also produced large numbers of single panel gag cartoons for agencies in Germany such as Boiselle-Lohmann and Baaske Agency –these going to magazines and publications around Europe. Terry also worked as a freelance editor in comics and publications ranging from wildlife,astronomy and science fiction magazines.
From 1984-2004 Terry was also self publishing comics as well as publications on a wide variety of subjects under the Black Tower banner.
Terry was also very active in the UK Small Press between 1984-2004. He published the news, reviews and interviews publication Zine Zone. This eventually led to an international readership (going to 32 countries) and a change of title to Zine Zone International.
US publications Comics FX and Amazing Heroes credited Terry with spearheading the "UK Small Press Invasion" into the US in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Terry later wrote for Comics FX and contributed work to a number of European Small Press publications.
Terry has also produced packages of comic work for companies in India,Hong Kong and China. He has also been working as an industry advisor for smaller companies in countries such as India,Canada,Singapore,China,Europe, UK and the US.
Terry is also recognised as a British comics historian,having met and interviewed many of the creators who worked for comics in the UK,and also traced the history of UK publishers. Some of the interviews from 25 years featured in a 360 pages The Hooper Interviews book in 2009.
He has a good knowledge of current UK,US and European comics as well as those being prepared for future release. As a talent spotter he helped various creators break into the comic industry such as John Royle,Jon Haward,Duncan Fegredo,Art Wetherell et al.
Lee Davis,as an introduction to an interview of myself in IMAGINEERS magazine,noted that Terry was “…a near legendary figure in the British comics industry”.
In the U.S. industry publication,AMAZING HEROES,Hal Hargitt described him as “…The hardest working man in comics!”.
Gerd Hamer,in a German comic magazine described him as “The father of European super heroes…”
Apart from writing and drawing comics he has,since 1986,been attempting to promote European comics and creators in the UK. His interest is reflected in a collection of many comics from Russia,China,Czech & Slovak Republics, Poland,Hungary,Germany,Finland, Belgium, Australia,New Zealand and,naturally,British and American comic books.
Outside of comics Terry has worked with companies such as Yorkshire Television and HTV to create ideas and programmes for TV,such as a Channel 4 “Carry On” Film weekend in 1999. he has also featured in documentaries on TV/Radio news programmes in his capacity as a veteran naturalist and Police Consultant.
Terry is currently working on the comic and 3D animated series,The Paranormals as well as a series of short TV horror stories,Tales From The Grave. Other projects are currently optioned for TV. He is also an historian specialising in Pre-Roman and Roman Britain,Celts and rediscovered ‘lost’ history. He has published numerous papers on wildlife and history between 1979-2004.
Between 1992-2004 he published an Annual Report On The British Comics Industry looking at trends and sales as well as predicting trends,carrying out comic buyer surveys and so on. These began with 75% accuracy but by 1997 were between 89-97% accurate on predictions and trends.
Terry's publishing house, Black Tower Comics And Books (f. 1984) is the UKs largest publisher of Independent black and white comics. It also publishes books on strange phenomena and wildlife.
hoopercomicsuk@yahoo.com
CBO, 203 Ashton Drive, Ashton Vale, Bristol BS3 2PY UK
An interview can be found here: www.comicbitsonline.com
books can be found here: htt://stores.lulu.com/hoopercomicsuk
Log in to comment