John Lees

@johnlees.bsky.social

2978 Followers 596 Following

I write comics! ORLA!, SINK, GRAWLGORE & SHANKS, THE NASTY, THE CRIMSON CAGE, AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE, MOUNTAINHEAD, HOTELL. Website/newsletter: johnleescomics.com Online shop: johnleescomics.bigcartel.com Patreon: patreon.com/johnlees

A stack of That Texas Blood comics.
My gravel bike sat in front of the William Collins Memorial Fountain at Glasgow Green.
Poster for Bob Trevino Likes It.
IMPORTANT! From Thursday, 30 July, ScotRail is introducing a new app. To continue buying tickets, you’ll need to download the new official app and reset your password. Please visit the ScotRail website for more information.
A DVD of O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Selfie of me sat at my kitchen table with my French bulldog Oscar slumped on my lap, paw stuck up like he’s waving.
Mirror pic of me in full kit, white helmet, cycling sunglasses, fingerless gloves, burgundy jersey, black bib shorts, white cycling socks and white cycling trainers. Looking a bit like an over-eager traffic cop.
A selfie with me in a burgundy Danish Endurance cycling jersey over black Van Rysel bib shorts.
Tweet from Sam Neill, featuring an image of Sam Neill and a big pig, both looking happy. The text reads, “Yes, I know things can look a little glum at present. But, for now cheer up. From us.”
Cover of Chainkata #1 by Daniel Warren Johnson, featuring a post-apocalyptic warrior woman wielding a chainsaw like a sword as hordes of scantily clad men in shackles and chains grovel at her feet.
Arlog Shanks excitedly runs into the sea in his furry little orc Speedos while Vaun Grawlgore stands on the beach, holding his clothes, shoes off and trousers rolled up to feel the sand between his toesies.
The Grawlgore & Shanks T-shirt.
SINK Vol 2: Blood & Rain cover by Alex Cormack, featuring Mr. Dig standing amid a group of other people in makeshift cardboard Mr. Dig masks.
The Kickstarter “Project We Love” badge.
Vaun Grawlgore looks intimidated as he stands facing a large, angry orc.
Joe and me wrapped in a warm embrace.
Page 1 of Grawlgore & Shanks #3, featuring Queen Yarza examining a portrait of her dead father, the previous King, while members of a barbarian clan discuss the rumours of the king's ghost prowling the castle.
Vaun Grawlgore reading a book by the fireplace.
Arlog Shanks, a burly orc, looks afraid as he lets out a wide-eyed scream.
Orc Arlog Shanks, barbarian queen Yarza and dwarf Vaun Grawlgore sit around a wooden table in a grand dining hall.
The Tour de France magazine.
Cover featuring adorable cartoon versions of Arlog Shanks and Vaun Grawlgore battling creatures.
A paved trail that eventually bends out of sight and leads into woodland.
My gravel bike parked up next to the crossroads sign.
Mock-ups of enamel pins of the heads of Vaun Grawlgore and Arlog Shanks, with text underneath saying, “Limited Edition Enamel Pin Set.”
Me standing on the beach in swim jammers, goggles and swim cap, the sea behind me, grinning and arms outstretched.
A table display featuring The Nasty, Grawlgore & Shanks Book 1, Orla! and Sink Vol 1-3 and the Sink Halloween Special, with a John Lees roller banner featuring an image of Mr. Dig in the background.
A list of stretch goals, including: $6K - John Lees original scripts included in digital rewards for all backers. $7K - Grawlgore & Shanks Livestream with Joe Mulvey & John Lees with prize giveaway. $8K - New Grawlgore & Shanks prose mystery by John Lees free for all backers. $9K - Grawlgore & Shanks T-shirt add-on, design voted on by backers. $10K - ???
GIF of Jon Polito in Miller’s Crossing saying “ALWAYS PUT ONE IN THE BRAIN!”
A montage of images of me and my comics, made by the Excelsior Comic Con Rutherglen organisers.
Dwarf Vaun Grawlgore and orc Arlog Shanks look fearful as they are enveloped in the flowing bandages of a ghostly figure looming over their shoulder.
A Hollywood Reporter article with the headline, “Did a 54-Year-Old Nonprofit Worker Just Use AI to Become the Next Charlie Kaufman?”
Alex Cormack, Ashley Cormack and me grinning malevolently on the streets of Glasgow.
Arlog Shanks the orc smiles at us while holding a steaming bowl of stew. Art by Joe Mulvey, colours by JP Jordan.
Post-cycle selfie, me in my helmet and sunglasses grinning as I stand in front of my bike, trying to hide that I’m so sore I could barely lift my phone to take the picture.
Image of orc Arlog Shanks holding a tasty bowl of stew, with text underneath that reads… Grawlgore & Shanks Kickstarter Launching Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Selfie of me in my cycle helmet and massive pink/orange-tinted reflective cycling sunglasses.
A nail bloodied at the quick.
Orc Arlog Shanks and dwarf Vaun Grawlgore look fearfully at something up ahead.
The Ed Harris Truman Show meme.
A headless body falls from a height on top of an unfortunate man, landing crotch-first on his face.
Pool Swim stats that read: Freestyle (2000mh Workout Time: 0:41:42 Elapsed Tome: 1:01:08 Distance: 2000m Active Kilocalories: 511kcal Total Kilocaloriew: 692kcal Avg Pave: 2’05”/100m Avg Heart state: 162bpm Lengths: 80 Pool Length: 25m Effort: Hard
A ghostly figure looms over the shoulder of a terrified fantasy barbarian holding a lantern.
POV from the bottom of the hill.
Matthew Rhys as Mayor Tom Loftis in Widow’s Bay.
A Letterboxd review of Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) *½ Watched 6 Dec 2015 Films like this make me sad. Clearly, a lot of money was spent on this, a lot of time must have been spent by a lot of people in making it. And yet, does anyone remember it? Is it anyone's favourite movie? Did anyone involved particularly give a damn? JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH is filled with utterly perfunctory, soulless set-pieces, all set against a neon video game CGI backdrop that ensures nothing feels based in any kind of reality or is given any kind of weight. The kind of film you forget while you're watching it. I can't imagine anyone going out of their way to watch this.
A black T-shirt that reads, “A heterosexual movie by Gregg Araki.”
A table with a poster upfront and a few piles of Orla! up on top, along with copies of Hotell and Mountainhead.
Image of Andy Burnham with headline “Labour MPs “Will Defect to Greens” of Andy Bur ham Loses Leadership Bid.”
A shot of my gravel bike leaning against the wall, where I was attempting to capture its shadow on the wall behind at a dramatic angle but instead blocked it with my own shadow.
POV looking down at my bike handlebars.
Me in a Batman Halloween costume.
A poster with a picture of me and a picture of the ORLA! cover, with text that reads: Forbidden Planet Glasgow Presents JOHN LEES Signing May 27th From 5-7pm
An image of Hiruko the Goblin.
Inde Navarrette as Nikki in Obsession.
Cover of Grawlgore & Shanks Book 2, featuring Arlog Shanks and Vaun Grawlgore in a snow-swept landscape, standing on top of a glowing orb while the image of a barbarian queen is super-imposed behind them.
Post-cycle selfie, looking like a big nerd in my casual clothes and glasses and a cycling helmet plonked on my head. I was sitting on my bike here but ended up not getting it in shot.
Wes Streeting under a red umbrella, casting a sinister sideways glare to the camera that carries the energy of those horror movies where the killer breaks the fourth wall and starts talking direct to the audience.
A screencap from Threads showing an image of Wes Streeting walking with the caption, “BREAKING: Wes Streeting leaves No 10 after just 16 minutes.”