Online comics from the great Roger Langridge

February 26, 2022 4:11 AM

I've just discovered these via Langridge's HotelFred website, which lets you read them free online or download them if you have the right app. The first two titles listed are mini-comics (about weight loss and witches respectively), then there's The Iron Duchess (featuring Fred the Clown), The Thirteenth Floor (an early graphic novel project) and The Great McGonagall (chapters to date of his book about the world's worst poet).

His name's Roger Langridge. You may remember him from comics such as The Muppet Show, Bill & Ted Are Doomed, Fred The Clown and Art d'Ecco. There's a short bio here.

posted by Paul Slade (7 comments total)

I'm proud to say I know Roger! Not super well, but as a webcomics veteran, we crossed paths a fair bit back in the late '90s and early '00s, and at one point I made the trek out to visit him in the UK when I was over there visiting my sister.

He is a mensch. Just a gold-plated great guy. His love of art (and comics) radiates through everything he does. A++ would Hotel Fred again.
posted by Shepherd at 4:36 AM on February 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

Nice comics! And a nice website! Thanks for point us his way!
posted by JHarris at 7:25 AM on February 26, 2022

Forgot to add this link to some art I commissioned from Langridge about 18 months ago.
posted by Paul Slade at 8:08 AM on February 26, 2022 [3 favorites]

I remember him from early New Zealand days when Knuckles The Malevolent Nun was running in Craccum... strange and wonderful to see how he's developed and how far he's come. I can tell you that decades ago, as a very young man, his humour may have been puerile but his drawing even in the early 90s was OUTSTANDING.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:11 AM on February 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Nah man. Not puerile when it came to the crunch. He had Knuckles pull some awesome anti-jerk stuff.
I remember Cornelius (Knuckles Enabler) turning up to some pro-queer Auckland protest I found myself involved in too so he's cool as well. (I said thanks to him for Knuckles adjacent stuff at the time and he was humble. Go Cornelius).
Thanks. It seems so long ago now I had forgotten this stuff.
posted by Richard Upton Pickman at 11:01 PM on February 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

I remember meeting Corny Stone at a comic convention in student days. He seemed cool. And look yes Knuckles' heart (or at the eponymous comic's heart) was basically in the right place but it was teenage Grand Guignol gross-fest humour and I stand by that! This is not to diminish my very great awe at Langridge's talent, achievements and trajectory. From my POV, it's even cooler as a result.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:24 AM on February 27, 2022 [1 favorite]

He was the writer for an *exceptional* and resolutely un-grim Thor comic with Marvel. (Thor: The Mighty Avenger, pencils by the amazing Chris Samnee). That's where I discovered him. His Instagram is where I catch the HotelFred stuff these days, and it's always a pleasure.

The Thor book was critically adored, but was cut short when the Thor movies started coming out, probably for not being really in alignment with the media. I highly recommend it because Langridge writing and Samnee drawing smiles is not to be missed. Also, a drunken punchup between Thor and Captain Britain!
posted by taterpie at 1:50 PM on February 27, 2022 [2 favorites]