In an interview to the Scotish newspaper Daily Record Cam Kennedy(who has worked from Judge Dredd to Batman from The Punisher to the Star Wars comics along with many other comics) explained just how ectastic he is too see the new Judge Dredd movie even though his glaucoma(a condition that limits his vision and means he can sometimes only see in black and white.) is taking his vision away.
He also talks about the hardships he goes through and other stuff.
Cam said: “I’ve been invited to Dundee for a special screening of the movie and I can’t wait to watch Dredd brought to life on the big screen.
“However, I don’t know how much of the action I will see as I have glaucoma and my vision is quite limited.
“Forget 3D, I will have trouble focusing on it in 2D. At times, I stop seeing in colour but I don’t care – I will still enjoy
the spectacle.
“My sight started deteriorating in 1983 but three operations a few years ago seem to have controlled my loss of vision.
“It’s frustrating because if I’d had the surgery way back, my whole sight could have been saved. I’m now stuck with
binocular vision.”
Glasgow-born Cam drew the cult hero, who was created by Scots writer John Wagner and Spanish artist Carlos Ezquerra, for 28 years.
Judge Dredd has become one of the most popular comic strip characters of all time. Acting as the judge, jury and executioner in the futuristic world of Mega-City One, the menacing tough guy has millions of fans from all over the world.
Grandad-of-two Cam started illustrating the 2000AD series in 1980 but had to finish up in 2008 when his sight worsened.
He said: “I really miss drawing Dredd but to do a comic strip you need your whole field of vision. Colouring in becomes
impossible.
“I can still sketch and, in many ways, my pictures now are some of the best I have ever done because so much
concentration goes into them. Of all the comic heroes I have drawn, Judge Dredd is definitely my favourite.
“Who wouldn’t like being paid to disappear into the future where a 7ft character goes around thumping people in post-apocalyptic America.
“I had a ball sitting in my room in Orkney sketching away while the rain poured down outside.”
During his illustrious career, Cam – who started drawing at two-and-a-half – has worked for Marvel, DC and Dark Horse comics.
He has sketched Star Wars, Batman and Nick Fury characters, to name but a few, and gets mobbed at comic book
conventions around the world.
Cam, who is married to former primary school teacher Isobel, 62, is bemused at how obsessive some fans can be.
He said: “I would be at a Star Wars convention and these anoraks would come up and pump my hand, saying how my drawings had changed their lives. Frightening.”
But the illustrator, who realised he had artistic potential while living in France in the 70s, is not a big Star Wars fan.
He said: “I spent two years living in Oregon drawing for the Star Wars Dark Empire series. When I was asked to take the job in 1991, I had never seen the films and had to watch them on video tape.
“I did two series of six comics but, when George Lucas tried to persuade me to do a third, I politely declined.
“I didn’t want to commit my whole life to Star Wars, drawing space ships and uniform after uniform. Life’s too short.”
Cam, who received a Comic Book Lifetime Achievement Award five years ago, even stars as a character in Judge Dredd with his wife and two youngest children, Catriona, 29, and Cameron, 26.
He said: “In the 80s, I was sent to the States to pitch an idea to DC comic execs in New York. When I announced myself, a guy said, ‘Kenny who?’
“Dredd creator John Wagner thought this was hilarious and he and writer Alan Grant went on to write Kenny Who? as a character.
“In one strip, he travels to Mega-City One from the Caledonian Hab Zone (Calhab) in Scotland.
“Kenny Who? ends up in jail and his wife and two kids come over and confront Dredd. We had lots of fun with it.
“I feel very privileged to be part of the wonderful world of comic books. I have no regrets.”
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