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The Feature:
"Ollie and Quentin" is about the unlikely friendship between a Seagull called Ollie and a Lugworm called Quentin despite the obvious food chain disparity that suggests Ollie should be more interested in Quentin as a snack than as a friend. The strip follows their adventures as they learn about each other and treat us to their bird's eye and worm's eye view of our world. Unsurprisingly, for two creatures living outside of their normal habitats, their daily antics often end in disaster especially for thumb-sized Quentin who has a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's been squashed, stretched, swallowed, chewed, inflated, frozen, even used as a bar of soap but our plucky little hero takes it all in his stride, never letting his small size deter him from having fun with his feathered cohort. Our story started when Quentin left his wormhole on the beach because it was too boring, wet and sandy to seek out a more exciting life in the little seaside fishing village nearby. The first thing he met was a seagull called Ollie and you'd expect his story to end somewhat gruesomely there. But Ollie is no ordinary gull either. He too has sought out an alternative existence and taken up residence in an artist's house nearby. Not that the artist, called Nobby, had any say in the matter. There Ollie enjoys a life of luxury reading his comics, sleeping in a comfy bed and watching TV. So he invites Quentin to join him, and seeing as this bird is the coolest thing he's ever met, it's an offer our little lugworm enthusiastically accepts. Thus, a great friendship is born and they now fill their carefree days as they wish. Often irresponsibly, usually selfishly and, almost without fail, stupidly! The Characters: Ollie is fiercely proud of being a gull. (Don't ever call him a duck). He's rarely seen without his little blue cap which doubles as a sea captain and pilot's cap. He got his name from an ankle ring he used to wear. It actually said the number 31770 but looking at it upside down on his ankle he read “OLLIE” and the name stuck. Incidentally you can draw him using the letters of his name. Try it. Quentin is cute but ugly and almost completely indestructible which is fortunate considering the perils that confront him every day. Incredibly dextrous there isn't much he can't do depite having no arms and legs. One of hundreds, if not thousands of siblings not to mention his countless uncles and aunts. Unlucky in love he struggles to get a girlfriend. He has dates, somehow, but they're often failures. He has a lughood sweetheart called Rosie who he's always trying to impress but sadly she's not interested. Nobby is an artist and sculptor. He's an affable single guy with enormous patience who serves as both foil and witness to Ollie and Quentin's mischievous antics. He's often the voice of reason, a calming influence and anchors their otherwise unbelievable world to our own. Other minor characters include two mischievous unhatched Eggs, the Evil Mrs.Cadaver who lives next door, a fish called Fishy and Quentin's bodyguard, a Venus Fly Trap called Rex. History: Ollie started life as a character on board a lifeboat but has since jumped ship. Quentin was created as an homage to all the poor lugworms I used as bait while sea fishing in my youth. He is named after my youngest brother Quentin. Nobby is the dreadful nickname my Mum and Dad gave me as a child. "Ollie and Quentin" launched on 7th January 2008 so if you like what you see please contact your local paper and put in a good word for it. Thanks. Piers |
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