chris sommerville - as seen in Fizzers

From 2004 to 2008 the Scottish Cartoon Art Studio team illustrated Cock Tales, a comicbook sexual health resource for young gay and bisexual men. The comics were a collaboration with Healthy Gay Scotland, part of HIV Scotland, which was a body funded by the Scottish Executive. The comic dealt with safe sex and condom use as well as such diverse issues as bullying, coming out, domestic violence and civil partnerships. The comic was widely praised and not just by young LGBT Scots but across the globe; Cock Tales was exhibited as part of the Glasgay! Festival in 2005 and was the toast of the 16th International AIDS Conference, Toronto, 2006.

Chris developed a series of strips featuring a cast of characters representing nine Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) all of which are- sadly- threatening the health of Scots young and old, gay and straight. The STIs are a quarreling gang of inept villains, who always get there comeuppance from Johnny & Lube. As such, they convey a serious message in a humorous way and have drawn great acclaim from professionals in the health sector, and have even been used as presentation visuals at the aforementioned AIDS conferences.

Cock Tales and all associated characters © Healthy Gay Scotland