Since graduating from the prestigious Royal College of Art in London where his focus was painting, Tom Dearie has made a successful leap over to the world of comics and illustration. Last year he received the coveted ‘Grand Prix’ award at the 31st International Comic Competition (Komiksus) in Poland for his comic F is for Fire. Inspired by the fire department Tom lives near in Warsaw, the comic tells the story of a heroic firefighting father who is injured in service.

With satisfyingly simple forms and eye-catching colour palettes, Tom’s work feels both completely current and strangely familiar. It would be equally at home in a classic comic or on a New Yorker cover. While the commercial potential of his work is obvious, it’s also playfully surreal and often catches you off guard – his Steamy Pete illustration for example looks like some kind of psychedelic Where’s Wally or Tintin in a parallel universe.