Celeb photobomber turns talent to comic books

HIS name’s Olly Cunningham, and between 2002 and 2012 you probably saw him gurning with one arm around Joan Rivers, Pat Kenny, Dave Grohl, Pierce Brosnan, Elle McPherson, and many, many, many more.

Under the pseudonym Don Dangerfield, guru to the stars, Olly made a name – or at least a face – for himself by ruining photos with every celebrity he could find.

“It was just for the laugh really,” he says. “I just wanted to take the piss out of celebrities. I made a book out of it in the end and it did really well – it was number one in 2005 in Tower Records.”

Olly made friends with the Irish paparazzi who gave him tips on where celebrities were staying or where they’d be, so he and his friends could hang around laneways and outside hotels waiting for a photo.

He’s been snapped with a huge variety of celebrities, from international A-listers all the way down. And Olly says the bigger the star, the smaller the ego.

“Martin Sheen was probably one of the nicest guys,” he tells us. “But I find the less famous ones have a bit more of an ego.” 

Of course, he says that was before he had kids – he’s got three now and has left the celebrities in peace for a few years. 

But that doesn’t mean he’s turned all serious. Olly’s latest venture has been a lifelong dream – to write comic books. He’s started a series of adult books called Black Lines Comics and just released his second in the series at the first ever Kerry Comic Con on April 1.

“I just always loved comics, ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a comic artist. And I finally got it together and I brought out a book last year. It did really well. It’s for sale in Forbidden Planet and Sub City. 

Olly’s books are adult in theme, and not for everyone. But fans of the darker side of comics can download his first book free from blacklinescomics.com for a limited time to celebrate the release of the next book in the series. 

“I just want to do really dark stories about scary, dark Dublin people really… sex, drugs and… total deprivation!

“I just love adult comics, I don’t read any Superman or Spiderman, just adult comics. There’s definitely a niche out there. Any of the Charles Burns, a brilliant American artist, there’s Daniel Clowes, he’s another brilliant artist.” 

Olly says he’s not really part of a larger Irish comics scene, although there is one, but says he does find it useful to sometimes meet with other comic writers and share ideas.

“I get in touch with a lot of other comic creators, there’s one group called Comics Lab. A lot of comic artists get together once every two months and everyone discusses what their projects are. It’s a great way to meet people.”

Olly’s first comic is free online at blacklinescomics.com for a limited time, and the second was released on April 1 at the Kerry Comic Con after a smaller Dublin launch party on Saturday, March 25 at 7pm in Natural Cut, Wicklow Street, where Olly is a hairdresser.

REPORT: Ciara del Grosso Bates