A 40-page comic book has been created by local artist Mike Duckett and is called ‘Some People Call us Checkies’

The vibrant comic book marks a celebration of the amazing work and experiences of the Tyne and Wear Metro frontline staff who carry out customer service and revenue protection roles.

The publication has seen illustrator Mike Ducket who is from Bardon Mill in Northumberland conduct many interviews with frontline team members and create fabulous stylised comic art in order to illustrate the wonderful 40-page ‘Some People Call us Checkies’ book which captures a fantastic energy, representing the work of these everyday super heros’.

Nexus who own and operate Metro is thrilled with the fresh and contemporary artwork in an alternative approach to recognising the hard work of its teams. The book has been distributed to its 1,000 staff members.

Mike said: “The finished comic celebrates the everyday work of frontline Metro staff as they perform their duties.

“They do a brilliant job. I’ve already got to know many of them and it’s pretty cool to think that they will be immortalised in the finished comic.

“As an artist, this has been a great project for me to be involved in. I love comic book art and it was fantastic to be able to get out there and sketching ordinary Metro staff while they’re at work, whether that is helping a customer use a ticket machine or helping a person with the gatelines.

“The Metro is an iconic transport system, and I don’t think it has ever been represented through this type of artwork before. It’s a new and very contemporary way of celebrating the Metro and its staff.”

The comic book is part of the Big Metro Community Takeover project and saw Mike make his way right across the Metro Network in order to meet members of staff which allowed him to build a real connection through his art form and brilliantly bring to life some of the stories of the 120 customer service advisors.

Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said:

“We are excited to be showcasing the work of our staff through the medium of modern art as part of our Community Takeover.

“Nexus has a long tradition of promoting public art on Metro, but this is the first time that we have commissioned comic book art.

“The finished comic is unique and is a fantastic tribute to everyday life on Metro. We look forward to giving out copies to our workforce.

“The illustrator, Mike Duckett, worked across the Metro system to draw the staff while they were on duty. Everyone has really enjoyed being a part of it.

“Over the last year Metro has been turned into a platform for community arts and live performances by creative people from across North East England over the coming year as part of the Metro Takeover, our biggest ever community arts programme funded by Arts Council England.”

The Metro Takeover programme has seen major regional arts organisations undertake community projects and commissions which are then displayed across Metro’s many stations. The Takeover project began in August 2021 to Spring 2022 and has seen the Metro network blossom with arts including dance, song, music and visual arts working with people from all over the region and funded via Arts Council England.