It's always good to see a comic from an independent publisher continue beyond its first issue as it shows sales of No.1 must have been decent. Therefore I was pleased to receive Savage! Jungle Princess No.2 the other day from Kult Creations.
Created by John Short and Gabrielle Noble, the second issue is, like the first, another fun adventure of jungle girls, Nazis and dinosaurs in a 22 page full-colour adventure story. There's also a letters page this issue, which always adds the personal touch to a comic I think.
Let's not beat around the (jungle) bush though. The main draw of the comic is pure cheesecake. Savage and her companion Friday Robinson grow closer this issue and their outfits are even skimpier than before, but certain parts of the body are still covered and the story manages not to cross the line into pornography. (Although there is some innuendo and a scene where the two women try to escape their bonds amusingly leaves it up to the reader to determine what's actually happening.) As I said in my review of issue one, this is closer in tone to the jungle comics of the 1950s, with a wink to the reader to read into it what they will.
As with issue one, Savage! No.2 was good fun. The script moves along at a good pace and the artwork is clear. Proper comics, in other words. Roll on issue three!
Kult Creations have produced some good stuff so far and they're definitely a company to watch. You can meet publisher/writer John Short and check out his comics when Kult Creations have a table at the London Comic Mart on 30th September and at the Thought Bubble event on 17th/18th November.
You can also check out the Kult Creations blog here where you can order copies of Savage! Jungle Princess and other titles that aren't available in the shops.
There's one solution to the lack of modern British adventure comics, and that is: if you have the talent, produce your own. That's what Kult Creations have done with the Armageddon Patrol graphic novel, collecting four issues of an indie comic from a few years ago.
The 100 page black and white trade paperback is scripted by John A. Short, a professional writer who has contributed comic strips to various publications from Toxic to Mayfair. In Armageddon Patrol he deals with the scenario of what might have happened if superheroes had fought in Viet Nam. The book features four stand-alone stories (although it's best if they're read in order) with artwork by Alwyn Talbot on chapters 1, 2, and 4, and Alex Paterson on chapter 3.
Armageddon Patrol begins with Lieutenant Wynonna Stone, codename Maiden America, deployed in Viet Nam where her experiences soon harden her. The following chapter introduces other super-powered individuals who will make up the unit. It should be pointed out that Armageddon Patrol is not a children's comic. The violence is brutal and the language strong and realistic.
Alwyn Talbot's artwork shows a remarkable attention to detail and he's certainly an artist to watch. It's good to see Alex Paterson here too, showing a different side to his talents than the humour work he did on Rex for Toxic. John Short's writing skill is on top form with natural sounding dialogue and a smooth storytelling style that makes the book a real page turner.
My only criticism is that we don't see the Patrol act as a team that much. They don't come together until halfway through the book and are only seen as a fighting unit in the final chapter. However don't let that put you off. The main character is Wynonna Stone, and the story is mostly about her and how the war affects those around her. All in all it's a good, absorbing read.
To read more about Kult Creations and to buy a copy of the book visit the website here:
http://kultcreations.blogspot.com/
As with issue one, Savage! No.2 was good fun. The script moves along at a good pace and the artwork is clear. Proper comics, in other words. Roll on issue three! 
