Recommended Reading

Firstly, apologies to the authors for taking so long to get around to plugging their books and hope you'll forgive these short plugs rather than the lengthy reviews I'd intended to do. Without further delay, here we go...

Diabolica is a fantastic gothic horror yarn by John A. Short and David Hitchcock that is an absolute gem of a comic. A complete story (but with the potential for sequels) this would make an ideal ghost story as a Christmas stocking stuffer, - or for any time of the year come to that. John A. Short has mastered the craft of telling complete stories, whether they be single pages or, in this case, full issue length, which isn't a skill some comic writers possess. David Hitchcock's art is, as ever, spooky and sublime. A perfect creative team! Nice bonus material in the back of the comic too, and all for only £3.99 plus postage. Order from the Kult Creations blog here:
http://kultcreations.blogspot.com 

Another item from Kult Creations is Armageddon Patrol Book 2, a follow up to the first volume I reviewed way back in 2011:
https://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2011/01/armageddon-patrol.html

Book 2 brings us more hard-hitting action with all stories written by John A. Short and illustrated by a variety of artists including Alex Paterson, Simon Ecob, and more. It's gritty, violent, fast-paced stuff that wouldn't look out of place in a revived Action or Battle if those comics were aimed at adults. All well accomplished material packaged into a smart looking trade paperback with a cover by Craig John. Order from the Kult Creations blog:
http://kultcreations.blogspot.com

For a complete change of pace I recommend Life Drawing, A Life Under Lights by Jessica Martin. This 154 page hardback is a superb read. Jessica has previously created biographies for film stars Clara Bow and Vivien Leigh so it's great to see her producing her own memoirs. It's fascinating stuff, because Jessica Martin has had (and is still having) an interesting life from her days as an impressionist on TV, through her musical theatre work, and cabaret, so it's good to read about the life of this multi-talented lady. Jessica's artistry is impressive too, and she can capture likenesses and emotion very well. The story takes us through important points of her life, and there's some very emotional moments too. A great book well worth your time. 
https://unbound.com/books/life-drawing/

Brawler No.1 is a new adventure anthology from Time Bomb Comics. Taking its inspiration from the well-remembered Warrior comic but with its own look and characters, this is an action fest featuring some great talent. With creators such as Steve Tanner, Dan Whitehead, Jason Cobley, and David Hitchcock you know you're in for a good comic. There's a sad aspect too though, as the lead strip 28AR is drawn by Nigel Dobbyn whose untimely death a few months ago means that we'll see no more from the great man. It's also the first part of a continued story, but the other strips are self contained. Full colour throughout and with a fantastic cover by Staz Johnson, Brawler No.1 can be purchased from the Time Bomb website at this link:
https://timebombcomics.com/shop

The Catalyst is a great full colour comic published by Comichaus. Written by Nick Bryan with art by Robert Ahmad and colours by David Cooper it's a SF fantasy story with twist and turns that'll fry your circuits. A good complete story worth checking out! 
https://www.comichaus.com/comics/the-catalyst/204704.htm

There's some great talent in the UK comics industry these days and it proves that the claims from a few that there aren't any good creators around now simply isn't true. Enjoy comics on their own merits, without comparing them to nostalgic memories, and you'll find some gems like the ones I've recommended today.

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