Review: INVASION 1984!

Although I was reading Battle comic in 1983 it was mainly for Charley's War, which I'd cut out of the comic to save, and discard the rest. I don't think I ever read Invasion 1984 which appeared in its pages then, or maybe I just skimmed through it. Either way, I remembered nothing about it. A pity, because revisiting it now I find it's a cracking story!

Rebellion have collected the whole Invasion 1984 serial into one book as part of their Treasury of British Comics line. It's a 128 page softback on matt paper that has a very nice feel to it and reproduces the art well. 

Invasion 1984 is written by John Wagner and Alan Grant under their R.Clark pseudonym, and illustrated by Eric Bradbury. The story is old school entertainment about an alien invasion and humans fighting back against impossible odds. It may appear unsophisticated to readers more used to ponderous "talking heads" strips but for anyone who wants a bloody good yarn that's fast-paced and full of action, this is perfect. 

I was surprised at the amount of devastation the aliens incur on humanity. At the time, IPC were still reeling from the fuss about how violent Action was, and although there's no gore there is death and destruction on a grand scale. The invaders gun down innocent civilians with such regularity it's impossible to keep a body count. The humans are no better; annihilating Glasgow in a nuclear blast in a futile attempt to destroy an alien ship. 

Eric Bradbury was a veteran artist at this stage and his pages have a suitably grim and gritty feel to the action and a perfect balance of black and white. He really was one of the greatest adventure strip artists of the 20th Century. John Wagner and Alan Grant were also highly experienced by this point and although the story might not be in the same league as most of their 2000AD work it's still an excellently crafted tale. 

If you're looking for a good entertaining alien invasion story with some great art, Invasion 1984! is for you. On sale in bookshops now, or directly from the publisher here:
https://treasuryofbritishcomics.com/catalogue/RCA-B0048

The Final Whistle for Rok of the Reds

Rok of the Reds has reached the concluding issue in its six issue mini-series and it ends in fine form with an exciting finalé. This wonderful comic by John Wagner, Alan Grant, and Dan Cornwell (with colours by Abby Bulmer) has been a pleasure to read from start to finish. 

I won't show any of the interior pages this time because I don't want to give away any spoilers but the script and art is top class as Rok faces challenges on and off the pitch. As I've said in previous reviews of this series, don't let the football aspect put you off if you don't like football. I'm not a sports fan at all and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The sci-fi and sport elements mix well and it's just a damn good comic worth your support. 

Rok of the Reds is a cracking mix of traditional British adventure style comics with a modern approach. It should appeal to people who were fans of Lion and Valiant as much as it'll appeal to today's 2000AD readers. I really can't praise it highly enough.  

I'll miss Rok of the Reds but I hope it'll return for a second series.

Rok of the Reds No.6 is available from any good comics speciality shop, but if you have trouble finding it you can order a copy from the publisher BHP Comics...

http://bhpcomics.com

...or contact the artist himself at his website...

https://dancornwell.wordpress.com/

Rok of the Reds reaches its penultimate issue

The fifth issue of Rok of the Reds is out and the story is really building to its climax now. The alien Rok, on Earth and disguised as footballer Kyle Dixon, is being tracked by two Executors from his homeworld. There are revelations and danger as the issue races towards its cliffhanger. 

As I've said before, even if, like me, you don't usually like football comics this will hook you. It has all the hallmarks of a classic British adventure strip but with a modern style. Dan Cornwell's artwork is a joy to behold, and Abby Bulmer's rich colouring complements it perfectly. Of course, with a script by John Wagner and Alan Grant, how could they fail to be inspired? If Valiant or Eagle had been updated and were being published today, Rok of the Reds would fit right in. (I thought the way the strip continued directly from the cover was a nice touch. It reminded me of the old UK comics.)

Don't let that comment mislead you into thinking that this is some retro comic though. Those of us who are old enough will recognise the spirit of traditional British comics in Rok of the Reds but it also stands as an equal alongside any modern comic from the UK or USA. A treat for both new readers and long time collectors.

Rok of the Reds No.5 is available from any good comics speciality shop, but if you have trouble finding it you can order a copy from the publisher BHP Comics...
http://bhpcomics.com

...or contact the artist himself at his website...
https://dancornwell.wordpress.com/

Don't miss out! Rok of the Reds is a must-buy!

Christmas comics: 2000AD (1979)

Here's the second in this year's selection of vintage Christmas comics, and it's 2000AD and Tornado Prog 145 from 1979. A great cover by Carlos Ezquerra, and the art department has even added traditional snow to the logo. 

Inside, the comic isn't actually that festive, as IPC tended to leave the Christmas hi-jinks to the humour comics, but it's such a great line-up of strips that I thought you'd like to see a taste of them. The issue got off to a strong start with Judge Dredd by John Wagner and Mick McMahon...

Future war story The V.C.s by Ian Rogan and Garry Leach...

The Mind of Wolfie Smith had transferred over from Tornado comic. This episode was by Tom Tully and Mike White...

The centre-spread at this time featured The Stainless Steel Rat, adapting Harry Harrison's novel in comics form by Kelvin Gosnell and Carlos Ezquerra...

2000AD featured a single-page humour strip back then, with Captain Klep drawn by Robin Smith. (Ken O'Neill had been the original artist.)

Black Hawk was written by Alan Grant and illustrated by Massimo Bellardinelli...

Finally, at the back of the comic, a Christmas strip! Tying in with the front cover, it's Tharg's Christmas Tale, drawn by Carlos Ezquerra...

Don't forget that this year's Christmas 2000AD will be out on Wednesday with 100 pages! Here's a preview:
https://lewstringer.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/the-christmas-issue-of-2000ad-is-zarjaz.html

There'll be pages from another old festive title tomorrow. Which year will we arrive in? Wait and see!

Review: ROK OF THE REDS No.2

The second issue of this SF football comic Rok of the Reds moves the story along superbly, thanks to the experienced writing skills of John Wagner and Alan Grant. They really are the two top writers in British comics, delivering a script that is clearly told, absorbing, advances the plot, and has a great cliffhanger.

Dan Cornwell once again proves to be a good choice as artist, with a style that has elements of traditional British comics but also a modern attitude to page composition. As with John and Alan's writing, Dan's visual storytelling abilities carry the adventure along effortlessly. There's no confusion here as to what's going on, as is often the case with some modern comics. 

This episode sees the alien Rok assume the form and memories of arrogant footballer Kyle Dixon, adapting his attitudes to fit in with the humans. Can he maintain his secret? There are echoes of Alan Grant's old Doomlord series here, but Rok goes its own way. 

For anyone bemoaning that "they don't do comics like they used to", this is perfect for you. It's like a contemporary take on the sort of serials that would have appeared in Lion or Scorcher in the 1970s. That said, it should also appeal to today's readers too. And don't be put off if you're not a football fan. I'm not either, but I still found it completely gripping. 

The best news of all is that issue 3 is out already, so I should have that in a few days time. You can buy all three issues from the publisher's website here...
http://bhpcomics.com/

If you're at the London Film and Comic Con this weekend, be sure to visit John Wagner's table in the Comics Zone, where he'll have copies to sell, and I'm sure he'll be happy to sign them for you. 

You can also buy copies from the artist, Dan Cornwell, by contacting him on his website:
https://dancornwell.wordpress.com/

Get ready for ROK OF THE REDS!

Next month there's a brand new football comic hailing from Glasgow publisher BHP Comics when Rok of the Reds No.1 makes its debut. As you may have guessed from the cover, this is a football comic with a difference!

Created by John Wagner and Alan Grant, and scripted by John, Rok of the Reds is a six issue mini-series with fantastic art by Dan Cornwell, coloured by Abigail Bulmer and lettered by Jim Campbell. Interviewed in the latest issue of Comic Heroes, John Wagner said "It's not like anything else that Alan and I have done. There's a strong retro feel to it, a homage to the comics of our youth - but with the added twist of a rampaging alien".

The story is mostly still under wraps to avoid spoilers but what's known is it begins when arrogant footballer Kyle Dixon encounters an alien who has crash-landed on Earth.

It sounds like it's going to be an enjoyable comic, and with the talented creators it has onboard it's going to be well worth checking out. I've already pre-ordered my copy and you can too by following this link:  
http://bhpcomics.tictail.com/product/rokofthereds1 

Review: The House of Daemon

I've had this book a few weeks now but I'm eventually catching up with doing my reviews so please excuse its lateness. 

Hibernia Comics have been producing some excellent reprint albums of classic 1980s British strips and their latest release, The House of Daemon, is one of the best. With scripts by John Wagner and Alan Grant, and art by José Ortiz, you know you're in for a treat. The serial originally appeared in Eagle Nos.25 to 47 in 1982 to 1983 and this book collects the run. 

The story is an atmospheric supernatural tale of a haunted house, but it goes beyond the usual 'ghost story' tradition to plunge its occupants into nightmarish otherworldly situations. There are quite a few twists along the way and although the horror has to be reigned in to a certain extent (because it appeared in a children's comic) it's still quite creepy and a good 'all ages' horror comic. 

The art by José Ortiz is perfect for the horror theme, creating the right tone and menace throughout, plus of course his mastery of the human figure is superb. Sometimes collections like this feel a bit 'choppy', because the episodes were never designed to be read in one book, but with writers as skilled as Wagner and Grant the serial flows perfectly. It would actually make a very good movie, but as a comic it also stands on its own as a fantastic story. 

The reproduction of the strips is top class too. Although the pages are scanned from the comics, not the original art, they've reproduced perfectly, with sharp blacks and subtle grey tones. 

The House of Daemon is available from Hibernia Books here:
http://www.comicsy.co.uk/hibernia/

Return to The Thirteenth Floor

Mainstream British publishers may seem cautious about bringing their classic material back into print but thankfully Egmont have allowed independent outfit Hibernia Comics permission to reprint some great material from the past. Previously we've seen collections of Doomlord, The Tower King, and The Thirteenth Floor Volume 1, and this week saw the publication of The Thirteenth Floor Volume 2. 

The Thirteenth Floor was a serial that ran in the very short-lived Scream! weekly in the 1980s. When Scream! was canceled due to a combination of industrial action and a publisher nervous of its horror content, The Thirteenth Floor continued in Eagle comic.

The Thirteenth Floor was written by Alan Grant and John Wagner and illustrated by José Ortiz. It told the story of Max, a sinister sentient computer installed in a tower block, who led criminals and bullies to their fate on the non-existent 13th floor - an apparent gateway into nightmare scenarios.

The superb The Thirteenth Floor Volume 2 is now available to order in print from Hibernia Comics at their online store. It reprints the strips from Scream! Nos.12 to 15 and Eagle Nos.128 to 139. Visit here to buy your copy:
http://www.comicsy.co.uk/hibernia/