Mark Millar on HARDtalk

Screen grab © BBC

Something that should be celebrated by all UK comic fans is that we now live in a time when comic creators are often interviewed in the mainstream media. This week comic writer Mark Millar was interviewed on the BBC's HARDtalk programme about his comics and movies and you can watch it on the BBC iPlayer here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05qgk4c/hardtalk-mark-millar-comic-book-author

Most of you will know Mark as the co-creator of comics such as The Ultimates, Kick-Ass, and Kingsman: The Secret Service amongst others. He was also the editor of the sadly short-lived comics anthology CLiNT where several of his strips appeared. 

The interviewer is Zeinab Badawi and as you might expect, the subject of violence in comics is addressed. Mark tackles the questions well and I share his opinion that comics do not make people violent. I was also as puzzled as Mark as to why anyone would claim his Hit-Girl character was 'sexualized' in her appearance. (I think anyone who sees that in the character has other issues going on. Hit-Girl is more like a foul-mouthed, ultra-violent Minnie the Minx.) Anyway, have a watch of the programme for yourselves. It's a good interview.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05qgk4c/hardtalk-mark-millar-comic-book-author

Epilogue: The Last Round-Up

When, in my previous post, I announced that I was ending this blog it took a few people by surprise. Reaction from readers has been very heartening and much appreciated. Although I still don't have the time or inclination to continue with Blimey I've been sufficiently encouraged to return for one last round-up of items that have been published recently, some of which I'd promised to promote a while ago. There's a lot to cover here so relax, have a cuppa, and here we go...

Above is the cover to a brand new comics magazine, Scraps, published by Blasé Books. Edited and designed by my old mentor Mike Higgs (I know, "Not so much of the old", - sorry Mike) who also contributes two strips Kevin and his Comics and The Yesterfiles. The 16 page A4 full colour mag also features two very informative articles by Peter Hansen on British comics and annuals, a Comic ODDments feature, and promotions for books by Blasé and Ugly Duckling Press.

A copy of Scraps No.1 will appear as a free insert in Multiverse magazine soon, or can be picked up in its single magazine format at various comic marts around the country (especially the Birmingham and London ones). However, if you'd like a copy posted to you, you can send a pound coin to cover postage to Blasé Books, Hazelwood, Birchfield Road, Reddich B97 6PU. Alternatively you can pay £1 via PayPal, to blasebooks@aol.com

Another recent debut is Hairy Steve, an all-new 32 page comic book by Jamie Smart and Steve Bright. If you thought you knew what they could accomplish from their contributions to children's comics over the years think again. With Hairy Steve the creators give us a darkly funny adult comic that pulls no punches. A lupine hero! A mad scientist! Zombies! Violence! And more. 

Both creators are highly talented writer/artists in their own right but with Jamie Smart on script and Steve Bright on artwork it's a winning combination that's a must-buy. Hairy Steve was made possible via Indiegogo crowdfunding so those of us who funded it have already received our copies. However if you weren't part of that and you'd still like a copy, a few are still available at a reasonable price. E-mail Jamie at jamiesmart78@gmail.com and he'll sort out a signed copy for you.

Fans of classic British comics will be pleased to hear that Steve Holland has revised and expanded his index for Lion comic into an impressive 262 page A4 softback book. Lion, King of Picture Story Papers is published by Bear Alley Books for £25.99 plus £4 postage. Well worth it for fans of the fondly-remembered weekly, as the book features a 100 page history of the comic, profusely illustrated with sharp, clear samples of strips, behind the scenes photographs of the editorial staff, and the index section itself runs to around 160 pages with details of all the strips in the weekly, annuals, and specials. 

Even if Lion was before your time this is still an absorbing book for anyone with a genuine interest in the history of British comics. It's a great showcase of the outstanding artistic talent that was working in comics back then, with many full page examples of artwork from Joe Colquhoun, Reg Bunn, Leo Baxendale, Don Lawrence and many more. (Many pages are also reproduced smaller than published size, but the reproduction is still clear and legible.) Available here from Bear Alley Books website: 
http://bearalleybooks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/lion-king-of-picture-story-papers_3.html

Speaking of classic British comic talent, Terry Bave has published his autobiography as a chunky 298 page volume. Cartoons and Comic Strips takes us on a journey from Terry's early days right up to the present, with many examples of his artwork from over the decades.

Terry's work has always had a gentle fun aspect that has appealed to children over the years. He understands the essentials of comic storytelling, with strips that are always clear to follow, and characters that are engaging. Credit must also go to Shiela Bave of course, Terry's wife, who has worked with Terry on the scripts for practically his entire career.

Copies of Cartoons and Comic Strips can be ordered from Terry's new blog at http://terrybave.blogspot.co.uk or directly from the Lulu website here:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-bave/cartoons-and-comic-strips/paperback/product-20625272.html 

An excellent graphic novel from a mainstream British publisher is The Complete Rainbow Orchid by Gavin Ewing, published by Egmont. This previously appeared as three separate comic albums but now they're collected into this sumptuous 136 page book. 

 
The Rainbow Orchid is a real epic. An old-school quest type of adventure with the heroes traversing the globe. Garen Ewing's artwork is incredibly detailed. He draws in the fine line style inspired by Hergé and Edgar P. Jacobs but brings his own approach to it. The standard is phenomenal. 

There are also bonus features at the back of the book (character designs and suchlike) and nicely designed endpapers showing specially created ephemera that perfectly mimics the early 20th Century era of the story. Let's hear no more complaints about Britain no longer doing all-ages adventure strips. This is one. Right here. And the quality is as high as anything that preceded it. The Complete Rainbow Orchid is a real treat, and a bargain at only £14.99. (ISBN: 978 14052 6385 6)

The third issue of indie comic Savage! Jungle Princess was published by Kult Creations recently. It's another full colour adventure by John Short and Gabrielle Noble featuring dinosaurs, Nazis, and 'saucy' fun. 

You can order the latest issue of Savage, plus back issues and other good stuff from the Kult Creations blog here: http://kultcreations.blogspot.co.uk/

There's a new event for fans of British comics in the shape of Comic Empire coming to the Royal National Hotel on March 3rd, June 2nd, and October 5th. This replaces the dormant ABC Shows at that venue but will feature items to appeal to collectors of British comics, pulps, magazines and ephemera. See the flyer below for more details and keep an eye on the website http://www.londoncomicmart.co.uk/

Jim Alexander has been a professional comics writer for quite a few years now, and he's recently produced his own comics such as Scout One, Gabriel, Good Cop, Bad Cop, and Amongst the Stars. (The latter with artwork by Mike Perkins in issue 1.) Check out Jim's blog for details on how to order your copies:
http://jimalwriter.blogspot.co.uk/

Comic Heroes, the bi-monthly magazine about comics is on its 17th issue now (and some said it wouldn't last). Available from WH Smith, Tesco and other retailers this current edition features a load of excellent features. The history of Iron Man in comics, interviews with Mark Waid, Ramona Fradon, Roy Thomas, Liam Sharp, Andy Diggle, plus Paul Gravett writing about the work of François Schuiten, with reviews and much more. A very solid issue. £7.99.

PS Publishing have released a new batch of books recently in their line of pre-code American comics reprints. There's Phantom Lady, The Heap, Witches Tales Vol.2, and Chamber of Chills Volume 4 (which concludes that particular title, having now reprinted every issue). It's great to see these classic horror comics back in print for those of us who weren't around when they were originally published. 

The nice thing about these 'Harvey Horrors' is that PS reprint the entire comic, adverts and all, which adds to the experience of capturing the times. Five to seven comics appear in each volume, and there's bonus pages of features and scans of original artwork. You can order the books directly from the publisher here:
http://www.pspublishing.co.uk/ps-art-books-24-c.asp

Fans of horror comics may also be interested in The Best of From the Tomb, a softback book from Twomorrows Publishing reprinting articles from the UK From the Tomb fanzine, which also includes unseen pages that were scheduled for the unpublished 29th issue. A fascinating look back at the era of pre-code horror and crime comics, plus interviews with Joe Sinnott, Shane Oakley and others.

There's a new issue of CLiNT in newsagents and comic shops right now, with another 100 page helping of over the top action and breakneck entertainment. This issue (No.6 in the second series) features the latest chapters of Hit Girl, The Secret Service, Death Sentence and more. 

Look out for another British adventure comic hitting the shelves of newsagents on March 28th! That's the day when Strip Magazine is scheduled for a relaunch with its second series (numbered 1.2). The line-up of stories looks fantastic, and the big news for fans of classic British comics is that it features the return of 1970s Hotspur superhero King Cobra, revamped for the modern age. More info here: http://stripcomicmagazineuk.blogspot.co.uk/

So, plenty happening print-wise in the UK but if you want to support a digital British comic as well, hop over to Aces Weekly which is now in its third volume. A mere £6.99 ($9.99) gets you access to each seven-issue volume. Yes, only a pound an issue, cheaper than any print comic. I created an all-new Combat Colin strip for issue 1, and will be doing another one soon, exclusive to Aces Weekly. Find out more about the comic and its creators here and subscribe!:
http://www.acesweekly.co.uk

And finally... news about my new blog! Yes, Blimey! is still ending (for the reasons I gave in my previous post) but I'm launching a new blog lewstringercomics. As the name suggests, this one will only focus on my own material. (Which won't take me so long to research for one thing.) It won't be updated as often as this blog was, and the commentary will be shorter, concentrating on showing you samples of my artwork from the past, present and, hopefully, future. I hope you'll all give it a visit and bookmark it. You'll find it here:
http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.co.uk

Thanks again for visiting Blimey! over the last six years and for your kind comments after my previous post. See you over on my new blog!


 

CLiNT relaunches with new No.1

 Published in time for the Kapow! Comic Convention last weekend, and now available in newsagents, the new issue CLiNT sees the adults-only comic reboot with a new issue one. (Technically it's issue 2.1 but there's no escaping the huge #1 on the cover.) 

Presumably the main reasons for such a relaunch are to attract new readers and also to encourage shops to stock more copies. Sadly, my local newsagents don't seem to have taken that on board and have only stocked the same quantities as before (ie: one copy in my corner shop, - and it's shelved between The Beano and some pre-school mag). I only hope the situation is better elsewhere. 

If you haven't bought CLiNT before, or are a lapsed reader, this is indeed an excellent jumping on point. 100 pages for £4.25, packed with comics and related features. The recent first U.S. issues of The Secret Service and Super Crooks are reprinted in full (comics that individually would cost you about £2.50) plus 11 exclusive pages of Rex Royd, and 11 pages of new series Death Sentence. There's also a very insightful interview with Mark Millar, who comes across as someone with his head screwed on right, an item on the 20th anniversary of Roman Dirge's Lenore, and a bizarre feature about some real-life masked vigilante who's running around London rooftops, calling himself Clint after claiming to being inspired by the comic. He says. Although the fact that thousands of CLiNT readers don't turn to using parkour and nightsticks would suggest there's a few other things that triggered him off there. It'll end in tears.

The next issue of CLiNT won't be out until July 5th. I can't help thinking that a six-week frequency isn't going to do continued stories any favours, but I appreciate that a longer shelf-life might sell more copies. It's up to you though folks. The more of you who buy CLiNT, the more likely it is to go back to monthly status.  

CLiNT No.2.1 (or #1 if you prefer, or No.16 if you're counting) is available now from comic specialist shops and newsagents, or you can subscribe at: http://titanmagazines.com/t/clint/

The Secret Service opens up

Next month, the new look CLiNT comic will include the start of the new Mark Millar / Dave Gibbons series The Secret Service, but for those of you who want to read it early head down to your nearest comic shop this weekend. Out now is the first issue of The Secret Service limited series published by Icon, the Marvel imprint for creator-owned projects, and $2.99 (roughly £2.50) will get you all 23 pages of chapter one.

In truth, this is a comic that needs no promotion from me as I'm sure copies will be flying off the shelves but I've known Dave Gibbons for 30 years and followed his work even longer than that so it seems only natural that I should give it a plug. If, like me, you've enjoyed Dave's artistry on everything from Harlem Heroes and Watchmen to Give Me Liberty and The Originals this new series won't disappoint. 

This is the first time that Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons have worked together so on that basis alone it was always going to be an appealing enticement to see what they'd produce, and the end result delivers the goods. Initially cloaked in secrecy (appropriately enough) The Secret Service is now revealed, and it's an interesting tale of how the high life and low life come together in mixture of spy thriller and kitchen sink drama. Put like that, it probably sounds terrible, but trust me, it works. Both creators are on form here and Mark Millar's script has the usual elements of snappy dialogue, violence, dark comedy and great pacing. Mention must also be made for Angus McKie's superb colouring. Angus has been in the business a long time and he's still at the top of his game.

And that's all I'm going to tell you about it because I feel to reveal more would dilute the enjoyment of reading the comic. There are more in-depth reviews online so seek them out if you wish, but personally I found the experience of reading the comic more fun by ignoring the reviews and coming to it fresh.

The comic is also being developed as a movie by X-Men First Class director Matthew Vaughan (who co-plotted the script of the comic) so this is going to be massive. Get in on the ground floor and buy The Secret Service No.1 from a comic shop today.  

Action packed UK news stands in May

May 2012 will see Strip Magazine stretch its reach outside of comic shops and onto UK news stands as well, starting with issue 7, reports the official website. That's the presentation cover above, with the finalized cover and content likely to be a bit different.

"The initial plan for the title's new stand presence is to target a selected range of top high street stores, but not supermarkets at this time." said editor John Freeman.

In the very same month, CLiNT magazine will be relaunched to encourage UK shops to order more copies, with a new first issue numbered 2.1 including a batch of new stories such as The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, reports Comic Book Resources.


Shades of the old rivalry between IPC's Action and DC Thomson's Bullet, although in truth I'm sure that Strip and CLiNT see each other as complimentary titles that can happily coexist in the far different UK comic marketplace of today. (Besides, CLiNT is adults only whilst Strip Magazine is for all-ages.)

More details of these exciting revamps as more information becomes available.

There will also be another adventure comic on the stands by then. A new children's title based on a licensed property and featuring strip content originated in the UK. More on that soon as well!

Preview: CLiNT No.14

CLiNT No.14 isn't on sale until February 16th but here's a glimpse at it in advance, courtesy of Titan Magazines.

The last few issues have seen the mag jettison the weaker material (eg: humourous articles that never really worked), scrap the celebrity photo covers (no more beardy Frankie Boyle staring out at you) and focus on comic strips and related features. It's a massive improvement and CLiNT really holds together much better now.

Issue 14 really delivers the goods. There's a full 25 pages of Kick-Ass 2 by Mark Millar, John Romita Jr and Tom Palmer, 23 pages of Superior by Millar, Leinil Yu and Gerry Alanguilan, 25 pages of Graveyard of Empires by Mark Sable and Paul Azeceta, and a massive 12 page interview with Joe Quesada, Axel Alonso, and Tom Brevoort on the future of Marvel Comics.


No Rex Royd this issue, which I have mixed feelings about although I was beginning to warm to the strip. (The episode in the previous issue was quite layered and intriguing. I just wish it was easier to follow.) Apparently issue 15 will give us a double length episode to compensate.

For me, Kick Ass 2 and Superior are still the strongest strips in CLiNT and I'll be sorry to see them end in issue 15. The hyper-violence tinged with black comedy perfectly suits what CLiNT is all about. That shouldn't be too surprising as Mark Millar is both the author of those strips and editor of the comic. The strips really pile on the destruction in these penultimate chapters with Millar and his artists really understanding the beat of producing exciting modern adventure stories.


I know the hyper-violence and bad language of CLiNT isn't to the tastes of some readers, and that's fair enough. My personal feeling is that if one can enjoy a variety of TV shows from Doctor Who to Spartacus: Blood and Sand, or a variety of music from Glenn Miller to the Sex Pistols, one might also appreciate a variety of comics from Commando to CLiNT. There's room for everything.

CLiNT No.14 goes on sale in UK newsagents and comic shops next week (February 16th). 100 pages for £4.25. Adults Only, kids. Sorry.

In the meantime, CLiNT No.13 is still on sale if you're lucky, featuring all the above-mentioned strips plus interviews with various comics pros including Garth Ennis. Here's the cover by Brian Hitch:


http://titanmagazines.com/t/clint/

Forward to 2012!

Rather than my usual flashback to a bygone New Year comic I thought this year I'd look into the crystal ball to highlight a few of the comics we can expect to see in 2012.

Next Saturday, January 7th, sees the launch of The Phoenix, the brand new weekly comic for children. Judging by the free Issue Zero that was released recently (and is now out of stock) this is going to be an impressive collection of some of the finest UK talent available. https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/

The third issue of Strip Magazine is due later in January, with a new series, The Devil's Heritage, starting in that issue. There'll also be the continuing adventure strips Age of Heroes, Hook Jaw, a look back to the fondly remembered Star Lord comic, and much more. http://stripcomicmagazineuk.blogspot.com/


Hardware is another brand new British comic anthology scheduled for 2012. More details on this exciting new venture over the coming months!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hardware/275349482490630

Tim Perkins' eagerly awaited Worlds End graphic novel has recently been printed and should be available soon. A review of the book will appear on my blog shortly. http://www.wizards-keep.com/


Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons have revealed the title of their collaboration, - The Secret Service. Coming in February from comic specialist shops!
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34999


CLiNT comic continues into 2012, defying the cynics and proving its worth. Here's the cover to issue 14, out in February. http://titanmagazines.com/t/clint/


Panini UK will soon be ending their Fantastic Four Adventures comic with issue No.28 but March sees the launch of The Incredible Hulks No.1 (yes, for better or worse there's a team of Hulks now). The 100 page debut issue will be on sale in newsagents for £2.95. Issue 1 reprints the American issues #612 to 614.


Bryan Talbot's new graphic novel Dotter of her Father's Eyes, written by Bryan's wife Mary Talbot, will be published soon from Jonathan Cape in the UK and Dark Horse in the USA. (Bryan showed me a preview of this and it's a stunning piece of work. Definitely one to look forward to.) Bryan is also working on his third Grandville graphic novel. Another must-buy. http://www.bryan-talbot.com/


Another graphic novel to look forward to next year is the new The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen title Century:2009. The latest book in the saga by comic gods Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill.


Hairy Steve should be bounding your way soon, courtesy of Jamie Smart and Steve Bright. The titanic twosome have been uploading pages as they're completed but personally I'm waiting until the comic is published to appreciate it in one sitting.
http://hairysteve.com/


Classical Comics will be continuing to expand their range of excellent graphic novels in 2012 with adaptations of Sweeny Todd, An Inspector Calls, The Importance of Being Earnest and perhaps more. http://www.classicalcomics.com/index.html


2012 is also the year of three comic anniversaries. 2000AD celebrates 35 years of publication in February, Toxic reaches 10 years in September, and The Dandy notches up a record-breaking 75 years next December. Expect some celebratory treats throughout the year including the return of some classic favourites in The Dandy Annual on sale in the second half of the year.

...and if I ever find enough spare time, I intend to collect the Brickman pages I did for Elephantmen comic into a one-off Brickman Returns full colour comic I'll publish myself. Here's a taster, but as yet I've no idea when the comic will be published. Hopefully before next Christmas!

These are just a few of the comics coming your way in 2012 and there'll be many other surprises as the year unfolds. No doubt that it'll be another mixed year of stumbles and triumphs (as is everyone's year) but the important thing is that the British comics industry is far from dead. Let's hope it's a very Happy New Year for creators and readers alike as we forge ahead into 2012!

Review: CLiNT No.12

In this year's final review of a current comic (before this blog embarks on the traditional flashback to old Christmas comics) I'd like to take a look at the latest issue of CLiNT, the adults-only comic from Titan Magazines.

Some people never expected CLiNT to last this long, and I must admit I was a bit dubious myself. It's a harsh market in which to launch a new adventure comic, especially one which contains some stories that are already available in American editions. Yet CLiNT has survived for over a year now, albeit slowing its frequency down from monthly to six-weekly and, with this issue, upping its price to £4.25 (but what's an extra 26p these days?)

Issue 12 starts off with another chapter of Kick-Ass 2 at 12 pages, and Mark Millar promises a full 24 page episode next month. Throughout CLiNT, the violence is extreme and horrific. Some strips manage this with more style than others. Kick-Ass 2 has the benefit of the fantastic John Romita Jr on artwork; an artist who can illustrate gory violence but who still keeps the focus on the exciting pacing of the story. Even the quieter scenes are full of adrenalin thanks to the work of Romita (with Tom Palmer on inks and Dean White on colours doing an impressive job too).


Mark Millar can write this over-the-top stuff extremely well. I wish I could say the same for Frankie Boyle. Rex Royd returns this issue after an absence of several months. I can't say I missed it. I'm not a fan of Frankie Boyle (scriptwriter of Rex Royd) and I'm sorry to say the anger in his comedy act is evident in Rex Royd too. Everyone's dialogue is so full of seething anger that the characters sound like they're on the verge of a breakdown. Perhaps they are and I'm missing the point. There's some good ideas here, (some borrowed from David Icke's claims) and presenting The Bilderberg Group as villains is fine in my book, but there's a nastiness about the whole strip that can be distracting. The bit with the giant hamster was amusing though. Mike Dowling does a decent job on the art.

Who is Jake Ellis? concludes this issue. Interesting stuff from writer Nathan Edmonson and effective artwork by Tony Zonjic.

There's a 12 page chapter of Superior by Mark Millar and Leinil Yu. Again, Millar handles the tone of the strip really well and the story is, as always, a real page turner. The identity of Ormon the ape is revealed this issue which, while not totally unexpected, is presented in fine form by Leinil Yu. I'm intrigued to see what happens next, and there aren't many comic serials I can say that about these days.


A new strip, Graveyard of Empires, by Mark Sable and Paul Azaceta begins this issue, reprinting the Image Comics series. This 15 page segment doesn't really give an indication of what to expect beyond it being a well-researched war story set in Afghanistan, but expect a supernatural element for the next episode.

CLiNT has cut back on its feature content since the early issues and it's improved the comic considerably. The articles that have remained are welcome though, and this issue gives us some teasers for The Secret Service, the upcoming new collaboration from Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. I've admired Dave's work since the 1970s so I'm looking forward to this. There's not much revealed about it but I think we can be sure it won't be about a puppet vicar and his miniature gardener.

Despite my reservations about Rex Royd (which may yet win me over as the story unfolds) I really like CLiNT. If Strip Magazine is the Valiant of the 21st Century, CLiNT is its Action; raw, unapologetic and brutal. Critics may argue that the stories could be told just as well without the excessive violence and profanity, and they'd have a point, but it wouldn't be as much fun would it? CLiNT isn't for the easily offended, or for people who are looking for subtlety. The best thing about comics, or any fiction come to that, is that they can offer variety. I read CLiNT, but I've also read The Beano and Maus. Long may such variety be with us.

CLiNT No.12 is available from newsagents and comic shops. 100 pages, full colour, £4.25.

In the shops now

Here's a brief roundup of some of the British comics that are available right now...

Spaceship Away No.23 £7.50
The first issue under the new editor Des Shaw, the thrice-a-year Spaceship Away pretty much carries on as before but with a few tweaks. The illustration on the cover is just part of a wonderful new illustration by Don Harley that takes up the centre spread.

Brand new Dan Dare strips this issue are part three of Parsecular Tales by Tim Booth, and part one of Pre-Emptive Strike by John Freeman and Mike Nicoll. There's an amusing crossover with Ray Aspen's humour strips Mekki and Our Bertie, and the reprint strips are Shadow Over Britain from Express Weekly and Garth from the Daily Mirror. Features include an interview with David Motton, scriptwriter on Dan Dare in the 1960s.

Spaceship Away is available at some comic specialist shops or you can buy it online here: http://spaceshipaway.org.uk/


The cover of Judge Dredd Megazine this month looks like the sort of comic Eagle set out to challenge. Fortunately in a tolerant society both types of comic can live in harmony. Yes, it's Judge Dredd as a zombie, - or rather the modern idea of zombies; flesh-eating ghouls. Brendan McCarthy provides the striking cover artwork and also for the relevant 10 page Dredd story inside, written by Rob Williams.

Other contents include Anderson Psi Division by Alan Grant with stunning artwork by Boo Cook; Numbercruncher part 6 by Si Spurrier and PJ Holden; and the first part of the new Samizdat Squad story by Arthur Wyatt and Paul Marshall. Features include interviews with Steve Dillon and Matt Brooker.

The comic comes bagged with a full colour Flesh graphic novel and the whole package costs £5.49. Worth it though!


The horror theme continues in this week's Doctor Who Adventures with a startling photo cover showcasing the latest TV episode. The magazine has had a redesign recently and is all the better for it. Admittedly it's strictly aimed at kids but the feature pages are still less literate than children's comics of my day which is a shame. That said, the four page comic strip Reality Cheque by Christopher Couper and John Ross is a well structured articulate piece that's leagues ahead of the early Doctor Who strips of TV Comic. Bagged with a few gifts for its usual price of £2.50.


A surprise, unadvertised, publication this week was The Ultimate Beano Summer Special No.1. Legend has it Summer Specials ended because retailers hated one publication taking up shelf space for months, but DC Thomson have an exclusive arrangement with WH Smith for this issue, which is only available in their stores.

Don't expect to see the tabloid glossy special of old though. This is a 64 page A4 size softback book consisting solely of reprints from Beano Summer Specials of old. More of a publication about old specials rather than one itself, with each page carrying the date of its original source. Although the pages are scanned from the old issues, the reproduction on the quality glossy paper is excellent and it's a fine showcase of classics from Davy Law, Dave Sutherland, Jim Petrie and others. £4.99


This week's Dandy is one of those bumper 44 page special issues that DC Thomson now produce every time there's a school holiday. The cover is in the tall format to give it prominence on the shelves, and the back cover also carries the Dandy logo to thwart retailers who stack the comics back to front. Unfortunately it didn't thwart by local Smiths who had it displayed upside down.

Contents are 100% new, with brilliant work from Jamie Smart, Wayne Thomson, Andy Fanton, Nigel Parkinson and the usual regulars. £2.50


The latest Toxic is also a bumper issue for the school break. I was ill when this issue was being put together so Team Toxic is reprint this time, but I did provide artwork for two double page feature pages; Pirate Maze and Toxic Footy Awards. There's also new strips featuring Gorilla Kid by Jason Loborik and Anthony Williams and Robin Hoodie by Luke Paton and Laura Howell. Plus a bunch of features and a pile of bagged gifts. £2.75


The adult comic Clint has now reached issue 8 and seems to be giving priority to artwork on covers at last instead of pasty-faced celebrities like Frankie Boyle. The 100 page monthly hasn't really lived up to the expectations of it being a new British adventure comic as its strips are all reliant on American reprint or material that wouldn't be here if it wasn't also being published in the USA (eg: Kick Ass 2). That said, for those of us who haven't bought the US comics this is an economical way of obtaining them.

This issue sees the start of Image Comics' Who Is Jake Ellis, full of fast paced intrigue and like a sleazy version of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). We also get part 3 of Mark Millar's Superior, with great artwork from Leinil Yu; the final part of black comedy The Pro by Garth Ennis and Amanda Conner; another chapter of Turf by Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards; and the aforementioned Kick Ass 2 by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. The violence and language won't be to everyone's tastes but, y'know, it's only a comic. £3.99


Finally, the latest issue of Viz just dropped through my adults-only letterbox. 52 pages of irreverent fun, sharp satire, and sweary comic characters beneath another great cover by Simon Thorp. Guaranteed to offend someone, somewhere, from humourless priests to mad beardy hermits. (At time of press Bin Laden was not available for comment.) £3.20