I'm behind with my reviews but I didn't want to wait until after Christmas when some of you might be spent out so I've condensed several plugs for various comics into one posting. I hope that helps to draw your attention to these worthy titles and to encourage you to support them.
First up are two comics from independent UK publisher Zebra. Midwinter No.1 is based on the classic video game created by the late Mike Singleton about a future coping with the aftermath of an asteroid striking the Earth. The story by Dan Whitehead and art by 2000AD's P.J. Holden is a cracking opening issue and I'm eagerly looking forward to future issues. It has a great cover by Steve Pugh too, so this is an essential buy!
http://www.comicsy.co.uk/midwinter/store/products/midwinter-1/
The other title from Zebra Comics is Hex Loader, with a script by Dan Whitehead and art by Conor Boyle. An intriguing mystery with fantasy elements and an unpredictable cliffhanger. Again, one to definitely follow!
http://www.comicsy.co.uk/hexloader/
An indie publisher who has been around for a while now is Kult Creations, and their latest new comic is Reverend Cross, "first ever female vicar action hero" assigned by the church to take down supernatural threats! Issue 1 is a reprint of an earlier solo edition but this time it has a colour cover. With story by professional comics creator John Short and art by Jason Dennis it's a fast paced blast of fun and fear.
Reverend Cross No.2 tweaks the creative team by having Gabrielle Noble as the artist but her version of Cross is as cool as ever.
Issue No.3 of Reverend Cross has just been published and there's a creative shake up again as this time the comic contains four short stories instead of one full-length story, and each one has a different artist. It's good to see each creator's version of the character, and with John A. Short writing all the strips they still maintain the right character and tone.
The Reverend Cross comics are fast, fun and self-contained, and can be ordered from the Kult Creations website where you'll find more info:
http://kultcreations.blogspot.co.uk
Not exactly a comic (although it does contain some strips) is It's Ghastly, an excellent 72 page publication from Hibernia Comics recounting the history of the short-lived but well-remembered Scream! weekly. It's the definitive story of the comic, containing interviews, features, unused art, and 16 pages of The Nightcomers, a series that was never published due to Scream's sudden cancelation. A must-buy for anyone interested in comics history!
http://www.comicsy.co.uk/hibernia/store/products/its-ghastly-the-untimely-demise-of-scream/
It wouldn't be Christmas without a ghost story, and a new book by Self Made Hero has several. Ghost Stories of an Antiquary is a collection of short stories by M.R. James (1862 to 1936) adapted into comics form by Leah Moore and John Reppion. Artists are Aneke, Kit Buss, Fouad Mezher, and Alisdair Wood. It's a fantastic book at a reasonable price and belongs on the bookshelves of every comics reader.
http://www.selfmadehero.com/news/2016/10/leah-moore-and-john-reppion-ghost-stories-of-an-antiquary-vol-1/
I couldn't let this set of reviews pass in December without another shout out to Joe Matthews and Dave McCluskey for their superb comics adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. A slick 80 page production in full colour, and a perfect stocking filler for children of all ages. Only £10.00 too!
ISBN 978-0-9934490-2-4
...and last but not least, while I'm here, I'd like to give another plug to Jessica Martin's graphic novel Elsie Harris Picture Palace, the fictional story of Elsie Harris who starts out as a waitress before circumstances and her talent lead her to greater things. It's the sort of story that would make a perfect movie to be shown on TV over the festive period so it's an ideal read for this time of year. Order your copy directly from Jessica at her website:
http://www.artymisspublishing.com/new-products/
I hope there's at least one title there that will take your fancy to treat yourselves or someone for Christmas. I'll be plugging more new comics next year.
I'm pleased to hear that husband and wife team Leah Moore and John Reppion will soon have a new series they've written starting in 2000AD. The title of the strip is Black Shuck and it's illustrated by Steve Yeowell. It begins in the weekly comic in July. You can read more about it in an interview with Leah and John over at this website:
http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/an-interview-with-leah-moore-john-reppion-black-shuck-coming-soon-to-2000ad/
The sensational promotional art above is by Alex Ronald and I understand it will be used as a 2000AD cover when the series begins.
I've always liked the comics of Moore and Reppion that I've read. Wild Girl, the mini series they did with artist Shaun McManus, is well worth seeking out if you've never seen it. Likewise, Albion, based on a plot by Leah's father Alan Moore, with art by Shane Oakley, is also worth reading. In case you didn't know, Albion is a graphic novel that revives classic Fleetway and Odhams characters such as Robot Archie, The Steel Claw, Kelly's Eye, Bad Penny, and many more in an inclusive continuity.
I recently read something that was critical of the writers because they were not familiar with the old strips before they researched them for Albion. I thought the critique was a little unfair, because it seems to me that those old UK characters were quite one-dimensional, so it wouldn't require many back issues to get to grips with the basics. The beauty of those old comics is that they were written to be accessible to new readers, with basic gimmick characters and plots that could be immediately understood by children. It's not necessary to have grown up with those strips for today's writers to grasp their concepts from a few issues. Besides, Albion is a dark modern spin on the characters, with a different tone to Valiant or Lion.
I enjoyed Albion and would urge any fan of those classic characters to check it out. You can read the review I wrote back in 2007 here:
http://lewstringer.blogspot.co.uk/2007/01/heroes-of-albion.html
If you want to discover more about the work of Leah Moore and John Reppion, here's their website:
http://www.moorereppion.com/
