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.
Throughout the year publishers DC Thomson have been reissuing the first 12 editions of Commando comics to mark its 50th anniversary. Every month, one of the eight titles published contained a reprint from 1961, starting with issue 12 and counting down. This week we've reached the first issue, and a full reprint of Commando No.1, Walk or Die is in the shops now, reissued as No.4453.
Now over to Commando's editor Calum Laird with more information about the latest four editions...
Here we have it, the second from last Commando raid of our 50th year, 2011.
By a curious coincidence, and one I think he’d have enjoyed, the quartet includes the second from last story created by Norman Adams who sadly died in August this year. Norman was well known to Commando fans for his creation of the Headline Heroes, The Phantom (with Keith Page) and a whole army of others.
Norman is sadly missed by everyone on the Commando Team, past and present, an I’m sure that goes for commando’s readers too.
You can find out more about Norman and his work here…
http://www.commandocomics.com/search?q=adams&page=1
http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary_norman_adams_author_and_journalist_1_1803417
Now the details of the current issues:
Commando No 4451: Chuck Ballard Goes To War
December, 7th, 1941 — America is left reeling from Japan’s sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. For the Japanese crew of a Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” torpedo bomber, however, the success is short-lived. After crash-landing on a supposedly deserted island, they are dismayed to find that it is in fact home to a village full of civilians.
Though the three Japanese airmen do not wish to take innocent lives, their fellow countrymen, responding to their mayday signal, are not so honourable. This may turn out to be their undoing, thanks to the presence of an ex-Marine who is an expert with a hunting rifle…
Script: Norman Adams
Art: Olivera
Cover: Ian Kennedy
Commando No 4452: Operation “Loco”
James Bailey was a railwayman like his father before him. In charge of the most powerful steam locomotives he could drive anything, anywhere, any time.
He was the obvious choice when a special job came in to his depot. Would it be a VIP run to London? Or maybe a vital troop train to the coast?
How about a Commando raid behind enemy lines?
Script: Mac MacDonald
Art: Keith Page
Cover: Keith Page
Commando No 4453: Walk — Or Die!
THE CORPORAL AND THE COLONEL
CORPORAL TOM GERRARD of the Royal Tank Corps was just an ordinary bolke, easy-going and cheerful.
COLONEL KARL OBERTH of the SS Panzer Corps was a typical Nazi officer, brutal and merciless.
SOMEWHERE on the limitless, scorching inferno of the Western Desert, Fate decided their tank tracks should cross.
HERE THEN is the story of the epic fight put up by Corporal Gerrard and his tank, Matilda, against the might and power of the Panzers and their swaggering Colonel, who thought he could sweep the British off the face of the desert.
Introduction by Calum Laird, Commando Editor
This is where it started, a little over 59 years ago — in the fiery dawn of a desert sunrise and the fertile minds of the team that put the first ever Commando together. We’ve often joked about how they anticipated the dawn of the iPad by making Commando pages just the right size to fit on its screen but reading page 14 I realised they’d anticipated the advent of social media too. Check out what Tom Gerrard has to say about the radio.
Joking apart, it’s not hard to see why Commando was a success from Day One. With a punchy story from the pen of Eric Castle, strong artwork inside the comic from Garcia and that intriguing cover from the brushes of Ken Barr those first issues fairly leapt from the shelves. The format was right from the very first and endures to this day.
Probably you weren’t born when this first came out so this is an ideal chance to find out what it was like to one of commando’s first readers. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Walk — Or Die!, originally Commando No 1 (June 1961), re-issued as No 2523 (December 1991)
Script: Eric Castle
Art: Garcia
Cover: Ken Barr
Commando No 4454: Riley’s Rifle
It was a rifle like countless others, standard issue to thousands upon thousands of men in the British Army in two World Wars — a Lee-Enfield No.1 Mark III. Millions of them were made. Some are still in use today.
But there was something special about this particular rifle — it was as if it had a life of its own, a will of its own. It seemed to want to do things by itself…and what it wanted most was vengeance!
Introduction by George Low, former Commando Editor
No apologies for presenting another story from the fertile mind of Cyril Walker. He just couldn’t stop turning out classic tales to enthral and delight.
This 1975 story is really quite simple, the account of a Lee Enfield rifle with a will of its own and a gipsy curse woven into the fabric of the tale. It’s enthralling and a good example of Cyril at his best. Ian Kennedy did the arresting cover and Galindo drew the exciting black and white illustrations.
Riley’s Rifle, originally Commando No 994 (December 1975), re-issued as No 2347 (February 1990)
Script: Cyril Walker
Art: Galindo
Cover: Ian Kennedy
The publication of the second issue of Britain's new adventure monthly Strip Magazine, previously announced as being December 1st, has been rescheduled to December 14th according to the official blog.
"Due to a small but unexpected delivery delay from Bosnia, [where the comic is printed] the print edition will not be on sale until 14th December, for which we apologize" said editor John Freeman.
However, the good news (for those with an iPad or iPhone) is that the digital edition of Strip Magazine No.2 is now on sale from iTunes.
For more details of the contents of issue two, see the Strip Magazine blog:
http://stripcomicmagazineuk.blogspot.com/2011/12/strip-magazine-2-digital-edition-on.html
The Phoenix has arrived, and it's looking good.
Considered by many to be the reincarnation of, or successor to, The DFC, the new weekly comic will be a welcome sight for those who were saddened when The DFC folded. In my view The Phoenix is a considerable improvement on The DFC, at least from the evidence of this preview issue.
My main problem with The DFC was that its content was aimed at too wide an age group, with younger-readers strips sitting uncomfortably alongside material for older readers. In my experience (as we learned with Oink! in 1986) this divides and alienates the audience from certain strips that are either too young or too old for them. With The Phoenix, this isn't a problem. The tone of the material is even and the result makes for a better comic.
Perhaps comparisons to The DFC are unfair, so with that out of the way how does The Phoenix hold up on its own merits? Extremely well. All of the material is of a very high standard indeed and the design of the comic is clutter-free and easy on the eye. With high quality printing and good paper stock this really looks the business.
In the tradition of children's comics of old, The Phoenix has a fictitious editorial team (the characters seen on Matt Baxter's cover) and this will no doubt serve as a good way to welcome young readers. Indeed, the comic is unashamedly and firmly aimed at children, but the high standard and variety of the creators involved should make it an appealing purchase for adult comic fans and pros as well.
The comic kicks off with a four page prelude to The Pirates of Pangaea by Daniel Harwell and Neil Cameron. The strip begins at the start of a voyage into unknown territory, and, for many young readers, that will no doubt mirror their experience of reading The Phoenix as their first comic. Set in 1717 and with a female hero, it's an intriguing opening chapter.
A regular feature of The Phoenix will be an extract from a children's book. In this instance it's To Be a Cat by Pete Williamson. It's good to see a text story in a comic again, and it reflects the editorial attitude of The Phoenix being influenced more by children's books than comics. This is a positive thing as it gives The Phoenix its own identity.
My favourite strip in the issue was James Turner's Star Cat. Fantastically daft and very amusing, as his Super Animal Adventure Squad had been for The DFC.
There's a two page article in strip form explaining the basics of How to Make Funny Comics. Now this is the sort of activity page I like; encouraging kids to make comics! There's another activity page at the back called The Dangerous Adventures of Von Doogan by Lorenzo Etherington. It's a puzzle page, but, again, in strip form. An excellent use of comics.
Corpse Talk by Alan Murphy is a strange strip. Strange in a good way though. It seems that in every issue a dead historical figure will be dug up and interviewed, wherein the corpse explains his/her history and achievements. This issue it's Amelia Earhart. Next time it's Nikola Tesla. This has to be the most bizarre educational strip idea ever seen in a childrens' comic. Brilliant.
Every issue of The Phoenix will feature a complete, one-off story. Issue Zero features The Apprentice written by Ben Haggarty with dark cartoony artwork by John Welding telling a tale of demons being summoned. Very nice work.
Fans of Jamie Smart will be pleased to hear that he's on board with a new strip, Bunny vs Monkey. The usual Jamie bonkersness and sure to be another hit.
As a free preview issue this is a very impressive debut for all concerned and it bodes very well for the regular weekly when it arrives on January 7th. I've always maintained that if a comic wants to succeed it must be unique, as Comic Cuts, The Dandy, Eagle, 2000AD, and Viz were when they launched. In that regard The Phoenix definitely has its own identity and, if it can spark an interest in those elusive, indifferent readers of today, I'm sure it'll be a success.
https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/
