Here's the latest press release from the editors of Britain's newest magazine about comics regarding the next two issues to hit the shelves:
MULTIVERSE RETURNS FULLY REFRESHED FROM ITS WINTER BREAK
The second 52-page issue of Multiverse is now at the printer with copies due to go on sale at the end of the month.
Alongside the £2.50/$3.99 title’s regular news and reviews sections and Frame to Frame, Multiverse #2 also includes exclusive interviews with Garth Ennis, Frank Quitely, David Lapham, Mark Waid and the new Silver Surfer creative team of Greg Pak and Stephen Segovia. Also, newcomer Ross Mackintosh talks about his new com.X graphic novel, Seeds, while Dave West discusses Fall of the Wolfmen and the burgeoning British small press scene.
Multiverse #3 is scheduled to hit shops on April 21. Among exclusives lined up for the issue are Missy Suicide and artist David Hahn talking Suicide Girls; Peter Milligan, Tomm Coker and editor Sebastian Girner discussing Marvel’s latest Wolverine saga, 5 Ronin; writer Chris Roberson discusses Michael Moorcock’s Multiverse and Elric: The Balance Lost; and Christopher Monfette reveals all about resurrecting Clive Barker’s Hellraiser.
http://www.multiverse-magazine.com
In case you hadn't already noticed, itv4 is currently showing the classic 1960s Batman show every weekday starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Two episodes a day. I don't know if they're being screened in order but the ones I caught were from series two.
This is the show that some comic fans find embarrassing. They dislike it because they think it shows comic characters in a bad light, that it fails to treat Batman seriously, and because it led to thousands of media articles on comics starting off with "Bam! Splat! Pow!" headlines.
However, for a generation of us, this was the Batman that introduced us to the character. At seven years old in 1966 I had no idea about Batman until I saw the TV show. It immediately became a hit for millions of kids across the world. Although dismissed as "camp" by critics, Batman cleverly worked on two levels; exciting light-hearted adventure for children, and a spoof of Batman (and the whole ridiculousness of superheroes) for adults. A winner for everyone, except for those who simply didn't "get it". Their loss.
I wonder how National Periodicals really felt about a series that basically sent up one of their key characters? Then again, in the 1950s Batman comics he'd often been plunged into the silliest S-F settings, so in comparison to that the TV show was quite urban and streetwise.
It wasn't long before "Batmania" swept the land and, for many of us, came our first exposure to a Batman comic strip... on the cover of Smash! every week. These were reprints of the American Batman newspaper strips and, like the TV show, swayed towards comedy more than drama.
Batman product was everywhere, and included a series or five of Batman bubblegum cards, some of which are shown here. The artwork was by pulp veteran Norm Saunders (who had illustrated the famous, or infamous depending on your point of view, Mars Attacks cards) based on pencil drawings by Golden Age comics artist Bob Powell.
With the TV show, the cards, the weekly Smash! strip and other merchandise being lighthearted fare it's not surprising that the public came to regard Batman, and superheroes in general, as fun entertainment. Even the DC comic book of the time followed the pattern and when I did eventually buy a proper Batman comic this was the one I had:
Hardly the Dark Knight then was he?
As with all things, the lighthearted Batman eventually had its day and as its popularity waned in the late 1960s DC decided to return the character to its darker roots. When Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revitalized Batman many comic fans applauded, but I'm afraid it did little for me. Although Neal Adams is an undisputed fantastic artist, it wasn't the Batman I was accustomed to.
Then again, I was only 11 or 12 when I first saw Neal Adams' version. Too young to properly appreciate the artist's craft, and too old to be excited by Batman anymore. Mainly though, the version inspired by the TV show had been so predominant during my younger years that anything deviating from that would be a disappointment. To me, and many others, Batman was a daft superhero who escaped from insane death traps and fought villains even more ludicrous than he. For O'Neil and Adams to treat the subject seriously seemed to me as crazy as if they'd turned Dennis the Menace into a serious urban street kid.
Over the years I've read numerous Batman comics, trying to like the grim and gritter version but it's still the TV show that's my definitive Batman. (I did really enjoy Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns though.) I appreciate that Bob Kane's original Batman was a more somber character, and that most fans probably don't share my view, but I'm afraid the TV show version is the one that sticks with me. It's hard to take the character seriously after that. For me, Batman will always be a gloriously daft character, and it's that TV version that inspired me to create my Batman spoof Brickman in 1979, bringing back silly death-traps, corny dialogue, and straight-faced puns.
It's high time the Batman TV series appeared on DVD. Officially that is, not in the form of the dodgy pirate copies out there, but unfortunately there's some legal wrangle preventing it. The 1966 movie is available though. (You won't be surprised to hear that it's my favourite Batman film.)
If you grew up after the 1960s you may be giving the itv4 repeats a wide berth, but for readers of a certain age, Batman is back. Every day. On the telly.
To the Batpoles!
"Great News Readers! After nearly 12 years, Khaki Shorts is ending!"
The line, opening the latest issue, is of course a spoof of the old British comic positive spin of announcing a comic's closure, but sadly it's true. The Scottish small press comic Khaki Shorts ends its impressive 12 year run with the latest issue, No.28, and it's not even merging into another comic.
It's not leaving quietly though. The final issue is a bumper 60 page A5 comic with full colour covers and more than 20 strips. As ever, the quality is variable but there's a lot of good stuff in here, and it's all produced by people who just want to do fun comics. All for a ridiculously low £2.
Khaki Shorts will be missed. We really do need more funny small press comics, and I hope the contributors will work together again on a future project.
You can order your copy from the Bad Press website here. Bear in mind it's an adults only comic:
http://www.badpressltd.com/buy-evil.php
Tim Pilcher, Chairperson of the Comic Book Alliance has announced details of a very worthy project to help victims of the terrible recent, and ongoing, disasters in New Zealand and Japan.
"I’m sure, like me, you’ve been horrified at the devastating effects of the two enormous earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan" said Tim. "In order to do some good and help the thousands that have lost friends, family, their homes and entire communities, the Comic Book Alliance is putting together a fundraising comic."
"We are looking for creators to provide some work free of charge so that we can put together an impressive package that will hopefully sell thousands and to raise as much money as possible to help these countries get back on their feet and to rebuild their lives."
"The contributions can be around any theme (earthquakes, tsunamis, loss, hope, survival, manga, NZ comics, what that country means to you, personal tales, whatever...) and could be a pin-up, or a 1-4 page comic strip. We may accept the odd prose piece from writers, but we’d like to like to keep these to a minimum, so please team up with an artist you normally work with."
"If you are not a creator, but a publisher or editor, please spread this message to your freelancers and contact us if you can help with free/reduced rate printing and distribution issues. Alternatively, we need colourists and probably editorial assistance, so every bit helps."
Tim also gave details of the format for each page:
"Can you make sure that the artwork is drawn in pro to fit a standard US comicbook page size (w 17 cm x h 26 cm (6 ⅝" × 10 ¼")"
"Ideally the art should be in colour (I have contacted several colourists if you don't have the time or feel confident). But black and white is acceptable if that is a deliberate artistic choice."
"The final artwork needs to be delivered as a ready for print PDF AND as a layered TIFF CMYK file with the balloons and text on separate layers so that we can translate into Japanese. We will arrange to set up an FTP server for you shortly so you can upload the work."
"Our project editor is Alan Cowsill, who some of you know, and he'll manage the day-to-day running of the project. Please email him on: alancowsill@gmail.com, and copy in founders@comicbookalliance.co.uk, stating what you would like to contribute (page count) and whether you are working alone or collaborating with someone, or whether you need hooking up with an artist, writer, colourist or letterer."
"Obviously, time is of the essence here, so we would like to get the work in within the next two weeks (Deadline of Saturday 2 April). I know that doesn’t give a lot of time considering your busy schedules but I do hope you’ll agree that it’s for an important cause."
"Let’s show the world that comic creators care and how we can galvanise ourselves into positive action."
Creators already committed to contributing include:
Si Spencer & Glyn Dillon
Darick Robertson
Nick Abadzis
Peter Hogan & Adrian Bamforth
PJ Holden
Martin Eden
William Simpson
Cornelius Stone
Donna Barr
Lew Stringer
Those of you in the press, please spread the message on your blogs and publications.
Here's the latest batch of Commando comics as the title continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary with two classic reprints and two brand new issues every fortnight.
Commando 4375: DIARY OF A HERO
This story is taken from the pages of the diary of a true hero. It tells of seven men’s fight to survive behind enemy lines with a traitor in their midst. It brings courage to life, tells of bravery of the highest order.
Of this issue, editor Calum Laird writes: "This story had been one of my favourites as a young reader, read and re-read many times. Then in 1981 — when I joined the staff of Commando for the first time — it was one of the stories I had to check over for re-issue. And re-read again. Now I’ve given myself the chance to read it through once more.
It remains a cracking tale, full of Commando heroes, and with a belting sting in the tail. It’s wonderfully constructed and, with artwork by Cam Kennedy and Penalva, looks absolutely right into the bargain.
I like it as much now as I did in1967."
Story: David Motton
Art: Cam Kennedy
Cover Art: Jordi Penalva
First Published as No 545 in 1967
Commando 4376: SPACE WATCH
A battle in outer space tests G-Tex Wolf Brady to the limit – especially when a ruthless computer hacker makes his latest challenge even more dangerous!
In his introduction to this story, former Commando editor George Low said:
"Ricardo Garijo worked for Starblazer before Commando, and he brought all his sci-fi skills to this 1994 plot where Commando strayed off its usual course, taking to space…and beyond…with its linked G-Tex stories, the brainchild of writer Mike Knowles. The futuristic script (this time by Ian Clark) set the tone for Ricardo to work his magic, while Ian Kennedy took a break from Spitfires and the like to tackle spacecraft.
What’s it about? Saving whales and the world for a start. Quite an undertaking and great to read."
Story: Ian Clark
Art: Ricardo Garijo
Cover Art: Ian Kennedy
First Published as No 2774 in 1994
Commando No 4377: THE STREET FIGHTER
Not every confrontation between United States Marines and the Imperial Japanese Army took place in the steamy jungles of the South Pacific. The battle for Manila in the Philippines was a house-to-house struggle, pure and simple.
This didn’t bother Marine Eddie Novak. In the war’s early fighting he’d lost buddies and now he was out for revenge, no matter when — or where — he got the chance.
Story: Ferg Handley
Art:
Cover Art: Janek Matysiak
Commando No 4378: THE FIGHTING JUDGE
As a High Court judge, Mr Justice Jardine had a fierce reputation as a hard man. Hard but fair. His judgements were respected even by those on the receiving end of a verdict.
When he joined the Army’s legal branch he remained the same hard but fair man. His working environment changed, though. Gone were the wood-panelled courtrooms, replaced by tents or makeshift offices.
And another thing changed too. He picked up a rifle…to deadly effect.
Story: Alan Hebden
Art: Mike White
Cover Art: Mike White
http://www.commandocomics.com
