First Appearances:
Paco - Trained to Kill in Valiant and Vulcan (IPC Magazines Ltd.)
Births:
Dick Ericson (1916); Oliver Postgate (1925); Víctor de la Fuente (1927); Bambos Georgiou (1959); Frazer Diamond (Toonhound; 1968); Fehed Said (1979); Peter Cooper (1985)
Deaths:
Robert Bateman (1973); Leslie Bell (1995)
Notable Events:
Rowland Emett married Elsie May "Mary" Evans in 1941.
The Tiffany Jones feature film, based on the newspaper strip, released in 1973.
Eaglecon, a convention dedicated to the Eagle comic, began in 1980.
Sid's Snake appeared on the cover of Dave Gorman vs. the Rest of the World, an Ebury Press paperback re-release.
Dekko Comics hosted an event in Glasgow, in association with Dyslexia Scotland, to celebrate the launch of monthly subscriptions.
Showing posts with label Bambos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bambos. Show all posts
Friday, April 12, 2019
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
The Real Ghostbusters Annual 1990
[1989] Annual. Original price £3.99.
64 pages. Full colour contents.
Marvel Comics Ltd.
Cover by Andy Lanning, Dave Harwood & John Burns.
Contents:
64 pages. Full colour contents.
Marvel Comics Ltd.
Cover by Andy Lanning, Dave Harwood & John Burns.
Contents:
2 Endpaper a: Bambos & John Burns.
4 "This Book Belongs To" a: Bambos & John Burns.
5 Contents Page
6 Ghostbusters: The Fact Behind the Fantasy! text feature by 'Cal Hacker'.
9 Bustman's Holiday! w: John Carnell; a: Anthony Larcombe, lettering by Glib, colouring by Steve White.
11 The Dexter's Chainsaw Massacre! text story by Ian Rimmer; illustrations by Martin Griffiths, colouring by Stuart Place.
16 Roller Ghoster! w: John Carnell; a: Brian Williamson & Dave Harwood, lettering by Hel, colouring by Lynn White.
20 The Classification of Spooks text feature.
24 The Green Ghosts! text story by Richard Alan; illustrations by Anthony Williams, colouring by Steve White.
29 'Phone Phantom! w: John Carnell; a: Anthony Lancombe, lettering and colouring by Zed.
30 Spengler's Spirit Guide text feature by Dan Abnett.
31 Stonehenge Revenge! w: John Carnell; a: Phil Elliott & Bambos, lettering by Bambos, colouring by Stuart Place.
36 Winston's Diary! A Day in the Life of Winston Zeddmore text story by Dan Abnett; illustrations by Tony O'Donnell & Dave Harwood, colouring by Steve White.
40 Dear Janine
42 Spengler's Spirit Guide text feature by Dan Abnett.
43 Dead and Breakfast! w: John Carnell; a: Dougie Braithwaite & Dave Harwood, lettering by Hel, colouring by Chris Matthews.
46 The Demon Bowler! text story by John Freeman; a: Andy Wildman & Dave Harwood, colouring by Steve White.
50 Make Your Own Slimer cut-out feature.
52 Blimey! It's Slimer! w:/a: Bambos, colouring by Hel.
53 The Loch Ness Monster! w: John Carnell; a: John Geering & Dave Harwood, lettering by Hel, colouring by Euan Peters.
58 Sloop That Spook! 'snakes and ladders' board game.
60 Equal Frights! w: John Carnell; a: Anthony Larcombe, lettering by Glib, colouring by Steve White.
1989
The Real Ghostbusters Annual
1991
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Strip #2
...The Comic Grows Up!
03 Mar 1990. Cover price 95p.
40 pages. Colour contents.
Marvel Comics, Ltd.
Edited by Dan Abnett.
Cover by Don Lawrence.
Free pull-out Marshal Law poster.
r: Cover from Strip #01
Contents:
A hefty second issue, thanks to the large poster bound in its centre pages, and with a fabulous Don Lawrence cover, there is much to be excited about in this issue. While there isn't an introduction, this issue's contents page displays how to present the material properly - where other titles often merely list the strips with a page number, there is enough information about what is happening in the strips to inform readers of what to expect. It is only by going back and forth through the series looking for specific stories that this becomes noticeable, and it is a detail which is appreciated.
At the bottom of the page is a rather nice note regarding the fold-out poster contained in the middle of the issue. As if the poster could possibly be missed... Gloriously large, it is the perfect free gift with which to showcase the character, relishing in Marshal Law's madness.
In Marshal Law it is possible to see Pat Mills' thoughts about the medium's most persistent hybrid-genre given life. Augmented by Kevin O'Neill's art, which continues to resist any pigeon-holing. Battling a group of former superheroes, Marshal Law in overpowered, his weapon taken from him in the fight, and his hunt for the killer known as Sleepman seems no closer than before. There are more details filling in the history of the war, with some telling details sprinkled through extensive text boxes. While I'm not particularly fond of this method of storytelling, it is an effective use of space.
Far more chilling, and a counterpoint to generally-bloodless superhero romps from the Big Two, is an account of an earthquake:
While the character designs are impressive (Ian Gibson is on top form here), at two pages of story every two weeks, this isn't going anywhere fast. There's a difference between developing back-story and showing one's work, and this feels (rightly or wrongly) as if it is a discarded Dungeons & Dragons proposal, dusted off and changed just enough so that nobody is going to raise an objection. I want to like this, as there are minor glimmers of what could be a rattlingly good story, but it is so slight in this form as to discourage interest.
It is impossible to pay too many compliments to Storm.
Mr. Crust Acean is placed in a coffin, and Mr. C. Urchin investigates his death - despite him being very much alive, and trapped inside the casket. It's the kind of story which you either instantly fall in love with, or which remains tantalisingly out of reach. I doubt I'm ever going to understand the intricacies, or have a strong interest in the series.
Liking two out of four strips in an anthology is, surely, not enough reason to consider the title a success, though others might disagree as to the value of The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad and The Man from Cancer.
03 Mar 1990. Cover price 95p.
40 pages. Colour contents.
Marvel Comics, Ltd.
Edited by Dan Abnett.
Cover by Don Lawrence.
Free pull-out Marshal Law poster.
r: Cover from Strip #01
Contents:
2 Marvel Graphic Novels in-house advertisement.
3 Contents illustration by Don Lawrence. / Indicia
4 Marshal Law Stars and Strippers part two, w: Pat Mills; a: Kevin O'Neill, lettering by Phil Felix.
18 The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad part two, w: Alan Grant & John Wagner; a: Ian Gibson, lettering by Bambos Georgiou.
20 Storm The Pirates of Pandarve title page; illustration by Don Lawrence. / Credits
21 Storm The Pirates of Pandarve w: Martin Lodewuk; a: Don Lawrence, lettering by Helen Stone.
29 Davros Says Don't Buy It. (half page) in-house advertisement for Doctor Who Magazine. / Subscribe! (half page)
30 Before Excalibur There Was... Captain Britain in-house advertisement for Captain Britain trade paperback.
31 The Man from Cancer, part two, w: Glenn Dakin; a: Phil Elliott, lettering by Phil Elliott, colouring by Euan Peters.
39 Next Issue illustrations by Gary Erskine & Kevin O'Neill.
40 Get Doctor Who Magazine Now in-house advertisement.
A hefty second issue, thanks to the large poster bound in its centre pages, and with a fabulous Don Lawrence cover, there is much to be excited about in this issue. While there isn't an introduction, this issue's contents page displays how to present the material properly - where other titles often merely list the strips with a page number, there is enough information about what is happening in the strips to inform readers of what to expect. It is only by going back and forth through the series looking for specific stories that this becomes noticeable, and it is a detail which is appreciated.
At the bottom of the page is a rather nice note regarding the fold-out poster contained in the middle of the issue. As if the poster could possibly be missed... Gloriously large, it is the perfect free gift with which to showcase the character, relishing in Marshal Law's madness.
In Marshal Law it is possible to see Pat Mills' thoughts about the medium's most persistent hybrid-genre given life. Augmented by Kevin O'Neill's art, which continues to resist any pigeon-holing. Battling a group of former superheroes, Marshal Law in overpowered, his weapon taken from him in the fight, and his hunt for the killer known as Sleepman seems no closer than before. There are more details filling in the history of the war, with some telling details sprinkled through extensive text boxes. While I'm not particularly fond of this method of storytelling, it is an effective use of space.
From the Panama Canal Zone to the Amazon Jungle, it was known simply as "The Zone."The war, as described, certainly sounds as it it sprawled over an impressive area, and given the abilities of those involved must have been more brutal than any conflict up to that point. While immense battles featuring numerous superheroes had, by the early nineties, already developed something of a reputation, this is unlike many depictions from the other side of the Atlantic.
Far more chilling, and a counterpoint to generally-bloodless superhero romps from the Big Two, is an account of an earthquake:
The official explanation for The Big One - the megaquake that took out San Francisco - was the Jupiter effect - the tidal pull of the planets on the San Andreas fault.The Chronicles of Ghengis Grimtoad continues to pose storytelling problems by introducing yet more characters, while refusing to propel the narrative forward more than absolutely necessary.
60,000 buildings were destroyed and 8 square miles of the city. The quake measured 9 on the Richter Scale, hitting the city with a force 300,000 times that of the Hiroshima bomb.
The tidal wave that followed hurled ships inland, leaving the U.S. aircraft carrier John Paul Jones straddling the freeways, then came the fire... and the death cloud from Diablo Canyon nuclear plant...
You couldn't measure the human misery...
And the door of the great hall did open and the ladies of the court did avert their eyes. For therein towered the awesome figure of Quanah-And who, unfortunately, appears to be made of pink bubblegum.
He, of the painted tribes of Torbeck - savages, untamed men who lived and died by the blade!
While the character designs are impressive (Ian Gibson is on top form here), at two pages of story every two weeks, this isn't going anywhere fast. There's a difference between developing back-story and showing one's work, and this feels (rightly or wrongly) as if it is a discarded Dungeons & Dragons proposal, dusted off and changed just enough so that nobody is going to raise an objection. I want to like this, as there are minor glimmers of what could be a rattlingly good story, but it is so slight in this form as to discourage interest.
The universe is infinitely more vast than the human mind can ever comprehend. Merely writing the light-years that separate Earth from the planet Pandarve would take a lifetime... But no matter how vast the distance may be, it is not unbridgeable...Affixing the Egg of Pandarve in place, a beam is shot across the galaxy to the planet Earth, millions of years in the future.
...and it is Marduk, the theocrat of Pandarve, who intends to span the distance between his planet and Earth...
The tissue of space and time is disturbed by the sudden glare from Pandarve's Egg as it finds its way through bare and lifeless solar systems...Hmm. A mysterious, powerful red orb capable of miraculous events? Did J.J. Abrams read this story at some point? The depictions of the beam hitting Storm, and Ember's attempt to rescue him, are wonderful, as is the pair's arrival at Pandarve. Or, I should state, above the planet. Realising that their situation is relatively safe for a while, the possibility of burning up with friction as they descend occurs to Storm. Encountering a flying whale, Storm and Ember are separated.
It passes dark planets. Spreading fear and awe among the followers of mysterious religions. Priests predict death and calamity, witnessing the dreadful omen in the sky...
Until the fateful moment when the beam from Pandarve reaches its goal... The anomaly!
It is impossible to pay too many compliments to Storm.
Mr. Crust Acean is placed in a coffin, and Mr. C. Urchin investigates his death - despite him being very much alive, and trapped inside the casket. It's the kind of story which you either instantly fall in love with, or which remains tantalisingly out of reach. I doubt I'm ever going to understand the intricacies, or have a strong interest in the series.
Liking two out of four strips in an anthology is, surely, not enough reason to consider the title a success, though others might disagree as to the value of The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad and The Man from Cancer.
#01
Strip
#03
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Strip #1
...The Comic Grows Up!
17 Feb 1990. Cover price 95p.
40 pages. Colour contents.
Marvel Comics, Ltd.
Edited by Dan Abnett.
Cover by Kevin O'Neill.
Free cover-mounted badge.
Contents:
.2 Get Doctor Who Magazine Now in-house advertisement.
.3 Contents / Indicia
39 Next Issue
40 Marvel Graphic Novels in-house advertisement.
The proclamation may be "the comic grow up", but this still has a cover gift, shies away from more mature elements, and has (however tenuous) roots in superheroes with the presence of Marshal Law. If anything, this can be seen as a tame precursor to CLiNT, but there's still enough skewed weirdness to keep things interesting for those of us perpetually bored by the antics of costumed characters punching each other in the face - although there is that as well, and superbly done.
Without its claim beneath the title this would be an excellent first issue, but with that hanging over everything, a reminder of what could have been, this is merely a good title. Can merely defining itself as a mature title be so damaging? You might disagree, but such claims ought to be backed up with strenuous efforts to advance the form. The badge, surprisingly, doesn't refer to the comic at all, with the slogan "Bare Faced Chic" instead, as if advertising a women's fashion magazine. It isn't a bad statement, in and of itself, but not one which brings to mind comics.
What would be the perfect badge to sell a mature line? I'm not sure. It would have to be both amusing, as well as speaking to a sensibility that is interested in matters beyond spandex. Being so vague with (what is essentially) free advertising is a misstep - how are people to equate the random slogan with the title?
How good a first issue is this? The trade dress, stylish though understated distressing, is a very eighties look, and slightly disappointing. More critical is a lack of introduction, laying out the intended purpose of the title. Very large contents type makes this appear to be aimed at younger readers, and utilising the space better could have allowed for some communication from Abnett. A discourse with readers is one of the fundamental strengths of comics, and by ignoring this tool the title distances itself needlessly.
Marshal Law uses visual references to The Shadow, Bulletman, along with other classic characters, superbly, establishing the setting well. Employing a muted palette to emphasise the art, rather than drown it, further deepens the mood. A beautiful grotesquerie masquerading as a superhero story, with decay and squalor sitting beside gaudy Vegas-style illuminations to heighten the oddity of the city - somewhere between Furst's Gotham, Mega City One, and a Jean-Pierre Jeunet cityscape.
We don't get nearly enough of the background details to fully comprehend how everyday things manage to operate in such a place, but it is assumed that there are still-functioning utilities, and that people aren't slowly being driven crazy merely by proximity to such a place.
Reading like a pitch for an adult cartoon series The Man from Cancer isn't as clear in presentation as a first installment of a series really ought to be, with numerous imaginary elements (in the same style as the rest of the strip) crowding the events, this isn't as clear as a first installment of a continuing story ought to be.
Ian Gibson's artwork on The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad is simply amazing, though great art alone is no incentive to keep reading.
At only two pages, of which a great deal is presented with text boxes, so little happens that it is difficult to get a sense of this setting as a real location, with attendant problems, unique culture, and character personalities shining through. Far too much is made of matters which aren't directly related to the title character. It is a strip which takes time to get into, which is a terrible handicap when given such a brief appearance.
The complete story, Incognito, follows Gloria Grant, a famous film actress, as she encounters a man and seemingly builds a brief friendship thanks to him not recognising her. It is a strip which draws on old crime comics, such as published by EC, with a satisfying twist in the tail. Although finely drawn, and with a definite style to the telling, there isn't quite enough to justify eight pages.
The most entertaining element is the three-page text piece by Kevin O'Neill, where he points out that Pat Mills hates superheroes. Hmm. There's a reason I like Mills' comics. Replete with numerous sketches, showing the development of Marshal Law, this is a piece which brings a little of the personal touch I appreciate so much.
It isn't the best start, but a much better opening salvo than most new titles.
17 Feb 1990. Cover price 95p.
40 pages. Colour contents.
Marvel Comics, Ltd.
Edited by Dan Abnett.
Cover by Kevin O'Neill.
Free cover-mounted badge.
Contents:
.2 Get Doctor Who Magazine Now in-house advertisement.
.3 Contents / Indicia
.4 Marshal Law Stars And Strippers part one, w: Pat Mills; a: Kevin O'Neill, lettering by Phil Felix.
18 The Man from Cancer part one, w: Glenn Dakin; a: Phil Elliott, lettering by Phil Elliott, colouring by Steve White.
26 The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad part one, w: Alan Grant & John Wagner; a: Ian Gibson, lettering by Bambos Georgiou.
28 Incognito w: Paul Buck; a: Art Wetherell, lettering by Stuart Bartlett, colouring by Euan Peters.
36 Upholding The Law text feature by Kevin O'Neill; illustrations.39 Next Issue
40 Marvel Graphic Novels in-house advertisement.
The proclamation may be "the comic grow up", but this still has a cover gift, shies away from more mature elements, and has (however tenuous) roots in superheroes with the presence of Marshal Law. If anything, this can be seen as a tame precursor to CLiNT, but there's still enough skewed weirdness to keep things interesting for those of us perpetually bored by the antics of costumed characters punching each other in the face - although there is that as well, and superbly done.
Without its claim beneath the title this would be an excellent first issue, but with that hanging over everything, a reminder of what could have been, this is merely a good title. Can merely defining itself as a mature title be so damaging? You might disagree, but such claims ought to be backed up with strenuous efforts to advance the form. The badge, surprisingly, doesn't refer to the comic at all, with the slogan "Bare Faced Chic" instead, as if advertising a women's fashion magazine. It isn't a bad statement, in and of itself, but not one which brings to mind comics.
What would be the perfect badge to sell a mature line? I'm not sure. It would have to be both amusing, as well as speaking to a sensibility that is interested in matters beyond spandex. Being so vague with (what is essentially) free advertising is a misstep - how are people to equate the random slogan with the title?
How good a first issue is this? The trade dress, stylish though understated distressing, is a very eighties look, and slightly disappointing. More critical is a lack of introduction, laying out the intended purpose of the title. Very large contents type makes this appear to be aimed at younger readers, and utilising the space better could have allowed for some communication from Abnett. A discourse with readers is one of the fundamental strengths of comics, and by ignoring this tool the title distances itself needlessly.
After the Big One destroyed San Francisco... After the war in the Zone ended in stalemate... After the superheroes came home...A strippergram, dressed as the heroine Celeste, walks home through dark Downtown streets, fearing for her safety as a masked man follows her. Asking a stranger the location of the nearest police station, he answers that it is a secret, and when requested for the number is told that it is unlisted. As he leaves her, she runs in an attempt to lose her stalker. The masked man eventually corners her, dragging her to a rooftop where he drops her off the side, saying that "all super heroes should fly."
Marshal Law uses visual references to The Shadow, Bulletman, along with other classic characters, superbly, establishing the setting well. Employing a muted palette to emphasise the art, rather than drown it, further deepens the mood. A beautiful grotesquerie masquerading as a superhero story, with decay and squalor sitting beside gaudy Vegas-style illuminations to heighten the oddity of the city - somewhere between Furst's Gotham, Mega City One, and a Jean-Pierre Jeunet cityscape.
We don't get nearly enough of the background details to fully comprehend how everyday things manage to operate in such a place, but it is assumed that there are still-functioning utilities, and that people aren't slowly being driven crazy merely by proximity to such a place.
Reading like a pitch for an adult cartoon series The Man from Cancer isn't as clear in presentation as a first installment of a series really ought to be, with numerous imaginary elements (in the same style as the rest of the strip) crowding the events, this isn't as clear as a first installment of a continuing story ought to be.
Ian Gibson's artwork on The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad is simply amazing, though great art alone is no incentive to keep reading.
On the world known as Shadow-Earth, it came to pass that in the seventeenth year of the reign of Ranald the Protector, the savage hordes of Kang did storm the walls of Haven, and the blood of the brave ran red on the ramparts...It reads like an awkward and unconvincing mix of every cheap fantasy paperback from the seventies smooshed together in a sticky pulp. Firstly, they called their world Shadow-Earth? My problem here (which I also have with DC Comics' Earth 2) is that is it difficult to imagine a civilisation referring to itself as being the alternative to the "real" Earth, in however diminished a capacity. A completely original name would have worked far better, as would a non-punny name for Karbunkle Grimtoad's given name. Would you call your child Carbuncle? Honestly?
And the hideous image of Toadthrax the sorcerer did darken the skies, and his demons poured forth their fury upon the defenders...
In Inner-Haven, Karbunkle Grimtoad, sorcerer to King Ranald, cast the portents...
At only two pages, of which a great deal is presented with text boxes, so little happens that it is difficult to get a sense of this setting as a real location, with attendant problems, unique culture, and character personalities shining through. Far too much is made of matters which aren't directly related to the title character. It is a strip which takes time to get into, which is a terrible handicap when given such a brief appearance.
The complete story, Incognito, follows Gloria Grant, a famous film actress, as she encounters a man and seemingly builds a brief friendship thanks to him not recognising her. It is a strip which draws on old crime comics, such as published by EC, with a satisfying twist in the tail. Although finely drawn, and with a definite style to the telling, there isn't quite enough to justify eight pages.
The most entertaining element is the three-page text piece by Kevin O'Neill, where he points out that Pat Mills hates superheroes. Hmm. There's a reason I like Mills' comics. Replete with numerous sketches, showing the development of Marshal Law, this is a piece which brings a little of the personal touch I appreciate so much.
It isn't the best start, but a much better opening salvo than most new titles.
Strip
#02
Monday, October 22, 2018
Blast! #1
Jun 1991; Cover price £1.50
76 pages. Colour and B&W.
John Brown Publishing, Ltd.
Edited by Stuart Green.
Mr. Monster cover by Simon Bisley.
Contents:
Simon Bisley's art is an attention grabber - a minimalist background emphasises the power of his painting perfectly, though the cover text (by way of dialogue) could have done with a white outline, highlighting red against blue better. Blast!'s logo is, disappointingly, rendered in a font which doesn't quite work, looking as if it has been vertically stretched to an alarming degree. This is our first indication that, for all the talent brought together for the title, there's a hurriedness to proceedings... a certain lack of attention to detail.
Mr. Monster - beautifully illustrated by Bisley - is a mad, violent, and extremely funny strip, which would be better served with more space. It's an irreverent, wonderful complete story (common sense in a launch) which has a great pay-off. Concrete is a welcome addition to the line-up, with a tale which feels familiar, yet contains a surprising amount of heart and intelligence. Going through a small mountain of mail received after appearing of the Carson Show, as Ron is exposed to the full range of reactions to his participation on the television show.
Agreeing to attend a party invitation, he is confronted by a single mother whose son's eighth birthday party is in full swing. The best line is about John Ritter's appearance a year before, which is entirely believable - if anyone would do a cool appearance at a kid's birthday party, it would be him. Concrete has a lot of fun with the concept, and ends on a very amusing note. One of the all-time greats of American comics, and its inclusion here is appreciated.
Torpedo is from the "hard boiled" school of writing, and many influences are clear. There's something indefinably off about the strip, and it doesn't gel into a convincing or engaging story, partially due to the endless text boxes which drive forward the narrative. The colouring is far too garish for the setting, and I have a suspicion it would read better if reproduced in black and white.
Axel Pressbutton reappears here - the planet Scrofula, in the 31st century, where television has begun broadcasting directly into the brains of viewers. Axel interrupts an interview in the street, and producers request that he be brought into the studio to exploit his status as a famous assassin. Things go wrong extremely quickly, and the bodycount is... well, its an Axel Pressbutton story, so we aren't expecting rainbows and kittens, are we?
The ...Let's Follow Him! two-page comedy strip isn't as funny as it could have been, though it is a joy to Bagge's work. Managing to fill in a lot of character detail with little effort, the strip does exactly what the name indicates.
The opening installment of Lazarus Churchyard, with a suitably macabre and off-beat lead character in the titular Lazarus. Four hundred years old, and effectively immortal thanks to a plastic bonded to his body, he has to investigate a spate of deaths in order to get his wish... death. The cyberpunk setting contrasts nicely with the rest of the strips, and the artwork by D'Israeli compliments Warren Ellis' script perfectly.
There is very little prose in Blast! (a solitary introduction), and the heavy use of color indicates that what Fleetway was doing (in response to Trident) had been taken into consideration when putting the title together. There's an interesting, though disjointed, collection of strips, but nothing screaming "break-out hit" aside from the Concrete reprint. When you have creators of this caliber involved, it isn't surprising that the comic is still relevant and massively appealing, but a more focused aim might have helped.
I'm not sure who the target audience for the title was.
Now to the Speakeasy insert.
Wisely using the Rian Hughes logo, there are hints of the classic Speakeasy formula, but it is so diluted that it might as well have taken a different name for this:
It is unfortunate that the paper is so awful, as the shiny white pages of the regular magazine was so impressive. This is a step backwards, but as it is a free insert I'm willing to accept that something had to give. Troublingly, we don't even get the full experience of the title here, omitting several of the main draws. Grant Morrison is nowhere to be seen, and there are far, far too many adverts.
That the change included a heavy film interest is annoying. I read film magazines to find out about films, and I want comics information from comic magazines. There's still a comic strip in this incarnation (Twitch City), though it isn't as immediately amusing as Pedantic Stan. There's a Simon Bisley interview to make up for such a radical change to the formula, but too much has been altered from the magazine. There are parts I really miss from the standalone magazine, and their absence makes this extremely frustrating to read.
A sad decline for a highly-regarded title. Change, we are reminded, is not always for the better.
76 pages. Colour and B&W.
John Brown Publishing, Ltd.
Edited by Stuart Green.
Mr. Monster cover by Simon Bisley.
Contents:
2 Metal Hammer - the Biggest and Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Magazine magazine advert.
3 Incoming... text introduction by Stuart Green. / Contents / Indicia.
4 Mr. Monster Lair of the Lizard Ladies w: Michael T. Gilbert; a: Simon Bisley, lettering by Fred Nurney.
11 Willy Roach - He Goes by Coach (half page) advertisement for EuroLines. a: (uncredited). / C&T Eyewear advertisement.
12 Star Trek: The Next Generation clothing advertisement.
13 Concrete Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous w:/a: Paul Chadwick, lettering by Bill Spicer.
r: Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse) #01 (Jul 1986).
21 More than Just Comics advertisement for Deadline magazine.
22 The Ceremony Has Begun advertisement for The Doors film.
23 Torpedo Every Dog Has His Day w: Sanchez Abulli; a: Jordi Bernet, colouring by Dondie Cox.
r: De perro a perro from Creepy (Toutain Editor) #34 (Apr 1982).
27 / 1 Speakeasy Insert Kevin Costner photograph (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves).
28 / 2 Mega City Comics advertisement.
29 / 3 Liverpool Comic Mart & Film Fair (quarter page) advertisement. / Birmingham Comic Mart & Film Fair (quarter page) advertisement. / UKCAC 91 (half page) advertisement for UK Comic Art Convention 1991.
30 / 4 Speakout text introduction (uncredited). / Comic Views reviews by John Smile.
31 / 5 King Ink comic chart.
33 / 7 Speakeasy Newsline (half page) advertisement. / Experience Natures Secret High with Yuba Gold (half page) advertisement.
34 / 8 Free Comics! (quarter page) advertisement for Planet X. / Direct Contact Dating (quarter page) advertisement. / Mr Extra, on the brink of defeat once more at the hands of Jane (5½) and Tilly (6¾) (half page) advertisement for Meanwhile.
35 / 9 Book Views reviews. / Twitch City UNTITLED ["I fink I'm Kured!"] w:/a: Bambos.
36 / 10 Nu Earth (quarter page) advertisement. / Gotham City Comics (quarter page) advertisement. / The Sheffield Space Centre (quarter page) advertisement. / Worlds of Wonder (quarter page) advertisement.
37 / 11 Comic Fantasy (quarter page) advertisement. / Back-Issue Comics Manager Required (quarter page) job advertisement. / Titan Distributors Comic Mart (quarter page) advertisement. / Cosmic Comics (quarter page) advertisement.
38 / 12 Prince of Thieves interview by Alan Jones.
42 / 16 Scorched Earth advertisement.
43 / 17 Phaze II The Dead Zone would like to present "Sex in the U.K." advertisement.
44 / 18 The Number of the Beast Simon Bisley interview by Gordon Rennie.
46 / 20 The Gloucester Comic Book Fair (quarter page) advertisement. / Rainbow's End (quarter page) advertisement. / Comicbook Marketplace Special Edition - Saturday June 15 (quarter page) advertisement. / Comicbook Marketplace - Sunday July 14 (quarter page) advertisement.
48 / 22 Classifieds
50 / 24 Forbidden Planet advertisement.
55 Portobello Trust - London Cartoon Centre (quarter page) advertisement. / Needing Direction? Life Lost it's Meaning? Lacking Moral Fibre? (quarter page) advertisement for Electric Soup. / Genuine Ex-Tour T-Shirts - Cult Movie T-Shirts (half page) advertisement for BMS.
56 For over fourteen years... advertisement for Titan Distributors.
57 Axel Pressbutton Famous For Fifteen Minutes w: Pedro Henry (Steve Moore); a: Steve Dillon.
63 Hey You! in-house advertisement for Blast! T-shirts. / Subscribe Now!.
64 ...Let's Follow Him! w:/a: Peter Bagge.
r: Neat Stuff (Fantagraphics) #01 (Jul 1985).
66 There are no others advertisement for Titan Distributors.
67 Lazarus Churchyard The Virtual Kiss, part 1: Fracture w: Warren Ellis; a: D'Israeli.
74 Incoming...30 Days next issue feature.
75 Attention! Fear Want You! subscription advertisement for Fear.
76 The Face advertisement.
Simon Bisley's art is an attention grabber - a minimalist background emphasises the power of his painting perfectly, though the cover text (by way of dialogue) could have done with a white outline, highlighting red against blue better. Blast!'s logo is, disappointingly, rendered in a font which doesn't quite work, looking as if it has been vertically stretched to an alarming degree. This is our first indication that, for all the talent brought together for the title, there's a hurriedness to proceedings... a certain lack of attention to detail.
Mr. Monster - beautifully illustrated by Bisley - is a mad, violent, and extremely funny strip, which would be better served with more space. It's an irreverent, wonderful complete story (common sense in a launch) which has a great pay-off. Concrete is a welcome addition to the line-up, with a tale which feels familiar, yet contains a surprising amount of heart and intelligence. Going through a small mountain of mail received after appearing of the Carson Show, as Ron is exposed to the full range of reactions to his participation on the television show.
Agreeing to attend a party invitation, he is confronted by a single mother whose son's eighth birthday party is in full swing. The best line is about John Ritter's appearance a year before, which is entirely believable - if anyone would do a cool appearance at a kid's birthday party, it would be him. Concrete has a lot of fun with the concept, and ends on a very amusing note. One of the all-time greats of American comics, and its inclusion here is appreciated.
Torpedo is from the "hard boiled" school of writing, and many influences are clear. There's something indefinably off about the strip, and it doesn't gel into a convincing or engaging story, partially due to the endless text boxes which drive forward the narrative. The colouring is far too garish for the setting, and I have a suspicion it would read better if reproduced in black and white.
Axel Pressbutton reappears here - the planet Scrofula, in the 31st century, where television has begun broadcasting directly into the brains of viewers. Axel interrupts an interview in the street, and producers request that he be brought into the studio to exploit his status as a famous assassin. Things go wrong extremely quickly, and the bodycount is... well, its an Axel Pressbutton story, so we aren't expecting rainbows and kittens, are we?
The ...Let's Follow Him! two-page comedy strip isn't as funny as it could have been, though it is a joy to Bagge's work. Managing to fill in a lot of character detail with little effort, the strip does exactly what the name indicates.
The opening installment of Lazarus Churchyard, with a suitably macabre and off-beat lead character in the titular Lazarus. Four hundred years old, and effectively immortal thanks to a plastic bonded to his body, he has to investigate a spate of deaths in order to get his wish... death. The cyberpunk setting contrasts nicely with the rest of the strips, and the artwork by D'Israeli compliments Warren Ellis' script perfectly.
There is very little prose in Blast! (a solitary introduction), and the heavy use of color indicates that what Fleetway was doing (in response to Trident) had been taken into consideration when putting the title together. There's an interesting, though disjointed, collection of strips, but nothing screaming "break-out hit" aside from the Concrete reprint. When you have creators of this caliber involved, it isn't surprising that the comic is still relevant and massively appealing, but a more focused aim might have helped.
I'm not sure who the target audience for the title was.
Now to the Speakeasy insert.
Wisely using the Rian Hughes logo, there are hints of the classic Speakeasy formula, but it is so diluted that it might as well have taken a different name for this:
Speakeasy has a ten year history as a news and features magazine distributed exclusively to specialist comic shops. In that time it has never stayed still, appearing in various formats: from a xeroxed A5 fanzine it became a fold-out broadsheet before graduating to its previous incarnation as an A4 glossy.
Now Speakeasy has mutated into BLAST! a monthly comic magazine dedicated to bringing the best international comic strips to a British audience. Our pull-out editorial section - which will be distributed free to British comic shops - retains the name Speakeasy and its original brief: to promote comics and the culture that they reflect. Over the coming months we will continue to bring you the exclusive interviews with the biggest names in comics and genre film and literature, while keeping you up to date with the significant releases in all three mediums.
It is unfortunate that the paper is so awful, as the shiny white pages of the regular magazine was so impressive. This is a step backwards, but as it is a free insert I'm willing to accept that something had to give. Troublingly, we don't even get the full experience of the title here, omitting several of the main draws. Grant Morrison is nowhere to be seen, and there are far, far too many adverts.
That the change included a heavy film interest is annoying. I read film magazines to find out about films, and I want comics information from comic magazines. There's still a comic strip in this incarnation (Twitch City), though it isn't as immediately amusing as Pedantic Stan. There's a Simon Bisley interview to make up for such a radical change to the formula, but too much has been altered from the magazine. There are parts I really miss from the standalone magazine, and their absence makes this extremely frustrating to read.
A sad decline for a highly-regarded title. Change, we are reminded, is not always for the better.
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