Aliens Vol.1 #8

Sep 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Cover by Denis Beauvaus.
r: UNKNOWN.

Free poster; illustrated by Dave Dorman (signed).
r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse)

Contents:

 2 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 3 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 4 Aliens Earth War, part two, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Sam Keith, lettering by Pat Brosseau, colouring by Monika Livingstone.

r: Aliens: Earth War (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

15 Humanity's Last Hope Has Returned in 1991 in a Last Ditch Attempt to Save Their Future in-house advertisement for The Terminator Vol.1 #02; illustrated by Chris Warner.

16 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

17 Predator Big Game, part one, w: John Arcudi; p: Evan Dorkin, i: Armando Gil, lettering by Kurt Hathaway, colouring by Julia Lacquement.

r: Predator: Big Game (Dark Horse) #01 (Mar 1991).

32 Aliens in-house advertisement for graphic novels and t-shirts.

33 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

34 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part eight, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau, colouring by Monika Livingston.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

49 Model Kits in-house advertisement.

50 Next Issue! (half page) / Subscriptions (half page)

51 Terminator T-Shirt Offer in-house advertisement.

52 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis in-house advertisement.

While the grey semi-border makes the cover appear slightly drab, and the title of the comic difficult to easily discern at first glance, the image of the Predator is superb. It is an extremely powerful and immediate image, an effortlessly encourages speculation on the contents. The boast of a poster is, for some reason, in a rather stark white jagged balloon rather than being coloured, lessening the overall effect of its news, and the positioning is awkward in the extreme. Poor layout consideration also applies to the Predator side-box, which uses poorly-cropped art featuring lettering.

I don't expect perfection, merely adequate presentation. The amount of times I have had to stop and look closer at something in a Trident title to see what is going on is unbelievable. Time after time the look is spoiled by some minor, easily-fixable element, and the end product suffers from appearing so (dare I say it) amateurish. To have made this cover far more impressive would have taken ten minutes of light editing.

Earth War continues in stylish fashion, and footage from Earth serves to remind Newt of her childhood is a slightly heavy-handed manner, though is none the poorer for the echo. Keith's artwork ranges from extremely stylised to very real in rapid pace, and although there is definitely a 'look' to the series, I wish he had been more experimental with the layout, pushing the nightmarish elements to the forefront - this is, after all, the end of humanity we are witnessing, and yet there isn't an overriding sense of the futility of defence against the aliens.

A far better Terminator advert, sans low-resolution artwork, manages to make the series (finally) look appealing. Unfortunately it is another B&W ad, which calls into question just what was going on at Trident. Were the colour plates not available, or was this merely a theme the publisher was extending through all their promotions?

Most of Cibola County in New Mexico still looks like a Frederic Remington landscape.

The terrain is wide open and rugged, with very few people around to spoil the view.

Occasionally, however, there are things that disrupt the serene community.

Grants Airport is not too far north from here, so overhead traffic is not uncommon.

Frightened though they are, the locals venture out into the open after only a few minutes -

- and within the hour, things are have returned to normal.

That is, as normal as things will ever be again.

Predator: Big Game can be looked at as a compendium of settings dragged from blockbuster movies: the army base, the small-town diner, vast empty landscapes, all threatened by the arrival of The Outsider. In stories The Outsider is a position taken by invading armies, various kinds of aliens, technological monstrosities, relentless serial killers, or any other force which upsets the regular existence of a populace. Having already established the modus operandi of the Predator, no long introduction is required to explain back-story, getting straight to the drive of the story.

If you think disassembling the story in this manner is a simplification of what is presented, don't worry - this is, against a background of similarly-themed stories, a perfect little machine which ticks along with elegance. It is the Bugatti of story engines, which is why Arcudi's use of it here, with a wonderfully light touch, is so appreciated. While accusations of a generic feel might be warranted in places, he sets up events in such a precise manner that not even the most cynical of readers will fail to appreciate how much craft there is in the telling.

Turned down for a three-day pass, Enoch Nakai goes on anti-aircraft duty with his unit in the wilds of New Mexico.

The many smells of the prairie are like words to Enoch Nakai. Each smell has its own meaning.

As the fragrance of loam means fertile soil, and the scent of a hare means food -

An unfamiliar smell almost always means danger.

Stopping the tank upon which he is travelling, Enoch points to a tree which he claims is host to something unfamiliar. Investigating, his colleague is immediately killed by the hidden Predator, and only Enoch's fast reflexes save his skin. Running for assistance he encounters a passing jeep, which takes him to Sergeant Coates and Colonel Athelry, who are in command of transporting the alien ship away from its landing point, and he informs them of the occupant's actions.

Stock story elements are not a bad thing. Using familiar storytelling techniques draws the reader in to a tale of a rogue Predator hunting a military unit down one by one, and the art - using enough recognisable detail to sell the realism of the location - is able to convincingly locate the story in a time and place. I really do love this story, and, although there are pieces of its story which feel slightly out of position due to the truncated reprint format, it works magnificently.

Machiko flees as the Predator and aliens go after one another, and manages to get back to the secured area to warn the others.

#07

Aliens Vol.1

#09

Star Wars Comic Vol.1 #7

05 Sep 1999. Cover price £1.25.
28 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines.

Edited by John Freeman.

Painted cover by Hugh Fleming.
r: cover from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #04 (May 1999).

Contents:

 2 The Final Battle! text introduction (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

 3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, part seven, w: Henry Gilroy, based on the story by George Lucas; p: Rodolfo Damaggio, i: Al Williamson, lettering by Steve Dutro, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #04 (May 1999).

11 Forbidden Planet advertisement.

16 Use the Force advertisement for Lego Star Wars sets.

22 All-Out Star Wars Action! in-house advertisement for Star Wars Comic, Star Wars Magazine, and graphic novels.

24 Have Darth Maul on Yer Back competition.

25 Communications readers' mail; illustrations by Nicholas Jones and Richard Fallon.

26 Coming Next Issue

27 Subscribe & Save

28 Galaxion '99 convention advertisement.

I'm not saying that Freeman was recalling the good old days of Doctor Who, but this issue begins a sequence of random cover dates which zip back and forth with no consistency.

Having dragged on for six issues already, Star Wars Comic gets the rest of the saga out of the way in one chunk. The strangely muted battle, in which Darth Maul takes on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, lacks a certain something, and the coup de grâce is strangely absent - one might imagine, if the film was not referred to, that Qui-Gon merely fell over.

The destruction of the droid control ship is given a similarly too-brief moment, with two large explosions marring the surface, though there is no indication of the extent of the damage. A handful of panels charting the destruction over the following moments would have clarified that we are seeing its destruction rather than merely being severely damaged. It is a theme which has recurred throughout the series - stunningly beautiful artwork, marred by poor storytelling choices.

The final full-page image does the adaptation no favours, and as a conclusion there is a distinct lack of satisfaction to be had. Disappointingly, there is still no comedic flourish to offset the serious nature of the strips chosen. Levity, especially when dealing with such po-faced space opera, is required to keep from feeling drained at the relentless pomposity of it all. Star Wars is meant to be fun, and this exercise in repetition is hardly enjoyable.

#05

Star Wars Comic

#08

Dracula #5

May 1993. £1.25.
40 pages. Full colour & B&W.
Dark Horse Comics International

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by Mike Mignola.
r: cover from Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #04 (Jan 1993).

Contents:

 2 Dracula Introduction text (uncredited) / Contents / Indicia

 3 Bram Stoker's Dracula, part five, w: Roy Thomas; p: Mike Mignola, i: John Nyberg, lettering by John Costanza, colouring by Mark Chiarello.

r: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #4 (Jan 1993).

20 Bloodlines text feature compiled by Dave Hughes.

22 Vampirella - What Has Gone Before text introduction; illustrated by Mike Kaluta.

23 Vampirella Who Serves the Cause of Chaos?, part two, w: Archie Goodwin; a: Tom Sutton.

r: Vampirella (Warren) #08 (Nov 1970).

30 Transmission Vamp text feature by Adrian Rigelsford.

32 Werewolf! w: Larry Ivie; a: Frank Frazetta, lettering by Ben Oda.

r: Creepy (Warren) #01 (1964).

38 Positive Blood Type reviews of vampire books by Seamus Ryan.

39 Subscribe - Comics for the '90s (half page) in-house advertisement. / Exclusive Fangtastic Offer (half page) advertisement for Studio Three Jewellery Design.

40 Timeless Terror From Dark Horse in-house advertisement

Note: There is more information about the Werewolf strip at DocDave's Frazetta blog.

Mignola's depiction of the beastial Dracula is grotesque and eye-catching, capturing the film's design ethos perfectly, and making the cover really stand out. The cover lines, when placed upon such a strong image, are rather inconsequential - not to mention being extremely difficult to read.

From Jonathan Harker's journal: 2 October

We left London by train and crossed the English channel that night in stormy seas, no doubt from the passage of the Count's ship. He commands the winds, but we still have the advantage. By train, we can reach the Romanian port at Varna in three days. By ship, it will take him at least a week. From Paris, we traveled through the Alps to Buda-Pest. The Count must sail around the Rock of Gibraltar, where we have posted a look-out, and then on to the Black Sea port at Varna where we will meet his ship and burn it into the sea.

Ending with a rather downbeat, and very dark, installment, the strip follows every other adaptation in condensing the journey to Dracula's castle into as brief a space as possible. It is annoying that the colouring is so suddenly dark as the small band rushes to stop Dracula, as it appears to already be night - "We've got to kill him before the sun sets!" seems, therefore, to be a misplaced line. Its closing pages hammer home the differences here than in other adaptations of the novel, with a tearful Mina delivering the killing blow to the vampire.

"We want no proofs. We ask none to believe us. God be thanked that all has not been in vain - the curse has passed away."

Bloodlines further elaborates on the cinematic success of the film, and offers up ten copies of Redemption's videocassette release of >The Vampire Bat in a competition. A less impressive product given coverage is Scarlett, an attempt by DC Comics to attract the horror crowd - Tom Joyner and Keith S. Wilson's opening issue might have had interesting moments, but quickly faltered, though the piece is strangely quiet on the comic's contents.

Vampirella arrives at a scene of worship, with the cult members in full chant. Attacked by the monster she had seen before, Vampirella defends herself - and makes her presence known, drawing the cult members down on her in force. Chained to an altar, it seems that she will be given as a sacrifice to Nuberus, though Tyler steps in to prevent her death. He admits that his real name is Ethan Shroud, warlock of Old Salem, and first leader of the Companions of Chaos, and professes his love for Vapirella, for which she rebuffs him. The real Tyler returns to life to drag Ethan into the limbo from which he has ventured, and the Crimson Chronicles, which the cult used in their ceremonies, burns...

Dragging out the Van Helsing subplot with a single page of plot development is a touch luxuriant, especially when the strips are being dragged out here, but with such accomplished artwork there is little to gripe about. I have a soft spot for the character, having read through stacks of the Warren originals (back when they could be picked up for 50p each), and it is a joy to see them get another chance to shine here.

The 1977 Louis Jourdan-starring Dracula gets coverage in Transmission Vamp, with some amusing observations from Adrian Rigelsford:

With the current tidal wave of interest in all things Dracula-related, it would seem an ideal time to dig up this Count, but, alas, this does not look like it will ever happen. Apart from the odd clip turning up now and again (and a recent screening at the National Film Theatre), the long-requested release of the production on the retail video market seems [as] unlikely as it has for the past ten years or so, with clearance and rights ownership causing endless problems.

It would turn up on the fifth of April, 1993 on BBC Two, while this issue was still on the shelves. As amusing as it would be to imagine the BBC broadcasting the show deliberately, it is an odd coincidence.

Positive Blood Type (the puns, they keep coming) tackles Anne Billson's Suckers, Poppy Z. Brite's Lost Souls, and The Ultimate Dracula anthology from Dell, with remarkable restraint. Laying off the awful vampire puns altogether would have endeared me more, as it reeks of trashy US horror magazines of the seventies, not one of which retains anything remotely close to charm. Of the books listed, The Ultimate Dracula, with a P.J. Farmer story, sounds the most interesting.

#04

Dracula

#06

Dracula #4

23 Mar 1993 - 14 Apr 1993. £1.25.
36 pages. Full colour & B&W contents.
Dark Horse Comics International.

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by Mike Mignola.
r: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #?

Contents:

 2 Dracula Introduction text by Dick Hansom (? uncredited) / Contents / Indicia

 3 Bram Stoker's Dracula, part four, w: Roy Thomas; p: Mike Mignola, i: John Nyberg, lettering by John Costanza, colouring by Mark Chiarello.

r: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #04 (Jan 1993).

17 Bloodlines text feature compiled by Dave Hughes; photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

19 Vampirella Who Serves the Cause of Chaos? w: Archie Goodwin; a: Tom Sutton.

r: Vampirella (Warren) #08 (Nov 1970).

33 Inside Coppola's Dracula Untitled, part four, text feature by Gary Gerani & Dave Hughes; photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

34 Salem's Slot review of Salem's Lot (1978) by Seamus Ryan; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

35 Subscribe - Comics for the '90s

36 The Galaxy's Greatest Heroes Return in... Classic Star Wars in-house advertisement

The hunt for Dracula begins, and, while Mina sees Renfield, the boxes of Dracula's home soil are purified so that they cannot be used by him. After venting his anger on Renfield for betraying him, Dracula visits Mina - who he convinces to drink of his blood. Knowing that the link between Mina and Dracula can be used to his advantage, Helsing hypnotises Mina.

Some of the colouring decisions make the art too dark in places, with reproduction struggling to cope with the almost-hidden figures on the first page, for example, though for the most part this is an artistic choice which sells the stylized mood. The page which doesn't quite work is when Mina is hypnotised, as the various blues blend into one another. For an adaptation which has, overall, been so strong, this isn't really a problem.

Bloodlines sets its sights on Academy Award nominations for the film, announcing that Bram Stoker's Dracula snagged a nomination in every category of the second Chainsaw Awards, run by Fangoria. The feature's brief, yet tantalising, coverage of Anne Rice's UK promotional tour doesn't state whether the interviews which weren't cancelled were for print or television - small details.

Night blankets a remote area of the rocky mountains, and, softly, silently snow has begun to fall. A cutting wind sends the flakes of white dancing and driving across the rugged landscape to pelt and sting a figure strangely out of place in these surroundings, a girl of unearthly beauty wandering through a winter night. A girl lost in a world not her own...

Vampirella suits the black and white presentation, though it has to be asked - was the finances stretched so tight that some colour could not have been added? After finding herself stranded on a mountain after a plane crash, Vampirella is rescued by Tyler Westron, who takes her to the safety of his retreat for the nervous rich. Vampirella discovers that Tyler is well aware of her alien origins, as she has talked while under sedation, and worse - he has had to amputate her wings. Telling her that he only wishes to aid her, Tyler convinces Vampirella to be patient.

And far from the isolated winter lodge, other events are forming that will in time touch the girl of Drakulon, for as the half-light of dusk settles gloomily over a graveyard in rural Michigan...

Conrad Van Helsing exhumes Kurt's corpse, and, seeing that it is drained of blood, puts a stake through the heart of his dead brother.

Vampirella may not be the most original series ever written, but the effect of so many influences upon this plot assists in creating a larger canvas upon which to paint her adventures. A cult which worships ancient gods, the isolated "hospital" where events play out, a staking in a modern cemetery, a strange monster kept caged in the basement - all of the elements are familiar, yet when woven together in this manner build into something greater than the pieces themselves.

It isn't perfect, however. There are panels which don't work, especially those in which close-ups of major characters don't look like those characters, and the ending trails off, when it should end on a more dramatic note.

No matter the film, reading of the rush to get a completed product in the can in time for its release date, and as Inside Coppola's Dracula makes clear, Bram Stoker's Dracula. had quite a few challenges to overcome. Most interesting of the comments, is mention of the deleted scenes:

Certain elements were lessened or dropped, others amplified. Early test screenings suggested that a little blood goes a long way. Some very sexy scenes were deleted altogether.

So... More deleted scenes than there was on the two-disc DVD release?

As a lifelong Stephen King fan, Salem's Lot always felt like a poor adaptation, whether in its film edit or as a mini-series. Seamus Ryan provides a brief recap of its development, first as a film, then as the eventual mini-series it became, and its sequel. There isn't enough to convince me to give it another chance, and I'm not sure why it is included. Had there been more a involved history of the book and its adaptation it might have been a really useful primer, though without a wealth of detail it merely points to the video's existence.

Stealth marketing at work.

03

Dracula

#05

Aliens Vol.1 #6

Jul 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Cover by Denis Beauvaus.
r:

Contents:

 2 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 3 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 4 Aliens Untitled, part six, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Denis Beauvaus, lettering by Bob Pinaha.

r: Aliens (Dark Horse) #02 (Dec 1989).

12 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

13 Predator The Heat, part six, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Chris Warner, lettering by Jim Massara, colouring by Chris Chalenor.

r: Predator #02 (Jun 1989).

29 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

30 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part six, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

47 Letters Page readers' mail.

49 Aliens - the Graphic Novel, the Portfolio, the t-shirts, the Hardback in-house advertisement.

50 The Terminator in-house advertisement for #01.

51 Subscriptions (half page) / The Sheffield Space Centre (quarter page) advertisement. / Fantasy World (quarter page) advertisement for June opening of Another World.

52 Toxic! in-house advertisement for #15.

One of the best covers so far, with its light blue and black trade dress playing well against Beauvaus' image. The jagged balloon containing the announcement that the aliens have reached Earth is, however, an eyesore - Trident, despite being good at picking out suitable material for reprinting, and with extremely talented creators providing new strips, always seemed to be less adventurous when it came to lettering. In appearance it is the kind of thing I expect to see printed on own-brand boxes of fish fingers rather than a comic cover.

The - the alien is the only one I can trust. Their loyalty transcends human treachery.

Together, we will form a new world. I will lead man and alien alike toward a new glory, a new beginning -

- A better tomorrow!

Spears quickly learns just how intelligent - and duplicitous - the aliens can be, and pays for his arrogance with his life. Meanwhile, at Gateway Station, the ship carrying Newt and Hicks docks, and they discover what has become of the handful of survivors aboard. A report from planetside has news of a nest which the aliens have built, spralwing across the city, and down into the underground. All seems lost for those remaining on the surface, but an old friend is at hand to take the battle to the aliens.

With her final-page appearance, Ripley is, once more, an essential part of the Alien saga. Although her appearance brings a smile - in the same manner as seeing Arnold reprise his Terminator role in Terminator Genisys - though, like Terminator, Aliens needs to find a voice, and characters, away from what is familiar. As interesting as her position in the films has been, there really should be more to the universe than her adventures.

Rasche reunites with Schaefer atop the Pan Am building, and, once Philips' men are put in their place, head to a U-Rent space on the Lower East Side. Filled with enough police impound to take on every cracked-out psycho in Manhattan, Schaefer watches Kartoon Kastle to prepare himself for the coming battle. Realising that the odds are too great, Schaefer sets out to recruit some back-up. The Predators are tracking his movements, and it takes the death of another Predator to convince Carr that< Schaefer is on the level.

Once the recruited army of criminals is properly armed, Rasche points out that they can hardly be expected to fight when the Predators are still in their ships. Forcing them to descend from their ships by the destruction of one of the vessels, Schaefer finds himself stuck between a police force wanting his hide and aliens wanting his head.

The ships aren't greatly impressive, which is highlighted in the panels which present them in close-ups. They remind me of the ugly spaceships which proliferated throughout DC's titles in the 80s, with the same simplistic design sensibilities. It is nice to see unconventional forces stepping up to take part in the forthcoming battle, and reactions to Schaefer's proclamation about alien forces invading is exactly what one would expect.

Searching for the doc, an unconscious Predator, along with the destroyed ship, is discovered in Iwa Gorge. It is brought to the Med Centre, where investigations into its physiology are begun. With all of the excitement it takes a while before anyone notices that the Lector still hasn't taken off.

A chance encounter with intelligent XTs was considered so remote that the company's off-planet manual contained only one line on the subject:

"Avoid direct contact until specially trained personnel arrive on the scene."

We were about to write a whole new chapter.

Aliens Vs Predator is still a fascinating story, though its inspirations are beginning to be noticeable. There's a definite manga sensibility to some of the images, which is both amusing ans appropriate.

#05

Aliens Vol.1

#07

Star Wars Comic Vol.1 #6

12 Sep 1999. Cover price £1.25.
28 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines.

Edited by John Freeman.

Painted cover by Hugh Fleming.
r: cover from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #04 (May 1999).

Contents:

 2 A Desperate Alliance text introduction (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

 3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, part six, w: Henry Gilroy, based on the story by George Lucas; p: Rodolfo Damaggio, i: Al Williamson, lettering by Steve Dutro, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #?? (1999).

13 Forbidden Planet advertisement.

18 20 Phantom Menace Graphic Novels Must be Won competition.

19 Subscribe & Save

20 Star Wars: Episode I - Qui-Gon Jinn, part two, w: Ryder Windham; p: Robert Teranishi, i: Chris Chuckry, lettering by Vickie Williams, colouring by Chris Chuckry.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - Qui-Gon Jinn (Dark Horse) nn (May 1999).

26 Coming Next Issue

27 See and Read the Film advertisement for graphic novel.

28 Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Let the Slaying Begin... in-house advertisement.

Another great cover, and one of the finest images of the often cartoonishly evil Darth Maul.

This installment of The Phantom Menace begins with so much abysmal dialogue that it seems to deliberately highlight Lucas' deficiencies as a writer. None of Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan's speech feels in the slightest realistic, and it is a problem which can't be overlooked when reading - there is no repartee here, being a series of apparently random sentences shoved into the Jedi mouths:

"I feel the presence of the Sith."
"I'm sorry I've been so rebellious."
"You will become a great Jedi."
"Do you think the Queen will be successful?"

This isn't, despite appearances, a handful of choice quotes, but rather a conversation. Who talks like this? That the artwork is so good makes the lapse in scripting especially noticeable. A brilliant image of the army walking through Naboo's mists is as good as Goseki Kojima or Hugo Pratt, although in other places there appears to be difficulties with perspective, rendering Darth Maul as somewhat short in stature.

Qui-Gon's own story is a tad more refined, with beautiful artwork and superb characterisation throughout. I'm never going to get used to the naked C-3PO though.

#05

Star Wars Comic

#07

Star Wars Comic Vol.1 #5

22 Aug 1999. Cover price £1.25.
28 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines.

Edited by John Freeman.

Photo cover.

Contents:

 2 Escape from Tattoine text introduction (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

 3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, part five, w: Henry Gilroy, based on the story by George Lucas; p: Rodolfo Damaggio, i: Al Williamson, lettering by Steve Dutro, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #?? (1999).

14 UNTITLED Yoda poster; photograph (uncredited).

19 Explore the Gungan Frontier! competition to win Star Wars Episode I - The Gungan Frontier software.

20 Use the Force advertisement for Lego Star Wars sets.

21 Star Wars: Episode I - Qui-Gon Jinn, part one, w: Ryder Windham; p: Robert Teranishi, i: Chris Chuckry, lettering by Vickie Williams, colouring by Chris Chuckry.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - Qui-Gon Jinn (Dark Horse) nn (May 1999).

24 See and Read the Film advertisement for graphic novel.

25 Communications readers' mail.

26 Coming Next Issue

27 Subscribe & Save

28 Forbidden Planet advertisement.

Of all the covers, it had to be Jar Jar.

While I don't mind CGI, per se, the overt artificiality of the character as perfectly illustrated here (dead eyes, tombstone teeth hanging in a gaping grin, and skin which appears to be modeled after a mummified corpse) is simply too far from anything believably moving around and interacting with human characters. Creepy doesn't begin to describe the character.

Thankfully the Yoda poster presents a more reasoned approach to the utilisation of CGI, showing the Jedi master deep in thought. This is the kind of quality poster which makes Star Wars Comic worth sticking with, as it really is a great image. This installment of the film adaptation isn't as action-packed, with a fair degree of talk, but the pictures are pretty enough to mitigate such a slow and deliberate sequence.

Qui-Gon Jinn, taking the back-up strip position, barely gets a chance to establish itself with a mere three pages included. I know there's a limited number of pages available, but really, three pages is simply begging for mockery. Opening with Anakin's victory at the pod-race, the strip shows what can be achieved with digital colouring, and gives a new slant to a scene from the film.

The appearance of a letters page, even one which has an appeal to readers for assistance with a name more appropriate than Communications, is a welcome sight, and the cing on top is a spectacularly singular vision of Darth Maul by Martin Spiers. Yes, Paul D. Bianco's home-made C-3PO is impressive, but it had already appeared in Star Wars Magazine, SFX, and likely elsewhere.

I've thought about the model a few times over the years, and occasionally pondered on what has happened to the majority of notable Star Wars fan-art. If there's one glaring omission in the celebration of the franchise over the years, it is a exhibition of all the weird things people have made to show their love for the series.

#04

Star Wars Comic

#06

Aliens Vol.1 #5

Jun 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Cover by Chris Warner.
r:

Contents:

 2 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 3 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 4 Aliens Untitled, part five, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Denis Beauvaus, lettering by Bob Pinaha.

r: Aliens (Dark Horse) #02 (Dec 1989).

12 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

13 Predator The Heat, part five, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Chris Warner, lettering by Jim Massara, colouring by Chris Chalenor.

r: Predator #02 (Jun 1989).

28 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

29 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part five, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

50 Subscriptions (half page) / Model Aerodrome (quarter page) advertisement for Aliens models. / Fantasy World (quarter page) advertisement for June opening of Another World.

51 Letters Page readers' mail.

52 Aliens - the Graphic Novel, the Portfolio, the Hardback in-house advertisement.

Spears launches, and heads for Earth with his 'trained' aliens, abandoning his men. Newt and Hicks manage to stow away on his ship, though are unable to prevent the mad scheme when Spears locks himself in the cockpit. as Butler - alone with the aliens, the general's men either dead or hiding - transmits a final message to Newt. Gateway Earth Station responds to the arrival of the ship, asking for identification, and stating that there are no landing coordinates. Earth has been considered lost to the aliens. Hicks and Newt realise the only way to get off before Spears lands on Earth is with the emergency escape pod, and in their rush to get away can't check for signs of sabotage.

As satisfying as it is to see Newt escape certain death once more, the situation Earthside is intriguing. With the officials aboard the space-station regarding Earth a hopeless cause, we have to consider the possibilities this offers up - giraffe aliens, manatee aliens, hippo aliens... If, as so often depicted, they are resilient enough to adapt to any circumstance, does this mean they have made in Antarctica a suitable nest? WHich brings up, of course, the question of a Thing crossover.

Or better, Aliens Vs the Thing Vs Predators Vs Terminators.

Throw in a few ED-209's and it will be more entertaining than the human mind can cope with.

Schaefer is woken with a bucket of water in his face, discovering ust how committed Eschevera is to providing him with a painful, protracted death. Managing to escape, he heads for the jungle, hoping to disappear. As he runs, Predators begin to clear out his adversaries.

From the sound of the screams, I figured those things were starting to enjoy themselves.

It was only a matter of time before they turned their attention towards me.

Picked up by his own people, Schaefer is told that the Predators' only interest is in him.

Rasche realises that the authorities intend to hand Schaefer over - using his anger to his advantage, he takes out his federal babysitters, exiting with the helmet in his possession once more, heading for the meeting which has been arranged...

The final panel sets up a stand-off between humans and Predators atop the Pan-Am building, which is both slightly anachronistic and very amusing reading the story now. While the tropical segments of the strip have never quite felt as sticky and uncomfortably hot as they should, the New York sequences are better depicted. Unfortunately the colouring isn't quite up to the task of conveying the feel of the city, with swathes of bright colours limiting the effect to a degree.

Sickly Rhynth are discovered, yet the lethargic behaviour isn't treated as a serous ailment. Shigeru Chigusa, son of the company's head, announces that is en route, as alien face-hugger corpses are discovered on Ryushi, although Dr. Revna isn't sure precisely what he is looking at. Deciding to investigate Iwa Gorge, he discovers Predators rather than the aliens he was looking for, and is soon discovered. In a race for his life, his vehicle smashes into the Predator vessel causing an immense explosion.

There are a few extremely amusing incidental scenes, as well as some very attractive art, yet five issues in and we're still to see the two aliens go at each other. This isn't a complaint, as the plot is growing into a maze of conflicts and puzzles, which seems to be working for the strip. Machiko Noguchi is beginning to get some really good scenes, and her interactions with employees - Scott, in particular - makes the slow pace worthwhile.

Spaceship names are hard to get right. Sometimes the names are a bit soft and unconvincing, as if the visual component was more important than the name, though here a rather strong name causes problems - the Lector may or may not be a direct reference to The Silence of the Lambs, but it distracts from what has, so far, been a carefully constructed world.

If readers were getting impatient, the aliens finally make their presence known.

#04

Aliens Vol.1

#06

Total Carnage

Apr 1993 - Jan 1994 (10 issues)
Dark Horse

01 (Apr 1993; cover price ) Free cover-mounted tattoo. Batman Vs. Predator, Army of Darkness, The Mask and Grendel: War Child reprints begin.

02 (May 1993)

03 (Jun 1993)

04 (Jul 1993)

05 (Aug 1993)

06 (Sep 1993)

07 (Oct 1993)

08 (Nov 1993)

09 (Dec 1993)

10 (Jan 1994)

Aliens Vol.1 #4

May 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Cover by Dave Dorman.
r:

Contents:

 2 Letters Page readers' mail.

 3 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 4 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 5 Aliens Untitled, part four, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Denis Beauvaus, lettering by Bob Pinaha.

r: Aliens (Dark Horse) #02 (Dec 1989).

13 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

14 Predator The Heat, part four, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Chris Warner, lettering by Jim Massara, colouring by Chris Chalenor.

r: Predator #02 (Jun 1989).

34 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

35 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part four, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

50 Next Month (half page) / Subscriptions (half page)

51 Letters Page readers' mail, cont.

52 Makabre - Coming Soon in Toxic! advertisement.

The arrival of readers letters allows Aliens to feel more connected to the readership, and Martin Skidmore's responses are appropriately optimistic regarding the continued success of Trident, suggesting that original covers might be forthcoming, hinting at new titles, and being a great cheerleader for British comics in general. While there are still problems with the title - that expanse of wasted black space on the contents page remains - it is a positive step towards a more balanced presentation of material.

Butler drags himself to a computer terminal in order to watch events on the monitors. Seeing Spears order Newt to be taken to the breeding centre - and certain death - he moves through corridors filled with aliens, and past the screaming humans remaining, to reach a functional control panel. As the aliens approach Newt, he activates an emergency pressure seal to block their access to her.

Not much happens in this issue, though the art - as always - is great. Butler has some real character development here, with an extended insight into how he sees the world around him, and the problems his programming creates.

That night I rested - and remembered, when Dutch and I were kids, we would hunt in the woods behind our father's cabin.

It wasn't the sport we liked as much as the challenge of the hunt - being on our own, testing ourselves against nature.

Opening day of deer season, we came across a bunch of local boys shooting up the woods. They'd been drinking since daybreak and they had that weird look in their eyes.

Guess they were trying to impress each other.

They'd cornered a buck and took turns pumping slugs into it, watching it bleed into the cool October air.

These boys weren't that different from me and Dutch, except they needed to see the blood.

That's when I learned that there's a world of difference between killing because you have to - and killing because it's fun.

Filling in the blanks regarding Dutch's past, the explanation for his tenacity and resilience in his battle with the Predator becoming less fantastic thanks to his upbringing. Sharing Dutch's sense of certainty when facing such an unusual enemy, Schaefer is hunting now. The tracker in his neck provides him advance warning of the alien presence, and he readies his automatic shotgun.

The Predator duly appears, and Schaefer unloads his weapon before charging headfirst into the depths of the jungle eager to end the battle quickly, though the Predator is prepared for his advance. Seeing the wound he has inflicted on it, Schaefer draws his knife and stabs the Predator, but merely enrages it. Running from the Predator, he comes to a cliff edge, and (through luck as much as skill) manages to send it tumbling to its death below. Returning to his camp, Schaefer discovers that his guide knows more than he has let on.

Rasche tries on the Predator helmet, seeing dozens of ships hanging in the air above New York. Taking the news to McComb, he is told that he faces a full departmental review for withholding evidence, so storms out of the department - only to be stopped by federal agents. Due to manpower shortages, the IRS have been called in to assist...

Dual story threads raise the threat posed to the city by several levels, with a dead Predator in South America and ships hanging in the air over New York, there's enough of material for several stories here. The death of a Predator ought to be more dramatic than falling off a cliff, and it seems rather too easy for Schaefer to defeat a member of the species so off-handedly.

Which is a good a place as any to suggest... Abbott and Costello meet the Predator. I'm serious. I would pay for a fully-painted, photo-realistic series crossing the franchises without a moments hesitation.

The dialogue following this scene is, however, worth the conceit, and indicates that there is a long and troubled history between Predators and humanity. This is more interesting than merely having the species pop up every so often for a murderous rampage, and hints at a conspiracy tacitly approved by those in a position of power. Conspiracy stories, especially when wrapped in the blanket of SF, can make for the very best narratives - had this been developed in the second film, the franchise would probably not have stuttered to an abrupt halt for so long.

Aliens Vs Predator has dragged along at a snail's pace since the first issue, so it is something of a surprise to have a proper story unfolding now.

The planet Ryushi,
at the edge of the Chigusa Corporation's holdings in the Beta Cygni system.

Only human populace: 'Prosperity Wells.'
Population: 115 primary freelance ranchers and their families, plus a token staff of corporate overseers.

Despite the opening sequence seemingly promising dinosaur-type alien hybrids, this appears to be present for the sole purpose of showcasing formidable Predator techniques. As intriguing as dinosaurs and Predators mixing it up would be, there's a genre shit to the "space western" in both appearance and text, which is a slightly larger leap than was probably intended.

The 'terror' came from the stars.

It wasn't indigenous. Even if the survey teams had missed it four years ago, we would have encountered it before the trouble began.

No, it came from somewhere else - some Hell-world beyond Ryushi.

Where? I don't know - and I hope we never find out.

But I know when it came...

The 'Terror' arrived at high noon.

In the searing heat of Ryushi's nineteen-hour daylight period, nothing stirs of its own volition - not even the armored fire crawlers.

With every living creature burrowed in, restivating, or otherwise sheltered against the heat, it's not surprising there were no witnesses to its arrival.

The personal lives of the characters add to the story's believability, though it is all too... cosy. It isn't a world which is seething on the brink of cultural or societal transformation, even without the addition of external pressures, and - without a mirror to the larger threat - the sense of things about to quickly head south isn't as pronounced. Taking motifs of the western (the frontier town, an enemy riding in at high noon) without addressing the core of western literature - that the problem was present all along, and merely needed the arrival of an outside force to finally shatter fragile cohabitation - it loses a degree of tension.

There's some fine artwork, and a great introduction to the means by which the Predators infest a location with Alien seeds for their hunt. It may have been a slow build-up to the point where the two species can be put together, but it is a strip which is improving massively.

#03

Aliens Vol.1

#05

Star Wars Comic Vol.1 #4

15 Aug 1999. Cover price £1.25.
28 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines.

Edited by John Freeman.

Cover painting by Hugh Fleming.
r: cover from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #02 (May 1999).

Contents:

 2 Whisperings in the Force text introduction (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

 3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, part four, w: Henry Gilroy, based on the story by George Lucas; p: Rodolfo Damaggio, i: Al Williamson, lettering by Steve Dutro, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #?? (1999).

 7 Forbidden Planet advertisement.

18 Star Toons - the Cartoon Art of Science Fiction advertisement for the British Cartoon Centre exhibition; a: Don Lawrence.

r: image from Storm.

19 Star Wars: Episode I - Anakin Skywalker, part four, w: Timothy Truman; p: Steve Crespo, i: George Freeman, lettering by Vickie Williams, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - Anakin Skywalker Dark Horse) nn (May 1999).

25 Make a Date With Star Wars! competition to win Star Wars Episode I - The Data File.

26 Coming Next Week

27 Subscribe & Save

28 See and Read the Film advertisement for graphic novel.

A dramatic image of Anakin in his pod-racer is a much better use of the cover than photographs, and seems more appropriate for the title. For such a slim issue, and this is a very thin publication, every opportunity to catch the attention of possible readers needs to be taken. Opportunities such as the contents page, which is likely the first page consulted before purchase, which are elsewhere squandered. It's an incredibly busy contents page, with a couple of stills from the film set in an awkward circle which calls attention to the design elements rather than the images or - crucially - what is is in the issue.

The Phantom Menace always felt like a film which dragged on, rather than the pacy and attention-grabbing original, and this adaptation seems to follow in the film's footsteps by seemingly never ending. Finally at the point in the story where Anakin takes to his pod-racer for a race which could grant him his freedom, there are some effective panels showing off the attention to detail here. Black panel borders work well, and the reproduction is flawless.

Without a poster, though, there's a sense that the title has given up on attracting readers. Without even a single text feature, or look into the production of the comic adaptation, we can only wonder at the machinations behind the scenes to bring the project to completion. When looking at Star Wars comics of the late 90s, the striking cover paintings are the most identifiable trait, yet there hasn't been nearly enough written on their creation. Did the artists do versions of the paintings with characters who were later digitally altered, or was the film in the can once work began? It bugs me not knowing.

Anakin's story, which hasn't really felt important, plants seeds for the film, with his mother remarking "I just want to look at you, Annie. Sometimes I have the terrible feeling that I'll never see you again." So subtle. If readers hadn't taken the hint, only a couple of panels later she says (to no-one in particular) "There's a storm coming." Slegehammer-like storytelling aside, there is a real sense of the strip's location being alive with activity, and its ending, while not a surprise, is a suitably grin-inducing moment.

Not a brilliant issue, though given that one story concludes in this issue it is unlikely that latecomers would have been satisfied with the material on offer.

#03

Star Wars Comic

#05

Star Wars Comic Vol.1 #3

08 Aug 1999. Cover price £1.25.
28 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines.

Edited by John Freeman.

Cover photograph (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 Meet C-3PO text introduction (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

 3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, part three, w: Henry Gilroy, based on the story by George Lucas; p: Rodolfo Damaggio, i: Al Williamson, lettering by Steve Dutro, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #01 (May 1999).

14 UNTITLED poster; photograph (uncredited).

19 Forbidden Planet advertisement.

20 Use the Force advertisement for Lego Star Wars sets.

21 Star Wars: Episode I - Anakin Skywalker, part three, w: Timothy Truman; p: Steve Crespo, i: George Freeman, lettering by Vickie Williams, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - Anakin Skywalker Dark Horse) nn (May 1999).

25 No Time to Lose! competition to win a Star Wars clock.

26 Coming Next Issue

27 Subscribe & Save

28 See and Read the Film advertisement for graphic novel.

Scratch what I said about photographs not being effective. This is a dramatic cover, with the yellow background allowing the photograph of Darth Maul to really pop from the cover. Visual interest is maintained on the contents page with the wonderful "naked" C-3PO design looking appropriately futuristic and retro at the same time. This is an issue filled with wonderful images, and not exclusively throughout the strips.

The poster in this issue - Darth Maul once more - is a magnificent example of using promotional material inventively. Sure, the photographic element has appeared in a bunch of places, but rarely as impressively as here.

A step up in style, though it is difficult to generate suspense or thrills with the main story, having been driven into the ground with so much supplementary material during the release of the film.

#02

Star Wars Comic

#03

Aliens Vol.1 #3

Apr 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Painted cover by Denis Beauvais.
r: Endpaper from Aliens: Book Two.

Contents:

 2 Planet-X advertisement.

 3 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 4 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 5 Aliens Untitled, part three, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Denis Beauvaus, lettering by Bob Pinaha.

r: Aliens (Dark Horse) #02 (Dec 1989).

29 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

30 Predator The Heat, part three, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Chris Warner, lettering by Jim Massara, colouring by Chris Chalenor.

r: Predator #01 (Jun 1989).

43 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

44 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part three, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

48 Here are a selection of pages from Toxic! the all new weekly comic. ON SALE NOW! preview section.

r: page four of Marshal Law strip from Toxic! (Apocalypse Ltd.) #01 (28 Mar 1991). / page five of Accident Man strip from Toxic! (Apocalypse Ltd.) #01 (28 Mar 1991). / page three of Mutomaniac strip from Toxic! (Apocalypse Ltd.) #01 (28 Mar 1991).

51 Editorial Editor Vacancy (quarter page) / O.U.T.L.A.N.D. Mail Order Comics (uarter page) advertisement. / Crime Doesn't Stand a Chance (half page) advertisement for Uncanny Comics.

52 Do Your Friends Have Mad Comic Disease? advertisement for Toxic! #01 (28 Mar 1991).

When a cover appears to depict an alien which has lit its fart on fire, there's a problem.

Attempting to present the characters here with the same intensity as the cinematic versions is compromised when the first impression is so ridiculous, however well intentioned, and it is an image so strong that everything which follows is tainted by association. Though it is meant to be dramatic, the framing is such that the comedic value presents instantly and refuses to dissipate. Which is unfortunate, as the strips are very good indeed.

When I joined the Marines, I was proud to serve my country. They want that - they want you to think you're doing something right and noble.

Sometimes you believe it. Sometimes it's even true.

Powell was second-in-command, reporting directly to General Spears. He had followed me into the lower decks of my stranded cargo ship because he needed me.

Spears believed, and the purity of his belief was terrifying

Powell reveals to Hicks that the General has transformed the civilian terraforming base into a breeding station, killing everyone living there, and intends to utilise the aliens as living weapons. Being in the military compound is no guarantee of safety, as it has been wired - staff monitoring senior officers round the clock. When the General is angered by the behaviour of his men, as he is every few days, they soon disappear. Being told about the experiment and seeing it are two different things, and Hicks is soon confronted with incontrovertible evidence of the insane techniques with which the general has managed to bring his creatures under control.

The Queen understands what is happening. She watches as her offspring are burned by the General. She waits.

Attempting to wrest control of the facility before Spears' return, Hicks rounds up the soldiers loyal to the General, though things soon go wrong. An alien is freed from captivity, Hicks and Newt running for the Docking Bay. Spears arrives in the nick of time, his flamethrower bringing the aliens under control - and orders traitors executed and transports readied for a return journey to Earth.

The cynicism which runs through this title is refreshingly overt, though the running theme of untrustworthy officials is becoming tired. Should a genuinely concerned figure of authority be presented, it would be a twist on the formula. As it is, the General is a twisted, unhinged parallel to Apocalypse Now's military figure exposed to the darkness and unable to return to civilisation. His plan, to fight aliens with more aliens, is at once completely mad and yet, in a way, entirely logical.

As much as I want to see the return to Earth prevented, I'm also intrigued by the notion of a battle between two factions of aliens in the middle of a city.

Cops in New York tend to get used to things.

Like the time some livewire tied a cow to the chairman of "Federal Beef" and pitched 'em both off the Chrysler building.

It was supposed to be some sort of protest against chemically treated meat, but when that Jersey pancaked into Lexington Avenue, all Hell broke loose.

City sanitation must have gone through a dozen mops cleaning up the mess, but they didn't care - free steaks for Christmas.

The point is, that's the job. You learn to deal with it.

Schaefer, after coming face-to-face with the Predator, is thrown from the fifth floor of the building. His fall broken by clothes lines and trash, Schaefer alive, he is seriously injured, though the experience allowed him close enough to steal something from his assailant - its mask. The Predator also managed to give him something - a tag on his neck which the officer decides must be a tracking device of some kind. Discharging himself from hospital against doctor's orders, he travels to Rasche's home to convalesce.

A confrontation with his captain convinces Schaefer that he won't get answers through any official channels, and may even spend time in jail if he keeps pushing his investigation. Returning to Colombia, where he once worked narcotics, and where his brother disappeared, to see if the killings in his city are connected. A guide leads him through the jungle, and he is astonished to find a giant crater - where locals say the sun appeared at midnight.

Tying things closer to the film, three years on, we don't get an answer as to why a Predator is hinting in a new location. Such an alteration to tradition is something which warrants a passing mention, at the very least, and it is something I hope isn't brushed over.

The interaction between Schaefer and Rasche is rather underplayed, though the camaraderie between the men is evident here in small touches - splitting them up so soon seems to be dictated more by the plot than their personalities, and Schaefer's departure comes across as a random connection instead of deductive reasoning. That they are so different, and their reaction to what is happening so downplayed, that there seems to be a build-up to Rasche uncovering what is actually happening.

The Aliens and Predators haven't actually met yet in the back-up Aliens Vs Predator series, and the plot is so slow to move forward that I'm reluctant to pass judgement.

For a title which is named after the Alien franchise, it is unfortunate that the highlight is a follow-up to Predator.

#02

Aliens Vol.1

#04

Total Carnage #5

Aug 1993. Cover price £1.50.
56 pages. Colour & B&W contents.
Dark Horse International.

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by Simon Bisley.
r: Grendel: War Child (Dark Horse) #02 (Sep 1992).

Contents:

 2 Subscribe! Comics for the '90s in-house advertisement.

 3 Total Carnage contents. / Indicia

 4 Army of Darkness, part five, What Has Gone Before recap; painting by John Bolton.

 5 Army of Darkness w: John Bolton (uncredited), from the screenplay by Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi; a: John Bolton, lettering by John Costanza.

r: Army of Darkness (Dark Horse) #?? (1992).

17 Action Station text feature by Dave Hughes; photographs (uncredited).

19 Batman Vs Predator, part five, What Has Gone Before recap; art p: Andy Kubert, i: Adam Kubert.

r: Batman Versus Predator (DC / Dark Horse).

20 Batman Vs Predator, part five, w: Dave Gibbons; p: Andy Kubert, i: Adam Kubert, lettering by Adam Kubert, colouring by Sherilyn van Valkenburgh.

r: Batman Versus Predator (DC / Dark Horse).

31 Where Were You in '82! Review and commentary on Blade Runner by Dave Hughes; photographs (uncredited).

33 Grendel: War Child, part three, What Has Gone Before recap; p: Patrick McEown, i: Matt Wagner.

34 The Japanese Comics Invasion!! (half page) in-house advertisement for Manga Mania #02. / Dar Horse Checklist (half page) titles on sale in Aug 1993.

35 Grendel War Child [chapter ?] w: Matt Wagner; p: Patrick McEown, i: Matt Wagner, lettering by Kurt Hathaway, colouring by Bernie Mireault.

r: Grendel: War Child (Dark Horse) #?? (??? 1992).

56 Year of the Dinosaur! in-house advertisement for Jurassic Park #01.

Simon Bisley effortless takes the reigns from Bolton as cover artist, with an image which maintains the harder-edged look, although the cover dialogue which has been added (to all covers thus far, it has to be noted) is a distraction from what is otherwise an extremely attractive image. While it is understandable that common elements be maintained throughout a title's run to inform readers of consistency, this affectation is one which diminishes the power of artist's work rather than enhancing what is already present.

Bolton's work hasn't been neglected this issue, and his adaptation of Army of Darkness continues to impress, with some panels being miniature masterclasses in enhancing tension and evoking a sense of terror.

"Sure. They had their fun. Let 'em."

"But I had the book and that meant I was goin' home."

"There was just one hitch: When I screwed up the words..."

"I screwed up good. Every dead guy and his brother was after me. An army of 'em. An Army of Darkness."

Title drops are a longstanding tradition in genre material, and this is, perhaps, simultaneously the funniest and darkest scene ever to maintain the tradition. Even those familiar with the originating film (and if you haven't seen it, you really need to) will find something here which will impress. Never has a film adaptation looked so good, nor read so smoothly.

A more respectful and mature piece on Brandon Lee's death appears in this issue's Action Station, reaffirming Dave Hughes' usual excellence in both timely news on releases, and dry and intelligent commentary. Forthcoming films mentioned as being forthcoming are: Last Action Hero 2 (ha!), The Crusades, Sgt. Rock (which might still see the light of day), and Tooth, which sounds suspiciously similar to 2010's The Tooth Fairy, which starred Dwayne Johnson rather than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Batman Vs Predator has some lively moments, and a beautiful final page illustration, but is free of the drama and tension such a conflict ought to generate. Crossovers without lasting consequences are not worth investing time and energy in, and despite a frisson of excitement at the scene where Mayor Lieberman is discovered, there isn't enough of a personal investment for the characters to stop the wave of murders. It looks dramatic enough, and the faux drama of an inured Batman momentarily holds promise, though I doubt the event will have any repercussions.

Dave Hughes' second piece re-examines Blade Runner (on the release of The Director's Cut), with the usual mix of compliments and criticism, though as we have had so many versions of the film it is difficult, if not impossible, to separate the film from its prior incarnations.

Whatever progress has been made in managing the pacing of reprints, and handling film features, there's still a gaping hole where reader interaction ought to be. The feeling which lingers over the title is, rightly or wrongly, one of distance and slight disdain - I don't believe for a moment that the editorial team intended to disregard the views of readers, but without an editorial, introduction, or letters page, there simply isn't enough of the personal touch to overcome such an impression.

I want to love this title, though can only summon a strong liking.

#04

Total Carnage

#06

Star Wars Comic Vol.1 #2

01 Aug 1999. Cover price £1.25.
28 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines.

Edited by John Freeman.

Cover photograph (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 Against the Dark Side text introduction (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

 3 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, part two, w: Henry Gilroy, based on the story by George Lucas; p: Rodolfo Damaggio, i: Al Williamson, lettering by Steve Dutro, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Dark Horse) #01 (May 1999).

13 Star Wars: Episode I - The Gungan Frontier advertisement for computer game.

14 UNTITLED poster; photograph (uncredited).

19 Forbidden Planet advertisement.

20 Star Wars: Episode I - Anakin Skywalker, part two, w: Timothy Truman; p: Steve Crespo, i: George Freeman, lettering by Vickie Williams, colouring by Dave Nestelle.

r: Star Wars: Episode I - Anakin Skywalker Dark Horse) nn (May 1999).

25 Be a Star Wars Insider! competition to win Insider's Guide software.

26 Coming Next Issue

27 Subscribe & Save

28 Collect it. Trade it. Play it. Use the Force... Anywhere advertisement for tar Wars Collectible Card Game.

A photo-cover isn't nearly as effective as the painting adorning the first issue, though it made sense to tie-in to the marketing for the film in such a manner. Less understandable is featuring Jar Jar Binks prominently on the contents page, looking rather gormless - although I'm not sure he had another look, so any image of the character is bound to be a puzzling inclusion.

The film adaptation continues in a remarkably stylish fashion.

Star Wars posters, throughout the history of the franchise, tend to fall into two categories - there are some beautiful, wonderfully evocative images, full of colour and minor details, and there are... well, posters such as Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul battling in a barren desert. It looks like a still from the film, with a softness to the reproduction which doesn't encourage readers to use the image as intended.

It's rather amusing to look at Star Wars comics, as with novels, or computer games, with an eye on what is being referenced. The call-backs, call-forwards, allusions, sly winks, and in-jokes throughout the stories are almost as entertaining as the storylines. In some cases more entertaining. Thankfully Anakin Skywalker, which fills in the life of the titular character prior to the events of the first film in the prequel trilogy, is a fine example good comics.

Art and script are in tune with what had previously appeared, and there are moments of character-development for most of the main cast. While there's nothing groundbreaking here, there are a lot of fine moments ("You're weird, Anakin Skywalker," being a favourite panel) and - of note - a background character who appears to be wearing clothes more often associated with Han Solo.

A perfectly fine, though unexciting, entry in the history of British Star Wars comics.

#01

Star Wars Comic

#03

Total Carnage #4

Jul 1993. Cover price £1.50.
56 pages. Colour & B&W contents.
Dark Horse International.

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by John Bolton.
r: Army of Darkness (Dark Horse) #02 (Dec 1992).

Contents:

 2 Dark Horse International Presents Manga Mania in-house advertisement.

 3 Total Carnage contents. / Indicia

 4 Army of Darkness, part four, What Has Gone Before recap; painting by John Bolton.

 5 Army of Darkness w: John Bolton (uncredited), from the screenplay by Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi; a: John Bolton, lettering by John Costanza.

r: Army of Darkness (Dark Horse) #01 (Nov 1992).

15 Action Station text feature by Dave Hughes; photographs (uncredited).

17 Batman Vs Predator, part four, What Has Gone Before recap; art p: Andy Kubert, i: Adam Kubert.

r: Batman Versus Predator (DC / Dark Horse).

18 Batman Vs Predator, part four, w: Dave Gibbons; p: Andy Kubert, i: Adam Kubert, lettering by Adam Kubert, colouring by Sherilyn van Valkenburgh.

r: Batman Versus Predator (DC / Dark Horse).

30 Hard as Rothrock text feature by David Bryan; photographs (uncredited).

31 Mask, part four, What Has Gone Before recap; illustration by Doug Mahnke.

32 The Mask What Revenge Means to Me. w: John Arcudi; a: Doug Mahnke, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Mayhem (Dark Horse) #02 (Jun 1989).

38 Full Plastic Jacket (With Sleeve) text feature by Lee Brimmicombe-Wood; photographs (uncredited).

39 Grendel: War Child, part three, What Has Gone Before recap; p: Patrick McEown, i: Matt Wagner.

40 Grendel War Child [chapter ?] w: Matt Wagner; p: Patrick McEown, i: Matt Wagner, lettering by Kurt Hathaway, colouring by Bernie Mireault.

r: Grendel: War Child (Dark Horse) #?? (??? 1992).

55 Action! Adventure! Attitude! Amen! (half page) in-house advertisement. / Dark Horse Checklist (half page) titles on sale in July.

56 Year of the Dinosaur! in-house advertisement for Jurassic Park #01.

You can't fault the presentation, though with a John Bolton image it is difficult to create an unattractive cover. A muted contents page colour scheme continues the darkness which is promised, and the image chosen to adorn the recap page for Army of Darkness is as appropriate as ever. Bolton's art is in a class of its own, effortlessly bringing the film to life on the page.

Action Station features a momentary lapse of judgement from Hughes, normally reliable for presenting film news, in reporting the death of Brandon Lee. Under the heading "Exit the Dragon" (dude, seriously?) we get brief details of the incident. Then, as if the depressing fact that such a talented and charismatic person has died so needlessly weren't enough, we are urged to splash out on Showdown in Little Tokyo.

I shouldn't have to explain this, but I'll do so regardless.

Nobody gets to hawk videocassettes (or DVDs) of someone who has recently passed if they can only be bothered to devote a third of a page to the death. A full page gives the right to mention the release, but noting the label and price is simply tacky. It isn't quite as bad as attending the funeral in the hopes of shifting a few Crow t-shirts, but it isn't far off. Hughes shouldn't be picked out specifically for such a misguided approach, as at least three film magazines published insensitive and idiotic pieces in the aftermath of Lee's death.

Also mentioned is a proposed Die Hard sequel (initially dubbed Die Hardest in a startling display of originality) which sounds much like 1995's Under Siege 2, and the formation of a Terminator fan club.

The continuing Batman Versus Predator saga seems never-ending, and although there are a few interesting panels, the main problem is the entire lack of lethal danger in the Predator's rampage - not that random civilians are safe, but none of the Batman cast are possibly going to be killed off, rendering the entire story a pointless diversion. Had Commissioner Gordon or Alfred been sewered by the alien menace, then the story might have contained the necessary interest, but I'm struggling through the story with only minimal interest.

Cynthia Rothrock gets a page-long feature on her career thus-far, expressing the hope that a mainstream studio will pick her up for a major release. That she found it so difficult to break into US films says more about Hollywood than her talent - there are scenes in her films which, all these years on, are still incredible feats.

The Mask is as hilarious as ever, with a couple of perfect lines of dialogue to keep the strip from turning into purely visual comedy. Deprived of his mask, Stanley is thrown out of Katherine's apartment. I've always been impressed with the fluidity of the strip, moving from slapstick to drama without pause, and employing numerous visual tricks from cartoons, newspaper strips, and old comics.

Lee Brimmicombe-Wood's piece on Full Metal Jacket makes for interesting reading, highlighting some of the film's deficiencies well, though remains positive regarding the quality of film-making on display, but seems too easy a film to pick on. It really is an odd film to devote so much space to, as there were a great many lesser-known videos demanding attention at the time. By expending more words on an already heavily-reviewed film, the usefulness of his thoughts are diminished. I would much rather have obscure or disregarded films reappraised in a title such as this.

A title which is still, overall, extremely impressive.

#03

Total Carnage

#05

Total Carnage #3

Jun 1993. Cover price £1.50.
48 pages. Colour & B&W.
Dark Horse International

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by Art Suydam.
r: Batman Versus Predator (Dark Horse) #01 [Predator cover] (Dec 1991).

Contents:

 2 Ever Had One of those Days? in-house advertisement for Total Carnage.

 3 Total Carnage contents. / Indicia

 4 Batman Vs Predator, part three, What Has Gone Before recap; art p: Andy Kubert, i: Adam Kubert.

r: Batman Versus Predator (DC / Dark Horse).

 5 Batman Vs Predator, part three, w: Dave Gibbons; p: Andy Kubert, i: Adam Kubert, lettering by Adam Kubert, colouring by Sherilyn van Valkenburgh.

r: Batman Versus Predator (DC / Dark Horse) #01 (Dec 1991).

13 Action Stations text feature by Dave Hughes.

15 Army of Darkness, part two, What Has Gone Before recap; painting by John Bolton.

16 Army of Darkness w: John Bolton (uncredited), from the screenplay by Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi. a: John Bolton; lettering by John Costanza.

r: Army of Darkness (Dark Horse) #01 (Nov 1992).

24 The Vast Action Hero text feature by Dave Hughes.

26 Mask, part three, What Has Gone Before recap; illustration by Doug Mahnke.

29 The Mask What Revenge Means to Me. w: John Arcudi; a: Doug Mahnke, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Mayhem (Dark Horse) #02 (Jun 1989).

35 Grendel, part three, What Has Gone Before recap; p: Patrick McEown, i: Matt Wagner.

37 Grendel War Child [chapter] w: Matt Wagner; p: Patrick McEown, i: Matt Wagner, lettering by Kurt Hathaway, colouring by Bernie Mireault.

r: Grendel: War Child (Dark Horse) #01 (Aug 1992).

47 Action! Adventure! Attitude! Amen! (half page) in-house advertisement. / Dark Horse Checklist (half page) titles on sale in June.

48 Dark Horse International Presents Manga Mania in-house advertisement.

If anyone questions how much affect changing the colour scheme of a page can have, then they need look no further than the third page of this issue in comparison with the previous issue. While the subdued tone of the second issue - the use of red enlivens proceedings, as if the title has had a shot in the arm. More care has been taken with the colour balancing on Batman Versus Predator, save for the final page. The brighter look is refreshing, and while the muddy final page is a slight setback, it is an iconic image to linger on.

After treading water for two issues, Action Station finally gets a chance to shine, unencumbered by promotional concerns, with a glimpse at a very odd moment in Hollywood history. Columbia's decision to arrange for an advert for The Last Action Hero to be shot into space, in a joint promotion with AT&T and NASA, is... Strange. It is the kind of film promotion Peter Dragon would have considered, and one can only ponder how much Bolivian marching powder was consumed while brainstorming that one.

The other item of note is that, amusingly, Steven Seagal's films aren't popular in Pakistan. Was he ever really in the same league as Stallone or Schwarzenegger? Tom Cruise is reported to have had three flops in a row in the Asian market, and Mickey Rourke is very big in Europe. THIS is the kind of weird, informative information which the feature should have been running from the start, and is a welcome change.

Army of Darkness hits its stride, with some of the film's most memorable lines, as Ash is hailed as a saviour. I challenge anyone reading not to smile at the line "this is my boom-stick," which has to be one of the best quips in a film full of great dialogue.

As this was very much a nineties title, there's a feature on Schwarzenegger. Not that he needed further promotion, but at least it is kept to two pages.

Setting out to resolve all his outstanding grudges, Stanley's brand of vigilante "justice" takes The Mask from being a parody of superhero tropes into horror territory. Much funnier than either the film or cartoon adaptation, the strip's sense of twisted logic is a delight to behold.

It may be due to the manner in which the strips have been fitted in to the title, or some cosmetic tweaks, but this issue feels as if it is finally delivering on the promise of its name. A sense of confidence in the material is clear, and even the self-promotion (for both Total Carnage and Manga Mania) seem to have more attention paid to their composition than Dark Horse has so far shown.

#02

Total Carnage

#04

Dracula #3

02 Mar 1993-22 Mar 1993. £1.25.
36 pages. Full color contents.
Dark Horse Comics International

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by Mike Mignola.
r: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #03 (Dec 1992).

Contents:

.2 Dracula introduction text (uncredited). / Contents / Indicia

.3 Bram Stoker's Dracula part three, w: Roy Thomas. p: Mike Mignola, i: John Nyberg, lettering by John Costanza, colouring by Mark Chiarello.

r: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #03 (Dec 1992).

31 Inside Coppola's Dracula Of Magic and Monsters, part three, text feature by Gary Gerani.

33 Bloodlines text feature compiled by Dave Hughes.

35 The Galaxy's Greatest Heroes Return in... Classic Star Wars in-house advertisement

36 Total Impact. Total Mayhem. Total Carnage. in-house advertisement.

The printing of the strip isn't as assured as before, with several pages appearing slightly faded in comparison with the first two issues, though as it is a remarkably well-paced and designed adaptation there is little which can seriously hamper enjoyment of proceedings. It is remarkable how well action scenes from the film are replicated, and the handwritten diary entries add a certain gravity to scenes. Mina's diary entries, however, are in type, diminishing some of its credibility.

Gary Gerani covers the classic techniques which Coppola utilized in bringing the film to creation, though frustratingly does not address the pioneers of classic silent film techniques - with so little room to cover everything, there are increasingly blatant omissions in the text. We are given three (small) images from the storyboard, which are uncredited, without only serves to remind us of all the areas uncovered in this micro-history of the film.

In a mightily impressive gesture of cooperation, Dave Hughes covers other horror comics in his Bloodlines feature, starting with Innovation's The Vampire Lestat. It isn't often that comic publishers reach out and highlight other publishers material, although 2000 A.D. have occasionally done so. Marvel's Morbius the Living Vampire, Eclipse's revival of the classic pulp character The Spider: Reign of the Vampire King, along with I Am Legend, and Fantaco's Vampyr! get mentioned, though it is far from a history of horror comics.

Naturally, and depressingly, there is no mention of the great Dracula adaptations to have featured in British comics over the years.

Ellen Datlow's A Whisper of Blood anthology is highlighted in a small column of its' own, albeit without a cover image. While it hasn't bothered me thus far, the amount of blank space surrounding these features is beginning to be noticeable - had better use been made of the few pages given over to the text features there could have been more visual accompaniments to strengthen the words.

Solid and classy horror entertainment.

#02

Dracula

#04