Smuggling Vacation
Comic Album size [A4]
Full colour
76pp
Perfect bound
ISBN 9780955917004
£6.99 +£1.00 p&p (
Adult
To be honest I had vaguely heard of Dealer Comics. However,when Big Jim Stewart asked whether I’d been to their table at the Expo I said “no”. So along I went with Jim who did the introductions and so I met Jason Wheeler.
Jason is the writer and artist of this look at how two Brits on holiday in
“An epic of an underground comic firmly steeped in the tradition of British humour strips. Smuggling Vacation is a funny,hi-octane romp through the genres of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers,Carry On films and Lock,Stock and Two Smoking Barrels!”
If a recommendation from Bryan Talbot ain’t enough for you well,Paul Gravett? Hunt Emerson? Alan Grant? Or maybe Dave Thomson of Stoner Magazine or even WeedWorld? Not forgetting Jim Stewart’s praise.
If you visit Dealer Comics web site you’ll find out a lot more about the books and the background to them as well as information on how a “crime consultant” was used.
http://www.smugglingvacation.co.uk/index.html
Ahh,this book brought back memories of when petty crooks and villains had proper names:”Pastille”,”Polo”, Trebor”,”Smarty” and ”Minstrel”. A lot of these characters are based on known “crime personalities”. Don’t be put off by thinking anything drawn in this style can’t be gripping story-wise:it can!
Smugglers hide a stash and put a man on watch who falls asleep. Along comes a inebriated Brit who’s just argued with his girlfriend and they steal the stash. The fella who fell asleep gets “dealt with”. It really is a cracking story and I just do not want to give it away –you ought to buy this because if you do not then don’t come sobbing later!
Of course,the deceptive part of the book is the art. Firstly,quality-wise it’s an excellent piece of production that cannot be faulted –there’s good colour reproduction,excellent binding and the covers are sturdy. Had someone told me that this was a Euro album I would have had no trouble believing it. The panel layouts look so European and there is the good use of colour toning for indoor and night time scenes.
In the last panel of this book I did think our two main characters were going to end up rather badly [if not dead]. This really was a very enjoyable book so check out the site and learn more –but,PLEASE,order a copy!
And then….
Above:cover for the “straights”.
Above:a cover I think is far more appropriate and nothing objectionable about it.
Day Of The Deal
Comic Album Size
Full Colour
80pp
Perfect bound
ISBN – 978-0-9559170-2-8
£6.99
According to Jason I got the cover “endorsed by the inmates of HMP Birmingham.” It has some curious Rastapharian motif on it. Anyway,everything I said before regarding quality of production applies. The art is still good and very nice characterisations.
The story is where this book hits home. If you enjoy those crime films where some relatively ‘innocent’ people [yes,Kaye and Stan return!] get caught up in something a whole lot bigger than they imagine,you ought to enjoy this. Kaye and Stan are,um,”cultivating herbs” along with Stan’s brother Mikey. Mikey is a petty crook but under the big gruff exterior is a real softy at heart.
“Roo” is another petty crook but one who wants to move into the “big time” –and he soon gets his break. The problem is that Mikey is a “bit old-fashioned” and whereas dealing with weed is okay,he has no idea that Roo is also smuggling in cocaine. And Mikey reluctantly let’s Stan get involved as he needs the money.
However,the Serious Organised Crime Agency [SOCA –they are the ones who lobbied for the 500 Euro note to no longer be available in the UK as it was “mainly used by criminals”] seem to know everything. In case you haven’t guess it yet,SOCA has a snitch/informer on the inside.
As Mikey,Stan and the informer head for the drop-off point,Mikey begins to suspect that something is wrong. The police are closing in and….
“What happens??” Buy the book. Seriously,right up until the last pages I was gripped on this. And the understory of Kaye and Stan and Mikey who so wants to get together with Jen the librarian is well set out. There is more,of course,but you need to have the book to enjoy it.
Whether it is Jason’s experience with running the strip as a web comic [see the web site] I don’t know but I have to say that it is plotted,drawn and the characterisation so good that you’d think it was the work of a long time comic pro.
I’m quite glad Jim introduced me to Jason. And I hope,in the near future,some Euro publisher who is bright enough picks these books for translation. Excellent.
The Dealer Comics link is now on the blog roll so no excuses!
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