New British Comics -The BEST Anthology Of 2011?

I got home and there was this package with “do not bend” written on it that the half-wit postman bent. Anyway, I opened it up to find New British Comics no.3 and a hefty little book it is, too.

No covering note so I checked around and found their web site and read:

“Yes, it’s on its way. If things will go smoothly, it should be available in the end of March, or even sooner. Our amazing cover was done by Lawrence Elwick, who along with Paul O’Connell will appear inside NBC #3 as well.

And here’s our cast:

Cindy & Biscuit Save The World (again)

by Dan White

Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense

by Lawrence Elwick & Paul O’Connell

Ink vs Paper by John Miers

Charlie Parker “Handyman”: Animal Magnetism

by Lawrence Elwick & Paul O’Connell

Here Comes The Neighbourhood

by Matthew Craig & Richard Johnson

Better Living Through Distance

by Dave Thomson

The Quiet Burden

by Craig Collins & Iain Lauire

Luvvable Lex: Dirty ‘N’ Down

by Rob Miller

Wonderland

by Wilbur Dawbarn

Charlie Parker “Handyman”: Skyscraper Lunch

by Lawrence Elwick & Paul O’Connell

(crack)

by Van Nim

A Complex Machine

by David Ziggy Greene

Von Trapp

by WJC

So stay tuned!”

In Polish as I know we get a lot of hits from Poland:

“NBC #3 nadchodzi. Powyżej możemy zobaczyć okładkę autorstwa Lawrence Elwicka, który w duecie z Paulem O’Connellem, wystąpi także i w środku numeru. Ciut niżej mamy spis angielskiej wersji. Wersja polska nadal w produkcji, prawdopodobnie przeczytacie ją pod koniec marca.”

Now, when it’s a bulky book and the pages are not numbered I get niggled. It means I have to count the pages and…well, you know. Also –no price –not even on the site announcing the book is ready.

80 pages

black and white/tone

£4.00 or 15 PLN

Who did the cover? Great piece of art but no credit. Hang on –I think the character with the blow lamp is Charlie Parker “Handyman” so I’m guessing the artist is Lawrence Elwick. See, I just needed to check art styles (or read the intro in which Lawrence Elwick is credited as cover artist. I may just pack up and go now. Hey –I am a professional) but you have to remember I am very old.

One very annoying thing is that I had the book on my desk to review and I smelt something like petrol/thinners so moved everything around looking for the source –I even rummaged under the table. It was the book! Weird and I wonder if someone is mixing petrol with ink! (that was a joke)

Anyway, before everyone thinks I’m going senile –on to the book.

“Cindy & Biscuit Save The World (again)” by Dan White. I think it says a lot about British kids today…and their dogs. Alien visitors beware –She has her eye on you. This actually made me smile (maybe I am going senile?).

Paul O’Connell and Lawrence Elwick brings us “Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense.” I think this is a “moral tale” and the moral is that if the late Alfred Hitchcock stops you in the street –LOOK UP!!

“Ink Vs Paper” by John Miers is a great strip to look at. No speech balloons just an excellent use of black and white. Be interesting to check and see if Miers has work online.

Then we come to “Charlie Parker “Handyman”: Animal Magnetism” by Lawrence Elwick and Paul O’Connell. No dialogue just some funny scenes with the punch-line in the very last panel. Love the art style used. Oh, and there is a second helping of Charlie and his time as a skyscraper construction worker! J

“Here Comes The Neighbourhood” by Matthew Craig and Richard Johnson. All I can say is “WHY give TV companies more ideas? I can see Channel 4 opting to make this into a TV show. Craig. Johnson –I dare you!

“Better Living through Distance” by Dave Thomson. Interesting and I do like that line: ”disappointment is truly universal” –oh gods I hope not!

“The Quiet Burden” by Craig Collins and Iain Laurie you look at and don’t think too much of…until you turn the page! I’m now worried that someone might say “The Vengabus is coming”…

WHY did the Vengaboys split up anyway? Nothing to do with the strip just something I’ve wondered about at 3 a.m. sometimes.

“Luvvable Lex: Dirty ‘N’ Down” is by someone called Rob Miller? Lex is, of course, “the Glesga Gangster” and Miller, naturally, is on form (yes, it is that Miller from Khaki Shorts). I must confess I’d really like to see Miller work on a serious comic strip or book and see how his style works on that.

“Wonderland” by Wilbur Dawbarn is drawn in a nice style and, again, no dialogue. I liked the ending and I wonder whether Dawbarn is thinking of continuing the strip or just leaving it as a full-stop end?

“(crack)” by Van Nim has an interesting style and yet another strip with a good ending. Nice.

Which brings us to “Von Trapp” by WJC. I really liked this art style –almost a European look to it. Nice toning. The other thing is that –again- you follow through what is going on but it then twists on you at the end! It’s good to see creators who use some brains when they put strips together. Great fun.

And then…”A Complex Machine” by David Ziggy Greene. By the end of this I just thought “What the —- is he on?” I thought to art and story worked well together and I’m going to have to chase up a web site here!

Overall, I think that this third anthology beats the first two by yards. There was nothing wrong with the first two books it is just that this third issue has a high standard of writing and a fantastic mix of art styles. My only concern is can this issue ever be bettered?

I am curious about how the Polish language version looks. That might just be me, though.

Karol Wisniewski and his team, including Marta Wisniewska and Rob Miller, have done excellent work but here’s hoping they don’t dread putting together no. 4!

Really, this is a must buy and I’m not kidding.

“But, Uncle Terry –how can we buy a copy?” you ask…..

Available at:
Bad Press (UK & Worldwide)
SmallZone-shop.co.uk (UK & Worldwide)
Centrum Komiksu (PL)
Fankomiks.pl (PL)
Imago.com.pl (PL)
Incal.com.pl (PL)
KiK (ul. Św. Marcin 25, Poznań) (PL)

And to prove I’m not the only person likes these books….
Reviews – Recenzje:
FPI blog (UK)
The Comics Journal (USA)
The List (UK)
ComicBitsOnline.com (UK)

Komiks.Gildia.pl (PL)
Komiks.Polter.pl (PL)
Splot/E-Splot (PL)
Reset-forever (PL)
Ziniol (PL)