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 Pigeons From Hell #1 

Writer: Joe R. Lansdale

Artist: Nate Fox

Colorist: Dave Stewart

Genre: Horror 

Joe R. Lansdale puts a new spin on an old classic with this four-part adaptation of master-storyteller Robert E. Howard’s classic tale of terror Pigeons from Hell. Set in the deep south, Pigeons tells the story of a damned house with a wicked past whose vile form casts a shadow of death on all who dare to enter. At dusk, as the sun slumps below the horizon, scores of pigeons can be seen flocking from the house in waning sunlight. The pigeons, they say, are the souls of the damned escaping from the very bowels of Hell itself.

Joe R. Lansdale (author of such works as Bubba Ho-Tep, The Nightrunners, and The Drive-In) is no stranger to comics, having worked on Batman, The Lone Ranger, Jonah Hex, and Robert E. Howard’s Conan. He is joined by comics newcomer Nathan Fox. Together Lansdale and Fox are a powerhouse of visual storytelling, perfectly suited for the dark and dismal world of Robert E. Howard’s horror classic Pigeons from Hell.

Legendary horror aficionado Joe R. Lansdale puts a new spin on an old classic!

 

Format: Full color, 32 pages Price: $2.99  

This was one of the titles I had on my Standing Order at Forbidden Planet and which,yet again,never appeared –thanks,FP.  However,I bumped into old pal Piers Hazel and as we talked he saw a couple issues hiding behind other comics –score.

 

With a title like Pigeons From Hell you might assume the story is based in Bristol! Though I have no problem with pigeons –some of my best friends were pigeons [I’d not let my sister marry one,though].

 

 

The first thing that struck me is Nathan Fox’s art style which has an odd look to it but this works.  No problems there –and the scenes are well executed. However,there is the added dimension of Dave Stewart’s colouring.  This gives the whole book a really strange feel to it and adds more to the rather spooky ending to this issue.

 

Considering this is an old Robert E. Howard story,Lansdale has done a good piece of adapting,though from start to finish this was laid out and written almost like a film. 

Hmm. Dark Horse turning a comic into a movie?  Nah. Me and my mind!

 

I would genuinely recommend this to you if you are into horror or just looking for something other than super heroics.

 

But pigeons.  Really!  Never heard that myth and if it were Bristol would be The City Of The Weird…..

oh

A couple of new books to look at from Olivier Cadic’s Cinebook –The 9^th Art.  As usual I have the ‘hard task’ of reading and reviewing –but no spoilers!

 

 

LARGO WINCH –THE HEIR

PAPERBACK

Authors: Francq & Van Hamme

Age: 15 years and up

Size: 18.4 x 25.7 cm

Number of pages: 96 colour pages

Publication: March 2008

£9.99

ISBN: 9781905460489

 

 

Largo Winczlav, born in Yugoslavia, is an orphan. Thousands of miles away, one of the richest men in the world will change Largo’s destiny. He has the same name, but slightly different: “Winch.” This man, Nerio Winch, wants to find an heir to his empire and adopts

Largo, offering him the best education. When his adoptive father disappears under dramatic circumstances,

Largo inherits the W Group, the biggest conglomerate of multinational enterprises ever possessed and managed by a single man. From now on, he will be worth $10 billion. Which is not to everybody’s taste, as he is about to find out…

 

This two-volume book includes “the W Group”

 

 

Jean Van Hamme’s work I first read in the 1970s in ZACK 2000. If you are new to his work you can find out more at:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Van_Hamme

 Van Hamme offered Phillipe Francq work on a book he had written the basis for in 1990. The  series was Largo Winch. And it became a hugely successful series with initial sales of over 600,000 copies per album in French alone.  It is now the only series Francq works on at a rate of one album a year.  Living in the South of France,who can blame him?!

Paul Brown’s reaction was “why do all these women have to look gorgeous?” Well,D’uh!

 

 

In fact,the book,or rightly “books”,start with Winch senior’s rather brutal murder and from there on in it’s high octane actin –car chases,jail fights,shoot-outs and more,including the beautiful women!  You can see why this series is so successful:the use of great colours and varying scenery adds to this comic “eye-candy”.

 

 

Over the years Van Hamme has proven his skill as a writer and nothing is lost in Luke Spear’s translation.

 

 If you want a good read and visuals then Largo Winch is for you.

 

 IZNOGOUD –THE WICKED WILES OF IZNOGOUD

PAPERBACK

Authors: Goscinny & Tabary

Age: All ages

Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm

Number of pages: 52 colour pages

Publication: March 2008

ISBN: 9781905460465

£5.99

 

 

Legend has it that in Baghdad the magnificent, a great and particularly dark-minded vizier, who answers to the name of Iznogoud, works on his ambition to lay claim to the throne of caliph Haroun al Plassid. Thus his favourite saying: “I want to be caliph instead of the caliph!”

 

Seconded by Wa’at Alahf, Iznogoud tries ever more diverse and even crazier means to reach his ends – in vain, of course!

 

 

Probably not as well known in the UK as Goscinny’s other work,Iznogoud was another book I first saw in German.

 

I actually find this a lot fresher than,say,Asterix.  If you want to try your kids on something other than Asterix then this has to be the title to try.  Same goes if you’ve been an Asterix fan.  There are plenty of gags and slapstick –as in “The Time Machine” and if you are a big Euro comics fan then this will be an excellent addition to your collection.

 

There are some really great books coming from Cinebook and if you check out their site you’ll find info on Cedric,Melusine,Yakari,Yoko Tsuno,Lucky Luke,Blake & Mortimer,Biggles,Lady S,Alpha and many other titles –sign up for their e-newsletter:

 

 

http://www.cinebook.co.uk/index.asp

 

 

And if you are going to the May International Comic Expo pick up the 32 pages catalogue and say “Hi” to the folks at the table.

Olivier Cadic has really revitalised comic book reading in the

UK.

The Twelve #4 

COVER BY: KAARE ANDREWSWRITER: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI PENCILS: CHRIS WESTONINKS: GARRY LEACHCOLORED BY: CHRIS CHUCKRY

LETTERED BY: COMICRAFT

Rated T+ …$2.99  

THE STORY: As the savage murders continue, and members of the Twelve come under a cloud of suspicion, tensions flare, and hero faces off against hero! Plus, the unbelievable origin of underground secret agent Rockman!  

Hmm.  I’ve been so-so over the series and its story but as I see it this is not an all-out action series so if we were expecting anything of that sort we deluded ourselves!  In fact,it plays out okay to a degree but since we saw Blue Blade dead at the end of issue #1 and yet he’s still in the story with #4,and we were told others would be killed off,I’d guess everything speeds up soon –this is a 12 issue series after all?

 

 

I think the look and story surrounding Black Widow is good,and I have to wonder whether she will remain in the Marvel universe –hey,apart from a reference to the Civil War in #1 there has been no cross-over into the mainstream MU and its current “Secret Invasion” plot [wouldn’t you think that,suspecting all these Skrull spies,the reappearance of these twelve might spark suspicion?].

 

 

Two Black Widows?

 

 

Rockman’s story seemed implausible.  He was king of an underground kingdom but the route back to his kingdom was blocked off in an avalanche?  If my wife and child faced an uncertain fate from a villain’s army I’d try every possible way to get back. What about other tunnels/caves?  Or simply pulling all the rocks clear –it might take a long time but he is no lightweight.  Just seemed “off” to me.

Whatever,I’m sticking with this to see how it turns out.

On the other hand….

 

 

 

 

Project Super Powers #2 

Alex Ross,Jim Krueger & Carlos Paul

 

 

Ah,another one using public domain characters that I was unsure of.  I still am. In fact,this issue almost put me off. Art starts okay but then –page 21,panel 1!  The art on The Flame segment is,or looks,b-a-d.  But that particular panel has THE WORSE anatomical perspective I’ve seen in a long time –what happened?!

 

 

I’m afraid this series gets a lot of mention but its story is so plodding and over the place that I can’t actually wait to put it down!!

Of course,I will,through fairness,continue checking out the series but this is doing nothing for me.

SCORN, issues 1 & 2

Written by Kevin Moyers, Art by Philipp Neundorf

Published by Septagon Studios

Full colour 

What was I thinking? 

 I made a serious error of judgement. I rather stupidly agreed to do the occasional comic book review for Terry. Subsequently, Tel hands me the first two issues of a new ongoing (I presume) comic from a new Canadian publisher called Septagon Studios, entitled SCORN. “Review This For Me,ASAP”, he snorted, before leaving to throw someone somewhere off a bridge someplace. Knowing it’d be me if I didn’t comply, I sat down to read SCORN.  

Oh Dear. What was I thinking ? 

Scorn has a dictionary definition as a subtitle which appears predominantly on it’s covers – “an emotion involving both anger and disgust”.  I’m not sure if that’s there in order to help us understand the gravitas of the enfolding drama within it’s pages, or if it’s to tell us how we should respond to the quality of the contents!  Because, unfortunately, on the strength of issues one and two, I was very close to feeling an emotion involving both anger and disgust.  Okay, that’s a cheap shot guys, but unfortunately, I think, it’s all too apt.

 

 

Scorn is a tale of  a young man’s obsession for revenge on the ganglord that kills his best friend.  A pretty straightforward plot really, the kind of thing we’ve all seen done countless times on TV, in movies, and probably if you play them, computer games.  Not to mention comics. That’s the first problem. It’s been done to death, and if you’re going to do it, then you’d better come up with some pretty interesting way to avoid it being utterly pointless. Sadly, I can find nothing so far in Kevin Moyers story to make me think I’m in for a really rewarding reading experience. The characters are pretty much your usual cardboard cliches:vigilante with a score to settle, nasty gang boss thug , generic cops, token female prostitute. Throw in alcoholic dad, dead mother, you’ve pretty much ticked every box by way of cast. There was nothing at all in the characterisation that made me really care about what happened to anyone on these pages. If anything, perhaps part of the problem is that Moyers attempts to tell us the reasons for our protagonist Michael’s rage too quickly, in a manner that doesn’t build or create any real tension or motivation.  It may have helped to have taken more time and space to expand on his relationships with his father, and in paticular his best(only)friend, so that we have a reason to really empathise.Because despite the cliched nature of the story, there’s still scope in what Moyers attempts to set up and play out, to create something interesting or valid.

 

 

By the end of issue one though, I was unfortunately thinking to myself, “Do I have  to read issue 2 ?” It was that unconvincing.

 

  

My real problem with this however, isn’t the bland, uninspired story, it’s the “art”.

 

 

One of my problems with comic book art is in it’s obsession with the need for an artist to have or create a “style”, that certain way of drawing that sets him or her apart from every other artist out there, or fits with a certain way of drawing that’s fashionable(e.g. Manga, or the tedious glut of Mignola imitators) Often the search for a “style” means that some artists will develop certain traits that have more to do with trying to develop a “look”, than attempting to draw well, and in a manner that is about telling a story, which is first and foremost what you’re trying to do !

 

 

If this seems like a digression, it’s not.Philip Neundorf’s artwork is guilty of trying to create a look, before he has learned to draw and tell a story well.

 

 

I’m sorry Philip, but no amount of intense, scribbly lines here there and virtually everywhere are going to be able to disguise very, very bad draughtmanship, and poorly proportioned and foreshortened figures. To be fair to you, as much as I can,you’re not the only artist out there guilty of this, and at least you’re trying to draw, and you are trying to tell Moyers story by creating some drama and tension through the drawing(some facial  expressions almost work, but are let down simply by the drawing not being technically good enough).At least you’re not simply lightboxing photo references like some people out there.Please, please get away from the scribbles, and simply go do more life drawing, ideally before issue 3 hits the shelves.

 

 

I’m afraid I can’t recommend Scorn on the contents of it’s first two issues.I’m hoping(and guessing) that it’s creators are two young men who are maybe just beginning their comic book careers, and if so, well good luck guys, but if you’re really serious about doing this, you need to brush up on your basic storytelling and  drawing skills  quickly. Hopefully, you can only improve, and I can’t fault the lovely production values of your product, but I’m afraid it’s too easy to fault the artistic content, and that’s a shame. 

Paul Brown

 

 

 

Editor’s notes.

 

And Mr Brown is the “nice” CBO reviewer!

 

The thing is that I was hoping that we were at last going to see a new Canadian publishing house emerge and make an impact.  Paul refers,albeit briefly,to the production values on Scorn and I’d like to mention this.

 

The cover and printing is top quality and the paper stock is also of the highest quality. On production values,which seem to be getting better amongst Independent publishers,you would have to be obliged to give a 10 out of 10 mark.  Just cannot be faulted and I hope Septagon wasn’t hit with too high a bill for this.

 

But when I saw the covers I immediately thought “arty”,thinking it was meant to be that –it was my first glimpse of that awful scribble on art!  I actually read through the comics four (4) times but the story to me was…bland.  The artwork –and remember I like many,many styles- was just…bad.  The anatomy and perspective were just not there.  Having said that,I have seen artists far worse get big followings.  I just cannot see why that awful scribbling was there unless it was to hide bad artwork –in the 1980s British artist Duncan Fegredo [and others] use speckling on colour and black and white art.  Bad.

 

 

I’m hoping Philip will take a step back and listen to Paul’s advice.  I’m quite willing to discuss this with Philip.

 

 

But if you really want to make an impact as a new publisher to attract readers and sales,Septagon made the wrong move with this one and needs to really hit back with a new project. 

And Scorn is a four issue limited series.  Please,check it out.  See what YOU think and let me know.

 

Terry

High School Girls 9

Towa Ohshima 

ISBN: 978-1-59796-005-2

Date Published: 3/28/2008

Format: Paperback / B&W

Number of pages: 208

Rating: 15+

Price: $9.95

 

 

The end is finally here! The crazy Okinawan school trip approaches its end in this final volume of High School Girls. Eriko and her friends are up to their usual antics terrorizing the teachers, starting pillow fights, buying up weird souvenirs for their friends and families, and having late night sleepovers snacking and reminiscing about their hilariously silly pasts. Prepare to laugh your socks off in this awesomely hysterical and side-splitting conclusion to the High School Girls series!

 

 

Herm. When you’ve reached 50 years of age you do worry when you get a book titled “High School Girls” in your mail!

 

 

This is the first volume I’ve seen and,sadly,the final volume in the series! However,it didn’t stop my enjoyment of reading about High School Girls exercising,in their underwear and…nuts! 

Anyway,it really is a fun read and I have to wonder whether the rather narcissistic teacher Yuichiro Odagiri might be,well,gay?  Or just in love with himself!  Certainly spends a lot of time flexing his muscles!

 

 

Back to the girls,though.

 

 

I loved “Nude Bra” and “Nude Bra Continued” and then there is the male inspired “Fantasy” –all those girls sharing rooms,heh?  See what it’s really like!  And “Last Resort” cracked me up!  Seriously,if you are from a female dominated family you’ll see things you may have seen at home but never realised it happened world-wide!

 

 

Really enjoyed Towa’s work and there is an official web site but,sadly,it’s in Japanese. You’ll have a smile on your face when you see the images there –guaranteed!

 

The url is:

 

http://towa-o.com/top.html

 

 

 

 

 

JUNK –Record Of The Last Hero 6

Kia Asimiya

ISBN: 978-1-59796-133-2

Date Published: 3/28/2008

Format: paperback / B&W

Number of pages: 196

Rating: 15+

Price: $9.95

Hiro goes back to school to begin a fresh start in his life… or so he thought, until his JUNK counselor becomes his new homeroom teacher! As the third JUNK’s terror escalates, a new and more powerful JUNK sent by JUNK Systems appears and is set on punishing the third JUNK. While a cult called Kofukukai reaches out to the fear ridden citizens of  Tokyo with evil intentions behind thier “goodwill.”

Some will recall that when I started reviewing Junk  initially,with volume 4 I believe,I was a little “so-so” about it. Kia writes that:

”I’ve written JUNK as the last hero series I will ever write. However,that decision isn’t up to me,but rather depends on how readers feel about it.”

And goes on to add:

“The story is finally moving towards its conclusion.  When it’s finished,I would like it if you could re-read this series called JUNK in one sitting,from start to finish.  That’s my hope.”

Normally you might think “So? Your last book. Fair enough”.  But not in this case. Junk is the first book by Kia Asamiya that I have seen and read.  I ought to fairly credit his art assistants –Naoki Hyodoh,Nobuaki Takano,Jun Kaneko and Takeshi Ohnishi. 

 

 

Asamiya is called “Japan’s flag-bearer  of sci-fi comics for boys and girls” and it is a title richly deserved.

Everything in the Junk storyline seems to be set on its final inevitable course –the fate of Red Junk;revelations as to what the suits are and who is behind them;terrorist strikes at major Japanese cities and the really creepy Koufukukai increase their activities almost in an “Invasion Of The Body-Snatchers” way.

I really am ticked off that I have not read 1-3 because if there was one series that I would recommend it is Junk.  It is a classic that deserves far more attention than it is getting.

I wonder whether Asamiya’s anime,under his real name of Michitaka Kikuchi,is as good as his Manga work?!

If I had to award this stars out of ten I’d give 12!!

THE KING OF FIGHTERS  4Wing Yan & King Tung 

ISBN: 978-1-59796-010-6

Date Published: 03/25/2008

Format: Paperback / Color

Number of pages: 128

Rating: 13+

Price: $13.95

 

 

 

The 10th King of Fighters semi-finals officially begin with Team K’ vs. The High School Girls Team on top of the zooming “Highway Star Express.” However, their match is unexpectedly interrupted by the former leader of NESTS’ research department, the Phantom Pain-Kirameki Kannaduki, who suddenly attacks K’. What will happen to K’… On the other end of the world, on a sailboat on the

Nile River, the second battle of the semi-finals is taking place - Hero Team vs Wolf Team. Shen-Woo vs.Terry Bogard begin the incredible battle between the two highly-skilled teams. Both fighters pull out all they have for battle, and despite the unexpected result, the sensational combat touches the whole world.

 

 

Ahh,back in my even more enjoyable echelon of Hong Kong Manhua.  The two authors we know the names of but,sadly,all we know about “Production Artist” is that it’s the DGN Production studion.

 

 

There are the Special Move “call outs” such as:”Second Shoot”;”Black Out”;”Guard Cancel” and “Blow Away Attack” –I LOVE this!  A great cover with some incredible artwork and fantastic characters –of whom Ash Crimson has to be the hottest [remembering that this is just a drawing!].

 

 

These books,and,yes,annoyed I’ve not seen vol.1-3,are of the best production quality –what we expect from Dr Master Publications.  The contents are such that any fan of fantasy or super heroes ought to get a kick out of –there is more enjoyment in one of these books for me than a stack of Marvels or DCs.

 

 

However,the UKs biggest chainstore,Forbidden Planet,tell me they do not get Dr Master books!!!  Incredible.  Manga,Manga everywhere but not a Dr Master to see! I really do think that the company has to make a big push of its profile in the UK –and

Europe? 

 

Will I stop in my efforts to promote and tell everyone about Dr Master books? Can I be stopped?  To quote Rose in this book:

 

“Impossible..impossible..I can’t be defeated”!!!

 

 

 

BUY DR MASTER BOOKS

 

 

Well,not having seen Casanova –the comic not the person,who I did once actually meet on a chronal perambulation once- I have to admit that on first seeing the covers of  The Umbrella Academy I thought “these will make great Tim Burton movie posters” but never looked inside. 

When Bristol’s own artist-in-residence,Mr Paul Brown [ooh,we are formal!] said he had been tempted I thought I’d check it out.

 

To me the art looked superb and hit me some-what like Carlos Pacheco’s had when I first saw it.  However,Ba’s artwork is simply…superb.  Luckily,Chris at Forbidden Planet had ordered enough extra copies so I purchased 1-6 straight away [agh! My poor wallet!].

Now,as people may think I’m just being nice for grovelling reasons,I decided that I’d get someone else to give a review but look at the entire 6 issue run in one go.  Mr Northall is more into Ball-Gag Man Comics so I thought..Paul Brown!

 

Here is his review so any complaints…

 

And if you want links to more art and info go to the excellent:

 

http://fabioandgabriel.blogspot.com/

 

The  Umbrella Academy 

by Gerard Way & Gabriel Ba

6 issue Series from Dark Horse Comics

 I’ll start with a confession which, on this site, is almost sacreligious. I don’t read “superhero” comics. Generally, I dislike the mainstream comic book world for it’s continuing pandering to a limited, arrested development of what is, or rather could be, a truly vibrant and exciting artistic medium. That’s not to say I havent read mainstream comics before.It’s just i’d rather not, simply because I don’t want to spend my life worrying about what’s just happened in the alternate universe of Ball-Gag Man, and it’s effect on issues 500-624 of The Spasmodic.

 Still, despite that arrogant and snobbish statement, I recently found myself in my local Forbidden Planet seriously considering parting with my tediously-earned pennies, for the chance to read, dare I say it, a typical mainstream comic ! What could possibly make me want to consider such an act of deranged irresponsibilty?

The answer is having taken a sneaky look at some issues of  Gerard Way & Gabriel Ba’s The Umbrella Academy, and actually being interested in the contents within.(thankfully, Our erstwhile CBO Fuhrer,Uncle Terry bought them to save me from corrupting my aesthetic standpoint(hah !), but demanded I review them.Well, it was a review, or the nearest river-you know the stories !!!)

I’m pleased to say that my initial interest was totally justified.I’m also pleased to tell you that I have never enjoyed a comic book as much as this in years.Gerard and Gabriel’s story of an adopted family of children with “super” abilities, brought up by a famous entrepreneur(who happens to be an alien) in the hope that they will one day save the world, was a total delight from start to finish.

 

 

Not wanting to give too much away to those of you who haven’t read it, the plot centres on the members of The Umbrella Academy reuniting after 15 years, following the death of their adoptive father, and the possibly unspecified threat to the world’s safety becoming a reality.

 Within this simple framework of a plot, Gerard Way uses the episodic nature of the series beautifully, to introduce our main protagonists, set up  various story threads that hint at great potential to develop further adventures, and gives us enough information to flesh out the main characters and their rather dysfunctional relationships and sibling rivalry, with some neat back-story that still allows greater exploration. There are also incidental characters that have the potential to be integral in any possible new stories, a couple of really great villians, and some wonderful action set-pieces (issue one’s opening of the Eiffel Tower Attack, the Terminauts destruction of the carnival, the series showdown finale).There’s also some lovely humourous touches(the newspaper headlines, the character Seance’s nice line in deadpan bleakness).

Allied to Gerard’s excellent story, there’s the really excellent artwork by Gabriel Ba, who looks like he may be the human incarnation of Major Easy ! While there seems to be a number of people making comparisons to Mike Mignola, I would personally suggest that Gabriel Ba is his own man, and his style differs quite dramatically from Mignola. Ba’s artwork is it’s own fully-formed, original entity, and it’s a complete joy. It differs much from the likes of Mignola in that I personally find it far more kinetic and rounded, less static. It’s more cartoon-y, and has a zip to it that really moves the story, and in paticular the action sequences along really well. What really comes across is the fact he’s having so much fun doing this, and that sense is what adds to the enjoyment of the work. He’s also great at the Double-Page Chapter headings splashes(I paticularly loved issue 4’s;compositionally, a brilliant use of dead space)

 

 

Credit must also be given to Dave Stewart’s gorgeous colouring job, and illustrator James Jean’s idiosyncratic cover artwork.

 All in all, I can’t rate this highly enough.

 

 

It’s really enjoyable, and you’ll want, like I did, to be reading further adventures of the Umbrella

Academy, by Gerard and Gabriel. My worrying concern of course, is that any new series of the characters won’t involve the original creators. Let’s hope they do.

 

 

Of course, my other,  even greater concern, is that as I enjoyed this so much, I might be tempted to give The New Adventures of Ball-Gag Man a chance ! Now that would really be a worry !

 

Paul Brown (hopefully, free from drowning, & Ball- Gag Man Comics !)

 

 

 

BACK ISSUE #27 

Yes,I had thought Back Issue and Alter Ego had vanished but my local FP had the latest issue in.  And what a beautiful cover!  So,what’s in this one? 

“100 pages - March 2008

BACK ISSUE 27 bows before “Comic Book Royalty”! The turbulent waters of the ’70s/’80s career of DC’s King of the Seven Seas, Aquaman, are explored, as are those of his Marvel counterpart, Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner. MIKE W. BARR and BRIAN BOLLAND discuss King Arthur and Camelot 3000 in an exclusive “Pro2Pro” interview, a variety of comics pros tell us “Why JACK KIRBY Was King,” and we ask the question, “Dr. Doom: Monarch or Menace?” Also: DON McGREGOR’s Prince T’Challa, the Black Panther; an exclusive ALAN WEISS art gallery; and spotlights on Arion, Lord of Atlantis; Baron Winters and the Night Force; and the artist formerly and currently known as PRINCE. Featuring art and/or commentary by JIM APARO, MARV WOLFMAN, GENE COLAN, PAUL KUPPERBERG, and others. With a splashy Aquaman/Mera cover by NICK CARDY! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.”

 

 

And this indeed yet another great read and it’s only a pity younger creators don’t pick these magazines up –they ARE an education! 

However,”Why Jack Kirby Was King”?  He was King because he was the creative genius Jack Kirby from whom many of today’s creators could learn a lot!

 

 

Then there is my favourite mag –ALTER EGO!

 

 

 

 

“March 2008 - 100 pages

ALTER EGO #76 is a JOE SIMON Special, featuring a Fighting American cover by JOE—as he’s interviewed in depth by JIM AMASH. Learn never-before-revealed secrets behind the creation of Captain America, Fighting American, Stuntman, Adventures of The Fly, Sick magazine, and more, in this spectacular issue-filling talkfest with one of the titans of the Golden Age of Comics! The interview also spotlights art by JACK KIRBY, BOB POWELL, AL WILLIAMSON, JERRY GRANDENETTI, GEORGE TUSKA, and many others greats from comics history. Plus, there’s P.C. Hamerlinck’s FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) with Marc Swayze, C.C. Beck, and others, Michael T. Gilbert and Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, and more! Edited by Roy Thomas”

 

 

It’s interesting to read Jim Amash’s interview with the great Joe Simon,who produced a great book based on his experiences in the industry –some of the reminiscences about Kirby in that almost brought tears to my eyes.

 

 

And remember there is an authorised Simon site -Simon Entertainment over at http://www.simoncomics.com/.

 

 

As usual Roy Thomas has gathered together a great read for anyone truly interested in comic book pioneers/history.

 

 

You can find out how to order online and much more over at the Twomorrows site.  That’s:

 

 

http://twomorrows.com/

 

 

Both mags are,obviously,highly recommended!

 

 

Well,heh-heh,speak-of-the-devil [snicker] a review from Mr Brown!

 

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL #5

Gilbert Hernandez

Dark Horse Comics

28pps B&W  

 Well, here we are with the penultimate issue of this series from the incredibly talented Mr Hernandez.Anyone  out there who has been following my reviews, will know that I had certain reservations regarding the direction the story arc was going in, and whether or not Gilbert’s seemingly make-it-up-as-I-go-along plot was working effectively. Well, this issue goes some way to answering some of those uncertainties. Though not necessarily, with the right answers. 

 At the end of Issue 4, the road our crazy mixed-up teen voyeur adventure was driving along had suddenly veered onto a serial killer highway, replete with overtly gratuitous roadkill adorning it’s inky surfaces. This issue, I think Gilbert’s on a Road to Nowhere. The violence in issue 4 pales next to the level of callous brutality here. If one is going to depict violence in any medium, it should, I think, be displayed in a manner that does leave one feeling sickened and shocked, and certainly Gilbert always shows such things in a way that is uncomfortable,and obviously doesn’t glorify it or make it attractive.And yes, this is a story(well, now, if not initially) of serial killers. But even I found the violence here unpalatable. Perhaps Gilbert has succeeded in depicting the degree of coldness required to perpetrate such appalling acts, but unfortunately, it didn’t feel entirely convincing.

 

 

A part of the problem to my mind, is the shift in direction the story and characters have taken. It seems to me that we’re now reading a completely different story to issues 1 to 3, with characters that do not entirely correspond with who they were initially. One can argue that the purpose of a story is to follow in a journey that might take us in a different direction than that we expected to travel.

 

 

Unfortunately, I can’t help feeling that Gilbert lost the map halfway down the road. It’s odd, but I felt the initial teen voyeur plot held far more intrigue and mystery than the serial killer story we’re left with, with an issue to go. So essentially, I’m rather disappointed with where Speak of the Devil has ended up, plot-wise. From an artwork point of view, there’s little, if anything, one can fault. Gilbert has always been an excellent storyteller visually, his pages are always beautifully balanced compositions, and each panel contains wonderful nuances of feeling and emotion.

And I still love those opening splash pages, this issue being paticularly manic, in keeping with the level of frenzied insanity that follows. 

Still, despite my misgivings regarding the unconvincing characterisation shifts, expect more uncertain and confused meanderings from me on the final issue of Speak of the Devil in a months time, if Uncle Terry deems me worthy ! 

Paul Brown

 

Wimp!  Anyway,a sneak preview of the cover to SOTD #6!

 

 

SHROUDED 1-3

 

A week ago [or it might have been a wee bit longer] I received a package from Vanessa Wells, interviewed here –

 

http://www.comicbitsonline.com/2008/01/17/beyond-the-shroud/

 

Go on,check it out. 

 

Anyway,in the envelope were issues 1-3  of Shrouded.  To say that I was very pleasantly surprised is an under-statement.

 

I had not realised the quality of the comic.  Great colour on the cover and the grey tones used in the strip are really crisp and clean.  The paper stock is great –almost card-like and I’d guess around 100-120gsm?

 

But so much for the quality.  We then have the story.

 

Don’t panic –I’m not giving the plot or storyline away!  In fact,I was very surprised by the story.

 

Initially,I thought it was going to be a girl band –Josie And The Pussycats or something like that.  However,there was then a twist showing that this is far from our comfy little

England!  Wolves…oh,but not just any wolves.  Apparently they are all over the country! Then there is a twist in the characterisation of our girls!

 

Issue 2 sees yet another new perspective added to the story and by the time we get to issue 3 there have been so many twists and revelations that when I got to the last page and realised there was no more I was cursing for quite a while!!

 

It really was that good a read!

 

Would I recommend the comics?  Oh come on!!!

 

Yes,this jaded,seen-it-all-before comic hack has been dealt yet another slap in the chops!  This was fun and exciting.

 

But I want more –NOW!!!!

 

Erm.  Any old how,you can see glimpses of  this creative talent’s work on the web. Yeah,really! And you can -MUST- order.

 

 

 

Vanessa’s Comic Space page is at:

 

http://www.comicspace.com/ness/

 

 

And Vanessa’s Shrouded site can be found at:

 

http://www.withbits.com/shrouded

 

I think that Vanessa,based on this work,could very well have a very good comic career ahead of her –if no companies approach her soon to work on projects then there is no justice.

 

And justice must be done!

THE TWELVE #3

Marvel Comics

Straczynski,Weston & Leach 

Alright,anyone visiting this site regularly knows that,though I love the art in this series,I have not rated Straczynski’s story/script. 

Please take a deep breath. 

Ready? 

I actually liked some of the story. 

No,I did say “liked”.  And,”no” again,I am not on new medication. 

Although there was nothing greatly original about Mr E having hidden the fact that he was Jewish,and this has nothing to do with the Timely character,it was handled well.  The fact that Mister E’s 68-years-old son was tearing him down verbally was quite fun.  Though the fact that his wife lay ill in bed unable to communicate with him and that,on returning to The Twelves temporary home,he still insisted that all was fine was a bit sad. 

From being a straight forward DA-turned crime-smasher,we now have the Laughing Mask as a psychopath.  Not too original or surprising.  But come on –you go out wearing a mask and shoot criminals,that does not make you a psychopath. 

Oh 

I really enjoyed the inter-play between The Black Widow [ooh,the later scenes were pure classic Marvel horror comics!] and Jack Castle [the Fiery Mask] were nice and I loved Castle discussing his pay rate as a newspaperman;”…about fifteen dollars a column” –very high in the early 1940s but now nothing! 

If –if- the series continues like this it will not be a total loss story-wise.  I’m actually looking forward to no.4!