Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Crikey!

This just landed in my in-tray. Seems someone was listening when I bemoaned the lack of any fanzines based on British comics... (This is the text of the press-release, by the way. I've not seen an issue so I cannot vouch for any statements made by the publisher.)

It had to happen. Growing interest in British comics has finally resulted in an independently produced magazine that rolls back the good times. If you loved comics from 1955-1975 then CRIKEY is the magazine for you. Nostalgic and intelligent, irreverent and extravagant. The first issue has 52 big pages dedicated to the very best of BRITISH COMICS. The magazine is the brain child of BRIAN CLARKE and is set to become one of the best selling fanzines ever.

Brian commented , ‘ There is so much interest in British comics now . I have noticed that people of a certain age seemed to have tired of traditional super hero American comics and they are going back to the wacky stories that they remember from their childhood. Our first issue celebrates all that was best with British Comics dropping in on Beano, TV21, Misty, Dandy, Jackie, Wham, Smash, Valiant and so many more superb memories of when comics were exciting and fun

The British are known throughout the world as an eccentric people – and if anyone peeked through a stack of typical comics from the 50s, 60s and 70s you'd find enough proof to have our island race quarantined for the safety of humankind.

No matter what your particular – or peculiar – taste, British comics has something of interest for you concealed under its many covers. A planeload of schoolgirl ballerinas crash-landed on a mountainside and keeping in their ballet practice just in case they get rescued in time for the grand dance off? Yes. A town way out West – and we do mean way out – who have just elected a large ape as their sheriff? Got! A New York King of Crime out to stop all criminals so he can be Number One in a field of one? Yeah. A daring adventurer with a life-protecting eye around his neck out to set the world to rights? Yup.

Kids from outer space, time-travelling weirdos, talking pets, freakish football players, robot spies, historical adventurers, detective school-girls – British comics has the lot. For the aficionado of eccentric storytelling you’d have to go a long way to beat what British comics has on offer.

There’s a whole alphabet of wild and wonderful characters waiting for the person who dares to re-open the pages last closed in childhood:

Adam Eterno… Bananaman… Captain Hurricane… Dolmann… Eagle-Eye… Fireball XL5… Ginger… Hookjaw… Iron Fish… Julius Cheeser… Kitty Hawke… Luck of the Legion… Mytek the Mighty… Oor Wullie… Powerman… Q-Bikes… Ro-Busters… Six Million Dollar Gran… Trigan Empire… Union Jack Jackson… Victor Drago… Wacks… X-Ray Specs… Young Marvelman and, of course – Zip Nolan!

If you have a passion for the strange and the kind of humour that often leaves you laughing out loud when all around you are blank-faced and oh so silent, then Crikey! is the nostalgic magazine for you. Face it – those comics made you what you are today!

ISSUE ONE HIGHLIGHTS

MISTY – HORROR FOR GIRLS
KEN REID
THE TOYS OF DOOM
FRANK BELLAMY
WHAM – The Best comic ever?
And so much more...

Finally a magazine that’s all about BRITISH COMICS. 52 pages of memories and joy available quarterly. Coming to a store near you NOW! or Orders are now being taken
Email beeemcee@aol.com or Tom.sweetman@tesco.net

Individual issues available £3.99 postage free or by subscription, 4 issues for £15.96.

Orders to Brian Clarke, 4 Hillsborough Drive, Unsworth, Bury BL9 8LE

More information can be found at the Crikey! website.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Steve,have just received my first Issue,oddly enough Issue 1 :-)If you visit the ComicsUK website and look at the topic on Crikey in the Discussion section of the forum http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1357
    you will see the interest that this new publication has generated!!!My first impressions were "thank God,somebody has finally done it!"A few errors and bits and pieces need clarifying but overall very good.I suggested on the forum that you and other experts perhaps lend your support by way of factoids and info and perhaps articles.I am currently writing an article for Issue 3 on Adam Eterno.Nervous?You bet!Especially as many a fan will undoubtedly scrutinize it to within an inch of its life :-)It would be great if you would contact the man behind the mag and do a little something comicy?!As I posited on the forum,this could become a comics journal...a safe place for comic nuts like us!!!

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