Sunday, January 01, 2012

Recent Releases: January - April 2011

This is an expanded and annotated, illustrated listing of titles reprinting or relating to British comics. A full listing covering releases in 2010 can be found here.

JANUARY 2011


Dan Dare: Trip to Trouble by Eric Eden & Frank Bellamy.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848563667, 28 January 2011.
It's chocks away once again as Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future, returns! First published in classic British comic "Eagle", this is perhaps the most seminal adventure of one of Britain's best-loved characters, presented in a gorgeous library edition. Abducted by brilliant Scottish scientist Galileo McHoo, Dan and co have used his incredible spacecraft, the Galactic Galleon, to reach the mysterious Terra Nova - last known destination of Dan's test pilot father! But when the gang stumble into a war between the strange inhabitants of this world, will they survive to learn the truth? Packed with beautiful artwork from legendary Dare creator Frank Hampson, and his successor, acclaimed artist Frank Bellamy, this volume collects the stories "Trip to Trouble" and "Operation Nimbus".


Greysuit by Pat Mills & John Higgins.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519826, 20 January 2011, 128pp, £13.99.
The equivalent of the USA's Men in Black, the covert operatives known as Greysuits enforce the British government's interests in the world's most dangerous places. Specially conditioned to have heightened strength and senses, Greysuits are the most deadly secret agents alive. One of the newest thrills to explode from the pages of 2000AD.

Johnny Red: Falcon's First Flight by Tom Tully & Joe Colquhoun.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848560338, 28 January 2011.
Britain's best-loved aerial combat comic returns in a gorgeous hardback library edition! When pilot Johnny Redburn is discharged from the RAF for striking an officer, he is forced to join the Merchant Navy. But a German sneak attack forces Redburn back into the air - in a stolen Hurricane! Redburn aims for Russia, planning to save his plane and career, but on landing, meets the 'Falcon Squadron' of the 5th Soviet Air Brigade, who are under German attack! Redburn takes to the skies once more - to fight for Russia! The classic series by Tom Tully ("Roy of the Rovers") and Joe Colquhoun ("Charley's War") makes its explosive debut and includes a new introduction by comics legend Garth Ennis ("The Boys", "Preacher', "War Story") and a feature on air combat!

FEBRUARY 2011 

Captain Britain Vol. 5: End Game by Alan Moore.
Panini UK ISBN 978-1846534591, February 2011, 256pp, £15.99. [£10.69 on Amazon]
Captain Britain returns once more, as he battles the terror of the ultimate superhero slayer, the Fury, as well as the Crazy Gang and Gatecrasher and her Technet. The Lion of London also contends with the machinations of the vile Vixen and a final showdown with Slaymaster! Plus, his adventures transport him to an alternative universe where he encounters a dark, twisted version of himself.
The James Bond Omnibus 002 by Ian Fleming & Yaraslav Horak.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848564329, 25 February 2011, 344pp, £14.99. [£10.49 on Amazon]
The daring James Bond is back in this definitive bumper edition collecting Ian Fleming's earliest literary adventures in comic strip form! Seven of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions appear in a single volume: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", "You Only Live Twice", "The Man With the Golden Gun", "The Living Daylights", "Octopussy", "The Hildebrand Rarity" and "The Spy Who Loved Me".

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Vol. 17 by John Wagner, Garth Ennis, Carlos Ezquerra et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519833, 17 February 2011, 304pp, £19.99. [£13.48 on Amazon]
Mega-City One: the future metropolis bustling with life and every crime imaginable. Keeping order are the Judges, a stern police force acting as judge, jury and executioner. Toughest of all is Judge Dredd. He is the law and these are his stories. Volume 17 in this exciting, best-selling series collects together more classic Dredd from the pages of 2000 AD and Judge Dredd The Megazine!
A Midsummer Night's Dream [Original Text] by John McDonald & Kat Nicholson/Jason Cardy.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332891, February 2011, 144pp, £9.99. [£7.49 on Amazon]
A Midsummer Night's Dream [Plain Text] by John McDonald & Kat Nicholson/Jason Cardy.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332907, February 2011, 144pp, £9.99. [£8.99 on Amazon] 
A Midsummer Night's Dream [Quick Text] by John McDonald & Kat Nicholson/Jason Cardy.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332914, February 2011, 144pp, £9.99. [£8.99 on Amazon]
The entire Shakespeare play. "The course of true love never did run smooth;" With its mix of real people who stumble into a fairy kingdom (with it's own problems!) it's little wonder that this play is one of the best loved and most performed of all Shakespeare's masterpieces. Available in three formats: unabridged original text, translated into plain English and abridged English.
Tank Girl: The Royal Escape by Alan Martin & Rufus Dayglo.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857681249, 25 February 2011, 104pp, £12.99. [£9.99 on Amazon]
Creator Alan Martin and artist Rufus Dayglo give us a completely new take on Tank Girl grittier, bloodier, and weirder than ever before! The Royal Escape finds Tank Girl and her team stranded on the outskirts of a city they have just destroyed, as an immense and vengeful army approaches. Will they escape? Who will survive? Who knows! You won t believe your brains when you read it.
MARCH 2011 

Hurricane & Champion: Companion Papers to Valiant by Steve Holland
Bear Alley Books ISBN 978-1907081538, 21 March 2011, 48pp, £8.99.
Hurricane and Champion: The Companion Papers to Valiant details the histories of both papers and reveals—some for the first time—the names of many of the creators behind the classic comic strips that filled their pages. Heavily illustrated throughout, Hurricane and Champion also includes title and creator indexes covering both papers, a gallery of annual covers and has a full-colour cover scanned from original artwork. In his introduction, Steve Holland describes how Hurricane (1964-65) went through four phases during its lifetime and reveals the many problems faced by Champion (1966) during its brief 15-issue run.
The Taxidermist by John Wagner, Cam Kennedy, Steve Dillon & Ian Gibson.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519840, 17 March 2011, 128pp, £14.99. [£12.74 on Amazon]
In Mega-City One, aged citizen Jake Sardini practices a delicate art. Human Taxidermy is a highly skilled craft and has been a sport in the Mega-Olympics for several decades. Saradini used to compete internationally and even won a bronze medal in the 2082 Mega-Olympiad, but that was years ago, when he was younger. In 2116 the Mega-Olympics on in Katmandu, Nepal. All the typical sports of the 22nd century are represented: insulting, staring, housework, mountaineering, sex and of course Human Taxidemy. From the pages of 2000 AD!

APRIL 2011

Beano 3-D Summer Annual.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354466, 11 April 2011, 128pp, £5.99. [£3.99 from Amazon]
Beano comic stars come to life in the first ever 3-D Beano book. Television stars Dennis and Gnasher are joined by The Bash Street Kids, Minnie the Minx inside the ultimate comic summer special. It's packed with features, activities, games and puzzles including exclusive 3-D puzzles on the Dennis and Gnasher CBBC animation series. Free gifts include slime green whoopee cushion, special sticker sheet plus Dennis and Gnasher 3-D glasses to see all the cool 3-D pages.
The Broons and Oor Wullie Summer Annual.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354473, 11 April 2011, £5.99. [£3.89 from Amazon]
Scotland’s first family, The Broons, are joined by loveable rascal, Oor Wullie in this nostalgic celebration of traditional British summer holidays. Celebrate the 75th anniversary of these beloved national treasures with this retro annual. Comes with exclusive free gifts - luxury Broons and Oor Wullie playing cards and special stickers sheet.
Darkie's Mob by John Wagner & Mike Western.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848564428, 1 April 2011, 112pp, £16.99. [£9.99 from Amazon]
In the hellish, humid jungles of Burma, renegade Captain Joe Darkie leads a rag-tag squad of British soldiers behind Japanese lines, transforming them into the brutal 'Darkies Mob'! Narrated in diary form by hapless Private Richard Shortland, Darkie's squad face hardship, horror and vicious combat at every turn, as their Captain's mania threatens to engulf them all. But what is Darkie's terrible secret, and how many will have to die before his bloodlust is finally sated? Acclaimed writer John Wagner ("A History of Violence") and legendary British artist Mike Western ("The Sarge") present the most uncompromising war comic ever published!
Modesty Blaise: The Double Agent by Peter O'Donnell & Neville Colvin.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848566743, 22 April 2011, 104pp.
The dark underworld of espionage and crime is lit up by the gorgeous Modesty Blaise — high priestess of pulp crime. This latest volume features the classic stories The Wild Boar, Kali’s Disciples and The Double Agent — in which the head of French intelligence is kidnapped; Modesty and Willie face a dangerous cult; and Modesty’s double causes all sorts of mayhem! With introductions and exclusive features that takes the reader behind the scenes on the many aspects of Modesty’s world, this latest stylish collection is absolutely essential.
Slaine: The Lord of Misrule by Pat Mills, Greg Staples & Clint Langley.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519857, 14 April 2011, 128pp, £14.99. [£11.24 from Amazon]
Sent on a quest by the earth Goddess to destroy the Blood God, Sláine has now been reborn in the time of the Normans as Robin Goodfellow, King of the Greenwood. First he has to seek out his beloved Niamh (herself reborn as a Christian nun called Marian) and together they must learn the secret name of the beast so that Sláine can destroy it as the Lord of Misrule!
The Thriller Libraries by David Ashford & Steve Holland.
Book Palace Books ISBN 978-1907081057, February 2011, 284pp, £30.00.
This eagerly awaited book is the second in a series of 3 volumes chronicling the full credits of all Fleetway Picture Libraries and contains a complete index of artists and writers for Thriller Picture Library, Cowboy Picture Library and Super Detective Library. Every issue is covered as well as the Robin Hood, Kit Carson and Buck Jones Annuals. Packed with colour illustrations of every cover as well as reproductions of cover and interior original art, by Sep Scott, John Millar Watt, Patrick Nicolle, Alex Raymond, Ron Turner, Derek Eyles, Cecil Doughty, HM Brock, Eric Parker, Carlos Roume, Arturo del Castillo, Jesus Blasco, Ferdinando Tacconi, and many more. Years of research have gone into producing this definitive, luxurious guide to these legendary British comics - truly a collector's treasure. 
Wells Fargo and Pony Express by Kelman Frost & Don Lawrence.
Book Palace Books 978-1907081064, February 2011, 208pp, £25.00. Limited edition of 700 copies.
Wells Fargo and Pony Express … all the exploits of the men driving and protecting the mail stages and their passengers. Wyatt Earp rode shotgun for Wells Fargo in Arizona, Wild Bill Hickok was a coach driver for the Pony Express and even Apache leader Cochise worked as a woodcutter for the Overland Mail.
Wulf the Briton by Ron Embleton.
Book Palace Books ISBN 978-1907081132, February 2011, 352pp, £125.00. Leatherbound hardcover edition limited to 400 copies.
Book Palace Books ISBN 978-1907081149, February 2011, 376pp, £325.00. Leatherbound slipcase edition limited to 100 numbered copies.
Book Palace Books ISBN 978-1907081156, February 2011, 376pp, £350.00. Leatherbound slipcase edition limited to 26 lettered copies.
At last, all of Ron Embleton's Wulf the Briton stories from Express Weekly and the Annuals in large format, gloriously reproduced in colour to the highest standard. Wulf the Briton was without doubt Ron Embleton's comic masterpiece after he took over the strip - which was a single page cover feature on Express Weekly - in 1957. The workload that Embleton undertook with Wulf was formidable. In comparison to Frank Hampson, who had a studio and assistants to help meet the weekly Dan Dare deadlines, Embleton just had himself to draw, letter and paint the feature. However Embleton was unfazed by such considerations and within a few months he was also writing the strip and steering it in a much more historically credible direction, as well as adding an extra page to the strip!

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