Friday, January 27, 2023

Comic Cuts — 27 January 2023


It's too early to describe my efforts to backup my files from the PC to the new laptop as a "saga", but it's starting to feel like it. There's a backup of everything on an external hard drive, but getting it off the drive and onto the laptop is proving to be a bit tricky.

I can see the files on the external hard drive... I can even see from the laptop that the external hard drive has some files on it — almost 300GB of "other files" — but it doesn't recognise them as backed-up data files.

Until the files are copied across, the laptop is unusable except for accessing the internet while I'm in the living room, which I used to do on my tablet. Note the use of the past tense, because on Friday, the tablet stopped working. Fine in the morning, couldn't get it to work after lunch. I'm putting it down to jealousy since I have no idea why this should be the case,and it's as good a reason as any I can come up with. The tablet is jealous of the laptop and is throwing a strop.

This comes in a week were electrical goods have had it in for me. My toothbrush stopped working (stone dead). And our Karcher vacuum stopped working (won't recharge). It's turning into a Winter of Discontent as far as electrical goods are concerned.

All I can say is Thank Dog my PC is still growling away (thanks to the fan that was the start of this need to get a new computer) because it was already past my usual time for doing my tax returns. I'm usually pretty good at doing them in early January, as the deadline is the 31st and sometimes the old HMRC servers can take a little time to register an online tax return.

This year took longer than usual because I did my returns early in 2021 in order to qualify for a grant. So working out my incomings and outgoings for 12 months turned into doing so for 18 months and I spent two days chasing through old emails and bank statements trying to match book sales to payments (Bear Alley Books is work) and exclude Ebay sales (which isn't work, except for a handful of sales which are).

Anyway, I managed not to drown in all the numbers and filled out the form online on Wednesday afternoon, a week ahead of the deadline. I still have some filing to do (bank and pension statements, etc.), but I'm hoping that won't take too long and I can get back to work again.

... that work being 600 odd pages of scans that all need to be straightened, cleaned up and tinkered with. So don't expect much excitement from the next month or two's worth of Comic Cuts columns.

The fruit of my pre-Christmas bibliographical labours has bloomed over on the FictionMags Index. I published an illustrated list at the beginning of the month, but you can now discover what it inside all of them. This was a far bigger undertaking than I originally imagined (so many things are!) and Phil, who runs the site, told me the listings I had sent him (which included a couple of my own fanzines and a couple of other paperback fanzines) added 443 new names to the index, some of which I have put dates to, but I still have quite a way to go before I'll be anywhere near finished.

For those of you interested, here's the list of books. Click through to see what's in them. This link will take you through to a list of my articles and books that are currently indexed on the FM Index — and, no, I haven't counted how many there are. There's also a chronological list.

The book covers I'm using for decoration this week are a couple of titles that I have picked up recently from a public book swap box to be found in the village. I don't often find much, but every now and then something nice will turn up. The Stroud I picked up because I'm looking forward to seeing the new Lockwood & Co. TV series (although this one isn't part of the series). The Christie I nabbed because it's in slightly better condition than the copy I already have. Before anyone starts getting on to me about filling up the house with books again after my pre-Christmas efforts to slim down the collection, I will just say that I've sent out another box of books this week, so the house is 37 more books emptier... 35 now, but that's still on the debit side.

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Rebellion Releases — 25 January 2023


The latest collection of the classic British comic book anti-hero is out now, with a thrilling story of noir espionage!

Louis Crandell was a lowly lab technician who, through a bizarre accident, has the power to turn his body invisible – except for his steel prosthetic hand! He is now The Steel Claw, sometime crook, other times hero, but always one of British comics’ most popular characters!

In this new collection from Super Picture Library from the late 1960s, Crandell is assigned by the chief of the Shadow Squad to protect the four most important nuclear scientists as they meet for a secret conference. The assignment goes badly wrong, as the scientists are frozen solid, and their assassin chooses death over arrest The Steel Claw must redeem his reputation and find out who ordered the assassination.

This cold war thriller is pure sixties spy adventure, written by Tom Tully (Mean Arena) and drawn in a graphic noir style by Jesús Blasco (Capitán Trueno).

And now, this week's release...


2000AD Prog 2316
Cover: Cliff Robinson / Dylan Teague (cols).

Judge Dredd: The Night Shifter by Ken Niemand (w) Niccolo Assirelli (a) Peter Doherty (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
The Out: Book Three by Dan Abnett (w) Mark Harrison (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Joe Pineapples: Tin Man by Pat Mills (w) Simon Bisley (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Terror Tales: Rites by Honor Vincent (w) Steve Yeowell (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Proteus Vex; Crawlspace by Mike Carroll (w) Jake Lynch (a) Jim Boswell (c) Simon Bowland (l)

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Commando Presents... The Gurkha Files


Commando
Presents… The Gurkha Files — available digitally on Kindle and comiXology from the 25th of January.

Kafar hunu bhanda marnu ramro — “It is better to die than be a coward.” This is the motto of the Gurkhas who fought with the Allies. This collection of four classic Commando issues honours those brave warriors with tales of their valour and unquestionable heroism, focusing on the prowess of these daring fighting men.

Renowned for their bravery and bold fighting, the Gurkhas fought in both World Wars and were an integral part of the Allied victory. Commando, "The Home of Heroes", has featured these proud warriors in numerous stories over the decades. This special edition collects four of the very best, selecting vintage issues from the ‘60s and ‘70s, as well as more modern adventures from the ‘90s and beyond.

Marvel at masterful artwork from celebrated comic legends Ian Kennedy, Phil Gascoine, Manuel Benet, and Gordon C Livingstone, and immerse yourself in gritty stories from veterans like Alan Hemus and Major Eric Hebden as they reel you into the action!

Also included in this digital edition is a cover gallery, featuring the original artwork for each issue.
 
Look out for new Commando Presents digital releases on the final Wednesday of every month, and even more digital releases from Heritage Comics in the coming months!

Friday, January 20, 2023

Comic Cuts — 20 January 2023


I've been talking about getting a new computer for some time while. Well, it's here!

A friend suggested that it might be worth looking at a laptop rather than a PC, which would give me some flexibility and allow me  to move around the house and even outside the house should our internet pack up again. There was talk of docks and monitors... and I'm not so out of touch with the computing world that I don't know what they are. However, my first suggestion of a cheap laptop that I spotted on Amazon was greeted with derision. It would not do the job I want it to do.

The laptops that had the oomph to run everything I need it to were priced in the region of £1,200-1,500, so it looked like I was going to have to give the idea a hard pass. My budget wouldn't stretch that far — it's only thanks to having had regular work for the past year that I can even think of buying a new computer, made necessary by the grinding noises coming from the fan inside my PC, which tells me it isn't going to last forever.

I still hadn't made any decision by the time Black Friday came and went, ditto the Boxing Day sales, and we were into the January sales before I even gave it another thought. This was prompted by another friend who had recently bought a couple of cheap laptops second-hand and fixed them up. He came up with a set of specs that a laptop would need to meet if it were to be any good.

With that information, I was able to find a model that was a fit and one that was being offered barely used for a very good discount. There was even an option to make an offer, which I did... so I now have a laptop valued at around £1,650 that cost me a third of the price.

Since it arrived I have turned it on, linked it to the internet... at which point there was a Windows update to download. I then turned it off. I'm now waiting for heads far smarter than mine to tell me how to move all the stuff off the computer I'm writing this on onto the laptop. If I remember correctly from the last time I did this, it is going to take at least a day, and I might be fiddling with programme updates and drivers for some while, so if I go quiet all of a sudden, don't panic.

Once I know the machine works, I'll start thinking about buying a dock (through which I can connect all my external hard drives) and a new widescreen monitor. If I can get reasonable deals on those, I'm hoping that I can then afford to have my PC looked at and the fan replaced. That'll give me a back-up should I need one.

The other bit of excitement has been completing a huge block of scanning, leaving me with an afternoon's worth before I can switch to the next task of cleaning up the scans that I have. I'm writing this on Thursday morning because I'm hoping that, once I have the scans done, I can then spend Friday doing a back-up of my computer ahead of trying to get the laptop up and running. Belt and braces!

Hopefully I'll have more good news next week.

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Commando 5611-5614


Men riding torpedoes, a doggy war hero, vengeance in Vietnam, and a truce hanging by a thread off of a cliff! All this in Commando issues 5611-5614 are out today, Thursday 19th January, 2023!


5611: Free Strike

In the dense jungles of Vietnam, just after the infamous Tet Offensive, Sergeant Donnie Michaels leads an elite team with their new Kit Carson scout —codename “Monty”. But as they're led into ambush after ambush, tensions are running high, and Donnie doesn't know whom he can trust anymore!
 
This blinding issue is a classic Commando in the making – featuring the oppressive jungle brought to life by Vicente Alcazar alongside a tense, gritty story by R Tate, what more could you want?!

Story | R Tate
Art| Vicente Alcazar
Cover | Mark Harris


5612: Wagger’s War

How about this little chap for a war hero then? Don’t let his looks fool you... this scruffy mongrel had more adventures than most soldiers ever did, and if medals had been given to dogs, he’d have won a whole row of them!

This Commando from 1977 is a firm favourite among fans and it’s easy to see why! CG Walker’s poochie plot is a canine caper and no mistake! With FETCH-ing interiors by Ferreira and Ian Kennedy’s pawesome cover art — this issue will hound you if you miss it!

Story | CG Walker
Art | Ferreira
Cover | Ian Kennedy
Originally Commando No. 1106 (1977).


5613: Operation Precipice

Dick Hammond’s life was hanging by a thread. Above him was Grace Baird, holding on to the sheer face of the cliff for life, and below him was his doom. He would have trusted Grace with his life... if only he hadn’t killed her brother five years before!
Issue 5613 is Mario Morhain’s final Commando issue after he sadly passed away in May, 2022. He was a valued member of Commando, known for his striking interiors. He is sorely missed by all at Commando.

Story | Brent Towns
Art | Morhain
Cover | Neil Roberts


5614: Silent Danger

Out of the murky depths, they came wreaking havoc in Gibraltar harbour, bringing death and destruction to the British Fleet. In silence they appeared... then vanished. They rode on torpedoes, faceless phantoms of the deep!

Issue 5614 is a Commando to be excited about — with a story by Bill Fear featuring underwater knife fights brought to life by legend Gordon C Livingstone, topped off with an Ian Kennedy cover!

Story | Bill Fear
Art | Gordon C Livingstone
Cover | Ian Kennedy
Originally Commando No. 1397 (1980)

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Rebellion Releases — 18 January 2023

Jane Bond, Secret Agent, is the finest spy on Worldpol’s roster. Armed with her wits, her fists, and an array of futuristic tech, she is our last line of defense against a international criminal underworld. From fighting a school of super villainesses, to foiling plans to melt to Artic ice caps, to escaping the clutches of a giant mechanical lobster, there’s no shortage of dangerous missions Jane must undertake for Queen and Country!

This collection of campy espionage adventure from 1960s girls’ comic Princess Tina is lovingly restored to its full glory, and is lavishly illustrated throughout by Mike Hubbard, the artist of iconic Daily Mirror strip Jane.

Available in standard paperback or in a gorgeous webshop exclusive hardcover, these are British comics at their best!

And now, this week's releases...


2000AD Prog 2315
Cover: Neil Roberts.

Judge Dredd: The Night Shifter by Ken Niemand (w) Niccolo Assirelli (a) Peter Doherty (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Joe Pineapples: Tin Man by Pat Mills (w) Simon Bisley (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Hope by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
The Out: Book Three by Dan Abnett (w) Mark Harrison (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Proteus Vex; Crawlspace by Mike Carroll (w) Jake Lynch (a) Jim Boswell (c) Simon Bowland (l)


Judge Dredd Megazine 452
Cover: Laurence Campbell / Quinton Winter (cols).

Judge Dredd: One-Eyed Jacks by Ken Niemand (w) Ian Richardson (a) Quinton Winter (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Storm Warning: Dead & Gone by John Reppion (w) Clint Langley (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Dark Judges: Death Metal Planet by David Hine (w) Nick Percival (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Devlin Waugh: Karma Police by Aleš Kot (w) Rob Richardson (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Judge Dredd: Year One by Matt Smith (w) Simon Coleby (a) Leonard O'Grady (c) Chris Mowry (l)
Judge Dredd - Mega-City Two: City of Courts by Douglas Wolk (w) Ulises Farinas (a) Ryan Hill (c) Tom B. Long (l)
One-Eyed Jack by John Wagner (w) John Cooper (a)
Surfer: Book Two by John Wagner (w) Colin MacNeil (a) Chris Blythe (c) Simon Bowland (l)
Features: A Very British Affair, Chris Standley interview, Mike Western retrospective.


The Complete Halo Jones Full Colour Omnibus by Alan Moore & Ian Gibson
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618770-3, 17 January 2023, 240pp, £39.99 / $69.99. Available via Amazon.

The ultimate edition of Alan Moore and Ian Gibson's feminist space opera! Halo Jones is bored. Trapped in The Hoop, a futuristic world where jobs are scarce and excitement non-existent, Halo sets out to see the galaxy any way she can and to rewrite her destiny. From drudge work on a glamorous cruise liner, to serving in a brutal war zone, Halo experiences love and loss and she grows up into the woman who will change the course of the galaxy's history. Radical and revolutionary, Rebellion is proud to present Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta) and Ian Gibson’s (Star Wars: Boba Fett Adventures) ground-breaking feminist space opera and science fiction classic in a full colour omnibus for the first time. A cultural icon and a high mark for British science fiction, this timeless tale of one woman’s endurance amidst a sea of dead-end and deadly jobs remains one of Alan Moore’s most beloved sagas. Restored and lovingly coloured by Barbara Nosenzo, and featuring a new introduction and bonus content, The Ballad of Halo Jones remains essential reading.


The Steel Claw: The Cold Trail by Tom Tully & Jesus Blasco
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618659-1, 19 January 2023, 128pp, £16.99. Available via Amazon.

The Steel Claw, Louis Crandell, is assigned by the chief of the Shadow Squad to protect the four most important nuclear scientists as they meet for a secret conference. The assignment goes badly wrong, as the scientists are frozen solid, and their assassin chooses death over arrest, The Steel Claw must redeem his reputation and find out who ordered the assassination. This cold war thriller is pure sixties spy adventure story drawn in a graphic noir style by Jesus Blasco.

Friday, January 13, 2023

Comic Cuts — 13 January 2023


I have been wondering over the past couple of weeks whether I should set up a Substack account to publish material to. I'm not necessarily looking at the subscription side of it, although that would be worth looking at in the future, but as a way to publish content that people can receive by e-mail. I only subscribe to one Substack (Pat Mills) and it strikes me as an easy way to get things like the weekly Comic Cuts column out to people.

We shall see. I have been on Blogger for 16 years and have never quite understood how the information gets out to readers. Take this week, for example: the most popular post for the last seven days is one about Bruce Cornwell, which received one hit on Sunday, followed by 169 hits on Monday and nothing since. I'm guessing somebody posted a link somewhere. The Comic Cuts column, meanwhile, received 125 hits. Not bad, as long as it isn't all robots parsing the post for Google, Bing and other search engines.

Over its lifetime, Bear Alley has had 5.7 million hits, the most popular post clocking in at 37,900. The most popular author is Norah Burke (6,600 hits) and the above obituary of Bruce Cornwell has been viewed 5,300 times. I have 118 followers!

I revisit my cover galleries regularly when I stumble across additional covers. I added one to the Alfred Bester Cover Gallery yesterday and a photo of Eardly Beswick earlier in the week. But nobody would know if I hadn't just mentioned it. Perhaps setting up a Substack will encourage me into updating some of these old posts and getting them out to readers again. Putting together my book list (published a few days ago) made me realise that I have tons of published stuff that people will never have seen. I have also been turning up quite a lot of unpublished stuff. For instance, when I did the introductions for the Karl the Viking books, I also wrote a history of Vikings that, because the pagination was changed at the last minute, had to be dropped. I have the first few essays for another Forgotten Authors book, biographical sketches written over the years for various projects, lists of old paperback publishers and partial indexes to various comics that won't see the light of day until I can fill the gaps — but, even incomplete, they're still going to be useful.

Somewhere on the computer are partly finished books about Action, Valiant, 'Pirate' publishers, drafts of interviews... I have transcripts of interviews I did back in the days of Comic World and PBO, even some surviving audio from interviews. I'd love to get this out somehow.

(You can tell I'm in a "sorting stuff out" mood at the moment!)

I shall ponder on all of this while I'm scanning more pages next week. I have done a few hundred over the past week, working on the principal that while I have a comic on the scanner, I may as well scan other strips that I'm going to need during the next few months or maybe later. I think I now have the necessary scans for two of the books I'm working on, and I'll be completing the third next week, hopefully. At that point I might stop scanning and start cleaning up and restoring some of the scans I already have.

... which seems to be a good point to bring this to a close and get back to the scanning.

(The pics are some of the covers that have recently been added to various cover galleries.)

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Rebellion Releases — 11 January 2023


The first collection of 2000 AD‘s new sword-and-sorcery hit series º from the minds of Dan Abnett (Warhammer) and Richard Elson (Thor) – is out now!

It is five years after the Last-of-All-War, when the Monarchy succeeded in defeating the Malign Lord. With their leader dead, his minions are scattered, fleeing retribution from the Wretchfinders. Necromancer Bode and warrior Wrath are two such beings, and were offered a deal — hunt and kill their own kind or be declared FERAL & FOE.

This brand new fantasy series, which brings back together the creators on the hit 2000 AD series Kingdom, is a must read for fans of Lord of the Rings and Games of Thrones, and players of the legendary Dungeons & Dragons!

And now, this week's release...

2000AD Prog 2314
Cover: Mark Harrison.

In this issue:
Judge Dredd: The Night Shifter episode 2
by Ken Niemand (w) Niccolo Assirelli (a) Peter Doherty (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Joe Pineapples: Tin Man episode 3 by Pat Mills (w) Clint Langley (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
The Out: Book Three episode 3 by Dan Abnett (w) Mark Harrison (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Hope: ...In the Shadows Reel Two episode 11 by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Proteus Vex; Crawlspace episode 3 by Mike Carroll (w) Jake Lynch (a) Jim Boswell (c) Simon Bowland (l)

Friday, January 06, 2023

Comic Cuts — 6 January 2023


The first post for a new year ought to be momentous, but this will be more self-indulgent than anything else.

I spent a couple of weeks on the run up to Christmas trying to compile a list of all the books I had been involved in, which you can see some of the results of in the cover gallery that appeared on New Year's Day. The list I compiled was actually far more detailed, and the listed contents will hopefully be appearing on the FictionMags Index at some point.

A lot of what I have written is long gone and forgotten – a lot of it rightfully so – but most of it I'm still quite proud of. I'm constantly tinkering with old features here in Bear Alley as they're on public display, but older articles I tend to overhaul thoroughly when I get a chance to update something with new information.

Probably the most revamped piece has been about journalist and crime writer Dail Ambler, who has become something of an obsession. I first wrote about her in "The Lady Holds a Gun" in 1994 for the fanzine Pseuds Corner, a piece I revised for an appearance in Crime Time in 1997. I revised the article again when I reprinted all my Crime Time pieces in a very short print-run collection Mean Streetmaps (2011), which was something of an experiment at publishing a hardback in the early days of Bear Alley Books.

I was planning  to publish the collection through Create Space on Amazon, but ran into some problems with getting the contents published how I wanted them. Instead, I published some of the articles individually as e-books in 2013. I took down the e-book version of "The Lady Holds a Gun" when I revised it once again for an appearance in Forgotten Authors Vol.1 (2017).

The latest version is almost unrecognisable from the original piece written 23 years earlier, but you can follow the evolution of the article through its five appearances. The bibliography of her novels has expanded from 51 to 82 and added a number of teleplays and screenplays.

The first appearance was in a fanzine I produced in 1994 about pseudonyms and house names. There have been a great many books that list pen-names, but there was one that particularly bugged me because it misrepresented information from one of my bibliographies and attached my name to batshit falsehoods like American horror writer Seabury Quinn being the author of British gangster novels that appeared under the name Hans Lugar.

One of the biggest problems was that every time researchers tried to correct something and have it removed from circulation, someone would come along and simply take all the old pseudonyms books and reinsert the wrong information into their book — size trumping accuracy every time. Pseuds Corner involved trying to find credible sources for information and to point out wrong information rather than just dropping an entry.

Anger propelled me through four issues between January and November 1994, but changes at work—the launch of a new magazine for which I was managing editor—meant that I simply didn't have time to continue. A few months later I took over the newsletter of the British Association of Paperback Collectors (BAPC) and launched PBO, which I managed to keep going for three years and nine issues, some of them quite substantial.

I spent a couple of days during the week between Christmas and New Year indexing those two titles, and as I have been trying to tidy my shelves ahead of moving my desk out of the office and into the living room, I have managed to index a few other minor mags. relating to paperback collecting.


I'm back at work, now. Scanning is the order of the day as I begin work on the next batch of books for Dolmen. When you're scanning on what might be considered an industrial scale (!), it can get a bit boring, and I have found myself wandering off onto the internet rather too regularly. I think I've figured out a good way to help me from growing bored: it involves a tablet, some speakers and youtube videos of concerts, which I can stream as I work. On Wednesday, I watched the last performance of Genesis at the O2 Arena on 26 March 2022 and a Deep Purple concert also at the O2 on 22 October with Simon McBride replacing Steve Morse.

(It was rather sad to see Phil Collins so unwell, having to be helped onto the stage and singing while seated, but I'm glad the band have been able to retire on their own terms, rather than through the death of a member. I'm also glad that the concert was available on Youtube, as I'm sorry to say that I don't think it was strong enough to merit a DVD or BluRay release.)

Watching a concert on a tablet isn't exactly like being in the venue, but it's a great way to hold my attention while I'm scanning. Next up... The Scorpions, The Prodigy and Iron Maiden!

Thursday, January 05, 2023

Commando 5607-5610


Fleet Air Arm feuds, sulking Superfortress pilots, spooky spectres and sneaky sailors all abound in this set of Commandos — out today!


5607: Combat Air Patrol

Tony Heywood is a talented pilot in the Fleet Air Arm with a feisty attitude — just what his team needs in their air battles against the Japanese. But when observer Bill Downey bails out after Heywood’s heroics get them shot down, Walrus skipper Roddy Baxter fails to pick him up before he runs out of fuel. As Heywood blames Baxter for his friend’s unfortunate death, the pair find themselves fated to work together against Japan’s most deadly special attack force.

This stellar issue marks Esteve Polls’ first of many Commandos. Having worked on several prestigious titles from Edifumetti, Planet, Marvel France to Disney Europe, as well as ‘Mega City Noir’ (2004) for Judge Dredd Magazine, Commando proudly welcomes Polls to the ranks.

Story | Steve Taylor
Art| Esteve Polls
Cover | Keith Burns


5608: Superfort

The B-29 Superfortress was the heaviest aircraft of the Second World War. It was designed for high-altitude bombing and it carried a crew of a dozen men. So what the heck was this one doing dodging around over an enemy airfield at zero feet with only a couple of blokes on board? Well, this wasn’t just any old B-29, this was ‘China Rose’ herself!

Selected by special request from Commando fans, it’s easy to see why this is a readers’ favourite from the ages. A terrifically gritty story quintessential of Alan Hebden, with crisp interiors from Maidagan and an striking cover from John Rideway, this is not a Commando to be missed!

Story | Alan Hebden
Art | Maidagan
Cover | John Ridgeway
Originally Commando No. 1033 (1976).


5609: Finnegan’s Ghost
Sergeant Michael Finnegan was a veteran of the desert war, he and his crew forged in the flames of the scorching sun. But on D-Day +7, his life was shattered as his crew was ruthlessly gunned down by an enemy Panzer while climbing out of their disabled Sherman Firefly tank.
And yet… whispers spread about a ghost wandering the battlefield, as time and time again Finnegan was spotted, hellbent on revenge, searching for the tank that had killed him!

A supernatural story from Brent Towns — or is it? The mystery of Sergeant Michael Finnegan comes to life in Jaume Forn’s artwork and Neil Roberts eerie cover.

Story | Brent Towns
Art | Jaume Forns
Cover | Neil Roberts


5610: Into the Attack
Commanded by Lieutenant Terry Horton, the sleek motor torpedo boat sped into the attack, guns blazing and torpedoes ready to launch at the German convoy ahead.
But he didn’t just have the enemy to contend with, for in this crack flotilla there was another skipper who was doing his best to blacken Terry’s name — and if he didn’t do something about it his career would soon be over!

More stunning artwork from Gordon C Livingstone, and who else on naval cover duty but the maritime master, Jeff Bevan, all contributing to RA Montague’s classic Silver Age story.

Story | RA Montague
Art | Gordon C Livingstone
Cover | Jeff Bevan
Originally Commando No. 1549 (1981)

Wednesday, January 04, 2023

Rebellion Releases — 4 January 2023


Writer Garth Ennis is penning a new story for 2000 AD featuring the classic genetic infantryman, Rogue Trooper.

The acclaimed co-creator of Preacher and The Boys returns to the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic with ‘Blighty Valley’, a brand new story with art by Judge Dredd and Sniper Elite artist, Patrick Goddard.

It follows Ennis’ return to British comics with the one-off revival of comedy strip Bonjo From Beyond The Stars in 2000 AD’s Christmas issue, which featured the last comics work by the late great Kevin O’Neill, and his scripts for Battle Action, the bestselling hardcover anthology reviving classic comics war series from the 1970s.

The new 13-episode story begins in 2000 AD Prog 2326, which will be on sale on 5 April in the UK – through newsagents, comic book stores, and the 2000 AD webshop and app – and in North America through Diamond Distribution in July.

Created by writer Gerry Finley-Day and artist Dave Gibbons, and debuting in 2000 AD in 1981, Rogue Trooper is the last of the G.I.s – Genetically-engineered Infantry designed to survive the poisoned and war-torn world of Nu Earth. Betrayed by his own side, he is a lone warrior stalking these blasted lands in search of the notorious Traitor General,  accompanied by his dead comrades- their personalities encoded on ‘bio chips’ and inserted into his equipment.

In this new tale, Night’s Horizon is the period two weeks out of every year when Nu Earth’s orbit carries it closest to the black hole. The Norts call it Zvartchvintern; the first settlers knew it as Lightfall. Things have a reputation for going a little… screwy around this time. Now, Rogue Trooper is about to experience those effects first-hand…

Garth Ennis said: ‘For me Rogue Trooper is as vital a part of classic 2000 AD as Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, Robo-Hunter, Nemesis the Warlock, or Sláine, and I well remember wandering the wastes of Nu Earth with Rogue and the bio-chips on their hunt for the Traitor General. The stories that instantly come to mind are ‘All Hell on the Dix-I Front’, ‘Fort Neuro’, ‘Eye of the Traitor’, ‘You Only Die Twice’ and ‘To The Ends Of Nu Earth’ – I hope ‘Blighty Valley’ will prove a worthy successor to such unadulterated gems.’

Matt Smith, editor of 2000 AD said:‘Garth Ennis has written classic 2000 AD characters before, but this is the first time he’s scripted Rogue Trooper. As you’d expect from someone steeped in war comics, his take on the G.I. is powerful, thrilling and explosive. With Patrick Goddard providing the stunning visuals, this a dramatic, unmissable addition to the Nu Earth saga.’

Rogue Trooper is the subject of the forthcoming movie by Duncan Jones, the critically-lauded director of Moon, Source Code, Warcraft and Mute write, in a joint venture between Liberty Films and Rebellion, the Oxford-based games publishers and owners of 2000 AD.

And now, this week's releases...


2000AD Prog 2313
Cover: Simon Bisley.

In this issue:
Judge Dredd: The Night Shifter
 by Ken Niemand (w) Niccolo Assirelli (a) Peter Doherty (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
The Out: Book Three by Dan Abnett (w) Mark Harrison (a) Simon Bowland (l)
Joe Pineapples: Tin Man by Pat Mills (w) Simon Bisley (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
Hope by Guy Adams (w) Jimmy Broxton (a) Jim Campbell (l)
Proteus Vex; Crawlspace by Mike Carroll (w) Jake Lynch (a) Jim Boswell (c) Simon Bowland (l)


Feral & Foe by Dan Abnett & Richard Elson
Rebellion ISBN 978-178618773-4, 3 January 2023, 144pp, £16.99 / $25.00. Available via Amazon.

2000 AD's new sword-and-sorcery hit series from the minds of Dan Abnett (Warhammer) and Richard Elson (Thor)!
     It is five years after the Last-of-All-War, when the Monarchy succeeded in defeating the Malign Lord. With their leader dead, his minions are scattered, fleeing retribution from the Wretchfinders. Necromancer Bode and warrior Wrath are two such beings, and were offered a deal — hunt and kill their own kind or be declared FERAL & FOE.
     This brand new fantasy series, which brings back together the creators on the hit 2000 AD series Kingdom, is a must read for fans of Lord of the Rings and Games of Thrones, and players of the legendary Dungeons & Dragons!

Sunday, January 01, 2023

Steve Holland Cover Gallery

Putting this together has been a bit of a nightmare, partly chronicled in my weekly Comic Cuts columns. It marks the 40th anniversary of my first solo article in print, 'The Paperback Connection', which appeared in the January 1983 issue of the Association of Comics Enthusiasts newsletter, also known as Comic Cuts, edited by Denis Gifford. The first book I was involved in was Vultures of the Void, for which I hammered out the second, 37,000-word draft in three days in April 1983. A publisher then sat on it for years before deciding not to publish, and a second publisher sat on it for years before actually getting around to publishing it.

Meanwhile, I was putting out what are commonly called chapbooks – slim little volumes of under 40 or 50 pages. A lot were photocopied checklists and indexes with even fewer pages were published during the 1980s. These began to grow more substantial as I began putting together various comics indexes in the early 1990s. I should note that these have been published in various formats (A4 and A5) with black & white or colour covers (or colour dustjackets) over the years, none of which I was ever sent copies of.

I'm missing one of the covers for a photocopied list that has yet to turn up since our move in 2010. I'll find it eventually. Otherwise, I think this is a pretty complete gathering of all the books I have been involved in beyond simply writing an introduction. That would add another 23 books to the list. I was associate editor on The Comic Book Price Guide for Great Britain (8 vols., 1989-97), was editor on six books for Pocket Essentials (2001-02), and I have supplied scanned art for maybe another 11 books published in Spain and Italy.

Good luck finding some of these, if you want to be a completist! And, before you ask, yes, I am planning to write some more.


Scion and Dragon Books 1949-1956 by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, September 1984, £1, 14pp)


Modern Fiction 1945-1958 by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, December 1984, 85p, 8pp)


Curtis Warren and Grant Hughes by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, May 1985, £1, 16pp)


John Spencer and Badger Books 1948-1967 by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, September 1985, £1, 22pp)


Miscellanea II: Minor Publishers 1947-1960 (Part One) by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, January 1986, £1.75, 26pp)


Gaywood Press, Compact Books and Hank Janson Publishers by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, February 1986, £1.25, 18pp)


Piccadilly Novels by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, February 1986, 85p, 8pp)


Digit Books 1956-1966 by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, July 1986, £2, 28pp)


Brown Watson by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, July 1986, £1, 8pp)


R & L Locker / Harborough Publishing Co Ltd / Archer Press (1944-1954)
by Stephen Holland (Scunthorpe, R. Williams, September 1986, £1, 9pp)


Viking / WDL / Consul 1949-1966 by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, Dragonby Press, June 1987, £2, 36pp)


Fantasy Fanzine Index Volume 1 edited by Steve Holland (London, British Fantasy Society, August 1987, 36pp, cover by Craig Forrester)


Hamilton & Panther Books 1945-1956 by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, Dragonby Press, November 1987, £1.50, 18pp)


The Sexton Blake Library (Third and Fifth Series) by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, Dragonby Press, February 1988, £1.50, 18pp)


The Gramol Group 1932-1937 by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, Dragonby Press, January 1990, £2, 20pp)


Paul Renin, A Bibliographical Checklist by Stephen Holland and Richard Williams (Scunthorpe, Dragonby Press, January 1990)


The Mike Western Story edited by Steve Holland (Chelmsford, S. Holland, December 1990, 28pp, cover montage)


Thriller Comics Library: An Illustrated Guide Vol.1 by David Ashford and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, April 1991, 96pp, cover design by Ali Cottee)


The Trials of Hank Janson by Steve Holland (Richmond, Kentucky, Books Are Everything, June 1991, $9.95, 56pp)


The 1st UK Paperback and Pulp Bookfair Official Souvenir Booklet edited by Steve Holland (Westbury, Wiltshire, Zeon Books, September 1991, £3, 54pp, pb)


Thriller Comics Library: An Illustrated Guide Vol.2 by David Ashford and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, October 1991,79pp, cover design by Ali Cottee, based on James McConnell)


Thriller Comics Library: An Illustrated Guide Vol.3 by David Ashford and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, January 1992,84pp, cover design by Ali Cottee, based on James McConnell)


Thriller Comics Library: An Illustrated Guide [Omnibus] by David Ashford and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, February 1992, 245pp, cover design by Steve Holland)


The Fleetway Companion by Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, February 1992, 385pp, cover design by Steve Holland)


The Comet Collectors Guide by Steve Holland and David Ashford (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, March 1992, 170pp, cover by Geoff Campion)


Super Detective Library: An Illustrated Guide by David Ashford and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, August 1992, 131pp, cover by Reginald Heade)
----, 2nd ed., August 1998, 36pp, cover by Reginald Heade)


The Sun Collectors Guide by Steve Holland and David Ashford (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, August 1992, 159pp, cover by Geoff Campion)


The Mike Western Story [revised edition] edited by Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, September 1992, 35pp, cover by Mike Western)


Vultures of the Void, A History of British Science Fiction, 1946-1956 by Philip Harbottle and Stephen Holland (San Bernard, California, The Borgo Press, December 1992, 128pp, hc, cover by Ron Turner)
----, 2nd ed, September 1994.


The Power Pack, An Index of the Power Comics by Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, March 1993, 154pp, cover by Leo Baxendale)


Cowboy Comics Library, An Illustrated Guide by David Ashford and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, May 1993, 252pp)


The Mushroom Jungle, A History of Postwar Paperback Publishing by Steve Holland (Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire, Zeon Books, October 1993, £14.95, 195pp, pb, cover by F.T.)


British Science Fiction Paperbacks and Magazines, 1949-1956, An Annotated Bibliography and Guide by Philip Harbottle and Stephen Holland (San Bernard, California, The Borgo Press, September 1994, 232pp, pb, cover design by Highpoint Type & Graphics)
----, revised and corrected edition, February 1996.


The Case of the Perplexing Pen-Names by Steve Holland (Benfleet, Essex, CADS, October 1994, 56pp, pb)


Fatal Distractions edited by Steve Holland, Paul Cook and Melissa Hyland (Tiptree, Essex, Animace, October 1994. 20pp, cover by Adam Warren/Steve Rushbrook)


Valiant: The Complete Index by Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, December 1994, 162pp)


An Index to Mellifont Press by Steve Holland (Leeds, Galactic Central, March 1995, £4, 76pp)


The Complete Lion Index by Steve Holland and Gary Armitage (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, June 1995, 223pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Buster Index by Ray Moore and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, February 1996, 208pp, cover montage)


Badger Tracks: Exploring the Publications of John Spencer & Co. by Steve Holland (Colchester, Essex, Underworld Studios, October 1997, free, 102pp, cover by Henry Fox)


Knockout Comic: An Illustrated Guide by David Ashford, John Allen-Clark and Steve Holland (Colne, Lancashire, A. & B. Whitworth, December 1997, 112pp, cover design by Bryan Whitworth)
----, 2nd edition, (date?), 112pp, cover design by Bryan Whitworth


Science Fiction: Box-Office Hits by Peter Taylor (Colchester, Essex, M.S. Publications, May 2000, 94pp, cover: movie still)


Cult TV by Alex Stewart, edited by Steve Holland (Colchester, Essex, M.S. Publications, June 2000, 94pp, cover: TV still)
Contributions by Alex Stewart, Patrick Lawford, Melissa Hyland, Steve Holland.


Horror: Box-Office Hits by Michelle Le Blanc & Colin Odell, edited by Steve Holland (Colchester, Essex, M.S. Publications, July 2000, 94pp, cover: movie still)


Fantasy Box-Office Hits edited by Peter Taylor (Colchester, Essex, M.S. Publications, August 2000, 94pp, cover: movie still)
Contributions by Ellen Cheshire, Jim Francis, Michelle Le Blanc, Colin Odell, Peter Taylor.


Dixon Hawke – Detective: An Index to Dixon Hawke Library & The Dixon Hawke Casebook by Steve Holland (Watford, Norman Wright, May 2001, £4, 32pp)


G. H. Teed (1886-1938): A Life of Adventure. A biography and bibliography by Steve Holland (Watford, Norman Wright, November 2001, £5, 44pp, cover photo)


Zenith: Prince of Chaos. The story of Anthony Skene (George Norman Philips) and his creation Zenith the Albino by Steve Holland (Watford, Norman Wright, September 2002, £3.50, 22pp, cover by Eric Parker)


The Trials of Hank Janson by Steve Holland (London, Telos Publications, May 2004 [April 2004], £12.99, 344pp, cover by Reginald Heade)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 1] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, May 2004, 110pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 2] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, May 2004, 102pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Gwyn Evans (1898-1938). A biography and bibliography by Steve Holland (Watford, Norman Wright, June 2004, 45pp, cover photo)


When Dames Get Tough, with Scarred Faces & other rarities
by Hank Janson, edited by Steve Holland (London, Telos Publications, 29 July 2004, 244pp, cover by Reginald Heade)


The Trigan Empire: The Prisoner Of Zerss edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, August 2004, 98pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 3] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, September 2004, 110pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Don Lawrence—The Legacy: Book 1—Storm edited by Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2004, 78pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Sun-Worshippers edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, February 2005, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The House of the Five Moons edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, June 2005, 94pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 4] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, June 2005, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Curse of King Yutta edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, December 2005, 98pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 5] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, February 2006, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Three Princes
edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, May 2006, 98pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Don Lawrence—The Legacy: Book 2—Women edited by Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, June 2006, 78pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Look and Learn. A History of the Classic Children's Magazine by Steve Holland [published online, 14 Jul 2006] Available in PDF format: https://www.lookandlearn.com/history/Look-and-Learn-History.pdf


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Rallu Invasion edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, Aug 2006, 82pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Pandarve: The Worlds of Don Lawrence edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, Sep 2006, 50pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Reign of Thara edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, November 2006, 98pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: Revolution in Zabriz edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, March 2007, 122pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 6] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, April 2007, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 7] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, April 2007, 112pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Fleetway Picture Libraries Vol.1: The War Libraries by Steve Holland and David A. Roach. London, Book Palace Books, August 2007, £19.99, 194pp, cover montage)


La Leggenda di Beowulf by Franco Caprioli. (Italy, Reggio Emilia, ANAFI, September 2007, 12pp, cover by Franco Caprioli)


Unleash Hell: War Picture Library Collection No.1 edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion,  3 September 2007, £14.99, 776pp)


Death or Glory: Battle Picture Library Collection No.1 edited by Steve Holland London, Prion, 3 September 2007 [November 2007], £14.99, 776pp, cover by Alessandro Biffignandi)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Puppet Emperor edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, November 2007, 114pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Frank Bellamy's Robin Hood: The Complete Adventures edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace, March 2008, £14.99, 143pp, cover by Frank Bellamy)


The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire: The Red Death edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, April 2008, 114pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Against All Odds: War Picture Library Collection No.2 edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 4 August 2008, £15.99, 776pp)


The Best of Boyfriend edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 1 September 2008, £14.99, 144pp, cover by Gwen Tourret)


Love on Ward B: Hospital Nurse Picture Library edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 1 September 2008, £12.99, 400pp, cover by Castro)


Frank Bellamy’s King Arthur and His Knights: The Complete Adventure edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace, September 2008, £14.99, 113pp, cover by Frank Bellamy)


Let ‘Em Have It!: Battle Picture Library Collection No.2 edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 6 October 2008, £15.99, 776pp)


Rick Random—Space Detective edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 6 October 2008. £14.99, 656pp, cover by John Ridgway)


High Noon. Wild West Picture Library edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 6 October 2008, £14.99, 654pp)


Karl the Viking Volume 1: The Sword of Eingar edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2008, 130pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Karl the Viking Volume 2: The Powers of Helvud edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2008, 130pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Karl the Viking Volume 3: Island of the Monsters edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2008, 130pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Karl the Viking Volume 4: The Quest of the Long Ships edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2008, 130pp, cover by Don Lawrence & Jorg de Vos)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 8] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2008, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 9] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2008, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Trigan Empire: The Invaders from Gallas edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, January 2009, 130pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Trigan Empire: The Green Smog edited by Rob van Bavel and Steve Holland (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, January 2009, 89pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Sci-Fi Art: A Graphic History
, with others. Lewes, E. Sussex, Ilex, January 2009, £17.99, 192pp, pb, cover by Vincent Di Fate)
----, New York, Collins Design, March 2009, $24.95)


Up and At ‘Em: War Picture Library Collection No.3 edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 6 April 2009)


Aces High: Air Ace Picture Library No.1 edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 11 June 2009, £15.99, 655pp, cover by Graham Coton)


Frank Bellamy’s The Story of World War 1 edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace, February 2010, 107pp, cover by Frank Bellamy)


Frank Bellamy’s Complete Swift Stories edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace, February 2010, 305pp)


Wings of Death: Air Ace Picture Library Six of the Best edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 1 April 2010, £9.99, 400pp)


No Surrender! War Picture Library Six of the Best edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 1 April 2010, £9.99, 400pp, cover by Oliver Frey)


Hit the Dirt! Battle Picture Library Six of the Best edited by Steve Holland (London, Prion, 1 April 2010, £9.99, 400pp)


500 Essential Cult Books
by Gina McKinnon with Steve Holland (Lewes, E. Sussex, Ilex, 7 June 2010, £14.99, 383pp, pb, cover montage)
----, (Sterling Publishing Co., 3 August 2010, $17.95, 383pp, pb, cover montage)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 10] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, August 2010, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 11] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, August 2010, 106pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Storm—The Collection [Volume 12] edited by Rob van Bavel, Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, August 2010, 82pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Hurricane and Champion: The companion papers to Valiant by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 21 March 2011, 47pp, pb, cover by Alessandro Biffignandi).


Sci-Fi Art: A Pocket History by Steve Holland (Lewes, E. Sussex, Ilex, 28 March 2011, £12.99, 144pp, pb, cover by Vincent Di Fate)


Mean Streetmaps by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 30 March 2011, £22.99, 239pp, hc, cover by Reginald Heade)


The Don Lawrence Westerns: Wells Fargo & Pony Express edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace, April 2011, £25, 205pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


The Fleetway Picture Libraries Vol.2: The Thriller Libraries by David Ashford and Steve Holland (London, Book Palace Books, April 2011, £30, 280pp, cover montage)


Eagles Over the Western Front Volume 1 edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 12 May 2011, £9.99, 79pp, cover by Graham Coton)


Eagles Over the Western Front Volume 2 edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 7 June 2011, £9.99, 83pp, cover by Wilf Hardy)


Eagles Over the Western Front Volume 3 edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 25 July 2011, £9.99, 84pp, cover by Wilf Hardy)


Pages from History Illustrated by C. L. Doughty edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 6 February 2012, 175pp, cover by C. L. Doughty)


Gwyn Evans: The Lunatic, The Lover and the Poet by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 13 April 2012, £12.99, 91pp, pb, cover by H. G. Wolfe)


Peter Jackson’s London Is Stranger Than Fiction edited by Steve Holland (London, Look and Learn, 4 July 2012, £14.99, 92pp, cover by Peter Jackson)


Not Forgotten: Biographical sketches of creators of British comics who passed away in 2009-10 by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 1 October 2012, £12.99, 97pp, pb, cover by Martin Baines)


Lion King of Picture Story Papers by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 18 January 2013, £25.99, 261pp, pb, cover by Ron Forbes)


Treasure Island edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 15 March 2013, £9.99, 43pp, cover by John Millar Watt)


King Solomon’s Mines edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 15 March 2013, £9.99, 43pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines, Allan Quatermain, Montezuma’s Daughter edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace Books, March 2013)


Ranger: The national boys’ magazine by Steve Holland and David Slinn (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 15 April 2013, £15.99, 161pp, pb, cover by Ferdinando Tacconi)


Boys’ World: Ticket to Adventure by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 9 September 2013, £19.99, 207pp, pb, cover by Neville Dear)


Don Lawrence—The Legacy: Book 3—Boundaries edited by Steve Holland and Meerten Welleman (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, October 2013, 78pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Worlds of Adventure edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 15 November 2013, £23.99, 90pp, cover by Gino D’Antonio)


The Man Who Searched For Fear edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 31 January 2014, £15.99, 147pp, cover designed by Steve Holland)


The Complete Captain Future edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 8 May 2014 [April 2014], £19.99, 197pp, cover by Norman Light)


Arena edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 6 October 2014, 139pp, cover by Enrique Alcatena & Martin Baines)


Countdown to TV Action by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 4 July 2014, £19.99, 201pp, pb, cover design by Steve Holland)


Frontline UK edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 8 December 2014, 126pp, cover design by Steve Holland)


Sparkle the Brain by Romano Molenaar, edited by Steve Holland and Mike O’Doherty (Oosterhout, Don Lawrence Collection, 15 April 2015, 286pp, cover by Romano Molenaar)


“Iron Mask”: The story of Harry Bensley’s “Walking Round the World” hoax by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 24 May 2016, £7.99. 44pp, pb, cover photo)
----, revised and expanded (Wivenhoe, Bear Alley Books, 22 August 2018, 68pp, £6.95, pb, cover photo)


The Men Behind The Flying Saucer Review by Steve Holland and Roger Perry (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 25 July 2017, £5.99, 50pp, pb, cover by Steve Holland)


Forgotten Authors Volume 1 by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 8 December 2017, £8.99, 218pp, pb, cover by Steve Holland)


Forgotten Authors Volume 2 by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 2 February 2018, £8.99, 236pp, pb, cover by Steve Holland)


Forgotten Authors Volume 3 by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 7 April 2018, £8.99, 249pp, pb, cover by Steve Holland)


The Three Musketeers: The Complete Adventures edited by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace Books, 30 April 2018)


Don Lawrence: A Scrapbook of Strip and Illustration by Steve Holland (London, Book Palace Books, June 2018, £25, 143pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Forgotten Authors Volume 4 by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 3 December 2018, £8.99, 252pp, pb, cover by Steve Holland)


Rocket: The First Space-Age Weekly by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 13 April 2020, £9.99, 83pp, pb, cover by Basil Blackaller)


Hurricane and Champion: The companion papers to Valiant [Expanded edition] by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 13 April 2020. £8.99, 59pp, pb, cover by Jordi Penalva)


Eagles Over the Western Front [Omnibus edition] edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Bear Alley Books, 13 April 2020, 243pp, cover by Graham Coton)


Longbow Volume 1 edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Bear Alley Books, 21 August 2020, £15.99, 134pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Longbow Volume 2 edited by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Bear Alley Books, 21 August 2020, £15.99, 140pp, cover by Don Lawrence)


Gwyn Evans: The Lunatic, The Lover and the Poet [Revised] by Steve Holland (Wivenhoe, Essex, Bear Alley Books, 25 January 2021, £6.95, 91pp, pb)


Spider edited by Vicente García (Dolmen Editorial, October 2021, 160pp, cover by Chris Weston)


Zarpa de Acero No.1 edited by Vicente Garcia (Dolmen Editorial, November 2021, 144pp, cover by Jesús Blasco)


Spider No.2 edited by Pedro Monje (Dolmen Editorial, May 2022, 168pp, cover by López Espi)


Zarpa de Acero No.2 edited by Pedro Monje (Dolmen Editorial, June 2022, 144pp, cover by Jesús Blasco)


Spider No.3 edited by Pedro Monje (Dolmen Editorial, September 2022, 192pp, cover by López Espi)


Mytek el Poderoso No.1 edited by Pedro Monje (Dolmen Editorial, September 2022, 192pp, cover by López Espi)


Mytek el Poderoso No.2
, edited by Pedro Monje (Dolmen Editorial, January 2023, 168pp, cover by López Espi)


Kelly ojo Magico No.5
, edited by Pedro Monje (Dolmen Editorial, January 2023, 160pp, cover by López Espi)


Don Lawrence Meister der Illustratoin — und Comickunst
(All Verlag, March 2023, 198pp, €49.80, cover by Don Lawrence)