AVAILABLE NOW! The Bill Kellaway Quartet by Gwyn Evans Click here for details and payment options. "The narrative is packed with action and I think readers will have a lot of fun with [Hercules, Esq.] and there are some genuine moments of laugh out loud humour. I can understand why the film rights for this book were snapped up and even today I could envisage it being a very enjoyable one-off TV series." — Cross Examining Crime. "Although there’s some criminous stuff going on and Bill often finds himself vying against or working with various lawbreakers, the stakes are never really life and death in this book ... There is some slam-bang action, though, as well as a smart, really likable protagonist and a lot of really clever plot twists, but what really makes HERCULES ESQ. work is Evans’s style, which is consistently breezy, fast-paced, and funny." — James Reasoner, Rough Edges.
AVAILABLE NOW! Private Detective / Secret Service / The Female Detective by Andrew Forrester Jun. Click here for details and payment options. "Forrester's The Female Detective (1864) was reprinted in 2012 as part of the British Library's Crime Classics series, cementing the notion that it heroine, Miss Gladden, was "the first female detective", although whether that is the case is challenged in the essay on Ware and his career published in this new edition of the collection — published now in a uniform edition with Forrester's two earlier collections, The Revelations of a Private Detective (1863) and Secret Service; or, Recollections of a City Detective (1864), reprinted for the first time in 150 years."
Collecting the first six-part chapter of the Mouse Guard series, Fall 1152 introduces three of the titular soldiers who protect the many hidden cities that make up the mouse kingdom during medieval times. The trio are in search of a missing merchant who was taking precious supplies to the city of Barkstone, only to find that he has been devoured by a snake. More importantly, he was a traitor, carrying a detailed map of their home city Lockhaven to persons unknown in Barkstone. As the Mouse Guard investigate, they discover a plot to unseat their leader Gwendolyn and even the reappearance of a military hero believed long dead may not tip the balance in their favour.
This Eisner Award-winning series shares some similarities with Brian Jacques' Redwall series of novels, featuring talking mice that have formed medieval human-style communities and battle against other animal foes. David Petersen's take on this theme however, seems to be that the mice are one of the few species to have civilised societies, formed as a defence against the bigger predators who clearly have no need for such niceties. It is mentioned that generations ago, the Mouse Guard originated from a band of soldiers who rose up in rebellion against a tyrannical Weasel Warlord, but it is the mice that this chapter is primarily concerned with.
Petersen has created a strong back history and civilisation for his characters, showing how the ordinary citizens go about their daily lives and play their part in keeping the cities running. We also discover that these strongholds that protect them are also their prisons; only traders and the Mouse Guard dare venture into the outside world. It is this that leads to the plotted military coup by those who resent the Mouse Guard, believing that they are pawns of the merchants and peasants and no longer serve a useful purpose. Such a situation is all too familiar and believable, yet Petersen feels no need to hammer the point home by turning his characters into humans with fur and tails. They are still recognisably mice and although at first they look cute, there is nothing cuddly or cosy about the world they inhabit. Just like our medieval ancestors, their lives are a constant battle against the elements and starvation, with political machinations and various enemies a close second in terms of threat. Petersen's full-colour art is beautifully rendered, from his animal characters to the towering forest backdrop and intricately detailed cities.
The collected Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 provides a perfect introduction to anyone new to the series. As well as the complete story, additional material includes an eight page epilogue, maps of the Mouse territories and guides to the cities of Barkstone and Lockhaven, plus a piece detailing common mouse trades. For those looking for a grown-up 'furry' comic, Mouse Guard is definitely worth trying.
Melissa Hyland
(* Copies of the original Villard Books edition of Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 can be ordered through amazon.co.uk in hardcover and softcover (only second-hand copies of the latter available at present); there is also a UK hardcover edition (ISBN 978-1845766603) under the title Mouse Guard: Autumn 1152. The follow-up volume, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, should be available in November.)
The DFC, the soon to be launched subscription-only comic, finally pulled out their big gun over the weekend with Philip Pullmaninterviewed in The Independent on Sunday (25 May) and an interview and a sampling of the strip (PDF file) 'Adventures of John Blake' drawn by John Aggs was published in The Guardian (24 May). I stumbled across an interview with Pullman, Fickling and Aggs from You and Yours programme (2 May) that is still available on BBC Radio 4's 'Listen Again'.
The launch issue, which should land in subscriber's letter boxes on Friday, will include:
The Adventures of John Blake by Philip Pullman & John Aggs Charlie Jefferson and the Tomb of Nazaleod by Garen Ewing Mo-Bot High by Neill Cameron The Boss by Patrice Aggs Good Dog, Bad Dog by David Shelton Monkey Nuts by the Etherington Brothers
Typical of my "feast or famine" working life, I've a bunch of thing vying for my attention. First and foremost is work on the Sci-Fi Art book; I'm just over the halfway mark on this and hopefully will have my sections finished in the next three weeks or so (as it involves lots of research, I'm not getting vast amounts written each day). Then I'm straight onto the next four albums of Storm which will be appearing as two deluxe omnibus editions in the Storm—The Collection series from DLC. Getting on for 200 pages of glorious SF adventure... I'm looking forward to it. Continuing the SF theme, I'm also doing some work for the long-awaited update to the Science Fiction Encyclopedia. And continuing the comics theme I'm also trying to schedule work on the Frank Bellamy's King Arthur book and the Art of Ron Embleton which we hope to have out this year.
Because I've no spare time at the moment, my planned little publishing empire is on hold for a couple of months while I try to get my finances back in some kind of order. However, I've not deserted it completely: one book (not comics) is currently being proofed; I'm trying to sort out a cover for another and I'm cleaning up artwork scans for a third and fourth. As you can imagine, everything is creeping forward at a snail's pace but all projects are at least heading in the right direction.
Following Mike recent death, I've had a lot on inquiries about the Mike Western Story asking how it's going and all I can say is that it will definitely be going ahead. Quite when I will be able to get back to it I'm not sure. I want to get it done right rather than done Tuesday, to coin a phrase. I've had a couple of offers of artwork and sketches recently, which I'm taking up, so there will be a selection of odds and ends that Mike drew that have not seen print before. Again, it's moving at snail's pace but forward.
'Mike Western Remembered'—various tributes from Eagle Flies Again celebrating Mike's 80th birthday.
I may as well take this opportunity to apologise to anyone who has written to me and hasn't had a reply—or has had a short and very belated one. I'm not checking my e-mail as often as usual and if a response is likely to require some work I'm having to leave it to one side. So if you've not heard from me, don't worry: I will get back to you at some point.
Mind you, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy so off we went to see Nina Conti and her monkey, one of the very few ventriloquists acts still touring and not one for the kiddies as the monkey has some strong opinions about what it's like to have someone's sweating fist inside you.
The act has always been that the monkey is aware he's a puppet, that this is ventriloquism, that Nina speaks for both of them, yet the delivery and interplay is so fast that the occasional stumble (or stungle) flies past before you've noticed it; monkey's asides and interruptions and Conti's reactions carry you along. For a puppet the monkey sure has a lot of character.
Other part of the show are quite surreal, with Conti appearing in various roles: a woman who wants to become a mermaid, a South African lecturer in voodoo who has a talking penis and as her own grandfather talking to his dead wife. The show takes surprising and odd turns into the melancholy but is always brought back on course by the monkey. Maybe it's because we've all grown up seeing puppet shows (whatever age you are: Basil Brush, the Muppets or Doogy Dog) and having one answer back with foul language is just hilarious. The child in us wants to believe the puppets are real; the adult in us want Basil to give us the real low down about dirty Gerty from number 30.
Here's a taste of Nina Conti's show, including what has become her trademark sketch. Watch and enjoy...
News from around the web...
* Down the Tubes reports that former Tharg David Bishop appeared on The Weakest Link on 23 May and won an impressive £1,400.
* Keith Chapman reminisces briefly about his days writing for Micron's Combat Picture Library at the Black Horse Extra website, dedicated to Robert Hale's Western line.
* No sooner have I mentioned them and Classical Comics win an award. Somehow I doubt if the two events are linked. Congratulations to John McDonald and Neill Cameron for their adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry V which picked up the silver medal in the Graphic Novel/Drawn Book category at the Independent Publisher Book Awards. A full list of winners—and it's a long list—can be found here.
* Forbidden Planet International's Richard reminisces about Giles.
Other titles from Titan's autumn schedule include:
Marshal Law: Origins by Pat Mills & Kevin O'Neill (ISBN 978-1845769437, 26 September 2008). "When one of San Futuro's leading sex queen hostesses turns up dead in what appears to be a bizarre suicide, it seems clear that there is more to this insidious situation than meets the eye. It's time for Marshal Law to once more don his black leather and barbed wire—and dish out the pain! Also featuring the classic 'Day of the Dead', this brand new and fully illustrated novel includes hordes of unseen artwork by award-winning artist O'Neill!"
Modesty Blaise: Green Cobra by Peter O'Donnell, John M. Burns & Pat Wright (ISBN 978-1845764203, 26 September 2008). "This latest volume features three classic hard-to-find stories: "Green Cobra", "Eve and Adam" and "Brethren of Blaise"... Featuring new story introductions by creator Peter O'Donnell, plus a host of features including unseen artwork by John Burns, as well as a selection of recently unearthed Modesty strips."
Tank Girl 1 (Remastered) by Alan C. Martin & Jamie Hewlett (ISBN 978-1845767570, 26 September 2008). "Marking the 20th anniversary of "Tank Girl", with a new introduction from Alan Martin, and previously unseen material from Jamie Hewlett, this is the first in a series of ultimate collections. Presented for the first time in chronological order and in glorious black and white - as nature intended! Warning: Adults only!"
The Best of Battle: Volume 1 (ISBN 978-1848560253, 24 October 2008). "Over 300 pages of relentless action are collected here, from the desperate dogfights of Johnny Red to the down-and-dirty Rat Pack, the reflective, critically acclaimed Charley's War and the uncompromising Hellman of Hammer Force! Created and drawn by some of the biggest names in British comics, including Pat Mills and John Wagner (co-creators of 2000AD), Joe Colquhoun ("Charley's War", "Johnny Red") and more, this is the ultimate gift for fans of blazing battle action!"
Charley's War: Return to the Front (ISBN 978-1845767969, 24 October 2008). "Returning to the front, Charley is reunited with old comrades Weeper and Old Bill—and, unfortunately, bully Grogan and the vile Lieutenant Snell. As the bullets fly and bombs fall, Charley faces as much danger from his own ranks as from the enemy's..."
The Cream of Tank Girl by Alan C. Martin & Jamie Hewlett (ISBN 978-1845769420, 24 October 2008). "Boasting tons of unseen artwork, rarely seen comic strips, every Jamie Hewlett "Tank Girl" cover ever, publicity posters, script samples and more besides, this is the ultimate guide to Tank Girl and her world! Bask in the glory of exclusive new commentary from writer Alan Martin! Shiver with pleasure at the sight of rarely seen drawings by Gorillaz genius Jamie Hewlett! Have a nice cup of tea whilst studying the recipe page! Verily, "The Cream of Tank Girl" is a smorgasbord of Tank Girl-osity."
Update: a second volume of Battle reprints, The Bumper Book of Battle by various (ISBN 978-1848560291) is provisionally scheduled for March 2009 rather than the date Amazon currently gives (26 September 2008).
(* The pic. at the top of the column is the latest Dutch edition of Storm book 16, Vandaahl de Verderver which is one of the stories I'm going to be working on shortly for DLC. Volume 8 of Storm—The Collection will contain 'The Living Planet' and 'Vandaahl the Destroyer' and Volume 9 will have 'The Twisted World' and 'The Robots of Far Sied'.)
The publication of a new Paddington book by Michael Bond, Paddington Here and Now, inspired me to dig out this old article, which I co-wrote with Mel for Teddy Bear Club International back in 1997. How I ended up writing for a teddy bear mag has a rather simple and dull explanation: I was editing a magazine for the same company and Teddy needed some articles for their early issues while they were still trying to establish a group of writers. I think we ended up writing five articles for the first three issues. Mel eventually went on to edit Teddy Bear for a few years.
"Please Look After This Bear—Thankyou" by Melissa Hyland
After the success of Rupert and Winnie the Pooh from the Twenties onwards, many other teddy bear characters appeared in children's literature, such as the Beano's Biffo the Bear and Joan G. Robinson's Teddy Robinson books. But none of these had quite the impact of the bear who made his first public appearance in 1958, at Paddington train station.
Although Paddington Bear was named after that very spot where he was found in the books, his real-life origin was at Selfridges in 1956, where a man called Michael Thomas Bond was doing some last minute Christmas shopping. Born in Newbury, Berkshire in 1926, Bond had already had quite a varied career, serving in the Royal Airforce and the Middlesex Regiment of the British Army in the Forties, before working as a cameraman for BBC Television, London, from 1947-1966. Little did he realise that when he bought that forlorn looking teddy sitting alone on Selfridge's shelf, it would be the start of something so big.
Bond gave the teddy to his wife Brenda for Christmas, and they named him Paddington, since they were living near that London train station at the time. It wasn't long before Paddington had inspired Bond to write a story about him and although the tale was initially written for his own amusement, after ten days he realised that here was an entire book ready to be published. A Bear Called Paddington, was released by Collins in 1958, charmingly illustrated by Peggy Fortnum and introduced Paddington to his readers as a little brown bear sitting at the train station near the Lost Property Office, with only a sou'wester and a battered briefcase containing a jar of his favourite food—marmalade. He was spotted there by Mr. and Mrs. Brown, who had come to meet their daughter Judy from school, and when they saw the label round his neck saying 'Please look after this bear. Thankyou.' they decided to take him home and make him part of the family.
However, looking after this bear was to prove quite a chore, as the Browns soon came to realise. Paddington was very good natured and keen to help his new family in any way that he could, but his inquisitive nature and clumsiness often meant that even the simplest chores could become a recipe for disaster. In A Bear Called Paddington for example, he winds up falling into a tray of cakes at the railway buffet, and at the Brown's house, he floods the bathroom and has to be rescued from the tub by Judy and her brother Jonathan! But Paddington was always so well meaning that the Browns and Paddington's best friend Mr. Gruber were always ready to forgive him. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said of Mr. Curry, the Browns' very grumpy and unpleasant neighbour, who didn't like Paddington at all and only ever referred to him as 'Bear!!!'—usually when something had gone wrong. Of course, his dislike passed right over Paddington's head, and the friendly little bear was only too willing to do favours for Mr. Curry, with predictable results.
It was a formula for success, and Bond found himself adding to Paddington's adventures, writing one a year until 1981, making a total of 26 in all. Everyone loved this cuddly, teddy bear like character, who behaved more like a human child or bumbling adult and was simply accepted as just another person by those around him. There was also the pleasure of anticipation in Paddington's stories, as readers knew straight away that, no matter what he was doing, something was going to go wrong, with hilarious results. In this way, he appealed both to children and to the adults who read his stories out to them.
Paddington's popularity grew, with his books being read in England, the United States and throughout the world. It wasn't long before Bond was writing television and film scripts for his bear as well as books and 1976, the first episode of Paddington aired on British TV. The series of five minute episodes was made by UK (Filmfair) Animation and aired on BBC 1 in the famous 5.40 pm slot, just before the early evening news. Quite a few programmes intended for children achieved cult status amongst adults and teenagers through being shown at this time, such as The Magic Roundabout and The Wombles, and similarly this increased Paddington's appeal to an even wider audience.
The Paddington TV Show had the distinction of being narrated by veteran actor Sir Michael Horden—somewhat different from his roles in Edward the Seventh and King Lear, but at least he was able to add a wealth of acting skill to his part! Whenever I hear Paddington 'speak', it will always be in that soft, impeccably English voice that Horden created for him, and no-one could ever match the gruff bluster he gave to Mr. Curry. The show featured a furry model Paddington, animated by Ivor Wood against a two-dimensional static background, and even the human cast were nothing more than paper cut-outs. This was an especially clever touch, for two reasons - first of all it underscored Paddington's 'otherworldliness' and the fact that he stood out in British human society almost as an outsider, while everyone else was a part of it and tended to blend in with their surroundings. Secondly, it emphasised Paddington's softness and cuddliness, being the only three-dimensional object in the whole programme, and of course, his being a teddy bear made you want to reach out and hug him all the more.
Naturally, the toy manufacturers were only too happy to oblige and soon there was a great demand for Paddington related products. As a result, Bond set up his own company to merchandise the bear, and soon Paddington and Company were producing hundreds of products, such as figurines, money boxes, stationary and of course, soft toys. All these were based on Paddington's TV persona, who had a blue duffel-coat added to his original ensemble of black floppy hat, suitcase and label, and some versions also have red wellingtons—much more appropriate to the English weather. For the most part though, the TV Paddington remained true to the books, still being accident-prone and extremely partial to marmalade sandwiches. I've always loved the adorable way his muzzle went up and down when he ate them in the television programme!
The very first soft toy version of Paddington was produced by British designer Shirley Clarkson in 1972. She then went on to create many more, including Paddington's relative Aunt Lucy whom he was always referring to, and who actually made an appearance in two episodes of the TV show, when she came to pay him a visit. Unlike her nephew, Aunt Lucy had grey fur and had more of a taste for boiled sweets than marmalade, but she did wear a similar floppy black hat, along with a long skirt, several shawls and a pair of spectacles. Clarkson held world exclusive rights to Paddington Bear until 1976, but now supplies solely to the UK, while Eden Toys have produced Paddington in the US since 1975.
Even today Paddington has lost none of his appeal, and there are still at least 200 products bearing his name, such as a computer game and his own brand of marmalade, along with duffel-coated teddies in wellington boots. He even had a single in 1983, 'Cross My Paws and Hope to Die', from Paddington Bear's Magical Musical, which also had songs like 'Everlasting Toffee', 'Marmalade 'n Me' and 'Bearobics'. Bond is still being approached by people wanting to commit Paddington to film, and the 1990s saw a new TV series, made by the American children's animation company Hanna Barbera. This series used the more traditional cel animation technique and was based more on the style of Peggy Fortnum's book illustrations, but despite being updated and more technologically superior, many fans feel that it lacks the charm of the original show.
But Paddington himself is still up there with all the other famous bears, having the distinction of an archive all to himself at the London Toy and Model Museum at Craven Hill and it's also interesting to note that since 1978, a 45 inch teddy bear has had pride of place at Paddington Station. So, no matter what turn Paddington's fortunes take in the future, there will always be a little bear standing there, waiting for someone kind enough to take care of him.
Further information:
'Capturing the bear essentials of Paddington' by Michael Glover (The Times, 7 May 2008), an article about Paddington's original artist Peggy Fortnum and new artist Bob Alley.
If you're a fan of the recent Marmite advert, you can also find a 'making of' on YouTube, which also includes the advert at the end.
I managed to dig out my copies of Asimov's Foundation trilogy with the interlinking covers. Not the first or last time a publisher tried this. I also remember a very nice trio of covers by Peter Jones on a trilogy of books by Mark Adlard, too. Long gone from my collection, I'm sorry to say.
The books don't quite fit thanks to the trim being slightly off. But it's still one of my favourite SF cover images. These are from the 1974 Panther edition.
Sad news reaches me that one of the giants of British comics has laid down his pen for the last time. Mike Western died late on Tuesday, 13 May, at the age of 83. It's no secret that I was a huge fan of Mike's work and over the last few months had begun putting together a new edition of The Mike Western Story.
Mike's career as a comics artist dated back to the early 1950s when he began working on Knockout at the suggestion of Ron Clark. The two had met at GB Animation in Cookham where Mike had worked as a clean-up artist. After the demise of GB Animation, he worked for Anson Dyer Studios and on the Hallas & Batchelor production of Animal Farm.
After leaving GB Animation, Ron Clark had established himself at Amalgamated Press as a script writer and sub-editor, teaming up with Eric Bradbury (another former GB Animation artist) and inviting Mike to submit samples. It wasn't long before Mike established himself as a first-class adventure artist, quickly losing the rough edges and initial nervousness seen in the Western strip 'Lucky Logan', on which he alternated with Bradbury. In 1954 he graduated to his first solo strip, 'Johnnie Winco', the flying adventures of an ex-RAF pilot working for a small airline company, which ran for six years, and proved so popular it was Knockout's cover strip from 1957.
A change of direction in 1960 led to Mike seeking work on TV Express where he drew 'No Hiding Place' and (in colour) 'Biggles', both based on popular TV shows of the day. In 1962 he began drawing for Buster and, a few months later, for the newly launched Valiant, a paper he was to be associated with for the next 13 years. In 1964 he drew 'The Wild Wonders', the story of two young brothers who had grown up on a remote island with only animals for company who, when discovered, proved to be champion athletes. The mixture of action and comedy kept the strip running for a decade during which time Mike also drew countless covers, fill-in strips, annual and summer special stories and was often called upon to establish characters for new papers.
With the Wild Wonders he developed an attractive cartoony style which was the perfect visualisation for Tom Tully's scripts. It was, however, a style that was much copied (a result of Mike being asked to produce visuals and first episodes of new strips) and which some felt was old-fashioned at a time when comics were struggling against falling sales.
Valiant changed editorial hands in 1975 and, not long after, folded. After a nervous few months, Mike re-established himself in Battle Picture Weekly, reverting to the more realistic style of his early strips. This suited the grittier storylines now being produced and many would argue that his finest work appeared in this later period: 'Darkie's Mob' (1976-77), 'The Sarge' (1966-78) and 'HMS Nightshade' (1979).
Mike switched back to sporting stories in 1980 with the launch of Speed which proved short-lived before merging with Tiger where Mike spent some years drawing 'Topps on Two Wheels'. Tiger merged with Eagle where Mike was best seen on 'The Computer Warrior'. For Roy of the Rovers Mike drew 'Billy's Boots' for four years before landing the 'Roy of the Rovers' daily strip for the Daily Star (1992-93).
Retiring, Mike was able to concentrate on painting, which he had done intermittently over the years. Landscapes and local characters sold well. His last strip (which I'm pleased to say I had a small hand in) appeared in a magazine promoting theatre entitled Theatre Mask in 1997-2000 and he continued to produce monthly illustrations until 2003.
Eagle Flies Again published a tribute issue to celebrate Mike's 80th birthday in 2005; sadly, he suffered a heart attack in 2007, followed by a stroke, which meant he was confined to bed during his last few months, looked after by Enid, his wife of 56 years, and children.
I had the great pleasure of corresponding with Mike for some years although constant deadlines and various changes of circumstances meant that I'd not been in touch for some while. Now comes the sad news that Mike has died and I'm sure you'll all join me in sending his family your best wishes. Mike still has a lot of fans and, whether he realised it or not—and I hope he did—he brought a lot of laughter and thrills into our lives through his work.
I'm still plugging away at the science fiction art book so I've not had much time for anything else. The first 10 pages are with the publisher; I've completed the text for the next 12 pages and blocked out the next 8 pages which are also 90% written. So I'm on schedule to have the whole thing finished by mid-June, which is the deadline. Although each essay is relatively short, there's a lot of detail and I'm spending a lot of time trying to condense everything down so that it's both comprehensive and concise. At least here I can ramble for a bit...
The latest issue of Crikey! popped through the door yesterday. I'm growing increasingly fond of the magazine which, I'll admit, I had some reservations about at first. Now I know what to expect I find the magazine is doing a pretty good job at what it sets out to do—possibly the most half-assed compliment I've ever written. What I'm trying to say is that Crikey! isn't aimed at me. 50% or more of the readership are picking up the magazine for its brief hits of nostalgia and to have a few strips that they might have missed during their childhood pointed out to them. It's inevitable that the magazine is going to be something of a disappointment to the fans whoknow their comics' history in detail already. But step back for a minute and imagine that you're being reintroduced to comics that you've not seen for twenty years and you get a better view of what Crikey! is trying to achieve.
The issues to date have seen a vast improvement in quality—Ray Moore has been brought on board as chief fact-checker and that means the annoying errors of the early issues are now a thing of the past. The articles are well illustrated and, for the most part, well written. Crikey! has found its niche and is mining it very well. What's now needed is a second title that can fill in the details that Crikey! leaves out.
The magazine must be doing reasonably well as it now has a companion, Super-Spies and Secret Agents, which covers what it says on the tin. Lots of TV coverage, a bit of movies and a bit of comics. First issue covers The Prisoner, The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., James Bond, The Champions, Stingray, Mr. Ed and Special Agent 21. The highlight is a previously unpublished interview with Dennis Spooner, the man behind many of the series that SS&SA loves to bits. Hopefully the coverage will broaden in issues to come. The magazine needs to find its voice even more quickly than Crikey! because there are better and more comprehensive websites dedicated to the same TV shows SS&SA covers and the shows (unlike the comics covered by Crikey!) have been written about endlessly for the past forty years.
News from around the net...
* Compal have their latest auction catalogue up. The high bids will, no doubt, be reserved for early D C Thomson annuals and comics, including a number of early issues of Beano, and the first editions of The Beano Book (estimate £1,500-2,000) and The Broons (est. £3,000-3,500). There are also examples of Dudley D. Watkins' original artwork for Oor Wullie, Desperate Dan and Lord Snooty, an Eagle cover featuring Dan Dare by Desmond Walduck, pages by Paddy Brennan, Charlie Pease, Alfred Bestell, Leo Baxendale, Ken Reid, Tom Patterson, Ron Turner, Geoff Campion and Don Lawrence (the cover to The Look and Learn Book of The Trigan Empire, 1973).
* I'm running a little late with news, and I imagine everyone has already seen 'em, but, if not, Forbidden Planet International have a nicely illustrated list of winners from this year's 2007 Eagle Awards. At Down the Tubes, John Freeman has posted David Hailwood's report on the Bristol Expo and a round-up of other sites which have covered the weekend.
Rian has also contributed to Really Good Logos Explained edited by Nancy Heinonen (Rockport Publishers, ISBN 978-1592534272, 1 May 2008) in which a select few—Rian, Margo Chase, Alex White and Ron Miriello—critique a selection of logos and explain what makes them work and what makes some fall short of the mark.
Talking of Joel Meadows... he's also interviewed by Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter (11 May).
* Alan Moore is appearing at Orbital Comics (148 Charing Cross Road) next Saturday, 24 May, to promote the release of a 2-disc DVD release of The Mindscape of Alan Moore. The 78-minute documentary "leads the audience through Moore's world with the writer himself as guide, beginning with his childhood background, following the evolution of his career as he transformed the comics medium, to his immersion in a magical worldview where science, spirituality and society are part of the same universe." There are a shedload of extras, including interviews with Dave Gibbons,Kev O'Neill, David Lloyd and Melinda Gebbie.
* Philip Pullman's new strip is put to the ultimate test—a 10-year-old critic—in the Independent on Sunday's piece on the new DFC subscription-only comic, bizarrely entitled "Pullman supports first new children's comic in 25 years" (18 May). Pullman was a keen reader of comics as a boy, saying recently "I was brought up on comics like the Eagle, Wizard and Beano, though not so much Dandy".
* From the 'Where Are They Now' files... Former Marvel UK editor Tim Quinn is part of the line-up for the Calderdale Festival for Young People run by the July Project, sponsored by the Halifax. According to a report in the Halifax and Calderdale Evening Courier (9 May), Quinn, now running a management company, will be appearing in sessions at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax, where he'll be teaching children how to tell stories in pictures.
* There is to be a second St. Trinian's movie following the success of the recent remake starring Rupert Everett. The latest addition to the franchise, St Trinian's: The Legend of Fritton's Gold, will be written by Piers Ashworth and Nick Martin and directed by Oliver Parker and Barnaby Thompson. (via BBC News)
* Look and Learn have posted some brief animations based on illustrations for the character Teddy Bear, drawn by William Francis Phillips in the 1960s. There are three available (via YouTube): as well as the one below you can also see Teddy in the bath and blowing soap bubbles.
* Here are the rest of the Ugenia Lavender book covers by Rian Hughes...
UPDATE: A new edition of this title is due in May 2011 which can be pre-ordered here. Volume 2 is still available (see the Amazon link below)
As you might expect with a book called Erotic Comics: A Graphic History, I've not had much chance to read the text but I have looked at the pictures... and I'm still managing to type with both hands. That's not meant as a criticism. This is 'erotic' comics rather than outright pornography so, as they say in Bladerunner, reaction time is a factor. It's actually a very good book covering the history of erotic comics from pre-history, via Victorian prints and the Tijuana bibles, through adult magazines like the relatively tame gentleman's mag Playboy and the courser, specialist bondage magazines of Irving Claw, to Robert Crumb's underground comics of the 1970s.
After the infamous trial of Lady C., it became almost impossible to prosecute books for obscenity; visual material, on the other hand, was another matter: much was made at the Oz trial in 1971 of a six-panel strip which juxtaposed Rupert Bear with images from a Robert Crumb comic; Nasty Tales was prosecuted in 1973; Savoy Books was regularly raided and prosecuted but a 1991 ban on the novel Lord Horror was overturned at appeal in 1992—the destruction of the comic Meng & Ecker, however, went ahead.
Maybe this is why erotic and pornographic comics have never appeared in any great numbers in the UK: the Obscene Publications Act allows for literary merit and, time and time again, this has proven a valid defence for novels where cases have been brought on that woolly charge of "a tendency to deprave and corrupt". Comics and visual material, on the other hand, are probably thought an easier target as a jury might be persuaded that an image of Rupert Bear ejaculating does have that tendency.
So... that's why there's not much British content in this book. All the more space for a greater range of material from elsewhere, ranging from Japanese prints to Vargas pin-ups, from Harvey Kurtzman and the late Will Elder's sophisticated 'Little Annie Fanny' to John Willie's bondage comics. Heavily illustrated and with an introduction by Aline Kominsky Crumb, author Tim Pilcher has managed to uncover the incredible variety of ways the female body has been stripped (double meaning intended). It's a fascinating journey into a sub-culture of comics that we've not seen much of in Britain. From the statuesque 'Miss Geewhiz', who leaves much to the imagination, to the bizarre sexual exploits of a gay Jimmy Cagney, there's going to be something in here for all tastes.
A couple of very minor glitches have crept into the captions which credit Albert Ferrier (p.33) with artwork by Arthur Ferrier, correctly identified in the main text; and a pin-up drawing on p.44 is incorrectly credited to Norman Pett when it's by Michael Hubbard.
There's a promised second volume which picks up the story of the underground comix in the 1970s and takes it forward to show how erotic comics continue to flourish in the first decade of the 21st century. They're not called the noughties for nothing.
Erotic Comics: A Graphic History Volume 1. Ilex Books, ISBN , 2 June 2008, 192pp, £20.00.
Just discovered I missed out Michael Dawson from the Eagle Authors listing, which is a good enough excuse to see what I can find out. Michael Dawson wrote only a single story, 'Musket of Honour', illustrated by Will Nickles, published in the issue for 9 May 1952.
Dawson, it turns out, was the pseudonym of an author named John Howard Jackson Boyle. Born on 7 May 1916, Boyle died in Eastbourne, Sussex, in 1994, aged 78, and apart from that I've found nothing about his career.
Given his middle names, I do wonder if he was the author of a slim paperback original called Soho Pay Off, published by Martin & Reid in 1946, but I've no way of confirming a connection.
Novels Fathoms Deep. London, Nicholson & Watson, 1943; New York, Sheridan House, 1943. Torpedoes Running. London, Nicholson & Watson, 1946. Without a Dream. London, Hutchinson, 1947. The 'Schaduw' Dives. London, Nicholson & Watson, 1948. Journey to Seville. London, Hutchinson, 1948. Trumpet for the Soldier. London, Hutchinson, 1949. Nicholas Sullivan. London, John Gifford, 1951.
More upcoming comic books. I've not covered Classical Comics before so I've included a couple of titles already in print. I have to say that the adaptation of Jane Eyre looks like John M. Burns at his best and, if you buy nothing else, give that one a try to persuade the company to let him loose on more adaptations.
CLASSICAL COMICS
Henry V by William Shakespeare, adapted by John McDonald, art by Neill Cameron (p) / Bambos (i) / Jason Cardy & Kat Nicholson (c).
AVAILABLE NOW! Countdown to TV Action Click here for details and payment options. "The perfect compliment to my set of Countdown/TV Action" - Graham Bleathman. "A wonderful trip down memory lane. Recommended" - Paul Simpson, Sci-Fi Bulletin "If you read Countdown as a child, you'll be fascinated by this account of its making ... indispensable." - John Freeman, Down the Tubes "The definitive history of the title" - Lew Stringer, Blimey! "I urge you to grab a copy and give Steve Holland a tip of the hat for the amount of hard work, research and love he's poured into making a book of information become an interesting story" - Barnaby Eaton-Jones, The Cult Den
Lion King of Picture Story Papers Click here for details and payment options "It's a great read in itself and has sent me back to the Lion comic to re-read some of my childhood favourites. The pictures are reproduced crystal clearly and even this old man can read the original art ... It's a gorgeous book and if we are snow-bound as the media has been saying for weeks, I have plenty to keep me amused this chilly January weekend!" - Norman Boyd.
Peter Jackson's London Is Stranger Than Fiction Click here to order "The original books have been highly collectable for many years now, but finally they’ve been republished in a single volume from Bear Alley Books ... for the ridiculously reasonable price of £14.99. Do yourself a favour. " Christopher Fowler.
"Offering intense, fast-paced action adventure throughout, this strip is surely classic British weekly comics at its best." -- John Freeman, Down the Tubes
AVAILABLE NOW! Forgotten Authors Vol.1 Click here for details and payment options "This is utterly fascinating: what a terrific accomplishment! It has held and engaged me. Authors who are only names have been documented and recorded, from the pathetic to the successful, and everywhere in between. This is incredible research, and I cannot begin to thank you enough for sharing it. I’m dipping into it with absolutely enormous pleasure."—Richard Bleiler "Recommended for anyone with an interest in the history of books, book publishing, obscure authors or even researching family history. Looking forward to Volume 2"—Amazon review.
AVAILABLE NOW! Iron Mask: The Story of Harry Bensley's "Walking Round the World" Hoax Click here for details and payment options. "The story sounds like an implausible Hollywood film but it was true! Who was the Man in the Iron Mask (no, not the French novel by Dumas!)? He set off from Trafalgar Square to push a pram around the world in January 1908 to win a £20,000 bet! he seems to have been a lovable rogue and this was not the first time he had hoodwinked people! I won't say more so I don't spoil the story as it's wilder than even this! Steve Holland has preserved a wonderful British eccentric's story for us all to enjoy. Give it as a Birthday or Christmas present to anyone who's curious about people in any way!" Amazon - 5 stars "The whole unearthing of this incident from the early 20th century is one of brilliant detective work on behalf of Steve Holland -whose research skills in tying up characters and authors and their works is next to none!" Goodreads - 5 stars
The Men Behind the Flying Saucer Review Click here for details and payment options "Beginning in 1955, the Flying Saucer Review has been key to chronicling the appearance of Unidentified Flying Objects and the latest theories of why they have been appearing in our skies. A dedicated group of enthusiasts - amongst them an accountant, a publisher's editor, a test pilot, a novelist and a member of the House of Lords - were amongst those who helped put together this remarkable magazine. Who they were and how they came to work together makes for a fascinating tale, some of it as curious as the phenomena the magazine studied." "Interesting account of the people who founded the Flying Saucer Review which at its peak was arguably the foremost UFO journal in the world." - Nigel Parkinson, Amazon
Click here for details and payment options "I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it again straight away. Never having followed sidecar racing, I had reservations before I started reading. Well it’s only 150 pages I thought, let’s get it over and done with! How wrong I was; I couldn’t put it down. This is one of the best motorcycling books I’ve ever read and John and his partner Tony Davis have done a cracking job. The pictures are great too and capture the changing face of Britain over the past fifty or so years. I urge you to get hold of a copy now." - Jim Plant, Velocette Owners Club
Sexton Blake Annual 1941 Click here to order "If you've been meaning to give Sexton Blake's adventures a try, this would be a great place to start. I've seen the actual annuals go on Ebay for three or four hundred bucks, so this is definitely a bargain too." - Singular Points.
OUT OF PRINT! Arena Click here for details and payment options "This book goes straight to the top of my large reading pile" - Graeme Neil Reid "With reality TV overload and the rise of the risque and the brutality of today’s society, this story still has a pertinent message for those of us who are willing to listen to it. In fact, I think the story is more relevant today than it was in 1979." - Colin Noble, Down the Tubes "The story is a fun read, but the star of the show is the art. Alcatena is a class act." - Hibernia Comics
Collecting the first six-part chapter of the Mouse Guard series, Fall 1152 introduces three of the titular soldiers who protect the many hidden cities that make up the mouse kingdom during medieval times. The trio are in search of a missing merchant who was taking precious supplies to the city of Barkstone, only to find that he has been devoured by a snake. More importantly, he was a traitor, carrying a detailed map of their home city Lockhaven to persons unknown in Barkstone. As the Mouse Guard investigate, they discover a plot to unseat their leader Gwendolyn and even the reappearance of a military hero believed long dead may not tip the balance in their favour.
(* Copies of the original Villard Books edition of Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 can be ordered through amazon.co.uk in hardcover and softcover (only second-hand copies of the latter available at present); there is also a UK hardcover edition (ISBN 978-1845766603) under the title Mouse Guard: Autumn 1152. The follow-up volume, Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, should be available in November.)
