JANUARY 2012
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992940, 19 January 2012, 96pp, £11.99. [£9.59 from
Amazon]
England, 1928. Lord Ampney Crucis was a dashing, smart and charming
young man, tipped to rise to the top of high society. But then the Great
War happened, and a close encounter with an otherworldly entity in no
man's land drove Crucis temporarily insane. Upon recovery, he
discovered that he had the ability to sense the presence of entities
that exist beyond our reality. Now Ampney, aided by his loyal butler
Eddie Cromwell, investigates the rum goings-on that have begun to plague
our green and pleasant land...
Order from
Amazon.
Auntie's Charlie by Charles Chilton.
Fantom Books ISBN 978-1906263768, 6 February 2012 [available from January 2012], £13.99. Softcover edition.
Described by the Sunday Telegraph as ‘the one genius the BBC ever had on
its staff’, Charles Chilton MBE joined the Corporation at fifteen as a
messenger boy and went on to carve out a 46-year career as a presenter,
writer and producer.
__Auntie’s Charlie discusses his life
from growing up on the streets of 1920s St Pancras, via early years at
the BBC working for the Gramophone Library, to writing the infamous
production Oh What a Lovely War for Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop.
__While with the BBC Charles was sent
to the United States to research, write and produce a number of series
based on American western history. One of these, Riders of the Range,
lasted for five years until 1953. However, major international
recognition came with his science fiction trilogy Journey into Space
which he wrote and produced between 1953 and 1958.
__Here, for the first time, is
Charles Chilton’s story in his own words – an autobiography that is
frank, vivid, wry and engaging.
Buy from
Amazon.
Print Media Productions ISBN 978-0956712134, 28 January 2012, 64pp, £14.99.
The Wild West... and Daisy Adams is suddenly all alone, living on the
plains, left with her father's old coat and a catapult. Then Mitch
Seeker, the son of a sheriff, runs into her life. And they've been
running ever since, chasing werewolves, ghosts and demons, on a quest to
track down the man who turned them both into orphans and unleashed
weirdness into the Wild West.
__In 1866, out on the Frontier,
things got Weird. History failed to record everything that happened, but
Daisy wrote it all down in her diaries. In Frontier, we follow Mitch
and Daisy as they seek justice but end up finding more adventure and
danger than they counted on. It's weird. It's wild. It happened out
west!
__First published in the acclaimed Random House weekly comic The DFC, Print Media Productions is delighted to bring you this collection of Britain's weirdest western comic – Frontier: Dealing with Demons. Weaving an engaging, adventure-filled tale of derring-do in the American West, this collected edition of Frontier
from Jason Cobley and Andrew Wildman includes additional feature
material, including pages from Daisy's secret diary and reveals just how
the story was created.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848560345, 27 January 2012, 96pp, £14.99. [£8.79 on
Amazon]
Britain’s best-loved aerial combat comic returns in a gorgeous library
edition! Continuing the adventures of Johnny Redburn, discharged from
the RAF for striking an officer. Taking to the skies in a stolen
Hurricane, he meets the Falcon Squadron of the 5th Soviet Air Brigade,
and begins his fight against Germany from the other side of the Iron
Curtain!
__The classic series by Tom Tully (Roy of the Rovers) and Joe Colquhoun (Charley’s War) includes a feature by comics legend Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher, War Stories).
Order from
Amazon.
Judge Anderson: The Psychic Crime Files by Alan Grant, Carlos Ezquerra, Trevor Hairsine & Boo Cook.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992544, 17 January 2012, 192pp, $20.99. [£11.88 on
Amazon]
Mega-City One, a futuristic metropolis sprawling across the east coast
of North America. This hostile urban nightmare is policed by the Judges;
tough lawmen with the ability to act as judge, jury and executioner.
Within the Justice department is a section known as Psi-Division which
specialises in Judges gifted with extraordinary psychic abilities.
Cassandra Anderson is one such Judge; a powerful telepath with a
rebellious streak and a talent for getting into trouble...
Order from
Amazon.
The Pictorial Guide to British 1950s Sci-Fi & Horror Comic Books by Mike Morley
Ugly Duckling Press (no ISBN), January 2012, 288pp, £14.95.
Spaceships! Monsters! Superheroes! You could find them in abundance
within the action packed pages of comic books filling the bottom shelves
of British newsagents' shops back in the 1950s. Some were homegrown
productions and some were reprints of American material but all of them
helped to brighten up a rather drab decade suffering from various forms
of post-war austerity.
Order from Blasé Books, Hazelwood, Birchfield Road, Redditch B97 6PU.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857681188, 27 January 2012, 104pp, £14.99. [£9.89 on
Amazon]
A brand new graphic novel collecting all four issues of the latest Tank
Girl comics series, featuring the return of a much-loved secondary
character, the break up of TG and Booga and a crazed gang of killer
kangaroos. It’s wild, it’s off the wall, and it’s the greatest story
yet. Don't miss Tank Girl’s latest twisted action adventure! Note: Listed due 27 January 2012 on Titan website but 25 January 2013 on Amazon.
February 2012
Dotter of Her Father's Eyes by Mary M. Talbot & Bryan Talbot.
Jonathan Cape ISBN 978-0224096089, 2 February 2012, 96pp, £14.99 [£9.99 from
Amazon]
Part personal history, part biography,
Dotter of Her Father's Eyes
contrasts two coming-of-age narratives: that of Lucia, the daughter of
James Joyce, and that of author Mary Talbot, daughter of the eminent
Joycean scholar James S. Atherton. Social expectations and gender
politics, thwarted ambitions and personal tragedy are played out against
two contrasting historical backgrounds, poignantly evoked by the
atmospheric visual storytelling of award winning comic artist and
graphic novel pioneer Bryan Talbot. Produced through an intense
collaboration seldom seen between writers and artists,
Dotter of Her Father's Eyes is intelligent, funny and sad - a fine addition to the evolving genre of graphic memoir.
Order from Amazon.
Judge Anderson: Psi Files Vol. 2 by Alan Grant, Arthur Ranson & Kevin Walker.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992957, 16 February 2012, 304pp, £19.99. [£13.19 on
Amazon]
An impending psychic apocalypse, mutant vampires, an alien threat on
Mars...it's enough to make a seasoned PSI Judge disillusioned with the
job. From the streets of Mega-City One to the outer fringes of the
galaxy wherever she goes, Cassandra Anderson is sure to find trouble!
Features stories never reprinted before including rare annual one-off
strip. Full colour throughout.
Order from Amazon.
Judge Dredd: Crusade & Frankenstein Division by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Carlos Ezquerra & Mick Austin.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992674 ,14 February 2012, 96pp, £10.85 [£8.24 on
Amazon]
In Crusade, when a scientist returns from a 15-year deep space mission
claiming to have a message from God, judges from all of the world's
Mega-Cities race to Antarctica to try and claim the Almighty's secrets
for themselves.
__Among them is the toughest future
lawman of them all - Judge Dredd - but in the scramble to secure the
scientist and his information, the judges all brutally turn on the
other as the prize proves too much to resist!
__Meanwhile, a deadly agent from one
of the world's superpowers stalks through the warzone, hoping that the
confusion will ease his path to securing the secrets of the cosmos!
__In The Frankenstein Division, the
sinister judges of East Meg create the ultimate judge by stitching
together pieces of their best - but when it goes on the rampage it
heads for Mega-City One and the one man responsible for the death of
its many 'donors' - Judge Dredd!
Order from
Amazon.
Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth Saga by John Wagner, Pat Mills, Mike McMahon & Brian Bolland.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080085, 2 February 2012, 160pp, £6.99. [£5.31 at
Amazon]
A ROAD TRIP THROUGH HELL! Mega-City One, 2100. A deadly plague
developed during the brutal 'Great Germ War' has reached the futuristic
metropolis of Mega-City Two, located on the West Coast of the USA.
Charged with delivering a life-saving vaccine to the citizens of the
disease-ridden city, Judge Dredd and a small crew of Judges, war droids
and the lawbreaking biker, Spikes Harvey Rotten, must travel a thousand
miles across the radioactive wasteland known as 'the Cursed Earth.'
It is a near-impossible journey hate-filled mutants, rampaging monsters
and crazed war robots populate the hellish stretch of terrain. Many
men have attempted to cross it and most have failed. But Judge Dredd is
the best there is!
Order from Amazon.
Modesty Blaise: Live Bait by Peter O'Donnell & Enric Badia Romero.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857686688, 24 February 2012, 104pp, £11.99. [£7.19 from
Amazon]
This title features classic stories by popular British crime writer
Peter O'Donnell. The tag-team of Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin battle
with the darkest elements of the underworld once again, beautifully
illustrated by Enric Badia Romero! With story introductions taking the
reader behind the scenes of Modesty's world, plus a tribute to Peter
O'Donnell, this outstanding collection is not to be missed.
Order from Amazon.
Pages from History, Illustrated by C. L. Doughty, ed. Steve Holland.
Bear Alley Books ISBN 978-1907081590, 6 February 2012, 176pp, £17.99.
The latest publication from Bear Alley Books is our most ambitious yet, a
bumper 172 page collection of art and comics by one of Britain's
finest historical illustrators.
Pages from History contains four
classic comic strips, over 100 illustrations and, as a bonus, two
episodes of an unpublished strip, all from the masterful pen (and brush)
of C. L. Doughty.
__Over half the comic strip art and
all the illustrations have been scanned from original art boards and,
thanks to modern digital printing, these pages have never looked so
good. Lettering has been restored and, in the case of one strip, edited
pages have also been restored.
__The four strips, taken from the pages of
Look and Learn,
include the often grim tale of "Potts' Progress", the story of Prestor
John retold in "The Crusader", the action-packed "A Sword for the
Stadtholder" and a story of revenge as Richard Fairfax becomes "The
Black Pirate". The book also includes a detailed introduction charting
Doughty's career as a comic strip artist and illustrator in the pages of
Thriller Picture Library,
Sun,
Express Weekly,
Top Spot,
Swift,
Lion,
Girl,
Eagle,
Knockout,
School Friend,
June
and other papers. A gallery of over 100 illustrations reveals
Doughty's skill as a chronicler of history from portraits of Britain's
monarchy to the adventures of explorers, highwaymen and pirates.
Order from Bear Alley Books.
MARCH 2012
An Inspector Calls (Original Text) by Jason Cobley & Will Volley.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332327, March 2012, 144pp, £9.99.
An Inspector Calls (Quick Text) by Jason Cobley & Will Volley.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332334, March 2012, 144pp, £9.99.
A respectable household is shocked when a strange police inspector
visits them shortly after dinner... and proceeds to unravel their
prejudices and lies. Through this almost surreal murder-mystery,
Priestley interweaves social comment with a gripping story that
twists and turns every few pages.
Order from Amazon [Original Text, Quick Text].
The Broons and Oor Wullie Holiday Sticker Annual.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354794, 17 March 2012, 112pp, £5.99. [£5.39 from
Amazon]
Order from Amazon.
The James Bond Omnibus Vol.3 by Jim Lawrence & Yaraslav Horak.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857685889, 23 March 2012, 272pp, £14.99. [£8.79 from
Amazon]
The daring James Bond is back in a definitive bumper edition collecting
the first period of Jim Lawrence's celebrated run in comic strip form!
__Includes seven of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions:
The Harpies, River of Death, The Golden Ghost, Fear Face, Double Jeopardy, Starfire and Kingley Amis' controversial post-Fleming story,
Colonel Sun.
Order from Amazon.
Kingdom: Call of the Wild by Dan Abnett & Richard Elson.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992988, 15 Mar 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£7.99 from
Amazon]
Earth, the far-future. With the planet now overrun by gigantic alien
insects, Mankind is all but extinct. Genetically engineered dog-soldier,
Gene the Hackman, now protects one of the last remaining human beings a
young girl named Leezee Sower and the two of them have travelled to
the land of Auxtralia, straight into the territory of a new pack...
Order from Amazon.
Sweeney Todd (Original Text) by Sean M. Wilson & Declan Shalvey.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332792, March 2012, 168pp, £9.99. [£7.09 on
Amazon]
Sweeney Todd (Quick Text) by Sean M. Wilson & Declan Shalvey.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332808, March 2012, 168pp, £9.99. [£8.99 on
Amazon]
No one knows for sure if Sweeney Todd actually existed - but this story,
taken from a serialisation in a Penny Dreadful that ran from 1846-7,
put the Demon Barber of Fleet Street on the map.
__Gory? No! What's particularly good
about this adaptation is that none of the horror is to be seen —
making this a truly wonderful version of a brilliant book.
Order from Amazon (Original Text, Quick Text).
APRIL 2012
Mega-City Undercover Vol.2 by Rob Williams, Simon Coleby, D'Israeli, Rufus Dayglo.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519284, 12 April 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£9.74 from
Amazon]
It takes a special kind of judge to go undercover on the mean streets
of Mega-City One – especially in the crime infested Low Life; the
nastiest part of the ‘Big Meg.’ This division of the Justice Department
known as the ‘Wally Squad’ contains some of the bravest individuals
working the streets – and also some of the most unhinged!
__Join Judges Aimee Nixon, Thora,
‘baby Judge’ Mortal and Dirty Frank as they encounter some of the
biggest threats ever to appear in the Low Life, including a new
reality-altering drug called ‘Creation’ and a war on the streets
between the Justice department and the Yakuza!
Order from Amazon.
The Oor Wullie Notebook.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342582, 2 April 2012, 144pp, £6.99. [£5.17 from
Amazon]
Oor Wullie is Scotland's favourite boy, with his trademark spiky hair,
dungarees and an upturned bucket, which he often uses as a seat. As his
fans know, Wullie has been with us for the past 75 years, and Wullie
normally finishes each strip with him sitting on his upturned bucket,
imparting a thought or wisdom to his readers on his day or story. The
frequent tagline on the strip is "Oor Wullie! Your Wullie! A'body's
Wullie!" (Our Willie! Your Willie! Everybody's Willie!). Created by D C
Thomson editor R D Low and drawn by cartoonist Dudley D Watkins, today
he is drawn by Peter Davidson. This notebook contains some of Oor
Wullie's favourite sayings and thoughts and is illustrated with single
cells taken from the strip. Notebook pages are printed pale cream with
light blue lines. The perfect notebook for any fan of Oor Wullie. "Oor
Wullie" was launched in 1936 in The Sunday Post in Scotland, and is
still going strong. The Sunday Post's readership covers all generations.
Order from Amazon.
The Rainbow Orchid Vol. 3 by Garen Ewing.
Egmont ISBN 978-1405255998, 2 April 2012, 48pp, £6.99. [£5.17 from
Amazon]
At the beginning of Volume Three, Julius and Lily are recovering from
the electrifying end of Volume Two. What does the future hold for Evelyn
Crow and her gang of desperate villains? Do Julius and Lily have the
strength to prevent Urkaz Grope from enacting his evil plans? Don't miss
the stunning conclusion to the biggest adventure in comics!
The Rainbow Orchid
is an ambitious blend of classic storytelling, and cinematic artwork,
in which adventure, historical drama and legend are seamlessly
intertwined.
Order from Amazon.
MAY 2012
The Broons Notebook.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342346, 7 May 2012, 144pp, £6.99 [£5.17 from
Amazon].
A 144-page stationery item notebook from Scotland's favourite family,
with illustrations, sayings and moments captured from
The Sunday Post's
long-running (75 years) comic strip. Notebook pages are printed pale
cream with light blue lines. Details from cells from the comic strip
appear on corners and tail edges of the pages. A must-have item for
every Broons fan. 'The Broons' comic strip was launched in 1936 in
The
Sunday Post in Scotland, and is still going strong with a readership
covering all generations. The Broons are undoubtedly Scotland's 'First
Family' and the 'Nation's Favourites
Order from Amazon.
Doctor Who: The Crimson Hand by Dan McDaild, Martin Geraghty, Mike Collins, Rob Davis, Sean Longcroft, David A Roach and Paul Grist.
Panini UK ISBN 978-1846534515, 7 May 2012, 260pp, £15.99.
In this third and final volume of comic strips collecting the Tenth
Doctor's complete adventures as seen in the pages of Doctor Who
Magazine, the famous Time Lord joins forces with Ms Majenta Pryce and
embarks on his most remarkable series of journeys yet - travels that
ultimately lead him to a terrifying encounter with The Crimson Hand!
__Note: Originally announced for 4
May 2010, Crimson Hand was cancelled due to "contractual difficulties" and subsequently re-listed for
publication on 6 October 2011, then November 2011, then late Spring 2012.
Order from Amazon.
Hugo Tate by Nick Abadzis.
Blank Slate ISBN 978-1906653262, May 2012, 192pp, £13.99. [£9.09 from
Amazon]
After 15 years of clamouring from fans, the Hugo Tate series is finally
collected in a single volume. Beginning his life in print as a
stick-man in a figuratively drawn world, readers witness the eponymous
Hugo visually develop alongside the comic itself. Originally conceived
as an acerbic humour strip, Hugo rapidly developed into a British
equivalent to Love & Rockets — filled with a richly developed cast
and a branching web of stories of life in London. Includes commentary
from Nick Abadzis and a foreword by Gareth Ennis.
Order from Amazon.
Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files Vol.19 by Grant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Mark Millar, Carlos Ezquerra et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992964, 10 May 2012, 320pp, £21.99. [£14.29 from
Amazon]
Mega-City One: the future metropolis bustling with life and every crime
imaginable. Keeping order are the Judges, a stern police force acting as
judge, jury and executioner. Toughest of all is Judge Dredd. He is the
law and these are his stories. Volume 19 in this best-selling series
collects together more old school Dredd from the pages of 2000 AD and
The Judge Dredd Megazine, including legendary comic writer, Grant
Morrison’s first Judge Dredd story,
Inferno.
Order from Amazon.
Judge Dredd: The Day the Law Died by John Wagner, Brian Bolland, Mike McMahon and Dave Gibbons.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080092, 11 May 2012, 160pp, £6.99. [£5.17 from
Amazon]
It is a dark time in the history of Mega-City One. Having employed
blackmail and coercion in order to topple the balance of power within
the Justice Department, the tyrannical head of the Special Judicial
Squad – Judge Cal – has managed to secure the position of Chief Judge.
The crazed Cal has enlisted the help of an army of reptilian alien
mercenaries known as the Kleggs, appointed his pet goldfish as deputy
Chief Judge and framed Judge Dredd for murder in order to maintain
power.
__But Dredd is the kind of Judge who doesn’t go down too easily
and together with a rebel army made up of other Judges and citizens,
prepares to fight back. Can Judge Dredd succeed against all odds and
defeat Judge Cal before he destroys the entire population of Mega-City
One?
Order from Amazon.
The Oor Wullie Funbooks: Rare!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341066, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99. [£2.99 from
Amazon]
A follow-up series of four books to the best-selling first four Oor
Wullie Funbooks. Oor Wullie, Scotland's best-known comic character, is
at large in this accessible, easy-to-read series. A set of four books,
available as individual titles, full of puzzles, cartoons, games and
jokes aimed at the 8+ age group. Oor Wullie is joined by his pals Fat
Bob, Wee Eck, and Soapy Soutar. Each book has 96 pages of facts,
anagrams, colouring-in pictures, jokes, join the dots, knockknock jokes,
word games and spot the difference
.
Order from Amazon.
The Oor Wullie Funbooks: Smashin'!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341080, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99. [£2.99 from
Amazon]
See above.
Order from Amazon.
The Oor Wullie Funbooks: Michty Me!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341073, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99.
See above.
Order from Amazon.
The Oor Wullie Funbooks: The Very Dab!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341097, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99.
See above.
Order from Amazon.
JUNE 2012
Absalom: Ghosts of London by Gordon Rennie & Tiernan Trevallion.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080429, 21 June 2012, 96pp, £10.99. [£8.35 on
Amazon]
Veteran copper, Inspector Harry absalom, heads a special squad that
enforces The Accord - a diplomatic treaty made in the sixteenth century
between the throne of England and Hell. If any demonic entities step out
of line, Harry and his team will track the infernal offenders down and
sort them out for good. A miserable old bastard with a knack for finding
trouble, Harry was the perfect man for the job. But years of strife are
starting to catch up with him, and now Harry also has to contend with
the fact that he is dying of terminal cancer...
Order from Amazon.
The Complete D.R. & Quinch by Alan Moore & Alan Davis.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1906735883, 21 June 2012, 128pp, £11.99.
By the most successful comics writer of the past twenty-five years,
Alan Moore, comes his funniest and most endearing anti-heroes, D.R &
Quinch. There’s nothing like them.
__Ernest Errol Quinch and Waldo ‘D.R.’ Dobbs (the ‘D.R.’ stands for
‘Diminished Responsibility’) are a pair of psychotic alien students,
less interested in their college work than in the sort of thing young
people like to get up to – you know, military ordnance, picking fights,
destroying entire star systems...
Order from Amazon.
Major Eazy Vol. 1: Heart of Iron
by Alan Hebden & Carlos Ezquerra.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848564411, 15 June 2012, 128pp, £14.99. [£8.79 from
Amazon]
Major Eazy is a maverick soldier in a dirty war, caught up in the
Allies’ invasion of Italy in 1944 and determined to see justice done.
Even when that means taking on villains on his own side, he doesn’t pull
any punches! More movie star than military, Eazy was the most laconic
and indeed British officer ever to grace the pages of a comic. This
volume starts from the very beginning of Eazy’s story.
Order from Amazon.
Mean Machine: Real Mean by John Wagner, Greg Staples & Steve Dillon.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519758, 21 June 2012, 176pp, £14.99. [£11.30 from
Amazon]
Born and raised in the Cursed Earth as a member of the notorious
Angel gang, “Mean Angel” (aka the Mean Machine) is one of the most
dangerous criminals to ever plague Judge Dredd’s Mega-City One.
With his mechanical claw and head dial, which amps up his anger and
aggression from Mean to Brutal, Mean Angel is one of Judge Dredd’s
toughest adversaries – a headbutting psychopath with a penchant for
destruction!
Order from Amazon.
Slaine: The Horned God by Pat Mills & Simon Bisley.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519741, 21 June 2012, 208pp, £24.99.
Sláine The warrior barbarian Sláine, master of the warp spasm,
wielder of the mighty axe Brainbiter, Celtic warrior king - faces his
greatest challenge: the existence of his world is at stake as he
prepares to follow the ways of the Horned God. It is a path that can
give him control over nature itself or unleash a new age of witchcraft
and dark forces. A premium hardcover edition, with dust-jacket, of the classic book.
Order from Amazon.
Slaine: Treasures of Britain by Pat Mills, Dermot Power & Steve Tappin.
Rebellion ISBN, 21 June 2012, 128pp, £14.99. [£9.74 from
Amazon]
Slaine MacRoth - Celtic warrior and High King of the tribes of the Earth
Goddess Danu, has been summoned through time to the age of Camelot.
King Arthur has fallen in battle and a curse has caused darkness to fall
upon the kingdom. In order to heal the land, Merlin and Morgaine la Fee
need Sláine (accompanied by his unfaithful sidekick Ukko the dwarf) to
retrieve the lost 'Treasures of Britain' — magical artefacts also being
sought out by the Saxon plunderer Hengwulf. These powerful items are
defended by the demon-like Cyth who harvest human misery in order to
revive their masters — the Dark Gods of Cythrawl!
Order from Amazon.
JULY 2012
Peter Jackson's London Is Stranger Than Fiction by Peter Jackson, compiled by Steve Holland.
Look and Learn ISBN 978-095507721-0, 4 July 2012, 92pp, £14.99.
‘London is Stranger Than Fiction’ inspired artist Peter Jackson's life-long
fascination with London, its history and its people. The strip, originally published in
The Evening News, revelled
in obscure facts about the city, its eccentric inhabitants and forgotten
byways. Jackson used his talents as an artist to bring these subjects
to life for the entertainment of his readers.
__Peter Jackson's London is Stranger Than Fiction reprints all the strips from two of Jackson's now-hard-to-find books,
London is Stranger Than Fiction and
London Explorer, in which Jackson looked at curiosities associated with certain areas of London, from Aldwych to Westminster.
Order from Bear Alley Books.
Savage: The Guv'nor by Pat Mills & Patrick Goddard.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080405, 19 July 2012, 224pp, £14.99. [£11.30 from
Amazon]
In 1999, Britain was successfully invaded by the Volgs. When London
lorry driver Bill Savage learnt that his family had been killed by the
Volgs, he became a one-man war machine - a persistant thorn in the side
of the occupying army. Having adopted the identity of his dead brother,
Savage operates out of a bombed-out london, leading the resistance
against his hated enemy. Now, business brain Howard Quartz - the CEO of
Ro-Busters - has launched an attack on the Volgan forces with his
Mark-One War Droids, but the Volgs have some technological tricks of
their own, including a functional teleportation device....
Order from Amazon.
Strontium Dog: The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha by John Wagner & Carlos Ezquerra.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080436, 19 July 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£11.30 on
Amazon]
Earth, the late 22nd century. Many survivors of the devastating Atomic
Wars were mutated by Strontium 90 fallout. These mutants became an
underclass – hated by the ruling 'norms', the only job left for them was
bounty-hunting. The best of the Search/Destroy agents (also known as
Strontium Dogs) was a man called Johnny Alpha. He became famous for
fighting for mutant rights and died defending his kind from ultimate
destruction. But it seems that even death can't keep a good dog down and
rumours are circulating about Alpha's return...
Order from Amazon.
AUGUST 2012
The Art and History of The Dandy by Morris Heggie.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342414, 6 August 2012, 288pp, £20.00. [£14.00 from
Amazon]
A chronicle of 75 years of the world's longest-running comic,
The Art
and History of The Dandy is a beautiful gift book and treasury of
everything that has made The Dandy so anarchic and special.
The Dandy is
king of the comics!
The Dandy is a record breaker: in 1999 it became
the world's longest running comic.
The Art and History of the Dandy is a
chronicle of 75 years of comic violence and madcap antics from the
likes of Desperate Dan, Korky the Cat, Beryl the Peril, Keyhole Kate and
other intrepid figures who have long since left the comic.
The Dandy
first hit the streets on December 3, 1937, six months before its sister
comic
The Beano. By the 1980s, it was the world's largest-selling comic
with a circulation of around 2 million. The late Albert Barnes, who
edited the comic from 1937 to 1980, summed up its philosophy: 'There is
never any real violence, only the cartoon kind to be found in Tom and
Jerry where the victim always springs back unharmed. It gives children a
chance to cock a harmless snook at authority, and sublimate their
desires to kick against the traces.' Barnes was also behind Desperate
Dan, who became
The Dandy's biggest star. Talking about his cowboy
creation, Barnes said: 'He is to be the roughest, toughest cowboy. He
has to be the strongest man in the world: a man who can chew iron and
spit rust.' Desperate Dan was never happier than when confronted by his
daily diet of cow pie, a species of dish which involved the entire
animal, including horns and tail, protruding through the pastry. Dan was
eventually stopped from eating his favourite dish because of the
emergence of BSE (or mad cow disease). There was a similar crisis in
1997 when Desperate Dan sailed off with the Spice Girls after striking
oil and temporarily retired from the pages of
The Dandy. There was such
an outcry, including a Bring Dan Back campaign, threats of boycott, and
protests from as far away as Australia, Saudi Arabia and the United
States, that the hero was swiftly restored. Changing values caused
Morris Heggie, editor in the 1990s and now scriptwriter for The Broons
and Oor Wullie, to say: 'Desperate Dan is not now quite the same old
desperado that he was. He is now quite laid-back in comparison with the
old days. At one time he used to smoke a dustbin full of rubbish through
a drainpipe ...What is important though, is that, unlike in real life,
the kids always win in
The Dandy. That's our recipe for anarchy.' An
eight-foot tall bronze statue of Desperate Dan has stood in the centre
of Dundee since 2001. Desperate Dan is one of Britain's favourite
characters, and has appeared in nearly every issue of
The Dandy since
1937. * 288 pp gift book chronicling the world's longest-running comic.
* Fully illustrated, colour throughout. * A must for every comic fan. *
Extensive endmatter, with detailed archive history of each comic with
notes on artists and writers. * Notes on what happened each year;
changes to characters and how they appeared. * Produced by the same team
as 'The History of the Beano'.
Order from Amazon.
The Art of Denis McLoughlin by David Ashford.
Book Palace Books ISBN
978-1907081088, August 2012, 272pp, £45.00.
Written by David Ashford, one of McLoughlin's close friends, the book
celebrates every aspect of the artist's career, from examples of his
earliest work whilst still in uniform to his lengthy association with
T.V. Boardman, for whom he produced hundreds of dust jackets for their
Bloodhound crime series and their yearly best-selling Buffalo Bill
Annual.
__The Boardman covers are almost unique in British
publishing history as no major publisher relied on a single artist to
produce so many of their jackets. But tracking down useable examples has
proved to be a long and gruelling process. As Peter says: "We needed
high quality scans of all the covers we sought and the logistics of
having to carry a scanner and computer to spend a day getting under the
feet of a McLoughlin devotee, which would have secured us a reasonable
number of scans but by no means all the ones I craved gave us pause for
thought. Photographing the books would have been quicker, but the
results are light years away from a scan. It simply wasn't an option.".
__Hooking
up with San Francisco-based collector Mark Terry gave fresh impetus to
the book as Mark already had a network of contacts with collectors
through his facsimile dustjacket business; the finished book will now
contain dozens of examples, carefully restored.
__The book
contains many examples of McLoughlin's comic strips and a biography by
David Ashford, as well as behind-the-scenes photos and examples of his
original artwork.
__The definitive book and biography of Denis McLouglin, packed with full colour images of his art and a complete bibliography.
__The
book features reproductions from the surviving original artwork,
"pulls" in high quality print, never-before-seen photos chronicling the
artist's life and page after page of some of the most stunning artwork
ever to see print in the 20th century.
Order from Amazon.
The Broons and Oor Wullie: Classic Strips from the 70's.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354947, 31 August 2012, 144pp, £12.99. [£10.39 from
Amazon]
Order from Amazon.
The Broons: The Nicht Afore Christmas by Morris Heggie.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342735, 1 August 2012, 8pp, £2.99.
A poem written specially for Christmas by Morris Heggie, scriptwriter of
The Broons. It's Christmas Eve at Glebe Street and the Broons are fu'
o' Christmas spirit. But Granpaw's no' happy. The Bairn has gied him a
tricky request. He disnae ken it yet, but he's going on quite an
adventure. There's no chance of any piece an' quiet in Glebe Street with
Santa around. This Christmas poem is set in the world of the Broons of
No. 10 Glebe Street – Scotland's best loved family who have appeared in
The Sunday Post every week since 1936.
Order from Amazon.
Classic Beano & Dandy: Panto Time.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354978, 31 August 2012, 144pp, £12.99. [£10.39 from
Amazon]
Order from Amazon.
Harker: The Book of Solomon by Roger Gibson & Vince Danks.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857689740, 17 August 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£7.94 from
Amazon]
When a series of gruesome cult killings take place near the British
Museum, DCI Harker and his assistant DS Critchley are called to London
to solve the case. Middle class satanists, dusty old bookshops, a
labyrinth under the museum, a frantic car chase and wry, cutting humour
all combine in this graphic novel love letter from creators Roger Gibson
and Vince Danks to classic British detective television series.
Order from Amazon.
Judge Dredd: Restricted Files 04 by John Wagner, Mark Millar, Bryan Talbot, Henry Flint, et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080467, 16 August 2012, 272pp, £19.99. [£13.99 from
Amazon]
Mega-City one: an especially violent city of the future that requires a
special kind of police force - the Judges - to maintain law and order.
toughest of them all is Judge Dredd. He is the law! Featuring rare
thrills from 2000 AD annuals and specials released through the
mid-'nineties into the new millennium. Experience some of the most
outrageous Dredd stories ever published, including the rib-tickling 'Mr
Bennet joins the Judges,' by Mark Milar (Kick-Ass), and the very english
'Dredd of Drokk Green.'
Order from Amazon.
Rat Pack Vol. 1: Guns, Guts and Glory by Gerry Finley-Day et al.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848560352, August 2012, 160pp, £14.99. [£11.40 from
Amazon]
War is a dirty business...
so who better than criminals to fight it? When Major Taggart breaks
four military convicts out of jail, they think they’re headed for Easy
Street... but they couldn’t be more wrong. Before, they were scum — now,
they’re the Rat Pack! A collection of classic strips from the British
boys’ comic, Battle.
Order from Amazon.
Shakara: The Destroyer by Robbie Morrison & Henry Flint.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080382, 16 August 2012, 160pp, £14.99. [£10.49 from
Amazon]
The Shakaran warrior known as Cinnibar Brennekka has activated a
terrifying weapon called the God Machine, and once it destroys
everything he will be the ultimate master of a new universe created in
his image. Only one thing can stop Brennekka from succeeding... a
vengeance-fuelled being called Shakara - he living embodiment of a
murdered species - is out to kill the last of his kind, and there isn't
another creature in the whole of existence that will get in its way! Be
prepared for a tale of monumental carnage and devastation!
Order from Amazon.
Whaur's Oor Wullie?.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342551, 1 August 2012, 48pp, £8.99. [£6.74 from
Amazon]
'Whaur's Oor Wullie?' or 'Where's Oor Wullie?' for our non-Scots
friends, is a fun puzzle book that features Oor Wullie, the comic strip
character as he adventures all over Scotland with his pals. Oor Wullie
is Scotland's favourite boy, with his trademark spiky hair, dungarees
and upturned bucket as a seat. In Whaur's Oor Wullie? Oor Wullie travels
around Scotland's most famous and popular places with some of the
familiar characters who appear in his Sunday Post weekly comic strip.
The challenge is to spot them in the crowd! Each spread is illustrated
in full colour with a list of items and characters to spot. The 'Oor
Wullie' comic strip was originally created by D C Thomson editor, R D
Low, and drawn by cartoonist, Dudley D Watkins. Whaur's Oor Wullie? is
illustrated by Jimmy Glen. Find Oor Wullie and his pals at the following
places among others: *the Edinburgh Military Tattoo *The Open Golf
Championship at St Andrews *Stirling Castle *Kelvingrove Museum
*Hogmanay *Braemar Highland Games *Dundee's Comic Characters' Convention
*The biggest-ever Burns Supper *Largs Viking Festival *'T' In the Park
*The Royal Highland Show *Falkirk's re-enactment of the Romans being
fought back by the Picts. 'Oor Wullie' was launched in 1936 in The
Sunday Post in Scotland, and is still going strong. The frequent tagline
on the strip is 'Oor Wullie! Your Wullie! A'body's Wullie!'
Order from Amazon.
SEPTEMBER 2012
The Art of Judge Dredd: 35 Years of Zarjaz Covers by Keith Richardson.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080443, 13 September 2012, 272pp, £34.99. [£24.20 from
Amazon]
For over 35 years, 2000 AD - 'the Galaxy's Greatest Comic' - has
dominated the British comics' industry, delivering stories and
characters that have etched their way into the cultural psyche. This
highly-collectable book celebrates 2000 AD and Judge Dredd's joint 35th
anniversary with a compilation of the most stunning and innovative Judge
Dredd-related covers, illustrated by some of the greatest talents in
the industry.
Order from Amazon.
The Best of Punch Cartoons in Colour, ed. Helen Walasek. Prion ISBN 978-1853758560, 13 September 2012, 368pp, £25.00. [£17.50 from
Amazon]
The Best of Punch Cartoons in Colour is a superb new book. This, the
biggest collection of colour cartoons ever released from the original
humour magazine that first published in 1841, is packed with beautiful
artwork by some of the finest artists of the past two centuries. The
page size is huge, showing the cartoon art and colour off in the best
possible manner. And at 400 pages, this book is an essential purchase
for any fan of cartoons, visual humour, or of the legendary
Punch
magazine.
Punch was published in America after WWII, and subscriptions
from the "other" side of the Atlantic remained steady until 1992, when
the magazine closed.
__Helen Walasek, of Punch Cartoon Library, is the former curator of the
Punch collection and editor of
The Best of Punch Cartoons and
Punch Goes
to War.
Order from Amazon.
The Comic Strip Companion. The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who in Comics: 1964-1979 by Paul Scoones.
Telos Publishing ISBN 978-1845830700, 30 September 2012, 608pp, £16.99 [£16.14 from
Amazon]
First launched in the pages of
TV Comic in November 1964, the comic strip version of
Doctor Who is just one year younger than the television series on which it is based. This is its story.
__This volume chronicles the first 15 years of the
Doctor Who comic strip from its origin in
TV Comic to just before the ongoing strip was launched as a regular feature in
Doctor Who Weekly in 1979. During this time more than 200 comic strips stories were published in the pages of
TV Comic,
Countdown,
TV Action,
TV Century 21,
The Dr Who Annual and the Dalek books.
__Every strip is covered in depth,
including plot details, continuity, points of interest and analysis. For
the first time, details about the creation and development of the
adventures are documented, alongside comments from some of the original
writers and artists.
__Follow the exploits of the Doctor
in his first four incarnations alongside John, Gillian, Jamie, Sarah and
Leela as he battles Daleks, Cybermen, Quarks, Kleptons, Trods,
Sarracoids and the Ugrakks!
Order from Amazon.
The Complete Rainbow Orchid by Garen Ewing.
Egmont Books ISBN 978-1405263856, 3 September 2012, 144pp, £14.99 [£10.49 from
Amazon]
The complete adventure, now available in one volume! Follow adventurer
Julius Chancer and his friends as they attempt to stop the villainous
Urkaz Grope getting his hands on the mysterious Rainbow Orchid! The
Rainbow Orchid is an ambitious blend of classic storytelling, and
cinematic artwork, in which adventure, historical drama and legend are
seamlessly intertwined.
__"A British Tintin... readers will be well entertained" (
The Independent)
"The storyline is intricate and engrossing...Joyous" (
The Financial
Times)"
Order from Amazon.
Giles The Collection 2013 by Carl Giles.
Hamlyn ISBN 978-0600624554, 3 September 2012, 160pp, £7.99. [£4.79 from
Amazon]
Enjoy the 20th century's greatest cartoonist's work once more with this
superb collection of some of Giles' wittiest cartoons. His cartoons
parodied every aspect of British life and have delighted Daily Express
readers for over four decades. This brand new compilation includes 150
cartoons that focus on each family member and are packed with fun
details and the clever characterizations that made Giles a household
name.
Order from Amazon.
The Hole of Tank Girl by Andew Martin, Jamie Hewlett, et al.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857687449, 28 September 2012, 352pp, £75.00.[£48.75 from
Amazon]
Bringing together all the classic Hewlett and Martin Tank Girl comics
for the first time in this fantastic slipcased edition with additional
materials including original art, unseen Hewlett pages, a “lost”
original Tank Girl story, and the first new Hewlett Tank Girl artwork
created in over 15 years. The core Tank Girl works have been lovingly
restored for this major collection, spanning the whole era of classic
Tank Girl. With Booga and the rest of the crew in tow, Tank Girl
delights in the sort of marvellous mayhem that made us adore her the
moment she stomped into our lives with her sexy boots and sassy mouth.
Order from Amazon.
Judge Dredd: The Dark Judges by John Wagner & Brian Bolland.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080450, 13 September 2012, 160pp, £6.99. [£5.24 from
Amazon]
An all-time-classic in a small paperback format. Judge Dredd's ultimate
nemesis has arrived. His name is Judge Death, and in his eyes, all life
is a crime! the super-fiend from Deadworld proves to be an implacable
enemy, and Judge Dredd must work with Psi Judge anderson to save
Mega-City one from a city-wide death penalty. Fearsome characters that
have mainatained their popularity throughout the years thanks to the
fantastic designs of Brian Bolland, the Dark Judges are determined to
end all life in Mega-City one once and for all!
Order from Amazon.
Modesty Blaise: Lady in the Dark by Peter O'Donnell & Enric Badia Romero.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857686930, 14 September 2012, 104pp, £11.99. [£8.39 from
Amazon]
Features the classic stories The Girl From The Future, The Big Mole and
Lady In The Dark written by popular British crime writer Peter ODonnell
and beautifully illustrated by Enric Badia Romero! Time-travel, a
message in a bottle and the return of Salamander Four all mark trouble
for Modesty and Willie. With story introductions taking readers behind
the scenes of each story.
Order from Amazon.
OCTOBER 2012
The Best of Alex 2012 by Charles Peattie & Russell Taylor.
Prion ISBN 978-1853758591, 11 October 2012, 88pp, £9.99. [£7.37 from
Amazon]
2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the "Alex" cartoon strip, which began
mocking the financial world back in the yuppie years, when bankers were
held in public contempt for being greedy, arrogant and immoral. A
quarter of a century later they still are; which leaves us satirists
wondering what on earth was the point?
Order from Amazon.
The Best of Alf Tupper, The Tough of the Tracks, ed. Morris Heggie.
Prion ISBN 978-1853758614, 11 October 2012, 144pp, £12.99. [£9.09 from
Amazon]
The Tough of the Track was
The Victor's most popular hero, having
instilled the competitive spirit into millions of British lads for over
50 years. A welder who worked under railway arches, Alf Tupper survived
on a diet of fish and chips. He was always the underdog, running against
posh toffs who devised underhand ways of keeping him off the winner's
rostrum. Although Alf often looked beaten, he nearly always came through
in the final few strides, exclaiming "I've run him!" as he breasted the
winning tape in a photo-finish. Published in the year the Olympic Games
returns to Britain, this nostalgic anthology will not only be the
perfect gift for the millions of men whose love of sport was kindled in
their youth by Alf Tupper, but will also enthrall and inspire a new
generation of boys to go and win against all the odds.
Order from Amazon.
Charley's War: Death From Above (Vol. 9) by Pat Mills & Joe Colquhoun.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857683007, 26 October 2012, 120pp, £14.99. [£10.49 from
Amazon]
In this explosive new ninth volume of never-before-collected comic
strip, including for the first time reproductions of original artwork
from artist Joe Colquhoun's archive, things are looking up for Charley
after he meets the love of his life. But their wedding is destroyed by
the roar of destructive Zeppelin Bombers from Berlin!
Order from Amazon.
Dante's Inferno by Hunt Emerson & Kevin Jackson.
Knockabout ISBN 978-0861661695, 10 October 2012, 88pp, £11.99. [£8.39 from
Amazon]
Hunt Emerson, the dazzlingly talented cartoonist, tackles the biggest
literary name of them all: Dante. Emerson's Inferno delights on many
levels: as an ingenious translation of classic verse; an effortlessly
readable introduction to a complex poem; a delicious crib for anxious
Dante students; and as a warm tribute from the master of one art form to
the grand master of another. Hunt's cartoon is followed by Kevin
Jackson's essay on Dante. Wildly clever and witty, but essentially
reverent, it is a wonderful treat for anyone who already loves Dante.
Order from Amazon.
The James Bond Omnibus 004 by Jim Lawrence & Yaroslav Horak.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857685896, 12 October 2012, 288pp, £14.99. [£12.74 from
Amazon]
The daring James Bond is back in a definitive bumper edition collecting
the second period of Jim Lawrence's celebrated run in comic strip form!
Includes nine of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: "Trouble
Spot", "Isle of Condor's", "The League of Vampires", "Die With My Boots
On", "The Girl Machine", "Beware of Butterflies", "The Nevsky Nude",
"The Phoenix Project" and "The Black Ruby Caper".
Order from Amazon.
Matt: The Best of 2012 by Matthew Pritchett.
Orion ISBN 978-1409121565, 25 October 2012, 80pp, £6.99. [£4.33 from
Amazon]
From the Olympics to the Jubilee, transport troubles to the recession,
Matt reviews the last 12 months in his own inimitable style.
Order from Amazon.
Mrs Weber's Omnibus by Posy Simmonds.
Jonathan Cape ISBN 978-0224096836, 25 October 2012, 488pp, £20.00.[£13.09 from
Amazon]
In May 1977 Posy Simmonds, an unknown young illustrator, started drawing a weekly comic strip for the
Guardian.
It began as a silly parody of girls' adventure stories, making
satirical comments about contemporary life. The strip soon focused on
three 1950s school friends in their later middle-class and nearly
middle-aged lives: Wendy Weber, a former nurse married to polytechnic
sociology lecturer George with a large brood of children; Jo Heep,
married to whisky salesman Edmund with two rebellious teenagers; and
Trish Wright, married to philandering advertising executive Stanhope and
with a young baby. The strip, which was latterly untitled and usually
known just as 'Posy', ran until the late 1980s.
__Collected here for the first time are the complete strips
. Although celebrated for pinpointing the concerns of
Guardian
readers in the 1980s and their constant struggle to remain true to the
ideals of the 1960s, they are in fact remarkably undated. They show one
of Britain's favourite cartoonists, celebrated for
Literary Life and
Tamara Drewe, maturing into genius.
Order from Amazon.
Nikolai Dante: Sympathy for the Devil by Robbie Morrison, Simon Fraser & John Burns.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080733, 11 October 2012, 224pp, £18.99. [£13.29 from
Amazon]
For over fifteen years, Nikolai Dante – the swashbuckling ‘Hero of
the Revolution’ – has been entertaining the readers of
2000 AD as he
fought, thieved and loved his way through life in 27th-Century Russia. A
long-running story of grand adventure which began in 1997 reaches its
conclusion in 2012. one of
2000 AD’s most popular characters, Dante has
become an iconic part of the British comics scene.
__In this final installment of his epic story, Dante must escape from
captivity in order to lead the Revolutionary army in its fi nal battle
against his tyrannical father, the psychotic Dimitri Romanov.
Order from Amazon.
Not Forgotten 2009-10 by Steve Holland.
Bear Alley Books ISBN 978-1907081668, 8 October 2012, 98pp, £12.99.
Not Forgotten 2009-10 records the passing of 35 comic strip and
cartoon creators, some well-known, some forgotten, yet others better
known for their work in other fields.
__The artists and writers whose
careers are recorded in this volume include Alan Hemus, Tony Hart,
Robert Peacock, Jose 'Pepe' Gonzalez, Jose
Casanovas Sr., Ron 'Nobby' Clark, Malcolm Douglas, Bernet Toledano, John
Donegan, Adrian Kermode, Giorgio Bellavitis, John Ryan, Francisco
Hidalgo, Roy Raymonde, Carlos Roume, Ricardo Garijo, Terry Challis,
Xavier Musquera, Francis 'Smilby' Wilford-Smith, Geoffrey Bond, Richard
Hook, Ian Scott, Bill Ritchie, Virgilio Muzzi, John Hicklenton, Peter
O'Donnell, Roy Mitchell, Victor de la Fuente, Ted Rawlings, Fernando
Fernandez, E. C. Tubb, Jose Maria Jorge, Les Gibbard and Paddy Morris.
Order from Not Forgotten 2009-10.
Steven Appleby's Guide to Life. The Collected Loomus Cartoons by Steven Appleby.
Guardian Books ISBN 978-0852653777, 11 October 2012, 176pp, £14.99. [£10.49 from
Amazon]
Steven Appleby's weekly 'Loomus' cartoon is one
of the Guardian's most popular features.Together they form a quirky,
original and hilariously perceptive guide to the unexpected twists and
turns of everyday life.
__Have you ever wondered how to be a
good house guest, been a victim of the curse of the evil spell check or
wanted to learn the secrets of smell spotting? Here, you'll find all
the answers to life's big questions.
__With original notes and roughs, new illustrations and musings, and an insight into the art of creating the perfect cartoon, Steven Appleby's Guide to Life is a must-have collector's item and a brilliant gift.
Order from Amazon.
Tank Girl: Carioca by Alan Martin & Mike McMahon.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857687432, 26 October 2012, 136pp, £14.99. [£12.74 from
Amazon]
Tank Girl returns again in a brand new graphic novel written by original
co-creator Alan Martin with artwork by the amazing Mike McMahon ("Judge
Dredd")! After our heroine is rudely snubbed on a TV game show, she
plots the death of the vulgar host in question - unwittingly releasing
the vengeance of his embittered wife and a gang of highly trained
assassins as a result!
Order from Amazon.
NOVEMBER 2012
One-Eyed Jack and the Death of Valiant by David McDonald
Hibernia (no ISBN), November 2012, 32pp, £3.99.
Hibernia is back with what will be a semi-regular look at the more
obscure and forgotten gems of British comics called Comic Archive. our
first book is One-Eyed Jack and the Death of Valiant. The book features
interviews with John Wagner, John Cooper, Janet Shepheard, Kevin O'Neill
and contributions from Kelvin Gosnell, Dave Hunt and more. Articles
include the relationship between One-Eyed Jack and Judge Dredd; John
Wagner's tenure as editor of Valiant and the new strips he introduced;
the craft of Art Editors in relation to the look and logo design of
Valiant, 2000AD and much more. The book is also available as a digital
download.
Order from Comicsy.
The Rainbow Orchid Supplement by Garen Ewing.
Garen Ewing, November 2012, 48pp, £5.00.
"The Rainbow Orchid Supplement
is 48 pages and includes full annotations for the complete story, a
cover sketchbook, three interviews (previously published online) and a
few other extras including artwork, promotional items, abandoned story
ideas and a research bibliography," says Garen Ewing. "I'm self
publishing it and limiting the print-run to around 250 copies." The book
does not repeat any of the extras
from The Complete Rainbow Orchid.
Order from Garen Ewing.
Rogue Trooper: Tales of Nu-Earth Vol.3 by Gerry Finley-Day, Steve Dillon, Chris Weston et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080689, 8 November 2012, 400pp, £17.99. [£13.02 from
Amazon]
As the Norts and Southers wage war on the battle-torn world of Nu-Earth,
the genetically-engineered soldier, Rogue trooper, continues to search
for an antigen which will restore his bio-chipped comrades to life. If
that wasn't enough to deal with, Rogue is also recruited to carry out a
string of assassinations, in an attempt to end the war once and for all!
Order from Amazon.
December 2012
Grandville: Bete Noire by Bryan Talbot.
Jonathan Cape ISBN 978-0224096249, 6 December 2012, 104pp, £16.99. [£10.99 from
Amazon]
The Badger is back! At Toad Hall, lair of multibillionaire. Baron
Aristotle Krapaud, a cabal of industrialists and fat cats plot the
violent overthrow of the French state by the intervention of horribly
beweaponed automaton soldiers. Meanwhile, the brutal murder of a famous
Parisian artist, mysteriously stabbed to death in his locked and guarded
studio, is subject to the investigations of the tenacious Detective
Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard, placing him and his faithful
adjunct, Detective Sergeant Roderick Ratzi, in pursuit of the mysterious
masked assassin stalking the cut-throat commercial world of the
Grandville art scene.
__Bete Noire signals the welcome return to
anthropomorphic steampunk detective fiction of master storyteller and
graphic novel pioneer Bryan Talbot with the third stand-alone volume
of the Eisner and Hugo Award nominated Grandville series.
As the body count mounts and events spiral exponentially out of control,
aided by his brilliant deductive abilities and innate ferocity, LeBrock
battles against outrageous odds in this funny, high octane thriller, an
adventure shot through with both high art and comic book references, a
glorious illegitimate offspring of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian
Fleming – with animals! Follow the Badger!
Order from Amazon.
Judge Dredd: The Garth Ennis Collection
by Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, Dermot Power, Cliff Robinson, Colin
MacNeil, John Burns & Greg Staples.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080672,
11 December 2012, 160pp, £12.49. [£11.36 from
Amazon]
Order from Amazon.
Nemesis the Warlock Volume 2 by Pat Mills, Kevin O'Neill, Bryan Talbot, John Hicklenton & Tony Luke.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519789, 30 December 2012, 304pp, £16.99.
A reissue of the volume previously published in 2007 with a different ISBN.
Order from Amazon.
Shako by Pat Mills, John Wagner, Ramon Sola & Juan Arancio.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080696, 6 December 2012, 96pp, £10.99. [£8.47 on
Amazon]
THE ONLY BEAR ON THE C.I.A. DEATH LIST! Shako the Eskimo word for the
polar bear. It means simply... killer! When a US Air Force plane crashes
within the arctic Circle, Shako the terror of the frozen wastes, is the
first on the scene, getting his first taste of human flesh!
Unfortunately for the CIA, the great white beast has also swallowed a
top secret capsule which was being transported by the plane, and now
they must track him down to retrieve it. This won't be an easy task, as
Shako hates mankind. And what Shako hates, Shako destroys!
Order from Amazon.
Giorgio Bellavitis, a prolific artist for the British market in the 1950s, died on Thursday, 21 May 2009, of undisclosed causes.
Bellavitis produced his first comic strip for Albo Uragano, 'Robin Hood e gli Allegri Compagni della Foresta', based on the legendary British character. At the time, Bellavitis was signing his work with the pseudonym George Summer.
Bellavitis then became art director of Cosmopolitan Artists, an agency headed by Enzo Plazzotta who had moved to London and made contacts with various publishers. Bellavitis himself was one of the first exports, drawing "Paul English" for Swift (1954-55), "Mark the Youngest Disciple" for Eagle (1954-55) and illustrations for Junior Express Weekly. When Cosmopolitan collapsed amidst accusations of financial irregularities in 1955, Bellavitis travelled to the UK and helped set up another agency. In 1955, he had taken the artwork of "Storm Nelson" in Eagle and, in 1956, worked on "Rodney Flood" (Junior Express Weekly) and filled-in briefly on Eagle's "Riders of the Range". A strip planned for Rocket came to nothing when that title was incorporated into Express Weekly after only 32 issues. After this briefly prolific output, and apart from some contributions to Pearsons pocket libraries and to Fleetway's nursery titles, Bellavitis subsequently departed from the British market.
In 1962, he translated the 1906 book Garden Cities of Tomorrow by Ebenezer Howard as L'idea della citta giardino for Bologna-based publisher, Calderini. This marked the end of Bellavitis's career as a comic strip artist. Instead, he concentrated on a career as an architect and designer after gaining a scholarship to IBM, only occasionally producing illustrations for scholastic books and encyclopedias. He travelled to Aspen, Colorado, and travelled out to Chicago to visit the Robie House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright which had a profound affect on the work that he has dedicated himself to for the last forty years.
