Comic of the week!

Words fail me how good this is!

Panel of the week.

Space Punisher 3 of 4.

Art by Mark Texeira and written by Frank Tieri.

This book should be an ongoing Nd never end!

Let's go print!

Good morning fuckers!

Driven by a drought of creativity in the world and a need for some black humour and positivity in the world of comics the time has come.

I have decided to go old school and create a print comics fanzine.

Something with articles, strips, interviews, reviews, art and fiction.

Imagine Arkensword or After Image with a fuck you attitude. Let's bring back the feel of Deadline and Escape to 2012!

Experimental without being up it's own chocolate highway. Mainstream, Indie and DIY will mix on the same pages.

I welcome all submissions (but sadly cannot pay - but I am sure you have heard that one before). I will however shoulder all print and distribution costs (feel free to advertise for free).

Over to you shitters!

Ez.

2000AD - the experiment.

For those expecting a further 2000AD review I am afraid it won't be forthcoming.

I sat down last night and attempted to be positive and enthusiastic about this weekly but it didn't pop along and tip it's hat at me.  In fact I think enthusiasm for 2000AD is still wearing a FRANKIE SAYS T-shirt and dancing to Carter USM !

Really sorry readers.

I tried.

NIA.

2000AD - The Experiment.

Have you seen Dredd yet?  I saw it a couple of weeks ago (yes it came out early in the UK) and loved it.  It washed away memories of the Stallone movie and left me wanting more.  

Straight after I found a central London late night book shop and bought a copy of Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files Book 10 and I read most of it that very night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

So.  I thought I might try 2000AD again. I used to read it as a kid in the late 1970s and early 1980s and loved it back then. I would guess that it's around ten years since I last tried it.  I wasn't  overly impressed then but thought it was worth an experiment.

So I have ordered a month's worth of issues from my LCS and thought I would let you know what I thought.

Here goes.

2000AD - Prog 1801.

The cover looks pretty good (actually a wrap around cover) by Clint Langley. I usually don't like this overly painty /computer style but thought it worked OK this time round.

Upon opening the book I see that Tharg is still there spouting juvenile cliche. I have to admit to always finding him a bit annoying even in the 1970s. His appearance to me smacks of old British comics (a time we have left behind with the older readership perhaps?)  The summary section smells suspiciously of a cut and paste job.  (Do people read this page any more?)

Judge Dredd - Payback.
I loved this story.  Exactly why I went back to the book. PJ Holden killed it on the art and it's a tight well written story with just the right balance of story, character and exposition.  I have not got a fucking clue who most of the participants are but it leaves me wanting to know more.

Brass Sun - Part Two.
No sorry.  I don't get this at all.  The art seems rushed and lacks detail (yes I do include that lazy splash page).  I have no clue what is happening and don't really fancy finding out.  Just hope that it finishes soon and we get something better.

The ABC Warriors.
I have always been a big fan of the characters since Ro-Busters and really liked this story. The grey splash page looks great. It has that humour / menace / bleak feel that the old ABC stories had and the cliff hanger works well.  Let's face it Mr Mills is still the man.  Anyone know, is Deadlock still Nemesis?  Is that still a thing?

Terror tales - Blackspot.
Now you lot. Listen. I just watched Xtro and this first two and a half pages of 'Blackspot' is straight out of that movie.  The ending is weak and it actually had me looking back a couple of times to see if I had missed something. The art is very readable however but the grey colouring (to show night time presumably) seems a little flat. I like these one off stories normally so hopefully there will be more of them with better scripts.

Grey Area - This Island Earth (Part 2).
Seriously? Is that it? A sub 'Powers' strip seems to focus around a lost car? Was this story written for a different (and much longer) format?  I am guessing that it's a computer game spin off? Is that right? The art is workmanlike but is so traced in points that it took me right out of the story. Again another strip that I hope gets replaced soon.

Roll on Prog 1802.

NIA.

More NICE.

Some Esad Ribic action from NICE today.

You don't get this at San Diego!

I bet you don't get anything like this as other comic conventions?!

Charlie Adlard signing.

Still at NICE.

Alan Davis.

Alan Davis is signing for the longest line so far at NICE.

Ian Churchill (again).

And here he is preparing to sign!

Ian Churchill.

NICE is shaping up nicely.

Just scored a great piece of Ian Churchill art from Wolverine issue 80.

Here with the Boy Wonder holding it.

Cover of the day.

Mr Claremont - how could you?

When comics professionals let you down.

A cautionary tale maybe?

Over my thirty something years of being a comics fan I have met numerous comics writers, artists and editors. In the majority they have been really cool.

Some of the greats who stuck out over the years are Joe Sinnot, Joe Kubert, Stan Lee, Jim Starlin and the list goes on and on and I am sure that if you read this blog you know who I am talking about. True gentlemen who care about the fan.

But my first real encounter with a comics writer was something that almost stopped me being interested in the medium. Genuinely. That feeling of rejection from this person literally made me feel that way and more.

It's a story that I have held back telling on this blog for fear of negativity. But I think it's a worthy tale with a lesson for many out there.

I often quote / hype / pimp the great comics conventions and signings that I attend but a recent sour collaboration with a high profile comics creator got me thinking about this event years ago. I won't name the recent writer as he has projects in the works that I assisted with but I am sure he knows who he is without me telling on him.

So here goes.

In 1986 I attended one of my first real comics events. UKCAC as it was known then (United Kingdom Comics Art Convention). I was fifteen years old and on holiday from boarding school. My father dropped me off and I was literally so excited I couldn't sleep the night before. It took place in the then more seedier London and this was a huge step for me being alone in the big city.

The event was a revelation for me. Comics were at possibly the highest point in the artistic scale they have ever reached and readership was still big and about to go stellar.

This was the time of Watchmen, Dark Knight, Cerebus, Swamp Thing, Warrior and all the rest. I was obsessed. This was my own private world. I had never shared my hobby. Never spoken to anyone about my favourite characters or creators. But I knew it all. I spent all my pocket money on comics. I read them and re read them. I kept notebooks full of essays and handwritten reviews. I even kept a weekly countdown of favourite stories, writers, artists and characters.

This writer was always fighting it out for the top spot with my other hero Doug Moench.

I lined up hours early to get in and shyly kept myself to myself as we stomped into the hall.

I spent all day going up and down the stairs. Desperate for some comics interaction but too nervous to attempt it. I spoke to a dealer about his stock there and signed a mailing list here. I still remember that first convention like it was yesterday. I could even tell you what I was wearing.

I remember during the day walking into a lounge / coffee area and seeing Chris Claremont. X-Men and New Mutants were my books. I adored them. I reviewed them in a notebook and felt like the characters were family. He was my writer. More than anyone else I read he spoke directly to me. I felt a juvenile kinship to his characters.

These were the days before the Internet and thinking back I don't remember knowing who the guests were. I think it was a huge surprise to see him standing there. He was chatting to a couple of guys.

I remember circling the group for ages. Trying (and I am sure failing) not to be noticed. Waiting for the conversation to break. Waiting for a speck of sunlight. The moment that I could speak to my idol.

This must have been obvious as one of the guys Claremont was speaking to pointed me out. Claremont looked over. He seemed to be inspecting me. In retrospect I must have blushed.

I remember his staring at me pompously. Literally. If you have met him i am sure you know what i mean. Time paused.

I thought that I now had to shit or get off the toilet. I stepped over and asked him to sign my programme. I handed it to him. He then to my surprise took it and turned his back on me. I think I was blurting out something about how much I loved his work.

I watched him sign it. Red in the face and mortified beyond words. And then without even turning he handed it back to me over his head without even glancing back.

I was just a fresh faced 15 year old kid.

I was so upset I went to the hall and listened to talks for the rest of the day.

I am sure to you the reader it doesn't seem a big deal. But to me it was horrific. Truly.

In my teen innocence I spent years hating myself for interrupting his conversation. I was reminded of the incident every time I opened an X book.

Of course now I realise that the bloke is just a pompous idiot who took pleasure in belittling that young version of me.

I saw him years later at a convention in Bristol and watched as he told a lady fan about his new sports car. I thought about speaking to him again. I thought about telling him how he had destroyed me. Then I thought 'Fuck it'. He sounded like a sad old bastard without my help.

Never meet your heroes? I always thought this was too negative.

Thanks to all those comics people out there who continue to be great and encouraging and enthusiastic. Don't stop.

Just think about the fans feelings.

NIA.

Panel of the day (sort of).

Dredd.

Loved it.

Brutal.

Relentless.

Dystopian.

Pitch perfect.

See it!

Dredd!

Tonight!

Mr Liefeld.

Oh Mr Liefeld.

Why?

Retro Goodness.

Some Gold Key gold with thanks to Christopher Mills!

Cover of the day.

Thor was always great with guest stars.

Cover of the day.

Return of The Punisher!

Found in a notebook.

I found this in an old notebook.

I don't remember writing it.

But it's a great motto!

A cheeky copy?

Maybe?

Panel of the day.