tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76088696578908267122024-03-14T04:15:42.631-07:00Never Iron Anything!Comics in a positive light!Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.comBlogger1451125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-12979811447587774662020-11-12T22:21:00.001-08:002020-11-13T01:43:23.434-08:00Breaking News - Atomic Hercules 3 Banned from Kickstarter!<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_f1f6_aff5_4d7f_7086" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_UwG7z_bvBkYIQ6tU2Ci7K6Sxy6oC-PBP-RYp4uYoazu3BXti-y6teWtw61S3o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 690px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="4"><b>Breaking News - ‘Atomic Hercules - Goes Commando’ is refused from Kickstarter for ‘...promoting violence and pornography.’</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The only surprise here is that Kickstarter haven’t even seen it.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The creators have set up a page to preorder the book. It will be a limited run so good to get in early. <a href="https://www.atomichercules.com/" id="id_5a01_e2c7_90e5_7bd6">https://www.atomichercules.com/</a></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"> This will allow for the small press publishers, who will now be self-financing this issue, to gauge how many to print.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Oh Kickstarter! Too hot to handle? Don’t understand that we are making fun of snowflakes just like you?</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_c097_9a31_1c2c_a0f3" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WX8_iaviVfik-sVq-YD5J-gyItrPmoF9pLe6o2L_jd93JX8SWzfdTNyBd7vA4rs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">‘<font size="4"><b>Goes Commando</b>’ is the third issue in Tribute Press’ ongoing series. It is written by Tony Esmond and drawn by Adam Falp. It features stories of the Demi-God in a Post Apocalyptic wasteland full of Mutants, Robots and a cynical barman called McGregor.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Atomic Hercules is full of cartoon violence and past issues have had awkward and funny sexual incidents. But it is clearly placed as a satire and also a broad comedy. It is also noteworthy that other than a pair of breasts there is zero pornography in issue three and certainly nothing that could be classed as pornography or even titillation - quite the opposite. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">This is satire folks! For example, the Earth was destroyed by stupidity. A whole generation had left school and studied nonsense like ‘Anime Voice-Over Degrees’ rather than ‘Nuclear Physics’. There was nobody left with any essential knowledge and the world went to shit and blew up!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_7a56_edfd_f89_e116" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/cSgedQh8ZYVp_kO0pz90O5Qc2uCzoYiwvViMIf56kdYeXckObIdhI0DVCIkMQ7U" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="4">Here’s the definition of pornography. If they think Atomic Hercules is intended to stimulate sexual excitement I’d hate to see what is on their hard drives! IT IS THE OPPOSITE YOU FOOLS!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Sure there’s comic book violence, sure there’s humorous and outrageous adult humour. But have you seen the exploitative crap that’s on Kickstarter at the moment? As I scroll through there are shameless sales pitches based on female bodies. Aren’t these the people the ones that they should be going after?</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I suspect foul play from a jealous party. We’ve requested the name of the snowflake from Kickstarter.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_3230_4ea0_e6b9_16fd" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/AWTsBoDD_AaPZ9NkQPat2Ni8-FqChGIaae-RwwXAYFrH5R9WqGBmwx1J5eSHGI0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Here are some quotes from people who read the book.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">‘If you like holy shit moments and very explicit, transgressive art and narrative, then you gotta get your hands on Atomic Hercules!"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Vince B, 11 O'Clock Comics Podcast.</span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">"Anarchy, violence, foul language, and f*cking! What more do you need? a hand job probably. But Atomic Herc will hold you over until that happens you utter deviant!"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Stewart, That Comics Smell Podcast.</span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">"Atomic Hercules Feels like a book you've already seen; the sort of book that gets surreptitiously bought to school in the bottom of a duffel bag by a troubled acquaintance of yours. You sneak a peek at it one lunchtime and wonder where on earth your friend got it from; you mean to ask, but that afternoon he tries to steal a teacher's car and is expelled. you never see him again. that's the sort of book Atomic Hercules is."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">John Tucker (Bald, The King).</span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><br></span></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(37, 42, 46); font-size: 17px; caret-color: rgb(121, 120, 116); font-family: -apple-system, ".sfnsdisplay-regular", "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t forget that you can buy other great Tribute Press comics - all with that Outlaw Comics taste over at </span></span><a href="https://store.tribute-press.com/products">https://store.tribute-press.com/products</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_92e6_ce30_fec5_4467" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HAMBVMNDknzSBXtBIWhJHbslhfxgvJRNI8CnkvdNgnd-04zPbK0rpdVowxIieMY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many thanks for reading.</div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-36290694050237495342020-10-16T00:02:00.001-07:002020-10-16T00:02:25.822-07:00In Review - ‘Dick Turpin and the Vengeful Shade’ from Time Bomb Comics.<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_bd0a_c501_d4c8_d46e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SWGUljet4YU1Ixdgfrn3d9XfSmv5E67-AMW-W9ve7xf7MZiw-ChUvDvnNiSph9Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><b><font size="4">Dick Turpin and the Vengeful Shade.</font></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Created and Written by Steve Tanner.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Illustrated by Roland Bird.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Coloured by Brett Burbridge.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Letters by Bolt-01.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Latin Translations by Dr Michael Beer.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Logo Design by David Morris.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><font size="4">Published by Time Bomb Comics - 56 pages - Full Colour.</font></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><b>Summary</b> - ‘Infamous highwayman Dick Turpin gets more than he expected when a robbery gone wrong leads to ghouls, ghosts and a haunted house.’</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_2dbe_d6dd_8512_8356" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/yCL12ICYscUrMRTCnb-DovBMxiAzOD-Jn-dRmpOds3uPGl9fPTMKn2S-SXmuU-s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="4"><b>The Story</b> - It is 1731 and a stagecoach is travelling through the night on way to London through Epping Forest. Inside are the pampered rich complaining about their rainy journey, whilst on the outside and just down the road Dick Turpin and Tom King wait to rob them. The coach crashes into the felled tree Turpin has prepared earlier and initially the highwaymen play the roles of concerned strangers. With the rain bucketing down around this group they head towards a strange and mysterious green glow and discover a (mostly) abandoned country house.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Turns out that this mysterious house was once a monastery and the group bed in for the night. And that is where I will leave this story summary for the moment. You can fully expect the story to head off a cliff with action and horror shortly after this ..........</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">There are rats! Fuck, I hate rats!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_e884_3972_620f_62ef" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/byN2wFn288GZvNA66RIb1TbNUKZurAZKosqyfVzDJdpmy0AYhO2-Tft3iTK2IGc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="4"><b>The Review</b> - At first glance this would be a story that would be called elsewhere a ‘Classic Haunted House’ horror story. It is indeed fixed within that genre but it also has much more going on throughout the pages. The historical setting allows for the writer to litter in period specific references and language. I kept a browser open whilst reading and had a little look for example at ‘The Bear in Southwark’ - a place in London that one of the characters references. It turns out to be a disgusting pit of Bear-Bating and Prostitution (I must read more about that later!) It’s through both the storyline that is full of scares and also the scene settings in this year of 1731 that allows for much of the atmosphere of hopelessness and dread that marches onwards through each act of the story.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">There are many villains in this comic and that is a fact. None of the cast are perfect least of all Turpin but there are also almost thematic antagonists. It’s difficult to fully explain as the main reveal doesn’t happen until around twenty pages into the book. But this comic manages to grab a past event that we all know about from history classes and makes it real and dangerous and immediate.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>‘It’s Latin - something about souls and damnation.’</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The iconic image on the cover feels a little too stock footage and muddy for a story that is totally more immediate and in the moment? At least for my tastes. Roland Bird on interior art duties pulls off something that is of clarity and drama. He has a touch of the Alan Davis about his line and he makes use of some great camera angles and scene setting. You always feel that you know whereabouts you are in this haunted house, you can feel the coldness of the walls sand the dampness in the air. He also pulls off some great facial acting, especially in the angry and pragmatic actions and reactions of Turpin. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The colours by Brett Burbridge also convey that nighttime isolation so important to building the tension. Whilst Bolt-)! As always carries out solid lettering duties.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>‘Perhaps this is it Turpin? The night we finally face judgement for our considerable sins.’</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The story ramps up and then explodes in action. The attacks keep coming and you can’t tell at any time who will make it to the last page. Beyond the life and death situation this is also a book about learning lessons from the past. We get a flashback sequence that fills in some of the gaps. I’m going to say that this broke up the flow somewhat for my personal reading experience and could have done with being placed earlier in te story. It also was a little too long in its explanation for my tastes. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">There are other themes that Mr Tanner creeps into the narrative that really interested me. The theory of retribution, punishment and justice weigh heavily on the narrative and also the tone. There is a great little nod to one of the characters being catholic when he produces a rosary that not only made an historical point but also a poignant one. Layers that provide a much more interesting reading experience are throughout. Nicely done. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Overall this is a great read full of unexpected twists and some strong character building and dialogue.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_423e_8f02_2ab6_fd3a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/jK5mUrfVz05qRHFnCEn-z5ZmvuQTaLqBK9VJWFQ0qAj0zZFm5wBiwfP22nNehHA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="4">Head over to the Time Bomb website and grab yourself a copy. Here’s the link </font><a href="https://timebombcomics.com/">https://timebombcomics.com/</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Many thanks for reading. </font></div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-916588249283302852020-10-10T04:32:00.001-07:002020-10-10T07:46:11.301-07:00Ten Years.<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b><br></b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>Introductions and Warnings.</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I’m a little late. I only realised that this blog had hit the ten years mark a day after it happened. So I spent a few days thinking about what I wanted to talk about here to celebrate/commiserate. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">About five years ago I heard a quote from someone who I have long since forgotten. ‘Write Angry’ they said. I thought about this and started writing it at the front of each notebook. I still believe in the motto somewhat. Maybe I have mellowed.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Nah ..... just kidding.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Be aware that I never set out to offend but I also never censor myself from being truthful.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Nothing gets mended by sitting on a broken fence. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">So buckle in.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>Ten Years and Missed Opportunities.</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">There has been a lot of comics water under the bridge during the last decade. Whilst the small press comics community was a presence for many years previously it has really taken off whilst I have been blogging. In fact one of the reasons I took up the blogging and reviewing pastime was because my comics creating had halted some years before and I felt the need to be creative within our hobby. Commenting and critiquing seemed like a good option. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">There have been some great comics in the period and some that have truly opened my eyes to all areas of art. However I will use the quote that seems appropriate here that ‘Experimentation jumps about without prejudice’. It moves slowly from one area or medium to the other. Sometimes the comics hive mind thinks that it has found the perfect equation in creating and rests on its laurels lazily until the ability to be genuinely ground-breaking is out of its reach. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Historically (and excuse me for my blunt summarising here) comics does just that. It has peaks and artistic troughs. Marvel Comics in the seventies lead the way with their Bronze Age output by Gerber, Starlin, Moench, McGregor and their gang. Then we got the sweet spot in the eighties with DKR and Watchmen etc. Then the nineties hit and whilst the mainstream exploded with unoriginal biceps and butts the fringe grew up with Clowes, Fingerman, Brown and others. Vertigo was on a mission that they won more than they lost. Then we got the noughties and the rise of the writer with Bendis, Waid, Brubaker, Millar and more. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Then what happened?</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The mainstream slowed down with often indifference towards the medium and a greedy need to move onto the big and small screen. Sure there are some high points that can be quoted but the true experimentation moved on into the world of creator owned, underground, independent and small press. Nobrow, Avery Hill, Fantagraphics, Drawn and Quarterly, and more where gripping my wallet and my shelves. These were the books that I found the most inspiring to write about and enjoy. Sure, I continue to read and collect the big companies but I’m never looking for something ground-breaking from them anymore.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The UK small press scene has really taken off in this last decade. They supply the tablecloth decorations for nearly all the once pre-COVID weekly conventions and have become more than a scene or a community that I would say that their popularity is such that they will one day be referred to as a movement. ‘Art Festivals’, ‘Zine Fairs’ and ‘Comic Conventions’ attract often more creators than punters and cater to people invested in the art and often sadly ‘the scene’. People now describe themselves with such self-confident wankery as ‘Creative’ or ‘Graphic Novelist or even ‘Sequential Artist’. I long ago tired of telling them ‘It’s all comics sweetheart!’.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">And there began the beginning of my theory on what followed....</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>The Mass Hysteria of Art without Criticism.</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">With the rise of the small and independent comics companies we saw the rise in their examination and review online. These reviews started well but fell into the trap of becoming a string of comfortable and flowery adjectives. Along with the fractured emotions of the highly strung Twitter and Instagram junkies we began to see a move towards the rise of the fake review. I’d hesitate in even calling them reviews as they represent something little more than free promotion in most cases. It is clear that a review in any adults eyes should be an independent examination of the quality of a comic. This should be critical of what is bad at the same time as being encouraging on what is good. Sadly this is mostly lost.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The reviewers joined the party. They became part of the scene and (and I include myself in the past as guilty of this sin) were friends with those that created the books on their reviewing plate. People became overly sensitive regarding an actual critique. For years they had been told that their books are perfect so how dare someone actually point out a failing. (Myself included) Reviewers have stood there with a foot pump inflating the egos of people who are, let’s face it, incapable of selling more than a couple of hundred comics - mostly to friends, relatives or easily swayed convention attendees. Are any comics perfect? Really? Reviewing of music and film never seems to hold back in being honest - but the problem in comics is that we are all in the same goldfish bowl. Swimming around quoting the same old hackneyed shite without truly breaking free and thinking for ourselves.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>The Creation of your own Artistic Legendary Status.</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Over the last decade I have watched the shameless rise of what I call the Self-Hype Machine. In my experience this did seem to be only initially in the land of writing but I see it more and more recently in artistic realms. Is there another industry where someone can arrive without a shred of ability but just start telling everyone that they are a ‘A GREAT WRITER’ or ‘A GREAT ARTIST’ loudly on every social media platform and at every convention without the back row of the theatre putting their hands up and giving a huge “Steady on there babes!’ That egomaniacal steam train of self-promotion is something that has always made my eyes roll but it has of recent years reached Partridge levels of cringe!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">You may be of the opinion that people are allowed to do and say what they like about their own creative endeavours. (You may also believe in unicorns and honest politicians?) But the truth here is that these Self-Hype Machines often galvanise the Twitter deluded hive minds into an endless mutual masturbation of retweets without an actual read of the aforementioned comics. This rolling and rolling of that proverbial stone gathers the mass of bumptious buffoonery and begins to get the attention of publishers (cough, cough Rebellion). These ‘in crowd’ hires without an eye to quality then begin to infect the mainstream and we get badly written comics with sub-par art on the shelves in newsagents and comic shops. And every single time this happens we dilute the medium with weak piss content that stops a genuinely brilliant writer or artist being employed!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Honestly - does the world really need another Steven Universe rip-off?</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">This contagion of a fool’s paradise is now totally out of control. The idiots are running these companies with their goggle-eyed attention to the politics and trends of the moment rather than an eye to who can actually write and who can actually fucking draw! Professionalism seems often to be thrown out of the window with a need to be that Top Dog with Know-It-All attitudes whilst staring at the glowing screen of your smartphone. Embarrassing advice is thrown about by infants and when challenged they dive into self protective sub-tweeting.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">And you know who is to blame? Us critics that’s who. I used to idiotically take pity on creators and fail to mention what was wrong with a comic. I don’t do that now and haven’t for years. I’ve got less books through because of that approach but if that’s the price I have to pay I will do. Honestly, these days I’d rather buy a comic to review than be given it - less guilt that way.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I cherish the comics of people with vision and talent. There are those out there who continue to produce interesting, transformative, funny, exciting, sensitive, insightful comics. But this crowd is shrinking as the kettling effect of the noisy idiots takes full control of the scene. Please create without a concern of what the in-crowd might think. Dare to be different. Dare to take a chance. Dare to offend. Don’t worry what others might say. It’s something that I am learning with my recent work through Tribute Press that this is the sort of comics world that will make you happy. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>Movies and Sales.</b></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I think we can quite happily say that the success of a movie doesn’t really impact on the sales of a comic significantly for any extended period? Sales of monthly comics is an area in need of a real shot in the arm and every week seems to raise a story of distribution troubles or conspiracy theories of the failure and financial troubles of the bigger companies, distributors and shops. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">So, please, every time you feel a need to talk about a comics centric movie or TV series give a little moment to mention the actual comic!?</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">In the last ten years I moved my not insubstantial financial buying habits to Orbital Comics in London. An Eisner winning comic shop with great monthly comics, graphic novels and back issues. A hop and a step from work it became a Wednesday afternoon full of joy as I picked up my pull list and a few off the shelf comics and trades.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">But that went belly up. Suddenly and without any real warning. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">In the busy West End of London we are left with the choice of the hipster hang-out of Gosh Comics or the sterile action figure fuckery of the Forbidden Planet. That vibrant half-mile area of comics shops with Comics Showcase as a past worthy mention seems thoroughly on the decline. Come on Travelling Man - pull your finger out and plant a flag! I have moved into a mail order pull list, a load of Ebay catch-ups and travelling to shops across the South-East to see what gold they hold. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">The hobby has taken a real hit with this virus. An immediate adaption/change in line with this new status quo is required for comics to survive. Something brave and something that will put comics back in the hands of a new generation - a move that will hopefully lift readership numbers and get the money flowing back into our hobby! We also need to stop arguing with each other! To stop creating groups on all sides of the isle. This is totally counter productive to selling the darn things - any idiot can work that one out! Stop shaming people for political/social/personal ideology and concentrate on the comics. As an example I got a message on Twitter to see if I wanted to follow ‘Comics Art’ as a subject. I clicked on it and it was a load of people in tweet after tweet talking about politics. If you go to see a romantic movie you don’t want to walk into a theatre and see a documentary about dogs shitting do you? You don’t have to check the political or moral position of every creator on everything. If you did that they would never get any sold - OH TOO LATE! I almost died last year so to me this is all bullshit - babytalk sixth former politics.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Fingers crossed huh!</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><b>Conclusions</b>.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I write comics for fun with people I like. I don’t worry about the amorphous mass of children on the internet and what they might like or show to their Instagram buddies. There are people who have an educated opinion I respect - that’ll do for me.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I review in writing and on podcasts with honesty. I’m not looking to have a sleepover with anyone and will give you a critical opinion on what you have created. If you have the bottle then contact me. If you create something good I will say so. Without fear or favour.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">I’m a lifer and will continue to buy and consume comics until I die or they kill me.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Stay off Social Media - it’ll only wind you up.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Many thanks for reading.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div><br></div>Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-70283590419267449032020-09-25T02:42:00.001-07:002020-09-25T02:42:53.101-07:00In Preview - Murder Vol 1 by John Tucker.<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_9e6e_b5e1_2e5f_6c85" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/hztktMqKGDjFBkFRZ6FG4jC74fckou94jlN4Nq8w7_3Jmdd3e-BmKNygWuXYZUM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Murder - Volume 1.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Created by John Tucker.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Black and white interiors - £3 delivered in the UK.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It’s hard to talk about John Tucker’s comics without spoiling - but I’m giving it a go nonetheless. (I’ve even trimmed the images to keep you safe!)</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">So what do you need to know? What will nudge you over to Kickstarter to pledge?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Facts! That what people love right?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Fact One</b> - This is the new offering from John Tucker. (Volume 1 and he is working on Volume 2 as we speak).</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Fact Two</b> - This is a short two story anthology and a mixture of art, prose and Social Insanity.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Fact Three</b> - This is about to land on Kickstarter. It will only be available for a short time. Then it won’t. Your choice cowboy!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You might well say that’s all you need to know? Well if it is then you need to head over to Kickstarter and register for the release. Here’s the link <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johntucker/murder-volume-1">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johntucker/murder-volume-1</a> </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">If you fancy reading on and seeing what adjective laden waffle I throw myself into then I’ll tip my hat to you and continue.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_f279_e53c_c678_8d86" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/25BOfC5gKnUZpPFUinnyBxeuWhEmj2DqUSoHSpA5ol66yCfugjr8zp0r_puAoSw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">John joyfully writes like he is suffering a randomly conceived Cheese Dream that he, or I, are never quite sure which twisted ending will be revealed. Sometimes he stirs your grey matter in the areas that elsewhere may be considered banal. Hair cuts, back street comedians, sex with old people and so on. But these stories do not lay in the boring filler of morning television, for example, but rather in the idiosyncratic absurdity of comedically crafted DIY punk comics. They are at once strange but on other levels more than a little insightful.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">John takes the everyday and twists it with unique absurdity. In the past he has considered male patterned baldness and wondered how it would get even worse when a scalp becomes transparent. Or how the dumping of a hairdresser’s cuttings within view of a lighthouse turns murderous!</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_4c5f_141d_feda_2f8f" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LJjTnCuA0SI10hc3Cbdi-KCZoawfIlLX2xjHVIICzkkPqqc8VwvwJ5pBc5Ivvk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Both stories in this new comic are very different but play both sides of John’s storytelling coin. They are equally implausibly deranged. And are also both narrated by a wide-eyed cross between an everyman and the sort of person you regret getting in conversation with in Greggs. The hints of dead pan madness are apparent through much of John’s work and are again on show here - to this particular reader’s satisfaction.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Who thought that the evil plans of a plumber would stick in my head all night! </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I might use the bog at work?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Here’s the link to register for the launch tomorrow <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johntucker/murder-volume-1">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johntucker/murder-volume-1</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">My only problem is that it seems far too short. Where’s that next one John?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p></div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-19544644180645036522020-08-08T10:28:00.001-07:002020-08-08T21:52:03.278-07:00When is a review genuine?<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Yep. Back on the subject of reviews again. I’m asking a question of when is a review genuine and written without prejudice? Without a horse in the game? Without a few quid maybe being exchanged? When can you trust what you are reading or is it just a comment of a friendly aunt?</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It’s nice to get a good review isn’t it. Something with insight and well written it lifts the spirits with a small dopamine dose. What it also does have is the propensity to bring eyes to the comic, series or creator. Some people live for that attention we see that every hour of every day on ‘Comics Twitter’ and elsewhere in social media. That crackhead need for someone to love us! Please say a nice thing!!! PLEASE!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Over the last few years I’ve been noticing the change in attitudes towards reviews. I’m sure you’ve heard or read me bemoaning the lack of actual critical analysis in comics these days. I’ve personally turned a corner and will now only be totally honest about a product. Scroll back and you will see a few examples. A piece written with no fear or favour. Without a sense that they are all mates and giving out cuddles for needy creators. If that’s what you want....show it to your mum and never sell it!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Comics reviewing is not and never should be a byword for promotion. But that is the way that they are being treated by many websites and publishers and how they are seen by many creators. Get a review and sell another couple of books? Maybe. Start getting your name out there, whether you are competent or not and there’s a chance that a publisher will spot you and consider paying you actual real money to make comics for them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">There’s also quite a bit of competition to get a review. There aren’t that many sites or reviewers these days. It can be difficult to get a review into print even when you send the site a hard copy - something that I have experienced this year a couple of times.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">So what are we left with?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Sadly we are left with this.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_2eb2_7edc_c518_c6cf" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/uJlVXJGH5epxi9HfFDvUlDSlRFII7ThGa0VWnMW7OuvRXdkkGNWZARTqDTO-hHU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">This is from the review section on the Comichaus reading app. (I took a screenshot before the comments were deleted by the app who spotted that they were fake). It is a series of reviews for the Markosia comic ‘Clockwork Inc’. Written by Stu Perrins with art by Ron Gravelle.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Before we examine the review linguistically lets make it clear that I have no data regarding who left these reviews. I can tell you that I reached out to Comichaus and they removed them and they were not responsible. I reached out to Harry Markos from Markosia who told me that he had no knowledge of them and I believe him. I also reached out to the writer Stu Perrins. He has, at the time of writing this, read the message but has not replied (proof below). I do not have a point of contact for the artist at this time.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_49b5_1ddb_1d6b_89f0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/uLH6QHicb-1mH-2jKc1v3opJCPjoDfmEKZtbiI8Fal3jzEsOrCAy7HAolJdQGSg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Comichaus is a subscription comics service who pay creators per click on views by subscribers. Full disclosure here that they also sponsor a podcast I am co-host on. The more attention you can gather to your comic on the site the more clicks it gets and the more money you make. There is a chart of the most clicked on comics as part of the home page set-up. You can register for a free month on sign-up. I highly recommend it as a great source for indie and small press comics at a reasonable rate.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It’s a great model but like everything seems to have been in the past hi-jacked with this sort of behaviour. (It is worthy of note at this point to say that the site has changed it’s protocols and will now spot this behaviour).</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I first became aware of this particular example when the comic was unusually in the top five for a few months. It didn’t seem to have the quality of a book people would flock to and/or be read and reread and in doing so remain at the top but somehow it did. Who was clicking on it? I am not sure.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">So I looked at the reviews.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">They are all very short. They also appear to have been written quickly without a proofread. For example the repetition of ‘<b>You you’</b> in the first review and a lack of full stops in three of them.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Two are written by ‘<b>Comichaus Member</b>’. I’m guessing that this is the default username on the site. This also shows a high possibility of rushed writing.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">One is written by ‘<b>KidJesus</b>’ and one by ‘<b>CrazyJesus</b>’. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Maybe they are related?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Three use the incorrect spelling of the tv series Doctor Who and refer to it in three different reviews as ‘<b>Dr Who</b>’! this is a big signpost indicating that they were written by the same person.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Four of the reviews compare the comic to a TV series or movie - ‘<b>Black Mirror</b>’, ‘<b>Dr Who</b>’, ‘<b>Twelve Monkeys</b>’, ‘<b>Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy’</b> and ‘<b>Blade Runner</b>’. Only once does a review compare it to a comic.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">They are also written in a two month window from the start of December 2019 until the end of January 2020.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Let us be clear here....</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>I AM NOT ABLE TO SAY WITH ANY CERTAINTY WHO WROTE THESE REVIEWS.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I will leave it up to you dear reader to draw your own conclusions. It may be a creator or it may be a friend or relative. Or it may just be someone thinking they are doing the right thing?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">However. </span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I looked at the reviews on the Comichaus site for other comics written by Stu Perrins. And look at this! ‘KidJesus’ turns up again in Megatomic Battle Robot 1 as well as the anonymous ‘Comichaus Member’. How miraculous!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_492c_bb0a_fe16_1f96" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/KiyCBWJKLls3rU7Qh5CH_BTq-2LCld22H7h2gdyraY0pHyNJ97Iw7Kxt0GvhI4E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Stu Perrins also wrote a story in issue 12 of the Comichaus anthology. ‘KidJesus’ rises again like ‘KidJesus’ at Easter. This is again a short review that doesn’t say much.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><img id="id_689_4133_542b_44b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ql0ouejPjDJf0gf0lCuRD8xq4a14BPv-cJG6NBwb8uJkqHz4YhGseFVDnKdyaSY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">In fact quite a few of Stu’s comics have very short reviews written by anonymous Comichaus members who have nothing written on their site profiles. No website, social media or identifying biographical material. One might assume they were created during the free trial period and then left? I’m no expert. Linguistically they use short statements/sentences that only say how great the book is and all give five star reviews.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><img id="id_e84d_17a9_aaf6_50d2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fvr0OSSCzxgOkS7YDRrhdpdADOxHjpKjj7yQJFla3PyFH1TafZ5dsTfxcjYqsJA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br>In fact - Everything is a five star review. How lucky can one creator be!</p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Conclusion</b>.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">If somebody is benefitting financially by falsely creating Comichaus free accounts, leaving a review and then closing it down then this is highly unethical. (At least).</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Why post numerous reviews of your own or friends comic? It’s can be both financially beneficial sure but you can also include in a CV or application that you have such great reviews and are clearly a creator worth working with? When there’s a good chance you are not.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It is also cheapening the reasons that we post reviews. Listen, I’m no naive millennial and understand totally that this goes on throughout the media world. I hear that Amazon will pull reviews if multiple ones appear from the same IP address. I’ve also seen a number of podcast reviews that have been written by somebody with an Apple Username that is basically the name of one of the hosts!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">But it’s still jolly bad behaviour if you ask me!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Update - 9/8/2020.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I received a reply from Stu Perrins. I’ll let it speak for itself as I’m not completely sure I know what it means.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_7cc_5f3e_3532_3065" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XmLl8EHZYLH8zeINpWmeK6siDTkiljnN-1l4SUovlJaeoZnM_ls6I-BmHhPj1BE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-59064554907486183392020-08-01T04:51:00.001-07:002020-08-01T04:51:20.241-07:00In Review - ‘Love on the Isle of Dogs’ by Jude Cowan Montague.<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_af38_c512_5142_4c12" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Xx2mAUP-XAcHbKDpGkYEA4N4rAZDizJUY0VgJVApb6bZ0ujwlEOUZEVq-Vj0xus" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><b>Love on the Isle of Dogs</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><b><br></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><b>Created by Jude Cowan Montague.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">Published by Friends of Alice Publishing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">197 pages - Black and White Comics and Prose.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><b>The Story. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 52, 72); color: rgb(0, 52, 72); font-family: "courier new", courier-ps-w01, courier-ps-w02, courier-ps-w10, monospace; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">LOVE ON THE ISLE OF DOGS is a true story about my marriage to a man who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. It's a poetic tale told in pictures.</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><b>The Review.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have settled down to read this over coffee at an outside cafe in a square in London. I was kindly sent a preview copy of this new graphic memoir by Jude herself who contacted me by Twitter. I’ll say from the outset that I found the reading experience both frustrating and involving. I will attempt to explain why.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let’s start with the cover. It is a simple scratchy and seemingly instinctual image of Jude herself. This time in colour, as the interior art is black and white, and shows the bright yellow of her hair, the blue of her dress and the visual shortcut of a baby in her arms. Jude stands on a dark and murky background and I anticipate something emotional and insightful on the inside. The title is bold and eye-catching and overall I enjoyed the simplicity and iconography in it’s and the cover’s overall design. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_418_2533_6407_d98d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3hDD3stmCWEOaxNVT5jEc2kD-kJLakss-684DZPtZzkiqArHP6UlPJ5MyPIs7mE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br>There is no doubt at all as I read onwards that this is a heartfelt account of Jude’s life, her husband, a child and a home. For those without the important geographical grasp this is a tale that is situated in The Isle of Dogs in central East London. An area I worked in the late nineties and a place embattled by the encroachment of big industry, the usual fat cat banking bastards and ridiculously expensive rentals. It is an area that has changed much since the seventies and can be seen as a mirror for what has and is happening elsewhere in too expensive to live in London without a millionaires bank account.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">The initial part of the memoir is in comic form. Or for the Hampstead hipsters what is often described as a graphic sequential form - if you prefer? And so we find the area that I found frustrating. The art seems to mimic the drawings of children the type that parents pin to the front of the fridge. I’m not being cruel here as you can see above. What they have in good intentions is completely wiped away by the rushed and badly drawn figures and scenery. Initially at my first glance i presupposed that these images were part of a flashback to junior school or the drawings made by a child. They are not a momentary visual shortcut but rather fill the comic section. If I wasn’t reading this for a review I would have put the book aside. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_dfb6_9dca_1a65_6a75" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/bXUgQxSnTPMn2kU109RjD8KvX-BNLYxbXFrfE6W4yVnOMi4W8GuRvokqVXyTJc4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br>This book is of course a memoir a book that is personal and so should obviously be a reflection of the creator. But Jude’s art does not communicate the story and is far too abstract and without the required personality. In basic terms it looks rushed and without skill. It’s also worth noting from a graphic design POV that the pages look like they have just been copied onto the bright white paper stock without any attempt to blend or visually join the bright framing with the dirty uncorrected scan. Of course this may be intentional and art is always subjective but for this reviewer whose review you are reading it is far from successful.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">I’ve watched a couple of online videos of Jude talking about and showing her process. She makes use of a large page and a brush dipped into ink. The smudges of ink to me would be a good starting point. The child/baby imagery as below for example. But these pages need more. They need a depth that I’m not seeing. A comic page is not something so slight. It needs more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">As I say, this is purely my opinion and the eyes of others may see something else. Sure it can be seen as experimental. Comics are of course allowed to experiment and I always welcome that as a reading experience. But I am at a loss to discern what this particular book achieves. Have we had enough of this underdone style? Does it do a disservice to the more accomplished line-work that this book may sit next to on a book sellers shelf? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">I wonder if this and I are part of an elaborate artistic prank. Am I part of this mischievous act. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_38a9_1fb9_49bd_96ac" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/kzs2zGRlXgSWo_8DYI8K29WKLtEoNfqCqk5gRJpC4RSkdzJhljcunXB2qArrYzg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br>The last quarter of this book is autobiographical prose which I read that with much more interest. I didn’t feel the frustration I had felt earlier. This seemed to communicate with me more successfully. It held me with its moments of reality.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>‘When I found a star, it fell into my hand. But it burnt me, so I let it go.’</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">I felt that this was more of a direct pipeline into the mind of the creator. This was the aforementioned insight I was in search for. I’ve watched Jude’s online poetry readings and found that they have much of what I am seeing in the prose. A frankness of the realities of urban living and the rollercoasters of relationships but mixed with the romantic and fantastical. You feel the often very painful life in each paragraph. Jude shapes this prose with quick and exceptionally well crafted paragraphs. Each opening angles to see lives from a different place. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">‘<b>The evenings grew dark and he grew more worried. He’d sit in the darkness. I’d surprise him when I turned on the light.’</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jude also makes some brilliant use of dialogue. It occurs to me that this could have formed the basis for a more traditional and coherent comics script. Maybe with someone more able to carry off the sequentials.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">‘<b>Who are you?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>WHO ARE YOU!’</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">So what did I walk away with? I certainly have an impression of Jude and emotionally I connected with her life. But in total honesty this was due to the prose a lot more than the comic. There is something here. Something that’s should have, in my opinion, been developed artistically differently. Comics have their own special language and I didn’t feel the movement or the people. It needed more thought put into the passage of time and sense of place than I was getting. The prose was dynamic and practical yet also showed an eye to the magical and the life of the interior. I could have read that all day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">We should as always value all art. Part of this wasn’t for me but for you that may be an altogether different bucket of apples and pears.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can find more about Jude by visiting her website here <a href="https://www.judecowanmontague.com/love-on-the-isle-of-dogs">https://www.judecowanmontague.com/love-on-the-isle-of-dogs</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many thanks for reading. </div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-1734354251915689902020-07-19T02:36:00.004-07:002020-07-19T12:41:59.731-07:00In Review - 'Victory Point' by Owen D. Pomery.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jspYysQQ8MOU2VerSLw43KJA2lrLbH4KvwA0jWEiFYDUBy27Fff77s9vkYrtY1I6TcoIypOHipmlB0OKXyfEfOL14VeRKuIpKig7neGjKO89Yh-zuX39TkYuV9aIw-MNKoXGYSTFfCvG/s1312/Victory%252BPoint.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1000" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jspYysQQ8MOU2VerSLw43KJA2lrLbH4KvwA0jWEiFYDUBy27Fff77s9vkYrtY1I6TcoIypOHipmlB0OKXyfEfOL14VeRKuIpKig7neGjKO89Yh-zuX39TkYuV9aIw-MNKoXGYSTFfCvG/w476-h625/Victory%252BPoint.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Victory Point.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Created by Owen D. Pomery.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hardcover - 80 pages - 160mm x 210mm.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Full Colour - £14.99.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published by Avery Hill.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Story</b> - During one summer we follow Ellie as she returns to the coastal town of Victory Point. In the bright sunlight she arrives by train to the place that she grew up to visit her family. As she walks around a town that has a singular architectural vision we join her in revisiting the past. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Does Ellie feel like she still belongs here? Will this visit home refresh something she has lost?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNIbBhGJIbxMSCiSdRuUX6y10XrKYe4noee6ZjWKiLVVzWDXLaApiagQGeHEtAYfduRF8oMYditm-3irKBNSWTyOvoHiOuAoujCSQoiC4_nPo0hXKTooDdVUKpLwh2roPbj0dQeGhS4b_/s1575/Victory%252BPoint-4129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="1200" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNIbBhGJIbxMSCiSdRuUX6y10XrKYe4noee6ZjWKiLVVzWDXLaApiagQGeHEtAYfduRF8oMYditm-3irKBNSWTyOvoHiOuAoujCSQoiC4_nPo0hXKTooDdVUKpLwh2roPbj0dQeGhS4b_/w476-h625/Victory%252BPoint-4129.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Review</b> - It's been around a year since I last reviewed a comic from Avery Hill. It's not that they haven't been releasing product but rather that I hadn't been feeling what they had put out books that connected with me. I'd been looking forward to reading the next graphic novel from Owen as I'd enjoyed <b>Between the Billboards</b> and <b>British Ice</b> last year from Top Shelf Comics. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I pre-ordered Victory Point and it arrived just a couple of days ago. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is a gorgeous book. A small hardback with the cover design printed straight onto the book instead of using a dust jacket. The blue of the sea draws the eye immediately and you can then roam the cover spotting the idiosyncratic buildings and flowing curves of the walls and pavements as they perfectly slice into the curve of the coast. Then relevant to the story is the image of Ellie standing alone and being part of the townscape and the shadows cast. Then above in the faint grey sky is the subtle title. It's a book cover that cleverly mimics a photographic coffee table book with it's broad shot and bold colours. It also cunningly echoes the story inside.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As Ellie walks the streets of the town she rediscovers, discovers and remembers what was there before and realises that things do change. You begin to get to know the area as she explores and the involvement her family had there. She meets up with her father, sees people she used to know and goes swimming. She even makes a new friend who has opened a local café. Ellie also has that feeling of dissatisfaction in her life that borders on moments of being a little lost and without direction. You can imagine that she has returned home to recharge and learn a little bit more about herself through that reach back into the past.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwH40D55KyMFGMKzE-PMr8WRalBT2Bbg7Mv7fRfIWcT9fQWi4dladlxsxnyiD3m_zEOtJ_3vhX32ocs94PCLf-MvuIPhsFqUQXnPow0ZDs_c0hl8uRPQoRdIsYkIf5-8JZQweksS5FbMd/s1575/Victory%252BPoint-4112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="1200" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwH40D55KyMFGMKzE-PMr8WRalBT2Bbg7Mv7fRfIWcT9fQWi4dladlxsxnyiD3m_zEOtJ_3vhX32ocs94PCLf-MvuIPhsFqUQXnPow0ZDs_c0hl8uRPQoRdIsYkIf5-8JZQweksS5FbMd/w476-h625/Victory%252BPoint-4112.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see from the pages above this book is intricately drawn and Owen's background as an architect has translated over to comics with often breath-taking effects. It is this that is the highlight of this graphic novel for me whilst reading. I was straightaway drawn to this town and caught up in Owen's nefarious conspiracy to make me think that it is real.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>'In 1933, the village of Victory Point was the selected site of an architectural experiment. Funded by both the government and private investors, they appointed the architect, M.L. Schreiber, to redesign the town on new principles, hoping to create a visionary example of 'a modern way to live'.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is worthy of note at this point that if you google 'M.L. Schreiber architect' it comes back with a link to the Avery Hill website. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pomery!!! You are a cruel man. I was planning my next holiday.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX8KIxJ1XurmA56pe_FuPoP5oErU1OoU-aZtf6YWbLIBmWUkT5ZGkxDUOMushwRlU81igBp-EyMt9mQYW1siqFI_MEUq73zU3L7L94qVh0_gG2-1IhdTOeHrANy16GxGmcOHzdG2BsBuE/s1199/Eb1e8jwWoAAKJ2a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="848" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX8KIxJ1XurmA56pe_FuPoP5oErU1OoU-aZtf6YWbLIBmWUkT5ZGkxDUOMushwRlU81igBp-EyMt9mQYW1siqFI_MEUq73zU3L7L94qVh0_gG2-1IhdTOeHrANy16GxGmcOHzdG2BsBuE/w443-h625/Eb1e8jwWoAAKJ2a.jpg" width="443" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So, we can all I agree I am sure that this is an excellently drawn and designed book. The only exception that I would make is in the faces of the characters. Owen carries on his style in Victory Point that we have seen in his previous works of intentionally counterpointing the full detail of the surroundings with a style that could be described as 'under-drawing' the faces of his characters. He uses the technique of often just showing dots for eyes and lines for mouths. Whilst I totally understand that this is intentional I'd love to see more in the faces. Ellie's father, for example, is crying out for more craggy and lined details. As he builds a boat and sets sail or just lays down some home-spun wisdom I'd have liked to have seen more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymfKatrE7LEMqzk_q2wUZkFjVHot6dVqIJ1U3jdlsstiuKm3N_DaLnKbn-SFxOx4No9BSVLFCw8tFi38Cnb2w_mbfw7c9jR3OYJtxedKy_V6usrqJyzKm1T819Mu8ykB5V_-uoYR3e6Ti/s1000/avery-hill-own-pomery-victory-point-0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="762" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymfKatrE7LEMqzk_q2wUZkFjVHot6dVqIJ1U3jdlsstiuKm3N_DaLnKbn-SFxOx4No9BSVLFCw8tFi38Cnb2w_mbfw7c9jR3OYJtxedKy_V6usrqJyzKm1T819Mu8ykB5V_-uoYR3e6Ti/w476-h625/avery-hill-own-pomery-victory-point-0.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What is the book saying? It certainly captures a moment. You feel that time has at once stood still in Victory Point with the time capsule buildings and streets but that it has also significantly moved along for Ellie. The question floats ever present of whether or not we can return to our past. Many of us have felt this connection/disconnection when we return home from the early pressures of University or our first job. We want to feel refreshed and also at once tackle in a safer and familiar environment some of our new problems as a new out of the box adult. The world Ellie has left has changed and her father's bones creak as he walks up the stairs. As she goes to catch her train back to her life the rain falls and she pauses with a woman she'd met earlier. This woman is a vision of what she could become. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>'I study the heaven. They cause the waves at my feel' - Dr Abigail Small. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a book that on an initial read I have to admit to finding a little empty. I wondered what the point was with it all. After all many of us have felt that feeling of returning home to recharge and it all seeming at once the same but new and different. But there are two things that brought me round on a second read. The brilliantly realised landscapes on show in Owen's art and the pacing. This is a book that never rushes and takes that time to explain, show and develop. It's the visually stunning and at once restful to read. It's the graphic novel version of laying on a summer beach where a clock stops. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is also a wonderful deception. A false landscape fully at home with it's own verisimilitude.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nicely done- more please.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can find a copy of this book <a href="https://averyhillpublishing.bigcartel.com/product/victory-point-by-owen-d-pomery">here</a>. You can follow Avery Hill Publishing <a href="https://twitter.com/AveryHillPubl">here</a> on Twitter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can find out more about Owen D. Pomery <a href="https://owenpomery.com/">here</a> and follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/ODPomery"> here</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Many thanks for reading.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-70384552555388415222020-06-19T00:46:00.001-07:002020-06-19T01:02:26.475-07:00A Rant - ‘Take A Bite.’<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">Hold onto your socks I’m off on another rant. It’s been a while.</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">I’ll start it with a phrase I’ve been considering for a while.</font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4"><br></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4"><b>‘I believe that you have to have lived to be able to write.‘</b></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">Now, I’m sure that there will be people out there who immediately take objection to the above statement and consider that they are able to write convincingly from their bland lives as they believe they have enough ‘imagination’. Then I would counter that by asking them how much better their writing would be if they could add to that stew some flashes of genuine reality relocated into their craft.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">I do not make any claims at being a great writer but I do push for that truth in everything I write.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">For example, I may not have lived in a post apocalyptic world and drank in McGregor’s sleazy dive but I have been in a few fights in pubs that embrace dangerous personalities.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">I may not have met and fallen in love with a prostitute but I have chatted to and laughed with working girls and I have fallen in love.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">I may not have been an East End gangster but I have drunk and laughed and fought with and against them. Those complicated men and women are real to me, I can describe them in detail.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">I may not have been a member of a ‘Monster Spotters Club’ but my son (and I) were in the scouts and we would go looking for animals (he loves hiding and spotting squirrels) as a 5 yr old. He would come up with cunning ways to hide without being seen all the while telling me to ‘Shush Dad’.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">More and more these days I’m seeing a lack of reality in writing. No depth to the situations. No individualism to the people in or narrating the comic book stories. This problem stops the reader from being all in. It’s a disappointing trend that is making comics a laughable commodity at many glances. There is a lack of true investment. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">I used to say that you had to fight a bull to write about it. I never ever meant it literally and there are levels of understanding here that can be picked apart. I’m sure that Alan Moore was never Jack the Ripper but I’m also sure that he’s met rough men, he’s walked the streets of the East End, he’s heard and internalised the stories of Detectives and he’s practised in the diabolical darkness present on the Eddie Campbell gloriously illustrated pages. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">The experience never needs to be literal. I wouldn’t expect you to have met The Devil - however we all have our demons. Explore the experiences that have taken you down some dark alleys. Or alternatively to the top of some beautiful mountains. And if you don’t have those memories to explore then get out of your bedroom and live some life.</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4"><b>‘There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.’ Ernest Hemingway. </b></font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">We need to take a bite out of life to be able to describe how it tastes. We also need to be hurt to bleed. Feeling is part of writing and if you have never felt then you cannot translate it into words on a page. Being in love is unlike anything else in this world. That feeling in your gut and the moments you daydream about that other person are special and magnificent. So I ask you, how could you write about love in any of your stories without having had that experience. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">To be a writer you have to understand the feeling of extreme moments and you can’t do that by sitting at a desk and watching Netflix. As an industry we will end up writing ourselves into a box of dull shapes, banal reactions and stories written by the slightest and unreal motivations. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">It seems that at this moment in time we are more likely to get a comic about watching the recent Black Lives Matter protests on a television than from somebody who was actually there and has that truth to their work. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">Is this beginning to make sense?</font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><b><span class="s1">‘I feel ever so strongly that an </span><span class="s2">artist</span><span class="s1"> must be nourished by his passions and his despairs.’ Francis Bacon.</span></b></font></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">Don’t we need to experience high emotion to translate it into art? We need to use our art to be part of that emotional process. Feed off that moment. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">The adults have left the room and we are left with the OMG’ing faux polemic of the spotty millenial writing in a way to impress their Twitter bubble. Send it to their friends, get a pat on the back and wait for the moment to take hold before they smugly create more unchallenging, emotionless drivel. These attempts are obvious and trite and ultimately unsatisfying. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">We will be left with comics that show the emotional depth of a toddler shouting ‘Look mum, I saw a dog’. </font></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">So go and experience. Feel the gambit of emotions. Let them penetrate your mind and enhance your soul. Not always easy I’ll give you that but enriching and very, very useful. </font></span><span style="font-size: large;">And then strive to be that better writer.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font size="4"><span class="s1"></span><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><font size="4">Many thanks for reading.</font></span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-28690406225734979962020-05-24T03:29:00.001-07:002020-05-24T03:29:36.737-07:00‘Atomic Hercules 2’ - Tribute Press in Full Effect.<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_ad22_2e97_202d_17d1" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ES_zakQaZj1bsQ2gx_xvb3T1JkkgQFJqskv_Bvl-kKr1jJRapEmGihZH2R6srwg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br>(Variant Cover - Ben Mara).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br><font size="4">Yesterday was a full day of enveloping, bagging, planning, recording and chuckling at the Socially Distant yet fully diabolical and sweary Tribute Press Headquarters in a dirty basement in St Albans. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_a0eb_de07_d20e_e972" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/HJHUaPwJiNVzOMinEMSvwz2Ksn1pvYbX_1j7LHRZu6OPWqtBxV-4ghNv9tF7xy0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br>(Regulation Mask removed for aesthetic purposes but gel and antiseptic wipes on show!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br><font size="4">Myself and Co-Publisher Mr Adam Falp had a meeting at the offices along with a freelance Logistics Consultant to get this Kickstarter whipped into shape! It took a full six hours to get everything ready for posting and now all we are waiting on are the postcards to be added and they will be heading to the Post Office.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">As those who are following the campaign will know there are two covers to issue 2. The standard cover by Adam himself and the variant by Benjamin Mara (see above). Like the variant we had from Ken Langraf on issue one this was another brilliant interpretation of Hercules by an artist both myself and Adam admire greatly. </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_76f3_811_ece5_4526" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KVJzbzFYwA2US9eEtqgN_GqXaHRbqPO78T8_heNSCTB-E1XLsWShyxSiNlHw65M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br>(Standard Cover by Adam Falp).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">But as you can see above Adam was no slouch himself! </font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">We can’t wait to get this into your hands. This has been a huge satirical love letter from start to finish. Sure it’s not for the faint of heart but we hope that we hit what we aimed at again in this second issue. We tackle subjects like bullying, war, love, sex, racism and more with a psychedelic lens that will hopefully become clear when you read it through. But if you want to read this just for the crazy violence and just plain weird sexual practises there is that too! Oh, and I also have a dig at Hipsters and the lack of adults in our modern world.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Adam has absolutely killed on this issue and added some great characters and moments. Along with Mr Nick Prolix you can see the faux Bronze Age adverts that Adam has also created! If you pledged to the project you’ll also get an extra digital only story with fan-favourites Noodles and Kristal and an audio commentary that we also recorded yesterday.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_9df7_a80_3e88_e8f4" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/DttcCzr3X06ZkNJYfwjJNOJgE3o2oSdOhWTH-Cu6vRwhx1MQVRAohOyP84qTQ_c" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><font size="4">Please head over to Tribute Press </font><a href="https://tribute-press.com/" id="id_bbd7_9341_ff09_d219">here</a><font size="4"> and follow this new imprint on Twitter @TributePress</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">If you missed out on the Kickstarter project you’ll soon be able to order the second issue through the website.</font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="4">Many thanks for reading.<br><br></font></div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-84195049294902087252020-05-22T04:36:00.002-07:002020-05-22T04:36:36.987-07:00Podcasting During Lockdown.<div style="text-align: center;">
Hi Chums. Apologies that I've been a little quiet on here of late. I've been flooded with work and been creating some new comics (more on that soon). </div>
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I've finally bitten the bullet and started up a spin-off podcast that is running to keep people (including me) amused during this lockdown. Myself and a comics buddy have been talking about a comic, graphic novel, story or creator and doing a deep dive. </div>
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I thought that I would share with you a few of the recent episodes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrCrRlyknZCZfh2tJf8JEiV3GBYC5Wwq9l1pEVruVgpd3LDv50LbUHoFSQR6t9qEpjzqX4HtoBV0Tnm1YmRQA2khFon8mVoM-5AcJrkJlCoFV3ox0lD1I2TPH50OTYkJkTbhnkVeDdXuz/s1600/creepyalextothp5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrCrRlyknZCZfh2tJf8JEiV3GBYC5Wwq9l1pEVruVgpd3LDv50LbUHoFSQR6t9qEpjzqX4HtoBV0Tnm1YmRQA2khFon8mVoM-5AcJrkJlCoFV3ox0lD1I2TPH50OTYkJkTbhnkVeDdXuz/s640/creepyalextothp5.jpg" width="489" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Episode 13 - 'Alex Toth an Angry Genius' with Jonny Canon and Russell Mark Olson.</u></b></div>
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This was cracking fun and I got to sit down with Mr Canon and Mr Olson who helped me define why Alex Toth was such an incredible artist and why he should be more revered in the modern comics landscape.</div>
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Have a listen here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-13-alex-toth-an-angry-genius-with-jonny-canon-and-russell-mark-olson/" target="_blank">Episode 13</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVr_3pymzw5ETpDwWoVCK2qPN1klE8SfibA2hbYG36hF8Aw3fwuveKIAQqLqcfG6J3To0d_8x0oLo1h2gkoNt8CF545hgcH4c_aH5RFb0h-51ht1fuBxgTlQLUinjeuTdk9jkFX08UNl7/s1600/220px-Actioncomics583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="220" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVr_3pymzw5ETpDwWoVCK2qPN1klE8SfibA2hbYG36hF8Aw3fwuveKIAQqLqcfG6J3To0d_8x0oLo1h2gkoNt8CF545hgcH4c_aH5RFb0h-51ht1fuBxgTlQLUinjeuTdk9jkFX08UNl7/s640/220px-Actioncomics583.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Episode 14 - 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow' with Pete Watson.</u></b></div>
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Myself and Pete really get into the nuts and bolts of the two comic story that would mark the end of an era for Superman. Does it still work? How much do we miss Curt Swan? Is this the ultimate Superman story? </div>
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Have a listen here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-14-whatever-happened-to-the-man-of-tomorrow-with-pete-watson/" target="_blank">Episode 14</a></div>
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(Some John M Burns for your eyeballs).</div>
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<b><u>Episode 15 - 'Masters of British Comic Art' by David Roach with Richard Sheaf. </u></b></div>
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Using the excellent new release by David Roach on the history of some amazing artists and showing their magnificant art myself and The Don of British Comics Richard Sheaf each choose three comics artists we love and talk about their history and body of work. It's a love letter to some amazing work that needs more attention.</div>
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Have a listen here <u><span style="color: #000120;"><a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-15-masters-of-british-comic-art-by-david-road-with-richard-sheaf/" target="_blank">Episode 1</a>5</span></u>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9noKJtSexZ7kZy4cFPxq02dsin4eghexI9uTcSZwzBGGPlEQNVUBUVr8goxP-QShNHnqMjw485j9-LammLAQG5sM1rIgw2Xa335u8vREOdeOC7tEqvSe4lIYhkV6-nStgfgHf9d4VtD4a/s1600/cbb1ca8318f126adb989b34f666977da.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1204" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9noKJtSexZ7kZy4cFPxq02dsin4eghexI9uTcSZwzBGGPlEQNVUBUVr8goxP-QShNHnqMjw485j9-LammLAQG5sM1rIgw2Xa335u8vREOdeOC7tEqvSe4lIYhkV6-nStgfgHf9d4VtD4a/s640/cbb1ca8318f126adb989b34f666977da.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Episode 16 - 'Brian Lewis and the Halls of Hammer' with Jason Wilson.</u></b></div>
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Myself and comics creator Jason Wilson mix it up in the comics and movie adaption world of Dez Skinn's Halls of Horror comics magazine that featured the art of Brian Lewis. A creator with the ability to both recreate the character of Hammer Horror movies and then turn his style to action adventure, saucy comedy and much more.</div>
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You can have a listen here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-16-brian-lewis-and-the-halls-of-hammer-with-jason-wilson/" target="_blank">Episode 16</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjXLsOTOydFYC5hcIPKk83M0KCyrAVsRMwSm3u6INP4KHwd_reQFLgqw-XM2aGWU7vIECgmMHDt2fmqQSde9tBarFGY2QzS3q6RZYtoK_uZ2cq5v5xqFEncBcyhBSqmUjakROX7-ikDPj/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="512" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjXLsOTOydFYC5hcIPKk83M0KCyrAVsRMwSm3u6INP4KHwd_reQFLgqw-XM2aGWU7vIECgmMHDt2fmqQSde9tBarFGY2QzS3q6RZYtoK_uZ2cq5v5xqFEncBcyhBSqmUjakROX7-ikDPj/s640/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u><b>Episode 17 - 'Marshall Law' with Dan Butcher.</b></u></div>
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I meet up with Awesome Comics Pod brother Dan Butcher and we examine the themes and legacy of one of our favourite series. This is a book that breaks down the hero myth and examines those that put on the cape, those that worship them and he that hunts them.</div>
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Have a listen here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-17-marshall-law-with-dan-butcher/" target="_blank">Episode 17</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuh6xafgxZ4HgD3ffFY5DcBaPdvkcpPUTjyuIuH3x4top-tIm7zPKYc9kViI-1i6emh5He71auYnrlwpcTWHBhfyWs674ztnJd4wKpRqhOBPdjyQ5fseTEcy8YU6IIgJLdQfDmYtl8LkY/s1600/b8sr35iii8c01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuh6xafgxZ4HgD3ffFY5DcBaPdvkcpPUTjyuIuH3x4top-tIm7zPKYc9kViI-1i6emh5He71auYnrlwpcTWHBhfyWs674ztnJd4wKpRqhOBPdjyQ5fseTEcy8YU6IIgJLdQfDmYtl8LkY/s640/b8sr35iii8c01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Episode 18 - 'Born Again' with Eamonn Clarke.</u></b></div>
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What a story! Told my two absolute masters of the craft. Myself and Eamonn from the Mega City Book Club Podcast really examine the moments, art and story-telling in this classic Daredevil run. A book ahead of the pack at the time and still in pure quality.</div>
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Have a listen to here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-18-born-again-with-eamonn-clarke/" target="_blank">Episode 18</a>.</div>
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You can find all eighteen episodes with more being added weekly over at the Never Iron Anything <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/" target="_blank">Podbean Page here</a>.</div>
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Many thanks for listening.</div>
Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-69274619156383234582020-04-13T13:51:00.001-07:002020-04-13T13:51:07.855-07:00Honest Review Month Goes Audio Again! Adam Warlock with Dave Robertson.<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_c41f_24e6_b972_7162" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/8H4ZxKTOpwVLy0sKuo-yVrNyKxqXfr6s81mrLDond1CqsTArcmI_dXPGUN7bKjs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br>I sat down this evening with Dundee’s own comics creating guvnor Mt Dave Robertson. We talk about the run that leads through Strange Tales to Warlocks’ own named series and finally into a couple of Marvel annuals.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can have a listen right here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-7-a-meeting-of-minds-adam-warlock-jim-starlin-and-dave-robertson/">https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-7-a-meeting-of-minds-adam-warlock-jim-starlin-and-dave-robertson/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_c861_c90a_8d05_2343" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kcv4aiVxT5SM9_rVjdn2uH9p04ICpUrACVpIxnI5QM5HxOXbWpyuZ8UWtpsvQGk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br>This is a book at the height of the cosmic seventies weirdness. It is beautifully drawn with a multi-levelled narrative that makes it a classic of the time and still very readable. We compare highs and some lows and examine the themes and visuals in depth. Does the story end too soon? Should it have run onwards into those gauntlet comics? What is Starlin trying to say?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">We also chat all about Dave and his comics imprint Fred Egg Comics. Some great releases such as his suburban time-travel story <b>Belltime</b> and many more. Hop over to <a href="http://fredeggcomics.blogspot.com/">http://fredeggcomics.blogspot.com/</a> and grab some to read. You can also find Dave on Twitter @FredEggComics</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many thanks for listening.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-68579814163975029432020-04-11T23:21:00.000-07:002020-04-11T23:21:53.867-07:00Honest Review Month Goes Audio - ‘A Death in the Family’ with Damian Edwardson.<div style="text-align: center;">
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ON this Audio Episode of Honest Review Month my self and one half of Art92 Collective’s Damian Edwardson take a deep dive on one of the most controversial storylines ever to hit the Bat Books.</div>
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Batman issues 426-429 featured the death of the then Robin after a public vote decided if he should die or not!</div>
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<img alt="" id="id_41ab_8b2_20cd_474" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AH_vR243sd5ovJ0G3FsIO0l68Cga5uGRQNGQhcl3WaWt83mji889SCa2mJ6ugtU" style="height: auto; width: 746px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Written by Jim Starlin with art by Jim Aparo, Inks by Mike DeCarlo and Colours by Adrienne Roy this really got some interesting conversation rolling. Was it a crass commercial decision? Did it work as a story? Why did the Joker hog most of the story and get the best costume changes? Why was Superman acting so strangely? </div>
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There’s loads to ponder in this new episode that you can find here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-6-batman-and-a-death-in-the-family-with-damian-edwardson/">https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-6-batman-and-a-death-in-the-family-with-damian-edwardson/</a> </div>
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<img alt="" id="id_f866_6eea_73b4_a20c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qBfhNjeywPscXsmUgXdJfIUVf3jQE3OaqHZAF_-J9aFy5oyPFYj68ER1AYWv8zs" style="height: auto; width: 746px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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You can also find out about the mighty Art Collection that features Helena and Damian at their website here <a href="https://www.artninetwo.com/">https://www.artninetwo.com/</a> Have a look for their great comics and art.</div>
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Many thanks for listening.</div>
Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-50965062783752390382020-04-10T10:52:00.001-07:002020-04-10T11:01:36.034-07:00In Review - ‘Cut-Man issue 1’<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_150e_956e_8cc0_793b" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/JG-9sbjOyUkG9MVFFbQjxtGe3qPFAqJ2tUoKHn-EkG_qvYbrFwpWHqY4r3RHNNk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><b><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Cut-Man issue 1.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Written by Alexander Banks-Jongman.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Art by Robert Ahmad.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Letters by DC Hopkins.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Published by Action Lab - Danger Zone.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">£2.99 - 25 pages - Released </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘Hank Kelly cannot die. With this revelation, his life is thrown into a world of fame and fortune. But can fame and fortune repair his broken family? Meanwhile, detective Rosalind Lovejoy makes a fateful discovery: Kelly’s immortality has a dark cost.’</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_4398_2b08_d1de_ec24" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Bsqj-Ql9Kf75l02PW2sKZy-7q740s-qOWG8JoNKCXsn-Lvk0LWK6pFYQX0aahew" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - This came out on the recent rather underwhelming New Comic Book Day. I had only a couple of weeks ago written a review of <b>New York City Gallows</b> that is also a comic drawn by Robert Ahmad. (He’s a busy dude!) So I thought I would buy this one and have a look.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I’ll start with the cover which I have to admit was also somewhat underwhelming. The colours and the framing are just not working for me. Who in editorial decided that such a drab colour scheme should be eye-catching in a sea of comics? The smoke from the car on the left of the page feels like it has cut or even torn the side off and the skyline with the Empire State Building in prominence is less than convincing. The lack of visible injuries also don’t really explain the large trail of blood? (It just looks like he’s had some red paint splashed on him?) It’s hardly a bold new issue is it? It’s not even a scene in the actual comic.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><img id="id_4190_fb93_a6c7_bbc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zCdAu5Gkjd68pLv5RPAPdu3P8m5SvCoP32-Z7xVgxb7dsjD8ZqltPNNl3CqK6Fc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The story starts out with what appears to be an argumentative inner monologue within the mind of Hank Kelly. A tortured person who lays sadly on his bed in his humble apartment seemingly talking to himself. The story then switches to a discussion with a therapist after a credit box. This short discussion seems a little over-acted but I’m going with it for now. And then suddenly he’s back in his apartment having a shower. As an opening few pages I’m not exactly feeling thrilled. He then meets a girl and she comes back to his place, he calls his therapist and walks to a child custody hearing. And I’m already well over half-way through this comic. If I wasn’t reviewing it I would have given up.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Finally of page 16 of a total 25 pages something finally happens. I won’t tell you what as there is a chance you’ll want to read it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Then in the period of only five hours a crowd of people are gathering outside a hospital and declaring Hank an ‘Immortal Man’ or a ‘Super man’. After Five hours? There’s even a banner declaring he is Jesus Christ reborn?! The end of the issue seems severely rushed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sadly the writing and structure of the opening issue make it both dull and unconvincing.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The art makes use of the the one colour on black and white that we saw with Darwyn Cooke’s Parker books. It is in the most part very well done and communicates story and emotion (albeit at moments a little over intensified) with style. If this had a better cover and a little more of an engaging and less confusing plot (who was that voice in the opening scene?) I’d definitely be on board for the next issue.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_ddc5_2f85_a4cd_955c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0ctY7p0FA5PBhXX5obqar6ZfUlk6x2gvNJNXCyGH33u674g-xeuQB3zMZfi6I-8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I can’t help but think that the book would be better with more oversight from editorial. One of the panels clearly has the unused tail of a word balloon out of place over a character’s face for example. This oversight may also have spotted the uneven plot structure and failing cover.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><img id="id_5d94_9511_fdc4_4f06" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HQAbK-723taQAs_S7xF5NcO_La_OQmLiN1OxJy9i7ucKHjjSo93v7r44W2ySwUE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-27523872999537616322020-04-09T09:09:00.001-07:002020-04-09T09:09:33.957-07:00In Review - ‘Starring Sonya Devereaux: Naked Are The Damned 2’ issue 1.<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_75cb_909d_c0b1_6733" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5YNbdBoXawmwJzfAcH0Q8R7mJzMfIu1obGf6KaFAwUFRlkggjp7t4VSy4ZBqAZY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>‘Starring Sonya Devereaux: Naked Are The Damned2’ issue 1.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Written by Nick Capetanakis and Todd Livingston.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Art by Brendan Fraim and Brian Fraim.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">34 pages - Main Story in full colour with a Black and White backup.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">£3.99 (digital) - Released August 2016.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Published by American Mythology Productions.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘No budget is too low, no dialog too cheesy, and no plotline too thin to keep Sonya from appearing in these straight to DVD flicks. From horror - to action - to erotic thriller, each issue is a laugh-filled send up of a different genre and movie – but they all have one thing in common: Sonya Devereaux and FUN! Okay, that’s two things. But just like gravy on mashed potatoes is delicious, Sonya in a crappy movie is hilarious! Now showing: THE NAKED ARE THE DAMNED 2: Satan has possessed a greedy CEO that wants the farm land owned by Camille’s (Sonya Devereaux) family. With the help of a voodoo queen, Camille must use her wits, charm, and skill to defeat a zombie army!’</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_922e_61d6_a3ef_cdf0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/v65s2ryxAmzZbWtdSfjZmBBLyG6WXjz9DtwoFvfqieFSWqQllwUm5LU0DDDs5v4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Review</b> - I know what you are thinking! You are fully expecting me to dive into criticising this comic aren’t you. Well my comics chums I’m not going to. It isn’t perfect that’s for sure but it also doesn’t take itself seriously. I read this book in my lunch break today and I absolutely loved the bare-faced ridiculousness of the characters and the plot. But (NEWSFLASH) that’s what it is meant to be. </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The comic is bookended by Sonya introducing her own new straight to DVD movie at a Horror Convention. The audience is filled with geeky male fans who both adore the buxom Low-budget movie star but are also keen to point out all the plot holes and missteps in continuity in ‘THE NAKED ARE THE DAMNED:2’. So consequently most of the comic is an adaption of this movie. A flick that has Troma or Full Moon Studios written large across the story, genre and dialogue - and to me that makes for a saucy reading experience. For anyone who likes bad horror and science fiction movies this should be right up their street for a carefree half an hour of reading.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_4f06_f00c_f289_e44e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FhhWxnfObQXzuwnlDMCpsY-QyZ02NwW_4Aj7x_oxF7mxFP1ttpCceBiBpc-6KrM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">In the faked movie portion of the comic the writers throw themselves wholesale into cheeky and trashy dialogue. ‘Camille’ is at once an innocent farm girl with a Daisy Duke style of dressing but she also resorts to Karate Kicks and the use of heavy ordinance firearms and explosives and throws herself into Lesbian pornography. The Voodoo element of the story has one eye on a smart mouth and the other on a quick buck. My favourite written sections are when all the ‘models’ get together and one of them keeps calling Camille a ‘Slut’ no matter what the sentence is about.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The art isn’t perfect and has that Zenascope cheesecake feel to many of the pages and some of the action is a little stiff but it works pretty well in the most part. The colouring is a little on the nose here as well but for me I have to admit that it’s all I wanted in this read. It’s fun and takes the piss out of it’s own T and A over exaggerations to make it pretty darn hilarious.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_f351_73e4_9a53_3ecf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8KXZ9qCKlEUdoNUFaBJsLqKnI6SdIdWB59CLJIEIROBFioe41baeiwFDArW3P1g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Other ‘movie’ experiences you can have with Ms Devereaux include Vampire Academy 4 and Debutante Desperado. Not coming to Sky Movies anytime soon - BUT THEY SHOULD BE!!!!!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Look up some more of these sordid comics at <a href="http://www.americanmythology.net/">http://www.americanmythology.net</a> I’ve just had a quick look and it seems that you can get a free digital copy of this comic over there.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_3e4a_d936_ca56_dfaf" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/A3gg4NYQ7ixkWeiivuUJFI_CZqN96K5CO4_C7a0Yd_cC0driiYCOb_YSv0VNMyw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-45531202837929377752020-04-08T13:23:00.001-07:002020-04-08T13:23:21.377-07:00Some Rabbit Detective for you?<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_6aca_2ffb_e190_e12b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oQlpRLtDM5nFfqrPE7smIsIQvXLBd3Jen2q5g97kX0yE-kLHakqXvYPveBaFOOk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><b><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Hopper: Detective of the Strange - The Case of the Man-eating Printing Press.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Created, Written and Illustrated by Rob Barnes.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Edited by Tom Stewart.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Published by Fair Spark Books - 24 pages - Full Colour.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Release date TBC.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - A suspicious death occurs in the Daily Sentinel newspaper. One of the staff after struggling with one of the vending machines is crushed to death! But the mystery does not end there. A couple of the employees at The Sentinel claim that they saw the aforementioned vending machine follow the victim down the hallway before crushing him. And why is there a Voodoo Doll in the machine?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Luckily, Hopper is here and ready to investigate.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_2558_304a_d48b_1d71" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/TVKRwdjjkj2TJ2ubORvbxaJxwiwEERP35GxDHJozhwrlbhhxugQRQi0ixoRJC_E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - I find these books by Rob Barnes both an absolute joy to read and a complete breath of fresh air in this locked in and cynical world we find ourselves. His previous series out of Fair Spark books was the buddy fantasy book <b>Gallant and Amos</b> which I also really enjoyed. But Hopper has the edge for me in quality. This is a sharply crafted comic. It has a <b>Hanna-Barbera</b> meets <b>Kolchak: The Night Stalker</b> vibe with all the right age specific tone and fun. Mix into that a portion of <b>Roger Rabbit</b> and some <b>Dick Tracy</b> and you’ve got a great ride of a mystery story.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">This is also a whodunnit and I’m purposely leaving out some of the more important plot twists so as not to ruin it for you!</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The Hopper cast is slowly growing and feeling familiar in this second story. We have Gladys the gutsy cab driver who throws herself into danger at a moment’s notice and possibly might have a crush on Hopper. We also have the uniformed Patrol Officer Bull who uses his hard head and horns to crash through front doors. Throw into the mix psychic advisors and voodoo curses too.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>‘I think they mighta flipped their wigs.’</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Mr Barnes also throws a little nod to the older comics fans amongst us..... but I‘ll let you have a look to discover that particular name/character.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_9df5_1a55_86fa_75f1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pW67mxM7SmrVqcZb32IZfbCPsSiPHPIVgsyuOdF1y-q0sngroHXwTp6k_Skk3ic" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The art is also the next step up for Rob Barnes and has a clean style but never crosses that line into the computer nonsense we get in some other overly glossy cartooning elsewhere. You can also spot the love that the creator has for both this style and the characters he has created. There’s a real bounce of movement in the panels! I highly recommend you have a look for this when it comes out.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">A portion of the profits of the sales of this book goes to The Little Heroes Charity helping kids in long term hospital care. You can donate by going to this link <a href="https://www.littleheroescomics.co.uk/sparkcon-2020">https://www.littleheroescomics.co.uk/sparkcon-2020</a> </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You can find more out about the creator at his website here <a href="http://www.arghcomics.com/">http://www.arghcomics.com/</a> or follow him on Twitter @barnz63</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Head over to Fair Spark Books at their website here <a href="https://www.thesparkmag.co.uk/">https://www.thesparkmag.co.uk/</a> and follow them on Twitter @fairsparkbooks</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-10473219936696652262020-04-07T11:23:00.001-07:002020-04-07T15:59:09.728-07:00Honest Review Months Goes Audio (Again)!<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_e6e4_4ac7_be98_67cc" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/qEV0oqjATa5wKiIRpbrp8wVMb2EiWpgYqEa4VpHvsl2JJFEnk37kgLSlFMsduyg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today we are back to the audio format with a great chat between myself and the comics creator Johnny Cannon. After a small amount of confusion that I have to cough to we decided to talk about a short run on a nineties Marvel Comic called Quasar. Why did we choose this book? Because it contains the underrated art of one Mike Manley.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can find the episode here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-5-quasar-darkhawk-mike-manley-and-jonny-cannon/">https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-5-quasar-darkhawk-mike-manley-and-jonny-cannon/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_471_c1c4_d344_1cc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/eX0CXg4f8ix6EW2JL5SOEbbBOJt7DHZ8B8DsE0WBoIWZmcLq5hWL9X7oOTRR16o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">For those unfamiliar with Mike’s art it’s worth noting that he moved over into the field of animation for a decade or more after a good few hundred issues of art in the pencils and inky areas. He’s back drawing comics again and currently working on the Phantom newspaper strip as well as teaching illustration.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_85b8_5132_5c64_20f4" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/NUS-4dkd66EJWaKRjXRYVLFypBpAl8SNWdaPcBIwl8GgyxEzJ8vMnL0fQC9BXSI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have had a blast reliving a bygone era and the conversation goes all over the place.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can hear it here and leave comments on this blog or find me on Twitter @Ezohyez.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can find old JC and his comics here <a href="https://cannonhillcomics.bigcartel.com/">https://cannonhillcomics.bigcartel.com/</a> and find him on Twitter @Cannonhillcomics</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many thanks for listening.</div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-8796313754566606922020-04-06T08:57:00.000-07:002020-04-06T08:57:07.314-07:00In Review - ‘Kanu’s Trek issue 1.’ From King Ball Comics.<div class="p1" style="font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1"><b>Kanu’s Trek issue 1.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Writing and Art by Justin Walker.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Colours by Nikolai Radivojev.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Cover by Teodoro Gonzalez and Justin Walker.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Published by King Ball Comics - 24 pages - Full Colour.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">£1.99 on ComiXology</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Released 18/9/2019.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘Kanu's Trek is a tale about a man who leaves his home, a crumbling Utopia, in search of a mythic forest out in the vast wastelands. He encounters an entity partly of his own making, and through their conversation, Kanu is able to reflect on his past and make tough decisions about his future.’</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> -. This was another find on ComiXology and for a change is at a fairly reasonable price. The cover is a strange one as it doesn’t seem to reflect what is inside and also isn’t really of a design that automatically makes you click on it/reach for it. Something that shows the reader more what they are likely to get from the book would be a much better way to go in my opinion. The text also suffers from being a little illegible too. An easy fix for issue 2 I’m guessing.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I have to admit that after taking a random and blind punt on a comic this was an interesting/intriguing surprise. It is a slow character driven narrative that basically revolves about an older man in a desert talking to a pile of rocks. It shows a meditative reverence to the situation that this man named Kanu and the world around him has fallen hard into. In fact many of the panels are focused on the lined and bearded face of Kanu who quietly utters his lines whilst unsure if he is going mad. But he remains an attention grabbing study. He is also at moments both spiritually contemplative and prone to acts of sudden violence.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">A warning though is relevant here too. There isn’t much that happens in this launch issue. It also takes a while to figure out what is going on and why .... but that is kind of why I enjoyed it so much. If you are in the right mood this will stretch your investigative process and be pleasing with some fresh panels layouts and a great digitally coloured set palette.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">A plague has hit the planet. But what is the source of this plague. Could it be a plague of consumerism? Or war? Or anger? Or greed? This place is called ‘Utolp’ been seems a long way from a Utopia. This harsh reality clashes in this slowly told but never boring exploration of where we might go next as a race. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The art is strong and colourful with a small nod to Manga and indie underground comix mixed together. It has scope and the world feels fresh and has a mysterious reality to even that talking stone circle.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">This was a small little gem in a sea of ComiXology Submit that I will be checking back on.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">You can find out more by visiting the King Ball publishers page on ComiXology here <a href="https://www.comixology.co.uk/King-Ball-Comics/comics-publisher/17164-0?ref=c2VyaWVzL3ZpZXcvZGVza3RvcC9wdWJsaXNoZXJJbmZv">https://www.comixology.co.uk/King-Ball-Comics/comics-publisher/17164-0?ref=c2VyaWVzL3ZpZXcvZGVza3RvcC9wdWJsaXNoZXJJbmZv</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></div>
Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-28699353646628559102020-04-05T08:00:00.000-07:002020-04-05T08:00:55.930-07:00In Review - ‘Billionaire Island issue 1’ from Ahoy Comics.<div class="p1" style="font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1"><b>Billionaire Island issue 1.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Written by Mark Russell.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Art by Steve Pugh.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Colours by Chris Chuckry.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>Letters by Rob Steen.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Published by Ahoy Comics.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">£3.99 (ComiXology) - Full Colour - 32 pages.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘Welcome to Billionaire Island, where anything goes...if you can afford it. But the island's ultra-rich inhabitants are about to learn that their ill-gotten gains come at a very high price.’</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><img alt="" id="id_7194_e223_6107_a7ba" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9IKdZ6nJlawSABeN1jpWmfR9AjgLEYPDtdf5CfSRPWoq-qAa6ZeJ6uDv0bgiAH4" style="height: auto; width: 746px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - Well this was a great antidote to the current climate of very serious news reporting and social distancing. A comic that is both a funny ride but with a cheeky satirical edge. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The cover to me is a weak Banksy rip and needs to be less of a faux political statement and more representative of the creepy and murderous humour comic that we see inside. (In fact a reverse image search brings back at least a couple of Banksy results). It does however show a little hint at the slyly performed digs at consumerism and worshipping of ‘The Rich List’ that is going on today. A sentiment that seems somehow to hit home with more impact with what is happening in the current lockdown situation we find ourselves in. One rule for the rich and one for the not so fucking rich. Who knew?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Who could central villain/asshole Rick Canto be based on I ask myself. There’s a little of the Mark Zuckerberg visually and a little more of the Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson about the smug island owning/show off/bellend stuff. Canto is a villain for our time that also simultaneously reflects Lex Luther and a touch of the Loki in his never giving a fuck/people are playthings attitude. ‘Freedom Unlimited’ - yeah that stinks of a shallow marketing meeting.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I’ve been a fan of Mark Russell since enjoying <b>Exit Stag Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles</b>. He has an idiosyncratic style that allows for action, pathos and humour all at once. There are a couple of page turn (guided view swipe) moments that genuinely surprised and interested me and I shall be keeping an eye out for the next issue - whenever that may be! (No slight on Ahoy intended here - but with the current situation who of us can be sure?)</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The art has something very different about it and echoes something somewhere between Mad Magazine and a Horror comic. It is at once underground and satirical but also clearly a four colour monthly. Steve Pugh really pushes a couple of the more caricature/cartoony elements of his style to great results. There are some excellently performed moments of techie goodness and a lot of visual character traits that are very of the moment.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">This is a book that I would recommend. Stop watching the press conferences on the news and download this instead.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It’s worthy of note that whilst the page count is shown as 32 pages the actual story is 22 pages and the rest is a text piece, a poem and a preview of another Ahoy Comic.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">You can find more about Ahoy Comics here <a href="https://www.comicsahoy.com/">https://www.comicsahoy.com/</a> and follow them on Twitter @AhoyComicMags</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></div>
Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-56642351205285349832020-04-04T07:58:00.001-07:002020-04-04T08:02:16.109-07:00In Review - ‘Modern Godhood’ - On Kickstarter Now.<div style="text-align: center;"><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_bf3d_3861_9e7b_6788" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HwQXQY3zdHeL62y_XFvJOf1osECkw4zuTB_EObvAHS-CYAuqpo1RbJRwt04_hRs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><b><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Modern Godhood issue 1.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Stories written by Frank Martin and Braiden Cox.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Art by Kieran Squires and Alex Perez</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Colours by Matt Van Gorkom, Lorenzo Stello and Rifan.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Cover by Chinedu Campbell.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">26 pages - Full Colour.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The Kickstarter is running until the 1st of May and you can find out about it here <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/frankthewriter/modern-godhood-1-a-fantasy-action-one-shot-comic">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/frankthewriter/modern-godhood-1-a-fantasy-action-one-shot-comic</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘Once stripped of his immortality and banished to earth, the Roman God Jupiter ventured on a quest to reclaim his GODHOOD. Now, with his powers restored, he listens for prayers of mortals in need, helping wherever he can. It's a dangerous MODERN world filled with many supernatural threats. Someone has to protect humanity and Lord Jupiter is more than up to the challenge...’</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">‘This 32 page one-shot is a crossover of RECLAIMING GODHOOD and MODERN TESTAMENT. It contains three never-before-seen short stories of mythological fantasy and action as Jupiter faces new and dangerous threats:</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Lady of the Night</b> - After visiting a brothel run by a mysterious woman named Lilith, Jupiter is convinced someone is in need of his help. On the surface everything appears normal, but looks can be deceiving. </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Mark of the Beast</b> - Jupiter follows an endless trail of prayers for help to a dimension being ravaged by the legendary Beast of Revelation. It's the end of the world. Jupiter vs. the Beast in a slugfest with the fate of humanity at stake.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Judgement</b> - Armageddon has begun! The Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride on. Only Jupiter stands in their way. But which of the Four Horsemen will rise to face him?’</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_5486_3f44_f98c_7fa2" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fvewruaHtuVpAAfUtllhWcaPELPrDTm-ltaiVdyt0f5_9PC8EUrwBYCSah1k71g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - This came in on a link to the <b>Awesome Comics Podcast</b> for the Kickstarter that is currently running on this first issue. So far I haven’t seen the aforementioned ‘Reclaiming Godhood’. And this is in fact two and a half stories as ‘Judgement’ is dependant on a vote from the pledgers as to who Jupiter faces in combat. That’s quite a neat twist that’s a fun added extra for this Kickstarter campaign.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The cover is one of the better ones to come out of the small press comics world recently and has a great dramatic moment featuring Jupiter and terrors who are just out of reach. When I first saw it I presumed it had been done by Bart Sears or someone with a similar style. The artist wasn’t so far credited in this preview copy I received so I contacted one of the writers and found out it is by Chinedu Campbell who has a couple of books for sale on ComiXology. I’ll keep an eye out for him in the future.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I appreciate that the third story isn’t finished but you can see that this is a pretty solid small press fantasy comic. The always helmeted Jupiter has the profile and stature of a stoic force of nature. It is simply told and with drama and action. It has an adult eye on the myths and there are a couple of funny moments in the ‘Brothel sequence’ in the first story that keep your interest. Some of the figure drawing could do with some work but it’s forgivable due to the obvious fun the creators are having.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_ed64_80d5_6e98_2f65" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/M7YNb7f80pbkx2lIjq5XObGY4YJJCjut_QrAQhCEhm_00pej2D_YcW0yiIuhHMY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I enjoyed the action in ‘Mark of the Beast’ the most of all and it is kept at a brutal pace with a 360 degree view of what is happening. The titular beast is a nice design that puts Jupiter in danger significantly enough for you to wonder at the outcome. It’s got a nicely rounded denouement after such a blockbuster of a battle.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Of all the three stories it was the third that didn’t rock my boat. It is also the one that remains purposely unfinished. The fault for me lays in that most difficult of artistic tasks ....Horses! Maybe this can be rectified by the time the book hits everyone’s mailboxes and inboxes. I suppose that is a regular problem when facing the mythology of The Four ‘Horsemen”.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">A small niggle would be that I’m not that keen visually on the font that they have chosen for when Jupiter is speaking. It suffers from being a little unreadable and breaks up the sequential flow. The rest of the lettering is more than competent - I’d say that just with that little point they need to consider alternatives.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Overall this is a fun book and you can tell that the creators are having a blast with the material. Some of the art and the lettering could do with some changes but I’d happily see this as a series.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_6f1c_dcd0_1ade_7840" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/aYpyowPZr2qPqvAfxORh2VvVTznZ8KwwrIE9bkTnYiaovldq09N3SOqN2yzR89Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; text-align: start; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p></div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-30166593962360144722020-04-04T07:49:00.001-07:002020-04-04T07:49:21.718-07:00New Podcast - Dissecting the Black Crown Universe with Cliff Cumber.<div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_91ee_4a5_95d7_18b3" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ZUwTT4KjWsH4O5RFB4Advfcl2BG8_YiAJmZ4LW5p4hUCxBf01Er9Ps7Jy1Utmbo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 587px; height: auto;"><br><br>On <b>Episode 4 of the Never Iron Anything Comics Review Podcast</b> I was joined by artist and all round bounder <b>Cliff Cumber</b>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here’s the link <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-4-black-crown-with-cliff-cumber/">https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-4-black-crown-with-cliff-cumber/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">We go through the publishing history of <b>Black Crown</b> - this short-lived but burned brightly imprint at <b>IDW</b>. We dissect the highs and the lows of the books that they published and also ponder on why this model didn’t find the success it hoped for in the modern comics market.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Comics like <b>Kid Lobotomy</b> from <b>Pete Milligan</b> and <b>Angry Tess Fowler</b>, <b>Punks Not Dead</b> from <b>Dave Barnett</b> and <b>Martin Simmonds</b>, <b>Marilyn Mansion</b> from <b>Magdalene Visaggio</b> and <b>Marley Zarcone</b> and more get examined under the microscope of hindsight. There’s a lot of love and a little bit of WTF opinions here on the show.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img id="id_c0ce_7c9c_6e9_7cc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/eYLvZYgTCnXyHJK3tV3ZNdZWgNSOoaHkwqbLY-Olg_8ju3r9pVgUO7lPH4ZR5tE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 460px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is also not for the faint of heart as there is a short discussion about the merits of dogging during the Virus Lockdown.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let me know in the comments what you think. (And yes I know I get the episode number wrong in the first two minutes of the episode!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you have a graphic novel, series or single issue you’d like to discuss during these lockdown days? Leave a comment below.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many thanks for listening.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-4434309858594612272020-04-03T00:13:00.001-07:002020-04-03T07:20:33.383-07:00In Review - ‘Marilyn Manor isle 1’ from Black Crown/IDW.<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_18c1_41ae_b9f3_650e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/KJfi0v8HOskPGf61X8dOW_MzHdo2Q15e_pWP8wqCIvpuFwDLZoyAP02Jm7ZUaO0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><b><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Marilyn Manor - issue 1.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Writer - Magdalene Visaggio.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Art - Marley Zarcone.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Cover Colours - Tamra Bonvillain.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Interior Colours - Irma Kniivila.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Letters - Jane Heir.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Edited by Shelly Bond</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">21 pages - £2.99 - 21 pages </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Here is what ComiXology enthusiastically tells us about this issue;</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"> ‘Where were you in ’81? When the White House goes dark for 17 days in August, the president’s spoiled daughter and her best friend Abe—who claims to be possessed by the spirit of Abe Lincoln—throw a rager at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, unearthing long dead historical figures and government secrets that are better off buried. Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll séances, and secret passageways lead to time-bending mystical romps where past and present collide. But at what cost to Marilyn Kelleher, the world at large, and music television? Uniting the red-hot Eisner-nominated talents of writer Magdalene Visaggio (Eternity Girl, Kim and Kim) and artist Marley Zarcone (Shade, the Changing Girl; Effigy) for the first time, MARILYN MANOR explores identity, classism, appropriation, and friendship. It’s a rollicking, neon party gone out of bounds when we need it most—set just in time for the greatest pop cultural marriage to date: MTV.’</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">A quote from Visaggio at the time of release said; “We've been trying to capture the feel, the excitement, the energy of the rise of the New Romantics, of the decade that embraced excess and excitement in hugely over-the-top ways, and filled it with chaos and insanity. This is the weirdest thing I've ever written in the best way possible, like an apocalypse directed by John Hughes."</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_20fb_c75_5e99_34f2" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/famdi-ihDMK8dTTiTiJA0sD6xhQvKgulkEjKF-wvW3lixan49OFFToQxpSCQmjE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - I’ve seen this issue reviewed like it is the second coming on a certain unreliable comics news site that I’m sure we have all heard about. I was lucky as I went in knowing that this was the first issue of a series that was quickly cancelled and many would not know this. To be fair the cancellation wasn’t due to the quality of the book but rather that the imprint was quite suddenly closed. This is however on a number of levels in art and storytelling an unconvincing and apparently rushed issue. I also lived through the era of the New Romantics that Visaggio mentions - she did not and that really shows. Nothing at all rings true and it’s an exercise in creating something I suppose, I’m just not sure what exactly.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The story shows the rebellious daughter of the president and her plans to host a party in the White House. She discovers a secret underground passage and then it all starts. Marilyn dreams of <b>Madonna</b> and <b>Monroe</b> and they discover an underground sex room. And that is pretty much it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_7b13_bc42_f2a6_a496" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KnrWPWux5DGFAqKq1w40ib6s6BdZj594Y3609fj7ZNqbIiua9xPZeMrC0t2AMJ4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The dialogue echoes nothing of the era and not a single person comes off as real. It’s like someone watched a Hallmark movie and decided to do their version of the New Romantic movement and a rebellious princess story. The New Romantic element seems to be just just about mentioning that ‘<b>Adam Ant</b>’ and ‘<b>Billy Idol</b>’ are at the party with some clothes copied out of an issue of Smash Hits they had laying around. There’s none of the danger or edge that at least some of the movement in the early days exhibited. </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I actually find the following almost too embarrassing to write about but...... The Sid Vicious analogue character (who barely does anything at all) is even called ‘Harry Sykes’ - god help us! Who wrote this? Twelve year olds?</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_c281_3db9_cff9_e078" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/rQoLDefrwns03T_nBNZfHaVzXMJjASVQ7_pSldvgvSth8yV3VY1paGzEy-jpOHc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The art lacks detail and any kind of personality. With books like <b>Eve Stranger</b>, <b>Punks Not Dead</b> and <b>Euthanauts</b> the Black Crown line has had some real artistic high points. This is just under drawn and I suspect rushed out as the creators may have suspected the second issue would not be forthcoming. The colour also suffers from being flat and dull and genuinely uninteresting.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The question should also be asked of IDW that if you knew going into the release of this book that there wouldn’t be any more - why, oh why was it released at all? It’s worth noting at this point that although this comic is listed on the Black Crown page on ComiXology the actual cover shows it as an IDW comic.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">No links - don’t bother looking for it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-61357274088408407112020-04-01T12:31:00.001-07:002020-04-02T09:15:48.298-07:00In Review - ‘X-Liefelds issue 1’ from Keenspot Comics<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_e69e_571_e472_2a2" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tRHtRKnTQsZKxz2RVjveJQ4SJib5CK-bADZsxnMKg1A-ncGzO_9ooS8C5WBPadM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><b><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>X-Liefelds issue 1.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Written and Edited by Rob Potchak.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Art by Rob Nikolakakis.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Inks by Eric Kent.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Colours by Michael Sanders.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Letters by Mike Rosenzweig.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Released digitally 01/04/2020 (Released physically 17/7/2019.)</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">28 pages - Full Colour - £2.99.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Published by Keenspot Comics</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘Rob Liefeld is beloved for creating some of comics' most memorable characters of the last quarter-century... but he also created some forgettable ones. In this twisted tale of spoofery from the creator of Junior High Horrors, Liefeld's rejected, forgotten creations find inspiration from their creator's own stories and travel back in time to jealously stop his greatest characters from ever becoming popular. Join BludStayn, Pytbull, Treadmill, Yardwaste, and X-Tra as they attempt to prevent Livestreme, Checker and the man known as Coax from achieving pop culture immortality. This parody is so Extreme, it's Awesome!’</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_5590_e0f2_6caa_5e6e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/CVKOH_KoLeDP3nyH4x__kpPAXkO9-d5qDh2bg94298_vv_N_tTPcLEwSMzA1fE8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - Listen! I’m no Rob hater. His style of art could never be called one of my favourites and I think he’s been responsible for quite a few artistic shortcuts in at least the last decade. But over the last few years I’ve enjoyed his podcast interviews and they’ve provided some nostalgic memories of a comics era that was both good and bad in equal measures. So, full disclosure, I bought this for a bit of a laugh and to cheer me up during <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>another lockdown week.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_f0a1_c11a_6432_b715" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_O2Jbt83avcJEsETBRCOHch0qeEGjySyFCg6TeEl-rmeAecv7MnsUJgJV_DZgI4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">My expectations were not high and whilst the cover is pretty well drawn and with a sense of humour it’s some of the following comic cover homages that really do not hit the satirical or figure drawing mark. In fact most of them look amateur in the extreme and really bring down the overall quality of the issue. In fact if they had to be used they would have been better putting them at the end of the comic.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_56a2_482a_bbdf_3a9e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Avnu9G_2Md4K7gXaSIfY2OmCjlRrGQxho-eC6pqq_F7ewzrYVb-Vm7qKtnmk-G8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It takes a few pages to get to the actual story and thankfully it’s not too bad and certainly in keeping with those heady days of early Image Comics. It’s also done with some sharp-tongued humour that I whole-heartedly approve of straightaway. They roll through ‘Rob Jokes’ with a non-stop speed. </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">It’s a little cruel and I feel a little guilty for enjoying it.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You get Liefeld centric gags about his characters suddenly changing size, having too many pouches, lazy designs, desperate to be friends with actors, interminable time travel stories, flakey and ill-matching teams, weird grimacing whilst talking and so on and on. There’s even a movie poster or ‘Rob Liefeld’s X-Blood’ looming over the teams as they fight.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>‘.....bodyslide by 5!’</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Much of the art isn’t perfect and backgrounds are a rarity. It is also a really short read with no proper story ...... funny that isn’t it! I can’t recommend that you buy or read it really. It’s just a comic I bought, I kind of regret spending the money and I’ll be reminded that I posted this review in six months and not remember anything about it at all.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Oh well.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_38ae_482f_e73d_b667" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3hzMaxR-C8JhgBlOC40ZcG3fkBnd3Phfg_g3Ogqkqt0B0mgcu4rCZm8XrhV7DP8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You can find more of the comics published by Keenspot Comics over at their site here <a href="http://www.keenspot.com/">http://www.keenspot.com/</a> (I wouldn’t recommend it - the website is horrible). Or find them on Twitter @keenspot</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-16147886434051101892020-04-01T06:41:00.001-07:002020-04-01T06:41:02.369-07:00In Preview - ‘Reanimator Incorporated’ Chapter 1.<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_81f_cea1_d7f2_ae98" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Nq-UJgNBfzgAMeSl1LGAAcmgYR2WAR7POY8Qa8s712n5FhSsA-vVZbUALjbYmjQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>‘Reanimator Incorporated Chapter 1’</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Written by Andy Perry.</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Art by Lyndon White.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Story Editors - Fred McNamara and Chris Holmes.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Copy Editor - Jack Jennings.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Softcover - US Comics Size.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Full Colour - 62 pages.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Story</b> - ‘Reanimating the dead requires some serious soul-searching. In a moment of fantastic whim, I whispered questions to the reddening ears… “Where have you been?”</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Bloody-minded scientist, Herbert West struggles to reanimate the dead, while his partner, Cain struggles with the morality of their morbid task. Under mounting pressure from newly appointed CEO, Erica Lee, West’s determination to perfect his atomic reanimation unit leaves his ethics, subjects and family in limbo. Meanwhile, West’s son, Mike, striving for both respect and humility from his father, makes a fatal step beyond with his experimental Tillinghast Resonator. As father and son push the boundaries of science to breaking point, ructions within the infernos of hell expose a much greater, theological threat.’</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><ul class="ul1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><li class="li1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px;"></span><span class="s1">Warnings - This is a Preview and may contain small spoilers. Due to the current situation it is likely that the book will be getting Kickstarted in June. Then released at a convention later in the year. -</span></li></ul><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><img id="id_7a34_f0b9_7cce_95d2" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/C7cdAjW2pX8HF5n37guQG-zpAxoj9JLLLOSYbxuCF2H6VvxsQKZtpUZ7lgZiH9k" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>The Review</b> - It is worth remembering that this is Chapter 1 of not just a comic but a horror comic. It does indeed spend a good deal of the time building up the story and establishing the characters that if I was totally honest did feel a little long and by the time the full on horror assault begins I was yearning for something more to happen. But it does during this time also successfully build up quite a lot of tension. Sure, this tension does ebb and flow somewhat but it’s there nonetheless.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I also feel that the cover is well worth a mention. I found it a little misleading in regards to what I found in this first chapter and it was reminiscent more of an issue of A.B.C. Warriors or maybe the movies Hardware or even Terminator. But it is a very striking image that has an iconic edge that is ideal for a ComiXology page for example. I’m hoping we see more of this image and the skeletons character it shows in Chapter 2.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The story is however well told and the characters in the most part are well realised and engaging. Personally I think that a story told in issues like this could really do with some more action front-loaded to keep the readers engaged. The ending takes quite a turn stylistically and is the most visually stunning part of the book by far. Lyndon carried out some bravely choreographed scenes with his usual style and clearly constructed visuals. His characters have an everyman appearance but I’d like to see a touch more detail in the faces from time to time - for example the father and son don’t look that distant in age. </span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><img id="id_72cb_aee9_2845_e1c6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ukjgta-RbZ56x72be6AFP5TNmPxkm5_NBT_glklM_O8wFeek5kZNKobvBww4h7g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">There is a distinct style of colouring to these pages that I immediately noticed. They boldly direct almost a theme to each sequence. The meeting in the conference room and the streets of the city use a watercolour red and pink as if the world is ending and the skies are bleeding with the rapture. Whilst the laboratory scenes often have an underwater blue or a glowing green - colours of nature and the wildness of it perhaps. But as the laboratory experiments accelerate the red begins to seep into the panels. It’s a genuinely intriguing approach.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The early slowness of the book is easily forgotten as you read the last act. There’s a lot to take in there including that clash of religion against science that is talked about earlier on. This will hopefully set up for a celestial confrontation going forward and there is one page where a ‘being’ is shown that was outstandingly realised! The dialogue also has an individual voice and I could tell the different personalities from just what was said.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_90bd_a2dc_72bc_cfd2" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ycbsv7Mv0nUEdk5d3XEr30N2ZVKHOemwwwFdoewAGsdCzHcVbM3maNFmpMhOidw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I’m not as acquainted with Andy’s writing as I am with Lyndon’s art but I can say that this looks and reads like a slick and professionally produced start to a series. The uneven pacing is something that I am sure will improve going forward and with a couple of story editors on this I’m sure they will sort it out.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Watch out on Kickstarter in a couple of months for this book dropping.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You can find Lyndon on his twitter @lyndondraws or over at his site here <a href="http://lyndonwhite.com/">http://lyndonwhite.com/</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Andy Perry can be found here on Twitter @Quaktion </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-4294775404219870972020-03-31T14:25:00.003-07:002020-03-31T14:25:51.786-07:00Honest Review Month goes AUDIO!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuusr19_qez5OlbIovBJRFhrVPVudezcFXWYz-LJCgtFHzTrZM5OdJRofjYebaYch9St6YL6Uh7VjeA2Q7uv-VtYyeJXd6MjsyE9cPw_WhgI2aOIkf4_er9EGHmF389rZwQ9S7m7_GPhA/s1600/20130817-174322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwuusr19_qez5OlbIovBJRFhrVPVudezcFXWYz-LJCgtFHzTrZM5OdJRofjYebaYch9St6YL6Uh7VjeA2Q7uv-VtYyeJXd6MjsyE9cPw_WhgI2aOIkf4_er9EGHmF389rZwQ9S7m7_GPhA/s640/20130817-174322.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Honest Review Month - Elektra Assassin 1 - 6.</div>
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Just for a change of pace myself and buddy Sarah Harris changed the format of Honest Review Month and tried an audio episode. In this one we tackle Sarah's favourite comic series of all time. H</div>
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Have a listen to what we think here<a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-3-elektra-assassin-with-sarah-harris/" target="_blank"> https://neverironanything.podbean.com/e/episode-3-elektra-assassin-with-sarah-harris/</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6JK0WtwTXkMMQmlVyOt5aZOnwqc6YKkHKygaRYkbfPz4ypzdzKn1sHirJUqjRIwxnRV9SJ28EjISYZ1ntKYCgTBbfKKizicFrvtfzFrmKV-tJ66qA4BgeepVsr5zzECCd0nO0h34NrvD/s1600/untitled+a.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="336" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6JK0WtwTXkMMQmlVyOt5aZOnwqc6YKkHKygaRYkbfPz4ypzdzKn1sHirJUqjRIwxnRV9SJ28EjISYZ1ntKYCgTBbfKKizicFrvtfzFrmKV-tJ66qA4BgeepVsr5zzECCd0nO0h34NrvD/s640/untitled+a.png" width="412" /></a></div>
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This is a real mind-bending trip and we try to decipher what was really going on - an fail but have a chuckle trying!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlO3GJkfaaO3bBFh_jP0dSUcqJ-lNsRPRITUchgFqNa5Q_BOeH1Dg-jyFGjljdcARggczH3uRyO3l-EiUC_gTJWPh7RGvWcZOrd5hMzYj1Dclun6v5Do0L5diw7qgar_NkiZ3bfjdxSMM-/s1600/13458445365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1052" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlO3GJkfaaO3bBFh_jP0dSUcqJ-lNsRPRITUchgFqNa5Q_BOeH1Dg-jyFGjljdcARggczH3uRyO3l-EiUC_gTJWPh7RGvWcZOrd5hMzYj1Dclun6v5Do0L5diw7qgar_NkiZ3bfjdxSMM-/s640/13458445365.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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Here's the cover to the trade that Tony owns that he only just realised is meant to show Elektra and Garrett as circus performers! </div>
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Give the channel a follow here <a href="https://neverironanything.podbean.com/">https://neverironanything.podbean.com</a>/ and leave us a review if you like it!</div>
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Many thanks for listening.</div>
Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608869657890826712.post-36335624292226499372020-03-30T14:01:00.001-07:002020-03-30T14:03:27.379-07:00In Review - ‘Digested’ by Bobby N.<p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_9508_5981_d73a_286e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HM3sK9AqRWfUzSiUaa1ZA7e2_P4_ZWACAM6MuqPkrHNdL6-wPeyVDaysaff184A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><b><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Digested issues 1 - 6.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><span class="s1"></span><br></b></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><b>Created by Booby N.</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Published by Gestalt Comics.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">£1.99 each on ComiXology - Black and White interiors.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Described by Comixology as ‘A series of short form sequential art by acclaimed Melbourne-based cartoonist Bobby.N.’</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">That’s rather short and sweet and doesn’t really give you a clue of what these short and square-bound mixtures of prose, comics and poetry provide for your reading pleasure.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">I was looking for something to read on a long and quarantined Sunday afternoon. I came across Digested and Gestalt Comics quite by chance on a browse that I was about to give up on and just find something to reread on the shelf.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_2e10_8d44_3593_8e64" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/bjS6m4nz4_DgyCG0C6AnwKfirdsJFHUGqacHGWyPtL2ANFjtpmXpnZu1ewoo-2o" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">These actually have some great covers and I can’t help but think that they would have been a comic I would have immediately bought if I saw them in the flesh. Bobby N has a great indie style to his art that wouldn’t seem out of place at Top Shelf or Fantagraphics. He knows how to lay down a deep thick black line. His art mixes some different styles and you see him move about between a social slice of life approach into a more fantastical style here and there. To me there is an element of both Dylan Horrocks and Gilbert Hernandez in his caricatures. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>There’s also something of the Peter Bagge here too, a little of the extreme occasionally.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_110e_9e28_4b9e_6f4c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LYDE_IHZGyE1cfIm4g1Vw79LaBcDnf5oewheLUVSoE-n2kp_S1B53ZDiT0dbfhw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">So it was the art that drew me in but it was one particular story that got me hooked. A man and a woman are on a date, she is a little traditional in her style of dress and a little shy. They go back to hers and he notices she has a multitude of romance novels. They sit and drink coffee. He suggests that he gets rid of his gum and she directs him to the pedal bin in the kitchen. He flips the top of the bin and notices that there is a whole cucumber in there covered in Vaseline.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Yup....right up my street.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">There are mostly shorter stories that show a slice of suburban strangeness in this comics series but there are a few that jump about and continue between issues. An ongoing story has a discussion between a middle management boss and a worker who seem at not point to understand each other or even try to understand each other. Forever at an impasse to weirdly funny results. Another involves an alternative society where gas masks and tentacled creatures seem commonplace.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_2f87_7f4c_3d4_79f5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Vb8F5XNkSoXmi1bL74SkzV3A5DXZRbRL_kUjcZGnclVEtvp0M0YbHJPmGMby11M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Another highlight is a short story about a man trying his best to show a sensitive and thoughtful side whilst filling out an online dating questionnaire but finally giving in and saying what he likes best is when a woman can put her whole fist in her mouth! (Don’t we all?) </span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">The stories are well told and with an eye to the inspection of how a person thinks. They show real insight into the quiet moments of solitude brilliantly well.</span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">As I’ve mentioned above this isn’t just comics and has quite a few prose, editorials, letters and poetry in the pages. They weren’t exactly what I came for but I gave quite a few of them a go and liked what I read. I would probably have rather just had a longer collection of comics but sometimes you have to stretch the brain to something a bit different.</span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"><img id="id_3b96_1661_ce64_f551" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/lT6toWaNb0gzzVGdXtMciTa0dJqTsL-SBfelXbIQprNkHpAL25MQjD6JqrPTvuk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 746px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">You can find more of this cartoonists work over at <a href="https://bobbyn.com/">https://bobbyn.com</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1">Many thanks for reading.</span></p> Tony Ez Esmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15313207959809606041noreply@blogger.com0