Diabolik.

You can always guarantee that a copy of Diabolik would be on sale at a European airport. In this case I was on my way home from Malta.

Better learn Italian I suppose?

€3 for 120 plus pages can't be bad.

X-Men Park for free?

I can't help but think that this reminds me of something?

Please, please let it be a movie tie in? 

'Last Days of Nobodies' - by Mike Medaglia.

Mike's work caught my eye last year with the wonderful 'Seasons'. So I was over the moon to hear he was putting out a new webcomic.

'The final days of a painter, a poet and a writer.'

'Last Days of Nobodies' deals with the final days of Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson and Franz Kafka. The series proclaims to be interested in great talent both when they were unheralded and also closing in on their last days. Mike will be experimenting with the comics form and showing how art and comics intersect with poetry. 

www.lastdaysofnobodies.tumblr.com

If his previous work is anything to go by this should be full of artistic individuality and sequential elegance. Mike is never overly earnest and I expect this to be full of character eccentricities and beautiful designs. Like no other artist out there Mike strikes out on his own path. His storytelling is both fresh and unorthodox.

'Im nobody, who are you? Are you nobody too?' - Emily Dickinson.

This project is due to launch on Wednesday 28th May, 2014 and is bound to be cracking. It will update every other Wednesday.

I urge you not to miss the bus on this one. It has awards written all over it - and rightly so.

As well as the tumblr above you can find Mike at his website www.mikemedaglia.com or follow him on Twitter @mikemedaglia

You can read my review of his book 'Seasons' here http://beardrock.com/eyebrow-art/comics/seasons and buy copies through his website or some London comic shops. (I think GOSH! and Orbital Comics still have copies).

Have a read of my other comics reviews on here or at www.beardrock.com

You can also follow my ramblings on Twitter @Ezohyez

Thanks for reading.

NIA.

Comic Shop Talk.

I just popped into a European comics shop (I can't say in which country since they only have one shop here and it would give it away).

Me - 'Hi.'

Counter staff - 'Hello...... can I help you?'

Me - 'Just browsing, but thanks.'

Me - 'Do you have (Names Specific Comic) issue 2?'

Counter Staff - 'No.'

Me - 'OK thanks.'

Counter Staff - (a little too shouty) 'ANNUAL?'

Me - 'No it's issue 2 from (names comic company)?'

Counter staff - 'No'. (Also does classic wave of hand and 'pffft' noise).

At this point I decided that I would exit. Being classily English I know know that I have to buy something before making an exit.

I grabbed a Classic Moon Knight hardback collection. (No price shown).

Me - 'Excuse me. How much is this?'

Counter staff - 'Show me.' (She then snatches the book. All the while I am thinking that if it's damaged I don't want it).

She looks it up and down and I realise that comics isn't her expertise.

Counter staff - 'Is cheap. My son would know'.

Me - 'Oh. OK. thanks (why am I thanking her?) I'll continue looking.'

To be fair the shop was pretty well stocked. It was a bit of a jumble sale so I had a dig around. Only the action figures were priced.

Counter staff - (shouted down the length of the shop) 'You like comic conventions?'

Me - 'Yes I do.'

Counter staff - 'we have one here. Many stars from Hollywood!'

Me - 'oh. I think I've seen a flyer for that in a shop in London!'

Counter Staff - 'No.'

(Right. That caught me off guard. I was just beginning to think this was turning a corner).

Me - 'Oh I thought you had one at the end of the year, November?'

Counter Staff - 'Yes.'

(Er. WTF?)

Me - 'Oh OK.'

Counter Staff - 'They edged my son out. This is a better one. Many Hollywood stars and famous cars.'

(At this point she pointed at a Thor Pez dispenser on the counter???)

Me - (feigning interest and wanting to leave) 'Sounds interesting'.

Counter Staff - 'It is.'

(I then was handed a flyer that had been cut out with scissors and didn't really have any details on it).

Me - 'I shall have a look at this, thank-you.'

(I then paid for the book and the lady disappeared to get change for at least five minutes. Meanwhile I actually wondered if this was a comics version of Hostel?)

Counter Staff - 'you're coming?'

(Seemed a bit pushy - I gotta leave).

Me - 'I'll definitely think about it.' (a lie).

Counter Staff - 'Don't go to that other one.'

Me - 'Er. OK.'

Counter Staff - 'Promise?'

Me - (feeling bullied) 'I won't.'

Counter Staff - (again a little too loud and with another wave of the hand) 'This one better. That one run by liars.'

I then left and as I walked out this lady followed me and told how the noise of road works in the road is bad for business.

Not really the only thing?

'Days' by Simon Moreton.

'Days' (Released 9th June 2014).

Written and drawn by Simon Moreton. - www.smoo-comics.com

Published by Avery Hill Publishing - www.averyhillpublishing.com

The mighty folks at Avery Hill Publishing are about to release a collection of the work of Simon Moreton. 

Simon is a real stand out talent in British Comics. His work is personal and experimental. He makes amazing use of the autobiographical storytelling format that combines the best of European, American and Japanese comics. He makes use of melancholy, real life pacing and has a wonderful sense of space. His panels are often beautifully framed and it's great to see it all collected in one volume.

This collection covers the creators output between 2011 and 2012. The content mostly comes from three out of print issues of 'Smoo' (his small press project) but also includes work from difficult to find anthologies as well as all new art and text pieces. 

Simon comes from Bristol in the UK and I urge you to seek out his work. It's all about telling stories and feeling resonance - he does this triumphantly. Beautiful, painful and brave it's a gorgeous package from Avery Hill who are quietly taking over the world.

Their online shop is found at www.averyhillpublishing.bigcartel.comics

Simon can be found on Twitter @smoo_comics

Avery Hill likewise can be found @averyhillpubl

Have a read of my reviews on here or at the Comics section of www.beardrock.com

I can be found on Twitter @Ezohyez (so come say hi).

NIA.

Six Million Dollar Man.

These are from a very cool (and a little dated) 1978 UK Six Million Dollar Man Annual.

Wynter - Issues 1 & 2.

Pop over to http://beardrock.com/eyebrow-art/comics/wynter-review for my review of a pretty interesting new Sci-Fi comic - 'Wynter'.

NIA.