Hard Boiled Bunny
Hopper! Detective of the Strange – ‘The Case of the Bank Robbing Mummies’ –Rob Barnes, Fair Spark Books Fair Spark Books create comics aimed at younger readers, and Hopper! Detective of the Strange is a good example of their work. Who is Hopper? Well with a name like that it should maybe come as no surprise that Hopper is a rabbit. But not just any … Continue reading Hard Boiled Bunny
Faiza Hussain
Sketch by Paul Moore I have had a few sketches commissioned of Faiza Hussain over the years, and the latest is this fantastic rendition from Paul Moore. So who is the mysterious Faiza? It was Paul Cornell who created the character of Faiza in the pages of Captain Britain and MI-13. Faiza was a doctor who gained the magical sword Excalibur and powerful healing abilities. … Continue reading Faiza Hussain
City of Sophistry
Memoirs of a Book Thief Written by Alessandro Tota, Illustrated by Pierre Van Hove, Translated by Edward Gauvin Paris in the early 1950’s wasn’t all philosophers smoking Gitanes on the Rive Gauche. It was a time of political tension and uncertainty. The old order had been destabilised by the nazi occupation. The Communist Party was popular, having played a leading role in the resistance, with … Continue reading City of Sophistry
Witches Matter
Plagued – The Miranda Chronicles. Written by Gary Chudleigh, art by Tanya Roberts A plague has ravaged the planet, a plague which it seems comes from the ground itself. Cities like Glasgow are reduced to burned out wastelands, preyed on by bandits. I once lived in Govan, so can relate to this, however in this instance the blame is placed on witches rather than multiple … Continue reading Witches Matter
Edge of Empire
Berezina by Ivan Gil & Frédéric Richaud, adopted from the novel by Patrick Rambaud It snowed. The winter burst avalanche-like over the endless blanched sheet of the plain. Nor chief, nor banner in order could keep. The wolves of warfare were wildered like sheep. I watched a documentary about the great Scottish painter Peter Howson recently. He is a serious minded man and not one given to … Continue reading Edge of Empire
The Fear
Knifepoint Horror Anthology – Eight Tales of Terror Stories by Soren Narnia adapted by V.V. Glass, Mr Picto, Chris Doherty, James Lawrence, John J. Pearson, Adam Caldwell, Charles Smith-Hopgood and MD Penman As soon as I went down a poorly-lit street the fear came on strong. The victim hadn’t just been stabbed. The victim had been displayed. Moonkeeper A man is temporarily homeless, just as … Continue reading The Fear
Escape character
Skip by Molly Mendoza Bloom is a young person who lives with their friend Bee. Bee takes care of Bloom. They fish and collect eggs by the lake that is their home. But this seemingly idyllic life masks the reality that the world around them has suffered a catastrophe and humanity is in danger. Bloom is just a child, but Bee knows their danger, and … Continue reading Escape character
Fresh Thoughts
Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival – November 2019, Harrogate As the floodplains of South Yorkshire faced inundation, travellers made their way, slowly, carefully and by unplanned routes around the waters and on to Harrogate. Through the magical towns along the railway line, Starbeck, Hammerton and Knaresborough – the town to where the murderers of Archbishop Thomas Becket fled in 1170. One can imagine the four … Continue reading Fresh Thoughts
Out of Time
Belltime by David Robertson We all love body-swap time travel stories don’t we? Big, Freaky Friday and yes, Peggy Sue Got Married. Whether we are young and wish we were old, or old and wish we were young. Imagine you could go back to school with all the knowledge and maturity that you have now. Imagine you could undo all those mistakes. Say the right … Continue reading Out of Time
Primordial PostScript
The Bones of the Sea by Gareth A Hopkins When we have dead time, down time we can think. Our thoughts can take detours and reform in new ways. Routine, domestic moments can lead us to very different thought worlds. The Bones of the Sea takes us on that journey. A journey that leads to meditations on death, decay but also the cyclical nature of … Continue reading Primordial PostScript
Daredevils and Warriors 