Season of the Witch
Clodagh issue 1 Written by Simon Birks, with art by Willi Roberts and letters by Rob Jones. An evil witch brings terror to a small town nested somewhere in the wilderness. With a thirst for eyes and driven by unrelenting hatred she uses fear as a weapon. Not just fear of her, but fear of outsiders, whom she cunningly blames for the evil that she … Continue reading Season of the Witch
Saloons and Spaceships
The Ignis Quadrant Chapters 0 and 1 Evan Carothers – Writer and Designer, Jezreel Rojales – Artist, Mariam Yasser – Colourist, Justin “Lettersquids” – Letters Comics loves to embrace the cultural zeitgeist. Just look at Marvel in the 70’s and 80’s. There are few successful genres that they did not turn their hand to. Martial arts movies doing well? Get Iron Fist and Shang-Chi out … Continue reading Saloons and Spaceships
At the Edge of the Sea
Breakwater by Katriona Chapman The British seaside town, a cinema whose glory days are in the past, a woman whose life seems to have been put on hold, a young man escaping from something. This is the familiar setting in which we find ourselves in Katriona Chapman’s Breakwater. I say familiar because it is a scenario that many of us will have encountered before. Generations … Continue reading At the Edge of the Sea
Something Fishy
The Shadow Over Innsmouth Part One: Descent Into Innsmouth by Simon Birks, with art by R. H. Stewart, and letters by Lyndon White H.P. Lovecraft is a writer who has made a tremendous impact on popular culture. His influence can be felt in books, games, music, films and of course comics. Among the many comics showing a Lovecraftian influence are Hellboy, Locke and Key and Alan … Continue reading Something Fishy
Cutthroat Patriotism
Buzzard issue 1 by Andrea Wolf and Ezequiel Assis published by Wolf Cave Comics. You know how it is. You are 16 and think you know everything and can beat everyone. You can handle yourself in a fight, more than handle yourself. Maybe you go running with the local terrace casuals. Maybe you pull on a spandex suit and patrol the night. Or maybe you … Continue reading Cutthroat Patriotism
Suicide is Painless
Blake Undying by Jason Cook, Ezequiel Rubio, Jovanna Plata, Nikki Sherman Invulnerability, even immortality. Comics are full of it. Bullets bounce off the steel skin of Superman or Luke Cage. Wolverine is chopped into small pieces, only to heal back as good as new. A very useful thing if you are a superhero. But what if you have had enough? What if you want to … Continue reading Suicide is Painless
This Book Could Be Your Life
Love and Rockets – Punk, Pettibon and the Birth of the Cool I recently commissioned James Corcoran to draw me his version of Maggie and Hopey from Love and Rockets. A very tall order I know as Jaime Hernandez is one of the greatest comics artists of all time. I loved his wrestling themed drawing and the extra sketch of Penny Century was absolutely amazing. … Continue reading This Book Could Be Your Life
Witches, Apples and Snow
Gamayun Tales II – an Anthology of Modern Russian Folk Tales by Alexander Utkin I had the pleasure of reviewing the first volume of Gamayun Tales, Alexander Utkin’s retelling of great tales from Russian folklore. That book whisked me back to a childhood visit to the library where I read a horrifying ‘children’s book’ that told the tale of Baba Yaga, the witch who lived … Continue reading Witches, Apples and Snow
Annual Insanity
Being a comics collector does lead you to some strange places and I’m not just talking about backstreet comic shops in forgotten towns, although they are strange as well as great. In this case I am talking about Marvel’s 1993 annuals. For their 1993 annuals Marvel decided to create a new character, hero or villain, for each and to include a trading card for that … Continue reading Annual Insanity
Look and Learn
The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott by Zoe Thorogood There are a lot of comics out there, but not always the variety you might expect. I don’t blame creators for picking out the genres that they enjoy or indeed what they know is more likely to sell – autobiography, superheroes, horror. Many of these are great comics, occasionally fantastic comics, but it can make it … Continue reading Look and Learn
Daredevils and Warriors 