The Hoards of Surrey Writer – Dave Wimblett, Artist – Rory Donald, Letterer – Ken Reynolds, Published by Covert Comics The American teenager is extraordinarily well recorded in popular culture. Since the first teenager pulled on their bobby socks and letter jacket and cranked up the Buddy Holly tunes we have followed their development in books, movies, TV and yes comics. So powerful is this … Continue reading Teenage Kicks
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
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
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
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
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
Slang Pictorial by Nick Prolix Nick Prolix has had a busy lockdown. Busy performing the heroic work of drawing each of the NHS and care workers who lost their lives in the Covid-19 crisis. These were not simply acts of remembrance but also political calls to action over issues like the availability of PPE. Nick also has a great sideline in commissions and sketches, which … Continue reading Coffee Bar Magi
Victory Point by Owen D. Pomery Victory Point is the kind of place that people dream of living in. Designed to be the perfect meeting of form and function, with cool, sleek modernist buildings. The needs of the population both materially and culturally are taken into account. The perfect dwelling place and a dream place to grow up. But life isn’t a dream, no matter … Continue reading Architecture and Morality
Nicnevin and the Bloody Queen Helen Mullane, Dom Reardon, Matthew Dow Smith, Jock, Rob Jones, Lee Loughridge Nicknevin Oswald, Nissy to her friends, is not having a great time. Not only is she excluded from school, but she has to spend the summer away from her home and away from her friends. Heading north to a holiday home in Northumberland with her Mum and little … Continue reading Bleeding Edge
Rosemary Valero-O’Connell – Don’t Go Without Me I had the great pleasure of reading Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me recently. This much celebrated work is wonderfully written by Mariko Tamaki who manages to convey real emotion through fully realised characters, but with a delicate touch. What makes the book really special is the marriage of words and art – with the perfectly balanced … Continue reading Fear and Tenderness
This is a blog dedicated to what I have been lucky enough to find out about comics. I might add in some other geeky goodness, but it's mainly about the comics.
Comicbook chin-stroking, to while away an idle moment, or two
Comics with a British focus
Interviews with big name comic book creators brought to you by the Official Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast.
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Comic Writer
Feeding the habit one issue at a time
Comics with a British focus
