Battling Britons Issue 9 is now available from Justin Marriott aka The Paperback Fanatic, this issue published using traditional print rather than Print on Demand, so supplies are limited.
As ever, there’s the normal coverage of war comics in this 52-page edition, mainly British, but also some European and American, too, leading with a look at the work of artist Victor de la Fuente from Jim O’Brien, the Spanish artist probably best known before his death in 2010 as the creator of westerns like Sunday Amargo and Mortimer, and fantasy series such as Haxtur – “best known” that is, to European rather than British readers, as these stories were published on the Continent rather than on this side of the Channel (chiefly in Spain and France) and few, if any, of them were ever translated into English. But like so many leading European and South American artists of the 1960s and early 1970s, de la Fuente was for a time a significant if entirely uncredited contributor to British comics – and to British war comics in particular.
This issue also includes a feature on artist Harry Farrugia by Justin, whose work on naval based stories he describes as “an absolute joy’; a look at the portrayal of journalists in pocket war comics, and the Vietnam War in the underground comix, “Doping Dan“, as well as a guide to Sean Blair‘s Commando “techno thrillers”, the writer successfully combing war with science fiction for the ongoing title.
There’s guide to first one hundred issues of Wizard, too, while James Swallow checks out the air war series Area 88, created by Kaoru Shintani, Jim O’Brien delivers a look at the work of Jacques Tardi and the graphic novel London’s Dark, written by James Robinson, drawn by Paul Johnson, published in 1989 by Escape, and Justin checks out the war stories in the British girls comic, June.
This splendid issue rounds off with the spotlight turned on the artist Brian Lewis, much praised for his art on “Mann of Battle” for Eagle, and “Code Name Warlord“, for Warlord.
This issue marks a return to fanzine roots, published as first draft, “eschewing print on demand colour printing, embracing black and white printing, printed as cheaply as possible with a price to reflect that, and sent through Royal Mail,” Justin outlines in his introduction, prompted by enthusiasm for his work at the most recent Commando Swap Meet. “Here it is, about seven weeks later, which must be a record for a fanzine, certainly one I have edited. It may well show in the rough and ready design and lack of proofing, but hopefully the attitude and energy will compensate. Certainly the contributions from James, Jim and Steve are of their typically excellent quality, and I do feel a certain amount of guilt for reproducing their work in such a primitive and slap-dash manner.
“Assuming I don’t end up with several boxes of issues cluttering up my garage, I may well revisit this format for future issues, or a third issue of Comics Rule OK,” he adds. “It is a welcome palette cleanser for me whilst I mange the demands of writing a book, which has a much longer gestation period and release of dopamine.”
In discussion with us here at downthetubes, Justin reiterates the issue is “pulled together very quickly to scratch an itch, and it just seemed right to go with a traditional old school production”, explaining why he’s ditched the Print on Demand router for this latest issue. The speed doesn’t show, for me, on first reading, because its’s another great line up of intriguing articles to savour, well worth jumping the hoop of sending a PayPal to get your limited edition copy as soon as possible.
“One thing I had hoped for and it has already worked, was to try and form more of a connection with the readers,” he continues. “I think when buying through Amazon people see it as the same as buying a showr gel or an ink cartridge. Whereas receiving a hand-written envelope from me, reinforced that this is a fan based labour of love.
“Someone has just written to say they have all eight issues through Amazon. But buying through me he’s just told me some lovely detail about his comic interests and has offered to write something. That is exatcly what I hoped for.”
So, print fanzines aren’t dead, after all. Which, as “old school” fans, is Great News For All Readers, right?
• Battling Britons issue 9 | 52 pages, A5 black and white. £3 including postage | Available via Paypal Friends and Family to thepaperbackfanatic@sky.com
• Battling Britons Issues 1 – 8 are still available from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Features, Magazines, Other Worlds, Reviews
Latest EAGLE Times spotlights Classics Illustrated, an American Dan Dare, and more 
A British Science Fiction Catch Up with Philip Harbottle: Tales of Wonder, Golden Amazon and much more
Leave a Reply