Australian publisher Scribed launched its first UK catalogue earlier this year. Rubbing shoulders with new books such as High Sobriety: my year without booze, by Scottish-born Melbourne-based journalist Jill Stark and Viennese Romance, the first-ever English edition of the previously unknown novel by the mid-20th-century European novelist David Vogel, is The Best of Britain’s Political Cartoons 2013, edited by local author and political-cartoon exhibitor Tim Benson — the publisher’s first work to be commissioned in the UK.
Officially due for release on 7th November, The Best of Britain’s Political Cartoons offers a perceptive look at the year in politics as seen by Britain’s funniest and most perceptive political cartoonists.
Not just a collection, the title is described as “an indispensable portrait of the year gone, and a tribute to the art, power, and intelligence of our finest cartoonists”.
This 2013 edition finds Britain’s leading political cartoonists — including Steve Bell, Martin Rowson, Gerald Scarfe, and many more — at their sharpest and most subversive.
(You may have seen The One Show last Friday, which featured Martin Rowson and Steve Bright. Ben Jennings and Bob Moran were then invited to draw against the clock, live on air. According to this item on the ProCartoonists blog, the item was supposed to plug this book, but it didn’t get a mention. You can watch the episode on BBC iPlayer here (available until 6.29pm on Friday 1 November).
The collection has been assembled by Tim Benson who runs the Political Cartoon Gallery, where he has organised numerous contemporary and historical cartoon exhibitions. He’s also the author of several books on political cartoonists, including Low and the Dictators, The Cartoon Century: Modern Britain through the Eyes of its Cartoonists and Drawing the Curtain: The Cold War in Cartoons.
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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 - Books, downthetubes Comics News