I never felt the need to watch a film that told me Han Solo’s back story because the character was such a cliché that I felt that I already knew it. For me, Star Wars didn’t exactly have depth. As an… Read More ›
Features
In Preview/ Review: Bella at the Bar Volume One
Written by Jenny McDade Art by John Armstrong On Sale: 12th July 2018, 114 Pages ISBN: 9781781086254 Publisher: Rebellion Publishing/ Treasury of British Comics The Book: Bella’s gymtastic adventure begins here! Bella Barlow is a young orphan with ambitions to… Read More ›
In Review: Space Ace Volume 10
Art and Stories by Ron TurnerColour by John RidgwayPublished by John Lawrence The Book: 44-page anthology (extra pages this issue) comprising three stories featuring “Space Ace” by Ron Turner, colourised and re-mastered by John Ridgway. The title includes the second… Read More ›
Roads Not Taken: Edmond E. Good’s “Knight Masters”
Canadian illustrator, writer and co-author of more than a dozen comics Edmond Elbridge Good (1st July 1910 – 22nd September 1991) created the Rex Baxter feature for Bell Publishing in 1942 and drew the Scorchy Smith strip (taking over from… Read More ›
Cosplay 101: Conventions and Cosplay Etiquette by Holly Rose Swinyard (Part Two)
Wearing costumes for fun is far from new and costume parades were an integral part of early comic and other media conventions. But cosplay as a concept, in many ways a whole separate world to comic and other media fandom,… Read More ›
In Review: Generation Gun #1
Written by John Farman Art by Will Pickering Publisher: Vital Publishing Disclaimer: Do not read if you are either American, Conservative, Pro-Gun, Pro-Choice, read the Daily Mail or really dislike anyone disagreeing with your opinions. I admit that I am… Read More ›
In Review: The Brexit Comic
Why Don’t You..? was a popular kids’ show back in the 1970s and 1980s and the main gist was to encourage kids to switch off the TV and go and do something less boring instead. Well, that ethos seems to… Read More ›
In Preview: The Great North Wood by Tim Bird
Created by Tim Bird Full Colour – 68 pages Published by Avery Hill Publishing The Story: Long ago, the whole of Southern England was covered in forest. Over time, this woodland has been gradually cut back, but small patches remain… Read More ›
In Review: “Darren” by Stanley Miller
Darren by Stanley Miller After previewing The Aphid recently by Henry Miller, I was lucky enough to receive Darren by Henry’s son Stanley. Here are a couple of non spoilery images from this fun comic. It’s a short little tale… Read More ›
In Preview – ‘The Aphid’ by Henry Miller
Created by Henry Miller This is a comic of a kind. A story of a band and the bond between a man, his father and their mutual love of the attitude strewn music of The Fall. Punctuated by the sad… Read More ›
In Review: The World Book of Records
Written by Tonino Benacquista Art by Nicolas Barral Translated by Tom Imber Published digitally by Europe Comics – Full Colour – 64 pages – £3.99 Released January 2018 in English language The Story: Egg-balancing, hotdog-eating, baton-twirling—these are a few of… Read More ›
Nanits, another digital platform for independent creators launched
Last month Nanits Universe, a crowdfunded-backed project, launched its new digital comics via a new mobile app, Nanits Reader 2.0, with a way for indie comic book artists to create and distribute their digital comics, the Nanits Composer, soon to… Read More ›
In Review: The Man in the Gutter – The Collection
Created by Dimitris Zach Available at Deadhead Comics, West Nicholson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DD The Story: Have you ever felt stuck somewhere in between? In between the route to your flat to work and vice versa? In between your desire… Read More ›
In Review: Astérix in Britain: The Life and Work of René Goscinny Exhibition at London’s Jewish Museum
Richard Sheaf reports on the opening of a great new exhibition opening at London’s Jewish Museum… The top floor of the Jewish Museum in Londinium has been given over for the next five months to the story of comic creator… Read More ›
A Grand Day Out: Portsmouth Comic Con 2018
Like thousands of others, I had a great day out at Portsmouth Comic Con yesterday, which continues today, crammed with terrific comic creator guests, cosplayers, film and TV actors, a retro gaming area, Doctor Who monsters, a superb steampunk basement… Read More ›
Creating Comics: Nine Rules for Amazing Dialogue by Monty Nero
Death Sentence and occasional X-men writer Monty Nero lays out nine foolproof ways to write wonderful dialogue. He offers these tips because of his incredibly giving nature and not because he wants you to check out his totally awesome kickstarter… Read More ›
A Chat with Cinebook – Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast probes European comics publisher
In the latest episode of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast, the team chat to Jerome Saincantin about his role as a translator for Cinebook. Cinebook, whose titles we’ve often featured on downthetubes, are publishers of best selling European books… Read More ›
In Review: The Prisoner #1
Writer: Peter Milligan Artist: Colin Lorimer Publisher: Titan Comics FC, 32pp, $3.99 Out: Now The Comic: In the 21st Century, the global currency is no longer oil or gold but information. And he who possesses it possesses the world. There… Read More ›
In Review: Avengers – Infinity War (12A)
Warning: this review contains mild threat of spoilers and fantasy fisticuffs The Avengers: Infinity War is rated 12A in the UK which is entirely reasonable because it contains everything that a twelve year old could want from a movie: goofy… Read More ›
In Praise of… Comics Writer William (Willie) Patterson
Sydney Jordan is widely recognised as the creator of the critically-acclaimed “Jeff Hawke” newspaper strip first published in the Daily Express. However, it’s also generally felt that the strips written by William (Willie) Patterson through the 1960s – including those… Read More ›