CRASH Micro Action issue 32, coming soon from Fusion Retro Books, repurposes the late Oliver Frey’s “Dan Dare” cover for the computer magazine CRASH 32, published back in 1986, and includes an interview with Adrian Clarke, publisher of the comics anthology, SHIFT.
CRASH Micro Action is a revival of the classic ZX Spectrum CRASH magazine, wrapped up in the guise of a Christmas annual and regular magazine.
“This issue is a bit of a blowout for games, with a number of Smashes dropping,” says David Perkins, the title’s designer. “Our lead game this month is the remarkable Samera & The City Of Thinis – an ambitious adventure game with superb production and gameplay that will both tax and entertain.
It’s in good company too, with Welcome To The Machine, Full Spectrum Defence and the similarly ambitious Perseus being reviewed, along with many others. Who needs Resident Evil Requiem…”
Alongside the title’s regular features, the team have interviewed PC remake king Richard Langford.
Plus, Tom Potter kicks off a new series for us, spotlighting Multi-Platform Arcade Game Designer (MPAGD) developers and the games they’ve created, and Adrian Clarke talks about Shift Comics and its shared heritage with CRASH, including his plans for the comic strip, “Terminal Man”, the original series by Kelvin Gosnell and Oliver Frey running in SHIFT now, with Dan Abnett and Lee Milner on board to wrap the second story written and illustrated by Oliver, which came to an unexpected and abrupt end in CRASH Issue 44.
(As far as we can ascertain, no reason for this was ever given, but at the publisher, Newsfield, was undergoing major changes at the time, including a new role for Oliver, which simply meant, perhaps, that something had to give).
CRASH Micro Action issue 32 is also a good issue if you’re a fan of pretty much any of the incarnations of Dan Dare.
Longtime computer gamers will recall a number of Dan Dare releases by Virgin Games, released between 1986 and 1990, documented here. The original CRASH Issue 32 featured a guide and reviews of the first game, praised as “one of the best on the Spectrum”, and “extended playable “.
You can buy or subscribe to CRASH Micro Action mag direct from Fusion Retro Books at fusionretrobooks.com/pages/crash-subs
Fusion Retro Books, owned and run by Chris Wilkins, signed an agreement with Roger Kean and the late Oliver Frey for the transfer of the digital rights of the art produced by Oliver for the hugely popular magazines CRASH, ZZAP, The Games Machine, Fear, AmtixCPC, Sega Force and N-Force back in 2020. In addition, the contract covered the respective magazine logos, oli bugs, section intros, game maps, posters, calendar images, review awards (SIZZLER, GOLD MEDAL, AMITX Accolode and CRASH SMASH) and any other art produced by Oli in each issue of these magazines.
Fusion Retro Books published a book, CRASH: The Legacy in 2024, celebrating the art, artists and legacy of the British computer games magazine CRASH.
They are currently running a Kickstarter for an expanded reprint of their book, Ocean Software: The History. If that sounds like your sort of thing, you can read a lot more about it and support the project here.
They are also working on a special 64-page accompanying publication, covering some of our favourite games from the beloved developer and publisher.
SHIFT Volume Three Issue One is on sale now in select newsagents and TG Jones – check out the SHIFT section of the Get My Comics website here
• Grab your copy of SHIFT Volume Three Number One here
• GetMyComics SHIFT – Subscription Information
• Read our tribute to the late Oliver Frey
• CRASH The Legacy is available direct from Fusion Retro Books
• Follow Fusion Retro Book on Facebook | Twitter (X)
- About the Author
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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, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Games, Magazines, Other Worlds
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