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FANSCENE Issue 5 – a Batman Special issue – free digital edition available now

By John Freeman on March 5, 2020 • ( 1 )

FANSCENE Issue 5, published by artist David Hathaway-Price, is now available, featuring articles and artwork celebrating 80 plus years of Batman – in print, TV, film and toy form – and it looks Bat-tastic!

FANSCENE has quickly grown from humble beginnings to become a mammoth free fanzine, and this latest issue includes contributions from people who have actually worked on Batman comics, comic and fan historians, and artists, who have all produced some stunning work.

“I really could not do any of this without their generosity and support,” says David, who is also keeper of the brilliant Classic UK Comics Zines online archive.

“As well as the articles and single page illustrations, I’m blown away by the strips that have been contributed to this fifth outing, by David Houston, Nick Neocleous and Jay Slack. I’m also honoured to be printing the panel by panel recreation of Detective Comics #27 by Kenneth Wilson, et al. It’s such a wonderful idea, and so well executed. Thank you to everyone involved in its creation.”

David feels Paul Rose and Kevin Scott Halter deserve special mention, however, for their wonderful Joker back cover.

Joker art by Paul Rose and Kevin Scott Halter

“If it had been a Joker rather than a Batman celebration I would have used it over my front cover in an instant,” he says. “Saying that, I must admit to being very pleased to at last feature on the front of my own zine. I’m being very indulgent and offering two versions as I like both for different reasons… either that, or I just can’t make my mind up – so I leave the choice to you.”

In other areas, FANSCENE Issue 5 also pays tribute this time to the well loved British artist, Ron Smith, who sadly passed away around this time last year. A much missed creator.

Well known Comics Dealer Ron Hall is winding his activities down, after a lifetime of supplying four-colour ephemera, and he’s decided to dial back his involvement in the Mart scene in the North of England. In this issue, he shares very personal tales about his time selling Comics and Cards at Conventions, Marts, and in the shops of his old and much missed friend Colin Gould.

“Personally, I won’t believe he’s stopped until I see it with my own eyes,” notes David. “If it does ever happen, the Liverpool Mart’s will be much poorer without his presence.”

If you enjoy FANSCENE, then please consider sending in your own contribution. The next issue should feature Conan the Barbarian, Dan Dare and Rupert the Bear – all characters who will be celebrating birthdays of one sort or another this year.

Heck! You could even do something on Captain Britain if the thought tempted you, and he’s not celebrating anything.

As always, the PDF of this issue of FANSCENE is free to download from the ClassicUKComicsZines web site. The mobile version is probably best suited to handheld or mobile devices, while the desktop version is larger and should be downloaded to your computer and viewed there.

You are of course very welcome to print the zine yourself or have it printed for you. There will however also be the option of ordering it from the folks at the Artithmeric website, who will print you off a hard backed version for a very reasonable fee. While there, and if you haven’t done so already, you might want to order Issues 3 and 4. The print version of Issue 5, which is more or less the same price in the United States as it is in the UK, will be available sometime next week

• FANSCENE Issue 5 is free to download from the Classic UK Comics Zines web site

• Check our the full Artithmeric Print on Demand service and titles for sale

John Freeman

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.