“Read any GOOD BOOKS lately, punk?”
For the first time ever, Good News Bible: The Complete Deadline Strips of Shaky Kane , out in August from Breakdown Press, collects Shaky Kane‘s complete comic strips and illustrations from the ground-breaking British counter-culture magazine, Deadline, which between 1988 and 1995 spawned Jamie Hewlett’s Tank Girl and launched dozens of cartoonists’ careers.
Drenched in wry wit, Kane’s politically charged, hallucinatory, Jack Kirby-infused punk cartoons crackle with intensity and bombast, remaining as relevant now as when they were first published 30 years ago.
Zone in, tune out and get ready to meet God’s own cops: “The A-Men”, “The Sadistic Prowler”, Pinhead Aliens invading Russia, trans-dimensional subhuman entities “The Shadowmen”, “Pagan P.I.”: Wiccaman, Dannii Minouge, and the man of destiny himself: The Space Boss Shaky Kane,who emerged on the UK comic scene in the mid-80’s, also drawing for such publications as The NME, Escape, 2000AD, Judge Dredd Megazine and Revolver (drawing “Pinhead Nation”).
He is one of a group of artists who have grown out of late twentieth century pop culture influenced by Punk Rock, Comic Books, American Pop Culture and Late Night TV. Often described as both hallucinatory and psychedelic, Kane’s work pushes at the limits of taste, dragging a scalpel down the veil of illusion making you see the world as it really is.
Shaky came to comics via the work of artist such as Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth, Savage Pencil, Jack Kirby, Brett Ewins and Brendan McCarthy. He was influenced from a young age by the Punk Scene – not just the music, but the distinctive flyer and poster art which advertised the shows.
His most recent work includes strips for David Lloyd’s digital comic anthology Aces Weekly, the The Bulletproof Coffin, a collaboration with David Hine published by Image Comics, has found the artist at the top of his game, and finally in full control of his artistic direction. and Cowboys & Insects, also working with David, published by Floating World Comics.
With an introduction from writer David Quantick, a foreword from cartoonist and writer Nick Abadzis, afterword from cartoonist and comics academic Frank Santoro and annotations from Shaky himself, this is the ultimate tome for baptising oneself in the perverse and psychedelic world of Britain’s cosmic comics shaman… There is only one Shaky Kane.
Breakdown Press is a comics publisher based in London, dedicated to publishing the very best in comics art, whether the cutting edge work of new cartoonists or undiscovered classics of the past. The publisher is also organiser of the free Safari Festival, which returns to London on 12th August (full details here), and Shaky Kane will be at the event.
Safari Festival is a celebration of the new wave of alternative and art comics from the UK and beyond. Taking place over one Saturday at the end of August, the festival is an opportunity for a curated group of cartoonists and publishers to exhibit and sell their artwork, prints and, primarily, comics, and for attendees to experience the best of UK comics’ avant-garde. The artists exhibiting have been selected for their innovative, fearless, diverse approaches to making comics; approaches to cartooning that Safari exists to champion.
Other new graphic releases from the publisher include Showtime, the new graphic novel from Antoine Cossé, charting the career of the mysterious “M”, the world’s most famous magician, and his last and greatest trick; Berserker 1, a new anthology of contemporary science fiction comics from some of the genre’s most compelling practitioners, alongside essays and interviews with the likes of Robert Beatty (who has also supplied the cosmic cover); Conditioner, Liam Cobb’s follow up to his 2016 ELCAF Audience award winning Shampoo, made up of a series of surreal shorts; Klaus Magazine 3, the latest Klaus Kompendium from Richard Short, containing the epic story “It’s A Lush Life, Klaus” and a raft of new material, including guest bits from Brie Moreno, Anna Haifisch, Lando and many more; and, finally, John’s Worth 3, the new instalment of Jon Chandler‘s Cronenbergian scorched-earth sex-nightmare.
• The Good News Bible launches 15th August 2017 from Breakdown Press and you can buy it here on amazon.co.uk (using this link helps support downthetubes, thanks)
• Shaky Kane is online at www.shakykane.com | Follow Shaky on Twitter @shaky_kane
• The Safari Festival is free to attend, and will take place at Studio 2, the Shoreditch gallery space of London-based creative agency, Protein, 11.00am to 6.00pm, Saturday 12th August 2017 – more details here | safarifestival.tumblr.com | @safarifestival | info@safari-festival.com
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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, British Comics - Collections, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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