Art by Andrew Hartmann
Publisher: Futurequake Press
Out: Now
The Book: FutureQuake is back! The finest talents in the small press are here again to save you from boredom. Where else in the printed world can you get this much variety for such a small outlay? 48 pages for only £4.00 It would be an insult to all of creation to ask for less!
The Review: Futurequake is one of the best independent British comics anthologies on the market, regularly delivering a terrific mix of creators and strips – and Issue 27 maintains the high standards the title has previously set. Frankly, it’s criminal the title (along with the 2000AD-inspired Zarjaz and Dogbreath, also published by Futurequake Press) doesn’t get bigger sales or wider circulation. Editor Dave Evans does a terrific job putting this title together. Go find this title at conventions. Buy it online. Enjoy.
Here’s my run down of the strips featured this issue with my editor’s hat on…
“An Intellectual Era”
A wonderfully funny time travel story that plays with all sorts of tropes and turns them on thier head, as two scientists blunder back into the past to save humankind by influencing evolution. The script is funny and Miguel Echemendia’s art is absolutely terrific, with some quirky characters and great action. A highlight of the issue for me.
Chris Tresson is a writer from the North West of England. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisTresson
Miguel Echemendia is a first generation Cuban-American from Chicago who has contributed art to many comic books and magazines such as Punk Planet, Free Mars (Ape Entertainment) and FutureQuake. Web: www.miguelechemendia.com| Follow him on Facebook
“End of the Road”
On a world of twisted time and where alternate dimensions have combined, one man is on a mission… but what will he do when he completes it, and what will it cost him? Lee Robson turns the tables on the “hero” right at the end of this action-packed tale, with Jim Lavery delivering some great art. That said, I do think the ‘ghost’ in the story should have been more obvious throughout, which would have added an additional element to the story.
Lee Robson is the writer/co-creator of the critically acclaimed OGN Babble. His work has appeared in FutureQuake, Something Wicked and the Accent UK themed anthologies. Find his blog at www.imaginarystories.co.uk
Jim Lavery is an spiring comic artist, pugilist, amnesia sufferer and pugilist. Bereft of trousers, desperate for human contact and urgently requiring chocolate. Follow him on Twitter @jimlavery1
“Loan Sharks”
While the script on this peculiar debt recovery story is a little confused, Joe Palmer’s art is impressive, with his “Loan Sharks” a great piece of design and some of his figure work and panels right on the money. (Sorry, couldn’t resist that one). It’s not perfect – there are panels that just don’t work, composition wise – but a lot of the choices in terms of changing angles to emphasise the threat as the lead character goes on the run are well thought out and executed.
Chris Mole is a writer based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Since 2011, he has written comics for several small press publications (including the Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel and Professor Elemental Comics (which he also edits) as well as for his own projects.
Joe Palmer’s work has appeared in FutureQuake, The Psychedelic Journal of Time Travel, 100% Biodegradable and N.S.E.W. Web: www.joepalmerart.com”
“Murder at Apartment 104”
Anthologies serve to offer a wide number of stories. For me, this apparent murder mystery, set on a future Earth where there is clearly an element of alien immigration, doesn’t quite gel for me. It would have worked better had it at least started with the murder and then cut to the subsequent investigation, set against a background of a police force riddled with corruption.
Art-wise, I like Matthew Herbert’s style, but in terms of storytelling, the interrogation scenes need more changes of angle and a greater variety of mid and head shots to make the sequences more interesting. It comes across as a little too much like a re-tooled “Judge Dredd” story and doesn’t quite hit the right notes.
Josh Spiller lives in London and is a published writer of comics, short stories, and scripts. For anyone interested in a collaboration, especially artists and editors, you can contact him at: joshua.spiller AT gmail.com
Matthew Herbert has drawn for Solar Wind, Omnivistascope, Zarjaz, Dr WTF.
“Operation: Oops”
A fast story with a dark twist ending that could be interpreted on more than one level, Dan Goodfellow’s scratchy manga-inspired art style is perfect for the fight sequences that dominate the story.
Owen Crabtree is an Irish SF writer. He has a movie review website called crabtreereviews.com
Dan Goodfellow is an internationally published artist/illustrator living and working in Glastonbury. As well as illustrating numerous books from Celtic mythology to childrens stories, album covers and posters, he has drawn the critically acclaimed graphic novel Krik for Serbian publishers Rosencrantz and is currently drawing the series Highlander 3030 for Emerald Star Comics, to be released later this year.
“PTSD”
Opening with a superhero in a therapy session (with some stunningly beautiful studies of said hero), Nicholson’s script is a quiet change of pace in this issue, offering a pause from the mayhem as he challenges us to think what makes a hero. Overall, the script works and has some good beats, but I think perhaps needed just a little more honing.
On the art side, despite some impressive storytelling and gorgeous panels, I’d like to have seen more changes of angle in the “talking scenes” and some odd figure work on occasion lets the story down. It’s great to see that Futurquake has space for this kind of story though.
Writer Chris Nicholson is based in West Yorkshire. Follow him on Twitter @chrisnic1980
Rafael Chrestani abandoned career as a teacher to devote himself entirely to comics. His first professional job was at age 21, with a magazine for the Canadian market. He is currently part of the renowned group of Brazilian comic artists ED Benes Studio.
“Retirement Day”
Another fine time travel tale, as a young man’s destiny is shaped by his future self in ways he wasn’t expecting – but at what personal cost? Daniel Bell delivers a great script and Alfie Gallagher successfully interprets the story with some great pages condensing a remarkable life into so few pages with skill.
Daniel Bell is a writer and artist best known for his work on Psircus and the medieval set graphic novel, Defiant! Follow Daniel at facebook.com/danielbellcomics
Alfie Gallagher has had comic material printed through Uproar Comics, SCAR comics, Water Closet Press and Zarjaz. He has also self-published his own series Charlatan Tales in the past few years. Web: www.alfiegallagher.com
“Ten”
A one page time travel story that defies any description without giving the gag away, but suffice to say, it works!
Stu Perrins is the creator and writer of Demonic Advisory Centre, Prime and Harvey Spig. Follow him @stuperrins
Scott Twells is the comics underground best kept secret, as in almost no one knows of his existence. Let’s just keep it that way a while, huh?
“The Immortal Lives of Working Men”
Rhys Ware offers a moral tale of wide-scale deceit here, with echoes of a corrupt “cargo culture” that’s given an accomplished and assured telling at the hands of artist Joe Palmer. Without spoiling the story, while the denouement doesn’t seem to ring quite true (but suggests other motives on the part of one of the protagonists as another is given a life choice), but overall this is a finely created tale, to the credit of both creators.
Follow the work of Rhys Ware at www.swampeye.com
“The Root of It All”
Superhero versus super villain? To all intents and purposes, that’s what this story might seem at first, but Hobson deliberately confuses the reader by making you unsure of the narrator, right up to the final pages of this moral observation on modern society’s fears. Hartmann’s art is perfect for this ambiguous script, evoking a bit of Corben in the more personal scenes and those requiring a good reaction shot.
To contact Pete Hobson mail him petehobson53 AT hotmail.co.uk
Andrew Hartmann is a graphic artist/illustrator from Pennsylvania, currently hard at work on a variety of projects, including the S*** Flingers, Obscurist, and The G.A.T.E. Check out his work at http://trainedmonkey88.deviantart.com
“What Am I Bid For the First Man In Space”
A real gem of the issue, with terrific art by George Coleman, who seriously should be getting more pro work – has he really only ever drawn one “Judge Dredd” story for 2000AD? If theBritish comics industry provided enough work he’d surely be able to go full time with such talent, in my view. Hobson’s time travel story has a couple of mis steps, but overall it’s a well executed tale with great dialogue and pacing. Another great short story from another great issue of Futurequake.
Mark Howard is currently homeless and writing short stories on an old BlackBerry. He’s still smiling, though.
George Coleman is a fine artist whose work features at http://thedodecscrawls.blogspot.co.uk
• Futurequake Issue 27 is available now from the FQP Webshop
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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 - Current British Publishers, Featured News, Features, Reviews
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I think I’ll buy that.