Marvel have released a preview of Revolutionary War Part 6: Motormouth #1, on sale 12th March, which centres on the return of one of Marvel UK’s better-known characters thanks to her many appearances in Marvel tiles since the final days of Marvel UK in the mid 1990s.
I took over the editing of Motormouth towards the end of its run, and although there was some great talent involved it wasn’t my proudest moment as an editor. Marvel UK Editor in Chief Paul Neary would often tear into the script or art on a book to an editor internally but it was the book’s editor who had to sugar coat his often colourful (if pertinent) comments to creators. I’m afraid that the hugely talented Graham Marks, who is now, rightfully, a well established author, bore the brunt of the change of editorship at Paul’s direction and I did not handle it well. It was a salutary lesson for me and despite enjoying my time at Marvel UK, was an incident that paved the way for my departure to try my hand at freelancing, an opportunity that arose when my then partner got a job in the North West and I left London with her.
(Although not before meeting with Leigh Baulch from Titan to talk about a possible job opportunity, that came to fruition some five years later and led to my return to the capital as the new head of Titan Magazines…)
In the aftermath of the change of editorship, following my own overnight re-work of Motormouth #10 after Paul rejected the script after the art had been completed by Rosie Mendoza, came two new writers to Motormouth – Andrew Cartmel, former script editor on Doctor Who, who I’d worked with on comic strips for Doctor Who Magazine, and Glenn Dakin, whose work I had admired since first reading his wonderful comic Temptation, which was finally collected by Active Images back in 2004.
Since then Glenn has gone on to write more comics and TV show scripts, including stories for Doctor Who Adventures, the Shaun the Sheep animated series and much, much more…
Both Andrew and Glenn had many ideas for Motormouth as I recall, but her regular series was cancelled with Issue 12 (which featured the first published Marvel work by a certain Salvador Larocca, drawing a short story by Matthew Hyde). Motormouth has however continued to appear in the Marvel universe, in The Incredible Hulk #408-409, issues drawn by her co-creator artist Gary Frank; and titles such as Marvel UK’s Dark Guard, Excalibur and, most recently, Captain Britain and MI13.
My experience of editing her original title aside, the time-hopping, space-jumping character was always great fun and it’s easy to see why she’s enjoyed further adventures in the Marvel Universe down the years. Let’s hope that Marvel’s latest incarnation – written by Glenn – leads to many more…
REVOLUTIONARY WAR PART 6: MOTORMOUTH #1
On Sale: 12th March 2014
Creative Team
Writer: Glenn Dakin
Art: Ronan Cliquet
Cover: Mark Brooks
Variant Cover: Declan Shalvey
Synopsis
When Mys-TECH returns and threatens the safety of Great Britain, MI:13 need to try to convince Motormouth to come out of retirement. Harley Davis’ days of being a hero are over, though. Now, her day job is being the mother of her two children…. until an explosive Mys-TECH attack calls her back into action.
Be there as Motormouth gets her mojo back!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Revolutionary War Issue 6 Variant Cover by Declan Shalvey
Revolutionary War Issue 6 Variant Cover art by Declan Shalvey
An unlettered sample page from Revolutionary War Issue 6 published on Comic Book Resources. Art by Ronan Clique
See also: Revolutionary War Checklist
• Please check out Glenn Dakin’s Temptation – it’s truly wonderful!
Art © Marvel Comics. Motormouth originally created by Paul Neary, Graham Marks and Gary Frank
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.
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