Sneak Peek: Rivers, by David Gaffney and Dan Berry, out next week

By John Freeman on September 17, 2021

Out from US publisher Top Shelf Productions next week is Rivers, by David Gaffney and Dan Berry, offering a quirky examination of how events from the past can bind people together forever, and a surprising reunion between people who’ve never met…

In Rivers, we meet Gideon, a lonely IT developer, obsessed by a comic book from childhood called Revenge of the Ghoulors, and secretly in love with his co-worker Lisa. Heidi works at home in her pyjamas, makes a lot of soup, and wishes she had time for friends. Peter is a 56-year-old divorcee who delivers classic cars, has a built-in toaster, and thinks a lot about the past.

These three people seem unconnected, yet they share something — they each have the same recurring dream. And when a new web service is introduced that helps people share their dreams, what will happen when the three of them find out about each other? Just what is it that links these three lonely souls?

Nimbly weaving together multiple storylines (including extracts from Gideon’s comic book, Revenge of the Ghoulors), Dan Berry and David Gaffney the acclaimed minds behind The Three Rooms in Valerie’s Head return with a whimsical and ambitious portrait of human connection in the age of digital fragmentation…

David Gaffney is a prose writer with a specialism in short stories, particularly micro-fiction, and has published widely and collaborated with artists working in other art forms. His latest novel, Out Of The Dark is out on Confingo in 2021

Dan Berry is a cartoonist, illustrator, podcaster and educator based in the town of Shrewsbury. He is a frequent collaborator with the author David Gaffney, and since 2012, he’s produced the podcast Make It Then Tell Everybody in which he has spoken to over a hundred other artists about what they do and how they do it. He also invented a pen. You could buy one if you like?

• Rivers by David Gaffney and Dan Berry is on sale from 22nd September 2021 and available from all good book and comic shops. | ISBN 978-1603094900 | Buy it via Bookshop.org (Affiliate Link) | Buy it via AmazonUK (Affiliate Link) | Get a copy of Rivers with an exclusive book plate from OK Comics, Leeds

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.