Sneak Preview: Bone China from Improper Books

Bone China - Cover

Written by Benjamin Read
Art by Chris Wildgoose
Colour by Andre May
Letters by Jim Campbell
Published by Improper Books

Bone China – out next year – is a book that I have personally been looking forward to since I heard it was happening. The first part of the series entitled Porcelain (reviewed here on downthetubes by John Freeman) is one of my favourite books of the last ten years.

This series of graphic novels are written by Benjamin Read with art by Christian Wildgoose and it is the second in what has become a three part series thanks to a deal with Delcort securing its publication in France. It’s essentially a fairy tale painted across a beautifully elegant canvas, telling the story of rags to riches with magical elements. It’s built in to a saga that has human (and almost human) nature at its core. But it manages to avoid the twee and the cliche by having an edge to its interiors. You are more likely to get a drink thrown in your face or a bloodied nose than have a spell cast over you.

Its scope is evidenced in the plot that has an eye to both the lavished detail of the here and now as well as shadows of future events. It’s not without its sadness but does so with beauty and movement.

Here is what the Improper Books have to say about this release:

Improper Books are delighted to announce Porcelain: Bone China by Benjamin Read and Chris Wildgoose, the second volume of their creator owned Porcelain: A Gothic Fairy Tale.

Bone China is set for release in Spring 2015.

A free full colour preview of our first 12 pages of Bone China will be available at the Thought Bubble Comics Festival in Leeds on the 15th and 16th of November. Those not attending can pick up their free copy thanks to the supporting shops such as GOSH! (London), Orbital Comics (London), Page 45 (Nottingham), Travelling Man (Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, York).

In Bone China, more than a decade has passed since the events of Porcelain: A Gothic Fairy Tale and Child has become Lady. Inheritor of all of Uncle’s secrets and wealth, she has continued his work. Become as equally isolated in her quest to refine the Porcelain and put right past mistakes.

With Porcelain more sought than ever, Lady comes to the attention of a ruthlessly ambitious General who desires inhuman soldiers for the war effort and won’t take no for an answer. Other, more human problems rear their head when a handsome young Captain discovers a secret part of the Lady’s life.

Faced with impossible choices, Lady must forge her own path through the complexities of love and war.

Written by Benjamin Read and illustrated by Chris Wildgoose, with colours by Andre May and lettering by Jim Campbell. Bone China is set within a world that’s a darkly magical echo of our own, and continues to follow the life story of the girl who climbed over a wall and into a gothic fairy tale.

 

This is a perfectly structured story with stunning art. I cannot recommend highly enough that you seek it out. There are some sample pages below and of course, you could go an buy Porcelain: A Gothic Fairy Tale, too!

I’ve been lucky enough to have seen a super secret preview of Bone China and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

• You can find Improper Books at www.improperbooks.com or on Twitter @Improperbooks

• Benjamin Read can be found at www.benjaminread.co.uk or on Twitter @Bookpirate

Read the downthetubes interviewMarch 2013  with Benjamin Read here

• Chris Wildgoose can be found at www.christianwildgoose.blogspot.co.uk or also on Twitter @MrRiktus

Read John Freeman’s review of Porcelain: A Gothic Fairy Tale

Bone China - Page 1 Bone China - Page 2 Bone China - Page 3 Bone China - Page 4 Bone China - Page 5

All Images © Benjamin Read & Chris Wildgoose



Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, British Comics - Graphic Novels, downthetubes Comics News

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