• Great British Comics: Celebrating A Century Of Ripping Yarns & Wizard Wheezes
by Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury
Designed by Peter Stanbury
ISBN: 1 845131 703

Reviewed by Lew Stringer

In my opinion Great British Comics is the closest to a definitive book on British comics to date.

On the first read through, it seems accurate enough apart from a new inevitable tiny niggles. (Egmont's TOXIC has been running since 2002, not 2004 for example, and the story that Graham Dury dropped The Fat Slags from Viz was just a myth perpetrated by a maverick press officer.) But that's being pedantic and discourteous to such a fine book. Authors Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury should be proud of their work on this essential tome.

Printing and reproduction of the many old strips is immaculate, even though many are reduced in size, and the design is easy on the eye whilst packing in tons of information. Where most previous books on UK comics have only shown covers, this book sensibly shows a huge selection of strips too so one gets a full-on experience of the variety of British comics. Anyone who only thinks of The Beano or 2000AD when they think of British comics will be pleasantly surprised by the vast display of styles and genres shown here. It's also good to see that newspaper strips are also well represented, which have sometimes been overlooked in previous histories of UK comics.

The rich history of originated UK comics stretches back over 100 years, and not only is that represented in the text and numerous strip samples but designer Peter Stanbury has also provided the reader with a handy timeline, charting the lifespan of each comic across the decades from comic/ text story papers such as Comic Cuts and bringing us bang up to date with comic magazines such as Wallace & Gromit Comic.

I was particularly pleased to see that unlike some previous books and articles on UK comics, this one doesn't perpetuate the myth that British comics are dead. Instead it brings us an optimistic note that although the "major" publishers may not be as prolific in the field as they once were the rise of independents has ensured that comics continue. The examples in this book prove the point that although some fans may wistfully wish for a return to the "traditional British comics" of their youth, the truth is that our comics have always evolved, both in art style and in format, reflecting trends and social changes, and hopefully will continue to do so.

There's something in the book that should interest everyone who wants to learn more about comics. There's a nice "sense of history" throughout the book too, with various photographs and information which put the comics into their cultural context.

Lew Stringer
Top British cartoonist and writer Lew Stringer's official web site is at: lewcomix.tripod.com

• Buy Great British Comics from Amazon.co.uk: Click Here
• Buy Great British Comics from Amazon.com: Click Here

Beaver and Steve Volume One: A Shoeful of Trouble
By James Turner
Published by Soaring Penguin Ltd
ISBN: 0955287103
Buy it from Amazon.co.uk: Click Here
Buy it direct from the creator: Click Here

Back in 2004 , brilliant cartoonist James Turner's partner wrote to me asking if I had anything I could say about his wonderful web comic, Beaver & Steve, the bizarre story of two animal friends who engage in the weirdest -- and funniest -- of way out there adventures. James had just begun to publish the strip online and for me -- and countless others who have found it since -- it's proven a delightful, geuninely funny gem of a comic strip ever since.

I had to confess back then that I couldn't for the life of me think what real world magazine might publish James' fantastic strip, which has echoes, for me, of the kind of weirdness you expect from the likes of Glen Dakin, but runs off in its own direction entirely. I suggested he consider publishing a short run collected edition of strips and sell it at comics festivals.

Well, two years on and it's finally happened: Beaver and Steve: A Shoeful of Trouble has been published by Soaring Penguin, a 100-page full colour edition comprising 112 strips of unfeasible adventures, improbable scrapes, and unlikely mishaps.

Bonus items include colour versions of the earliest strips (such as the first one, published in its online form below -- if that makes you laugh, then what are you waiting for -- go and buy this book!) and three pages of never before seen original material.

Beaver and Steve is a hilarious, quirky, well written, wonderfully drawn comic strip and, if you hadn't guessed by now, it's a personal favourite. The quality of the edition is excellent, both in terms of content and production values. If you have yet to immerse yourself in the world of Beaver and Steve, this is a great place to start. Do so immediately!

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel
Published by Jonathan Cape ISBN 0224080512
Review by Robyn Talbot

Fun Home is an instant classic from American writer and artist Bechdel, hitherto best known for her long-running strip Dykes to Watch Out For. A poignant and sometimes painful memoir, it is one of those graphic novels that comes along every once in while to raise the bar when it comes to the intelligence and complexity of the medium.

Alison's father, Bruce, is seemingly a pillar of the community; a high school English teacher and  funeral director, married with three children and deep in the throes of his long-term project of the 'monomaniacal restoration of our old house'. An exacting and distant father, he is the consummate small-town intellectual, constantly immersed in Joyce, Camus or Proust.

But as Alison enters young adulthood, events conspire to reveal a hidden side of her father, which forces her to reach back into the past to re-evaluate both of their lives. It transpires that Bruce has been having affairs with numerous teenage boys, some of them from his school, and when one of them reports him (ironically, for 'giving him beer') the family is plunged into shame. However, Alison herself only learns this later, when phoning from University to nervously tell her parents that she has realised she is herself homosexual...

Bechdel has here created an unputdownable memoir. Told in a non-linear fashion, the novel has all the hallmarks of good literature: it tells a serious tale but is by turns tragic, funny and challenging. It is written with sparkling wit and the beautiful line and wash artwork complements this perfectly. Occasionally the use of whole panels to show Alison's diary entries and passages from the work of the aforementioned great authors can jar a little, compromising the otherwise wonderfully fluid exposition, although one does tend to find that slowing down to read them is worthwhile.

Although this kind of soul-searching narrative is perhaps not the first thing many may associate with the comics medium, it's impossible to imagine the tale being told better in any other form.

Superb.

• Buy Fun Home from Amazon.co.uk: Click Here
• Buy Fun Home from Amazon.com: Click Here

Kickback
By David Lloyd
Dark Horse
ISBN: 1 59307 659 2

Joe Canelli is a corrupt cop in a corrupt force in Franklin City, a mythical American metropolis dominated by powerful drug lords. He tries to ignore recurring dreams of powerlessness as he routinely cleans up the little crimes of the city and the little criminals who can't buy their way out of court, and convinces himself his moral laxity is justified by the weight of the circumstances that surround him. But the solid ground of understanding between law and law-breakers begins to turn to quicksand when a mysterious gang massacre is followed by cops ambushed in the streets…

I have to confess: I was deeply worried about reviewing this latest graphic novel from artist-writer David Lloyd. After all, I've known David for many years now, going back for Marvel UK and his work on ESPers, when I helped out with some arcane technical aspect of creating film of his art for that book. We've talked about Kickback while discussing the world of comics over pints at the Bristol Comics Festival. Hell, he's bought me pints – and offered sage advice on creating comics on many occasions.

I owe this guy. So, what would I do, I wondered, if I actually didn't like Kickback? What would be my options?

The fears grew when David kindly sent me a copy of the book, and graciously included a dedicated drawing in the frontispiece. Reacting like the cop at the centre of the Kickback story, I told myself, surely this was a bribe. Surely this could colour my judgement?

I'm telling you all this, in case it comes out in interrogation later. You know, the way some US Internet news sites declare an interest if a news story features their parent company. Because if I tell you any fears about not enjoying Kickback were completely unjustified, I want you to believe me – no bribes were needed to make that claim. No kickbacks for pushing Kickback, okay?

Because I am going to push Kickback. It deserves pushing.

First published by Editions Carabas in France, this Dark Horse English edition is a solid, powerful piece of comics storytelling, a police drama easily on a par with the best of novel writers like the late, great Ed McBain and films such as Serpico and LA Confidential. Fans of Frank Miller's Sin City and Will Eisner's comics work will surely enjoy this, too. The art, David employing computer effects for the first time, is more than equal to his past success with V for Vendetta or Nightraven: House of Cards. It's a dark, brooding piece, with plenty of visual clues suggesting the reasons for the war against the cops that's threatening the people of Franklin City; carefully employing many a visual device to move the story along, developing both central and supporting characters.

Script-wise, the story of police corruption is balanced with some well-realised characterisation. Even minor characters are quickly moulded in the mind of the reader through a deft blend of dialogue and art. I particularly liked Joe Canelli's airship-obsessed grand father, Girlfriend Candy, concerned at Joe's state of mind as he pursues unpleasant truths; and sassy reporter Dinah Mclean, who helps Joe solve a dangerous case.

If you're a police procedural fan, I think you'll love this book: the visuals pull you along, demanding your attention, laying trails for the eventual bloody conclusion to the tale. Lloyd spins a brilliant, absorbing yarn, bringing to bear every comic storytelling trick he knows without overusing any of them, focused on making telling the story the most important part of the work.

If there's any issue with the book, it's that there are some exposition panels that are a little overcrowded with balloons -- but hell, when 99 per cent of the book is state of the art, top notch crime noir, I don't know why I'm even bothering to mention them.

But there's that kickback feeling, again, see? That generous frontispiece is lying  open on my desk and I can feel the urge to sink a beer growing slowly.

Next time though, David, I'll buy the first round. As a thank you for another great piece of comics storytelling. And my bribe: if such is your plan, let's have more from Franklin City. Kickback is surely just the start of more from Canelli and crew.

• Buy Kickback from Amazom.com (Hardcover): Click Here
• Buy Kickback from Amazon.co.uk (Hardcover): Click Here

• Read our interview with David Lloyd about Kickback: Click Here
• Read a review of the Editions Carabas release of Kickback Volume 1 (in French)
http://actuabd.com/article.php3?id_article=2153

• Pyonyang
by Guy Delisle
ISBN 022079905
Review by Robyn Talbot

This is the first British printing of this superb graphic novel written and drawn by the French Canadian animator and cartoonist. It is his autobiographical account of a two-month-long sojourn in a country that Bush once dubbed part of the 'axis of evil'. Sent by his employers, a French animation studio, to oversee some 'outsourced' production work, Delisle in the process captures a rare glimpse of life in a country hitherto hidden from the prying eyes of the rest of the world.

And quite a grim glimpse it is. One of the few belongings Delisle brings along is a copy of 1984, and the parallels between that world and the society he encounters in North Korea are perhaps too obvious to list. Most of the book's splash pages present beautifully rendered illustrations of certain architectural oddities of Pyongyang, usually ostentatious edifices designed to inspire awe of the great leaders, the late Kim-Il-Sung and his son Kim Jong-II, and the glory of their regime. Like Big Brother, the pictures of one or both of these glorious leaders glare out from a wall of every room, and when Delisle lends a copy  of Orwell's classic to one of his escorts he soon receives it back, the panicking guide protesting that he 'doesn't like science fiction'.

Grim as it may sound, the novel is actually as funny as it is disturbing, a tricky balancing act which Delisle very skilfully pulls off. Much of the humour derives from the sheer boredom endured by the protagonist and his fellow western visitors to Pyongyang, limited as they are to a hotel with a lousy restaurant, their workplace and various 'approved' sightseeing spots. My only reservation about the book is that it could be said to reinforce Orientalist stereotypes rather than dispel them, but that does not detract from the fact that Delisle has created a compelling, thought provoking and ultimately very warm-hearted narrative. Don't be surprised if you find yourself reading all of this handsome edition in one sitting.

The 2007 Commando Calendar

Reviewed by Jeremy Briggs

You wait years for a Commando calendar to come along, and then two arrive at once!

The 'official' calendar is of course The Art Of Commando Calendar 2007 available direct from D C Thomson "featuring a selection of the best cover art from the classic comic - chosen by George Low, Commando Editor". With a cover by Ian Kennedy showing an autogyro and a Fiesler Storch, this one has 12 Commando cover illustrations without any text and, since the standard Commando cover is actually a partial wraparound, in their true square format. All 12 interior illustrations are credited to the artists, along with the issue numbers and dates of original publication. The calendar's notable dates are all World War Two related so you will discover that the British evacuation of Dunkirk began on the 26 May 1940, which is a nice touch -- however, strangely, there are no modern dates so, for instance, you will not discover when Easter Sunday 2007 is. Yet that is a minor niggle for an A3 size calendar well worth its £9.99 price.

The other Commando calendar, entitled Commando Covers of Yesteryear Calendar 2007, is also A3 size. Produced by Spitfire Designs Ltd (whose web address of spitfiredesigns.co.uk at the time of orginally posting this review is a holding page), this calendar has been available from some, but apparently not all, of the bargain bookshops around the UK such as Bargain Books, bw!, The Works and Banana Books. The printed price of the calendar is £6.99 but as is the style of these shops the true price is £2.99.

This time the illustrations are of the actual covers of the issues of Commando, so the logo, price, issue number and title are all included. These are printed almost twice the size of the originals which tends to show up the imperfections in the source material with June's cover in particular showing up two creases near the spine. Yet is does not detract too much from the finished product. While the calendar does not claim to be "chosen by George Low" the twelve titles are actually the contents of the first of the Commando compilation books, Commando: The Dirty Dozen published in late 2005 and selected by George Low as "The Best 12 Commando Books Ever!" (see review). The date spaces are better laid out that the 'Art Of' calendar and you will find out when Easter 2007 is. In addition the blank spaces of the grid which do not contain dates have a selection of B&W interior panels, with the favourite speech bubble exclamation in them being "Aargh!".

Which is better? The perfect combination would have been the pristine illustrations of the "Art Of" calendar combined with the layout of the "Yesteryear" calendar. Yet neither calendar is a let down.

As a present for the someone who used to read Commando in his youth the "Yesteryear" calendar is the best as it shows the covers the way they were. As a present for the fan of the title or the artwork then the "Art Of " calendar is the better choice. The Commando collector, of course, will need to have both.

Battler Britton #1
Writer: Garth Ennis Artist: Colin Wilson Cover: Garry Leach Publisher: Wildstorm

This five issue series starring IPC's Battler Britton is set at the midpoint of the Second World War, as the Nazis rain terror throughout Europe, Allied forces are on the run in North Africa.

It's October 1942 and Rommel's Panzers are unrelenting in their pursuit. Wing Commander Robert "Battler" Britton of the RAF and his squadron have been dispatched to an American airstrip to spearhead a joint action against Hitler's war machine. Now they need to survive the taunts, the threats, the assaults... and that's just from the Yanks!

Leaving aside the embarrassment that characters such as Battler Britton are no longer being published in their home county, relying instead on revival by IPC Media's American parent, let's just go with the good stuff, which is easily summed up: this is a brilliant all-out action war comic.

There should be no surprise in that: acclaimed writer Garth Ennis has a flair for writing war comics that are easily on a par with the very best of such stories (Enemy Ace: War in Heaven and the well received War Stories, to name but two). Artist Colin Wilson has an undisputed flair for dramatic flying action, no doubt borne of what he calls his love for what he calls "flying stories" on his official web site.

What makes Battler Britton great for me are the simplest of things so often forgotten or poorly realised: near non-stop dramatic storytelling with characterisation developed as the action unfolds; perhaps more importantly, characters introduced properly; and a cracking script brought to life with some stunning, vibrant and no-holds-barred artwork.

Garth's love of this war character, one he grew up reading, is obvious: he draws on the darker, moodier aspects of Battler, a leader who has seen too many young men killed in action under his command but recognises it as a fact of war -- although that doesn't mean he likes it. The secondary characters -- Taff and Patch -- are a great duo.

Colin Wilson's art is a delight: I've always enjoyed seeing his work, which rarely gets the exposure it deserves in the UK. His love of "flying stories" shines throughout.

It's to American publisher Wildstorm (and editor Scott Dunbier's) credit that they didn't balk at the storyline: a British air ace telling new American pilots how to fight, with the Yanks in an unflattering role as the cause of several deadly errors in this first book.

This is a terrific revival of a war hero character first published way back in 1956, and easily compares with the best of the original brought to the page by the likes of artists Geoff Campion and Ian Kennedy. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing how this develops over the next four issues. If you're a fan of DC Thomson's Commando, or grew up reading Warlord or Battle, this is a title you should seek out.

It's just a shame it's not being published here, but over there...

Web Links
• Read our news story on the launch of Battler Britton, which includes comments from Garth Ennis and Colin Wilson
• Colin Wilson: Official Site
• Wildstorm
• British Picture Libraries Site
• Air Ace Picture Library on BookPalace.com

Mistycomic.co.uk 2006 Halloween Special

Much delayed after wranglings with the copyright owners of the comic that inspired it, the Misty Comic Special released last month is a deserving tribute to the fondly-remembered 1970s girls' title.

Wrapped in a gorgeous Misty cover by one of the comic's original artists John Armstrong, the 64-page 'zine, which costs £5.99 and is available via the mistycomic.co.uk web site, includes strong contributions such as "Beasts: Snake Bite" by Charles Ellis, with art by Johnny McMonagle (be careful who you bully, they may come back and bite you); a chilling what are you really eating shocker "The Greens In Greentown" from Lorraine Douglas with art by Louisa Kerr; and the haunting "Silence In The Sand" from Colin Noble and Dan Fish.

There are plenty more strips too, from some of the top names in the British independent comics press: creators such as Charles Ellis, Douglas Noble, Sean Duffield (I heartily enjoyed the subtle but creepy ending to "Knock Knock! Who's There?" written by Alison Jones), a text story, "In Dreams" by Lorraine Douglas, illustrated by Garen (Rainbow Orchid) Ewing, Stu.Art and Shane Chebsey.

Despite some rough edges – the design of the feature and text story pages could have done with more thought – this mix of black and white strip and colour illustration is a fine non-profit homage to Misty. It's a shame this tribute was mired in an unnecessary and bitter legal wrangle with Egmont whose heavy-handed efforts to (rightfully) protect their copyright almost meant this reminder of how good "girls comics" can be was delayed for so long. While I can understand Egmont's motives, it's not as if they're planning to revive the title anytime soon, any more than they're considering revivals of any of the other fantastic British strips they own the rights to.

The Mistycomic.co.uk 2006 Halloween Special also features as super Misty Poster and a free full-colour "Moonchild" Poster courtesy of John Armstrong (original artist on Misty's top strip "Moonchild" which was written by Pat Mills).

• The Mistycomic.co.uk 2006 Halloween Special is priced at just £5.99 (inc. postage and packing) and can be ordered online via: mistycomic.co.uk/2006special.htm
Go, see, and buy! (Then scream...)

Thunderbolt Jaxon #1
Writer: Dave Gibbons Art by John Higgins Cover by Gibbons
US Comic. Available from comic shops across the UK

Reviewed February 2006: As the waiting for the rest of the Albion mini series continues, the intriguing Thunderbolt Jaxon gently eases itself into the limelight. I say gently, because despite the carefully-handled domestic violence that punctuates the life of Billy Jaxon, the first appearance of his new-found alter-ego is no Marvel-style Don Blake-to-Thor thunder and lightning-backed transformation… but is dramatic nevertheless, thanks to strong scripting from Dave Gibbons and great art from John Higgins.
There's a lot of set up in this first issue of this five-issue mini series: introducing the main characters, particularly the three friends -- Jack, Billy and Saf, three ordinary, adventurous kids who make a startling discovery: a mystical fourth century Norse relic. Then there's Billy's dysfunctional family, what may turn out to be the Three Witches from Macbeth; O'Dunn (work it out…) and others.
Gibbons pitched this book as "Shazam meets Get Carter": looks like we'll be getting the Get Carter in #2. All the same, this is a solidly told, intriguing first outing with plenty ofwell-researched Norse mythology thrown in. I have every confidence this book won't suffer from the same delays inflicted on Albion, and will be sticking with it.

Web Links:
• Dave Gibbons talks about Thunderbolt Jaxon on Silver Bullets: www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/features
• Official site: http://www.dccomics.com/features/albion

Rogue Trooper
Publisher: Eidos (Developed by Rebellion)
Platforms:Playstation, Xbox and PC

PETE CHAMBERLAIN reviews the new 2000AD-inspired game, which blends intense third-person action and next generation stealth, as Rogue wreaks revenge armed with the very latest experimental weaponry...

ROGUE TROOPER is a fairly straight forward first person shoot 'em up, based on the original Rogue Trooper story from the cult comic 2000AD. The opening titles are really nice and the loading screen is done in a way that means watching a game load up is not just a line moving across the screen.

Offering both single or multi player options (I only played single player), the story starts off with you being jettisoned down into the quartz section of Nu Earth into battle with the Norts, your enemy. The training is part of the story line, but only takes up a couple of the first game sections.

You'll know when your training is over as the game instantly becomes more intense as you start to encounter better troops with a sharper aim. As the blue Genetic Infantryman Rogue Trooper you and your fellow comrades are faster and stonger than humans, but you're not immune to being killed -- as you soon find out when Gunnar dies. But it's not the end for the genetic soldier, as anyone who reads 2000AD will know, even when we're dead we dont escape from war.

Rogue uploads first Gunnar's 'bio chip' to his gun (giving better aiming capability as Gunnar lives on on the chip), followed by the chip for GI Bagman, the cue for getting Rogue to find scrap for Bagman to salvage and make more equipment. When Helm dies... well, you'll find out.

Overall, I thought this was a pretty good game with some really nice, slick character animation, environments and cut sequences. Anyone who is into Rogue Trooper will want to buy this, and first person shoot 'em up freaks will appreciate the cult status of the Rogue Trooper storyline. i reckon the online multiplayer will be quality.

Web Links
• The new Rogue Trooper game for Playstation, Xbox and PC is on sale now from amazon.co.uk

• The official site is now live at www.ROGUETROOPER.com
This site is an introduction into the universe of the Genetic Infantryman (G.I.), with detailed information on characters and weapons used on Nu Earth, plus information on the game, allowing you to size-up your opposition with detailed briefs on enemies, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, plus a tactical tutorial with a video section illustrating a few of the multiple ways to play the game.
It also features a host of downloadable videos, wallpapers and even artwork available on the site, plus a selection of screenshots, including some 360° view shots, which the viewer can navigate around.

Spaceship Away #8
29/10/05: #8 of Spaceship Away, the brilliant science-fiction strip-packed glossy magazine featuring a new, original, Dan Dare comic strip, is now available.
This latest issue includes a re-coloured version of the first adventure of Hal Starr by Syd (Jeff Hawke) Jordan and nicely complements the continuing Green Nemesis Dare strip by Rod Barzilay, drawn by Don Harley, and Charles Chilton's Journey Into Space strip, drawn by Tacconni.
The magazine is packed with features and strip material and contin ues to delight, despite the high cover price necessitated by private funding of all the strips featured and other editorial costs. Hal Starr is a definite hit! This magazine is an absolute must for any fan of the original Eagle and anyone who enjoys top-notch science fiction comics.

• A single issue sub to Spaceship Away costs £6.99 but if you subscribe for six issues and you get the seventh free. Find out more by writing to: Rod Barzilay, 8 Marley Close, Preston, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6DH, United Kingdom. Please include a sae with any enquiries.

• Web Link: www.spaceshipaway.org.uk

• Read an interview with Spaceship Away publisher Rod Barzilay, which was first published in Eagle Flies Again #9: Click Here

Spaceship Away #9

Spaceship Away just keeps getting better and better. It's a constant delight to see just how much top notch comics material editor Rod barzilay is including, from the continued delights of Don Harley's work on the new original Dan Dare story Green Nemesis to the simply stunning visuals of Syd Jordan's Hal Starr, ably covered once more by the brilliant John Ridgway.

Previously unfamiliar with the beautiful, subtle illustration work of the late Tacconi, the Journey into Space serial is proving a wonderful find and complements the increased Dan Dare pages nicely.
The feature pages are also as informative as ever, particularly, for me as a magazine editor, Alaistair Crompton's Second Eagle item, information on a proposed new title it was hoped would rvival the popularity of the original, called Lightning. One of those 'might have beens' of British comics history that one wishes 'had been'. I can sympathise with all those who tried to get such a title off the ground. (As a side note, it will be interesting to see how many dummy titles former Warrior editor Dez Skinn proposed when his personal site goes live later in the year: talking to him, there's an incredible range of stuff that never happened, including a Jeff Hawke comic).

I still think Spaceship Away's feature pages require a better look in terms of design: they pale compared with the stunning art of the title. But this is a minor niggle. Despite the high cover price, Spaceship Away continues to enthrall and serves up a fantastic feast of classic British comics nostalgia.

• A single issue sub to Spaceship Away costs £6.99 but if you subscribe for six issues and you get the seventh free. Find out more by writing to: Rod Barzilay, 8 Marley Close, Preston, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6DH, United Kingdom. Please include a sae with any enquiries.

• Web Link: www.spaceshipaway.org.uk

• Read an interview with Spaceship Away publisher Rod Barzilay, which was first published in Eagle Flies Again #9: Click Here