ARCHIVED NEWS - MAY 2005

US PRINTING FOR PANINI CAPTAIN BRITAIN STRIP
30/5/05, updated 8/6/05: The recent Spider-Man/Captain Britain story published by Panini/Marvel UK in Spectacular Spider-Man magazine and written by Jim Alexander with art by Jon Haward is being reprinted in the US! The strip will appear in Marvel Milestones: Captain Britain, Psylocke and Golden Age Sub-Mariner to be published 17 August 2005, with a cover by Jon Haward.
In the new story, which ran in Spectacular Spider-Man #114 Brian Braddock, the original Captain Britain, is back in costume -- but can even he help Spider-Man stop a Red Skull on the rampage?
The issue also features a story by Chris Claremont and drawn by Alan Davis in which Brian's sister Betsy Braddock, a.k.a. Psylocke -- plays beauty to Sabretooth's beast, reprinted from Uncanny X-Men #213 (published in January 1987). The final reprint is a Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett from Human Torch #2 (Summer 1941) in which the undersea character crashes into New York.
"It's taken 18 years to be published in a Marvel US comic," says artist Jon Haward. "For years, Dave Gibbons would say to me 'Work for DC or Marvel' I would say no and he would say 'Why not you're good enough'. Well at last I can when I next see him say it finally happened!
"Spectacular Spider-Man has been my longest gig on a single comic four years!"
Captain Britain's appearance in Spectacular Spider-Man was a big success for Panini. "Apparently, reader reaction to the story has been great," Jim Alexander told downthetubes.net. "Because of the age group involved it's measured more in the amount of reader drawings coming in, and there's been loads featuring Captain Britain. I don't know the correct figures but the story was in the best selling issue of Panini's Spectacular Spider-Man since the tie-in with the release of the movie Spider-Man 2."
"It was a blast to draw," says Jon Haward, "and was a kind of tribute to Alan Davis and Alan Moore, two of my all time fav creators.
"Getting John Stokes to ink it was also great," Jon adds, "As I remember his
Black Knight stuff that also featured the old Captain Britain with fondness."
There's more good news for CB fans, says Jim. "A second Spidey/Cap Britain story by Jon and I, hopefully featuring Cap Britain villain the Fury, should be appearing in Panini's Spectacular Spider-Man sometime next year."

GETTING MYSTI EYED...
26/5/05: BBC Magazines have just launched Mysti magazine (Web Link: www.mysti.co.uk), based on the TV show Mysti and books -- and it includes comic strip. Apart from Animals and You, a DC Thomson title aimed at 7 - 10s, this is the only girls news stand title to feature comic strip today.
BBC Worldwide are publishing the magazine in association with FremantleMedia, just one of several licensing deals for its hit tween brand, Mysti.
Published monthly, the lifestyle magazine hopes to build on the huge success of the BBC television series, The Mysti Show and will include cover mounts, fashion features, celebrity interviews, photo stories as well as photo and comic strip. Priced at £1.65, the 40-page magazine is being targeted at a core audience of 8-12-year-old girls.
A second series of The Mysti Show, produced by Mystical Productions, has been re-commissioned by Dorothy Prior, Controller of CBBC, and will launch in spring/summer 2005. The first series, which aired on BBC1 and BBC2 from April to September 2004, ranked as the highest rated Saturday morning show among Girls 10-15 and featured a number of celebrities including Julie Andrews, Jackie Chan, boy bands Blue and McFly, Mark and Sam from Pop Idol, the Cheeky Girls and Jennifer Ellison. The drama segment of the first series is currently being repeated on CBBC and will continue until the launch of the second series.
The Mysti brand originated from a series of graphic novels published by property owner, Imagineire, who has already sold more than 110,000 books in the UK to date.
British girls comics such as Misty and Bunty were once mainstays of the UK comics but faded from sight some years ago. There's a brilliant site dedicated to the original Misty at: www.mistycomic.co.uk

GET SUCKED INTO BRODIE'S LAW!
19/5/05: Leading UK publisher/ animation studio Pulp Theatre Entertainment has announced plans to release a trade paperback version of its acclaimed crime/sci-fi comic Brodie's Law in August/September 2005.
An action-packed comic thriller that destroys the stale methodology of the traditional superhero, Brodie's Law asks the poignant question "What would the law mean, if every day had a different face?"
The story revolves around Jack Brodie, an East London thief with a temper and attitude, who possesses the power to "suck your soul dry" by stealing a person's thoughts and identity before returning it tainted with his own evil deeds. Framed for a murder he did not commit, Brodie embarks on a thrilling non-stop mission to find his kidnapped son.
Created by Daley Osiyemi and David Bircham, the Brodie's Law book features some of the leading talents in comics today -- the amazing artwork of David Bircham, story by Daley Osiyemi, written Alan Grant, and a cover by Simon Bisley.
The introduction to the book is written by one of Hollywood's most prominent directors Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2, Deep Blue Sea).
Brodie's Law features the first six issues of the monthly comic book which have received tremendous reviews throughout the industry. Paul Dale Roberts of Silverbulletcomicbooks.com describes it as "more action packed than the Punisher, darker than Spawn and more terrifying than the movie "Saw". This is a top-notch comic book with a thundering storyline and artwork to match! "This book is unlike most mainstream books on the shelves right now, and for all the right reasons," says Adam Chapman of comiXtreme.com. "This is truly a gem of a book, a very engaging, fast-paced read that successfully lures the reader into the world of Jack Brodie." More details about Brodie's Law are available at www.brodieslaw.com or www.pulptheatre.com

EXPO DOES THE BUSINESS
19/5/05: Over 2000 comics fans attended the latest Comic Expo festival over two days in Bristol, attendance well up on last year, an event marked by the launch of artist Liam Sharp's Mam Tor Publishing with an anthology featuring the work of numerous British creators; and a sneak preview of the new UK comics characters revival from Wildstorm, Albion. Read the downthetubes.net report...

EVENT HORIZON DEBUTS
Mam Tor Publishing's first issue of the creator owned Event Horizon anthology is now on sale. Launched at the Comic Expo, it's an eclectic, energetic mixture of strips and art pages from the likes of Liam Sharp (the originator of this project), Chris Weston, Gary Erskine, Rich Johnston, Savetto Tenuta, John Bamber, John Howard, Edmund Bagwell and many others.
As with all anthologies, some stories will appeal more than others but for me Sharp's Steve Niles scripted F******* Savages makes for a great opener and I enjoyed strips such as Weston's H.E.A.D. Trips and Johnston/Tenuta's Chase Variant immensely. Bagwell's beautiful illustrations to Ralph R. Raims The True Adventures of Jed Lightspear, Space Pirate are simply stunning.
The title's been described as pulp fcition for the 21st Century: it certainly is that, in spades. There's an unfettered joy from the contributors involved in this project as they've flexed their creative skills to maximum, doing what they want simply for the hell of it. unconstrained from any ediotorial interference. While some of the contributions left me a little cold -- always the way of anthologies, not every item will appeal to all -- there is more than enough from some terrific creators at the top of their game to justify the high price tag for this quality publication. Nice one, Liam!
Link: www.mamtor.com

BLOOD BROTHAZ
15/5/05: The Bailey Brothaz first foray into self publishing is finally on the streets, two guys who sent me sample package after sample package of steadily improving, enegetic manga-inspired art over a number of years, taking on board my feedback (and I'm sure, the feedback of many others) to hone their creative skills. BloodznCripz is a powerful tale, centring on the vicious lives of an LA street gang. Definitely not for the faint hearted but well worth tracking down for the stunning black and white art. Fa Sho!
Check out their website: www.bloodzncripz.co.uk

EXPO GEMS!
13/5/05: If you're planning a trip to the Comic Expo in Bristol this weekend, there are several small press gems you might want to look out for while you're there.
Top of the list has to be the annual release of Gary Spencer Millidge's terrific Strangehaven, a bizarre, partly The Prisoner-inspired tale set in a less than idyllic British country village no-one seems to be able to escape. Strangehaven #17 can also be ordered online via the www.millidge.com shop, or from your local comics retailer.
One Last Time is a collection of gorgeous strips from artist/writer Graeme Neil Reid, comprising stories he's written and drawn over several years. Graeme's strong black and white work has wowed the readers of several British fanzines for some time, and he'll be selling copies at one of the many small press stalls at the event, where mainstream comics press and aspiring publishers mingle quite freely with no harm done to either party!
One Last Time

costs £2.50 each in the UK, and will be on sale at the Expo. If you want to order a copy directly from Graeme it costs an extra £1 for postage and packaging. Cheques made payable to Graeme Neil Reid and sent to One Last Time, 60 Scotland Drive, Dunfermline, Fife KY12 7TN.
Outside of the UK and any other queries folks can e-mail Graeme at gnreid@gnreid.co.uk
Also on sale is the latest issue of

TEX, THE LONESOME RIDER IN ENGLISH AT LAST

Winning Manga: Monir by Asia Alfasi

ANDERSON HEADS FOR THE RIDDLER'S FAYRE

STRACZYNSKI CANCELS EXPO APPEARANCE
10/5/05: Babylon 5 and Amazing Spider-Man writer J. Michael Straczynski has been forced to cancel his appearance at the UK Comic Expo due to illness.
"I've been hoping to avoid this, but ever since coming back from Toronto I've been fighting a bad ear infection for the last week, and went to my doctor today for a follow-up," he told the organisers by e-mail over the weekend. "He made it very clear that if I fly in my current condition I risk permanently damaging my left ear-drum and losing a good portion of my hearing. I can't fly anywhere for the next ten days minimum.
"I was hoping this would go away by now, but it hasn't and I just can't take that risk. (This happened once before, on Jeremiah, and I had to take the train from LA to Vancouver over a two-day period to get back to work.)
"Please accept my abject apologies for this, and convey them to the fans. I will post a note publicly saying this so that people don't show up expecting me."

HEAVY GREATCOAT GETS US EXPOSURE
10/5/05: Time to blow my own trumpet again. Michael Jantze, creator of The Norm, has selected The Really Heavy Greatcoat by myself and cartoonist Nick Miller as one of his "Norm Extra" strips in the latest issue of The Norm magazine. Needless to say, we're delighted!
You can order the magazine from his web site by clicking here. (The store is great and, from personal experience, the service is excellent!)
The issue also includes the story of Norm sitting in line for Star Wars - Episode I and a foreword written by Pixar story artist Steve Purcell, creator of Sam and Max.
A popular internationally syndicated daily strip in newspapers across the globe for several years, Michael retired The Norm from international syndication in late 2004 to work on other projects. But because so many of The Norm readers asked him to continue, the strip is now available through his subscription-based web site. Pay for 2005, get access to the thousands of pages on the site, email delivery for new strips, discounts to The Norm books and much more.

PANINI ATTENDS EXPO
10/5/05: Panini/Marvel UK will be attending the Comics Expo next weekend (14 - 15 May) -- the company's first public company outing in many years.
In addition to its ongoing Doctor Who comic strip, Panini/Marvel UK is currently publishing original strips from British talent. Out right now is Spectacular Spider-Man #116 pitting Spidey against Elektra from Alexander, Royle, Townsend, and Offredi. Marvel Rampage #7 features a Hulk/Iron Man strip by Alexander, John Higgins and Offredi, and Spider-Man v Electro by Handley, Royle, Teague, and Brooker.
Appearing at the Panini signing Sunday (15th May) 12 noon will be: Ed Hammond; Ferg Handley; Jim Alexander; Mitchel Scanlon; Jon Haward; Simon Williams; Lee Townsend; and Dylan Teague.

COMICS INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHES NEW JACK STAFF SERIAL
10/5/05: The first episode of a brand-new Jack Staff serial by writer/artist Paul Grist begins in Comics International magazine #185. It will be a four pager starring Ben Kulmer, The Claw, and will run across the next 12 issues.
"I was delighted when writer/artist Paul Grist approached me about running a new Jack Staff serial in Comics International," said publisher Dez Skinn in a report on the new Comics International web site.
"Paul said how he'd noticed our attempts over the years to include new comics pages in CI, and felt this would fit in perfectly," Skinn continued. "I agreed 100%."
Comics International #185 (£1.95/$2.50), also follows its recent Panel Beaters columns on Ron Embleton and Jesus (Steel Claw) Blasco with a tribute to Eric Bradbury (Maxwell Hawke, Mytek the Mighty, etc). The issue goes on sale in the UK on 13 May to coincide with the Bristol Comic Expo weekend. Overseas sales, through Diamond, will be approximately four weeks later (Diamond code: MAR053344).

STRIKER GOES DOWN
4/5/05, updated 10/5/05:The UK's weekly football comic Striker is to fold this week, on its 87th issue.
Publisher Pete Nash broke the news in last week's issue and in a letter to the title's shareholders -- many of them readers who invested in Striker3d last July in a bid to keep the publication afloat.
The cancellation also means Striker 3d's War of the Worlds project, scheduled for a launch later this year is in doubt.
"It's tragic, but we have finally come to the end of a rocky road," Nash announced in his weekly editorial. "I have to announce that next week's issue of Striker will be the last comic.
"We have tried everything we can to make it the success it deserves to be but we have finally been beaten into the ground by the lack of resources that have hampered us ever since our launch back in August, 2003.
"In hindsight," Nash feels, "I can hold my hands up and say that I bit off more than I could chew, that I was too ambitious and overly optimistic. But I believed, wrongly, that Striker's appeal and popularity could overcome the massive odds that were stacked against us as a result of launching on our small budget."
The cancellation is a deep personal blow to Pete Nash, who created Striker as a strip for the Sun newspaper 20 years ago, developed it into a full page computer-generated strip and then parted with the tabloid to develop Striker as a standalone publication.
"I feel like the opposite of King Midas," says Nash. "All the ideas that seemed so good at the time have turned to lead instead of gold. It's such a shame because everybody at Striker has worked so hard to make the comic. And our readers, particularly those who bought shares, have been so supportive that I feel I have let them down.
"The money raised by readers who brought shares last July had given us a lifeline," he reveals, "and by September we had achieved breakeven by cutting costs and increasing the cover price. The introduction of Billy's Boots [an old soccer strip first published in the 1970s] and other new features was popular with most of our readers and we entered the new year with renewed confidence."
Sadly dwindling sales, a lack of finance for any major promotion and the ongoing battle to get the title into newsagents in the face of distribution changes that do little to support small publishers, meant the end for Striker.
The title also failed to secure distribution through the UK arm of Diamond Comics, which meant it was not on sale in comic shops, even though Diamond do distribute the only other UK adventure title, 2000AD.
"It has been our inability to reverse -- or even stabilise -- the slow but steady decline in our sales that has finally defeated us," says Nash. "We invested in a glossy cover to increase pagination and make the product more appealing to readers and potential advertisers -- all to no avail. We increased the print run and printed posters for newsagents as part of a drive to increase availability -- but still people complained they couldn't see it in the shops."
"For an independent comic to have even gotten this far in this day and age is a triumph," feels cartoonist and comics writer Lew Stringer, who has charted the rise and fall of British adventure comics for many years, "and should always be considered a success not a failure.
"I'm not a footie fan by any means, but I've been buying Striker since day one to support it. What I found interesting was the numerous letters from readers who said things like "My wife and mates think I'm daft for buying a comic at my age but...". This proves that Striker was reaching the general public; something Marvel and DC only dream about these days!"
Despite the cancellation, Nash told downthetubes.net he was hopeful Striker would return, perhaps once more as part of a newspaper, alongside a re-launched monthly magazine title which could feature Classic Striker and feature material. If it happens, the news will be announced on Striker 3D's reader forum: www.strikerworld.co.uk
"What makes the failure of the comic so hard to bear is the incredible reaction
from our readers, who are so upset to see it close," says Pete. "However, it also gives me all the motivation I need to try and resurrect it in a new format."
Here at downthetubes, we've followed Striker's progress with interest -- and been involved behind the scenes in making small suggestions and offering ideas for its development since before the title launched. I'm very sorry to see the title fold, since success could have inspired other publishers to dip their toes in the adventure comics market and see the return of a much-missed genre of comics to UK newstand. Early on in Striker's planning stages, Pete had plans for a companion title featuring a number of computer generated adventure strips, a comic that had the potential to be a new 2000AD.
Striker's cancellation is a grim blow to any prospect of that. confirming many other publishers belief that the market is well and truly stone dead.
Striker appears daily in the Scottish Daily Record at present and Pete says that deal will continue unless Striker3D secure a deal with a national newspaper.
I wish Pete and his team well for the future -- he gave Striker his all in an effort to make it work -- and hope the Striker 3D team find deserved success in their future endeavours.

FREAK BROTHERS CREATOR MAKES FIRST UK CON APPEARANCE

Gilbert Shelton. Photo © Unknown

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers

ALBION AT THE EXPO: ASHCAN EXCLUSIVE
3/5/05: Wildstorm's Albion, a revival of many old British comics characters, is to be launched in style at the Comic Expo in Bristol 14 - 15 May, featuring appearances by writers Leah Moore and John Reppion, cover artist Dave Gibbons, IPC Media's Andrew Sumner and Nick Jones from Titan Books.
A just-for-the-UK 24 page BW ashcan of Albion #1 will given away at the close of the Albion panel. They won't be available at any other time: plus 1000 signature cards sporting Dave's cover for issue one to give away throughout the show

SPIDER: KING OF CROOKS
3/5/05: Titan Books have released the final cover for their first "Spider" album, entitled King of Crooks.
The collection is a classic tale of terror and intrigue from the pages of the UK's Lion comic, introducing The Spider -- a villain equipped with an amazingly versatile exoskeleton and a brain to match! The Spider's greatest ambition is to become the king of crime and to achieve this goal, he organises a gang of criminals including such specialists as "Professor" Pelham, a brilliant crooked scientist, and Roy Ordini, ace safecracker.
With strips written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, Titan's hardback edition features a new cover by Garry Leach and exclusive bonus material on the history of the character.
Titan Books has joined forces with IPC Media to rescue and restore classic British comics characters The Spider and The Steel Claw, strips that have lain dormant in the vaults of IPC Media for more than 30 years (aside from their reprinting in Vulcan comic in the 1970s).
Talking about the editing of the new album in the latest edition of Dreamwatch magazine, editor Steve White reveals the major problem creating the new Spider album -- and Titan's ongoing Modesty Blaise collections -- was the rareness and fragility of the source material. "Dealing with 'classics' often meant dealing in material twice as old as the average Titan staff member," he says. "It meant scanning comics that smelt like compost heaps and had an archaeological propensity to turn to dust at the slightest touch."
White says both the Spider and Modesty Blaise projects could not have reached publication without the tremendous help of fans of both sagas, from across the world. "I was surprised to receive replies from as far afield as Sydney, Calgray and New Jersey, for what seemed such a very English character as Modesty Blaise."
• The Spider: King of Crooks goes on sale 24 June and will be available via amazon.co.uk: click here to order
A collection of The Steel Claw adventures follows in November: click here to order