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Friday 10 July 2015

After A Zaucer Of Zilk, A Strange Spider Fever And I Wonder Just Who Will Wield The Shield




Well, yes, the original posting did have most of the images missing.  I have no idea why as it seems to be a problem with blogger.  However, add images and guess what? A new posting and I really would love to see far more McCarthy comics!

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Was it really in 2012 that IDW published the two issues The Zaucer Of Zilk?  Having given up on comic shops by that time I missed the event -and it was an event with both issues selling out.  Quality spoke loudly at that time!  In 2013 I stumbled across the IDW special which published both issues in one ad-free book.

I write that I stumbled upon it but here is the very strange thing.  Normally, I will say "I picked this up at -no comic shop name cuz thats free publicity for them!"  But for the life of me I cannot remember where I got it.  Seriously. It is a bulky edition -76 pages- so I would normally remember.  I begin to suspect that in some way my mind was swiped by person or persons unknown.

You know who I mean.

The Aliens.

The Greys.

Chariots of the Gods, man -they practically own the goddam planet!

Hang on.....ah.  Meds taken.

But what is this The Zaucer Of Zilk story about? Well here is one blurb for it:

"Get Zaucy! After instantaneous sell-outs of the single issues, IDW is proud to announce this special reprint of the collaboration with 2000 AD and Rebellion Publishing, The Zaucer of Zilk! Brendan McCarthy & Al Ewing’s phantasmagorical psychedelic extravaganza from beyond the fringes of imagination features an inter-dimensional magician who travels across the realms to save his number-one fan from the dank clutches of arch-nemesis Errol Raine, as visualized by the brilliantly surreal artist McCarthy!"

That covers it -very briefly!

This even out-shone the excellent 2010 McCarthy led Spider-Man: Fever 3 issue series.  Now if anyone -anyone- should have been handed Dr Strange as a series it was McCarthy and Co.  I mean -look!







https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJQmFLefenilQxgEIVq5LrNcAlfalr8L6k00K-J-SkHTcJ8hZSb8oBHZE7F79HqzBWu9F8TRCpvy1z1xciDF8Jjj2bRsBfnAexVXR1CeK1QNjuv5TBxn3hXYFx6CsNbMhH8fnO5OUyWxN/s1600/spider-manfever03.jpg



  
I mean, seriously, I have very -very - mixed feelings about the current Dr Strange series and the fact that it has a major story-line coming up that will mean you need to buy 15 comics to read it (only 4 parts are apparently in the actual Dr Strange series) -many are already shouting that they are, quote: "not ever going back down that multiple cross-over con to read a characters major story-line outside of his own book again!"   And I agree.

Marvel should have let the Spider-Man Fever team on the book permanently because at least they seemed to understand who Dr Strange is!

And does anyone else remember this?  From the Who Will Wield The Shield  special.  Brendan McCarthy with Matt Fraction.





Oh, if you thought I was only a big Avengers and Sub-Mariner fan you have no idea about my love for the real Dr Strange -even when he wore a blue mask!

Anyway, back to The Zaucer Of Zilk, by  Brendan McCarthy, Al Ewing, Len O'Grady which is, after all, what I am supposed to be posting about!

I read it straight away. Looked at the art.  Looked at the art again...then again....then read it again.  Then I realised that the second time I read it I had a slightly different take on the story.  A month later I read it again and I found lots more subtleties than before.




This book just kept on giving!

And the art.....I must stop drooling.  The art, well, let's give a credit check here: the story was a joint effort between Brendan McCarthy and Al Ewing and Al Ewing wrote the script.  Brendan McCarthy did the art and the colours....oooh, the colours....were by Len O'Grady.  And I need to say that O'Grady did a feckin incredible job.  Ellie De Ville did the lettering which is just as important and if you've read this you'll know why.

Put this all together into one book with no ads, add a strong cup of coffee and your daily meds and you'll be tripping.  I just cannot rave enough about this and if Marvel ain't going to hand Dr Strange over to McCarthy (and I don't mean in a hostage style way) then McCarthy better bloody create his own version and find a publisher.   

No -I...will...not...let...it...go!!



Was that a little too angry?  Sorry.

Spider-Man: Fever and The Zaucer Of Zilk are two books I read if I get too down.  

Things just brighten up and get very entertaining.  And it is fun.  In all seriousness that is what comics are supposed to be -entertaining and fun.

No, "This is a major character story-line that will over 23 books that you will need to buy to make us more money than we deserve" just plain and simple fun.  F-U-N -fun! For me this is a classic of the comic book genre and we need MORE!!


grumble....and Marvel MUST turn Dr Strange over to this team. NOW!



2 comments:

  1. I remember picking up the first issue of 2000 AD which "Zaucer of Zilk" appeared in, I loved the art/design but to be honest I had no idea what it was all about. This book looks amazing though I think I may have to purchase it (not sure if you saw the DC "Solo" edition that his work a few years ago that is worth picking up also)

    I couldn't agree more regarding why Mr McCarthy wasn't given the art chores on Dr Strange, that would have been amazing. Maybe once the (no doubt awful) Dr Strange film is released and Marvel then decide to reboot the character into a woman, then a Chihuahua and before they kill him off and bring him back again as a Chinese teenager he may get a chance to do the character right for this generation.

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  2. ...then a Chihuahua ? THAT, I'd pay to see.... 'sorceror supreme...guardian of the worlds eternal...master mage....tormented ex-neurosurgeon......... in Paris Hilton's hand bag.'

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