Paul Ashley Brown:
"Hello. This stuff will hopefully be on sale at arc London this Saturday & Sunday. Unfortunately I will only be able to accept CASH purchases, so if you want some of this stuff, bring actually money. Sorry if this ruins your usual freewheeling capitalist tendencies, but there are worse things in life. I will have change."
https://arc-london.uk/comicsfair/
ps:No, I wasn't invited by ARC but...
Just to give you some idea of how a character is developed and in this case Schwarze Laterne:
A blacklight, also called a UV-A light, Wood's lamp, or ultraviolet light, is a lamp that emits long-wave (UV-A) ultra violet and very little visible light. One type of lamp has a violet filte material, either on the bulb or in a separate glass filter in the lamp housing, which blocks most visible light and allows through UV, so the lamp has a dim violet glow when operating.Blacklight lamps which have this filter have a lighting industry designation that includes the letters "BLB". This stands for "blacklight blue". A second type of lamp produces ultraviolet but does not have the filter material, so it produces more visible light and has a blue colour when operating. These tubes are made for use in "bug zapper" insect traps, and are identified by the industry designation "BL". This stands for "blacklight".
What has this to do with Schwarze Laterne? Nothing.
The character is based on a number of things -in Germany as a kid I saw a lot of the fairy tale and myth TV shows for kids (in the UK they were billed as Tales From Europe -The Singing Ringing Tree for one) and I took the idea of a man with a magic lantern from one of these but as that was over 50 years ago don’t expect the story title!
I then started reading various UFO magazines and books where they mentioned “solid light phenomena”-we’ll avoid the fakery and lies behind this but just say that it was an interesting idea. A man with a magic lantern that created solid light phenomena of a sort. But I then thought that every magic or otherwise lantern uses light so why not a “black light” -the lantern was magic after all.
The Schwarze Laterne was created in the mid 1970s so long before DC Comics did its storyline where their lanterns split between yellow and green and red -not sure if they had a black lantern but black is a negative not a colour, Anyway I lost interest in DC at around that time as the reboots were so regular that it made their titles unreadable.
I think I gave the Schwarze Laterne a Deutsche Michel cap originally. Seemed a bit lame. So the origin.
Ulrich Meier was 10 years old when he went off to explore the nearby forest as usual. He practically knew the forest like the back of his hand so it came as a surprise to find and old and very spooky looking cottage in amongst the tree. From behind him a croaky old voice spoke his name and he turned to find a red haired old woman who introduced herself as Katharina Henot. I ought to point out that there was a Katharina Henot or Henoth (1570 – 19 May 1627) who was probably the first German post master and an alleged and an alleged witch who was burned at the stake for sorcery in Koln (Cologne). She is one of the best-known German victims of the witch hunt, and the best known case in Cologne but whether there is any connection…? You can read more about her here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharina_Henot
On with the story. Ulrich had no fear of Katharina for some reason so when she invited him into the cottage for some cake and soda pop he followed. Once inside he was almost excited by glass jars ful of various trinkets as well as the fact that the interior looked like a drawing of some old witch house. He became drawn to a black lantern on the table where he sat eating cake and Katharina spoke:
“You are drawn to the lantern, aren’t you? It seems to have guided you here” and Ulrich excitedly asked whether he could touch the lamp and was told “Yes, you may. But be warned young Ulrich it is no oil lamp. This is a lamp of magical black light and it belonged to Schwarze Erich long ago.”
As Ulrich inspected the lamp he was told that Erich had lived long ago in the days of Charlemagne and was a renowned sorceror but that he had died when trying to use the lantern to attack a local priest for what he considered an insult. As Katharina explains all of this a solid black smiling face appears from the lamp and though taken aback Ulrich shows no fear. The face says (its mouth not moving) “This is the one. He has no fear of the Black Light. Teach him” and then the face vanished. Ulrich is asked by Katharina if he wishes to learn how to use the black lantern but warns him that if he agrees to learn then he much selfishly dedicate his life to helping not just the people of Earth but all of its life forms. Ulrich agrees.
After leaving the cottage, having agreed to return next day, Ulrich arrives home and explains what has happened to his elderly adoptive parents. His father (Federlin) lit his pipe and told Ulrich “If your mother says yes then you may go back. If she says no then I will go and speak to her sister” Ulrich is puzzled and his mother (Walpurga) explains that she is a witch and Katharina her sister whom she has not seen “for many a year” but that she is “one of the Old folk” (like druids almost) who are tasked with finding people worthy of magical knowledge and gifts. At which point Ulrich is almost explosive in his excitement as on his Earth (EP 56765) events in the 17th century caused witches to no longer be hunted and executed but respected as they had worked together to find a cure for The Blue Death that swept though Europe. Ulrich is sent to bed and his mother tells Federlin that she will go and speak to her sister.
On waking next morning Ulrich finds his parents smiling widely and his mother tells him “You may go to see my sister. You are to become the first Schwarze Laterne in 400 years!” From that day and then every other for the next ten years Ulrich is taught how to use the lantern and on his 21st birthday he is not greeted by Katharina at the cottage door but a beautiful young woman with long red hair. Ulrich is immediately attracted to her and they end up sleeping together but as he wakes he hears the words “Thank you. I have your seed” and he sits up to find himself… in the forest. The cottage has vanished. Telling his parents about this his mother says that if the cottage and her sister are no longer there then he is now truly qualified to be the Schwarze Laterne. She adds “My sister always did have an eye for young men with raven hair” (the intimation is that the young woman was Katharina which left things very open for later stories). His mother goes to an old chest tht he had never noticed before and takes out the clothing he will now wear as Schwarze Laterne but to protect the secret of who he is she also gives him a domino mask.
One day while trying the lantern’s power a tree speaks to him. A conversation then ensues about how trees can communicate with each other even if they are on other worlds -some having been taken from Earth by alien explorers centuries before. Ulrich is told that the lantern can not just let him fly but if he wants to, and knows the location, he can travel to another world far better “than the blundering Munchhausen”. On that day Ulrich was told of a distant world and an image appears in his head of a binary star system and one particular planet and Ulrich is pulled up into the air before finding himself in space and from there is on the alien world in minutes.
Over the next 15 years Schwarze Laterne becomes a familiar visitor on other worlds and on one trip he is encased in the black light for three days. Once he is freed from the black light he finds the beings on the planet in a state of shock. Telepaths are in comas due to a great psychic wave that came from Earth. Ulrich returns to Earth as quickly as he can but finds utter devastation with only a few surviving humans -the Zeit Geist had devastated his Earth =killing billions including his wife Erica and their two children, Hans and Liselotte. His parents now appear (having not aged in the decades and usher the survivors through a magical portal to a safe world. His mother tells him that he must now pursue Zeit Geist to save other worlds and that he can never return home -this is the curse of the black lantern. His mother opens another portal leading to the next world Zeit geist is attacking and as he enters this his mother says “Goodbye”.
From here on Schwarze Laterne meets heroes on other devastated worlds until they finally arrive on Earth 664 just before the start of events depicted in The Trial.
Schwarze Laterne was in at the end of Zeit Geist and since that time has become linked with the German super team D-Gruppe.
After being told by Rotkäppchen of her encounter with an alien in the Black Forest Ulrich has his curiosity piqued and so checks D-Gruppe’s extensive archives and learns that a UFO supposedly crashed in the Black Forest in the 1930s. “But that was long ago” he thinks. That night, as he sleeps on a church steeple (well you do, don’t you?) he has a vivid dream of the young red-headed woman from years before on his Earth, She tell him that he must go to the Black Forest and find the alien ship which is still there but hidden as it could destroy the world. Ulrich wakes and determines that he will go to the Forest and find the craft.
This leads to the story Schwarze Laterne - Schwarzwald - Schwarzer Tod (Black Lantern Black Forest-Black Death) or as it was going to be sub-titled “An Honourable Way To Die”.
That’s it.
Before I pop off (NO! I'm sticking around) and have my toast and beans I thought I would nswer a question someone asked a while back.
"What do you miss from the early days and Zine Zone International?"
I also miss the contributions coming in from the USA, Germany, France, Finland and Australia to help promote new creators rather like I did with Previews Comic that got so many artists work in the industry. There was the sheer fun of seeing what people came up with (some I reposted last year on the Black Tower Blog) -sci fi, horror, humour, slice of life and so on. Just the fact that we were not all greedy feckers wanting to grab every pennyand the fact that a couple of issues the person's work appeared in was payment -they had something they could show around and, no, I never made any money!!
I recall talking to two comic artists at a UK Comic Art Convention and I described myself to someone nearby as "a comic hack". The response from the two creators? "Yeah, like ----. You just love art and comics! Now if that quote came with money I'd be happy!
When people found fun and joy in drawing comics and had no major egos. I miss that.
And I still cut and paste (it's just my hair went)
Here is what MSN throws up:
Firtly there is no "were" or "was". Black Tower Comics and Books is still publishing with other titles in the works. Secondly, I have no idea what "Black Tower" is in the Vertigo line as I have not seen a vertigo comic since...early 1990s? I think the confusing remnarks people have made is based on this search result. One comment forwarded to me was "He's doing well enough -DC money!" Well, blow up my wind-hole.... I am still eating baked beans on toast for tea! I have sold nothing and do not work for DC or Vertigo but then you read: "Terry Hooper has been self-publishing under the Black Tower banner since 1984, producing a variety of comics including Return Of The Gods, The Bat Triumphant, and Krakos The Egyptian . His self-publishing work extends into books on multiple subjects, and he is still actively publishing through platforms like Lulu, serving audiences in the UK and internationally . This demonstrates that Black Tower as an independent publishing enterprise is ongoing." But then: "Recent Mainstream Comics In addition to Hooper’s independent work, the Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy series launched in 2026 under the DC Vertigo imprint. Written by Ram V and illustrated by Mike Perkins, this is a six-issue recurring comic series featuring a modern spy-thriller theme with occult elements. The first issue was released on August 26, 2026, showing that the Black Tower brand is actively being used in mainstream published comics . The series is available in both print and digital formats on platforms like DC Universe Infinite." See, I am quite willing to write for Marvel or DC...or Image or...anyone if it pays! This is just poorly written information so let me make it clear that I have not sold BTC&B and am still publishing and any other Black Tower has nothing to do with me. My life always seems to get confusing. |
An openly Lesbian couple survives and thrives in 19th century Vermont—a true story, as told by Tillie Walden.
The month is February in the year 1807. The place is Weybridge, Vermont: small, cold, lonely, and beautiful. Sylvia Drake is exhausted. As an unwed woman with few prospects, she is residing with and caring for her sister’s rambunctious family. Today the house is abuzz awaiting a guest: Charity Bryant.
A friend of the family, Charity is most known for her elegant letters, with their swoopy and evocative penmanship and carefully chosen prose. But Charity’s visit is a guise—she is coming to Vermont to start over after heartbreak and rumours, so many rumours that have grown too loud back in Massachusetts. Being openly gay in 19th century New England is not an easy row to hoe.
But Charity can only be herself, and she immediately catches and holds the eye of none other than Sylvia Drake. From this point on, for 44 years, the two would be inseparable, building a life together despite all odds and living as a lesbian couple in small-town Vermont.
The true, exceptional story of these remarkable women is brought to life with humor and passion by the unparalleled and award-winning Tillie Walden (Spinning, On A Sunbeam). We see America grow alongside these women over a period that brings about the railroad, many novels, 14 Presidents, riots, rebellion, plagues, and poetry.
Based on extensive archives of their writing, Charity and Sylvia is a groundbreaking biography that is also the story of 19th century America.
All I am going to write about this book is that the art style really worked well and was quite atmospheric. The story and dialogue is well done and quite effective and I found it quite an enjoyable book. But a book I am not going to go into detail on because you really need to sit down and open the book up for yourself and take in each page and all the subtle nuances.
As soon as some people read "lesbian couple" their minds drop into the gutter. This book is for people who enjoy a good story and read. The final chapters were a bit of a choker, though -I blame the dust.
It takes a lot to impress me these days but Charity and Sylvia did just that.
It makes me wonder4 why no one has produced a graphic novel about Ann Lister (1791-1840) ?
Noticed that someone I used to know had a new book out and was saying that it had proven impossible to get anyone to publicise it. I contacted him and told him that although it does not guarantee sales there are 25-40K views a day on CBO if he wants it reviewed.
Him "I wouldn't dare. There are some nasty people out there who would gut me if they thought I was talking to you!"
Honestly. And he is a grown man in his 40s and publishes but is scared of bullies?
What is that expression? Oh, "Cut your nose off to spite your face"
The worms will never turn.
