Which Publishers Do I Recommend?

 Who or which company would I recommend people with an interest in comics should seek out?  Well, obviously, Black Tower Comics and Books of course but there are others.

Just carry out a search of this blog or go to the Comic Shop News blog for full details of BTC&Bs range. https://comicsshopsnews.blogspot.com/

 

Heagon Comics is recommended because the company covers various genres and has strong story telling and some great art  Hexagon Comics

 Cinebook, a British company,  is also at the top of the list. It publishes high quality Franco-Belgian comic albums, again covering many genres and with top quality art and storytelling.  https://www.cinebook.co.uk/

Kult Creations the publisher covering fantasy, horror sci fi and more with great humorous and serious stories (John Short's tongue is often planted firmly in his cheek) and some great art by artists such as Richard Anthony Pester, Gabrielle Noble and others 

 https://kultcreations.blogspot.com/

Paul Ashley Brown has to be mentioned or, rather, Paul Ashley Broiwn, BA (you got the degree use it!)  does. From humour to his thought provoking Browner Knowle series the books are consistent and after a few decades in publishing he deserves something (a plate full of biscuits usually).    https://www.paulashleybrownart.com/shop

Mike ScraSE and Zip Comics have impressed me and that is not easy to do these days!   the story telling is very good and artists turn in some nice art.  https://zipcomic.co.uk/

That's it. YOU are not included -that means you do not send in review books (offers of PDF of books is always rejected and have been since 2006).

£1 Million?!

 "Give Hooper "1million and a distribution deal in the UK and we will have British comics back!"

Okay.  Did he mean give me, personally £1 million or is the catch that I have to spend it on creating the comics? I like the former idea!

Avengers 1 volume 6543 (2026) -I'm being sarcastic there

 

F Kaare Andrews

Sadly, having followed The Avengers since the 1960s and through its 1990s fair to bad incarnations (the ridiculous way they got rid of West Coast Avcengers via very bad story-tellinbg for one) I was hoping the new (are we on volume 6543 now?) much hyped version would be a breath of fresh air.

Honestly, I had my fingers and toes crossed for this but after the messy and, I think, ridiculous Avengers Armageddon and...I was let down.

We are back on the old world-after-super heroes bandwaggon. We are back (did we ever leave?) Peter Parker panicking over aunt May's future, reference to certain Avengers' booze problems and...yeah, I got stuck with the bad cover buit as I was not going to pay 2-3 times the cover price for one of the others it's what I am stuck with and it is a problem faced by many who collect a series; buy the poor covers at a regular price or pay more for a half decent version.

In case that sounds odd to non UK readers; this is the UK and comic buyers get fleeced. What might be a good cover on an issue and at cover price in, say, the US, becomes a "rare" or "scarce" onein the UK with comic shops and (of course) Ebay scalpers trying to wring out every penny. the Captain Britain 50th comicwas advertised as scarce and rare and copies currently on slae for £25-£70 (if you are in the US imagine going into a store to buy your regularly priced monthly only to be told it will cost you $25-70).

This issue was no way different than the past few"new volumes" since the 1990s (yeah, Marvel really 😩 up when they got rid of Shooter and the morons with no ideas took over. This first issue basically follows the patern opf every previous re-start of "We have to form a team to face the threat" and as for the introduction of "Miracleman" well, might as well have been replaced with Peter Pan.

The view that "the new Avengers team will need a power house to back them up" is a joke. The past incarnations are such a mess it's hard to remember whatr was simply rebootred to be rebooted again later but was Hyperion (Marvel's own Superman) not an Avenger and was Sentinel also not a member?

Marvel continuity is a mess and the characters you cannot even be drawn into since they have changed so many times over the years that you just think "Who cares?" Aunt May died in the movies (oops -spoiler alert) and by now must be at least 165 years old but that is the "latch on" for new writers with no new ideas.

My collection starts at (thanks to thefts by people over the years) volume 1 no.11 and runs through to current and there are the Secret Avengers, Uncanny Avengers, New Avengers and a few shorter series I just dropped as they were crap.

Avengers Armageddon and this new iteration are basically one big build up to an anti-climax where the once third rate character Mephisto is the "catalyst bringing the heroes together" -anyone remember the previous "catalysts" other than Loki? Go on be honest.

Issue 2 had better blow my rather smelly socks off and, NO, I will not read comics online.

I Am The Keeper Of The Dread Sword (I actually do not own a sword)

 Someone sent me a comment about CBO but not here on one of my Face Book groups. The person who sent the message criticised the music videos as well as the occasional movie link to You Tube.

My response was that he was free to find another blog that suited his tastes.

I have made it clear before and I will now.  

I set up CBO in the 1990s on various platforms (no longer existing)  and amongst comic news and reviews I have included Mega Posts (just search for "Mega post" above), Hallowe'en build up and main events as well as similar for Christmas. I used to theme anything uploaded but now I add when I feel I want to. CBO has had over 10 million views and currently between 29K -40K views a day since CBO's "day" is world-wide and there are differing time zones -it's always daytime somewhere😁

Now, there are no sponsors  of CBO.  No one donates to keep CBO going.  Everything uploaded and posted here is taken free of charge by visitors. I post what I want and have no obligation to anyone as to what I post. So, if you have a serious concern or want to correct something I will listen. If you want to bleat on that you don't want to see music videos or links to movies simply "because"then tough luck.

My blog.  My very loose rules. You want to come along for the ride (I ought to point out that I am not licenced and cannot drive) -

WELCOME

Mr Dilworth....

 Stransky and Labbatt are asking how you are!

Jimmy Jingles Time Machine....Better Than "Jimmy Jingle Bells" I Suppose!

 

Jimmy Jingles Time Machine was another superbly drawn comic strip from Knockout -this sample from the issue dated 22ndAugust, 1942.  The artist is Eric Parker.  Now I know Parker's career spanned almost sixty years! 

I began writing up notes and I found a scribbled URL (normally I bookmark these things on the computer!) but it took me to a wonderful article on the artist by Norman Wright and David Ashford that I recommend!

http://friardale.co.uk/Ephemera/Book%20and%20Magazine%20Collector/218-Eric%20Parker-artist-May%202002.pdf

A question -Jimmy Jingles -a suitable character for "resurrection"?

Acro Maid: The DuPonte Blade

 

The Iron Warrior -Nothing Dies!

 

Yello - Midnight Traffic (Official Video)

 

Jennifer Rostock - Alles anders (Official Music Video)

 Yeah, I felt we all needed a musical Friday especially with over 25K views today (1900hrs UK)

Ha Vay - blue hour (official music video)

 

The Courettes - "Killer Kiss"

 

Who Is Stransky? Who Is Labbatt? Are They-------?

😂😂😂😂😂😂 Grant Morrison is getting a lot of free publicity on CBO!

I was sent a screenshot from a forum where there was a discussion as to whether Black Tower scribe (a pseudonym for a well known comic writer) Stransky was Morrison.  Someone pointed out that Ben Dil;worth had published an early story (I think the first published one?)  by Mike Millar.  Alan Moore was ruled out of the running.

Someone pointed out that I could not afford to pay any of these writers (true as their shirts probably cost more than my home!) but then someone else said Millar might do it as a favour for Dilworthg and that Morrison was "so far out there he might for a laugh!"

I am getting involved with none of this. Here is a thought though, for those people who seem to like to discuss my business, why not buy some Black Tower books? See whether you can fathom who Stranky and Pierre Labbatt (big clue there) really are? Yes, two people one a writer the other an artist. Clues have been there for almost 10 years now.

Grant Morrison’s CANCELED Marvel Trilogy

 

Why have I never postage negative comments about Grant Morrison?

 

I was asked why I had "not posted anything negative about Grant Morrison?"

Uh,thatis not quite how it works. If creators court criticism such as insulting comic readers and comics then they can expect criticism.

The best review I ghave on CBO was for something by a writer I absolutely loathe personally. However, reviewing a book or comic means kick the prejudice out. What is the story/book like as a story? What is the art like? My personal prejudice has no place in reviewing.

Look at it this way; Morrison wrote Zenith for 2000 AD. In case no one guessed I love Phase Three. Steve Yeowell did a really great job drawing the series with his early black and white work was spot on for the series and giving it that British weejkly comic feel. 

Ellis, Moore and Gaiman produced work I like but I think with Morrison you had someone who was not "borrowing" old ideas and accepting the accolades while putting the original sources under the carpet.  I base my opinionm on Morrison by what he has created that I like (including Doom Patrol).

So, no, I have NOT posted a killer attack on Morrison.  Just enjoy his work.