The Blue Saviour - DEATH DISCO!

A Visually Graphic Novel

 

 

In my posting  "Some Of These Super Heroes May Not Have Lasted Long...But They Had Impact!" which you can find here:

http://hoopercomicart.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/some-of-these-super-heroes-may-not-have.html

I mentioned David A. Johnson (DAVID WHERE ARE YOU???!) and his character Blue Saviour.  Not a long print run history but the character became legendary.  So legendary, in fact, that two British legends in the Small Press and their own lunch times, decided to pay tribute.

Paul Ashley Brown (of Browner Knowle/Anon) and the man, the myth that is Ben R. Dilworth, talked and talked about "doing a Blue Saviour book" and I said "Well, why do you not just jolly well get along with it then, chaps" (I hardly ever used a harsh word back then).   Secrecy, secrecy and giggling.  Then they announced the book was ready with a flashy red front cover and "Saviour 3D effect" back cover.  The title?

DEATH  DISCO!

Yes,this was to be -as the duo announced in a hurried press conference in my apartment kitchen in Ashton -"a visually graphic novel!"

When asked whether the production and scope of this 28 pages classic-in-the-making with "Saviour 3D Effect" centre pages might be a challenge too far? Mr Brown responded:

"I AM the Blue Saviour!  You am the Blue Saviour!  We all am the Blue Saviour!  If this destroys me in comics because people can see the  ground-breaking techniques used in this work point ahead to the next stage in comics development -so be it!"

In fairness, I ought to make it clear that Mr Brown was either having a total nervous breakdown or was merely saying all of this inside my own imagination.  I had not been well.  But look at the facts: Mr Brown has never worked in comics again.  Coincidence?   And Mr Dilworth?  Well, he went into exile in Japan saying "I really do want to get as far away from this thing as possible -stop photographing me!"  Over two decades later the exile continues.

Now, it is very necessary, in order to pad out this posting as much as possible, to look at what Death Disco was about.

The opening dialogue reveals so much:

"My name is Jason Britton.

"I am otherwise known to the public as Blue Saviour.

"I am one of Great Britains few superheroes.  I have what are called "powers".  For the time being both my origin and theirs is unimportant, and merely a digression from the revealation of my most urgent purpose.

"It is rumoured that notorious American gangster and killer, Jericho Gerrards, has arrived unexpectedly in London.

"For what reason, remains as yet a mystery, as does the identity of the man who has hired him.  However, it is a mystery I intend to unravel.

"As only I, The Blue Saviour, can...

"And must!"

And so our hero goes to a disco.  A Death Disco, under cover wearing only a domino mask.  Milling around, dancing, he spots trouble:

"I always remember what my old pappy said to me...."  he muses...

""'Blue', he'd say, 'Blue', when you're out of costume always expect trouble with a capitol 'T'!"

And...

"In a flash of lightning he becomes....

                                                   THE BLUE SAVIOUR!"

And to the pounding beat of Sparks' "This Town Ain't Big Enough" the Blue Saviour dodges Yankee thug lead.

I think Death Disco was published in...1988?  Hard to tell without going through all my old Zine Zones because the two twits never dated a page!  This rarity, back in the day, would set you back 50p!!!  Price for a copy of this very low print run comic (if you can find one), even in not so great condition -£10.00.

In fact, it is so rare that I think you could name your own price.

Death Disco was not, as you can probably guess from the above text, very tongue-in-cheek.  It took the various aspects of Blue Saviour an exaggerated them and sold well amongst fans -though everyone knew it would never ever replace the one, the only, the real...

BLUE SAVIOUR!