Was Mcfarlane's DC Multiverse a failure...?

It Took Over 50 Years But Colossus Has arrived

Back in the 1960s and 1970s there were no action figures. You wanted Captain America, Thor, Batman or, say, Billy the Cat then you turned to that wondrous material Plasticine (it's basically what Ardman Animation did).

Kotar and Sabuta, The Missing Link and other heroes I created were all built from Plasticine and it took a couple packets to make my own version of Giant Man -Colossus. The character appeared in Return of the Gods Twilight of the Super Heroes but I always wanted to have the classic look.

I wanted a Colossus to add to my growing number of adventure characters in 54 mm (1/32nd) scale. I found a very cheap 6 inch wrestling figure (the Rock) and Milliput  for hair wrist band and comm-watch as well as belt control and....

Voila!

Hmm. Ignore the 60mm Crescent cowboys  -I've been on a big figure paint spree.

Above: Herald/Lone Star 54mm Tarzan figure and a Crescent Native American as Blue Eagle and behind him to the left Mr Bat and right the Bat. Colossus fits in with these well.
 

For some reason after I finished this one I smiled. Maybe I'm going senile...or having fond memories?

Hexagon Comics -The Partisans 3: War's End

 

7x10 square bound comic, 

48 pages 

b&w
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-333-0.

 US$10.95

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-the-partisans-3-wars-end.html

cover: Luciano Bernasconi

THE FIRST DAY 
Story:: J.-M. Lofficer; Art: Mario Guevara 

THE LAST DAY 
Story: Thierry Mornet; Dialogues: J.-M. Lofficer; Art: Luciano Bernasconi 

Spring 1945. The end of the Second World War is near... Paris has just been liberated... The Germans are retreating everywhere... The Americans are coming... However, there is still time for some desperate missions, such as stopping a last train of Jewish children from being taken by the Nazis to the death camps!
 
The Guardian of the Republic and Marianne, Baroud and Princess Sadko of the Partisans, will each face incredible obstacles in order to halt this abominable project. And their success will only come at the price of the blood shed for some of them...
 
But while one war is about to end, another, perhaps even more violent and merciless one, is already beginning...
 
These two sagas from the last days of the Second World War have been created by Thierry Mornet & Luciano Bernasconi, and Jean-Marc Lofficier & Mario Guevara.


The strongest story was  The First Day Guevara's art on this looks almost pencil and washes. It's quite effective.  With the Princess shot down by a traitor will we ever learn what the Crimen Project is?! This is certainly the best of this volume.

It was interesting to see Bernasconi's art as the Guardian of the Republic faces a tough fight and a fight that could prove fatal but along the way he meets his 21st century counterpart and Dr Omega.  Will this be the 1940s Guardian of the Republic's final battle?

Hopefully we will see vengeance over the shooting and betrayal of the Princess and the Allies but only time will tell. Perhaps things will move on to the Cold War?

A fun read.

addenda. I am old and daft and forget, Jan Marc was kind enough to correct me re Crimen:

"In the review of PARTISANS #3, you seemed to wonder what "CRIMEN" was.

"The answer is, it is our Hydra as CLASH is our SHIELD. All were created in the 60s to capitalize on the success of BOND and UNCLE.

"CRIMEN was introduced in our CLASH TPB.

"Where we differ from the model is, we connected to the 1800 British criminal societies. Reread the GUARDIAN OF THE REPUBLIC / COUNT ST GERMAIN / JOHN MIST issue and the STRANGERS ORIGIN: HOMICRON for more.

"There you'll see an older rick Ross/Baroud, as well as his son (or grandson now with the sliding timescale?) the new BAROUD.

"For a more detailed appearance see GUARDIAN OF THE REPUBLIC #1.

"In addition to the connection to the 1800 crime societies which I think is original,  making patriotic WWII hero Rick Ross into a villain is I think rather unique.

"The next PARTISANS will take place at the time of the founding of the UN and will show how Rick Ross created the modern-day CRIMEN."

Thank you, JM!

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Cinebook Ltd -Buck Danny Classics 8 - The Eagle's Nest

 

Authors: Frédéric Zumbiehl and Frédéric Marniquet; illustrated by André Le Bras
Age: 10 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages:  48 colour pages
Publication: October 2024  

£8.99 incl VAT

ISBN: 9781800441460

The operation to rescue Tumb from the Nazis hiding in Argentina has derailed dramatically, and now Sonny, too, is a prisoner. That leaves Buck and Mossad agent Beata to continue the search, both for their friends and for the secret Nazi base. A mission that is becoming more urgent by the hour, as this remnant of the Third Reich managed to escape with some of their secret weapons at the end of the war, and are preparing for a major operation …. 

Well, sod it. I lost the bet with myself. The shadowy figure at the end of Sea Dart was not Adolf Hitler but....Martin Bormann. If you ask "Who he?" go back to school. I now owe myself £10 I do not have.  Or as Buck explains when meeting the Nazi: "The padre?...wait...that face...you're actually...Martin Bormann!  Hitler's former right-hand man!"

And, yes, even the highly trained Mossad agent hadn't realised.  Wearing a disguise when dressed as the padre might have justified the shock of the revelation but...these two don't turn out to be the finest brains out there.

Apart from that it turns out that Bormann was not just Hitler's right hand man (gasp!) he was also in charge of secret projects such as an anti-gravity one.   So some old German jets equipped with anti-gravity systems are part of the master plan to bomb any part of the world and bring about the (are you ready for this?)..Fourth Reich.  Damn I never saw that one coming. Well......

Anyway, in true Bond style the Nazi underground complex is infiltrated and thanks to the good ole United States of America (and Mossad) the plot is thwarted and so the most wanted Nazi on Earth meets his doom....oh...he doesn't. But HOW could he escape?!

He dressed up as a padre and drove away.

So, if I get this correct just changing your clothes makes you impervious to detection?  If so then Frau Klangenwursthung over in the next village really could have been Hitler?!  It would explain the moustache.

This is good old hokum fun and enjoyable and I suspect there was some tongue-in-cheek writing going on here. Its action packed and its a fun read and it is something we need these days!

Cinebook Newsletter 207 - March 2025

 

Dear Reader, The wait is finally over: they’re here! Volumes 1 and 2 of our brand-new, exclusive-to-Cinebook Blake & Mortimer – The Complete Collection series are available, and they are gorgeous! They’re 224 pages of concentrated comics history – and exciting adventures of course! – lovingly placed inside a hard cover, with three stories collected inside each and a whole extra book’s worth of additional material on those titles, the series as a whole, the author and his travails … plus photographs, sketches and illustrations, analyses of the art and the writing … and more! Volume 1 contains all three parts of our heroes’ very first adventure, The Secret of the Swordfish. World War III, Olrik, dogged British resistance and phlegm, and a jet plane whose design will forever remain legendary in the comics world! As for Volume 2, it encompasses what are arguably the best episodes: The Mystery of the Great Pyramid, both parts, and The Yellow M. From the sun-drenched Giza Plateau to the fog of London, come along for some of the most spectacular pages of the Ninth Art! Finally, Emilie’s Inheritance reaches its third volume, and some mysteries are beginning to find answers – though new questions and surprises arise in return! Florence Magnin’s art is as gorgeous as ever, and her story weaves classic Irish folklore and science fiction together into a captivating whole that’s not to be missed! March with Cinebook – travelling far and wide! We are happy to announce that the third volume of our Lucky Luke series – Dalton City – is now back in print and waiting only for you to pick it up! Blake & Mortimer Edgar P. Jacobs The Complete Collection 1 At long last, a hardback collected edition of Blake & Mortimer is published in English! A Cinebook exclusive, not even available in French, this Complete Collection will gather two or three books per volume, in the original publishing order, plus another book’s worth of fascinating extra material on the series and the author, as well as sketches and historical notes – unmissable for any true fan! … Read more Blake & Mortimer Edgar P. Jacobs The Complete Collection 2 This second volume collects together what are probably the most emblematic Blake & Mortimer titles: the two-parter Mystery of the Great Pyramid, and above all the incredible Yellow M, an instant classic that propelled its author into the ranks of bande dessinée greats … Read more Emilie’s Inheritance 3 Florence Magnin The Exile As Emilie comes to explore the Irish estate she’s inherited, she’s forced to face a startling truth: there, ghosts, fairies and gateways to other worlds aren’t mere legends, but rather the reality! Then there are the other residents, all of them strange, creepy at times, and who seem to hide a terrible secret … Read more Amazonia 4 Episode 4 Michel Vaillant Legendary Races 3 The Disastrous Season North-American readers, to locate a comic book shop near you that stocks or can order these titles and many more, use this handy Read more   Or, if you're a retailer yourself, please go to: Read more Blake & Mortimer The Complete Collection 1 Blake & Mortimer The Complete Collection 2

Hexagon Comics -Strangers 12: In the Era of King Kabur

 

Jean-MarcLofficier; art by Eduardo Garcia, Manuel Martin Peniche, Christophe Ouvrard; cover by Manuel Martin Peniche.

7x10 square bound trade paperback, 

94 pp 

b&w
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-313-2 

US$12.95

Contents:
- Foreword by J.-M. Lofficier
- In the Era of King Kabur by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Manuel Martin Peniche
- Behold Baltazar! by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Manuel Martin Peniche & Christophe Ouvrard
- Morgane Hunted by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Eduardo Garcia 
- Mr. 17 Unmasked by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Christophe Ouvrard

HOMICRON is a NASA scientist whose body is inhabited by a mysterious alien from planet Alpha.
STARLOCK is the former servant of supremely powerful cosmic entities.
FUTURA is a mysterious woman from a parallel dimension.
JAYDEE is a teenage alien metamorph who may well be the deadliest killing machine in the universe...
These characters, all “strangers” to Earth, are brought together by TANKA, a former jungle lord who has been recruited by entities from our planet’s farthest future to be their agent and is now empowered to protect our world from extra-terrestrial menaces.

In this twelfth volume of Strangers, Tanka, Homicron and Starlock have traveled back in time to the era of King Kabur to try to learn how the legendary hero once defeated the alien Wan Lords. Meanwhile, in the present, the C.L.A.S.H. has its hands full with Mr. 17, whose secret identity is at last revealed, while Futura comes across a new threat...
 
Special guest-stars: King Kabur! Morgane!

Stating that Tanks's masters are "sexist" because the outfit left for Dr Towers made her look like Princess Leia's slave girl .... yeah, there are a few of the Strangers characters she needs to lecture on that one (I am not mentioning Futura by name).  But in the Age of Barbarians you dress to blend in -first rule of time travel. Slightly depowered our heroes still get to meet Kabur. (The Avengers never met Conan!).

There is also a point in the story in which Kabur meets his son. It does not go well. 

On my first looking at this story I did not think that Peniche's style of artwork would be the wisest choice.  However, on sitting down and looking at it I can say that his style does work. It sort of looks like a mix of an Indie style you might have gotten in the old Harrier Comics and a UK weekly adventure comic. So, yeah it works fine.

I was not as keen on Ouvrard's style. Backgrounds, etc all looked fine but his characters tended to look rather cartoony/anime like which threw things off for me. Garcia's artwork with its clear black and white style worked.  

With Mr 17 Unmasked we were back with Ouvrard and the style really showed through and I suspect that Ouvrard is a budding Mangaka -it is evident in the characters, backgrounds and so much more. I have nothing against Manga (as I think everyone knows) but for me the style clashed with the more Western styles used in the rest of the book. That is just me and I know how popular Manga is but my eyes are old!

Overall, I would say that this was a great cross-over and adventure/action book and "Manga style" probably adds a few bonus points to it.  Good solid stories and dialogue and at the price well worth getting a copy to add to your comic collection.

Hexagon Comics -Kabur #9: The House of the Green Priest: Celebrating 50 Years!

 

 Jean-Marc Lofficier, Roy Thomas; 

art by Roberto Castro, Nestor Vargas, Manuel Martin

Peniche; cover by Roberto Castro

7x10 squarebound comic, 

100 pages 

b&w

ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-373-6 - 

$14.95

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-kabur-9-the-house-of-the-green-priest.html

28. THE HOUSE OF THE GREEN PRIEST  by Jean-Marc Lofficier; art by Nestor Vargas.
29. THE HEART OF THE ELEPHANT story by Roy Thomas, dialogue by Jean-Marc Lofficier; art by Roberto Castro.
30. THE CURSE story by Roy Thomas, based on Rudyard Kipling, dialogue by Jean-Marc Lofficier; art by Manuel Martin Peniche
31. THE RING OF JHINJAEL by Jean-Marc Lofficier; art by Manuel Martin Peniche

Continuing on his journey south, KABUR arrives in the merchant city of Mwizaruku where he join forces with his old allies, NEVLAK and SEBHO, to thwart a former foe thirsting for revenge... 

This soon leads the trio into a fierce battle against various hostile factions, all eager to acquire the otherworldly Heart of the Elephant...

Kabur then crosses paths with a man who is the victim of a terrifying curse... 

Having resumed his journey, the Prince of Thule is then taken prisoner by the fearsome queen Jhinjael and finds himself fated to die in the deadly arena of the enchanted city of Komong...
 
Four spectacular Kabur stories, including two by legendary Conan writer Roy Thomas, wonderfully illustrated by Roberto Castro, Manuel Martin Peniche and Nestor Vargas.

Oh, this is the one you've waited for!  You were waiting for this one, right? Well, a hundred pager for under $15 dollars in 2025 is pretty rare and what a treat -notice Roy Thomas's name there?

First thing: NO, that is NOT Dr Doom on the cover (he's already on 121 Marvel covers this week).

Campo's art on The House of the Green Priest is wonderfully detailed with an almost fine pencilling quality and his fight scenes are rendered superbly. Looking at the work I would say that if it were coloured it would lose a lot of its edge and this story is a good example of how black and white can sometimes out do colour comics. Castro's art in The Heart of the Elephant is nice and clean and just as admirable as Campo's. Bao is also an interesting character but so are Nevlak and Sebho so maybe future appearances?

Then we come to what I personally see as the best Story The Curse in which Peniche's artwork quite literally drips with old style horror comic art. Dark and broody to accompany a story that, despite being based on one by Kipling, has so many unique touches and I loved it. A barbarian horror story.  In case you are wondering which Kipling story this is based on it is Rudyard Kipling's "The Mark of the Beast" from, I believe, 1890? The story tells of Fleete, and Englishman who desecrates an Hindu temple and is cursed by a leper priest (who else?) and is transformed into a wolf-like creature.The battle with the cultists as well as Kabur's fight to save Wonjin (standing in for Fleete) and the eventual inevitable fight between man and beast... spot on.

The Ring of Jhinjael also has a horror angle with vampires and Kabur has a new ally in Osk -a huge talking lion. Peniche again delivers great art that suits the story to a "T" although "V" might be more appropriate considering the vampire angle!

The stories and dialogue are spot on throughout and if you wanted to get just one Kabur issue to see if it met your tastes I would say buy this one and l;earn a lesson: never get drunk and desecrate a temple. It ain't good for you.

Highly recommended.

Cinebook Ltd -Amazonia 3 - Episode 3

 

Authors: LEO & Rodolphe; illustrated by Bertrand Marchal
Age: 15 years and up
Size: 18.4 x 25.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages

£7.99 incl VAT

ISBN: 9781800441538
Publication: January 2025
 https://www.cinebook.co.uk/amazonia-episode-p-4566.html

Two separate expeditions into the heart of the Amazon rainforest have trespassed upon Yanomami territory. On one side, Reinhard and his Nazis are looking for a sunken submarine and the gold it transported. On the other, Kathy Austin and Captain Delio of the Brazilian Navy are tracking a potentially extraterrestrial being. Threatened by both the hostile natives and the dangerous jungle itself, all will soon come to realise that the two quests may, in fact, be one and the same …

Oh it is definitely me.  I noticed how I've put in reviews how long it has taken for the next volume in a series to appear. In this case I saw Amazonia 3 and just said "And how long ago was number 2 out?!"  Last October to be precise as both part 1 and 2 were reviewed in one post!

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2024/10/cinebook-ltd-amazonia-1-episode-1-and-2.html

it is pure age m'dears! As you get older you start screaming and running away when a publisher says "Here is volume 1 of a 24 volume series that will appear over the next 5 years" -am I going to live that long???

Anyway, old age concerns out of the way...The artwork is, as always, superb. Sebastien Bouet's colour work adds so much more depth to what Marchal has drawn.  We get more twists as well as more action -mainly in the jungle as Kathy actually gets to encounter the tall and very mysterious stranger and gets to see a sample of what he can do with his powers.

There are a few levels to this story with side plots and sub-plots and each one then has me wanting to know what happens.  It is good to have a female protagonist in the form of Kathy Austin as she moves on from Kenya to Namibia (do a quick CBO search and you'll find the reviews) and now Amazonia.  Is there anywhere else she can go on an investigation to? Antarctica?

The end leaves everything on a cliff hanger and while that builds up the excitement for some I want to know what happens. Now.

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Hexagon Comics -Kabur #8: The Bride of Olyazabad

 

Jean-Marc Lofficier, Julien Caldironi, Romain d'Huissier; 

art by & cover by José Luis Ruiz Pérez.

7x10 squarebound comic, 

104 pages 

b&w
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-343-9. 

US$14.95.

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-kabur-8-the-bride-of-olyazabad.html

26. THE BRIDE OF OLYAZABAD (based on a story by Julien Caldironi)
27. THE BLOOD QUEEN OF RA'GUNDU (based on a story by Romain d'Huissier)

While crossing the perilous Tasun Mountains Kabur is forced to stop in the ruins of what was once the fabulous city of Olyazabad, now ceded by its unworthy king to a handful of demons. In spite of himself, he becomes involved in a desperate attempt to save its princess, promised in marriage to one of the demons...

After crossing the mountains, Kabur arrives in the city of Ra'Gundu, under the thumb of the mysterious "Blood Queen", whose monstrous pets decimate its inhabitants. Accompanied by a motley group of mercenaries, the Prince of Thule travels into the depths of the jungle to defeat this new and mysterious adversary...

Well...okay, okay, okay I liked the stories and everything was "just right" in this one and as for the art by Perez. Wow. I make no apologies or excuses for writing that the female characters are true old school sexy (as sexy as ink drawings can be).  Don't get me wrong -Kabur looks great and as though he had been through a thousand battles (well, 2-3 dozens battles maybe) and looks every inch the barbarian adventurer and Perez also imbues the secondary characters with their own looks.

The black and white artwork with some cross-hatching (Old school me holds back a tear) and some Letratone (or whatever the 2025 equivalent is) and the balance of negatives (black ink and white panel) is spot on and very effective and I would assume Perez has some classical artist influences (he'll spoil it and say "no" -you watch!). 

This book made me even more enthusiastic for Kabur and the last two pages -following the guest appearance of Tanka in The Jewels of Cing-Kor- hints at a certain title I am getting a tad excited about reading -but you will all have to wait for that one. As for me...I am waiting for the next volume -the one marking Kabur's 50th anniversary.

Of course I recommend this book -but buy it from Hexagon so they get all the money not Amazon!

Cinebook Ltd - Lucky Luke 83 - Trouble Brewing

 

Authors: Jul; illustrated by Achdé
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: December 2024 

£8.99 inc VAT

ISBN: 9781800441514

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/lucky-luke-trouble-brewing-p-4565.html

Travelling to the northern state of Wisconsin, Lucky Luke finds a population deeply depressed by a beer shortage that has caused all saloons in the area to close. Desperate, the inhabitants of New München beg Luke to talk to the brewers of Milwaukee. But the cause of the shortage is a strike, and the cowboy is more used to chasing outlaws in the Great Plains than to forcing negotiations between unions and bosses in a city where the first skyscrapers are already sprouting …

The Daltons in lederhosen?  No. Just no. And Jorg...I mean Joe...wow does he have anger management issues...but he looks pretty hot in lederhosen.

Its funny. It has gags. It has everything you expect from a Lucky Luke book and the artwork is enhanced by some super colour work and tones. So, uh, well done Mel Acryl'ink😂

Come on a brewery using prisoners to carry out the work is bad enough but when those prisoners are the Daltons and Lucky Luke is within shooting range....but, hang on -they'll never get hold of a gun, right?  Why 'of course not'!

The last six panels on the final page had me smiling.

And this is album number 83. 83! Just scrolling down the Cinebook LL page is enough to make you smile and poke your tongue out at the people who said "It'll never get beyond 5 or 6!"  Oddly, I never saw 1-4 but it is a terrific and fun series to get the kids (or older kids) hooked on!

Atlas Comics and the Grim Ghost

Hexagon Comics -Kabur #7: The Jewels of Cing-Kor

 

Jean-Marc Lofficier

 art by Roberto Castro, Mario Guevara; cover by Mario Guevara.

7x10 squarebound comic, 

108 pages 

b&w
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-306-4. 

US$14.95

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-kabur-7-the-jewels-of-cing-kor.html

26. THE SEAL OF THE SHAIKORTIN story Jean-Marc Lofficier; art by Roberto Castro
27. THE JEWELS OF CING-KOR story by Jean-Marc Lofficier; art by Mario Guevara;
Portfolio Manuel Martin Peniche; Mario Guevara

After avoiding the many traps of the city of Foralume, KABUR, now alone since Arianrod’s departure, must cross the Purple Sea to reach the Southern Continent of Gondaxa, which he must also cross in order to rescue the beautiful LAGRID, kidnapped by SELINOR PSAH, the powerful sorcerer-sultan of the distant city of Arkhanal.

But Psah creates a magic storm which causes Kabur to run aground near the citadel of Yaros, currently besieged by the formidable SHAIKORTIN pirates who seek to retake it from the TOADMEN OF NUNIA, who have seized it. In the midst of this savage battle, Kabur meets a traveler from the Future, TANKA, and finally unravels the mystery of his older brother’s disappearance...

After the siege of Yaros, KABUR finally arrives in Gondaxa in the port of Cing-Kor. But, without resources to continue his journey, he is forced to join forces with FERRANE. a young thief who plans to steal the treasure of the sinister magician NODON. But the wizard is not defenseless, and the enterprise quickly proves more perilous than expected, especially since Ferrane has not told Kabur the whole truth...

Roberto Castro's clean black and white work looks superb and the story is full of surprises including the fact that Tanka gets involved and that may hint at some future tie-ins. Lady Falconer is some villainess...or must we call her a "villain" now?  Whatever, it is a good read.

The Peniche portfolio has some lovely solid black and white artwork which catches the eye.

Guavara's portfolio of pencil work is enough to make anyone drool -all of the fine detail that will be inked over but...

When those pages appear in The Jewels of Cing-Kor Sandoval uses not just solid blacks but relies heavily on grey-toning which can be a big mistake.  In this case he has obviously mastered the use and to great effect. 

The stories are, obviously, well written and thought out and action paced carefully. Kabur has developed from a less filled out character in the old stories (some may argue) to a much more complex one.  I think most people who have never read Sword and Sorcery stories just assume its all evil wizard and "Ugh! Smash bad man!" barbarians (that does seem to be a belief).  If you want good art, good stories and to see a well characterised "barbarian" and his adventures then Kabur is a series for you!

Cinebook Ltd - Buck Danny Classics 7 - Sea Dart

 

Authors: Frédéric Zumbiehl and Frédéric Marniquet; illustrated by André Le Bras

Age: 10 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages:  48 colour pages
Publication: September 2024  

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/buck-danny-classics-dart-p-4563.html

Total: £8.99 inc. VAT

1953. Buck, Sonny and Tumb have been sent to the Patuxent River Flight Test Centre to help design and test the Sea Dart, a seaplane jet. Meanwhile, a former SS general previously in command of Nazi special projects, Hans Kammler, has been spotted in Argentina by an American agent – who is then promptly murdered along with every member of the local CIA network. 

The task of locating a potential secret Nazi base then falls to Buck, his friends … and the Sea Dart. 

Wow. You'd think that being an air force pilot in the 1950s would have been about preparing for a war with the Soviet Union.  But, no, we mere civvies have been getting it wrong all along. There were double agents, saboteurs and others to deal with. A Nazis. Yes, Nazis the enemy that just keeps on giving.

Sonny gets into some messes -as one might expect but there has to be some humour, right? But when you are flying a biplane looking for your buddy (Tumbs) getting shot at by some cattleman the attitude changes to annoyance...especially the second time around.  To then be shot down by banditos using what appears to be a Gatling gun......

Sonny captured soon finds himself reunited with Tumbs as they are led into the heart of the Nazi HQ and....we have to wait until volume 8 for the reveal of who the head badddie is (I have my own bet on so we'll see).

There are certain things that stick in the head while reading this and I forgot that Buck Danny Classics are new stories but drawn in the old style.  And the old style works and Ketty Formaggio's colour work adds to the feel and as Buck Danny and Dan Cooper were the two series I read in German there is a certain amount of nostalgia. Always a fun read.

EUROPEAN COMICS NEWS - Magnetic Press partners with Label 619

Miley Cyrus and Metallica “Nothing Else Matters” Live on the Stern Show

Online 27 Years....yow!

 It was just pointed out to me that Comic Bits moved onto the internet and became Comic Bits Online in 1998.

CBO has been going 27 years.

And I have not made a penny out of it.

27 years...damn that is a LONG time!

Quick Update -Reviews On The Way

No point pretending I am talking to an active community so I will make this quick.

I will start reviewing some Hexagon as well as Cinebook Ltd comic albums tomorrow so keep an eye out for that.

As there has been no interest shown my look at the Chinese Manhua books I have has been indefinitely postponed. A few other planned features have also been scrapped which means less work for me.

So watch out for the reviews.

Days of Future Past: The Origin of Rachel Summers

Super7 reaction+ Serpentor review

Still Holding My Breath Update

 

At the moment -at the moment- the online seems secure but I have to wait another 10 days having put in a counter claim.  It's been a nightmare but I still have to wait.

Any support in buying while the books are still there is appreciated in case I need to take legal action.

UPDATE

Okay, nothing says "Who gives a shit" more than zero responses. Slap-down duly noted.;

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Kult Creations: CAPTAIN WYLDE 003 (AKA The Headless Mariner)

Writer John A. Short   Artist Gabrielle Noble

44pp

Full Colour

US format

Square bound

£9 UK   £11 GBP Europe and outside Europe £16 GBP

Order via Kult Creations site at https://captainwylde.blogspot.com/

The year of Our Lord 1727... The golden age of piracy! Captain Cinnamon Wylde is the scourge of the waters around Dead Man's Straits... Raiding slaver vessels and freeing their cargo! Along with her clockwork hand (only losers have hooks) and her homunculus sidekick, Erasmus!

But she has a deadly rival in the form of Captain Godiva Dunaway who uses black magic and a crew of zombies to rule the seven seas. Dunaway has plans to take Wylde down using an ancient curse and necromancy! She plans to raise the deadly creature known as the Black Reaper from the waves... a headless horror that can not be killed because it is already dead. An epic book-length adventure on the high seas. 

Get ready for clockwork sailors, voodoo and seas monsters! It's the most fun you can have with your eye-patch on!

What else do you need to say other than that Gabrielle Noble is back!!  Oh...and John A. Short of course. The scripts have nice dialogue and the plot is, as you can guess from the images above, one involving pirates in the Short Universe and all of the quirks and grotesques that live there.

Just read that blurb above and ask yourself where you have seen any comic filled with this type of stuff -it's fun and adventure and it is always a breath of fresh air (especially if I've had baked beans for dinner) when a new Kult book turns up.

In this day and age I have to ask why these books do not sell out and especially as the main characters are all female?   Reading this helped relieve some of the current problems and if a book can do that it needs praise and, no, I do not give out spoilers.  What I think is absolutely ridiculous is that no comic company has grabbed Short to work for them. That is insane.

As for Noble's art...I became a fan back in the days of Spliffy and, again, the fun that comes across in the art is well worth the cover price -Kult Creations even offers all three Captain Wylde books as a set!

To date I have found no reason to not praise Kult Creations or Short and Noble's work and this current tale of piracy I highly recommend.

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At the moment it is 50-50

 Due to a vindictive action taken by someone my online store was deleted. I have managed to get that deletion revoked for at least the next week and after that....  

If you have ever thought about buying Black Tower Books or comics now would be the time; if deleted they would no longer be available as it took 20+ years to build up the store with 200+ books.  Any money might help with counter suing to re-instate the account if things go bad.   

I will keep everyone updated.

Black Tower Comics and Books. Gone.

 Ostensibly Black Tower Comics and Books online store is gone. There was a malicious DMCA copyright complaint about a book that has not even been published (!!) and so my account has been closed -over one unpublished book.  

So 24 years of daily work and over 200 books are gone. over 200 original publications gone because someone who is not even involved in publishing objected to a draft copy of a technical paper sent to him so that he could make any corrections or add comments.  It was malicious -he had not even read the paper- and intentional. 

So, John Erasmus, Tom Elmes, Paul Ashley Brown, Richard Anthony Pester and all other contributors: I am sorry and am appealing to the decision but to re-upload and re-promote 200+ books would take a year or more IF my appeal was successful.

The UK is just full of nasty, vindictive "things"

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Adolescenti e libri per adulti, e un nuovo Oblò dedicato a Joëlle Jolivet

 

È di nuovo tempo di Bologna Children's Book Fair: dal 31 marzo al 3 aprile ci trovate al padiglione 26 allo stand B30, con due novità: - un nuovo numero della rivista "Hamelin", In territorio selvaggio. Adolescenti e libri per adulti, che racconta come portare la letteratura per adulti a ragazze e ragazzi; - un numero della serie "Oblò" dedicato all'illustratrice Joëlle Jolivet. L'altra grande novità è la nuova edizione di BOOM! Crescere nei libri, il festival dei libri e dell'illustrazione per l'infanzia che curiamo insieme al Settore Biblioteche e Welfare culturale del Comune di Bologna, e che torna a Bologna dal 27 marzo al 28 maggio. Il programma, ricchissimo, è già online, e oggi vi raccontiamo anche uno dei primi appuntamenti.

In anteprima al nostro stand a Bologna Children's Book Fair troverete il nuovo numero della rivista "Hamelin", In territorio selvaggio. Adolescenti e libri per adulti. Una raccolta di saggi, consigli di lettura, strumenti e riflessioni per chi desidera portare a giovani lettrici e lettori storie pensate per un pubblico adulto. Il rapporto tra adolescenti e letteratura per adulti è un terreno su cui lavoriamo da tempo: le abitudini e le competenze di lettura degli adolescenti stanno cambiando e l’editoria young adults mostra la corda. Viene naturale quindi allargare lo sguardo al mare magnum della letteratura “per adulti”. Sì, ma quale? I classici, i contemporanei? Come riconoscere una storia che potrebbe fare breccia nel cuore di un giovane, spesso non lettore? Vi lasciamo un assaggio di questo numero: una riflessione sul fantastico di Federica Rampazzo.

La seconda novità che arriva in anteprima a BCBF è il nuovo volume monografico della serie "Oblò": protagonista Joëlle Jolivet, artista francese dall’immaginario esplosivo. Autrice di albi illustrati tradotti in moltissime lingue, nota per i suoi cataloghi - come Zoologia, Costumi o Il corpo umano -, della serie a fumetti Miss Cat ma anche di libri-gioco, guide urbane, volumi da colorare, Jolivet ha costruito nel tempo un universo visivo vastissimo ed eterogeneo.  La rivista è un viaggio nel suo immaginario e nella sua arte; per scoprirla, potete iniziare da questo ritratto dell'autrice in venti immagini scelte da lei.  Jolivet è anche una delle protagoniste di BOOM!: inaugura il 1 aprile una mostra allestita nella nostra sede in via Zamboni 15 con un titolo che si spiega da sé: Troppo di tutto. Di questa mostra parliamo meglio nella prossima newsletter, insieme a quelle dei tanti artisti e artiste che saranno a Bologna tra poco meno di un mese. La mostra è realizzata in collaborazione con Fatatrac, hélium, Les Grandes Personnes, Institut français Italia, Editrice Il Castoro, L’ippocampo Edizioni, orecchio acerbo

Vi aspettiamo quindi al padiglione 26, stand B30 a BCBF dove, oltre ai due nuovi numeri della rivista, troverete il programma completo degli incontri, delle mostre e degli eventi che abbiamo organizzato in Fiera e in città. Per chi non sarà a Bologna, i numero saranno disponibili sul nostro sito subito dopo la Fiera. Chi ha un abbonamento attivo li riceverà per posta ad aprile. Chi non ce l’ha e desidera abbonarsi, può farlo online dal nostro sito. Vi segnaliamo poi che la serie "Oblò" diventa parte di "Hamelin" e segue quindi la numerazione progressiva della rivista.

L'ottava edizione di BOOM! si apre domenica 30 marzo con la ormai tradizionale giornata di studi in Biblioteca Salaborsa che, grazie alla partecipazione e alla fiducia di tante e tanti di voi, è già sold out! Ringraziamo tutte le persone che si sono iscritte e ci scusiamo con chi avrebbe voluto partecipare. Se sarà possibile aggiungere nuovi posti e riaprire le iscrizioni lo comunicheremo. Il consiglio è di seguirci anche su Instagram per non perdere gli aggiornamenti. Quest’anno parliamo di “inciampo”: il momento, fondamentale nella crescita di ogni bambino e bambina, in cui si incontra per la prima volta la parola o l’immagine. Lo facciamo concentrandoci su due linguaggi: la poesia e l’illustrazione. A discutere del potere dell'inciampo saranno Roberto Piumini, Giusi Quarenghi, Silvia Vecchini e Chiara Carminati, che racconteranno l'incontro con la parola poetica; e ancora Martino Negri e Bruno Tognolini; due grandissimi creatori di albi come Paul Cox e Anne Herbauts dialogheranno sul rapporto tra immagine e parola;  Massimiliano Tappari proporrà un percorso di inciampi urbani tra le sue fotografie. La giornata è a cura di Settore Biblioteche e Welfare culturale del Comune di Bologna e Hamelin, in collaborazione con Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Casterman, Edizioni Junior.

La giornata è solo uno dei tantissimi appuntamenti di BOOM!; nella prossima newsletter vi parleremo delle mostre da non perdere in città. Nel frattempo, potete sbirciare online il programma completo. Alla prossima, Hamelin

BOOM! Crescere nei libri è promosso da Comune di Bologna e BolognaFiere, curato da Bologna Biblioteche e Hamelin, nell'ambito del Patto per la lettura Bologna, in occasione di Bologna Children's Book Fair, con il patrocinio di IBBY Italia.