Fantastic Four #33 and I am close to no longer following it

 Well, just read Fantastic Four 33 which took all of 5 minutes and that long as some of the layouts and are were messy.

I spent more time wondering whether I should bother any more when I read that #33 is the LAST issue and next month we start from #1 again -no doubt to cash in one there being a movie coming out.

It is a joke. Why does Marvel do so badly I wonder?  Just end the title at any number and start with #1 again -and no doubt 10 variant covers to go with it. Unless the new #1 impresses me it looks like the decades long following of the title is over. Avengers are close to being dropped.

"Why are you so interested in German comics?"

 "Why are you so interested in German comics?"  Well, my mother and her family are/were German and a DNA test shows that I am 52.7% German and 17.8% English and 7.7% French blah blah blah.   

Maybe in my twilight years I'll move to Germany? I would certainly like to go to comic events there.

The Sky Shark!

The Sky Shark taken from The Topper Book 1973 and people forget that the thought of humour titles like The Beezer and The Topper did contain action/adventure strips back in the day.

There were a lot of water-air-land vehicles being operated by kids or their scientist fathers. Elon Musk was not in sight.

Artist is again unknown since the whole signing work done for D. C. Thomson was a no-no unless you were Dudley Watkins.

Push a kid like that today and you are lucky if they don't shank you.

Enjoy

The Scarlet Hawk

Here is one of the last treats I am going to offer as standing over a scanner not trying to break a book and then no one comments is a tad tedious.  

Here I present The Scarlet Hawk from D. C. Thomson's The Hotspur Annual 1977. The character last appeared in the 1979 annual and has an interesting (but almost standard) past in British comics.

Scarlet Hawk was originally a criminal known as The Black Hawk (I am saying nothing) who was relentlessly hunted by private detective Calvin Crisp -again in many cases there was a private eye chasing a villain or a lone "going round the twist" obsessed police detective. The character was known for his gadgetry and a secret hidden base under Dorset cliffs. He also had an assistant Strogo, an ex circus strongman,

The question is how did he turn into a crime fighter? Well, that is easy: initially they simply re-lettered Black Hawk strips (again nothing new in British weekly comics).

Who was the artist? You tell me. This is not my editing by the way it just seems that for some reason the annual editor forgot panel borders and page margins😂

Cinebook Newsletter 210 - June 2025

 

Dear Reader, This summer is gearing up to be a scorcher – ideal weather for a deck chair in the shade, a cold drink at hand, and a good book. By a happy coincidence, we can provide one of those items! You might want to check out the fourth volume of Amazonia, for example. For one thing, you’ll see people in even more sweltering conditions, always a comforting thought; but most importantly, Kathy Austin’s adventures continue to be captivating – and we’re nearing the end of this cycle! Then there’s Spirou & Fantasio, and the heat is on for these two as well – though it’s a different kind of heat. What to do when you suddenly become a target for a man with near unlimited money and power? At least, with Zorglub and other mad scientists types, you have a chance of thwarting their plans by standing up to them, but how can you stand up to an army of lawyers who strip you of your legal rights to yourself? Find out with In the Clutches of the Viper! June with Cinebook – the cool, refreshing taste of good comics! Summer rolls in and so does our new catalogue. Head on over to our website and take a look at what’s coming in summer and autumn 2025 – banking shenanigans, new collected Lucky Lukes, dogfighting time-travellers, and a bunch of beloved old friends! Something to look forward to, hmm? Our new catalogue Amazonia 4 Bertrand Marchal & Leo and Rodolphe Episode 4 Lost in the middle of the Amazon rainforest along with Brazilian Navy officer Délio, Kathy Austin did manage to establish contact with the being she came to investigate – though not for long enough to ascertain whether he’s of alien origin or not … Read more Spirou & Fantasio 22 Yoann & Fabien Vehlmann In the Clutches of the Viper Back from their adventures on Zorglub’s lunar base, Spirou and Fantasio find themselves in a new pickle. Spirou Magazine is being sued for immorality and irresponsibility. The punitive damages bleed the coffers dry, and the two reporters have no choice but to sign a contract with an American corporation, the Viper … Read more The Bank 1 The Waterloo Insider The Bank 2 The Émigrés’ Billion Blake & Mortimer 30 Signed: Olrik Emilie’s Inheritance 4 The Dreamer Lucky Luke The Complete Collection 4 Thorgal 26 Kah-Aniel 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 Emilie’s Inheritance 4 The Dreamer Spirou & Fantasio 22 In the Clutches of the Viper

Interested In Old Stuff?

 Posting a lot of old strips from people who contributed to Black Tower in the early days. If interested pop over to the Black Tower Comics and Books blog https://blacktowerbooks.blogspot.com/

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We Hit 10,000+ Views today

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Weekly Rewind! Ep78: JOEFEST RECAP! Marvel Legends Cops N Crooks Harry P...

Black Tower -The Independents and How You Can Submit Work

 

A4
B&W
94pp
£9.00
https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/the-independents/paperback/product-22522001.html

Collected together a selection of the best Independent comics from Black Tower 

- Jemma Webster's AUTOPSIA 

Small Press Guru Uhuru Paul Ashley Brown's now out of print big seller THE TALL TREES 

A selection from the legend that is Ben R. Dilworth 

Oh, and Terry Hooper-Scharfs "Go Bo Explains Einstein."

As an add on to this I will add a post from the Zine Zone blog:

 I was asked by someone how I deal with comic strip submissions and what my deal is with creators.  

I will point out from the outset that even I work for free!  

With comic events restricted there is little chance of selling a lot of books to cover costs then leave a profit. For people who just want to find some place to get their first strip published I have The Independents an anthology meant to give new creators a chance to see their work in print. Anything submitted is owned by the creator and not myself or Black Tower the deal is published once and two free copies of the title the strip appears in.

You are not being ripped off. I pay for the copies you get (and any tax) after all the editing work. You get a comic with your work in that you can show around.

In case anyone wonders I edit (and all that involves), publicise and even pay US taxes on books sold. I write and draw.  Ben Dilworth, Our Man in Osaka, does likewise. Neither of us sadly get paid. It is just how comics are at the moment when people are brainwashed that there is only Marvel, DC, Image, Oni et al.  Maybe in the future comic buyers will realise there is far more out there -it's why I am thinking of organising a one day comic mart.

Cinebook The 9th Art

 

For those outside the UK who would like to get Cinebook titles check out their web page as they have  704 titles and 100 series.

Editions are distributed overseas so check things out!

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/

Cinebook Ltd: Michel Vaillant - Legendary Races 3: Disastrous Season

 

Authors: Denis Lapière & Vincent Dutreuil
Age: 12 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 64 colour pages
Publication: May 2025

ISBN: 9781800441590

£11.99 incl VAT

1970. The Formula One season is about to begin, and Jean-Pierre Vaillant unveils his new prototype to the two pilots of Team Vaillante – his brother Michel and Steve Warson. He hopes that his radical innovations will give Vaillante an edge against the extremely fierce competition. 

Unfortunately, the 1970 season is going to prove disastrous across the board, and the relentless quest for performance deadly, inciting the drivers to fight for an in-depth reform of racing safety rules …

It must be my age. When I first read this series in the 1970s (in Germany) in Zack I was hooked including the racing sequences. For (I am really old) decades those memories stuck in my mind so that when Cinebook announced that they were publishing the series in English I was excited. This album arrived and I opened it and...nothing.

The speeding cars and onomatopoeia  are all still there but I could not get as excited.  Let me make it very clear that this is NOT a criticism of the book.The well paced and character driven story including that question mark ending -it's all top notch.  The art could not be better! I loved it and it is all very accurate for the period (and I am old enough to recognise the likenesses of certain racers!) and when you add in the fantastic colour work of Isabelle Charly there is nothing to complain about. 

It is a superb book but I just can't put myself in those races any more like I used to as a kid. Rather than race death to the finishing line it's more like "When is the next toilet break?"/ "Hmm.Am I going too fast?" and "that last turn means I no longer need a toilet stop!!" So definitely an age thing😂

Other than an old man moaning I have to admit that the series is just as good as it was "back in the day" (notice they never say which day?). I've read it twice and have looked at the art more than a few times and layouts/design cannot be faulted either. So I do recommend this.

Now I am off to my cardboard box racer to see if I can "hit a ton"!!