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The Hooper Interviews!  

 To celebrate, at the time of publication, over 25 years of interviewing comic creators -writers, artists and publishers- this 365 pages book was produced.

Interviewees included Yishan Li, Marv Wolfman, Dave Ryan, John Cooper, Mike Western, Donna Barr, Roberta Gregory, Sonia Leong, Emma Vieceli, Pekka A. Manninen, Alan Class, Karen Rubins, Kate Glasheen, Ron Fortier, Jon Haward, Franco Francavilla, Rick Geary, Tania Del Rio, The Etherington Brothers, Olivier Cadic (Cinebook the 9th Art), Holly Golightly and MANY others.

Profusely illustrated with art and photographs!

Reduced in price until October to £16.80 -an odd price but it's what the printer and lulu.com earn -I get zilch!

http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/the-hooper-interviews/paperback/product-22078000.html


All Black Tower comic albums (that is A4 format) are in black & white.  Once you've had black and white you won't go back to colour, baby.

BTCG has specialised in presenting original material covering super heroes, crime, adventure, sci fi, horror as well as illustrated prose -not to mention ground breaking books on "world mysteries" and wildlife.  Oh, and even a huge book of interviews with comic creators and publishers.

All the books are, naturally, available for overseas licence -but we cannot translate work: that will be up to any licensed publisher.

What follows is a brief glimpse at some books but you can visit the online store to see more details and books at:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/hoopercomicsuk

You  can also find some on Amazon and other sources but they do not make me much money so, come on, buy from the online store and remember that at least these books will be collectibles! 

To contact me please check out "About" at the top of the page -thanks! 

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Black Tower Comics began in 1984 as a Small Press publisher of A5 (US -Digest size) titles such as Adventure,Presents,Windows and Hanley's Garage.  Then came the news, reviews, previews and interviews publication backed up by the mart and mail order service -Zine Zone (later Zine Zone International).

In 2009, with the innovation in publishing of Print On Demand (POD), Black Tower jumped in head first!

One of the first titles to see print in the new comic album format (A4) was The Bat Triumphant! This saw the complete story, begun in Black Tower Adventure vol. 1.  William A. Ward's long lost 1940s character once again saw print as he fought a host of  enemies in an attempt to reclaim his homeland.




And while The Bat may have fought fist and nail to reclaim his homeland, another 1940s Ward creation, Krakos the Egyptian, seemed far from willing to claim a new Egyptian Empire as promised to him by the Gods.  Tackling a number of foes and even encountering the Many-Eyed One, Krakos turned his back on the gods and the final panel of Krakos -Sands Of Terror, delivered a true twist!




Of course, the flag-ship title had to return!  And so Black Tower Adventure -eventually reaching new heights when the legendary Ben Dilworth jumped on board!  Volume 2 consisted of  ten issues. Just look at these covers....



And, with something like 40 years worth of files and investigation reports could all that much delving into UFOs, lake and sea creatures and many other mysteries not result in a book or two...or three? Some Things Strange & Sinister, Some More Things Strange & Sinister as well as Pursuing The Strange and Weird: A Naturalist's Viewpoint set a precedence.

Whereas for decades those involved in "UFOlogy", "Cryptozoology" and "Forteana" declared many mysteries, that photographs were lost "to history" and so on, these three books swiped away the false claims.  Alleged lost photographs -found.  'Mysteries' solved by doing actual research work and reading the sources -something others had never done.


And, of course, mention natural history and Black Tower Books broke new ground with that in The Red Paper: Canids.




But not all the prose books covered mysteries and wildlife.


And if there is one thing "Herr Professor" loves it is discovering and presenting long lost UK Golden Age (1939-1951) comic strips and characters from publishers such as Gerald Swan, Foldes, Denis M. Reader, Cartoon Art Productions and others.

Scanned and restored as best as can be considering the poor print quality of the rationing years -especially red, orange, yellow, blue and purple ink printing!

Ace Hart The Atomic Man!  The Tornado!  TNT Tom!  Dene Vernon!  Acromaid!  Cat-Girl! Bring 'Em Back Hank! Robert Lovett:Back From The Dead and so many other action heroes and humour strip characters -William A. Ward, Jock McCaill and a host of known and unknown creators contribute -either in single volume " Black Tower Gold" albums or all six collected into the 400+ pager -The Ultimate British Golden Age Collection!





Another great love is Centaur Comics from the United States.  Right at the very start of the American Golden Age of Comics Centaur had creators who were ahead of the others!  Before Plastic Man there was Plymo!  Before The Human Bomb there was TNT Todd! Before Green Arrow and waaaaaaay before Hawkeye there was the mysterious red hooded archer called The Arrow!  And, to just break your comic mind world there was even a Black Panther -decades before Kirby came up with his character of the same name.

The Eye Sees All.  The Owl. The Iron Skull.  Amazing Man. The King of Darkness.  The Invisible Terror. The Blue Lady. The Shark. Mini Midget & Kitty.  Mighty Man. Super Anne.  The company may have been short-lived but it's characters -oh boy!

The two volume Centaur Heroes Collection has been compiled into one sweet 140 page comic collection!


Horror. Ghost stories.  The twist-in-the tale.  Did you think that a publisher who is a big horror comic/film fan would ignore these?

Nope.  Each year since 2010, BTCG has published a Tales Of Terror anthology album and 2014s included some fun and spooky lost Swan Comic strips.  I mean how can you go wrong -even Ben Dilworth is in these!

 

The Church Of England has it's own basher of dark forces in the Reverend Merriwether -"God's Demon0-Thumper" as the press billed him.  From an ancient Egyptian demon to a village of the damned and Varney the Vampyre, werwolves and a final confrontation with Satan himself -Merriwether pulls no punches and offers no compromise.  And in those last few seconds between life and death, Merriwether's mind recalls past cases -thanks to Ben Dilworththe Tall Man of Osaka.

Merriwether: God's Demon Thumper and Merriwether: The Test Of Satan are available as individual comic albums or in one swanky book The Collected Merriwether: God's Demon Thumper.

 

Oh, did I forget to mention Dene Vernon -British comics' first investigator of the supernatural and strange mysteries?  I did? Unbelievable since Gavin Stuart Ross drew the 1948 based Dene Vernon: The Thing Below!

 


 And did you know Ross also drew the two adventures of Victorian mystery man Chung Ling Soo? Chung Ling Soo: The Curse Of The Jade Dragon and Chung Ling Soo: The Case Of The Thames Serpent were two cracking tales of magic, adventure, murder and deception -still available as single comic albums or collected together to form The Adventures Of Chung Ling Soo!









Ben Dilworth is no slouch either!  Chung Ling Soo's police "counter-foil" isnone other than old London "Jack" (police man) Inspector Wilberforce and when Dilworth says "Here's a Wilberforce one-off: PUBLISH IT!" you do not argue!





And did you know you can be a Gold Master of Japanese Haiku?  Well, neither did I -but guess what?  Ben Dilworth is such a master and his Osaka Brutal features his Haiku in English!

 

Old saleman that he is, Dilworth just keeps on going.  He produced Aesop's Fables -a darker version of the childrens tales and then went on to write two well illustrated prose albums looking at spirits and demons -Dilworth's Japanese Yokai and Dilworth'sWestern Yokai.  Osaka and the Yokai books were combined with Aesop's Fables into the one volume The Collected Ben R. Dilworth -though the single volumes are also still available.

Horror comics yes but also some nice illustrated prose from Dilworth in...Dilworth's Horror & Ghost Stories but for the connoisseur those stories were collected together with the Phantom Detective comic strips into The Complete Phantom Detective!

And could anyone forget the sensational Iron Warrior Versus Big Bong:When Giants Fought? But add to that the various Iron Warrior strips from Adventure and you get The Iron Warrior Collection -When Giants Fought!  In the 1940s, William A. Ward's creation was to be the most graphically violent comic strip seen until the 1970s.  That is some legacy. It continues....with a touch of fun!



In case you are wondering, yes, obviously there are super heroes.  Mix in ancient pantheons of gods, giant robot, alien invasion, Lovecraftian dark ones and so much more that the book runs to over 320 pages then you have part 1 of Terry Hooper-Scharf'sInvasion Earth Trilogy" or as it is titled Return Of The Gods: Twilight Of The Super Heroes!  And epic ending with the words: "Dr Morg has killed us all" -and if you have never read the mind altering counter actuality that is The Dr Morg Trilogy you may be saying "What? Who-?"

And part 2 of the trilogy The Cross Earths Caper ought to get you in the mood for 2015's big 31st Anniversary third part of the trilogy The Green Skies.


 

If you pass the ESTC (Epileptic Seizure Test Cover) on Dr Morg well, you are fit and healthy enough to read it and to check out all the Black Tower Comics and Books at the online store -see why we are the UKs largest publisher of  Independent Comics!

Currently working on a few more Men t-shirts but also including designs for Women t-shirts.

Yes, now the Black Tower T-shirt online store is open!

https://shop.spreadshirt.net/Blacktower/men?noCache=true

by Stransky & Labbat D-Gruppe EP 667: The Grandfather Paradox...Now

Yes, blogger managed to delete one page.  Is this deliberate because I get too many views a day? Anyway, as yesterday and today has seen a record breaking number of views from Germany -the United States got beaten into second place in the views top 10!- why not post the whole strip again.

A reminder that this D-Gruppe is from the much darker Earth Parallel 667 (EP 667).

Hergé - Die vielen Seiten des Comiczeichners Georges Remi

It Is A VERY Important Point To Make. But I Doubt It Will Make 1% Difference

A point I wanted to make and I seriously do not give a fuck if you think it's boring. Because it is not. It is VERY important.

However, before getting to that point I would like to note that the guy I've known since the mid 1990s and who blanked me at the last Bristol Comic Expo with no explanation did so at the event yesterday. He looked at me from 10 feet (3m) away and I smiled and waved.  His face dropped and he span around on the spot and walked away. He reads this blog so now he knows that in future if he ever attempts to speak to me I shall turn away.

Now, two conversations I had yesterday, one at the zine event and one later, hit home a point and it is quite obvious that a great many people are aware of this but do not care.  Firstly, in the United States, Last Gasp is possibly the last Independent comic distributor going.  They have gone one-by-one because of Diamond and its monopolising of comics and the part comic stores play in turning a blind eye.  

The from retailers that  "I can't complain or my order might 'accidentally' be delayed or be short of books I need" excuse is a real one to them.  There is example after example of this. Diamond has a monopoly in the UK.  Under UK law monopolies are illegal.  I believe it's frowned upon in the US as well.  However, what all retailers say is the same thing "Who cares -as far as anyone is concerned it's 'just comics!' and that's it"   Well, you can make an official complaint about a monopoly business and once that business has official eyes on them there is a benefit because one distributor will lower prices to beat another distributor and shops get comics cheaper so...the customer ought to win out. But no one can be bothered.

But here is what I heard from the two people I spoke to and it seems others are aware of.  Marvel and DC, Image and Dark Horse are not "Independent" comics.  People keep saying "I bought a batch of Independents -five Image titles and two Dark Horse" no. They make money.  They left the title "Independent" behind them years back.  Right at the very bottom of Image Comics frequently asked questions page it states it only publishes creator owned books.  You have to go to submissions to find the basic question that should be at the top of the FAQ page:

"Image Comics publishes creator-owned/creator-generated properties and WE DON’T PAY PAGE RATES. Image takes a small flat fee off the books published and it will be the responsibility of the creators to determine the division of the remaining pay between their creative team members."

'Poor' Image Comics.

You see, from once having had a good few Independent Comic companies we have seen one after another struggle, try to fight back but ultimately find that the inevitable fate is....going out of business. A couple that are still going are rather shady in what they do but it keeps them chugging along.  Not good for people working for them (on the same basis as Image Comics) though.

These were black and white and colour comic publishers with all sorts of genres and some now blame Print On Demand for their failure.  In fact, they were failing well before POD but it gives them an excuse they can handle and dish out to the unwashed. 

I have never made any secret of the fact that Black Tower does not pay anyone. It is why there is a very restricted number of people I collaborate with. I know these people do not hold it against me because they know what I do to try to sell books.  However, I, personally, feel extremely bad about the fact that despite all the books and genres I put out these people have made no money. I certainly don't, in fact I actually lose a lot of money that I don't declare. To me that is a personal failure and one that I have live with.

Now, yes, self publishing means you are responsible for failure or success (though success really goes to any creator who gets a book that sells so I wouldn't take credit there).  And at the moment it seems that some of the older Indie publishers in the US are on their way out.  I know that I have to personally address creators working with Black Tower over this in the coming months.  Nine pages and 90 books and though the blocking of my getting a table at any UK event has not helped, it cannot be solely blamed on that.

The real culprit? About 100% of people who read CBO.  Who look at Previews (though Diamond makes it near impossible for real Indies to be ordered).  Who visit comic events.  Go to comic shops. People who think "This isn't Marvel or DC -they are the hot comics!" or "Ugh! This comic is in black and white!" and even "Well, never seen this title or character before....but I know Batman and the Avengers!"  Indie comics tend to be cheaper.  

Indie comic publishers/creators will talk to you.  Most will even be interested in what you think about their character(s).  I see it on blogs and video blogs:fans who note that DC and Marvel just don't give a damn "But the writer and artist at Such Comics showed me pencilled pages and even did a sketch for me!"  A couple have mentioned that the Indie publisher talked to them "and they were comic fans like me!" -really? What that really an "Unknown"?

You see, ever penny/cent that an Indie comic publisher gets really is vital to keeping them going. 

I started reading comics when I was 6 or 7 years old (that is, scarily, 52 years ago) and from the time I got a rare weekly pocket allowance I went into the newsagents -Jarman's on Mina Road or another in Sussex Place- I looked for comics that other kids tended to ignore.  I got the Purple Hood and Adventures Of Mark Tyme, I got a very rare British Picollo format comic (it was probably an Italian reprint because it came out same time as World Distributors published Tex Willer books).  Later I got into German comics -Bastei, Condor, Ehapa and then I found Russian, Chinese, French and later Finnish comics and when I found Small Press...wow.

It seems that my generation was the last to really be interested in picking up a comic that was not full colour or from Marvel and DC and who were willing to try a comic to see if it was worth tracking down other issues. Today, it seems no one is really that interested in comics. "If it ain't been made into a movie or TV series what **** good is it?" appears to be the standard viewpoint.

One day the only thing out there are going to be DC, maybe Marvel, and a few people thinking they might make money publishing comics.  Originality and freedom to pick up "something different" will be gone.  It was noted yesterday that I predicted the current state of comics some ten years back.  I checked and, yes, I did. So as I see it now the future is very grim and full of Small Pressers publishing the same old lack of substance comics.

Other people see this. They know this.  They just don't blog or write about it. And it is not just the UK or USA.

You see, the apathy of people out there who say they "support Indie comics" (but never buy) has achieved what Wertham, the Comics Code Authority and many others could not over the years despite being heavy hitters and having money behind them.  Apathy is what will kill Independent Comics.

Bristol Comic And Zine Fair .....Drop "Comic" In The Title?

A note first. I have always supported the Small Press -since the 1970s but mainly from the early 1980s when I started up Zine Zone.  In the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Finland -if it was/is Small Press I'll review and publicise it.  I get the occasional Small Press title these days and I never criticise for the sake of negativity: positive criticism helps the publisher/creator re-look at what they have done and I have had "thank yous" for that in the past and changes made to books.  Negative reviewing is simply to get the crowd that love the "It's so rude and nasty" drawn in.  Those sites and people we can do without.

Nobody really gives a crap what I write here, even if it's meant to be constructive, so I may as well go ahead and write it.  But bear that first para in mind!

Things I learnt that not only I thought about yesterday's Bristol Comics and Zine Fair:

(1) "There are no comics" People travelled a good ways because they were expecting back issue comics, etc. This is not the first time I've heard this.  "Zine and Small Press Fair" is far more apt.

(2) "They are very rude" and another comment I won't publish. You see, because this is a clique you had friends of pressers who were grouped together  -sometimes the entire length of an aisle- with back packs on and one two occasions, after the fourth "excuse me" I had to say in a loud voice "Your choice to let me through or BE moved".

(3) "A great deal on sale here isn't of any real substance"

I'll come back to (3) in a whiles.

Above: A cider soaked Darron Northall takes over the Browner Knowle while Paul Ashley Brown goes off to get his leg over....a sweet wrapper on the floor.


The venue is great. Hot, sweaty but there is the old fire station courtyard to get fresh air in.  You can also see the old fire rescue training tower and impressive doors. The old doors provide great light for the venue.

The draw-back, as noted, is that groups clung around the tables of their friends and that, for safety reasons should be a no-no. The young lady with crutches was literally  being jostled about as she tried to get through the groups and, as when I asked politely to be let through, she got glaring stares.  At proper comic events you tend to not get this clumping together of people -meeting up tends to mean moving to a quiet corner or go out into a hallway. I've seen this sort of thing at most of these zine events and the people blocking the way seem to have no interest in the event just chatting -there are plenty of cafes in Bristol for that.

And noise.  I'm not even going to sugar coat this but to have a LOUD PA system pumping out music so everyone has to shout is not enhancing the event to any degree. Low background music that you can just about hear -yes. Loud music that at least five people commented on -no.

"Excuse me, I have a blog called Comic Bits Online do you mind if I take some photos of your table?" How many people do you think even responded to that question -and they were looking right at me when I asked?  Yeah, absolutely none.  In fact, at one table, all three people behind it looked at me and turned away and played about with their phones.

I need to make it clear that these people are in no way similar to the Small Pressers of the 1970s-early 1990s who were friendly, chatted and were more than happy to pose for photos.  Probably a phase they are going through until the next craze comes along.

Now, it was not only me who realised something about what was on sale at the event.  I've noted that at German comic events there are far, far more women involved in not just cos-play but in comic creation which is a good thing.  I mentioned this to someone who replied they had noticed more women at this event.  However, it was pointed out that most were using a very derivative art style made popular by another female comic creator. "There's lots of style but no substance" I was told.  Yes, putting a lot of pretty images together can make a nice little pamphlet to browse through but when you have twenty people doing the same thing.....and very little if any text gives these books no substance.  But why is this?

You see, these people go to art college and they do not really learn much about art these days -stick two tooth brushes onto an image of teeth and you graduate.  But these people hear a name. They see the name's work and it's popular and "I can do that style" and -voila! A new Small Press creator.  Now when people other than me notice this it becomes clear that this sort of thing is rife.  And as Small Pressers in "A" don't know or talk to Small Pressers in "B", "C", "D" or even "E" they only see what their own little clique is producing.

If I see one more "Oh, my life as a student is terrible -I have to study and I can't go out with my mates because mummy and daddy have not sent me extra money!" "bio zine" I will preoduce one titled "Why I Killed All Them Spoilt Little Bastards!"  There are also the (by female creators) "That bitch was nasty so I'm going to draw about it!" and so on and so forth.

Somehow, the Small Press lost it's way. There are still a few people trying out there but what happened to the Small Press as a place to put forward political criticism of the government or business -was "Barbed Wire Lies" the last of its type?

Yes, poetry. Why not?  I miss the old punk zines like Claustrophobia or even the 1980s/1990s zines like Skate Board Muties From The 5th Dimension or Psychedelic because the Small Press is freedom: no publisher constraints, no editorial interference -you write, draw and publish what you want but it appears to have become the Lack-of-substance Generations outlet for bland and lack of substance piffle.

I know that I am a dinosaur and should have died out long ago -probably in the 1980s after I published Liz and Jen -Coming Out- but for fecks sake someone self publish something with substance.

That's it.  A moan. The Small Press is nothing more than a comfy little hobby to share with a few friends who might be humouring you. 

In A Wild Haze I Have Ideas

Last night was not a "good" night.  Back, arm and leg pain was bad.  However, I actually read through my D-Gruppe work. It's something I never do because if it is my work I run luke warm to cold when I look at it.

But I think that the main problem is that I try to live up to the very first published D-Gruppe story Revenge of the Ice Queen but never succeed. I think that Subzero over at Tales From The Kryptonian hit the nail on the head:http://talesfromthekryptonian.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/d-gruppe-returns.html

"I have to say, the first issue contains some of the best art I´ve seen so far from the BLACK TOWER books. While on THE BAT RIUMPHANT the art by Terry Hooper was more reminiscent of the 1940 pulp comic due to the nature of the comic ( a superhero created around that time ) in the lead story it looks more like 80s John Byrne on UNCANNY X - MEN at the height of his fame. Which in great part has to be accredited to the inks by Ben Dilworth and comparing him to John Byrne would really be selling him short. There are clear traces of Byrne and also a bit of Barry Windsor Smith there but at the same time he has his unique look that is much more realistic than comic book looking. "

He ain't kidding. Ben Dilworth was one of the best artists the UK produced and he has not lost that touch.  I throw my hands up and admit it without anyone asking: D-Gruppe just has not been the same without Dilworth inking. So to an extent -it's his fault!

Having spoken to a couple of veteran comickers who were looking around the Bristol Comic and Zine Fair today (I'm going to try to avoid mentioning it because, although I met up with some people, a lot of those in the room were just "poo") I seriously considered closing the Black Tower Online store and leave that behind me to concentrate on projects such as D-Gruppe.

You see, one after another small Independent publishers are vanishing.  Going out of business because no one will buy their books and we are talking about some very good books.  Well, everyone knows that attitude has already seen to it that CBO has a "switch off" date and then this will be just a Black Tower blog.  All of the "Yes we support Independent comics!" and people preaching about "We need to buy more Independent comics and support publishers!" is all hot air.  Those preachy souls are not buying the comics themselves!

And thousands of people will see YOUR comic reviewed on CBO each day.  You don't want your comics reviewed?  Or why go to someone who has been reviewing Small Press and comics for near 40 years now -go to a newer, ruder person who'll insult your work because they have no idea how to write, draw or publish a book themselves.

When CBO stops that is it.  I really expect to finally hear from people with the usual "WHY did you close CBO? " and "But we need CBO!" -the same comments after I cancelled Zine Zone International and Comic Bits the magazine.  No one bothered with feed-back or review books after 1999 so what was the point? Bleat bleat bleat. Too late.  Tough.

I've gone that point of caring and D-Gruppe would be an interesting project to leap into with no internet distractions.