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Saturday, 2 August 2025

What Are LLE, SGG, UNOSADTF and What is their French Billionaire Connection?


 The Special Globe Guard has been around in Black Tower Comics a long time. It is an international organisation made up of heroes, adventurers and others around the world. It's active membership is always changing although I try to keep certain characters prominent.

 Back in the early 1980s the British based Legion of Law Enforcers was similar but on a much smaller scale -it got its name from a sarcastic remark made by a villain and it stuck. Its UK HQ was blown up in the mid 1980s and that is a long storyline. These days the LLE is alive on an alternative Earth.

When the French multi billionaire Le Corbeau was saved by Pete Forrest and Geni in 1984 he decided that he wanted to use such people for good. He saw "the potential" but realised the state of world politics could be "difficult" and so, while backing the SGG he decided to support more regional efforts such as Task Force Europe, Task Force Germany and Task Force India. 

Japan was the only country to officially snub Le Corbeau's efforts as it had the Japanese Hero Force ( 日本のヒーローフォース ) though it did request unofficial assistance. 

The Peoples Republic of China flatly refused any cooperation as they had The Phoenix Team (凤凰队)

The Russian Federation refused to cooperate (officially) as it had The Alexander Nevsky Squadron ( Эскадра Александра Невского ) aka Red Star Squadron.


Following the events of The Return of the Gods: Twilight of the Super Heroes where various international heroes were teleported to Neo Olympus and the attempted invasion by the Boarmen (under Vampiron command but Krale control) the international fight back involved ignoring  political and geographic boundaries.  It seemed that the United Nations Outer Space Division Task Force (UNOSADTF) had shown that with the help of international heroes it could stand up to and fend off any alien threat.

China and then Russia withdrew which made the eventual Green Skies  event to spread quickly and political corruption led to certain governments seemingly following their own objectives (deceived by captured Vampirons) -this included the political assassination of Major Victory who was cooperating with the UNOSADTF). Heroes were either used for political ends or simply cannon fodder and that led to breaking ties with government agencies and a distrust of the UNOSADTF.


Seemingly disorganised the heroes quickly accepted Le Corbeau's offer to fund a re-vitalised Special Globe Guard and a guaranteeing of no political interference and no other strings attached. Officially Le Corbeau's wealth out-matches that of most other billionaires today and he is seen as a humanitarian with his organisation carrying out charity work around the globe but away from publicity.

Many British adventurers found themselves isolated and had grown used to cooperating during major events. While the SGG had its permanent UK base it was not housing a permanent group of individuals and so various heroes set about forming smaller groups. The old Crime Club, Crime Busters UK and so on were reformed and headquarters established in various properties and each group had its own "feel" or mix of characters. From old mansion house to a terraced property and even a Victorian factory...inside a cave complex (don't ask but it is explained).

Cash-strapped but inventive these are the groups of British heroes who will either lead the way or fade into obscurity like the Welsh group, Group Cwmru.

Who knows?

Thursday, 31 July 2025

John Byrne’s X Men Elsewhen: Marvel Comics Announcement at San Diego Com... UPDATE 01 08 25


My mistake.in that I said IDW was  publishing the Byrne work. Its being done in partnership with Abrams because Marvel Comics just does not have the cash anymore.

The problem is that Marvel don't publish a work but Abrams will because they have the cash which is why Alex Ross's  Fantastic Four Full Circle got published -and I thank Mr Paul Brown for that Christmas present!

Reboot. Reboot and reboot with so many first issues that people can hardly keep track and -and- the writing is below par and would never have gotten past either Lee or Thomas back in the day. Brian Michael Bendis SAVED the Avengers comic. In fact he did not and sales were going down. The Busiek and Perez Avengers comics were winning awards each year AND selling. How does that need saving? The movie money stays with the movie studio. Marvel, like DC, is not really making any money and yet the solution is so simple.

At this time Marvel is sinking and back to the mess it was in when Disney bought them out. I know no one at Marvel is interested in opinions and for that reason they are going down fast.

ComicIn! Shopping-Tour #124 - XXL - Die längste Shopping Tour aller Zeiten!

On the Road & In the Aisles – Walmart Toy Hunt Adventure!

SDCC 2025 Comic Book Related Videos

 


Well, as a lot of comic folk are stating; SDCC has very little to do with comic books these days.  

I thought I would try to find a video that rounded up comic news from SDCC but what I found were some youngsters professing to be "geeks" who had no real idea about comics and seemed to think even minor information was a scoop.

Then we had the 30s types who, again, claimed to be "comic book geeks" (no real comic fan calls themselves that) and were all hyped up about great news that was to say the least...nothing.

The videos I found all praised everything from the comic staples to everyone involved in comics.

Basically it was all bull-shit.

I won't ask whether any reader knows a decent video on the subject as I gave up on that in 2016 after a history of zero responses  over 10 years.

Just look around and if you see a comic that looks nice buy and read it.

G.I. Joe Classified Cold Slither SDCC Exclusive Dreadnoks Hasbro Action ...

Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Mystery Figure - What Is It?

The 'Ultimate' Book of British Comics...That's what it says

 Just a little warning.

I ordered this book from Amazon as I did not recognise the cover.  



What I got was THIS book the cover of which I DID recognise. 

 

I would not recommend it since there is nothing in it that you would not find in an old Denis Gifford or Alan Clark book. Forget the  bullshit claim that the catalogue every comic produced would require a book three times the size of this 296 pager. Denis Gifford accomplished it and even updated later volumes.  

The fact that the Boy's Papers were skipped is acceptable as although they had comic strips in them if you want to on weekly comics  -although the fact that they contained strips needed to be mentioned. Then we come to the biggest exclusion of all. Comics of the 1930s-1950s because this book concentrates on the 1960s-1980s. No mention of Gerald Swan, no mention of Marvelman or any of the significant comics of the three decades he ignores.

Basically, as a comic historian and fan I found the book not that good -but luckily I only paid £3.00 for it. The author does enjoy hyperbole though as in the claim "which is, literally, read by millions" re his work 

If you just want a list of some 60s but mainly 1970s-1980s titles then this is for you...if you can buy it cheap.

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

A Real Eye Opener

 I have been delving into my old 1930-1940s comics and story papers and far from just being a

few main characters that stick out...there are a lot. And many written and drawn by people you might not expect (if you know your UK Golden Age comics).

A couple of finds had me really excited.

They will appear in reprints because as I get older I realise that there is only so much time to promote and try to stop the creators and characters fading into obscurity.  I'd like to include them in newer stories but I am one man so who knows!

But this last weekend really opened my eyes.

Savage Crucible Frazetta Warrior with Ball and Chain Barbarian Action Fi...

Monday, 28 July 2025

Cinebook Newsletter 211 - July 2025

 

Dear Reader,

This month, we bring you a new series that will let you discover the history of an industry we all use: The Bank. Two authors who have done a lot of research on their topic and a gifted artist will describe for us the beginnings of modern banking and finance through the lives of several generations of bankers … and it all starts in London in 1815, with a legendary manoeuvre by one Nathan Rothschild and two French aristocrats in exile. It’s human drama, it’s gripping, and it’s history in the making – make no mistake, our modern world was built by this industry!

For something completely different, we also bring you the fourth (and penultimate) volume of Emilie’s Inheritance. Oh, there’s plenty of ambition and greed at play there, too, but with Florence Magnin’s gorgeous art style and her feisty yet profoundly humane main character, the accent is more on the marvellous and the magic of the unknown. Still, with time returning to Hatcliff’s Estate, there’s very real danger for everyone, and salvation must be sought very, verrrry far away indeed …

July with Cinebook – a wealth of wonders!



Emilie’s Inheritance 4
Florence Magnin

The Dreamer

The man who manipulated Emilie into coming to the Hatcliff Estate, and then kidnapped her so she would open its gates to him, has revealed himself as an extraterrestrial exile. Meanwhile, the strange phenomenon that had stopped the passing of time within the bounds of the estate has ended, and winter comes … Read more


The Bank 1
Julien Maffre, Pierre Boisserie and Philippe Guillaume

The Waterloo Insider

1815. In London, everyone awaits with baited breath news from the continent, where Napoleon has returned and is about to engage Britain’s army. Among the anxious populace are Nathan Rothschild, a banker of growing reputation among the mighty, and his brother Jacob, who is in love with Charlotte … Read more


No new titles available in Previews in August.


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