Skipping sports albums, various films (culling Dune and Pete's Dragon), celebrities (pop stars mostly) and the odd wildlife and automobile albums, the list of comic-related titles (or those of interest), confirmed, and with at least some information on content, makes for a rather small list. There aren't as many people collecting sticker albums as I had hoped, which made getting the list together rather more difficult that for some of the rarer comics. Sticker albums really are a pain to track down information on.
Action Force - International Heroes (Panini Publishing Ltd.; 1987)
Action Man [toy tie-in] (Panini UK Ltd.; 1996) 216 stickers
Avengers Assemble (Panini; 2013)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (Panini; 2015)
Avengers: Infinity War (Panini; 2018) 180 stickers
Back to the Future
Barbie (Panini; Mar 1991)
Batman
The Batman Movie (Merlin Publishing Ltd.; 21 Mar 1990)
Bravestarr (Panini; 1987) 204 stickers.
Buck Rogers (Panini; 1981)
Captain America: The First Avenger
The Dandy/Beano Celebration (Panini; 1988)
Garbage Pail Kids (Merlin; Aug 2004) 181 stickers.
Gremlins (1984)
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2
The Incredible Hulk
Jurassic Park
Justice League (Panini; Nov 2017)
MASK [1] (Panini; 19??)
MASK [2] (Panini; 19??)
The Mask (Merlin)
Masters of the Universe (1987)
My Little Pony (Panini; 1986)
My Little Pony (Panini; 1990)
The Real Ghostbusters (Panini; 1988)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
Robot Wars Official Sticker Album (Magic Box International) 228 stickers.
Secret Wars
She-Ra Princess of Power (Panini; 1986)
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (F.K.S. Publishers; 1980) 255 stickers.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Figurine Panini; 1983) 180 stickers.
Star Wars (Panini; 1997)
Star Wars: Episode I (Merlin; 1999) 244 stickers.
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (Merlin; 2002) 215 stickers.
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Merlin; 2005) 291 stickers.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Merlin; 2008) 226 stickers.
Star Wars (Topps; 2012) 227 stickers.
Star Wars: Rebels (Topps; 2015) 209 stickers.
Street Fighter II Official (Merlin Collections)
Strike Force
Super Street Fighter II Official (Merlin Collections)
Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (Panini; 1990)
ThunderCats (Panini; Mar 1987) 260 stickers.
Transformers (Figurine Panini; 1986) 256 stickers.
The World of Batman (Panini; 22 Mar 2016) 192 stickers.
X-Men (Panini)
Friday 7 December 2018
Thursday 6 December 2018
Magazine Dates
Most magazines aren't considered important enough to have their launches chronicled in the same manner as comics, and certainly not to the extent of presenting them en mass as here - while this is incomplete, and shouldn't be taken as representative of the numerous titles of interest to collectors of comic strips, there is enough to be getting started with.
Many of the comic strips and pocket cartoons which adorn these titles have never been reproduced, and the only means of indexing them is to use the titles themselves. As the contents are represented in the database (albeit to a limited degree), then the titles themselves are notable. While some are included for rather obvious reasons (various Newsfield and IPC titles, and magazines related directly to comics) the remainder earn notability through featuring creators of note, comic strips, pocket cartoons, illustrations, or other material.
There are, alas, gaps in the information. The listings were not originally intended to anything more than notes I was making as I went along, though the more I considered their place in publishing history, the more I realised that they ought to be given as much respect as books, or other tangential texts. While there is no pressing intention of augmenting this list, additions to the following, with sources, are welcomed.
Beeb (Polystyle) #01 (29 Jan 1985 - 04 Feb 1985) [29 Jan 1985]
Beyond (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (1995) [15 Mar 1995]
Big K (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (Apr 1984). [15 Mar 1984]
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Titan Magazines) #01 (1999) [20 Sep 1999]
Crash (Newsfield Limited) #01 (Feb 1984) [13 Jan 1984]
ComicScene UK (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #00 (2018) [01 May 2018]
The Dark Side (Black Cat) Vol.# #1 (1990) [27 Sep 1990]
The Face (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (1980) [01 May 1980]
Fear (Newsfield Limited) #01 (Jul - Aug 1988) [16 Jun 1988]
Freestyle BMX (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (1984) [23 Mar 1984]
Game Zone (Dennis Publishing) Vol.1 #1 (Nov 1991) [18 Oct 1991]
Game Zone (Dennis Publishing) Vol.2 #1 (Nov 1992) [23 Oct 1992]
Games Gazette (Games Gazette) #01 (1983) [18 Mar 1983]
Greatest Hits (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (Feb - Mar 1981) [15 Jan 1981]
Hammer Horror Collector's Special (Marvel Comics UK Ltd.) #01 (1994) [24 Nov 1994]
LM (Newsfield Limited) #01 (1987) [15 Jan 1987]
Megaton (Skyjack Publishing) #01 (2010) [25 Feb 2010]
Movie - The Video Magazine (Newsfield Ltd.) #01 (1988) [22 Sep 1988]
Multiverse (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (### ####) [20 Oct ####]
Music Star (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (1973) [20 Jan 1973]
No.1! (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (### 1983) [05 May 1983]
Now! (Fleetway) #01 (### 1994) [16 Mar 1994]
Primo Club Magazine (Primo) #01 (1965) [08 Feb 1965]
Rage (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #1 (24 Oct 1990 - 06 Nov 1990) [24 Oct 1990]
SFX (Future Publishing) #01 (Jun 1995). [25 May 1995]
Stampede (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #1 (May 1990) [26 Apr 1990]
Top Soccer (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (Sep 1979). [10 Sep 1979]
Your Comic Heroes! (Future Publishing Ltd.) #01 (Aug 2016). [30 Jun 2016]
Zzap! 64 (Newsfield Limited) #01 (### 1985) [13 Mar 1985]
Zero (Dennis Publishing Ltd. / Felden Productions) #1 (Nov 1989) [12 Oct 1989]
Many of the comic strips and pocket cartoons which adorn these titles have never been reproduced, and the only means of indexing them is to use the titles themselves. As the contents are represented in the database (albeit to a limited degree), then the titles themselves are notable. While some are included for rather obvious reasons (various Newsfield and IPC titles, and magazines related directly to comics) the remainder earn notability through featuring creators of note, comic strips, pocket cartoons, illustrations, or other material.
There are, alas, gaps in the information. The listings were not originally intended to anything more than notes I was making as I went along, though the more I considered their place in publishing history, the more I realised that they ought to be given as much respect as books, or other tangential texts. While there is no pressing intention of augmenting this list, additions to the following, with sources, are welcomed.
Beeb (Polystyle) #01 (29 Jan 1985 - 04 Feb 1985) [29 Jan 1985]
Beyond (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (1995) [15 Mar 1995]
Big K (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (Apr 1984). [15 Mar 1984]
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Titan Magazines) #01 (1999) [20 Sep 1999]
Crash (Newsfield Limited) #01 (Feb 1984) [13 Jan 1984]
ComicScene UK (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #00 (2018) [01 May 2018]
The Dark Side (Black Cat) Vol.# #1 (1990) [27 Sep 1990]
The Face (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (1980) [01 May 1980]
Fear (Newsfield Limited) #01 (Jul - Aug 1988) [16 Jun 1988]
Freestyle BMX (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (1984) [23 Mar 1984]
Game Zone (Dennis Publishing) Vol.1 #1 (Nov 1991) [18 Oct 1991]
Game Zone (Dennis Publishing) Vol.2 #1 (Nov 1992) [23 Oct 1992]
Games Gazette (Games Gazette) #01 (1983) [18 Mar 1983]
Greatest Hits (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (Feb - Mar 1981) [15 Jan 1981]
Hammer Horror Collector's Special (Marvel Comics UK Ltd.) #01 (1994) [24 Nov 1994]
LM (Newsfield Limited) #01 (1987) [15 Jan 1987]
Megaton (Skyjack Publishing) #01 (2010) [25 Feb 2010]
Movie - The Video Magazine (Newsfield Ltd.) #01 (1988) [22 Sep 1988]
Multiverse (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #01 (### ####) [20 Oct ####]
Music Star (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (1973) [20 Jan 1973]
No.1! (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (### 1983) [05 May 1983]
Now! (Fleetway) #01 (### 1994) [16 Mar 1994]
Primo Club Magazine (Primo) #01 (1965) [08 Feb 1965]
Rage (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #1 (24 Oct 1990 - 06 Nov 1990) [24 Oct 1990]
SFX (Future Publishing) #01 (Jun 1995). [25 May 1995]
Stampede (UNKNOWN PUBLISHER) #1 (May 1990) [26 Apr 1990]
Top Soccer (IPC Magazines Ltd.) #01 (Sep 1979). [10 Sep 1979]
Your Comic Heroes! (Future Publishing Ltd.) #01 (Aug 2016). [30 Jun 2016]
Zzap! 64 (Newsfield Limited) #01 (### 1985) [13 Mar 1985]
Zero (Dennis Publishing Ltd. / Felden Productions) #1 (Nov 1989) [12 Oct 1989]
Tuesday 20 November 2018
Heroes Magazine #1
Dec 2007 - Jan 2008. Cover price £4.99.
100 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines
Edited by Martin Eden.
Cover photo (uncredited).
Contents:
It made sense to focus a magazine on Heroes, given the obvious crossover appeal of the series, though this title's approach is a decidedly conservative one. Much like Titan's approach with Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate and... Lost1, the photo-heavy articles are as uncritical and breezy as possible, with no attempt to offer up original insights into a television tradition the series is part of. Every glaringly obvious opportunity for the title to step out from the shadow of established franchises is squandered.
A photo cover - utilizing the series logo - mostly works fine, though this is a lazy layout with little care for detail. The strap across the top is pointed in the wrong direction, for instance, indicating the spine rather than the direction of the pages. That a similar image on the third page is used correctly makes its initial use all the more annoying. It is incredibly difficult to get worked up about the series when the magazine feels so half-hearted about it - this is meant to be a grandstanding celebration, screaming the joys of the show as loud as it can. But it doesn't.
This is a whisper of celebration. A croak, perhaps, delivered behind an embarrassed hand.
Martin Eden's introduction wisely uses panels from the web-comic alongside photos, which are to dominate the rest of the issue, reminding readers of Heroes central premise better than any number of carefully-staged promotional shots. Following this with comments from the main cast is a little odd, but not as strange as filling the centre of a two-page spread with an image of the cover. Are we really that stupid, we need to be reminded what the magazine we've just bought looks like?
In contrast, Heroes Headlines is actually informative, highlighting a Got Milk campaign, the initial DVD release of Season One (well... half of it, anyway), the graphic novel, an Ubisoft tie-in game, and trading cards. It isn't a great haul to track down - unlike features on Star Wars merchandise - but it makes for an interesting change of pace before a torrent of NBC-pleasing butt-kissing overwhelms the title, with Supergroup being the most blatant example of this.
It is one thing to play nice when dealing with a big franchise, it is another to be completely uncritical. Interviewing the actors, there are no suggestions that the any problems have been noticed. No talk, therefore, of out-of-character moments, unconvincing special effects, wooden acting, flat direction, or clunky lines of dialogue. No siree, the show is perfect. Had there been acknowledgment of the early failings, then the promo-friendly lines wouldn't have felt like so many rehearsed and company-approved soundbites.
Tim Kring's interview explains a lot about the way Heroes came together, admitting that he is isn't an X-Men fan (join the club) and that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind informed some of his decisions while writing. More of this would have been appreciated, as it is interesting to now which shows he worked on before tackling Heroes, then attempt to see traces of those shows in the fabric of his plotting and characterizations.
An episode guide, for the entirety of the first season, is rather too much to take in one go. With so little provided for each episode (less than half a page dedicated to an episode) there is little to recommend paying more than the briefest attention to what Rob Francis provides. I'm sure he has a real interest in the series, but with such brevity there is no possibility of anything approaching comprehensive analysis, nor discussion of themes or influences.
Worse, wasting six pages on a quiz - Which Hero Are You - is a sign that this publication isn't being taken seriously by the creative personnel, making it difficult, as a reader, to take the title seriously.
Far better than expected, the focus on the webcomic, in the aptly titled Comic Book Heroes, is good introduction to the artists and stories, though the lack of reprinted material limits how interesting the feature is to any readers without prior exposure to the strips.
When looking back at the title's launch, the one thing that works beautifully is a chronological analysis of Hiro's appearances. For a 100-page title to have but five pages of solid, entertaining, and informative material which is without fault presents a shocking lack of foresight on the part of Titan Magazines.
This tie-in is, in part, a reason I stopped watching the TV series.
Between this issue and the first episode of the second season, the lack of quality surrounding the franchise, combined with a sense that the series was milking fans rather than rewarding them, dissuaded me from looking back in on what was happening with the characters in particular, or the franchise in general. There shouldn't be this many obstacles in the way of potential audience members enjoying spin-off material.
1. One of these things is not like the others.
100 pages. Full colour.
Titan Magazines
Edited by Martin Eden.
Cover photo (uncredited).
Contents:
2 The Perfect Break advertisement for World Snooker Championship on Nintendo DS.
3 Editorial by Martin Eden; illustrations from UNKNOWN, promotional photos (uncredited).
4 Heroes Welcome messages from Milo Ventimiglia, Ali Larter, James Kyson Lee, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Jack Coleman, Tim Kring, Hayden Panettiere, Greg Grunberg, Zachary uinto, Adrian Pasdar, Dania Ramirez, and Masi Oka; photographs from Heroes World Tour.
6 Contents (one and two thirds pages).
7 Creators credits. / Indicia
8 Heroes Headlines news feature compiled by Rob Francis.
13 Kevin Smith Tells it Like it Is! advertisement for My Boring-Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith.
14 Afraid of the Dark? in-house advertisement for Lost: The Official Magazine.
16 Supergroup - An Interview with the Entire Cast of Heroes! by Abbie Bernstein.
25 Resistance is Futile! in-house advertisement for Star Trek Magazine.
26 Secret Origins Tim Kring interview by Abbie Bernstein.
33 Celebrating 30 Years of Star Wars in-house advertisement for Star Wars Insider.
34 Heroes - Season One Episode Guide & Cast Interviews guide by Rob Francis, interviews by Abbie Bernstein; photographs (uncredited).
38 Cast Interviews Milo Ventimiglia
40 Cast Interviews Adrian Pasdar
44 Cast Interviews Ali Larter
46 Cast Interviews Leonard Roberts
50 Cast Interviews Sendhil Ramamurthy
52 Cast Interviews Santiago Cabrera
56 Cast Interviews Hayden Panettiere
58 Cast Interviews Greg Grunberg
62 Cast Interviews Masi Oka
66 Whodunnit? Can You Solve the Case of the Six Million Dollar Man? Find Out in the First Issue of The Official CSI Magazine in-house advertisement.
68 Which Hero Are You? personality quiz by Kate Anderson; photos (uncredited).
74 Comic Book Heroes feature and interviews by Bryan Cairns.
77 Comic Book Heroes Micah Gunnell
78 Comic Book Heroes Michael Turner
79 Comic Book Heroes Chuck Kim
80 Comic Book Heroes Heroes Web-Comic Guide
82 The Heroes World Tour! photo feature.
88 Win Heroes Part One DVD! competition.
89 Gate Adventures! in-house advertisement for Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis - the Official Magazine.
90 Forbidden Planet advertisement.
91 Time After Time feature by K. Stoddard Hayes; photos (uncredited).
96 My Heroes Jack Coleman feature compiled by Abbie Bernstein.
97 Launch Issue Subscription Offer! Subscribe Now & Save Up to 30%!
98 To Be Continued... in Heroes Magazine #2
99 We Could Be... Heroes in-house advertisement for graphic novel.
100 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Hard Evidence advertisement for DVD.
It made sense to focus a magazine on Heroes, given the obvious crossover appeal of the series, though this title's approach is a decidedly conservative one. Much like Titan's approach with Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate and... Lost1, the photo-heavy articles are as uncritical and breezy as possible, with no attempt to offer up original insights into a television tradition the series is part of. Every glaringly obvious opportunity for the title to step out from the shadow of established franchises is squandered.
A photo cover - utilizing the series logo - mostly works fine, though this is a lazy layout with little care for detail. The strap across the top is pointed in the wrong direction, for instance, indicating the spine rather than the direction of the pages. That a similar image on the third page is used correctly makes its initial use all the more annoying. It is incredibly difficult to get worked up about the series when the magazine feels so half-hearted about it - this is meant to be a grandstanding celebration, screaming the joys of the show as loud as it can. But it doesn't.
This is a whisper of celebration. A croak, perhaps, delivered behind an embarrassed hand.
Martin Eden's introduction wisely uses panels from the web-comic alongside photos, which are to dominate the rest of the issue, reminding readers of Heroes central premise better than any number of carefully-staged promotional shots. Following this with comments from the main cast is a little odd, but not as strange as filling the centre of a two-page spread with an image of the cover. Are we really that stupid, we need to be reminded what the magazine we've just bought looks like?
In contrast, Heroes Headlines is actually informative, highlighting a Got Milk campaign, the initial DVD release of Season One (well... half of it, anyway), the graphic novel, an Ubisoft tie-in game, and trading cards. It isn't a great haul to track down - unlike features on Star Wars merchandise - but it makes for an interesting change of pace before a torrent of NBC-pleasing butt-kissing overwhelms the title, with Supergroup being the most blatant example of this.
It is one thing to play nice when dealing with a big franchise, it is another to be completely uncritical. Interviewing the actors, there are no suggestions that the any problems have been noticed. No talk, therefore, of out-of-character moments, unconvincing special effects, wooden acting, flat direction, or clunky lines of dialogue. No siree, the show is perfect. Had there been acknowledgment of the early failings, then the promo-friendly lines wouldn't have felt like so many rehearsed and company-approved soundbites.
Tim Kring's interview explains a lot about the way Heroes came together, admitting that he is isn't an X-Men fan (join the club) and that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind informed some of his decisions while writing. More of this would have been appreciated, as it is interesting to now which shows he worked on before tackling Heroes, then attempt to see traces of those shows in the fabric of his plotting and characterizations.
An episode guide, for the entirety of the first season, is rather too much to take in one go. With so little provided for each episode (less than half a page dedicated to an episode) there is little to recommend paying more than the briefest attention to what Rob Francis provides. I'm sure he has a real interest in the series, but with such brevity there is no possibility of anything approaching comprehensive analysis, nor discussion of themes or influences.
Worse, wasting six pages on a quiz - Which Hero Are You - is a sign that this publication isn't being taken seriously by the creative personnel, making it difficult, as a reader, to take the title seriously.
Far better than expected, the focus on the webcomic, in the aptly titled Comic Book Heroes, is good introduction to the artists and stories, though the lack of reprinted material limits how interesting the feature is to any readers without prior exposure to the strips.
When looking back at the title's launch, the one thing that works beautifully is a chronological analysis of Hiro's appearances. For a 100-page title to have but five pages of solid, entertaining, and informative material which is without fault presents a shocking lack of foresight on the part of Titan Magazines.
This tie-in is, in part, a reason I stopped watching the TV series.
Between this issue and the first episode of the second season, the lack of quality surrounding the franchise, combined with a sense that the series was milking fans rather than rewarding them, dissuaded me from looking back in on what was happening with the characters in particular, or the franchise in general. There shouldn't be this many obstacles in the way of potential audience members enjoying spin-off material.
1. One of these things is not like the others.
Friday 16 November 2018
Starburst Vol.1 #3
Mar 1978. Cover price 50p.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Starburst Magazines Ltd.
Edited by Dez Skinn.
Photo cover.
Contents:
There's lots of ways to grab attention with a cover, yet this issue chooses to feature three photographs of lights. Admittedly, they're from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but they aren't, by any stretch of the imagination, an attention-grabbing visual. "Never judge a book," and all that, as the contents are up to the usual high quality. John Baxter's review of the film in question is an obvious manner in which to start the issue, with four pages of analysis, facts, opinion, and photographs.
Tony Crowley's Things to Come feature, on projects stuck in development hell, award news, and then-forthcoming releases, goes some way to answering why, of all the various SF cartoons, one has maintained a position of popularity regardless of current fads in the genre:
For those interesting in charting the progression of a film to the screen, there's an early mention made of Greystoke (six years before its release), with an additional snippet of information regarding Denny Miller appearing in Keeper of the Wild television series. Galactica gets its first mention, as a forthcoming three-hour ABC television movie, though without any photographs - possibly being the first mention of the series this side of the Atlantic.
A feature covering Star Trek's epic transition from small screen to large, with appropriately dismissal of the cartoon, only seems to be included in order to compare the fate of the series with Star Wars. It is too brief to truly delve into the labyrinthine mess, in which various proposals (for both television presentations and feature films) were considered, leaving readers with more questions than answers.
Puns should be used sparingly, and, as a glaring one had already been slipped into the Harrison Ford interview, the Superman article really didn't need to further compound the US trend with the punniest title the title had seen so far. In the form of a rough chronology, which is very scant in detail, the history of the character in various media is recounted (without all the milestones being identified), before following the twists and turns of the production's various incarnations.
It is also a hilarious article to read, thanks in no small part to the facts which Crawley has at hand, but his skill at presenting such material is clear. There's a conspicuous lack of references to the "curse of Superman" - which would have explained much of the production woes - and The Adventures of Superpup is unfairly ignored in the history of the franchise, despite speaking directly to the problems of maintaining audiences' attention. It is a small miracle that the end product, Superman - the Movie, was so watchable.
Cramming more reader feedback into two pages than most magazines publish in a year, the first letters page for the title is a fantastic example of how disparate the views of readers can be. Wendy Richards (most likely not that Wendy Richards) amusingly points out some Trek errors in the first issue, which are probably only noticeable to the show's die-hard fans.
The most important piece is John Brosnan's A History of Science Fiction Films, which covers the period 1902 through to the time of print. It is a flawed masterpiece in miniature, hinting at the possibility of a larger, more in-depth look at the progression of the genre. It is also an almost entirely Western look at SF films, neglecting much of the madness which erupted in Japan upon the release of Godzilla.
There are numerous incredibly noticeable spelling mistakes throughout, which is excusable only as Starburst was an independent publication. Also of irritation, though likely only in retrospect, is the attention given to Close Encounters, which receives another burst of words at the close of the issue.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Starburst Magazines Ltd.
Edited by Dez Skinn.
Photo cover.
Contents:
2 Superman - the feature film photograph (uncredited).
3 Editorial by Dez Skinn. / Contents / Indicia
4 Close Encounters of the Third Kind review by John Baxter; photographs (uncredited).
9 We Are Not Alone advertisement for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
10 Things to Come news feature by Tony Crawley.
15 The First British Film Fantasy Convention (one third page) advertisement.
16 Special Preview Quark text feature by Tony Crawley; photographs (uncredited).
18 The Star Wars Interview Harrison Ford interview by Tony Crawley; photographs (uncredited).
23 Is it a Series? Is it a Movie? No, it's a... Star Trek text feature by Sam Deli; photographs (uncredited).
24 Superman - Choice Encounters of the Salkind text feature by Tony Crawley; photographs (uncredited).
r: cover from Action Comics (National Periodical Publications) #01 (Jun 1938) a: Joe Schuster.
r: image from UNKNOWN a: Neal Adams.
26 Superman poster; photograph (uncredited).
29 Book World reviews [Star Trek Fotonovel 1: City on the Edge of Forever, Star Trek: Planet of Judgement, Star Trek: The Price of the Phoenix, Blake's 7, Logan's World, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, So Bright the Vision, The Lavalite World, The Visual Encyclopedia of Science Fiction] by Alex Carpenter & Sam E. Deli.
30 Starburst Letters readers' mail.
32 A History of Science Fiction Films text feature by John Brosnan; photographs (uncredited).
40 Subscription Offer - Free Advertisements (half page) in-house advertisement.
41 Logan's Run Follow the Loser review by Sam E. Deli. / Logan vs. Blake review by Tise Vahimagi. / Logan's Done review by Tony Crawley. / The American View commentary by US correspondent Bill George; photographs (uncredited).
44 Close Encounters Behind the Scenes text feature by John Brosnan; photographs (uncredited).
47 Maya Merchandising advertisement.
48 Weird Fantasy (partial page) advertisement. / Hammer's House of Horror (partial page) in-house advertisement.
51 Dark They Were and Golden Eyed advertisement; illustration by James Cawthorn.
52 Star Wars - Now See the Film at Home advertisement for Leisuremail.
There's lots of ways to grab attention with a cover, yet this issue chooses to feature three photographs of lights. Admittedly, they're from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but they aren't, by any stretch of the imagination, an attention-grabbing visual. "Never judge a book," and all that, as the contents are up to the usual high quality. John Baxter's review of the film in question is an obvious manner in which to start the issue, with four pages of analysis, facts, opinion, and photographs.
Tony Crowley's Things to Come feature, on projects stuck in development hell, award news, and then-forthcoming releases, goes some way to answering why, of all the various SF cartoons, one has maintained a position of popularity regardless of current fads in the genre:
When George first showed Star Wars to his cast and crew in Hollywood early last year, he opened his special screening with an old Warner Brothers cartoon favourite of his, Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century.It isn't difficult to draw a line from this resurgence in popularity through to Babylon 5. How long, I wonder, before someone sits down to write a full list of Warner Bros. cartoon's influences on modern SF?
A full year later, Lucas finally got his way in one San Francisco cinema. And now the animated adventures of Daffy Duck and Porky Pig against Marvin the Martian on Planet X are supporting Star Wars in every show...
And guess what appears in Close Encounters? When Richard Dreyfuss wakes up in his playroom and his son is watching TV cartoons? Duck Dodgers rides again... with Porky Pig handing a bomb to Marvin the Martian saying "H'h'h'happy birthday, you thing from another world, you."
Last time any of the cartoon was seen was in a CBS TV's Bugs Bunny in Space show.
For those interesting in charting the progression of a film to the screen, there's an early mention made of Greystoke (six years before its release), with an additional snippet of information regarding Denny Miller appearing in Keeper of the Wild television series. Galactica gets its first mention, as a forthcoming three-hour ABC television movie, though without any photographs - possibly being the first mention of the series this side of the Atlantic.
A feature covering Star Trek's epic transition from small screen to large, with appropriately dismissal of the cartoon, only seems to be included in order to compare the fate of the series with Star Wars. It is too brief to truly delve into the labyrinthine mess, in which various proposals (for both television presentations and feature films) were considered, leaving readers with more questions than answers.
Puns should be used sparingly, and, as a glaring one had already been slipped into the Harrison Ford interview, the Superman article really didn't need to further compound the US trend with the punniest title the title had seen so far. In the form of a rough chronology, which is very scant in detail, the history of the character in various media is recounted (without all the milestones being identified), before following the twists and turns of the production's various incarnations.
It is also a hilarious article to read, thanks in no small part to the facts which Crawley has at hand, but his skill at presenting such material is clear. There's a conspicuous lack of references to the "curse of Superman" - which would have explained much of the production woes - and The Adventures of Superpup is unfairly ignored in the history of the franchise, despite speaking directly to the problems of maintaining audiences' attention. It is a small miracle that the end product, Superman - the Movie, was so watchable.
Cramming more reader feedback into two pages than most magazines publish in a year, the first letters page for the title is a fantastic example of how disparate the views of readers can be. Wendy Richards (most likely not that Wendy Richards) amusingly points out some Trek errors in the first issue, which are probably only noticeable to the show's die-hard fans.
The most important piece is John Brosnan's A History of Science Fiction Films, which covers the period 1902 through to the time of print. It is a flawed masterpiece in miniature, hinting at the possibility of a larger, more in-depth look at the progression of the genre. It is also an almost entirely Western look at SF films, neglecting much of the madness which erupted in Japan upon the release of Godzilla.
There are numerous incredibly noticeable spelling mistakes throughout, which is excusable only as Starburst was an independent publication. Also of irritation, though likely only in retrospect, is the attention given to Close Encounters, which receives another burst of words at the close of the issue.
#02
Starburst
#04
Tuesday 13 November 2018
SFX Collectors Edition: Vampire Special
2001. Cover price £4.99.
116 pages. Full colour.
Future Publishing.
Edited by Dave Golder.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer cover photo (uncredited).
Contents:
The cover should be the big giveaway as to the intentions of this 'bookazine' special - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the show's spin-off Angel are heavily featured, though the front half of the title is, perhaps, more interesting. A far from comprehensive, or great, selection of posters starts the ball rolling, and this is where the warning bells should start ringing for readers. Jumping straight to film appearances of vampires creates the impression that everything before Nosferatu is irrelevant, and undue attention on these appearances dominates the rest of the issue.
What's missing? For starters: There's no feature on Bram Stoker's life and works, Polidori's The Vampyre is absent, and no mention of Arnold Paole is made. One could fill an entire special of this nature with numerous vampire books alone, and still not come close to a complete and detailed history of the genre.
It is particularly annoying that all of the chosen film posters are British and American, ignoring a rich and fascinating history of European and Asian horror film posters. At the very least Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell [吸血鬼ゴケミドロ] should have been represented. This holds largely true for The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time, which contains the uneven and poorly-edited Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter instead of the far more entertaining and visually exciting The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.
There's a distasteful air to the title which slips out every so often:
I think I need a shower now...
It is pointless to criticize something which has no respect for its readers. Even in 2001 there was a (fairly complete) list of Dracula films circulating, but no... We get barbed comments rather than anything which is of actual use to readers interested in either the horror genre in general, of Dracula specifically. If that is asking too much of Future Publishing, I would have settled for a brief overview of 1998's Ultraviolet, or the classic Rankin/Bass cartoon Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters if this title was actually interested in vampires.
Most of my problems with this would have been abated if it was honest about the contents. Calling it a Buffy the Vampire Slayer special rather than a vampire one immediately sets the rest of the coverage as bonus material rather than the greater body of writing about its subject.
Classic radio series are entirely absent, comics are only (sort of) covered by the inclusion of Blade 2, and don't even think about looking for information on either Whitby or Romania. This is not the title for you.
I'm not sure who this title is for.
116 pages. Full colour.
Future Publishing.
Edited by Dave Golder.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer cover photo (uncredited).
Contents:
2 2000 A.D. - Are You One Of Us? advertisement for 2000 A.D.; artwork by Frazer Irving.
4 Get Your Teeth Into This... contents page; photographs (uncredited).
6 Blood Heritage London After Midnight movie poster.
7 Blood Heritage Lust for a Vampire movie poster.
8 Blood Heritage Count Dracula and his Vampire Bride movie poster.
9 Blood Heritage The Vampire Lovers movie poster.
10 Blood Heritage Dracula, Prince of Darness movie poster.
11 Get Your Teeth Into This! advertisement for Nosferatu the Vampyre DVD.
12 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time introduction (uncredited).
14 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) text by Steve O'Brien; photograph (uncredited).
16 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Nosferatu (1922) text by Dave Golder; photograph (uncredited).
18 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Dracula (1931) text by Nick Setchfield; photograph (uncredited).
20 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time London After Midnight (1927) text by Dave Golder; photograph (uncredited).
22 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Dracula (1958) text by Steve O'Brien; photograph (uncredited).
24 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Captain Kronos, Vampire Killer (1973) text by Steve O'Brien; photograph (uncredited).
26 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time The Lost Boys (1987) text by Phil Millard; photograph (uncredited).
28 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Dracula's Daughter (1936) text by Steve O'Brien; photograph (uncredited).
30 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Love at First Bite (1979) text by Jayne Dearsley; photograph (uncredited).
32 The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time Near Dark (1987) text by Phil Millard; photograph (uncredited).
34 Joss the Vampire Scripter Joss Whedon interview by Ed Gross; photographs (uncredited).
48 Angel Season Two Overview Tim Minear interview by Ed Gross; photographs (uncredited).
61 The Greatest Gothic Music Collection advertisement for Live Forever 10-CD Box Set.
62 Resurrecting Buffy Marti Noxon interview by Ed Gross; photographs (uncredited).
69 L.A. Streets... Where Other Angels Fear to Tread advertisement for Angel paperback books.
70 In the Buff text feature by Jayne Dearsley; photographs (uncredited).
74 Spike or Angel quiz by Jayne Dearsley & Lorraine Brumpton; photographs (uncredited).
77 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring advertisement for Games Workshop tabletop strategy game.
78 Resharpened Blade text feature on Blade 2's special effects by Ed Gross.
85 Ever Met a Half Vampire? Meet One Now... advertisement for Darren Shan's The Vampire Prince.
86 Bloodthirst Among Sequels text feature on Queen of the Damned by Dave Golder.
94 Bela Lugosi - A Remembrance Richard Gordon interview by M.J. Simpson; photographs (uncredited).
101 Battling Love, Destiny and Ancient Forces is Hard Work advertisement for Jan Siegel's The Dragon Charmer.
102 Dracula 1979 - Past Perfect text feature by M.J. Simpson; photographs (uncredited).
108 Classifieds
110 Here's a Picture of James Marsters... photograph (uncredited).
111 The Unconventional Convention in-house advertisement for SFX: The Event.
112 So What Kind of Vampire Are You? quiz (uncredited).
114 Don't Quote Us quotations. / Indicia
115 Into the Void advertisement for Buffy the Vampire Slayer memorabilia.
116 Angel @ Blackstar advertisement for Angel Season two DVD Box Set.
The cover should be the big giveaway as to the intentions of this 'bookazine' special - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the show's spin-off Angel are heavily featured, though the front half of the title is, perhaps, more interesting. A far from comprehensive, or great, selection of posters starts the ball rolling, and this is where the warning bells should start ringing for readers. Jumping straight to film appearances of vampires creates the impression that everything before Nosferatu is irrelevant, and undue attention on these appearances dominates the rest of the issue.
What's missing? For starters: There's no feature on Bram Stoker's life and works, Polidori's The Vampyre is absent, and no mention of Arnold Paole is made. One could fill an entire special of this nature with numerous vampire books alone, and still not come close to a complete and detailed history of the genre.
It is particularly annoying that all of the chosen film posters are British and American, ignoring a rich and fascinating history of European and Asian horror film posters. At the very least Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell [吸血鬼ゴケミドロ] should have been represented. This holds largely true for The Ten Best Vampire Movies of All Time, which contains the uneven and poorly-edited Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter instead of the far more entertaining and visually exciting The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires.
There's a distasteful air to the title which slips out every so often:
Jackie Onassis She was married to JFK, got brains on her coat and then married a millionaire.I'm sorry Mr. Golder, but WHAT THE HELL?
So, for every down, there's an up.
Camille Paglia Controversial academic and feminist. A fit bird, though.If humour is the objective, then print something which is actually funny, instead of... whatever those comments are meant to be.
I think I need a shower now...
It is pointless to criticize something which has no respect for its readers. Even in 2001 there was a (fairly complete) list of Dracula films circulating, but no... We get barbed comments rather than anything which is of actual use to readers interested in either the horror genre in general, of Dracula specifically. If that is asking too much of Future Publishing, I would have settled for a brief overview of 1998's Ultraviolet, or the classic Rankin/Bass cartoon Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters if this title was actually interested in vampires.
Most of my problems with this would have been abated if it was honest about the contents. Calling it a Buffy the Vampire Slayer special rather than a vampire one immediately sets the rest of the coverage as bonus material rather than the greater body of writing about its subject.
Classic radio series are entirely absent, comics are only (sort of) covered by the inclusion of Blade 2, and don't even think about looking for information on either Whitby or Romania. This is not the title for you.
I'm not sure who this title is for.
Sunday 11 November 2018
Starburst Vol.1 #2
Mar 1978. Cover price 50p.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Starburst Magazines Ltd.
Edited by Dez Skinn.
Cover painting by 'South.'
Contents:
While the cover is of the limited-release animé Space Cruiser [宇宙戦艦ヤマト, normally referred to as Space Battleship Yamato], the manner of presentation is firmly tailored to Western audiences - a rousing painting which evokes both the runaway hit Star Wars and the kind of paintings which featured heavily on paperback covers of the era. Using the film so prominently, so early in the life of the title, is a mark of confidence in how SF fans will react to new ideas, and shows how clued-in editor Dez Skinn was about readers' hunger for new SF material.
As for being around for a l-o-n-g time... Yeah. Under different publishers, perhaps, but always a welcome sight on the shelves.
Anthony Daniels' interview highlights his life before Star Wars' phenomenal success changed everything for him, and wisely provides enough anecdotes and trivia to allow his personality to shine through the C3PO persona. This is, of course, a snapshot of a particular moment in time, and the relaxed manner in which Tony Crawley teases out details is refreshingly free of the rehearsed answers which the actor seemed to provide a few years later. Quite happy to reveal the tortuous preparations, and problems with the suit while filming, Daniels is on fine form here. When he criticizes his performance, or parts of it, his pride in craftsmanship shines through, enhancing his likability.
Coverage of the Spider-Man television series always used such unfortunate photographs, resulting in the show's legacy largely consisting of criticism of cheap-looking effects, and (obviously) The Sound of Music jokes. This article, outlining the character of Spider-Man, and providing some hint of the production problems which plagued Superman's journey from page to screen, is optimistic about the then-forthcoming cinematic release of the pilot, though it is clear from the images reproduced here that high quality entertainment was probably expecting a bit much.
Tony Crawley's review of Space Cruiser is remarkably comprehensive in delineating the films flaws, registering visual inspiration shared with Lucas' film, noting the televisual feel (while not quite stating that the source material began there), and mentions the manga. Or, rather, suggests "the story emanates from a popular Tokyo newspaper strip," which isn't quite accurate, but surely close enough to satisfy readers of the late-seventies. Dismissing the film as a farce, in the final line, is a bit harsh, considering the complete saga had not, at that time, been seen in the UK.
In isolation, the film isn't brilliant - the criticisms hold water, not unlike the real Yamamoto, but there's more to the series that this cinematic outing. Had a collection of the original strip been acquired, in order to compare and contrast the differing presentations of the story, then the review might have been less dismissive of the story as a whole. Knowing how difficult acquiring tankōbon was in the nineties, one can only imagine the logistical problems in acquiring them twenty years earlier.
The article on The Prisoner covers the premise, outlines the themes so resonant throughout, and identifies important plot points for newcomers to the series, developing theories about the deeper meaning behind some of the almost expressionistic elements only in the final couple of pages. It is always interesting to see people stumble over the plots and characters, attempting to weld one definitive reading onto the narrative whole, when it works better as a personal journey for each viewer to take from it what they want.
Not receiving clear answers doesn't mean a story has failed.
Things to Come spends a page outlining the Byzantine rules which US television networks, production companies, and the stars of hit television series', operate under. It is unsurprising, with so many restrictions imposed upon the creative end of the process, that much of American television from the seventies is almost unwatchable now. There are behind-the-scenes photographs of Damnation Alley, which makes the film look more interesting than it turned out to be.
Remaining interesting after so many years is a remarkable feat, and Starburst holds a special place in SF history.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Starburst Magazines Ltd.
Edited by Dez Skinn.
Cover painting by 'South.'
Contents:
2 'The Prisoner' explained photograph (uncredited).
3 Editorial by Dez Skinn. / Contents / Indicia
4 Threepio Unmasked Anthony Daniels interview by Tony Crawley; C3PO illustration by Ralph McQuarrie, photographs (uncredited).
10 Spider-Man on Screen text feature by Sam Deli; photographs (uncredited).
13 Maya Merchandising advertisement.
14 Jeff Hawke 'Here be Tygers' w:/a: Sydney Jordan.
r: Daily Express newspaper strip.
19 Star Wars - Now See the Film at Home advertisement for Leisuremail.
20 Ray Bradbury on Close Encounters of the Third Kind text feature by Ray Bradbury; photographs (uncredited).
r: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Warren Publishing) nn (1977).
23 Close Encounters - From Privacy to Profits (side-bar) text feature by Tony Crawley. / UFOs Exist! We have seen them aided by our 'Skywatch UFO Detector' advertisement (side-bar) advertisement.
24 Space Cruiser review by Tony Crawley; stills from film.
26 Space Cruiser poster; painting by 'South.'
28 Big Screen Entertainment - Coming Soon! (half page) advertisement for Space Cruiser.
29 Spot the Spaceships Competition
30 The Prisoner text feature by Alan Grace; photographs (uncredited).
34 Patrick McGoohan full-colour pin-up.
37 Six of One (one third page) text feature on The Prisoner fan club. / Weird Fantasy Bookshop (partial page) advertisement. / Terron Enterprises (partial page) advertisement for Star Trek merchandise.
38 Jeff Hawke 'Here be Tygers' cont.
r: Daily Express newspaper strip.
42 Things to Come news feature by Tony Crawley & Sam Deli.
45 The Visitor w: Jim Starlin; p: Jim Starlin, i: Al Milgrom, lettering by Tom Orzechowsi.
r: Star*Reach (Star*Reach Productions) #02 (Apr 1975).
48 Wizards Review by Alan Jones; stills from film.
51 The Science Fiction Book Club advertisement.
52 Spider-Man pin-up; photograph (uncredited).
While the cover is of the limited-release animé Space Cruiser [宇宙戦艦ヤマト, normally referred to as Space Battleship Yamato], the manner of presentation is firmly tailored to Western audiences - a rousing painting which evokes both the runaway hit Star Wars and the kind of paintings which featured heavily on paperback covers of the era. Using the film so prominently, so early in the life of the title, is a mark of confidence in how SF fans will react to new ideas, and shows how clued-in editor Dez Skinn was about readers' hunger for new SF material.
Last issue, in this editorial we promised we'd be around for a l-o-n-g time. Looking at all the hastily-assembled rip-off s-f magazines that have appeared since then, none of which appear likely to reach their second issue, makes it seem a long time already!In a missed trick Dez doesn't actually name any of the titles playing follow-the-leader, and a quick search through titles of the era failed to unearth more than a handful of cheap-looking titles. Here's a hint: when mocking it is always better to go ahead and do a full review of competitor's wares, rather than merely indulging in snarky off-hand references. Go big. Use a four-page feature to do an in-depth analysis of the shortcomings of other publishers. This hesitation in full coverage of the SF landscape is one of the drawbacks of the title - there's style, intelligence, and definite opinion, but a lack of merciless criticism of start-ups whose hopelessly optimistic recycling of press releases were intended to capture a slice of the audience.
As for being around for a l-o-n-g time... Yeah. Under different publishers, perhaps, but always a welcome sight on the shelves.
Anthony Daniels' interview highlights his life before Star Wars' phenomenal success changed everything for him, and wisely provides enough anecdotes and trivia to allow his personality to shine through the C3PO persona. This is, of course, a snapshot of a particular moment in time, and the relaxed manner in which Tony Crawley teases out details is refreshingly free of the rehearsed answers which the actor seemed to provide a few years later. Quite happy to reveal the tortuous preparations, and problems with the suit while filming, Daniels is on fine form here. When he criticizes his performance, or parts of it, his pride in craftsmanship shines through, enhancing his likability.
You see, to be frank, Star Wars wasn't that pleasant to make. It was a rather uncomfortable experience. The thing that is mainly rewarding is the reaction of people. The fan-mail I get. I'm amazed that people want to take time to write to me.C3PO was - and is - one of the best aspects of the original trilogy, his appeal being an innate humanity.
Coverage of the Spider-Man television series always used such unfortunate photographs, resulting in the show's legacy largely consisting of criticism of cheap-looking effects, and (obviously) The Sound of Music jokes. This article, outlining the character of Spider-Man, and providing some hint of the production problems which plagued Superman's journey from page to screen, is optimistic about the then-forthcoming cinematic release of the pilot, though it is clear from the images reproduced here that high quality entertainment was probably expecting a bit much.
Tony Crawley's review of Space Cruiser is remarkably comprehensive in delineating the films flaws, registering visual inspiration shared with Lucas' film, noting the televisual feel (while not quite stating that the source material began there), and mentions the manga. Or, rather, suggests "the story emanates from a popular Tokyo newspaper strip," which isn't quite accurate, but surely close enough to satisfy readers of the late-seventies. Dismissing the film as a farce, in the final line, is a bit harsh, considering the complete saga had not, at that time, been seen in the UK.
In isolation, the film isn't brilliant - the criticisms hold water, not unlike the real Yamamoto, but there's more to the series that this cinematic outing. Had a collection of the original strip been acquired, in order to compare and contrast the differing presentations of the story, then the review might have been less dismissive of the story as a whole. Knowing how difficult acquiring tankōbon was in the nineties, one can only imagine the logistical problems in acquiring them twenty years earlier.
The article on The Prisoner covers the premise, outlines the themes so resonant throughout, and identifies important plot points for newcomers to the series, developing theories about the deeper meaning behind some of the almost expressionistic elements only in the final couple of pages. It is always interesting to see people stumble over the plots and characters, attempting to weld one definitive reading onto the narrative whole, when it works better as a personal journey for each viewer to take from it what they want.
Not receiving clear answers doesn't mean a story has failed.
Things to Come spends a page outlining the Byzantine rules which US television networks, production companies, and the stars of hit television series', operate under. It is unsurprising, with so many restrictions imposed upon the creative end of the process, that much of American television from the seventies is almost unwatchable now. There are behind-the-scenes photographs of Damnation Alley, which makes the film look more interesting than it turned out to be.
One of the saddest things about creating something, anything, is if it doesn't work. When it's got terrific potential, but doesn't realise it. Be it the fault of money, time or talent, it frightens off the whole field, does irreparable damage to the genre.Alan Jones' review of Wizards covers the immense difficulties which Bakshi's film had stacked against it, and it is difficult to reappraise the film with more enthusiasm all these years later. If anything, the dated look of the animation has made it less interesting than it was on release. Ralph Bashi's never had a wholly-satisfying film, with each of his directorial releases suffering some form of deficiency. For a director with such a strong sense of vision, it is painful to see what eventually ended up on screen in comparison to his stated intentions.
Remaining interesting after so many years is a remarkable feat, and Starburst holds a special place in SF history.
#01
Starburst
#03
Thursday 1 November 2018
Hammer Horror Collectors' Special #1
26 Feb 1966; Cover price 2.99.
68 pages. Colour Contents.
Marvel Comics UK Ltd.
Edited by Marcus Hearn.
Peter Cushing photo cover (uncredited).
Contents:
A (very) quick search should immediately bring up thirty or so books dedicated to the subject of Hammer films in general, but there are many more focusing on specific aspects of the studio - special effects, posters, sex appeal of key actresses, the manner in which stories were adapted... This was a well which was running dry even in the nineties, and the relentless drive to uncover every minor detail since then has made entirely new areas to delve into extremely rare.
Though there are areas which have yet to have proper exposure. There must have been countless sketches and diagrams produced in the making of the films, and those haven't been published endlessly, and it has been a long time since I saw images of the original scripts. Internal memos, discussing budgets, costumes, sets, or even casting - if they could be found - would have been a better use of the special. A "now and then" (comparing how locations have changed over the years) could have made use of the colour pages to really hit home the years which have passed.
There are many ways in which this could have done something new, but a recap wasn't what was needed. While a fond glance at the company is always welcome, doing so must be presented in a manner which isn't so formulaic and tired. This might have been a great addition to the Marvel line-up had more been done with the format, but it isn't in the same league as the sporadic Doctor Who Magazine which appeared.
68 pages. Colour Contents.
Marvel Comics UK Ltd.
Edited by Marcus Hearn.
Peter Cushing photo cover (uncredited).
Contents:
2 Hammer Classics Special Offer advertisement for Lumiere Video.
3 Hammer Horror Collectors' Special title page. / UNTITLED introduction by Marcus Hearn? (uncredited). / Indicia
4 Contents
5 The House of Horror text feature by Marcus Hearn.
6 Peter Cushing text feature by Bill Harry.
8 Christopher Lee text feature by Bill Harry.
10 A Heritage of Horror text feature by Alan Barnes and David Miller.
12 A Heritage of Horror The Quatermass Xperiment credits, synopsis and overview.
13 A Heritage of Horror X - The Unknown credits, synopsis and overview.
14 A Heritage of Horror The Curse of Frankenstein credits, synopsis and overview.
16 A Heritage of Horror Quatermass 2 credits, synopsis and overview.
17 A Heritage of Horror The Abominable Snowman credits, synopsis and overview.
18 A Heritage of Horror Dracula credits, synopsis and overview.
21 A Heritage of Horror The Hound of the Baskervilles credits, synopsis and overview.
22 A Heritage of Horror The Mummy credits, synopsis and overview.
24 A Heritage of Horror The Brides of Dracula credits, synopsis and overview.
25 A Heritage of Horror The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll credits, synopsis and overview.
26 A Heritage of Horror The Curse of the Werewolf credits, synopsis and overview.
28 A Heritage of Horror The Phantom of the Opera credits, synopsis and overview.
29 A Heritage of Horror Captain Klegg credits, synopsis and overview.
30 A Heritage of Horror The Old Dark House (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / The Damned (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
31 A Heritage of Horror The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb credits, synopsis and overview.
32 A Heritage of Horror The Evil of Frankenstein credits, synopsis and overview.
33 A Heritage of Horror The Gorgon credits, synopsis and overview.
34 A Heritage of Horror She credits, synopsis and overview.
36 A Heritage of Horror Dracula - Prince of Darkness credits, synopsis and overview.
38 A Heritage of Horror Rasputin the Mad Monk (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / The Plague of the Zombies (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
39 A Heritage of Horror The Reptile credits, synopsis and overview.
40 A Heritage of Horror Slave Girls (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / The Witches (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
41 A Heritage of Horror One Million Years B.C. credits, synopsis and overview.
42 A Heritage of Horror Frankenstein Created Woman (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / The Mummy's Shroud (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
43 A Heritage of Horror Quatermass and the Pit credits, synopsis and overview.
44 A Heritage of Horror The Vengeance of She credits, synopsis and overview.
45 A Heritage of Horror The Devil Rides Out credits, synopsis and overview.
46 A Heritage of Horror The Lost Continent (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / Dracula has Risen from the Grave (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
47 A Heritage of Horror Frankenstein Must be Destroyed credits, synopsis and overview.
48 A Heritage of Horror Taste the Blood of Dracula credits, synopsis and overview.
49 A Heritage of Horror The Horror of Frankenstein credits, synopsis and overview.
50 A Heritage of Horror The Vampire Lovers credits, synopsis and overview.
51 A Heritage of Horror When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / Scars of Dracula (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
52 A Heritage of Horror Lust for a Vampire credits, synopsis and overview.
53 A Heritage of Horror Countess Dracula credits, synopsis and overview.
54 A Heritage of Horror Creatures the World Forgot (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / Hands of the Ripper (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
55 A Heritage of Horror Twins of Evil credits, synopsis and overview.
56 A Heritage of Horror Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde credits, synopsis and overview.
57 A Heritage of Horror Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (half page) credits, synopsis and overview. / Vampire Circus (half page) credits, synopsis and overview.
58 A Heritage of Horror Demons of the Mind credits, synopsis and overview.
59 A Heritage of Horror Dracula AD 1972 credits, synopsis and overview.
60 A Heritage of Horror Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter credits, synopsis and overview.
62 A Heritage of Horror The Satanic Rites of Dracula credits, synopsis and overview.
63 A Heritage of Horror Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell credits, synopsis and overview.
64 A Heritage of Horror The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires credits, synopsis and overview.
65 A Heritage of Horror To the Devil a Daughter credits, synopsis and overview.
66 The Future of Hammer text feature by Roy Skeggs, Chairman of Hammer Film Productions.
67 Welcome to the House of Horror in-house advertisement for Hammer Horror.
68 Special Offer advertisement for Hammer Horror video-cassettes (Angloace Ltd.)
For nearly forty years the name Hammer has been synonymous with the very finest in British horror films. The studio's unforgettable legacy has ensured their reputation as the most important producer of gothic horror films in the history of cinema.Marvel has displayed some incredibly brave choices down the years, but Hammer Horror Collectors' Special is not among their finer hours. Relying far too much on Hammer's past glories, there is a suggestion that - with nothing new in the pipeline - this issue is merely content with picking whatever flesh remains on sun-bleached bones of the once-formidable Hammer catalogue. The heart of this special is an extended look at Hammer's films, but this is so piecemeal it makes the end result a choppy, unsatisfying slew of plot points and observations.
As we stand on the verge of a major revitalisation in Hammer's activities, we're visiting a place that haunts the memories of film-goers throughout the world. This is a place where evil scientists conduct sickeningly cruel experiments. This is a place where savage creatures rule the night. This is a place where virgins are defiled, and the undead feast on human blood...
Welcome to the house of horror.
A (very) quick search should immediately bring up thirty or so books dedicated to the subject of Hammer films in general, but there are many more focusing on specific aspects of the studio - special effects, posters, sex appeal of key actresses, the manner in which stories were adapted... This was a well which was running dry even in the nineties, and the relentless drive to uncover every minor detail since then has made entirely new areas to delve into extremely rare.
Though there are areas which have yet to have proper exposure. There must have been countless sketches and diagrams produced in the making of the films, and those haven't been published endlessly, and it has been a long time since I saw images of the original scripts. Internal memos, discussing budgets, costumes, sets, or even casting - if they could be found - would have been a better use of the special. A "now and then" (comparing how locations have changed over the years) could have made use of the colour pages to really hit home the years which have passed.
There are many ways in which this could have done something new, but a recap wasn't what was needed. While a fond glance at the company is always welcome, doing so must be presented in a manner which isn't so formulaic and tired. This might have been a great addition to the Marvel line-up had more been done with the format, but it isn't in the same league as the sporadic Doctor Who Magazine which appeared.
Wednesday 31 October 2018
Shivers #1
Jun 1992; Cover price £1.50.
32 pages. Colour & B&W.
Visual Imagination Limited.
The Global Magazine of Horror
Edited by Alan Jones.
Cover photograph.
Contents:
Much of the iconic Hellraiser photograph's power has passed with familiarity, meaning the cover to this issue isn't half as impressive as it was in 1992 - using yellow and white text upon a pale background wasn't a great idea in retrospect, and the chosen font reads rather clumsily, not to mention being slightly too large. A lack of finesse is something all Visual Imagination publications suffered from, yet excitement at seeing a new mainstream horror title on shelves at the time make any concerns largely irrelevant.
Alan Jones' editorial makes use of a Dario Argento quote to open his editorial, setting Shivers up as an international horror publication. This is immediately compromised by the Shake & Quake News feature focusing on British and American films - and it is in this which reminders of 90s film is strongest. Forever Young was still called The Rest of Daniel, and Gibson is suggested to be playing James T. West in The Wild, Wild West remake.
Fortunately, Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento get highlighted, though mockery of Lucio Fulci, at being fed up of interviews, is rather harsh. This was during a period where he was perpetually being hounded for commentary. Implications from the intriguing mention of Isobar, a proposed Sylvester Stallone film, and promise of Beetlejuice 2 (slated for 1993) are probably best left unexplored.
Mark Kermode's interview with David Cronenberg is interesting, and (accompanied by a brief filmography) manages to dig a little deeper than most examinations of the man's work, though the focus is on his film output. As with Crispin Glover, or Clive Barker, this ignores a great deal of fascinating work which doesn't often get attention from genre publications. A little more space would have allowed Kermode to explore some of this.
Zombie Attack! is covered in David McGillivray's Zombies on Stage feature, yet the (extremely) brief article doesn't do much more than shout "this is a thing! It exists!" before running away. Which is annoying, because the stage show sounds like fun. Mark Ashworth admirably tackles Sergio Martino's horror films with gusto, and is (thankfully) given a series in which to do so.
Doug Bradley's association with Pinhead is a natural focus of his interview, and we are informed that the day of the interview (25th of October, 1991) numbered the thirty-seventh time Bradley had worn Pinhead's make-up in five years. It is small details like this which I love. In retrospect, there's a massive gap at the heart of the interview which no amount of background information can cover up, and that makes this interview feel lacking in a way it didn't at the time.
We aren't given nearly enough of Bradley's background, his writing isn't explored, and largely ignores his other roles. While it makes sense to concentrate on, and promote. one of the great success stories of modern horror, this lack of detail - placing things in a clear chronology - makes the franchise seem to have flowered from the first film's release. Clive Barker's use of well-known elements in fashioning Hellraiser isn't noted, nor is the expansive world of characters outside the films.
Both Tetsuo films are masterpieces. There's no question that they had massive influence on filmmakers and audiences alike, though Nigel Floyd's review of the sequel doesn't seem appropriately impressed at how different it was to everything else receiving a cinematic release. It is okay to gush a little when confronted by something which goes its own way so magnificently.
While Inquisition - a feature in which readers' questions are answered - is commendable, the concentration on US films is limiting. It is interesting to see the cause of The Punisher being cut by 70s by the B.B.F.C. however. The mention of Micahel Armstrong's stage musical My Jewish Vampire isn't accompanied by any photographs or dates. Here's a hint for editors: when something this intriguing is dropped into conversation you should make the most of it.
Guyver, retitled Mutronics for video release, gets a poor review courtesy of Bob McCabe (and he isn't wrong); focus of the reviews is on western film, further undermining attempts at coverage of horror from around the world. Top Ten seems to have slipped into the issue by dint of its' brevity, although it could have worked better had (for instance) Clive Barker been asked.
Now, what's lacking... There's no commentary on horror comics, television is given short shrift, novels are largely irrelevant to the first issue, paintings are ignored completely, and there is a distinct lack of pocket cartoons, humerous comic strips, or illustrations to break up the reliance on photographs and text. Samhain was steps ahead of Shivers in its initial outing in this regard, and even Fear had a head-start.
A hesitant outing for a title which would improve gradually over the course of the next few issues, but which is disappointingly reserved in this case.
32 pages. Colour & B&W.
Visual Imagination Limited.
The Global Magazine of Horror
Edited by Alan Jones.
Cover photograph.
Contents:
.2 Musicmail International advertisement.
.3 Editorial by Alan Jones.
.4 Shake & Quake News feature by Alan Jones.
.6 Brain Dead - The Rot Has Set In Peter Jackson feature by Alan Jones.
.8 David Cronenberg Invites You to Lunch interview by Mark Kermode.
11 Zombies on Stage text feature by David McGillivray.
12 Excite Me: The Shock Horror Cinema of Sergio Martino, part one, Satanists, Scorpions and Seething Signoras text feature by Mark Ashworth.
16 Pinhead Unbound Doug Bradley interview by Alan Jones.
19 Tetsuo II - The Body Hammer review by Nigel Floyd.
21 Subscriptions
22 Inquisition Readers' questions answered by David McGillivray.
23 Competition (half page).
24 The Devil and Mr. Stanley text feature by Alan Jones.
28 Videodrome reviews by Bob McCabe.
30 Top Ten David Blyth's Top Ten Horror Movies
31 Hell Screen text feature by David Prothero.
32 Shivers in-house advertisement.
Much of the iconic Hellraiser photograph's power has passed with familiarity, meaning the cover to this issue isn't half as impressive as it was in 1992 - using yellow and white text upon a pale background wasn't a great idea in retrospect, and the chosen font reads rather clumsily, not to mention being slightly too large. A lack of finesse is something all Visual Imagination publications suffered from, yet excitement at seeing a new mainstream horror title on shelves at the time make any concerns largely irrelevant.
Alan Jones' editorial makes use of a Dario Argento quote to open his editorial, setting Shivers up as an international horror publication. This is immediately compromised by the Shake & Quake News feature focusing on British and American films - and it is in this which reminders of 90s film is strongest. Forever Young was still called The Rest of Daniel, and Gibson is suggested to be playing James T. West in The Wild, Wild West remake.
Fortunately, Lamberto Bava and Dario Argento get highlighted, though mockery of Lucio Fulci, at being fed up of interviews, is rather harsh. This was during a period where he was perpetually being hounded for commentary. Implications from the intriguing mention of Isobar, a proposed Sylvester Stallone film, and promise of Beetlejuice 2 (slated for 1993) are probably best left unexplored.
Mark Kermode's interview with David Cronenberg is interesting, and (accompanied by a brief filmography) manages to dig a little deeper than most examinations of the man's work, though the focus is on his film output. As with Crispin Glover, or Clive Barker, this ignores a great deal of fascinating work which doesn't often get attention from genre publications. A little more space would have allowed Kermode to explore some of this.
Zombie Attack! is covered in David McGillivray's Zombies on Stage feature, yet the (extremely) brief article doesn't do much more than shout "this is a thing! It exists!" before running away. Which is annoying, because the stage show sounds like fun. Mark Ashworth admirably tackles Sergio Martino's horror films with gusto, and is (thankfully) given a series in which to do so.
Doug Bradley's association with Pinhead is a natural focus of his interview, and we are informed that the day of the interview (25th of October, 1991) numbered the thirty-seventh time Bradley had worn Pinhead's make-up in five years. It is small details like this which I love. In retrospect, there's a massive gap at the heart of the interview which no amount of background information can cover up, and that makes this interview feel lacking in a way it didn't at the time.
We aren't given nearly enough of Bradley's background, his writing isn't explored, and largely ignores his other roles. While it makes sense to concentrate on, and promote. one of the great success stories of modern horror, this lack of detail - placing things in a clear chronology - makes the franchise seem to have flowered from the first film's release. Clive Barker's use of well-known elements in fashioning Hellraiser isn't noted, nor is the expansive world of characters outside the films.
Both Tetsuo films are masterpieces. There's no question that they had massive influence on filmmakers and audiences alike, though Nigel Floyd's review of the sequel doesn't seem appropriately impressed at how different it was to everything else receiving a cinematic release. It is okay to gush a little when confronted by something which goes its own way so magnificently.
While Inquisition - a feature in which readers' questions are answered - is commendable, the concentration on US films is limiting. It is interesting to see the cause of The Punisher being cut by 70s by the B.B.F.C. however. The mention of Micahel Armstrong's stage musical My Jewish Vampire isn't accompanied by any photographs or dates. Here's a hint for editors: when something this intriguing is dropped into conversation you should make the most of it.
Guyver, retitled Mutronics for video release, gets a poor review courtesy of Bob McCabe (and he isn't wrong); focus of the reviews is on western film, further undermining attempts at coverage of horror from around the world. Top Ten seems to have slipped into the issue by dint of its' brevity, although it could have worked better had (for instance) Clive Barker been asked.
Now, what's lacking... There's no commentary on horror comics, television is given short shrift, novels are largely irrelevant to the first issue, paintings are ignored completely, and there is a distinct lack of pocket cartoons, humerous comic strips, or illustrations to break up the reliance on photographs and text. Samhain was steps ahead of Shivers in its initial outing in this regard, and even Fear had a head-start.
A hesitant outing for a title which would improve gradually over the course of the next few issues, but which is disappointingly reserved in this case.
Tuesday 30 October 2018
Fear Vol.1 #1
Jul-Aug 1988; Cover price £2.50.
76 pages. Colour & B&W.
Newsfield Publications Ltd. / Leisure Monthly Ltd. & John Gilbert.
The World of Fantasy and Horror
Edited by John Gilbert.
Cover painting by Oliver Frey.
Contents:
Fear has a solid line-up, and not just for a first issue. Oli continues to impress with another high quality illustration, and begs the question: where did he find the time? Alongside Crash, Zzap and other titles, his work was appearing everywhere in the eighties and nineties. Did he take any time off? Numerous parts of the magazine are grouped together with unifying headers, and listed as such in the contents - which isn't an accurate way to find the material thanks to changes before publication. Fear is so much more polished than a first issue ought to be.
Kim Newman's interview with John Carpenter is warm, intelligent, and informative, and makes several ever-pertinent points about the treatment of horror media. There's (also pertinent) political talk, which is hilariously accurate even today: "Truly, it will be the fellow who's craziest who runs the country." Carpenter may be the known for directing, but he's an astute political commentator. The tone of the interview is one of lamentation for the past, and the disappointments which his career has seen - Christine may have been a difficult movie to shoot, but his skill shines through in every frame.
Newman has a skill in teasing out information from his subjects, and there's a lot of ground to cover with Carpenter's career. There are omissions, and subjects tantalizingly untouched, which would have made this an essential read, but a merely great read is okay as well.
John Gilbert's opening segment of How to Make a Movie is a fascinating read, and contains a few really amusing details.
There are points Gilbert doesn't raise, which should be obvious but need reaffirming for would-be Hitchcock's reading this, such as never trusting anyone in a shiny suit. And don't show your script to your dentist's brother's best friend, who knows someone who is friends with a guy... For many people the information will be horrendously dated, as digital film-making has come on in leaps and bounds in the intervening years, making much of Hollywood's power to dictate the cultural landscape much less monolithic. For me, there's still enough juice to make the reading enjoyable.
Reading about Skipp and Spector always made solid entertainment, and Philip Nutman allows their story to unfold in a way which doesn't involve too much glossing. I really like that they aren't polished and media-friendly, and their lack of pretense really shines through - these are guys you want to hang out with.
David Keep's interview with then-Deputy Director of the BBFC Ken Penry (at a time when the organisation was going through a name change) is, for obvious reasons, an engrossing look into a world which often seems to exist behind clouded glass. Fans of horror films rarely got to know the reasoning behind some of the more dubious decisions, so a from-the-horse's-mouth account was a coup for the first issue. That so much of the focus is on the aspect of quality is rather disappointing.
There are times when a person simply wants to watch dumb characters being killed off by OTT means, such as Cannon's Psycho Girls. The "Cronenberg Concession" mentioned was always going to be an unfair advantage, and inelegantly applied - Paul Verhoeven coming off worst in several instances. It is odd how seeing a censorship petition can take one back to the early 90s so easily, and nostalgia for the days when arguing that films should be released uncut was a time-consuming activity. Kids these days have it on a platter...
Of the page-and-a-half of books offered for sale, I think I've read all but a dozen. Advertisements like these are often an indication that I should get out more, and I actually paused on realizing how many were familiar. And, of course, I've noted those which I haven't read in order to track them down. Fear even has a section of fanzines, which makes me love the issue just a teeny, tiny bit more than my already-enormous affection for the issue. There are few aspects of horror not covered, and it is here where a problem poses itself.
Do I whine that neither radio nor audio-cassette horror is covered, or do I accept that there are limitations? On the basis of enough stellar material to keep any horror fan as happy as a pig in Hannibal, I'm going to let the matter slide.
There are some problems in the first issue, of course, but they are negligible when appraising the good. A spectacular start.
76 pages. Colour & B&W.
Newsfield Publications Ltd. / Leisure Monthly Ltd. & John Gilbert.
The World of Fantasy and Horror
Edited by John Gilbert.
Cover painting by Oliver Frey.
Contents:
.2 One person has emerged as the number one force in science fantasy. advertisement for King of the Murgos by David Eddings.
.3 Fear contents. / Indicia
.4 Dark Playground Editorial by John Gilbert; photograph by Cameron Pound. / Taste Perpetual Fear (three quaters page) subscription offer.
.6 Union Hack news feature.
.8 American Nightmares news feature.
11 Advertisement for Jade Games' The Knights of Avalon, New Order, and Shattered World.
12 Pro-Files They Live! John Carpenter interview by Kim Newman.
16 Fear Fiction The Prize text story by Shaun Hutson; illustrated by Oliver Frey.
21 How to Make a Movie, part one, Tales of the Busy Auteur text feature by John Gilbert.
23 What do the following authors & artists have in common? advertisement for Andromeda Bookshop.
24 Pro-Files The Scream: A Tale of Two Splatterpunks text feature by Philip Nutman; photograph courtesy of Craig Spector.
28 Pro-Files Censorship or Classification? Ken Penry interview by David Keep.
31 Movie Mainline reviews by Philip Nutman & John Gilbert.
36 Video Vibes reviews by John Gilbert, Steven McCormack, John Gullidge & Mark Salisbury.
39 Taste Extra Fear! book sale advertisement.
41 Off the Shelf text feature on horror books by Di Wathen. / book reviews by John Gilbert, Roger Kean, Mark Westerby & Philip Nutman.
47 Fear Invites You to... The World Fantasy Convention (one and a quarter pages).
48 Location Shots Toward Ancient Images Ramsey Campbell interview by John Gilbert.
50 Fear Fiction Eye of Child Hood text story by Ramsey Campbell.
55 Pro-Files Neil Jordan in High Spirits interview by Stan Nicholls.
58 Pro-Files When Lightning Strikes Peter Straub interview by Stanley Wiater; illustrated by Oliver Frey.
61 Fear Fiction The Dandelion Woman text story by Nicholas Royle; illustrated by Oliver Frey.
66 It's a Crime advertisement for PBM game.
67 Fear Competition Up for Grabs!
68 Location Shots Whim of Iron Stephen Gallagher interview by John Gilbert.
71 Fan-File fanzine feature (uncredited).
72 Fear Personal Classified Section (three quarters page).
73 The Fear Factor The Unblinking Eye text feature by Mike Wathen.
74 Next Issue (one quarter page).
75 Tactical Evaluation promotional feature on Games Workshop.
Fear has a solid line-up, and not just for a first issue. Oli continues to impress with another high quality illustration, and begs the question: where did he find the time? Alongside Crash, Zzap and other titles, his work was appearing everywhere in the eighties and nineties. Did he take any time off? Numerous parts of the magazine are grouped together with unifying headers, and listed as such in the contents - which isn't an accurate way to find the material thanks to changes before publication. Fear is so much more polished than a first issue ought to be.
Kim Newman's interview with John Carpenter is warm, intelligent, and informative, and makes several ever-pertinent points about the treatment of horror media. There's (also pertinent) political talk, which is hilariously accurate even today: "Truly, it will be the fellow who's craziest who runs the country." Carpenter may be the known for directing, but he's an astute political commentator. The tone of the interview is one of lamentation for the past, and the disappointments which his career has seen - Christine may have been a difficult movie to shoot, but his skill shines through in every frame.
Newman has a skill in teasing out information from his subjects, and there's a lot of ground to cover with Carpenter's career. There are omissions, and subjects tantalizingly untouched, which would have made this an essential read, but a merely great read is okay as well.
John Gilbert's opening segment of How to Make a Movie is a fascinating read, and contains a few really amusing details.
If a film's on a £1-£3 million low-budget you can forget Lawrence Olivier (well, it may be necromantic movie) for the starring role.With the release of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, the response would be "If Kerry can do it, why can't I?" Please don't answer that.
There are points Gilbert doesn't raise, which should be obvious but need reaffirming for would-be Hitchcock's reading this, such as never trusting anyone in a shiny suit. And don't show your script to your dentist's brother's best friend, who knows someone who is friends with a guy... For many people the information will be horrendously dated, as digital film-making has come on in leaps and bounds in the intervening years, making much of Hollywood's power to dictate the cultural landscape much less monolithic. For me, there's still enough juice to make the reading enjoyable.
Reading about Skipp and Spector always made solid entertainment, and Philip Nutman allows their story to unfold in a way which doesn't involve too much glossing. I really like that they aren't polished and media-friendly, and their lack of pretense really shines through - these are guys you want to hang out with.
David Keep's interview with then-Deputy Director of the BBFC Ken Penry (at a time when the organisation was going through a name change) is, for obvious reasons, an engrossing look into a world which often seems to exist behind clouded glass. Fans of horror films rarely got to know the reasoning behind some of the more dubious decisions, so a from-the-horse's-mouth account was a coup for the first issue. That so much of the focus is on the aspect of quality is rather disappointing.
There are times when a person simply wants to watch dumb characters being killed off by OTT means, such as Cannon's Psycho Girls. The "Cronenberg Concession" mentioned was always going to be an unfair advantage, and inelegantly applied - Paul Verhoeven coming off worst in several instances. It is odd how seeing a censorship petition can take one back to the early 90s so easily, and nostalgia for the days when arguing that films should be released uncut was a time-consuming activity. Kids these days have it on a platter...
Of the page-and-a-half of books offered for sale, I think I've read all but a dozen. Advertisements like these are often an indication that I should get out more, and I actually paused on realizing how many were familiar. And, of course, I've noted those which I haven't read in order to track them down. Fear even has a section of fanzines, which makes me love the issue just a teeny, tiny bit more than my already-enormous affection for the issue. There are few aspects of horror not covered, and it is here where a problem poses itself.
Do I whine that neither radio nor audio-cassette horror is covered, or do I accept that there are limitations? On the basis of enough stellar material to keep any horror fan as happy as a pig in Hannibal, I'm going to let the matter slide.
There are some problems in the first issue, of course, but they are negligible when appraising the good. A spectacular start.
Monday 29 October 2018
Samhain #1
Nov/Dec 1986; Cover price 85p.
28 pages. B&W.
John Gullidge.
Edited by John Gullidge.
Cover (uncredited).
Contents:
The Sam Hain comic strips make me smile every time I see them. For much of the nineties Samhain was the preeminent horror fanzine, able to go toe-to-toe with mainstream publications such as Fear and Shivers in content if not visibility. Having been a subscriber during the glossy era, the early issues are something of a surprise in both print quality and finesse - the paper used doesn't do the issue any favours, and some of the illustrations don't pop as much as they should, but for a fanzine this is an incredible beginning.
The Dario Argento feature is remarkably detailed, and points out that usual arguments about film are largely irrelevant when the cinematic vision is so stylized. There's a lot to cover when dealing with the films, and - likely due to space - the article feels as if it skips over too many moments which directly connect his early work to the films he was making in the 80s. It is interesting to see so much attention being given to Italian cinema regardless.
Attacking The Sun newspaper for its exploitative, shallow, biased journalism is like complaining that the night-time is dark. While sketchy and much-rushed, the adaptation of The Evil Dead is lively and has its' heart in the right place.
Remaining pertinent all these years later, the review of all the films featured in Scotland Yard's "Video Nasties" list is a reminder that police forces are the last people you want judging the merit of feature films. Both of the films covered in the initial installment are great drinking movies, and highly entertaining when watched with friends of a like mind, and unfairly persecuted by out-of-touch officers more concerned with their own appearance. The reviews don't shy away from noting the dubious acting, nor other issues with the films.
Having read through publications from every era, the constant refrain of "Hollywood is making too many sequels" continues to provide the most amusement. People keep saying this is so, yet throw their money at the films when they are released. Philip Godfrey highlights the problems with then-current releases clearly, making valid points about the limitation of both Poltergeist 2 and Freddy's Revenge.
Although missing audio reviews, book reviews, and commentary on the state of horror comics in the mid-80s, the reviews are intelligent and clever, aware of what has gone before - the launch of Samhain was a major point in the history of British horror fandom, bringing together people from all over the UK in celebration of one of the most unjustly maligned genres.
28 pages. B&W.
John Gullidge.
Edited by John Gullidge.
Cover (uncredited).
Contents:
.2 Heeere's Johnny! Editorial by John Gullidge.
.3 Samhain Contents. / Sam Hain UNTITLED [Misprints] w:/a: Pam Richards. / Indicia
.4 Sam's Snippets news; illustration by Pam Richards.
.5 Images of Argento text feature by John Martin; illustration by Gordon Finlayson.
.8 A Unique Vision: David Cronenberg text feature by Michael Wesley.
.9 Down the Crapper text feature by John Gullidge.
10 The Evil Dead w:/a: Richard Floyd-Walker, based on the screenplay by Sam Raimi.
12 Police 55 Anthropophagus Beast aka The Grim Reaper (1980) / Absurd aka Anthropophagus 2 (1981) reviews.
13 Mary's Monster Smash illustration by Gordon Finlayson.
15 TV Special text feature by John Gullidge.
16 Menzies' Marauders text feature by John Martin.
18 Carri on at Crystal Lake text feature by John Gullidge; illustration by Pam Richards.
19 Thank God its Friday text feature by John Martin; illustration by Gordon Finlayson.
21 It's Competition Time! (half page)
22 The Evil Dead (cont.)
24 Freddy and the Freelings Flop... text feature by Philip Godfrey. / Sam Hain UNTITLED [Grandma?] w:/a: Pam Richards.
26 What Sam Saw film reviews.
27 The Video Eye of Sam Hain reviews.
28 A Nightmare on Elm Street part 2 advertisement. / Next Issue illustrated by Pam Richards.
The Sam Hain comic strips make me smile every time I see them. For much of the nineties Samhain was the preeminent horror fanzine, able to go toe-to-toe with mainstream publications such as Fear and Shivers in content if not visibility. Having been a subscriber during the glossy era, the early issues are something of a surprise in both print quality and finesse - the paper used doesn't do the issue any favours, and some of the illustrations don't pop as much as they should, but for a fanzine this is an incredible beginning.
The Dario Argento feature is remarkably detailed, and points out that usual arguments about film are largely irrelevant when the cinematic vision is so stylized. There's a lot to cover when dealing with the films, and - likely due to space - the article feels as if it skips over too many moments which directly connect his early work to the films he was making in the 80s. It is interesting to see so much attention being given to Italian cinema regardless.
Attacking The Sun newspaper for its exploitative, shallow, biased journalism is like complaining that the night-time is dark. While sketchy and much-rushed, the adaptation of The Evil Dead is lively and has its' heart in the right place.
Remaining pertinent all these years later, the review of all the films featured in Scotland Yard's "Video Nasties" list is a reminder that police forces are the last people you want judging the merit of feature films. Both of the films covered in the initial installment are great drinking movies, and highly entertaining when watched with friends of a like mind, and unfairly persecuted by out-of-touch officers more concerned with their own appearance. The reviews don't shy away from noting the dubious acting, nor other issues with the films.
Having read through publications from every era, the constant refrain of "Hollywood is making too many sequels" continues to provide the most amusement. People keep saying this is so, yet throw their money at the films when they are released. Philip Godfrey highlights the problems with then-current releases clearly, making valid points about the limitation of both Poltergeist 2 and Freddy's Revenge.
Although missing audio reviews, book reviews, and commentary on the state of horror comics in the mid-80s, the reviews are intelligent and clever, aware of what has gone before - the launch of Samhain was a major point in the history of British horror fandom, bringing together people from all over the UK in celebration of one of the most unjustly maligned genres.
Sunday 28 October 2018
Dark Terrors #1
Jan 1992; Cover price 2.00.
20 pages. B&W.
Mike Murphy / Avalon.
Edited by Mike Murphy.
"Dedicated to Hammer Films"
Cover (uncredited).
Contents:
The early nineties were exciting times for Hammer fans, and the lack of official official Hammer Horror publications was the prompt for a number of fanzines to step in to fill the gap. Dark Terrors may be slim, but there is a lot of information covered in its' pages. Promotional text for The World of Hammer television series, which appeared a couple of years after the publication of this issue, fills the inside front cover. Given the choice of colour paper, maybe shunting it further in might have been a better choice. Very light printing means that the text is rather difficult to read in places.
Dennis Wheatley adaptations have been covered a few times, with varying degrees of success, and while there are no great shocks in store for those familiar with the company's output, there is a genuine sense of affection - a minor criticism would be the format used in presenting the film credits, which take up far more room than they ought to. Photographs used as illustration reproduce well, although the posters haven't fared quite as well in being reduced so much.
Peter Cushing's interview with Alan Titchmarsh, from Pebble Mill (31 Oct 1991), is interesting to read, though doesn't offer any new insights into his work with Hammer. Anecdotes about his time with Star Wars are overly familiar now, and this is perhaps something that has to be seen rather than read. The snippet of news about Bray Studios being saved from massive alteration feels like it should be elaborated on, as there are lingering questions about how Sir Adam Thomson came to Bray from British Caledonian Airways.
Hammer House of Horror was never a favourite of mine. There were too many shortcuts in the series, and certain scenes felt rushed through. but the central ideas which each episode were founded on were solid. The beginning of a series of reviews in this issue dodges critical assessment of the merits and deficiencies present, preferring to devote space to information which, these days, can easily be found on imdb.com.
While Dark Terrors may be light on opinion, it is a fascinating insight into the lingering hold the company has on its' fans. Had Murphy been a little more ambitious this would have been much more entertaining - the dates and names are important, but something a little more unique, more personal, would have made this a much better title.
20 pages. B&W.
Mike Murphy / Avalon.
Edited by Mike Murphy.
"Dedicated to Hammer Films"
Cover (uncredited).
Contents:
.2 Hammer News
.3 Editorial by Mike Murphy. / Contents
.4 Screen Screams news feature by Mike Murphy?
.5 Dennis Wheatley & Hammers Film Adaptations by Mike Murphy?
11 Peter Cushing Interview with Peter Cushing, by Alan Titchmarsh (transcript).
12 Bray Film Studios text feature by Mike Murphy?
13 Hammer House of Horror Episode Guide by Mike Murphy?
16 James Bernard mini-biography and filmography.
19 Jacqueline Pearce mini-biography.
20 Curse of Frankenstein / Horror of Dracula poster repro.
The early nineties were exciting times for Hammer fans, and the lack of official official Hammer Horror publications was the prompt for a number of fanzines to step in to fill the gap. Dark Terrors may be slim, but there is a lot of information covered in its' pages. Promotional text for The World of Hammer television series, which appeared a couple of years after the publication of this issue, fills the inside front cover. Given the choice of colour paper, maybe shunting it further in might have been a better choice. Very light printing means that the text is rather difficult to read in places.
Dennis Wheatley adaptations have been covered a few times, with varying degrees of success, and while there are no great shocks in store for those familiar with the company's output, there is a genuine sense of affection - a minor criticism would be the format used in presenting the film credits, which take up far more room than they ought to. Photographs used as illustration reproduce well, although the posters haven't fared quite as well in being reduced so much.
Peter Cushing's interview with Alan Titchmarsh, from Pebble Mill (31 Oct 1991), is interesting to read, though doesn't offer any new insights into his work with Hammer. Anecdotes about his time with Star Wars are overly familiar now, and this is perhaps something that has to be seen rather than read. The snippet of news about Bray Studios being saved from massive alteration feels like it should be elaborated on, as there are lingering questions about how Sir Adam Thomson came to Bray from British Caledonian Airways.
Hammer House of Horror was never a favourite of mine. There were too many shortcuts in the series, and certain scenes felt rushed through. but the central ideas which each episode were founded on were solid. The beginning of a series of reviews in this issue dodges critical assessment of the merits and deficiencies present, preferring to devote space to information which, these days, can easily be found on imdb.com.
While Dark Terrors may be light on opinion, it is a fascinating insight into the lingering hold the company has on its' fans. Had Murphy been a little more ambitious this would have been much more entertaining - the dates and names are important, but something a little more unique, more personal, would have made this a much better title.
Sunday 14 October 2018
Comic Heroes Vol.1 #1
Spring 2010. Cover price £7.99.
132 pages. Full Colour.
Future Publishing Ltd.
Edited by Jes Bickham.
Cover photograph (Iron Man) - uncredited promo.
Free 2000 A.D. magnets, poster and Marvel comic.
Contents:
Responding to an upsurge in interest for comic properties, Comic Heroes - a hefty, thick, and feature-packed magazine which is quite impressive in its gaudy cardboard sleeve, while out of its sleeve the actual cover is much more refined. The issue is a time capsule of where comics were at in 2010, and in seemingly minor details is where the magazine is at its most interesting - that Marvel has a Bullseye poster in their toilets telling people to aim, for example. I'm hoping they also make posters with The Fixer for veterinary practices to display when kids bring in their pets.
The emphasis on a then-imminent release of Iron Man 2 prompts an extended interview with Robert Downey Jr. in which much promotional work is done. A handy "Ten Essential Stories" section recaps the best of his appearances, with a feature on the inevitable computer game rounding out the section. It is missing much geekiness which ought to have been included - we don't get to know what Ivan Vanko's tattoos mean, there's nothing about the race car he drove during the film, and there's a massive lack of fun in the reporting.
Such information is probably available should I wish to hunt for it, but when a major film release is being promoted in a magazine like this I expect at least a hint of the obsessive detail checking. And who, pray tell, got the villain's name wrong on the photo caption? We notice this stuff.
A comic preview is always welcome, but if there's a character who needs no promoting it is Superman. The world is already saturated with the iconic S-shield, so throwing pages at a series which has guaranteed sales is largely pointless. This is one area in which the revived Starburst has impressed me, by highlighting strips I haven't necessarily heard of. To be fair, it is a very pretty Superman story, and I'm sure it has its charm, but really...
Kick-Ass bagging a spot in the first issue is very amusing, and Jane Goldman's thoughts on adapting works is a treat to read. John Romita Jr. provides a great interview, which highlights how much he's thought about the character. The focus on comic adaptations is frustratingly superhero-centric, ignoring the three best comic adaptations ever made, but I can forgive this in a title which is looking hungrily at the market for such movies. I am, of course, expecting improvement.
A nine-page guide to the DC comics universe valiantly attempts to condense decades of twists and turns into a handy introduction - which was never going to work to everyones satisfaction, and which displays far too many simplifications. Take the history of DC Comics itself (the company, that is), which gets simplified into a single entity in its earliest days, or much streamlining of 1970s continuity snarls. The first serious examination is Crisis on Infinite Earths, which is where Chris Brosnahan's introduction cuts off. Just as the story gets interesting.
A full book-length history of DC would only barely scratch the surface of continuity problems, and a small article doesn't even get to use specifics to highlight the issues at hand. Take, as an easy well-known example, Batman's origin story: Did Bruce's uncle, Philip Wayne, take him into his care? Was Alfred there from Bruce's childhood, or did he turn up after Dick became Robin? Where does Aunt Harriet fit in? The chronology was a mess long before Crisis shook the DCU by its ankles to see what would fall out of its pockets.
And that's before we even think of the Huntress' history.
The Who's Who sidebar (cleverly named after a long-running feature) lacks depth, but at least it tries. No love for Carrie Kelley though? For shame. The recaps of the various major series are, for the most part, fine, though I have to disagree with praise for Identity Crisis, which has several moments which strain uncomfortably against both continuity and logic. The story would have worked just as well without rewriting years of history for the sake of a couple of attention-grabbing panels.
What is omitted is as important as what is covered: Legends, Millennium, Invasion, Eclipso: The Darkness Within, Bloodlines, Underworld Unleashed, The Final Night, and Day of Judgement get ignored completely, even though each played a part in the complex jigsaw of continuity - which is not only why this article shouldn't have been included, but why it really needs to be analyzed properly.
Do I really need a free poster? Not really. And I can live without the comic, and magnets, nice as they are. I still have my Ghost in the Shell ones. You want to know what I would rather have? This essay, but done with gusto. A free book with the first issue, charting DC's complex history in detail, working out how many versions of certain events we have seen, thus establishing how many versions of characters exist in the DC multiverse.
It is refreshing to get an article on Bande Dessinee which doesn't focus its main force of effort on Asterix, but to overlook Tardi's Adèle Blanc-Sec (which was adapted into film in 2010), or Valerian, reprinted in the UK back in the 80s, makes the article seem too light and breezy. Which is a problem running through the entire magazine - this is a fancy sports car with an old banger's engine. Its pretty, but it doesn't go like it should.
The Al Ewing interview is hilarious, intelligent, and frustratingly short. Comic Heroes is imbalanced towards film and video games at the expense of the very thing it claims to be covering. Its saving grace, which comes after more film and game features, is the piece on writing for comics. There's enough in the piece to warrant the purchase of this issue alone, with insightful and offhand comments sharing space - utterly fascinating.
John Constantine has always been a fascinating character, and the article focusing on his history is as good as can be expected within the limited space. A selection of collections are recommended, and the uncollected issues are highlighted. There's a six-page look at Judge Dredd, with the Apocalypse War epic, which manages to cover just enough to make it entertaining...
There's one question above all which governs how one should view Comic Heroes - is it really worth eight quid?
Without How to... Write for Comics, the answer would be ridiculously simple, but there's a lot of value in that one piece. It doesn't make up for the lack of small press coverage, or noting that there were radio series' people should have been listening to. I still pull out my copies of Ally Sloper every so often simply to enjoy the reading of it, as with old issues of Comics International and Comic World. It is doubtful that I'm ever going to feel nostalgic for Comic Heroes however.
132 pages. Full Colour.
Future Publishing Ltd.
Edited by Jes Bickham.
Cover photograph (Iron Man) - uncredited promo.
Free 2000 A.D. magnets, poster and Marvel comic.
Contents:
..2 Karakuri Dôji Ultimo advertisement.
..3 Indicia / Borag Thungg, Earthlets! introduction by Tharg. / Look! Up In the Sky! editorial by Jes Bickham. / Meet the Team profiles.
..4 Contents
..6 Heat Vision news feature by Joseph McCabe, Michael Molcher, Dez Skinn, David West, and Rob Williams.
.11 The Graves advertisement for play.com DVD.
.14 Coming Soon forthcoming films.
.20 Comic Heroes Events Diary
.21 Give 'Em Hell Malone advertisement for play.com DVD.
.22 Reinforced Armor Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau interview by Joseph McCabe.
.28 Iron Man - The Ten Essential Stories text feature by James Hunt.
.30 You Are the Hero Matt Fraction interview by Jes Bickham.
.32 The World's Number One Sci-Fi and Fantasy Magazine advertisement for SFX.
.33 Special Comic Preview! introduction.
.34 Superman: Secret Origin, five-page sample, w: Geoff Johns; p: Gary Frank, i: Jon Sibal, lettering by Steve Wands, colouring by Brad Anderson.
r: Superman: Secret Origin (DC Comics) #01 (Nov 2009).
.39 Iron Man: The Ultimate Collection (half page) advertisement for play.com DVD. / Original Spider-Man (half page) advertisement for play.com DVD.
.40 Feeling Super Jane Goldman interview by Joel Meadows.
.48 Kick Art John Romita Jr. interview by Nick Setchfield.
.52 Your Guide to the DC Universe text feature by Chris Brosnahan.
.62 A Beginner's Guide to Bande Dessinee text feature by Guy Haley.
.70 You Can Call Me Al Al Ewing interview by Michael Molcher.
.72 Superhero Supergames text feature by Matthew Pellet.
.75 Now Available to Order At play.com (half page) advertisement for Doctor Who clothing. / Visit www.cardboardcutout.net (half page) advertisement.
.76 The Art of... Guy Davis interview by Michael Molcher.
.82 The Makng of... Superman text feature by Daniel Etherington.
.87 Futile Resistance advertisement for LastExitToNowhere.com.
.88 How to... Write for Comics text feature by Rob Williams.
102 Comic Icons The Devil You Know John Constantine text feature by Jes Bickham.
108 If Lost Makes You Feel Like This... in-house advertisement for SFX Collectors Edition Lost Special
109 Retrospective Judge Dredd: The Apocalypse War text feature by Michael Molcher.
115 Movie T-Shirts advertisement for www.nerdoh.com.
116 Hell Will Not Stop Him advertisement for 2000 A.D. (Rebellion) Prog 1678.
117 Reviews by Jes Bickham, Guy Haley, Thom Hutchinson, and Joel Meadows.
123 High Voltage Festival advertisement.
124 Comic Club The Dark Knight Returns retrospective by Jes Bickham.
126 Adverts
128 2010: The Year We Make Contact... With You! in-house advertisement for www.sfx.co.uk
129 Next Month
130 My Inspiration Mike Perkins text feature.
131 Game of the Year Edition advertisement for Batman: Arkham Asylum.
132 Brand New Action from the Makers of Nightwatch and Daywatch advertisement for The Interception at HMV.
Responding to an upsurge in interest for comic properties, Comic Heroes - a hefty, thick, and feature-packed magazine which is quite impressive in its gaudy cardboard sleeve, while out of its sleeve the actual cover is much more refined. The issue is a time capsule of where comics were at in 2010, and in seemingly minor details is where the magazine is at its most interesting - that Marvel has a Bullseye poster in their toilets telling people to aim, for example. I'm hoping they also make posters with The Fixer for veterinary practices to display when kids bring in their pets.
The emphasis on a then-imminent release of Iron Man 2 prompts an extended interview with Robert Downey Jr. in which much promotional work is done. A handy "Ten Essential Stories" section recaps the best of his appearances, with a feature on the inevitable computer game rounding out the section. It is missing much geekiness which ought to have been included - we don't get to know what Ivan Vanko's tattoos mean, there's nothing about the race car he drove during the film, and there's a massive lack of fun in the reporting.
Such information is probably available should I wish to hunt for it, but when a major film release is being promoted in a magazine like this I expect at least a hint of the obsessive detail checking. And who, pray tell, got the villain's name wrong on the photo caption? We notice this stuff.
A comic preview is always welcome, but if there's a character who needs no promoting it is Superman. The world is already saturated with the iconic S-shield, so throwing pages at a series which has guaranteed sales is largely pointless. This is one area in which the revived Starburst has impressed me, by highlighting strips I haven't necessarily heard of. To be fair, it is a very pretty Superman story, and I'm sure it has its charm, but really...
Kick-Ass bagging a spot in the first issue is very amusing, and Jane Goldman's thoughts on adapting works is a treat to read. John Romita Jr. provides a great interview, which highlights how much he's thought about the character. The focus on comic adaptations is frustratingly superhero-centric, ignoring the three best comic adaptations ever made, but I can forgive this in a title which is looking hungrily at the market for such movies. I am, of course, expecting improvement.
A nine-page guide to the DC comics universe valiantly attempts to condense decades of twists and turns into a handy introduction - which was never going to work to everyones satisfaction, and which displays far too many simplifications. Take the history of DC Comics itself (the company, that is), which gets simplified into a single entity in its earliest days, or much streamlining of 1970s continuity snarls. The first serious examination is Crisis on Infinite Earths, which is where Chris Brosnahan's introduction cuts off. Just as the story gets interesting.
A full book-length history of DC would only barely scratch the surface of continuity problems, and a small article doesn't even get to use specifics to highlight the issues at hand. Take, as an easy well-known example, Batman's origin story: Did Bruce's uncle, Philip Wayne, take him into his care? Was Alfred there from Bruce's childhood, or did he turn up after Dick became Robin? Where does Aunt Harriet fit in? The chronology was a mess long before Crisis shook the DCU by its ankles to see what would fall out of its pockets.
And that's before we even think of the Huntress' history.
The Who's Who sidebar (cleverly named after a long-running feature) lacks depth, but at least it tries. No love for Carrie Kelley though? For shame. The recaps of the various major series are, for the most part, fine, though I have to disagree with praise for Identity Crisis, which has several moments which strain uncomfortably against both continuity and logic. The story would have worked just as well without rewriting years of history for the sake of a couple of attention-grabbing panels.
What is omitted is as important as what is covered: Legends, Millennium, Invasion, Eclipso: The Darkness Within, Bloodlines, Underworld Unleashed, The Final Night, and Day of Judgement get ignored completely, even though each played a part in the complex jigsaw of continuity - which is not only why this article shouldn't have been included, but why it really needs to be analyzed properly.
Do I really need a free poster? Not really. And I can live without the comic, and magnets, nice as they are. I still have my Ghost in the Shell ones. You want to know what I would rather have? This essay, but done with gusto. A free book with the first issue, charting DC's complex history in detail, working out how many versions of certain events we have seen, thus establishing how many versions of characters exist in the DC multiverse.
It is refreshing to get an article on Bande Dessinee which doesn't focus its main force of effort on Asterix, but to overlook Tardi's Adèle Blanc-Sec (which was adapted into film in 2010), or Valerian, reprinted in the UK back in the 80s, makes the article seem too light and breezy. Which is a problem running through the entire magazine - this is a fancy sports car with an old banger's engine. Its pretty, but it doesn't go like it should.
The Al Ewing interview is hilarious, intelligent, and frustratingly short. Comic Heroes is imbalanced towards film and video games at the expense of the very thing it claims to be covering. Its saving grace, which comes after more film and game features, is the piece on writing for comics. There's enough in the piece to warrant the purchase of this issue alone, with insightful and offhand comments sharing space - utterly fascinating.
John Constantine has always been a fascinating character, and the article focusing on his history is as good as can be expected within the limited space. A selection of collections are recommended, and the uncollected issues are highlighted. There's a six-page look at Judge Dredd, with the Apocalypse War epic, which manages to cover just enough to make it entertaining...
There's one question above all which governs how one should view Comic Heroes - is it really worth eight quid?
Without How to... Write for Comics, the answer would be ridiculously simple, but there's a lot of value in that one piece. It doesn't make up for the lack of small press coverage, or noting that there were radio series' people should have been listening to. I still pull out my copies of Ally Sloper every so often simply to enjoy the reading of it, as with old issues of Comics International and Comic World. It is doubtful that I'm ever going to feel nostalgic for Comic Heroes however.
Saturday 13 October 2018
Scapegoat Vol.1 #1
Jan-Feb 1995. Cover price £2.50.
68 pages. Colour & B&W.
Stray Cat Publishing Ltd.
Edited by David McGillivray.
Cover photo by Nigel Wingrove.
Contents:
With an avalanche of censorship concerns occurring since, it might be difficult to remember mid-90s newspapers were so filled with calls to ban films, television series, and (yes) even comics. Scapegoat appeared during a period of almost-constant calls for action - both from press and television - against the usual subjects, but surprising properties were also caught up in the rush to condemn anything even slightly outside mainstream interests. This was an era in which gutter press such as The Sun, Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail had set their sights on banning Child's Play 3, without good cause.
That this title had need to exist ought to terrify every creator.
Looking around at the multi-media landscape all these years later, a discerning eye can still make out lingering aftereffects of this moment in history. While great strides have been made in reforming the repressive and stultifying laws governing releases, there are still matters which have to be addressed before we can consider titles like this to belong in the past.
An effective cover photograph gets the message of Scapegoat across well, sharing the visual style of horror titles (and presaging the cover used on Hammer Horror #07 from later in the year), and has a rather wonderful (albeit uncredited) logo, with an image of a goat to one side. This may be a serious title, with an extremely important purpose, but it isn't without a sense of humour.
The most important and longest section of the issue is an immensely informative overview of what is banned, and where - Scapegoat International Arts Censorship Survey covers a large range of subjects with concise and heavily-researched text. Although the intended purpose of the article, to prove that British censorship was the most extreme in the world at the time of publication, was considered a failure in the eyes of the title, it throes up enough insight about the process of "protecting the public" that it is worth a read despite now being so dated.
David Irving gets interviewed, and he's as annoying as ever. The point of including him is made right at the start of the issue (with Voltaire's "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."), and it is easy enough to ignore Irving's comments. Fortunately the other interviews are more informative - and with people who deserve the space to air their opinions - with Sarah Marshall's being the most frustrating. The lack of citations for broadcasting's legal requirements leaves the piece with unanswered questions.
Far too little time is spent explaining the specifics of the law throughout, although the absence of citations is understandable.
John Trevelyan has long been a fascinating character. His comments on cinema (referenced in multiple Film Yearbook's) have long intrigued me, and it is even more surprising to read his opinion on censorship here - having pushed for fully unedited films to be released nationally during the seventies (already legal in private club screenings) is a footnote in most histories, but deserves to be explored further. Had this revolutionary spirit been appreciated during the release of controversial late-seventies released, much of the hysteria could have been placed into correct contexts.
It's rather depressing to contrast and compare what could have been with what we ended up with.
There's a (ubiquitous) piece on Mary Whitehouse, which should be of interest to Oink fans, the witch-hunt against Child's Play 3 is covered in some detail, and the state of video game ratings is approached. The article doesn't quite sum up the absolutely inane (and wildly fictitious) newspaper articles which appeared regarding contents of many games, but gives a decent attempt at an incredibly complex subject. It is unfortunate that there is no retrospective analysis of the mid-80s challenges, although the inclusion of dates makes hunting down further details easier.
Most worrying is the three-page article on the abhorrent behaviour of the alleged "journalists" from Western Morning News and Express and Echo, who hounded Samhain editor John Gullidge for publishing his incredibly helpful, intelligent and entertaining magazine. While I regard it as the most important horror title of the nineties, others saw it less fondly. Much less fondly, for the calls for him to resign from his day job were fueled by the papers. I know what I would prefer to read...
The first issue isn't perfect, however. The persecution of Savoy isn't covered, nor is the banning of horror comics in the UK in years previous (which still, to an extent, is seen as an unacceptable area of publication), and there's nothing about the problems faced with the importing of titles such as Omaha the Cat Dancer, which was nigh impossible to obtain for several years. That there had been improvements in importing titles, it is still an omission which makes the problem seem insignificant in comparison to higher profile issues.
If there was ever a title deserving of being given another run, it is Scapegoat. With the vastly different landscape - including the intrusion of digital downloads into everyday life barely considered during the publication of this issue - there needs to be a new examination of the problems facing creators, publishers, and broadcasters. A massively important landmark in British publishing, this is one of the few titles which remains as relevant as ever in the battle to retain freedoms hard fought for.
68 pages. Colour & B&W.
Stray Cat Publishing Ltd.
Edited by David McGillivray.
Cover photo by Nigel Wingrove.
Contents:
.2 Special Offer subscription offer.
.3 Contents
.4 Indicia (one third page). / Editorial by David McGillvray.
.5 So They Said quotes. / UNTITLED [Torture Anneka!] cartoon by Jurgen Wolff.
.6 Scapegoat International Arts Censorship Survey, part one, text feature by David McGillivray.
16 Celebrity at Any Price David Irving interview by Tony Allen, photographs by Philip Wolmuth.
18 Hitler's No 1 Fan (one third page) text feature by David Marx.
19 Alan Jones text feature by Alan Jones.
20 International Short Cuts text feature by Angela Haydon. / UNTITLED [Australian Censorship Board] cartoon by Jurgen Wolff.
21 David Prothero's Edit Suite text feature by David Prothero, illustration by Jurgen Wolff.
22 Desperately Seeking Alton text feature by David Flint.
24 Expose - Censorship Secrets Revealed text feature by Bill Goat.
25 UNTITLED [If you object to TV violence] cartoon by Jurgen Wolff.
26 All a Matter of Taste text feature by Phil Wickham.
27 Sex From the Stars (two and a half pages) Sarah Marshall (Adult Channel PR) interview by David Flint.
29 Free!! (one third page) advertisement for Samhain.
30 Scapegoat International Arts Censorship Survey, part two, tet feature by David McGillivray.
39 The Case for Uncensored Television text feature by Mark Kermode.
43 Poll Watch text feature by Angela Haydon.
44 Whitehouse - the Time-Wasting Years text feature by David Prothero.
47 What's it all About, Chucky? text feature by Julian Petley.
50 Signs of Discontent (~one third page) text feature by Paul Marx. / PC User (five sixths page). / PE Class (five sixths page) / UNTITLED [Insufficiency of Tolerance] cartoon by Jurgen Wolff.
52 Censorship and Me Julian Clary (two thirds page) interview. / Spectre of the Blue Pencil text feature by Peter Morris.
55 Playing with Fire text feature by Marshall Julius.
56 Highway to Damnation text feature by Jules May.
59 Crisis in the Combat Zone text feature by Jack Stevenson.
60 Assault on the Censors text feature by Marc Morris.
62 A Nightmare on Exeter Road text feature on Samhain by Stefan Jaworzyn.
65 Brief Lives contributors.
66 The Circuit (quarter page) addresses. / Coming Shortly (quarter page) next issue preview. / Shredder UNTITLED [Switching off in Disgust] w: Waite & Allen; a: Rowdon. / Forbidden City UNTITLED [Violent Filth] w:/a: Jurgen Wolff.
67 The Late Show in-house advertisement.
68 The Redemption '95 Calendar advertisement.
With an avalanche of censorship concerns occurring since, it might be difficult to remember mid-90s newspapers were so filled with calls to ban films, television series, and (yes) even comics. Scapegoat appeared during a period of almost-constant calls for action - both from press and television - against the usual subjects, but surprising properties were also caught up in the rush to condemn anything even slightly outside mainstream interests. This was an era in which gutter press such as The Sun, Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail had set their sights on banning Child's Play 3, without good cause.
That this title had need to exist ought to terrify every creator.
Looking around at the multi-media landscape all these years later, a discerning eye can still make out lingering aftereffects of this moment in history. While great strides have been made in reforming the repressive and stultifying laws governing releases, there are still matters which have to be addressed before we can consider titles like this to belong in the past.
An effective cover photograph gets the message of Scapegoat across well, sharing the visual style of horror titles (and presaging the cover used on Hammer Horror #07 from later in the year), and has a rather wonderful (albeit uncredited) logo, with an image of a goat to one side. This may be a serious title, with an extremely important purpose, but it isn't without a sense of humour.
"I predict that generations to come will regard Britain in the Nineties with the same derision and contempt with which we now regard the McCarthy era in the United States."An insightful and clever editorial starts in stellar form, followed by a page of quotes which sums up the situation perfectly - I had almost forgotten that Macaulay Culkin-starring The Good Son had briefly been banned. Desmond Morris perfectly sums up the problem with censoring films and television shows, while Kate O'Mara proves that even respected names can fall into the trap of believing what was being peddled by the press at the time. It is surprising that a few notably idiotic comments made (which still rankle) are passed over, but it is a page representative of what was being said.
David McGillivray.
The most important and longest section of the issue is an immensely informative overview of what is banned, and where - Scapegoat International Arts Censorship Survey covers a large range of subjects with concise and heavily-researched text. Although the intended purpose of the article, to prove that British censorship was the most extreme in the world at the time of publication, was considered a failure in the eyes of the title, it throes up enough insight about the process of "protecting the public" that it is worth a read despite now being so dated.
David Irving gets interviewed, and he's as annoying as ever. The point of including him is made right at the start of the issue (with Voltaire's "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."), and it is easy enough to ignore Irving's comments. Fortunately the other interviews are more informative - and with people who deserve the space to air their opinions - with Sarah Marshall's being the most frustrating. The lack of citations for broadcasting's legal requirements leaves the piece with unanswered questions.
Far too little time is spent explaining the specifics of the law throughout, although the absence of citations is understandable.
John Trevelyan has long been a fascinating character. His comments on cinema (referenced in multiple Film Yearbook's) have long intrigued me, and it is even more surprising to read his opinion on censorship here - having pushed for fully unedited films to be released nationally during the seventies (already legal in private club screenings) is a footnote in most histories, but deserves to be explored further. Had this revolutionary spirit been appreciated during the release of controversial late-seventies released, much of the hysteria could have been placed into correct contexts.
It's rather depressing to contrast and compare what could have been with what we ended up with.
There's a (ubiquitous) piece on Mary Whitehouse, which should be of interest to Oink fans, the witch-hunt against Child's Play 3 is covered in some detail, and the state of video game ratings is approached. The article doesn't quite sum up the absolutely inane (and wildly fictitious) newspaper articles which appeared regarding contents of many games, but gives a decent attempt at an incredibly complex subject. It is unfortunate that there is no retrospective analysis of the mid-80s challenges, although the inclusion of dates makes hunting down further details easier.
Most worrying is the three-page article on the abhorrent behaviour of the alleged "journalists" from Western Morning News and Express and Echo, who hounded Samhain editor John Gullidge for publishing his incredibly helpful, intelligent and entertaining magazine. While I regard it as the most important horror title of the nineties, others saw it less fondly. Much less fondly, for the calls for him to resign from his day job were fueled by the papers. I know what I would prefer to read...
The first issue isn't perfect, however. The persecution of Savoy isn't covered, nor is the banning of horror comics in the UK in years previous (which still, to an extent, is seen as an unacceptable area of publication), and there's nothing about the problems faced with the importing of titles such as Omaha the Cat Dancer, which was nigh impossible to obtain for several years. That there had been improvements in importing titles, it is still an omission which makes the problem seem insignificant in comparison to higher profile issues.
If there was ever a title deserving of being given another run, it is Scapegoat. With the vastly different landscape - including the intrusion of digital downloads into everyday life barely considered during the publication of this issue - there needs to be a new examination of the problems facing creators, publishers, and broadcasters. A massively important landmark in British publishing, this is one of the few titles which remains as relevant as ever in the battle to retain freedoms hard fought for.
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