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]
Showing posts with label Future Publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Future Publishing. Show all posts
Thursday, 6 December 2018
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, 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.
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