Black Tower Comics: Journey of the ID: The Dr Morg Trilogy

 I just found the intended original title for this book:

The Meta Catatonic Neo Orwellian Linguistic Experimentation of Dr Morg

Wonder why I never went with that?

A4
B&W
52pp
£6.00
https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/journey-of-the-idthe-dr-morg-trilogy/paperback/product-22705545.html

Metapsychophysics meets comics. Its the next natural evolutionary step in comic books! For the first time all three parts of the highly acclaimed Dr. Morg Trilogy are combined into one volume:

WORDS WITHIN WORLDS,

AFTER ORWELL and the final explosive 

THE DEATH OF DR. MORG!

Black Tower Comics: The Purple Hood: Land of Hope and Glory

 

A4
B&W
74pp
£6.00
https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/the-purple-hood-land-of-hope-and-glory/paperback/product-21159964.html

There has always been a Purple Hood. “The Kings Man” and then the international agent used by HM Government to deal with external and internal threats. 

Mad men with nuclear bombs. 

Organised drug cartels. 

Power hungry dictators. 

The Britton family have always been Purple Hoods. The Purple Hood is precise and clinical in his work. But above all else those wearing the Hood have had guidance from their consciences. So when the military stand idly by, unable to act when civilians are massacred –when politicians only draw up policy and blow warm air….. ...does the Purple Hood –does John Britton– sit back on his hands idly awaiting a change in policy? 

Or does John Britton pull on the Hood and say: “Enough! The line is drawn and crossed!” 

Time for the bad men to run. 

Time to hide. Or time to die! 

Ben Dilworth writes and draws this mini epic.

Black Tower Comics: The Complete Phantom Detective

 

A4

B&W

36 Pages

Price: £6.00 (excl. VAT)Ships in 3–5 business days

 http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/the-complete-phantom-detective/paperback/product-22082132.html

Murdering Ghouls. Satanic Masses. Demonic Possession. Werewolves. Poltergeists. Vampires. To many of the uninitiated these are just “things that go bump in the night” -TV or film fantasy. 

In the Victorian era, The Phantom Detective used his decades of occult study to help those in danger from these “things” and he paid the ultimate price…. ….

Yet he continues to help and to observe as best he can for now he is a true... 

PHANTOM DETECTIVE! 

From one of the UK's most under -rated comic creators, Ben R. Dilworth, comes new life breathed into and a new slant given to the adventures of the former mortal who has become one of the Watchers -forbidden to act even to save a life from supernatural forces.  Except "rules are there to be broken or at the very least stretched until you can see through them!"

The much anticipated collection from the co-creator of Peter Wisdom and artist of Mark Millar's The Shadowmen!

Cinebook Ltd: BUCK DANNY CLASSICS 6 - RED ALERT

 

Authors: Frédéric Zumbiehl and Frédéric Marniquet; illustrated by Jean-Michel Arroyo

Age: 10 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages:  48 colour pages
Publication: February 2024

 ISBN: 9781800441255

£8.99 incl VAT

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/buck-danny-classics-alert-p-4541.html

Buck and his friends have managed to recover the blueprints of the Soviet supersonic bomber, but they’re stuck on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, with the entire Stasi hunting them. To maximise the chances of someone making it out, they decide to take different routes. But while Tumb and Sonny return to East Berlin with the blueprints, Buck chooses to go and destroy the existing prototypes on their base in Russia – what amounts to a suicide mission …

If there is one thing I have learnt over the years it is that if you go on a suicide mission the chances are you might not come back. Word. Look at The Dirty Dozen (I and II), look at The Magnificent Seven.... yeah. I really need to alter my meds.

Anyway, here we have it; part 2 of the story and things do look very bleak and grim -East Germany under the Communists was certainly not "Spaß heute Abend in der Altstadt! ("Fun time in the old town tonight"). One day I'll need to tell the story of how I was in a Landrover chased by the Vopos (Volks Polizei).... anyway, back to Buck Danny. Grim scenery, Stasi agents and a lot of gunplay and twists almost made me forget that this was, essentially, about air force pilots and that seems to have been a theme in these type of series including the legendary Dan Cooper.

The story maintains its pace and the art carries the whole thing along and I finally realised why the art seemed a tad familiar; there are touches that almost look like Ramona Fradon was involved. I have to mention, apologies I forgot last review, the superb colour work of Ketty Formaggio which makes it all pop. And Da Vinci style hang gliders! I admit that I was not expecting but based on history I should have!

Yep. I will call this a winner  and you can buy both parts in one fell swoop. Please if you want to order this or any other Cinebook title go to their site because then they get the money and not a large percentage ripped off from them by other sellers. It helps keep a company going.

My Second Big Book Of Utter (C)RAP

 

• 
  Richard Anthony Pester
• Project Option: US Letter, 8.5×11 in, 22×28 cm
  Pages: 20
• Publish Date: Mar 08, 2024
• £5.00
• https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/11932933-2nd-big-book-of-rap?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1oD0oBzUtHs3zwR-Qm3mPZzwOak8JWXftqXFKGQgadrK2SBZvvZB2z5s8_aem_AXLlPzm_sz7rEQBIY8YrfXMJBjWI3H-Ot7dGRLTUkaX5y7eE-qm8mz112Fa1je0Koe8NMnbhD5jcFJsyGLp1OGU8#
  

Continues the adaptation of Trials of the Cosmic Oddity and Derna Assumed starts in this issue.

As I have written before The Cosmic Oddity should really be picked up by one of those book publishers who like to show off that "we also do graphic novels".  The U.S. had Harvey Pekar and American Splendor and for me The Cosmic Oddity stands out in a class of its own and should be considered a British classic -I am willing to die on that hill (in 40 years or so and I will by then be avoiding hill!).  In fact I took out book one last night -they are on a shelf nearby- and read through it and I still get the same emotions out of it.  

Believe me, even if I know someone if I think they have produced something under par or a stinker then I say so. Politely but I still say so.

Derna, now Derna is one of those characters that once seen you want to see more of. Hey, she even got her bottom pinched by The Thinker once (but he was probably tripping because no one in their right mind would try that). This is in fact an illustrated text story and it's nice to see others doing this -comic strips and text pieces.

Not mentioned on the actual online store is the other strip -Baumgarten and Weiss: Temporal Detectives and this time they deal with a certain "Doc" who killed his youthful companion to try to stop screwing up the timeline but...probably screwed up the timeline and then another "Doc". It's all lovely fun.

Would I recommend this title? Hmmm....let me see....OF COURSE!

Now support talent and buy the first and second issue of (C)RAP -number 3 is on its way!

Cinebook Ltd: BUCK DANNY CLASSICS 5 - OPERATION IRON CURTAIN

 

Authors: Frédéric Zumbiehl and Frédéric Marniquet; illustrated by Jean-Michel Arroyo
Age: 10 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages:  48 colour pages
Publication: January 2024  

ISBN: 9781800441231

£8.99 incl VAT

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/buck-danny-classics-operation-iron-curtain-p-4539.html?osCsid=2bus4ji1adpt0n7h9mgvvsuf64

October 1961. The Soviet Union is working to create a supersonic bomber capable of launching nuclear weapons. Horrified by the warmongering of his political masters, one of the scientists working on the project decides to defect to the West with the aircraft’s blueprints – but the KGB’s reputation is well-deserved, and his attempt quickly turns into a nightmare. Soon, plans and counter-plans are put in action, and Buck and his friends find themselves thrust in the middle of a deadly game of spies …

This series was originally created by Georges Troisfontaines, Victor Hubinon and, of course, Jean-Michel Charlier and it was those stories that I read in German many, many...uh...a long time ago. I had been expecting simple combat stories but Buck Danny was much more and that has continued into the modern era.

So how have the new team done?  Story-wise with the twists and turns as well as well paced action and snappy dialogue spot on.  As for the art I like it although I, of course, liked the original and previous volumes the art of Arroyo has its own style and as with all changes it is a bit of a shock to the system. Actually that might be a bit over-the-top. What I mean is that rather like when Steve Dowling was forced to retire from the Garth newspaper strip and one day it was Dowling and next day I opened up the newspaper and...what?? Who's Frank Bellamy?  Damn I am making this complicated. It's the sudden change from one artist to another, right?

The military equipment, vehicles, weapons and uniforms -and I am known as a stickler for uniform accuracy- are all well done and, yes, once I sat down again and started reading the book again the art style fitted in well. I became....content😌

Yes, this is a good read and with a cliff-hanger ending with our heroes being hunted down and...well, it was a fun read and luckily no waiting as the next part of the story was also in the box.

Forget my mindless waffling it's been one of those days. This is a fun and action packed read and I know -I do know- there are a heck of a lot of Buck Danny fans out there and hopefully now a lot of English fans!

Black Tower Comics Tales of Terror....It's Here!!

 

Pages 75

Binding Perfect Bound

Interior Color Black & White

Dimensions A4 (8.27 x 11.69 in / 210 x 297 mm)

£8.00 excl. p&p

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/tales-of-terror-5/paperback/product-nvq7mmg.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Usually printed in 3 - 5 business days  

Online store shows cost + postage in your region and books are printed in YOUR region no international shipping fees

Once again the library of the Black Tower is opened and its files delved into. Robert Lovett -back from the dead for vengeance?

A mysterious case of two men falling into a strange dimension -the Black Abyss! The Living dead!

Black Tower's two sorcerers Kotar and Sabuta try to intervene in The Deadly Dilemma of Sigismund Benfrigisson!

Oh and there is more and you will sharpen your vampiric fangs, file your lycanthropic claws to razor sharpness to get this one!

Black Tower Comics: Tower Tales of Terror Special

 

Pages 80

Perfect Bound

Black & White

Dimensions A4 (8.27 x 11.69 in / 210 x 297 mm)

£8.00

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/tower-tales-of-terror-special/paperback/product-dyngve9.html?page=1&pageSize=4

From robotic alien invaders dealing with ancient barbarians (or barbarians dealing with them),

Dene Vernon Ghost Investigator,

The Iron Boy (seriously),

Cast Iron Chris,

Ingy Roob,

Bring 'em Back Hank,

Devil Fish Treasure,

The Iron Warrior and much more. It's special -there you go!

Cover by Richard Anthony Pester

Cinebook Ltds: GOMER GOOF 11 - GOOF-OFF AT GOMER CORRAL

 

Authors: Franquin
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: March 2024

ISBN: 9781800441286

£8.99 incl VAT

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/gomer-goof-goof-gomer-corral-p-4544.html

When Gomer isn’t unwittingly sabotaging all work at Spirou Magazine, he naps at his desk and dreams of being a handsome, fearless action hero for Miss Jeanne – not realising that this is already how she sees him! But outside the office, out in the city streets, well, that’s Officer Longsnoot’s territory, and between him and gomer – and most importantly Gomer’s often apocalyptically tweaked car – a merciless war of nerves is waged every day! 

First thing -I am not going back to find all of the links! There's a search box in the upper left and just type in "Gomer Goof" and you'll find what you need.

Which leads me to the same problem as with Marsupilami and that is what can I say about Gomer Goof?  Firstly, this is Franquin's work so you can compare how the style of Batem matches his. In fact, looking at the two side-by-side I think Franquin squeezes in just about as much detail as he can where necessary.  I found it funny when big mouths at comic events used to say this was a simplistic cartoony style and no work really went into it. Yeah, you'll find those types everywhere. Can they produce work of a similar style and quality? Only one ever did and he then vanished from comics.   As for the failures (if they even tried) there were all sorts of excuses including "It's a European style of course a British artist cannot copy it!" (yeah of course not).

So the art might look simple but it is actually quite detailed and a style that carries through on the visual gags -the library shown in a panel on p. 23 is a fine example.  As is the cop and taxi sequence on p. 38. It's all rather lovingly drawn and I can only imagine that Franquin must have enjoyed drawing all of this "clutter"!

Although colourful the colours are rather subdued rather than eye-popping bright and that helps.  So art and colour are okay -this is the best reprint I have seen of this volume but that is probably down to digital work and modern printing.  The humour and gags...do they work? D'uh! Of course they do and it's nice to see comic albums that adults and children can read and get giggles out of. 

Imagine kids getting a birthday or Christmas package of Gomer Goof Albums....or Marsupilami albums! In fact there is so much from Cinebook that covers the ages from kids to adults that you are spoilt for choice and after all of these years looking at Cinebook and what they have produced it's nice to think of the idiots who said and wrote "It's all European stuff. No one is going to bother buying this" 😂😂😂

Gomer Goof recommended.

Cinebook Ltd: MARSUPILAMI 9 - THE BUTTERFLY AND THE TREETOP SQUID

 

Author: Franquin, Yann & Batem
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: February 2024

ISBN: 9781800441262

£8.99 incl VAT

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/marsupilami-butterfly-treetop-squid-p-4540.html?osCsid=v86lfll6h8eijve3hnjubj57r4

The Palombian jungle is a cornucopia of strange and mysterious animal and vegetal species. Among those, a butterfly whose female has never been captured is the object of the ambitions of many scientists – and competition causes conflicts. A situation that the Marsupilami, who hates having his nap interrupted, finds positively unacceptable … although the opportunities to play with this new treetop research lab that’s suddenly appeared might make up for the inconvenience! 

For those not familiar with the character; it's Marsupilami. There.

You'll find reviews for 1-8 and these have come out quite regularly since 2017:

vol. 1

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-marsupilami-1-marsupilamis-tail.html

volume 2 I never go so vol. 3

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2018/12/cinebook-9th-art-marsupilami-3-black.html

vol. 4

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2019/10/cinebook-9th-art-marsupilami-4-pollen.html

vol. 5

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2021/01/cinebook-9th-art-marsupilami-5-baby.html

vol. 6

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2022/02/cinebook-ltd-marsupilami-6-fordlandia.html

vol. 7

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2023/01/cinebook-9th-art-marsupilami-7-gold-of.html

vol. 8

https://hoopercomicart.blogspot.com/2023/09/cinebook-ltd-marsupilami-8-temple-of.html

What can I write about this book that I have not already written? Not a lot really. 

It's often slap-stick fun along with visual gags and the artwork is just plain lovely and Batem is a worthy successor to Franquin. Topping it all off is the nice colouring by Cerise which makes this the perfect team and a book that any child will enjoy...or adult with a sense for humour and slap-stick.  

With nothing similar coming from what is left of UK "comic" publishing these European albums show why Cinebook is the leader in the UK market.

Cinebook Ltd: BILLY & BUDDY 9 - SYMPHONY IN BUDDY MAJOR

 

Authors: By Christophe Cazenove, illustrated by Jean Bastide
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: March 2024

ISBN: 9781800441293

£8.99 incl VAT

https://www.cinebook.co.uk/billy-buddy-9-symphony-in-buddy-major-p-4543.html?osCsid=mqqggmbjluu30v75ijoa493j56

Music soothes the wild beast – it’s a well-known fact. Though you have to admit it very much depends on the music. Dad’s bagpipes tend to give people murderous ideas, Billy’s flute is torture on all delicate ears … and as for Buddy’s various artistic forays, they generate far more noise than harmony. When all’s said and done, though, there’s nothing like a family jam session to have jolly good fun!

Well, I saw this and thought "Oh...how long ago was the last book out?!" In fact volume 8 was out in 2022. Then I realised that it doesn't matter. Why? In December 2022 I wrote that:

"With a book like this having to wait between volumes is no problem as they are all self contained stories. The style is close enough to Roba that unless you pay VERY close attention you will not notice the difference.

The art is lively and the colour work of Luc Perdriset and Jean Bastide make it even more so. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked Buddy to help me put my toys away?" sums it all up. This is fun and I think we all need a fun read these days in between checking if the UK has another new Prime Minister yet.  Supposedly for youngsters this series is also a treat for adults of an immature mindset!"  

And I stand by that.  The art is lovely and the colour work by Luc Perdriset and Jean Bastide really makes the art stand out even more and that colour work really "makes the eye smile" as someone once wrote (it sounds so dumb it may well have been me).  It just gives you that buzz of innocence from when you were a kid and picked up a comic and it was all new and escapism from the every day greyness of a working class life (ooh, hark at me getting all artsy!).

But for sheer fun and joy and smiles I do recxommend this book...or series!

Hexagon Comics: Guardian of Senegal

 

 Story: Mouhamadou Moustapha Sy - Art: Narotam

Cover: Narotam

Editor: Jean-Marc Lofficier

7x10 squarebound comic, 

52 pages b&w

ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-269-2. 

$12.95

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-the-guardian-of-senegal.html

Kanta, the Guardian of Senegal, made his first appearance in The Partisans #2, a story that took place in 1942, pitting him against Nazis and emissaries of the evil god Set, and aided by Baroud, the amazon Antales and a young Tanka. However, his origins were not detailed until now.

it took two years to put together the authentic Senegalese writer-artist team who produced this issue. Writer M. M. is the author of Sapiens Vampiris, a novel published in 2021 to critical acclaim. Artist Narotam works as a political cartoonist for the Senegalese newspaper, Le Politicien.

The story spans the period between 1914 and 1938 and features the Senegalese Tirailleurs (“Riflemen”), a corps of infantry created in 1857 who fought courageously during World War I.

The artwork may not be polished Marvel or DC artwork but then even those two companies fail to maintain that standard. This is an art style I have seen before and mainly in Independent comics where creators are given a chance to show off what they can do. As someone who basically draws satirical cartoons for a newspaper Narotam has not done a bad job. The grey tones work and it will be interesting to se how he develops his style.  The story written by Sy works well and it was enjoyable.

To give more background here is the press piece I did back in January:

THE GUARDIAN OF SENEGAL

 

Story: Mouhamadou Moustapha Sy

Art & Cover: Narotam

Adapted into English by Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier

The Guardian of Senegal, made his first appearance in The Partisans #2, a story that took place in 1942. Jean-Marc Lofficier, EIC of Hexagon Comics, had wanted to include an authentic African hero rising from the ashes of the French Western African colonial empire.

However, Lofficier felt that the degree of authenticity that he sought would be better served if a Senegalese artistic team could craft his origins.

“I should state that I do not agree, in principle, with the notion that only writers of a certain ethnicity or origin can or should write characters of that same ethnicity, etc.” said Lofficier. “I think talent, research and an open mind can be adequate substitutes. Nevertheless, I can see the wisdom of entrusting Black American heroes such as Luke Cage or Black Lightning to talented Black-American creators, and the results have certainly more than justified that choice.

“However, I confess that I fail to see how the same applies to Black Panther, a character from a fictional Eastern African country. To me, the versions of that character crafted by Don McGregor, Peter Gillis and Jonathan Maberry are just as noteworthy as those produced by Christopher Priest, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Nnedi Okorafor, but still a product of American culture. In my opinion, it would have been more interesting to see what might have happened if Marvel had looked for creators from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, or South Africa. It took me two years to put together a Senegalese writer-artist team to produce this issue.”

Writer M M Sy is a young Senegalese engineer who first wrote fanfiction before being published professionally. His first novel, Sapiens Vampiris, was published in France in 2021 to critical acclaim. Artist Narotam works as a cartoonist for a Senegalese newspaper.

The story spans a period ranging from 1914 to 1938 and draws on the history of the Senegalese Riflemen who fought during World War I, 30,000 of whom were killed in battle. The keystone is a tragic friendly fire incident that happened at Chateau-Thierry on June 1st ,1918,” explains Lofficier. “American machine gunners mistakenly fired on what they believed to be a night attack by German troops. Instead, they were soldiers of the French 10th Colonial division from Senegal, who had been trying to get back across the river.”

There, now you know as much as I do but...you need to buy the book to catch up with me.