Thaddeus Mist reviews

Some lovely reviews for 'Who On Earth Was Thaddeus Mist?' 

The Speech Balloons one from Paul Birch I meant to share eons ago, the Richard Bruton Forbidden Planet one dropped last month. Here are some pieces:

"With regards to the writing, yes, you can tell the differing styles - some more purple prose others more pulp styled as they mimic a Victoriana narrative, but they also appear to have been edited into a generally coherent to read, as one voice - or many voices coming together in a crowded room and us as readers picking up on different aspects of the various conversations going on." - Paul Birch, Speech Balloons

"Each individual tale is insightful, adding a little to the man each time, building up our image of him, and every single tale works, story and art all doing really well. There’s genuinely not a thing I can pull the book up on, it’s something I’ve read three times now, and each time, I’ve gone cover to cover without a break, captured and entranced by the tales spun within. Most enjoyable stuff." - Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet International Blog

My sincere thanks to Paul and Richard for taking the time to read and write about the book in such depth and detail.

If you'd like to get hold of a copy, the book is available at Travelling Man Newcastle, Imagination Station Carlisle, Orbital Comics London, or from the Accent UK website.

Reviews: Glasgow Comic Con

Hey everyone! 

I picked up a bunch of books from fellow exhibitors at Glasgow Comic Con last month. I very much enjoyed all of them. I shine some light on those I was taken with the most below! 

The Amateur Astronomer’s Journal by Neil Slorance

God I loved this book. It’s beautifully packaged. It’s charming and tender. It’s effortlessly illustrated. The thing has a lovely arc. It remains intelligent and informative throughout; the whimsy conceals a reassuring depth of knowledge on the topic of astronomy. It also weaves miniature memories into its narrative. A thoroughly optimistic and generous piece.

Favourite bit: It’s ma boy, Saturn!

Never Mind Sigur Ros, here's Colin's Godson by Colin Godson & Adam Smith

Brilliant and knowing mash-up of underground comics and punk music (with a CD and everything!). Vivid and psychedelic, dense and compact. This kept me going for hours. Really inspiring, I’ll be sure to pick up the back catalogue in a heart-beat.

Favourite bit: The Day We Went Into Space

Team Girl Comics issue #8 by Various

Eight issues in, and the Team Girl Comic collective continues to produce idiosyncratic independent comics. Witty, observant and honest. An anthology that strives to provide something different and interesting without resorting to poe-faced soul-searching. Simply put, there should be more stuff like this out there.

Favourite bit: Ghost Dog

Metrodome by Craig Collins & Iain Laurie

This book genuinely made me chuckle to myself during an agonizing cross-country bus journey. For those unaware, the basic premise of Metrodome is to mash together and combine random words selected from an issue of the London Newspaper The Metro as inspiration for inventing weird characters that then battle each other in a death-match. Thus the birth of wonderfully surreal creations like The Exploding Ghost, Sewer Vision, and Sparkling Tumour. These really have to be seen to be believed. It’s an inspired idea that produces joyful results. The end battle is utter chaos, and I would have been satisfied with an entire book of single image illustrations featuring such bizarre characters. Thrilling.

Favourite bit: Exploding Ghost

Taking Flight by Stephen Sutherland & Garry McLaughlin

I’m not normally one for independent superhero books. It’s a record scratched on warped with overuse – thanks to the previous efforts of Morrison and Millar. Having said that, I thought there was something new in this one from Laser Age Comics. Crisp, clean and confident, with eye-catching colours. Garry McLaughlin’s art has a Quitely – but to a greater extent Chris Burnham – vibe to it. 

Favourite Bit: Newspaper strip headline – SUPERHERO WAS MY BOY WONDER

GEM OF THE SHOW: 

AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE By John Lees, Iain Laurie & Colin Bell

This was a wonderful, twisted little surprise. A David Lynch air throughout, it made me feel itchy and uncomfortable, which is the highest praise I can bestow. John Lees’ script is tight and mysterious, with a few curve-balls that really add to the sense of hyper-reality. The off-kilter energy. The real stand-out is Iain Lawrie on art duties. Equal parts Paul Pope, Nick Pitarra and Morgan Jeske (this reminded me frequently of Jeske and Ales Kot’s Change). Despite the content raw as a picked scab, the presentation and print quality is supremely professional. Extremely impressive. Find a copy.

Favourite bit: Bandaged Fiona

Great books, worthy of your attention. 

OJ

OX

RAYGUNROADS.COM IS NOW LIVE!!

 

You think it's all a Death-Trap but the Death-Trap is you,

Buck up, Rogers, you're flying don't be blue.

- Raygun Roads & The Kittlebach Pirates, The Infinity Loop Death-Trap of Ullysses Pomp

HOLLA, FREAKS AND FIREBRANDS. IT'S TIME FOR SOME FILTH.

The 22 page limited edition ashcan copies of Raygun Roads have arrived, and they've only gone and knocked this fellas boots off! Madness.

For you morons that ain't heard of this book yet, here's the essentials.

EXPOSITION!

Raygun Roads is a psychedelic science fiction comic concerning an imaginary pop-culture icon who – along with her cosmic punk band The Kittelbach Pirates – kidnaps Vince Paradise; the teenager that concocted her.

Exploding through the wall of the job-centre in their Suicide Machine, The Kittelbach Pirates rescue Vince from murder at the hands of his personal spiritual virus, D-Void. Raygun and Vince take a road trip through his psyche with the intention of assassinating Ullysses Pomp – head of D-Void and mastermind of The Infinity Loop Death-Trap, a mechanism with the power to destroy all teenagers. 

A full-colour flip-book, Raygun Roads & The Infinity Loop Death-Trap Of Ullysses Pomp is our love letter to vinyl records, outsider ‘beat’ culture, and the transformative power of pop music. It’s a satire on the state of youth unemployment and the government’s failure to take responsibility.  It’s just a piece of candy-floss nonsense.

Do you feel neglected? Then it’s time to get infected! 

Now that's out the way, look at them pages!!!

As always, a massive thank you to the endlessly professional and wonderful Stuart and Sharron Gould and everyone at UK Comics. They are proof that you can, indeed, polish a turd. 

 BUT WAIT: Who is the abundant talent behind this degenerate tripe I hear you cry? Well that would be INDIO, ANDY BLOOR, AND MIKE STOCK.

Look, people think it's good! Honest!

And we're ripping you off! It's not even the whole book! This is the first 22 pages of our story, which will be released as a full 49 page flip-album (just like vinyl!!) in September. But's it's only cheap (financially and morally), so stop complaining!! 

DISCLAIMER: Those cheeky Scots get it first. This weekend you can grab a copy of the 50 copy limited edition run at the BONKERS AND BRILLIANT Glasgow Comic Con ! This comic is inspired by the Scottish underground scene (along with other things) to it's a spiritual home for the book. And they're the only ones that will have us. 

NOT JUST THAT: this edition comes complete with an access code to experience the first track with it's original soundtrack at the RAYGUNROADS website. It's really a confusing experience and not recommended if you have epilepsy. Or taste. 

Talking of the website, there are more talented muthas involved in that. Go and check it out to see unbelievable work by musicians Steve Harrison and Ben Johnston, animator Matt Sandbrook and super-genius criminal web-builder Inigo Saenz. The wider experience would simply not have existed without them and I must thank them. You, on the other hand, must blame them. 

So, I'll see you in Glasgow?