tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13696492123033808812024-03-06T12:00:21.083-08:00AccentUKComicsDave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-31947195905792301672018-08-05T08:24:00.004-07:002018-08-05T08:24:47.412-07:00Please check the following blogs for up to date news.<a href="http://www.strangestoftimes.blogspot.com/">www.strangestoftimes.blogspot.com</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.momentofadventure.blogspot.com/">www.momentofadventure.blogspot.com</a><br />
<br />
It became too difficult to maintain this extra blog, and Facebook and twitter .. and maybe Instagram .. ah ... Social Media .. ya gotta love it.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-18114490030863817452017-04-30T07:46:00.002-07:002017-04-30T07:46:47.168-07:00AccentUK gets some great coverage in latest Comic Heroes magazine.Dave West gets interviewed in the Indie Spotlight section of the latest Comic Heroes magazine, for more details pop over to <a href="http://strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk/">Strange Times.</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFhx0ECzrqhRm5JViF1IF5kjJzCsFSu2H0t8Un3QPRlL-Wuh6CnVXv6jRqbFcNOQp45hq7pqxvEZ7J2AfhxN6FKvs345cek9J2XSUszJ03n6sM2aDuVGNCy9BfgQ6IFK6A_-gpMbM6_Q/s1600/IMG_4115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFhx0ECzrqhRm5JViF1IF5kjJzCsFSu2H0t8Un3QPRlL-Wuh6CnVXv6jRqbFcNOQp45hq7pqxvEZ7J2AfhxN6FKvs345cek9J2XSUszJ03n6sM2aDuVGNCy9BfgQ6IFK6A_-gpMbM6_Q/s400/IMG_4115.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-88761421246967334812017-04-23T10:29:00.000-07:002017-04-23T10:29:00.284-07:00Victoriana cancellation.<div>
It’s taken a long time for us to finally accept that we will be cancelling
what was to be our last themed anthology, <b>Victoriana</b>.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
When we started these anthologies it was always with a view to getting the
artwork of unknown creators in front of a wider audience. There was never any
promise of up front payment or back end royalties deal. The idea being that we
would work hard getting the books into as many hands as possible and raise the
profile of all involved. We continually improved the quality of the books until,
back in 2007, <b>ZOMBIES </b>was accepted by <b>Diamond Distribution</b>. Through them the
anthology was shipped to comic stores across the globe.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
However, sales of Anthologies is always a difficult business and a risk for
stores. You never know what the quality of all the stories will be, and you
really can’t judge such books by the cover. We did however build a reputation
for putting out great anthologies.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Speaking to a number of retailers in the USA and UK, we were told that only
about 10% of their customers would even consider an anthology title. The books
were great though and we had healthy enough numbers to satisfy <b>Diamond’s </b>
internal review processes and so we were comfortable that we were honouring our
promise.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We were getting the work of unknown creators in front of a wider audience,
helped by some more established names contributing stories or covers.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Over the years though the <b>Diamond </b>order has dropped, book by book.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Retailers tell us that they can no longer afford to risk to spend their
money on anthologies. They are hard pressed to keep up with the the many
crossover events or re-launches of the main two publishers.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We’ve sat on <b>Victoriana </b>for a while. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hoping for the market to swing back.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
For <b>Marvel </b>and <b>DC </b>to slow down with their comic book output, or for them to
produce less crossovers.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
But that has proven not to be the case.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Any visit to your local comic store will show you that it appears that
about 80% of the comics of the walls are <b>Marvel </b>or <b>DC</b>. <b>Image </b>are producing some
great titles and between them and <b>Dark Horse</b> that pretty much takes up most of
the rest of the shelves.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
It’s a shame, but the market is driven by the consumer at the end of the
day. The comic shops are between the customer and <b>Diamond </b>and they will
naturally take the safest course.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We are no longer therefore able to honour the promise we make to
contributors. We could print a couple of hundred copies and take them to <b>UK </b>
shows (they are too heavy to take overseas really) but that isn’t what we were
wanting to do. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Also our own publishing model has changed as we have realised that
customers like an on going character, either in mini-series or on going stories.
We found our energy and finances moving in this direction and now have a number
of such characters in regular books.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We’d like to apologise to all the creators who contributed work, the work
is of course yours and you are free to take it to other anthologies (maybe one
based in the <b>USA </b>where it will hit a bigger market). I would send out an email
to you all but I’ve been through two crashed PCs since we pulled it all together
and have lost all the contact details.</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-41980578254031268972017-04-23T09:46:00.000-07:002017-04-23T09:46:06.592-07:00Accent UK restock of Orbital Comics.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDVxCG2k4_xhurDohNZiqYr6yhIwYHejj63Ohck56Wwg6bSpg8uhoIyxAoMR46tvNANYBZiEAxT1jMSSYWPssmbAsWxIsE1VxEWIMdUrWff4Otv4H8ZXdXJHgyQv-NgjOgIfqaDBcRgU/s1600/IMG_3323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDVxCG2k4_xhurDohNZiqYr6yhIwYHejj63Ohck56Wwg6bSpg8uhoIyxAoMR46tvNANYBZiEAxT1jMSSYWPssmbAsWxIsE1VxEWIMdUrWff4Otv4H8ZXdXJHgyQv-NgjOgIfqaDBcRgU/s400/IMG_3323.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
I popped into <b>Orbital Comics</b> on Saturday and had a nice chat with Camilla,<br />
I'm always impressed by the Independent Comics selection in the store, and it's why we are always keen on having our books on sale there.<br />
I'll be periodically refreshing the stock, but left Camilla with three copies of the <b>WesterNoir </b>trade paperback, and three copies of each of the issues of <b>Stephenson's Robot</b>.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-60833129573927733362017-02-19T11:45:00.002-08:002017-02-19T11:52:43.485-08:002017 EventsI've just updated the EVENTS schedule for 2017, see top left of this Blog for full list... I say 'full' but there's always the chance that more will be added.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-69063614954637339402017-02-19T11:32:00.001-08:002017-02-19T11:53:42.683-08:00Tales of WesterNoir 3I've just posted news about the next WesterNoir comic over on <a href="http://strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk/">Strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAwcnKTHp6RArr95udfSRBX3ZUWEOqaTKTB761tosOZZp11CZ7bCQHnalH11XsmL1BsNuDmRc5iaa9Xscq7Ea8xsPfqWWVru2JVV-JFBx3PTu3ZPxVilgy_TfCX6bEjUu5DqO42Ok5q0/s1600/CopenCon2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAwcnKTHp6RArr95udfSRBX3ZUWEOqaTKTB761tosOZZp11CZ7bCQHnalH11XsmL1BsNuDmRc5iaa9Xscq7Ea8xsPfqWWVru2JVV-JFBx3PTu3ZPxVilgy_TfCX6bEjUu5DqO42Ok5q0/s400/CopenCon2017.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
The first event of the year for us will be next weekend's Comic Con in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154517651089125&set=a.103906479124.92923.575419124&type=3&theater">Copenhagen</a>. What a way to start the year.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-58900116563349804182016-09-26T02:48:00.003-07:002016-09-26T02:48:29.845-07:00Recent news and events ...Pop over to <a href="https://momentofadventure.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Colin's Blog</b></span></a> and <a href="http://strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>my blog</b></span></a> for recent news, reviews and event write ups.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-34014684343407367172016-05-11T14:09:00.003-07:002016-05-11T14:09:58.210-07:00Great Stephenson's Robot reviews...over at <a href="https://comicsanonymous2015.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/a-comic-a-day-in-may-day-10-stephensons-robot-1-2/">Comicsanonymous2015.wordpress.com</a>.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-52356762823146053462016-05-01T08:41:00.000-07:002016-05-01T08:41:19.508-07:00Two new releases from Accent UK.It's unusual for <b>Accent UK</b> to release two books within a few weeks of each other but that's what's happened with the releases of Colin's <b>Moments Of Adventure</b> and my <b>Stephenson's Robot - issue 3</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcw73rqEemDltkxez8Gt4wIPFJK1OcdXcfvGTNWVzqIwwn4tWpMFhIvdlsdsWHQhk0eZmeF24Q6QRpj5raeanpj70cT4NlPtZwAUceJLqi8Zy-qQuCJNTOPYDQLS52GaAtGADH7rJOxA/s1600/MOA1+FINAL+PRINT+COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcw73rqEemDltkxez8Gt4wIPFJK1OcdXcfvGTNWVzqIwwn4tWpMFhIvdlsdsWHQhk0eZmeF24Q6QRpj5raeanpj70cT4NlPtZwAUceJLqi8Zy-qQuCJNTOPYDQLS52GaAtGADH7rJOxA/s400/MOA1+FINAL+PRINT+COVER.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<b>Moments of Adventure</b> collects a number of Colin's out of print stories, previously published in <b>Accent UK </b>anthologies. Each tale has been re-lettered and also coloured by either Matt Soffe or Aljosa Tomic to wonderful effect.<br />
Launched at this weekend's <b>Granite City Comic Con</b> in <b>Aberdeen</b> this is Colin's first published comic for a few years now...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEhph1SbbLeDhK5zWOYsQQNsqEkxlRU5L1UQT3SDbR4CKzD98l9Kux_sVNDTiBE2V4eeOlY1RZe96XebrN8dS68LqMZ4SL-qKxz3sLiKmNuPBeXjbOhujJfSpxbu_qsFy3l-KrqK5uVI/s1600/ColinMoALaunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEhph1SbbLeDhK5zWOYsQQNsqEkxlRU5L1UQT3SDbR4CKzD98l9Kux_sVNDTiBE2V4eeOlY1RZe96XebrN8dS68LqMZ4SL-qKxz3sLiKmNuPBeXjbOhujJfSpxbu_qsFy3l-KrqK5uVI/s320/ColinMoALaunch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
and will be followed by his remastered (and coloured) <b>Zulu</b>, previously printed in two issues.<br />
The <b>Zulu</b> Graphic Novel will also contain a new strip, created specially for the book.<br />
As is traditional now, I've modified a <b>Lego</b> figure to accompany the <b>Moments of Adventure</b> comic.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw2ILLdKVRlkcQdd-8ipEmcJbOGvJothHGtLyEsJzKo9wdto1eAuj8Q3FluAJxNDnWJj9VF6o1DrzgVpkVce2zKaiHC9hlPLatk-kw-Gi3R8MeTUcltH2Y283HYPoLdONNoNW_tSdfzg/s1600/MoAFigure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw2ILLdKVRlkcQdd-8ipEmcJbOGvJothHGtLyEsJzKo9wdto1eAuj8Q3FluAJxNDnWJj9VF6o1DrzgVpkVce2zKaiHC9hlPLatk-kw-Gi3R8MeTUcltH2Y283HYPoLdONNoNW_tSdfzg/s320/MoAFigure.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b>Stephenson's Robot Issue 3</b> continues the story of an alternate history steampunk tale, set predominantly in World War 1...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgrFV6nsk1YVsj3ZnvDpkgSLdUbsR85ZkwEvGFfkzvj-uXMx88C3PYvsiKTKqFMkd5NKnLtsiocw4rDJf-7jtsrXuKi88L0eCQls6yNaSVUoQ3_GZ9GAlMlwiXBgQkD0iotgrOZfkkLU/s1600/Stephensons+Robot+3+Cover+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgrFV6nsk1YVsj3ZnvDpkgSLdUbsR85ZkwEvGFfkzvj-uXMx88C3PYvsiKTKqFMkd5NKnLtsiocw4rDJf-7jtsrXuKi88L0eCQls6yNaSVUoQ3_GZ9GAlMlwiXBgQkD0iotgrOZfkkLU/s400/Stephensons+Robot+3+Cover+for+blog.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAI4vgR2fGGiYG-dG7GLkg8bWItXS5scJOowWhyDOTs9VfVxPRTwHRJW1IEhbpuOQJAaBwu504NREoA8ilzdjuiZRc5OhQ4fPlVBi3qoTvjHhEM29kVHfyd4q8_KQNNmrYSFSgadOT364/s1600/Empress+Tarot+Card+4+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAI4vgR2fGGiYG-dG7GLkg8bWItXS5scJOowWhyDOTs9VfVxPRTwHRJW1IEhbpuOQJAaBwu504NREoA8ilzdjuiZRc5OhQ4fPlVBi3qoTvjHhEM29kVHfyd4q8_KQNNmrYSFSgadOT364/s400/Empress+Tarot+Card+4+blog.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
...which as usual will be accompanied by a Tarot card, this time around it's Beauty, to reflect this issue's back story.<br />
And of course a modified <b>Lego</b> figure for the table at Conventions.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjcvXX0vsAtOJd_j9Pe7LTiHBeFY8Exz2bVIbAh5O6AIdHRT7u2PqTzmig979f7D76yUhHMDpXLmQEn96hz8lEg1bSeuxX81KYQ0j108KD3uNI9hc_ITDiLpw3Oky3K7q2olC6ahFH54/s1600/SR3Figure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjcvXX0vsAtOJd_j9Pe7LTiHBeFY8Exz2bVIbAh5O6AIdHRT7u2PqTzmig979f7D76yUhHMDpXLmQEn96hz8lEg1bSeuxX81KYQ0j108KD3uNI9hc_ITDiLpw3Oky3K7q2olC6ahFH54/s400/SR3Figure.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-20724300972272701372016-02-08T09:44:00.002-08:002016-02-08T09:44:37.430-08:00Demon Con 11 and Bolton.I've just posted a report of our first Convention of the year DemonCon11 over at <span style="color: #a64d79;"><b><a href="http://strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk/">Strange Times</a>.</b></span><br />
Our next Convention will be this Saturday at Bolton, hope to see you there.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-46980329211544543312016-01-23T03:47:00.000-08:002016-01-23T04:09:00.430-08:00A review of Who On Earth Was Thaddeus Mist ?Paul Birch has just posted a very fair and balanced review of our concept anthology, 'Who On Earth Was Thaddeus Mist ?' over at<b><span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"> </span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><a href="http://targetmediawebs.wix.com/comic-time#!Graphic-Novel-Review/c112t/56a3252e0cf2f3c826e36747"><span style="color: white;">http://targetmediawebs.wix.com/comic-time</span></a><span style="color: #a64d79;">.</span></span></span></b><br />
Thanks Paul.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-41284794049801078632016-01-16T12:44:00.000-08:002016-01-16T12:44:18.705-08:002016 - Convention dates.The dates for the 2016 Convention schedule have been added to the blog, on the right --><br />
Great to include some new venues in with the favourites from last year.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-53872707748821585652016-01-03T02:56:00.002-08:002016-01-03T02:56:34.741-08:00WesterNoir Issue 1 is now available through Comixology.I've updated the <b>Accent UK</b> website to reflect this fact by including the logo at the bottom right hand corner of the <b>WesterNoir</b> #1 image.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupdDNkvEbql1i4yyugntZgWYK5Jzvxd9SmscliFsmOscMDF2s29Vc1LrReECyMtxa9WER7Jwjh-Y2eBWt3_cRZnX7ORa44c6gG-3MOr_HUY7cWA9uVUhDbVAeKbCjrk-Q3FoKa3eowcw/s1600/HEROslide_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupdDNkvEbql1i4yyugntZgWYK5Jzvxd9SmscliFsmOscMDF2s29Vc1LrReECyMtxa9WER7Jwjh-Y2eBWt3_cRZnX7ORa44c6gG-3MOr_HUY7cWA9uVUhDbVAeKbCjrk-Q3FoKa3eowcw/s400/HEROslide_03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
As we put more up there I'll do the same for the other issues, and comics.<br />
If you'd like to pop over and order a copy then here are the links for <a href="https://www.comixology.co.uk/search?search=westernoir"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">UK</span></b></a> and <a href="https://www.comixology.com/search?search=westernoir"><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">US</span></b></a>.<br />
<br />Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-62601807708361059512015-11-09T11:07:00.002-08:002015-11-09T11:07:19.426-08:00WesterNoir issue 5 review.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVVZEl8ZVh6CBoyYvBHp4NgI2SbgEJ_YrlIXMVZJeHujtw85FOZiNMKhn9Y7gFTOOy0PqZK2bYYo4YYg_hsGw0pq2BKrAdiKP4hfpd5buG54tHeHIC3-tG6iRZZCy0PL2jCLOVeOw7ro/s1600/WesterNoir+5+AUK+Interior+PabelforJeremy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVVZEl8ZVh6CBoyYvBHp4NgI2SbgEJ_YrlIXMVZJeHujtw85FOZiNMKhn9Y7gFTOOy0PqZK2bYYo4YYg_hsGw0pq2BKrAdiKP4hfpd5buG54tHeHIC3-tG6iRZZCy0PL2jCLOVeOw7ro/s400/WesterNoir+5+AUK+Interior+PabelforJeremy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Jeremy Briggs</b> has posted his review for Issue 5 up over at <a href="http://downthetubes.net/?p=26874"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>DownTheTubes.net</b></span></a> and is enjoying how things are moving along.<br />
Both this and the latest issue, Issue 6, will be available at this year's <b>Thought Bubble</b> (this weekend) along with a limited number of sketch packs of what we call 'The First Season', which includesv <b>WesterNoir </b>issues 1 to 4 and <b>Tales of WesterNoir </b>issue1.<br />
We hope to see you there and chat about <b>Josiah Black</b> and his world.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-269728990550752902015-11-07T03:11:00.000-08:002015-11-07T03:11:34.751-08:00The Troll gets a great spotlight...over on <a href="http://www.brokenfrontier.com/the-troll-joe-golem-mike-mignola-sky-in-stereo-mardou-monstress-image-comics-johnny-red-garth-ennis-exodus-the-life-after-joshua-hale-fialkov-gabo-oni-press/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Broken Frontier</b></span></a>, it's great that Martin's wonderful little comic is receiving the focus that it deserves.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-62391138064715939402015-10-28T12:33:00.003-07:002015-10-28T12:33:56.462-07:00Martin Flink's The Troll gets reviewed by Page45.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVA2AWaKOIO3-dRl1YAyr_dk7eJtiQAvJDFtKwso2kbdbqrEyaO-oRiAaSmk5fFMfHefiPjSUrD-jLlDVBIQZdC-4gnFeJB0S8IVD9heI0ZIu_mqIF9_7ybuEu9fOysXhqfhnhhExsTQ/s1600/Troll-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVA2AWaKOIO3-dRl1YAyr_dk7eJtiQAvJDFtKwso2kbdbqrEyaO-oRiAaSmk5fFMfHefiPjSUrD-jLlDVBIQZdC-4gnFeJB0S8IVD9heI0ZIu_mqIF9_7ybuEu9fOysXhqfhnhhExsTQ/s400/Troll-cover.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
Stephen Holland has posted a great review of The Troll over at <a href="http://www.page45.com/world/2015/10/page-45-comic-graphic-novel-reviews-october-2015-week-four/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>www.page45.com</b></span></a>.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-87897793338951291552015-10-26T13:30:00.000-07:002015-10-26T13:32:19.411-07:00Our last MCM event of the year reviewed.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFdE4csK5gFImprjNHWNLXS38nTQFT_jbhzXH7KrPYKIJQRwGu-6RUx8j1ibOW4eiVxYHl1Hnk2-KdkRYyiVSkGfGlaPmnMpC3eaL4qSSHJFn53Y4n0B79mSRqvhv95ROuxNFG_g3K-E/s1600/LondonMCMprog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFdE4csK5gFImprjNHWNLXS38nTQFT_jbhzXH7KrPYKIJQRwGu-6RUx8j1ibOW4eiVxYHl1Hnk2-KdkRYyiVSkGfGlaPmnMpC3eaL4qSSHJFn53Y4n0B79mSRqvhv95ROuxNFG_g3K-E/s400/LondonMCMprog2.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
I've just posted my report on the London MCM event over on <a href="http://strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk</b></span></a>.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-32381138055282917452015-10-19T15:36:00.000-07:002015-10-19T15:36:38.596-07:00MCM London.These weekend, well actually Friday as well, Accent UK will be at the <a href="http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>MCM</b></span></a> event in London's Excel, Royal Victoria Doc.<br />
We've had a great time at previous events and met a lot of new people along with those returning to the stall for the next issue of <b>WesterNoir</b> or <b>Stephenson's Robot</b>. The good news is that <b>WesterNoir</b> issue 6 will be available for the first time as I'll be receiving copies on Wednesday from our printer <b>Stuart Gould</b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilerYT2UeLNKKt49-EQDhfMXNRXkQXN-Y-DYVeb9NJNkE4tSlGgWNHlKwf8t11jWb6PJId45CL1xQvMbVJVWQe3rkm94K3uS5k2-TKgBjyhx2C7J2B2CNT-CCIuBNfzDacApC9ZCHbfx4/s1600/WN6StuartNote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilerYT2UeLNKKt49-EQDhfMXNRXkQXN-Y-DYVeb9NJNkE4tSlGgWNHlKwf8t11jWb6PJId45CL1xQvMbVJVWQe3rkm94K3uS5k2-TKgBjyhx2C7J2B2CNT-CCIuBNfzDacApC9ZCHbfx4/s400/WN6StuartNote.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I've seen the proof copy and it looks great.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oWM4UT-obkMny3nUsHQtvqI2LBNGIjcGiSOYyRZr_7n5ZLpEttw3wfhXV2YqXQRJUlrqCGR5_v7KAqBpuM_jFfSLIfnhifG4mG07zuiy6h1utQ75HLBpYNtYRrDNa9it9AdqdcM-RhE/s1600/WN6Cover4Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oWM4UT-obkMny3nUsHQtvqI2LBNGIjcGiSOYyRZr_7n5ZLpEttw3wfhXV2YqXQRJUlrqCGR5_v7KAqBpuM_jFfSLIfnhifG4mG07zuiy6h1utQ75HLBpYNtYRrDNa9it9AdqdcM-RhE/s400/WN6Cover4Blog.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
We will also have a limited number of sketches from the series co-creator, co-writer and artist <a href="http://gcrutchley.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Gary Crutchley</b></span></a> that will be free with the <b>WesterNoir</b> issues 1-4 plus <b>Tales of WesterNoir</b> #1 multi-packs.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-37494626735074739032015-09-13T07:08:00.002-07:002015-09-13T08:48:30.678-07:00Vampire Free Style in Previews.I don't often plug the work of others on the <b>Accent UK</b> blog, or my own, as I come across so many good comics and I know that I'd miss someone out and offend them.<br />
But there's always the exception to every rule.<br />
<b>Jenika Ioffreda</b> is one of the hardest working comic creators working in the UK, and one of life's genuinely good people.<br />
Great news then that he collected <b>Vampire Free Style</b> is in this month's <b>PREVIEWS</b> catalogue from <b>Diamond Distribution</b>, which is what comic stores use to order comics for their store.<br />
Now, just because it's in there doesn't mean that your local comic store is bound to order a batch. Sadly comic stores cannot afford to spend much on comics that aren't part of the latest <b>Marvel </b>crossover event or <b>DC </b>reboot, so if you want to get a copy then you'll need to make sure that your local comic store is aware of the fact, and orders a few copies in.<br />
Here's Jenika's flier for reference, which quotes the Diamond code, to make it as easy as possible for you...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajQU6Y4m9_yOkJSiNQMim5YsiWUOh23PoeXHelEjBCKTlCAWXdItXMITyl2MjgrD_X7QyzTlbWzgjXpyotrYe9si57CiYj24mj71pR_xBs_dFW6ryF8g6Q9TVK3NSgUwe5TlSiSlbriQ/s1600/VFpage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajQU6Y4m9_yOkJSiNQMim5YsiWUOh23PoeXHelEjBCKTlCAWXdItXMITyl2MjgrD_X7QyzTlbWzgjXpyotrYe9si57CiYj24mj71pR_xBs_dFW6ryF8g6Q9TVK3NSgUwe5TlSiSlbriQ/s400/VFpage1.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuTdMQ3Xzk78PljgCD5iuUJB3WdmQFm0lDjW-WChOHaYsH9oj3O2MyV9P90OTq9BhixX48Q-t97U-jJdDA5blOpkMPyshdPK7ju8W9AC3OwWnKrDcPJzuHPahcQaLAZHJclLgOd-6DU8/s1600/VFpage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuTdMQ3Xzk78PljgCD5iuUJB3WdmQFm0lDjW-WChOHaYsH9oj3O2MyV9P90OTq9BhixX48Q-t97U-jJdDA5blOpkMPyshdPK7ju8W9AC3OwWnKrDcPJzuHPahcQaLAZHJclLgOd-6DU8/s400/VFpage2.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
You'll thank me for pointing it out to you once you've read it...Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-68642240829417201632015-09-13T04:05:00.000-07:002015-09-14T04:53:26.584-07:00Illuminating Blackpool.Yesterday we spent a strange day at <b>Blackpool</b>'s first Comic Con.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZw3Zi6BdH8HtAiZmKt7XPDetRixsMKWtdC3G5n8weuz1CJ2tshC4ExaUya2Yv82BGLShWS62G_hbxG0Jb5zkXcE-vPtky45WIBdgT8waKazVmCOqsxYb1Z-i29Ogay7AGX4bm9QdpUc/s1600/IMG_0638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZw3Zi6BdH8HtAiZmKt7XPDetRixsMKWtdC3G5n8weuz1CJ2tshC4ExaUya2Yv82BGLShWS62G_hbxG0Jb5zkXcE-vPtky45WIBdgT8waKazVmCOqsxYb1Z-i29Ogay7AGX4bm9QdpUc/s400/IMG_0638.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Set in the impressive <b>Winter Gardens</b>, it meant an early start and despite the rain, a fallen tree and the one way system in <b>Blackpool</b>'s city centre, we did manage to get to the venue, with our stock, in plenty of time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynQUd2H5EnWp58OFB2E-9bRR2H0EJ1LxbNf1wiWdo08OZGOkkYXxaWj1ti2Jdvq71h7tzUBAXagOtF3D76yUc_Ts3UkLXTnKRv0rcp6FqlzwW0CpofgzilK3LuoCmBKp9PHs2-cPIcc0/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynQUd2H5EnWp58OFB2E-9bRR2H0EJ1LxbNf1wiWdo08OZGOkkYXxaWj1ti2Jdvq71h7tzUBAXagOtF3D76yUc_Ts3UkLXTnKRv0rcp6FqlzwW0CpofgzilK3LuoCmBKp9PHs2-cPIcc0/s400/IMG_0627.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The challenge though was once inside, where exactly was our table ?<br />
In our experience first events are always a bit of a mess when it comes to the logistics and this one proved no exception. Scott and I wandered around the main hall looking for our table whilst Colin queued for passes and Event programme.<br />
Turns out there was no programme but by the time Colin returned with the passes, I'd located our table...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KLe2J6b91UHDjIsRZGJyf42-djpxJGMqb0GlwJAITuGWvT4EWmPKVA-SKKU9YxGzfxBy1klQtecCgvILpf-BAoOrzpCXPZCRnSaPMioc3ab9i326p_SpuU5SYZdVef0aV_r8J1cPbOE/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KLe2J6b91UHDjIsRZGJyf42-djpxJGMqb0GlwJAITuGWvT4EWmPKVA-SKKU9YxGzfxBy1klQtecCgvILpf-BAoOrzpCXPZCRnSaPMioc3ab9i326p_SpuU5SYZdVef0aV_r8J1cPbOE/s400/IMG_0629.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
...it was on the upper balcony.<br />
Which brought the usual concerns about the people down below being unaware that we were even there. A few hand made notices stuck to the handrails on the bottom of the stairs was the best that could be done really.<br />
We're past masters at setting up the table with our books these days and had done so within 10 minutes or so, which left time for me and Colin to have a wander and see what the event had to offer people.<br />
Lots, is the short answer. The event sprawled across floors, down corridors into Galley themed rooms...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tsqWLQG2HfWzPfQvN6faQXp2A4zjNE1zKTgMroVkBVzDvE61ZGJ8A8jMpTABgN3pUeyOQEc8Se4_7XR27A5P8OPWI_zUGwrJQLKZnQ61buofQFOeAhzKv36LIFc-S-r0UX5OQeHY-Tg/s1600/IMG_0636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tsqWLQG2HfWzPfQvN6faQXp2A4zjNE1zKTgMroVkBVzDvE61ZGJ8A8jMpTABgN3pUeyOQEc8Se4_7XR27A5P8OPWI_zUGwrJQLKZnQ61buofQFOeAhzKv36LIFc-S-r0UX5OQeHY-Tg/s400/IMG_0636.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
and into more corridors and little side rooms, all of which provided potential customers with the chance to buy anything from themed cup cakes to wrestling merchandise via signatures of minor actors from Star Wars (mainly).<br />
And it left us even more worried that people could wander around all day and never actually know we were there, let alone find us.<br />
The things in our favour however were that the organisers had put <u>all</u> the comic people upstairs (and it was great to bump into <a href="http://mikegarley.com/"><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Mike Garley</span></a> again) and the fact that there were a reported 8000 tickets sold.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbb1SyCW6Zn_dXHgfF5CQqLt0vav0Eo0FcVAy6ZUWRxA6lKkcLXXm6cqfFy_Av4CWZvVFUq96WToBaT2FOdHoinZAseZPwNSHwYxA4q0IUN55_E_Q3Yaa-aYmMAr4O2wcmqHQDKzWT4s/s1600/IMG_0641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbb1SyCW6Zn_dXHgfF5CQqLt0vav0Eo0FcVAy6ZUWRxA6lKkcLXXm6cqfFy_Av4CWZvVFUq96WToBaT2FOdHoinZAseZPwNSHwYxA4q0IUN55_E_Q3Yaa-aYmMAr4O2wcmqHQDKzWT4s/s400/IMG_0641.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
I think it took about an hour after the doors had opened before we saw the first people make it up to the balcony and about another hour before we sold our first comic.<br />
We didn't have a good feeling about this being one of our better Cons.<br />
But then at around 2pm it started getting pretty busy. We started to get interested customers, having good chats with them and started selling a good number of comics.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qvUbmxKOdmcsiAJcgbfJgzZuJsIKwlqmqa8NDuxhWywtOZZT7CH6XKXGIql7rC6QDgAqUKUGifopix9lQCnBY2PzQYgZVs1FwFPAv1jNvocS9H8M9vGniRnChKjXDDL6SuUVyxyFrEc/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qvUbmxKOdmcsiAJcgbfJgzZuJsIKwlqmqa8NDuxhWywtOZZT7CH6XKXGIql7rC6QDgAqUKUGifopix9lQCnBY2PzQYgZVs1FwFPAv1jNvocS9H8M9vGniRnChKjXDDL6SuUVyxyFrEc/s400/IMG_0644.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
The venue certainly consumed the number of people who managed to buy tickets and also seemed to have scope to expand. It's a very large venue with plenty of side rooms, and the actually space that was being used wasn't being used to its full potential.<br />
We had a good day all told. Met a lot of nice people, chatted to them about our books and about comics and the comics industry in general, got some nice feedback and sold a good number of books.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYDykgRqv8vl2PKUOWJkfj1xLRAY6TvaqC87lKlF9JdATTmSe_SeSYQPNMnuv0p4TDJ0WBW92CKnvMLWknBu7md2oNjXhtKgCkGdJpWec5s6OaGIXMikMPTR6jHZugyVcksBY6I9yw-g/s1600/IMG_0645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYDykgRqv8vl2PKUOWJkfj1xLRAY6TvaqC87lKlF9JdATTmSe_SeSYQPNMnuv0p4TDJ0WBW92CKnvMLWknBu7md2oNjXhtKgCkGdJpWec5s6OaGIXMikMPTR6jHZugyVcksBY6I9yw-g/s400/IMG_0645.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
And Judge Anderson bought a copy of Strange Times - Book 1...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFXDeAKz2IeG2DMxZjC6uJ13Ksa6JZTmPffehnD9UsPGmJ8f9ruuYFqdBNw1axG69Yl2xxcHMI12bcdcNwHp_cb_1q62BLOh-_iqhyg33ozdG2SNSJaqU5zztzyC2mXbbTe872uw__wo/s1600/StrangeTimesAnderson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFXDeAKz2IeG2DMxZjC6uJ13Ksa6JZTmPffehnD9UsPGmJ8f9ruuYFqdBNw1axG69Yl2xxcHMI12bcdcNwHp_cb_1q62BLOh-_iqhyg33ozdG2SNSJaqU5zztzyC2mXbbTe872uw__wo/s400/StrangeTimesAnderson.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
...which isn't something I ever thought I'd say.<br />
I think we'd go back if they decide to hold another event, Whilst there were some criticisms I get the feeling that the majority of people enjoyed themselves and we certainly met enough new customers to make it worthwhile. The danger is that it'll become a 2 day event which increases our costs significantly. Time, and maybe the Minions, will tell.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZIXYNJcPd5jZGKArT_klebdWfVuKE1le9fOAG0MWTusMBH5KwLUD4WmErDrZfAgBr_CZgAvkS0UzhP3xrCWAabXYOyKYzOzLbgwrVlsqPcC3vCBjBl9QV87zbHs5xgjjGsnCpGVN4Rk/s1600/BatMinion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZIXYNJcPd5jZGKArT_klebdWfVuKE1le9fOAG0MWTusMBH5KwLUD4WmErDrZfAgBr_CZgAvkS0UzhP3xrCWAabXYOyKYzOzLbgwrVlsqPcC3vCBjBl9QV87zbHs5xgjjGsnCpGVN4Rk/s320/BatMinion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-84011948062723401612015-09-05T11:03:00.000-07:002015-09-05T11:29:46.146-07:00Blackpool Comic Con.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMORPUPF5CbR_0f7rwEW9dt1S6o7yZO2CwaBzmIxclmbb2qwMDuJaS6eSMCDK1TLjCQuMKwZagK_H9eH8oE4Td3EBEa0HaQ3zAOCq2aeFVHW5uWAjxIl14fKIi1nqMQJK8Is6QJzcojM/s1600/blackpool-comic-con-logo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMORPUPF5CbR_0f7rwEW9dt1S6o7yZO2CwaBzmIxclmbb2qwMDuJaS6eSMCDK1TLjCQuMKwZagK_H9eH8oE4Td3EBEa0HaQ3zAOCq2aeFVHW5uWAjxIl14fKIi1nqMQJK8Is6QJzcojM/s1600/blackpool-comic-con-logo-1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;">Saturday 12th September will see <b>Accent UK</b> at their first Comic Convention in <b><a href="http://www.blackpoolcomiccon.com/">Blackpool</a></b> ... if you're in the area waiting for the Blackpool Illuminations then pop into the <span style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Winter Gardens</b></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>in</span><span style="line-height: 30px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 30px;">Blackpool’s town centre and have a look at what we're up to.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">The theme of the event appears to be <b>The Game Of Thrones</b> if the guest list is anything to go by ... so I </span><span style="line-height: 30px;">guess it's appropriate to leave t</span><span style="line-height: 30px;">his post on...</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"><b style="background-color: black;">'Winter Gardens is coming'...</b></span></span>Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-813845428138125242015-08-22T14:20:00.003-07:002015-08-22T14:20:38.791-07:00Podcasts and contracts...This week saw us being interviewed and generally chatting about comics in The Shed.<br />
The Shed is where <a href="http://whengiantmonstersattack.podbean.com/e/episode-42-accent-uk"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>When Giant Monsters Attack Beautiful People Die</b></span></a> podcast takes place.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjgCKS-MkP-_kRm52nmomBkoG3b-C_Bw5nMBECy4tP3nYrlNyUu0yYvuACr4STAFNeCmcAXdg0oRRvZp6wS0PJwpQGSeTUiYDTfw91YSAkxclgWgBdv49y_0ZQG3474CIrXNSfzA__PU/s1600/IMG_0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjgCKS-MkP-_kRm52nmomBkoG3b-C_Bw5nMBECy4tP3nYrlNyUu0yYvuACr4STAFNeCmcAXdg0oRRvZp6wS0PJwpQGSeTUiYDTfw91YSAkxclgWgBdv49y_0ZQG3474CIrXNSfzA__PU/s400/IMG_0257.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
We have a really enjoyable evening and look forward to doing it again one day, if they'll have us that is ... this <a href="http://whengiantmonstersattack.podbean.com/e/episode-42-accent-uk"><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>episode</b></span></a> actually runs for a good number of hours.<br />
Also, my wife took this photo of Colin at a meal at a nice restaurant...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL25_mIR_xY1XLTaZ-vdAocwyaPL6FYLXzx8RktPu4oTNTgkGFgqahDP-9dco2YOYTdYlimBSlNKgI1XkQWTvRzV0MaDWv7TswUDEOh8i8XkXhTJwn30IHVzG52Mv6PUH8Sz77xiwdnqg/s1600/DevilColin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL25_mIR_xY1XLTaZ-vdAocwyaPL6FYLXzx8RktPu4oTNTgkGFgqahDP-9dco2YOYTdYlimBSlNKgI1XkQWTvRzV0MaDWv7TswUDEOh8i8XkXhTJwn30IHVzG52Mv6PUH8Sz77xiwdnqg/s640/DevilColin.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
I think I might need to study that <b>Accent UK</b> contract again ... I'm more than a little worried that I may have actually signed up for more than I intended ...Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-72552015883009650492015-08-13T13:05:00.000-07:002015-08-13T13:29:15.077-07:00Reviews - WesterNoir #1<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin: -5px 20px 10px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Latest review from Reading
With A Flight Ring over at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/reading-with-a-flight-ring/western-noir-book-one/998843763493474"><span style="color: #a64d79;">www.facebook.com/notes/reading-with-a-flight-ring</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
----------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Eduardo Serradilla over at <span style="color: #a64d79;"><a href="http://www.eldiario.es/canariasahora/comic/WESTERNOIR_6_300329973.html">www.eldiario.es</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Josiah Black had been lots of things in his life. Some were
good others not so much. He assumed that, thanks to all the experience he had,
he was ready to face any and all challenges. Having said that, just as the
saying goes, “Fact is Stranger than Fiction” and after meeting Mrs. Anderson he
will later bump into the elusive and enigmatic Mr. Caligary who will offer him
the opportunity to see reality from a different perspective. From then on,
Josiah Black will cease to be a lonesome gun-for-hire and become a hired hunter
of strange paranormal phenomena, just like brothers Sam and Dean Winchester.
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Thanks to the letters brought by Mr. Baylocke, Mr.
Caligary’s courier, Black discovers the world is not the place he supposed it
to be and that in it there are also nightmarish creatures, legendary beings
and, in short, evil in all its forms.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
As it tends to be the case, though, Mr. Caligary hasn’t told
Black everything nor is Mr. Baylocke a trust-worthy person. This combination
will take Black to a cold cell, charged with the murder of three sisters who
apparently were not what they claimed to be.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
WesterNoir, by Dave West and Gary Crutchley, is an amazing
fusion between the classic Western stories and H. P. Lovecraft’s narratives.
Supported by an elegant artwork which plays with white and black as Universal
Horror Film movies used to do, Josiah Black’s adventures takes us to a world
full with paranormal activities in a time-period in which this symbiosis does
not usually happen (except for counted examples, such as Cowboys &
Aliens). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
A voice from offstage is Dave West’s chosen tool to let us
know Josiah’s thoughts which, in turn, intertwine with the other characters’
speech. This is another element the writer has placed a lot of care in as the
characters express themselves with the linguistic characteristics of Coastal
American English. Indeed, the characters in WesterNoir not only look like
cowboys, they also sound like cowboys which makes this series even more
believable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
WesterNoir is a well-composed, entertaining story which
gets the reader hooked from the first moment, even though he or she is not a
fan of Westerns. It is also proof that good stories can be published also by a
small, independent publishing company, such as Accent Uk.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
If you have some time to spare, I strongly recommend a visit
to Accent UK’s webpage, <a href="http://www.accentukcomics.com/">www.accentukcomics.com</a>.
There you will find a short but selected collection of titles Accent UK
offers to readers demanding high quality products.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
The only question left to ask is, “When is Book Five going
to be available, please?”<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
WesterNoir © 2014 Accent Uk Comics.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
-----------------------------------<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">Dion_Scrolls on</span> <a href="http://geeksyndicate.co.uk/news/comic-review-westernoir-vol-1-books-1-3/"><span style="color: #a64d79;">geeksyndicate.co.uk</span></a></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
The clue’s in the title, but I’ll lay it out plain for you –
WesterNoir is a magnificent mongrel. The creative team behind it have
clearly spent some time sneaking around the genre graveyard, digging up the
choicest bits and pieces for their grand project. I can only imagine their
maniacal laughter as they shot bolt after bolt of lightning into their creation
until it leapt twitching from the slab – a mashed up monster-hunting myth
set in the wilds of the American West, ruefully wrapped in the twisted plots of
the bitterest noir. Don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt you. Say hello to
Josiah Black. T’ain’t his real name of course, but it’ll do for now. He’s
running from a long history of blood and sorrow.<br />
<br />
Trouble is, he spends so much
time looking over his shoulder, he has no idea what he’s headed towards.
When the woman with the dead eyes hires him to hunt down the fella who
killed her family, he learns there are deadlier things than men abroad in
those dusty frontier days. Ghouls, vampires, were-creatures – and who
knows what else – hiding amongst ordinary people. Wolves in sheep’s clothing,
stalking the innocent and devouring the vulnerable. It might be there’s no such
thing as redemption, but if Black’s guns can take down a few of these
monsters, save some folk that might have otherwise perished, well, at least he
can begin to settle accounts. Join me after the jump where I’ll take you
through each book briefly, then get into the overview.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
Book 1: The Woman With The Dead Eyes introduces us to Josiah
Black, Jim Wilson and the whole weird West. It’s a
simple, harsh bounty hunter’s tale, made more interesting by its
structure and the glimpses it affords us behind the curtain of normalcy.
It’s essentially a pilot episode, but it has a distinctive narrative voice,
reads smoothly and contains a couple of killer moments. The back up tale
is a forgettable prequel, more mood piece than story. Book 2 is
an absolute blast though, and easily my favourite to date. The Crocodile
Tears of the Louisiana Swamp Men throws us into the midst of an horrific
plot to create a new race. We flash back and forth between the action
packed showdown and the beginnings of Black’s investigation. The narration
is delightfully cynical and the black-hatted hunter is breathtakingly cool
throughout. His choices may be less than admirable, but his single-minded
determination makes him a compelling character to follow. What continues
to draw me in as a reader though is the emotional underbelly of the anti-hero;
his troubled past hidden behind an impassive façade. Book 3 brings
this to the fore and, whilst it lacks much action, it makes for a more
mature read. The Siren’s Song of the Mississippi Mermaids is a deep breath
between adventures. Black considers the life he’s walked into, and the life
he’s left behind. New opportunities present themselves and they are sorely
tempting to a vulnerable man. It is gentle, gallant even, and an unexpectedly
touching journey. The denouement is a little abrupt (but no real surprise) and
leaves Black in a tricky predicament. I wonder if this is the true
beginning of WesterNoir as an ongoing run rather than a series of one-shots.
Time will tell. The provocative title to Book 4 is advertised on the final
page, and I find myself itching mightily to get hold of it.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<a href="http://accentukcomics.blogspot.co.uk/">AccentUK</a> are an
independent comics publisher who place a great deal of value on intelligent
stories told from unusual perspectives. Take the time to imbibe a few and
you’ll be as blown away as I was. It seems to me their book covers have done
them little justice in the past, but the WesterNoir series bucks that
trend with their bold headers and dramatic imagery. The books are
eye-catching, exciting and intriguing artefacts that demand to be picked
up. You can practically smell the pulp oozing from them; and
little visual touches like creases, peels and scratches complete the
illusion of battered books, long-treasured. These wear-marks may be fake, but
the love poured into the tales is true enough. <a href="http://strangestoftimes.blogspot.co.uk/">Dave West</a> writes with
economy and style. Each 36 page volume tells a complete tale, expands the world
and fills in touches of back-story too. The dialogue is peachy; ever developing
character and plot while showcasing a fine ear for accent. Old-fashioned
American dialogue may be formal but it’s chock full of subtlety, and West
writes with considerable fluency. His greatest success is in Black’s
narrative voice running throughout the stories. The cynical voice-over has
long been a staple of film noir, commenting upon both the action and the
dialogue to undercut (or throw dramatic new light on) what is happening. It
lends a certain tone to a story, and depth to a character that could otherwise
appear callous or cold.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<a href="http://gcrutchley.blogspot.co.uk/">Gary Crutchley</a> does
a similarly grand job bringing the world of WesterNoir to life with his
astonishing inks. Facial features are expertly picked out, costume
and scenery given recognisable characteristics and atmosphere without ever
feeling overworked – which is a wonderful trick if you can manage it. This
lush economy can be seen throughout the books in various forms, from both
sides of the creative team and, for me, it defines the style of the
book. The general sparseness of background detail chimes with the
Western sensibility (as do the occasionally ornate splashes of detail,
when appropriate), while the bold shadows and harsh lines
occasionally evoke the nightmare noir of Sin City. He makes use
of a couple of watery grey shades to bring out the intermediate depth, but
little more than that is required. Sepia tones might have been more
appropriate for this world, and a different colour palette would have been
nice for those times we look through Black’s special glasses, but I guess
an indie budget only stretches so far. The layouts are
used to control the narrative pace as much as its
direction, and this is so finely gauged that you only realise
the sheer variety of panel sizes, density and dimensions when you
consciously look for it. These are people who know how to grab you and
give you a great ride. There are certain images that you do kind of
expect; shots and angles that form part of the visual vocabulary of
Westerns and film noir. I was exceptionally pleased to see so many of them
worked in without once jolting me out of the story. WesterNoir may be a
patchwork creature, but the needlework is very fine indeed.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
I’ve picked up a new AccentUK title each year ever since I
came across them at <a href="http://thoughtbubblefestival.com/">Thought
Bubble</a> in 2010. Needless to say, I recommend you start doing the same.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Overall Rating: 4/5 (Book 1: 3/5
Book 2: 4/5 Book 3: 4/5)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
GS Blogger: <a href="https://twitter.com/Dion_Scrolls">Dion
Winton-Polak</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
-------------------------<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">Patrick Scattergood on </span><span style="color: #a64d79;"> <a href="http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/westernoir-book-one-review.html">curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogspot.co.uk</a></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Synopsis</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
'WesterNoir' tells the story of Josiah Black, a man who has seen and done
everything but in this book, his life is about to get a hell of a lot more
complicated and dangerous!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
Review</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
I've been reading quite a few western titles here and there ranging from the
funny to the serious and everything in between.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
After reading the book 'The 6 Gun Tarot' by RS Belcher, I was eager to read
another western story but one with a difference and that is what we have here.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
I'm not going to spoil the story for you but there's a really good supernatural
edge to it but also a good and interesting twist at the end. It left me
itching to get to book two to see where the character is going to be taken next.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
The story moves along at quite a fast pace but I liked the nods to Josiah
Black's past but at the same time, leaves a lot to the imagination of the
reader. I've always enjoyed a title more when the writer takes the time
to read the character in that style and doesn't insult the reader's
intelligence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
As for the setting, the story manages to avoid the cliches that sometimes
plague a western title. In fact, while the writing does give a nod to the
classic western style, at the same time it hurtles along to really get the
reader in to the thick of the action.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
The art here is superb. The stark nature of the black and white art
really makes some of the scenes look desolute and hopeless but in a way that
makes the darker nature of the story come to the forefront off the book.
I also loved that some of the panels didn't go for the normal, bog standard
angles to show us the action unfolding. Instead the story had quite a
cinematic yet subtle feel to it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
At the end of the main story, you get an extra tale to whet your appetite named
'On Hallowed Ground' that shows a little bit more of the Jim Wilson
character. That adds a nice and unexpected layer to this book as it gives
the character a little more depth than he would have had otherwise. Once
again the art is fantastic at conveying the dark and sinister nature of not
only the story but it's surroundings as well. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
Add the art to the intelligence of the writing and that makes this a title that
I will definitely be keeping up with.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br />
Story 7.5/10</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Art 8.5/10</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Overall 16/20<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
-------------------------------------------<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">by intheblackhall on</span> <a href="https://intheblackhall.wordpress.com/2013/08/17/review-westernoir-book-1/"><span style="color: #a64d79;">intheblackhall.wordpress.com</span></a></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
The woman with the dead eyes<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
Whenever I pick up something that has western in it’s title,
review or description I’m hit with a ton of expectations. Mostly it is to do
with the characters, the protagonist, the antagonist and everyone else that
makes up and carries the plot and book 1 of WesterNoir doesn’t disappoint in
the form of Josiah Black. Who immediately fits the other expectation, someone
who is remorseful and possibly seeking redemption, when through his own
narrative introduces a quick profile of himself and the stories told about him
by others. In his own right he has already made you wonder about his origins
and history within the first two pages, a story I hope gets its own book
about how became this revered man who, “shot the wings off a hornet that
bothered” him. He is then already a person of folklore who has already done
things and we meet him slap bang in the middle of this “new beginning”.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
This beginning is depicted through black and white art, I’m
no expert on illustration in comic books or otherwise so my point of view is
one of looking at the story and seeing if the art fits with it and compliments
it. I think it does this and very well, for a western I think you need
something that is quite “scratchy” and sets the story in a specific time, and
the black and white art does just that plus it gives it that extra bit of grit
alongside Black’s own demeanour.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmlWJUid8OPApEBpejpolthpAPf3sYkvZQcjx_n4QIDOGxMrYRT1i4i2MxbvWnPQIfDPxTvYDfpbjsd3FeMF5Qvwz6DLBUdG1nTrqPgi1BAsua9alfi3DN8NUMBzxjmI0SMJSwO8XIh4/s1600/westernoir-book-1-bw-1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmlWJUid8OPApEBpejpolthpAPf3sYkvZQcjx_n4QIDOGxMrYRT1i4i2MxbvWnPQIfDPxTvYDfpbjsd3FeMF5Qvwz6DLBUdG1nTrqPgi1BAsua9alfi3DN8NUMBzxjmI0SMJSwO8XIh4/s320/westernoir-book-1-bw-1a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;"><br /></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">What we learn quickly through Black’s interactions is that
he doesn’t seem to be able to say “no” to a woman or to a plea for help,
especially around cold killings that seem to have links to his own past. He is
also as we quickly find out very handy with a gun but because of his quickness
to accept the pleas of a woman, he doesn’t always see what is right in front of
his face. A thought that is duplicated throughout this first book, things
aren’t always what they seem.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
What comes of this is a nice twist and revelation for Josiah
as well as a new piece of kit to help him see things for what they are. It is
when he is given this bit of kit that the front cover becomes part of the story
and that little thought of “ah, that makes sense now” comes flooding in.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
So on the hunt for a killer Josiah takes the job given to
him by Mrs Anderson, which in turn gets him a job he wasn’t expecting that will
continue in books 2, 3 and beyond. A job that thrusts the western and
supernatural genres together as a fruitful relationship and by the end of this
book you will want to know what Josiah is doing in Louisiana and book 2.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
You will want to know because book 1 is a very good read, it
takes you through the story at a nice pace, introduces us to Josiah a man
who grows on you as you get more and more snippets about him. A man who you
think “yeah this guy is going to be kick-ass” and I want to stick with him.
Mainly because, and I think this is what AccentUK do really well, he is human,
no superpowers just a skill with a gun that he uses with great effect.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
At the end of the book is a nice flashback to Jim Wilson, a
character who I haven’t mentioned yet because I don’t want to spoil it for
anyone. What I will say though is now we’ve had one flashback I hope we get
more as a way of delving further into things that were happening before we met
Josiah Black.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
----------------------</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b>WesterNoir
gets the thumbs up from Starburst.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
A great surprise this weekend as the latest issue of Starburst (issue
379) was delivered...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbPzroobcrZ7NzgDqxKZSpVQyETI98QBK9njbcMgS5WgjeAuhG9XQ43Tg3Yy61B7qz3Zq3bLg_4G1M3QRcbbflqkW77PSn7qXFcsuAv3blrC23IUzU5lh2fJNwxWrFUMbR25DbzLTlCs/s1600/Starburst379Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxbPzroobcrZ7NzgDqxKZSpVQyETI98QBK9njbcMgS5WgjeAuhG9XQ43Tg3Yy61B7qz3Zq3bLg_4G1M3QRcbbflqkW77PSn7qXFcsuAv3blrC23IUzU5lh2fJNwxWrFUMbR25DbzLTlCs/s1600/Starburst379Cover.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">in that it contained a review of our first issue of Westernoir...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">A great review (I must confess that Gary actually added
a lot to the dialogue of Issue 1, which improved it and no doubt impressed Starburst...
there... my conscience is clear :o), which I read before setting off to a
great Convention at the MCM in Manchester, where we
sold plenty of copies and artist/co-creator </span><a href="http://gcrutchley.blogspot.co.uk/" style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">Gary Crutchley</a><span style="letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;"> was on hand to
show people the first 13 pages of issue 2.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Roboto Slab', serif; letter-spacing: -0.025em; line-height: 1.12;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="yuzo_related_post style-1" data-version="4.9.8.6" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; clear: both; color: #757474; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 10px 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 10px 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 577px;">
<div class="yuzo_clearfixed yuzo__title" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h3 style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #383737; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h3>
</div>
</div>
Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-62696117243471048762015-08-10T12:15:00.001-07:002015-08-10T12:15:28.901-07:00Reviews - The Troll.Gary Watson reviews The Troll over at <span style="color: #a64d79;"><a href="https://comicsanonymous2015.wordpress.com/2015/08/10/the-troll/">Comics Anonymous</a> </span>and he likes what he sees.Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1369649212303380881.post-68609360464086251742015-08-08T09:53:00.001-07:002015-08-09T09:40:29.070-07:00Reviews - Zombies Anthology.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1369649212303380881" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1369649212303380881" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="no_border"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsAiFlPPUPzArCZltvnlERiL1jMQTxRkU_gGkGrur8qKyF9lbtlZxLd4p4pGI-D38xa5NlsBUHbVuuKVRneNDS74f_FEY9LwtD_gJ2Lsjr5yOLTd_xW7zMoyGTTpfWhtbwwYR9UpqOaI/s1600/FrontCoverArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsAiFlPPUPzArCZltvnlERiL1jMQTxRkU_gGkGrur8qKyF9lbtlZxLd4p4pGI-D38xa5NlsBUHbVuuKVRneNDS74f_FEY9LwtD_gJ2Lsjr5yOLTd_xW7zMoyGTTpfWhtbwwYR9UpqOaI/s400/FrontCoverArt.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
Review by Vic Spanner on www.whatevercomics.com in 2008<br />
<div id="body">
<br /></div>
<div id="body">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1369649212303380881" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1369649212303380881" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Welcome aboard Mark (Vic Spanner) Beechill, not happy with just making fine music Vic add his voice to what seems to be an Accent UK wave of approval, now without further delay, take it away...<br />
<br />
After several weeks of my local comics dealer politely hassling me to buy it, I finally gave in and purchased the “Zombies” anthology, published by Accent UK in 2007. A collection of short tales mostly written and drawn by up-and-coming UK writers and artists, my first impression of this book was of a bumper edition of Tharg’s Future Shocks. Short, sharp tales, almost all told in six pages or less, most of the stories here manage to nail the art of telling the perfect short story. And even if some of them don’t, or aren’t your personal cup of tea art or story-wise, then there’s thirty-two to choose from, plus a lovely gallery at the end.<br />
<br />
The set starts with an introductory guide to all things undead, which has some nice film references in it for the knowing movie fan and a narrator who reminds me of the guy from Creepshow. What follows is a genuine variety of styles and ideas, too many too mention individually. Highlights for me include “Zombies” (Kieron Gillen and Andy Bloor) with its inevitably gruesome ending, the gorgeous artwork of “Tragic Kingdom” (Owen Johnson and Garry Brown), the undead boyband antics of Andy Winter and Natalie Sandell’s “Pop Zombie” (“they only want you fro your brains!”), and the great “Zombie Of The Great Unwashed” by Jason Cobley and Paul Harrison-Davies (a zombie down the jobcentre – worthy of it’s own series).<br />
<br />
If I have to pick one story though, my personal favourite has to be Bridgeen Gillespie’s “Dissolution”, which is like “The Bunny Suicides” written by David Lynch. It’s easily the most surreal (and oddly disturbing) thing on offer here in a collection that mixes humour, sadness, history and social commentary. Only a couple of the tales didn’t hit the mark for me, but as I mentioned, there’s something here for everyone, and at £6 for 168 pages, that’s got to be value for money.<br />
<br />
With a “Robots” anthology is due in 2008 with an increased page count, this looks to be a reliable source of emerging talent (with the help of a few elder statesmen like Steve Bisette) and ideas. Now I just need someone to draw my short story… <br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody></tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#e3d9d9" class="subhead"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="no_border"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6DyIuMWh6Rm2MgGEjmk7Lu-PKyfqpKOLLScFuLy43FiNuZYukDnk0vakFLHlNjG-4JlYT-1yg3TUcXd-LWlICdAZE-IgL83tiu1AcwsDD6SBYyUOpb6tzIvq7HYawleF6PxO7HB2qV8/s1600/BackCoverArt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6DyIuMWh6Rm2MgGEjmk7Lu-PKyfqpKOLLScFuLy43FiNuZYukDnk0vakFLHlNjG-4JlYT-1yg3TUcXd-LWlICdAZE-IgL83tiu1AcwsDD6SBYyUOpb6tzIvq7HYawleF6PxO7HB2qV8/s320/BackCoverArt.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<br />
<div id="body">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Review by Dave Hailwood on downthetubescomics.blogspot.com in 2008.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">With the rapidly-approaching arrival of Accent Press </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Robots</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> anthology, David Hailwood kindly provides downthetubes with a review of last year's collection, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Zombies</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">...</span></div>
<div id="body">
<br />
As a good friend of mine once said ‘Zombies are in many ways like skinheads. Quite comical when they’re on their own, but get them in packs and you’re in for a pasting!’<br />
<br />
Well, the anthology from Accent UK certainly packs in enough zombies to give anyone a good pasting. The cunningly titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Zombies</span> anthology weighs in at a hefty 168 pages, costs a mere £6.00 and contains the work of 50 creators from the small and large press comic scene.<br />
<br />
With so many strips crammed inside (and indeed so many zombies) it would be natural to expect quite a few stinkers; fortunately these are few and far between.<br />
<br />
What’s perhaps most impressive about this anthology is the sheer variety of stories on offer. Every creator seems to have tackled the zombie theme in a new and inventive way. There’s Zulu zombies, Big Brother zombies, Stuffed Rabbit zombies, Dole zombies, Boy Band zombies, Nightclub zombies, Carnival zombies and, of course, zombies from Cornwall.<br />
There’s also a decent mix of comedy and tragedy. In ‘House Of The Dead’ <span style="font-style: italic;">Beano</span> cartoonist Laura Howell does something I never would have dreamed possible – she actually manages to make Reality TV look interesting, providing a wealth of characters that it’s an absolute pleasure to see get eaten.<br />
<br />
In contrast, Kieron Gillen and Andy Bloor provide a dark and gripping tale about one mans gradual loss of humanity as he attempts to survive a life among zombies, eventually resorting to cannibalism.<br />
<br />
Other strips worthy of mention are ‘The Zombie Interviews’ by David Baillie, which contain possibly the worlds greatest collection of zombie fart gags, ‘Sacrifice’ by Kieran Brown, Nolan Worthington and Shaun Mooney, which has a very clean and dynamic art style, and the hilarious ‘An Alphabet of Zombies’ by Steve and Daniel Bissette (any strip that contains a zombie wearing his own backside as a hat is fine by me).<br />
<br />
Fans of zombie movies will also enjoy the intertextual layers of many of the strips, with just about every famous zombie movie being referenced in some way inside (my favourites being the Umbrella contraceptives machine in Chris Doherty’s ‘Nightclub of the Living Dead’ and two Rome holiday ad posters put side by side to cunningly spell ‘Romero’ in Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable’s ‘The Scent Of Coriander’).<br />
<br />
People who aren’t fans of zombie movies will enjoy the … uh … shiny paper. In fact, yes, let’s talk about that shiny paper for a moment. This certainly isn’t just your bog standard small press affair put together on a photocopier at work whilst the boss’ back is turned. This is a professionally produced tome of a comic, wrapped in a blood-red card cover brilliantly illustrated by Steve Bissette and Shane Oakley (the only thing that could’ve possibly made it better is if it was bound in the flesh of the living, but you can’t have everything).<br />
<br />
If the cover doesn’t attract you and the contents don’t attract you, chances are you’re dead already. In which case there’s little left to do except send Ash from <span style="font-style: italic;">Evil Dead</span> round with a chainsaw to lop off your head. So, you see, there’s really no excuse to not go out and buy this <span style="font-style: italic;">Zombies</span> anthology now, is there?<br />
<br />
Go on… Join usssssss! <br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody></tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#e3d9d9" class="subhead"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="no_border">Review by Regie Rigby on www.silverbullet.com in 2007.<br />
<div id="body">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="body">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1369649212303380881" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1369649212303380881" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: white;">This is another book I picked up at Bristol but have only just gotten around to reading properly. Accent has developed a tradition of theming its more or less annual anthologies, and following hard on the heels of books full of stories about Pirates, Phobias, the labours of Hercules and War comes a book absolutely bursting at the seams with <b>Zombies</b>. The books are already available in selected comics stores, and will be solicited in Previews in the not too distant future. (I’ll give you the nod when…)<br /><br />Like all anthologies <b>Zombies</b> is a bit of a mixed bag – which sounds like faint praise, but it isn’t. The fact is that while some of the offerings behind the blood red Steve Bissette cover are better than others, <i>all</i> of them are good. Positively the best kind of mixed bag possible! <br /><br /> From my point of view this chunky square bound black and white tome carries the added bonus of some top notch David Hitchcock artwork – something that we’ve been deprived of since he completed his Eagle Award Winning Springheeled Jack. Here he provides the visual element of <b>”An Mothley A An Ny-Marow”</b>, or “Curse of the Undead”. Words are provided by Leah Moore and John Reppion, and the story, concerning a cursed mine and an evil Lord of the Manor is a little bit disjointed. Hitchcock’s art more than compensates for this though, and it’s really good to see his intricate pencils on a comics page again – by far the visual highlight of the book.<br /><br /> The story telling highlight for me was <b>One</b>, a quietly understated tale written by Darren Ellis supported by some sensitive plain line work from artist Roland Bird. Like all the best shorts there’s a lot more going on in this touching vignette of family life than at first meets the eye, but the twist at the end (not the one I was expecting) tells the reader everything they need to know about the world the family lives in. No explosions, no big speeches, no grand statements, heck, not even any actual Zombies. Just some subtle storytelling that does a lot more than you’d think.<br /><br /> It’s also an interesting example of how a writer can make use of the context in which their story will be read. We </span><i .=""><span style="color: white;">know that this is a zombie story of some kind, so Ellis had no need to give us panels of exposition explaining how the undead have left their graves and begun to roam the streets. There are merely a couple of oblique references to “them”. That’s the beauty of this kind of anthology format, and it’s a trick that several of the other excellent stories in <b>Zombies</b> also use to good effect.<br /><br /> There are far too many individual tales in this book to go into them all in any detail – suffice to say that I enjoyed them all for different reasons. Highlights included Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable’s <b>The Scent of Coriander</b> - at once a clever visualization of the lengths humans would go to just to continue with everyday life in a city infested by flesh eating undead, and a poignant love story. It was good to see Eagle Award winning writer Andy Winter teaming up with artist Natalie Sandells again on the satirical <b>Pop Zombies</b>. David Baillie’s six panel one page <b>Zombie Interviews</b> are also worthy of mention because every single one of them made me giggle.<br /><br /> There are nearly forty stories here, some fun, some scary, some moving, all good. It’s a fine addition to the Accent library of anthologies, and I commend it to</span> </i></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody></tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr valign="top"><td class="booktitle" p="" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="no_border"><br />
<div id="body">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIIvrQr10rLac_AyUmhTw-zeRmIf7fSKa_k0q5mmjadaluHHRYXQJrPq2U0SFG0M9jgU0Mw7lNg7jFlfA0m7nHGMIE2IHkW2c5lIVckqi0nrb02IFGGxqmzDM5RQyN-bWcsApaerMg10/s1600/GarryBrownPinUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIIvrQr10rLac_AyUmhTw-zeRmIf7fSKa_k0q5mmjadaluHHRYXQJrPq2U0SFG0M9jgU0Mw7lNg7jFlfA0m7nHGMIE2IHkW2c5lIVckqi0nrb02IFGGxqmzDM5RQyN-bWcsApaerMg10/s400/GarryBrownPinUp.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
Review by Shane Oakley on the www.shaneoakley.blogspot.com in 2008.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just finished reading <strong><em>ZOMBIES</em></strong>, the latest 'themed' anthology from <em>Accent UK. </em>If you love the 'living dead' genre, then you'll LOVE this book. You get a whopping 168 black and white pages of comic strips and art, sandwiched between a suitably grisly cover from the putrescent pen of <strong> Steve Bissette </strong>(who in the eighties, along with Alan Moore and John Totleben, worked on an epic run of <em>Swamp Thing</em> - easily the best horror comics that DC have EVER done), and a back cover (and a coupla pics inside) by yers truly. <em>Zombies</em> is a real labour of love (and death), publishers Dave West and Colin Mathieson have made every effort to rise above their 'small press' origins, and they do, in grave-robbing spades. With it's eclectic mix of artists/writers, both pro' and amateur, striking design work by Andy Bloor (who also draws one of the most chilling stories in the collection) and first rate production values, this book holds it's own among the 'big guns'. It's not without it's weak points, page numbering would've helped, and some of the stories are very slight, sometimes too-obviously influenced/inspired by Romero's movies and <em>Shaun of the Dead.</em> But most, Gary Crutchley's <em>Job Satisfaction </em>in particular, do it with wit and style. <em>Zombies </em>is far more 'hit', than 'miss', and for £6, it's a LOT of hit!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td bgcolor="#e3d9d9" class="subhead"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="no_border"><br />
<div id="body">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG63oN_xGBt48pXzkL7H9wgrzxK710Yb9g94BYwgvKgOYjQ89-rfbUD0MdojbXbiiBpjn_76cwu8jPBqtaqdT4rMOJyYSm2D4UaaKsrVyofxapG_fnsQxolP9aFFpmWYpKFCsyjp5qe0c/s1600/AnMolethyAAnNyMarow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG63oN_xGBt48pXzkL7H9wgrzxK710Yb9g94BYwgvKgOYjQ89-rfbUD0MdojbXbiiBpjn_76cwu8jPBqtaqdT4rMOJyYSm2D4UaaKsrVyofxapG_fnsQxolP9aFFpmWYpKFCsyjp5qe0c/s400/AnMolethyAAnNyMarow.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
Review by Douglas Noble on www.bugpowder.com in 2008.<br />
<br /></div>
<div id="body">
Let’s see if I can’t get to the end of this review without making a horrible zombie related pun, shall we? The sixth themed Accent UK anthology takes the increasing popular horror subgenre of zombie stories as it’s subject for a solidly packed volume. I count 41 items on the contents page, and with that amount of stories, almost everyone should be able to find something to their tastes.The trouble with zombies, or at least zombies in the popular consciousness since Night of the Living Dead, is that there is nothing intrinsically interesting about them. They are slow and relentless, yes, but they are also without personality or motive, being little more than brain-eating machines. This means that to create an interesting story using zombies the creators have to have that be about something other than the zombies. It’s just not enough to shout “Zombies!” in a loud voice an expect everyone to cheer, though there does seem to be an element that do think that it’s enough to do just that.<br />
In something of a coup for Accent UK, Steve Bissette provides the gloriously ugly cover for the book, which reminds you how much his particular brand of grue has been missing from comics for that last few years. Hopefully this will be the first of many new things from his pen, as he also does the art inside for a rhyming alphabet of zombies from a script by his son, Daniel. It’s not quite Edward Gorey, but it is fun.<br />
Co-Editor Dave West abuses his privileges as captain of this particular ship to submit a story guaranteed inclusion, The Slow Undeath. Luckily, it also happens to be the best thing in the book, and the only story to entire eschew the trappings of the genre. West approaches the idea of the zombie through a group of workers, following their gradual dissatisfaction as the years pass. This is done with an almost clinical eye, as West frames each passing year with an identical page layout, the final panel of which shows the workers dropping slowly back into the main group walking towards their offices. These remain the most chilling images in the book, and stay with the reader for a long while after.<br />
The team of Kieron Gillen and Andy Bloor (or should that be Gillen Bloor?) provide a nasty little chuckle with their story of a man forced to survive amongst zombies by acting like them. It’s a story that cuts a bit deeper than most of the others in the anthology, bringing to mind similar scenes in Phillip Kaufman’s 197X remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Everyone can relate to the idea of trying to fit in, after all, and this pushes the idea to a hideous conclusion. Bloor’s art here is especially effective – the flow of his figure work has lost that stiffness that mars much of The Wolfmen, and it’s all the better for it. The deep shadows here recall not often point of comparison Charles Burns, whose art is ultimately cold and locked off from the reader, but rather EC artist Graham Ingels. Bloor has been getting steadily better over the last two years, and is one to watch.<br />
The writing team of Leah Moore and John Reppion reprise their teaming with David Hitchcock for a tale set in Victorian Cornwall. The art here is beautiful, full of glowering atmosphere, but it shares the problems that the same team had in earlier anthologies – this doesn’t feel like a whole story, merely the opening of a longer tale. The bit that we do have is very nice indeed, though, and is definitely worth a look.<br />
Other stories of note include Davie Baillie’s series of one page Zombie Interviews, which pop up at various intervals throughout the book. They’re pretty funny for the most part, and Baillie’s art has improved dramatically since his Tongue of the Dead mini. However, repetition dulls the impact of the joke, and there’s at least one too many of these pages in the book.<br />
The last story that I want to single out is Zombie of the Great Unwashed by Jason Cobley and Paul Harrison-Davies. This is a bright and cheerful look at the social aspects of being a zombie, as a friend of one of the dead tries to help him get benefits and employment. It’s good fun, but the reader can tell that there’s a brain ticking behind the story, as the rigmarole that the system forces the zombie to go through is portrayed as more frightening as the zombie himself.<br />
There are dozens of other entries in the book, which weighs in at a whopping 168 pages, which range from slight to intense, with art to match. Most anthologies have their share of misfires, and this is no exception. There are a few things that I could barely finish, to be honest, and which refuse to rise out of the conventions of the genre. Here’s a hint – if your story is featured in an anthology called Zombies, then the shock revelation of a zombie really isn’t going to surprise anyone. Any anthology with just a specific theme is going to suffer from this to an extent, and so it is with this one, though there are a number of excellent stories contained within its pages that make the anthology worth a second look. Those pages could do with being numbered though.<br />
Overall, this is a slick, great looking book, further establishing Accent UK as an important nexus for talent within British comics. The production and printing are all exemplary and the mix of stories, while lacking a little in breadth, showcases an interesting variety of styles. As with the last volume, this represents good value for money, and a great venue for some of the rising stars of the small press. In many ways this fulfils the promise of the previous Accent UK books, and as such, I look forward the next.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td bgcolor="#e3d9d9" class="subhead"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="no_border">Review by Paul Bowles by email in 2007.<br />
<br />
<div id="body">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Hi Dave </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Thanks very much, I have received your package and all was in great condition. As far as criticism goes, I cant give you any. All three books are great. Pieces that stood out (if that's any use) for me were; Zombies- Curse of the undead for the artwork, Z for the pace, The Slow Undeath for it's bleakness, One nice and brutal, The Scent Of Coriander really strong atmosphere- great story, "Zombies" awesome concept but Bloor really elevates it, his ability to make his characters perform is a bit special and the last few panels are intense. I found myself laughing as I did when watching the Romero films for the first time, because it's so absurd and yet so ruthless and real. Tragic Kingdom had some really nice imagery and great visual style that really lent itself to all things rotting. The guy eating the ice cream is particularly disgusting. Sacrifice also stands out 'cos of the art work, very clean, almost anime like, very kinetic and dynamic. </span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">I really liked Monsters and The Wolfmen as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKiZrRy85sfVJ0UujjN9eJpRU45ltnjVRgPKWbMEP8GE8gsupHBvBGGU7Pe2p1__DiiinqBI3uunWJyuanaB7jcUCvmyHmIwg3PzZWJqQ484lLt4ApXGXfH2EtpDQ2cTZKK4SqdIlnXs/s1600/MattTimsonPinUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKiZrRy85sfVJ0UujjN9eJpRU45ltnjVRgPKWbMEP8GE8gsupHBvBGGU7Pe2p1__DiiinqBI3uunWJyuanaB7jcUCvmyHmIwg3PzZWJqQ484lLt4ApXGXfH2EtpDQ2cTZKK4SqdIlnXs/s400/MattTimsonPinUp.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dave Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11553813657274479536noreply@blogger.com0