SHIPPING LIST: JUNE 30, 2010Disclaimer: You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply
Air Ace Picture Library 127 High Tension
After many feats of daring do as a night bomber pilot flying Hampdens, Pilot Curtis suffers a serious wound to his eyes. He may never fly again…however his commanding officer manages to pull in a few favours and gets a famous surgeon (an old school chum) to operate on Curtis’s eyes. Not only is Curtis’s vision restored he also now has the uncanny ability see what other men cannot see in the dark. Now known as “cats eye" he only has one wish , besides shooting down more enemy aircraft, blowing up more bridges, sinking more ships, destroying more tunnels, wrecking more trains (he appears to have a grudge against civil infrastructure) and that is to somehow repay the good doctor.
More daring do leads to medals, promotion and transfer to a night fighter squadron. There he finds tension fitting in as the new chap as well as other difficulties as the squadron learns to fly their newly issued Beaufighters.
After those troubles are dealt with there is even more daring do, more aerial victories and then a secret mission. The mission requires modification to aircraft, transporting guns and munitions and of course retrieving a secret operative somewhere in France. There’s a skirmish with the usual bunch of hapless Germans where all the right/wrong people get killed or wounded. On the flight home there’s a bit more daring do just in case you hadn’t had enough. “Fleetway” must be some long lost word the ancients used to describe the great karmic intersection of the universe as Curtis does indeed repay his debt to the good doctor.
There’s too much happening in this story and not even the bash, crash and tash or Hampdens or Beaufighters can help High Tension get off the ground.
A man of rank always knows how to look good.
Do you think he uses domestic or imported wax for that thing?
Flying pirates?
Great chance to use a lot of ink. I get the feeling the illustrator really enjoyed putting this panel together.
No wonder those German chuckleheads lost the war. What were they thinking sending in tanks against a bunch a blokes standing around in the open? Honestly!
Remember this rule if you ever become a bad guy. If one of your own guys is about to throw a grenade - keep away from him!
Could you sing that 10000 Miles song again?
EVENT: Talking Pictures - The Graphic Novel with Dylan Horrocks & Ant Sang
This coming Monday, as part of the 'Writers on Mondays' lunchtime lecture series being held at Auckland New Gallery Art Lounge, Dylan Horrocks and Ant Sang will be discussing graphic novels (relating to their own work and the form in general) with host Mike Loder.
Above: A page from 'Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen', by Dylan Horrocks.
Dylan Horrocks is of course one of New Zealand's most highly regarded cartoonist, the author of the award-winning graphic novel 'Hicksville', which finally received it's first local printing this year from Victoria University Press (and is required reading here at Earth's End!). He is currently serializing two new graphic novels-in-progress at his website: 'The American Dream' and 'Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen'. The latter story follows a cartoonist through a creative crisis, as he struggles to write corporate superhero comics and retain his personal 'voice' as a creator. A dilemma which is all too familiar to Horrocks, who went through a similar ordeal writing for the 'Bat-family' of titles for DC Comics ('Batgirl', 'Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight'). While this is not a straight autobiography of his experiences writing corporate super-heroics, it's certainly informed by them, offering a fascinating and honest account of a writer wrestling to reconnect with his craft, and the potential pitfalls of genre writing.
Above: Ant Sang with a page of his artwork from his up-coming graphic novel, 'Shaolin Burning'.
Ant Sang's artwork has quickly become iconic in New Zealand, as the lead designer of the hugely successful TV series 'Bro' Town'. He's also know for his cult comic series 'The Dharma Punks', one of the top selling NZ comics ever published, at it's peak it was locally outselling such bestselling comics as 'Uncanny X-Men'. Currently working on his first original graphic novel 'Shaolin Burning', which is to be released early next year, it should finally establish Ant as a house-hold name (and rightly so).
The talk is hosted by comedian and occasional comic-book writer Mike Loder, and takes place at the Art Lounge in the New Gallery from 12 noon, so feel free to bring your lunch and friends! You can find more details and information HERE at the Gallery website.
-AK!
Chris Slane awarded 'Cartoonist of the Year'
Above: One of Chris Slane's award-winning cartoons from 'The Listener' magazine. Copyright Chris Slane 2010.
Congratulations to cartoonist Chris Slane, who was awarded the prestigious title of 'Cartoonist of the Year' at the Qantas Media Awards last week. His award-winning entries came from 'The Listener' magazine. The judges praised Chris' artwork as having 'a distinct, effective edge to the cartoons that curries no favours. Strong views expressed, no fence-sitting. Savage caricature, but those portrayed instantly recognisable'.
Above: 'The Gordon Minhinnick Memorial Trophy For Cartooning'.
Presented with 'The Gordon Minhinnick Memorial Trophy For Cartooning' by The New Zealand Herald (best described as a 'shiny platter of cartooning excellence'), I'm sure it will make a fine addition to Chris' mantelpiece or a VERY classy tray to hold art materials if one was so inclined. The reverse side of the trophy features the names of previous winners, revealing this is in fact the second time Chris has taken home the prize, the first occasion was in 1998.
Above: Details from 'The Gordon Minhinnick Memorial Trophy For Cartooning'.
So congratulations to Chris for his continued fine cartooning, which you can see regularly in such magazines as 'The Listener', 'Metro' and 'The Shed magazine'. You can also check out more of his cartoons at his official website HERE.
-AK!
War Picture Library 299 Long Odds
Long Odds really stinks. All the right bits and pieces are there for a good story but they just don’t come together. Likewise the illustration at times has good composition but suffers from being a bit stiff.
It starts off OK enough. There’s an introduction to brewing class tension as Sam Clark is involved in commando officer cadet training and fails to pass. His friend Peter Hyde suspects it is because Sam Clark is the son of an engine driver. A watch goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the mission to take the airfield almost goes wrong, trust is lost and then regained, heroic self sacrifice is offered, a deathbed confession is rendered and the troubled are laid to rest.
Sounds good? Except that the class tension doesn’t develop, no suspicion is laid around the missing watch, the airfield mission is an overwhelming success and apart from Clark’s final confession there’s no hint in the story that Clark is a troubled soul.
And this is the trouble with Long Odds there’s ample opportunity for consequential angst but it never gets a chance to develop.
It has an excellent cover though. Also when the commandos get into trouble they really take a beating.
Oh yes…there’s not an arrrrghhh to be seen.
This party would a lot better with girls. When are the girls turning up?
Instant death? Is that the same as instant coffee?
Caution. Commandos at work.
When, suddenly, I spied them. I saw a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them!
.
I'm not happy! My short ink and paper life is about to be snuffed out by a poor story line.Bad guys! They don't like showing their faces.
Poor blighter. He didn't even get the chance to say Arrgghhh!
Medikidz Comics launch in NZ market STAT!
Above: a 'Medikidz' comic focusing on HIV. Copyright Medikidz 2010.
The medical education comic-book series 'Medikidz', created by former Hawke's Bay doctor Kim Chilman-Blair, was officially launched in New Zealand this week.
The 'Medikidz' are a team of five superheroes from outer space, who each specialize in different parts of the human body. They inhabit a living planet shaped like the human body called 'Mediland', and go on adventures designed to entertain and educated children about their bodies and the causes and effects of serious illnesses.
Dr.Chilman-Blair conceived of the series while training at Auckland's Starship Hospital. She realised there was a need for an education resource specifically aimed at children to help explain, in terms they can understand, the often complex world of medical issues, procedures and treatments. She partnered with a fellow medical graduate Dr Kate Hersov to form the publishing company 'Medikidz Limited' in 2006, and moved their business to London to trial it on a larger market. Since it's official launch last year, they have sold more than 600,000 comics to hospitals, clinics and families based in the UK, Europe, India, Australia, and the United States.
The comics are co-produced by the doctors with John Taddeo a long-time comics enthusiast, once employed as a Marketing Manager for Marvel Comics. All the material produced is peer reviewed by doctors and specialists in the medical field to keep it accurate and accessible. So far topics covered by the comics include: Leukaemia, Breast Cancer, Swine Flu, ADHD, Childhood Overweight, Epilepsy, Type 1 Diabetes, HIV, Asthma, Osteosarcoma, Autism, Food Allergy, and Scoliosis.
To celebrate the New Zealand launch, local businessman Owen Glenn purchased 500 issues, which have been donated to the Starship Hospital.
Published in New Zealand by HarperCollins, the series of graphic novels should be available from all good booksellers this month and retail for $16.99. If you would like more information regarding upcoming titles or resources, you can visit the 'Medikidz' official website HERE.
-AK!
Above: The Medikidz take on HIV. Copyright Medikidz 2010.
SHIPPING LIST: JUNE 03, 2010Disclaimer: You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply
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