Staple Diet -- Small Press Reviews by the Comics Creators Guild

What would you call them? How would you define them? Self-Published, Small Press, Amateur productions, Fair Trade Publications? For every possible name you cite, whatever your criteria, we’ll find you two that contradict whilst still being eligible.

Let’s agree to disagree and just read more comics, then.

Wherever possible we’ve provided contact information, so if anything catches your fancy you can get it direct from the creators. In Do It Yourself publishing every penny counts, and in that same vein you ought to attend any small press/self publishing events such as Caption that you can. We’ll be providing information/links on those we know of on our Links page.

If you would like to see your publication reviewed, or if you would like to write reviews for this column, please get in touch with the Guild via our contact address.

WEST Issue 5, reviewed by John Maybury
By Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable (Angry Candy)
24 pages, A5 black & white interior and cover
Contact andrew@angrycandy.co.uk

The fifth episode of Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable’s western gunslinger’s saga presents (“Lost” style) the events preceding those of #4. Although this may seem a strange way of ordering things, it actually enhances both stories, as we see futility compounded on futility. However, each issue can be read separately and if you haven’t tried West before, there’s no barrier to jumping on with this issue.

The art has improved between #4 and #5 - the action scenes are better rendered here. Tim Keable has returned to using tones (unlike #4, which used hatched and line shading), but in a more controlled way than earlier issues. Not sure which style I prefer, but this looks good.

Apparently the future of West will lie in book sized collections. Something to look forward to.

A CONFUSED PURSUIT, reviewed by John Maybury
By AM
20 pages + covers, A6 black & white interior, black and red cover. £1.00
Contact www.amdrawing.co.uk

A light-hearted comedy story demonstrating the difficulties of creating true Artificial Intelligence. An inventor tells his robot creation it is now ready to face the outside world and should go out and “pull a bird”. The robot is clearly an advanced model but unfortunately the inventor has omitted colloquialisms from its programming…

The comic is presented in wide-screen - you hold it horizontally so that the pages are one-above-the-other, not side-by-side.

The simple line-art style complements the script and does not attempt to pack in extraneous detail, fitting the page size well.

THE ART OF CAKE DIVING, reviewed by John Maybury
By Cliodhna
8 pages, A6 black & white interior, colour cover. £2.00
Contact www.ztoical.com

A interesting mini-comic, almost entirely silent, there is a single (non-verbal) speech-balloon.

A woman carrying a cake, enters a dark room that is packed with cakes of all sizes - reminiscent of a large installation in an art gallery (cakes as Art?). The woman appears to want to experience the cakes to the full - mere ingestion is not enough. Some of the cakes are exceedingly tall, and the woman is soon leaping from cake to cake until we reach the climax. I did, however find myself wanting more - to see what happened next.

One is left to ponder whether the woman has supplied all the cakes and so is indulging herself solely or is she adding to a communal exhibit, something to be shared?

Nice artwork with a wrap-around card cover which folds out, revealing more cakes.

TEMPO LUSH MINI COMIC #3 GOVINDA THE MEDITATING RABBIT

Review by John Maybury
By Richy K. Chandler
2 pages, colour comic, A4 £0.85

contact tempolush@lastpreciouscookie.com

A cunningly wrought, humourous mini-comic detailing the distractions faced by a meditating rabbit.

The comic consists of a single sheet of A4, twelve panels per side, each panel the same sized square. The A4 sheet is itself folded into a square, so the title panel is visible at the front.
Nice colour harmonies and drawings.

© 2008 Richy K. Chandler. All Rights Reserved.

THE ADVENTURES OF DR. MCNINJA VOLUME 1

Review by John Maybury
Written and drawn by Christopher Hastings, Inked by Kent Archer
128 pages, black and white interior, colour cover, US comic sized
contact www.drmcninja.com

Dr. McNinja is, as his name suggests, a Ninja of Irish descent who is also a doctor. This volume collects the first three Dr. McNinja adventures from the popular web-comic.

The book easily lives up to the expections of surreal delights raised by the title, starting with the cover: an excellent parody of a 1950's style US comic, complete with creases and chipped edges. Inside Dr. McNinja deals with strange diseases, pirates and velociraptors. When he is unsure how to proceed, he asks himself 'what would Batman do?' - the answers lead to some hilarious scenes.

Rejection and alienation are frequent themes in comics and this is no exception - in another high spot, we learn that Dr. McNinja's family do not approve of his dual career. With the aid of some pirates (traditional enemies of the Irish Ninja) he attempts to prove to his parents that he is a true Ninja.

Realistic sounding medical jargon adds to the package, along with some great velociraptor artwork and the whole thing is a very funny slice of Ninja action.

© 2003-2007 Christopher Hastings. All Rights Reserved.

DREAM LOGIC #4, Review by Allan Harvey
By Robert Brown
Contact: dream_logic@hotmail.com
28 pages, A4 black & white/2-colour cover, £1.75 + 60p P&P

Dream Logic is an anthology of tales entirely created by Robert Brown. Most stories cover several pages; a few are just single page vignettes, but every one feels complete.From humour, to terror, to existential angst, all life can be found here. Brown's relatively young age belies his insight into the human condition: a recent change in his circumstances have affected his life -- and he has something to say about it.

Remarkably, Brown has furnished each story with a different art style. He's less proficient is some styles than others, but there's nothing here that disgraces what is obviously a major talent in the making. These are the kind of stories that would have been right at home in something like the seminal Raw magazine back in the day, or perhaps Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Library.

For me, the standout strip was "Losing It", a tale written -- in first person narrative, no less! -- from the perspective of a young teenage girl experiencing her first brush with adulthood. It's convincing, moving, and all too real.

If he continues in this vein, Brown is going to be one to watch. Do yourself a favour and check out Dream Logic.

MONKEYS MIGHT PUKE #7, Review by John Maybury
By Dan Lester and Jon Smith (Vomiting Simian Press)
Contact http://www.monkeysmightpuke.com
28 pages, A5 black & white

The latest instalment in Dan Lester’s humour series consists of a number of short sketches, sometimes interlinked (a bowling ball spans several of the tales).

This structure is reminiscent of Monty Python in comic form, the surreal nature of the contents also contributing to this feeling. I say this as a compliment - not to imply that the material is derivative.

Interestingly, my copy had duplicated first and last pages, a surreal bonus I suspect other copies may not have.

SECOND DEATH #1, Reviewed by John Maybury
By Adam Carter and Ian Carter
24 pages, black & white comic, A5
Contact london.vampires@yahoo.co.uk

The reader is dropped straight into a modern vampire tale, in mid-scene. From there, the plot twists and turns and despite the occasional hints, never quite goes where the reader expects. Unfortunately, the script is often verbose and some of the dialogue stilted. This lets the comic down somewhat, which is a shame as the story has potential.

The artwork is suitably dark, visually, this is definitely a BLACK and white comic. Nice wolf drawings and generally good faces and anatomy.

Looks like the series will offer plenty of revelations and twists as the character’s back-stories are revealed (assuming the authors take it that way).

VAMPIRE FREE STYLE #1, reviewed by Allan
By Jenika Ioffreda
32 pages, A5 black &white/colour cover
Contact: www.neptunefactory.com

A young man, who is apparently learning to be a witch, mourns the loss of his true love. Where she has gone, he knows not, but he spends much of his time desparately seeking answers. A cute black cat comes into his life one day, and though he doesn't yet know it, the young witch may find the feline is much more than she appears.

Vampire Free Style is written and drawn by Ioffreda in an unabashed Manga style. The art is strong, with a fluid line and superior figure drawing. The characters -- especially the oh-so cute cat -- come alive thanks to the artist's familiarity with depicting body language. I was reminded in places of the art of Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon). There's a lovely full page piece of pencil art at the back, so anyone out there who fancies themselves as a Manga inker - this is the place to come to hone your skills.

It's only the first issue so the story doesn't get very far, but what is there is certainly intriguing. It's also laugh out loud funny. This is one to watch.

BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL , reviewed by W!n
By Peter Beare.
8 pages, A6 black & white
Contact www.dangnabbit.com

Peter Beare seems like a nice bloke – I met him at the Web and Mini Comix Thing 2007 in March – and he very generously gave me some of his work in the form of these two mini – micro? – comics.

They are wonderful. He draws with a marvellously playful economy that looks like he’s animation-trained, his timing and pacing are superb, and he has an adept ear for dialogue.

He also has ‘the knack’. He can tell a story about seemingly anything. This one is about dedication, the drive to draw, relationships, how pets run the world and, of course, the ultimately divisive nature of Jaffa cakes.

DANGNABBIT
By Peter Beare.
16 pages, A6 black & white
Contact www.dangnabbit.com or http://nabbit.livejournal.com

These whimsical graphic epigrams from Peter Beare are a slice of delight in a comic world laden down with introspection, angst and hyperbole. This 12 page micro-comic has a front and back cover and four full-page spreads, yet still manages to tell nine complete stories in the amount of space most creators devote to setting the introductory scene.

Punchy, whimsical and darkly comedic by turns, yet always sure in execution and drawn with superb skill, these are wonderful examples of the joy of storytelling and the intrinsic reward of drawing well. I wish the entire world could share the fun of strips such as ‘Mice’ or ‘Closing Time’ or the remarkably subtle ‘Procrastination’ which ought to included in every parenting book ever published.

With a drawing style reminiscent of the shamefully not-famous Ed ‘Ilya’ Hillyer, and an obvious joy in the simple act of making comics, Peter Beare is someone whose work I urge you to seek out and enjoy.

SPACE BABE 113 episode one: Briefs, reviewed by W!n
By John Maybury (Soaring Penguin)
28 pages, black & white comic 225x168mm, Colour covers
Contact Spacebabe113@soaringpenguin.co.uk

I have to declare an interest before I review these comics. John Maybury, as well as a fellow CCG member, and my editor on the Guild’s Annual, is one of many people I have taught in more than twenty-five years as a tutor of comic skills at various organisations ranging from the London College of Printing, through the London Cartoon Centre to the Cartoon Art Trust. I think it’s only fair to state, however, looking at how few of those hundreds, if not thousands, of students have gone on to produce outstanding comic work, that we’d be deluding ourselves by assuming I had any effect whatsoever!

Confession over, and so to work.

Space Babe 113 is a remarkable and highly addictive piece of comedy science fiction from a creator not content to simply relate tales, but to constantly challenge himself in the process. With overtones of Barbarella (Jean Claude Forest’s comic more than the Jane Fonda movie version), the Ballad of Halo Jones, Little Annie Fanny and a dozen other things I could cite to show off, this is the tale of a sexy ingénue on a commercial mission to the stars with a disparate crew of misfits on the claustrophobic and muddled trading ship ‘Marco Polo’.

Although nominally the ship’s Catering Officer, she always seems to be getting the wackiest jobs – such as testing the fetishistic ‘Off World Battle Garb’ – on the long voyage to their rendezvous with potential trading partners the Lirka. Not long into their five year mission a crisis occurs when cosmic rays mutate the female crew-members knickers and only the greatest efforts of human ingenuity can save the day.

There is a long tradition of sexy space women in comics, films, TV and even novels – although the last does demand the exercise of some imagination – and this gently saucy, racy tale ranks among the highest in that arena. The humour is both broad and gentle, with more of the ‘Carry On’ rather than ‘Emmanuelle’ about it, although the occasional subversive side-splitter sneaks in, and there are oodles of SF, comic book and computer in-jokes for those in the know.

Remember I said he liked to challenge himself? Although able to draw well in a variety of representational styles, John has ‘sweetened the pot’ by setting himself a daunting task. Space Babe 113 is a glamour book that has moved away from pseudo- or pneumatic realism in search of a reductionist abstraction that has echoes of Vaugh Bodé, Alex Nino and even graffiti street art. It is to his credit that his diligence has largely succeeded. She may just be large blobs of thick black and white, but she is certainly a tasty little minx. Regrettably, however, in a few places in the first issue the printing lets down the show, but generally the effect is marvellous, and if there’s a collected edition those slips can be rectified.

Hip, sexy, surreal and engaging, Space Babe 113 is a real treat that deserves great success and broad acclaim.

SPACE BABE 113 episode two: Lirka, reviewed by W!n
By John Maybury (Soaring Penguin)
28 pages, black & white comic 225x168mm, Colour covers
Contact Spacebabe113@soaringpenguin.co.uk

On the good ship ‘Marco Polo’ the eclectic, erotic crew are preparing for their first trade conference with the asexual Aardvarks known as the Lirka. Tensions are high but at least they are confident that there will be no further assaults from their treacherous and homicidal underwear. Unbeknownst to most of the Terran delegation, their own chief negotiator – ‘Star’ – has been secretly instructed to use any means necessary to compel the Lirka to purchase human video Porn. She realises that in such an impossible situation she will need every possible advantage – she needs Space Babe 113.

Can two such widely differing species find some common ground to build upon? In the strangest manner imaginable the answer is categorically ‘yes’, but sometimes getting what you want isn’t really a good thing, as can be seen when the conference devolves into a wild strip-poker party!

The second issue of John Maybury’s sugar-sweet space siren actually improves upon the first, and the smutty insanity builds to a splendid cliffhanger conclusion. And the ‘less-is-more’ art goes from strength to strength. One more thing I should stress: this is a sex comedy in space, no quibble there. But it is as much a science fiction strip as it is anything else. The concepts and technology are well-considered and have a sound quality of authenticity about them.

Well-rounded, captivating and impossible to put down. Buy it and decide if I mean her or it, why don’t you?

SPACE BABE 113 episode three: Foliage, reviewed by W!n
By John Maybury (Soaring Penguin)
28 pages, black & white comic 225x168mm, Colour covers
Contact Spacebabe113@soaringpenguin.co.uk

Surviving the aftermath of the too-successful trade-conference with the androgynous, ant-eating Lirka, Space Babe 113 crashes her escape pod onto a desolate jungle world where she must eke out a lonely existence and pray for rescue. But is she alone?

Something on this lush planetoid is trying to communicate with her, and it’s not just her talking underwear. Is she the last hope for a dying race to return from the very edge of extinction, or is it just that Earth Girls really are ‘Easy’?

This is the raunchiest and funniest issue yet, but still manages to walk the right side of the line between charm and prurience, and best of all the original printing problems that weakened the impact of the beautifully abstracted artwork have been put to rest. This is lovely work. Buy it now and start a petition for the animated series.

WEST # 4, reviewed by John Maybury
By Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable (Angry Candy)
24 pages, A5 black & white interior and cover
Contact: andrew@angrycandy.co.uk

For those unfamiliar with West, it is Andrew Cheverton and Tim Keable's small-press western saga, documenting the life of it's hero, Jerusalem West. The authors have stated (issue 1) that the series is designed as an overall story, but with each part self-contained and a potential jumping-on point. This is certainly true of this issue.

In Andrew Cheverton's ironic storyline, West is unintentionally drawn into a conflict and saves a town from the local gang. It is the opening scenes though that for my money really sell the book. West's arrival in the back of beyond and his long journey to his destination are very atmospheric and contain some great dialog. Despite being only four pages in length, this segment of the issue effortlessly conveys the impression of a many hours passing in the heat of the desert.

The characters are well drawn and each person is a distinct design. This is where Tim Keable's art is at its best: in the faces and close ups (though previous issues show he does a good line in horses as well). The almost exclusive use of cross-hatching and lines for shading purposes contributes to the atmosphere and really suits the material. I much prefer the look of this to the use of tones as in issue 2.

The style of West has evolved throughout the series, with this easily the best issue so far with a strong Spaghetti-Western feel (the final dedication indicates this was the creators' intent) - well worth a look.

THE GIRLY COMIC #9 & 10, reviewed by W!n
By various (Factor Fiction Press)
32 pages, A5 black & white, colour covers
Contact www.factorfictionpress.co.uk
Mail order available from 38 Clarkes Road, Wigston, Leicester, LE18 2BE

The Girly Comic began in 2002 and has reached double figures; no mean feat in independent publishing circles -- especially for an anthology title. It also houses some of the best comic tales I’ve seen in many years of graphic idleness.

Issue #9 is a Halloween/horror special that kicks off with the stylish and wickedly surreal “Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls Vs, Zonbies” from Bart A Thompson, Michelle Cox and Louis Bernal. Aaron M Fitzwater and Daniel Bell contribute the gently lyrical “Mixtape” and the ever wonderful Lee Kennedy provides an exemplary media history of the walking dead with “I wanna be a Zombie”. Supernatural semi-fixture Odd Cases returns with the eerie tale of the “Bean Sidhe” courtesy of Alistair Pulling and Bevis Musson, while quirky CGI siren “SpaceGirl” by Motodraconis inherits a spaceship of her very own. The issue closes with the truly disturbing horror fable “Twinkle Toes” from Karrie Fransman.

Issue #10 begins with the cynically comedic “Sylvia’s Path” by Barry Williams and Toby Ford, with Iain Burnside and Debra Boyask’s evergreen love story “The Chanced Romanced” following. “Gutterbaby” is an oddly musing paean of affirmation in a manga style from josceline fenton, followed by a loving biograghy “Vignettes from the Life of Cass Elliot” by Lee Kennedy. Star of this issue is “Sparkle” by Chris Docherty, a genuinely startling look at young love that will leave you gasping. SpaceGirl returns to end the book with a short essay on the benefits of body enhancement.

The Girly Comic is an absolute gem of a publication, providing a venue for great work that might not find a home in the hidebound and proscriptive world of mainstream comics publishing. And if you needed any other reasons to buy such great stuff, aspiring creators might care to note that the editors have an open submissions policy (their submissions guidelines are available on their website) and back-issues (because you really need to see the standard and variety of ability you’re potentially competing against) of all Factor Fiction publications are available from the addresses at the top of this entry. Get in touch with your Girly Side. You know you want to.
© 2005 individual contributors. All Rights Reserved.

TWELVE HOUR SHIFT: AUTUMN, review by Dan Lester
Sean Azzopardi
http://www.phatcatz.org.uk/

The late Stanley Kubrick once commented that just because a story is real, that doesn't automatically make it interesting. Twelve Hour Shift demonstrates this perfectly. The comic consists of two scenes: in the first we follow main character Steve as he heads to a job interview while contemplating his future. The second scene finds Steve in his local pub having a few drinks with a friend. Any small press creator will be able to identify with Steve's plight, but that in itself does not make a good read -- I can identify with someone who stubs their toe on a radiator, but that doesn't mean I want to read a twenty page story about it.

This is well-tread territory, and Azzopardi brings no new insight or perspective to it. This isn't helped by the artwork, which is adequate at best. To be fair, nothing in the comic is really bad, and it is possible that Azzopardi will develop into a first class storyteller, but judging by this effort he isn't quite there yet.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS, reviewed by W!n
By Jeremy Dennis (Alleged Literature)
24 pages, A5 black & white, colour covers
Contact clearskies@livejournal.com

One of the Grande Dames of the self-publishing movement – although she won’t thank me for calling her that – Jeremy Dennis has been producing beguiling and intriguing strips for about as long as I can remember. This collection, produced in her customary variety of artistic styles, features a number of single page strips dealing semi-autobiographically with exterior events and interior ruminations and perhaps ought to be considered as graphic conversations rather than narrative adventures.

The nine-panel grid used extensively here provides an almost limitless canvas for this type of storytelling, and the single page limit doesn’t curtail or limit the flow of the work. More people should try saying something under such conditions. Of the nineteen tales presented here my personal favourites are “New Girl” and “Blackbird Turf War”, but I’m not going to tell you anything about them. These are good honest comic stories and nothing should spoil the enjoyment of reading them. Which you should.
© 2005 Jeremy Dennis. All Rights Reserved.

TEENAGE KICKS True-Life Tales From The Streets, reviewed by W!n
By Steve Marchant (DST Lewisham)
16 pages, A5 Full Colour

Strictly speaking I’m not sure if this is eligible, but this is my review so I shall do as I please -- stop me if you can.

Steve Marchant has been training the next generation of comics creators for over twenty years now, when not producing such gems as Fantastic Life and the adventures of Stupidface. As an offshoot of his work with Lewisham Council, he has concocted this splendid educational comic for the social services of that borough, dealing with the socialisation of young adults and specifically providing hard information about drug taking and underage sexual activity.

Witty and forthright, and drawn in a stylish wide-line cartoon fashion, it’s a genuine treat to read and will hopefully lead to more work for Steve and more comic strip usage in the education sector. How to get it? I suppose we’ll all have to move to Catford.
© 2005 Lewisham Council? All Rights Reserved.

SYNCHRONY #2, review by Dan Lester

Andrew Cheverton, various artists
http://www.etherore.net/angrycandy.htm

Andrew Cheverton is writer of the excellent small press western series WesT, as well as writer artist of the one-shot, Jingle. His title Synchrony serves as a vehicle for his shorter pieces.

This second issue features a prose story and three comics, all written by Cheverton with the comics drawn by Oli Smith, Justine Shaw and Jennika Ioffreda. The comics are all thoughtfully written and well illustrated, especially the dream story at the beginning, where Oli Smith's hazy greytones create an effective rendering of a half-remembered dream landscape. The standout, however, is the prose story, which concerns a man dying of cancer who realises that his answering machine is picking up messages from the afterlife. It's a subtle and moving tale, and more than justifies the cover price by itself.

ED TRAQUINO’S RACIAL HARMONY, reviewed by W!n
By Ed Traquino (Ed Traquino/CCG)
20 pages, A5 black & white. Contact edtraquino@yahoo.com
Copies available from Ed or the CCG for £2 inc. P&P

Ed Traquino is one of the most accomplished young artists I’ve ever seen. His use of black line and white space is superlative, and unlike most of the newer artists, his influences aren’t poorly shlocked Manga retreads or tenth generation Jack Kirby or Jim Lee knock-offs. Ed can draw character and quiet moments and isn’t afraid of making the background as polished as the figure work. And in the best British tradition, he also has an eye for the quirkily amusing, not to say outright eccentric.

Racial Harmony is a compilation of four short stories. “Guess Who’s Got It Coming?” is the cautionary tale of wannabe Rock Gods falling afoul of their own mismatched ambitions and the more irresistible needs of the local Goodfella. “A True Story” might not be, but it is an amusing tale of how the stresses of mountaineering express themselves. Seedy competitiveness is the theme of “Faster, Stronger, Knackered”, and the self-explanatory “How To Get The Lot” closes out the issue.

I’m never going to be completely happy. I’m that sort of person. In this case I do think that the creator would benefit from some scripting input at this stage of his hopefully long and glorious career. Dialogue is sometimes a little derivative, and occasionally the narrative seems unintentionally ambiguous. Just because you know what you intend doesn’t necessarily follow that the reader will ‘get it’. Also, for the love of Mike, proofread the stuff when you’re alert, not after a heavy night, man!

VIOLENT! No. 8, reviewed by W!n
By various (Factor Fiction Press)
32 pages, A5 black & white, Colour covers,
Contact www.factorfictionpress.co.uk
Mail order available from 38 Clarkes Road, Wigston, Leicester, LE18 2BE

Violent! is a themed anthology featuring the work of various creators. This issue opens with the exuberant pastiche strip (you can all play spot-the-copyrighted-character-I’m-based-on to your heart’s content) “The Flatworm” in the prologue to an extended serial entitled Legs Eleven which features the gathering of a unique-ish band of British heroes, courtesy of Jay Eales, Tim Keable and Andrew Cheverton.

Next up is Vast: Golfing Spy in “You Only Swing Once” by Paul Ferry and Peet! Clack, a Bond spoof with great potential. Mike Sivier and Andy Baker bring us the first episode of the truly eccentric “Hard-Boiled Hitler”, followed by “Cinderella Syndrome” from Eales and artist Tony Ford, a cautionary tale for any one left in the bar after the rest of the comic convention goes to bed. Eales and Peet! feature again with the fourth episode of Spare Parts (guess what that’s about), while the impressive MageWorks sees some impressive art from Allan Harvey in a strip about multiple realities and darkly heroic guardian sorcerers. Star of the show for me, however, is the sharply comic lesson in manners delivered by Pol Rivas’s “Revenge of the Lost Time”.

Anthologies are tough to produce at the best of times and themed ones doubly so. There’s a lot of wit and enthusiasm here to make up for any perceived lack of polish, but I do regret that something so in tune with big bangs and big laughs has of necessity to be produced at such a compact size. Double gate-fold fold-out anyone?

Almost all Factor Fiction publications and back issues are available from the addresses at the top of this entry. Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to some graphic Violence!
© 2005 individual contributors. All Rights Reserved.