Table of contents for Issue 32 in Comic Heroes

In the current climate, comics offer us the perfect escape from the maddening world we live in. With blockbuster movies hitting our screens it is an easy world to dip into or fully immerse yourself in. This issue, we’re taking a leaf out of DC’s book and concentrating our efforts on Women In Comics, it’s a movement that sees writers and artists attempting to get a fairer spread of representation into our marketplace. You can read about Wonder Woman’s beginnings and the struggles of female characters and creators alike over on page 34. What’s more, John Romita Sr talks about the origins of Gwen Stacy and MJ and how they both stand the test of time in Spider-Man’s life. Chris Claremont talks about the power of women, and his efforts…

“MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE CAN SERVE AS A CAUTIONARY REMINDER OF OUR PAST LEADERS’ MISTAKES” Executive Order 9066 is a part of American history that’s often forgotten or swept under the rug, but George Takei is going to tell his story of the events in an upcoming graphic novel. Takei has signed a deal with IDW Publishing to produce an autobiographical comic on the Japanese American internment camps during World War II, the book will be created with Takei’s guidance, working as a narrator he will share his family’s experiences. He hopes that through his book, he can inspire people and encourage positive change. George Takei is best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the TV and film series Star Trek, where he portrayed the character from 1966 to…

“THE FACT THAT I’M WORKING WITH A HERO OF MINE REALLY MADE IT SOMETHING AMAZING” Anew project from Hellboy creator Mike Mignola is always worth checking out. Mr Higgins Comes Home is a new oneshot graphic novel to be published by Dark Horse this October. Mignola is writing it but joining him on art is British artist Warwick Johnson Cadwell ( Tank Girl ). The seed of the project began at a comics show over here in England last year, Cadwell informed us. “I was fortunate enough to be on a Sketch Panel at the Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds last year. Mike was also on the panel and we had the opportunity to meet briefly afterward. He suggested we should do a story together which I thought…

“WHEN YOU GET TO BE PROFICIENT IN COMICS THERE’S A TEMPTATION TO COAST. JACK DIDN’T DO THAT” Mark Evanier, writer, historian and former assistant to Jack Kirby has tweaked his biography of the legendary artist. Originally published by Abrams Books in 2008, Mark has amended parts of the text, adding a new chapter and foreword, as well as newly found art. Kirby: King Of Comics is part coffee-table art book and part biography. What made you decide to go with this format? I had a lot of Kirby artwork that I thought should be preserved. The material dictated the form; Jack was a guy who span an incredible series of decades doing great artwork and it was fascinating to a lot of people to see it chronicled that…

 Frank Quitely is one of the most highly regarded British comics artists of the past 30 years. Starting his career on Scottish indie comic Electric Soup, Quitely (real name Vincent Deighan) soon moved onto the Judge Dredd Megazine on strips like Shimura and Missionary Man. He then began a collaboration with fellow Scottish superstar Grant Morrison on titles like We3 for Vertigo and the acclaimed All-Star Superman for DC. He worked with Morrison again on X-Men for Marvel and over the past few years, he has collaborated regularly with fellow Scottish writer Mark Millar on Jupiter’s Legacy for Image Comics. 2017 is a significant year for the artist as a major exhibition of his work has just opened at the Kelvingrove Gallery in Glasgow, Frank Quitely: The Art Of Comics.…

“HE IS ONE THE MOST ENDURING SUPERHEROES OF ALL TIME” Making his debut in Amazing Fantasy #15 in August 1962, there are a number of reasons why Spider-Man has become one of the most enduring superheroes of all time. It could be his constant wisecracking or his arachnid-inspired enhanced abilities, or his often oddball rogues gallery. But according to current Amazing Spider-Man scribe Dan Slott, it is Peter Parker’s ordinary, everymanesque status that makes the wall-crawler such a perennial fan-favourite, making him instantly a much more relatable than DC’s more remote godlike pantheon of super-beings. “Spider-Man is the hero who could be you,” says Slott. “People think that being someone like Superman is unattainable, as he was born Superman, and he came to Earth on a rocket, so you could…

After writing 133 issues of Ultimate Spider-Man, Brian Michael Bendis has been chronicling Miles Morales’ adventures in the main Marvel 616 Universe for the past 18 months. Having also teamed the half Puerto-Rican, half African-American 16-year-old wall-crawler up with the original web-head Peter Parker in 2012’s Spider-Men, the pair are set to meet again in this month’s Spider-Men 2. And if that wasn’t enough Spidey action, one or maybe both of the arachnid heroes will play a supporting role in Bendis and David Marquez’s new Defenders series, which, like its forthcoming small-screen equivalent, centres around the superpowered ensemble of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. “WE WERE NEVER GOING TO BRING ULTIMATE PETER BACK” How have you enjoyed your time with the Miles Morales character in the main…

While Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are responsible for bringing the current team together in 2008, the Guardians of the Galaxy also owe a huge debt to the work of Jim Starlin. In fact the whole Marvel cosmic universe is inspired by the superheroic space operas that he wrote and drew in the 1970s. Starlin also created Drax the Destroyer and Gamora, who made their respective bows in 1973’s Iron Man #55 and 1975’s Strange Tales #180, along with other prominent characters like Thanos and Adam Warlock. “Jim Starlin is one of my favourite creators, and his work on Warlock and Captain Marvel are benchmarks for me,” says Abnett. “It was a pleasure to use those characters and, I hope, honour that legacy.” Star-Lord’s first adventure – the work of…

1. Rob Williams Rob Williams wrote this article. He's also the writer behind the new Robo-Cop series, Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods, Cla$$war, various Star Wars comics and, ooh, loads more. 2. Tony Lee Tony Lee has written X-Men and Spider-Man for Marvel, and is writing the ongoing Doctor Who series for IDW. 3. Simon Spurrier Simon (Si) Spurrier is the regular writer of Bleedingcool.com’s oh-so-vaguely-comics-related column ‘Short ‘n Curlies’. He’s written Silver Surfer and X-Men titles for Marvel, Batman for DC, Judge Dredd for 2000 AD. 4. Al Ewing Al Ewing is a regular writer for 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine, currently writing Judge Dredd, Zombo, Damnation Station and Tempest. Ewing has also written short Hulk and Iron Man pieces for Panini, as well…

Writers: Mike Mignola and Gary Gianni Artist: Gary Gianni Publisher: Dark Horse Gary Gianni’s engraving-like artwork is perfectly suited to this creepy oceangoing yarn that takes place aboard a nineteenth-century sailing ship. Set during the two years Hellboy was lost at sea and slotting into continuity directly after the events of The Island, Into The Silent Sea finds Big Red chained and held captive by the crew of the aforementioned ship, the Rebecca. The captain spies a moneymaking opportunity and plans to display his demonic-looking prize to crowds, but the crew, more suspicious and superstitious, start grumbling mutinously. It turns out that the captain is not the true commander of the Rebecca. That role falls to a civilian passenger, a strange, intense pale lady in black who is a member…

Writer: Philip Pullman Artist: Fred Bettin Publisher: Bettin Fickling Books Format: Ongoing Reviewed: Volume 1 A new work from acclaimed author Phillip Pullman is always worth celebrating – but his first original graphic novel? Well, that’s certainly worth your attention. Collaborating with illustrator Fred Fordham, The Adventures of John Blake: Mystery of the Ghost Ship manages to straddle the line between nostalgic and fantastical, familiar but ultimately fresh; an action-adventure that combines a simplistic storytelling style with an undeniable thrust. Of course, that will leave many of us wanting more. Mystery Of The Ghost Ship is a quick read, although that speaks to its qualities more so than any perceived lack of depth. Given that this first volume is published through Dave Fickling Books – aimed at the eight-to-12-year old…

Writer: Pat Mills Artist: Simon Davis Letterer: Ellie de Ville Publisher: Rebellion Reviewed: Volume 3 When The Brutania Chronicles kicked off it was the perfect jumping-on point for those who had seen blood-splattered panels of Slaine in 2000AD , but weren’t familiar with his 30-year backstory. Three books on, the overarching plot of The Chronicles is no longer quite as accessible. However, Psychopomp is a surprisingly introspective instalment, which anyone can enjoy as a character-rich one-shot. Psychopomp picks up straight from where Book Two left off, with Slaine trapped by Lord Weird and going head-to-head with supernatural warrior The Primordial. After a fulfilling fight, the latter half of the volume sees Lord Weird invade Slaine’s thoughts to confront the source of his rage:…

Writer: Alan McKenzie Artist: John Ridgway Publisher: 2000AD Format: Ongoing Reviewed: Volume 1 2000AD has built itself something of a reputation over the decades; it’s the company you come to when you want a dose of science fiction, high-intensity action or gritty war stories. For a quaint, evocative, ‘coming of age’ story focused on the adventures of an isolated British boy wizard? Well, in that instance you’d probably look to J.K. Rowling, right? Well, maybe not. Unearthed from the vaults, this monster collected edition is some of writer Alan McKenzie and artist John Ridgway’s best work. Equally bewitching and entertaining, these adventures are a great read, subverting a number of broody boy wizard tropes in a classically 2000AD way.…

SpongeBob Comics: Treasure Chest by Stephen Hillenburg (Abrams ComicArts) A bit of fun for the child within you, this new release collates the best of the comics. It’s a must-have for fans of the famous sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. Out 3 October for £21.99. Marley’s Ghost by Harvey Kurtzman (H Kurtz) Adaptating the brain child of Harvey Kurtzman is Shannon Wheeler, Gideon Kendall and Josh O’Neill taking his original notes to form a fully realised expansion of Charles Dickens’ famed novel. Out 15 October for £6.99.…

Writer: Dan Abnett, Ian Edginton, Kek-W, Pat Mills, TC Eglinton Artist: Colin Macneil, D-Israel, Nick Cyer, Dave Kendall, INJ Culbard Colourist: Chris Blythe Letterer: Annie Parkhouse, Ellie de Ville, Simon Bowland Publisher: 2000AD Format: Ongoing Reviewed: Volume Sons of Booth puts Dredd in familiar and potentially dangerous territory. The series has always excelled when it’s addressed the issues of its time and used Mega-City One as a lens to view them through. Everything from Eglington’s script to Chris Blythe’s urban, washed-out colours excels. With Defoe, Pat Mills’s 17th Century zombie hunter has found a perfect home. The story is great fun, being a noir-esque setup for dirty deeds in the shadow of the post-apocalypse. Ellie De Ville’s letters are top notch too. Abnett’s Brink is next with art…

“GENERATIONS DEFINITELY HANDS OFF TO MARVEL LEGACY. THE CHARACTERS’ EXPERIENCES IN GENERATIONS WILL INFORM SOME OF THE CHOICES THEY GO ON TO MAKE” The House of Ideas is known for pushing boundaries and going the extra mile when it comes to their stories. Some are viewed as controversial; their new arc spins out of the ideas of Secret Empire, a currently-being-published arc by Marvel that has certainly garnered some attention. From the creator that brought us Ultimates, comes a new generation… We spoke to writer Brian Michael Bendis and executive editor Tom Brevoort about the development and changes that Generations brings with it. Generations actually spins out of Secret Empire . Is it unusual to have an event book that stems directly from another event…

The novel is a worldwide bestseller. Were you thinking about that going into the project? Sylvain Runberg: No, I never thought about that aspect during writing. In 2010 I talked to Dupuis about my desire to make an adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s novels, and they were already successful. I already had in mind what I wanted to do during this adaptation through these main characters, Lisbeth Salander, Mikaël Blomkvist and Erika Berger, and the themes that interested me in novels: the new rise of the Far-right politics, feminism, the media. And more generally, I write above all for myself, without thinking of the readers. It is for me the only way to honestly approach a narrative. Are there any advantages that the comic medium has over novels? What will the…

“FIVE DAYS LATER I CAME BACK TO THEM WITH A DECADE-LONG VISION FOR THE COMPANY” Actor Jay Baruchel has joined Chapterhouse as part owner and Chief Creative Officer of the Toronto-based publisher. “It’s the best thing ever, it’s such a cool thing to have to work – using fingers for air-quotes – approving super heroes and coming up with crazy story arcs,” Baruchel enthusiastically explains. Chapterhouse launched in 2015 after its CEO Fadi Hakim wanted to use the Canadian superhero Captain Canuck’s image on his restaurant’s menu. After buying the licence for the character from its creator Richard Comely, he got a team together to re-imagine the character, launch an animated web-series and eventually a comic. The partnership with Baruchel stemmed from discussions he had with Chapterhouse about putting together…

“My collection grew and grew, and lived in a pile on the shelf directly above my bed” When they find out that you work in comics, the first thing British people will say to you is, “Ooh like The Beano ?” and then you say, “Yeah, sort of, but more like Batman ,” and they say “Ooh, you write Batman ?!” and then you say “No, no I don’t. I doubt I ever will. Oh god. Can we just forget this ever happened please?” or words to that effect. This has always given me a pain, not just because I will likely never write Batman, but because it feels disloyal to British kids comics to distance myself from them at each…

It is quite an accolade for a comic artist’s work to be celebrated in such a distinguished setting, but it makes sense that Quitely’s career is commended in this way. Starting off with his work on Scottish independent comic Electric Soup in the early 1990s, it makes its way through his work on Judge Dredd Megazine , All-Star Superman , Flex Mentallo and X-Men , covering his more recent collaborations with Mark Millar on Jupiter’s Legacy . We get to see his pencils, his cover work and also a sense of how he has evolved as an artist. There is something dynamic and idiosyncratic about his work so you know…

 Comic books have always offer an escape for people, but Joe Glass noticed something it wasn’t offering us: equality in representation. He tells us why it is so important for audiences to read LGBTQ+ fiction and more… “There are so many queer characters in comics who are so deeply hidden” How did you start getting into creating comics? I just kind of always wanted to do it, you know. This question comes up a lot, often at comic cons, and the thing is, there’s no special gate you need to get through or permission you need to receive. I just wanted to do it, so I started doing it. I will admit I started off by wanting to be a comics artist when I was a teenager, but I learned…

The Lucifer TV show has been criticised for having only the bare minimum in common with the comic book of the same name, but Mike Carey, writer of the Lucifer comic, knows better than most that adaptation means reinvention. He confesses that, while he’s seen and enjoyed some episodes of Lucifer, he’s “not following it religiously. No pun intended.” Carey, of course, was himself adapting Lucifer from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, where the character had first been introduced. On the subject of adaptation, Carey says: “I’ve done it enough times to know now that you can’t translate something straight from one medium to another, you have to figure out what works in the new medium and play to that… I don’t resent the fact that the show’s gone in a different…

For the first time since Brand New Day’s clean slate resulted in the demise of Sensational Spider-Man and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel last month launched their first ongoing companion title to Amazing Spider-Man in almost ten years. Drawn by Adam Kubert, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man is scripted by Sex Criminals artist Chip Zdarsky, who is fresh off a stint on Marvel’s other famous Peter’s solo adventures. However, he doesn’t believe that the Webspinner has much in common with leading Guardian of the Galaxy, Star-Lord. “Ultimately, Peter Parker is racked by guilt,” says Zdarsky. “He needs to save everyone and, while he enjoys aspects of being Spider-Man, it’s not as rooted in thrill-seeking as Peter Quill’s pursuits are.” Describing Dan Slott as “the architect of Peter’s world,” Zdarsky will be…

10 SWAMP SPIRIT First appearance: Frankenstein #16 (1948) Created by: Dick Briefer Frankenstein (okay, pedants, Frankenstein’s monster) starred in an eponymous humour title from Prize Comics, characterised as a big, well-meaning lunk. In this short, one-off tale, the creepy radio show which Frankenstein and his friend Roger Rodgers co-present is broadcasting live from Borgo Swamp. Their plan is to record an encounter with a shuddersome inhabitant the Swamp Spirit. The creature attacks, and Frankenstein, in the process of defeating it, gets so covered with mud that locals mistake him for the bog beastie. When the truth is revealed, Frankenstein and Roger are accused of perpetrating a hoax, and their show is cancelled. Moral of the story? Don’t mess with swamp monsters unless there’s a shower handy. 9 MUCK MONSTER First…

THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO ANY HIRING TRANSACTION: THE PERSON WHO WANTS THE JOB AND THE PERSON CAPABLE OF GIVING IT (OR OF INFORMING THEM THAT THEIR GIANT-WARRIOR-ANT MAXI-SERIES ISN’T QUITE WHAT THE MARKET IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR). SINCE MUCH OF THIS FEATURE IS ABOUT HOW YOU GO ABOUT GETTING A JOB FROM A COMICS EDITOR, WE THOUGHT IT’D BE INTERESTING TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE: WHAT DO THEY WANT? Q Do you hire unpublished people? Is it a case of a writer getting their work published elsewhere first? Randy Stradley, Dark Horse Comics: Since the majority of what I’m editing right now is Star Wars, I’m wary of hiring writers who’ve not yet been published. There’s so much about writing comics well that’s specific to comics, it’s not…

Writer: Alex de Campi Artist: Tony Parker Publisher: Image Format: 5-issue series Reviewed: Issues 1-4 Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin’s critically acclaimed graphic novel is finally being translated from its native French for English readers. Inspired by true events, Nury and Robin explore the events that unfolded in the wake of the infamous dictator’s stroke, covering his death and the power struggle that ensued. Leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin’s rule lasted from the mid 1920s until his death. He was found in his room on 1 March 1953 in his pyjamas, soaked in his own urine. Stalin had suffered a stroke and in the days that followed it was very touch and go until his eventual death on 5 March 1953. The story begins with a disclaimer that…

Writer: Dan Abnett Artist: Phil Winslade Letterer: Ellie de Ville Publisher: DC Format: Ongoing Reviewed: Volume 1 Set in the Judge Dredd universe, the first collection of 2000 AD’s breakouts is Lawless: Welcome To Badrock headed by writer Dan Abnett with art from Phil Winslade – both are familiar talents to 2000 AD and the world of Judge Dredd. Set after the events of Abnett’s Insurrection, those who are new to the series will still be able to jump onboard and treat Lawless as a standalone story. Marshal Meta Lawson finds herself assigned to the town of Badrock on the planet 43 Rega, still healing from an invasion by alien race the Zhind. Badrock is a no-good town and Lawson finds herself trying to keep the peace stuck between the…

Writer: Mark Evanier Publisher: Abrams Format: Biography/Art Book If the history of comic book art was to be taught in schools, then Jack Kirby’s work would be the first lesson. The impact he made on the form is something we take for granted now, and he is still emulated today. Before Kirby, comics were much like newspaper strips featuring still figures. Kirby added motion and made the pages come to life. He also helped create some of the most iconic characters in comics. Almost ten years after Kirby: King Of Comics was originally published, Mark Evanier has gone through his biography of the legendary artist, added a new chapter, rewritten bits and replaced some of the artwork with pieces he has gathered since 2008. The 240-page book is part biography…

Writer: Alex de Campi Artist: Tony Parker Publisher: Image Format: 5-issue series Reviewed: Issues 1-4 Detective Jack McBane (yes, really) is a one-eyed police detective operating out of 1970s New York. Uncompromising, brutal, principled and angry, he’s the cop the city deserves and needs. Originally published in 1971 as part of the comic Valiant, Jack McBane is an important part of British comic history. John Wagner would of course go on to co-create Judge Dredd, but the style of the title is just as important as what would grow from it. Unflinching, nasty and French Connectionesque, this was one of the first modern instances of a comic aimed pretty solidly at an older audience. Valiant may not have worked but Battle Picture Weekly, where Jack transferred, did, and the two…

Writers: David Bishop and Karl Stock Publisher: 2000AD Coinciding with the 40th birthday of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic comes this revamped, updated edition of the 30th-anniversary book. The original text by former-Tharg David Bishop has been added to by journalist Karl Stock, offering a comprehensive, well-researched and lavishly illustrated document of the life of 2000AD so far. The swirling chaos that attended the comic’s birth forms the most fascinating part of the story. During its early years 2000AD seemed to lurch from one crisis to the next, under ever-present threat of cancellation by the powers-that-be at parent company IPC. Instances of rampant ego abound, mostly related to founding father Pat Mills, who, judging by the interview quotations here, seems not to have a good word for…

Writer: Cavan Scott Artist: Andie Tong Inker: Marcio Menyz Publisher: Titan Comics Format: 4-issue series Reviewed: Issue 1 Tekken’s story has always been a bit of a myopic mess – there’s a huge cast of characters in the parent game series, and when the only story you really need to tell is about people beating each other up, it’s easy to lose focus and flit around from fighter to fighter aimlessly, struggling to snap to a single, meaningful storyline. Tekken #1 is the establishing issue of a four-part story arc that ties directly into the upcoming release of Tekken 7. The first few pages of the issue use assets and 3D renders from the game to summarise the story so far, explaining that the patricidal Mishima family have…

The indie comic scene has done nothing but grow in recent years, with the addition of online funding schemes such as Patreon and Kickstarter (to name but two). Steve Tanner went that exact route last year to launch his latest project, Flintlock. Joel Meadows found out more from the man himself Steve Tanner created Time Bomb Comics back in 2007 to publish one shots and graphic novels. In fact, the British independent publisher celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, with books like Defiant, Bomb Scares Vols 1 and 2 and Ragamuffins: Stitch In Time under their belt. In 2016, they decided to fund adventure anthology Flintlock using Kickstarter, the second time they did this (the first was with Bomb Scares). It worked and they have just published a second volume…

“A TOP-GRADE CGI ANIMATED SERIES IS DUE TO DEBUT LATER THIS YEAR ON THE CBBC CHANNEL” Celebrating its 80th anniversary next year, the quintessentially British comic brand The Beano is expanding into digital platforms and TV at an unprecedented rate… but has pledged that the weekly physical product will remain core to its business. The Beano is the UK’s longest-running comic, having launched on 30 July 1938, and it’s the home of long-standing classic strips including, of course, Dennis The Menace, The Bash Street Kids, Roger the Dodger, Minnie The Minx and Bananaman. Ahead of the anniversary, Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson has been busy launching a raft of new media projects… which might conceivably raise fears for the print title from those who remember The Beano’s…

29 years is a long time in comics. Matt Wagner created the first Mage series, The Hero Discovered, back in the 1980s, and its sequel, The Hero Defined, only came out at the end of the 1990s. Now, 18 years after the second volume, 2017 sees the release of Mage: The Hero Denied, a 15-part series published again by Image that will wrap up the creator’s tale of Kevin Matchstick. Launching with a zero issue at this year’s San Diego Comic Con in July, Wagner gave a few extra details to us when we spoke to him back in May. “It takes up about ten years after the conclusion of The Hero Defined. Kevin’s at a very different point in his life...but then the same dark forces arise to once…

“THE LEOPARD FROM LIME STREET HAS BEEN HAILED AS THE UK’S ANSWER TO MARVEL’S WEB-SPINNER” From grizzled New York cop One-Eyed Jack to malleable mimic Faceache , the inaugural offerings from Rebellion’s new Treasury of British Comics imprint couldn’t be more varied. The first classic stories to see the light of day following the 2000AD publisher’s purchasing of the Fleetway and IPC Youth Group’s plentiful archive of 1970s and 1980s comics, they are drawn from titles such as Buster, Misty, Valiant and Scream! “There were several reasons for choosing the first stories to reprint,” says editor Keith Richardson. “Some work was selected because I was already familiar with it, and some material was…

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Facing prison time, Mikael Blomkvist is hired to investigate an unresolved family disappearance. Aided by computer hacker Lisabeth Salander, they soon discover a trail of murder, deception and dark secrets. Presenting a new vision of Stieg Larsson’s much-loved series, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a serialised comic book adaptation of Lisbeth’s story. Written by Sylvain Runberg, illustrated by José Homs and translated by Rachel Zerner, the comic tells story of violence and cruelty, family secrets and international intrigue. On sale from Titan Comics now. Robotech The all-new Robotech comic series returns to Macross Island, the place where it all began! Writer Brian Wood, artist Marco Turini and colourist Marco Lesko have crafted a thrilling new tale that’s perfectly accessible to new fans, as…

Owen Johnson is one of the most prolific creators working on the UK indie scene. He’s always pushing the envelope on what’s expected of comics. Recently, he’s focus on two projects; Reel Love and Beast Wagon. The first is a semi-autobiographical look at his love of film, the second is a zoological black comedy. I talked to him about comics, cinema, creativity and what’s next. What led you to comics? I’ve always been receptive to visual storytelling. Most of the children’s books I grew up reading were illustrated. Where The Wild Things Are by Sendak, Not Now Bernard by David McKee, We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Rosen and Oxenbury. As a child I assumed Quentin Blake as responsible as Roald Dahl for Fantastic Mr. Fox and The BFG.…

At last, Wonder Woman has her own blockbuster film, and it only took seven and a half decades! You read that right. It’s been over 75 years since the 1941 debut of everyone’s favourite Amazon in All-Star Comics #8. Since then, Wonder Woman has starred in her own long-running comic, been the centre of a beloved TV show, had her face printed on everything from kids’ pyjamas to an exclusive limited makeup range at MAC, been appointed as an honourary UN Ambassador, and become perhaps the best-known female superhero in Western pop culture. Yet 2017 is her first big-screen outing as a solo superhero; compare that to Batman, who’s been headlining films since 1943, or Superman, whose cinema career spans a period of almost 70 years. So why wasn’t Wonder…

Controversy and experimentation wasn’t the be-all and end-all of Vertigo under Karen Berger. The books all shared similar themes, including what Berger refers to as the “anarchic, rebellious, rage-against-the-machine or whatever you want to call that almost revolutionary, punk aspect. I think it was a big part of what was so attractive about those series. It just speaks to a lot of people at a certain age, who want to defy the system and question the world that we live in and explore the darker side and follow characters who have ambiguous moralities. “That’s probably the key thing that differentiates a Vertigo protagonist from a superhero protagonist – they’re complicated. They’re not black and white. You don’t always agree with what they’re doing.”…

“THE CREDIT GOES TO TWO WOMEN: GWEN & MJ” Behind every great man is a great woman. But in the case of Spider-Man, the credit goes to two women: Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. Both changed Peter Parker’s life, taking him from adolescence to manhood. And both owe much of their success to Marvel Comics legend ‘Jazzy’ John Romita, who began penciling Spider-Man when the character’s co-creator, artist Steve Ditko, left the title. “I tried for a few months to ghost his style,” Romita tells us from his home in Long Island, New York. “But it was very foreign to me, because he used the pen a lot and I used the brush. So it gradually turned into my style. Thank God the fans didn’t lynch me.” Any readers…

When Guardians Of The Galaxy exploded onto cinema screens, it was almost inconceivable to imagine that the motley band of spacefarers have not always ranked among Marvel Comics’ heavy-hitters. But when Dan Abnett and his then-regular writing partner Andy Lanning launched their new incarnation of the interstellar superhero team in May 2008, Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon and Groot were far from the ubiquitous characters they are today. “At the time, and traditionally, Marvel’s cosmic characters were less popular than the classic and iconic Marvel heroes,” says Abnett. “But I had always loved them, so there was a sense of having access to a stockpile of forgotten or half-forgotten low-tier protagonists who were just lying around, with no one caring for them.” With Abnett noting that…

There’s never been a better time to be a comics writer. Okay, sales may have dropped away since the industry’s early 1990s heyday, when Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man #1 sold 2.5 million copies, but every third movie at your local cinema currently seems to be a comic adaptation. While classic writers such as Alan Moore have rightfully enjoyed more respect in recent years from Britain’s literati, other comic scribes are now being snapped up by Hollywood, thanks to the enormous success the likes of Iron Man and The Dark Knight have enjoyed simply by staying faithful to their sequential source material. And it’s not just superheroes – with more leftfield comics such as The Losers, A History of Violence and Scott Pilgrim being made into movies, the door to major success,…

"Oh England, my love, you made me look a fool." – ‘All My Life’, Blur CONCEPT: Music is Magic. You know this already. You’ve known this from the first time a record sent a divine shiver down your spine or when a band changed the way you dressed forever. How does something that’s just noises arranged in sequence do that? No-one knows. It’s just… magic. Everyone knows that. It’s just that some realise that it’s more than metaphor. These people, called Phonomancers, use the magical energy of pop music to attempt to satisfy their desires. Phonogram describes the drama, conflict and intrigue when these desires diametrically oppose. Rue Britannia charts the battle to define the communal memory of the early-nineties guitar-music renaissance known as Britpop. It’s fought between a…

“THIS IS A HUGE SCIENCE-FICTION CONCEPT DELIVERED VIA COOL ART, FEATURING THE FLASH BEING FUNNY” If you’ve craving a Wonder Woman fix after catching Diana Prince’s awesome antics on the big screen in her first ever movie, then pick up her title book (though maybe wait until issue 24 hits shelves, as issue 23 is the – disappointing – end of a fairly long arc). Once you’ve done that, you should totally grab a copy of Trinity 9, which is the start of a new (potentially very promising) story featuring your new favourite heroine. It opens with Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman reminiscing over a recent adventure, before they’re boomed into deep space by Cyborg, who’s in a fairly serious predicament. To say any more would…

Writers: TC Eglington, Si Spencer, Alan Grant, Dan Abnett, Tony Lee Artists: Karl Richardson, Henry Flint, Paul Marshall, Phil Winslade, Lee Carter Inker: Eva De La Cruz, Dyan Teague Letterer: Anne Parkhouse, Simon Bowland, Ellie de Ville Publisher: Rebellion Reviewed: Issue 384 Megazine 345 continues several stories, without kickstarting any new ones. After witnessing a murder while testing a suit that allows them to climb walls, the mob and the Law are after the siblings in the conclusion of ‘Gecko’. They have an often tender back and forth – not to mention a cool suit – so it’s a shame they had a short run. Part three of HAVN suggests something is rotten in Nu-Iceland. When a screaming man blows himself up, Judge Hoffman discover he was wearing…

Writer: Kieron Gillen Artist: Kev Walker Penciller: Marc Deering Inker: Antonio Fabela Letterer: Joe Caramagna Publisher: Marvel Format: 6-issue volume Reviewed: Volume 1 One of the more popular new characters to emerge from Star Wars’ Disney-induced comic-book resurgence, the revelation that rogue ‘archaeologist’ Doctor Aphra would be getting her own series was both welcome in that she was getting the exposure the character deserved, and refreshing in its indication that they wouldn’t just be focusing on the old favourites. Saying that, nostalgia has been the buzzword in the new Star Wars era, and Aphra’s choice of companions are indicative of this: bounty-hunter wookiee Black Krrsantan (who only sticks around because of the heavy debt owed to him by Aphra), and homicidal C-3P0 and R2-D2 analogues 0-0-0…

Writer: Alec Worley, Arthur Wyatt Artist: Paul Davidson, Ben Willsher Publisher: Rebellion Format: Ongoing Reviewed: Volume 1 She may have made her debut in the ’80s, but it feels like it’s only recently that Judge Anderson has seen a true resurgence in popularity across the board in Mega City One. The Deep End is, for all intents and purposes, a continuation of the chaos that unfolded in the movie DREDD, pushing Anderson back into the spotlight as she struggles with the realities of acting as judge, jury and executioner. Writer Alec Worley does a fantastic job of bringing colour to the character, one thrust into situations where the line between right and wrong can so often be black and white. The real star may, as is so often the case…

Writer: Junko Mizuno Artist: Junko Mizuno Publisher: Titan Comics Format: 47-page book Reviewed: Volume 1 Ravina The Witch is one of the most captivating visual experiences you can hope for in such a small book. Junko Mizano’s fuses shojo manga with a very Western, pop-art influenced style that results in a dreamy, otherworldly noir affair that has a unique visual language and weaves narrative and imagery together seamlessly. The story – focusing on the eponymous Ravina – explores what it is to be normal and what it is to have that normality challenged, removed. Think of the book as a more modern, easternised version of Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland – it has that dreamlike detachment from reality while somehow remaining grounded and spinning a relatable, satisfying tale. Hints of eroticism,…

Writers: Hope Nicholson Publisher: Quirk Books Hope Nicholson’s entertaining survey of female comics characters is, as she says in her introduction, “not a definitive one” but finds value in the objects of its study “not only because they’re easily lost to the sands of time, but also because they’re usually much more interesting than their male counterparts.” Taking a decade-by-decade approach from the 1930s to today, Nicholson includes everyone you might expect – Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Ms. Tree, Vampirella, Maggie Chascarillo, Amanda Waller, Jessica Jones, both Ms Marvels – but leavens her choices with some left-field inclusions. For instance, she offers stout defences of frothy lightweights like Dazzler and Squirrel Girl. She also unearths some vintage obscurities – Gail Porter: Girl Photographer, anyone? – and finds redeeming qualities in even…

Miles Hamer picks out some of the best self-published comics right now. If you have created a comic, in print or online, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch at stateofindependents@gmail.com THE ETHER Story by Matt Garvey Art by Dizevez mattgarvey.co.uk The latest crime-fighting thriller from indie talent Matt Garvey packs a seriously grizzled punch. Conjuring the rain-soaked murk of Britain’s gloomy, uninviting streets at night, this is the start of a new comic title and story arc from which kids’ eyes should most definitely be averted. A child murderer is on the loose, and there is a seedy line of enquiry to be made if the cops want to catch their killer. But there’s one masked avenger they’ll let make a few house calls if it…

Robin Hoelzemann’s Curia Regis is a highlight of the UK independent comic scene. Initially a web comic, it recently made the step across to print thanks to a Kickstarter campaign. Balanced on a knife-edge between fantasy, historical thriller and conspiracy series, it’s about to head into its second and final act. We talked to Robin about webcomics, crowdfunding, alternate history and more “Get your work out of your head so people can see it” Robin Hoelzemann So, what is Curia Regis ? Curia Regis (CR) is an 18th century-inspired fictional history about trying to steal a country. It follows Maren, a courtier about to have her loyalties and ethics tested, and Jacques, an heir to a contested throne, as they try and make the future they want…

FIRST COMIC I EVER READ I always think of The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals when visiting relatives in Scotland as a preschooler, which were basically utterly alien artefacts. Basically, it was Trainspotting for the under-fives. FIRST INFLUENCE ON MY WORK My first (and still primary) influence on my work remains trying to avoid having a real job. I work very hard to avoid having to do any actual work. After that, fear of dying. After that, fear of sub-editors attacking me if I’m late with my copy. MY FIRST PROFESSIONAL COMICS WORK I can only imagine my editors reading the latest mess of a script I’ve handed in and looking forward to the day I write my first professional comic. My first sale was to Warhammer Monthly in 2003,…