I was a bit slow off the mark in grabbing the second issue of this excellent home grown comics journal Comics Unlimited so I've prioritised reading it and have to say it's well worth the price of entry. This magazine mixes stories and interviews about both British and American comics. The magazine contributes to small rebirth of Britain's comic industry.
Despite the lock-down we have seen not just 2000AD & Judge Dredd Megazine increasing it's readership via subscriptions there's also been the launch of a whole new comic with Shift, The 77 continues to establish itself and small press publishers continue to produce comics that warrant wider readership. This plus a "fanzine" of our own is just what is needed.
With 100 A4 pages there is penty to read in the latest issue including a rather nice piece on The Unknown Soldier one of DC Comics war heroes. Reference is also made to Sgt Rock and the origin of the Unknown Soldier is retold something I hadn't read before despite having several issues of the comic.
I personally always preferred British war stories growing up in the sixties. I read most in those little pocket picture libraries of which Commando still continues to this day though there was a Zombie story recently which I missed as nowhere round here sells the bloody thing! However I digress as Stephen Hooker writes a nice piece War, Good God! What is it Good for? examining the war comics we used to love to enjoy.
There's also a short piece on The Phantom Eagle from Marvel which I do recall reading in an edition of Marvel Superheroes back in the sixties but that's about it.
Meanwhile in a very timely piece Steve Laming looks at the history of TV21 the Gerry Anderson based comic from the sixties along with it's short lived companion Joe 90 and Lady Penelope which outlived them both albeit as a "normal" girls comic.
Whilst it concentrated on the obvious features of Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds and eventually Captain Scarlet it also had one other very fondly remembered series The Daleks in solo adventures without a certain Time Lord getting in their way. These full colour strips have been collected and re-issued by Panini which is available in Supermarkets and newsagents now, in fact I just picked up my copy and will shortly be reading with glee!
You'll also find articles on The DNA Agents with whom I am not at all familiar, The Defenders, The Invaders and more. Of particular interest is a piece on DC's Crisis, On Infinite Earths which comes at a time when my years of patient loyalty to the company has finally run out and time is up for DC it appears except for a handful of titles such as Superman, Batman, Harley Quinn and a digital future with Trades for bookshops...or so the rumour goes.
I can't of course ignore the interview and photo gallery with cosplay star Viva Wonder Woman who does a lot of charity work and got an endorsement from Lynda Carter!
There's much more besides in this issue and there is a "Golden Age Special" to come in December before #4 which will be out in January. I wish these guys luck. A lot of hard work has gone into this.
Rating: 5 Stars. Highly Recommended
Order via Amazon.
Further Info: Comics Unlimited Facebook
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