Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor #1 (Titan Comics)

Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor #1 (Titan Comics)

George Mann (w) Emma Vieceli (a)

Titan comics have launched their fourth on-going Doctor Who title, this time featuring the adventures of the "missing Doctor" played by Paul McGann who made just the one episode/film and only made one further appearance in a "prequel" to the Time Wars storyline on BBC's "Red Button" channel.

Broadcasting history can't be changed but the adventure of the eight Doctor can now be told in comic book form, though it has to be said the writers have taken into account the numerous audio adventures made by Big Finish which were sold on CD and some broadcast on BBC Radio7/Radio 4 Extra.

This story is a omplete "one off" introduction for new readers and introduces a new companion Josephine Day who the Doctor finds squatting in his cottage (who knew he had one?).

Trouble is that forces are at work that brings her imaginative paintings to life threatening the locals.

Is the Doctor to blame?

A worthwhile addition to Titan Comics line. And remember although primarily aimed at the American market through Diamond distributors this is a very British company.

A worthy start and is now on my "pull list" at 30th Century comics.

The "missing years" audio adventures available from Big Finish Productions

 

Lion and Champion (1966)

One of the longest running boys comics, Lion, merged with a the short lived Champion comic in 1966. Oddly Champion was described as the "companion paper to Valiant" but was merged with a different title. The publishers did the same with Hurricane when it ceased publication and was subsumed by Tiger. I'd guess Lion was the one that needed a circulation boost at the time.

 

The first few issues elude me but I decided to pick this comic up from the issue dated 17th September 1966 as it had a cover that announced the return of the Phantom Viking. In a story line reminiscent of Marvel Comics Thor, Olaf Larsen found a helmet (rather than a hammer) which when place on his head gave him superpowers including flight. The mild mannered if not complete wimp of a teacher then went on to fight crime...on the seafront!

Also continuing in this issue was The Spider who beats the Android King with the help of fellow criminal The Exterminator and then decides to reform and fight crime much to the consternation of all his minions bar two and complete disbelief by the police.

The inevitable World War Two story featured Trelawney of the Guards who commits a minor mutiny to prevent being promoted to being an officer. And of course there's Robot Archie, this time wandering around the jungle in a boring machine fighting criminals escaping in a hover car. All futuristic stuff that must have wowed Britain's young readers back in those days before men landed on the moon.



Other strips included Code-name Barracuda an agent of the United Nations fighting one of those bizarrely named international organisations back in the sixties WAM (War Against Mankind). No idea either.

Zip Nolan, Mowser the aristocratic cat plus Texas Jack (a western story) fill out the issue.

Oh there's also the inevitable football story which I would have skipped over then and did so today.

Worthwhile reading, but Lion was one of the better British comics.

Scooby Doo Team Up #13 (DC Comics)

Scooby Doo Team Up #13 (DC Comics)

Sholly Fisch (w) Dario Brizuela (a)

One of the more memorable and still popular kids cartoons was Scooby Doo.  A new series is out in the United States shortly and like a lot of these types of shows Scooby Doo has generated a lot of comics over the years. The franchise currently belongs to DC Comics, who publish not one one but two Scooby books.

This issue (out now) caught my attention because of the appearance of mainstream DC superheroes, The Phantom Stranger, Deadman and The Spectre. This comic is obviously aimed at the younger market so expect more Super-Friends than Justice League!

Nevertheless this was a fun break from the angst of of mainstream comics as the Phantom Stranger turns up at he Scooby Gangs house asking for help to find missing ghosts.

Where to look? A ghost town of course!

A previous issue featuring Batgirl, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy picked up a lot of attention and ended up attracting ridiculous prices on E-Bay. I doubt this will but comics should be about having a bit of fun and this certainly fits the bill.



Oh and here's a clip from the seventies when the Scobbies met Batman. Well it is Saturday morning!

The Hangman #1 (Dark Circle)

The Hangman (Dark Circle Comics)

Frank Tieri (w) Felix Ruiz (w)

A loving husband and father. A devoted wife and adorable little girl. The dream. Except Gabby has left her bunny in the trunk.

Daddy has his victim tied up in there. Shut your eyes Gabby dear......

Strawberry Jam? What is that for?

Actually it's the most sinister use of strawberry jam that I've read like....ever. Daddy's a hit man for organised crime and he's earning his and his family's keep.

But someone is watching...

The latest offering from Archie's new Dark Circle line of comics is a real treat. The only fault I could find with it is that it ended. I want more, now! So hopefully they'll keep to the monthly schedule.

Archie have marked this as a "Teen+". Personally I'd rate it "Mature". You'll see why when you hear about "Daddy's" next job. Gave me nightmares it did!

Johnny Red #1 (Titan Comics)

Johnny Red #1 (Titan Comics)

Garth Ennis (w) Keith Burns (a)

Titan Comics are a British company producing comics in the American format. Amongst their growing range of titles are no less than three (soon to be four) monthly Doctor Who comics. Their latest offering is a mini-series highlighting Johnny Red a character that will be familiar to readers of the long gone but not forgotten weekly Battle comic published back in the seventies and eighties.

Johnny Red tells the tale of  a pilot who flew a Hurricane on the Eastern Front alongside Russian Yak fighters in World War 2.

This modern rendition sees rich collector Tony Iverson purchase the wreck of a Hurricane for restoration but discovers this is no ordinary plane and did not take part in the Battle of Britain but has a far more intriguing history.

In Russia we meet Sargent Rodimitz who tells the tale of Johnny Red and back in time to Stalingrad we go...

Highly recommended.

 

Lion Annual 1971

The new crop of "Annuals" are hitting the shops ready for Christmas, but they are just not up to the standards I expected as a child/teenager. Over sized and in colour but thin on content with very restricted comics material. Shame really.

Back in the day we were treated to quite weighty tomes. Not perfect but plenty to read and entertain in the winter months when going out was far to cold in the country. The Lion Annual 1971 is one that appears familiar and yet I have no memory of buying it which may seem odd but we are talking about 45 years ago after all.

The Lion was one of the better boy's comics which had been launched in the fifties but was sadly to end in the mid-seventies when it merged with Valiant, IPC/Fleetway's flagship title.

 

Starting off with Gargan, the tale of a boy and the last Yeti searching for a stolen magic mirror to stave off death and disaster, was one of the charming adventures that only ever seemed to appear in British comics. Monster goes to the rescue, is misunderstood and hunted until the truth is cleared.

Followed by Zip Nolan, the US motorcycle cop where the reader was invited solve the mystery with a panel giving the main clue  ,along with Robot Archie saving the day in ancient Rome, hi-jinks with Mowser, Lion's aristocratic pet and a number of one off stories including Last of the U-Boats there is plenty of fun to be had.



Sadly Dan Dare (Eagle had merged with Lion in the sixties) only appeared in a text strip. I never understood why comics insisted on publishing these. We read comics for... comic strips. Books were for text stories. There were a few too many in this edition for my liking.

However the one-off and complete The Menace of the Killer Plants was worth the price of entry alone. A Triffids rip-off to be sure but entertaining. I'm sure this was a reprint. Do any readers know it's origin?

The Annual ends with two familiar strips Turville's Touchstone and Oddball Oates. A worthwhile addition to anyone's collection.

The Lion Annual outlasted the comic itself which folded in 1974.

First and last Lion Annuals:

 

Eagle Picture Library (1985)

Pocket picture libraries were all the rage amongst comic readers from the sixties to the eighties. Most of these were war stories with original material designed especially for the format. The idea was to literally stick these in your blazer pocket and take them with you. Of course by the eighties I had started work and didn't wear school uniform anymore but these mini comics were still a good read.

After Eagle merged with Tiger, the publishers tried to capitalise on the brand by launching the Eagle Picture Library. These were different to the majority of  it's "rivals" as these were reprints of previously published stories and were not designed for the format.

The first issue saw an adventure with Sabu (a Tarzan clone) The Talisman of Doom fighting evil hunters in their search for the lost city of Taal. Highly readable and enjoyable as we see the villains get their comeuppance (with a little help from the animal kingdom) and Sabu makes a new friend.

 

The second issue featuring Murder in Space sees Jet Ace Logan confront a murder on board his spaceship and meets a bunch of previously unknown aliens who were the real culprits. Now herein lies the problem for older readers. I found the typeface far too small for ageing eyes in this particular book and so am not enamoured to collect more.

However if your eyesight  can cope the variety of material printed in this short-lived title (there were just 14 issues over seven months) may appeal. Amongst the issues is an adventure with Janus Stark from the new look Smash!.