Blazer #1
Luke takes a look at the latest (ish – been a few weeks now) release from the stable of the mega successful 77, the homage to boys adventure comics Blazer, brainchild of 2000AD editor Steve MacManus.
Luke takes a look at the latest (ish – been a few weeks now) release from the stable of the mega successful 77, the homage to boys adventure comics Blazer, brainchild of 2000AD editor Steve MacManus.
Review by Luke Williams
For those who don’t know Sentinel is a comic that is based on what could reductively be described as DC Thomson’s sci fi / fantasy version of Commando : Starblazer. Like Commando, each issue of Starblazer was a complete, mostly self contained sotory, with the occasional recurring character. Well thought of, it ran from , 1979 to 1991. It was a nice contrast to serialised tales especially when you just want to pick a single story with no cliffhangers, dig around and you’ll find work from Grant Morrison, John Smith, Colin MacNei and Alcatena. I have a small collection of these from a lorry driving family friend who used to hand them over once he’d finished with them.
Entitled “Bad Kitty”, this month’s adventure stars professional thief Carlos Harrison, with a scheme to rob the very rich resident and owner of the Midas Hotel Rover Kingston – known as Lucky Dog after striking it rich in mining. Carlos scams his way into the best room in the hotel to steal a flymon crystal, the source of Lucky Dog’s wealth. Outwitted and trapped, he’s given an option: work for his would be victim or suffer a more deadly fate.
Lucky Dog’s family is slowly being picked off, LD suspects the culprit is a grudge bearing cat his family adopted when he was a pup. Lucky thinks that Carlos’ has the brains to help him stop the cat’s caninicidal rampage.
Tongue in cheek and not taking itself too seriously, plot and script are littered (heh) with dog and cat tropes and nods to classic strips. There are homages to cartoons from our childhood and dearly departed artists. It even guest stars rock band “Cats in Space” (or at least their logo)
’77 regular Morgan Gleave’s art is bold, expressive and highly stylised, redolent of the NME and Self Made Hero artist Jake, or perhaps a less intense Marc Hempel . It’s lovely work, a great example of coherent storytelling with consistent and recognisable characters. The Starblazer influence extends to the panel count, nothing more than 3 per page.
If there’s a criticism, it’s that the lettering is a little stiff , but its a minor gripe. This is loads of fun. Recommended.
Kickstarter for Sentinel issue 6 : “Bad Kitty” goes live on the 1st of February
You can buy back issues here : https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SentinelComics
Issue 2 of the UK comics anthology, inspired by the comics of our youth. Can Team ’77 repeat the success of issue 1 or is this a classic case of second album syndrome?
Word on the new latest Sci Fi special was that it was mainly reprint. That’s not a million miles from the truth, but there are also some shiny new gems in amongst the family jewels. WARNING : spoilers
Review By Luke Williams
It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years since Rebellion took over “stewardship” of the Galaxy’s Greatest and the Meg’. Love them or loathe them, it’s a pretty safe bet that if it wasn’t for them, we would be talking about 2000AD and it’s sister mag’ in the past tense. To celebrate, Tharg has drawn together a package that celebrates the china anniversary of marriage of Rebellion and the Prog’.
Behind an imposing Jock & Chris Blythe Dredd cover is a mix of reprints of some of the best one offs from the Rebellion era, new strips featuring characters from both eras and editorial features.
From the archives we get Al Ewing’s “Terror Tale” debut drawn by Dom Reardon, Dan Abnett, Andy Clarke and Chris Blythe’s sharp and playful “Sinister Dexter : Bullet Time” and a perfectly paced and heart rending episode from the final lap of “Nikolai Dante” by Robbie Morrison, Simon Fraser and Gary Caldwell.
Dredd universe representation comes from a reprint of the “Judge Fear” episode of the disturbing “Dreams of Deadworld” by Kek W and Dave Kendall and a masterful Wagner and Ezquerra Dredd, as Joe hands over the keys to his Rowdy Yates gaff to his clone, Rico.
Shiny new contributions come from Al Ewing back on Dredd after far too long. Joe pulls immigration duty and interviews a very familiar genteel walking corpse, with art by new great Jake Lynch and colours by Jim Boswell.
Dan Abnett and Richard Elson’s “Kingdom” comes out of retirement and guest stars the only ursus maritimus on the CIA death list.
John Reppion and Clint Langley goes all 90s style as they transfer “Storm Warning” from the Meg’ with a gate crashing (not to mention slightly incongruous) “Blackhawk”.
Finally, Ian Edgington and Steve Yeowell serve up “Red Seas” vs “Ant Wars”, the mash up literally no one asked for, but that’s fun all the same.
The customary (and cost reducing) text features and pin ups round the package off. Eveyrone loves a list and Karl Stock provides his best 20 strips from the last 20 years, provoking debate and fanboy hate on the socials and the forum. Rebellion supremo Jason Kinglsey is interviewed and so new they are still under warranty (yes, okay they have been around a few years now) art droids Dan “why isn’t he in the prog more often” Cornwell and Stewart Kenneth Moore providing a Dredd pin up and multi character DPS respectively, John Charles efficaiously colouring Cornwell’s work.
It is mainly reprint, but it’s brilliant reprint and the new material is worth admission. A little eye watering at £7.99 for those of us who still baulk at paying over £4 for a comic, but it’s an impressive package (fnar).
Fingers unburnt from Mark Russell & Max Dunbar’s “Under Siege” 4 parter, Luke mixes metaphors and draws more from the well of IDW Dredd……………….