Highly Recommended – ‘Vanguard’ by Dan Butcher.

Vanguard issue #20.

Created by Dan Butcher.

The whole series is available to read online right here.

‘Join the Wolfshead and her group of compatriots as they confront the tyrannical forces that rule a fractured United Kingdom.

Together, they face an enslaved population tricked into military servitude, a murderous gameshow filled with homicidal meta-humans and brutal gangland forces that control the criminal underworld.’

This comes as the highest possible recommendation for a comics series that is consistent in art and story, is epic and long-running and gripping in each and every page turn.

That cover!!!! Dude!!!!

My admiration for this web comic (also regularly available in trade collections) actually dates back to before my friendship with it’s creator Dan Butcher. Myself, Dan and Vince now meet at least weekly to record the Awesome Comics Podcast, talk about our love of comics, chuckle and remind Dan every so often that his comic is excellent and should be talked about more! Especially by him – the humble bugger!

Vanguard is without doubt one hell of an achievement. Dan has taken his love of superheroes, Image Comics, Marvel UK, action movies and mixed it with a literate grittiness that keeps you guessing on each and every instalment. You can never second guess this series. There is a narrative driven landscape on show here that has a genuine depth and richness. It is now onto it’s twentieth issue with no sign of slowing down. I devour it at every release – even the one where he killed me! If this book was a release from Image Comics people would be losing their minds over it.

As well as reading the web comic and buying each collection as it is released I’m also an avid follower of Dan’s work over on his Patreon account. A daily treasure trove of art, work in progress and comics advice it is also one you should think seriously about following. You can find the link right here.

Here’s an example of the craft and work that goes into just a single page of Vanguard. Outstanding!!!

You can also keep up to date with all of Dan’s projects over on his Twitter right here and see some great examples of his art and how he creates it over at his Instagram account here. He has recently posted a video of the creation of the cover that you can see at the top of the page.

Get on it!

Many thanks for reading.