Longbox Mountain 27/09/2023

Morning,

I write you from a dark and Autumnal Cardiff. I’ve just arrived at about 6.30am. Oh, the working week! I’ve set a reminder on this site to get me writing every Wednesday. So here we go.

It’s been a great comics week again. A visit to Gosh and then the London Comic Mart filled up the rucksack with reading material. Not least of all getting the chance to hang out with comics buddies. We also released our interview with indie comics legend Terry Moore that I hinted at last week. Terry was an absolute joy to chat to and extremely funny. The three of us at the ACP are now lifelong fans. Doesn’t take much effort to be friendly and enthusiastic. Warms the cockles.

So, on with the task at hand.

Tops.

Rather than a single collection/issue this week it’s for a single cartoonist. Over at the NIA podcast myself and Eamonn Clarke got together to discuss the work of Ronald Searle. A creator I’ve known and read, often without knowing, for my whole life.

There are many facets to his work and his life that I was unaware of when researching. Easily one of my favourite podcasts that we’ve done on this channel and a big thanks to Eamonn for throwing himself so heavily into the research. It’s full of recommendations for you to have a hunt for.

Bottoms.

I’ll often impulse/blind buy from the small press shelves at Gosh comic shop. It sometimes/rarely reveals a piece of hidden gold that I can talk about on here or the ACP. This week was another sore disappointment. Not only in content but also in price. 36 interior pages, printed on green paper with pencil art minimally adorning most/part of the pages. This was also £10.

It reads like an incomplete doodle/sketchbook. Whilst the paper may be thick, the contents are not. Forgettable and half-arsed. Even the most generous reviewer can’t rate this book. I didn’t realise the cost until I hit the cash till! Quality and value for money in comics and zines is really slipping. This is a prime example.