Good Morning.
The last week has been relentless. Travel and work -then repeat. But I awoke this morning fresh with the enthusiasm of a new comic day. As well as loving the physical I have been seen to use the tawdry digital. And the 18th of September did not let me down.
More on that later.
The ACP this week was a Three Amigos episode and we travelled back to 2004 to see what was lighting up the comics charts as well as some chats about comic shops and a wealth of interesting comics to review and recommend. This was a favourite.
The Sunday that has just passed us by was the day of Bridlington Comic Con. Run by the super organised gentleman that is Andy Hampel. It’s a one-dayer and although has a focus on the pop-culture elements also has a balcony free to use for small press. If you’ve seen any of the press for the event it always pushes that there should be ‘Comics at a Comic Con’. Quite right too. And Andy offers a free space to anyone in Small Press. The Sun was out on the Saturday!
I got to spend my Saturday and Sunday with some fine folks. I road-tripped with the new guvnor of the underground Mr Adam Falp. And we even got started on the new comic on the road. Met up with Johnny Cannon (thanks so much for the comics and collections dude!) and the CEO of Third Bear Press Steven Ingram. The Sunday was fun and improved by the appearance of Martin Feekins, Ian Ashcroft and Sean Azzopardi (more later).
We had a fine time on the day. Many great chats and laughs. As a Soft-Southerner’ it’s nice to visit different parts of The North and support the medium. The Lakes is coming up soon but feels like an event that is great for guests but not really small press and Thoughtbubble has become the opposite and isn’t, for a number of reasons, for me anymore.
Forward. Let’s look back at what has been read by Riptide this week.
Small Press Book of the Week.
Easily this one!
Complex and thoughtful. Revealing and raw. This one is still making me think. A story about fathers and men. An auto/biography in comics that finally has meaning and honestly. Highly recommended.
You can grab your own comic from Sean at his site here.
Top.
Underrated and generally not talked about as much as it should be.
With themes of the aforementioned love, as well as the obvious story of death and redemption this hard bitten supernatural morality tale of murderers from the Old West and Japan has me hooked every month.
Gorgeous artwork and a story that takes a sharp and tight twist this week. One moment in the gritty landscape may even make you smile momentarily. Highly recommended.
Bottoms.
This. Again. What half-arsed idea is this for a cover? Someone thought it was funny?
Whilst the story is slight and uninteresting it’s the digitally blurred and distorted visuals that put this in the naughty box this week.
What the F is going on with that kid’s face and how long did that background take?
How much are they charging for this crap? How do you hold a gun like that? The questions go on and on.
Avoid.
That’s it for this week. Have a fun one and see you on Monday for the next ACP.
Many thanks for reading.
Never Iron Anything - The Comics Review Website 