Hey!
‘It’s a funny old life innit.’
I wrote that in a text to a good friend and ex-colleague just a couple of days ago. A stand up guy who I’ve been through a lot with over the years. The statement has seemingly always been true for me too and it’s taken another little left turn of late with some change of personal circumstances. I suppose this is the long way of saying that this morning I woke up in the city of Riga, Latvia. Two generous invitations that appeared simultaneously led me to this land. I’ve actually visited once before. My memory of that journey is hazy at best. I was drinking (a lot) at the time. However, an occasional, totally imaginary, sting of pain reminds me of that previous trip as I managed to injure myself not insignificantly the last time.
But now, I am a changed man. Misbehaviour is almost a thing of the past. ‘Bad Tony’ is in (semi)retirement.
Maybe.
I’m in a foreign and unfamiliar land but there are still comics to find. Ably guided by my buddy and comics creator of note Hal Weaver we’ve threaded our way through Riga both Old and New and seen some amazing art, a local comic shop and even attended an event run by the local kus! Comics collective.
We have also just spent a fun afternoon at a TV Studio, ate and drank and chatted. The night contained a very spicy curry (sorry Hal) and then a visit to a comics themed pub! Now tomorrow calls to me with more challenges.
Here are just a few more photos of the trip.
‘There’s nothing more boring than a friend’s holiday snaps!’ – Barry Cheeseman (Does that mean we are friends now Barry?)
I’d also like to give a big congratulation to my buddies at the 11 O’Clock Comics Podcast. (Look at those young bucks!) They celebrated with a big live event at 2am (UK Summer time) on Friday morning. I set the alarm and listened and laughed along for most of the show before I had to drive off to a work event up north. Very kindly they let me say hi on the show. Go listen to the boys and sign up. An institution that modern comics wouldn’t be the same without.
Let’s move on to the task at hand. If you are new then listen up. Every week, normally on a Wednesday, I’ll choose my favourite comic (‘Tops’) and least favourite (‘Bottoms’) along with another random category.
Small Press Comics of the Week.
I picked these up in Riga. Recommended in the self-care category and the self-deprecating autobio category. Watch out for kus!
Top.
A series of books that I have had on my pull list since the start they have been mostly pretty average. With all the excitement of the movies gone for the moment I feel like these comics are a little forgotten. But this one really sparked my Dune Love back up again.
Epic, exciting, clever and well drawn this has been a highlight of the run and my week.
Bottoms.
This is a reused image right? Who the fuck looks like that!? Another case of half-arsing a digital only release from Marvel Comics.
Many thanks for reading. See you again soon.
‘Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles.’ – Fyodor Dostoevsky
Never Iron Anything - The Comics Review Website 