The Dan Lester Mysteries
by Dan Lester and Oliver Lambden
Another really good example of just how strong the UK small press scene is right now. From the very start, with a great pulp fiction style cover (painted on canvas by Lester for the full cracked and grainy effect) The Dan Lester Mysteries is a great little murder mystery; well written, crisp dialogue, full of funnies and featuring the best art of Oliver Lambden’s career so far.
A couple of friends are overheard on a bus having a joke about one of their friends who happens to look impossibly youthful which leads the punchline: “We should go on holiday with a five year old again”. Not the best line to be overheard by an interfering woman who probably has trouble spelling paedophile yet no trouble following our man Dan home and reporting him to the police:
(The setup – always be careful where you make those flip comments folks. From the Dan Lester Mysteries by Dan Lester and Oliver Lambden.)
After this Dan Lester finds himself pulled into the police station, accused of child abduction and then subsequently targeted by a possible serial killer. Dan’s only course of action, as far as he can see it, is to go out and solve the mystery himself. (With, as they always say, hilarious results).
Lester has said this may lead to more, with different artists each time (EDIT: Nope. Utterly wrong. It’s all Oliver Lambden,all the way.). Obviously, the choice of artist is going to be very important and they’ll have a hard time topping the great work by Lambden this issue. But as long as Lester can keep coming up with stories as interesting and funny as this debut tale, it’s going to be a pleasure to read them.
(Dan Lester’s interrogation scene showcasing some of the great, snort out the coffee dialogue – “waiting for a bus” got me.)
The Dan Lester Mysteries is available from Dan Lester here or from conventions and Dan & Oliver’s regular appearances at London Underground Comics events.
Dan Lester’s Monkeys Might Puke website. Oliver Lambden’s Modern Monstrosity website.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
No different artists for each installment, just meeee! :)