4 comics by Jarod Rosello

Self Published

Another discovery through anthology titles this. Rosello’s quick strip in the recent Gin Palace anthology was enough to make me get in touch with him to see what else he had available. All four books are good and there’s one here that’s probably going to make it onto the end of year list.

Rosello’s work looks at people (and Gods and cats and bears) all doing those small, insignificant things that make up everyone’s daily life. But he does it with a good dose of surreal, often quite painful humour, and always perfectly underplays the ridiculousness of his situations and characters.

And he’s got a great range to go along with the talent – the subjects include a trapped cat, a buyers confrontation in a comic shop, the God of the Seas doing his paperwork and a sartorially obsessed and depressed bear.

Starting with the least surreal of the bunch; The Spirit: In Contention. Sixteen pages set around a comic shop find of a copy of Spirit #2 and the subsequent struggle over ownership between two comic fans.

We’ll all be able to empathise – who hasn’t been caught in that difficult moment of wanting to argue over something trivial yet somehow hugely important to you? The calm, controlled, faintly ridiculous bargaining masks a simmering rage, as the passive-aggressive leads go into verbal battle against each other over what constitutes the right to purchase the comic.

(Two pages from Saving Carlos by Jarod Rosello – perfect little bits of surreal and laconic comedy)

Next the simplest and silliest of the lot; Saving Carlos. Where a cat gets it’s tail trapped in railings and we follow the futile attempts of boy, monster and really dumb superhero (Beardman) to free the tail in question. It might be a marauding sydicate of evil Lemurs to blame, or it might be just the sort of stupid thing cats do all the time. We never find out, but we do get some great pages/panels (one per page) of art and some cracking comedy as the incompetent rescuers really do make far too big a deal over something rather simply fixed.

“Careful! Lemurs are vicious, hideous animals”
“You’re thinking of a giant squid.”
“Yes! What did I say?”

There are lovely, surreal non sequitur gags throughout Carlos and the out and out silly comedy contrasts with the laconic and near sarcastic cat (all done, as is a cat’s want, with a completely fixed expression) through it’s pages.

And if you’re after literary adaptations, then Rosello has those as well – Franz Kafka’s Poseidon adapts the ridiculously short story of the God Of The Sea doing a little paperwork and book-keeping whilst having a good old moan about his existence.

Rosello keeps the focus tightly on Poseidon on nearly every panel, letting him rail, futilely and pathetically against his circumstances, whilst Rosello adds a little extra action in the background that I don’t recall from the original with a diving suited cat and a fish have a bit of a scrap behind monologuing Poseidon.

Very silly perhaps, but also a ridiculously entertaining short comic.

The Well-Dressed Bear Will Develop Intimacy Issues Later In Life.

I enjoyed all of Rosello’s comics, but this was the one that really rather stole my heart away. Who would have thought 28 pages that are more illustrated prose than comics would be so lovely, sad and enjoyable? Like all of Rosello’s comics, it’s simple to summarise; it’s all about a Bear who’s trying to live as a human, complete with all the hang-ups that entails. But within the pages there’s a wonderfully sad little tale.

Each double page of text and comic panels is delightfully spare, full of white space and serves to emphasize the poor Well-Dressed Bear’s feelings of isolation and low self-esteem.

Against the backdrop of Well-Dressed Bear getting ready for yet another blind date (his 15th) we veer off on various tangential aspects of his life; the jogging, the moisturising, his objection to the Red Cross (animal experiments), brown argyle pattern jumpers and much more, all delivered with a combination punch of funny, poignant and rather pathetically sad.

Rosello’s Well-Dressed Bear is a comic of deceptive simplicity that disguises a marvellously subdued and low-key comedic delight full of loneliness and anxiety issues.

You can get hold of Rosello’s work via his Etsy store. It may cost a bit more due to shipping from the States, but it’s worth every penny. Four great comics and, in The Well-Dressed Bear I think I’ve already found one of my favourites of the year.

1. Local Deluxe Hardcover (Oni Press) by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly

A few years in the making and beautifully crafted. This excellent series gives us exactly what is advertised: a deluxe treatment with loads of extras — Omnibus’ and Absolutes take note, all books don’t have to be $100; this one comes at us with 384 pages and for only $29.99.

2. Willie & Joe WW II Years Slipcase (Fantagraphics) and Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front by Todd DePastino (W.W. Norton)

I’m seeing the Willie & Joe WW II Years showing up on a lot of Top 10 lists for 2008, but that book is not complete without the biography of Bill Mauldin, which contains many Willie and Joe cartoons from WWII, post-WWII and also many rare and unseen work from his time at the Chicago Sun-Times. DePastino told me, himself, that a second slipcase is expected and should contain everything else that Mauldin did after the war.

3. Starman Omnibus Hardcover Volume 1 (DC Comics)

No “Best Of List For 2008″ should be without The Starman Omnibus; in fact when it’s all said and done all six omnibus volumes should be on a Best Complete Collected Editions Ever List should there ever be one (now there’s a suggestion for the future – Joe).

Unlike the shoddy trade paperbacks DC did a few years ago (under James Robinson’s supervision, mind you) the 80-plus issue run is finally being collected in its entirety including one-shots and mini-series. Tony Harris’ artwork is superb and with Robinson’s writing and modern take on the Golden Age, it waltzes in perfect harmony together. The first volume collects Starman issues #0 and #1 to 16;  Volumes 2 and 3 are expected later in 2009.

4. Hellboy Library Edition Volume 1: Seed Of Destruction and Wake The Devil (Dark Horse)

Long-time readers of Hellboy were elated to revisit the character for the first time in all of his big, red, oversized glory. It was also nice to see a gold foil cloth cover instead of the usual paper dustjacket. This book included introductions by Robert Bloch and Alan Moore and also an expanded Mike Mignola sketchbook sections. Volume 2: The Chained Coffin, The Right Hand Of Doom came out in October and was equally impressive.

5. Absolute Sandman Volume 3 (DC Comics/Vertigo)

Collecting The Sandman issues #40 to 56, The Sandman Special #1, The Endless Gallery #1, and Stories From Vertigo Preview #1 and Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3; and Volume 4 collecting The Sandman #57 to 75 and a story from Vertigo Jam #1. No explanation or persuading should be necessary. Those of you with the first two volumes surely picked up these and you know how good they are.

6. American Flagg! Volume 1 Hardcover by Howard Chaykin (Image)

So you’ve read Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, Secret Wars and Crisis on Infinite Earths. Well there’s one more seminal book from the mid-1980′s that you missed – and it is incumbent upon you to read it.

American Flagg! Is romp around a cyber-punk, sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll with a neo-government run society that’s full of cops, robbers and corruption. This is the first time ever that this series has been collected in a deluxe format. Plus there are additional cover paintings and promotional pieces by Chaykin, a Michael Chabon introduction an afterword by Jim Lee, and as a special bonus – a brand-new American Flagg! story written and illustrated by Chaykin exclusively for this edition.

7. Queen & Country: Definitive Edition Volumes 02 and 03 (Oni Press)

Oni Press continues to reprint the Greg Rucka spy thriller in these very affordable, easy to carry and easy to read 6×9” trade paperbacks. Any fans of espionage including James Bond, Jason Bourne, 24 or The Wire will be right at home with this very realistic look inside a British Intelligence Agency. Original scripts and concept drawings and more are included as extras. Volume 02 Collects issues #13 to 24; Volume 03 Collects issues #25 to 32. The final Volume 4 is expected in February 2009.

8. Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus (Image)

900 pages for £18.99. Oh man, let’s type that again, 900 pages for £18.99. The original solicitation says it all, “All seven of his early ’80s collections – Bah, Hembeck, The Hembeck Files, et al – are included, as well as rarely seen strips, personal commissions, online pieces, holiday cards, assorted oddities, and over a dozen stories ranging up to ten pages in length!”. Funny as hell and it’ll take you years to get through all the little nuances, hidden gems and Easter Eggs all while Hembeck laughs in your face!

9. Howard The Duck Omnibus Hardcover (Marvel)

I was filled with anticipation in the days leading up to the release of this Omnibus in February, but then tragedy struck – Steve Gerber passed away on nearly the same day that it was to be released. Marvel decided to delay the book until July and was able to include extras such as tribute pages and an updated afterword talking about the lives of Steve and Howard.

For those of you who have only read the black and white Essential volume, you really owe it to yourself to pick up this edition. The satire comes at you head on and that’s by no mistake – cigar smoke and all. It also came in a Marko Djurdjevic Variant dustjacket design. Collects stories from Adventure Into Fear #19 Man-Thing #1 Giant-Size Man-Thing #4-5 Howard The Duck #1-33 Marvel Treasury Edition #12 and Marvel Team-Up #96.

10. The Spirit Archives Volume 25: The Dailies October 13, 1941-March 11, 1944 (DC Comics)

A late addition to the massive undertaking that DC started in 2000. OK, not as good as the Sunday strips, but this entire run has never been collected in one book before. I recommend you read it after The Spirit Archives (Sundays) Volume 8 January 2 to June 25, 1944 (Strips 188-213) to get a better sense of Spirit characters and history. This Archive also includes a foreword by Will Eisner originally written in 1980 for a collected edition series that republished the first 93 strips.

Cyril Pedrosa: Drie schimmen (‘Trois Ombres’, ‘Three Shadows‘)

The passage to the other side of the river Styx – artists have recreated this theme for centuries. But nobody did it in the very personal, overpowering way of Cyril Pedrosa. Romantic, melancholic, bitter and sweet, all at the same time. And with beautiful artwork.

Pieter de Poortere: Boerke #4

I love Boerke. For English and French-speaking readers: I love Dickie. ‘Boerke’ is a wordless comic by Pieter de Poortere, in which nothing is what it seems to be. The comics look like Dick Bruna’s children’s books (best known here for his Miffy books – Joe), but the content is as cynical as you can get. Boerke is victim and aggressor at the same time, a sort of Everyman for the 21st century. Everything he does turns into disaster. Since ‘Boerke’ was published in the culture-section of the Flemish news magazine Knack, his fame has grown consistently in the Dutch-speaking part of the world. A first collection of comics was published in France a few weeks ago. Now, only the rest of the world remains to be conquered.

(a page from Boerke #4 by and (c) Pieter de Poortere, published Bries)

Zeina Abirached: C’est le Jeu des Hirondelles and Je me Souviens… Beyrouth

Growing up in Lebanon in times of war, that’s basically what Zeina Abirached talks about in the four books she published so far, all fragments of her autobiography. ‘C’est le Jeu des Hirondelles’ was translated in Dutch in 2008, ‘Je me Souviens… Beyrouth’ (a free adaptation of George Perec’s book with the same title) was published in French only a few weeks ago. Well-told stories about a childhood in Beirut in a highly efficient graphic style that is almost logo-like in its simplicity. (you can read Wim’s translation of Toon’s interview with Zeina here on the blog – Joe)

Rutu Modan, Jamilti, and other stories

From the other side of Lebanon’s southern border comes Rutu Modan. I really enjoyed her breakthrough book ‘Exit Wounds‘; ‘Jamilti’ collects some of her older work, beautiful short stories, focusing on ordinary people. Most of these people turn out to be traumatized by their past, and are desperately trying to cope with it. Well, maybe not so ordinary after all.

Rabaté: Een tweede jeugd (‘Les petits Ruisseaux’)

A wonderful feel-good comic about growing old and still enjoying it, every second that life deals you. If you believe Rabaté, life begins all over again at 70.

Shaun Tan, ‘De aankomst’ (‘The arrival‘)

I had heard about this book before, as it seemed to have been received just as enthusiastically wherever it was published the last few years. For some reason, however, I only read the book when it was published by Dutch children’s books publisher Querido. And all the good things that were being said turned out to be true. ‘The Arrival’ is a great book about immigration, defying all classifications and genres. A wonderful book by a great artist.

Reinhart Croon: Hunker Bunker, Merho: Kiekeboe 116: Boek.bv

The Flemish comic book industry is – at least on the commercial level – dominated by what could be called ‘family comics’. These popular comics are published on a daily basis in newspapers, and aim at a broad public of all ages. One of the longest-running and most successful titles is ‘Suske en Wiske’ by Willy Vandersteen (in French: ‘Bob et Bobette’; attempts to conquer the English-speaking markets were undertaken with the rather unfortunate title ‘Willy and Wanda’). This book still reigns supreme in the Netherlands, whereas in Belgium it faces competition from series like ‘Kiekeboe’, ‘Jommeke’ and ‘F.C. De Kampioenen’ (which is based on a public television sitcom).

All through the year these series sell a few hundred thousand copies each, and because of the intense rhythm of publication, not every title in these series is of the same high quality.  However, sometimes the craftsmen that make these books really surprise you. The 116th episode of ‘Kiekeboe’, for instance, turned out to be a witty parody of the way the book industry works nowadays. And at least my niece and nephew were crazy about the latest ‘Jommeke’-title, the 244th episode in the series.

Reinhart Croon on the other hand is creating ‘family comics’ in a completely different style. While most family titles use some kind of watered-down ligne claire, Croon’s art is inspired by artist like François Avril, Ever Meulen and Hanco Kolk.  His main characters, a close-knit family of a father, mother and two young children, is not a plain, ordinary family. For instance: they live in a bunker, albeit a pink one. And they drive a tank, also a pink one.  Their adventures, however, are very recognizable for anybody who has gone through babyhood.

Yoshihiro Tatsumi: Good-Bye

The last thing anybody will say about the short stories of Yoshihiro Tatsumi (originally published in Japan in the 60′s and 70′s) is that they are a pleasant and enjoyable read. Tatsumi digs into the underbelly of society. His characters are losers, the ones that didn’t make it. And he tells their story. Impressive.

Best books about comics:

David Hajdu, The Ten-Cent Plague

A very compact, well-written book about the campaign against comics in the America of the 1950′s.

Pascal Ory, Goscinny. La liberté d’en rire

René Goscinny was raised in Argentina and later moved to France. He lost many family members during the Holocaust, moved to New York after the war, and worked with Will Elder, Jack Davis and Harvey Kurtzman.  Later he moved to Brussels to work for Tintin magazine, but would only become famous all over the world later in life when he created Asterix the Gaul with his friend, Albert Uderzo. A comprehensive introduction to the life of one of the great comic artists of the 20th century.

Most anticipated projects for 2009

Brecht Evens: he’s young and he can draw. I only saw a few samples of the book he intends to publish in the spring of 2009; they look impressive, and make me look forward to the complete book. If it turns out to be just as good as the samples, it might well be a masterpiece.

Marvano (his comic adaptation of Joe Haldeman’s ‘The Forever War’ was also published in English, I think) just finished his ‘Berlin‘-trilogy for Dargaud. For his next project, set for publication in the fall of 2009, he will focus on the German racing teams that were to promote The Third Reich in the years before the War; a subject that seems most suitable for Marvano’s approach.

Willy Linthout’s ‘The Year of The Elephant’ was published in eight comic-like pamphlets, but only in Dutch (see Wim’s post last year on them – Joe). In 2009 the complete story will be published in one volume in Dutch, English, Spanish and French (the English and Spanish editions will come via Fanfare/Ponent Mon; interestingly Stephen from Fanfare mentioned Wim’s original article here as inspiration for pursuing the book – Joe). Linthout made this comic about death and mourning after the suicide of his only son Sam four years ago, largely inspired by what he himself went through after the passing of Sam.

FPI: Could you tell us what your favourite three comics/graphic novels and/or books have been this year and why they stood out for you?

Barry: DMZ is still a must read for me, I tend to save it till the last of my pull list to savour it. JSA, especially the current Kingdom Come run, is outstanding from Geoff Johns, as is his Green Lantern work. I’ve never actually wanted to cheer before while reading a comic, but in a sequence when the JSA and KC Superman are getting pasted by Gog, and the KC Green Lantern arrives to save the day, I almost shouted “yes!” at the top of my voice. Which wouldn’t have been clever, since it was around three in the morning and I would have woken the baby up.

Joint third would probably be Hellboy, Local and The Killer. Duncan Fegredo’s art in Hellboy is inspiring; the man is an unsung master. The Killer from Archaia Studios by Matz and Luc Jacamon is one of the most gorgeous books out there. Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly’s Local was just gorgeous.

FPI: In other art forms was there anything in the world of radio, TV, film or other artistic endeavours that really drew your attention this year?

Barry: I’ll never get tired of telling everyone just how great Battlestar Galactica is. It just beats out Lost and 24 as the greatest show on TV at the moment. The quality of the writing is sublime, the acting inspired, the direction impeccable, the music haunting. Its the most emotionally involving drama on TV, and when it finally finishes in March 2009, although we do have the TV movie and Caprica to follow, it will be a sad, sad day, an end of an era, but hopefully it will inspire a new generation of writers and filmmakers the same way the original Star Trek, Babylon 5, Doctor Who and West Wing did in their own way.

(BSG goes all Last Supper – “this is my body, this is my blood…” Actually, I think Six may have had us as “this is my body”…)

Film wise, of the handful I saw, Dark Knight was a brilliant rollercoaster ride; Cloverfield really enjoyable; Hellboy 2, Iron Man and Incredible Hulk great examples of how to make comic book films. But the two films of the year for me were The Mist, and one I didn’t get round to watching until recently, Children of Men. The Mist for first actually making me squirm during the lynching scene in the store and because the ending was so perfectly, depressingly grim. Children of Men, such a bleak and scarily realistic near future with just a tiny flicker of hope at the end, with no easy answers.

FPI: On the professional front how did you see the comics world in 2008, from your own point of view as a creator putting your work out there (did you feel it was a good year for you?) and what did you think of  the way the comics biz was in general this year? The business becoming more diversified, more accessible to new readers and creators or less welcoming?

Barry: Most of what I’ve done this year has been non-comic related, such as storyboards and other illustration work, and the comic related stuff won’t be seen until January or February. Most of my time has been taken up with the Comics International re-launch, but by paying more attention to the news side of things as a result, I think it’s been a really interesting year for the industry. Both Marvel and DC are putting out some great stuff, as are many indies, but I was gutted to hear about the cancellation of the Minx line. There were some gems from that like New York Four by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. I’m really looking forward to the new Crime line from Vertigo.

FPI: What’s the next project you are working on that we can look forward to?

Barry: Besides the CI re-launch, I’m endeavouring to restart Seven Sentinels, and after that I’m doing storyboards and concept art for a fan film called Judge Minty which is already looking awesome, so I’m gonna try my hardest not to frak it up for them.

(A damned cool looking CGI model for the Lawmaster bike, borrowed from the Judge Minty blog)

I’m also slowly compiling info for the long delayed Rough Guide to Self Publishing, now temporally re-titled the Raw Guide. The idea is to do an index of all UK/Irish indie comics published in the last 50 years. It’s a mammoth task but there’s a lot of great stuff out there that will just disappear with no record it ever existed, so if anyone wants to submit their info to me they can email us for the fact sheet and what to do next.

FPI: Could you tell us what your favourite comics/graphic novels and/or books have been this year and why they stood out for you?

Mattias: DC finally started to release trades of the old Hellblazer material. I’ve been trying to track down Jamie Delano’s run in single issues, downloading what was otherwise impossible to find, but now I don’t have to look anymore. The Fear Machine was quite inspiring when I read it the first time, so I had to get the trade to be able to lend it out to people. How Delano drags the story out, giving it space to grow organically is very nice. The characters felt very much like real people to me.

(cover to the new collected edition of Hellblazer: the Fear Machine, written by Jamie Delano, cover art by Phil Hale, (c) DC/Vertigo)

I also read the last 20 or so parts of Lone Wolf and Cub this year. It’s a great comic. The first parts were published in Swedish in the beginning of the 90s, but I’d never read the rest of the series before. I don’t really know what to say. Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima together are genius.

Been a lot of Warren Ellis this year for me. Not only did I finally get around to start reading Transmetropolitan (don’t know why I waited so long), I also enjoyed Black Summer and Doktor Sleepless very much. All three are interesting politically. Science fiction used as a mirror, in sorts, just the way I like it. I am also following Ellis’ Freakangels in digital form. It’s a great way to read a webcomic. I save it for a couple of weeks, then read four or five six-page instalments at a time. I love his writing and have a weak spot for post-apocalyptic themes…

(flooded London in a scene from Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield’s FreakAngels, (c) Ellis and Duffield)

This year saw the conclusion to David Mack’s latest Kabuki storyline. Kabuki is one of the most interesting comics out there right now, in my opinion. Revolutionary both in form and, as it turns out, in content. It just gets better, so I look forward to seeing what Mack’s got planned for the future.

One of the few comics I follow in single issue format is DMZ by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli. They’ve found a great way to comment on war and politics through this comic. Bring the war home and look at it through the eyes of the people living in it rather than fighting it.
More people should read this.

Another thing I’m very excited about is that Optimum Wound Comics are publishing Danijel Zezelj’s older material. Rex came out a while ago and I believe more is on its way. Or is that something I just dreamed about?  This material has mostly been available in Italian before, and I’ve been waiting for someone to release it in a language I can read. Zezelj’s Small Hands came out from Petikat a couple of years ago and it’s one of my favourite graphic novels. Beautiful artwork and equally poetic story.

FPI: On the professional front how did you see the comics world in 2008, from your own point of view as a creator putting your work out there (did you feel it was a good year for you?) and what did you think of the way the comics biz was in general this year? The business becoming more diversified, more accessible to new readers and creators or less welcoming?

(cover to Piracy is Liberation 5 written and illustrated by Mattias, cover art by Susanne Johansson)

Mattias: As far as my own work goes, this morning I started working on the script for Piracy is Liberation 006: Violence. I know pretty much what’s going to happen in it, but new elements keep popping up and needing to get in there. So now the process of getting it all together starts. I plan to have the thing printed and available in time for the Small Press eXpo in Stockholm in April. Book 005 is on its way right now. I’ll be getting it from the printer in the beginning of January. I have a bit of a problem with the distribution, since Diamond won’t carry it since book 003, so right now it’s only available directly from the publisher (C’est Bon Kultur) or some smaller local distributors. Still, creatively, it’s been a good year for me and I hope to be able to keep it up for 2009.

During 2008 I’ve released Piracy is Liberation 004: Copies and Originals. Book 005: Free Section will come from the printer about a week into January. I usually describe the series as political theory, filtered through autobiography, masked as fiction in the form of cyberpunk post-apocalypse…

When it comes to C’est Bon Anthology, volume 4 came out in January 2008, and (as you know) volume 6 will be out in February. Some artists that were in the book this year: David Mack, Amanda Vähämäki (who incidentally has a new book, Bun Field, coming from D&Q this spring), Rutu Modan, Andrea Bruno and John Malloy.

FPI: Could you tell us what your favourite three comics/graphic novels and/or books have been this year and why they stood out for you?

Brian: Skyscrapers of the Midwest: for starters, Cotter’s work is visually stunning. There’s a lot of early Crumb in here. Fritz the Cat is the obvious comparison – chubby felines (this is the American Midwest, after all, the birthplace of the deep-fried Snicker’s bar), all heavily crosshatched, only there’s a bit more warmth in what Cotter does here. Perhaps it’s a bit of a reflection of the story, but Skyscrapers is far more emotionally invested in its characters than anything Crumb did early on. On the surface, it’s a rather basic coming-of-age story – two young boys dealing with the pains of growing up in a small town and bullies and the death of a grandparent. But Cotter is clearly channelling something and his stories playfully and painfully weave the real with the fantastic. The result is deeply affecting.

Swallow Me Whole: when I was at SPX (the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD), I made it my mission to introduce Nate Powell to Josh Cotter. The two had never met, and yet these works feel so deeply connected. Also a coming of age story for two siblings, Swallow Me Whole swaps the Midwest for the American Deep South. Powell’s characters are also older than Cotter’s, and thus the blending of the real and the fantastic here is a bit more troublesome. Suddenly it’s less about childhood imagination than it is schizophrenia. Swallow Me Whole is a powerful examination of both childhood and our tenuous mental health.

Blue Pills: I got a review copy of this in late 2007, and knew from the minute I finished that there would be a place reserved for it on my year-end list. Aesthetically, Frederik Peeters’ work recalls Craig Thompson’s free-flowing lines. The story, based on the artist’s real-life love affair with an HIV positive woman, is one of the most emotionally-wrenching books I’ve read in some time – and yet, somehow, the book flows with positive feelings. It’s a love story in the truest, non-sappy sense.

FPI: In other art forms was there anything in the world of radio, TV, film or other artistic endeavours that really drew your attention this year?

Brian: There’s no TV in my apartment. The closest thing is my attempting to catch up on The Wire on DVD. As for theatres, I think there’s a strong case for Iron Man being the best superhero film ever made (yes, including The Dark Knight). Both it and Del Toro’s Hellboy sequel brought a lot of the fun back to the genre that’s been conspicuously absent for the past decade or so. Pixar hit another home run with Wall-E. Newsweek’s post election coverage was fantastic. Oh, and Okkervil River put out another near-perfect record.

FPI: On the professional front how did you see the comics world in 2008, from your own point of view as a creator putting your work out there (did you feel it was a good year for you?) and what did you think of the way the comics biz was in general this year? The business becoming more diversified, more accessible to new readers and creators or less welcoming?

Brian: Our vision’s been a bit clouded by these past few months, right? The comic industry hasn’t been as troubled by the economic collapse as we expect it to be. Seems like we’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop. In the States, despite everything, 2008 saw a lot more indie publishers make names for themselves – Sparkplug, Picturebox, Secret Acres. All three are putting out consistently amazing stuff. From a reviewer’s perspective, there seems to be no shortage of amazing stuff out there. We’re still smack dab in the middle of a sequential art renaissance that shows no signs of slowing.

FPI: What’s the next project you are working on that we can look forward to?

Brian: Just keep checking the Cross Hatch in ’09!

FPI: Lastly, are there any new names you’ve come across recently you’d like to pass on as one to watch for?

Brian: Check out Jonas Madden-Connor, Theo Ellsworth, and Laura Park. You won’t be disappointed.

Liebe Schaut Weg by Line Hoven (Reprodukt)

This ambitious graphic novel skilfully assembles fragments of the authors’ own family history. In a quiet yet moving way Line Hoven tells us how her American mother and German father came to meet each other and describes the problems and prejudices this transcontinental relationship encountered and how her parents overcame them. The storyline develops around memories and keepsakes, an arrangement of fragments interwoven to form a whole. Along the way Line Hoven explores the complexity of human memory and how this can be expressed in the comics genre. As a result, ‘Liebe schaut weg’ (Love looks away) offers an insight into recent history whilst simultaneously giving an authentic and personal perspective.

The author uses a drawing technique which is unusual for comics due to being rather time-consuming. She scrapes the pictures into prepared board, creating black and white images which resemble woodcuts and allow for great detail and depth. Line Hoven furthermore lets her cleverly assembled pictures speak for themselves, not overloading them with text. As it is a transnational story, the book features both the German and English languages.

(a scene from Leibe Schaut Weg by Line Hoven, published Reprodukt)

Before she discovered her interest in comics, Line Hoven worked as an assistant costume and set designer at the Kassel State Theatre. However, she decided to try out something new and started studying visual communication at the Art School in Kassel. After two years, she switched to the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg to study illustration. Since graduation she has been working as a freelance illustrator and comic artist. ‘Liebe schaut weg’ is her first work to be published as a book. The debut immediately received great critical acclaim, winning the ICOM Independent award for the best independent comic in 2008. You can find further information about and more work of Line Hoven on her website.

And her colleague Gisela Moohan picked out this unusual graphical work by Isabel Kreitz for us:

Die Sache mit Sorge by Isabel Kreitz (Carlsen Verlag)

Isabel Kreitz (born in 1967 in Hamburg) is well established in Germany and the winner of an international comic award; her latest publication is a graphic novel entitled “Die Sache mit Sorge: Stalin’s Spion in Tokio”, (“the Thing About Sorge: Stalin’s Spy in Tokyo”) winner of the Sondermann Comic Award at the Frankfurt Book Fair this year.

The notorious German journalist Dr Richard Sorge spied for Stalin during the Second World War and became a source of enormous scandal and embarrassment in German diplomatic circles (he was subsequently honoured by the USSR and the GDR for his antifascist activity).

Set during the months leading to Sorge’s arrest in 1941, the novel accurately portrays the claustrophobic diplomatic milieu in which he moved and the growing sense of alienation felt by the characters who inhabit that world. Alongside her convincing study of the complex central character, Kreitz offers a disturbing insight into life and politics during the Third Reich.

(a Tokyo street scene from Die Sache mit Sorge by Isabel Kreitz, published Carlsen Verlag)

Her finely detailed charcoal drawings, perfectly suited to her subject, capture the febrile atmosphere of Shanghai and Tokyo at that time – sometimes in almost lyrical episodes in which the pictures alone carry the story and convey the passage of time in the very ordinariness of everyday life. For a closer look at the drawings, see the publisher’s website (where there is also a trailer you can watch) and an interview in German (sorry) with the author.

(a scene from Vern and Lettuce by Sarah McIntyre, published regularly in the DFC)

FPI: Could you tell us what your favourite three comics/graphic novels and/or books have been this year and why they stood out for you?

Sarah: ‘Three Shadows’ by Cyril Pedrosa nearly made me weep, it was so beautiful: the drawings, the three shadow figures, even the paper’s deckled edges. Pedrosa’s use of shape and line made me painfully nostalgic for so many artists whose work I’ve seen in the past, such as Daumier, Doré, and even Alaskan folk art.

(Sarah’s reaction to Three Shadows)

‘The Arrival’ by Shaun Tan: This book is perfect; subtle and ingeniously crafted. The way Tan turns the reader into an immigrant along with the story’s main character is pure genius, and I love his use of internal symbolism. (Here’s a review I wrote.)

‘How to Heal a Broken Wing’ by Bob Graham. I don’t think the comics world gave this book a huge fanfare when Walker Books published it, but I see it as the quiet way forward for the introduction of European-style Bande-Desinée to English-speaking children. I thought Graham did a sensitive and graceful job of telling the story of a boy rescuing an injured pigeon from a busy city street (Review here.)

FPI: In other art forms was there anything in the world of radio, TV, film or other artistic endeavours that really drew your attention this year?

(Vern and Lettuce go all Monkey in this sketch by Sarah)

Sarah: Three things: the staging at the Royal Opera of ‘Monkey: Journey to the West’; the first screening of Marc Craste and studio aka’s magnificent new animation, ‘Varmints’; the jaw-droppingly energetic European premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s ‘Percussion Concerto’ by the London Philharmonic, conducted by Marin Alsop. I wish I could draw they way they bash their xylophones.

(a Varmints tribute by Sarah)

FPI: On the professional front how did you see the comics world in 2008, from your own point of view as a creator putting your work out there (did you feel it was a good year for you?) and what did you think of the way the comics biz was in general this year? The business becoming more diversified, more accessible to new readers and creators or less welcoming?

Sarah: The launch of the DFC made this a hugely thrilling year in comics for me. David Fickling took a real risk commissioning my strip, ‘Vern and Lettuce’, since almost all my past experience was in picture books, not comics. So much in comics is new to me that I’m making new discoveries every day, which means I’m hugely optimistic about comics in general. And I can see marvellous work brewing by other upcoming artists whenever I check my LiveJournal friends page (see here for Sarah’s own LJ blog). I hope more publishers more follow the lead of David Fickling and Walker Books and make comics to appeal to children, in all sorts of genres. Get ‘em young, I say.

FPI: What’s the next project you are working on that we can look forward to?

Sarah: Look out for more episodes in the DFC of ‘Vern and Lettuce’! And I’m coming out with two picture books, one with David Fickling called ‘Morris the Mankiest Monster’, written by Giles Andreae, and another which I have to keep secret!

FPI: Lastly, are there any new names you’ve come across recently you’d like to pass on as one to watch for?

Sarah: Yes, so many! I’ll choose Ellen Lindner, the person who shepherded me toward comics as a medium, who’s recently come out with ‘Little Rock Nine’ with Aladdin Paperbacks.

And David O’Connell, who took me on the most exciting-ever comics jam this year, and creates a comic called Tozo.

And have a browse of the DFC’s creators page; you’ll find a whole host of new talent there!

Books

The Steel Remains, Richard Morgan, Gollancz

I’ve been a huge fan of Richard’s work right from the start (with the powerhouse Noir-SF Altered Carbon) and have been eager to see what resulted when he put aside science fiction for his first foray into fantasy – especially as he intended to bring his hard-boiled Noir edge to the genre. I wasn’t disappointed – some damned good action contrasted with the horror of the actual combat, giving the reader the thrill of the combat and action mixed with guilt at the disturbing consequences of it all. Add in some clever commentary about racism, sexism and religious intolerance, not to mention a very sexually active gay lead hero and you have an intoxicating combination.

Night Sessions, Ken MacLeod, Orbit

Edinburgh, Scotland, the near future. The Faith Wars are years past with religion not exactly banned but highly frowned upon by public and governments alike, being blamed by most for the rash of wars and troubles which extended out from Iraq on into the 21st century. When a priest operating out of a normal house in the city if found dead is it a straight murder or the start of a new faith (or anti-faith) series of atrocities? Ken, one of the smartest commentators on contemporary politics and society in modern SF, draws in conflicts from the Middle East, religious zealotry, secularism and politics and along the way manages to throw in a Creationist park with robot cavemen in New Zealand, nods to Scottish history, hints of the future (like the Space Elevator) and also gets to indulge himself in a proper Edinburgh detective novel too. Bloody brilliant.

Halting State, Charles Stross, Orbit

Charlie continues to carve out a hugely impressive name for himself in SF&F. Like Ken’s Night Sessions this too involves detectives in a near-future, independent Scottish Republic, but there the similarity ends. Called to investigate a bank robbery the police arrive at what turns out to be an old nuclear bunker (coincidentally a real location, right across from my old college). The bank job was carried out by orcs; the bank is a virtual one in an online game. The detectives are about to charge the company with wasting police time before they are informed just how much ‘real’ money the virtual items are worth and how much these games contribute to the economy (which means political friends to lean on the cops). From there Charlie, with much dark humour, mixes in reality, virtuality and even some hi-tech possible espionage. Genius.

The Wall of America, Thomas M Disch (Tachyon)

Disch is one of those authors that everyone in SF&F respects and yet few have actually read (I’ll confess to only having read a fraction of his work myself). This is a posthumously published short story collection following his suicide on July 4th of this year. In most short story collections, even by the best writers, there are always a few tales you just don’t care for as much as the others. This is the rare exception: each of the tales – some only a few paragraphs, others several pages – are clever, intricate jewels, from an unusual take on vampires and immigrant culture to family life post-Rapture to a cunning visit to the court of Oedipus and Jocasta (the cleverest I’ve read since the great Brian Aldiss tackled those famous characters a few years ago), a seductive water sprite, why the Christian God doesn’t have a wife, extreme performance art and the eponymous Wall of America itself, a Homeland Security construction across the northern border to keep those troublesome Cannucks out which artists turn into the world’s largest outdoor gallery. It’s a wonderfully diverse selection of intelligent works, elegantly written, clever and sometimes rather biting.

There were a lot of other damned fine SF&F books I picked up in 2008; it was another very good year for some seriously high quality writing in the genre. There isn’t enough room to list every one I enjoyed this year, but I’ll just briefly have to give special mentions to the Temporal Void by Peter F Hamilton (the second of his current trilogy and like many of his other books a massively thick tome and yet one that still flies past at a great pace), The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (following on from the excellent Old Man‘s War; what seems like pulp Starship Troopers boy‘s space war yarn turns out to be clever and bloody gripping), Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley (the second part of his Godless World, some damned fine hard heroic fantasy), Small Favour by Jim Butcher (I don’t know how but Jim makes each successive Dresden Files novel better and better; I am addicted to them now) and Half the Blood of Brooklyn by Charlie Huston (short, sharp and nasty, Charlie continues to mix 70s era Scorcese with vampires; like shooting heroin with a .357 instead of a needle).

And also on the SF&F front I need to give an extra special mention to Interzone (and sister publication Black Static) which continues to fly the flag for short, new SF from established writers and new talent, as well as the usual mix of interviews, reviews and features (the December issue is available now and has some terrific short stories; Aliette de Bodard‘s Butterfly Falling at Dawn is particularly intoxicating and Gord Sellar‘s Country of the Young was one of the most interesting angles on aging versus artificial eternal youth I‘ve read since Jack Deighton‘s thoughtful Son of the Rock).

Movies

Paris (directed by Cédric Klapisch)

I can’t resist a good French film with Juliette Binoche; this multi-character flick may have the Queen of French Cinema as the sister to a dancer lamenting the turn of his life as his health deteriorates while awaiting a transplant but around this Klapisch weaves several different tales and characters all overlapping one another (think the excellent and intricate Short Cuts), life, love, death, regret and hope all set in the beautiful City of Light.

The Dark Knight (directed by Christopher Nolan)

Hard to say any more than others have already said – Nolan (who I’ve admired since the brilliant Memento), free in this second film from having the handicap of needing to include an origin story, creates a more complete and satisfying work here, the dark anti-hero hero and Heath Ledger’s psychotic Joker.

Waltz With Bashir (directed by Ari Folman)

Folman’s unusual animated documentary has rightly created a buzz on the film festival circuit and finally got its UK and US release just a few weeks ago. Exploring memories and dreams Folman talks to former comrades about their time in the Israeli army during the war in the Lebanon in the early 80s, with the animation allowing the viewers to move into the nightmares and dreams that have haunted many of them since then; I won’t go into it again since I posted a review of it recently here.

Man on Wire (directed by James Marsh)

Another documentary and another flick which established its reputation first on the film festival circuit, acrobat and tightrope walker Philippe Petit, following a stunt involving walking a high wire strung between the towers of Notre Dame in Paris, reads about a massive new structure being built in New York – the Twin Towers and determines to break in covertly just as it is finished and walk a tightrope between the roofs of these colossal structures. Rightly, I think, the film avoids discussion of the eventual fate of those now iconic buildings on 9/11, although archive footage of the early construction showing the massive foundations and the ‘basin’ have eerie echoes of what we saw after their destruction. Petit comes across as arrogant and selfish quite often, but if he wasn’t he’d never have managed such a magnificently mad but astonishing feat. It isn’t for those who suffer vertigo, but it is amazing; a man, on a wire suspended above New York.

Idiots and Angels (directed by Bill Plympton)

I love Bill’s work and was delighted when the Edinburgh Film Festival announced that it would be screening this, just a few weeks after it debuted at a festival in New York. Even better Bill was there in person to chat with the audience before and after the film, then he created little thumbnail sketches for each and everyone present on the way out; there’s a longer review I posted to be found back here on the blog.

Honourable mentions also go to Elegy, Le Voyage de Ballon Rouge, Hellboy II: the Golden Army, the belting piece of hi-octane that was Quantum of Solace and the animation anthology Peur(s) du Noir.

Graphic Novels

Stickleback, Ian Edginton and D’Israeli (Rebellion)

Whenever we hear that Edginton and D’Israeli are collaborating on a new project we tend to get pretty excited – they are firm favourites with a number of the FP crew. Stickleback collects two recent related stories from 2000 AD concerning the eponymous mis-shapen master criminal. Richard reviewed it recently so I won’t go on about it too much now – suffice to say I thought it was a superb bit of Victorian Steampunk (love those giant robotic tanks which look like a cross between 19th century robots and Fred Dibnah’s steam traction engine), magical fantasy, horror (a demonic Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley complete with zombie cowboys and Indians) and crime, its Lovecraft meets Charles Dickens, with multiple references to spot throughout (including even one from Carry On Screaming!) while D’Israeli’s new style of art is brilliantly atmospheric. Even better than their Leviathan outing; here’s hoping we see more of Stickleback.

Swallow Me Whole, Nate Powell (Top Shelf)

I wasn’t familiar with Nate’s work prior to reading this, but I was quickly taken in by it. Using a lot of black and some scratchy inks his art conjures up the worlds of a brother and sister with mental health problems (in addition to family problems and the usual high school teen problems); the way they see and interpret the world is quite different from others around them, which can be alienating for them, especially in a conformist world that demands we all see things the same way or else be judged to be abnormal. Swallow Me Whole doesn’t judge, doesn’t preach, it shows different ways people can see their world and who is to say which version is right? And although we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover I think I have to also mention that Top Shelf have printed Swallow Me Whole in a small hardback format that is rather lovely.

The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, Alison Bechdel (Jonathan Cape)

Alison rightly won many plaudits last year for Fun Home; this collection of several year’s worth of her Dykes to Watch Out For strip is a different kettle of fish though, an ongoing, multi-character, open-ended series, almost like a soap opera (but in a good way – I normally hate soaps, but I loved this). I’ve read some of Dykes before, but this was my first really concentrated burst of them and it made a huge difference to read so many back to back. With our lesbian leads and their friends aging in real time its very easy to get sucked into their lives and for anyone past the age of 30 who remembers some of the real world events going on as we pass through the years here there’s a real touch of empathy with the characters, with the ‘I remember that’ factor and also the emotional empathy as we see the characters getting older and having to deal with exactly the same things we all have to, from losing beloved pets to losing family members and welcoming (and worrying about) new ones, health, jobs, wondering what happened to the groundbreaking neighbourhood bookstore as the relentless march of the chain bookstores threatens them, wondering, as they get older, what happened to their youthful fire (one day street activists fighting for equality, another day they are worrying about mortgages and weeding the yard) and why the younger generation of lesbians are often so different from them (good lord, some even vote Republican!).

It’s a substantial collection covering a number of years and I found the best way was to read a little chunk at a time, moving through the 90s and into the 2000s; after a little while the cast became like old friends and I found myself eager to read another batch. I should also mention the cartoon intro Alison created for the collection which had me laughing my arse off and showed that while she’ll handle heavy subjects as well as humorous she’s also quite happy to poke fun at her own and her character’s foibles too.

Too Cool To Be Forgotten, Alex Robinson (Top Shelf)

I’ve been a huge fan of Alex Robinson for years, not least for Box Office Poison (the BOP scenes set in the bookstore made him a particular hero to the bookseller community), so I was really looking forward to this. When the central character is persuaded to try hypo-therapy to give up smoking he wakes up in his teens, reliving his high school years. What starts off as a bit of a humorous trip with a warm touch of nostalgia (the sort of feeling I get from watching an 80s movie like The Breakfast Club these days) starts to bring in the whiff of regret than any reader over the age of 35 will probably empathise with – was that really our youth, did we do that, why didn’t we do the other, where did it go and how did it lead to us being what we are now? Then the final reel takes us into a very emotional space, bringing a real lump to the throat…

Absolute Sandman Volume 3, Neil Gaiman et al (DC/Vertigo)

Okay, technically this is a reprint so perhaps I shouldn’t have it in my main list, but dammit I love this series and have shelled out now for all four volumes (I’m currently reading the fourth and final one over the holidays) and I think Neil’s work often benefits from re-visiting it to see little details and layers missed on previous reading while the over-sized pages of restored artwork let you feast visually on the numerous contributing artists, most especially the Ramadan chapter with art from P Craig Russell, a mix of the Arabian Nights and wonderful, colourful fantasies like The Thief of Baghdad. The linkage between the Golden Baghdad of flying carpets and genies and the modern, war-torn city still gets me. The only problem I have with these volumes is that because they are so damned huge its like trying to hold a Times Atlas up and its pretty strenuous on the wrists – these really need a home with a proper library room and a large lectern to rest it on (when I finish book 4 I think I should get a piece of tempered glass, lay it on top of them and used them as a coffee table).

Britten & Brülightly, Hannah Berry (Jonathan Cape)

I loved Hannah’s debut work, a detective tale with lovely, painted artwork, with a damaged shamus and his partner, who at first seems like a voice in his head, making the reader think perhaps he’s dead and Britten just thinks he still talks to him, but actually he turns out to be a teabag (“a teabag with needs”) advising and chastising his lonely partner as he accepts a case of possible society murder from a beautiful and rich widow. I loved the story and its old-fashioned British setting, perfectly realised by the lovely art. I was lucky enough to meet Hannah in person at the Edinburgh Book Festival in August and I’m really looking forward to seeing more work from her in the future; you can read an interview with Hannah here on the blog.

The Sands of Sarasvati, Petri Tolppanen and Jussi Kaakinen, based on the novel by Risto Isomäki, (Tammi Publishers)

I only posted a review of this a couple of weeks ago so won’t say too much again here, except to say this was my first ever graphic novel from Finland and I really enjoyed this near-future piece of science fiction, mixing ancient civilisations, contemporary environmental concerns and geology, all executed in a style reminiscent of the better adult BD from Europe; here’s hoping Tammi make a deal with a UK or US publisher or distributor so it can be made more easily available in 2009.

That Salty Air, Tim Sievert (Top Shelf)

Another artist who was new to me, I thought Tim’s work had a deceptively simple charm which starts as very all-ages friendly before moving into a very dark place as the fisherman’s straightforward life which he is perfectly content with is destroyed by loss and grief and the self-destructive actions they drive him towards which could cost him and those around him everything. I think anyone who’s lost someone important to them will recognise his mix of utter despair infused with a fire of anger at the world for what its done to him, what its taken away and how awfully easy it is for that combination to drown your soul and blind you to the love still around you.

As with the SF&F books there were far more good comics crossed my desk than I have space or time to write about here, so I’ll conclude this (already longer than I meant it to be) Best of the Year with a few quick, honourable mentions which have to go to the ongoing (and very welcome) reprint series of classic 2000 AD strips, especially the Complete Judge Dredd Case Files (“Chopper for Oz!”) and the total nostalgia trip I had from re-reading the Complete Ro-Busters (collecting the original Starlord then 2000 AD strips and introducing us to Hammerstein and Ro-Jaws, two of the best robot characters in comics) which I’ve been loving (and oh, Kev O’Neill, Mick McMahon and Dave Gibbons art to luxuriate in!).

Props also to Classical Comics – I’m not the target audience for these literary adaptations but I still really enjoyed them (and think they are perfect for getting younger readers into the classics and as study guides for teachers to use); Jon Haward’s Macbeth and Declan Shalvey’s Frankenstein both contained some cracking art which should excite the most reluctant reader. Sticking with the classics mention should also be made of Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy’s interpretation of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which raised the profile of Robert Louis Stevenson (one of my favourite authors since childhood) and comics in Scotland with plenty of mainstream media coverage (not to mention being a major part of the National Library of Scotland’s comic art exhibition in the spring of 2008; how satisfying to see comics taken so seriously by the NLS).

The Galago anthology of Swedish underground comics, From the Shadow of the Northern Lights, also opened up my eyes to some new (to me and I imagine to many English language readers) artists, Jeff Lemire’s third Essex County volume drew me right back into that series (all three of which are highly recommended), Veronique Tanaka’s ‘silent’ and unusual work Metronome was a fascinating exercise in fairly minimal storytelling with repeating similar frames which created almost a feel of animation. Andy Winters’ Septic Isle was a nice twist on the war on terror (with right wing nutters as the protagonists rather than religious zealots) and I really must give a mention for Alex Irvine’s serious effort with the Vertigo Encyclopedia as a great reference work on DC’s mature readers imprint.

Overall its been a year with some bloody good books and comics to enjoy on all sorts of subjects, from new talent and established favourites, fascinating new works and some quality reprint editions of classic material (such as the fine hardback of Bryan Talbot’s Tale of One Bad Rat). And I haven’t even touched on the seemingly always expanding range of online comics which are increasingly becoming something we all need to keep an eye on for new works and new talent – the Dean Haspiel-edited Next Door Neighbor series on Smithmag has been a real treasure trove of short works by numerous creators and Kevin Colden’s intriguing Fishtown drew me in then made the jump to print (as is one of my faves from 2007, La Muse). I’m quite sure I’m forgetting to mention some of the creators whose work I’ve enjoyed this year, but I’ve already rambled on far longer than I originally meant to. Mind you, over-long ramblings aside I think that itself can be seen a positive statement on the SF&F and comics scenes – there were simply more good books and comics than I could realistically cover here even I wrote umpteen more paragraphs and I’m sure there will be some outstanding works coming our way in 2009.

Picklehack by Smedgington and Miss Paley. A fabulous Steampunk tale of an alternative Victorian Britain, where the deformed arch criminal mastermind Picklehack already controls the UK-wide trade in pickled vegetables and is determined to expand his control to include all condiments across the entire British Empire, even if he has to go up against the great Celtic god of Condiments, Rowatts for mastery of this vital trade.

Secret Civil Wedding, by Sparky Millboy and various artists. Marvel’s major ‘event’ story arc for this year finally saw Bruce Banner and Tony Stark confess their love for one another, with lifelong right-winger Stark having to accept that his playboy persona was a cover and that he could no longer support a political party that denied him and Bruce the right to hold a same sex civil partnership and become husband and husband. The path of true love becomes even more complicated when it is revealed that their maid of honour, Ms Marvel, may be a shape changing alien.

Infinite Credit Crisis, by Student Grant and various artists. Of course DC also had their own huge crossover ‘event’ running throughout the year. As the banking system collapses and mortgage defaults rise rapidly many of our heroes find themselves evicted from their homes and broke. Superman and Lois Lane are forced to borrow money from Lex Luthor, putting them under his thumb where all his previous villainous schemes had failed. Meanwhile Bruce Wayne sees the possible end of Wayne Enterprises when he realises over half his stock portfolio has been invested into a hedge fund scheme that didn’t really exist and the Icelandic bank who underwrite Wayne Mansion goes bust.

Batman’s Tights RIP, by Student Grant and Tony Spaniel. The story arc that has been building ever since the return of The Flush and the Black Socks finally comes to a climax. During an epic ‘final’ fight between the Dark Knight and the Black Sock the Batman’s athletic leaps and combat moves cause his tights to rip, revealing his entire bottom to the world. Immediately charged with public indecency, he has to vanish from the world. Publicly lambasted as a flasher, is this the end of the Caped Crusader?

Tables by Gill Fillingham and Shark Tuckingham. The multiple Eisner award winning series continues to explore the world of mythological characters attempting to get by in the real world working minimum wage jobs as waiters and waitresses in the restaurants of New York.

Owly Versus Bill Oddie, by Sandy Bunton. One of the most beloved all-ages characters in comics finds himself stalked by the former Goodie turned BBC bird watching presenter Bill Oddie who has become obsessed with him.

Pasted by Fallen Grant, Frank Muchley et al. The first issue of a new humorous British adult comic contained short strips from a number of acclaimed creators, all themed around the subject of wallpapering.

The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Aligirl. An unusual graphic travel book taking the reader on a bicycling tour of the finest historical dykes which hold back the seas from flooding the low-lying Netherlands is fascinating.

Pie Craters of the Midwest by Joshua Blotter. An absorbing and often hear-breaking account of the famous home-made pie contests held in the Midwestern states of the USA and how seriously some contestants take them.

Necessary Sponsors by Praun Azzopadapidapi and Daniel Gandalf Goodshow. Currently being serialised online this strip from two leading lights of the UK small press comics scene follows a crack team who must plug the gap in their operation’s budget by seeking out sponsors, but sometimes the sponsor’s agenda may conflict with the aims of their team…

Fern Britten Goes Lightly, by Panner Terry. The debut graphic work from Terry is a fictional account of curvy TV personality Fern Britten losing a huge amount of weight, leaving the world of light entertainment and starting her own detective agency, aided only by a talking, environmentally friendly re-usable shopping bag.

We Can Still Be Casual Lovers by Tawil. The celebrated German cartoonist’s semi autobiographical comic account of the break up of relationships where both parties remain friendly and decide they can still indulge in casual weekend sex even though they are no longer an item.