It’s been quite a while since we had any news regarding Harker, a series I very quickly came to love in 2009 and 2010, written by Roger Gibson and drawn by Vince Danks. This was just a little of my praise for issue 1 & 2:

“This is one of those books that I knew I was going to enjoy within the first ten pages. It had that feel of a great genre work, grabbing you and taking you exactly where you wanted it to go. Every page had something on it that pressed the right buttons for the bit of my brain that goes silly over great genre stuff. A little bit Sherlock Holmes, a little bit X-Files, CSI, it’s all these and so much more. But most importantly it gave me that immediacy that is incredibly rare, that feeling within the first few pages that this was going to be something special, and by the end of issue 2, it still felt like that – a hugely entertaining comic.”

And it continued delivering thee goods across 12 issues, subsequently collected in two collections: The Book Of Solomon and The Woman In Black. But then things went quiet. There was talk of a coloured edition, then news of the next series, Gravestown……. and then nothing…..

Well Roger Gibson finally has news on the Harker and Critchley Blog:

“Breaking news! Vince and I are about to start work on a brand new Harker graphic novel, that we’re planning to post free online in fortnightly segments, starting in August. PLUS!! We’re also about to start serious work on our first Gravestown graphic novel, which we’ll also be posting free online in fortnightly segments. Each and every week you’ll get either new Harker or new Gravestown – for free!!! More news as we get it ;)”

There you go, not one but two series. Result? Oh yes.

Panel Borders: Gravestown Valentine, tonight at 5pm on Resonance FM, podcast afterwards on Panel Borders

Continuing this month’s series of shows on horror and dark fantasy comics, Alex Fitch talks to Roger Gibson and Vince Danks, creators of the ‘Fortean’ murder mystery comic Harker and the forthcoming Gravestown and to Alex De Campi, short film-maker and writer of the e-comic Valentine.

Alex discusses with the creators the importance of a good location in comics, whether it’s the real world locations of Harker or the fictional haunted every town of Roger and Vince’s new project and the reasons that Alex chose Russia in 1812 as the initial location of Valentine and the various formats you can download the periodical in. The interview with Roger and Vince was recorded at this year’s British International Comics Show.

Recent shows:

Panel Borders: Books of Magic and Spirits of the Earth

Continuing our month of shows looking at horror and dark fantasy comics, in a pair of interviews recorded at this year’s British International Comics Show in Birmingham, Alex Fitch talks to artists Charles Vess and Peter Gross about their work. Charles is the World Fantasy Award winning illustrator of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust (adapted into a film in 2007), two issues of Sandman featuring William Shakespeare and an unusual graphic novel that saw Marvel Comics’ most famous character visit Scotland in Spider-man: Spirits of the Earth. Peter was the main artist (and later writer) of the much loved American fantasy series The Books of Magic which was probably was an influence on Harry Potter and more recently has worked on Vertigo titles Lucifer and The Unwritten with Mike Carey.

Reality Check episode 3.09 – Monsters / Inception Special Effects Special on SciFi London

In this edition of the Sci-Fi London Podcast, SFL web editor Chris Patmore guest hosts to bring interviews with two people working and different ends of the special effects budgetary scale. First we speak to Paul Franklin, visual effects supervisor on Chris Nolan’s INCEPTION, BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT, as well as on the two latest Harry Potter movies.
Then we speak with Gareth Edwards about his debut feature MONSTERS, and how he got to make it, and doing special effects on his home computer. Gareth was the winner of the first SCI-FI-LONDON 48 Hour Film Challenge, and his feature film is garnering rave reviews around the world.

Alex isn’t just a voice on a microphone though, for those who doubt his corporeal existence he will also be seen soon at a couple of upcoming events as part of Comica:

Transitions Conference at Birkbeck College

Alex Fitch will be chairing a session on comics and academia at the Transitions multi-disciplinary research conference on comics and graphic novels with Laydeez do Comics’ Sarah Lightman and Nicola Streeten

Friday, November 5th, 1.30pm (TBC) / conference starts at 9.30am
Birkbeck College, Clore Centre, 25-27 Torrington Square, London WC1E 7JL
(nearest tube: Russell Square / Goodge Street)

Charlie Adlard and The Walking Dead

Alex Fitch hosts an hour long talk with British artist Charlie Adlard about drawing various strips for 2000Ad including Savage, Nicolai Dante and Judge Dredd plus his ongoing commitment to the monthly American survival horror comic The Walking Dead which he has been drawing since 2004 and has just been turned into a new TV series produced by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption). Followed by a signing with the artist.

Saturday, November 6th, 4.30pm (TBC)
London Print Studio, 425 Harrow Rd, London W10 4RE
(nearest tube: Warwick Avenue / Westbourne Park)

Comic Cuts – controversial comic books and banned periodicals

Alex Fitch discusses examples of banned and censored comic books in the last quarter of the 20th Century with publisher Tony Bennett and (via speaker phone) writer / artist Rick Veitch. Tony’s publishing company Knockabout has seen its titles seized by British Customs, has been taken to court for publishing “drug related titles”, and for promoting the work of Robert Crumb. Knockabout have also commissioned comic book adaptations of previously banned novels such as Lady Chatterly’s Lover.

Rick is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, including the drawing of an issue of Moore’s Miracleman comic in the 1980s which was withdrawn from many shops due to its “graphic depictions of childbirth” and then when he took over as writer on another Moore comic – Swamp Thing – left the periodical when the publisher refused to print a certain issue.

Wednesday, November 10, 6pm
Whitechapel Idea Store, 321 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1BU
(nearest tube: Whitechapel / Bethnal Green)

But the pair aren’t ones for resting on their laurels and, in addition to the upcoming Harker relaunch, there’s an 11 page Torchwood strip in issue 24 of the Torchwood magazine and they’ve recently announced that they’ve a new series coming out shortly.

Called Gravestown, it’s a complete reworking of a comic Gibson wrote and drew in 1997 which managed just 1 issue. This time round, based on the schedule they managed on Harker, not to mention my tremendous enjoyment of the comic, I have high hopes for this one. And the cover to issue 1 is another of those “how long did that take?” pieces, worthy of Gerhard’s Cerebus architecture style and looks absolutely fabulous to me.

Over on the Harker blog Gibson’s been posting up various snippets of the genesis of the series, together with sneak peeks of their Torchwood strip and the ongoing story of what’s happening with Harker.

by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks

Ariel Press

Anyone who regularly reads the FPI blog will know I’m a huge fan of Harker. Take this quote that the Harker boys have put on the back of this volume:

“A great detective thriller with intriguing story, wonderful art, cracking dialogue and moments of laugh out loud comedy … an absolute triumph of a comic.”

That was me, talking about Harker when I first discovered it in comic form. I’ve continued to talk it up with every single issue and it still hasn’t disappointed through any of it’s 12 issues.

So here we are at the second collected edition, where we join DCI Harker, the grumpiest cop in the world, mixing up all that’s wonderful about every great police stereotype from Jack Regan to Gene Hunt, on holiday in Whitby. Except his holiday gets interrupted and he gets annoyed, first by an annoying crime writer on a murder mystery weekend and then by that same annoying crime writer getting annoyingly murdered. Annoyed is Harker’s default emotion.

(Harker annoyed. A familiar refrain. And a funny one. From Harker Volume 2 by Gibson and Danks)

I’ve written enough about the individual issues over the past few months that I’m not going to bother you with recapping anything of the actual plot. (See here for everything Harker on the FPI blog)

What I will say is that Volume 2 takes everything that worked so well in Volume 1 and keeps on going. The murder mystery isn’t the most original here, just like it wasn’t in Volume 1. But that’s really not the important thing in a good police procedural (and this is an excellent police procedural), it’s far more important that the journey from murder discovery to solving the crime and catching the killer is an entertaining journey. And Harker is a thrilling, hugely entertaining journey.

One thing that reading the collected volume really brings home is the perfect pacing of the book and the murder investigation(s). Each stage of the investigation, every introduction of each new suspect, every false trail, every twist and every turn is exactly where it should be to generate the best reading experience. Cleverly disguising the identity and motives of the killer until the penultimate episode, Gibson and Danks craft a story full of intricate twists and turns as every murder leads to yet another possible suspect.

(Harker – annoyed again. The murderer’s ruining a perfectly good holiday. Personal indeed)

Yet, as I’ve said many, many times before, the story is only part of the enjoyment in Harker. The characterisations are wonderful – completely and brilliantly unbelievable melding every stereotype of great cop dramas over the years. And the dialogue throughout the book, especially in the special relationship between Harker and Critchley, is fantastically funny stuff.

The other thing that viewing every episode in this collected form shows me is that it’s possibly a good thing that Harker is on a temporary hiatus whilst a publishing deal is being finalised.

Vince Danks has been hitting a deadline every month for a year now, producing a beautifully rendered comic – and on top of that, he’s part of a two man team responsible for every aspect of Harker’s publication. Dave Sim managed 300 issues of Cerebus and (almost) never missed a deadline on a beautiful looking comic. But Dave Sim had Gerhard doing some of the best background art there’s ever been. And whilst Vince Danks’ artwork shares so many of the best aspects of both Gerhard and Sim – gorgeous, detailed, intricate backgrounds, fantastic architecture and striking figure work, he has to do it all on his own.

Which is why a slight drop in quality on a few panels and a few pages in the last couple of issues, barely noticeable when reading the issues in comic form but obvious when seen in direct comparison to the start of this volume isn’t all that unexpected.

Not that the art in those last two episodes is in anyway bad, far from it. But Danks will benefit greatly from the (hopefully mercifully brief) break that Harker finds itself on right now.

(Annoyed again, Harker finds himself on his way to the annual Goth football match – his cup runneth over)

In the introduction to this volume Roger Gibson talks about his and Danks’ plans for their wonderful comic. Future storylines head for Prisoner style spy action, Victorian ghost mysteries with a hint of Scooby-Dooby-Doo and a grand New York cop adventure. It sounds like it’s going to be great. They also talk online about future publishing plans, for which I’m keeping at least a few fingers crossed. Harker is a highlight of my comic reading and I really, really want it to continue.

So do yourself a favour, get on board Harker now, you’ve only got two volumes to catch up with, and after that you can say you were there all along with the most thrilling, most enjoyable, most entertaining new British comic for a long time. Like I said – it really is an absolute triumph of a comic.

by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks

Ariel Press

I can’t really say any more about Harker than I already have (see here for all the examples so far – it’s fair to say I’m a fan); so I’ll simply state yet again that it’s consistently entertaining and wonderfully enjoyable stuff and issue 11 is just more of the same, except this time there’s a little football thrown into the mix.

The penultimate issue in the second storyline of Harker reveals the murderer responsible for thoroughly messing up DCI Harker’s seaside holiday in Whitby and, bizarrely enough, ends at a football match between the Whitby Gazette and Real Gothic during Whitby’s famous Goth Weekend. Hence the Roy Of The Rovers moment on the cover with Harker looking grumpily on as DS Critchley, drafted in by the Goths, does the business on the pitch. Harker’s neither a fan of Goths or football – “surprise me, why don’t you“:

As usual, the to and fro of the main cast’s sarcastic commentary is as good as ever and putting the nations grumpiest copper in amongst not only the wonders of Whitby’s Goth weekend but a football match as well is great fun.

But even though he’s obviously having fun playing with all of these disparate comedy elements Gibson never loses sight of the main thrust of the book and Harker and Critchley’s investigation into the multiple murders at the hotel finally bears fruit this issue, with all of the pieces coming together early on. And it’s this careful mix of crime procedural, comedy dialogue and a mild sense of the bizarre running through Harker that makes it all so worthwhile.

Harker still makes it straight to the top of the reading pile. It still makes my day with a glorious mix of sardonic humour and precisely constructed crime thriller. With 11 great issues so far, I imagine issue 12 will be out towards the end of April, followed by the second collection just after that. Then we’ll be into the next storyline, with Gibson and Danks delivering more of the same with enough variety thrown in (plot, setting, new characters etc etc) to make it seem fresh once more and I honestly can’t see it going anywhere but up.

All of the Harker issues are available from the Ariel Press website and there’s a list of the comic shops stocking it here. If your comic shop doesn’t have it on it’s shelves – ask them why not. The excellent first volume is available right here from FPI.

by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks

Ariel Press

Here we go again….. by now you know how much I enjoy Harker (see the review of Volume 1: The Book Of Solomon for a reminder), so when I got the latest issue I was almost tempted just to write a quick piece announcing it’s release and linking to past reviews.

But….. the problem is that Harker’s struggling along, with no US distributor and is relying on UK sales to keep it going. And I for one, definitely want it to keep going and going and going. It’s the monthly (near enough) comic that I really look forward to getting, a guaranteed slice of regular enjoyment. So to quickly recap, my reviews of the previous three issues in this story are here; issue 7, issue 8, issue 9 and here’s the blurb from the inside cover:

Detective Chief Inspector Harker and his assistant, Detective Sergeant Critchley, specialise in cases of multiple homicide. Harker’s seaside holiday in Whitby is ruined by the brutal stabbing of mystery author Agatha Fletcher, who was at the hotel with her assistant Jasmine Burns to host a Murder Mystery evening. Although initially reluctant to investigate, when a second corpse is washed up on the morning tide, identified as the hotel chef, Harker gets on the case…….

And now you’re right up to speed. Issue 10 starts with a mysterious memory and then barrels straight into Harker and Critchley getting on with the job of finding the killer. As usual, we have two coppers with vastly diverging ideas on how best to approach the case and a fine line in verbal sparring as they try their best to bludgeon the other into taking their viewpoint.

The story moves along with pace and gusto, packed with the beautiful visuals that I’ve come to expect from Vince Danks by now. But to stop myself taking his art for granted, it’s always nice to reread the issue a couple of times and at least once let the words fall away and just luxuriate in a bloody brilliant artist doing some fine, fine work.

One of the key attractions of Harker is the interplay between the main characters and the comedy that results, cutting, sarcastic stuff. And, seeing as we’re in Whitby with one of the grumpiest coppers in the world, how better to milk a moment for a few great gags than to bring out the Goths? (Whitby, if you didn’t know, is famous for it’s bi-annual Goth weekends, where the town is inundated with revellers revisiting the sites made famous in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.) You can just hear the exasperation in Harker’s voice as he heads to the bar for a quiet pint and walks into this…..

But Harker has a cunning plan…….to get to the bar…

Great, great scenes and more evidence, as if you needed it, that Harker is still going strong, mixing the humour with the criminal investigation and making this a very, very enjoyable crime thriller with a wickedly funny streak. It’s still the best British monthly comic out there right now.

All of the Harker issues are available from the Ariel Press website and there’s a list of the comic shops stocking it here. If your comic shop doesn’t have it on it’s shelves – ask them why not.

Richard Bruton.

By Roger Gibson and Vince Danks

Ariel Press

Oh, I may as well give up on this review right here. By now you know I really enjoy this right? You’ve maybe seen the reviews here, here, here, here and here? Or maybe read the blurb on the back of Harker Volume 1 by me:

“A great detective thriller with intriguing story, wonderful art, cracking dialogue and moments of laugh out loud comedy…. an absolute triumph of a comic.”

So am I getting completely tedious in my affection and enjoyment for and of Harker? I shall keep this one brief as reviewing a series month by month eventually means that one begins to run out of new and original ways to praise it. It’s still beautifully written crime comedy stuff from Gibson with some really lovely art from Danks. The only downside to this storyline is that Danks doesn’t really get to amaze us with those wonderfully drawn bits of architecture that featured in the first London-centric storyline. But there’s still an awful lot to admire in Danks’ artwork which, with every passing issue, is becoming more refined, more stylised. He’s utilising a slightly simpler line here and whether it’s a necessary by-product of the monthly schedule or a deliberate decision it really doesn’t matter, it’s lovely to look at and perfectly suited to both the delightful character study of the three principals and the ongoing murder case(s).

Each storyline is very much a self contained thing so there’s no need to read Volume 1; The Book Of Solomon to enjoy Volume 2; Murder By The Book. It’s set up so all you need is a knowledge of who and what Harker and Critchley are to really enjoy each volume as a completely standalone thing. But if you do pick up Harker from this issue I fully expect you to be so intrigued and entertained that you’ll then go back and get everything that has gone before.

(What’s that floating in the water behind you DCI Harker? Oh dear, I think your peaceful seaside holiday may be coming to an end. From Harker #8 by Gibson & Danks.)

If you didn’t already know what this Harker storyline’s about here’s the blurb from the inside cover of this issue:

“Detective Chief Inspector Harker and his assistant, Detective Sergeant Critchley, specialise in cases of multiple homicide. Harker is enjoying a few days off in one of his favourite places in the world: Whitby. … His seaside idyll is disturbed by the arrival of mystery author Agatha Fletcher … staying at the hotel to host a Murder mystery weekend. When the evening begins with the death of Agatha, stabbed brutally while the lights were out, Harker finds himself with no choice but to call in Critchley and Griffin to help with the case. But where has Harker disappeared to?”

And that’s where we start here in issue 8, with Harker AWOL and acting very much like a man determined not to be dragged back into his normal life and Critchley stepping on the toes of the local plod to investigate the  murder. But he’s not exactly sure why he’s here, since he’s a multiple homicide specialist. And this isn’t a multiple homicide. Well, not yet.

This is another nice setup issue, reuniting the principal players, with Harker, Critchley and forensic specialist Griffin getting drawn into the case, as Critchley starts interviewing the suspects, Griffin gets dragged down on Harker’s request as well and Harker desperately tries to keep out of it all, grabbing onto the rapidly fading hope of a nice seaside holiday.

(Griffin our wise-cracking pathologist is dragged into this one as well, making our threesome complete.)

As usual with these early setup issues we’re here for the interplay between the leads more than anything else and there are some really lovely sequences that should raise a smile or two:

“Everybody likes kippers, Critchley. It’s the law. Nip back to the hotel with me and I’ll fish them out for you.”
“Fish them out, get it?” “I made a joke there. You’re supposed to laugh, I’m your boss.”
“Yes Guv. I’m laughing on the inside, honest.”

“Wouldn’t it be ironic though?”
“Wouldn’t what be ironic?”
“Well, y’know, if a second corpse did show up after all.”

And with that, you just know how this is all going to develop don’t you? I’ll be eagerly awaiting issue 9. Hopefully you’ll be doing the same. Harker is still the comic I look forward to most each month. It’s become a guarantee of an enjoyable read, month in, month out. Join me.

Richard Bruton.

by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks

Ariel Press

At this point, after four glowing reviews of the first Harker storyline I should just be writing a quick recap, a quick mention of the new issue and assuring you that the first issue of this second storyline is just as strong, just as good, just as enjoyable as the first storyline was.

But I’d feel I was somehow letting it down. If this were some Marvel, DC, Fantagraphics or Dark Horse series I’d be doing just that. But it’s not – it’s a comic produced by Gibson and  Danks that’s only available online and from those comic shops in the UK smart enough to look around for new, interesting comics that appeal to a wider audience. Sadly Diamond Distributors have taken the view (shortsighted and just plain wrong) that this series doesn’t have the potential sales to justify it’s inclusion in Previews and hence isn’t available to the majority of UK & US Comic Shops. Rant over. Back to the comic.

To quickly recap: Harker is Detective Chief Inspector Harker who; along with his assistant, Detective Sergeant Critchley, specialise in serial murder cases. Harker’s the classic hard boiled copper in his late fifties, very much in the mould of classic detectives; moody, anti-social, almost incapable of functioning in the modern police force and quite, quite brilliant at getting to the heart of any investigation. Critchley is the Watson to Harker’s Holmes, the Lewis to his Morse, the Carter to his Regan (you get the idea); full of the arrogance of youth, always there with a witty quip for his boss and a chat up line for the ladies. In the first storyline (issues 1-6 – The Book Of Solomon) they tackled what looked like a series ritualistic Satanic murders and managed to provide some of the best entertainment in comics all this year.

(DCI Harker in a good mood? Don’t worry, it doesn’t last for long. From the ever-wonderful Harker by Gibson and Danks)

With the start of this second storyline: Murder By The Book,  Detective Chief Inspector Harker, the grumpiest policeman in the world, is off on his holidays in Whitby. But, as we find out on the very first page, Harker’s choice of holiday destination is no accident – and a visit to one particular grave suddenly opens the entire series up and throws up a host of questions about Harker’s origins. Unless Gibson’s just chucking this into the mix as a nice bit of coincidental background of course. I’ve learnt not to try to second guess Harker – just sit back and enjoy.

If you’ve read any Harker, and if not, why not? you’ll be aware of the huge amount of authentic detail that goes into both script and art to get the locations just right – and it’s the same in this new series – anyone familiar with Whitby will have fun playing spot the local landmarks; the 199 steps to the Abbey, the harbour, the youth hostel buildings that double as Harker’s hotel – all as beautifully rendered by Danks as his detailed architecture of London in the first storyline.

So; Harker’s on holiday, all is well, he’s actually having a good, relaxing time – which means we all know it’s not going to last. And when Agatha Fletcher, world famous crime novelist and stroppy diva pitches up in Harker’s hotel to take part in a Murder Mystery Weekend the story goes the only way it can. Do you think Gibson and Danks are having a pop at Murder She Wrote? Oh yes.

(Crime novelist and all round annoying diva Agatha Fletcher gets the murder mystery weekend underway. I’m sure I’m not going to be giving much away if I tell you that shortly after this things get a little murderous for real. This is Harker after all.)

Again, just like the first series, this early issue setup really has that feeling of being a classic detective thriller, pure Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle in the wonderful way Gibson and Danks take us around the characters that will feature in this series. Without realising it’s being done, we’re introduced to the cast and are given a lot of important details – and not once does it feel forced, not once does it affect the flow of the piece.

And the flow in Harker is one of it’s best points – the story really does flow quite cinematically at times, with Danks’ visual style a perfect fit for Gibson’s fast paced, comedic setups. Because even though Harker may be a brilliant crime series one of it’s most endearing features and the main reason I keep banging on about how much I’m enjoying it is the humour; with this issue I was grinning from ear to ear from the dialogue between Harker and the diva authoress:

(“Poxy crime writers” “Now kindly sod off” – just the sort of thing I love from Harker. After the peace and quiet of the first few pages with a strangely content DCI Harker it’s nice to have the grumpiest copper in the world back.)

Next issue we deal with the fallout from the murder. Oh, did I not mention there’s a murder? It is a crime book after all – and seeing as Gibson set it up from the very moment Harker realised he was trapped in the middle of a murder mystery weekend we all knew they’d be bloody murder at some point. We also get the return of DS Critchley and the lovely (and crucially – very sarcastic) pathologist Griffin in the next issue.

Harker’s still my favourite comic of the year and with this second volume Gibson and Danks are pushing on, not really doing anything particularly differently, but when it’s done this well, that really doesn’t matter.

All of the Harker issues are available from the Ariel Press website and there’s a list of the comic shops stocking it here. If your comic shop doesn’t have it on it’s shelves – ask them why not. And the collection of the first 6 issues is out very soon – pre-order it here.

Richard Bruton.

by Roger Gibson and Vincent Danks

Ariel Press

It’s getting to the stage where I can’t really review Harker properly anymore. I’ve already reviewed the first 5 issues and found so much to enjoy that I’d imagine it’s obvious that, unless Gibson and Danks completely screw it up, issue 6 is going to be equally praised.

But, if you’re new to this, here’s what you’ve missed:

“A horribly mutilated body has been discovered on the steps of st George’s Church in london, just around the corner from the British Museum. Detective Chief Inspector Harker, and his assistant Detective Sergeant Critchley, experts in multiple homicides, are on the case. The body is unidentified and appears to be the result of a horrific ritual killing. Harker is skeptical, but book fibres found underneath the victim’s fingernails have led our detectives on the search for an Occult book: The Key Of Solomon“.

That was from early on, since then DCI Harker has been proven right, the Book Of Solomon and the Satanic cult was really just an excuse for a good old fashioned bit of wife swapping and the murderer turned out to be just another jealous (although somewhat unhinged) spouse. Of course, along the way, we got to revel in the extremely well written and funny interplay between Harker and Critchley and witness a perfectly written police procedural beautifully illustrated by Vince Danks.

(Harker may be in a little trouble here, from Harker 6 by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks.)

And thank god, they’ve delivered a bloody entertaining, very satisfying end to the first storyline. Where the first 4 issues were all about the setup and ongoing investigation and full of cracking dialogue and some really funny lines, the final 2 issues are more concerned with the endgame, the bits where Harker and Critchley crack the case and track down the killer. I said last time with issue 5 that it was slightly disappointing (although understandable) that the cut and thrust of the dialogue between the characters had been sidelined to enable the plot to come to the fore. Similarly with issue 6, the plot is the thing once more. This one’s all about the wrap up, as Harker finds himself trailing the killer through underground tunnels, whilst Critchley, realising what Harker’s already discovered, is racing to the scene.

(……..”Shall we slip away quietly then?”, “Might be a plan. Try not to look guilty” And that’s a perfect end to a perfect series. From Harker issue 6 by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks.)

That he makes it, that Harker and Critchley survive, that the killer is caught, none of these things will be a surprise. That I thought it was a bloody great ending to a thrilling and brilliant series probably isn’t much of a surprise either. Harker issue 6 is a great wrap up to what has been a really cracking storyline.

(More Harker; the forthcoming collection and issue 7, the start of “Murder By The Book”.)

The collection of Harker 1-6 is out in October. It’s called The Book Of Solomon. I imagine I’ll be telling you how good it is all over again nearer that time. Before that comes Harker issue 7, the first issue of the second storyline: Murder By The Book. Like Roger says on the Harker blog – this one’s a funny one, as I’d have expected really – we’re going to be back to setup here and I’m already looking forward to it. Individual issues of Harker are now available from all good comic shops (there’s a list here) and from the Ariel Press shop online here.

Richard Bruton.

Roger Gibson & Vince Danks

Ariel Press

The latest issue of this top quality detective series, and the penultimate issue of the first storyline. I’ve looked at it twice already:

“This is one of those books that I knew I was going to enjoy within the first ten pages. It had that feel of a great genre work, grabbing you and taking you exactly where you wanted it to go. Every page had something on it that pressed the right buttons for the bit of my brain that goes silly over great genre stuff. A little bit Sherlock Holmes, a little bit X-Files, CSI, it’s all these and so much more. But most importantly it gave me that immediacy that is incredibly rare, that feeling within the first few pages that this was going to be something special, and by the end of issue 2, it still felt like that – a hugely entertaining comic.” Issue 1 & 2 review.

“A great detective thriller with intriguing story, wonderful art, cracking dialogue and moments of laugh out loud comedy? Harker really does just get better and better. And I’ve barely even mentioned Vince Danks’ art. His figure work is spot on (and I finally figured out what I was seeing – amazingly there’s a touch of Kevin Maguire in his faces and some Nabiel Kanan in the linework) with a very minimal yet very expressive style that just captures every subtle nuance with very few lines. And if his figure work is strong then the settings and his backgrounds are just magnificent. The detailing is amazing. It’s as good as Gerhard’s work on Cerebus – amazing stuff. And the story really plays to Dank’s strengths. Brilliant stuff.” Issue 3 & 4 review.

So I’ll keep this relatively brief:

Beneath another stunning cover by Vincent Danks, we’re off following DCI Harker and DS Critchley just after the discovery of the latest victim (crucified in his own bookshop). The all important book; The Key of Solomon, is missing and Critchley and Griffin; Harker’s assistants / annoying voices in his head, convince him that he has to arrest Randolph; the antiques dealer and Satanic cult leader at the centre of all the goings on, only to have Harker proven right after all:

“I can confirm the time of … the bookseller’s death. He was murdered while you were questioning Randolph. Randolph isn’t your murderer. You’re his alibi.”
“Well there’s a turn up for the books. Seems I was right after all.”

After the marvelous character driven dialogue in the first 4 issues, getting an issue that is, by necessity, more about driving the story to it’s conclusion next issue actually comes over as a slight disappointment – the page above is the only real out and out verbal gag in the comic. By the end of the issue you’re right there with Harker and Critchley and we all know who the murderer is. But saying it’s slightly less enjoyable still puts it head and shoulders above most of the other comics on the stands right now. Harker really is that good.

I’ve been saying it over and over but Harker is definitely one of the best comics you can buy right now. Roger Gibson and Vince Danks are really creating something marvelous here. And it’s certainly not too late to get on board. All of the previous issues are available from the creators and hopefully at many good comic shops across the country. There’s only one issue to go, the final showdown with the murderer and, hopefully, a chance for DCI Harker to let loose with that acid tongue of his once more.

The great news about Harker is that it doesn’t end with the conclusion of the Key Of Solomon storyline. All 6 issues are due to be collected into Volume 1 in September and there’s also a novel by Roger Gibson, illustrated by Vince Danks due in September. The Murder Club novel follows on directly from issue 6 and leads into the next storyline. An interesting way to do it perhaps, but it seems Gibson has more Harker tales than Danks has time to illustrate. And after that we’re straight into Volume 2, another 6 issues that I really hope prove to be as brilliant as what’s gone on so far.

Harker has proven to be the comic I most look forward to reading each month – an absolute triumph of a comic.

Richard Bruton.