Month: July 2013

The Return Of Lassie: Dark Moon Rising

They are bring Lassie back to films??? Have you heard the plot? Young Alex King is bored after his scientist father has a “burn out” and they move to a house set in the Rockies. One day Alex explores the house and in the basement finds an old wardrobe -opening the door he finds it leads into a deserted military type complex and he finds a cryogenic cannister. 

Running back to tell his father they discoover the base was part of Project Chronos –his father’s project that was rejected. The machinery still works so Alex’s father unthaws the occupant of the cannister -it’s Lassie. Tests show Lassie has had advanced bionic implants. 

So guess what? The pair adopt Lassie as a pet but intend to use the dog to “help out those who need it.” It gets worse –a werewolf is on the loose and Lassie has to go into hiding after being blamed for sheep killings!!! 

Wow.

Chung Ling Soo Man Of Mystery ": The Case Of The Thames Serpent

Chung Ling Soo Man Of Mystery


Terry Hooper (W)  Gavin Stuart Ross (A)                                                             t

Paperback, 
A4
Black & white
54 Pages 
Ships in 3–5 business days
£4.00
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/chung-ling-soo-man-of-mystery/paperback/product-20001818.html
Victorian conjurer and man of mystery and deception, Chung Ling Soo has been marked for death by a Chinese Tong that never fails to get its man. So will Chung be able to escape death long enough to solve bizarre murders in London’d dockland as well as sightings of a sea serpent in the Thames?
And who is the Dragon Lord and how do his murderous plans fit into things?
Mystery, action and twisted plot by Terry Hooper Scharf and Gavin Ross!

The Massimo Belardinelli Interview

Massimo Belardinelli was a fantastic talent. He was also crapped on by UK publishers. So when I got a translation of an interview with him in 2010 it went up on CBO almost immediately!

My THANKS to mega Belardinelli collector Robert Cox -you know there is a Massimo Belardinelli fan page on Face Book, right?

Anyway, here you go!

*****************************************************************************

MASSIMO BELARDINELLI was a genuine comic strip genius and in 1977 he created one of the biggest sensations in British comics for years by illustrating Tom Tully’s revival of the old Eagle character Dan Dare!
My young brother was hooked. I was hooked. You couldn’t find some issues of 2000 AD because,as newsagents told me:”Kids are going mad over that Dan Dare thing!” Oh,yes,and that Dan Dare thing had a name -Biogs! Suddenly plasticine became Biogs and toy tanks and aircraft were attacked daily.
Sadly,Massimo is no longer with us and there appears to be only one interview ever carried out with him -by Romano Felmang [an artist noted for his work on The Phantom].
In 2006,in Paolo Telloli’s Italian fanzine,INK! No.39,that interview appeared. Steve Taylor alerted THE Belardinelli expert Robert Cox who got a friend to translate it and it was a main feature on the then new Belardinelli yahoo group [see blog roll].
You can see INK! online now at this link:
But now,onto ROMANO FELMANG and his interview with the Master! And THANK YOU Robbie!
In the summer of 1966 two positive things happened in my life: military service had finished and I met a brilliant artist. He was Massimo Belardinelli, born in Rome on 5th June 1938. His father’s hobby was painting, and he painted high quality oil figures on canvas.
Massimo is a cartoonist more recognized in England than in Italy, were hundreds of his work were published in weekly English comics (from the middle of the 60s until the end of the 80s).
This interview took place in his garden, full of wooden sculptures of fantastic animals, a world of fantasy!
DRF:In which moment of your life did you decide to become a comic artist?
MB:When I was very little and my mother took me to the cinema to watch Walt Disney’s ‘Fantasia’, in that moment I decided that when I grew up, I wanted to be a cartoon artist.

Dan Dare as illustrated by Massimo [Robert Cox Collection]
DRF:What did you do then, as in 1966 I saw a backdrop for an animated cartoon by you which was 50 – 60cm in height, which was then developed to two metres in height?
MB:In the 60s I started working in the field of animated cartoons, in Sergio Rosi’s office, principally following the development of various action backdrops, like those you remember.
However the animated cartoon came about by teamwork and I realised that I wasn’t satisfied with this, so I decided to design comic strips, which was much more individual. I started designing only backgrounds which were my specialty, then slowly, I acquired experience and started also to design characters.
DRF:Which cartoons did you design in the Rosi Office?
MB:Together with Giorgio Cambotti we designed weekly titles for the English editing company Fleetway for ‘Steel Claw’ through the Euro office of Rinaldo Dami and we had to imitate the style of Jesus Blasco, who was the owner and graphic creator of the character. In that period Fleetway also published a pocket series. In fact in England, Fleetway published a series of pocket books which were requested by several publishers for the Italian market. Barracuda, Jonny Nero, Spider and Steel Claw. The last one, we completed in the Rosi office and also the pocket series.
DRF:Did you only work for English publications in the Rosi office?
MB:No, around 1968 together with the group we created other characters such as Kriminal, Messalina and Jacula.
In the same period I also drew Perry Rodan and Altan for the German market . . . This was a time where there was much demand for cartoons from the German market. In fact in 69, Alberto Giolitti, who had connections with ‘Bastei’, asked Giorgio and I if we
were interested in collaborating with him. The economic propositions were very interesting, and we left the Rosi office and transferred to his office.
Giolitti didn’t just have an office, he also acted as an agency and collaborated with various publishers in England, Germany, USA and also the Italian markets. Personally I collaborated with Alberto on the sketches that he drew for ‘Gold Key. Another example is when we drew various episodes of ‘Star Trek’. He designed the faces, and I always drew the spacecrafts.

A superb Belardinelli cover [Robert Cox Collection]
For the German ‘Bastei’, I continued drawing the ‘Perry Rodan and Altan’ characters which were published in the ‘Perry’ appendix. For the Italian market I drew four episodes of ‘Phantom’, the masked man, published by the Spada brothers. Meanwhile for the periodicals I drew No. 1 of Cosmine and No. 1 of Super Black. But the biggest part of my work I did for the English weeklies, drawing a myriad of serials with hundreds of titles.

Above:BIOG ACTION!!!! [Robert Cox Collection]
DRF:Which characters have you drawn?
MB:Many, but I don’t remember all of them. I don’t keep copies of the publications. In February 1977, the first edition of the weekly ‘2000 AD‘ came out on which I mainly worked on. This edition had the classic character Dan Dare in new adventures. Initially I drew Dan Dare according to whatever came to mind.
However after editing it was decided that he should resemble the pop star David Bowie and so I had to correct some episodes, redrawing all the heads of Dan Dare. Other characters that I have drawn are Slaine and Ukko, the Moon Runners and Ace Trucking Company.
I also completed many covers for ‘2000 AD’ and for other publications.

An old Thunder comic character Blackhawk for 2000 AD[Robert Cox Collection]
Have you ever worked in other areas?
Between one cartoon and another I completed moderate illustrations for LP covers of various English groups in the 70s and 80s.
DRF:Which were the last cartoons that you completed?
MB:Among one of the last things that I drew were the Ninja Turtles for Fleetway at the beginning of the 90s.
DRF:Of all the original titles that you’ve completed, how many have you recovered?
MB:Very few originals. Fleetway asked me if I wanted the originals returned, but not knowing where to keep them and not wanting to face expensive postal expenditures I declined.
Above:Slaine:The Battle Of Clontarf {robert Cox Collection]
DRF:At one point you stopped drawing cartoons. Why was this?
MB:Halfway through the 80s I was approached by an important architectural office ‘ADA’ who were working on creating a Disneyland project for a rich businessman in Singapore. This work engaged me for many years. I created many characters, monsters, medieval horses and wizards.
An enormous and very interesting project which in the end was not created.
A personal painting sent by Massimo to Robert Cox. [Robert Cox Collection]
DRF:How did these beautiful sculptures that adorn your garden come about?
MB:Sculptures have always fascinated me and for a certain period I dedicated myself to sculpting fantasy animals or whatever took my fancy. I have now abandoned sculpting as it was very hard work. I now prefer to paint towns with water colours, it’s much more relaxing.
A wonderful 2006 painting given to Robert Cox by Massimo. [Robert Cox Collection]

Stransky & Labatt -Comic Creators In Disguise …without the cool Transformers song.

Okay, on 23rd July, when it was all agreed and we’d all shaken hands I posted this on the old CBO:

OOOOH! Black Tower (Well, ME!) Is VERY Excited

Why am I excited? Well, two VERY well known comic creators are going to be doing work for Black Tower.  Joel Stransky and Pierre Labbat are working on The Bat George McQueen’s Bat NOT William A. Wards).
“Who?” you ask.
Well, the clues are in the names and there are a couple “Creator illoes” to follow…but you won’t recognise them from these. According to Stransky (in a thick Midlands accent): “Imagine me with no beard. No hair. Oh the cries from on high!” And Pierre Labbat…well: “This is how I see meself. Dark, suave, sophisticated. Not pissed out of my head with food stains on me best shirt!”
This is all just fun. Labbat and Stransky (well, Stransky mainly) say: “We’ll go to our graves as ‘that mysterious duo that worked for Black Tower’ and the quest to find out who we really are will go on and on -unless you blab!”
Me? No, oh mage of the Midlands!
Anyway, news to follow…at some point.
Luckily, before anyone saw them, I deleted photographs of the duo -which would have killed the mystery of anonimity. Stransky emailed: “I saw the photographs and thought ‘has he gone ****** mad?’ I was prepared to storm the very gates of Hell and then -they were gone!”
I’m guessing he means the photos and NOT the Gates of Hell…I hope.
Labatt just emailed:”I had my sketch-book with me when I visited mum over the weekend. She was going through it and looked up rather puzzled. I asked “What?” and she says: “Why’ve you drawn yowsel like that -and drawn —— with all his hair and beard gone?” I thought no one would see it but she did.”
So, I’ve looked but I cannot tell its the actual duo so…
Joel Stransky -scribe supreme and, in my opinion, unidentifiable minus all the hair, beard and jewellery.
Pierre Labatt -talk about artistic licence!!
Stransky says that he is going to have “fun without being expected to churn out some huge cosmic or socio-political saga!” 
Labatt: “I thought that I’d never really be able to disguise my art style and even though I don’t usually ink my own pencils the art would be a give-away. But then you said that Ben Dilworth had to cut back on his art and I just yelled ‘YES!!’ because I love that loose style he has. I thought it would be great to continue in that sort of ‘house style’ as it were but put my own touches to it -no one but no one is going to guess it’s my work!!”
So get prepared people for the biggest premiere appearance of….uh,..Stransky and Labatt in Black Tower Comics. We need far moore people to recognise these people because otherwise how’m I gonna make money out of them???
It was a very good, late night idea…I should have waited until morning before agreeing.
Who are Stransky & Labatt…..

Black Tower Adventure 10


Black Tower Adventure 10
Paperback, 
A4
Black & white
54 Pages
Price: £5.00
Ships in 3–5 business days
http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/black-tower-adventure-10/paperback/product-21116296.html
The 10th and final issue of volume 2! 
Rodney Dearth and his Iron Warrior return. The Cross Earths Caper concludes -as does the re-telling of Runestone’s origin by Ben R. Dilworth. Lots of other goodies and this issue which guest stars The Clock! Its just too much fun!

I May Be A Vegetarian But I Still Need To Eat!

Until the utterly stupid people in this country realise that I am THE greatest comic genius they have -in fact I’d guess I’m the best the WORLD has to offer– I need to earn money to eat.

I know. Ridiculous, right?

So, sorry, but I’m going to be flashing me wares (no, no naked photos of me -the court order was quite clear -if a violation of my human rights) in the form of Black Tower Comics & Books.

Just a heads up.

snicker…I wrote “heads up”…snicker

Cinebook The 9th Art: Cedric 4 – Hot and Cold

Cedric 4 – Hot and Cold
Authors: Laudec & Cauvin
Age: 8 years and up
Full colour
Paperback
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: May 2013
ISBN: 9781849181587
Price: £6.99 inc. VAT
Being a kid can be confusing. The grown-ups—parents and especially grandparents—get up to the craziest antics. School can be counted on to complicate one’s life. And then there are the mysteries of love… Trying to court Chen is a constant struggle for Cedric, who has to contend with shyness, misunderstandings, his own jealousy, poachers… Still. Confusing or not, it’s so much simpler when you’re nine! At least, that’s something his grandad would say…
This is just charming and great fun.  It’s nice to think that kids in the UK have the opportunity to read and look at these books.  I hope parents are taking advantage because literacy is still a problem in the UK and in my day comics encouraged reading and imagination.
Talking about “back in my day”….

Cinebook The 9th Art: Spirou & Fantasio 4- Valley of the Exiles

Spirou & Fantasio 4- Valley of the Exiles
Authors: Tome & Janry
Age: 8 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Paperback
Number of pages: 48 colour pages
Publication: May 2013
ISBN: 9781849181570
Price: £6.99 inc. VAT
Spirou and Fantasio, swallowed by the raging waters of the river, find themselves in an unknown valley filled with very peculiar, and very dangerous, life. As they brace themselves to face a hostile nature long enough to find their way out, Fantasio contracts a deadly disease that turns him into a homicidal maniac. Spirou must now find a way to save him—and himself—and escape the deserted valley. If it really is deserted, that is…
Sigh. I’ve said and written it before so I may as well do so again. These are great books and UK publishers should be ashamed that they are not publishing something similar. Spirous and Fantasio are legendary in Europe and, I hope, soon will be in the UK.
I just love these books.