This Is What Comics ‘Fans’ Do Today

So, someone on one of my Yahoo groups mentions 23 issues of the old UK weekly  Battle Storm Force is for sale on Ebay. I mention I’m in contact with the seller, before buying, to check on the condition since he mentions some damage.  I am a big Storm Force fan and I did do some scripts for it -I got paid but no idea if the stories were used.

I then see in my emails a message from a member of my Yahoo group -he’s just bought the comics and “thanks for the heads up”.

No wonder the seller never responded to my offer.

I can only shake my head.  I’m speechless.

Blogger Comments or, rather, Now you see them-now you don’t!

An apology to Dave.  Never saw the comment nor the link. Blogger seems to be having a problem with Comments that I had thought was sorted out.  Thanks for checking and the link!

You Will NOT Earn A Living Wage Working In The Small Press

I mentioned the Small Press or Independent Comics as being the best area to look at the invest in comics but when I was doing the QRD interview a few of the questions made me think.

You see, buying short print-run titles from a Small Press publisher, or just one specific creator-publisher, might be a good investment if that is what you are looking for.  However, it does not do much for the actual creator.  You buy their book at £3.00/$6.00 and hold onto it a few years then sell it and make money.  The creator of that book doesn’t earn anything other than that £3.00/$6.00 -unless they keep a couple of copies of each book back to sell when the value picks up –if it picks up because, remember, investment is a form of gambling.

And I knew I had written about this whole working in the Small Press because someone had asked that specific question.  So, here.  I hope it answers any questions!

Working For The Small Press -What’s It Worth?

 I was thinking how things have changed over the years. Back in the 1980s/1990s, if I had a zine that was short of 3-4 pages I’d knock out a letter and send it off to other zine publishers/creators.  Within a week I could guarantee having enough material to fill 2-3 zines.  And, if contacted by other zine publishers looking for material, well, yes, I’d send something to them.

At no point did anyone ask “How much are you paying?”  It was simple fun -contributors got a copy of the zine their work was in. Again, no one asked: “If you make anything out of this what’s my cut?”

We were selling our “end product” for 25 pence.  50 pence.  75 pence or, and, I tried and succeeded in never crossing this particular price barrier myself, £1.00.  Yes, £1.00 which back then was 50 cents? So, buy my zines and you got a lot of pages for little money.  I try to keep doing that still.

Although, via Zine Zone mail order or marts you could sell quite a few zines -in fact, it’s odd but you would guarantee at least doing fairly well sales-wise back then where as now the attitude and expectation is that selling one or two books is a good day! In fact, zine publishers reported that they did far better sales-wise with Zine Zone than they did with Fast Fiction (which saw ZZ as a competitor though we never considered there to be any rivalry).

“Hey -I made £2.00!” Not bad –snicker-  now to divide that up between 10 contributors! Seriously, no one expected to make big money because it was all for fun. Also, a lot of the creators of the 1980s who made it into comics as writers or artists all started in the Small Press -it was seen as a place where you could hone your skills. It is interesting to note that a few of these creators when asked how they got started in comics tend to gloss over any mention of the Small Press!  It all seems to be “I started writing/drawing and used every opportunity to hone that skill and then DC/Marvel saw my work” I think that is actually shameful.

People ask me how I got started I’ll tell them.  Putting together a school magazine (Greenway Boys School, Bristol, 1972) titled Starkers -The Magazine That Tells The Naked Truth which was a title suggested by our Deputy Head, Mr Wright. Getting everything together, drawing, typing on the stencils for the Gestetner copier and then….getting banned by the Head because one of the secretaries complained about the title (yes, there was more to it because I was seen as an “H-dropping” pain-in-the-ass by the snobbish head and his school kid cronies).

Then I got work with a printer.  I then started working with the early photocopiers.  I wrote articles on everything from nature to astronomy and history and then I decided I wanted to get into publishing so I got friendly with those folk as well as editors and distributors and even stupidly spent money buying rights to certain characters/publications (see one of my previous big posts -they are there somewhere).

Putting all of this together helped in making dummy copies of proposed titles to submit to publishers.  Some of those titles, such as Preview Comic got a few people into permanent comics work both in the UK and US.  Then there were scripts for London Editions, Fleetway/Egmont, Marvel UK and so on.  And even while doing my comic work (and the officially unofficial other job) I was writing comic articles for publications such as Comics FX and other publications promoting comics and particularly the Small Press which has never gotten even 2% of the publicity ‘real comics’ do.

Today, obviously and I never ever do this any other way, all art is (c) the artist. If the contributor wrote and drew something then it is all (c) the creator. Even if I lost out I made sure contributors got something.  But then you hit the big problems.

You learn, quite by accident, that an artist you have written a script  for and who then with no explanation break all contact, are actually trying to sell the strip with a couple of character name changes.  When found out and contacted over this there is either silence or “Oh, I thought you’d left comics” -right.  Then you have the artist who wants to have full control over the end product which includes changes made “to make it better” and believe me I have had artists change characters names, sex and even whole chunks of story because they feel they know better.  That just is not on.  The writer writes and the artist draws -perhaps making an odd change to make action flow.

I have had one artist ask me to draw character sketches because he just could not understand what I meant by stating the right hand side of a characters body was all robot while the left was wholly human.  Another had to have a sketch when I described a central tower in a city had, at the very top,  a clock face on each of the four sides…?

 

 

 

Then you get an email out of the blue “I don’t want this published unless I get a 60% royalty deal, a page fee and creative rights”  hmmm.  Or, you publish after putting a lot of work into a book and the artist then says he doesn’t want to be associated with it because it might affect his work prospects with Marvel or DC???

You will also get artists who email every single week asking about sales.  “You can’t be doing enough to promote the book!” And then there are the artists who complete books and simply vanish.  They no longer answer emails and so the book HAS to be withdrawn.  Or the families of people you have worked with….don’t even get me started on that.

There are no huge profits in Small Press publishing and Independent comics will not make you rich!  So, as a publisher you have to make decisions that affect your output.  Books are withdrawn. Decisions are made so that you no longer have to rely on other creators and all the problems associated with them.

Black Tower no longer accepts proposals from creators.  Everything is in-house and there are only two creators…and a very large selection of books to buy.  No distractions or problems other than those you get normally as the UK largest Independent comics publisher.

The small Press rely far less on collaborations these days.  There are some but more and more it’s an individual thing with the creator writing, drawing and publishing the book.  No profit no problem. A profit -nice.

 

 Above: If you remember this you are old…like me!

 

 

 I think the anthology titles of old with any number of contributors will eventually vanish because unlike the doing -it -for- fun days where publishing was smooth and creators did not scream out “I’m a star! Pay me!” 

If you ask what money you are going to get out of the Small Press as an artist or writer then the true answer is that you’ll be lucky to make any.  And the proof is there if you don’t believe me: publish yourself and see all the ‘joys’ first hand!

So if you go to this weekends Small Press event remember: no one there is getting rich!

My Greatness Knows No Bounds…But The Meds Help

As King of British Comics (you know, some morons think I’m being serious!) I am not surprised that QRD online asked me to do an interview -a lengthy one at that!

I’ll post a link when it goes online.

Dinosaurs Beat Super Heroes Claws Down…Time For Devil Dinosaur?

Oooh, could super heroes have had their day?  Was the novelty of seeing Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow and other comic stars grouped together in one movie just that?  I notice that anything “dino” or “Jurassic Park” related on Ebay and Amazon have increased in price. The next lure to deprive suckers of money?

But before Avengers Age Of Ultron was even released it was being criticised and a lot of nasty things were said of it –before anyone had even seen it.  Well, as I was told years ago: “People who can -DO.  Those who cannot -become critics!”

Let’s see how ‘little’ money the movie made -care of iDigitaltimes.

According to iDigitalTimes http://www.idigitaltimes.com/jurassic-world-beats-avengers-age-ultron-domestic-box-office-hits-record-high-453917

Jurassic World Beats Avengers: Age Of Ultron As Domestic Box Office Hits Record High

By ND Medina

ADVERTISEMENT

Jurassic World has taken in $460 million at the US box office, overtaking Avengers: Age of Ultron’s roughly $450 million domestic gross. Despite middling reviews for both titles, Jurassic Park and Avengers: Age of Ultron are worth nearly a billion dollars in the domestic box office. Jurassic World is in fact on track to make $500 million in just a little over two weeks, beating another Marvel Studios film, The Avengers. The Avengers reached $500 million in 23 days, but Jurassic Park will hit that in 18 or 19 days if current trends continue.

All this means great stuff for the American box office, which is at a record high for year-to-date: $5.303 billion. “We have been breaking records in almost every single month, and that’s how you build a record year,” Rentrak box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian said. For reference, at this time in 2012, the domestic box office was at $5.153 billion.

This comes after 2014’s box office saw the biggest decline in almost a decade, with revenue 5% lower than its previous year.

Money’s all good and well, but quality? Jurassic World has at least garnered reviews more positive than those for Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III. Avengers: Age of Ultron has maneuvered past a lot of Joss Whedon’s gossipy dish and personal drama to a lukewarm Rotten Tomatoes score of 74%, indicating that despite some major disappointments, moviegoers pretty much felt they got what they went to the movies for.

Waiting in the wings this year is Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December, as well as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2, for this holiday season. With Warner Bros alone releasing nine movies this summer, audiences won’t exactly be starved for choice. Warners’ domestic distribution chief Dan Fellman says, “It will be tough work, but I think it will pay off. As [CEO] Kevin [Tsujihara] says, if we aren’t going to handle these movies, someone else will.”

 

I think there ought to be a point made here – ‘only’ $450 million at the US box office. ‘Only’…I never know whether to laugh or cry at the sheer moronic nature of these statements.  Did a movie back its production costs? For Avengers Age Of Ultron I belie that cost came to $250  million. Let me get my calculator…that’s $200 million profit.  

Oh gods forbid that I ever made a profit on selling comics that low!

And does anyone take Rotten Tomatoes seriously any more?  It was a bit of fun in the 1970s but it’s floating dead in the compost heap…..no, if people like that sort of thing let them but I just see it as pointless.

But some of the shine has definitely gone from The Avengers franchise…..wait….I need to contact Disney. Think about it -super heroes make money in movies but not enough and people are already criticising the move (I call it “pointless look-at-me bitching”).  But dinosaurs make more money…I see the next Marvel Universe movie….

DEVIL DINOSAUR!

Don’t knock it.  It has potential -goddam super heroes versus a dinosaur, man!!!  $$$$$$$$$$

Hey, You….

I AM The "King of British Comics"! I Really, uh, am not saying that to annoy certain people. Honest!

I am told that I “underplay” Black Tower Comics & Books.  According to a good few, based in Europe, BTC&Bis Europe’s largest Independent black & white comics publisher.  They’d know, of course, but I’ll stick to the claim of being the UKs largest Independent publisher.

All Black Tower comic albums (that is A4 format) are in black & white.  Once you’ve had black and white you won’t go back to colour, baby.

I almost laughed out loud.  Apparently, what were described as “the usual group of washer women” (I know names but I don’t dignify them) were gossiping about me….I could swoon!  Seriously, one accusation made was that I keep promoting my own books…on my own blog!

Thanks, “washer-women” -great idea!

BTCG has specialised in presenting original material covering super heroes, crime, adventure, sci fi, horror as well as illustrated prose -not to mention ground breaking books on “world mysteries” and wildlife.  Oh, and even a huge book of interviews with comic creators and publishers.

All the books are, naturally, available for overseas licence -but we cannot translate work: that will be up to any licensed publisher.

What follows is a brief glimpse at some books but you can visit the online store to see more details and books at:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/hoopercomicsuk

You  can also find some on Amazon and other sources but they do not make me much money so, come on, buy from the online store and remember that at least these books will be collectibles! 

To contact me please check out “About” at the top of the page -thanks!

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

Black Tower Comics began in 1984 as a Small Press publisher of A5 (US -Digest size) titles such as Adventure,Presents,Windows and Hanley’s Garage.  Then came the news, reviews, previews and interviews publication backed up by the mart and mail order service –Zine Zone (later Zine Zone International).

In 2009, with the innovation in publishing of Print On Demand (POD), Black Tower jumped in head first!

One of the first titles to see print in the new comic album format (A4) was The Bat Triumphant! This saw the complete story, begun in Black Tower Adventure vol. 1.  William A. Ward’s long lost 1940s character once again saw print as he fought a host of  enemies in an attempt to reclaim his homeland.

And while The Bat may have fought fist and nail to reclaim his homeland, another 1940s Ward creation, Krakos the Egyptian, seemed far from willing to claim a new Egyptian Empire as promised to him by the Gods.  Tackling a number of foes and even encountering the Many-Eyed One, Krakos turned his back on the gods and the final panel of Krakos -Sands Of Terror, delivered a true twist!

Of course, the flag-ship title had to return!  And so Black Tower Adventure -eventually reaching new heights when the legendary Ben Dilworth jumped on board!  Volume 2 consisted of  ten issues. Just look at these covers….

And, with something like 40 years worth of files and investigation reports could all that much delving into UFOs, lake and sea creatures and many other mysteries not result in a book or two…or three? Some Things Strange & Sinister, Some More Things Strange & Sinister as well as Pursuing The Strange and Weird: A Naturalist’s Viewpoint set a precedence.

Whereas for decades those involved in “UFOlogy”, “Cryptozoology” and “Forteana” declared many mysteries, that photographs were lost “to history” and so on, these three books swiped away the false claims.  Alleged lost photographs -found.  ‘Mysteries’ solved by doing actual research work and reading the sources -something others had never done.

And, of course, mention natural history and Black Tower Books broke new ground with that in The Red Paper: Canids.  It’s also available on Amazon, etc..

But not all the prose books covered mysteries and wildlife.

There were the comic creator interviews, too!

The Hooper Interviews!  To celebrate, at the time of publication, over 25 years of interviewing comic creators -writers, artists and publishers- this 365 pages book was produced.   Interviewees included Yishan Li, Marv Wolfman, Dave Ryan, John Cooper, Mike Western, Donna Barr, Roberta Gregory, Sonia Leong, Emma Vieceli, Pekka A. Manninen, Alan Class, Karen Rubins, Kate Glasheen, Ron Fortier, Jon Haward, Franco Francavilla, Rick Geary, Tania Del Rio, The Etherington Brothers, Olivier Cadic (Cinebook the 9th Art), Holly Golightly and MANY others.  Profusely illustrated with art and photographs!

And if there is one thing “Herr Professor” loves it is discovering and presenting long lost UK Golden Age (1939-1951) comic strips and characters from publishers such as Gerald Swan, Foldes, Denis M. Reader, Cartoon Art Productions and others.

Scanned and restored as best as can be considering the poor print quality of the rationing years -especially red, orange, yellow, blue and purple ink printing!

Ace Hart The Atomic Man!  The Tornado!  TNT Tom!  Dene Vernon!  Acromaid!  Cat-Girl! Bring ‘Em Back Hank! Robert Lovett:Back From The Dead and so many other action heroes and humour strip characters -William A. Ward, Jock McCaill and a host of known and unknown creators contribute -either in single volume ” Black Tower Gold” albums or all six collected into the 400+ pager –The Ultimate British Golden Age Collection!

The Collected book is available on Amazon, etc. -but I get VERY little back from sales.

Another great love is Centaur Comics from the United States.  Right at the very start of the American Golden Age of Comics Centaur had creators who were ahead of the others!  Before Plastic Man there was Plymo!  Before The Human Bomb there was TNT Todd!  Before Green Arrow and waaaaaaay before Hawkeye there was the mysterious red hooded archer called The Arrow!  And, to just break your comic mind world there was even a Black Panther -decades before Kirby came up with his character of the same name.

The Eye Sees All.  The Owl. The Iron Skull.  Amazing Man. The King of Darkness.  The Invisible Terror. The Blue Lady. The Shark. Mini Midget & Kitty.  Mighty Man. Super Anne.  The company may have been short-lived but it’s characters -oh boy!

The two volume Centaur Heroes Collection has been compiled into one sweet 140 page comic collection!

Horror. Ghost stories.  The twist-in-the tale.  Did you think that a publisher who is a big horror comic/film fan would ignore these?

Nope.  Each year since 2010, BTCG has published a Tales Of Terror anthology album and 2014s included some fun and spooky lost Swan Comic strips.  I mean how can you go wrong -even Ben Dilworth is in these!

 

The Church Of England has it’s own basher of dark forces in the Reverend Merriwether -“God’s Demon0-Thumper” as the press billed him.  From an ancient Egyptian demon to a village of the damned and Varney the Vampyre, werwolves and a final confrontation with Satan himself -Merriwether pulls no punches and offers no compromise.  And in those last few seconds between life and death, Merriwether’s mind recalls past cases -thanks to Ben Dilworththe Tall Man of Osaka.

Merriwether: God’s Demon Thumper and Merriwether: The Test Of Satan are available as individual comic albums or in one swanky book The Collected Merriwether: God’s Demon Thumper.

 

Oh, did I forget to mention Dene Vernon -British comics’ first investigator of the supernatural and strange mysteries?  I did? Unbelievable since Gavin Stuart Ross drew the 1948 based Dene Vernon: The Thing Below!

 

 And did you know Ross also drew the two adventures of Victorian mystery man Chung Ling Soo? Chung Ling Soo: The Curse Of The Jade Dragon and Chung Ling Soo: The Case Of The Thames Serpent were two cracking tales of magic, adventure, murder and deception -still available as single comic albums or collected together to form The Adventures Of Chung Ling Soo!

Ben Dilworth is no slouch either!  Chung Ling Soo’s police “counter-foil” isnone other than old London “Jack” (police man) Inspector Wilberforce and when Dilworth says “Here’s a Wilberforce one-off: PUBLISH IT!” you do not argue!

And did you know you can be a Gold Master of Japanese Haiku?  Well, neither did I -but guess what?  Ben Dilworth is such a master and his Osaka Brutal features his Haiku in English!

 

Old saleman that he is, Dilworth just keeps on going.  He produced Aesop’s Fables -a darker version of the childrens tales and then went on to write two well illustrated prose albums looking at spirits and demons –Dilworth’s Japanese Yokai and Dilworth’s Western Yokai.  Osaka and the Yokai books were combined with Aesop’s Fables into the one volume The Collected Ben R. Dilworth -though the single volumes are also still available.

Horror comics yes but also some nice illustrated prose from Dilworth in…Dilworth’s Horror & Ghost Stories but for the connoisseur those stories were collected together with the Phantom Detective comic strips into The Complete Phantom Detective!

And could anyone forget the sensational Iron Warrior Versus Big Bong:When Giants Fought? But add to that the various Iron Warrior strips from Adventure and you get The Iron Warrior Collection -When Giants Fought!  In the 1940s, William A. Ward’s creation was to be the most graphically violent comic strip seen until the 1970s.  That is some legacy. It continues….with a touch of fun!

In case you are wondering, yes, obviously there are super heroes.  Mix in ancient pantheons of gods, giant robot, alien invasion, Lovecraftian dark ones and so much more that the book runs to over 320 pages then you have part 1 of Terry Hooper-Scharf’s Invasion Earth Trilogy” or as it is titled Return Of The Gods: Twilight Of The Super Heroes!  And epic ending with the words: “Dr Morg has killed us all” -and if you have never read the mind altering counter actuality that is The Dr Morg Trilogy you may be saying “What? Who-?”

And part 2 of the trilogy The Cross Earths Caper ought to get you in the mood for 2015s big 31st Anniversary third part of the trilogy The Green Skies.

Again, these two are available via Amazon and other online services -just check!

 

If you pass the ESTC (Epileptic Seizure Test Cover) on Dr Morg well, you are fit and healthy enough to read it and to check out all the Black Tower Comics and Books at the online store -see why we are the UKs largest publisher of  Independent Comics!

A Sunday Sermon -and it is NOT a "rant"…Do not get me angry….

DO NOT PANIC!!

I am not going to do a “super heroes in German comics” mega mix-up style post.  Incidentally, that post in particular got a lot of views.

Heino is in the background singing “Junge”  -on German Schlager radio, not in my room itself..not sure if that is relevant to anything really.  Would you sooner here that I am sat here, naked in the baking heat? I’m not. It isn’t.  Getting distracted.  “Who is Heino?”  Well, remember the character Ed Straker from the TV series UFO?  Well, imagine him with sun-glasses on and being German and a singer and you’ve got it….er, okay, maybe more Joe 90 in this photo.

Where was I?  Oh yes.  I think that I have covered the topic of why it is not ridiculous to have super heroes in Germany nor in the UK.  Both countries have so much to offer as I’ve written -and Belgium and Nederlands…no. Must not veer off subject again.

When you say to a parent: “You ought to get your kids to read comics.  It encourages literacy so it can’t be bad -and it’s fun for them. A bit of escapism!” You get asked: “What comic would you recommend?” And this is where things can go a bit “off”.

You see, I would love to recommend a British written and drawn comic.  A mix of action, humour and maybe a few “brain teasers” or “Make Your Own—” pages.
 
But I cannot.  We know that British comics as such do not exist.  Egmont produces the usual promo magazines with cheap China made toys -novelties- attached.  Comic strips do not even come into it.  Panini produces US reprints.  Stuff you could go out buying in comic stores but how many youngsters under 11 years of age go into those?

There you go.

Let me get off the point a second.  Just over ten years ago now -I found the entry in my Day Book- I was talking to someone in Forbidden Planet, Bristol, and the subject of women in comic stores cropped up. “I think I’ve seen maybe one in the last three years” said Mr A (I don’t want to embarass him).  I looked at him. “Are you being serious?” He protests “No. It’s true -I saw one!”  I pointed to one side where a group of five young women were looking through the latest comic releases.  Mr A looked shocked. The thing is that there have always been women going into comic stores but the average comic guy has “woman blindness” -you know, like “traffic light blindness” in that the lights were on amber and changed to red but he never saw the lights; they were no part of his world view.  Same with comic guys in comic stores -they can be two steps away from a woman but “they ain’t there”.  I see comic documentaries and even TV shows such as The Big Bang Theory where the very concept of there being women in a comic shop is thought near impossible -or all the geeks stop and stare if one does walk in.  Those writers and comic folk need to wake up.

Anyway, reminded me of talking to a boss at Fleetway in the 1980s and I mentioned “girls comics”.  The response was: “Those days are gone.  No market.  I get 4-5 letters a week asking why we don’t publish a girls comic now. No interest!”  Well, if you get 200-250 letters a year and statistical experts will tell you only about 1-2% of people who fill strongly about something will write or complain then you do have a market.

But let’s not go into girls comics here.

I have two great nephews -three year old and 4 year old who, according to their parents are “Well into their Marvel super heroes!”  Super hero crazy in fact.  You have to be pretty dim-witted not to realise that.  I’ve mentioned this before and, today, a father and his youngster (about 3 years old) were in the same store as me and not only did the kid have his super hero wear on but he was absolutely into his super hero chatter.

A parent asks me about comics for kids between 3-12 years of age and I say “Cinebook The 9th Art covers your child’s age” but then you get the add on of “Do they do super heroes because my youngsters are mad on super heroes!”  No.  Cinebook do not do super heroes.

At one point I used to tell the parent where the nearest comic shops were and what to look for but these shops are not 3-11 years old friendly!  One parent actually told me how she had gone into one of the shops in Bristol and explained she was looking for comics for her 5 year old.  Apparently the moron in the store laughed at her and said “You need to get the Beano at the newsagents!”

Crass moronic.  Sad to say typical of 75% of comic shop staff, though.

I have had parents tell me they were shocked at what they saw in comic shops.  One book had liberal use of the “F” word and another was a comic -“It wasn’t like the old war comics” I was told. Someone having their head very graphically blown off, another character having his bowels blown out and, yes, a “rather graphic and violent rape”.  I stopped myself from laughing when a parent in her thirties told me that on looking at the comics in a shop it all “seemed very soft core porn like or like one of those ‘lads mags’ with scanty dressed women on the covers” -to be honest any of these people could have been talking about any number of comics.

Archie Comics are not that easy to recommend any more since they “went dark” -I just simply am not recommending a company I no longer see the out-put of because that recommendation reflects back on me!

Parents are not “all starched knickers and collars” as we used to say.  They know their kids watch Dr Who, they do play computer games, they read, or are read, Harry Potter and other books and TV in general can involve some “physicality”.  I’m reminded of the time I recommended comics to a couple who just grabbed a few for their kids -in particular an Avengers comic as I had been speaking about that series fondly (the volume 1 series not later ones!).  What made their eyes pop was the Falcon punching the Red Skull (disguised as Dale Trusk was it?) in the jaw.  Not a normal punch but one that shatter old Red’s lower face.  I recall seeing that myself and thinking it was waaay OTT.

A right hook to a crook or villain’s jaw, even gun play.  It’s part of a story and most normal parents know that.  Kids play super hero, they play with their super hero toys, computer games but most parents would also like to see their children read something physical.  Hold something in their hands they can read several times and maybe even collect if they get into that.  And it’s no good saying “add a PG onto the cover” because the only comics, other than Cinebook, they are going to see are American ones and if you think DC or Marvel are going specially print off UK editions with warnings on…you’ve lost it!

And my young brother must have been, what, 5 years old when 2000 AD appeared and he got into Dan Dare and the Biogs!

Well, I was going to write “the industry” but there isn’t one!  Seriously, kids now are going to know only one publisher from an early age -Cinebook. And not only will Cinebook cover their reading material from ages 5-11 years but beyond that, unless they succumb to US comics!

I have seen (I am an inveterate “watcher” of things) people go up to tables at Small Press and comic events and ask whether there “is anything for my kids ages?” (pointing to mentioned kids).  The answer has always been no unless the superb Jess Bradley-Bove is there in which case there IS! You can check out her Squid Bits online store here:
http://squidbitsstore.bigcartel.com/

But no action or adventure in the traditional sense. No costumed adventurers, no ghost or spooky stories or sci fi adventure that does not contain profanities or very graphic violence.  Because creator-publishers are publishing what they like -they are not there to look to fill a niche in the market.  They just ain’t in the comic business.

Do not get me wrong, Black Tower Comics can be just as guilty -I try to ensure any naughty words are rare or very necessary.  I do NOT allow “rape for entertainment” -that just disgusts me.  There is violence but try to keep it not really over the top but I still would not say to a parent “Yeah, but this one!” It is why Black Tower Super Heroes is designed to be more of a friendly title that will appeal to all age groups.  Not dumbing down for kids.

Yes, I know it is not a newsagents available comic. You may not like it because it is black and white (live with it) but it is an attempt to have “something” there.

Comics DO NOT make kids violent. Look at 99.9% of comic fans and see what I mean.  Look at “fun” You Tube videos where people laugh at animal reactions to popping balloons and things used to scare them.  That is not funny. Look at the TV wildlife programmes where kids can sit down and eat pizza while dramatic music leads up to some small animal being ripped to shreds by bigger animals. THAT desensitises kids to animal cruelty and I’ve seen this happen.  I saw a lion and later a cheetah hunting gazelle and killing them on a TV nature programme in the 1960s. Now we get super high definbition, slow motion replays to a backing track.  THIS is where parents ought to show more concern.

Same thing applies to toy soldiers.  I was seven and when my favourite soldier was stood up on the table again my gran pointed out “He was shot. He’s dead.”  Wow.  But it made me realise that this was playing and I was seeing enough horror on TV news to know the difference between play and reality. To people of my generation from the UK the name Aberfan and 1966 brought home that reality.

So comics are meant to be fun and escapism for all ages but kids are being left out.  “Kid Friendly” publisher sign could denote a publisher at an event who sells for all ages but has books parents can have pointed out as being safe.  Not all kids live in middle classville and have stacks of toys, computer games and other “home entertainment resources” -believe it or not there are poor families out there and youngsters for whom a single comic can offer hours of escapism.  Those kids deserve comics.

But, no, Small Pressers and Independent publishers are too far up their own egoes and, as I’ve written, you want to do personalised comics then fine.  But you do not want to invite kids into the fun of comics and encourage reading, writing and drawing -our next generation of creators?- but would sooner say “Yeah, but that isn’t my business -that’s for big companies to do!”  And, yes, I know that many –many– small pressers have never read a comic book in their lives therefore really just do not care.

Truth is that I know at least 99% of those involved in comics in the UK, whether Indie publishers or Small Pressers (I count them as one myself), will never ever change their attitudes and this is why -scream and screech all you want but you are doing nothing to make this different (you and your little cronies know who I am talking to)- the current and future generations who get into comics will do so via Cinebook the 9th Art: because Olivier Cadic (the publisher) knows how important it is to cater for reads from youngsters to wrinkled old pensioners.

Now, go hate me some more.

Exclusive: Hear Wil Wheaton discuss his mental illness with Project UROK

 Child actor-turned-maligned-Star-Trek-character-turned-geek-icon Wil Wheaton has been fairly open about his struggles with mental illness and depression. But for those who haven’t heard about that side of his life before, Project UROK spoke with the actor/writer about the way his anxiety affects him and why he eventually chose to seek help. We’re debuting that interview exclusively here on The A.V. Club:

http://www.avclub.com/article/exclusive-hear-wil-wheaton-discuss-his-mental-illn-221394?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ShareTools&utm_campaign=default

Marvel’s ‘Secret Warriors’ Are Coming to ‘Agents of SHIELD’

If you are wondering “WTF???” after the season 2 finale of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. then Variety has some interesting snippets.
http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/secret-warriors-agents-of-shield-season-3-1201529279/

Laura Prudom News Editor @lauinla

When “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” returns to ABC this fall, the hit show will venture further into comic book territory by introducing characters inspired by Marvel’s “Secret Warriors,” Variety can exclusively reveal.
As Marvel fans know, in the comics, the Secret Warriors are a team of superpowered agents assembled by Nick Fury — including Daisy “Quake” Johnson (played by Chloe Bennet on the show). These special individuals are drawn from Fury’s Caterpillar initiative (which eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted an easter egg for in the season two finale) — made up of people with potential abilities who have remained hidden and thus are less likely to be compromised by their enemies.

See More:‘Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD’ Boss Talks Shocking Finale Cliffhanger, Skye’s Secret Mission

 

Season three of “SHIELD” will introduce new friends and foes based on the “Secret Warriors” comic series when it premieres on Sept. 29. In the aftermath of SHIELD’s battle with Jiaying and the Inhumans, Director Coulson (Clark Gregg) will search the world for more powered people and assemble an extraordinary new team to deal with threats unlike the world has ever seen. However, the Agents of SHIELD will soon find out they’re not the only ones tracking down these new Inhumans.

Since Coulson and his team are already seeking out new recruits, ABC and Marvel are launching their own initiative at San Diego Comic-Con, giving fans a chance to be part of the team. From Thursday, July 9 through Saturday, July 11, SHIELD ambassadors will be roaming the convention to find the most dedicated fans and rewarding them with limited edition “Secret Warriors” pins. You can track the ambassadors on Twitter by following the @AgentsOfSHIELD account.

Fans who find themselves recruited to the “Secret Warriors” at Comic-Con will complete their first mission by posting a photo of themselves wearing the pin to social media using #SHIELDSecretWarriors, after which, “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” cast members will select some of their favorite photos, which could get posted to the show’s official Twitter page, @AgentsOfSHIELD. (Terms and conditions here.)

More will be revealed about “Secret Warriors” and season three of “MAoS” during the “Marvel Television Presents” panel at SDCC on Friday, July 10 from 3:00 PM – 4:15PM in Ballroom 20.
“Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” returns to ABC on Tuesday, September 29 at 9 p.m.