WHAT BECAME OF THE PLACES WE USED TO SEE...?

Here's something that fans of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO

THE LIKELY LADS will be sure to find interesting.  Take a look.

BABE Of The DAY - PENELOPE CRUZ...

I can't remember if I've ever seen one

of her films, but ain't she a darlin'?  Gents,

it's the striking PENELOPE CRUZ.

RECOMMENDED READING: NEW MARVEL EPIC COLLECTION - THE AVENGERS: BEHOLD... THE VISION...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here's another belter of a book which every Crivvie should have in their personal library - The AVENGERS: BEHOLD... The VISION.  With art by the two BUSCEMAs, COLAN, SMITH, and authored by ROY THOMAS, what's not to like?  Get 'round to your local comics shop and remind yourself that life is still worth living!

   

RECOMMENDED READING: YESTERDAY'S MEN Of TOMORROW - TODAY!

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

I acquired the above dust-jacketed hardback volume the other day, and I'd be remiss in my responsibilities as a blogger of comics-related publications if I didn't heartily recommend it to you.  Simply stated, it's an absolutely thrilling read that I could barely put down (read it in two sittings), and if you haven't already made the acquaintance of this titanic tale, then run straight round to your nearest comics shop (or bookstore) and plonk your pounds on the counter in exchange for a copy.

CHRIS WESTON's art is how comics should be drawn, and MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI's story is compelling and entertaining in equal measure.  Honestly - this is the best collected edition of relatively recent material that I've read in ages. You must - you need to - add this superb contemporary comics classic to your collection immediately.  Should you currently be bereft of funds, sell your wife, your children (keep the dog though), or even hawk your mutton for the dosh to buy this book.

Believe me, are you in for a treat!

The 'JOYS' Of BLOGGING...

"There is only one thing in life that is worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about" said Oscar Wilde, so perhaps I should be flattered to find myself the subject of someone's obsessive attention and to discover the extremes that they're prepared to go to in order to vent their bitter, malicious spite against me.

This saddo, who clearly has too much time on his hands, has created a Twitter account in my name, with my avatar, filled with lies, distortions and various absurdities, in the hope of convincing others that I'm not a very nice person.  I'm disappointed, as I thought I was doing fine on my own in that regard, and it's a bit of a blow to my pride to learn that I seemingly require some assistance in the matter.

Take a look at his tweets so far:  (Click to enlarge.)  To read them in sequential order, start at the bottom one and work your way up.

And look - he's even got two followers.

He talks about irony, but seems unaware of what the word means.  I post my opinions on my own blog, so how does that qualify me as a troll?  And whenever I comment on another blog, I always do so in a civil manner.  Yet here we have someone who's disturbed to such an extent that he's created an account in my name, using my avatar, not for satirical purposes as he claims, but for no other reason than to malign me.  Isn't that the epitome of 'trolling'?  And that's the only time I ever use the word - to point out the irony of someone doing that which they (falsely) accuse me of.

Further, as any fair minded person can see, I welcome debate, discussion and disagreement on this blog, and have never 'banned' anyone for it.  I recently told someone calling themselves 'The Source' not to bother responding further after he insulted everyone with a different view to him by describing them as stupid, which I wasn't prepared to allow.  Disagree with me all you want to, but don't resort to rudeness just because others don't see things your way.

Every one of his assertions is a distortion of the truth.  I've never once said that I chose lettering because it 'paid more' than art (per page obviously); what I actually said was that I stuck with lettering because I was able to do more pages of lettering in a day than I'd have been capable of producing as an artist (and thus earn more). When I lettered a regular, one-page strip for LOADED mag back in the mid-'90s, it paid £30 (update: actually it was £50) for what amounted to no more than around half an hour's work.  So you see, I didn't quite say what he claims I did.  (Truth is obviously just not his thing.)

It's interesting that the lies in these ridiculous tweets are the same as ones expressed on another blog by one of a very small group (you could squeeze them all into a 'phone box) who seem determined to bad-mouth me.  Twitter inform me that the account no longer exists or has been suspended, so perhaps it won't be very long before the source (see what I did there?) is identified and publicly exposed as the lying, twisted, odious little scumbag that he is.  Incidentally, if my doppelganger can provide one instance where I've ever blamed others for not working in comics, I'd like to see it.

At least now you can see for yourselves that when it comes to lies, distortions, and obsessional, petty, small-minded behaviour, if anyone deserves to be called a 'troll', it's pretty obvious that it isn't me.  No doubt this sad individual will have another go at this kind of thing, so if any of you become aware of it before I do, I'd appreciate you letting me know.  Some people, eh?

And in case you were wondering, yes, I do have a pretty good idea of who's behind it all, but I'll wait until I have conclusive proof before saying anything.  Perhaps his internet pals should be asking themselves if they want to be associated with this sort of behaviour, or, indeed, such an unpleasant, unbalanced individual.  Nice to know that I'm the cause of such vexation to him though - I almost feel a sense of achievement.  After all, some @rses deserve to be roundly kicked.

FOURTH & FINAL PART OF WHIZZER & CHIPS #7...

Images copyright relevant owner

With these pages, you now have the complete issue of WHIZZER & CHIPS comic #7 - or do you?  What you have are scans of the contents of the comic, not the comic itself.  "Wait a minute," you say.  "I can see it and read it, so in all practical ways, I have the comic, do I not?"   No, you have scans of the comic, which is not quite the same thing.

It's a difficult one, I confess.  In this case, the comic is the carton and the content at one and the same time, but if you only have access to the content, then you don't have the carton.  One could argue that though you don't have the original carton, you have a different form of carton, which surely qualifies as a comic given the content.  Although, does comic strip content automatically define an alternate carton as a comic?  It doesn't qualify books or newspapers as comics (which remain what they are) if they contain comic strips, so why should it with anything else?

And even if there were some validity to the above argument, I'd still maintain that a distinction should be made between an actual published periodical (as defined and accepted for decades) and a digital presentation of the same material.  One you can touch, smell, pick up whenever you want and experience in a different, far more satisfying way than reading it on a computer screen.  But the real difference is this:

If you ever run out of loo roll, you can't take your laptop, tablet, iPad or smartphone into the toilet with you and wipe your @rse with it then flush it away.  That must surely count for something?!  (Yes, yes, I know;  to wipe your bum with a REG PARLETT or TERRY BAVE page would be tantamount to sacrilege.)

POINTS To PONDER...

Characters copyright their respective owners

Here's a question for you to ponder, but first let me set the scene.  Imagine that, by the end of 2020, no published comic periodicals exist.  No BEANO, no 2000 A.D., no PHOENIX; in fact, no other current paper comic or magazine available to purchase in any newsagents or supermarket.

Instead, there are only collected editions in book form, or 'graphic novels', or specially commissioned 'comic albums' (like ASTERIX The GAUL for example) released at various times over the year (or years).  Got that?  Would there still be a comic 'industry' in your view, if comic strip material was only available in book form or on the internet?

The word 'comic' can be applied in various ways, but in this context, I'm using it in the traditional sense of weekly, fortnightly or monthly paper periodicals that, in the minds of the public, defines what a comic is (in short, a physical publication).  What's your considered view on the matter?

(Anonymous 'snipers' won't be published, so don't bother wasting anyone's time.)

BABE Of The DAY - ANGIE HARMON...

Poor ANGIE HARMON.  She's worn that dress

so often it's beginning to fall to bits on her.  I, for one,

am prepared to wait for however long it takes.

WHIZZER & CHIPS #7 - PART THREE...

Images copyright relevant owner

My desire to print these pages in their original sequence prevents me from juggling them in order to present the last two parts with eight pages each.  Therefore, this instalment has nine pages (on account of the middle ones being a two page tale) and the next and last part in this series will have seven.  Then you'll have the complete issue of WHIZZER  & CHIPS #7 from 46-odd years ago.  Great, eh? 

INFLATION ISN'T ALWAYS A BAD THING...

H'mm, looks as if this 'ere blog of mine is becoming increasingly popular.  Can any-one tell me what the average stats are for a blog devoted to comics and stuff?  I think the above numbers are quite respectable, but I won't know with absolute certainty unless I have something with which to compare.  Anyone help?

KOLLECTORS' KOMICS KLASSICS - TV CENTURY 21 #2...

Characters copyright relevant and respective owners

Well, you've already had number one, so why not number two?  So here it is, the second issue of arguably the best comic for boys of the 20th century - TV CENTURY 21.  I say 20th century, even though the comic was set in the 21st, but let's not get bogged down in seeming contradictions at this early stage.  Instead, just enjoy these spectacular pages by some of the finest illustrators that this country had to offer.  Superb stuff indeed.

And below is a pic of the metal badge that readers would shortly be able to send away for.