Paragon 13 - pulp action adventure from cover to cover!

Issue 13 of the long running acclaimed British anthology comic Paragon is on sale now.

With a great cover by Bhuna, read Oor Ganesh - the Hindu god (as if drawn by Dudley Watkins!); the further adventures of Jikan - the time travelling demon hunter by Chris Cronin and Dave Candlish; two Spencer Nero stories by Greg Meldrum, one drawn by and Bhuna and the other by James Corcoran - the pulp British adventurer with secrets behind his mask; The Anti Social Network by Tim West and Dave Candlish - a one-off story; and Icarus (part 7) by Dirk Van Dom and Stephen Prestwood - the boy who fell to Earth and was rescued by Aliens!

• Paragon 13 is available from Lulu.com here

AAIIEEE!!! It's a new horror comic from Dave Candish and Matthew McLaughlin!

Inspired by their love of the 1970s magazine Tomb of Dracula and 1980s comics Scream and Misty, Paragon editor Dave Candlish and Matthew McLaughlin – creator of El Bigote, the undead Mexican bandit – combine to bring a new indie horror anthology comic to life – AAIIEEE!!!

Offering 36 pages of creepy tales including The Major by Tom Proudfoot and George Colman (left) and a host of other short stories to chill your bones, the first issue includes an exclusive interview with Ghastly McNasty himself – the editor of Scream comic Ian Rimmer, telling the story behind the production (and demise) of the short-lived comic that included stories from the likes of Alan Moore and Simon Furman.

Launching on Hallowe'en (when else?), AAIIEEE!!! will be available to order in print or download from www.lulu.com/spotlight/PARAGONcomic.

• For more info, check out the new title's Facebook page

In Review: Paragon Issue 6

The latest issue of indie comic zine Paragon is out now, an anthology title featuring the work of creators Mark Howard, Dave Candlish, the Emperor and Stephen Prestwood.

There's also a fab 'guest pin up - a gruesome demon by artist Matt Soffe which will feature in the title's 'Jikan' strip in a future issue.

The range of strips has dropped again - just three strips, as opposed to Issue 5 - but once again, 'Battle Ganesh' is my favourite art-wise, a fun modern re-telling of Indian mythology.

Script-wise, I'd argue Mark Howard's 'Jikan' is the best of the title, and Dave Candlish's clean line is rapidly gaining confidence. His storytelling still needs work - key moments could be better served by more energy and action, and but it's a distinctive strip and shows promise, if he develops his limited backgrounds.

All in all, Paragon continues to display an enthused energy and the creators all show promise. Check out the title's blog or track it down at the Smallzone stand at the next big comics event.

• Copies will be available from http://paragoncomic.blogspot.com/ to order any day now. You can also check out the ongoing adventures of 'Jikan' as a three frame web comic there


• Read our review of Paragon #5

• Read our review of Paragon #4

In Review: Paragon 5

The latest issue of UK indie title Paragon, Issue 5, edited by Dave Candlish is out now.

Featuring the work of artist Stephen Prestwood and writers Dave Candlish (who also provies some art) and The Emperor, with additional contributions from Steven Denton, it's not quite got the variety of Paragon 4 but it still has the energy and exuberance of past issues.

Highlights for me are the ongoing modern re-telling of Hindi legend, Battle Ganesh, and an "Oor Wullie" parody featuring the same character. The Emperor's slick scripting on the main Battle Ganesh story for the issue kicks the proverbial out of the interminable version of the Hanuman myth I recently had to read as part of my day job formatting Indian comics for mobile.

As ever with anthologies, some strips miss the spot for me, let down by disappointing art - although the writing throughout has plenty of promise. One strip that definitely caught my eye was "Julian Ruby", an intriguing tale that has plenty of promise, although for an irregular magazine it could perhaps have moved along a little faster - but there's lots set up for next issue, so we'll see how this one pans out.

Paragon again has the same rough edges I mentioned last time, but it's well worth tracking down for the Battle Ganesh story alone. This is British small press well worth your support.

• Paragon Issue 5 is available for a cheque for £3 sent to Dave Candlish, 5 Cedarway, Whitehills Tyne& Wear, NE10 8LD. Or for more information and to order by PayPal visit the official Paragon blog: www.paragoncomic.blogspot.com


• In Review: Paragon 4

In Review: Paragon 4

Just released is UK indie title Paragon 4, edited by Dave Candish, a 32-page anthology comic featuring the work of Stephen Prestwood, Dave and Alan Candlish, The Emperor, Terry Wilkinson and Paul Harrison-Davies.

It's an eclectic mix, with "We're on Our Way to Wembley", a humourous "soap-styled" strip drawn by Dave Candish, set in a club bar as six Geordie football fans prepare to head off a major match, rubbing shoulders with a fun update of Indian legend, "Battle Ganesh", drawn by Prestwood. The issue rounds out with "Undertow Part 2", again by Candlish, drawn in style that reminds me of Rian Hughes' work posing the question: just how do you kill a man who is already dead?

Combining a soap opera-styled strip with all-out action, followed by a strip that evokes memories of Twin Peaks (particularly the odd-looking dwarf that turns up) and Alias is the kind of thing only an indie publisher would risk. Of the three, Battle Ganesh, up against some nasty-lookig crab men, is the most 'mainstream' and seems to have proven the most popular strip if the Paragon web site is anything to go by. (I loved this interchange as elephantine-looking Ganesh more human-looking parents arrive: "They don't look very trunky"; "Long story. I had an accident as a baby". That's one way of condesning a massive part of Indian mythology!). "Battle Ganesh" makes mincemeat of the more po-face approach to Indian myth taken by defunct Virgin Comics, and definitely has none of the worthy look and feel of Indian publisher Raj Comics adaptations of the stories!

Art-wise, "Battle Ganesh" by Prestwood (creator of "Hardboiled Hitler", which featured in Violent! Comic) is the most pleasing on the eye: I enjoyed Candish's simpler line and storytelling style on "We're on Our Way to Wembley", but I think he's still developing this style, but I don't think it will have as wide an appeal.

The issue features a fab Battle Ganesh cover, drawn by Dave and coloured by Steven Denton (better known for his work for Massacre for Boys and Futurequake) and also includes an article on forgotten hero, actor Buster Crabbe (the original Flash Gordon) and two ace pin-ups by Paul Harrison Davies, of which his Peter Cushing is my favourite.

If there are rough edges to the issue, they come in the editing of the article about Buster Crabbe, which could have done with another sub, but any comic that features Paul Harrison-Davies is all right by me!

• Paragon Issue 4 is available for a cheque for £3 sent to Dave Candlish, 5 Cedarway, Whitehills Tyne& Wear, NE10 8LD - or you can pay by PayPal.

• Read and interview with Steven Denton