Garth returns to the Mirror

Garth - The Mirror's newspaper strip hero returns to the national British newspaper next week.

(Updated, 23/2/11): National newspaper The Mirror has announced it will be reprinting some of the best of Garth stories featuring the time-travelling British hero who featured on its pages for over 50 years, and whose creators included Frank Bellamy and Martin Asbury.

Garth will again flex his rippling muscles to battle evil from next Monday – after what the paper says have been "countless requests" from readers.

Garth, the brainchild of Stephen Dowling, made his Mirror debut in July 1943 when, with his ship torpedoed, he was washed ashore with amnesia on to a remote island.

And, long before the last of his 165 adventures in 1997, he had become firmly established as one of Britain’s most iconic fictional heroes, reprinted in France, Norway, Australia, India, Spain and many other countries.

The strip was revived briefly a couple of years back by artist Huw-J and featured on the Mirror's web site, but the revamp appears to have proved unpopular with his fans, who clearly hankered for the swashbuckling, daring do original.

Over the years, Mirror readers learned he had been adopted by a Scottish couple who found him on a Shetlands beach. Garth went on to become a navy captain and military genius, then discovered his ability to travel through time after finding a ringed helmet that gave him that power.

“The time-travelling side of Garth influenced Doctor Who without a doubt in my opinion,"  former Mirror cartoon editor Ken Layson told the Mirror.

Layson says that his popularity even saw fans christened their daughters Dawn, the name of one of Garth's many girlfriends down the years, out of their love for the comic strip.

Garth really became a hit in the early 1970s, when Frank Bellamy, whose credits include Dan Dare, Thunderbirds and Doctor Who illustrations for the Radio Times, took over the strip.

“When Bellamy took over, the character of Garth took off," Ken recalls. "His artwork was dynamic with strong shadows and beautifully sculpted figures.”

 “Garth is synonymous with the Daily Mirror," feels artist Martin Asbury, who brought him to life between 1976 and 1997. "And he’s the stuff of legend because he goes back so far. He evolved from an enormously strong hero used to inspire troops during the war to a time-traveller with psychic abilities who could influence history.

“He’s essentially a good character, always fighting evil and one of England’s only pure homegrown superheroes.”

Update, 23/2/11: In terms of the strips that will feature, we're told the Mirror plans to focus on the Frank Bellamy and Martin Asbury periods, the strips chosen by the paper's current strip editor. It's unlikely that the more SF-oriented stories from earlier periods will feature.

Spaceship Away will conclude its colour reprint of 'The Bubble Man' in their next issue, out in March. The team there are already working on colouring up another Garth story.

• Martin Baines is interviewed about his work on Garth and other projects here on the Blimey! It's Another Blog About Comics blog


• There's more on Garth's return on The Mirror's web site here - the online version of a full page feature in the paper published on 18th February 2011

Andrew Wildman charts a new Horizon, seeking crowdfunding for comics project

After many months of preparation and deliberation, comic creator Andrew Wildman's official fundraising and pre-order campaign for his Horizon project has begun, using the crowdfunding web site indiegogo.com.

The project focuses on the story of Ali, a 15 year old girl. "An age in-between," says Andrew. "An age where she isn't a child or an adult. An age of confusion. Bullied at school and after a row with her mother that she cant even remember the reason for she sits in her room. Alone. With that dark tension boiling in her gut again. Why is it like this? Why don’t they ever listen?

"The tears dry in her eyes and she grabs hold of the only thing she cares for from 'back then' and may even take with her into her future, her toy rabbit... and falls asleep.

"BANG! Eyes wide open she is awake, or so she thinks. And then... The adventure begins.

"We are then in a dream world interwoven with her daily life. It is within the dreamworld that the real story unfolds. Dreams are quite simply metaphor. It is in our dreams that we resolve issues about ourselves and our lives and Ali is no different. The only difference here is that she has a talking toy rabbit called Moon to guide her through the challenges that await her.

"And what does she meet on the way? Well, all kinds of things, mostly very big robots.

"Ultimately though, she finds herself and that is the point. Her resolution is one we can all identify with as it deals with those very human issues of Love and Loss, Fear and Freedom and what becomes possible when we let go of the things about us that hold us back. Those ways of being, behaving and relating to our circumstances that stop us from being all we can be."

Andrew, whose credits include Transformers, The X-Men, Spider-Man and GI Joe and who was one of the founding members of the comics-based fund raising charity Draw the World Together, is clearly charged up about the project, which he has been trying to get off the ground for some time.

"Horizon is a graphic novel project that in essence began about 12 years ago or possibly more," he explains. "The seed of a story began and occasionally resurfaced. Over the last few years, the themes of the book have come up in various embryonic versions that I have put together with writer colleagues but none of them ever seemed to quite get off the ground.

"After it seemed like all possibilities had been exhausted, I had a breakthrough," he continues. "The very simple suggestion from friend and fellow creator, Sara McIntyre: 'why don't you write it yourself?'

"This was the seemingly obvious answer to a seemingly insurmountable problem. And so there we are. Horizon is born as an project.

"There have been various bits of artwork of Ali, my main character, presented on my web site, so you may already be familiar with some aspects of the project," says Andrew.

"It's going to be a lot of fun," he enthuses, "and with all good intention and a favourable tail wind I will publish by the end of 2011. A new Horizon for me in this amazing Year of the Rabbit."

So far, Andrew has raised over $800 in backing for his project using indiegogo, and hopes to raise $5000 in total to bring it to life.

"The book will be published," he insists. "It is unlikely that it will be ready by the time this campaign expires but if people join in, they will get constant updates as to when the launch will be. There has already been some interest from mainstream publishers but even if in the final analysis they choose not to take it. I'll publish it under my own PaperTheatre imprint. The funds raised on indiegogo will act as seed money to cover some of the time that it will take to develop the book but also to cover some of the marketing costs.

"But it's not necessarily about that," he continues. "It's more to do with giving others the opportunity to be involved in the genesis of something new. A pre-order campaign that will allow comic fans to be along for the ride and get their name forever in the book. Or to take up any of the other opportunities on offer here to order limited edition prints, deluxe format books and original artwork."

• There are now a host of pre-order opportunities for those who want to back Horizon be along for the ride. You can check them out here on indiegogo

• Check out Andrew's website at: http://wildwords.wordpress.com

Broken Voice Comics 'Shades' jumps from digital to print edition

Comics creator David Berner has been publishing pages from his graphic novel Shades for some time as a webcomic, both at his own Broken Voice Comics website and at a number of other hosting sites.

Last year, the artists, who include Harsho Mohan Chatoraj, finally put the finishing touches to the final chapter (well, technically, the epilogue!) and, since then, David's been busy adapting all the pages for print. 

The book is now available from IndyPlanet, and I'm hoping we'll have chance to run our review of it soon.

In this, the first of two volumes, retired tailor Stanley Miller wants only to heal the rift in his relationship with his daughter. However, as shadowy forces from the past gather, he finds himself instead trying to reunite a motley band of one-time heroes against the growing threat to the nation. Heroes that include a First Century warrior queen, a World War 2 fighter pilot and a prehistoric shaman!

In an action-fuelled story spanning 5000 years of British history, this two-volume graphic novel asks the question "What makes a hero?" and examines the characteristics and traits that have come to define the British national psyche.

"There were many times when it seemed this project might never reach the end," says David, "but, I'm delighted to say, Volume 1 is finally ready and printed and looking all shiny, just waiting for people to buy it!

"It's very British (dealing as it does with the traits which have come to define our national character) and, because I happen to think 'high concept' graphic novels should also be entertaining, it's also packed to the gills with colourful characters indulging in fisticuffs and explosions - what's not to like?!"

David is a master at promoting his work online, but seems ready to take drastic steps to get the print edition under people's noses.

"Personally, I now propose to spend my days sitting outside a tube station with a copy of the book in my hand, and a cap on the pavement on front of me," he jokes.

Either way, check out the book and the Broken Voice Comics website and take a look at Shades.


• Shades Volume 2 should be available in just over a month.  Volume 1 can be purchased now either from Indy Planet or, for all of us Brits and other non-US types, from me via the Broken Voice Comics forum (which - due to the high international shipping costs from the US) is probably going to be slightly cheaper.

Writer seeks help on new British Horror Comics

Writer Philip Buchan is preparing an article about British horror comics for Scream horror magazine (not to be confused with the 1980s Fleetway comic of the same name) and is hoping comic creators will let him know about some of the spooky comics they'd like to have featured.

"The content for March has already been submitted and covers reviews, interviews and publisher spotlights, and because this is a British magazine I want the focus to be on homegrown talent," he says. "If anybody has anything due out this year that you want me to talk about can you please get in touch, either through the group or I'm on Twitter @FrancisSobriety."

Horror comic fans suggestions are also welcome.

"Even if you're not personally creating anything that might broadly be covered by a horror magazine but know a busy writer or artist that I should get in touch with then let me know."

Scream Issue 4 is set to also feature an interview with Chris Monfette, co-writer with Clive Barker of the new Hellraiser comic, a spotlight on Avatar Press focussing specifically on Garth Ennis' Crossed and some smaller reviews.

•  Contact Philip via his blog at http://buckychainsa wmassacre. blogspot. com or on Twitter @FrancisSobriety. Scream Issue 4 pre-orders aren't available yet, but bookmark www.screamhorror.com for information on the magazine.