Noir web comic LIL jumps into print

Michael Young and Marc Crane, a creative team from Billericay in Essex, have just released a collection of their comic LIL, which they've been publishing online for quite a while.

 LIL is a gritty, noir-based comic series set in a fictional state somewhere along the gulf of Mexico. The story unfolds through the eyes of an edgy female prognostic, who is down on her luck when she happens upon mysterious bag.
"We've produced five issues at present and we're now working on Issue six," Michael tells us. "You can read the full comic so far on our website (www.lilcomic.co.uk).

"We've recently produced a print collection of all five issues, which is currently selling in the Leicester square comic shop: Orbital, as well as on our website."

The first five issues are an intriguing read, although each issue is quite short - perfect, I think, for web reading (although the actual presentation using snacktools platform, is a little awkward). While the content is adult and not for younger readers the design of the comic is strong and the artwork eye-catching, if raw. There's also an unsettling edge to the story as Lil's life starts to spiral downwards after she looks in that mysterious bag...

"We've recently received some amazing support and praise locally," reveals Michael, "and  reviews and interviews internationally on an American podcast show, Pod Magnetic. We've featured in a nationwide online magazine and been favourably reviewed by a well respected blogger with in the noir genre.

"We're hoping to making LIL into a long running series."

• Read LIL online: www.lilcomic.co.uk
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/LILCOMIC
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LILCOMIC

Photographer Steve Cook announces "Sophie's World" exhibition, seeks missing negatives

Brilliant photographer Steve Cook, whose design credits include Doctor Who Magazine and 2000AD as well as projects such as Alternity with Shaky Kane and whose 2009 Secret Origins exhibition of many British comic creators remains a superb snapshot of the industry, has just announced he will be exhibiting a series of previously unseen photographs of the Doctor's much-loved sidekick Ace, Sophie Aldred, at the Orbital Comics Gallery in London from 5th - 30th September 2013. Sophie will be making an appearance and signing too.

I commissioned Steve for several photo shoots while I was editing Doctor Who Magazine, and he went on to snap several photo sessions with Sophie and other Who stars – but, sadly, one set of negatives remains missing.

If you hear or know anything about these photos, please let Steve or Sophie know via Twitter: @sophie_aldred or @SteveCook1

Knockabout to publish "Hartlepool Monkey" story

Knockabout will be publishing an English language edition of Wilfrid Lupano and Jérémie Moreau's Le Singe de Hartlepool in September, telling the story of the legendary Hartlepool monkey, allegedly hung by townsfolk fearing it was a French spy during the Napoleonic wars.

Published in French by Delcort, Le Singe de Hartlepool (available in French from amazon.co.uk) is the first collaboration Lupano and Moreau and had a high profile during this year's Angouleme Festival.

"The story of the monkey hung by the citizens of Hartlepool as a French spy in the Napoleonic Wars is well known," notes one of Knockabout's regular contributors, Hunt Emerson, who drew our attention to the story. "The comic book tells it with graphic brilliance and humour."

bdgest (in French) notes its writer, Wilfrid Lupano, overheard the story in a Manchester pub and has turned the anecdote into a fabulous comic, with the monkey's story becoming a universal tale denouncing the narrow-mindedness and stupidity. While the story is funny on the surface, there's a darkness to the underlying theme.

According to local Hartlepool folklore, during the Napoleonic wars a French ship was wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor was a monkey, allegedly wearing a French uniform to provide amusement for the crew. On finding it, some locals decided to hold an impromptu trial in the town square; since the monkey was unable to answer their questions, and many locals were unaware of what a Frenchman may look like, they concluded that the monkey was in fact a French sailor.

Just to make sure, the animal was thus sentenced to death and hanged in the town square on the Headland.

Nineteenth century Hartlepool, as seen in the book. Image courtesy Knockabout

The monkey discovered. Image courtesy Knockabout

"Moreau perfectly captures the essence of the scenario," notes bdgest of the detailed artwork, "a mix of farce and drama in which good laugh turns into a bitter sneer from one box to another." (You can view some pages from the album here)

Le Singe de Hartlepool  has already drawn the attention of Hartlepool residents. “I had a good read of it and it’s a really good laugh," says Hartlepool restaurateur Krimo Bouabda, who received a copy from his friend Didier Deville, who was also a well-known chef and restaurateur in the town from 1986.

“The pictures are amazing," he told the Hartlepool Mail. "You can see the Headland, the Fish Sands, the Town Wall and St Hilda’s Church, it’s a beautifully-drawn cartoon.

The story also mentions Hartlepool Mayor and former H’Angus the Hartlepool football monkey mascot Stuart Drummond.

“The whole thing is really funny, it makes the French monkey out as the victim,” said Krimo. “I do hope they use a bit of the Hartlepool lingo when it gets translated."

Jeremie Moreau apparently plans to pay a visit to Hartlepool on the book's release. Let's hope he gets a better reception than the monkey did!

 Links

• Buy the French edition from amazon.co.uk
• Knockabout: www.knockabout.com
• Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/Lesingedehartlepool

French Connections

• Wilfrid Lupano's blog: http://wilfridlupano.blogspot.co.uk
• Jérémie Moreau's blog: http://mor-row.blogspot.co.uk

• View a preview (in French): www.bdgest.com/preview-1121-BD-singe-de-hartlepool-le-recit-complet.html 

• Here's a video (in French) of Le Singe de Hartlepool's promotion at Angouleme.

Vanguard Issue 3 unleashed

Dirk van Dom has dropped us a line to tell us that the latest issue of action adventure indie anthology Vanguard is now on sale.

"It's been a bit of a wait as myself and my fellow creators fended off various zombie-like RLI's ("Real Life Issues") that just wouldn't curl up and die," he says, " but our third edition is finally here! And it's worth the wait, if I do say so myself.

Wrapped in a cover featuring Duncan and Jamie of 'Mammoth Jack', with art by David Blankley the 32-page anthology includes continuations of three  established stories ('Atomic Call', 'Mammoth Jack' and 'Tucker') with  three new tales joining the mix - 'Vestige', 'Harry Kane' and 'S.N.A'.

"Notable amongst these is S.N.A, which appears - and will continue to appear henceforth - as a blood-soaked full colour centre-spread strip," says Dirk.

"The one bit of bad news is that, due to circumstances beyond our control, chapter 3 of 'Halo and the Gryphon' will not appear as scheduled. But it will return, with a vengeance!

The line up is as follows (visit the blog for blood soaked visuals, note this is not your PG title):

Atomic Call (Art: David Blankley): Call Malone has been captured by bounty hunter Balthazar Quest, who's been hired by a mysterious organisation to retrieve the Atomic Transference gauntlet she stole. But Balthazar is not the only one trying to get his hands on the strange technology...

Mammoth Jack (Art: El Chivo): Jamie Swift's one-girl (and her donkey) attack on industrial kingpin Gobbett delivers dire consequences when he discovers where she's hiding and sends a team of brutal ruffians to 'take care of business'.

Buck Tucker: Enemy of Love (Art: Bhuna): Tucker has been brought back to (semi)life by a hellish creature he affectionately refers to as 'Slug Slut'. Slug Slut has a mission for the recently deceased serial killer - namely, ridding the human race of a contagious disease called 'love'. In order to do this, he first needs to learn about the demonic Q-Pids...

Vestige (Art: Brian Coyle): Irish-American Chet Easterbrook travels to Ireland following a series of tragic events that lead to his life being turned upside-down and inside-out. He feels certain he will find answers to his predicament here...but his predicament is about to get worse.

Harry Kane will see Her Safely Home (Art: Jim Cameron): This light-hearted adventure strip follows MMA Champ and B-movie action star Harry Kane, who - following a chance encounter with a strange old man whilst touring Tokyo with his new movie - inexplicably finds himself hundreds of years in the past, seemingly living out the plot of his film!

S.N.A (Surname Not Applicable) (Art: David Blankley):  In this full colour spin-off from Atomic Call, we learn more about Mandy S.N.A, the mysterious stranger with a split personality who's been making Call Malone's life hell. Who is she? What is her connection to Call? What does she know about the A.T gauntlet? And will anybody who gets in her way ever live to tell the tale? (Answer to that last one - probably not.)

• Vanguard Issue 3 is available directly from Dirk Van Dom at a cost of 2.50 euro + P&P. (P&P = 1.50 euro ROI and NI, 3.30 euro UK and abroad). Order via paypal: vanguardcomic@gmail.com. 

• More info: http://vanguardcomic.blogspot.ie

If ordered from Dirk, the issue will ship with a free set of full colour artcards featuring some of Vanguard's characters in a Japanese themed setting. Check out previous blog posts for a look at the cards. (Of course, they look even better in the (paper) 'flesh'. :) Only a limited number have been printed, so it's a case of first come, first served with these.

• Print editions of  Vanguard Issue 3 are also available to buy from Lulu.com via: www.lulu.com/shop/van-dom/vanguard-issue-3/paperback/product-20957564.html 

• You can also download a digital version of the issue from the Vanguard Comicsy store here: www.comicsy.co.uk/vandomonium/