Monday, December 31, 2012

Paul Temple and the Au Pair Affair part 19

(* © Evening News)

Bear Alley Books Bestsellers 2012

I'm pleased to say that Bear Alley Books has managed to increase the number of books sold in 2012, increasing sales over 2011 by around 60%. We're not talking massive sales – only one book sold more than 50 copies during the year – but at least we're heading in the right direction. As the newspapers are full of the bestsellers of the year I thought I'd compile my own bestsellers listing of Bear Alley's thirteen books. 









No. 9/10 = Eagles Over the Western Front Vol. 2 / Vol. 3



Comics Bibliography: 2012

JANUARY 2012 

Ampney Crucis Investigates: Vile Bodies by Ian Edginton & Simon Davis. 
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992940, 19 January 2012, 96pp, £11.99. [£9.59 from Amazon]
England, 1928. Lord Ampney Crucis was a dashing, smart and charming young man, tipped to rise to the top of high society. But then the Great War happened, and a close encounter with an otherworldly entity in no man's land drove Crucis temporarily insane. Upon recovery, he discovered that he had the ability to sense the presence of entities that exist beyond our reality. Now Ampney, aided by his loyal butler Eddie Cromwell, investigates the rum goings-on that have begun to plague our green and pleasant land...
Order from Amazon.

Auntie's Charlie by Charles Chilton.
Fantom Books ISBN 978-1906263768, 6 February 2012 [available from January 2012], £13.99. Softcover edition.
Described by the Sunday Telegraph as ‘the one genius the BBC ever had on its staff’, Charles Chilton MBE joined the Corporation at fifteen as a messenger boy and went on to carve out a 46-year career as a presenter, writer and producer.
__Auntie’s Charlie discusses his life from growing up on the streets of 1920s St Pancras, via early years at the BBC working for the Gramophone Library, to writing the infamous production Oh What a Lovely War for Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop.
__While with the BBC Charles was sent to the United States to research, write and produce a number of series based on American western history. One of these, Riders of the Range, lasted for five years until 1953. However, major international recognition came with his science fiction trilogy Journey into Space which he wrote and produced between 1953 and 1958.
__Here, for the first time, is Charles Chilton’s story in his own words – an autobiography that is frank, vivid, wry and engaging.
Buy from Amazon.

Frontier: Dealing with Demons by Jason Cobley & Andrew Wildman
Print Media Productions ISBN 978-0956712134, 28 January 2012, 64pp, £14.99.
The Wild West... and Daisy Adams is suddenly all alone, living on the plains, left with her father's old coat and a catapult. Then Mitch Seeker, the son of a sheriff, runs into her life. And they've been running ever since, chasing werewolves, ghosts and demons, on a quest to track down the man who turned them both into orphans and unleashed weirdness into the Wild West.
__In 1866, out on the Frontier, things got Weird. History failed to record everything that happened, but Daisy wrote it all down in her diaries. In Frontier, we follow Mitch and Daisy as they seek justice but end up finding more adventure and danger than they counted on. It's weird. It's wild. It happened out west!
__First published in the acclaimed Random House weekly comic The DFC, Print Media Productions is delighted to bring you this collection of Britain's weirdest western comic – Frontier: Dealing with Demons. Weaving an engaging, adventure-filled tale of derring-do in the American West, this collected edition of Frontier from Jason Cobley and Andrew Wildman includes additional feature material, including pages from Daisy's secret diary and reveals just how the story was created.
Order from Amazon.

Johnny Red: Red Devil Rising by Tom Tully & Joe Colquhoun. 
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848560345, 27 January 2012, 96pp, £14.99. [£8.79 on Amazon]
Britain’s best-loved aerial combat comic returns in a gorgeous library edition! Continuing the adventures of Johnny Redburn, discharged from the RAF for striking an officer. Taking to the skies in a stolen Hurricane, he meets the Falcon Squadron of the 5th Soviet Air Brigade, and begins his fight against Germany from the other side of the Iron Curtain!
__The classic series by Tom Tully (Roy of the Rovers) and Joe Colquhoun (Charley’s War) includes a feature by comics legend Garth Ennis (The Boys, Preacher, War Stories).
Order from Amazon.

Judge Anderson: The Psychic Crime Files by Alan Grant, Carlos Ezquerra, Trevor Hairsine & Boo Cook.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992544, 17 January 2012, 192pp, $20.99. [£11.88 on Amazon]
Mega-City One, a futuristic metropolis sprawling across the east coast of North America. This hostile urban nightmare is policed by the Judges; tough lawmen with the ability to act as judge, jury and executioner. Within the Justice department is a section known as Psi-Division which specialises in Judges gifted with extraordinary psychic abilities. Cassandra Anderson is one such Judge; a powerful telepath with a rebellious streak and a talent for getting into trouble...
Order from Amazon.

The Pictorial Guide to British 1950s Sci-Fi & Horror Comic Books by Mike Morley
Ugly Duckling Press (no ISBN), January 2012, 288pp, £14.95.
Spaceships! Monsters! Superheroes! You could find them in abundance within the action packed pages of comic books filling the bottom shelves of British newsagents' shops back in the 1950s. Some were homegrown productions and some were reprints of American material but all of them helped to brighten up a rather drab decade suffering from various forms of post-war austerity.
Order from Blasé Books, Hazelwood, Birchfield Road, Redditch B97 6PU.

Tank Girl: Bad Wind Rising by Alan Martin & Rufus Dayglo. 
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857681188, 27 January 2012, 104pp, £14.99. [£9.89 on Amazon]
A brand new graphic novel collecting all four issues of the latest Tank Girl comics series, featuring the return of a much-loved secondary character, the break up of TG and Booga and a crazed gang of killer kangaroos. It’s wild, it’s off the wall, and it’s the greatest story yet. Don't miss Tank Girl’s latest twisted action adventure! Note: Listed due 27 January 2012 on Titan website but 25 January 2013 on Amazon.
Order from Amazon.

February 2012

Dotter of Her Father's Eyes by Mary M. Talbot & Bryan Talbot.
Jonathan Cape ISBN 978-0224096089, 2 February 2012, 96pp, £14.99 [£9.99 from Amazon]
Part personal history, part biography, Dotter of Her Father's Eyes contrasts two coming-of-age narratives: that of Lucia, the daughter of James Joyce, and that of author Mary Talbot, daughter of the eminent Joycean scholar James S. Atherton. Social expectations and gender politics, thwarted ambitions and personal tragedy are played out against two contrasting historical backgrounds, poignantly evoked by the atmospheric visual storytelling of award winning comic artist and graphic novel pioneer Bryan Talbot. Produced through an intense collaboration seldom seen between writers and artists, Dotter of Her Father's Eyes is intelligent, funny and sad - a fine addition to the evolving genre of graphic memoir.
Order from Amazon.

Judge Anderson: Psi Files Vol. 2 by Alan Grant, Arthur Ranson & Kevin Walker.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992957, 16 February 2012, 304pp, £19.99. [£13.19 on Amazon]
An impending psychic apocalypse, mutant vampires, an alien threat on Mars...it's enough to make a seasoned PSI Judge disillusioned with the job. From the streets of Mega-City One to the outer fringes of the galaxy wherever she goes, Cassandra Anderson is sure to find trouble! Features stories never reprinted before including rare annual one-off strip. Full colour throughout.
Order from Amazon.

Judge Dredd: Crusade & Frankenstein Division by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Carlos Ezquerra & Mick Austin.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992674 ,14 February 2012, 96pp, £10.85 [£8.24 on Amazon]
In Crusade, when a scientist returns from a 15-year deep space mission claiming to have a message from God, judges from all of the world's Mega-Cities race to Antarctica to try and claim the Almighty's secrets for themselves.
__Among them is the toughest future lawman of them all - Judge Dredd - but in the scramble to secure the scientist and his information, the judges all brutally turn on the other as the prize proves too much to resist!
__Meanwhile, a deadly agent from one of the world's superpowers stalks through the warzone, hoping that the confusion will ease his path to securing the secrets of the cosmos!
__In The Frankenstein Division, the sinister judges of East Meg create the ultimate judge by stitching together pieces of their best - but when it goes on the rampage it heads for Mega-City One and the one man responsible for the death of its many 'donors' - Judge Dredd!
Order from Amazon.

Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth Saga by John Wagner, Pat Mills, Mike McMahon & Brian Bolland.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080085, 2 February 2012, 160pp, £6.99. [£5.31 at Amazon]
A ROAD TRIP THROUGH HELL! Mega-City One, 2100. A deadly plague developed during the brutal 'Great Germ War' has reached the futuristic metropolis of Mega-City Two, located on the West Coast of the USA. Charged with delivering a life-saving vaccine to the citizens of the disease-ridden city, Judge Dredd and a small crew of Judges, war droids and the lawbreaking biker, Spikes Harvey Rotten, must travel a thousand miles across the radioactive wasteland known as 'the Cursed Earth.' It is a near-impossible journey hate-filled mutants, rampaging monsters and crazed war robots populate the hellish stretch of terrain. Many men have attempted to cross it and most have failed. But Judge Dredd is the best there is! 
Order from Amazon.

Modesty Blaise: Live Bait by Peter O'Donnell & Enric Badia Romero.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857686688, 24 February 2012, 104pp, £11.99. [£7.19 from Amazon]
This title features classic stories by popular British crime writer Peter O'Donnell. The tag-team of Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin battle with the darkest elements of the underworld once again, beautifully illustrated by Enric Badia Romero! With story introductions taking the reader behind the scenes of Modesty's world, plus a tribute to Peter O'Donnell, this outstanding collection is not to be missed.
Order from Amazon.

Pages from History, Illustrated by C. L. Doughty, ed. Steve Holland.
Bear Alley Books ISBN 978-1907081590, 6 February 2012, 176pp, £17.99.
The latest publication from Bear Alley Books is our most ambitious yet, a bumper 172 page collection of art and comics by one of Britain's finest historical illustrators. Pages from History contains four classic comic strips, over 100 illustrations and, as a bonus, two episodes of an unpublished strip, all from the masterful pen (and brush) of C. L. Doughty.
__Over half the comic strip art and all the illustrations have been scanned from original art boards and, thanks to modern digital printing, these pages have never looked so good. Lettering has been restored and, in the case of one strip, edited pages have also been restored.
__The four strips, taken from the pages of Look and Learn, include the often grim tale of "Potts' Progress", the story of Prestor John retold in "The Crusader", the action-packed "A Sword for the Stadtholder" and a story of revenge as Richard Fairfax becomes "The Black Pirate". The book also includes a detailed introduction charting Doughty's career as a comic strip artist and illustrator in the pages of Thriller Picture Library, Sun, Express Weekly, Top Spot, Swift, Lion, Girl, Eagle, Knockout, School Friend, June and other papers. A gallery of over 100 illustrations reveals Doughty's skill as a chronicler of history from portraits of Britain's monarchy to the adventures of explorers, highwaymen and pirates.
Order from Bear Alley Books.


MARCH 2012

An Inspector Calls (Original Text) by Jason Cobley & Will Volley.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332327, March 2012, 144pp, £9.99.
An Inspector Calls (Quick Text) by Jason Cobley & Will Volley.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332334, March 2012, 144pp, £9.99.
A respectable household is shocked when a strange police inspector visits them shortly after dinner... and proceeds to unravel their prejudices and lies. Through this almost surreal murder-mystery, Priestley interweaves social comment with a gripping story that twists and turns every few pages.
Order from Amazon [Original Text, Quick Text].

The Broons and Oor Wullie Holiday Sticker Annual.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354794, 17 March 2012, 112pp, £5.99. [£5.39 from Amazon]
Order from Amazon.

The James Bond Omnibus Vol.3 by Jim Lawrence & Yaraslav Horak.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857685889, 23 March 2012, 272pp, £14.99. [£8.79 from Amazon]
The daring James Bond is back in a definitive bumper edition collecting the first period of Jim Lawrence's celebrated run in comic strip form!
__Includes seven of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: The Harpies, River of Death, The Golden Ghost, Fear Face, Double Jeopardy, Starfire and Kingley Amis' controversial post-Fleming story, Colonel Sun.
Order from Amazon.

Kingdom: Call of the Wild by Dan Abnett & Richard Elson.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992988, 15 Mar 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£7.99 from Amazon]
Earth, the far-future. With the planet now overrun by gigantic alien insects, Mankind is all but extinct. Genetically engineered dog-soldier, Gene the Hackman, now protects one of the last remaining human beings a young girl named Leezee Sower and the two of them have travelled to the land of Auxtralia, straight into the territory of a new pack...
Order from Amazon.

Sweeney Todd (Original Text) by Sean M. Wilson & Declan Shalvey.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332792, March 2012, 168pp, £9.99. [£7.09 on Amazon]
Sweeney Todd (Quick Text) by Sean M. Wilson & Declan Shalvey.
Classical Comics ISBN 978-1906332808, March 2012, 168pp, £9.99. [£8.99 on Amazon]
No one knows for sure if Sweeney Todd actually existed - but this story, taken from a serialisation in a Penny Dreadful that ran from 1846-7, put the Demon Barber of Fleet Street on the map.
__Gory? No! What's particularly good about this adaptation is that none of the horror is to be seen — making this a truly wonderful version of a brilliant book.
Order from Amazon (Original Text, Quick Text).


APRIL 2012

Mega-City Undercover Vol.2 by Rob Williams, Simon Coleby, D'Israeli, Rufus Dayglo.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519284, 12 April 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£9.74 from Amazon]
It takes a special kind of judge to go undercover on the mean streets of Mega-City One – especially in the crime infested Low Life; the nastiest part of the ‘Big Meg.’ This division of the Justice Department known as the ‘Wally Squad’ contains some of the bravest individuals working the streets – and also some of the most unhinged!
__Join Judges Aimee Nixon, Thora, ‘baby Judge’ Mortal and Dirty Frank as they encounter some of the biggest threats ever to appear in the Low Life, including a new reality-altering drug called ‘Creation’ and a war on the streets between the Justice department and the Yakuza!
Order from Amazon.

The Oor Wullie Notebook.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342582, 2 April 2012, 144pp, £6.99. [£5.17 from Amazon]
Oor Wullie is Scotland's favourite boy, with his trademark spiky hair, dungarees and an upturned bucket, which he often uses as a seat. As his fans know, Wullie has been with us for the past 75 years, and Wullie normally finishes each strip with him sitting on his upturned bucket, imparting a thought or wisdom to his readers on his day or story. The frequent tagline on the strip is "Oor Wullie! Your Wullie! A'body's Wullie!" (Our Willie! Your Willie! Everybody's Willie!). Created by D C Thomson editor R D Low and drawn by cartoonist Dudley D Watkins, today he is drawn by Peter Davidson. This notebook contains some of Oor Wullie's favourite sayings and thoughts and is illustrated with single cells taken from the strip. Notebook pages are printed pale cream with light blue lines. The perfect notebook for any fan of Oor Wullie. "Oor Wullie" was launched in 1936 in The Sunday Post in Scotland, and is still going strong. The Sunday Post's readership covers all generations.
Order from Amazon.

The Rainbow Orchid Vol. 3 by Garen Ewing.
Egmont ISBN 978-1405255998, 2 April 2012, 48pp, £6.99. [£5.17 from Amazon]
At the beginning of Volume Three, Julius and Lily are recovering from the electrifying end of Volume Two. What does the future hold for Evelyn Crow and her gang of desperate villains? Do Julius and Lily have the strength to prevent Urkaz Grope from enacting his evil plans? Don't miss the stunning conclusion to the biggest adventure in comics! The Rainbow Orchid is an ambitious blend of classic storytelling, and cinematic artwork, in which adventure, historical drama and legend are seamlessly intertwined. 
Order from Amazon.

MAY 2012 

The Broons Notebook.
Waverley Books ISBN  978-1849342346, 7 May 2012, 144pp, £6.99 [£5.17 from Amazon].
A 144-page stationery item notebook from Scotland's favourite family, with illustrations, sayings and moments captured from The Sunday Post's long-running (75 years) comic strip. Notebook pages are printed pale cream with light blue lines. Details from cells from the comic strip appear on corners and tail edges of the pages. A must-have item for every Broons fan. 'The Broons' comic strip was launched in 1936 in The Sunday Post in Scotland, and is still going strong with a readership covering all generations. The Broons are undoubtedly Scotland's 'First Family' and the 'Nation's Favourites
Order from Amazon.

Doctor Who: The Crimson Hand by Dan McDaild, Martin Geraghty, Mike Collins, Rob Davis, Sean Longcroft, David A Roach and Paul Grist.
Panini UK ISBN 978-1846534515, 7 May 2012, 260pp, £15.99.
In this third and final volume of comic strips collecting the Tenth Doctor's complete adventures as seen in the pages of Doctor Who Magazine, the famous Time Lord joins forces with Ms Majenta Pryce and embarks on his most remarkable series of journeys yet - travels that ultimately lead him to a terrifying encounter with The Crimson Hand!
__Note: Originally announced for 4 May 2010, Crimson Hand was cancelled due to "contractual difficulties" and subsequently re-listed for publication on 6 October 2011, then November 2011, then late Spring 2012.
Order from Amazon.

Hugo Tate by Nick Abadzis.
Blank Slate ISBN 978-1906653262, May 2012, 192pp, £13.99. [£9.09 from Amazon]
After 15 years of clamouring from fans, the Hugo Tate series is finally collected in a single volume. Beginning his life in print as a stick-man in a figuratively drawn world, readers witness the eponymous Hugo visually develop alongside the comic itself. Originally conceived as an acerbic humour strip, Hugo rapidly developed into a British equivalent to Love & Rockets — filled with a richly developed cast and a branching web of stories of life in London. Includes commentary from Nick Abadzis and a foreword by Gareth Ennis.
Order from Amazon.

Judge Dredd: Complete Case Files Vol.19 by Grant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Mark Millar, Carlos Ezquerra et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907992964, 10 May 2012, 320pp, £21.99. [£14.29 from Amazon]
Mega-City One: the future metropolis bustling with life and every crime imaginable. Keeping order are the Judges, a stern police force acting as judge, jury and executioner. Toughest of all is Judge Dredd. He is the law and these are his stories. Volume 19 in this best-selling series collects together more old school Dredd from the pages of 2000 AD and The Judge Dredd Megazine, including legendary comic writer, Grant Morrison’s first Judge Dredd story, Inferno.
Order from Amazon.

Judge Dredd: The Day the Law Died by John Wagner, Brian Bolland, Mike McMahon and Dave Gibbons.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080092, 11 May 2012, 160pp, £6.99. [£5.17 from Amazon]
It is a dark time in the history of Mega-City One. Having employed blackmail and coercion in order to topple the balance of power within the Justice Department, the tyrannical head of the Special Judicial Squad – Judge Cal – has managed to secure the position of Chief Judge. The crazed Cal has enlisted the help of an army of reptilian alien mercenaries known as the Kleggs, appointed his pet goldfish as deputy Chief Judge and framed Judge Dredd for murder in order to maintain power.
__But Dredd is the kind of Judge who doesn’t go down too easily and together with a rebel army made up of other Judges and citizens, prepares to fight back. Can Judge Dredd succeed against all odds and defeat Judge Cal before he destroys the entire population of Mega-City One?
Order from Amazon.

The Oor Wullie Funbooks: Rare!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341066, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99. [£2.99 from Amazon]
A follow-up series of four books to the best-selling first four Oor Wullie Funbooks. Oor Wullie, Scotland's best-known comic character, is at large in this accessible, easy-to-read series. A set of four books, available as individual titles, full of puzzles, cartoons, games and jokes aimed at the 8+ age group. Oor Wullie is joined by his pals Fat Bob, Wee Eck, and Soapy Soutar. Each book has 96 pages of facts, anagrams, colouring-in pictures, jokes, join the dots, knockknock jokes, word games and spot the difference.
Order from Amazon.


The Oor Wullie Funbooks: Smashin'!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341080, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99. [£2.99 from Amazon]
See above.
Order from Amazon.

The Oor Wullie Funbooks: Michty Me!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341073, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99.
See above.
Order from Amazon.


The Oor Wullie Funbooks: The Very Dab!.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849341097, 6 May 2012, 96pp, £3.99.
See above.
Order from Amazon.
JUNE 2012

Absalom: Ghosts of London by Gordon Rennie & Tiernan Trevallion.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080429, 21 June 2012, 96pp, £10.99. [£8.35 on Amazon]
Veteran copper, Inspector Harry absalom, heads a special squad that enforces The Accord - a diplomatic treaty made in the sixteenth century between the throne of England and Hell. If any demonic entities step out of line, Harry and his team will track the infernal offenders down and sort them out for good. A miserable old bastard with a knack for finding trouble, Harry was the perfect man for the job. But years of strife are starting to catch up with him, and now Harry also has to contend with the fact that he is dying of terminal cancer...
Order from Amazon.

The Complete D.R. & Quinch by Alan Moore & Alan Davis.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1906735883, 21 June 2012, 128pp, £11.99.
By the most successful comics writer of the past twenty-five years, Alan Moore, comes his funniest and most endearing anti-heroes, D.R & Quinch. There’s nothing like them.
__Ernest Errol Quinch and Waldo ‘D.R.’ Dobbs (the ‘D.R.’ stands for ‘Diminished Responsibility’) are a pair of psychotic alien students, less interested in their college work than in the sort of thing young people like to get up to – you know, military ordnance, picking fights, destroying entire star systems...
Order from Amazon.

Major Eazy Vol. 1: Heart of Iron by Alan Hebden & Carlos Ezquerra.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848564411, 15 June 2012,  128pp, £14.99. [£8.79 from Amazon]
Major Eazy is a maverick soldier in a dirty war, caught up in the Allies’ invasion of Italy in 1944 and determined to see justice done. Even when that means taking on villains on his own side, he doesn’t pull any punches! More movie star than military, Eazy was the most laconic and indeed British officer ever to grace the pages of a comic. This volume starts from the very beginning of Eazy’s story.
Order from Amazon.

Mean Machine: Real Mean by John Wagner, Greg Staples & Steve Dillon.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519758, 21 June 2012, 176pp, £14.99. [£11.30 from Amazon]
Born and raised in the Cursed Earth as a member of the notorious Angel gang, “Mean Angel” (aka the Mean Machine) is one of the most dangerous criminals to ever plague Judge Dredd’s Mega-City One.
With his mechanical claw and head dial, which amps up his anger and aggression from Mean to Brutal, Mean Angel is one of Judge Dredd’s toughest adversaries – a headbutting psychopath with a penchant for destruction!
Order from Amazon.

Slaine: The Horned God by Pat Mills & Simon Bisley.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519741, 21 June 2012, 208pp, £24.99.
Sláine The warrior barbarian Sláine, master of the warp spasm, wielder of the mighty axe Brainbiter, Celtic warrior king - faces his greatest challenge: the existence of his world is at stake as he prepares to follow the ways of the Horned God. It is a path that can give him control over nature itself or unleash a new age of witchcraft and dark forces. A premium hardcover edition, with dust-jacket, of the classic book.
Order from Amazon.

Slaine: Treasures of Britain by Pat Mills, Dermot Power & Steve Tappin.
Rebellion ISBN, 21 June 2012, 128pp, £14.99. [£9.74 from Amazon]
Slaine MacRoth - Celtic warrior and High King of the tribes of the Earth Goddess Danu, has been summoned through time to the age of Camelot. King Arthur has fallen in battle and a curse has caused darkness to fall upon the kingdom. In order to heal the land, Merlin and Morgaine la Fee need Sláine (accompanied by his unfaithful sidekick Ukko the dwarf) to retrieve the lost 'Treasures of Britain' — magical artefacts also being sought out by the Saxon plunderer Hengwulf. These powerful items are defended by the demon-like Cyth who harvest human misery in order to revive their masters — the Dark Gods of Cythrawl!
Order from Amazon.
JULY 2012

Peter Jackson's London Is Stranger Than Fiction by Peter Jackson, compiled by Steve Holland.
Look and Learn ISBN 978-095507721-0, 4 July 2012, 92pp, £14.99.
‘London is Stranger Than Fiction’ inspired artist Peter Jackson's life-long fascination with London, its history and its people. The strip, originally published in The Evening News, revelled in obscure facts about the city, its eccentric inhabitants and forgotten byways. Jackson used his talents as an artist to bring these subjects to life for the entertainment of his readers.
__Peter Jackson's London is Stranger Than Fiction reprints all the strips from two of Jackson's now-hard-to-find books, London is Stranger Than Fiction and London Explorer, in which Jackson looked at curiosities associated with certain areas of London, from Aldwych to Westminster. 
Order from Bear Alley Books

Savage: The Guv'nor by Pat Mills & Patrick Goddard.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080405, 19 July 2012, 224pp, £14.99. [£11.30 from Amazon]
In 1999, Britain was successfully invaded by the Volgs. When London lorry driver Bill Savage learnt that his family had been killed by the Volgs, he became a one-man war machine - a persistant thorn in the side of the occupying army. Having adopted the identity of his dead brother, Savage operates out of a bombed-out london, leading the resistance against his hated enemy. Now, business brain Howard Quartz - the CEO of Ro-Busters - has launched an attack on the Volgan forces with his Mark-One War Droids, but the Volgs have some technological tricks of their own, including a functional teleportation device....
Order from Amazon.

Strontium Dog: The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha by John Wagner & Carlos Ezquerra.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080436, 19 July 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£11.30 on Amazon]
Earth, the late 22nd century. Many survivors of the devastating Atomic Wars were mutated by Strontium 90 fallout. These mutants became an underclass – hated by the ruling 'norms', the only job left for them was bounty-hunting. The best of the Search/Destroy agents (also known as Strontium Dogs) was a man called Johnny Alpha. He became famous for fighting for mutant rights and died defending his kind from ultimate destruction. But it seems that even death can't keep a good dog down and rumours are circulating about Alpha's return...
Order from Amazon.

AUGUST 2012

The Art and History of The Dandy by Morris Heggie.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342414, 6 August 2012, 288pp, £20.00. [£14.00 from Amazon]
A chronicle of 75 years of the world's longest-running comic, The Art and History of The Dandy is a beautiful gift book and treasury of everything that has made The Dandy so anarchic and special. The Dandy is king of the comics! The Dandy is a record breaker: in 1999 it became the world's longest running comic. The Art and History of the Dandy is a chronicle of 75 years of comic violence and madcap antics from the likes of Desperate Dan, Korky the Cat, Beryl the Peril, Keyhole Kate and other intrepid figures who have long since left the comic. The Dandy first hit the streets on December 3, 1937, six months before its sister comic The Beano. By the 1980s, it was the world's largest-selling comic with a circulation of around 2 million. The late Albert Barnes, who edited the comic from 1937 to 1980, summed up its philosophy: 'There is never any real violence, only the cartoon kind to be found in Tom and Jerry where the victim always springs back unharmed. It gives children a chance to cock a harmless snook at authority, and sublimate their desires to kick against the traces.' Barnes was also behind Desperate Dan, who became The Dandy's biggest star. Talking about his cowboy creation, Barnes said: 'He is to be the roughest, toughest cowboy. He has to be the strongest man in the world: a man who can chew iron and spit rust.' Desperate Dan was never happier than when confronted by his daily diet of cow pie, a species of dish which involved the entire animal, including horns and tail, protruding through the pastry. Dan was eventually stopped from eating his favourite dish because of the emergence of BSE (or mad cow disease). There was a similar crisis in 1997 when Desperate Dan sailed off with the Spice Girls after striking oil and temporarily retired from the pages of The Dandy. There was such an outcry, including a Bring Dan Back campaign, threats of boycott, and protests from as far away as Australia, Saudi Arabia and the United States, that the hero was swiftly restored. Changing values caused Morris Heggie, editor in the 1990s and now scriptwriter for The Broons and Oor Wullie, to say: 'Desperate Dan is not now quite the same old desperado that he was. He is now quite laid-back in comparison with the old days. At one time he used to smoke a dustbin full of rubbish through a drainpipe ...What is important though, is that, unlike in real life, the kids always win in The Dandy. That's our recipe for anarchy.' An eight-foot tall bronze statue of Desperate Dan has stood in the centre of Dundee since 2001. Desperate Dan is one of Britain's favourite characters, and has appeared in nearly every issue of The Dandy since 1937. * 288 pp gift book chronicling the world's longest-running comic. * Fully illustrated, colour throughout. * A must for every comic fan. * Extensive endmatter, with detailed archive history of each comic with notes on artists and writers. * Notes on what happened each year; changes to characters and how they appeared. * Produced by the same team as 'The History of the Beano'.
Order from Amazon.

The Art of Denis McLoughlin by David Ashford.
Book Palace Books ISBN 978-1907081088, August 2012, 272pp, £45.00.
Written by David Ashford, one of McLoughlin's close friends, the book celebrates every aspect of the artist's career, from examples of his earliest work whilst still in uniform to his lengthy association with T.V. Boardman, for whom he produced hundreds of dust jackets for their Bloodhound crime series and their yearly best-selling Buffalo Bill Annual.
__The Boardman covers are almost unique in British publishing history as no major publisher relied on a single artist to produce so many of their jackets. But tracking down useable examples has proved to be a long and gruelling process. As Peter says: "We needed high quality scans of all the covers we sought and the logistics of having to carry a scanner and computer to spend a day getting under the feet of a McLoughlin devotee, which would have secured us a reasonable number of scans but by no means all the ones I craved gave us pause for thought. Photographing the books would have been quicker, but the results are light years away from a scan. It simply wasn't an option.".
__Hooking up with San Francisco-based collector Mark Terry gave fresh impetus to the book as Mark already had a network of contacts with collectors through his facsimile dustjacket business; the finished book will now contain dozens of examples, carefully restored.
__The book contains many examples of McLoughlin's comic strips and a biography by David Ashford, as well as behind-the-scenes photos and examples of his original artwork.
__The definitive book and biography of Denis McLouglin, packed with full colour images of his art and a complete bibliography.
__The book features reproductions from the surviving original artwork, "pulls" in high quality print, never-before-seen photos chronicling the artist's life and page after page of some of the most stunning artwork ever to see print in the 20th century.
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The Broons and Oor Wullie: Classic Strips from the 70's.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354947, 31 August 2012, 144pp, £12.99. [£10.39 from Amazon]
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The Broons: The Nicht Afore Christmas by Morris Heggie.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342735, 1 August 2012, 8pp, £2.99.
A poem written specially for Christmas by Morris Heggie, scriptwriter of The Broons. It's Christmas Eve at Glebe Street and the Broons are fu' o' Christmas spirit. But Granpaw's no' happy. The Bairn has gied him a tricky request. He disnae ken it yet, but he's going on quite an adventure. There's no chance of any piece an' quiet in Glebe Street with Santa around. This Christmas poem is set in the world of the Broons of No. 10 Glebe Street – Scotland's best loved family who have appeared in The Sunday Post every week since 1936.
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Classic Beano & Dandy: Panto Time.
D. C. Thomson ISBN 978-1845354978, 31 August 2012, 144pp, £12.99. [£10.39 from Amazon]
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Harker: The Book of Solomon by Roger Gibson & Vince Danks.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857689740, 17 August 2012, 144pp, £14.99. [£7.94 from Amazon]
When a series of gruesome cult killings take place near the British Museum, DCI Harker and his assistant DS Critchley are called to London to solve the case. Middle class satanists, dusty old bookshops, a labyrinth under the museum, a frantic car chase and wry, cutting humour all combine in this graphic novel love letter from creators Roger Gibson and Vince Danks to classic British detective television series.
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Judge Dredd: Restricted Files 04
by John Wagner, Mark Millar, Bryan Talbot, Henry Flint, et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080467, 16 August 2012, 272pp, £19.99. [£13.99 from Amazon]
Mega-City one: an especially violent city of the future that requires a special kind of police force - the Judges - to maintain law and order. toughest of them all is Judge Dredd. He is the law! Featuring rare thrills from 2000 AD annuals and specials released through the mid-'nineties into the new millennium. Experience some of the most outrageous Dredd stories ever published, including the rib-tickling 'Mr Bennet joins the Judges,' by Mark Milar (Kick-Ass), and the very english 'Dredd of Drokk Green.'
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Rat Pack Vol. 1: Guns, Guts and Glory by Gerry Finley-Day et al.
Titan Books ISBN 978-1848560352, August 2012, 160pp, £14.99. [£11.40 from Amazon]
War is a dirty business... so who better than criminals to fight it? When Major Taggart breaks four military convicts out of jail, they think they’re headed for Easy Street... but they couldn’t be more wrong. Before, they were scum — now, they’re the Rat Pack! A collection of classic strips from the British boys’ comic, Battle.
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Shakara: The Destroyer by Robbie Morrison & Henry Flint.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080382, 16 August 2012, 160pp, £14.99. [£10.49 from Amazon]
The Shakaran warrior known as Cinnibar Brennekka has activated a terrifying weapon called the God Machine, and once it destroys everything he will be the ultimate master of a new universe created in his image. Only one thing can stop Brennekka from succeeding... a vengeance-fuelled being called Shakara - he living embodiment of a murdered species - is out to kill the last of his kind, and there isn't another creature in the whole of existence that will get in its way! Be prepared for a tale of monumental carnage and devastation!
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Whaur's Oor Wullie?.
Waverley Books ISBN 978-1849342551, 1 August 2012, 48pp, £8.99. [£6.74 from Amazon]
'Whaur's Oor Wullie?' or 'Where's Oor Wullie?' for our non-Scots friends, is a fun puzzle book that features Oor Wullie, the comic strip character as he adventures all over Scotland with his pals. Oor Wullie is Scotland's favourite boy, with his trademark spiky hair, dungarees and upturned bucket as a seat. In Whaur's Oor Wullie? Oor Wullie travels around Scotland's most famous and popular places with some of the familiar characters who appear in his Sunday Post weekly comic strip. The challenge is to spot them in the crowd! Each spread is illustrated in full colour with a list of items and characters to spot. The 'Oor Wullie' comic strip was originally created by D C Thomson editor, R D Low, and drawn by cartoonist, Dudley D Watkins. Whaur's Oor Wullie? is illustrated by Jimmy Glen. Find Oor Wullie and his pals at the following places among others: *the Edinburgh Military Tattoo *The Open Golf Championship at St Andrews *Stirling Castle *Kelvingrove Museum *Hogmanay *Braemar Highland Games *Dundee's Comic Characters' Convention *The biggest-ever Burns Supper *Largs Viking Festival *'T' In the Park *The Royal Highland Show *Falkirk's re-enactment of the Romans being fought back by the Picts. 'Oor Wullie' was launched in 1936 in The Sunday Post in Scotland, and is still going strong. The frequent tagline on the strip is 'Oor Wullie! Your Wullie! A'body's Wullie!'
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SEPTEMBER 2012 
 
The Art of Judge Dredd: 35 Years of Zarjaz Covers by Keith Richardson.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080443, 13 September 2012, 272pp, £34.99. [£24.20 from Amazon]
For over 35 years, 2000 AD - 'the Galaxy's Greatest Comic' - has dominated the British comics' industry, delivering stories and characters that have etched their way into the cultural psyche. This highly-collectable book celebrates 2000 AD and Judge Dredd's joint 35th anniversary with a compilation of the most stunning and innovative Judge Dredd-related covers, illustrated by some of the greatest talents in the industry.
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The Best of Punch Cartoons in Colour, ed. Helen Walasek. Prion ISBN 978-1853758560, 13 September 2012, 368pp, £25.00. [£17.50 from Amazon]
The Best of Punch Cartoons in Colour is a superb new book. This, the biggest collection of colour cartoons ever released from the original humour magazine that first published in 1841, is packed with beautiful artwork by some of the finest artists of the past two centuries. The page size is huge, showing the cartoon art and colour off in the best possible manner. And at 400 pages, this book is an essential purchase for any fan of cartoons, visual humour, or of the legendary Punch magazine. Punch was published in America after WWII, and subscriptions from the "other" side of the Atlantic remained steady until 1992, when the magazine closed.
__Helen Walasek, of Punch Cartoon Library, is the former curator of the Punch collection and editor of The Best of Punch Cartoons and Punch Goes to War.
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The Comic Strip Companion. The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who in Comics: 1964-1979 by Paul Scoones.
Telos Publishing ISBN 978-1845830700, 30 September 2012, 608pp, £16.99 [£16.14 from Amazon]
First launched in the pages of TV Comic in November 1964, the comic strip version of Doctor Who is just one year younger than the television series on which it is based. This is its story.
__This volume chronicles the first 15 years of the Doctor Who comic strip from its origin in TV Comic to just before the ongoing strip was launched as a regular feature in Doctor Who Weekly in 1979. During this time more than 200 comic strips stories were published in the pages of TV Comic, Countdown, TV Action, TV Century 21, The Dr Who Annual and the Dalek books.
__Every strip is covered in depth, including plot details, continuity, points of interest and analysis. For the first time, details about the creation and development of the adventures are documented, alongside comments from some of the original writers and artists.
__Follow the exploits of the Doctor in his first four incarnations alongside John, Gillian, Jamie, Sarah and Leela as he battles Daleks, Cybermen, Quarks, Kleptons, Trods, Sarracoids and the Ugrakks!
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The Complete Rainbow Orchid by Garen Ewing.
Egmont Books ISBN 978-1405263856, 3 September 2012, 144pp, £14.99 [£10.49 from Amazon]
The complete adventure, now available in one volume! Follow adventurer Julius Chancer and his friends as they attempt to stop the villainous Urkaz Grope getting his hands on the mysterious Rainbow Orchid! The Rainbow Orchid is an ambitious blend of classic storytelling, and cinematic artwork, in which adventure, historical drama and legend are seamlessly intertwined.
__"A British Tintin... readers will be well entertained" (The Independent) "The storyline is intricate and engrossing...Joyous" (The Financial Times)"
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Giles The Collection 2013 by Carl Giles.
Hamlyn ISBN 978-0600624554, 3 September 2012, 160pp, £7.99. [£4.79 from Amazon]
Enjoy the 20th century's greatest cartoonist's work once more with this superb collection of some of Giles' wittiest cartoons. His cartoons parodied every aspect of British life and have delighted Daily Express readers for over four decades. This brand new compilation includes 150 cartoons that focus on each family member and are packed with fun details and the clever characterizations that made Giles a household name.
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The Hole of Tank Girl by Andew Martin, Jamie Hewlett, et al.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857687449, 28 September 2012, 352pp, £75.00.[£48.75 from Amazon]
Bringing together all the classic Hewlett and Martin Tank Girl comics for the first time in this fantastic slipcased edition with additional materials including original art, unseen Hewlett pages, a “lost” original Tank Girl story, and the first new Hewlett Tank Girl artwork created in over 15 years. The core Tank Girl works have been lovingly restored for this major collection, spanning the whole era of classic Tank Girl. With Booga and the rest of the crew in tow, Tank Girl delights in the sort of marvellous mayhem that made us adore her the moment she stomped into our lives with her sexy boots and sassy mouth.
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Judge Dredd: The Dark Judges by John Wagner & Brian Bolland.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080450, 13 September 2012, 160pp, £6.99. [£5.24 from Amazon]
An all-time-classic in a small paperback format. Judge Dredd's ultimate nemesis has arrived. His name is Judge Death, and in his eyes, all life is a crime! the super-fiend from Deadworld proves to be an implacable enemy, and Judge Dredd must work with Psi Judge anderson to save Mega-City one from a city-wide death penalty. Fearsome characters that have mainatained their popularity throughout the years thanks to the fantastic designs of Brian Bolland, the Dark Judges are determined to end all life in Mega-City one once and for all!
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Modesty Blaise: Lady in the Dark by Peter O'Donnell & Enric Badia Romero.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857686930, 14 September 2012, 104pp, £11.99. [£8.39 from Amazon]
Features the classic stories The Girl From The Future, The Big Mole and Lady In The Dark written by popular British crime writer Peter ODonnell and beautifully illustrated by Enric Badia Romero! Time-travel, a message in a bottle and the return of Salamander Four all mark trouble for Modesty and Willie. With story introductions taking readers behind the scenes of each story.
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OCTOBER 2012

The Best of Alex 2012 by Charles Peattie & Russell Taylor.
Prion ISBN 978-1853758591, 11 October 2012, 88pp, £9.99. [£7.37 from Amazon]
2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the "Alex" cartoon strip, which began mocking the financial world back in the yuppie years, when bankers were held in public contempt for being greedy, arrogant and immoral. A quarter of a century later they still are; which leaves us satirists wondering what on earth was the point?
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The Best of Alf Tupper, The Tough of the Tracks, ed. Morris Heggie.
Prion ISBN 978-1853758614, 11 October 2012, 144pp, £12.99. [£9.09 from Amazon]
The Tough of the Track was The Victor's most popular hero, having instilled the competitive spirit into millions of British lads for over 50 years. A welder who worked under railway arches, Alf Tupper survived on a diet of fish and chips. He was always the underdog, running against posh toffs who devised underhand ways of keeping him off the winner's rostrum. Although Alf often looked beaten, he nearly always came through in the final few strides, exclaiming "I've run him!" as he breasted the winning tape in a photo-finish. Published in the year the Olympic Games returns to Britain, this nostalgic anthology will not only be the perfect gift for the millions of men whose love of sport was kindled in their youth by Alf Tupper, but will also enthrall and inspire a new generation of boys to go and win against all the odds.
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Charley's War: Death From Above (Vol. 9) by Pat Mills & Joe Colquhoun.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857683007, 26 October 2012, 120pp, £14.99. [£10.49 from Amazon]
In this explosive new ninth volume of never-before-collected comic strip, including for the first time reproductions of original artwork from artist Joe Colquhoun's archive, things are looking up for Charley after he meets the love of his life. But their wedding is destroyed by the roar of destructive Zeppelin Bombers from Berlin!
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Dante's Inferno by Hunt Emerson & Kevin Jackson.
Knockabout ISBN 978-0861661695, 10 October 2012, 88pp, £11.99. [£8.39 from Amazon]
Hunt Emerson, the dazzlingly talented cartoonist, tackles the biggest literary name of them all: Dante. Emerson's Inferno delights on many levels: as an ingenious translation of classic verse; an effortlessly readable introduction to a complex poem; a delicious crib for anxious Dante students; and as a warm tribute from the master of one art form to the grand master of another. Hunt's cartoon is followed by Kevin Jackson's essay on Dante. Wildly clever and witty, but essentially reverent, it is a wonderful treat for anyone who already loves Dante.
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The James Bond Omnibus 004 by Jim Lawrence & Yaroslav Horak.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857685896, 12 October 2012, 288pp, £14.99. [£12.74 from Amazon]
The daring James Bond is back in a definitive bumper edition collecting the second period of Jim Lawrence's celebrated run in comic strip form! Includes nine of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: "Trouble Spot", "Isle of Condor's", "The League of Vampires", "Die With My Boots On", "The Girl Machine", "Beware of Butterflies", "The Nevsky Nude", "The Phoenix Project" and "The Black Ruby Caper".
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Matt: The Best of 2012 by Matthew Pritchett.
Orion ISBN 978-1409121565, 25 October 2012, 80pp, £6.99. [£4.33 from Amazon]
From the Olympics to the Jubilee, transport troubles to the recession, Matt reviews the last 12 months in his own inimitable style.
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Mrs Weber's Omnibus by Posy Simmonds.
Jonathan Cape ISBN 978-0224096836, 25 October 2012, 488pp, £20.00.[£13.09 from Amazon]
In May 1977 Posy Simmonds, an unknown young illustrator, started drawing a weekly comic strip for the Guardian. It began as a silly parody of girls' adventure stories, making satirical comments about contemporary life. The strip soon focused on three 1950s school friends in their later middle-class and nearly middle-aged lives: Wendy Weber, a former nurse married to polytechnic sociology lecturer George with a large brood of children; Jo Heep, married to whisky salesman Edmund with two rebellious teenagers; and Trish Wright, married to philandering advertising executive Stanhope and with a young baby. The strip, which was latterly untitled and usually known just as 'Posy', ran until the late 1980s.
__Collected here for the first time are the complete strips. Although celebrated for pinpointing the concerns of Guardian readers in the 1980s and their constant struggle to remain true to the ideals of the 1960s, they are in fact remarkably undated. They show one of Britain's favourite cartoonists, celebrated for Literary Life and Tamara Drewe, maturing into genius.
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Nikolai Dante: Sympathy for the Devil by Robbie Morrison, Simon Fraser & John Burns.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080733, 11 October 2012, 224pp, £18.99. [£13.29 from Amazon]
For over fifteen years, Nikolai Dante – the swashbuckling ‘Hero of the Revolution’ – has been entertaining the readers of 2000 AD as he fought, thieved and loved his way through life in 27th-Century Russia. A long-running story of grand adventure which began in 1997 reaches its conclusion in 2012. one of 2000 AD’s most popular characters, Dante has become an iconic part of the British comics scene.
__In this final installment of his epic story, Dante must escape from captivity in order to lead the Revolutionary army in its fi nal battle against his tyrannical father, the psychotic Dimitri Romanov.
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Not Forgotten 2009-10 by Steve Holland.
Bear Alley Books ISBN 978-1907081668, 8 October 2012, 98pp, £12.99.
Not Forgotten 2009-10 records the passing of 35 comic strip and cartoon creators, some well-known, some forgotten, yet others better known for their work in other fields.
__The artists and writers whose careers are recorded in this volume include Alan Hemus, Tony Hart, Robert Peacock, Jose 'Pepe' Gonzalez, Jose Casanovas Sr., Ron 'Nobby' Clark, Malcolm Douglas, Bernet Toledano, John Donegan, Adrian Kermode, Giorgio Bellavitis, John Ryan, Francisco Hidalgo, Roy Raymonde, Carlos Roume, Ricardo Garijo, Terry Challis, Xavier Musquera, Francis 'Smilby' Wilford-Smith, Geoffrey Bond, Richard Hook, Ian Scott, Bill Ritchie, Virgilio Muzzi, John Hicklenton, Peter O'Donnell, Roy Mitchell, Victor de la Fuente, Ted Rawlings, Fernando Fernandez, E. C. Tubb, Jose Maria Jorge, Les Gibbard and Paddy Morris.
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Steven Appleby's Guide to Life. The Collected Loomus Cartoons by Steven Appleby.
Guardian Books ISBN 978-0852653777, 11 October 2012, 176pp, £14.99. [£10.49 from Amazon]
Steven Appleby's weekly 'Loomus' cartoon is one of the Guardian's most popular features.Together they form a quirky, original and hilariously perceptive guide to the unexpected twists and turns of everyday life.
__Have you ever wondered how to be a good house guest, been a victim of the curse of the evil spell check or wanted to learn the secrets of smell spotting? Here, you'll find all the answers to life's big questions.
__With original notes and roughs, new illustrations and musings, and an insight into the art of creating the perfect cartoon, Steven Appleby's Guide to Life is a must-have collector's item and a brilliant gift.
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Tank Girl: Carioca by Alan Martin & Mike McMahon.
Titan Books ISBN 978-0857687432, 26 October 2012, 136pp, £14.99. [£12.74 from Amazon]
Tank Girl returns again in a brand new graphic novel written by original co-creator Alan Martin with artwork by the amazing Mike McMahon ("Judge Dredd")! After our heroine is rudely snubbed on a TV game show, she plots the death of the vulgar host in question - unwittingly releasing the vengeance of his embittered wife and a gang of highly trained assassins as a result!
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NOVEMBER 2012

One-Eyed Jack and the Death of Valiant by David McDonald
Hibernia (no ISBN), November 2012, 32pp, £3.99.
Hibernia is back with what will be a semi-regular look at the more obscure and forgotten gems of British comics called Comic Archive. our first book is One-Eyed Jack and the Death of Valiant. The book features interviews with John Wagner, John Cooper, Janet Shepheard, Kevin O'Neill and contributions from Kelvin Gosnell, Dave Hunt and more. Articles include the relationship between One-Eyed Jack and Judge Dredd; John Wagner's tenure as editor of Valiant and the new strips he introduced; the craft of Art Editors in relation to the look and logo design of Valiant, 2000AD and much more. The book is also available as a digital download.
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The Rainbow Orchid Supplement by Garen Ewing.
Garen Ewing, November 2012, 48pp, £5.00.
"The Rainbow Orchid Supplement is 48 pages and includes full annotations for the complete story, a cover sketchbook, three interviews (previously published online) and a few other extras including artwork, promotional items, abandoned story ideas and a research bibliography," says Garen Ewing. "I'm self publishing it and limiting the print-run to around 250 copies." The book does not repeat any of the extras from The Complete Rainbow Orchid
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Rogue Trooper: Tales of Nu-Earth Vol.3 by Gerry Finley-Day, Steve Dillon, Chris Weston et al.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080689, 8 November 2012, 400pp, £17.99. [£13.02 from Amazon]
As the Norts and Southers wage war on the battle-torn world of Nu-Earth, the genetically-engineered soldier, Rogue trooper, continues to search for an antigen which will restore his bio-chipped comrades to life. If that wasn't enough to deal with, Rogue is also recruited to carry out a string of assassinations, in an attempt to end the war once and for all!
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December 2012

Grandville: Bete Noire by Bryan Talbot.
Jonathan Cape ISBN 978-0224096249, 6 December 2012, 104pp, £16.99. [£10.99 from Amazon]
The Badger is back! At Toad Hall, lair of multibillionaire. Baron Aristotle Krapaud, a cabal of industrialists and fat cats plot the violent overthrow of the French state by the intervention of horribly beweaponed automaton soldiers. Meanwhile, the brutal murder of a famous Parisian artist, mysteriously stabbed to death in his locked and guarded studio, is subject to the investigations of the tenacious Detective Inspector LeBrock of Scotland Yard, placing him and his faithful adjunct, Detective Sergeant Roderick Ratzi, in pursuit of the mysterious masked assassin stalking the cut-throat commercial world of the Grandville art scene.
__Bete Noire signals the welcome return to anthropomorphic steampunk detective fiction of master storyteller and graphic novel pioneer Bryan Talbot with the third stand-alone volume of the Eisner and Hugo Award nominated Grandville series. As the body count mounts and events spiral exponentially out of control, aided by his brilliant deductive abilities and innate ferocity, LeBrock battles against outrageous odds in this funny, high octane thriller, an adventure shot through with both high art and comic book references, a glorious illegitimate offspring of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ian Fleming – with animals! Follow the Badger!
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Judge Dredd: The Garth Ennis Collection by Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, Dermot Power, Cliff Robinson, Colin MacNeil, John Burns & Greg Staples.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080672, 11 December 2012, 160pp, £12.49. [£11.36 from Amazon]
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Nemesis the Warlock Volume 2 by Pat Mills, Kevin O'Neill, Bryan Talbot, John Hicklenton & Tony Luke.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1907519789, 30 December 2012, 304pp, £16.99.
A reissue of the volume previously published in 2007 with a different ISBN.
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Shako by Pat Mills, John Wagner, Ramon Sola & Juan Arancio.
Rebellion ISBN 978-1781080696, 6 December 2012, 96pp, £10.99. [£8.47 on Amazon]
THE ONLY BEAR ON THE C.I.A. DEATH LIST! Shako the Eskimo word for the polar bear. It means simply... killer! When a US Air Force plane crashes within the arctic Circle, Shako the terror of the frozen wastes, is the first on the scene, getting his first taste of human flesh! Unfortunately for the CIA, the great white beast has also swallowed a top secret capsule which was being transported by the plane, and now they must track him down to retrieve it. This won't be an easy task, as Shako hates mankind. And what Shako hates, Shako destroys!
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