COMICS INTERNATIONAL

Wonders never cease and I’m glad to welcome back Comics International to regular publication. New Editor Mike Conroy has had some health problems while trying to manage the take over of Britain’s best comics magazine from UK icon Dez Skinn and it looks like the teething problems are getting sorted. Slowly, it has to be said, but at least they are being sorted. It also means my subscription I took out several years ago is still going strong!!!

From their site: Comics International was launched in April 1990 to fill a need for a trade magazine for the US and UK comics industry. From its 48-page 4,000 copy launch, it has expanded to as large as 160 pages with many pages in full colour and a circulation in excess of 24,000. Read internationally by fans, collectors, publishers and creators, it is THE independent guide to the world of English-language comics, from the Beano to Batman, X-Files to X-Men. Comics International can be seen through its display area at the world’s leading festivals including San Diego (USA), Angouleme (France), Memorabilia (UK) and Lucca (Italy).

I’m like everyone else – when it’s late I complain. So this is my little bit of payback. Since comics are kept up-to-date more readily online these days I look forward to a much more rounded approach to new trends and the history of comics … and not just what the big two are trying to sell me! And with that in mind I just wish they’d stop selling the cover like that – Newsarama it ain’t.

Last issue featured a stunning four pages of Paul Maybury of Maxy J Millionaire fame. Typically I’ve lost it, other-wise I would have represented here. If I find it again I’ll let you have a look. Of course not everything in the garden is rosy. I spy a rather mean-spirited review somewhere in the back for a couple of creators close to our hearts. You can’t have everything and this person is not speaking for the whole of the UK, but just a bit of flavour for you. At least you are getting international reviews!

And finishing off our forties style advice for debs here’s the last two pieces of advice in the Short Cuts to Glamour series. Next time it’ll be How to Get That Second Date!

Knees together covers every possible situation

Tips that should stand you in good stead for the rest ...

WHAT THE … ?

Greetings all and sundry. Welcome to those of you reprobates still enjoying the chaos that is my weekly Golden Age Challenge. This week all you have to do is look at this Golden Age cover until you go quite mad. I know I’ve been looking at it too long myself. Wait until you see the strip inside! The title is so obvious you will leak tears of pure tea upon it’s discovery. So what is this comic called? It’s late. I’m tired.

Remember that highly prized points are on offer for the title, correct or otherwise. Nothing this time for meaning, because believe me I’ve read this and I still can’t make any sense of it. A clue. The title and the lead strip (somewhat abstractly rendered for this cover) are one and the same.

Once more into the realm of the feminine. More useful tips for young gals – all the way from the forties directly to right now for your reading pleasure and education. More Short Cuts to Glamour.

Don't try walking and talking at the same time tho'

FATSO & THE BLUE FLIES

That’s Fatso! He’s featured in Coo Coo Comics (a title I’m determined to revive) #41 from 1948. Y’know one of these days I’m going to find a strip called just Fat Pig. I’ll find it don’t you worry.

A pig with a Derby and no trousers!

But you’re not interested in that you want the good stuff and here it is. Yeah well, whatever you were expecting no one expects “THE BLUE FLIES AIIEEE!!”. A skull maybe, a crooked tooth, bad breath, even a Frenchman’s tackle, but not the blue flies – aieee!

Gak!

Bzzzz!

This is the last page of a rather long winded horror tonguing coming from Weird Terror #8 from 1953. For no obvious reason it’s called The Improved Kiss by Marty Elkin. I think the point of the story is that she has purposefully contracted the plague in order to get close enough to kill ‘Fatso’ in revenge for having her lover put to death – phew! Sam takes 750 points while Steve garners a sympathetic 250 for stating what can only be described as the bleedin’ obvious. Come on, Steve this is the Golden Age of comics – nothing is too stupid!

Now none of you ladies have been complaining about the lack of Short Cuts to Glamour unsurprisingly, but here’s another. Take note.

Try not to sound like a nag is my advice.

That's all for now, more top tips soon!

Try that last one at work, especially if your boss is short. That’ll make him feel a lot better.

STUFF AND NONSENSE

Firstly this! What does it mean? You’ll have to wait, but not long.

Secondly. Good advice never changes. Listen-up ladies, this is for you … I think. Another gem, this time from one of those shameless true life romance comics that dominated the fifties along with crime and horror. Although reading some of them I’m more shocked by the content of these true life romances than I am by the horror and the crime! I’ll find one in particular I have in mind and show you later. Meantime take heed of the following:

That’s right. ‘Cause your a real lame-brain now, right? Now you’re asking “where can I find more gems of wisdom like this one?” I’ll tell ya sister, if yer’d only quit gabbing. Right here. I’ll pepper these throughout the following month. Collect the set why don’cha? Here’s part two already:

That’s the first thing I think of when I spy a dame – yeah, her ‘carriage’ – woot woot!

And don’t worry I’m not about to turn this site into a freak show of crappy adverts but hey I’ve gotta start somewhere and I’ve been neglecting the design side of the blog. The picture links to the site that discusses the image in more depth – or not. It is rather an old pic, so I’ll do my best to come up with more up-to-date stuff in future! Despite the obvious, I’m not sure if I’m more disturbed by the suspicion that the model has been photoshopped to look pregnant! Either way I’m left asking myself “is this for real?”

Luckily perhaps I can't think of a caption!