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Author Topic: What comics would you like to see?  (Read 1226 times)

Emperor

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What comics would you like to see?
« on: 12 December, 2011, 06:46:03 PM »
The mainstream British comics scene is a pretty empty place, with the small press taking up some of the slack created by the great big holes left by the decimation of the industry.

Folks in these parts have done there bit with comics that touch on science fiction, horror, pulpy adventures, war, etc.

Recently I mentioned a political comic and I have often mused on the need for at least one British superhero comic, possibly two: one a typically British dirty, nasty take on superheroes and another a more straightforward one, although possibly still subverting the genre. There is a reason we Brits do rather well at superheroes - we don't take them seriously and love to tinker with the tropes ;)

So I thought I'd throw the general topic open, see if any one has spotted any other gaps. Who knows it might inspire someone to fill that gap.
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mrstu

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #1 on: 12 December, 2011, 07:17:04 PM »
the british superhero thing sounds good to me. the uk has (in my opinion) some of the best writers and artists so theres no reason that it shouldn't happen. when i get on conversations like this i always remember the line in monsters vs aliens - 'an alien spaceship has crashlanded in america...which of course is the only country that aliens seem to crashland in'

Colin_YNWA

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #2 on: 12 December, 2011, 07:22:08 PM »
One thing I'd like to see is the development of the market in a more European way. So with albums of ongoing serials with a rich vein of genre. I think we tend to go for the Anthology typically which is a great way for the talent to learn and come through (and when its good hopefully stay) Maybe what we need to keep the talent here is a different option to the American market, which enables more creative freedom.

I think this might be what the Strip Magazine GNs might be heading?

It could be said that if this was ever going to take off as a format here it would have. I have no idea now successful Cinebooks are but I suspect its quite a small market?. One reason behind that, in my uneducated opinion, is that they don't always have the sharper edge that UK creators do so well, even when they go across the Atlantic.

Oh and more Roman Empire (or Republic) and Cowboy things!

Emperor

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #3 on: 12 December, 2011, 07:43:55 PM »
A couple of others I thought of, neither my cup of tea but that is not the point: sports and erotica.

Oh and more Roman Empire (or Republic) and Cowboy things!

Ah yes.

I did have an idea that involved a Weird West anthology type affair* (I even have a one-off story written for it).

Sword and sandals would also be interesting, perhaps grading over into sword and sorcery (or sword and planets) to keep things varied. Or include swords and sandals in a more historical type anthology, with a possible eye to tales inspired by history? Which, typing that, makes me think there is potential for a "real life" historical comic possibly pitched at a slightly younger reader and a sword and whatever title where anything goes.

* I think the idea was a for a "themed" webcomic anthology (to be collected in print later) and the first theme was the weird western.
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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Ghastly McNasty

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #4 on: 12 December, 2011, 08:42:51 PM »
Quote
Oh and more Roman Empire (or Republic) and Cowboy things!
Centurians VS Cowboys. I'd buy that.

Definitely need a decent UK superhero even though I'm not a fan of superhero comics.

There's gotta be a few untapped british folklore stories that would make a good comic series.

More serial killers! That's what I'd like to see.

Also Britain is known for inventing shit. What I really want to see is a new form of comic, possibly combined with online aspects, that breaks boundaries and revitalises the industry.

Pete Wells

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #5 on: 12 December, 2011, 08:59:37 PM »
I'm really enjoying Alec Worley's stuff of late. His 3hriller was fantastically scary and his 'beast with five fingers' Dandridge in Prog 2012 is briliant too. So, I'd like to see more genuinely scary horror stuff.

Our very own Bluemeanie can write a mean creepy tale too...

Emperor

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #6 on: 12 December, 2011, 09:06:32 PM »
There's gotta be a few untapped british folklore stories that would make a good comic series.

Although there is definitely room for more of this kind of thing, Stacey has a folklore comics anthology in the pipeline:

Concept:
http://smallpressbigmouth.blogspot.com/2011/04/small-press-big-mouth-anthology.html

Line-up:
http://whittlewaffle.blogspot.com/2011/07/fairytale-anthology.html

Update:
http://whittlewaffle.blogspot.com/2011/10/into-woods.html

Should be out at Cardiff in February.

It might be an idea for folks to update us on their various projects, I will make a bit of a list and update the initial post.
« Last Edit: 06 February, 2012, 06:35:44 PM by Emperor »
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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ZippoCreed

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #7 on: 12 December, 2011, 09:07:41 PM »
Wasn't there some attempt at a superhero small press comic back in the early 90's? For the life of me I can't remember what it was called. It was kind of in the same vein as Excalibur. I might have a copy somewhere...

Currently I'm writing a crime thriller graphic novel/series - something as far as I know doesn't exist in the UK. (I bet there's loads that I've missed and that you guys will soon point them out/recommend to me).

How about a tv/movie/game tie-in? With the right mature approach to an appropriate property - horror, science fiction - I'm sure the appeal would be there, maybe even to those who don't read comics. Works of fantasy are on every tv channel at the moment, imagine The Fades as a comic or Misfits... 
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Emperor

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #8 on: 12 December, 2011, 10:01:09 PM »
Wasn't there some attempt at a superhero small press comic back in the early 90's? For the life of me I can't remember what it was called. It was kind of in the same vein as Excalibur. I might have a copy somewhere...

Not what you were talking about, but in the mid-2000s Kevin McHugh tried to get Post Human, a superhero anthology, going:

http://kmchugh.blogspot.com/2006/08/gettn-to-old-for-this-sht.html

It dropped off the radar for quite a while (I was interested in it but spoke to a few people at the time who hadn't heard anything. A few of my ideas for series date back to a bit of brainstorming at this time) but something did pop on Lulu.com, although nothing since:

www.lulu.com/product/paperback/post-human-%231/739470

Currently I'm writing a crime thriller graphic novel/series - something as far as I know doesn't exist in the UK. (I bet there's loads that I've missed and that you guys will soon point them out/recommend to me).

Sounds great. The only similar thing I can think of is Harker:

http://harkerandcritchley.blogspot.com/

How about a tv/movie/game tie-in? With the right mature approach to an appropriate property - horror, science fiction - I'm sure the appeal would be there, maybe even to those who don't read comics. Works of fantasy are on every tv channel at the moment, imagine The Fades as a comic or Misfits...

Well these type of tie-ins and spin-offs sell really well. I suspect that unless you had something of the size and scope of Dr Who ongoing series would be tricky but a graphic novel anthology would be easily doable (I'd also throw in something like Being Human). You could use the Halo graphic novel as a model:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Halo_Graphic_Novel

Or perhaps the Heroes one, although I'd quibble about them being graphic novels:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Heroes_graphic_novels

Someone like Markosia has form in this regard, as they've done the Starship Troopers comics for a while as well as adapting other books:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markosia

It strikes me Kickstarter or Indiegog would be a good fundraiser for such comics as there would be a very solid fan base (even the smallest film or TV show have viewing figures that comics can only wish for).
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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Roger Godpleton

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #9 on: 13 December, 2011, 12:02:38 AM »
I think there should be a comic about an organ player who is really good at playing the organ except he keeps getting "Here Comes the Bride" and "The Funeral March" confused and this gets him into some scrapes.

It could be like the "Love & Rockets" of organ music with the church organ scene instead of 80s LA punk scene.
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Emperor

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #10 on: 13 December, 2011, 12:22:19 AM »
I think there should be a comic about an organ player who is really good at playing the organ except he keeps getting "Here Comes the Bride" and "The Funeral March" confused and this gets him into some scrapes.

It could be like the "Love & Rockets" of organ music with the church organ scene instead of 80s LA punk scene.

You write it and we'll find you an artist.

A Rogenthology would certainly be... something.
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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briantm

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #11 on: 13 December, 2011, 02:02:07 PM »
I haven't read it but Paul Grist's Mudman is a new British-created superhero (not sure if the character is a brit)



I'd like to see more web-to-print series like Avatar were/are doing with Freakangels/Crossed

Would be great if 2000AD sponsored something like this but I don't see that happening.

Still though, if the creators can afford work on the side and still keep a decent schedule it could definitely still work. Maybe launch a kickstarter campaign once there was enough material for a printed book.

There's loads of great talent in the UK small press and it would be great if they could afford to do something more longform.

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« Last Edit: 13 December, 2011, 02:05:35 PM by briantm »

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #12 on: 13 December, 2011, 04:42:15 PM »
Quote
The mainstream British comics scene is a pretty empty place, with the small press taking up some of the slack created by the great big holes left by the decimation of the industry.

Is their a single location/website where you can buy all UK small press comics?  I know you can get some from Forbidden Planet but is there a 'Small Press Marketing Board' that pushes and promotes these indie comics? Should there be?

Quote
Still though, if the creators can afford work on the side and still keep a decent schedule it could definitely still work.

Would the advancement and promotion of the small press scene give rise to more funds to comic creators to make better things?


Emperor

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #13 on: 13 December, 2011, 05:12:14 PM »
Quote
The mainstream British comics scene is a pretty empty place, with the small press taking up some of the slack created by the great big holes left by the decimation of the industry.

Is their a single location/website where you can buy all UK small press comics?  I know you can get some from Forbidden Planet but is there a 'Small Press Marketing Board' that pushes and promotes these indie comics? Should there be?

Shane Chebsey's Smallzone is the only one I know of - it sells British small press and independent comics (although the coverage is patchy and they don't seem to offer recent editions of FutureQuake, Zarjaz, Paragon, Omnivastiscope, etc.):

www.smallzone.co.uk

They'll also print small press comics for people.
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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locustsofdeath!

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Re: What comics would you like to see?
« Reply #14 on: 14 December, 2011, 12:02:57 AM »
Well...this here Locust, El Chivo and Bolt will soon have the first issue of what may be comicdom's first and only Gothic Horror-Western-Fantasy-Dark Comedy with 'El Bigote' (see my El Bigote thread). We'll be giving away the first issue for free. You can't beat that if you're looking to try something new...and weird.