banner
LightNews
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey
@shipmind743.bsky.social
200 followers 940 following 1.4K posts
Humanist. Escapee from reality. Book reader. Game player. Roleplayer. Music listener. Blake's 7. Mass Effect. "Change their minds and change the world."
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 18h
I really do recommend them if Conan is even close to the sort of thing you like to read. Go on… You know you want to.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 18h
…the Conan books, the ongoing series, The Savage Sword of Conan, the various mini-series, as well as related books like Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring from Patrick Zircher @patrickzircher.bsky.social are consistently amongst my current favourites.
1 1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 18h
This title is written by Jim Zub @jimzub.bsky.social with art by Ivan Gil and colour art by Jão Canola. It’s excellent. I enjoyed it a lot. Which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, even if I didn’t only put comics I like on these posts, because…
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 18h
We have another Conan comic on A-Comic-A-Day. This time it’s Conan the Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent issue 1. I don’t need to go into the story here. As usual, go find it, buy it, and read it for yourself. Spoilers aren’t the point here.
The cover of Conan the Barbarian: Scourge of the Serpent showing a mighty king on a throne and a warrior behind him holding a spear. Art by Roberto De La Torre.
1 2
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 1d
An A-Comic-A-Day that’s a few minutes late because I fell asleep. So here’s issue 200 of the the Transformers UK title. That’s it.
The cover of Transformers UK issue 200 showing Galvatron fighting the Autobots. Art byLee Sullivan.
2
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 2d
It’s not the only example, of course, but it is one I suggest everyone reads. It’s very good.
I just don’t see a reason why comics and graphic novels (comics in a posh coat) should be excluded.
So there we are. Go to the Cheltenham Lit. Fest. Read Ghost World. Call a spade a spade. Sorted!
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 2d
This evening I went to the Cheltenham Literature Festival. It’s fantastic and I recommend going. But that’s not the point for A-Comic-A-Day.
Are comics literature?
Yes!
There’s my great and profound revelation.
As an example, here’s Ghost World by Daniel Clowes.
The cover of Ghost World showing Enid and Rebecca. Art by Daniel Clowes.
1 1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 2d
Got home from a great evening at the Alternative Book Club at #CheltLitFest
So much fun! Thank you to Shirley Halse, Jamie D'Souza, Leena Norms, and Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social
I was in the "du-du-du-dum" half of the Doctor Who theme tune. The most musical I've ever been!
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 3d
I don’t have a good reason why I’ve never tried Commando Comics. Some things just pass you by. But I should give it go, especially as I didn’t realise that they did stories set further back than the First World War. I certainly didn’t know they did science fiction. I’ve probably missed a lot.
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 3d
It features war stories from ancient, modern, and future times. It sometimes features fantastical elements. The interior art is black-and-white and the cover is in colour.
It’s featured the work of some well-known artists such as Ian Kennedy and Cam Kennedy.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 3d
A-Comic-A-Day has given me the excuse to consider comics I’ve not read alongside those I have.
One long-running British comic I’ve not read is Commando, a war stories book that’s been in publication since 1961.
The cover of Commando issue 5675 showing First World War tanks and planes. Art by Neil Roberts
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 4d
I wonder if anyone has explored this in a comic story. I don’t know of an example, but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there. I’d love to read that sort of thing.
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 4d
More interesting to me, what would this mean to the vast non-powered population of Earth? They don’t come back from the dead and neither do their loved ones. Why not? Why do individuals who have already been gifted with amazing powers also get to cheat death? It would seem to be unfair.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 4d
But, as with other aspects of superhero comics, I like thinking about the implications for their everyday reality.
As I said, Superman did return from the dead. What would this mean?
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 4d
Superman died. For real. No, really. Okay, he eventually got better.
But it was everywhere for a while. Comics were talked about by people who normally wouldn’t give the medium the time of day. Comics were being noticed.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 4d
A-Comic-A-Day…
Do you remember when superhero deaths were permanent and meant something? No, neither do I.
But they did used to be big events. Take the Death of Superman storyline from 1993 culminating in Superman (volume 2) #75.
The cover of Superman (volume 2) issue 75 showing Superman's torn cape flying like a flag on a pole amidst the rubble. Art by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 5d
I love the effect of the glasses being the same colour as the background.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 5d
This is another one that I wish I had the time to catch up on. I know the basics. It’s about a Gaul named Asterix and his friend Obelix and their fight to resist the Roman Empire occupiers. There’s a magic potion and superhuman strength.
Not enough time in the world…
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 5d
A short A-Comic-A-Day as I’m flagging a bit.
My comic reading has mostly been British, American, or Japanese titles. One neglected area is European comics. One that was popular with friends when I was at school was Asterix the Gaul.
The cover of Asterix the Gaul showing Asterix punching two roman soldiers with Obelix in the background carrying a menhir. Art by, I think, Albert Uderzo.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 6d
The art from Pere Pérez and colour art from GURU-eFX is top rate. They’re superb whether giving us action scenes or quieter moments.
There’s fine lettering from VC’s Joe Caramagna and an excellent Adam Hughes cover. I like those ‘Spidey over the city’ pics.
1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 6d
This first issue is a good setup. We get time with Peter, Gwen, MJ, and Harry just living their lives. We see the origin of, presumably, our new antagonist. No idea where this is going, but I’ll be around to find out. There’s a real energy to Torn.
1 1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 6d
Firstly, we have J. Michael Straczynski @straczynski.bsky.social back on a Spider-Man book and the feel is just right. Peter’s voice is spot on. The story is great.
Secondly, Peter and MJ are in the same book at the same time and the universe hasn’t imploded! What d’ya know…
1 1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 6d
Today’s A-Comic-A-Day is The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn issue 1 and this is how I feel…
…Very happy.
Torn is set while Peter was a student at Empire State University, circa ASM#50. A Spidey in the past story again… I like it.
The cover of The Amazing Spider-Man: Torn issue 1 showing Spider-Man swinging above New York. Art by Adam Hughes.
1 1
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 7d
Transformers UK did some amazing stories. Time Wars had some of the most memorable imagery.
shipmind743.bsky.social
Joe Stacey @shipmind743.bsky.social · 7d
That is really nice.