Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

Following the trend of having writer/artist duos, this time around we have the writer and artist of the steampunk, paranormal comic The Boston Metaphysical Society, Madeleine Holly-Rosing and Emily Hu. Recently nominated for a Geekie Award, the series follows Hunter and O’Sullivan, paranormal investigators for the BMS, a group created by some of the Victorian era’s greatest minds to investigate the strange, ghostly and ghastly goings on in Boston, Mass. This series is a must read for fans of the X-Files!

Me: Where did the inspiration for the Boston Metaphysical Society come from?

Madeleine: It was a combination of my love of history and the scifi, supernatural and fantasy genres. I didn’t realize that by combining them I would get steampunk. J

Me: How fun is it to take established historical characters such as Tesla, Edison and Houdini, and drop them into this world of paranormal investigation and time and space monsters?

Madeleine: It’s been a lot of fun. Obviously since this is fiction none of the characters are probably anywhere close to who they were in real life, but I do try to keep their relationships thematically accurate. Like the fact that Tesla and Edison were in constant conflict and that Edison tried to steal some of Granville’s patents. In case you didn’t know, Granville Woods existed during that same time period and knew Bell and Edison. (He was an engineer whose most famous invention was the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph.) It’s a blast to be able to see how these characters react in the world I’ve created.

Emily: I love it! It’s always fun to have actual historical characters to reference off of, as well as look into their actual lives, and then see how Madeleine has worked them seamlessly into this world.

Me: What sets BMS apart from other supernatural ensemble comics like BRDP?

Madeleine: Quite a bit, actually. First BMS is not a government organization. It’s just Samuel, Granville and Caitlin. And though Caitlin has some supernatural abilities, no else does. Samuel lives by his wits and instincts while Granville is a man of science though not the “hide in the lab” kind of guy. They see “The Shifter” as a threat to Boston and not the world as a whole…at least not yet. There is a reason “The Shifter” is in Boston which will not be revealed until the 6th issue.

Emily: I’ll be honest- I have not read BRDP. However I have read The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is another supernatural ensemble comic and I love both very much. For BMS I think one of the most interesting things is that the main character has nothing to lose–he has already lost. So we are following his journey to redemption, which may or may not be morally sound.

Me: If you could sell BMS in a single sentence, what would you say?

Madeleine: The story is about an ex-Pinkerton detective and his spirit photographer partner who battle supernatural forces in late 1800’s Boston.

Me: Which artists/writers have most influenced you in bringing BMS to life?

Madeleine: I have been a big reader all my life, but I came to comics late. My brother was a big superhero fan so I thought that’s all there was growing up. It wasn’t until I started adapting BMS from the TV pilot I wrote while at UCLA MFA Program in Screenwriting that I discovered that there was so much more out there. Which means my main influences were SciFi novel writers such as Lois McMaster Bujold, John Scalzi, C.J. Cherryh, Anne McCaffrey, Arthur C. Clarke, etc. and not comic book writers.

Emily: Eduardo Risso has always been a huge influence on me in everything artistically. I always look to his books for guidance and inspiration. Other such artists are Tomer Hanuka and Josh Middleton.

Me: Do you have time to still read comics? If so, which comics regularly appear on your pull list?

Madeleine: Yes. I review comics for Fanboy Comics (and the occasional novel). I usually review indies, but I’ve been having fun reviewing the TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE FINAL BATTLE series. I love to read so I try get some pages in before I go to bed every night.

Emily: I do! But far less than I used to in regards to American comics, because I was a huge fan of DC pre-new 52. Right now the only comic I regularly read is All New Ghost Rider by Felipe Smith and Tradd Moore.

Me: What can we expect from your future issues of BMS? Are you planning to further expand the story past the initial 6 issue run?

Madeleine: I hope to. I have a short comic series mapped out that focuses on Granville and another on Caitlin. But due to the financial burden of producing a comic, I’ll be writing BMS novels first.

Me: You have a kickstarter running at the moment for Issue 5, what’s been the draw and greatest aspect of using crowd funding like kickstarter?

Madeleine: Running a Kickstarter is a time sucker and since it’s only me running it I barely have time to eat let alone do any writing. It’s very hard unless you are a famous person so you have to try and prepare as much as possible before you launch to make it a little easier on yourself. But even then you can make mistakes and it doesn’t work out. This is the third Kickstarter I’ve run. The first failed, but I learned a lot from it. The second one was fully funded in under 48 hours, but this one has been tough. I have a feeling that I launched it at a bad time of year, i.e. end of summer. So we’ll see how it goes. I’m still hopeful though.

Me: What’s your favorite aspect of making comics?

Madeleine: Writing them then seeing Emily making my vision come to life. She’s awesome.

Emily: I love setting pacing, especially in big impact moment scenes, when the reader is about to find out something shocking. It’s very rewarding to finally get to the “pay off” of the page, so to speak.

Me: Hypothetical question now… Mulder and Scully are tasked with tracking down “the Stalker”, would they beat Hunter and O’Sullivan to the punch?

Madeleine: I would think so. They would have better technology at their disposal and probably better investigative skills just because of the advances made in criminology.

The kickstarter finishes on September 12th and you can donate to it here. You can check out all the previous issues and entries to the series at the BMS website here. you can also follow Madeleine on twitter here. Finally, Madeleine is appearing at the following conventions: Rose City (Portland) (Sept. 20-21), Long Beach Comic and Horror Con( Sept. 27 and 28), APE (Oct. 4 and 5) and the San Diego Comic Fest (Oct. 17-19)

Until next time

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

The world of comics is constantly expanding, and for the modern reader there is so much choice and variety out there it can be difficult to appreciate all the genres, characters and creators presented each week. With a multitude of publishers available comics exist now very much outside the core ‘Big Two’, indeed Image over the past few years have gained so much market-share due to their high quality produce there is an argument that now exists for a ‘Big Three’.

The purpose of this new monthly column, produced in conjunction with the UK`s Premier Comic Retailer Inter-Comics.com, is to pick some of the highlights (in my opinion, and discussion is welcomed!) out from forthcoming solicitations which will be available to order online and my ‘quick picks’ to pull. Due to the vast amount of comics available monthly these days, there will be a focus on Marvel, DC and Image; although there will no doubt be honourable mentions to such juggernauts as IDW, Boom, Dark Horse and hopefully all manner of ‘indie’ publishers.

Before we start properly, perhaps it is best to introduce myself for those who are unfortunate (or as some would say fortunate) enough to have avoided my presence for so long! I am a massive comic book fan; I was introduced to comics at a tender age as I was lucky enough to have an Auntie who owned a store in Canada who would ship boxes to me every so often. These musky boxes contained all types of characters, and I remember in the late 1980`s and earlier 1990`s being introduced to the likes of Lobo through the pages of L.E.G.I.O.N, Barry Allen as The Flash and, of course, Batman. This led to me having an obsession in my teenage years, and although I gradually read less as I got older and was introduced to the social extravaganza that is the teenage years, I always had a fixation with comics and pop culture in general. I was ‘re-introduced’ to reading comics again properly a good few years ago now, and like any ‘new’ reader this led to me mass buying back issue after back issue to catch up on everything.

Now, eventually, several years later although there are still things I want to read and catch up on, each month I find myself now eagerly scanning the solicitations to make sure I don`t miss out again on the next great read or the introduction of some brand new iconic characters. This has led to me building a not so insignificant pull list, but thanks to the new subscription service from Inter-Comics.com all that is needed is a few quick lines of text and they do the hard work for me and I just get the enjoyment that comes when freshly printed, crisp and bagged comics lands through the post box.

So with that brief introduction, and the formality that goes with it over and done with, it`s time to get scanning those previews and taking a look at what`s to come in November 2014.

Marvel

Following on from what promises to be an epic month in October, Marvel look to have raised the bar further with some of its published solicitations for this coming November. Readers are set to see the introduction of a different kind of Iron Man, a familiar character take over the mantle of Captain America, the continuation of the Axis event and all manner of ‘Spider-Verse’ books.
A much maligned variant cover has detracted somewhat from the return of a Jessica Drew solo series but Spider-Woman #1 from the team of Dennis Hopeless and Greg Land has the potential to be a great read. Of course this ties in directly with the events of the two issue series Spider-Verse, with #1 out in November. So if you like all things Spider-Man; or simply want to learn more about their world then these two books are definitely worth checking out. Of course, these aren`t the only Spidey related titles this month; highlights include the continuation of Dan Slott`s Amazing Spider-Man with issues #9 and #10, Spider-Man 2099 from acclaimed writer Peter David, another new book in Michael Costa`s mini-series Scarlet Spiders #1 and the finale of Nick Spencer`s fantastic run on Superior Foes of Spider-Man with issue #17. All these titles; and much more are available to pre-order from Inter-Comics.com.

November 2014 is also the month that Sam Wilson takes over the mantle of Captain America, and not only does he get to do it in his own solo series All New Captain America #1 from Rick Remender, but he also gets a good old fashioned team up book from Al Ewing in Captain America and The Mighty Avengers #1. It will be interesting to see how Sam copes with the added pressure of taking over from Steve Rodgers, but it is great to see Marvel bringing a much loved character to the forefront. Speaking of Avengers, November also sees the launch of Superior Iron Man #1 from writer Tom Taylor; which will see guest appearances from Daredevil and others as the reader is introduced to a character “more stylish, more confident, and more cunning than ever before.” Hopefully this will take Iron Man in a completely new direction, and serve to refresh the character to the same effect Superior Spider-Man had on its own title character.

Other Marvel highlights for the month include the Guardians of the Galaxy #21 where the Guardians will be visiting a world full of symbiotes, the continuation of Hickman`s epic run on Avengers with issue #38, the next issues in Thor and Bucky Barnes: The Winter Solider both on issue #2 after being introduced in October 2014, the brilliant Magneto from Cullen Bunn and if you liked the Guardians of the Galaxy movie be sure to check out Skottie Young`s all ages series Rocket Raccoon.

Each month I will highlight one book from each publisher that I simply urge you to pre-order and pick up from Inter-Comics.com; so consider this my Marvel quick pick recommendation for November 2014:

• All-New Captain America #1

Written by RICK REMENDER • Art and Cover by STUART IMMONEN

• This is it! The all-new, Spy-Fi, highflying adventures of Sam Wilson Captain America and Nomad begin here!
• Hydra is growing, the terrorist band have has infiltrated the Marvel Universe completely! But what is their ultimate goal?
• United by Hydra, Cap’s rogue’s gallery gathers to take down the new untested Captain America and Nomad!

32 PGS./Rated T+

DC

After what is predicted to be a stellar October for DC, November 2014 sees a creative shift on one of the New 52`s more consistent books and the arrival of another Batman related title.
Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang have been turning in a high quality book, loved by member of the Inter-Comics Podcast, month after month in the form of their Wonder Woman title. With issue #36 the title is set to face a significant change in direction. The creative team of David Finch and Meredith Finch will be taking over, and are set to introduce characters such as Swamp Thing into a new ongoing arc for Diana Prince. For those wanted to dip into the world of DC`s Amazonian Legend ahead of her introduction onto the big screen in Batman Vs, Superman: Dawn of Justice, this is the perfect jumping on point!

Talking of jumping on points, November sees the launch of a particularly interesting title for lovers of all things Bat-Family and the horror genre. Gotham By Midnight #1 is an all new ongoing title which will look at the ‘paranormal’ side of DC`s most famous city. From a creative team with a background in horror, Ray Fawkes writing and Ben Templesmith on art, this could take Gotham in a previously unheralded direction.

Other highlights from DC for the month include the continuation of Grant Morrison`s The Multiversity, with the release of The Multiversity: Pax Americana #1, in which the acclaimed writer will continue to do what he does best and give the reader a complex and compelling  narrative that keeps you coming back. Cullen Bunn`s Lobo will continue with issue #2, as will the other books introduced in October such as Klarion, Trinity of Sin and Deathstroke, which will hopefully develop the characters to both new and old readers.  Scott Snyder’s next big Batman story ‘Endgame’ continues in Batman #36, alongside the regular plethora of Bat-Family titles such as Batman Eternal #31 – #34, Batgirl #36 which continues with the new team of Cameron Stewart and Brendan Fletcher and the impressive Grayson from Tim Seeley with issue #4.

Also this month, DC continues its variant themes with the introduction of Lego covers for several books across the New 52. These covers are impressive and highly collectible, when Marvel did a similar range they flew off the shelves, so don`t forget to pre-order them at Inter-Comics.com.

Continuing the pre-order pick, the DC title that is not to be missed in November 2014 is;

• Gotham By Midnight #1

Written by RAY FAWKES
Art and cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
1:25 Variant cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

Strange doings are afoot in Gotham City! Look out, though – Jim Corrigan is on the case in this new series by writer Ray Fawkes (CONSTANTINE, BATMAN ETERNAL) and artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Ten Grand).

32 pg, FC • RATED T

Image Comics

Image is probably the publisher hardest to write for monthly; they are constantly producing new top-quality titles month after month. Guess what? It appears November 2014 is set to repeat that trend with the launch of several new titles from brilliant creative teams, and the continuation of some already well-established favourites.

One obvious stand out title comes from Matt Fraction and Christian Ward and according to Image is a ‘psychedelic sci-fi retelling of The Odyssey’. ODY-C #1 will look to appeal to all readers of sci-fi, lovers of cosmic chaos and could well be the next Image ‘must-have’, following on the mantle set by titles such as East Is West, Black Science and Manifest Destiny.

Whilst discussing ‘must-have’ titles, the previews of new fantasy title Tooth & Claw #1 from Kurt Busiek look superb. The first double-sized issue launches this November and has been described as a ‘high-fantasy epic’, if you’re a fan of Game of Thrones or fantasy in general be sure to pre-order this title as its set to be a big seller.

November looks to be a big month for Ray Fawkes, previously mentioned with Gotham By Midnight #1, he launches Intersect from Image too and has complete creative control over the books as he is on writing, art and covers. If you are a fan of his work, or are just looking to ‘dip you toe’ into the Image world this may be the books for you.

Other new titles launching this November from Image include mind-bending sci-fi series Drifter #1 from Ivan Brandon, the crazy looking The Humans #1 from Keenan Marshall Keller, Sinergy #1 from Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma which has the potential to become a sought after indie gem, and American Legends #1 – #5 which will see Image take a crack at the ‘weeklies’ market with a title depicting some stalwarts from America history of a madcap quest to take on Napoleon!

Every Image title is worth checking out and November sees the next issue of Rick Remender`s relatively new series Low with #5, Manifest Destiny continues to serve up thrills in issue #12, the brilliant horror series Nailbiter features a guest appearance from non-other than the legend that is Brian Michael Bendis in issue #7 and the ever popular The Walking Dead continues with #134, just what has turned the whispers into screams?

If you only want to buy one Image title this month and you’re looking for something new, the quick pick recommendation is the already mentioned ODY-C #1 from the brilliant Matt Fraction;

• ODYC #1
  

Written by MATT FRACTION
Art and Cover by CHRISTIAN WARD

An epic 26 centuries in the making: In the aftermath of a galactic war a hundred years long, Odyssia the Clever Champion and her compatriots begin their longest, strangest trip yet: the one home. A gender-bent eye-popping psychedelic science fiction odyssey begins HERE, by MATT FRACTION (CASANOVA, SEX CRIMINALS, SATELLITE SAM) and CHRISTIAN WARD (INFINITE VACATION, OLYMPUS). INCLUDES SPECIAL EIGHT-PAGE FOLDOUT!

40 PAGES / FC / MATURE READERS

To see this and the full range of Image Comics titles available for November, please check out Inter-Comics.com and reserve the titles using their new subscription service to ensure you never miss an issue again!

Other Titles of Note

In November 2014, Boom! Studios are launching two particularly noteworthy new titles. Deep State #1 comes from the mind behind Image Comics Spread and Dead Body Road, Justin Jordan and looks at conspiracy theories in an all new light. If you know your Koba`s from your Caesar’s and your Chimps from Orang-utans, then the new min-series Dawn of the Planet of the Apes #1 may be of interest. If you loved the recent film, why not continue the experience in print?

IDW continues its marketing ploys by combining two of their more popular titles with the publication of Transformers Angry Birds #1 from John Barber. This is more of interest to see exactly how it works; but will certainly appeal to children, how exactly will the ‘Allspark’ work on Piggie Island? This bizarre unification could lend itself to this being one of the years more somewhat ‘interesting ‘reads.
Dark Horse have published some must read mini-series` recently and November sees the conclusion of some of those;  both POP from Curt Pires and Dark Ages from Dan Abnett conclude with their respective issue #4`s.  Yet as some good things end, November sees the dawn of a book with some superb potential. Following on from his previous series Grindhouse, Alex de Campi brings readers its sequel; Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #1. If all those comics weren`t enough, and you and the kids’ weren`t taken with Transformers Angry Birds offering from IDW, Dark Horse are bringing us Itty Bitty Comics: The Mask #1 from Art Balthazar which is the first Mask comic in over a decade and with its cutesy art is sure to be a big seller.

So if you’re looking for a title outside the usual big hitters, the quick pick recommendation that should find its way onto your pull is Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #1;

• Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out #1 (Of 8)

Written by Alex de Campi
Art and Cover by R. M. Guéra

Grindhouse is back from the dead, and it’s meaner, badder, and dirtier than ever! In the first of four new exploitation opuses, Scalped’s R. M. Guéra joins series writer Alex de Campi for “Slay Ride,” a brutal holiday tale of revenge and supernatural terror in the driven snow!

FC, 32 pages

To Conclude

November looks set to be another month of non-stop comics, with something to appeal to everyone across all publishers and genres. I hope that you have enjoyed my look at some titles; and don`t forget if you see something that appeals to you they are all available to pre-order at Inter-Comics.com, the Uk`s premier comic retailer.

Don`t forget to check the fantastic range of premium toys and figures available in previews, as well as the ever expanding world of Pop Vinyl Funkos all available to order via Inter-Comics.com; please contact them if you are looking to order something not featured on the site and they will do their very best to accommodate your order. The guys from the Inter-Comics Podcast will be offering up their weekly picks so please tune in to them to see what they believe you should be buying.

Until next month, thanks for reading, and if you’re not bored enough of my ramblings you can catch more on Twitter @vintagelaureate. Have a great month!

Halfway through Issue #21 of Batman Eternal, you think that you are reading a filler comic. It isn’t bad, but is one of those issues that this series churns out every now and again, where the story is slowly built upon, but is mainly an excuse to add some character development to proceedings. Good, but not essential. However, when the comic hits the halfway point, it speeds right up to the maximum, hitting us with a terrific scene with Alfred, a brand new villain entering the fray (no spoilers, but he is one of my favourites!), and a twist that will shake the foundations of this story.

If it seemed that I was criticising the slower first half of the comic, I wasn’t. I like that the side characters were developed. We got to see a few tender moments from characters that are often overlooked in the grand scheme of things. Harvey Bullock has been on exposition duties from day one, but this issue, we get to see his take on the events of the last twenty issues. We get a sneak peek into the private life of Bard and Vicki Vale. Falcone turns out to still be a player in the conspiracy (he is much better now he is not centre of attention, but allowed to just show up and be menacing from time to time). These small moments might seem like they are time-wasting, which they might very well be, but it does make Batman Eternal feel like a bigger thing. Everyone is a three-dimensional character and it makes the events that unfold have a much more dramatic read.

Also, how badass was Alfred! Out of all of the supporting cast that never get truly explored in Batman, Alfred is usually the first to be dropped. He serves well for the origin and all of the stories that are closer to home, but for a lot of Batman stories, it’s hard to think up a reason to include him. Today, Alfred gets to show off. He is given an extended scene, where he just screams awesomeness from every angle. He has some great dialogue, handles a weapon impressively and somehow unleashes the Vulcan grip to put someone to sleep. I am glad that now Eternal has a bit of free time to explore new story avenues, Alfred was chosen to be a key part in the next one. I hope we get more moments like this from him.

And that twist at the end! I am still not sure what to think of it. It definitely surprised me, but I might need to go over a few of the previous issues to decide if it makes sense or not. I hope it is a planned twist and not something thrown in to make Eternal more jaw-dropping. The next few issues on this twist be fully handled will be make or break for Eternal. Like last issue with Spoiler’s reveal, it does have the same annoying effect of the civilian characters either becoming superheroes or bad guys, rather than just being ordinary for once. But at least with the latter, it has the promise of doing something genuinely interesting. For now, I am glued to Eternal and unable to guess what this story has in store for us.

Quote of the Issue:

Alfred: You have broken into my home. You are a threat to my family. Master Wayne might have a predilection against firearms… but I’m afraid he isn’t home right now.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Tomb Raider is back, with a brand new story. The series is on shaky ground right now, not winning over any new fans, but partially annoying the current Tomb Raider crowd. A new story could be just the ticket to make Gail Simone’s series feel more best-selling.

While trekking through Snowdon, commemorating a touching childhood moment she had with Roth, Lara is struck with a vision. The vision includes her dead friend, Alex, begging her to save his sister who is in peril from something. Lara makes a few phone calls and discovers that his sister is currently in the Ukraine. Her search leads her to Chernobyl, where it becomes clear she is stumbling upon something big, especially when strange Americans start asking questions about her all over the globe. It is a hit and miss start to the story, touching upon a couple of my pet story-telling peeves. One is the whole adventure kicking off, because of a vision. It is probably meant to tie in with the new Rise of the Tomb Raider trailer, where she visits a psychiatrist, but I felt the scene was too heavy-handed and convenient. I wasn’t sold. Also, we are still mentioning Yamatai and reintroducing us to the game’s characters every few moments. On the bright side, it does seem like Simone is trying to write them off, with Lara making the decision to go out on her own, rather than risking her friends. Yes, this issue has some big problems, but I am going to call this first issue syndrome and hope that its job was to rush through the necessary exposition and set up a good five issues of action.

My opinion of Dark Horse’s Tomb Raider is a weird one. I like it. I really do. It always seems to go off in the wrong direction (Yamatai as a plot point, needless flashbacks), but the core design (pun for the true fans), of this comic always shows promise. The dialogue is sharp, the action is crisp and Simone always finds time for Lara to be Lara (e.g.: the wolves!). There is the sense that this is the Tomb Raider comic we want, but we are just reading a rare, weak story. This is why the next few issues will be very important for the readers: was Gail Simone’s first story merely setting up the real comics she wants to write, or is this a series we could be better off dropping from our monthly costs?

Quote of the Issue:

American Detective: Why don’t you make me one of those delicious wheatgrass teas, pour it in the garbage and bring me a beer?

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Harley Quinn finally goes to Skate Club, where she is allowed to unleash her full Harley carnage on her opponents, without any repercussions. I had dedicated this entire paragraph to explaining the plot, but… that is about it. Um… next paragraph!

There Are No Rules is a pretty weak addition of Harley Quinn. I just don’t like the skating stories I think. They are predictable and don’t hit the mark quite as well as you want them to. I still stand by my point of the jokes being the same, but slightly bigger each time. Yes, the Skate Club format means that the bloody kill for a punchline is more gruesome than before, but it’s still the same format of joke. Harley takes a sport and turns it violent. We have laughed at this before. The banter between the team mates instantly isn’t as funny as it could be too. My biggest problem with this issue is that it feels separate from the rest of the characters, who are much more amusing to spend time with. The skater girls don’t really have their own personalities and just become a tool for the writers to fire jokes off of. If they never showed up again from this issue onwards, I doubt anyone would actually notice or care too much.

However, there is one sequence which is phenomenally funny. Harley gets knocked out and her mind travels to a galaxy far, far away, where we are treated to an extended sequence of an extra-terrestrial space fight. It is so random and out of the blue, (a new art style is used to highlight this), that you find it terrifically funny. The writers manage to tie it into the overall storyline by the end of the comic, but part of you didn’t want them to. I just wanted this four pages of alien nonsense to be a stand-alone gag that served no other purpose than to be wacky and zany. That is the Harley Quinn comedy I like.

I think this kind of issue comes with the territory of this kind of comic. Harley Quinn is a series where you are meant to sit back and just laugh. It doesn’t have the larger story arc or mystery that I get with Batman Eternal, but I accept that. It just means that every now and again, one of the issues doesn’t quite work. That’s OK, because I know that the next issue will probably hit the mark perfectly.

Quote of the Issue:

Isabella: (talking about Jaws) That film was propaganda against sharks. They are very misunderstood creatures.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

We have another double whammy of creators for you this time, with Kevin Joseph and Ludovic Salle co-creators of Tart. Within the lusciously drawn pages of Tart we meet Tart Acid and the world she inhabits, the world of The Toxic Fruit. From investigating the disappearance of a boy in 1950s New York, visiting a demon dimension and arriving at the coldest moment in the history of our planet, Tart is a time twisting adventure for fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and quirky, kick ass women led comics everywhere!

Initially starting off life as a webcomic, Tart has been successfully crowd funded through Kickstarter and is now available in trade paperback format.

Me: Where did the idea/inspiration for Tart come from?

Kevin: From our Co Creator Ludovic Salle’. I’ll let him go into it more specifically as he was playing around with the Toxic Universe long before we were introduced. I simply dove into his toybox and played with the toys I understood best.

Ludo: Tart comes from the universe that I created for my first series Hell Strawberry. Hell Strawberry is inspired by a multitude of references. From comic books to the cinema and television. The list would be too long because it is only a brewing ideas that swirl in my brain. But the most important for me is the Time Travel.

Me: As indie creators, how have you found getting Tart out there to potential readers? Do you guys have any advice for other upcoming creators?

Kevin: It’s absolutely the toughest part of the endeavor. Without a marketing budget (well, without any budget), without industry connections and without a name, what do you have? For us, we have a book we believe in passionately. So we try to turn every stone we can in building a readership.

I’ve found the most success getting the word out on Twitter. And this is where I have to mention a guy well known to Inter-Comics, Jay B. Webb. He was gracious enough to agree to read Tart before almost any other reviewer out there. Through his positive response we’ve been able to get our story in front of many podcasters, reviewers and/or other creators. So I see it all branching out from Jay being nice enough to open our pdf.

There really is an amazing group of indie comic lovers (writers, artists and readers) on twitter. Get into the conversation. They’ll lift you up like you’d never believe possible.

We also try to do as many appearances as we possibly can just to get the cover of the book into people’s minds. Small cons, local comic shops, Gallery shows (ok, this one’s Ludo only). If it’s affordable and we can make it, we go. As far as advice for these shows – don’t go in with the goal of making money. Go in with the goal of meeting comic enthusiasts and letting them know your book exists. You’re playing the long game here. Readers are what you need. If you set out to make money, you’ll quit before you reach the midpoint of the journey, much less the end.

Ludo: We make several conventions each year, allowing us to show our creations to a wider audience, which would not come to us. So it’s always a nice surprise and wonderful when we see the enthusiasm of new readers. But social networks do a big part of the work. Twitter and Facebook can target more widely. But there is nothing better than meeting people and talking with them, face to face.

Me: What sets Tart apart from other female led, demon/hell spawn comics like Buffy or JMS’s recent Apocalypse Al?

Kevin: Well I can answer the Apocalypse Al part of the question with an unequivocal, “I have no idea?” I am completely ignorant of that book. But Buffy… I’ve never shied from the fact that Buffy is, was and always will be a major influence on me as a writer. Whedon and his writing team crafted a show that made me laugh, worry, cry and exalt in The Scooby Gang’s adventures. If we can create any such an experience for Tart readers, I’ll consider the book an enormous success.

What sets us apart? Well I think a major theme of Buffy was being forced to accept the fact that you’ve been chosen for a life you didn’t want. Good, bad or hellish, Tart chose to be doing the job she’s doing.

Ludo I do not know Apocalypse Al, either. Regarding Buffy, I will not lie, it’s one of my biggest reference for this project. But I want to say that there is no marketing ploy from me to choose a female hero. It has always been obvious. I always did female characters. I’m always surprised that we still have to explain when a main character is a woman. We rarely ask a writer why his/her hero is a man, but it’s still a debate for a woman.

Me: If you could sell Tart in one sentence, what would you say?

Kevin: The time-traveling, demon-hunting girl next door.

Me: Who has most influenced yourselves in your work and how?

Kevin: I’ve already mention Joss Whedon, so I’ll reiterate that and throw in Neil Gaiman. Both of these writers are masters at leading the audience into an expectation and then turning the story onto its side. I love stories that surprise me and nobody does that better than the pair of Whedon and Gaiman.

Ludo: Like I said, many references. But like Kevin, Gaiman and Whedon are my favorites. Not only because they are great writers, but mainly because their sci-fi and fantasy universes are often an excuse to develop great characters. With the touch of magic that I like.

As an artist, I am influenced by a lot of painters and illustrators. I like Art Nouveau (Mucha, Klimt), fairy tale illustrations (Gustave Doré, Arthur Rackham). But also the contemporary artwork, the design. I like the works of James Jean (the covers of Fables), he has a perfect proficiency to mix traditional drawings and graphic elements. The art of J.H.Williams III on Batwoman is incredible, too. I try to work in this way.

Me: Do you guys still get time to read comics and if so, which titles are regular appearances on your pull lists?

Kevin: Little by little, I’ve run out of time. I still try, but I’ve honestly fallen off the wagon a bit. I’ve tended to start using my comic budget to support indie kickstarters lately. It’s still $25 to $75 a month on comics, but it makes me feel good in lots of ways. 1) There are some real gems out there. 2) I’m helping a creator put out a book that they probably couldn’t get out there any other way. And 3) With two books Kickstarted, it makes me feel a ton less hypocritical backing other projects I believe in.

Ludo: I try. I read some books of Marvel and DC but I’m lost with all the references that I don’t get. I keep to read Fables, Buffy, Hellboy.

I started Invincible, Empowered, Wizard of Oz.

Me: You’ve mentioned crowd funding as a way and means of getting Tart out there, what was the best aspect of that?

Kevin: Absolutely, positively the relationships it’s created. The goal of Kickstarter is raising money, and then producing and delivering your product. That’s great, don’t get me wrong. But it’s not the best part.

I never, ever assumed I’d make friends out of the process. We had backers raise their pledge at the last second just so we could pass a numeric milestone (even though it didn’t affect us being funded or a stretch goal). Backers from our first project apologize because they were funding us at a lower level in the second campaign. Think of that for a second. They’re giving US money to fund OUR dream, and THEY’RE apologizing for it.

The Kickstarter community as a whole is an amazingly supportive, friendly, fun and engaging group.

Me: What can readers expect in the future for Tart, as you say you have 3 – 4 years worth of story ready for her!?!

Kevin I can hear Ludo’s breath quicken an entire ocean away. Our skeleton of the series runs approximately 40 issues. But with Ludo supplying every bit of art, at the same time that he’s paying the bills with freelance graphic design, we doubt we’ll get those forty issues finished in 3-4 years.

But whenever we finish, our goal is to create a series that engages and surprises our readers throughout our run. When Tart’s story is done, we hope our readers are left with a satisfying and defined ending. We also hope they’ll be able to go back through and reread it finding more in the series than they might have on the first go around.

We won’t know that we’ve accomplished that for a good while, but it’s definitely the goal.

Ludo: Unfortunately, I can not project myself too far in the future, I do not know how fast I could work on the next issues of Tart.

The French way of work is about 48 pages a year (knowing that the artist is both the artist, inker, colorist, and sometimes letterer). I try to do better and provide more but it’s hard.

Me: What’s your favourite aspect of making comics?

Kevin: I’d normally mention the friendships I’ve made doing it, but I’ve already touched on that with the Kickstarter question. So instead I’ll say that right now, comics are the best way to get your work out and into the audience’s hands. I have two screenplays that I worked my tail off on sitting on my hard drive. I know people with novels written, that they can’t get anyone to read.

Comics on the other hand. You can photocopy and hand out a comic for free. You can self-publish a webcomic. You can print 20 or 30 copies through a digital printer and try your hand at selling them at Cons or LCS’s. You can Kickstart a large run of beautiful books. Or you can submit to the big boys and hope the right editor grabs your book.

The options aren’t limitless, but having your work experienced by an audience is easier in comics than in most any other media.

Ludo: That can be really hard, and headlock, and exhausting. But at the end, it’s always satisfying. I can’t live without making comics. It’s in my veins.

Me: Hypothetical now… Tart vs Buffy in a bounty hunting situation… Who’d get the demon first?

Kevin: Oh, God. You can’t do this. You’re asking me to pit my creation against one of my favourite characters ever created. Unfair. UNFAIR!

I can’t do it man. Everything I type seems unfair to one character or the other. I’ll say this. Mano e mano Buffy would beat the tar out of Tart. But Tart would persevere and figure out a way to survive. Buffy’s a fighter. Tart Acid is a survivor.

Ludo: Hmm… I guess Tart has to kill Buffy. Sorry. There can be only one. Oh sorry, It’s Highlander, right?

You can get Tart from Comixology here, check out Kevin and Ludo’s website here and like Tart on Facebook here. Kevin and Ludo are on twitter, so stalk and follow Kevin right here and Ludo here.

Until next time.

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

Wild Animals continues the streak of action-packed fight scenes. I slightly prefer the last issue, but at least Eternal seems to be picking up the pace at a rapid rate. Here, we get the conclusion of three storylines and the birth of another one.

We start off instantly with Batman, Croc and Bard taking on Ten-Eyes and his army of spectres. This storyline is tied up a little too neatly for me, but it does feature some neat set-pieces. I assumed that Ten-Eyes’ abduction of Gotham citizens would tie into Deacon Blackfire’s schemes, seeing as they both having ghostly figures lurking around the sewers as an integral part of their plot. Sadly, it seems that Gotham is just unlucky enough to have two supernatural invasions in one night. (While we are mentioning Blackfire, where has he got to? That imminent threat was a cliffhanger a couple of issues ago that has been shoved onto the back-burner). Essentially, reviewing this entire three issue story, we can chalk this up to a simple distraction from the ongoing story, which does make this finale a little flat. We wanted it to be another part of the conspiracy, yet now this entire side of Eternal is dead in the water. At the very least, it did give us some time with Killer Croc, who is always a fun character, and Bard’s development continues strongly. I can’t say I hated my time with these three heroes.

Gordon’s story comes to an end rather abruptly. It is all good, but I assumed there would be four issues worth of Falcone-fighting to get through. Gordon is apparently too efficient a hero for my liking. That being said, it is nice seeing him take on an army of goons using his wits. He hasn’t got the gadgets that Batman has, so it is rewarding to watch him hold his own in an action sequence. The downside of this story being cut short is that we never really got any more time with Falcone or the Penguin. I was hoping that they would get a few monologues out of their characters being mentioned again, maybe some more rationalisation with the wardens of Blackgate. I felt that would have been an interesting feature to have, but sadly the return of these two villains wasn’t so much of a return, but more of a prolonged cameo. On the plus side, there is a great twist to end this story, that I didn’t see coming. It adds a nice after-thought to the gang war saga that doesn’t bring too much to the plot, but adds a neat little layer of intelligence and development to the series.

Finally, Batgirl catches up with Falsario. This storyline suffers the most, as there is simply no time to do this one justice. I would have relished in Batgirl’s character a little more if I was writing this chapter. She is always threatening to break into her dark side and this fight would have been the ideal time for her to maybe go too far with the vigilante persona. As it stands, the sequence is cut drastically short, although it does add some more questions, which will keep Eternal on the watch list for comic-readers everywhere. I just hope that the ending development doesn’t mean that Batgirl’s arc has come to an end, as she was the most interesting sub-character of the lot.

And then there is one twist to end the comic. I don’t like it. A side character essentially adopts a superhero alter-ego and I didn’t see the point. I loved this character as a civilian, helpless against the corruption of Gotham. It was a new dynamic, yet now this character is yet another Robin knock-off. This storyline is now no different to the rest of Eternal. Not every character needs to be a superhero, yet the writers don’t seem to want to have a civilian develop without donning a costume at some point. I will be watching this side of Eternal with very judgemental eyes.

Quote of the Month:

Row: Go pluck yourself, Cobblepot.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

This time around we have the brilliant duo of John Lees and Iain Laurie, the talented creative team behind Comix Tribe’s new psychological thriller And Then Emily Was Gone. The story  is a dark horror-mystery that tells the story of Greg Hellinger, a man who sees monsters. A former detective driven to the brink of madness by terrifying apparitions, he is tasked with finding a missing girl called Emily. Hellinger’s search takes him to a remote community in the Orkney Islands, where strange and terrible things are happening…

The book itself had been making large waves at conventions throughout the country and is now available worldwide, and has been receiving rave reviews!

Me: Where did the idea/inspiration for And Then Emily Was Gone come from?

JOHN: I’d say that And Then Emily Was Gone is very much borne out of Iain Laurie and I getting together and thinking about what kind of comic we’d love to read.  I think that was very much the starting point: coming up with this idea we were sure no one but us would want to read, but to hell with it, we would love it!  And so it is a hodgepodge of influences taken from our shared loves: Twin Peaks and the work of David Lynch, Kill List, The League of Gentlemen, Hammer Horror, M.R. James, a bunch of other stuff.  And on my end, I was consciously writing what I hoped would be the ultimate Iain Laurie comic, with lots of riffs on some of the classic motifs that recur in his body of work.

Me: Where you both prepared for the level of critical acclaim the book has received, as every review I have read doesn’t drop below 9/10? Did you realise you were onto something special?

JOHN: I realised we were onto something special pretty early, pretty much as soon as Iain Laurie’s pages started popping up in my inbox.  And so, based just on the visuals, I felt the comic certainly deserved the kind of acclaim it’s getting now.  But even so, you never know if a book is going to connect with a wider audience, no matter how much you love it or how proud you are of it, so to see it being so highly praised and for that praise to be so widely circulated… yeah, it’s absolutely breathtaking, and incredibly gratifying.  It means a lot.

IAIN: I’m pretty blown away by it. I’ll be honest, I did this hoping we’d sell 50-60 copies to pals and maybe at some cons so all of this has been unexpected and really appreciated.

Me: Which artists/writers have influenced your creative styles the most and have any particular creators influenced the style/story of ATEWG?

JOHN: When thinking of the writers that have influenced me, the aforementioned David Lynch  and M.R. James immediately jump to mind.  Lynch’s films have this dream-like quality that I hoped to capture with And Then Emily Was Gone, and the ghost stories of M.R. James have this splendid knack for taking the horrific and melding it into the everyday that I hoped to emulate.  Other horror masters Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King certainly loom large too.  Thinking about comics in particular, Grant Morrison is a continued inspiration in how he pushes the boundaries of what comics as a storytelling medium can do.  And I’ll also give a nod to Scott Snyder for being a real maestro when it comes to generating blood-curdling dread on the comics page.

IAIN: So many for me..from comics Frank Quitely, Nick Pitarra, Rafael Grampa, Alan Davis, Ian Bertram, Paul Pope, Shaky Kane, Ken Reid and from other media people like Peter Howson, John Byrne, Edward Gorey, Ralph Steadman, Chris Morris, early Tim Burton. But the number one influence on everything I do is David Lynch. He’s my hero and everything I do is informed by his work.

Me: Just what is that sets And then Emily was gone apart from other psychological thrillers like Bedlam?

IAIN: I think the fact that it’s me and John. Our tastes and influences and way of thinking is what sets it apart I think.

JOHN: Yeah, there’s certainly a lot of me and Iain in this book.  On a similar note, I also feel the Scottish setting, and the fact we’re both Scottish creators, helps give it more of a unique vibe.  But more than that, we wanted to create something that felt different and somehow “off” from your average comic book, not just in the subject matter, but in the very way the book is put together: the aesthetic, the panel layouts, the choice of shots and the scene transitions.

Me: If you had to sum up ATEWG in one sentence, firstly could you and secondly, what would you say?

JOHN: I’ll take this one, since thankfully I’ve had a bit of practice at attempting this on the convention circuit.  Okay, here goes.  And Then Emily Was Gone is the story of a haunted police detective, plagued with horrific visions of monsters wherever he goes, whose search for a missing girl takes him to the Scottish Orkney Islands, where strange and terrifying things are happening!

Me: ATEWG is being released by up and coming publication house Comix Tribe, how did you come about working with them? Do you both have any advice for up and coming creators out there trying to get noticed?

JOHN: I already had a good relationship with ComixTribe through working with them on The Standard, so it felt like a natural choice to approach them with And Then Emily Was Gone.  As for what advice I’d give, like I touched on in the first question, I’d say  make the comics that you’d want to read.  Don’t make something that you think other people might like in hopes that you’ll one day get to tell the story you really want to tell.  That day may never come!  And you’ll have to spend a lot of time at conventions pitching this comic over and over, and if you’re trying to get noticed, you’ll have to sell this to publisher after publisher and editor after editor.  You better love that story.  Because if you don’t love it, and believe in it 100%, how can you expect anyone else to?  Tell the stories that you want to tell, now.

IAIN: The advice I’ll give is something Frank Quitely once said that I stand by- do your own thing that you’re driven to do and if you’re lucky and good, people will be drawn to it. And also be influenced by other people but try and find your own ways of doing things.

Me: What is your favourite aspect about making comics? Why comics over prose or gallery work?

IAIN: I’m really not sure..I was exposed to comics and films at a young age and i was pretty drawn to the idea of both of them, creatively. But film was a far away world whereas comics were accessible and you could make your own with felt pens and a drawing pad so I think that’s what got me started and stayed with me.

JOHN: I really enjoy the structure of writing for comics.  Thinking of how you’re going to shape your narrative into a limited number of panels on a limited number of pages, how you’re going to pace the story, play to the page turns.  I also love the collaborative process of working with an artist.  Where my words are filtered through an artist’s visuals, and the end result is this symbiotic combination of our two creative voices… then the colourist and the letterer bring a part of themselves into the mix as well.

Me: Things must be getting pretty hectic now following the release of #01, do you still get time to read comics and if so, which titles regularly appear on your pull list?

JOHN: I read so many comics.  Image Comics seems to occupy the bulk of my pull list at the moment: The Manhattan Projects, East of West, Saga, Sex Criminals, Chew, The Walking Dead, Five Ghosts, Drumhellar, Stray Bullets, Deadly Class, Southern Bastards, probably some other comics I’m forgetting.  Marvel is also really on a tear right now: Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic is shaping up to be possibly the greatest Thor saga ever told, while Loki: Agent of Asgard fills out the Asgardian end of the Marvel Universe nicely, and I’m really digging Marvel Cosmic at the moment, Guardians of the Galaxy, Legendary Star-Lord, and Rocket Raccoon by Skottie Young.  I’m still reading and enjoying Batman and Swamp Thing from DC, and Boom Studios are currently putting out some really interesting horror titles like The Woods and The Empty Man.

IAIN: My comic reading habits are the same as they were in my childhood so i tend to pick up stuff like Batman and The Avengers. Just comfort food comics. I read pretty much anything Jonathan Hickman or Grant Morrison do so I do love The Manhattan Projects and East Of West. I really like Jason Aaron’s Thor a lot.  Ghosted is good fun. Mostly I wait until stuff is recommended to me. I’m more proactive with films and TV than I am with comics.

Me: Can you let on as to what is still in store for Greg Hellinger and his search for Emily in future issues, and do the pair of you have plans to work on any other titles?

IAIN: Greg’s got some weird stuff coming up. He’s my favourite character so I’ve been concerned by what John’s been putting him through. Poor guy:) After Emily we’ve got quite a few half formed ideas and two really solid ones. But we’ll wait ’til we’re done with this before getting into them.

JOHN: I would happily work with Iain until the end of time, or until Iain gets sick of me!  As Iain says, we’ve talked over a few possible future projects, though there’s one in particular that I’m excited about and have already found myself thinking about quite a bit lately.  As for what lies in store for Hellinger, all I’ll say is that things are going to get a lot darker… and a whole lot weirder!

Me: Finally, a hypothetical question now. Hellinger is called in to investigate the mysterious goings on in Summerisle, as in the Wicker Man film. Would he end up like Edward Woodward or would he manage to escape that fate?

JOHN: I like this question!  Hellinger would fare a lot better than Edward Woodward, I think, as his unusual investigative insight would quickly alert him to the fact that something was up on Summerisle.

IAIN: That’s a great question. I think he’d survive it and I can’t tell you why because it would spoil stuff, but let’s say Greg’s got something up his sleeve that Edward Woodward didn’t. Stay tuned!

You can pick up Issue #1 of And Then Emily was Gone from Comixology here, delve into the minds of Iain and John on their Twitter accounts (Just click their names) and the comic’s own Facebook page here and finally, the guys have their own website for all things Emily here. This book is causing a stir and I highly recommend picking it up, especially if you are a fan of psychological horror stories!

Until Next time…

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

Thank you Gerry Duggan; this is what I’ve wanted to see in my main Batman title.

Batman #34 is a wonderful one issue story called ‘The Meek’ which is a welcome break from reading some really long story arcs. The plot is your standard find the murderer book, but instead of using copy-cat killers or any of the usual big names we get a nameless, disposable villain; which in my opinion does the book a lot of favours.

The book felt very ‘Black Mirror’ to me, especially in terms of tone, which is interesting as Scott Snyder is credited as co-writing the story to this issue. One observation I have made on Snyder’s work before is that he doesn’t write about Batman, he writes about Gotham and features Batman within the book, but I don’t think I can honestly say the same about this story.

I found that the art style of this book was also similar to that of ‘Black Mirror’ and both really fit the narrative of their stories. What I really like about the art in this book (by Matteo Scalera) and Black Mirror (Jock) is both artists can really build tension and atmosphere without making anything feel over the top. I also loved Scalera’s Batmobile, it seemed like a beautiful mixture of the Killing Joke Batmobile, the Tim Burton Batmobile and the Tumbler.

It has to be said that Batman doesn’t get the most ‘screen time’ this issue, but his dialogue and actions make him feel like a benevolent and vengeful guardian of Gotham, which to me makes him closer to the core of the character, rather than the anger filled Batman we’ve seen in the bigger story arcs. I actually found this issues Batman more in line with the Animated Series interpretation.

To focus more on the comparison to the Animated Series; when Batman ultimately apprehends the villain of the story he doesn’t just lock him in Arkham, he adds a twist to the punishment so the villain doesn’t get any ‘reward’ from his actions. Touches like that that made me fall in love with the animated series, and if Snyder can continue to produce good characterisation like this then I’m eagerly awaiting his newer issues.

Even though I am a reader of Batman Eternal, I found the two page spread at the start of the book a brilliant way to recap what had happened in the Batman world before and during the publishing of Zero Year; it wasn’t an overload of exposition and it felt natural to the events of the plot.

For anybody looking to get into the New 52 Batman titles without having to wade through back issues or pick up a bunch of trades I would certainly recommend this to you, and for anybody up to date on their Batman titles I would recommend this as a brilliant story of Batman being Batman.

For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989

Out of all of the upcoming Harley Quinn issues previewed online, this was the one that I was a little unsure about. The brief summary tells us that Harley Quinn will be covering as a burlesque dancer at a bar. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes; I love Harley Quinn, but I really didn’t want to see the writers try and use the comic to act out their Harley Quinn skin suit fantasies.

The first part of this issue plays out exactly like that. Harley is getting ready for a show and we already see her half-nude, essentially becoming the male fantasy for the night. She goes on stage, takes off most of her clothes and kisses another woman. In fact, she nearly rips the clothes off of her co-dancer (who was already pretty scantily-clad), in one frame. It is all a little too voyeuristic for me. It is clear that the male readers are meant to be sitting back and enjoying some Harley skin, but it doesn’t sit right with me. There is nothing wrong with being attracted to Harley Quinn, but there is something degrading about seeing the actual character reduced to some eye candy. This series was doing so well at giving us a strong Harley figure, but this has just taken the ‘sexy’ trait to the character too far. For me, this does not work and is not something I want to see in future issues.

Thankfully, the burlesque club is actually little more than a narrative device to get the real story rolling. Harley, in a punch-up in the burlesque club, gets knocked out and taken hostage by a police officer. Or at least, she thinks he is a police officer. It turns out that he is an obsessive stalker that wants to lock Harley into a cage, until she falls in love with him. Of course, Harley Quinn has a way of making the madcap, even madder, so it isn’t long before she is treating the cage like a throne and having her hostage-taker run errands around town. This was a really funny scene and showed Harley in a position of power. If I was to pick hairs here, I would have to mention that this story still revolves around how hot Harley is. The writers try to cram in as many euphemisms for ‘ass’ that they can. I don’t mind this form of sexual innuendo in the comics, as here it degrades the men in the story, rather than Harley, but seeing as it does closely follow the burlesque scene, it feels like a small improvement, rather than winning me back over.

Thankfully, Harley Quinn is never anything less than laugh out loud. It always has a joke just around the corner to keep me entertained. Sure, the burlesque scene annoyed me, but the hipsters in the crowd were worth a chuckle. The hamster still has a bullet hole taken out of him from a while back. The endless Staten Island jokes. It was hilarious to watch Harley break down the Miranda rights in such a funny fashion. The gags keep hitting the mark so well, how can I truly write this comic off. Harley Quinn is a tough character to write for and no matter how good previous issues have been, we must respect that this is always a tricky challenge. This is one particular issue where the writing lost its way, yet the jokes kept it on a steady enough course to avoid total failure.

And one interesting note: the first page introduces a new over-arching storyline. One of Harley’s tenants has a son in prison and has a plan to spring him out that involves Harley. Just a taste of what’s to come, but it helps keep us riveted.

Quote of the Issue:

Hipster 1: I’m going to titter how dismayed I am to all of my followers.

Hipster 2: Me too! I’ll insta-slam the ass off this place.

First things first: best title ever.

And now onto the rest of the comic. This was quite a jam-packed issue, but in the right way. It cleverly picks up three stories that each have something different to offer. Batman carries on from last issue, tracking down the mysterious kidnappers in the sewers, teamed up with Killer Croc and Bard. It is nice to see these three great characters, even if they do little more than lurk around and look awesome (the artwork for Croc is terrific). Then we have a brand new plot-line with Jim Gordon. Falcone and Penguin are continuing their gang war from inside Blackgate Prison and Gordon finds himself in the position where only he stands between the convicts and the lives of several prison guards, taken as hostages. It is a triumphant return for an important, yet sometimes overlooked character. Finally, all chaos breaks out, when Batgirl, Red Hood and Batwoman take on Falsario, one of the biggest leads we have been given yet.

The pacing works, because we have a beginning of a plot-line, the middle of a plot-line and then, a massive punch-up. We need to get through the opening exposition of Gordon’s new story arc and we also need to progress with Batman’s descent into Arkham, but the writers understand that this should never sacrifice fun. The truth is, none of the readers overly mind the slow exploration of Batman Eternal, but we just need some action to spice things up a bit. Therefore, when we are given a great fight between a brain-washed Batgirl, a slave to her anger, and Red Hood, we don’t mind breaking away occasionally to spend long scenes with little more than exposition. We never hated any of the story-building or scene setting; we just needed something a little more to make picking up a certain issue worth it.

But best of all, I am barely able to wait for the next issue. This Blackgate prison riot is a side of the Batman universe that I love, especially if we don’t have Batman to help save the day, but need to rely on a cop, who has had his hands behind his back from the very start of this series. The cliff-hanger is pretty epic and I hope it promises another great punch-up next time around. One without the supernatural illusion tricks that made the last Batwing finale a little mediocre. And while the action was certainly more hyped than usual, the Batgirl investigation isn’t over. She still has to track Falsario down, who is an interesting figure, as he does have the powers to make Gordon think he saw a gun on that subway station. Despite that arc being up and down, I think that is the advantage it has over every other plot-line: it brings the mystery right back to Issue #1, grounding this massive serial of a Bat-story.

Quote of the Issue:

Red Hood: Me, I only remember what’s important. Like the day I met Batgirl.

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

We have writer/artist Zak Simmonds-Hurn in the spotlight this week, he is the sole creator of his own series Monstrosity, which has issues #1 & #2 out already and he is a regular contributor to The Phoenix, an all ages comic which was recently featured in a Guardian article entitled ‘The Phoenix: The best kids’ comic in ages’, where it was proclaimed as “a phenomenon: a beautiful, enjoyably silly story magazine for girls and boys”. Zak does work on the Simon Swift and Sky Drifters segments!

Me: Where did the idea/inspiration for Monstrosity come from?

Zak: To begin with it was inspired by a strong love of action manga and Videogames and wanting to create a really dynamic, action-packed comic full of cool monsters and fighting- something that had the same impact as the battles in God of War or Bayonetta.

It evolved a lot though- Monstrosity still has plenty of action, but the focus in the finished comic is definitely mostly on the characters and story; if you don’t care about what happens to the character then even a great action scene is ultimately meaningless.

Me: What sets Monstrosity apart from other Anime style comics?

Zak: I think that despite there being some design elements that may be familiar to anime and manga fans, my approach to storytelling in Monstrosity is probably more westernised. I grew up reading British and American comics from a very young age, and although I was first exposed to manga when I was about seven I didn’t start reading any myself until Viz released Dragonball in English eight years later.

Monstrosity is a hybrid of many influences from around the world, but I’d like to think that when people read it it just feels like its own unique thing, rather than a weird amalgam.

Me: If you could sell Monstrosity in one sentence, what would it be?

Zak: Monstrosity is an action-adventure comic about a man who is given demonic powers which he will be slain for possessing, unless he can learn to master them for himself.

Me: Which artists and writers have most influenced you in bringing Monstrosity to life?

Zak: For me it all started with Sonic The Comic in the early 90′s. The creators really gave their all to produce a fantastic comic and, aged 7, it made me want to be able to do what they did for a living one day! So that would be Nigel Kitching, Richard Elson, Nigel Dobbyn and Lew Stringer to name just a few.

Since then, other influences include Mike Parobeck and Rick Burchett’s Batman Adventures work, Joe Mad’s Battle Chasers stuff, Juanjo Guarnido, Eiichiro Oda, classic Disney animation and anything by Katsuhiro Otomo!

There are loads more but it would take forever to list them all!

Me: One of your stories, Simon Swift, appears in The Phoenix, a comic which The Guardian recently did a great piece about, calling it the best kids comic around. How did that come about?

Zak: I worked on The Phoenix’s predecessor, The DFC, quite a few years back.

Robin Etherington and I did a series of short tales for it titled The Strange, Strange World of Weird! It was sort of like a kids version of the Twilight Zone, but with a very wacky sense of humour!

When The Phoenix started up they got in touch and asked me if I had any ideas I’d like to pitch to them. After a couple of rejected pitches they accepted my idea ‘Sky Drifters’, a story about a Puffin called Tod who pilots a flying cloud and gets separated from his people. After that, the Editor Will put me in touch with Tom Fickling who had written a fantasy adventure tale called Simon Swift, they asked if it sounded like something I’d be keen on drawing and it absolutely was!

Me: Do you still have time to read comics? And what comics regularly appear on your pull list?

Zak: Whilst time can be pretty tight sometimes, I just can’t resist reading comics.

First off, I’m obsessed with One Piece; when it’s at its best I think it’s the best comic around. I’m also really glad that Berserk seems to have started up again, that is an unbelievably great series, it’s just a shame it comes out so slowly!

Obviously The Phoenix has loads of amazing work every week; I’ve really been enjoying Neill Cameron and Kate Brown’s Tamsin and the Deep.

I started reading Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman run recently and have been blown away- also Tradd Moore on All New Ghost Rider and Stuart Immonen on All New X-Men are ridiculously impressive too.

Image are releasing tons of amazing books at the moment, Saga, Lazarus, Walking Dead- there are so many great series out right now. In fact I think the comics scene is the most vibrant it’s ever been!

Me: What can we expect in the future from Monstrosity and from yourself?

Zak: Well, in issue 3, Daigo will have to find a way out of his current, very tricky, situation; but soon enough he’s going to have to come face to face with the Demon Trolle Vengus, who for some reason believes he has history with Daigo. We’ll also learn much more about the Ninja clan and the history of the city, all things which will change how Daigo sees the world forever!

I’m currently working on both Monstrosity issue 3 and a brand new Sky Drifters tale for The Phoenix- I think it’s Tod’s most exciting adventure yet- lots of twists and turns to look forward to! Also Tom is writing the next series of Simon Swift at the moment, so expect more of that in several months’ time.

I’m also working on sketches for something else that it’s probably too early to talk about at the moment, but I think it’ll be really exciting- watch this space!

Me: What’s your favourite aspect of making comics?

Zak: It always used to be drawing, but now it’s harder to pin down for me. It sounds a bit vague but I think it’s the thrill of creating something.

Inventing characters and worlds and weaving a story that brings them to life on the page is a very potent thrill and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do it every day.

Me: Hypothetical now, who would win in a seaside boxing machine contest: Goku or Daigo Bezalel?

Zak: I think they would both break the machine!

If it came down to an arm-wrestle then Goku would have to win though. Daigo’s demon-powered form is tough, but Goku makes even Superman look weak, so I think there’s no shame conceding defeat to him!

You can catch Zak on twitter here, he has his own website packed chockablock with goodies here and he’ll be selling Monstrosity at the following conventions this year: Comica Comiket (16th August), N.I.C.E. (13th-14th September) and Thought Bubble (15th-16th November), so make sure to head out and say hi!

Until next time…

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985

This was a much stronger effort from Batman Eternal, mainly because we finally got to see Batman be Batman for an extended time. The issue is split fairly between Batgirl’s investigations in Brazil, as she teams up with Red Hood and Batwoman (why did Batgirl and Batwoman have to be sent on the same adventure? This is far too confusing for novices like myself!), and then Batman’s pairing with Bard. There is also a nice sprinkling of Jim Gordon, a character we must not forget is at the heart of this entire saga.

It is good to see Bard back in good guy duties. As much as I liked his darker tone in the last few issues, I don’t want him to become a villain. I prefer him as one of the good guys, just someone who is willing to go down a slightly darker route than Batman. Here, he is thrown out of his league, as he takes on one of the more infamous figures in the Batman rogue gallery, the Killer Croc. It is a nice position to have Bard in, because at the end of the day, he is your typical police officer, way out of his league. This issue reflected that nicely, especially when contrasted with Batman’s cool and steady demeanour of going about things. It is great to see Batman get reintroduced to his own story, especially when pitted against Croc. As much as I like discovering less known Batman villains like Deacon Blackfire and the Joker’s Daughter, it is nice to have an issue grounded with a more prominent villain. Killer Croc ticks that box excellently, fantastic in every frame he is in. Croc is interesting throughout the entire arc and as the writers point out in one ghostly frame, he is no longer the scariest thing lurking in the Gotham sewers.

The Batgirl storyline has been dragging its feet for some time. I liked Batgirl’s arc, because unlike a lot of the Robins that have been shoe-horned into the plot, she has a genuine reason to be involved with Eternal. However, despite the interesting premise, the storyline hasn’t really gone anywhere. One issue went for comedy over drama, while there hasn’t been a strong enough villain for Batgirl to face off against. She is paired with two characters that I don’t care much for. Red Hood is intriguing, but hardly someone I am clamouring to find out more about, while Batwoman hasn’t shown any personality as of yet. Her appearance feels like it is referencing her as an ongoing figure in the Batman universe, rather than giving her anything worthwhile to do. However, the issue does make me think twice about condemning this strand of plot. The issue ends with Red Hood reflecting on Batgirl, juxtaposed with frames of her beating up a bunch of goons. It is a terrific sequence and a great read.

Then we have Jim Gordon. His storyline doesn’t really progress, but it does offer up some nice details. We see a glimpse of Falcone, which is a nice touch. I don’t like it when villains are defeated and then written out of the plot. Eternal has been good with that, as evidenced by Professor Pyg. This issue is great with the small touches and I think that is what takes a comic book from good to great.

Quote of the Issue:

Bard (about Batman): Does he always talk to himself like that?

For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com

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Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!

This time around we have the double pronged attack of Slorance and Bell or Slorabell! It’s everyone’s favourite Dungeoneers Neil Slorance and Colin Bell, co-creators of the magnificent all ages comic Dungeon Fun, not a self help guide to creating a BDSM lair, but an action/adventure comic in the vein of Zelda! Voted 61st best comic of 2013 by CBR and recently sweeping the board at the Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards, it is a genuinely funny piece of work that everyone can enjoy and should be thrust in front of every school child in the UK!

Neil and Colin’s Dungeon Fun #1 was launched at Thoughtbubble 2013 and #2 is out now! So let’s get down to the nitty gritty!

ME:  First off, congratulations on winning all the SICBA awards (as I am aware you guys wiped the slate!) Also, congratulations on being named the 61st best comic of 2013 and ALL the other accolades you’ve both been garnering! How have things been for the pair of you?

Neil: Great, the attention’s been a bit unbelievable. It’s still sinking in that we won 4 SICBAs and the response from Dungeon Fun 2′s been great.

Colin: Thanks! Things are pretty, pretty good.

Me: So, Dungeon Fun #2 is now out! For new readers, can you explain what sets Dungeon Fun apart from comics like Adventure Time, Regular Show and other all ages comics?

Neil: It’s a different sense of humour for sure. It definitely has a more british feel to it a bit like Monty Python and it’s also one big story as opposed to a one-story-per-episode kind of thing.

Colin: It’s the only comic with that trademark “Slorabell Feeling”, and it comes out far less often.

Me: If you were asked to sell Dungeon Fun in one sentence, what would that sentence be?

Neil: It’s all ages fantasy fun and I think it’s great so you should read it.

Colin: BUY THIS COMIC OR NEIL CAN’T EAT *points to Neil making hungry face*

Me: Where did the inspiration for Dungeon Fun come from, both in writing and art style, and who were the biggest influences on your styles?

Colin: The inspiration really came from the intitial sketch Neil drew, and then it all just spilled from there. Influence wise, I’m going to say Billy the Fish, Bone, Comedy Bang Bang… I’ve been listening to a lot of Welcome To Night Vale lately so I’m keen to see if that affects issue three at all.

Neil: From the art side of things I’ve always been influenced by adventure games like Zelda, anything to do with dungeon crawling, swords and chests is right up my street. Fun’s design was influenced a lot by Wind Waker.

Me: What with all the awards, conventions, interviews and of course making comics, do the pair of you still get time to read comics and if you do, which comics are a regular appearer on your pull lists?

Colin: I’m still hanging in there, barely. Locke and Key’s finished, but it was amazing. I pick up Daredevil because I’ve been picking up Daredevil forever – luckily it’s been pretty great for the past few years now. I’m still getting Invincible because Ryan Ottley, and when it’s in its prime there’s nothing close to it. Also Michel Fiffe’s incredible COPRA. True story: The first print of Dungeon Fun Book One were all hand numbered because I saw Michel Fiffe do it on the first issue of COPRA. It is to date the stupidest and most time-consuming decision I ever made.

Neil: I’ve fallen back a bit with the weekly wednesday comics, the last I got was the new Amazing-Spiderman about 2 weeks ago and I still haven’t read it. I do buy a lot of indie and small press though, it’s a lot easier to keep up with since it’s mostly all self contained and I tend to enjoy the stories more.

Me:  What’s your favourite aspect of making comics? What drives you to keep doing it?

Neil: I just love seeing a page come together, especially at the final stages when the colours are going in it almost feels like it’s coming to life. I also love hearing from kids and stuff, the other day I saw a girl dressed up as Fun and it just made my day to see my work had an impact like that.

Colin: It’s just the little things, you know? Once every so often I get to see a book I made sit on the new release shelf of the comic shop I’ve been going to since I was a lad. Or when the boxes of comics arrive and you take one out, and it’s yours – an idea once in your head has taken form in this tangible wee book. Or any time a kid asks “when’s the next one coming out?”. That’s just the best.

Me:  What do you in store for readers for future issues of Dungeon Fun? Do the pair of you have plans to work on any other projects together? Also, Neil, do you have any plans for sequels to The Amateur Astronomers Journal or any new travelogues in the works?

Neil: We’re going to keep on with Dungeon Fun for sure and hopefully have a pop at more all ages comics. I’m going to finish my 3rd travelogue in the next month or so which will wrap up the whole story then after that I have a few ideas for what I can do next year. A lot of these ideas involve tortoises.

Colin: Yep, plenty more Dungeon Fun. What do we have in store? DUNGEONHAM. I’ve said too much! I think we’d definitely like to do some more comics together, I’ve got a couple of pitches for some other stuff in the works as well.

Me: Tell us about your publishing house Dogooder Comics! What can we expect to see being released in the future?

Colin: Dogooder Comics is a boutique small-press publisher dedicated to bringing entertaining and interesting comics to the wooooooorld! Right now we’re concentrating on Dungeon Fun and Owen Michael Johnson’s fantastic REEL LOVE, but I would be surprised if we didn’t have a couple of new books ready for Thought Bubble. Stay tuned!

Me: Finally, Hypothetical question now. If Finn & Jake from Adventure, the My Little Pony gang, Mordecal & Rigby and Fun had a mudman making contest… who would win?

Neil: Well Jake has those wacky stretchy arms, I think he’d be the best but I’d guess Fun would chop it down just cos.

Colin: The fans! The fans would win. Always the fans.

For all your Dungeon Fun needs, check out dogoodercomics.co.uk to order both issues and also to check out Reel Love. You can follow Colin’s twitter exploits here and Neil’s dungeon crawling adventures here. They also have a Dogooder facebook page which you can check out here and Neil has his own here.

Until next time.

Rob Jones is an honourary Yorkie, but for the life of him, he can’t understand why. He writes articles, is attempting to write comics and his life ambition is to own a solid gold Donkey… For more comic news, reviews and the odd bit of sense, follow Robin on twitter @Hulksmash1985