The Obamas are this year's zombies

Seriously...

...I give it a month until someone produces an Obama zombie variant.

CLICKEE for a whole page of Obamarama cash-ins

Contact lenses of the stars

London Loves Comics has already brought you Swastika contacts...

and Green Lantern contacts...

Now be the envy of all your chums with these fabulous new Conan contacts...

THEY CALL ME MR CROMTASTIC!

Green Lantern #37

Green Lantern #37 is the best mainstream super-hero comic I've read in yonks. The cover is pretty rank - scantily clad thin woman puking blood, (a bit like a backstage scene from London fashion week I imagine), but once you open the book, well it's just spandex glory from start to finish.

Storywise, you've got Sinestro crucified on the prison planet Ysmault by the Red Lanterns who kidnapped him from the Green Lanterns who were taking him to Oa to be executed. 

Hal Jordan makes his way to Ysmault to bust Sinestro out. He's accompanied on this mission by the Blue Lanterns (a slowworm and an elephant with multiple piercings!) who reckon they can turn everyone (including Sinestro) into peace-loving tree-huggers through the power of hope. Meanwhile, Sinestro's own nasty Yellow Lanterns are also on their way to Ysmault to get their leader out of the shit. Long story short, the Red, Yellow, Blue and Green Lanterns all end up on Ysmault with predictably violent results. 

Predictable and yet wonderful. Honestly, reading this comic is like climbing into the head of a very intelligent nine-year old and watching them play with action figures. That might sound like a creepy nightmare to your average, well adjusted adult, but for the emotionally retarded fan boy, it's as damn near close to perfection as a comic from the big two can get.

Geoff Johns is a master at this sort of thing and this is him at his very, very best. There's no attempt to take the comics high ground, this is all about Johns having fun layering on alien after alien after alien and making them fight each other. It's breakneck stuff that clobbers the reader over the head with one action-packed panel after another; tearing along until it reaches a fantastic cliff-hanger on page 22 which reaffirms my faith in the power of single issues.

Artist Ivan Reis (one of the most under appreciated pencillers working for the big two) tears it up big time, peppering the pages with fantastic looking, dynamically rendered aliens that leap off the page in a frenzied whirl of motion. It's high-grade inter-galactic nonsense, a masterpiece of mainstream comics that moves the ongoing "War of The Rings" story onto a new chapter while at the same time managing to be an outstanding stand-alone example of comics escapism.

Loved it.

Scott Pilgrim and the stinking old comic collectors of London

Afternoon imaginary web pals. A couple more items of London related comic news for you today...

First up, Hayley at Gosh! has asked me to let everyone know that Gosh! are celebrating the release of Scott Pilgrim V5 with another of their brand spanking lovely new bookplate specials. As someone who owns a copy of the Hellboy Darkness Calls Fegredo bookplate edition, I can confirm that it's well worth picking up one of these beauties.

Anyone interested in getting their hands on a bookplated Pilgrim should follow THIS LINK to Gosh!'s website. While you're there, make sure to read Hayley's excellent weekly updates on what's new in store. And, if you want to know just how AWESOME the new Scott Pilgrim is, you could do worse than read the thoughts of blogger number #1, Chris Sims.

I've ordered my copy. But while I love me some Pilgrim, I have to admit that reading it does make me feel ancient. If you're too wizened to cope with the surreal antics of a 20something Canadian and his friends, may I suggest that you get yourself along to London town's February comic market...

Here you'll be able to rub dandruff covered shoulders with the capital's ageing back issue hunters and pick up some reassuringly old comics. But get there early chums, this month's mart will be busier than usual as it comes with added Obama...


Should I get my flyer slabbed now?

Here are the directions....

...if you get lost, just follow the stink.

Smart Dog talks pseudoscience

The Starsensor never lies and neither does the improbable talking dog...


With patter like that he'd be at home on Star Trek

New Orbital

To Orbital's new shop in Great Newport Street.

Unfortunately I overslept and missed the 10.30am opening bell, but Orbital stalwart Damian informs me that there was a queue of people waiting outside long before the doors opened - Amazing what the promise of a 50% off sale and a free goodie bag can do.

By the time I did eventually roll up (around oneish) most of the back issue bargains I had been hoping to pick up had gone, but the opening day party was still in full swing with costumed extras aplenty doing their bit to get people into the shop...

Err, yeah that's me doing a passable impression of fat Dan Dreiberg. 

Hurrm.

Anyway, as the shot above shows, the finishing touches are still being put to the new premises, but I can report that it's a MASSIVE improvement on the the subterranean shop that Orbital used to occupy. Obviously the fact that it's above ground helps, but there's also a heck of a lot more space in the new gaffe meaning that the staff can get a bigger chunk of their extensive back issue stock out onto the shop floor and, in time, ramp up their selection of trades.

Sensibly, the new comics have been positioned at the front of house in the brightest spot in the shop...

The back issues are further back, and interestingly Orbital have chosen to use the back room of the premises as a gallery which is currently decked out in some STUNNING Chris Weston splash pages from The Twelve. I took lots of photos, but like the twat I am managed to delete most of them by accident on the way home. Gahhh, you'll just have to trust me when I tell you it's worth a visit just to check out the Weston stuff. The man is a legend. 

The staff are the same friendly, knowledgeable bunch that inhabited the old place. They've clearly worked hard on the new shop and early impressions suggest that they've done a very good job. Definitely a welcome addition to London's comic scene.

A reminder

Don't forget that Orbital Comics open their new shop tomorrow...

The Return of Big Dave F

I'm tired, tired and fucking weary, too tired and fucking weary to pontificate. Heaven be praised then that friend of LLC, Big Dave F has come to the rescue. Yes chums, my favourite antique dealing, steroid munching Hulk nut has been up for nine days straight playing computer games, snorting unmentionables and drinking pitchers of Red Bull and he wants to tell YOU about it. Here then, in all its brain mashing glory, is Dave's latest e-mail...

 "Im not sure how many LLC readers play computer games, but Im gonna make an educated guess and say a majority percentage… So around 3 of you. (Buh-duh-ching!) (Sorry Dom)

Computer gaming has long held the hand of nerdy pursuits both subtle and gross from Manic Miner to Lara’s Crotch… oops Freudian slip! Lara Croft.

Now, Dom tells me he suffers form an affliction that makes his eyes hurt and induces  nausea when he plays computer games for too long. Pfah! I say. He's obviously not hardcore like me. If I suffered from this affliction I would undergo laser eye surgery and simply sit at my computer desk with a bucket between my legs, intermittently vomiting into my spittoon as I played.

Verily do gamers part before me as I enter their servers, like a virtual, Red Sea. Multiplayer FPSs  are where I excel. Silverback my nom de Guerre; like a seasoned, gnarled veteran, unshaven and cigar between teeth, a la Nick Fury, my gun spits death like a possessed, mechanical Basilisk, the searing hot lead opening up faceless uniforms and my shrapnel tearing fist sized holes through the hapless hordes. Yes folks, this is my alter-ego. The Mighty Silverback! DoD, DoD source, CoD2, CoD4 and currently available on CoD WAW, come watch me or stand against me and die…

Sorry. Big ego trip for me. Now that’s over with on with the rant.

I have to admit (and I'm sure Dom will too), that as a self-proclaimed geek he is missing much that would enrich his geekiverse. Granted, most superhero/comichero  games within the last decade have been movie licence pieces of crap. (As if the Marvel Movies hadn’t made us suffer enough, merchandising then pisses in the already tainted cup.)

So will all this computer jiggery pokery ever replace the old fashioned role-playing experience?

Aaah my poor nostalgic nerds…To even ponder such a question…

It already has.

The technology is here and programmers are finally beginning to realise that the co-operative experience is where its at. Even the aforementioned CoD WAW (Call of Duty World at War) has a co-operative campaign mode, and a fantastically addictive rabid, zombie nazis mini game. That’s right Dom you heard me… RABID NAZI ZOMBIES!

1000s of them, red eyed and hungry for flesh.

Just an aside, but does anyone remember the name of that fantastically shit Nazi Zombie film where they come out of the lake to terrorise a small Italian village? The classic moment has to be a zombie vs zombie shambling, fisticuffs battle in slow motion. One zombie has tried to eat another zombie’s still living daughter and so a match to determine who is zombie commandant ensues. In slow fucking motion. The choreography is pure fucking genius. The fight takes all of 20 minutes. Ah got it! Zombie Lake (1981), nuff said.

This new breed of co-operative game could well crush the last vestige of traditional role players beneath its hob-nailey boot heel. Okay there will always be small pockets of resistance that survive; The Undead who run Orcs Nest and that small, dingy and deserted corner of Forbidden Planet.

And from Nazis to Zombies, Left 4 Dead is a 4 player co-operative zombie apocalypse game with its own in-game chat system, and a beautiful blend of FPS and roleplay style action. You can hear yourself blurting Zombie Movie clichés as literally 100s (yes 100s)

of on screen zombies swarm towards you and your band of stalwarts as you back into the subway/hospital/safehouse, fingers pumping and expletives running off your tongue faster than the bullets from your Uzi. (Dom, this wouldn’t take up much of your time as a campaign lasts little more than 2 hours!) Doing this with mates you know and love is divine.

Now all this said and done I didn’t quite piss myself like many others did at its release. Its far from perfect and they could have done so much more with this type of game. But it is a great fucking game if you have mates.

For my money, at present, the MMORPG crown has to rest on Conan’s knitted brow. It just seems so much more of an adult affair than the other fantasy MMORPGs. No silly little fuckers running around calling you noob. No fucking, shitty, cartoony looking, caricatures, or understated animation. Not an Orc or an Elf in sight, Oh No! and frankly I don’t miss them. A breath of visceral fresh air, I think, is Conan’s appeal. R.E. Howard’s world is beautifully rendered and convincingly realised; adult themed with fatalities that have you graphically severing arteries, heads and limbs and sadistically twisting your blade in the guts of your antagonist before ending his/her death spasms by curtly stepping up and snapping his/her neck with your bare hands. Then if the mood takes you, you can parade through the nearest settlement covered in their gore.

No Greenskins. No poncey Elves. No Hirsute Corbetts with attitude.

Savage Picts, Barbaric Vanir, 10ft Albino Apes, Elder Gods & Demons…. Pure Howard.

As a solo experience, fucking great, but again, add friends into the mix and its priceless.

All I can say is thank fuck Marvel doesn’t hold the licence to Conan. It would have been another piece of shit like every other marvel computer game endeavour. Fancy trying to sue City of Heroes over copyright infringement. What a bunch of fucking mugs! Why not make your own MMORPG you fuckwads?

Well Marvel dropped the ball on that one, but it looks like DC have picked it up and ran. They are tagged to release their own superhero MMORPG in late 2009. Well… We’ll see. I aint gonna hold my breath, but a little digital bird told me you will be able to create your very own superhero from scratch and all of the DC heroes & villains will be in-game NPCs there to either help or hinder you against the obvious backdrop of the DC universe.

Reason being, I suppose, 2,000 Batmen on one server isn’t going to work.

Hmm… Could be good."

God I love Dave!

Shopping list

Am I the only person who finds it hard to get excited about the election of an American president? I mean, come on folks, he might be black, but he's STILL The Man! Shit ain't REALLY gonna change you know!

I suppose I could've got more into the whole thing if he'd dropped a "With great power comes great responsibility" into his inauguration speech. If he was really the uber nerd that we keep hearing he is, he'd have thrown a little Easter egg our way wouldn't he? The fact that he didn't leaves me more convinced than ever that this whole thing about him liking comics is rubbish. Doesn't look like any comic fan I've ever met - too good looking, very successful, wears sharp suits. No, he'd stand out a mile at a comic market. I bet he smells nice too.

Ach well, no doubt I'm wrong and his long boxes are being moved into the White House as we speak. He's probably as excited about new comics day as the rest of us. Here are some of the books I'm sure he'll be reading this week...

Amazing Spider-Man #584

I'm guessing that all those folks who queued around the block for #583 won't be back for #584. "No shit Sherlock" I hear my imaginary audience cry. 

Of course some of them might have returned had #583 been worth reading, unfortunately it was a "Spider-Man goes on a date" issue with a badly drawn Obama back-up. 

Who needs new readers eh?

Conan The Cimmerian #7

Apparently Obama loves a bit of Conan. He's probably listening to The Anvil of Crom, supping mead from a rhino horn and hovering over the red button as we speak. I would be. 

Final Crisis Superman Beyond #2 (Of 2)

OK, time to pull on those specs you picked up at My Bloody Valentine 3-D, Supes is back. Hopefully this one will fill in some of the holes that were so evident in Final Crisis #6. Even if it doesn't, it will at least feature more Nazi Superman, which can only be a good thing, right?.

Green Lantern #37 

You know why you should be buying this by now. OK, for the last time: Aliens in leotards blowing holes in each other's heads with power rings in space. OK? 

Phonogram 2  #2

I doubt Obama's buying this one. I liked issue #1 very much and have high hopes for number two.

Supergirl #37

Never thought I'd be buying a Supergirl comic, but you know, gotta keep up with this whole New Krypton thing. Actually, is that over now? I mean in the last chapter we actually got a new Krypton, so maybe I can drop Supergirl now. Being the sap I am, I'll probably buy it anyway.

The most miserable day of the year

It's Blue Monday! Let's take a moment to reflect with Marvel's most maudlin character...


Scans from The Silver Surfer #1, August 1968

Off the stack

Hey ho imaginary web chums! I hope all is well in your comic world. I've been enjoying plenty of sequential jollity over the last couple of days - much of it top notch. 

First off the stack Walking Dead TP #9. As per usual I read this latest installment from back to front in double quick time. I can't say Mr Kirkman's big seller is my favourite comic, but it's certainly the one I gobble up faster than any other. Won't spoil the latest volume for anyone who's not up to speed, suffice to say a good number of the surviving characters are now going properly bonkers (as you would if faced with the zombie Apocalypse). There are also a few new faces introduced in this volume, a device which provides the book with a nice (and frankly timely) injection of fresh blood.

Also recommended is Gravel, one of Warren Ellis' many projects for Avatar. We're up to issue #8 in this story of ex SAS magician Gravel's run-ins with Ellis' fucked up version of the Magic Circle. Gravel is part John Constantine, part Michael Caine and, I suspect, part Warren Ellis. Composite character he may be, but don't worry, his murderous rise up the ranks of Britain's magical hierarchy has been a rip-roaring, gut-splashing hoot. If you missed the first seven issues I'd recommend you pick them up in trade. When Ellis can't be bothered his comics are a drag, but when he's enjoying himself, as he clearly is here, there are few better writers. Gravel is a sharp treatise on Britain's enduring class system, but above all it's an action-packed comic which I can't recommend highly enough.

As far as the big two go, Final Crisis #6 was as excellent as the preceding five issues. Obviously the whole Batman thing is the big news (or at least it would have been in any week other than the one where Obama teamed up with Spider-Man), but the best part of FC #6 was undoubtedly the fight between Kalibak and Tawny - can't beat some good old cat on cat comic action. Woot!

Read the last couple of Matt Fraction's big Thor one shots for Marvel. Rich, meaty comics that are best read with The Anvil of Crom playing in the background and a flaggon of mead close at hand. Honestly, for a man who says he doesn't like fantasy, Fraction writes a fucking mean Thunder God. His take on the whole Asgard thing is MUCH BETTER than the regular Thor comic which I binned after two issues of mind numbing nothingness. Fraction's stories are rammed full of Frost Giants, Dwarves and Asgardian Gods knocking crap out of each other. It also helps that all of the books have featured the work of top notch artists. You're going to want to pick this one up in some sort of pretty harcover when it's eventually collected.

WTF?

oh dear

oh dear, oh dear, oh dear

And let's not forget the sheisters at Wizard...

They're also doing a slabbed version for the low, low price of $59.99!

All together now...

groan.

Chemistro's shite costume

Is there a dumber super-villain than Chemistro?

Not content with wearing a target for a mask he goes and paints one on his chest. 

Aside from the fact that it might allow you to hide on an archery range, this costume is a design nightmare.

Better hope you never run into Hawkeye, nobhead.

yeah, yeah, I know - Bullseye. Don't spoil my fun!

Three comic related things that I think about over and over and over again

The title theme to Luke Cage

Across 110th Street would make a great title track for a Luke Cage Power Man movie. Alright, so it's already been used as the soundtrack for two movies (Across 110th Street and Jackie Brown), but in particularly drunken moments when I start obsessing about how amazing a Luke Cage flick would be, Across 110th Street always seems like the ONLY sensible choice to open up with. Of course I'm assuming that the movie would be a period piece, it'd have to be, right? Cage don't work outside of the 70s man!

52

52 should be released as a big stonking Omnibus. I'll be honest, I didn't read it as it was coming out because I was determined not to give DC any money for what I imagined was going to be a terrible mess of an event book. 

As it went on though, I began to feel like I was missing out on something special. The way people talked about it made it seem like an event that was up there with the original Crisis. Still, I held off joining in late largely becasue I imagined that since it was so obviously a classic that it would get a big old collected edition of a release when it was finished. Well, we got a couple of poxy paperback trades, but come on! 52 deserves an oversized extras laden fat brick of a hardback. I can't believe we haven't had one. I fear DC aren't going to bother now either.

Watchmen

People on forums and podcasts who say that Watchmen isn't that good need a fucking kicking!  

Alright, it might not seem that amazing to you now, but when it came out it was like nothing else that had ever been done. Honestly, at the time all of my X-men, Teen Titans and Fan Four comics seemed suddenly pointless compared to this well written story loaded up with three dimensional characters.

I think people who don't read comics but see the movie are going to have their minds blown by it. They haven't got anaesthetised by the stream of gritty comics that followed in Watchmen's wake and  still see super-heroes as biff, bang, pow two dimensional cut outs. 

As a jaded comic book fan I envy them the eye opening coming their way. They're probably going to appreciate Watchmen a lot more than some of the poor sods who didn't get to feel the buzz when it came out.

Inactivity

What to say? The blog's been on hold as I'm feeling a bit burnt out. Not enough sleep, work, childcare, colds - blerggh! Frankly the thought of saying constructive things about Iron Man is daunting when your mind is addled by real life. 

To tell you the truth I've been fit for nothing more taxing than a large whiskey and Celebrity Big Brother these last few days. Still, I'm sure when I'm feeling a bit less run down I'll once again be overcome by the need to bore an imaginary audience with my profound thoughts on all matters spandex. 

Maybe tomorrow, if I get a decent night's kip.

Sea-Monkeys/Another sale/Watchmen

Tilt your head to one side and enjoy a Christmas miracle...

Yes chums, my Sea-Monkeys have risen from the the dead. Not quite sure how or why, but they're there. Good thing I left their tank on my shelf rather than consigning their seemingly dead bodies to the toilet. 

I'm slightly worried by the fact that the water level in their little tank is dropping.  I don't have any purifier left and reckon they'd die again if I poured in tap water - maybe Evian would work, Hmmm. Anyway, good to see them merrily doing their thing.  A couple are actually pretty huge, one even looks like it's got a pair of bollocks although my missus thinks this is unlikely.

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News from Orbital comics: They're moving above ground and to bigger premises. To celebrate this momentous occasion they've announced a sale! Yay! Details HERE 50% off ALL back issues - yum!

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Only a few months til Watchmen now. Japanese trailer with new stuff in it...

I don't remember Fidel Castro being in the comic.

Redhead Fan Girl has some pics of the cut-outs which are popping up in American cinemas, see them HERE

Notes on some comics I read yesterday

I read eight comics yesterday and they were all good. Here's the what and why of them all...

Green Lantern Corps #31

Delayed, delayed, but worth the wait. Krib - a particularly creepy lady alien from the Sinestro Corps who steals babies and stores them in a cage that grows out of her back - goes toe to toe with a giant green foetus. Meanwhile the guardians say no to jiggy jiggy while Mongul says yes and chills with some scantily clad extra terrestrials. Bonkers brilliance.

Fantastic Four #562

At this point I realise that I'm the only person in the world enjoying Millar and Hitch's Fantastic Four. Well yah boo sucks to the rest of you, you don't know a good Fan 4 comic when you see it! Big super-hero funeral shenanigans that give Hitch the chance to draw EVERYONE. Some nice characterisation of Franklin Richards, and a decent dash of talking heads between Doom and Reed.

Captain America #45

Not much to say really, just another solid issue in a consistently good run. Luke Ross and the mighty Butch Guice provide pencils, but it might as well be Steve Epting, because it looks as good as ever.

Incognito #1

Brubaker and Phillips new book from Marvel's Icon imprint. The Super-Villain in witness protection thing is a decent idea and this issue does a good job of setting the scene for what promises to be an interesting tale. It is slightly reminiscent of Millar's Wanted, but given how good that was, this is no bad thing. Lovely colouring job from Val Staples, and a very interesting text piece in the back on the early days of The Shadow.

Marvel Zombies #3

This Fred Van Lente fellow is a proper geezer. First he produces Comic Book Comics, one of my favourite books of last year,  then he does this - a sequel to a sequel that not only succeeds in outdoing the first two chapters in the zombies trilogy, but is also quite easily the best Marvel comic on the stands at the time of writing. 

Honestly, this comic is ACE. First off, van Lente has taken the Aaron Stack Machine Man from Warren Ellis's Nextwave and made him even more awesome than he was in that book. Then he's somehow made the whole Marvel Zombies thing seem fresh and exciting DESPITE the fact that (pardon the pun) it's an idea that should be dead in the water by now. AND, on top of all that he's produced an action packed page turner of a story loaded with witty dialogue. 

The art by Kev Walker looks just like Sean Phillips' stuff on the first two books which lends the story the feel of a proper continuation and also means that it looks flat out fantastic. Issue #3 features a quite sensational sequence where Machine Man nicks the bike of zombie Ghost Rider and outruns a trio of Marvel's most famous speedsters. I read it, put it down and muttered "fuck, that was excellent!" 

THIS is why I buy super-hero comics folks. Sadly there's only one issue left. Make sure you buy the trade.

Gigantic #2

Robots, satire and sick humour - this is sooooooooo 2000AD. Which is excellent given how shite the real 2000AD is these days. Rick Remender is kicking arse at Dark Horse, and this tale of intergalactic reality TV gone wrong is threatening to top the other grade A goodness he's been producing for the company. I still think that the colour palette is a touch muted for the robot smashing, planet busting style story, but it's a minor quibble. Top notch sci-fi.

Superman #683

What happened to the Creature Commandos? I'm getting confused. Oh well, I still enjoyed this. Part nine of the New Krypton saga and those pesky Kandorians are getting madder by the minute. An enjoyable super-hero romp.

Final Crisis Secret Files

Written by Len Wein, this is a look at Libra's origin. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but do have a couple of reservations about it. Firstly, the interior art isn't much cop. Sorry, but it isn't. I think my main gripe with it is that the artist chooses to ignore drawing backgrounds in a lot of his panels, thus we get a shot of Big Ben with no Houses of Parliament, and a warehouse which is quite literally empty and, as a result pretty uninteresting to look at. Several of the figures are also out of proportion. There you go. 

NEVERTHELESS, the story was OK. It's a heavy-handed retelling of a tale originally written in the 70s (I think) complete with exposition heavy dialogue and corny set pieces. Sounds dreadful, right? well it is in a way, but I also found it strangely refreshing, a nice change from the well written comics we've got used to. 

I say DC let that Len Wein fellow write more throwback super-hero romps, but next time give him an artist who can bring his work to life - Berni Wrightson would be alright I reckon!

Old Ad at Kings Cross

Nothing to do with comics (soz, tomorrow, honest) but I saw this at Kings Cross Station t'other day and thought it might be worth bunging on the old blog...

Years worth of posters stripped away to reveal this ancient ad for Abbey National. Not sure when it's from, could be any time between the early 30s and the late 60s I suppose. 

Whatever, it's a nice bit of old London peaking out from a tube station wall. Gotta love that (well I do anyway). Yay London!

Batman's pleaser

At last, I'm able to give the steady stream of folk arriving at this site via Google searches for pics of Batman's cock what they want...

Photo shows a sticker on the side of a newstand on Cambridge Circus, London. Bit blurry, but I think you can make it out.

Sales!

To the West End where the heaving masses have descended like hungry flies on the shit which is the New Year sales. I can't understand it, yes there are some big reductions, but you can still get most of your electrical goods, DVDs and kitchenware a LOT cheaper online. Clothes I suppose you want to try on before buying, so fair enough. Everything else, myeeerr. 

Having said that, there are some bargains to be had in the comic shops. Gosh! have a nice bookshelf of cheap trades on offer at the mo. I bagged Nixon's Pals for £3, and was sorely tempted to buy a lot more. 

If you haven't already, then you MUST get your arse down to the shop and snap up the first three issues of James Kochalka's Superfuckers which are on the discount shelf for a ridiculous £1 each! Honestly imaginary web pals, Superfuckers is one of the greatest comics EVER published and it's got a fucking ace theme tune. You need it.

If Marvel and DC back issues are more your thang, then you might consider braving the shabby world of Comicana...

I've made my thoughts about this place clear in the past, I'm not a fan. It's poky and overpriced, BUT it does stock a lot of old comics. With 50% off those ageing floppies, there will probably be a few bargains to be had. Address here if you want it - don't get too carried away though, you can still pick up most of Comicana's stock cheaper on ebay.

In other central London comic news, I made a short trip to The Comic and Book Exchange on Berwick Street. If rifling through a chaotic mess of back issues and old magazines is your bag then you'll like this dirty hole in the wall. It's choca with bronze and modern age back issues many of which are priced at £1. I couldn't find anything worth buying, but you may have more luck. Directions and a couple of reviews here.

Portuguese super-hero murals

Happy New Year chums! I'm feeling very fragile, so let's start 2009 gently.

Those of you with long memories may recall THIS POST from back in September.

Well, for some time Portuguese frind of LLC, Diogo has been emailing me to let me know that there are other super-hero murals to be found in Lisbon. He's been kind enough to take some pictures of the biggest of these paintings which can be found on the staircase of a hotel in the City. As always, clicking on the pics will afford you a bigger scan...

Great stuff. I recognise the covers of Marvel's Handbook of The Dead, plus several details from Amazing Spider-Man and a couple of Teen Titans comics. There are even some swipes of the ABC Warriors from 2000AD in there.

Many thanks to Diogo for taking the time to snap the photos. If anyone else has any other examples of comic based street or public art, I'd be happy to receive and post your pics.