5 page preview of Walking Dead #63 (Image, 2009)

5 page preview of nest weeks 'The Walking Dead' #63;

http://www.comixology.com/sku/MAY090359/The-Walking-Dead-63-MR-

Review - The Strange Adventures of HP Lovecraft #3 (Image, 2009)

Image Comics, in my opinion, are pretty much a vehicle for the great writing of Robert Kirkman. The Walking Dead & Invincible - that is what I think of when I think of Image comics.

However.

In the last couple of months a new title has arrived that is of such quality that my image of image (sorry) has changed. This title, 'The Strange Adventures of HP Lovecraft', is that good that you would mistake it for a Veritgo title.

The clue to the success of this title is actually....in the title. It is a fictional account of a period in the life of Howard Phillips Lovecraft, as he struggled with the perceived degradation of making a living as a pulp writer, and the "Cthulhu Mythos", that seems to be invading reality from his subconsciousness. Written with style by Mac Carter, who tosses elegant lines like this about with abandon;

(HP Lovecraft inner monologue)
"Pulps are the wastelands. And few writers, if any, will ever rise from their vulgar depths to claim greatness. i've made my peace with that simple fact."

and illustrated by the brilliant Tony Salmons, who gives every panel the eerie glow of a Universal Horror film of the past,



the book is topped off with a superbly pulp-y cover from Adam Byrne (see top of the post).

The third installment deals with the aftermath of the attack on Grayson Chesser, who is the lover of Syliva St Claire, who is coveted by Lovecraft. The attack on Chesser was the result of monsters who "have slithered out" from HP Lovecraft's subconscious and murdered 3, and with Chesser, nearly claimed a fourth victim.

With Lovecraft the main suspect, his elderly Aunts cover for him as he turns fugitive, while his fragile, mentally ill mother warns that the family doctor, Dr Brand, (who is only too aware of the madness that besets the Lovecraft family), that he could be the next victim that very night.

It is a beautiful, wickedly entertaining book. A real achievement, in the story, the art, the way the whole package comes together. Fantastic overall, and issue 3 maintains the high quality of the previous installments.

Psychedelic Ice Cream - Kinky & Freak Out (the late Sixties and early Seventies, obviously)

It's that time of year (the Summer!) - the time when all you want to do is eat frozen lumps of flavoured ice on a wooden stick (and don't you just hate it when you lick the dry bit of the stick at the bottom by mistake?). Ice Lollies are a reflection of the times - it's true! For instance, it reflects what is popular in culture, like 'Bionic' lollies - you wouldn't sell many nowadays (except to sad sack nostalgists like me), but in the Seventies - form a queue please boys and girls!

As it was in the Seventies, so it was also in the Sixties. This stupendoulsy of-its-time (around 1968) advert for 'The Wildest Ice Cream Idea Ever' is courtesy of Lew Stringers blog



and a good find it is too - because if you were searching for a lolly called 'Kinky', then trust me, by putting 'kinky lolly' in as a search in Google gets you some fruity results, but they don't relate to anything made by Walls or Ice Cream (and they are NSFW). I remember Kinky as a sticker on the Tonibell ice cream van window during my early years, but cannot recall eating them (I was more of a Lord Toffingham, Dalek Death Ray or Count Dracula's Deadly Secret fan). It seems that 'Kinky' also transcended its Psychedelic Shack-les and was involved in other promotions, like the chance to win your very own hovercraft (which sounds absolutely incredible - and if anyone out there actually owned one, can you confirm what it was like to have a personal kiddie sized hovercraft please?). Anyway, here is the advert, 'New' Kinky nestled in between 'New' Jumbo and 'New' Sky Ray 3 (these names are so awesome - Sky Ray 3 sounds like a series that Gerry Anderson should have made right after Thunderbirds);




Walls' competitor, Lyons Maid, also had a hippie / psychedelic rival to 'Kinky', although it was released in 1973, namely the troubling 'Freak Out' ('troubling' as in the name 'Freak Out' - like, did they spike Lollies in the UK like they spiked the Kool-Aid in the US???). Anyway, at the rather touching 'KZWP' site, we have proof of the fact of a lolly named 'Freak Out' in the form of a badge;



Check out the visuals! A few slurps on 'Freak Out' and your favourite singer (in this case, clearly modeled on Robert Plant) gets a very fiery complexion, with big waves of colour emanating from his head, as his eyes roll back in his head - or maybe his pupils have just.....disappeared....jesus....i'm freakingout...took too many slurps on that Lyons iced lolly........

The site describes the lolly itself as 'A strawberry and lemon ice cream marbled together to form a psychedelic pattern on a stick. Price 5p.'. See the site for yourself here.

"There will be no more birthday celebrations, birthday cakes, levity, or celebrations of any kind within the office..." The 'Tiger Mike' Memos (1970s)

You can read them here;
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2743822/TigerMikeMemos-very-funny

where you get the inter-company memo wisdom of Edward Mike Davis, The Big Boss of Tiger Oil, Houston. A real charmer, judging by how he chose to address his workforce - take this one as an example;

"Do not speak to me when you see me. If I want to speak to you, I will do so. I want to save my throat. I don't want to ruin it by saying hello to all of you sons-of-bitches"


As amazing as his memos are, his life (as you might expect) is not short of colour - check out the links below for some sterling investigative work;

Links!

http://www.epmag.com/Magazine/2009/6/item38723.php - In search of Edward Mike Davis
http://www.epmag.com/WebOnly2009/item41500.php - Follow up on the original article in EPmag

http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-09-04/news/that-70s-show-memos-reveal-what-the-oil-bidness-was-like - Houston press article on Tiger Oil and Tiger Mike

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/08/crazy_oil_memos_executive.php - Further thoughts from the Houston press site on 'Tiger Mike'

Over at Comic Book Review.........

New posts for upcoming titles;

The Boys #34 and Herogasm #5 Solicitations for September 2009;
http://www.comicbookreview.co.uk/2009/07/boys-34-and-herogasm-5-solicitations.html

and while we are at it, Garth Ennis talks all about The Boys (and more) with Newsarama;
http://www.eatsleepgeek.com/ennis-the-boys-extend-run/

Also, the solicitation for Unknown Soldier #12;
http://www.comicbookreview.co.uk/2009/07/solicitation-for-unknown-soldier-12-due.html