Football's Comic Book Heroes - new book.

[Digifiend]

How has the book been purchased if all the orders got cancelled because it was never published? Amazon should've rephrased that circular to say "Sorry for the disappointment that RotR Archives was never published, maybe you'd like to purchase Football's Comic Book Heroes instead".

[Digifiend]

How has the book been purchased if all the orders got cancelled because it was never published? Amazon should've rephrased that circular to say "Sorry for the disappointment that RotR Archives was never published, maybe you'd like to purchase Football's Comic Book Heroes instead".

[Lew Stringer]

I saw this book in Nostalgia & Comics today. Looks brilliant! Only skimmed through it (I'd spent enough on books already) but it's well illustrated. It seems to go the route of explaining comic stories in text (which many like, but I don't particularly care for) BUT it also contains the history of football comics and ties it together with developments in the real world of football. All in all it should appeal to everyone. (Even someone who doesn't like footie, like me! I'll buy it from Amazon I think.) Nice chunky read that looks both entertaining and informative and seems very thoroughly researched.

Lew

[Phoenix]

As you know, Lew, I do like football and I love the fictional version as well, particularly text serials, so I'm bound to get this book shortly. I suppose I should really wait for one of my sons to get it for me as a birthday or Christmas present, but I know perfectly well that if I set foot in Waterstones in Liverpool I'll come out with it. So, I'll force myself to stay at home and, like you, I'll order it through Amazon, and when I've read it I'll review it.

[steelclaw]

I saw this book in Nostalgia & Comics today. Looks brilliant! Only skimmed through it (I'd spent enough on books already) but it's well illustrated. It seems to go the route of explaining comic stories in text (which many like, but I don't particularly care for) BUT it also contains the history of football comics and ties it together with developments in the real world of football. All in all it should appeal to everyone. (Even someone who doesn't like footie, like me! I'll buy it from Amazon I think.) Nice chunky read that looks both entertaining and informative and seems very thoroughly researched.

Lew

What you said.

Got it to day looking forward to a big read.

Love 'The Ultimate Fantasy Footballl Comic' at the back How I would love a comic like that now.

Although my main comic collecting was in the seventies, it's going to be interesting to read about football comics starting in 1879.

If 'When the comics went to war' book is anything like this I can't wait till next month when I can afford to buy it.

[Kashgar]

Can't wait to get my hands on this book. You can get a special slip-cased collectors edition direct from D C Thomson complete with poster specially drawn by Barrie Mithchell for £37 if you feel so inclined.

[Phoenix]

Can't wait to get my hands on this book. You can get a special slip-cased collectors edition direct from D C Thomson complete with poster specially drawn by Barrie Mithchell for £37 if you feel so inclined.

I don't feel so inclined, but what does surprise me is that Thomsons are involved with a book much of whose content must have been obtained from anywhere but. Are they really the publishers?

[Digifiend]

DCT's order page: http://ecommerce1.dcthomson.co.uk/code/ ... o=HERO%201

No, it's by Mainstream Publishing. http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/displ ... 1845964085

About this Book
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Publisher D.C. Thomson has delved into its archives to revive the most legendary footballing characters to grace the pages of boys’ comics.

If DCT don't happen to own Mainstream, RH's description is wrong. Plus it's not just DCT's archives.

DCT's website is also selling annuals which aren't their own. Namely Bratz, WWE, Star Wars, which are all by Pedigree.

[Phoenix]

If DCT don't happen to own Mainstream, RH's description is wrong. Plus it's not just DCT's archives.

I think it depends on who did the delving. Random House claim Thomsons did it, the blurb posted earlier on this thread states that the author(s) used the archives of DC Thomson, (IPC and Egmont). Ultimately it probably doesn't really matter as Thomsons haven't published the book. They would appear to be some sort of conduit, given the information from Digi about the non-Thomson items advertised on their website. But I would be interested in learning exactly what access to their archive Thomsons allowed Adam Riches because, unless they have found a vacant room from somewhere during the last dozen years for him to work in and a previously-unknown willingness to allow a genuine researcher into the hallowed building, I'm prepared to bet that most of his investigations into Thomsons' publications were made in the British Library. That is where I ended up after my request for research facilities was turned down in about 1996. Their very pleasant letter let me down lightly, their reason being that it was a working building and they were very sorry but they couldn't fit me in. I got the impression that I would simply be in the way. Furthermore, if Thomsons did the research on Adam's behalf that would surely have cost him quite a bundle, as it would most likely have been at normal rates for use of staff time I suspect. I doubt whether anybody will reveal these details, though.

[Raven]

I haven't bought the book yet; it's nearly half the price online, so that's where I'll order it from, but, from flipping through it in a shop yesterday, it looked very nice indeed.

One of the highlights is at the back; a long complete Billy's Boots adventure with lovely artwork by Ron Turner, from the Scorcher Annual 1976, I think it said. I wonder if that's the only time Turner ever drew the strip. It should evoke nostalgic glee from anyone who grew up reading and loving the style of his juvenile adventure strips (Danny Drew's Dialling Man, Wonder Car, etc.) of the period.

Some lovely colour reproductions of old story paper front pages, too.

But only a couple of panels of Raven on the Wing, which ran for seven years and was the best football strip ever?!

Nice to see Kangaroo Kid represented in there, though. I'd happily buy a Collected Kangaroo Kid.

[steelclaw]

Buy it it's brilliant. Got mine on Amazon only £10.99.

[felneymike]

I got the war one today (psst - wasn't it supposed to be not out yet? Nobody let on that Borders are selling it with £4 off!) and am about halfway through, it's excellent! And refreshingly free of socio-genderpolitical "what were they filling children's heads with?" guff. I recommend everybody buys it, and the football one as that sounds just as good. We need to let the publishers know we want more of this - a lot more! ("The comics in space", "The comics on the cricket field", "The comics on the track", "The comics in the pitlane", "The comics in the classroom", "The comics in blue"... just so long as they are all done to the same remarkable standard and include text story-papers too)

[Bob Frankland]

I, along with Adam Riches and Tim Parker, am one of the creators of Footballs Comic Book Heroes and When the Comics Went to War.

Just to clarify the situation regarding 'delving into the files' this was our initiative. We had unrestricted access (just like kids in a sweet shop) into the archives of DCT, IPC and Egmont, along with the collections of private individuals and the comics collections at the British Library.

Without the support of these companies and individuals the books would not have seen the light of day, we are exceedingly grateful for this support.

The book is published by Mainstream not by DCT. The original synopsis was sent out without our knowledge, hence the apparent confusion and errors.

With regards to additional titles I can confirm that in my initial discussions with the copyright holders a total of 7 books was proposed, each covering a different genre and each to be produced to the same quality as the two current books. Discussions regarding the next title are on-going between Adam, Tim and myself, and the publishers.

Regarding the limited edition version of the football book this will be limited to 2,500 units, will be case bound in a presentation slip case. Included will be a numbered and signed A2 print created by Barrie Mitchell. The print will feature 40 selected images of some of the characters who appear in the book, from the earliest to the most recent.

We are organising 'An Evening with Barrie Mitchell', details of which will be posted on this site. This will be a free entry event.

This coming week Barrie will be illustrating the front cover of TalkSport's online magazine, due 'out' on Thursday. Limited editions of the artwork will be available. A recent competition to win a piece of original Barrie Mitchell artwork in the magazine attracted nearly 9,000 entries, not bad for what is conceived as a 'lads mag'.

In conclusion the positive response we have received for the current books, both on this site and through the newstrade makes it all worthwhile. Thank you all for your encouraging words. Please enjoy the read.

[Phoenix]

I've just unearthed this issue of The Boys' Friend Complete Library from my collection. It is a 120-page novel by Arthur Hardy from the first series (1906-1925) and dates from 1913. The Blue Crusaders are mentioned in the official blurb for Football's Comic Book Heroes, which was provided by Robert Frankland. The goalkeeper seems to have been inspired or influenced by Sheffield United's W 'Fatty' Foulke.

[steelclaw]

Thet don't make goalkeepers like that anymore. He was rather big.