Comics UK

Latest press release from Comics International is that the next issue will be out at the end of the month. Not quite the 4-weekly frequency it was, but at least the gap between issues is closing. (The previous issue came out early August.)

More info:

http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2008/09 ... track.html

Lew Stringer wrote:

Hey, nice cover!

this sure looks good...great theres some humour special annuals out..

Shaqui wrote:Hey, nice cover!

Yes! I Wonder who designed it?

(Though just to be pedantic shouldn't it read "5,4,3,2,1...Thunderbirds are Go!"?)

- Phil R.

philcom55 wrote:

Shaqui wrote:Hey, nice cover!

Yes! I Wonder who designed it?

(Though just to be pedantic shouldn't it read "5,4,3,2,1...Thunderbirds are Go!"?)

- Phil R.

Well yes but I was emulating the design of one of the annual covers... and it would have mean 'Thunderbirds' being near the bottom when - as a potential selling point - it should be near the top under the masthead...

Are those Steve Kyte illustrations on the CI cover? Is it brand new artwork, as the Bill Mevin cover had been on the previous issue?

Lew

No there isn't a budget for that! I commissioned Bill off my own bat, after running the idea past the editors, because I wanted something with the feel of 'TV Comic' but didn't think a montage or any one special/annual cover did the trick. Havign said that I have commissioned one other (again at my initiative) for a future cover.



In this case it is another montage, based on the layout of the @1968 'Thunderbirds' annual cover designed by Roger Perry. I wanted to use an iconic artist from each decade there had been strips (bar the 1980s when there was nothing new) but also required a good strong single colour frame of each craft.

The 1960s are Frank Bellamy (TB2) and the 2000s are Lee Sullivan (TB4), Don Harley should have been the 1970s artist but he produced no colour work for 'Countdown/TV Action' so I chose Ron Turner for his work in the 1972 'Thunderbirds' annual (TB5). The 1990s were split between Steve Kyte (TB1) and Keith Page (TB3).

It really does work amazingly well! (I was only joking about the word order btw - the countdown actually sets up the title of the magazine article perfectly) I can't wait to see who your other commissioned cover is by - Mike Noble or Don Harley would definitely be on my wish list if I could afford them!

- Phil R.

philcom55 wrote:I can't wait to see who your other commissioned cover is by - Mike Noble or Don Harley would definitely be on my wish list if I could afford them!

Mine too but sadly cost - and deadlines - meant it was neither of them...

Hi shaqui!

It is a great cover indeed, works a treat. Also reminds me of the little logo on the cover of the mid 90s comics...

thomasc1982 wrote:Also reminds me of the little logo on the cover of the mid 90s comics...

Yep, I'm sure the annual cover was the inspiration for that too!