REPORT: 2012 – The Year Of The Irish Comic Part 2 of 3

In part two of our report into the comic scene in Ireland in 2012 we start off with May. This month was a busy month for comics with 6 different releases that we’ll highlight below through to August’s books.
May
A Day In The Life: The Book is a manic, most definitely adult intended book that I found in Sub City Galway on Free Comic Book Day. The brainchild of Noel Staunton, Ciaran O’Toole and David Nevin and art by Staunton, this insanely funny book pushes all boundaries of taste and morals while making you giggle like a maniac to yourself at the antics of the trio of characters in the book.

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/diabolicalkitten
Next up is Lightning Strike Presents #1 which landed with a bang in May. An anthology book that gathered the cream of Irish talent and more with American Pete Hernandez getting his story Company Man its European print debut in this book. A fantastic book with a multitude of genres represented.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/05/review-lightning-strike-1/
But it: http://www.lightningstrikecomics.com/
Next up in May was Atomic Diner’s Black Scorpion #1. Written by Rob Curley and art by Stephen Downey, anticipation was high coming into this book on the back of some superb promo images including the cover work below and we weren’t let down. Set in war torn Europe during the first world war the book never let up and was an immense issue.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/05/review-atomic-diners-black-scorpion-one-shot/
Buy it: http://www.atomicdiner.com/products/
May also saw the release of Uproar Comics first stand alone graphic novel in Amelia Earhart: First Lady of Aviation with a story by Felicity McCall and art by Joe Campbell. The book also includes ‘A Day In May’ written by and drawn by Joe Campbell.

Buy it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amelia-Earhart-First-Lady-Aviation/dp/0957284802
Now defunct Northern Irish publishing house Pearlmoon Productions released their newest book,Two Lives #1 in May. Written by John Connor & Una Gallagher and art by Una Gallagher, this book told a very interesting tale as it raises a question of whether this is a story of revenge or a story of justice.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/06/review-pearlmoon-productionstwo-lives-parts-1-2/
Web Site: http://pearlmoonproductions.co.uk/
Finally for May came Alan Nolan’s latest book in his Murder Can Be Fatal series of books, Destination Homicide from O’Brien Press. With nods to some of the best cop movies of the 80’s and 90′s, Nolan crafts a tale that twists and turns with great pace including a nice twist near the end that nearly ends the two leads.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/07/review-alan-nolans-destination-homicide/
Buy it: http://www.obrien.ie
June
June saw the eagerly awaited return of Short Sharp Shocks #3 from Ger Hankey. Boasting an excellent line up of strips showcasing Hankey’s fantastic storytelling abilities this book is a joy and suitable for all ages.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/05/advance-review-ger-hankeys-short-sharp-shocks-3/
Buy it: http://www.shortsharpshockscomic.blogspot.ie/
June saw the next installment of ‘The Best Of What’s Left’ in Stephen Coffey and Mike Kennedy’s Celtic Knights #2. This issue sees the Knights go on their first mission and one of the team is badly hurt.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/06/review-celtic-knights-2/
Buy it: http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=7283
Phil Barrett’s Where’s Larry? landed in June also. Where’s Larry is akin to an Irish Where’s Wally featuring a leprechaun hiding in some of Ireland’s most famous locale’s. You’ll spend as much time looking for Larry as you will following Barrett’s hilarious characters in each page.

Buy it: http://www.obrien.ie/
Pearlmoon Productions also released the second issue of Two Lives in June written by John Connor & Una Gallagher and art by Una Gallagher.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/06/review-pearlmoon-productionstwo-lives-parts-1-2/
Web Site: http://pearlmoonproductions.co.uk/
Finally in June, Tommie Kelly releasedThe Holy Numbers #1.This critically acclaimed series was revealed to the masses with Tommie telling the stories with several deep threads being told across the board. In an age in this country where religion is a declining shadow of what is was a generation ago, it speaks to the lessons of main character Ravensdale that a populace can latch onto his teachings and run with them. A great read.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/05/review-tommie-kellys-the-holy-numbers/
Buy it: http://www.theholynumbers.com/
July
July brought us The Helix #1 from Naomi Bolger and Ryan O’Connor. This two time winner at the Irish Comic News Awards was launched this summer and found a loyal audience that launched it to award winning status.

Buy it: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/TheHelixComic?fref=ts
July saw two books released from Land of Button Press with both The Wren #9 and The Wren Vol. 1 both landing this month. In a month where we get the all colour continuing adventures of Jack and Co. we are also treated to the origins of where it all began with a collection of the first three issues collected.


Review Vol. 1: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/08/review-the-wren-volume-1/
Interview with Jason Connor: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/01/interview-jason-connor-wren/
Buy it: Forbidden Planet Dublin
July also saw the release of Dr. WTF?! This collection of psychedelic Dr. Who riffs included a story written by Mike Lynch.

Buy it: http://www.comicsy.co.uk/crazyfoxmachine/
Tommie Kelly’s The Holy Numbers #2 arrived in July continuing Kelly’s take on the rapid rise of a religion in Ireland and the social consequences of such.

Buy it: http://www.theholynumbers.com/
August
August gave us the great Ghost of Shandon created by Alan Corbett. Corbett won an ICNA this year for best writer on the back of this book which tells the tale of a time travelling young boy in Cork City. Ghost has had an art exhibition based on art in the book in Cork City.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/09/review-alan-corbetts-ghost-of-shandon/
Buy it: Book stores nationwide (Eason’s, Waterstones etc)
Gar Shanley and Deidre de Barra brought us American Independent Feature Film in August. The story was adapted from a blog post by Shanley and was available at the ICN table at DICE in September and launched at the Dublin Zine Fair in August.

Elida Maiques brought us Slow #4 at the aforementioned Dublin Zine Fair in August.

Buy it: http://elidamaiques.blogspot.ie/
August saw Uproar Comics release Zombies Hi! #6 with its usual eclectic mix of prose and comic goodness continuing the story of the fallout of the zombie plague in Northern Ireland and beyond.

Review: http://www.irishcomicnews.com/2012/09/review-uproar-comics-zombies-hi-6/
Buy it: http://www.uproarcomics.co.uk/shopping/
Keeping up a regular schedule throughout the summer months was Tommie Kelly with the release of The Holy Numbers #3. As Raymond gets bad news the fallout of the murder of Ravensdale continues.

Buy it: http://www.theholynumbers.com/
Join us soon for the final part in our report on the year of the Irish comic.