Awesome Comics – Review
It started with a podcast.
Now it’s an anthology.
If you know anything about the UK small press comic scene then no doubt you are aware of the Awesome Comics Podcast, aka that one I had to stop listening to in public cos I kept chortling to myself like a village idiot.
Those canny lads that spend so much time talking about other people’s comics decided to put together a 4 issue anthology called, cunningly enough, Awesome Comics. Now, I do feel like I’m sticking my neck out slightly by reviewing these because, well, these guys do this properly, while I’m just an enthusiastic amateur. But never mind, here we go.
Each of the 4 issues of Awesome Comics was released over the last year, with the first launched at True Believers in Feb 2018, and the final issue at the same convention a year later. Each issue contains 3 separate stories.
Murder Road
Written by Vincent Hunt and Daniel Marc Chant with art/letters by Mr Hunt, this was my favourite of the three. Drag racing with a mysterious, murderous twist? Sign me up! It’s a cracking little tale with a great atmosphere. It reminded me of some of the very early episodes of the TV show Supernatural, with a healthy dose of gore. It did leave me wanting to know more though. For example how the ‘bad guy’ ended up the way he is, and, well, just more of what happened out there on Murder Road. I hold out a faint hope that perhaps Vince and Daniel will perhaps give us another taste of this world at a later date.
Cockney Kung Fu
Next up is Mr Tony Esmond’s Cockney Kung Fu with art by Nick Prolix. London of the 60s. Gangsters, slappers and rhyming slang. This is, without a doubt, the most ‘colourful’ black and white comic I have ever read. It’s kind of like if they made a Carry On movie about the Krays. With more swearing. LOTS more swearing. Cockney Kung Fu is definitely not for those of, uh, weaker dispositions.
Absolutely love the bouncy, cartoony style of Nick’s art. It’s such a contrast to the more gritty content it throws you a little to start with which I personally think is great. Having a comic kinda kick your feet out from under you so that you don’t know what’s coming always makes me want to know more. Which you can find if you sign up to the Cockney Kung Fu Mailer!
Vyper
Last, but by no means least, is Dan Butcher’s Vyper. If I had to compare this to a movie/TV (as I am wont to do) then it’d be Miami Vice meets Knightrider. An undercover agent fighting crime with a souped up car? Are you kidding? This is the stuff of dreams for 80s kids like me. Anyone who grew up with the likes of Knightrider and AirWolf and claims they never wanted a car like Vyper’s is lying.
Vyper was the most cinematic feeling of the three stories for me for sure but I also think it could have used maybe another issue or two to really flesh out the story. I also think this is the one that would benefit most from being coloured. Perhaps an idea for a collected trade later chaps?
