Comics UK

I was almost tempted to buy the coffee-table 'Look & Learn' book, a hefty paving slab of a volume full of beautifully rendered articles on items of precious little interest, but I didn't. One up to my somewhat less than middle-class upbringing and the fact that I had bought a hernia inducing complete set of the original mags, all twenty years worth, for only forty quid some years ago.
I also didn't buy 'The best of June & School Friend' which as a title could have been had up under the 'titles descriptions act' did such a thing exist. 'Bits 'n' Bobs from a couple of old June & School Friend annuals that we happened to find laying around' would have been nearer the mark. Even my old chum Steve Holland's introduction to the book isn't without fault as he says that 'June & School Friend' was amalgamated with Tammy in 1974. June was, but School Friend wasn't as SF had been dropped from the title a full two years previously and June had then went on to have another title Pixie incorporated with it in Jan 1973.
Did buy a couple of DC Showcase volumes though 'Adam Strange' and 'The War that time Forgot'. Dinosaurs in WWII, now you're talking!

Kashgar wrote:'The best of June & School Friend' which as a title could have been had up under the 'titles descriptions act' did such a thing exist.

Yes, "best of" is like "ultimate" - usually a synonym for "cashing in and mediocre." But I hope the Look and Learn book is up to scratch, as it is definitely on my Christmas list.

tolworthy wrote:I hope the Look and Learn book is up to scratch, as it is definitely on my Christmas list.

It's a handsome volume - certainly much better than any of the Annuals published during the original magazine's lifetime. My biggest disappointment is that it doesn't include any new artist credits, though this can be remedied somewhat by reading it in conjunction with Steve Holland's excellent L&L website. It's also noticeable that the pages shot from original art are much more impressive than the reproductions of printed pages, producing a slightly uneven look that, oddly enough, reminded me of the first Dragon's Dream Dan Dare reprint. Unlike the June & Schoolfriend book I'd happily recommend this collection to anybody who doesn't have access to the original series - though having said that nothing can ever compare with the thrill of viewing the original illustrations in the flesh!

- Phil Rushton

tolworthy wrote:

Kashgar wrote:'The best of June & School Friend' which as a title could have been had up under the 'titles descriptions act' did such a thing exist.

Yes, "best of" is like "ultimate" - usually a synonym for "cashing in and mediocre." But I hope the Look and Learn book is up to scratch, as it is definitely on my Christmas list.

It's an excellent book I'm sure you'll enjoy. Review here:
http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... learn.html

I can honestly say that I didn't just buy Look & Learn for The Trigan Empire.

I bought it for Eagles Over The Western Front too.

I don't suppose that's represented?

I thought Eagles Over the Western Front was a thoroughly absorbing read, but at times the figures looked strangely emaciated. I don't know who the artist was (is?), but I'm sure I've seen more robust figures drawn by the same hand elsewhere. Is it the same artist who did a painted Space Cadet adventure series? Jason January? I can't even remember the publication. Ranger?

Eagles was by Bill Lacey (who took over the Mytek strip from Eric Bradbury in Valiant). Jason January was originally drawn by Geoff Campion.

- Phil Rushton