June 20, 2001
6:23 AM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

www.otmfan.com

June 19, 2001
6:11 PM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

More Important News Than The News Below!

This is the news. One of my happier moments on Saturday at Comics 2001 was when Jez Higgins pulled me aside to offer trs2 his very soul!!!! Jez will now be handling the promotion, distribution, publication and administration end of trs2, something I admittedly have neglected badly in the first part of the year. Jez can be contacted if you want to sponsor trs2, get copies in your local coffee shop, carry it with your mag, whatever. Jez is a top bloke and his address is proof of that:

Jez Higgins

26 Sandon Road

Edgbaston

Birmingham

B17 8DS

You can also email Mr. Higgins regarding any of these matters, and I trust he'll be posting something up here sometime sometime.


Another plus, is that I spoke to Richard Barr, master of all that is instant storytelling, earlier, and it seems, despite college committments in Eng Land come October, he might be able to put in some trs2 hours. He'll also be posting here too, so look forward to that (you will, believe me!)

Looks like trs2 is going to see Christmas after all!

Also, I just found this new shitty small pressers website. It's still in development, but they're looking for artists to contribute to their publication. That might be worth checking out.


Oh yeah, Andrew Luke has also been pressganged into moderating the Silver Bullets Message Board For Small Press And Mini-Comics. It's over there. You'll need a password and stuff but the posting number is small and new posters are more than welcome!

June 16, 2001
12:24 PM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

Important News! For all those sending me comics to review for TRS2 please note that I'm moving again. I haven't got the new address yet but I won't be at Lisbane Drive four weeks from now. In the meantime, please send all comics for review to the temporary address, my parents place. Thats:

Andrew Luke/TRS2

c/o 34 Sunningdale Park

Bangor

BT20 4UU

Northern Ireland

Details of the new address will be posted, but the one above is safe as a house. (The dog don't bite!)

With all the confusion getting organised, I haven't yet had a chance to thank Clive Nolan and Stuart for giving me a bed on the Saturday night of Comics 2001. Thanks, fellas, you came along at just the right time. It's worth remembering Clive Nolan for another reason, which suggests editorial bias. But isn't. Some of you may have seen Clive's Coda around the place. 'Coda' is simply one of the finest small press/indy pieces I've seen in a long time. Although I've only done the first viewing/reading, I know it's right up there with the works of Stan Martin, Mike Weller and John Robbins. Clive uses a style very similar to Dave McKean, and all the pages are printed with non-sequential page numbers, giving it a very cool look from a functional and structuralist approach. The painting of photographs, the floating narrative, the list goes on. Unfortunately, Clive has totally sold out of his first printing and is trying to get something else arranged, although without funding there is the risk that the same quality of paper will not be used. In the meantime, if you see a copy, forget whatever else you have in your hand, pick it up. It's currently priced ?2.95 but is worth paying nearly double for. And if you're not satisfied, Luke Brothers will give you your money back. Well I will, Stuart has a woman to look after! I haven't been this excited since 'Leaflit', yeah?

10:45 AM posted by Pete | link to this post

Not meaning to steal the thunder of the new reviews, but I've posted up some very old TRS reviews from February 1997 for you to peruse and will follow this with another 5 sheets from that era. These also have a potential historical value - read the review of Tony McGee's first comic, for example.

9:01 AM posted by Pete | link to this post

The May TRS2 (also known as the Bristol edition) reviews are now up on the site and all new titles are flagged on the list with red N's. Read on and order!

June 7, 2001
3:42 PM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

Contrary to below, Ade Brown did not donate the table that saved my life (and hosted stock) on the Sunday at Bristol. Or rather, he did. The table was donated to both myself and Ade by Joel Meadows of Tripwire. Standing ovation for that man!

Go buy Tripwire. There's also another reason I tell you. I tell you why in a while!

June 6, 2001
11:21 AM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

If anybody gave me stock at the weekend and did not have it or the finances returned, please get in touch with me and I'll get it out to you Monday morning.

11:20 AM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

Continuing this week of thanks and plugs, I guess I'll have to be mentioning Adrian Brown. Adrian organised the 'Just One Page' charity comic. The framing structure I thought, was a bit naff and blatant, but what a wonderful invitation to production, taken up by D'Israeli, Ellis, Perrins, Davison, Gerber, Winslade, Horrocks, Pugh and many many more. "Who is the comics hero?" features Little Nemo, The Anomalies, Alan Moore as Swamp Thing (love it!), Thor, Spidey sketches as well as sketch pages for artists to fill for you at their next sideline.


That's right, I have a stack of these compendiums for sale, as does Shane "Smallzone" Chebsey and Ade. Adequately priced at ?3 each and recommended. All proceeds go to Comic Relief.

Ade had to go at two pm on Sunday, and gave his table over to me and the multitude of small pressers at the festival. I really enjoyed those three hours, having the time to talk to people, recommend quality product and actually see what was being bought. I also got to spend that time in the company of Caption's Ruth 'O' Reilly and Alex. Ruth was an incredibility soothing presence in a time of maximum stress and pressure, I really really like(d) Sunday.

Buy Ade's comic.

June 5, 2001
2:57 PM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

Dark is a comic book by Anna and Karen Rubins which details the life of a writer and his female friend as they get caught in his nightworkings, pilgrimage of the penner to sunrise. If like me, you stay up way too late on your creative endeavours you'll find something familiar about this book which conjures up some beautiful moments. (As soon as I learn to put images on this blog, I will.)

Meanwhile...

Check out the Dark website for more on the work of the Rubins sisters. These warrior women helped out at the Bugpowder/Trs2 table to no end, Anna shifting a record amount I'd guess through her incredible hyper-energies. (Obvious tip to dealers: women sell comics. Not tip, fact.)

Karen and Anna, take a bow.

June 4, 2001
3:29 PM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

To anybody who has sent me postage stamps over the past year for trs2 and has not recieved copies, sincerest of apologies. I have been disgustingly muddled and bad about this. Please email me with details and I'll fully reimburse in whatever manner you feel is satisfactory. Again, I'm really really sorry about this. Please don't hit me. Postal service is one of the things I can nearly guarantee to be vastly improved over the coming months.

June 3, 2001
3:27 PM posted by Andrew Luke | link to this post

Thankyou to all the people whose names I couldn't remember but now can who came to say hello and up at the Bugpowder/TRS2 table over the weekend. A lot happened and some stuff to do with myself and trs2, which, I guess I'll be posting over the coming weeks.

My grandfather passed away prior to the festival and I did get home in time for the burying of the ashes. Thankyou to Craig Lemon, David Morris, Stuart, Clive Nolan, Pete Ashton, Anna Rubins, Matthew Lawrenson and Ruth 'O' Reilly in particular for either taking the time to help me cope with the loss or just for being there and looking after this fragile creature. And I haven't forgotten you either Ralphie. You always make me laugh, you brit scum.

Is fact, almost everyone I met there was oh so sweet.

The new TRS2 won't be with Pete for another week or so. In the meantime why not check out the work of Arthur
and David Goodman! Both are contributors to Pulp Kitchen, a whopping great anthology that my reviews have never quite done justice. I'm a big fan of Arthur's Favourite Crayon Stories and strips by both creators works can be accessed from the Pulp Kitchen gallery.

The Goodman Brothers appearance at Comics2001 made the Bugpowder/TRS2 table possible. If not for their help, I would have gone to the nearest psychiatric ward and Pete would have gone to roast the Bristol homeless on a spit. Plus, they have the good sensibilities to be members of Shareware Comics. You know they know what.