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Shift Comic - new UK anthology

Started by Colin YNWA, 25 September, 2020, 02:18:51 PM

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rogue69

Shift's new "Presents" issue is Robin Hood : The Legend of Sherwood.
This is an expanded adaptation of the successful stage play script of Robin Hood the Legend of Sherwood, written by Robert Akers and Jeff Messer and drawn  by Chris Geary (Kora) and cover by Barry Kitson
£5.99
Release date April 2022 but available for pre-order on their website
https://theshift.store/collections/shift-comic-anthology-issues-1-5/products/shift-presents-robin-hood-the-legend-of-sherwood

Colin YNWA

Quote from: rogue69 on 28 February, 2022, 08:17:17 PM
Shift's new "Presents" issue is Robin Hood : The Legend of Sherwood.
This is an expanded adaptation of the successful stage play script of Robin Hood the Legend of Sherwood, written by Robert Akers and Jeff Messer and drawn  by Chris Geary (Kora) and cover by Barry Kitson
£5.99
Release date April 2022 but available for pre-order on their website
https://theshift.store/collections/shift-comic-anthology-issues-1-5/products/shift-presents-robin-hood-the-legend-of-sherwood

Yeah with Chris Geary onboard I'll give that a go and I've ordered when I've updated by sub.

Colin YNWA

2022 Yearbook

Have to be honest I was a bit disappointed with the Yearbook nee Winter Special.

The main problem was I didn't particularly enjoy the main feature which ran through [spoiler]the volume over 5 stories[/spoiler]. About Killatoa and a band of folks featured [spoiler]through the strips[/spoiler] getting together to do stuff. I do wonder if the reveal of [spoiler]all the strips being linked[/spoiler] is meant to be a surprise but its entirely telegraphed and laid out really, but I've spoilered just in case.

Anyway there are problems with art, some pretty clumsy storytelling, colouring that hinders that storytelling and even lettering that's not great. Some pretty hocky dialogue too if I'm honest. The type that can be made to work in 'To the Death' but just doesn't here and exposes the 90s action movie roots this is so deeply embedded in.

The saving grace is ... well the rest of the stuff, which is much better.

A Wakefield Winter's Tale is great fun with great art. Even if it does just serve as an introduction to something more it works well and Chuffin' Billy is a great character.

Chris Greary - who you will be able to tell I'm quite the fan of - introduces The Hypertonic, Subatomic, Super Sci-fi, Symphony is the best thing in the comic. Its just a shame... well in the context of this product ... that its ANOTHER introduction. The Special doesn't serve as its own thing which is frustrating but like some 2000ad specials of late is a try out introducing loads of ideas. Now in the case of tHSSSFS that is brilliant as I can't wait to see more, but there's enough time and space in this Special to allow strips to stand alone and thing so far haven't.

Black Train thankfully does, though I do need to revisit it. There's a lot going on here.

The Star Drake of Dumnonia is a solid stand alone with lovely art.

I Stole this thing is fantastic and the art is astonishing. Love this one.

Technofreak is a wonderfully cheeky bit of fun.

So yeah a mixed bag. The biggest problem is the problems are the spine of the comic and too many introductions. Its close but weaker than than the main series has been to date.

SmallBlueThing(Reborn)

Finally managed to get hold of Shift #10 today, by travelling to another town entirely. While there I also saw the first and second issues of the new Marvel graphic novels partwork- not in my local WHS- as well as the latest 2000AD collection volume and older Marvel graphic Nnovel partwork- you guessed it, not in my local WHS either. I think I should move.

Shift still smells lovely to me- and yes, that Croix-Noir thing was a bit dodgy- but I enjoyed it enough. Was amused to see the flipside cover censored to read 'Popnu' instead of 'Porno', as it was in the first page of the strip itself. 'Popnu' is my new favourite word for mucky muckiness and I shall use it a lot I feel.

Everything else was much as it was- it's missing the big hitters of previous issues, except To The Death, which looks entertainingly scrappy at first glance but is actually a work of art.

Looking forward to volume two.

SBT

Goosegash

Surprised to see no post about the first issue of Vol 2 which has now appeared in the shops

The centrepiece is the prologue of Liam Sharpe's new project The Chronicles Of Lib Laroche which looks to be quite the remarkable thing, as much of a prose poem as it is a strip, although I'm not sure if that format will continue into the story proper. I've not seen this much verbosity in a comic since the hey-day of John Smith. Really intrigued to read more of this, as I'm not sure I've read anything quite like it in comics before. I was hoping the interview with Sharpe would have a bit of insight into the background of it, but they didn't even mention it!

To The Death takes another twist as Dryagin falls in with a faction who possibly may not have his best interests at heart.

The action ramps up in Shifter as the conspiracy is revealed (and feels extremely pointed in our current Troubled Times) and it may be too late for Noah to do anything about it. Oh hang on... [spoiler]Noah...and there's a flood. I see what they did there.[/spoiler]

Soulwind finishes this issue, with a stylistic return to the opening pages (which I really need to re-read as I'd forgotten that's how it began) - Book 2 is apparently going to follow.

The only weak point is still Crucible, unfortunately, which I still find completely impenetrable. The good guys "win" although I'm not certain what they actually achieved in this or what they were even trying to do. This has also finished but a follow-up has been mooted, so, um. Well. Okay then, if people like it, but it ain't for me.

Overall, another really high quality and varied issue. Long may it continue.

Colin YNWA

Still waiting for my sub issue that was meant to be posted out Monday - so we'll see when it lands.

Colin YNWA

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 10 April, 2022, 11:11:50 AM
Still waiting for my sub issue that was meant to be posted out Monday - so we'll see when it lands.

Which it did today and I think its going to take quite a while to digest. More intriguingly try to imagine this was your first issue, it is Volume 2 issue 1 after all, you have to think that's a chance to jump on, this would be pretty mind blowing!

Goosegash sums up The Chronicles Of Lib Laroche, its quite something and I have no idea if I got its intent at all.

To the Death is completely in the thick of it and I do wonder what a new reader would make of it.

Soulwind has its final part, one which returns to the start and really makes me feel the need to do the same to get this all straight in my head.

Crucible remains the key weak spot, but finishes for now at least.

Finals Shifter while really kicking things into top gear (and I assume its final act?) is curiously accessible to a new reader I'd suggest, if you pick up that Noah is jumping from living vessel to living vessel, it there but I'm not sure how obvious to the new reader. This remains thrilling stuff.

Its a slimmer, tighter volume this time, with neat text pieces. Needs to settle down into a new line-up, so we'll see how next issue measures up.

nxylas

Sorry if this is slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what happened to Comic Scene's "Saturday comics box" of 12 new anthology titles? I signed up to crowdfund it, and they seem happy to keep taking my money every month, but it's all gone very quiet on that front.
AIEEEEEE! It's the...THING from the HELL PLANET!

The Mind of Wolfie Smith

... in a similar vein, just cancelled my sub to the 'comics club', having been told that shift will no longer be included. even with shift it was incredibly pricey - now, it's ridiculous.
all their publications are slick and compelling. but the seemingly infinite plethora of clubs, projects, subs and kickstarters are nearly impossible to work out. they should streamline and just concentrate on marketing the wonderful shift.

Colin YNWA

Bit of a show off post but forgive me. I finally got my Kickstarter page from the Winter Special Kickstarter. Well worth the wait. Chris Geary's Kora is really a work of wonderer and this page is just superb.

https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=37797.msg1084009#msg1084009

Post on the Non 2000ad art you own page.

Tomwe

Vol 2 Issue 2 is a fab read! I've not gotten into Elephant Men before so I'm very happy to see that here. The team know how to pick their content! The Spacewarp short was better than anything in the original #1, some good ideas, shifter was a fun all-action story and finally we are seeing Killatoa do his thing and stand out from the rest of Furman & Senior's strip. He's got exactly what made DH so appealing but through a different lens & takes cover duty next issue by the looks of it.

SmallBlueThing(Reborn)

^^^What Tomwe said. I went into town yesterday expecting just the prog and the Meg, and found also Shift, Croix-Noir #1 and the new Fortean Times. Result. If an expensive one.

I left Shift for last, largely because I hadn't enjoyed the previous issue as much as I had in the past and was concerned the lustre was coming off. Shouldn't have been such a namby pamby. Not a wasted page, and everything was hugely enjoyable- notably Elephantmen (which I'd only read in that Strontium Dog crossover drawn by Boo Cook) and To The Death. Great to see Pat promoting Requiem and Claudia again- I have all the Panini volumes and love them, but we have been waiting too long for no. 6 and I hope we get a chance, through Shift, for an opportunity to read Claudia at last.

Shift is still probably the best UK comic on the market that isn't 2000AD or the Meg (when Lawless is running).

SBT

Colin YNWA

I still think the comic is struggling to live up to the truly excellent first line-up. Each time one of the openers drifts out, or reaches its conclusion good material comes in, no doubt, but its never quite as good. With Soulwind gone now we only have Shifter - which must be nearing a thrilling conclusion soon (?) and To the Death - SOOOOO energetic this time wow.

Now I have to qualify this a little as for the first time this issue includes something I've read before in Elephantmen - War Toys.  Now I must say I really enjoyed it here. Last time I read War Toys I was working my way through an almost complete digital run of the series (first 60ish issues) and the main series was really running out of steam for me and I had flipped from loving it to really struggling to get through it. That was a couple of years ago now and I've not returned to it since. Reading this now, in isolation and away from the main series it really is brilliant. Helped immensely by the glorious art of Moritat.

The Ghost in the Sword by Liam Sharp ... wasn't as good, nor interesting as it wanted to be and fell a little flat for me. Muscle Memory was sharp and energetic and I'm looking forward to more. The Millsworld stuff and  Sweep and Clean I wasn't a big fan of.

This is still a great package and amazing value for money. Its just a little in the shadows of its own high standards.

The smell is deeper and richer too now, that has got even better!

Tomwe

Worth noting To The Death is a finite series as well. I've no idea how far they are into it though. I have a handful of the US sized issues but haven't looked to see where the overlap is. At the beginning they were almost running a whole issue at a time but that has dropped down considerably. From what I gather about Adrian though, I bet he would commission the series to continue given the option!
I'm still without my HC yearbook, I know they rejigged it for that version. Would be nice to get it soon though.

Tomwe

Latest SHIFT newsletter announcing Stewart Kenneth Moore's Thrawn Janet will feature in its pages soon. Continuing to diversify and add well regarded content!