The SheerGlam Conspiracy by Steve MacManus

[Bad City Blue]

Here's a treat for anyone who enjoys 1970s British comics! Steve "Tharg" MacManus' new novel, set in the publishing offices of Goodenough Publications. Well worth a read

https://cool-stuff-you-will-like.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-sheerglam-conspiracy-by-stave.html

[judgeurko]

& the comic talked about in the book is now a reality. Blazer! is available to buy. Its a good idea & has an authentic feel but the artwork is appalling.

[Colin YNWA]

& the comic talked about in the book is now a reality. Blazer! is available to buy. Its a good idea & has an authentic feel but the artwork is appalling.

I assume aside from Dan Cornwell's stuff which is... well Dan Cornwell???

[Barrington Boots]

I enjoyed Blazer but aside from Dan Cornwell the art is pretty bad. Dan Cornwell's art is great, ofc.
Otherwise it's a great concept and I hope we get issue 2.

[Bolt-01]

I've not seen Blazer, and in all honesty I'm not thinking I will pick a copy up. This is from the editorial team that bring* the '77 isn't it?

*and also promote this book as being by -- 'the one true Tharg.' which is a very poor choice of phrasebut I think it sets the stall out very nicely for the bias they present.

[Barrington Boots]

It is by them Bolt, and agreed.

It's very much a pastiche of the likes of Action, or at least that's how I read it. For example, one of the stories is called 'Sherrif of Nottingham' about a Texan policeman in the 1973 Midlands with everyone speaking in dialect. I think if the comic were more straight up I'd not have been into it.

[judgeurko]

& the comic talked about in the book is now a reality. Blazer! is available to buy. Its a good idea & has an authentic feel but the artwork is appalling.

I assume aside from Dan Cornwell's stuff which is... well Dan Cornwell???

Never been a big fan of Cornwell but his stuff is the best of a bad bunch.

[Bolt-01]

Well, imagine my surprise when the postie rolled up today -- no prog, sadly but instead someone out there has posted me a copy of BLAZER!

I've not had chance to sit and read yet, but I really must say thank you to whomever it was that did this.

[Bolt-01]

Well, that was an experience.

I've mulled it over since I finished it but I think the best thing I can say about Blazer is that if they wanted to make a comic from the '70's they succeeded.

Personally I thought the only strip that landed was 'Godwin's Law' with art by Dan Cornwell. I'd be happy to read more of that, despite the similarity with Darkie's Mob.

I'm torn as I know some of the creators involved, and in all honesty I think that they are better than this. I found it to be borderline racist in places and sexist.

I wish Cosmic Ray were still around to show them how to do this sort of thing.

I'll not be chasing up a second issue.

[Bad City Blue]

I really enjoyed it, and appreciate all the art is from people who do NOT make a living from it (except Dan).

As a comic the look and feel is incredible, and the stories are perfect for a "lost" 70s boys thing.

[judgeurko]

Well, that was an experience.

I've mulled it over since I finished it but I think the best thing I can say about Blazer is that if they wanted to make a comic from the '70's they succeeded.

Personally I thought the only strip that landed was 'Godwin's Law' with art by Dan Cornwell. I'd be happy to read more of that, despite the similarity with Darkie's Mob.

I'm torn as I know some of the creators involved, and in all honesty I think that they are better than this. I found it to be borderline racist in places and sexist.

I wish Cosmic Ray were still around to show them how to do this sort of thing.

I'll not be chasing up a second issue.

Agree. Recreating a 70s comic can be done well without recreating some of the prejudiced attitudes.

[Bad City Blue]

Agree. Recreating a 70s comic can be done well without recreating some of the prejudiced attitudes.

What in the comic did you find problematical? All reads fairly harmless to me.

[Bolt-01]

What in the comic did you find problematical? All reads fairly harmless to me.

Ignoring the artwork entirely and focusing on the script, the first things that spring to mind are:

Titling a strip 'Domenica's Ring' is bad enough but the lead character of this strip is a seventeen year old girl with the surname 'Totti'.
Next in 'Boot Room Boy' we have a Mr Pablo Zapata, from Carambia who doesn't speak English very well. In fact his first words are 'I shoot many goalies.'

Am I wrong in thinking these are just bad? Mind your language bad.

[Bad City Blue]

I must be made of sterner stuff!

Domenica's Ring is about a girl called Domenica who has a magic ring, so to take anything more seems like a push.

Totti is a standard Italian surname, it's double meaning is really harmles, and she's 21, not 17.

Pablo in Boot Room Boy is a very broad charicature, to be sure, doen to the marching powder in his tea (I don't think you take it like that...)

He is, as you say, a bit Mind Your Language. Apart from that, though, the comic is played very safe.

It seems you want to find fault, and that's your perogative, but it's mine to challenge that. I would have changed Pablo, myself, but nothing else.

[Bolt-01]

You know what BCB, you may well have a point there - when I read it I wanted to like it, especially as I know several of the contributors, but these issues got under my skin.

It could be better, and should be better.