Comic Book Plus Forum

Comic And Book Related => Edutainment News => Topic started by: paw broon on May 15, 2012, 08:56:33 AM

Title: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: paw broon on May 15, 2012, 08:56:33 AM
A bit late but nevertheless important.  While trying to arrange examples of The Glasgow Looking Glass into a fit shape for CB+, I came across this article from The Scotsman, which is one of our leading newspapers. Contentious? I don't think so.  After all, we invented most other things.  Apart from that and the fact that the Scots and Irish quietly run the world, I don't suppose there will be any dissenting voices.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/how-comic-timing-was-a-gift-from-glasgow-1-1493825

Perhaps this will elicit some responses from other than the usual suspects.
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: Yoc on May 17, 2012, 04:22:56 AM
Thanks Paw.
I'd love to see this documentary they talk about, 'Scotland's Amazing Comic Book Heroes', someday.
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: paw broon on May 17, 2012, 08:38:49 AM
Hi Yoc,  clips and info here:-  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012c5n2
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: narfstar on May 17, 2012, 09:05:07 AM
US still gets credited with the superhero and where would the world be if the JLA and Avengers had not saved it so many times?
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: paw broon on May 17, 2012, 05:47:46 PM
True---------------------ish!  Big but coming up.  BUT you're forgetting Desperate Dan and that's not a good thing.  Check out his work for the navy.  By the way, his 1st. appearance was in 1937:-
http://britishcomics.wikia.com/wiki/Desperate_Dan

Just having fun with you.  But the strip was drawn by D.D. Watkins a bit of a genius.
Also, if you've seen the short article I submitted to Alter Ego (which might never appear, of course), you'll see that there were a number of masked mystery men/costumed heroes and a superhero from British storypapers.  In the same way that there were American pulps, we had our versions plus illustrated storypapers for younger readers with heroes such as Flying Justice; Black Whip; Iron Man (not that Johnny-come-lately) and piles more. 
Our heroes were concerned, for the most part, with more down to earth problems, in the same way as The Shadow and The Spider were, although The Spider did preside over huge death tolls in his stories.

I suppose I've been successful in getting replies.  Even if it was a bit cheeky.
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: Sequential on October 15, 2022, 10:41:41 AM

Thanks Paw.
I'd love to see this documentary they talk about, 'Scotland's Amazing Comic Book Heroes', someday.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9mnbOtzwVU

Above is the documentary your talking about. Forgive the terrible, cheesy way it's put together.
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: paw broon on October 15, 2022, 03:51:55 PM
Hi Sequential.  Glad you found your way here.  Did you know there is a fanzine called Sequential with exciting, interesting, entertaining articles on comics by such excellent writers as Edith Hardy, Ron Harris and many more?
In fact, I'm sure the next issue is out next week. Oh, of course you do.  Silly me ;)
I watched the Artworks film again and I see our self proclaimed comic historian features.  It is cheesy.
The piece by Chris Murray annoyed me all over again as, for an expert, he seems to never mention the costumed heroes from other Scottish and British publishers, both contemporaneous and preceding Amazing Mr X. But I suppose he was just singling out DCT.
I've tried to contact him a few times, to no avail.  I wish he would share the info he has on Valentines of Dundee.
The mini-mart at Waverley was on today and I went along with Vince and Gav.  A few comic book dealers and some indie/small press guys.  Some good patter, bought a few bits and pieces, made a couple of new contacts and it's given me an idea for an article for Sequential on a couple of the indie guys. I might need to ask you if you fancy doing a short interview with one of them.  We'll talk later.
Title: Re: First comic came from Scotland?
Post by: Sequential on October 16, 2022, 10:29:34 AM
Sounds like a good day. I did consider it but in the end I had enough to keep me busy over the weekend setting up files and talking to a couple of our mutual friends about finishing something I started in 2019. That project has over 50 people on the interview list at the moment so tbh I have very little appetite to do any outside of that unless it's someone particularly interesting. I'm sure you'll cope without me involved in this one.