Afterglow. Pat Shand (Writer), K.Lynn Smith (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters). Space Between Entertainment (2018)

An enjoyable and engaging comic. An event called The Glowing devastated the human population of the earth and fundamentally altered the animals. The world now glows with dangerous beautiful colours. The survivors have gathered together in settlements to try reestablish themselves in the changed world. Lacey, a young woman, lives in a settlement, Lacey's mother had seen the beauty in the Glowing and the new world and Lacey does the same. This puts her at odds with the rest of the settlement who see danger not beauty. When Lacey sees the sign of an impending new event she finds the conflict with the settlers grows more intense. Lacey leaves the settlement with her enormous cat, Afterglow and heads into the woods outside  the settlement. Her adventures develop nicely and come to a satisfactory conclusion.
The story has a big awkward problem that Pat Shand resolves as much as possible, he is severely limited by the story framework he has chosen. The problem is that being right is not enough in fiction or real life. Afterglow takes a position that being right is enough and that seriously undermines the dramatic tension and force of the story. Lacey is right about the impending problem and she is very quick to tell everyone both, she is also an almighty pain in the head. Whiny and deeply self righteous she has no time or space for anyone else, they have no room or right to have a different opinion from hers because she is right. The rest of the people in the settlement are dowdy , ungrateful  foils to her colourful righteousness. If being right is enough it is a justification for being as selfish as Lacey is, as unwilling to make any effort to understand a different point of view and as willing to flout the rules and norms of the settlement with a vocal disapproval and angry resentment. Unfortunately this reduces the potential for drama as there is only one character and a bunch of props.
When Lacey leaves the settlement the problem follows along beside her as she arrives at the anti-settlement full of wisdom and colour where she is recognised as being right which is as problematic in dramatic terms as the situation she left behind.
It is the writing that takes place away from the core problem of being right and unwilling to recognise the fact that yelling is a very poor way to convince anyone that Pat Shand's talent shines and the story quietly and deeply engages the reader. Lacey's relationship with Afterglow is warm, loving and heartfelt. Off her soapbox Lacey is an engaging character who has space for someone else. Her crush on one of the girls in the settlement is understated and a nicely done. The rest of the cast are pretty functional, they serve a purpose without ever being someone. The plot mechanics gives everyone enough action to justify their place in the story.
K.Lynn Smiths gorgeous art brings the reader into the story and smooths over the rough edges of the plot nudges to allow the more engaging aspects to the story shine. Lacey is given a tremendous energy and life that do a lot to counterbalance her selfishness. The new colourful world is realised with subtle skill, the colouring creates emotional tones that lifts the story, capturing and bringing out the details of the location and the cast.
Jim Campbell's letters are understated and fit so naturally into the flow of the story they never call attention to themselves.
Afterglow has a beating heart, it is a bit hidden but well worth reading to feel it.

Wolf Country No. 8. Hanging Tree. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters). Planet Jimbot (January 2018)

Hugely engaging and enjoyable continuation of the story of the bitter war between two nations which can only be won by the complete extermination of the enemy. In the previous issue, Halfpenny the vampire leader of the Settlement in Wolf Country had been maneuvered by forces in the Kingdom, the story moves back to the settlement. The soldiers and some of the settlers, lead by Sergent Urquhart head into wolf country to find the vampire Luke who has defected to to werewolves. The fracture lines between the soldiers and the settlers, Luke and the werewolves, Urquhart and those who sent him to the settlement are displayed as the  point of no return is reached and choices have to be made. A classic confrontation is developed with tension and dramatic detail.
Jim Alexander draws brilliantly on the tradition of Westerns where a small party make a foray into hostile territory, the internal tensions of the party ratcheted up by the felt but not seen observation of their enemy. Romance gives way to violence and the demand for commitment. Continuity is a strength , used with care and precision as the bigger story is glimpsed in the actions of the cast.
Will Pickering's art is a deep pleasure to read, confident and expressive, stripped down to focus on the details, they given the necessary weight and depth to create the context and give the cast a powerful physical presence. In conversation or in action the cast individual and engaging. There is a single panel of a horse which is a minor masterpiece, it captures the moment of the story and the deeper implications of the story with a vivid energy.
Jim Campbell's letters are natural and quiet, the sound effects add crunch and depth to the action.
Wolf Country 8 is packed with action, a reminder of the driving force that is pushing the story, proof that this wonderful story has the strength, depth and momentum to carry a reader quite a distance yet.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander. To purchase a copy of Wolf Country 8 , which you should do to give yourself the health benefits that the deep pleasure of great comics deliver, they are available here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/588346087/wolf-country8

Wolf Country 7. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters). Planet Jimbot (2017)

There is a sense of tectonic story plates shifting in this issue of the gripping and hugely entertaining story. Halfpenny, the driven leader of the vampire settlement in the Wolf country has been recalled to the Kingdom, the vampire city. The ambiguities of living in the Kingdom have grated on Halfpenny, while a swirl of politics surrounds him. Finally he manage a direct confrontation with a werewolf, the results are not as conclusive as Halfpenny hoped as the jaws of a trap finally close around him. Halfpenny is a sharp blade, this issue starts to reveal the hand that hopes to direct that cutting edge.
Jim Alexander has given the story an interesting structure, there is a brutal fight which has an unexpected consequence, Halfpenny drifts close to a vision of hell that is really his heaven before being recovered to the fantastically more dangerous reality. Halfpenny has been expertly played, it remains to be seen if those who hope to grasp the blade can hold it safely or not.
Will Pickering's art is more that equal to the varying demand of the story. The fight with the werewolf is punishing physical , the close up bring it home, the quiet aftermath leads into the vision of hell or heaven as Half penny makes a stand that aligns him with the vampire god. Swing back to the Kingdom and the brutal calculations of political power the action lies in the contained body language and savage words of the cast. The brutal assessment of Halfpenny the asset by those who intent to exploit the asset have an impact equal to the physical fight with the werewolf.
Wolf Country shows with extraordinary confidence and thoughtful detail the layers that exist in every struggle for power. What has been increasingly fascinating as Wolf Country has developed and extended is just how seriously the creative team take the story and their readers. Moving from a brilliant premise the story has moved deeper and deeper into the structures and plans that entwine the apparently straightforward struggle. The story possibilities become increased as the weight of the actions of the cast become increasing meaningful and dangerous.
The crucible of religious motivation and power politics never produces unmixed or happy results, the scale that Wolf Country is steadily building to is enthralling,  the cast are being backed into various corners, when they start to move out of them it is likely to be astonishing.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander, to purchase a copy of Wolf Country 7, you should and issues 1-6 as well to see exceptional comic storytelling unfurl, it is available here, https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/511072174/wolf-country7

Wolf Country No. 6: Dust to Scripture. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters), Liz Howarth (Editor). Planet Jimbot (2016)

A dense and deeply engaging issue that slows the action slightly to allow some room to look at the idea that is at the heart of the conflict and the series. At the settlement the vampires watch and wait as the victims of the last assault finally turn to dust and blow away into the depths of Wolf Country. In the city Halfpenny  consoles himself with scripture and rage against the ambiguity of the city. In the settlement, the soldiers leave to track down Luke, the vampire who now lives with wolves and Halfpenny finds  a conflict that suits him.
Jim Alexander has taken a severely thorny and contentious topic and handled it within the story context with assured confidence and deft writing skill. Matters of faith are explosive because they lie absolutely beyond argument, they is only acceptance or rejection. At the settlement the faith of the soldiers is a direct challenge to the faith of the settlers. They can  manage an uneasy truce because their ultimate aims are the same, the differences between them create room for savage actions. Mrs Halfpenny sacrifices to get the soldiers out of the settlement, they are a greater threat than the wolves. The wolves are clear external enemy, the soldiers are a subtle, unsettling internal enemy that can undermine the solidarity that the settlement requires to survive.
The same problem is facing Halfpenny in the city as he refreshes his faith in the true way in the face of the multiple ambiguities of the city. The stark conflict of the settlement sits well with his rigid faith, in the city there are unexpected challenges. Jim Alexander has written an issue that is dense with ideas which arise directly from the cast in the circumstances in which they find themselves. The action has slowed down, the story has not.
Will Pickering has a considerable task to deliver a mostly talking issue and make it engaging to read, he makes it look so easy that it is nearly possible to miss just how substantial an achievement this is. The cast are all well established so the depth of expression that they bring to their conversations has as much weight as the bursts of action that break out in the story. There is a 'debriefing' session that is just Halfpenny and a security officer, the flow of the conversation rests as much on their eloquent expressions and body language as it does on their words. When the tension is unsprung it is utterly satisfactory, the rage has been clearly building and finally has a target.
Jim Campbell's letters change as required without ever drawing attention, they are so easy to read that they blend into the context of the panels.
Wolf Country is continuing to develop in fascinating ways as detail and depth are added to the context and the cast are given more and more room to be themselves.
Chief Wizard Note:This is a review copy kindly sent by Jim Alexander, to purchase a copy of Wolf Country 6, which you should do for the life affirming pleasure that comes from reading great comics, you can get it here https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/490317579/wolf-country6

Wolf Country. Volume 1. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering, Luke Cooper (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters), Planet Jimbot (2016)

A hugely enjoyable and engaging comic that takes a genre staple to very happily unexpected directions with style and force. There is a vampire settlement in werewolf country, the settlement is an expression of religious devotion to the dictates of the vampire god. The werewolves consider the settlement to be sacrilege, the battle between the settlement and the wolves is total, there can be no peace only victory. As the leader of the settlement is recalled to the vampire city he finds that the brutal simplicity of the settlement leaves him dangerously unprepared for the politics of the Kingdom. The settlement has a troop of soldiers from the city arrive and they bring the same conflict with them. There is also the severe problem of the vampire, a (unintentional) hero to the vampires, who arrives at the settlement and does not return from a trip further into wolf country. An apparently straightforward conflict is becoming complex and the settlement will have to work hard to identify their real enemies.
Werewolves fighting vampires is an gene staple for a really good reason, it holds a huge range of story possibilities, Jim Alexander strikes out in a wonderfully unexpected direction with two really smart decisions, the first is to exclude humans from the story and the second was to frame the conflict as a religious war. Without humans the vampires and werewolves have to stand on their own as two self sustaining societies locked in a conflict that cannot be undone. This gives the story a force and focus that it needs it means that werewolves and vampires are not marginal predators in a human society but the mainstream actors in their own.  They get to have a entirely serious conflict with possibilities and complex implications which allows them emerge as really engaging characters involved in a weight and consequential circumstances. Jim Alexander takes full advantage of the story possibilities arising from having outsiders arrive in the settlement and the leader of the settlement be an outsider in the Kingdom to explore the details of vampire society. The details arise naturally from the action of the story and the reveals are sharply set up to explore the divisions as well as reveal assumptions and the structures of the society. A really well developed picture of a society emerges as well as the pressures exerted by the conflict, the multiple dimensions are made clear without ever dropping the tension or slowing the momentum of the story.
Luke Cooper is the artist for the first issue in the volume, Will Pickering is the artist for the other issues. The art transition is noticeable and not distracting, both artists capture the story with force and subtlety. The story makes very severe demands on the art, it has scenes of tremendous action and also very quiet scenes which contain critical information that cannot be simply info dumps for the reader. Luke Cooper places the settlement in an identifiable context, the fort in the hostile American cinematic west, the settlers capture the looks and manner of the settlers in Indian country. This gives the reader an instant footing in the story and allows the fact that it is not Cowboys and Indians but werewolves and vampires to simply not distract from the story. The story gets started right away without any unnecessary distraction about having to explain why werewolves and vampires. Will Pickering takes the story to the big city with Halfpenny, the settlement leader being summoned there. The city context is clearly contemporary, the contrast with the settlement is made clear with every detail.
The cast are drawn by Luke Cooper and Will Pickering with such natural movements and expressive faces and body language that they bring forth all of the implications and nuances of the script without effort. Reading the comic is such a pleasure because so much of the possibilities of a comic are being utilised with such skill, the story is being told by the words and art in such a balance that it is easy to miss just how much of a story is being told.
Jim Campbell's lettering is so unobtrusive as to be nearly invisible, it reads wholly as part of the actions of the cast in the panel and never pulls the reader from the story. His sound effects on the other hand are exactly as eye catching as they should bee and capture the moments with welcome humour. Wolf Country is a big deeply satisfying read, there is a huge story unfolding in a very engaging way that arises directly from its premise, all delivered by an astonishingly creative team.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander. To purchase a copy of Wolf Country Volume 1, which you should do it will provide elevated levels of joy and happiness with the side effect of a greater pleasure in living, you can do so here https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/279160974/wolf-country-tpb-volume-1.  Planet Jimbot is delighted to announce that they be launching the Wolf Country Volume 1 at the  Moniaive comics festival, based on the Scottish borders, June 11-12 2016.   In attendance will be writer Jim Alexander.  

The Samurai. Jim Alexander (Writer), Luke Cooper (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters). Planet Jimbot (2016)

A engaging and entertaining stripped down story about revenge and choices. A Samurai returns to his village after being called to war to find that it has been destroyed by marauders have ransacked the village and killed everyone in it. He seeks revenge for this and then encounters a lone survivor from another attack and they continue together.
This is about as slender a story as it is possible to create a cohesive narrative with and this creates interesting story problems which Jim Alexander solves with thoughtful care. The motivation for the samurai is a genre classic, away at war he returns to death and destruction. He turns to revenge as all that he has to now live for. This is a classic because it does the job very efficiently, a understandable motive to propel the character into action. The first story problem is with the villains who have caused the destruction, are they both awful enough to be deserving of the revenge and dangerous enough to pose a problem to the revenger. An additional problem, frequently ignored in the genre is are they interesting enough that when trouble does come they fight has some weight beyond the physical?
With remarkable economy Jim Alexander solves all the problems and adds a smart twist that lifts the story out of the ordinary. The marauders, left behind by the end of the war and their side's defeat are given the time and space to register with the reader. They crave death and destruction as much as the samurai and they violent battle is superbly staged. Then Jim Alexander moves the story and the entirely unexpected appears and shows that one of the pleasures of genre conventions is artfully upsetting them. The samurai then continues and makes a choice that shows that revenge is not the only response he has left to the world. Again a unexpected move is made and the final road is opened for the samurai to travel with company this time.
Jim Alexander has made really good use of he compression to play with reader expectations while being entirely faithful to genre requirements. With so little space any story misstep or mistake would be fatal, none are made. The story works as a self contained fragment, it hides the very considerable craft needed to be able to do that.
The art by Like Cooper, black, white and gray is as lean and economical as the the story and it captures all the aspects with flair and drama. The art provides the action and the force that the story needs to work, the samurai's assault on the  marauders is a one page panel of extraordinary force and compression, it strips everything down to rage, blood and revenge. The unexpected event that follows is a lesson in how to unhesitatingly go for an idea and deliver it with just the right edge of bitter black comedy.Luke Cooper delivers the spaces between the action just as well as the action, the choices made are not made lightly and the characters clearly show this.
Jim Campbell's letters are clean, unobtrusive, his sound effects are smashing. They are just the perfect way to convey the action in the
loud way that is needed. They bring the drama of the action to the fore giving the action a physical contact that it demands.
An entirely satisfying, smart comic that packs a bigger punch that would be expected.

Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy that was kindly sent by Jim Alexander of Planet Jimbot. The Samurai will be launched at Birmingham Comics Festival (Edgbaston Stadium) on Saturday 23rd of April 2016. If you want to buy a copy, you should comics have been clinically proven to promote good health and visibly increase reader happiness, then The Samurai can be purchased from the Planet Jimbot shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/273712752/the-samurai

Wolf Country 5. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters), Liz Howarth (Editor), Luke Cooper (Cover Art). Planet Jimbot (2016)

A confident and very engaging aftermath issue that manages a very difficult story problem with flair and wit. The vampire settlement is in trouble, the soldiers are torturing Carmichael and the vampire settlers are starving. Natasha, wife of the settlement leader Halfpenny has a physic encounter with Luke, the vampire who has fled to the werewolves. She considers what to do next and makes a decision. In the city Halfpenny finds that trouble is simply getting deeper and Luke finds that life among the werewolves is sweet and very dangerous.
This is a very dense issue, packed with information and establishing the new status quo after the events in the city and the big assault on the settlement. This can be a very difficult story problem to solve, the momentum of the story slows abruptly from the big set pieces and it can be a bit anti-climatic for the reader. Jim Alexander manages the process very nicely by mixing updates with new information and tying them very smartly together to provide a start for the next wave of events. The new information is the reappearance of Luke, the vampire who fled to the wolves, his situation is used to provide information about the werewolves. This gives a necessary balance to the story as they have been seen only from the vampires point of view up to now. The second piece of new information is about what can kill a vampire, this is tied directly to the deaths in the city and the slow starvation being suffered by the settlers.
Both of these pieces of new information add to the increasingly tense and dangerous context for the settlers and Halfpenny in the city, the circumstances are steadily getting worse. The most enjoyable and engaging aspect to this issue is the emergence of Natasha as the de facto leader of the settlers. As fanatical as her husband, Natasha is much more suited to the complex circumstances that have arisen. She is resilient and thoughtful, she sees the complex situation much more clearly than Halfpenny and acts as decisively as he does when she needs to. Jim Alexander has written a entirely credible female character who is just herself, fantastic.
Will Pickering's art has an equally heavy load to lift and does so with ease and wonderful attention to detail. The action is relatively subdued, mostly talking and it has to be delivered without loosing the reader. the way that the panels are used to vary the story pace and the beautiful body language of the cast is astonishing. They draw in the reader to the information and allow the density of the information to be spread carefully so it never feels crowded. A apparently simple sequence where Natasha is having a conversation with some other female settlers is a masterclass in how to make a static setting spring to life. The sequence moves the point-of-view smoothly and each panel is used to great effect. This sequence is where Natasha really starts to come into her own and it is smart work that it is a conversation that provides the opportunity for her to do so.
Jim Campbell's letters continue to subtly and persuasively support the story, the are so easy to read that they slip by, they work with the art to sound just right.
Serial storytelling is tricky, in particular where the events are quiet and a lot of information is presented. This issue is an outstanding example of how showing and telling can support each other to deliver a combination that is truly more than the sum of its parts.
Chief Wizard note: This is a review issue very kindly sent by Jim Alexander at Planet Jimbot. Wolf Country 5 will be launched at Dunfermline Comic Con on Saturday 5th March 2016 . To purchase Wolf Country (you can order all five issues at a keen price for the set), and you should, this is an outstanding comic that has a stunning story idea backed by astonishing execution, go to https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/266647799/wolf-country5. 

Good Cop Bad Cop Casebook 3. Only Pigs and Horses Part 1. Jim Alexander (Writer), Aaron Murphy (Art), Chris Twydell (Art Assist), Jim Campbell (Letters), Luke Cooper (Cover Artist).Planet Jimbot (2016)

With the third installment of the story of the wolf in the police officer the story substantially shifts a gear, all the introductions have been done and the context is firmly established, now the story can really take advantage of the brilliant premise. Two police officers respond to a call and are killed, one of them is also savagely mutilated. The nature of the mutilation leads Detective Inspector Brian Fisher to have a conversation with an inmate in Barlinne Prison that may give him a lead.
Jim Alexander solves a very difficult story problem with considerable confidence and skill, the problem is how to build a story that stands by itself and at the same time advance the premise of the series without compromising either. Structurally the solution is very clever, the story is pushed forward by a series of shorter , action filled scenes, the Good Cop Bad Cop premise is pushed forward via two extended sequences that are based around very different conversations that DI Brian Fisher has.
In the first conversation DI Fisher provides an voice over to the action which sets the context for the scene and hints at an on going accommodation with the wolf. In the second conversation DI Fisher explicitly acknowledges the wolf and shares part of the way that he shapes the dual lives. Crucially this information is woven into the current plot as well. The expert way that all the necessary plot mechanics are kept in motion is very impressive, the reader has a chance to relax into the story and enjoy every bit of it  since the writer clearly knows what they are doing.
Aaron Murphy's arts is a pleasure to read,  a sequence talking heads in a static medium like comics is fantastically difficult to maintain a reader's full attention. The details are always subtly shifting from panel to panel so the reader is getting different information each time without ever disrupting the flow of the sequence. The action scenes are full of force and the splash page is a joy to behold.
As usual there is a very strong thread of pitch black humor in the story, the shopping scene is a little jewel of knocking over reader expectations, Aaron Murphy captures all of the humour in the art and the combination of the two is what makes reading comics such a pleasure.
Jim Campbell's letters are unobtrusive and essential, they slip into the story easily and carefully except when they make the reader stop and stare, the combination lettering/sound effect at the explosion is a smart, funny treat.
It is fascinating to read how the premise never overwhelms the story nor is it left behind as being too awkward to maintain. The thoughtful skill and craft the creators bring to the process is astounding, the balance is tightly maintained all the way and a sharply provocative crime story is steadily unfolding. Something new and unexpected is rare in crime fiction and equally rare in comics, it is a serious satisfaction to see it unfurl before us in these pages.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly send by Jim Alexander. To get a copy of Good Cop Bad Cop 3, I strongly recommend that you give your self a treat and do get it, it will be available at the book launch  at the Geek-aboo comic mart (74 High Street, Glasgow) on 23 Jan 2016.  In attendance will be writer Jim Alexander and Editor and Publisher Ed Murphy.    Alternatively you can order the book online from the Planet Jimbot shop:  https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/261656580/goodcopbadcop301

Gabriel. Jim Alexander (Writer), David Hill (Art), Mick Trimble (Art), Nate Pride (Letters), Jim Campbell (Letters). Planet Jimbot (2015)

A wonderfully confident and unexpected comic that neatly avoids the inherent problems that comes with the subject matter.
The Devil is Everywhere. Jim Alexander (Writer), David Hill (Art),  Nate Pride (Letters). In 2015 Glasgow is a Christian,perhaps Catholic, theocracy and Gabriel Stewart is trying to deal with the last stage of a failed marriage. At the same time something is cutting a very bloody swathe through the city and is being pursued by the Saint Templar, the the forceful arm of Church security. Gabriel and the killer cross paths and find themselves tied messily in a knot together. The story unfolds across a very cleverly splintered narrative that gives multiple views of the story that finally arrives a neatly and satisfyingly uncertain ending.
Religion, like any topic based on belief is a problem for fiction, it is either obvious or stupid depending on perspective and neither allow for creative tension which is the heartbeat of fiction. Jim Alexander has threaded this needle with craft and a very engaging element of uncertainty. The dominant church is based on certainty, it is the source of truth therefore anyone and everyone else by definition is lying. Not simply lying but actively denying the truth of the church and therefore an enemy. The enemies of the church are demons and demons need to be dealt with harshly, the Saint Templars are theretofore entirely correct in their violent and brutal actions against the enemies of the church.
The demon who is killing his way around Glasgow is sure of what he is doing, the moment that certainty is shaken is a fatal mistake. Gabriel is pretty much alone in not being sure of anything excerpt that he is still in love with his wife. It is this ambiguity that Jim Alexander uses to move past the problems of certainty and create room for engaging fiction that allow the whole cast , context and story come into life on their own terms. There is no slashing satire at the stupidity of credulous believers being lead by hypocritical and corrupt divines. Believers are granted their beliefs with all its various shades, honest brutality is still brutal. Gabriel brings the shadows to the black and white and allows the reader to read the story without feeling boxed into a settled point of view. Jim Alexander has built a story arc that bends very nicely away from reader expectations that are equally cleverly set up at the start.
David Hill's art is a pleasure to read, detailed and fluid, the cast are full of life when resting or in violent action. The cast are all delivered with telling detail, the walk on parts are given as much attention as the main cast. This gives the whole story a depth and strong presence that is really important. The action scenes where the demon is busy with killing are stunning, the demon is always horrifyingly calm while still in deadly motion. The physical details of the buildings and the clothes the cast wear are superb, they are never obvious, they are just right and give the story real physical weight and presence.
Nate Pride's lettering is so effective as to be virtually invisible, it is set up with care so it is just read naturally as part of the story, it never snags the readers attention while it is always clear and effective. A considerable achievement.
"I am the Resurrection"Jim Alexander (Writer), Mick Trimble (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters)  is a sort of epilogue to the main story and one where Jim Alexander takes an entirely logical and huge storytelling risk and resolves it with sharp humour and an very satisfying dash of optimism. A man in a Stone Roses t-shirt appears interrupts a street race, washes a prostitutes feet and gets really angry at a market and is arrested. He tell a priest a strange story and greets Gabriel Stewart. The fallout from these actions is smart, unexpected and happily optimistic.
Mick Trimble's art is friendly and engaging, the art feels full of light, there is very little shadow in the work. This is perfect for the story, it is about the place for optimism, not denying anything but dealing with it and getting on. The art has a light, subtle good humour even when the scenes turn violent, it never loses its touch. Jim Campbell's lettering is an example of how to put a lot of information into a speech bubble without making it crowded or obtrusive.
Unexpected and very engaging, Gabriel is strong comic by a very talent group of creators, a great read.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly send by Jim Alexander. To buy a copy of Gabriel and you should give yourself the pleasure of reading an excellent comic by doing so, you can purchase it for £5 plus P&P at the Planet Jimbot online shop at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/244444294/gabriel-tpb

App-1#1. Jim Alexander (Writer), Eva Holder, Conor Boyle, Iella (Art),Jim Campbell (Letters), Planet Jimbot.(2015)

A clever and engaging set up that neatly solves some story problems that are inherent with superhero stories.
"Tounge Lasher" written by Jim Alexander, art by Eva Holder, letters by Jim Campbell. Three children out playing encounter an old man who places all of them in danger. In a very short space Jim Alexander provides the context for the present, there are monsters about and they are deadly. By setting up children who are flirting with the danger and an old man who invites it, the information needed is delivered in a natural and effective way. Monsters are a story problem, how to balance threat with credibility is always tricky, Jim Alexander does it with black humour that establishes the threat without having to be gory as well.
Eva Holders art is just right, it is soft and slightly cartoony, it makes the context very clear without ever being too explicit. The cast are great, the three children look young, determined and frightened, their energy contrasts very well with the fatal resignation of the old man. They want to come right up to the edge, they do not want to cross over it. The bogey is a triumph, a fish like creature that has a malicious presence and a real force.
"Above Us Only Sky" art by Conor Boyle, letters by Jim Campbell and written by Jim Alexander introduces APP-1 and shows him flexing his superhero muscles. An initial encounter with a young fan and a problem with a flaming super-sphere falling from the sky frame APP-1 very nicely, attentive to a fan and effective against a threat. There is a glimpse of the person inside the costume as well.
Conor Boyle's art is captures the superheroics strongly, APP-1 in flight relative to his fan on the ground is great, it places APP-1 in a human context before he is placed in a superhero context with the flaming super-sphere. The action is very well done, it takes an effort and work to manage the super-sphere. APP-1 has to extend himself to deal with the problem which makes the problem all the more interesting.
"The Scorch Interview" written by Jim Alexander, art by Conor Boyle is a short text piece that does a lot of heavy lifting. The interview takes place at a book signing by APP-1 promoting his book "Look to the Future". The questions are exactly what an interview for a magazine aimed at teenagers would be, mostly puff and with some unexpected grit, it is the frighteningly sincere answers that are the dark joy of the piece. APP-1 takes the questions seriously and answers them directly and they uncomfortably revealing.
"Scout", Letters by Jim Campbell, art by Iella and written by Jim Alexander provides a missing and crucial piece of information that ties the whole set up together. The difference between having superpowers and coping with having superpowers is a fruitful story idea and Jim Alexander uses it with skill as unintended consequences make themselves felt. Iella's art is striking different from the previous two sections and this works strongly for the story. It is much harder and less detailed that the others, the figures look stressed and tired. The cast are not heroic, they are human and trying to solve a superhuman problem.
Happily this is not something new in superheroics, it is much better than that, it is something thoughtful and considered in superheroics. Frequently the least interesting charachter in a superhero comic is the superhero, the story fails to give the superhero a problem that is interesting and challenging to solve, APP-1 has a widespread cast all of who share a interesting and challenging problem to solve and APP-1 is rightly at the heart of it.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander. To purchase a copy of APP_1, which would be a good thing to do, it's available to buy at the Planet Jimbot shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/241056959/app-11.

Wolf Country 4: Cavalry.. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters), Liz Howarth (Editor), Luke Cooper (Cover Art). Planet Jimbot July 2015

Gripping and entraining, the issue has a very clever balance between conflict and aftermath in the city and the settlement as the plot mechanics start to take up the weight of the story. At the settlement the assault lead by the giant werewolf on the Settlement starts. The inhabitants fight back while the soldiers returning from a patrol attack the wolves from the rear.  In the city Halfpenny finds himself surrounded by an angry crown as he leaves the house where Fabian was assassinated. The confrontation is exactly to Halfpenny's liking, it becomes deadly very quickly. The aftermath of the two confrontations are not conclusive, they push open doors to further complications and trouble for everyone.
This issue marks the point where the set up has been completed and the story has to develop by itself and it is doing so with the usual care and attention from Jim Alexander. The question of why the vampires do not simply drink the werewolves blood is definitively answered  and the precarious situation of the Settlement, which has many more enemies than just werewolves is made plain. Suitably in the more complex area of the city Halfpenny enjoys his triumph while still not quite grasping the danger from his apparent allies. Jim Alexander nicely matches the action with the context, more straightforward and direct in the Settlement, dangerously ambiguous in the city.
Will Pickering moves from widescreen action to multiple panel pages to single panel pages with strong control of the pacing and story requirements. Crowd scenes get the space they need to set the context, the action is much more focussed and personal.Conflict is hand to hand and it gets the attention it needs to display the personal aspect to every encounter. The werewolves and the vampires are not simply battling each other, they have to obliterate each other. In the city the clash of faith and politics is no less personal, it just is expressed in slightly different terms. The art captures the forces behind the action and gives the conflict a sharper edge.
Wolf Country continues to be a wonderful comic, a tremendous idea being executed with flair and thoughtful skill leading in unexpected directions and developing a deeply engaging and independent cast. It is a pleasure to see the huge promise made in the first  issue being realised in such a positive and confident way.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander. The book is available for pre-order on the new Planet Jim shop hop on-line:  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PlanetJimbot. You should treat yourself and get it.

Amongst the Stars. Jim Alexander (Writer), Mike Perkins (Art), Scott Martyniuk (Letters), Will Pickering (Art). Planet Jimbot (2015)

Update from the Chief Wizard (19.06.2015):
'Amongst the Stars' has made the Scottish Independent Comic Book Alliance (SICBA)  short-list for Best Graphic Novel 2015.  The winners will be announced in  Glasgow on the July 4 2015. To celebrate Planet Jimbot put together a PDF sampler of the book, which features 5 pages of the story.  This is absolutely free to everybody. 
For the Amongst the Stars PDF sampler, click on the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1mcab4gr8utanu7/ATS_SICBA_Sampler.pdf?dl=0,  
Also, the book is on sale at the Planet Jimbot online shop for a special SICBA price of £5.50 plus P&P  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PlanetJimbot. 
For details of how to vote check out the official SICBA site:http://www.sicba.org.uk/.
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A very engaging and unexpected story about alien contact that uses a very clever idea to drive the plot. The inhabitants of the planet Tchalling have developed a group consciousnesses, enveloped in The White, a crafted environment that surrounds and supports them. When they reach out and encounter the individual consciousnesses of Earth the shock is tremendous. The smart bit is that the inhabitants of Earth are only vaguely aware of the presence of the of the alien, the impact is massively asymmetrical. The story  unfolds in unexpected ways and with the presence of a disabled academic who bears a strong resemblance to a very famous disabled academic with a strong interest in space and time is just one of the nicely unexpected routes the story follows.
The strongest aspect to the story is the hard boiled optimism that Jim Alexander displays, the future for everyone is hard fought, it is also worth the fight. There is no drop into easy pessimism or deeply cynical destruction for all involved. Rather there is a nicely messy possibility that life is a challenge that should be accepted and pursued. Jim Alexander has neatly found a path through the extremes of an alien contact leading to  future sunny uplands of a shared galactic future for humanity and a remorseless destruction for the natives due to contact with alien ideas, technology and germs. Framing the contact asymmetrically is a great way to create a viable alternative path, the craft that Jim Alexander uses to exploit the opportunity is a pleasure to read.
Mike Perkins art resolves three problems with flair and subtle humour, the alien planet smother in the white dome is featureless, the alien nature of the locaton lies in its blankness rather than the detail. The Tchallins themselves are drawn in very restrained terms, very close to human looking, they look a little like elongated and slightly emaciated punk rock fans with an odd mix of  Mohicans with pony tails. The mastery of body language that Mike Perkins displays prevents them from being just silly and they are strongly expressive and confusion and fear they experience is palpable. The second problem is the bridge the distance between one plant and other in a way that shows the physical as well as the emotional distance. They way that that problem is solved is simple and brilliantly satisfying.
The Earth sequences are full of details, lots of shadows and background. They appear crowed and full compared to the empty scenes on Tchalling, they give weight and solidity to the cast who have been contacted and are affected by it but do not grasp exactly what is going on. There is no significant action for Mike Perkins to go wild with, the biggest set piece is a wedding, the action is much more subtle and low key. It is astonishing how much the art brings out all the nuances in the cast, they are so strongly expressive and still individual. They are not simply signposts, they are given depth and weight which is crucial to the story and the  slingshot finale.

Growing Pains, written by Jim Alexander, art by Will Pickering and letters by Jim Campbell uses pitch black humour to great effect. When the police are called to deal with an incident at a block of flats the outcome is very unexpected and very well set up. Pacing is everything in a story like this where the balance between the set up and pay off has to be very carefully set. Will Pickering's art is uncluttered, it gives the cast the chance to come out strongly, the action and reaction has to be carried by the cast in a very confined space. Jim Campbell's lettering are so effective as to be nearly invisible, they arise so naturally from the cast and story they just speed the reader on to the climax.
Great science fiction and a extra treat, a pleasure.

Chief Wizard's Note:  This a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander from Planet Jimbot,  For more information or to order a copy, which you should do, please contact,  planetjimbot@gmail.com

Wolf Country 3. Jim Alexander (Writer), Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Letters). Planet Jimbot (2015)

After two issues that set up the extraordinary context, in this issue the plot gears begin to engage in both the Kingdom and the Settlement. In the city, Halfpenny, the leader of the vampire settlement in wolf country is drawn into the work of the Department of Purity, asked to speak to vampire who may have something to say to a zealot he would not say to a bureaucrat. The interview does not go well, and a superbly staged assassination suggests that there are strong forces colliding in the kingdom. At the settlement, the full moon heralds an assault, the soldiers from the city head out on a patrol and question the limited effectiveness of the settlement. The promise of the moon comes true.
Once again Jim Alexander has moved the story in multiple ways without tipping his hand as to the actual direction it will go in. Clearly there is a significant change in the city regarding the value and purpose of the settlement, there seems to be lines being drawn between zealots and others who would achieve the same goals by other means. There is a nicely dangling thread that the apparent goal may not be the real end in sight.
Halfpenny's rigidity provides strength in straight fight with a werewolf at the settlement, outside of that context he is not able to read the situation well. His determination to reduce everything to the satisfying black and while of kill or die is leaving him open to management by others. Back at the settlement the intrusion of the soldiers has had an unsettling effect, they do not share the bonds of zeal or survival that the people who live at the settlement do. They upset the balance of the fort and may weaken it dangerously when the assault comes.
Nothing is settled, there is a satisfying sense of story lift off and the possibilities have been thrown open, the wonderful set up is leading somewhere.
Will Pickering's art is spare and clear, the focus is the cast and they emerge with force and determination. There is very little extra detail beyond that required to set the context, the dram is in the cast, their powerful body language and facial expressions. They interact with each other directly and fiercely, the passion that drives them is clear and sharp.
Jim Campbell's lettering is, as usual quietly effective, the sound effects are big and loud, the dialogue is easy to read and feels natural in the panel.
This is a very satisfying comic, the conflict has arrived and it was worth the wait.
Chief Wizard's Note:  This a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander from Planet Jimbot, Vampires v Werewolves in a wild west setting - and a lot more' continues, having been shortlisted for Best British Comic (b/w) at the Eagles/True Believers award; longlisted at the British Comic Awards and voted as a Top 10 book in last year's London Super Comic Con. For more information or to order a copy, which you should do, please contact,  planetjimbot@gmail.com

GoodCopBadCop Casebook 2. Jim Alexander (Writer), Luke Cooper, Will Pickering (Art), Jim Campbell (Lettering), Joel Carpenter ( Cover Art). Rough Cut Comics (2014)

The second outing for the wolf in a police officers skin is even more entertaining and enjoyable that the first, all the heavy lifting of the set up having been done the creative team can concentrate on pushing the story ahead. There are three sections in the book, two comics and a report written by both people who share the identity of Detective Inspector Brian Fisher, all of them work really well.
Tiny Facts of Kindness, written by Jim Alexander, art by Like Cooper, letters by Jim Campbell starts with a small piece of scene setting which sets the tone of bleak humour exactly before moving into the main storyline. When two small time robbers encounter he wolf in a bungled attempt to robs a supermarket the trail leads to a local church. At this point the story actively and consistently diverts away from reader expectations and still keeps within the storytelling boundaries it has set up. Jim Alexander snakes across the possibilities of having the wolf and the implications that his existence is no secret. The presence of one wolf is an indicator of the presence of others and that possibility is used in a very sharp way.
The art by Luke Cooper is confident and his mastery of black and white is astounding. The high contrast art is perfect to give the story the edge and starkness it needs to express the brutal humour and action. The cast are full of force and vitality, they move with power and the tone of  disguise and rage is conveyed perfectly. The distinction between the wolf and his host is balanced really well, they look distinct enough to be different, yet retain a sufficient similarity to maintain the tension between the two.
Twisting the Knife, written by Jim Alexander, art by Will Pickering, letters by Jim Campbell picks up a different thread that has been running through the stories, the view of Detective Sergeant Spencer who works for DI Fisher and knows the wolf is real. She reports her concerns about DI Fisher to the Chief Superintendent, specifically about a case concerning the assault on a woman that takes place after she disturbs a burglar in her home. The woman's family follow the police to find the person responsible and when the wolf emerges he does so much more quietly but just as effectively as ever. The story nicely raises questions without disturbing the flow and creates room for further story possibilities.
Will Pickering's art is significantly different from Like Cooper's and placing a text story between them is a good way to reduce if not remove a dislocating change in style. The line work is gorgeous, the fourth panel on page 1 is a stunning and effective transition. The grey tones for the flashback contrast very nicely with the white backgrounds for the interview. This change works to emphasise the formal tension of the interview and the action in the flashback, in the interview the flashback looks to be slightly absurd.
Separating the two are a number of reports from both DI FIsher and the wolf and they showcase Jim Alexander's talent for bloody, black humour and razor sharp story telling. The reports wander across a number of events, the stand out is a community police lecture at a school where incidents of graffiti spoilers for films has appeared, among other outbreaks. The lecture falls apart as expected in ways that are not as Jim Alexander again nicely shifts out of the way of reader expectations.
Strong plotting, a great cast given the space to establish themselves, fierce action and wonderful art make GoodCopBadCop Casebook #2 a comic to relish.
Chief Wizard Note: This a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander from Planet Jimbot, The first copies ofGoodCopBadCop: Casebook#2 will be on sale at Thought Bubble (the Rough Cut Comics/Planet Jimbot table situated in New Dock Hall).  It will be distributed through Amazon at www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aag/main?ie=UTF8&seller=A12QVTLFDTVO2U and direct from www.roughcut-comics.com in December.

Amazing & Fantastic Tales 4. Planet Jimbot (2014)

Another instalment in the engaging and very enjoyable anthology, this continues the mix of continuing stories and one-offs in prose and comics.
"Karoom" part 4, written by Jim Alexander, art by Glenn B Fleming continues the story of the dimension travelling alien and the woman from Earth who has joined him. The stage is set for a final confrontation with a slight reveal just adding to the questions. The art continues to use soft lines and colours to draw in the reader, the body language and expressiveness of the cast is first rate. This is a quietly intriguing story that continues to charm.
"Cold Blooded" written by Ed Murphy is a smart story that appears to be following one route before smartly switching. Maria grows up in India under the strict care of her father in India, chosen for the freedom he has to raise the child as he wishes. Maria develops a deep and abiding interest in reptiles, when her father is murdered in a burglary she heads off to a life of her own. Later in her life she is in a abusive relationship with a gangster in Peru when things start to change. The story is slightly predictable right up to the moment when it is not, clever and crafty, reader expectations are caught and skilfully thrown.
"Pipe" written by Jim Alexander, art by Graeme MacLeod, letters by Jim Campbell, edited by Eli Winter, is a wryly optimistic story that uses tight compression to great effect. A life and a death in 9 panels, that is entirely complete and satisfactory is a considerable achievement. The writing is tight an focussed, the tone is just right and the unexpected conclusion exactly right. Graeme MacLeod's art is detailed and subtle, in each panel the details and mood are balanced carefully against the words or lack of them, the flow is sympathetic and deeply engaging. The lettering by Jim Campbell draws no attention to itself, but subtly supports and embellishes the story. Compression is difficult and editing a single page story into a coherent and convincing whole is a significant task successfully achieved by Eli Winter.
"Don't Read This" written by Luke Cooper manages one of the essential tasks of a supernatural story that most do not, it leaves the reader thinking, "I am sure it is not real or true but why take the risk?" The tone of the story is pitch perfect, the passive aggressive hook that holds the reader and appears to let them go but still has a lingering touch. To say more would spoil a lovely treat.
"Bad Tooth" written by Jim Alexander, art by Eva Holder, letters by Jim Campbell and Edits by Eli Winter combines a very clever idea and a truly terrible joke in a surprisingly successful mix. Chris wakes up with a raging toothache and discovers that the zombie apocalypse has also arrived at the same time. After four days of fighting zombies Chris decides to ask one of his companions to do an extraction, the results are unexpected. The smart black humour of the story and the swift and effective character work is very enjoyable, the supremely lame joke that it leads to is groan worthy. It is a significant tribute to the overall craft of the creative team that the joke does not sink the story. Eva Holder's art is strongly expressive, zombie killing looks dangerous and exciting and the cast (living section) emerge clearly and strongly. The lettering as ever with Jim Campbell is quietly effective and supports the story.
"The Last Posse, Part 4" written by Jim Alexander continues the story of classic Western heroes caught in a mysterious town, the situation becomes a little clearer as the fight is started only to lead to the possibility of greater trouble to come. The mix of western and understated horror continues to work very well.
Any anthology carries the possibility of a range of quality, Amazing & Fantastic Tales 4 has a very high standard throughout with two stand outs.
Chief Wizard Note: This a review copy very kindly sent by Jim Alexander from Planet Jimbot, for more detail on how to get Amazing & Fantastic Tales #4 please contact planetjimbot@gmail.com