The Gosh! Authority 20.01.21

Hello!

Just to confirm that as of writing we are:

a) Still closed.

b) Still on-site Monday - Friday from 9.30am - 5pm to process web orders and handle click-and-collect orders.

c) Still doing mail orders and click-and-collect for standing orders on request.

More than anything, that last point is what's really keeping us going right now. We still have regular new comics product arriving every week, and the bills still need paying each and every month. So please do arrange to have your mail order sent out at least once a month. We charge £5 shipping as a flat rate, and offer free shipping on standing order mail-outs that total more than £50. As for all small brick and mortar retailers, cash-flow is pretty tough through these lockdowns, so all your support is appreciated. 

We were very sad this past week to hear of the passing of Alison Brown. If you didn't know Alison, she was a long-time key member of staff at the London Cartoon Museum and a familiar face at any gatherings of the London comics community or the major national conventions (where she would usually be fronting a Cartoon Gallery presence). Alison was an incredibly positive, warm and welcoming advocate for the comics medium, and just generally a lovely and kind human being. She'll be greatly missed, and we pass on our sincerest condolences to her partner, family and friends.

And lastly this week, I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has continued to show their support to us over this long, strange period. It means a lot, and we certainly wouldn't still be in business without it. But we are still here (touch wood), and in decent shape to see this out thanks to you folks. 

Onto the comics!

HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK

• CRIMSON FLOWER #1 - A new series from Matt Kindt with stunning art by Freak creator Matt Lesniewski. It's a story of assassins, bloody revenge and Russian folktales, making for the most impressive series debut we've seen since Little Bird assaulted our eyeballs. Do check this one out.
  

• FUTURE STATE SUPERMAN WORLDS OF WAR #1 - One of the (okay, one of my) most-anticipated Future State books! C'mon: Superman fights as a gladiator on Warworld? Okay, so maybe a little Planet Hulk so far, but what's not to like? Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Mikel Janin handle that one, then (this is one of those bumber titles) Becky Cloonan and Gleb Melnikov do a Midnighter story, Michael Conrad and Siya Oum tell a tale of the Black Racer and lastly Jeremy Adams and Valentine De Landro continue their Shilo Norman Mister Miracle story that began in Superman Guardian of Metropolis.
  

• FUTURE STATE CATWOMAN #1 -  Gosh fave Ram V takes Selina into the Magistrate-controlled future of Gotham. Otto Schmidt (another favourite of ours) provides the art, as Catwoman carries out a daring train heist in order to save a bunch of innocent kids.
  

• FUTURE STATE IMMORTAL WONDER WOMAN #1 - Becky Cloonan and Jen Bartel go waaaay into the future of the DCU. The immortal Diana Prince stands against an unstoppable enemy that has bested even Darkseid. And then celebrated YA author L.L. McKinney and artist Alitha Martinez come back to a not-so distant future where Nubia has left Themyscira behind and fights mythological menaces that threaten Man's World.
  

• FUTURE STATE SHAZAM #1 - Years after the events of Future State Teen Titans, the question remains: whatever happened to Billy Batson? While the World's Mightiest Mortal still battles the bad guys, nobody has seen Billy since the Battle of Titans Island. Tim Sheridan and Eduardo Pansica have the answers.

• FUTURE STATE NIGHTWING #1 - Andrew Constant & Nicola Scott take a trip to the near-future Gotham where Dick Grayson operates from the ruins of Arkham Asylum. Batman is gone, but there's this new guy taking the mantle. But can he convince Nightwing that he's worthy?

• UNIVERSE HC VOL 01 - Albert Monteys, the Spanish artist of last year's amazing Slaughterhouse-Five adaptation, brings his own vision to this collection of a strip that first appeared on digital comics platform Panel Syndicate. Each chapter is a self-contained sci-fi story that all interconnect in some way. Monteys comes from a satire background, and that incisive, punchy wit really shines in these stories. Not to be missed!
  

• INVISIBLE MEN TRAILBLAZING BLACK ARTISTS OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMICS HC - Ken Quattro shines a light on the tales of black comics creators from the mediums early years, most of whom have never had their stories told. Quattro exhaustively researched black magazines and newspapers of the time to uncover the life stories of these artists, from the relatively well-known Matt Baker through to figures such as E.C. Stoner and Owen Middleton.
  

• IRON FIST HEART OF DRAGON #1 (OF 6) - Iron Fist and the Deadly Weapons must fight to stop an unknown emeny from killing all of the ancient dragons that power the Celestial Cities. Larra Hama and David Wachter are at the helm.

And that's all the news that's fit to print! See you next week, all. Stay safe!

Andrew.