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| HATE RATES.... ***** BIBLE **** TABLOID *** COMIC ** CHIP PAPER * PULP |
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| Sex Pistols The Graphic Novel By Jim McCarthy/Steve Parkhouse (Ovolo) June 2007 (£12.99) Dear oh dear this book is a bit of a disaster and the less said about it the better! This is the third graphic outing that I've seen for the Sex Pistols story. There were two previous maybe amateur less glossy proper comic book attempts circa 1990 from the Rock'n'Roll / Fantasy comics stables, which are rare, rough and ready, but superior for their simplicity in my opinion. From well known journo Mark Paytress's Dickensian tinged intro to this big budget edition through to the artists sketchbook outro, this book is on the road to nowhere. This particular story and its cast of ott characters is so well known and has been documented so many times in the past 30 odd years, that it would take something very special to breathe new life into this well worn old tale. This comic book adaption is definitely not that publication! The illustrations are sometimes pretty poor, the scary masculine square jawed Siouxsie and Soo Catwoman drawings have to be seen to be believed, then there's the unrecognisable Ronnie Biggs and even Nancy Spungen bears only a passing resemblance to the real thing. My faves the New York Dolls make an expected appearance (or is it 80's hair metallers Poison?) and up to now I didn't know that Keith Richard was a member of the band during the 'Red Patent Leather' commie days. Though that would have pleased Johnny T. no end. I wasn't aware either that Mr Thunders was still sporting long hair and platform boots on the Anarchy tour? Jeez you learn something new everyday. As for the text its embarrassingly puerile at times. There are numerous swear words scattered like machine gun bullets throughout the book to give it that imaginary authentic punk edge, but in reality its does the real characters an injustice. It actually makes them look inarticulate and adds nothing to the books chances of being taken seriously, instead of just another cash in. I wish I'd bothered to have had a browse through the pages before purchasing, because I might not have bought the book but in reality. I'm easily swayed when it comes to questionable punk rock memorabilia, I'm an easy touch. So if your like me and you enjoy your comic book art plus you happen to have been a punk when this was actually happening a lifetime ago and had your teenage world turned upside down. Then you'll probably want it for the collection regardless of the flexible quality control, otherwise avoid!!! Joe Donnelly (Belfast) 25th March 2008 |
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