1991 (collected 1992) / Ecomics / 192 pages / USA/Peru**
Back when crossovers were a big deal, this proved one of the more forgettable 25th anniversary cash-ins. DC 'Trek regulars David and Friedman swap series for novelty and have a handle on their characters, but nothing of much interest happens and there are no interesting parallels or Blakeian contrasts across the split narrative, however you sequence it. On the positive side, Pablo Marcos is good at drawing.
1997 / Ebook / 152 pages / UK
*
It was stirring to hear something so ancient (at least in approximated form), but breaking it down extinguished rather than illuminated. The reconstructed history and arguments over authenticity were similarly unenlightening to the point of pointlessness, then he wastes a lot of paper reprinting all the lyrics in case you fancy some karaoke.
2008 / Audiobook / 593 pages / UK
***
This is increasingly a series where reading along can be less rewarding than taking them individually. Densely packed with a series' worth of concepts and characters, this is disappointingly samey at the same time, largely feeling like an inverted Inversions that foregrounds and overexplains the sci-fi.
Rhys Hughes, Madonna Park
1990-2009 (collected 2009) / Ebook / 20 pages / UK**
I don't seek out the ephemeral obscuria of favourite artists for the purpose of deflating the impeccable image I've built up from their curated works (that'll teach you to be good!), but it's usually a consequence of that damned curiosity. He put out this average-sinking sextet, so it's fair game. The cat house one was great, but some of them were just nasty.
Fave: 'The Big Lick'
2002-14 (collected 2014) / Ebook / 220 pages / New Zealand
***
Good, old-fashioned gothic horrors and melancholy romances, this had the haunting spirit of those vintage compilations I'd get through on cross-country coach journeys, only more forgettable.
Fave: 'The Stone'
