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36 pages in US comic format, mainly b&w with some colour pages
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Reads Volume 2 begins here. 4 stories, in 4 parts over 4 issues.
Featuring:
Tim Bird, Luke J. Halsall, Ricky Miller, EdieOP and Owen D. Pomery
Cover by Eleni Kalorkoti
To kick things off we have Luke J. Halsall and Tim Bird’s ‘The Bullpen’. A story set in the offices of a comic book publishing company at the dawn of the Silver Age of comics. Think Mad Men but with Stan Lee instead of Don Draper.
Our second strip sees Owen D. Pomery return to the characters from his hit comic, ‘The Megatherium Club’. ‘Skeleton Crew’ is the first in a series of standalone adventures pitting the club against the same “villain”, a rival scientist who looks like he might just beat our “heroes” at their own game.
Our third strip, ‘Hitchcock & Film’, is brought to you by Ricky Miller and (that man again) Tim Bird. They begin their look at four different periods in the life of Alfred Hitchcock along with a whistle-stop history of the development of film during his lifetime for good measure!
EdieOP rounds things off with a full-colour strip featuring ‘The Story of Lucius Jellybean’, an orphan germ, born from the union of a slug and a virus. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll probably want to leave off eating until afterwards.
REVIEWS
“An essential platform for a healthy representation of the creative voices that make up the AHP stable, and a true testament to the continuing evolution of this important micropublishing presence on the UK scene.”
Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier
“Great anthology, variety and quality throughout.”
Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet International
“This is EdieOP’s first contribution to Reads, and the story shows her sense of humour and a clever mixture of innocence but blatant danger as well. Very entertaining.”
Mark Russell, A Place to Hang Your Cape
“This collection is a primer / advert for the fledgling (set up in 2012) Avery Hill Publishing, whose publications so far, I have found to be of impeccable merit! Keep up the good work!”
Jonathan, Page 45
Metroland by Ricky Miller, Julia Scheele, Rebecca Strickson & Jazz Greenhill
36 full colour pages, 239 x 168mm, perfect bound.
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No one seems to notice that things aren’t quite how they should be. What was lost has now been found, those dead before their time are alive and events from history that we know took a wrong turn have somehow been set right. It should be a golden age, but if everything is so great, why is there a growing theory that something cataclysmic is coming?
Meanwhile, on London’s outskirts, in a small castle in Greenwich, lives the indie band Electric Dreams. In the midst of their triumphs, failures, loves and losses, founder members Ricky Stardust and the mysterious Jessica Hill are constantly going AWOL. Are they slacking off on drink and drugs induced lost weekends? Or is there a clue to their disappearances in Stardust’s recurring dream of a magical place outside of time and space called Metroland?
 Miller & Scheele’s soap opera of music and time-travel launches with ‘Electric Dreams – Part One’, the 20 page lead strip in which we’re introduced to Ricky Stardust as he recovers from what appears to be another epic drunken incident and has to deal with inter-band rivalry, a gig, another night out and a reunion with Jessica.
In ‘Sunday’ we travel back in time to the very first meeting between Ricky Stardust and Jessica Hill on a beach in Worthing, beautifully drawn by renowned illustrator, Rebecca Strickson, in her first ever comic strip.
Finally we travel far into the future to listen in on an old man in a nursing home telling stories about music in the old days to a young girl. ‘Memories’ is drawn by Jazz Greenhill, writer/artist of the acclaimed ‘The Festival’, also available from Avery Hill Publishing.
REVIEWS
“It’s a brilliant, brilliant comic”
Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet International
“And characterisation is where Miller and Scheele’s creative connection is most obviously emphasised. While Miller’s dialogue is often snappy and playfully witty – underlining the casual confidence of Jessica or the roguish indifference of Ricky – it’s the subtler, visually-led moments of character definition where Scheele shows us the people behind the facades they project: a haunting dream sequence, or a quiet moment of poignant contemplation, employing a deceptive air of understatement to speak volumes about the book’s protagonists.”
Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier
“Lovely example of how you can do something bubble-gum fun yet also thought provoking, and indeed stylish if you put your mind to it.”
Jonathan, Forbidden Planet International
We’re excited to announce that Gill Hatcher has been nominated for two SICBA (Scottish Independent Comic Book Alliance) awards for The Beginner’s Guide to Being Outside. She’s been nominated in the category of Best Writer and Best Comic. Congratulations to Gill!
These are the fourth annual awards, celebrating and promoting new creators in Scotland’s expanding comic book industry.
The voting for the shortlisted winners will take place by the public at Glasgow Comic Con 2014 on Saturday 5 July, with the Awards ceremony being hosted at CCA on the evening of Saturday the 5th (7pm – 9pm), the ceremony is free to attend, but ticketed.
Here are those nominations in full:
Best Comic Book or Graphic Novel (supported by CCA: Glasgow)
The Beginner’s Guide to Being Outside (published by Avery Hill Publishing Ltd.)
Crawl Hole (published by Craig Collins)
Crossing Borders (published by Rocket Puppy Press)
Dungeon Fun: Book One (published by Dogooder Comics)
The Standard #5 (published by ComixTribe)
Best Artist (supported by Homecoming Scotland)
Iain Laurie – And Then Emily Was Gone #3
Morag Kewell – Crossing Borders
Neil Slorance – Dungeon Fun: Book One
Best Writer (supported by Black Hearted Press)
Gill Hatcher – Beginners Guide to Being Outside
Colin Bell – Dungeon Fun: Book One
John Lees – The Standard #5
Best Cover (supported by Williams Bros. Brewing Co.)
Craig Collins, Iain Laurie and Derek Dow – Crawl Hole
Neil Slorance – Dungeon Fun: Book One
Jimmy Devlin – Saltire: Invasion
The Beginner’s Guide to Being Outside by Gill Hatcher
40 pages in full colour 239x168mm landscape, perfect bound in a stunning wraparound colour cover
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Megan is a 14 year old girl who lives in Manchester with her mum and stepdad. Like most teenagers she is entirely reliant upon technology, until a family trip to the Scottish highlands reconnects her with nature and helps her to find solace during a turbulent time in her home life.
Gill Hatcher (Team Girl Comic, Go Wildlife) has created a wonderful story of a young girl coming to terms with life, her family and herself, set amidst the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands. Gill’s own love of the outdoors and the animals that call the highlands home radiates from the beautifully drawn pages and will enchant and inspire even the most cynical city shut-in.
Here are a few words from Gill:
“It’s an all-ages book that I hope will appeal to anyone with an interest in wildlife, however slight their knowledge might be. I’d like to see the book create a bit of a culture clash; inspire comics readers to get outdoors and experience a bit of nature, and maybe introduce a few outdoorsy types to the amazing world of comics too.”
REVIEWS
” Unassuming and delicately constructed, The Beginner’s Guide to Being Outside is a triumphant and gorgeously executed piece of all-ages storytelling that I have no doubt will propel Gill Hatcher’s profile to the next, and much deserved, level of recognition.”
Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier
“The Beginners Guide To Being Outside is her first major solo comics work, it also happens to be something rather great, an all-ages comic that doesn’t shy away from some of the more troublesome aspects of growing up.”
Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet International
“It’s beautifully full of flights of fancy and as a counterpoint has moments of childhood sadness. It examines the interiors and exteriors of life and has an eye for wildlife that makes me want to go out and buy some binoculars.”
Tony Esmond, Never Iron Anything
“After reading this one, I can honestly say that if the rest of her work is as beautiful as this one is then I am going to be completely in love with it.”
Patrick Scattergood, Curiosity of a Social Misfit
“The Beginners Guide To Being Outside is an intimate, straightforward story which – rather than relying on dramatic twists and turns – keeps things remarkably restrained and utterly believable. Megan is a relatable character to anyone who has managed to make it through their tricky teenage years; grumpy, disinterested and permanently glued to her phone and tablet. The family issues that led to her mother and father no longer being together are touched upon briefly, but never overdone, making this story more about Megan herself than her parents and their problems.”
Craig Nielson, Big Comic Page
“Heart-warming stuff that will have you wanting to grab your walking boots and head out into the countryside for a stroll.”
Jonathan, Page 45
To celebrate the impending launch of Metroland #1 and Reads Vol.2 #1 we’re offering 20% off when you pre-order the pair together through our online shop!
Metroland #1 is an all new starting point for Ricky Miller’s mysterious, mind-bending tale of a missing girl, time travel and music, with the main strip drawn by Julia Scheele (I Don’t Like My Hair Neat), and back-up strips drawn by Jazz Greenhill (The Festival) and Rebecca Strickson. We don’t want to tell you anymore for fear of getting spoilery, but rest assured, this one’s a thriller!
Our second volume of Reads kicks off with all new stories from Tim Bird (Grey Area), Luke Halsall (iHero), Ricky Miller (Metroland), Edie OP (Jonah, Dangerfun) and Owen Pomery (Between The Billboards), about comics, film, gentlemen scientists and a deadly, loveable virus, all topped off with a wonderful cover by Eleni Kalorkoti! Printed in 170x260mm ‘American’ comic format, we couldn’t be more excited about Reads!
Both comics are 36 pages long and are marvellous. You can get them HERE.
148 pages printed in a larger-than-original size of 239mm by 168mm, perfect bound.
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“Quite simply… one of the most important and intelligent creative voices in current U.K. small press comics”
Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier
Avery Hill are proud to announce the release of Days, a collection of the work of Simon Moreton.
The collection covers Moreton’s comics output from 2011 and 2012, including three out-of-print issues of his acclaimed ongoing autobiographical series SMOO, and ten strips created for anthologies, including one previously unpublished piece.
“Moreton is using the comics medium to its greatest extent, encouraging us to derive every possible ounce of meaning from the imagery he presents”
Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet International
Days features an all new wraparound cover, extensive notes on the work included, and a short essay by Moreton, offering a perfect entry point for new readers, and a different perspective for existing fans.
“Moreton’s very much in the John Porcellino wing of comics-as-poetry school as he tells very short stories about his environment, his memories and his anxieties”
Rob Clough, The Comics Journal
When asked about Days, Moreton said:
“I’m really proud of the work in this collection. It documents a turning point in my zine making where I was finally starting to get a sense of what I really wanted to try and do with my stories and drawings. The work collected here shows that period of experimentation, but also that period of my life in pen and pencil. It makes me happy and humbled to see my zines put together in this way.”
REVIEWS
“Where comics meet poetry. Sometimes funny, sad or just plain truthful it’s a hugely satisfying read.”
Tony Esmond, Beardrock
“These are comics you’ll feel you’ve lived.”
Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier
“There’s nothing overly expressive, but absolutely nothing hidden either: there’s a moving intimacy in Days’ simplicity, an openness and frankness that astounds.”
Robert Wallis, A Place to Hang Your Cape
“Moreton is an interesting artist. He is a scholarly observer. He is a second-generation indie cartoonist. In many ways, he is a young British version of John Porcellino. Looking over his work, he does a nice job of evoking teenage angst in the suburbs and the overall longing of youth.”
Henry Chamberlain, Comics Grinder
“The reductive nature of Moreton’s minimalism fills me with joy every time I see it. The few lines he drops onto the stark white pages may tell of isolation, often of despair, of escape, of memories of something lost, but there’s also a sense of hope, of moving up and up, to the sky, to the future, to satisfaction, contentment, beauty. Days captures an artist evolving, sets it before us so we can share it all. So recommended.”
Richard Bruton, Forbidden Planet International
“The closest comparison I could make would be John Porcelino and his KING-CAT comics, though. Both have an elegance and economy of form artistically which suggests the simple yet often emotionally sophisticated messages they wish to convey.”
Jonathan, Page 45
Comics journalist, Andy Oliver, has done a brilliant in depth interview with us over at Broken Frontier. It’s in two instalments, one that examines the editorial side of things and the other where we talk about the creators. You can read it all HERE.
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