The Phoenix Reveals It's Plumage - Part 3

It's finally arrived! (Okay, so maybe I have had my copy for a few days.) I'm not going to do much of a review of the first issue because there are already enough of those dotted all over thw world wide web! (I've linked a few of them at the bottom of the page.)

The original artwork for the cover of The Phoenix #1 - the pterodactyls were later covered up by the logo.

As I explained in a previous post (Phoenix Part 1) The cover of The Phoenix is not red as advertised, but blue. Neil Cameron, who drew the cover, explains:

"The above is an early / alternate version of the issue one cover - in the end, we decided that it looked a little too 'apocalyptic' and went for the blue-sky background used on the final cover."

Long Gone Don was another highlight for me. Drawn and written by the Etherington brothers, I have been looking forwards to this strip the most, and my patience was rewarded! It is a very strange start to a story (although it is actually the end - lost? I am!) story, in which Don drowns in a bowl of Oxtail soup only to find himself plummeting to earth in a land filled with oversized pencils and guitars!

Star Cat was the other highlight, drawn by James Turner. James' stories are always mad, filled with detail that's packed into every corner, and he made it funny! That's quite an accomplishment!

I was really looking forwards to The Pie Thief, something issue one was lacking (along with a few other stories as well). Fingers crossed it'll begin in issue two!!

Upon the launch of The Phoenix, everybody involved with it had a huge party at The Story House. There are some images over on The Phoenix website and on Sarah McIntyre's blog:

https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/the-phoenix-takes-flight/

http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/452920.html#cutid1

The Times has helped increase subscriptions and The Phoenix is well into the thousands now!

The above copy of The Times was filled in by Neil Cameron, who draws How to make Awesome Comics! Click on images for a larger version to see his endings! Blank pages which you can fill in are avaliable to download on The Phoenix website for free.

https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/awesome/

There has also been a delay in getting copies to Waitrose, but they hope to have the problem sorted soon!

Other reviews:

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9458152.Phoenix_rises_again/

http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2012/01/in-review-phoenix-issue-1.html

http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-phoenix-no1.html