Tuesday 7 April 2020

OUT NOW! The COR!! BUSTER EASTER SPECIAL!

After months of preparation I feared this comic might not appear due to the current situation. I'm pleased to say that The Cor!! Buster Easter Special is out there in the wild (newsagents) a day earlier than scheduled! 52 pages of boredom-busting fun for all ages, reviving characters of yesteryear (including 6 pages drawn by me from scripts by John Freeman and Lizzie Boyle).  If you can't find it in a shop you can order it directly from the publisher (print or digital) at this link:
https://treasuryofbritishcomics.com/catalogue//RCS2052

I'm really proud to be part of this brilliant comic and having the opportunity to draw Buster and Gums and add cameos of long-forgotten characters such as Alfie the Air Tramp and Weary Willie and Tired Tim alongside more recognisable ones such as Fuss Pott and Mowser! Top class strips throughout, including new Sweeny Toddler and Grimly Feendish by Tom Paterson and an excellent Creature Teacher strip by Lee Langford and Brett Parson plus many more.

Last year's special sold well so I hope this one does too, despite WH Smith being closed now and people going out less. (Buy it by post if you can't find one!) The thing I like most about it is that editor Keith Richardson has made sure it has its own style, rather than imitate those other great comics The Beano or The Phoenix. It's good to see such a diverse range of art styles in there, along with "veterans" such as me and Tom Paterson. Such a lively mixture that I think will go down well with the readers.

Will there be future humour specials or a more regular title? That's up to you, folks! Support the Cor!! Buster Easter Special and that possibility becomes more likely. 

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12 comments:

McSCOTTY said...

I ordered mine yesterday as I'm still in self isolation so really looking forward to receiving it and then the SMASH special .

Lew Stringer said...

How are you now Paul?

McSCOTTY said...

I'm feeling a lot better now Lew thank you. Still lost my sense of smell but temperature and cough are long gone so that's good news and it means I can get outside at the weekend for my daily walk (if still allowed). Hope your keeping well.

Lew Stringer said...

I'm glad you're on the mend. I'm ok, thanks. Take care Paul!

SID said...

I have done my bit and got my copy.

Everyone stay safe.

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks Sid! Hope you enjoy it!

Manic Man said...

While I can't say every version of the characters are to my liking, it's a great mixture of characters and styles which makes it a good comic over all, so that's good. Interesting to see which artists returned on strips and which ones didn't, don't know if there is much to, Though I know you said you Took over doing Gums a fair bit late in the day.

Interesting that the internal advert for last years special, uses the pre-release colour with the Pink Kid Kong instead of the corrected coloured final release but no real complaints at all ^_^ I could say which ones I preferred to others but... even the ones I didn't like that much, if it was art, I still felt it was a good artist, just didn't always agree with there design choices, if it was the writing, it was still good writing but the subject matter didn't quite grab me. Which is better then we I see stuff which I think is just badly drawn or badly written. So, No complaints of note ^_^

varszava_vavava said...

My Smiths is a post office too and so is open.

Bought my copy and also Action 2020 [which I suspect will not be as good as the original].

McSCOTTY said...

Got my copy this am and have to say I thought it was a great package. Some great artist and strips and as a bit of a "fan" of Hilary Barta (well Wally Wood really) it was great to see his work on a British character. I enjoyed your Buster and Dilbert strip and seeing all the old characters, well done. It was especially lovely seeing Grimly Feendish against he was one of my all time favourite characters as a kid. It brought a nostalgic smile to my face. I really could see this being a successful monthly, fingers crossed. Take care

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks Paul. It would be good to see it appear more regularly. Last year's special sold well but of course the current crisis will affect sales this year. A lot of people have chosen to order it by post though so hopefully that'll keep the numbers up. Hope you're on the mend and take care.

Ian M said...

Sorry this posting is a week after the article appeared, Lew, but I just got my copy of the Cor!! Buster Easter Special through the post yesterday - must have been local postal problems I think. I echo what McScotty says - great package. Great job on Buster & Delbert and Gums (love the ginger cats!), and so good to see Tom Paterson's Sweeny Toddler and Grimly Feendish in there too. Plus, many other artists new to me.

Hope there are more Holiday Specials in the pipeline. I have fond memories of reading the 'Summer Specials' back when I was a kid - always a good companion when on a family day out at the beach!

I've never ordered from Rebellion before, but it clearly not going to be the last time...!

Lew Stringer said...

Thanks for commenting Ian. Glad you liked it. Yeah, there must be postal problems around here too as I haven't had anything for a week. It's a tough time for people in sorting offices (some saying that bosses aren't supplying sufficient social distancing methods). Some staff are off sick too, so there's a depleted workforce. Hoping things can be sorted soon by taking temporary posties on because the few business still running are depending on deliveries.

There are more specials this year, including SMASH! next month, but no other humour ones right now. Next year hopefully!