Modelled initially on 'Action' - blood, guts,vengeance and vile of yore, this old issue of Violent sports a cover classic in that style with a superhero war comix esque 'Hard-Boiled Hitler' smacking the allies champ. Artist Andy Baker turns in a big dumb pop cartoning on that Frankenstein serial. Theres also mix and mash distortions on crime gang films, and a fun pastiche of the Bond genre, involving a golfing protagonist no less. The comics influence here is clearly 2000AD IPC house, that sardonic telling attitude in abused protagonists finding hope in delight of when their abusers are dealt a hand of GBH. The continuing stories in the booklet don't leave too much more - an agility of editing perhaps. Then again, they come in,m ,deliver the action required, most manage to incorporate a few artistic spectacles (as well as good art skills), then leave. Only with one strip fell short this, not quite badly executed, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The 'flip of this', personal fave, 'Cinderella Syndrome' is completely out of character with the rest of the book. A light innocent uplifter by Jay Eales and Toby Ford who embellishes basics with a warm photo scenery and manages to make it look very easy.

This issue of Violent is colour cover, int. b & w, 32 pages and is £1.50 from the archives section of Factor Fiction Press. Or you may wish to try an issue more recent of which there are quite a number. Twelve in fact at time of writing. (Steve Green reviews Issue 11 here)

Copies are available at all good UK expos, by adding 50p for postage and writing a cheque to Selina Lock, 38 Clarkes Road, Wigston, Leics, LE18 2BE, or by using Paypal through the Factor Fiction Website Shop.