Advanced Review - Bolt-01: A Tribute To Dave Evans
A tribute to a comic great…
For those who knew him, Dave Evans was the go-to guy when it came to the British Small Press scene. The overseer to 2000 AD fanzines Zarzaz and Dogbreath, Evans worked with many talented artists, and writers who contributed to the projects he helmed. When he wasn’t attending comic conventions, or tutoring those he took under his wing, Evans was busy lending his lettering skills to other independent works. Sadly in 2021, Evans succumbed to his inner demons which resulted in him taking his own life.
Move forward to 2022 and Sentinel founders Alan Holloway and Ed Doyle were busy at work creating something that would act as a lasting tribute to the legacy that Dave Evans created. As such Bolt-01: A Tribute to Dave Evans was born. Utilising the powers of social media, Holloway and Doyle sent a shout out to those who worked with Evans, or brought one of his many FutureQuake Press productions to get in touch. To say that the response was less than incredible is a true understatement. Creators from far and wide got in touch with their ideas to pay tribute to the man who clearly meant so much to so many.
Now, almost a year later and the finished annual is almost ready to be published. Taking to Kickstarter, Holloway is aiming to continue his success using the crowdfunding platform in order to secure the funding needed for Bolt-01’s creation. It will no doubt come as no surprise that the campaign has been a roaring success, with the wider comic book community coming together to celebrate the life of Dave Evans. At time of writing the project is currently at £4,571, that’s been raised by 154 backers. With the initial target of £2000 being well and truly smashed, it’s a massive testament to Evans’ legacy, and will go a long way in supporting the chosen charities that’ll benefit from the project.
Moving on and the Bolt-01 Tribute is truly a wonderful piece of work. Across its 146 pages is a smorgasbord of strips, pin-ups, doodles, and scripts that’s been produced by a wide variety of comic book talent. In between well known names such as; John Wagner, Boo Cook, Dan Cornwell, Dylan Teague, and Arthur Wyatt, we have indie stars such as; Pete Howard, Mike Collins, Baden Mellonie, and of course - Alan Holloway & Ed Doyle. This is just the tip of the creative iceberg as there’s many, many more who’ve contributed in some way into making this tribute the beauty that it is.
Normally with comic reviews I’d normally have a rundown of each strip. But for the Bolt-01 annual, I’m not going to do that. It’s in my opinion that like myself - you need to open this book with zero spoilers on what to expect. What I will say is that IF you’ve not backed the project on Kickstarter yet, you really are missing out. However, if you’re one of the many backers who’ve pledged towards making this annual a reality - you’re in for one incredible read!
Bolt-01: A Tribute To Dave Evans is still available to back on Kickstarter, and you can pledge towards the project by clicking here.
Special thanks goes out to Alan Holloway, and Ed Doyle for bringing this tribute together - and allowing me an advanced look at the finished product.
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