Everything old, is new again...
Back in 2020 and a new retro anthology leaped onto the British indie comic scene. From the musings of a few members of the 1977-2000AD Facebook group, The77 came into existence. Consisting of 68-pages The77 Issue #1 was a love letter to those comic books all of us read growing up. Taking the style of a simple anthology, the first issue featured a multitude of serialised strips across plenty of attractive genres. Now heading towards its 9th issue, the anthology had grown in both popularity and size. Spawning offshoots such as Blazer!, Pandora, and This Comic Is Haunted, what started as a simple fanzine has evolved into a full-fledged brand.
Regardless of where The77 Publications sees its future, its not forgot its past. While The77 Issue #1 is now long out of physical print, it's original contents have been remixed, reloaded, and more importantly - streamlined. So, with The77 Reissue No. 1 now in the wild, what a perfect time to get reacquainted with past friends, and for those newcomers - the perfect jumping on issue.
From first the opening page, it's clear to see that this is a very different issue #1 than what came before. While the "original" was a mammoth 68 pages, the reissue has been shrunk to just 33. As such a lot of the original content has been cut, and sadly we'll never witness the launch issue again in all its glory. However, what Ben Cullis and the team have done is focused on the strips that have become the mainstays of The77 - with a few still playing out in The77 Issue #9. Not only this, it also highlights how the anthology has evolved over its 3 year life with some of the debut team now heading their own publications, or moving to new pastures.
V (Steve Bull, Ade Hughes, Darren Stephens, Annie Parkhouse)
Kicking Reissue #1 off is Steve Bull and Ade Hughes' V. A mainstay of the anthology V tells the story of Anat. A warrior who's been plucked out of time by powers well beyond our own understanding. This opening part sees Anat as she's thrust into a futuristic arena and forced to partake in gladiatorial combat against the current champion.
While Bull doesn't give too much story away in this opening, he does give enough to pique interest in what's next. With the story being fleshed out across multiple issues - and the Annual - there's certainly a deeper narrative at play. But what does it all mean?
V veterans will notice this time that Hughes' linework now has some color to it. With the strip transitioning to full colour within The77 Issue 4, it makes perfect sense for Darren Stephens to work his magic here. Even though the art was already great, Stephens makes it really jump from the page with a simple splash of colour.
Technofreak: A Stranger Calls (Joe Assi, John Charles, Tom Newell, Nikki Foxrobot)
Up next is Joe Assi (with John Charles) with Technofreak: A Stranger Calls. Currently enrolled within it's own Kickstarter campaign, this Technofreak tale feels more like a stop-gap than anything of substance. That being said - it's still quite an adventurous read.
Assi and Charles throw us into the danger as unwillingly accomplices to a corporate heist. We join notorious thief "Bill" as he sneaks his way through the halls of Biocorp. From utalising cheesy dialogue, to gadgets that'll make ACME blush, Bill seems to be onto a winner. That's until a dating pop-up ruins everything, and things get a little crazy.
Feeling much like a strip straight out of 2000 AD's 'Regened' Assi packs plenty of madcap fun into 6-pages. Artist Tom Newell packs each page with plenty of detailed art that shows off Bill's skills, to then see it go disastrously wrong. Aside from assisting in with the script, John Charles also lends his hand with colour work too. Much like Newell's linework, Charles brings a bright pallette that's a great mix between the "all-ages" feel, and the technocratic Technofreak universe.
Division '77 (Dave Heeley, Sinclair Elliot, Phil Elliot, Bolt-01)
Back when The77 Issue #1 was first released the UK was in the height of the first COVID-19 lockdown. Seemingly predicting this, Dave Heeley's action sci-fi almost takes a satirical look into lockdown life, before spiralling into a gruesome sci-fi delight.
As unflinching cyborg warriors, what's left of humanity fights the wars for their saviours; the Grakkon. In typical sci-fi style the cracks then start to appear as the Grakkon aren't necessarily the benevolent race they've portrayed themselves as, and in saving humanity, they've made us pawns in their galactic war machine.
Which is where the fun begins.
Back in my original review of The77 #1 I couldn't praise Dave Heeley and Sinclair Elliot enough - and it still rings true today. Everything about Division '77 was what I wanted to see in a comic book strip. Its a classic sci-fi adventure that's been created by a sci-fi fan. With hints of Rogue Trooper, Universal Soldier, and elements of Judge Dredd, Division '77 is one thrill-ride you don't want to miss.
The Tinkling Triangles (Steve McManus, Brendon Wright, Fillippo Firefly)
The Tinkling Triangles tells the story of superstar band; the Tinkling Triangles. Heading out on to a reunion tour across the galaxy, a last minute change of plans sees the group heading to the war planet Hades. Now on a spacecraft full of die-hard nutt-jobs heading to the most undesirable place in the galaxy, the Triangles try to remain positive in the only way they know how.
Having a former 2000 AD editor write a strip for your anthology must of been a real coup for The 77Publications. Not only did McManus oversee 2000 AD across its golden era, he's also top-knotch bloke too! While McManus would soon join The77's sister publication BLAZER!, The Tinkering Triangles is a great continuation to the narrative that was started in The Sheerglam Conspiracy novel - and continued in BLAZER!
Aboki (Mamode Ogbewele, Samuel Iwunze, Fillipo)
Created especially for this re-issue, Aboki is a sci-fi tale that takes place out in the depths of space. Centering around the Ninth Habitat on the planet Pluto, Aboki follows the Spectrum being Slavroc as they pursuit a rogue arms deal happening on home soil.
Considering this is the debut for Aboki, I’m interested in finding out more. Ogbewele’s tale fuses the often action-packed ideas of sci-fi comics and introduces the threads of a political thriller sitting just under the surface. Iwunze’s art contributes a lot to the general atmosphere, and paints the grim shadow filled environment of an industrial docking bay to great effect. Character design is also of a high calibre with a cast that invokes feelings of Rogue Trooper.
SGT. Shouty Of The Moon Force (Lew Stringer)
Rounding the Reissue off is another madcap tale from comic book veteran Lew Stringer. With an alien spacecraft approaching Moon Base Brian, the team get ready to welcome their guests. Well that’s until super-soldier SGT. Shouty runs out of biscuits.
SGT. Shouty is one of those short and sweet tales that’s all done over a single page. Stringer does a great job with pacing his narrative with each having a clear beginning, middle, and end, with plenty of laugh out loud moments in between. Stringer then capture this excitement with his signature art style that’s not only brimming with detail, it also gives SGT. Shouty that classic Beano look.
Overall The77 Reissue No.1 works as both a standalone title, and a companion to the debut issue. For those of us who’ve been there since the beginning, the Reissue is a great trip down memory lane. It’s a way to rediscover old favourites, and to see where the publication first took root - and how much it’s grown since those early days. Meanwhile for new readers, the Reissue gives a streamlined introduction to The77, and hopefully captures your imagination into jumping on the fandom train.
For back issues of The77, BLAZER!, Pandora, and This Comic is Haunted, why not check out The77 Publications store by clicking here.
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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok; @GeekCultureRev
Nice review Rob
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