Geek Culture Reviews

Sentinel heads into its 17th issue and the mini-digest shows no signs of slowing down… One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Sentinel is its simplistic standalone format. From what started as a homage to the classic Starblazer digests, Sentinel has grown into its own entity. Within each issue is a complete self-contained story, that’s driven by big ideas with surprisingly detailed character work. More importantly, with each new addition you never quite know what Alan Holloway is going to throw at you. Issue #17 is no exception. Teaming up with Mal Earl , Holloway delivers ‘ They Call Her Trinity ’ in a way that panders to both his sense of what makes a comic book a worthy read and Earl’s unique art style. It’s a story that offers just the right blend of atmosphere, character, and reflection to leave an impression long after the final panel. And whether you’re a long-time fan of Sentinel , or this is your first issue, ‘ The Call Her Trinity ’ is a worthy addition to anyone...

Alan Holloway and Ed Doyle are back with a glam rock opera-inspired tale of a boy with big dreams… The Story of Johnny Rocket is in part a collaboration with the rock band Cats in Space . Taking inspiration from the song ‘ Johnny Rocket’ from the band's ‘ Day Trip to Narnia ’ album, this comic adaptation is about a young boy whose life takes a very unexpected turn.  Taking place in 1960s America, Johnny Roquet is a young boy with big dreams of heading into space. Teased by his classmates, and supported by his parents, Johnny lives for the day he’s accepted into Space Fleet Academy. When the day finally arrives John ships out for his training and soon graduates with flying colours. Not long after his graduation, John is accepted on to man’s first foray to the Moon. But in true comic book fashion, it’s not quite that simple. As a young boy who once dreamed of space, both The Story of Johnny Rocket and the character resonated a lot with me. While poor grades and life would get in my...

The team over at Sentinel celebrate another milestone with their 15th issue, but does Wolfriders fit in with the pack? Fifteen issues in and Alan Holloway shows no signs of slowing down as he brings another done-in-one tale to Sentinels growing  library. This time the veteran writer has been joined by relative newcomer, Jack Parsons whose artistic talent has given a manger-esque feel to this fantasy adventure. With the full narrative needing to fit into just 64 pages (not including covers and introduction), how does ‘Wolfriders’ fare? We’ll come with me as I find out.  Moving away from the sci-fi comedy that made up Sentinel Issue 14, Holloway turns his steely towards the world of Elves and Goblins. Our central character in this story is Anna, a young Elf who finds herself thrown into a world of mysticism as an age old prophecy threatens to come true. With the help of two elvish wolfriders, Anna will soon have to face her sheltered upbringing, whilst questioning her role in th...

You all remember the Eagle right? When Alan Holloway and Ed Doyle initially announced they were planning Falcon I was a bit sceptical. While the A3 tabloid style comic book was a hit back in the mediums golden era, would it be a design that holds up in 2024? While the likes of Sentinel and The77 reign supreme in capturing the very essence of what made up the youth reading of their respective communities, can Falcon recreate the excitement that came with reading The Eagle back in day? And more importantly, was my initial scepticism proved to be wrong? While I’m far too young to remember the initial outings of The Eagle, working in a charity shop I’ve experienced gawping through the publications first three annuals (no they didn’t come home with me). Even with some of the writing being a little stuffy in places I could easily see why the publication was quite a hit back in the day. It even surprised me that my Dad used to read The Eagle too! (Apparently he was a big Dan Dare fan! Wh...

Rob reviews Sentinel Issue #14: Heartbreak Spotel… Back after the phenomenal tribute to the late Dave Evans that is Bolt-01 , Alan Holloway returns with another adventure in the realms of Sentinel.  Teaming up with artist, Paul Spence, Holloway brings a semi-sequel to previous Sentinel tale - A Fair To Remember. With a crime-caper plot that’s chock full of Fawlty Towers inspired shenanigans, Heartbreak Spotel will certainly raise a few chuckles from those who grew up with Basil Fawlty, and his hapless personality. However, if like me and you checked out of Fawlty Towers, does Holloway leave you stranded at check in?  As you’ve probably guessed, I’m not a fan of Fawlty Towers. While John Cleese and Connie Booth’s creation has gain a legion of fans - and numerous awards - for me it never really clicked. The kind-of sad point to this is that the punch line to many of Holloway’s jokes were meaningless without the context provided by the British sitcom. Either way, even without thi...

Previewing Sentinel #14: Heartbreak Spotel… Alan Holloway is back with another issue of Sentinel - the Starblazer inspired mini-digest that offers a complete story in 64-pages. And we’ve got a preview of what to expect below!  For issue #14 ‘Heartbreak Spotel’ Holloway is joined by artist Paul Spence, who’s no stranger to the Sentinel format (‘A Fare To Remember’). Fans of Starblazer are also on for a special treat as veteran artist Keith Robinson is providing the variant cover! ‘HEARTBREAK SPOTEL' is quite obviously inspired by the classic UK sitcom from the 1970s, 'Fawlty Towers'. We don't try to hide it. Naturally, it's all our own work and doesn't rip it off, but it was fun to do a comedic issue with a few names and themes that reflect such an iconic show. If you've never seen it, it doesn't matter, but fans will enjoy spotting the references.’ Sentinel #14: Heartbreak Spotel is currently crowdfunding via Kickstarter, with the campaign being availab...

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 incred...

Rob reviews Sentinel Issue #13: The Pack... Roaring into its thirteenth issue, Alan Holloway and Ed Doyle 's tribute to Starblazer continues to amaze with its depth of storytelling. This time out  Holloway is joined by artist Mac Art for 54 pages of werewolf action. Best described as Dog Soldiers meets  Predator, The Pack introduces us to a squad of six battle-hardened roughnecks. What makes this squad unique is their ability to tap into their inner beast - and operate as a 'pack'. When a routine mission goes south, and one of their remains within his werewolf form - the hunters become the hunted. But is there a wider conspiracy at work? Coming shortly after Sentinel Issue #12: Valhallasaur, you'd think that too much of a good thing would sour the experience. However, with The Pact Holloway continues his writing resurgence that made Valhallasaur a great read. Across this issue, we get a simple military story that not only evokes the same feel...

Rob reviews Sentinel Issue #12: Valhallasaur... After a short hiatus, the creative talents of Sentinel founders Alan Holloway and Ed Doyle collide once again to bring a tale of Vikings and dinosaurs. At writing it's been eight long months since we last delved into the creative mind of Alan Holloway . Previous Sentinel issue; Dark Matter saw the writer take an experienced mercenary squad across a planet-hopping, action-packed adventure. Dark Matter was well received, Holloway is drawing in plans for its sequel!  Anyway, back in the present and we're thrown to 950AD. Opening to a Viking longboat wading its way through the frozen North, the crew soon discovers a distant island. Mistaking this island for Iceland, the crew suddenly realizes they are miles off course and as such make landfall. Little do the raiders know that they're not alone on this island. It's here that dinosaurs still roam supreme, and they can't wait to take a bite out of those who...