BLACK TOWER COMICS & BOOKS: The Difference: 1998 Hand Lettering and 2025 Computer Text

Sunday, 20 July 2025

The Difference: 1998 Hand Lettering and 2025 Computer Text

I was going through Black Tower Adventure 51, August 2000 and I found it odd that some of the art looked different to my style at that time. Turns out I drew the strip, Special Globe Guard, in 1998 well in advance of issue 51's deadline.

The strip was a tribute to Golden Age British artist "Ramon" aka Bob Monkhouse! There is an explanation in the issue as to why.

I thought I could publish and just leave my awful lettering as it was (now you know why the PC was a welcome gift! However, if I expect people to spend their money on a book then they should expect legible text (sorry, Moebius but in this case the artist's lettering destroys the look!).

One day and quitting at 2100hrs saw 14 pages re-lettered and you can see the difference with original above and new lettering below.

I will not lie but admit that my hands after the typing are painful, however, what I enjoy is the fact you can add more text and add to character conversation. Will I complete page 22 by tomorrow? If my hands and eyes hold up I hope so!

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Black Tower Super Heroes 4

the fourth issue of BTSH is here and it is so crammed full of eye boggling action that we had to use adamantium staples to keep it all together! Kotar, Sabuta along with Tarot and Lady Silvana face the werewolf while the Zero Heroes are in a church surrounded by zombies and what happens to "the other guy" at the end...I'm asking -what happened? Jack finds that he could have had a fatal dose, while The Trial continues and the mystery deepens. There is more -much much more! Blue Saviour is the cover star and a tribute to creator David A. Johnson who brightened up Bath comic marts with his Blue Saviour, Madame Mystery and Enigma comics! COMICS ARE FUN!

Comic Bits 2!

The second issue of the magazine celebrating creators, titles and characters of the British Platinum, Golden and Silver Ages of comics. In this issue William A. Ward finally gets some long deserved recognition for his contribution to comics John McCail gets "bigged up" something rotten! We look at comedian and actor Bob Monkhouse's comic creation career Steve Dowling -Father of the Garth newspaper strip speaks to Denis Gifford (the ONLY interview he ever gave) There is a look at Dennis M. Reader and his comics work that spawned some of the UKs first super heroes. There is also a look at William Fletcher Thomas, Ernest Wilkinson, Jos Walker, Mary Byfield and William H A Chasemore... oh, and LOTS of lovely art and stripwork!

UFO CONTACT

Since 1947 it has been claimed that UFOs/flying saucers are evidence of aliens visiting the Earth. Since the 1950s claims of encounters with landed craft and alien beings were talked about but not taken seriously. In the 1960s the subject of UFO abduction was a "slow-burner" until the whole "Grey" abduction phenomenon and claims made by researchers. But is there evidence to back up any of the claims -and what about those encountering Alien Entities but who were not abducted? 2017 is the time to assess the past evidence and look at the faults within Ufology. Not everyone is going to be happy -debunkers or ufologists.

Strange & Mysterious Beasts

Humans have always been fascinated by reports of strange and mysterious beasts prowling the Earth. But are they fact or fantasy? What were the mystery beasts that killed people in France during thec 17th and 18th centuries? Are there Bigfoot-like creatures in the UK? What about the reports of werewolves? Are humanoid bat-like creatures flying around the United States and UK? Others included in this book are the Vampire of Niali, the Devil's foot-prints of Gatagon; The Supernatural Invasion: Slender-man and Black Eyed Kids Mystery Creature of the Bay of Flamanville,Things Caught on Camera –Fact and Fiction,The Bat Creatures, The Owl-man The British Pig-man and Snake-man, The Pictish Beast Shunka Warak'in –A Hyena Too Far? and many others.

The Bat Triumphant!

In 1941,The Bat sets about modernising the backward Duchy of Stahl,over which his dynasty has ruled since 1410 A.D.. The Bat is soon involved in experiments with the infamous Count Cogliostro. One of these experiments involves suspended animation;The Bat deciding he will be the test subject. When he wakes,The Bat finds that not days have gone by but 51 years! Worse,his kingdom is in ruins and an enclave of Kamora. The Bat tries politics to win back his homeland and when that fails he decides to fight for it! However,he is unaware that some old,and new,enemies are lying in wait to stop him and all of them want one thing:The Bat dead! Originally a back up strip in Black Tower Adventure in 1994,The Bat proved very popular as an anti-hero. The story was never completed. It is now.

Krakos:Sands of Terror!

Created by William A. Ward for Swan Comics in the 1940s,Krakos was one of Ward’s supernatural anti-hero types. Used,with Swan’s permission,in Black Tower Adventure strips in the 1980s/1990s,this is the character’s first solo outing. But will Krakos fulfill the Goddess Isis’ dream and become the new pharoah of a New Egyptian Kingdom that will encompass all of the Middle East? Did anyone actually ask Krakos? The book contains information on Ward and his work plus sample pages rescued after 60 years of neglect!