Simon is back in Derry & Toms to carry on our chinwagging and this time we’re joined by Guy Lawley, author of Saga of the Man Elf. This 1989 five issue Trident comics run is my most highly treasured Moorcock-related comic and Guy tells us how it came to be, how Mike gave it his blessing and approval to use characters from the Jerry Cornelius chronicles, and how he worked and moved through UK comics and fanzines.
We also discuss the artists involved in the conception of the Man Elf character and story, and dedicate this show to the memory of Steve Whitaker.
Jerry and Una by Steve Whitaker in issue 1
A marvellously corpulent Bishop Beesley by Richard Weston on the cover of issue 5.
Another year has flown by and we return to Derry and Toms for our fourth annual Phil and MM birthday special and celebrate another year on the planet. This time by reading some patron-selected festive horror!
Tanks, demons, onion soup, calvados and freezing weather all combine to create a truly seasonal challenge for a horny cartographer.
This is a little bit late for reasons explained in the show (birthday boozing) but Happy Birthday to Phil, MM and Sebastian Weetabix – and Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and whatever you may celebrate at this time of year even if it’s just putting your feet up and having a break. If you’re working through it, take care and stay safe.
We’ll be back with Part II of our musings on The Devils of D-Day in the next few days. In the meantime.. HAVE A COOL YULE!
It’s finally release day* for the new Elric novel, The Citadel of Forgotten Myths. If you’re in the UK I hope your delivery isn’t delayed too badly by the mail strikes. Solidarity with Royal Mail staff btw – I can wait – also Neil Burton and I were very fortunate to receive advanced reader copies from Joe at SAGA. I’ve been bashing my way through it and look forward to eventually covering it here on BitR.
If you haven’t seen it already you can enjoy MM discussing it on Forbidden Planet TV.
In other news, last night I was delighted to record with Hoi and Jeff as a guest on the Appendix N Book Club talking about Operation Chaos by Poul Anderson. That was a rare treat for me as I love their show and that episode will emerge in late January. If you haven’t listened to their interview with MM already, hop over and do so at your earliest opportunity. It’s terrific.
Meanwhile, in Derry & Toms, Simon Perrins and I had the great pleasure of being able to grill Guy Lawley over his late 80s/ turn of the 90s comic Saga of the Man Elf, his approval from MM and his time working on fanzines and independent comics with a host of business luminaries.
Look out for that in the New Year.
Now Operation Chaos and Man Elf are ticked off though, I can dive through the rusty driver’s hatch** of a mysterious abandoned Sherman and tackle The Devils of D-Day, our Patron’s Choice for the Xmas/Birthday show. We’ll be issuing that one from our boozy HQ in Morecambe on Phil’s and MM’s birthday.
On top of all of that we have a very busy schedule in January where we’ll be talking about bikersploitation, Martian war machines, uncosy catastrophes and lots of other stuff no doubt.
In the meantime take care…
Stay warm and safe…
Load up on cheese footballs/twiglets/[insert festive niche snack here]…
And we’ll see you soon…
On the Moonbeam Roads.
*Technically it’s release week – chalk it up to excitement on my part
**I would never fit through the driver’s hatch of a Sherman
Breakfast in the Ruins 