DECAY Issue 18 Review

Dark Oz DECAY is Australia’s longest running independent horror comic.
Those unfamiliar with DECAY, it is the brain child of South Australian resident Darren Koziol (The DK in DECAY) who, as well as writing and creating themes, tirelessly edits, publishes and travels around the country to various conventions promoting the comic and its contributing artists. This means he can put out at least two editions a year where others falter. This hard work has come to fruition when one of the DECAY stories was picked up by SciFI/Fantasy icon Heavy Metal.

DECAY caters to the gore hounds, slasher fans and horror buffs but in a distinctly Aussie way. DECAY is full on mature reading fun that revels in its unrestricted format. Koziol has created recurring characters such as The Sisters, three ageless sexy vampires who have a long history of mayhem and carnage and the Oz Zombie themed stories telling stories of the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse in an Australian environment and other artist are free to explore and build on these stories.

The latest edition of DECAY, (Issue 18) was released to coincide with the Sydney- Brisbane Comicon double header. It is an A4 sized comic in both colour and black and white and printing is high quality. At $8 a copy it is great value when compared against the monthly mainstream imports. Its front cover prepares the reader for what's in store and the first story Sister: Class of 2014 leaves them in no doubt the cover was in any way a false advertisement, all in vivid colour. With 27 writers and artists (check the screen grab below for more details) making up the contributors list and there is plenty of variety in story and styles. Colour is used to great effect in the stories Sisters: Harvest and the Oz Zombie based Papa gone a huntin’ just as the modern gothic of The Lazarus Box and the patient revenge of The Forgotten Patrol are as effective in black and white. A favourite would have to be Adoption. Katrina Young’s artwork with the gentle colour wash is a brilliant accompany to Brendan Crates story. The animal characters expressions reminded me of Frank Quietly’s art in We3.
The Selkie and The Cure are other stories that stand out for a short sharp shock.
 DECAY deserves your support because it offers something other Aussie comics can’t. Consistency, in quality and delivery.
A great read for a good price and worth it just for the great Chris Wahl artwork on the back cover.
Danny Nolan

SAMPLE OF ARTWORK FROM DECAY #18

Gorgeous artwork from ADOPTION

CAST AND CREW

PUSHER JONES UPDATE.

Is it possible the eagerly awaited  virtual rock band with the potential to knock Gorillaz of their non productive perch. Pusher Jones keep boasting and Gorillaz keep saying it's all too hard. There is a massive hole in the cartoon music genre at the moment we'd like filled.
This piece below was originally reported and posted by BUBBLE BLABBER 

Way back in March of 2013 I reviewed the debut EP for the rock super group, PusherJones. You guys remember, right? Dave Kushner from Velvet Revolver, Dave Warren from The Simpsons…I know, I know, it may take a minute to remember them because we really haven’t heard much from them since. Their Facebook page sends out Birthday wishes to famous musicians both alive and deceased. Their website hasn’t really seen much of an update either. As a matter of fact, the last thing in the news section was a link to my review of the album! (Thanks boys!)

That was, of course, until a few days ago…

Yup. That’s Titmouse Studios in good ol LA. And that’s the Daves.

Could we finally be seeing this band in motion? There’s gotta be a bit of expectation for a follow through if your band is featured on a major motion picture soundtrack. Do you think we’ll be seeing the animated PusherJones any time soon? 

Here's hoping.

The Code. A sneak preview review

The Code , the upcoming mini series on the ABC has been tantalizing viewers via promos for a couple of weeks now , constantly being plugged before and after Dr Who, Utopia and Father Brown with its promise of high production values, top talent and BBC type techno thriller plot. I’ll admit I was looking forward to it, especially with the barrage of Reality television hogging prime time Sunday viewing till the cricket starts. So when I jumped on Facebook just before 4 PM on Friday to see that a sneak preview of the first episode was available for the first 300 viewers from noon, I was gutted. Having missed out on the iView guerilla preview of Chris Lillie’s Jona.
 I resigned myself to missing out on another golden opportunity to jump in early and catch some quality viewing then spend the rest of the week ruining the show for everyone else who would listen or couldn’t escape. So imagine my surprise when I followed the link clicked on the screen and got the first 55 minutes of The Code streamed on to the computer just before knock off time.
 Well, first recommendation, I worked unpaid overtime today.

The Code is a locally produced thriller that puts its value on the screen. Jumping from small outback town to the corridors of Parliament house in quick succession as the characters and the plot are introduced.

And I'm telling you this role will bury all memory of Diver Dan.

 David Wenham who sets the scene early as Deputy PM Bradley, a man who instils fear upon those around him and when he hands a folder of photographs to his chief of staff Randall Keats played by Aden Young, the scene is set for deep political intrigue when a junior Minister is sacrificed to fill the rabid news cycle and bury any hint of what may be a major scandal.

The hard drives been wiped . Wonder how that happened?

Meanwhile we are introduced to the Banks brothers. Ned played by Dan Spielman a young journalist struggling for a story while hamstrung with mentally ill brother Jessie played by the brilliant Ashley Zukerman who made the final episodes of RUSH a joy to watch.

I learnt this on TERRA NOVA.

Their problematic relationship is set up early when an incident outside Parliament house drags Ned away to diffuse a situation that involves a package, Jessie and several heavily armed Federal Police. The tension really doesn’t let off after this point for the entire episode. Hints of a connection of the death of a young girl in an outback town and Canberra when Ned is given the photos from Sophie Walsh (Underbelly’s Chelsie Preston) to run in the aptly named Password an on line news site, a scoop that will give Ned's  career a boost and the Government enough distance from the leak. Ned finds a misplaced note with the name Lindara sandwiched between the incriminating photos given to skewer the out going Minister and quickly links it to the out back town where school teacher Alex Wisham played by, and it took a double take to realize- Xena’s Lucy Lawless. Who, thank goodness has left all her female Hercules histrionics well in the past and really shows us her acting chops.

It was this or audition for Wonder Woman. You do the math.

 Ned begins to investigate the car crash that involved two of Ms Wisham’s pupils, one fatally and finds a deep connection to Canberra. From here we discover Jessie’s “hacking” prowess and computer smarts when he discovers a virus planted on Ned’s computer. While at the Password the same virus is attacking their computers planting seeds of Government interference in Ned’s head.

So when the episode finally wraps with Ned on a plane to Lindara and Jessie bundled into a van it’s a severe case of “You bastards ABC. Now I have to wait another three weeks to catch the next show and I’m no better of than every other Joe.”
So basically I’m writing this to spoil the first episode for everyone else by giving away key scenes and gloating that I got to be one of the 300 (subtle Wenham link there) to be privileged to watch some excellent Aussie drama that will no doubt, judging by the first screening also have a huge international audience.


For the rest of you The Code premiers on Sunday Night 21st September at 8.30

Great stuff ABC.

Here's the trailer to make the wait even more annoying.

I wasn't mentioned in this review.

Danny Nolan

OLIVE GROVE SPREAD. THE TRUTH?

The Missus bought this new butter, I'm too confident with the contents after seeing this on the cover. Subliminal art or a warning? I'm going back to the old brand. I sent an email to the product manufacturers Goodman Felder asking if they were aware a member from the Dairy lobby may be active in their Marketing department. I'll keep you posted.  #olivegrove

UPDATE 10 Sept. 2014 Received a call from GF. A young lady who didn't give her name asking what I was referring to in my post? I said isn't it obvious, she then said that others had pointed it out. She thanked me and that was it.
What? No exorcism, no free spread?