Salute Salute50!

Ian Knight, Alex Haimann & Me meeting for the first time since 2019!

Wow, that was fun! All that preparation, planning, travelling and then the day itself just speeds by, far too quickly and SALUTE50 was over as quick as it begun!

I was delighted with the response that my new release, ZULU: WATER CART RESCUE received and felt justified in attending the event with the interest and many encouraging comments received. That said, SALUTE is of course a wargaming show with models, figures, paints and the many, many game displays being people's priority, so this remains very much an outreach event for comics and one that I'm willing to invest the time and energy in to see if a successful crossover can be made to justify the expense in attending. 

One thing I may have to do is make the fact that my books are comics more obvious, as despite the various signage and displays, many thought that I was selling Zulu War gaming rules and were interested if any figures were being produced or recommending manufacturers existing sets to suite such a venture! Most saw the funny side and were intrigued enough by the comics concept to give them a try but it is something I need to address in future.

Check out Warspite's video for a great SALUTE50 overview and a wee cameo after 09:30!

The event itself was certainly much busier than the previous covid hit 2021 one and everyone was saying that it was 'back' in terms of attendance and atmosphere so it was nice to fully experience the show that had enticed me previously. Certainly the new organising committee seemed to pull out the stops by adding many features such as panel talks, increased demonstration and participation games to give attendees more to do than just shop, which in turn encouraged them to stay at the show for longer so it didn't markedly drop off early afternoon like before.

With Tim and James of the Die Hards in mufti!

A personal highlight was of course catching up with chums that I'd not seen since my last South African trip in 2019, with historian and author Ian Knight and fellow enthusiast (and exhibition curator) Alex Haimann and Tim Rose and James Dix of the Die Hards - although I'd of course seen Tim at Salute in 2021. Our time was brief together but well spent with updates, ideas and more being discussed and shared ahead of July's very exciting Clash of the Empires exhibition, more to follow!

My handy backing table restock and display items

Being kept busy at the table I didn't really get the chance to look round the show myself but there are already a few videos like the one above on YouTube to give you a feel of the event. Not enough time to see everything was a common theme but I guess the additional venue and related costs may make an extension to two days prohibitive but we'll see.

The only game I did see was the really quite wonderful, Battle of Ntombi River wargame display presented by the Hornchurch Wargames Club from, of course the Zulu War! This was fabulous to see  and discuss with one of the Club members and of course Ian Knight who I had visited the real scene with in 2010 and 2014, a special moment indeed. 

Ian & I at Ntombe in 2014 after wading across the river!

So there you are, over in a flash but a lovely memorable day with a few other highlights and potential contacts made so hopefully worthwhile overall and I do enjoy trying different types of events to spread the word of independent comics so would like to return next time too, fingers-crossed. Thanks to all who stopped and chatted and showed interest in my efforts, very much appreciated and of course sincere congratulations to the South London Warlords on their 50th anniversary, here's to many more. 

But overall just delighted to finally get my ZULU comic out there in the wild, USUTHU!

History Buffs and ZULU!

With thanks to historian  Ian Knight, just seen this enjoyable overview of the movie ZULU, it's impact and comparison with the facts, for anyone with a passing interest in the movie or African history it's well worth a watch and at less than 20 minutes won't take up too much of your time!

It's from a you tube channel called 'History Buffs' who similarly turn the spotlight on other historical movies such as Gladiator, Braveheart, Waterloo and Saving Private Ryan etc!

This also reminds me that good friend and fellow comics creator Garen Ewing also recently covered ZULU in the entertaining pod cast he hosts with his brother, I previously mentioned this here but you can go direct to their site here, again well worth a listen - makes you almost in the mood for some ZULU comics perhaps :)

A panel from my forthcoming Zulu graphic novel, art by me, colours by Matt Soffe

ZULU DRIFT ......

Ian Knight's facebook post on the 135th anniversary of the little known Anglo-Zulu War Battle of Ntombe Drift reminded me that I'd  a couple of videos of our trip there in 2010.

These feature the Holts 2010 tour group at the scene of the battle with a plucky Jonathan G doing his 'Mr D'arcy' routine.....

Firstly the gloomy river itself....

 Then Jonathan's careful crossing.......

 

  

And his safe return........

 

ZULU Moments !

50 years ago since the release of the movie and 135 years since the battle its based on, its great for a fan such as I to see all the attention that 'Zulu' is getting at the moment!

There was a great two page spread by Sheldon Hall in the weekend's Independent On Sunday newspaper, based on his more detailed 12 page tribute in specialist movie magazine, Cinema Retro which in turn distills some of the extensive research and information published in Sheldon's earlier book on the movie, (which features a cameo of my comic!), Zulu:With Some Guts Behind It! , which itself promises an expanded edition, that and renowned Zulu expert and historian Ian Knight's blog report and another at the BFI, concerts and re-showings of the movie, a huge auction of authentic Zulu War artifacts, you could be forgiven for thinking the whole world has gone Zulu crazy?

  

I'm not complaining as I too am one of the many profoundly affected by a childhood screening of the 1964 Stanley Baker, Michael Caine starring movie...ZULU and my life was (literally) never the same! This might sound fanciful but this movie fascinated me from the moment I first saw it and has stayed with me ever since, to the point that I even write these words below a Zulu movie poster and shield hanging on my wall!

I think it must have been one of its re-runs in 1975 or 1976 that I first saw it and then had to patiently wait till it made its first of its perennial television showings. It's hard now to pinpoint exactly why this movie amongst the dozens of others that I would see at the regular Saturday morning matinee made the impression it did, while the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Escape from Planet Of The Apes etc didn't? [ I exclude the original King Kong from this list as I saw it an even younger age (on a school Christmas trip!) and it gave me the proverbial Heebie Jeebies!]

With Zulu though, I think it was the sheer drama and tension of these red tunic, white helmeted British soldiers facing up to this brave fearsome native warriors outnumbering, surrounding and attacking them again and again. There was no hiding place from the Zulu's it was simply fight or die and that along with the dialogue, sharp cinematography and of course that theme tune which resonated with me through the years.

In those far off pre-Internet days, there was after a movie came and went no real way of a small town 11 year old finding out more so I had to be content with slim pickings which for me was one of those delightful history themed Blick Instant Transfer Picture Books where you could recreate some pretty violent action scenes!

Sadly not my childhood original but an ebay find!

Through this book though I learnt a little more about the Zulu people, their shaping into an army and nation by King Shaka, their conflicts firstly with the Boers and then the British which ultimately led to war and the Zulu's defeat in 1879.

From these humble starts came a chance book shop find years later to re-engage me with the true story of Zulu which led to a fairly extensive library on the subject (I've at least 50 books and too scared to do a proper count!). Combining this research with one of my other life long interests of comics, led me to create my own comic book on an incident at Rorke's Drift, but not featured in the movie, The Water Cart Rescue, when after the first day's intense fighting a small group of volunteer soldiers leapt over the 'safe' barricades into Zulu occupied territory to retrieve an abandoned water cart to quench the defenders desperate thirst.

The comic led directly to meeting a certain Dave West and forming, (initially with Barry Renshaw) the indie comic publisher, Accent UK and of course our varied and continued attendance at comic shows far and wide which in those early days included special Zulu themed exhibitions at the likes of the National Army Museum in London and the Regimental Museum in Brecon, happy days.

Never before revealed Issue 2 cover ruff - gulp!

And the Final Version!







My research and studies into the Anglo-Zulu War disappointingly revealed that the movie had taken certain liberties with the real Battle of Rorke's Drift and the more I read about the causes and more importantly the aftermath of the war, it was a pretty brutal affair and did not end well for the Zulus, from which they never recovered and arguably led to many of the modern difficulties facing them today.

It was with these thoughts that I was fortunate to take a dedicated tour of the Zulu War battlefields myself in 2010 with the afore-mentioned historian, author and all round good egg, Ian Knight and a small band of similarly interested companions, most of whom had also had their interest in this period fuelled by the movie. It was the most absorbing and rewarding trip I've ever been on with some genuine moments of adventure, danger, fun and thoughtful introspection.

Hlobane mountain, scene of a violent battle in 1879 and (shortly after
 this photo) a sudden violent thunderstorm in 2010!

During the trip we had several glimpses and reminders of the harsh realities of modern day Africa and spent a little time with some real Zulu's who were on the whole pretty bewildered by our interest in the 1879 war, but pleased nonetheless that we had visited. It was also World Cup year with South Africa due to host the famous football tournament that summer and there was genuine excitement that it would bring a boost to tourism and improve the average person's lot, I hope they, like their national team weren't too disappointed with the way things worked out?



Some friendly Zulus at Shakaland!

2010 Zulu tour group at Ulundi, site of the final battle in 1879

I could (and should) write much more about the trip some day and post some of the many photos and videos I took but space is tight here but I will just mention that the trip, while off the beaten tourist track into deepest KwaZulu-Natal didn't quite cover all the historical sites connected with Shaka and the Anglo-Zulu War, so I'm very, very fortunate to be currently planning to re-join the redoubtable Mr Knight and a few other intrepid adventurers later this spring to return to Zululand in search of some of these hidden and largely forgotten places when I hope to deepen my understanding and respect of the Zulu nation and who would have thought that all this would come from a small boy watching that movie all those years ago.....



Comparison of my comic's Rorke's Drift Zulu Memorial with
the real thing! 



The modern Zulu Warrior's memorial at Rorke's Drift with the
wreath I was honoured to place



The British Soldier's memorial at Rorke's Drift

  

Zulu War - Very Rare Comic Series!

 

Tickled to come across this lapsed ebay link - not sure how exactly I stumbled across it, I was on Google at the time but hey things move in mysterious ways with t'internet!

 

Someone was selling their Zulu War book collection and included my comics or to quote;

 

"This is a superb and extremely rare 2-part comic series account of the Battle of Rorke's Drift.......it is an action-packed comic strip re-telling of  this famous battle!"

 

The seller then goes on to give a very detailed breakdown of each issues contents and has scanned in a couple of interior pages as well as the covers, telling us;

 

"Single copies are hard to come by and a full set of both issues together in 1 auction is even rarer!"

 

And he's not wrong, I can tell by the 'M56 Comics' title on the first issue's cover that it must be a first printing as I think the second printing had 'Accent UK' listed instead, although I should check that with my file copies! 

 

This is I think the second ebay auction I've seen recently, the other from last autumn or so and both went for a fair amount higher than their original cover price plus postage which is interesting. no mention if these are signed copies or whether that would devalue them or not!

I do have a few copies of the Zulu comic left, (although only the second printing of the first issue), and occasionally take some with me to whatever comic show Dave West and I are attending. They generally still attract some interest and I enjoy it when they sell albeit they do have a certain 'vintage' look to them alongside Accent UK's glossy output and Dave's hardcover books.

 

 

Zulu was the first 'proper' comic I ever published after producing a few mini's and led to hooking up with Dave (and initially Barry Renshaw) to form Accent UK. Sadly life's little distractions have meant that I've still not properly followed it up despite various other smaller strips being produced over the years so that's one of the reasons why I'm working on something at the moment but won't say more in case I jinx anything!

 

Still it is nice to have a little reminder of where I started and the comic did take me to some amazing and surprising places such as national museums where it was stocked and I did a few signings tying into various Zulu War events and it was of course the catalyst which eventually led me to finally visiting Rorke's Drift for real in 2010 when I couldn't resist the following pic, taken by the one and only Ian Knight, the authority on all things Zulu!