Posted in: Comics | Tagged: newsagent, quantum, Time Bomb, uk

Time Bomb Launches Quantum, a New British Comic for Newsagents

Time Bomb Comics is launching a new bi-monthly comic book for the UK newsstand market, Quantum, at the end of April.

Published Sun, 12 Mar 2023 08:28:09 -0500

Last updated Sun, 12 Mar 2023 12:31:31 -0500

It's true, I really wasn't expecting this. British small press comic publishers, Time Bomb Comics, are best known for their appearances at British comic book conventions up and down the land. But in April, they are doing something new -and old – at the same time. Launching a new bi-monthly comic book for the UK newsstand market. And, at least initially, only for newsagents. And the new initiative came after the release of the Gerry Anderson licensed comic book Spectrum, which quite be happenstance found a home in the same market.

Time Bomb Comics Publisher, Steve Tanner states, "We all thought, "what's the thing that people would least expect Time Bomb Comics to do?" The answer was to launch a new regular British comic, traditionally, into UK newsagents that initially would only be available in newsagents. Publishers rarely launch new comics traditionally these days as it's considered far too risky and expensive. But I think the response to Spectrum being on sale in WHSmith's made us realise that there's a whole readership out there that don't buy comics online, at conventions or even comic shops. Quantum is what we've produced for those readers, but we're hoping that a lot of our existing readers will come along for the ride – via their newsagent, of course! Our bi-monthly Quantum comic is just a first step; some of the things we have planned as part of the Quantum project are things that genuinely haven't been done before. Not just by an indie UK comics publisher. Not by any comics publisher. Ever… There's a whole readership out there that don't buy comics online, at conventions or even comic shops. Quantum is what we've produced for those readers, but they're also unfamiliar with some of the characters Time Bomb has become known for. Quantum seemed a great opportunity to create brand new stories with those characters, as well as presenting again one or two strips from the past that we think deserved inclusion. Rather than straightforward reprints, though, the two stories in Quantum issue one that have been previously published have been given a bit of an upgrade so even those familiar with get something new. Not every issue of Quantum will contain reprint material but when it does we want it to be a bit special. Not least because we're hoping that a lot of our existing readers will come along for the Quantum ride too – via their newsagent, of course."

Quantum #1's cover comes from David Morris and Ben Lopez and features the characters starring inside. It reveals a mix of both brand new content and existing characters familiar to Time Bomb's already established readership. Time Bomb Comics Publisher, Steve Tanner, spoke about his hopes for the new comic and the decision behind Quantum's opening line up:

Major Rakhana: Pax Galactica part one (writer Steve Tanner, artist Pete Woods, colourist Dan Harris, letterer Rob Jones)

Writer Steve Tanner on Major Rakhana: Pax Galactica "The idea behind Major Rakhana is she's a steampunk space ace – a Victorian Dan Dare figure, but a little more vicious than Dan ever was. And of course, because it's a steampunk setting you can have fun with Rakhana's environment, and present it in a way that would make perfect sense in the late 1800s. I created Major Rakhana with artist Pete Woods (for Time Bomb's Brawler). In the Brawler short stories Rakhana comes across as pretty much the alpha in the pack. Pax Galactica is her first multi-part serial, reintroducing the character for Quantum readers as she and her beloved Brittanic Empire faces a larger threat than ever before."

WesterNoir: Moon Cursed part one (writer and letterer Dave West, artist Joseph Parangue, colourist Matt Soffe),

Writer Dave West on WesterNoir; Moon Cursed. "The frontier of the old west brought all manner of folk. Those looking to carve a new, and better, life from the new world and those only looking to escape the life they left behind. For some of these however the distance was not great enough and their past soon caught up with them. WesterNoir was created by myself and Gary Crutchley, inspired by the old western movies we watched growing up and given a twist of horror to take the typical western anti-hero into a world where monsters exist, to be hunted and to hunt. Moon Cursed takes that in a whole new direction."

Memphis (written, drawn and lettered by David Morris)

Creator Dave Morris on Memphis: "it's a sci-fi adventure set in a universe where Egypt continued to flourish under the Ptolemaic Dynasty, leading to a magnificent world of art, culture and technology. Although there were periods of upheaval the empire remained relatively stable, allowing science and technology, art and culture to flourish. The once powerful Pharaoh has suffered a stroke and is unable to rule, with his daughter's succession undermined by powerful factions and ancient sects, and worse, a resurrected god returning to begin a second Age of Chaos."

Whatever Happened to the World's Fastest Man? part one (writer Dave West, artist Marleen Lowe, letterer Andy Bloor)

Writer Dave West on Whatever Happened to the World's Fastest Man?: "If you had a super power what would you do with it? Would you dress up in spandex and haunt the rooftops at night or would you just try to live your life as normally as you could? Originally presented as part of Accent UK's Blessed/Cursed range of books which focus on the fact that for each positive outcome of having a super power there is always the negative, this tells the story of Bobby Doyle, the decisions he makes and the consequences of doing so."

The Clockwork Cavalier (writer Steve Tanner, artist Ed Machiavello, colourist Dan Harris, letterer Bolt-01)

Writer Steve Tanner on The Clockwork Cavalier "The concept behind the Clockwork Cavalier is wonderfully daft: a mechanical man drafted into the Bow Street Runners to fight crime in 18th Century London! The Clockwork Cavalier made his debut in Flintlock Book One back in 2016, and Quantum number one reprints that complete story, but now in full colour as opposed to the original black and white. We figured that the majority of Quantum's readers wouldn't have encountered the Cavalier before, so what better introduction to Time Bomb's popular Clockwork Conundrum?"

Quantum will be available in retail newsagents and select comic shops in late April and will have new issues available every 2 months. 52 Pages, Full Colour, Perfect Bound

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