By John Wagner, Alan Grant & Robin Smith (John Brown Publishing)
ISBN: 978-1-87087-021-4
Long overdue for reissue is this marvellous modern mystery comedy from two of Scotland’s finest – John Wagner was actually born in America but had the good sense to leave when while still a wee boy – and Alan Grant pulled the same trick from his natal base in Bristol. Besides as this is such a great book we’re naturally going to call it “another triumph for Great Britain†anyway!
A daring slice of bonnie whimsy, it follows the case of mental patient Francis Forbes Clunie, diagnosed with a severe personality disorder, who escapes from Glasgow’s Spinbinnie Hospital for the Insane on New Years Eve.
Loose on the soggy streets of the big city once again Clunie slips further into his delusion. He thinks he’s Sam Spade as played by Humphrey Bogart hunting down the Maltese Falcon. He’s got hold of a revolver and ammo. And to make matters worse there’s a gang of inept thieves on the loose trying to get rid of a stolen container-lorry full of turkeys (it’s just gone Christmas and they’re oven-ready not frozen!). The word on the street is that there’s a “Hot Bird†up for grabs if you know where to look…
This mock-heroic gem is an absolute delight of measured lunacy, skilfully written and all delivered in colloquial Glaswegian (there’s a handy glossary at the back). Robin Smith’s art is skilfully understated and the whole concoction is wonderfully akin to a Bill Forsyth film (especially That Sinking Feeling, with a touch of Local Hero).
Originally released as a four issue miniseries (individually entitled ‘Farewell, My Looney’, ‘The Treasure of the Ford Sierra’, ‘To Huv and Huvnae’ and ‘The Wrong Goodbye’) by Fatman Press in 1991, it won that year’s Penguin Award for Best New Comic, and the BBC produced a film adaptation starring Robbie Coltrane screened to coincide with the release of this collected volume.
In 1998 DC combined both this and a sequel in their pocket sized Paradox Mystery imprint (#4 ISBN-13: 978-0-6710-0923-6) but for the full, glorious monochrome effect I prefer this larger paged edition.
Whisht! They’re so good where’s the harm in owning both? I do!
© 1991 John Wagner, Alan Grant & Robin Smith. All Rights Reserved.