Ready for Pop by Hurk

Ready for Pop by Hurk
Buy Ready for Pop by Hurk at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Graphic Novels
Reviewer: Luke Marlowe
Summary: Taking in pop art, the swinging sixties, and a crime caper of a plot that ricochets along at hilarious speed, Ready for Pop is a brilliant piece of fun, and a truly original graphic novel
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 120	Date: July 2016
Publisher: Knockabout
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 9780861662500
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London, The mid-sixties. In what appears to have been a murder attempt, Britain's greatest pop sensation 'Vic Vox' has been left a foot tall – the effects of a 'shrink drug' administered by assailants unknown. As Detective Chief Inspector Ladyshoe and his team at Scotland Yard try to find who did it and why, comedian Tubs Cochran prepares himself for his big come-back show. Can he keep his old fashioned comedy instincts relevant enough to entertain a new generation? Will Vic Vox's big rivals, 'The Small Pocks' be given a boost in Vic Vox's absence? And will June Scurvy get her hit (or maybe not) new single featured on the show they're all waiting for…Ready for Pop!

I'm a big comics reader, and have been since I was a small child. My main interests were fairly narrow though – for years I only read Marvel comics, and rarely strayed away from the safe confines of the X-Men. Recent years though have seen me exploring loads of new areas of comics and graphic novels - from the incredible independent comics that have really shone in recent years, through to graphic novels that explore all areas of life - from Persepolis to Fun Home by way of Blue is the Warmest Colour. So, I was very excited to read Ready for Pop, which is created by a man called Hurk - all new to me, but with a bright cover and a fun blurb, I was keen to get started.

And, it didn't disapoint. Ready for Pop is a fun crime caper that both pays homage to its 1960's roots and gently pokes fun at it - and the end result is like a cross between a Krays film, a Beatles caper and a Cook and Moore sketch. Irreverent humour is blended well with Hurk's art - a strong and distinctive style that evokes the style of the 60's well - with the pop bands and models shown feeling immediately recognisable. The plot too, is strong - completely bonkers, but nevertheless a fun and compelling ride that never goes quite where you expect it to...

All in all, a cracking read and a great fun graphic novel to add to your collection, Ready for Pop is worth a read. Many thanks to the publishers for the copy. In terms of further reading, this was a hard one, as Ready for Pop is pretty darn unique. However, Thomas Wogan is Dead by David Hughes is a graphic novel with unique art and a strong sense of Britishness - much like Ready for Pop.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Ready for Pop by Hurk at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Ready for Pop by Hurk at Amazon.com.

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