Contraband - TJ Behe & Phil Elliott

London Loves Comics Contraband Review

2008-07-03T02:28:00.000-07:00

Given Contraband is mainly set in London, we figured we'd see what Dom Sutton from London Loves Comics thought about Contraband...

"Behe has some interesting things to say about the world we live in and the one we’re heading for and Contraband contains enough good ideas to suggest that he could be a name to watch. His cause is aided by artist Phil Elliott whose clean style is reminiscent of Julien Opie’s work. Elliott's pictures are beautifully simple and provide a refreshing counterpoint to the complicated story...."

Contraband Feature & Interview at HDVideoPro

2008-06-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago in Los Angeles, I sat down with HDVideoPro Chief Editor Simon Wakelin to discuss the development of Contraband, working with Phil Elliott and some of my thoughts that went into creating the graphic novel.

Check out an early preview of the three-page feature in the upcoming August Issue, by clicking on the images that follow:

"Q - Do you think snuff videos are the wave of the future “Tyrell Corporations” to foster to a public lobotomized by overt Americana big-dick-look-at-my-gun tv/movie violence?

A - There will always be market for sensationalized violence. People love a buzz – and having the sh*t scared out of them - so this type of content’s qualtity and quality levels will vary according to the number of people paying for it. When creating this story, I imagined this sort of “urban theatre”, where youths prowl city streets secretly film strangers then post these sensational, erotic and violent mobile videos. Men can no longer shower in gyms. Women in dresses avoid seats on trains. Teens run daily exhibitionist mobile blogs featuring candid clips of close friends and family members. But no matter how cool/weird/radical the videos are, Contraband only becomes big business because society demands more and more."

Contraband Review at Comics Bulletin

2008-06-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

A big fan of Phil's art work, Steven Bari throws a few cooler phrases to describe the script of Contraband at Comics Bulletin.

"Comic artist since 1981, Elliot has incredible skill at capturing placid humanity--the vulnerable, common person--which works very well given the subject matter of Contraband. Elliot’s previous works are similarly humanistic, such as Illegal Alien for Dark Horse Comics. He has a clean line work that is defined by thick inking--giving the page a sketchy look. It’s his storytelling, the intricate detail of a scene and fluidity of the panels that hold this book together. As Tucker, Plugger, and Toby drive across a London intersection, Elliot captures the readers’ interest with elaborate rows of homes that line the thoroughfare--showcasing ordinary life juxtaposed to the three turgid characters whose lives are consumed by mobile video sharing...."

Contraband Review at France Comics

2008-06-19T02:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a short review from Christophe Colin from France Comics a clever comics lad I met a few months back around the time of Angouleme.

Toby travaille dans un cyber-café et filme par hasard Tucker, un cynique malhonnête à la tête de Contraband, une chaîne de contenus violents relayés par la téléphonie mobile. Sur une trame classique, une personne au mauvais endroit au mauvais moment, TJ Behe promène son lecteur et ses personnages dans un thriller où on ne peut savoir à l’avance ce qui va bien pouvoir arriver. Le lecteur que je suis est resté en haleine tout au long de cette lecture et n’a pas voulu abandonner avant la fin. Le dessin de Phil Elliott ajoute cette touche de réalisme nécessaire à Contraband et complète parfaitement le propos de TJ Behe. Le personnage principal, Toby, évolue même de manière naturelle tout au long du récit, passant de naif à calculateur et Tucker dans le rôle du beau salaud manipulateur décroche facilement la palme d’or, ce qui amplifie les relations entre ces deux personnages et donne beaucoup de densité à cet excellent ouvrage.

BugPowder Reviews Contraband

2008-06-16T05:18:00.000-07:00

A nice bit of ruthless, constructive feedback from John Robbins at BugPowder.

"The antithesis of po-faced comics with inferred depth – which sidestep the writing process courtesy of the tolerance and inherent appeal of this seductive medium – Contraband insistently exhibits meaning and aspires to provide a substantial reading experience..."

John reviews all sorts of Irish/UK small press comics which can found on his blog here.

ComixFan Reviews Contraband

2008-06-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

A recent review from Kevin Sutton at ComixFan. He's from Sudbury, a small city just west of where I was born - and it's really cool to see the GN make it up to Northen Ontario (for reference, it's that vast barren space you see on the Canada map directly above Toronto).

"The whole story is very provoking and is put together well as a straight thriller in addition to the broader morality play. If you have any interest in tech thrillers or thinking men’s stories, this is worth a read...3.5 /5"

Contraband Review at Forbidden Planet

2008-06-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

A recent review from Richard Bruton at ForbiddenPlanet.co.uk.

"For a début fiction writer, Contraband is certainly an inspired book. It’s clear that Behe has written extensively about the facts behind the future tech on display throughout Contraband and his knowledge and passion for the subject shows on every page. Of course, if you hadn’t heard of Thomas Behe before, I’d be prepared to wager you may have heard of Phil Elliott; veteran of the Euro-Brit comics scene. And the art is unmistakeably Elliott’s with that beautifully clean and clear style he’s always drawn in."

Folks keen to read top insights/reviews/news into the UK/global comic scene should also check out Richard's popular blog here.

Contraband Reviewed in Financial Times

2008-06-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

We're quite pleased to see that Contraband has been given a short but favourable review by James Lovegrove in this weekend's edition of the London Financial Times. You can read the review at FT.com

Contraband is now in the shops and available to order online from the likes of Amazon, Play, Tesco and Slg's own online store.

Grovel UK Contraband Review

2008-05-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Andy Shaw from UK graphic novel review site Grovel pulls out some pros & cons about Contraband giving Phil's slick art a solid 4 out of 5 score.

"Most good science fiction is based on an extrapolation of the future, which has a plausible basis in current society. Contraband’s basic premise does this quite well, starting with internet video sites like YouTube and looking at how they could, eventually, become a nightmare."

Comixology's Peter Jaffe Reviews Contraband

2008-05-08T02:53:00.000-07:00

Peter Jaffe from Comixology recently checked out Contraband and had a few things to say about the GN's artwork and narrative.

"The artwork by Phil Elliott (with inks by Ian Sharman and gray tones by Cherie Donovan) has a cartoony feel that consciously focuses attention on the foreground image; faces of characters standing behind the speaker become progressively less detailed as they move farther back in the panel, while important moments are emphasized by a startling realism....the dialogue is nicely written and entertaining, if unremittingly cynical. It does have the effect of making everyone sound like a philosopher, though."

Contraband Review at Newsarama

2008-05-02T01:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few words from Michael May regarding the comic...

"There are rewards for those willing to stick with the book. For one thing, Behe has a great voice in all that text. People in Contraband don’t talk the way real people do, but that’s just fine. They talk better than real people do. They tend to go on and on (Tucker especially loves to speechify and given that he’s usually threatening people at the same time, there were several instances when I wondered why someone didn’t just jump him mid-lecture), but they sure are entertaining as they’re doing it."

Contraband Review from Oakland Tribune

2008-04-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Randy Myers from the Oakland Tribune threw a few fine words our way in his monthly comics column:

“Cautionary tales about our insatiable appetite to download the misery and humiliation of others have turned into a telling genre unto itself. Behe's twisty take stands out because it's laden with surprises and has an urgent immediacy to it.”

Contraband Review at The Crack

2008-03-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Very cool to see Contraband picked up a recommendation from Newcastle indie mag the Crack this week.

"There aren’t too many graphic novels around that successfully engage with modern anxieties but Contraband is one such work...the real focus - the foreground white noise of a society raised on cheap thrills."

Graphic Novel Review at The Pulse

2008-03-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

Jen Contino at The Pulse dropped us a line a few weeks back regarding Contraband.

Contraband Podcast Interview at CGS

2008-03-06T02:28:00.000-08:00

Last week, the guys at ComicGeekSpeak touched base to discuss Contraband's themes, background and general stuff about how it all came together.

A bit of background into Contraband's dialogue development:

"TB - I wanted the dialogue to mimic the behaviour of youths posting bits of conversation on mobile social networking channels. Looking through these mobile forums, I’m amazed how many users kind of “step up onto their soapbox” - offering up rather raw and lengthy opinions on how they feel about a specific topic. These meaty (and often passionate) digressions are accompanied with personal signatures, banners - perhaps some sort of animated icon or other digital representation of themselves. The characters in Contraband (active, ambitious, mobile savvy) fit into this category of forum users so it seemed appropriate to bring this across into the comic narrative.”

Graphic Novel Featured at Wired.com

2008-02-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

Just had an email letting us know Contraband picked up a recommendaton in the latest issue of Wired online:

"Cell phone geeks will want to pick up Thomas Behe’s new graphic novel Contraband, in which a band of mercenaries return home from war only to get entangled in an underground mobile video network that pays out jackpot-sized fees to sabotage-minded citizen journalists who capture and upload the most twisted, violent footage. The sci-fi thriller unfolds amidst vengeful relationships, insatiable desire, public outrage and mobiles that pack 1,000-volt electric nodes, pepper spray capability and best of all a fully functioning pistol with detachable silencer. Steve Jobs: take note." Todd Jatras

France Comics Interview

2008-02-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

Met this top chap Christophe Colin from France Comics a few months back at Angouleme who scribed a quick interview of Contraband's development. Folks keen to see a french version of a Contraband sample can drop us a line and we'll get a free pdf off to you asap...

Contraband Preview at The First Post

2008-02-14T05:57:00.000-08:00

Here's another short review of Contraband at The First Post...

This is an extract from Danny Graydon's review:

"Eschewing the dark, moody artwork that typically accompanies such stories, Elliott adopts an engaging clear-line style which slickly captures the fast-paced netherworld of phone-video..."

Gutter Geek Reviews Contraband

2008-02-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

Contraband will officially be hitting the streets in a matter of days but we are starting to get some advance reviews and here's one that has appeared on guttergeek.com

We're pleased that the reviewer has really got to the heart of our book... here's a little bit of what he's said...

"(Contraband) actually takes us into some murky ethical territory, refusing the easy glamorization of the rawest energies of internet culture. Downloading pirated music isn’t ethically suspect here because of the infringement on record company property rights, but because of the off-shore sites that have set up troubling partnerships with mercenary forces and despotic governments. At its most daring, the book even draws some sharp lines between the Blackwaters of W’s “new” wars and the exploitation of violence and spectacle for entertainment and profit. “People,” folk-hero Jarvis declares to a teaming rally, “we can now confirm that a number of these hired guns are directly responsible for the surge in mobile abuse we are seeing today.” Like the best works in the genre of speculative fiction, Contraband is less interested in the “What If” that frames its narrative, than in approaching the present at an acute angle. And whichever side of the new culture wars shaping up in this 21st century you might find yourself, Behe will provide you little comfort."

Contraband Interview at Comixology

2008-02-01T06:35:00.000-08:00

Peter Jaffe from the comics news and review site Comixology has an interview with us HERE.

Here's is an extract from the interview:

Comixology: In reading Contraband, one of the first comparisons that comes to mind is "A Clockwork Orange". It's a world where kids have taken to committing random acts of violence in order to entertain themselves. Could you tell us about the influences that went into Contraband? And, what inspired you to tell this story?

Thomas: The idea came about while working on a user-generated project at a UK mobile operator. Some sneaky kid had upskirting a woman on an underground train and posted the clip on our network. So while top management were blowing their nut and the tech team began implementing an age-verification layer, I was thinking how some nasty bloke could probably offer a good revenue share to motivate sh*t-disturbing kids to send in more.
I thought up this violent channel called Contraband, a sort of "urban theatre", where youths prowl city streets secretly film strangers then post sensational, erotic and violent mobile videos. So men can no longer shower in gyms. Women in dresses avoid seats on trains. Teens run daily exhibitionist mobile blogs featuring candid clips of close friends and family members. User-generated mobile spy-cam content becomes big business as society demands increasingly radical videos.
But it's also tough to police corrupt individuals like Tucker because it's not in the mobile operator's best interest to do so. They've beaten the government (ID card), internet community portals and banks in the race to create robust personal profile to track people, sell them products, invade their privacy for commercial gain. So it all kind of spirals out of control...

Strip for Me Interviews Phil

2008-01-31T01:12:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to know what films and books Phil has recently been enjoying, then head to Douglas Noble's strip-for-me.com where there's an informal chat with him

Home from Angouleme

2008-01-29T05:24:00.000-08:00

We're back from Angouleme where we met up with a number of European publishers, with an eye to releasing some translated versions of Contraband.

If you ever get the chance you must visit this festival. It was unlike any comics convention we'd been to - Phil will be posting some of his recollections soon.

In the meantime here's a snapshot from the festival:

Contraband is now available to buy from the Slg shop and will be in shops very soon. You can also order from Amazon and many other online stores.

Grab Contraband Graphic Novel at SlaveLabor.com

2008-01-26T14:59:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note from France to let folks know the first few Contraband books are now available at SLG's online book store.

18 Hours...

2008-01-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

That's how long it is until we're in Angouleme. Its been a long-term ambition of mine to attend this festival and I can't believe that its taken me this long to achieve it, considering how close I live to France.

I haven't been able to find out exactly who'll be there but I know that Paul Gravett is going for sure. I haven't met Paul in a while and I'm looking forward to seeing him again and showing him Contraband. I've known Paul since I was a young teenager and we used to visit the monthly Comic Marts in London together - over 30 years ago! - and it was Paul who published some of my early comic strips in Escape magazine, that he edited with Peter Stanbury. Escape was an influential magazine in the 80's and published early work by, and interviews with, many influential artists, including Dave McKean and Eddie Campbell...and José Muñoz, who is the President of this year's Angouleme committee.

This is the front cover of Escape 1 (c.1982), drawn by yours truly and hand-separated by Peter Stanbury (no computers to do that task back then!)...

And here's a link to an article by Paul on the history of Escape

We hope to be able to regularly post observations and pics from Angouleme so drop by again soon. Phil

Phil's in France

2008-01-21T07:45:00.000-08:00

Phil flew to France on Saturday and is staying with his in-laws in the Midi Pyrenees - Lot region before driving North to Angouleme on Wednesday. Here's a photo of him standing outside Restaurant Morgues in the nearby village of Peyrilles, which he used as reference for a scene in Contraband. The scene is actually set in Belgium and Phil also used some artistic licence to introduce trees in the foreground.

It turns out that the owner of Le Morgues, Jean-Claude is a big BD fan and was well-pleased to have his restaurant featured in a comic book. Phil would like to point out that Jean-Claude is no where near as grumpy as the barman featured in Contraband: "We eat at Le Morgues everytime we visit Fiona's parents, and they've been living in France for over 15 years now. If you're in the region, call in for a meal or a beer and tell them that "L'artiste de la Contrebande m'a envoyé"".