"Thank God It's Only A View To A Swill!" An excellent 'view to a swill' on 'Woden'sday' of this week, Agent Rob (surprise?) visiting Agent Johnny at Ice Station Zebra for the first time since the end of January. In spite of the fact Our Man In Pester Wails looked initially bemused by Rob's being washed up at his front door things thereafter went swimmingly, the vintage swill was quickly retrieved from the fridge and cranked open as seat springs sprang under the strain, the contented chuntering already well underway....
As ever, Philip K. Dick, The Grateful Dead, The Shadow and The Masque Of The Red Death were 'finely whined' topics of conversation. Add to that an intriguing discussion about Agent Rob's enjoyment of 'skunk rock', then on to the impact of 'punk rock' in Lanarkshire - it seems it raised barely a sneer - and (alleged) meetings with Siouxsie Sioux and The Stranglers - tentatively filed away in the same folder as Agent Johnny's extra-ing in The New Avengers - and you have a cracking afternoon's entertainment. The Dark Horse reprints of the Doctor Solar title - it seems Johnny's been tanking a full volume a day - and Crack In The World - watched along with The War Lord as a double bill at the Regal Cinema in Lanark in the '60s - also kept the swill flowing at a brisk pace. Finally there was mention of a fascinating sounding 1968 'skill jottir' comic of Johnny's featuring the leery 'Cylindricone'. How 'Mr Christian', the strip's hero, dealt with that, well, only Johnny knows....
As if all this 'jolly good fun' wasn't enough, Agent Rob is pleased to report that he was allowed to return to Glasgog with the completed 7 pages of 'John Stark: Death March of the Missile Men' - quite possibly the best thing Agent Johnny has ever done! - in his possession. And indeed, if that isn't enough for you, dear reader, the borrowing of 5 aged issues of The Alchemist and 1 issue of Chewing Bricks in which there must be 10-15 pages of earlier material (that have thus far evaded the printed clutches of Braw Books) was also sanctioned. Whatever remains in the tank - both Agents had a quite frank conversation about the possibility that Johnny's drawing days are all but over - you can rest assure Rob will do his very best to realise every and any last drop of this most secret of agent's astounding creative output. Surely after over 30 years toil at the comic coalface any man would be entitled to put his feet up, read a few books and comics and enjoy whatever programmes or fillums of yesteryear took his fancy on the 'One-Eyed-God' - heck, as far as Agent Rob's concerned the return to nibbling at the salad days can't come soon enough....
Pink Floyd - Lucifer Sam
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