Fund Me Friday: Dick Turpin Returns With Dick Turpin and the Crimson Plague
From Time Bomb Comics
Time Bomb Comics has a new Kickstarter coming in November 2024 with the return of a classic character - Dick Turpin and the Crimson Plague.
This November will give Time Bomb fans a chance to pick up a new edition of a story which has been out of print for more than ten years.
From the hanging tree at Tyburn to the pleasure houses of Pall Mall, there's only one thing standing between the notorious highwayman leaving 18th Century London to return to the open road - Can a nest of vampires really be so eager to spread their Crimson Plague?
Dick Turpin and the Crimson Plague, which brought the notorious highwayman face to fang with a nest of vampires in 18th Century London, was originally published in 2011 as a black and white one-shot. Writer Steve Tanner, artist Graeme Howard, and letterer Nikki Foxrobot made up the creative team.
February 2025 brings us a new, coloured, version of the original publication, thanks to the talents of colourist Gavin Ross and Turpin line editor Paul H Birch.
As an added bonus, the new edition also includes another story, Dick Turpin and the Crawling Terror. Also written by Tanner, on creative duties here are artist Roland Bird, colourist Brett Burbridge and letterer Bolt-01.
Bringing back these classic stories is a great way to give current Time Bomb fans a way to experience comic which they might have missed out on back in 2010. It also serves as a new way into a character who has long been part of the Time Bomb brand, debuting in Time Bomb’s second publication back in 2008.
Dick Turpin’s last full-length publication from Time Bomb came in 2020 with Dick Turpin and the Vengeful Shade, which saw the iconic highwayman facing off against a haunted monastery. This came out to commercial success and critical acclaim and was noted for its deft combination of humour and horror.
Time Bomb fans can also in part thank Turpin for the existence of the classic Flintlock title, as it was researching the highwayman which caused creator Steve Tanner to become interested in the 18th century.
Speaking on what fans can expect from The Crimson Plague, publisher and creator Steve Tanner said:
“Dick Turpin and the Crimson Plague was enthusiastically received at the time by those who read it, but its low print run meant not that many did. Hopefully this new edition will address that in some way, and provide an opportunity for those more familiar with Time Bomb’s more recent titles to enjoy something from the vaults. Quite literally, in this case.
“But I didn't want just a straightforward reprint. The Time Bomb of 2011 was a very different beast to where we are today, and editor Paul H Birch and I agreed that colouring the gritty artwork created by Grame would really bring the story to our current readership without taking anything away from the original.
“The second Turpin story included has some history too, but much more recent. Some of Dick Turpin and the Crawling Terror featured in the Comics Scene Annual that came out a few years ago. Some, but not all. The full story appears here for the first time.”
Dick Turpin and the Crimson Plague will be running on Kickstarter throughout November.
