It’s a bumper time for British indie comics anthologies as we have another you to get your teeth into! The British Showcase Anthology Volume 2 is packed full of indie comic greatness contained in a well put together product that gained attention from all corners of the scene. But how will this patriotic collection fare against anthology big hitters like Dark Matter and Comichaus?

Publisher: Markosia Press
Writer: Various
Artist: Various
Price: £2.99 on ComiXology

Our rating: [star rating=”4″]

This second edition of the British Showcase Anthology features a fantastic number of standalone stories ranging in genres and styles.

First up is the beautifully drawn Red Apple from Martin “Simo” Simpson who manages to tell a short yet powerful and humbling tale with minimal dialogue. His brilliant artwork and a perspective shift do the job and to say more would be to give too much away as it is very short but prepare yourself going into this book to be moved within the first few pages. Following that is The Morlock Manifesto from trio Cy Dethan, Alex Thompson and Nic Wilkinson. The talent these three have is evident on every page, as it is incredibly well written, backed up by pleasant panel work and superb artwork. The Morlock Manifesto is a very British Steampunk inspired tale of a new British empire with ideologies very similar to it’s predecessor, however lurking under the streets is a new type of opposition, one that will use it’s own unique blend of vengeance when it comes to strike back against its oppressors. Like several titles in this collection, The Morlock Manifesto could easily be it’s own running title and we found it to be an incredibly intriguing strip that we’d love to see more of.

Next in line is the Hanged Man written by Tom Ward with art from Phil Buckenham. It’s a short supernatural western with a wicked twist and has a striking cover page featuring a naked woman lying amongst a pile of corpses in a macabre take on the iconic American Beauty rose petal scene. It grabs one’s attention straight away with it’s striking visuals and familiarity serving as a textbook piece of art that draws you into the story it has to tell.

The Passage of Time is next on the list and it comes from the mind of Dark Pond Comics Co-Founder Pat Scattergood who worked with Kate Beaumont to bring this story to us. A short black and white tale of time and the toll it takes on us all, a deeply emotional strip this one but nonetheless entertaining.

The next strip is the Lovecraftian styled From the Depths, a short horror tale that could be used as a prequel to something much bigger should writer Roddy MC Cance and artist Peter L Woods wish to do so. An awesome full page cover introduces Humanity, the next story ready to thrill readers with it’s 80’s action movie vibe  and it is easily one of the best looking strips in the book, thanks to a unique visual styling and a very cool take on a classic Science Fiction trope. Jimmy Furlong brings us Endless Knights to end on which is a very original piece, expertly drawn and very well thought out.