Martin Lock

Not to be confused withMartin Locke.

Martin Lock(bornc.1950in theUnited Kingdom) is a Britishcomic bookcritic, writer, and publisher. As publisher of thefanzinesBEMandFantasy Advertiser,and then publisher ofHarrier Comics,he was an important figure in British comics fandom in the 1970s and 1980s.

Martin Lock
Born	c.1950 (age 73–74) UK
Area(s)	Writer, Publisher
Notable works	BEM(Bemusing Magazine) Fantasy Advertiser Harrier Comics
Awards	Eagle Award(1977, 1978, 1980, 1981)

All during his publishing career, Lock had a day job in the sales department of a company in thechemical industry,the income from which helped finance his printing bills. When his employer moved its offices fromLondontoWorcesterin the late 1970s, Lock relocated as well.By the time he started Harrier in the mid-1980s, he had returned to London, settling inNorthwood, Middlesex.

Fanzines

Growing up as a comics enthusiast in the U.K., Lock became a reader of, and eventual a contributor to,British comicsfanzineslikeNick Landau&Richard Burton's Comic Media properties and Alan Austin'sFantasy Unlimited(later known asComics Unlimited). He also worked as an editor for a time on Mark Ellis' fanzineFantasy Trader.

BEM

Main article:BEM (magazine)

In November 1973, Lock launched his own comics fanzine,Bemusing Magazine(later known asBEM).Billed as "The Comics News Fanzine," the fanzine featured industry news and gossip, interviews, comic reviews, essays, columns, and comic strips. Early issues ofBemusing Magazinewere sold to customers waiting outside the frequentcomic martsheld inLondon,as well as the annual edition of theBritish Comic Art Convention( "Comicon" ).

One ofBemusing Magazine's key features was its publication of U.S.-based comics industry news that Lock acquired from the long-running American fanzineThe Comic Reader(TCR).BEMwas generally published on alternate months of Burton'sComic Media News,which also usedTCRnews, thus providing a dose of monthly comic industry news for readers of both publications.(Lock served as features editor forComic Media Newsfrom 1973 to 1977,even after he launchedBEM.)

BEMwas also famed for its lengthyletters pages,Reaction.Lock became a member of theBritish Amateur Press Association,which was formed in 1977 in part due to a letter published inReaction.

As time went, the fanzine also became more of a "strip-zine,"with original comics content — some of it written by Lock — increasing year by year. Notable contributors over the years toBEMincludedBrian Bolland,Mike McMahon,Bryan Talbot,andDave Gibbons.

By the late 1970sBEMhad become the UK's leading comics zine;Lock's efforts with led to him winning twoEagle Awards— the 1977 Eagle for Favourite British Fan Personalityand the 1978 Eagle for Favourite British Writer.(Lock was also nominated for the 1977 Eagle for Favourite British Comics Writer.)BEMwas thrice nominated for the Eagle Award for Favourite Fan Publication, winning the award in 1980and 1981.

BEMwas acquired by the U.S.-basedNew Media Publishing(NMP) in 1981,ostensibly to distributeBEMin the U.S. and widen its readership. But production delays and the emphasis on British comics prevented the magazine from gaining a foothold. NMP produced only two issues beforeBEMfaded away.In the end,BEMpublishes 36 issues from 1973 to 1982.

Fantasy Advertiser

Quickly pivoting, Lock revivedFantasy Advertiser,a popular British fanzine dating back to 1965 which had been dormant for a years. He editedFantasy Adveriserfrom 1981 to 1985,putting out 20 issuesbefore handing over the editorial reins toMartin Skidmore,in order for Lock to focus on his next venture,Harrier Comics.

Harrier Comics

Main article:Harrier Comics

From 1984 to 1989, Lock ranHarrier Publishing,popularly known asHarrier Comics.The success ofKevin EastmanandPeter Laird'sTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesled to a short-lived explosion of black-and-white independent comics in the United States in the mid-1980s. Harrier's titles followed the same mold, unlike most British comics publishers, who favored thecomic magazineformat. Lock himself wrote the company's first few titles,ConquerorandSwiftsure.(Conquerortraced its roots back to 1979, when Lock and artistDave Harwoodcreated the first stories forBEM.)

A number of top UK comics professional gave their support to Harrier by contributing covers and introductionsto the company's various titles.Harrier'salternative comicsimprint,New Wave,featured a number of notable creators, includingEddie Campbell,Phil Elliott,Glenn Dakin,Paul Grist,Ed Hillyer,Rian Hughes,Trevs Phoenix,andWarren Pleece.

By the spring of 1989, low sales forced Harrier to shut down.During Harrier's short existence, the company published more than 120 issues of over 30 titles.

Awards

• 1977Eagle Awardfor Favourite British Fan Personality
• 1977 (nomination) Eagle Award for Favourite British Comics Writer
• 1978 Eagle Award for Favourite British Writer
• 1978 (nomination) Eagle Award for Favourite Fan Publication — UK forBEM
• 1980 Eagle Award for Favourite Fan Publication — UK forBEM
• 1981 Eagle Award for Favourite Fan Publication — UK forBEM

Bibliography

Comics writing:

• 2000 AD(IPC Media):
  • “Space Prospector” (Tharg's Future Shocks), #40 (26 Nov. 1977) — withTrevor Goring
  • "Time Past” (Tharg's Future Shocks), #42 (10 Dec. 1977) — withJose Luis Ferrer
  • "[Time Was]” (Tharg's Future Shocks), #46 (7 Jan. 1978) — withRamon Sola
  • "The Illusion Man” (Tharg's Future Shocks) #76 (5 Aug. 1978) — withPierre Frisano[as Frisano]
• "Unicorn on Winchester” (Marvel Showcase),The Mighty World of Marvel#16 (Marvel UK,Sept. 1984) — withDave Harwood
• Conqueror(Harrier Comics):
  • “The Intruders,” #1 (Oct. 1984) — with Dave Harwood
  • “Kidnap,” #3 (Dec. 1984) — with Dave Harwood
• "Open Planet” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #4 (Feb. 1985) — with Dave Harwood
  • "Ball Game” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #4 (Feb. 1985) — with Dave Harwood
  • "Let's Be Frank," #5 (Apr. 1985) — with Dave Harwood
  • "New Boots,” #5 (Apr. 1985) — with Dave Harwood
  • "Interlude,” #5 (Apr. 1985) — withKevin Hopgood
  • "Shadows,” #5 (Apr. 1985) — with Dave Harwood
  • "With Your Musket, Fife and Drum,” #5 (Apr. 1985) — with Dave Harwood
• Swiftsure(Harrier):
  • "Arrival” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #1 (May 1985) — with Dave Harwood andMark Farmer
  • "The Assassin” (Ram: Assassin), #1 (May 1985) — withR. F. O'Roake
  • "The Rescue” (Ram: Assassin), #3 (Aug. 1985) — withJeff Anderson
  • "Strike Point!” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #4 (Sept. 1985) — withMike Collins
  • "Pressure Point” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #5 (Nov. 1985) — with Mike Collins
  • "The Castle” (Ram: Assassin), #5 (Nov. 1985) — with Jeff Anderson
• Conqueror Universe#1 (Harrier, Dec. 1985)
  • "Castle in the Air” — with Dave Harwood
  • "Sacrifice” — withTony O'Donnell
  • "The Naming” — with Mike Collins andDavid A. Roach
  • "Captain Thunder” — with Kevin Hopgood
  • "A Short History of the Conqueror Universe” — withGraham Bleathman
  • "The Conqueror Universe Story Chronology, 2470 to 2492” — with Dave Harwood
• Swiftsure and Conqueror(Harrier):
  • "Entrapment” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #8 (May 1986) — withSteve Yeowell
  • "The Dungeon” (Ram: Assassin), #8 (May 1986) — withTim C. Perkins
  • "Fair Exchange” (Redfox), #9 (July 1986) — withFox;C. Cropley(art assist)
  • "Fl'ff's Story Part One” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #9 (July 1986) — with Dave Harwood
  • "Points of View” (Lieutenant Fl'ff ), #10 (Sept. 1986) — with Dave Harwood
  • "Ice Winds” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #11 (Nov. 1986) — with Steve Yeowell
  • "Assault on Valley Thirteen” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #11 (Nov. 1986) — with Dave Harwood
  • “The Foundation” (Ram: Assassin), #12 (Jan. 1987) — with Dave Harwood
  • "Nowhere to Run” (Lieutenant Fl'ff ), #13 (Mar. 1987) — with Steve Yeowell andAshley Watkins
  • "Wild One” (Lieutenant Fl'ff), #14 (May 1987) — withArt WetherellandTem Latham
• Barbarienne(Harrier):
  • "Memree: The Girl in the Iron Gag” (Charol), #1 (Marc. 1987) — withNick Neocleous
  • "Captives of the Churmuk," #2 (1987) — with Nick Neocleous
  • "Escape Clause" (Charol), #3 (1987) — with Nick Neocleous
  • "Fever Dream” (Charol), #4 (Nov. 1987) — with Nick Neocleous
  • "The Slavers," #5 (1988) — with John H. Marshall
  • "Cold Vengeance” (Charol), #6 (Apr. 1988) — withJohn H. MarshallandDarrell Andrews
  • "Crossover with Cuirass, Part 2 of 3: Night in Castle," #7 (1988) — with John H. Marshall
  • "Crossover with Cuirass, Part 3 of 3: Red Dawn," #8 (1988) — with John H. Marshall
• "The Fallen Star” (Cuirass),Harrier Preview#1 (Harrier, March 1988) — withCam Smith
• "Compact of Fire”Nightbird#1 (Harrier, May 1988) — with Cam Smith
• Sabina(Fantagraphics/Eros):
  • "[" I'd seen the advertisement in The Stage…” ], #1 (Dec. 1993) — withPaul Naring
  • "[" This was my first appearance as Sabina's assistant…” ], #2 (Jan. 1994) — with Paul Naring
  • "The Big Picture!”, #3 (May 1994) — with Paul Naring

Further reading

• Amazing Heroes#128 (Nov. 1987)
• Sabin, Roger.Adult Comics: an Introduction(London: Routledge, 1993), p. 69.
• Wiater, S. andBissette, S.R.Comic Book Rebels(New York: D.I. Fine, 1993), p. 176.