The best part of two decades ago, the comic Big Numbers was launched. As you can see from the cover here, it was co-created by Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz.In a deliberate move away from the usual comic tendency towards superheroes (okay, more usual then than it is now, but it's still predominant), Big Numbers was intended to be a 12-issue series featuring pretty much everyday people in the fictional midlands town of Hampton. I say 'intended' because only two issues were ever published.
After two issues, Bill Sienkiewicz decided not to continue with the series, and the plan was for his assistant, Al Columbia, to take up the artistic reins, but for whatever reason (and in the comic world, a number of myths about this have developed in the absence of facts), Al was unable to do so.
And so that was where things have been since about 1990, when issue two was published... until this week, when it seems a photocopy of issue three turned up on eBay, and one lucky bidder not only bought it, but was kind enough to (with Alan Moore's permission) post it on the internet for all to see.
If it's some kind of hoax (and the post date is before April Fool's Day), I have to say it's a pretty darn convincing one; the style of the story, the dialogue and certainly the artwork look very much like the real thing, so if you ever read Big Numbers, or have heard about it, or heck, just want to see a comic by two very talented comic creators, well then hie thee over to the link above. Incidentally, don't be put off by the fact they're scans of a photocopy; the scans are very high resolution.
And if this rather niche comic-related post isn't your thing - abnormal service will be resumed in the next post, honest.
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