The Celtic Story, by Allan, Tommy and Patrick Canning
Sunday 26 October 2008
Latest in Reviews
Related stories
The Americans take graphic novels seriously, as do the French their bandes dessinées and the Japanese their manga, but in Britain the term "comic book" suggests an essentially lightweight publication. Not so with this sumptuous history of the Glasgow football club.
The Canning brothers' collaboration – illustrations by Tommy, words by Patrick, layouts by Allan – has produced a strip cartoon of great originality and no mean artistry. "But I'm not a Celtic fan," you protest.
No matter. This book has the power to engage the uncommitted as it celebrates Celtic's many seminal moments (a personal favourite is the depiction of Patsy Gallacher's goal in the 1925 Scottish Cup final, when he somersaulted into the goal with the ball between his feet) in unique fashion. Other clubs could do worse than produce their own histories in graphic form, but they will probably have to find other artists; the Canning brothers are Celtic through and through, and their book seems more a labour of love than mere commerce, a rarity in football these days.
Published by Mainstream in large-format paperback, £14.99
- 1 Publishing: Rude bits in disguise
- 2 Men in Black 3D (PG)
- 3 One is nipping to Tesco: Jubilant Jubilee royals as seen by Alison Jackson
- 4 French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy calls for West to intervene in Syria
- 5 Win a limited edition Tracey Emin monoprint
- 6 Illness forces Elton to cancel concerts
- 7 Jedward reach Eurovision final in Baku
- 8 Grace Dent on Television: The Exclusives, ITV2
- 9 Fury at Obama over filmmakers' access to Bin Laden kill team
- 10 Jacob Zuma's lawyer weeps in court case against artist
- 1 Mark Zuckerberg saved $111m by selling Facebook shares before stock slumped
- 2 Brazil rocked by abortion for 9-year-old rape victim
- 3 Society: The only way is Finland
- 4 Catcalls, whistles, groping: the everyday picture of sexual harassment in London
- 5 Feeding a hungry world – or meddling with laws of nature?
- 6 Owen Jones: If socialists really did run the show, working people would benefit
- 7 'Hello mum, this is going to be hard for you to read ...'
- 8 African monkey meat that could be behind the next HIV
- 9 French in uproar over oral sex anti-smoking posters
- 10 Coke reveals its secret: It may need to carry a cancer warning
Experience the Heineken Hub
Get free wi-fi and exclusive i content while you enjoy a tasty pint of Heineken at participating pubs.
Can you imagine a career in teaching?
Be inspired to teach - let real teachers show you how rewarding the job can be.
Playing a game-changing role during the Games
Cisco is providing the solutions for London 2012's complex IT needs.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Career Services
For men only: A pilgrimage to Mount Athos
48 Hours In: Faro
Monkey meat that could be behind the next HIV
Catcalls, whistles, groping: just another day for a young woman
Jailing of Maori separatists stirs colonial-era resentment
Pizza Pilgrims: Like mamma used to make


Comments