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Splank! comic returns to promote comic creators as a Covid-19-busting digital anthology

By John Freeman on April 14, 2020

Splank! Covid-19 - Special Digital Edition 2020

Splank!, Peter Duncan’s digital anthology comic, is back – on a mission to promote comic creators’s work. With contributions from the likes of Mike Higgs, creator of “The Cloak”, Beano artist Nigel Parkinson and cartoonist and Macc-Pow convention organiser Marc Jackson, it’s off to a good start…

With comic cons and workshops cancelled as a result of the continuing Coronavirus Pandemic lockdown, many comic creators are losing a big proportion of their income. Some are selling digital comics for the first time or taking on commissions to try and make up a little of the shortfall.

In order to promote these creators, Peter Duncan, one of our brilliant downthetubes contributors and editor of the 2000AD-inspired fanzine Sector 13, is reviving his Splank! comic, as a free digital download.

Splank!, a 44 page magazine sized comic, was originally created as a tribute to the 1960s Power Comics line, especially Wham!, Smash! and Pow!, which mixed early Marvel reprints with some of the very best and most anarchic British humour strips.

“Smash! and Pow! were the titles that really cemented my lifelong obsession with comics,” Peter explains. “Mixing Spider-Man and Daredevil with strips by Leo Baxendale, Ken Reid and Mike Higgs, along with some totally insane home-grown adventure strips, was an act of genius. I’m not sure weekly comics ever got any better.”

“When, after taking early retirement. I found myself with time on my hands, Splank! was the first project I turned to.

Splank! Dresden Q. Otherside - Defective Detective

“With contributions from Nigel Parkinson, Dave Windett, Davy Francis and one of the artists from the old Power Comics, Mike Higgs, who’s revived his character The Cloak, this was the perfect way to leave work,” he continued. “I’d always intended to get back to this project, but Sector 13 and my Cthulhu Kids comic got in the way.

“Recent posts on Facebook made me more and more aware of the impact of the cancellation of conventions on creators everywhere. I’ve been thinking of ways to support these creators, buying online comics, even agreeing and paying for commissions that won’t be physically delivered until after the current crisis is over”.

“Then I thought a free digital version of Splank! might be a way of advertising some of the artists and writers and the idea grew from there.”

Splank! The Cloak versus The Grumpy Penguin

Rather than just putting out a straight digital reissue of his original Splank! tribute comic, Peter is adding new material, along with an advertising section pointing readers towards the web-sites and contact details for comic creators who are offering digital comics and commissions.

He’s also hoping to produce a second, digital issue, in the next couple of months and has already gathered some material for it. But more is needed for the second issue.

Splank! is an all ages, all genre comic, with an emphasis on short strips. Any creators interested in contributing or taking advantage of the free advertising section, should contact Peter on Splank@Boxofrainmag.co.uk.

For the digital version, Peter will be accepting previously published work that fits the general Splank! profile and that creators feel best advertise their wares.

A limited number of short articles and prose stories are also being accepted.

• Check out the first issue of Splank! here and the original submission guidelines on Peter’s Box of Rain website here

• Join Splank! on Facebook

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.