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Crowdfunding Spotlight: WALLOP! a new humour comic annual

By John Freeman on January 21, 2021

Currently seeking support on Kickstarter is the Wallop! Annual – a project whose mission is to bring the Dandy or Beano of yesteryear kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.

Offering 64 pages of fun and laughter from creators who include Mike Collins, Kev F. Sutherland and many more, Wallop! began after Brian M Clarke and John ‘JJ’ Jackson self-published two issues of the British superhero comic Mancunian.

Captain Wallop!, written by Brian M Clarke and illustrated by John Jackson

Cat Troopers, written by Brian M Clarke and illustrated by John Jackson

In Olden Daze, written by Brian M Clarke and illustrated by Mike Collins

“We both loved humour and had worked on several comedy projects together so the idea of a ‘ten laughs a page’ funny comic seemed a natural to us,” says John.

“As well as being fun, fun, funny we wanted something different to hold the concept together. A theme that gave it a unique identity. An edge in an increasingly crowded humour market. After much head-scratching and false starts we decided on a humour comic based on adventure strips.”

Originally Wallop! was to be ‘just a comic’ with Brain and John doing the whole thing but it quickly took on a life of its own. Comics stalwart Kev F Sutherland soon suggested the idea of a traditional hard-backed annual.

“We thought it would be a great opportunity to bring other people in,” John notes. “The rules were dead simple: it must be funny; it must include only brand new characters; and it must be a traditional hard-backed annual.”

The full creative line up, offering some very silly looking strips is Brian M Clarke (Crikey!, Mancunian ); John Jackson (Albert the Mouse, Cyborg Gerbils, Count Duckula, Mancunian); Keith Robson (The Dandy, Starblazer, for IPC on Jinty and Buster); Alessandro Giampaeletti; Kev F Sutherland (Oink!. Beano, Viz, 2000AD, Star Trek, Doctor Who Adventures); Dave Windett (The Dandy, Spookytown, Inspector Gadget, Tiny Toons); Joe Matthews (The Beano, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry Comic, Bob The Builder); Chris Matthews; Mike Collins (Marvel Comics, DC Comics, 2000AD, Doctor Who); and Marc Jackson (Beano, Aces Weekly, Comic Heroes magazine, Comic Scene).

With all the strips drawn, now they just need to hit their Kickstarter target to get the book out, so check out the project here.

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.