Have you caught up with The Jigsaw Review yet, a fantastic comics anthology republishing some amazing British independent comics of yesteryear, edited and published by Mal Earl?
Two jam-packed massive volumes have been published so far, offering complete, rarely seen gems from over thirty years ago, created by some of the British small press’ founding folk.
Volume One of The Jigsaw Review was listed as one of the top ten books of 2025 by reviewers in The Comics Journal… and Volume Two may just be a sweeter dish.
With landmark works from Denny Derbyshire, John Bagnall, Ed Pinsent, Michael J Weller, Phil Elliott, Darryl Cunningham, Jerzy Szostek, Dave Metcalfe Carr, Paul Barlow, Bob Lynch, leading with Chris’ Webster’s adult themed, mind ending “Wormwood”, you really should give it a try.
If you remember the frisson of creative comics energy generated by the distribution service Fast Fiction, or ever picked up a copy of the brilliant ESCAPE magazine published by Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury, then you most definitely do not want to miss out on Jigsaw.
From space opera (literally) to fantastical pulp, from cerebral to surreal, volume two of The Jigsaw Review is an animal both a million miles away from current comics, and at the same time an example of comics/comix in their most pure form.
“I was speaking to Ed Pinsent about how my general, wild enthusiasm for the Jigsaw project may have missed addressing the reasons why we all created comics back in those yellowed pages of time,” Mal said earlier this month.
“I think the reasons are myriad. For me, it was the simple reason that I had to; a constant compulsion if you will.
I had stories to tell, and comics were an available avenue that required little to no monetary outlay, and over which I had complete control.
“For others, it may have been a potential proving ground and a route to employment by the mainstream publishers…
“But on one point we were in total accord. The small press was absolutely a movement in which creators could offer an alternative to the dishes served up by the mainstream publishers.
“Unique and individual voices proffering unique and individual tales, original, untainted by editorial bias and agenda… pure.
“I am extremely proud of the creators in this volume, and the archive we’ve begun to create. I hope you enjoy reading its many facets as much as I’ve enjoyed the honour of pulling them together.”
This second volume of ‘lost’ small press gems offers a staggering 230 pages of black and white awesomeness that simply should not be missed.
Volume 3 will arrive later this year.
• The Jigsaw Review: Journal of Underground and Alternative Comics Volume One | Available here from AmazonUK
The scope and diversity of strips in this first collection encapsulates tales of fantasy, science fiction, environmentalism and the surreal; sprung from the minds of a visionary creative movement completely forgotten today.
Come inside and revisit the sprawling worlds of Denny Derbyshire’s “Zervanalia”, the beautifully surrealist acrobatics of Bob Lynch’s “Sav Sadness”, the musty, smoke-grimed corners of the mind of John Bagnall and the shattering brilliance of Ed Pinsent’s “Staring Eye”!
• The Jigsaw Review: Journal of Underground and Alternative Comics Volume Two | Available here from AmazonUK
Reprinting the first instalment of Michael J Weller’s “Space Opera” and the first two issues of Chris Webster’s “Womwood”, once again retrieves some of the lost gems of thirty years ago for a new audience.
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Collections, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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