Out this week from is first bumper collection of Squid Bits, by Jess Bradley, That’s A Nice Hat, collecting the popular pages from The Phoenix comic. Jess will be promoting the book at a special event in Bovey Tracy, in Devon, next month, as part of Summer Book Fest.
Offering what cartoonist Lew Stringer describes as “Funny, surreal stuff for all ages”, here’s the intel, courtesy of Phoenix Comic Books…
“Do you like undercover pigeon spies? Alarmingly rude pandas? Cats obsessed with gravy? Epic silliness?
“YOU DO?!
“Well, hold onto your (very nice) hat because this first book in a brand-new series is VERY silly, VERY random and totally hilarious. Filled with amazing (ridiculous) and heroic (tragic) characters, you’ll receive style tips in Monster Fashion, get cures for your ailments from Dr Bacon, MD, and have your future revealed in chicken-related horoscopes – among other things!”
That’s A Nice Hat is brought to you by award-winning genius comic creator Jess Bradley and Phoenix Comic Books, who recently published Jamie Smart’s hilariously funny Megalomaniacs: The Invasion Begins!, with Bunny vs Monkey: Intergalactic Monkey Business! following in October; and a slew of other thoroughly enjoyable titles, including Toby and the Pixies: How to be Cool! by James Turner and Andreas Schuster, and the bonkers Donut Squad: Make a Mess! by Neill Cameron.
(If you have kids aged 8 to 12, you definitely need to check these out, if you haven’t already! They’re wonderfully inventive collections).
That’s A Nice Hat features all the weird and wonderful Squid Bits characters that The Phoenix readers know and love, crammed with full-colour illustrations, and fun information.
Plus, if you love to draw, and want to create awesome characters just like the ones in Squid Bits, at the back of this book is a whole section of how-to-draw tutorials from Jess Bradley, plus links to The Phoenix comic club website. That’s where you can find draw-along videos, free printable material and top tips from tons of creators.
• Squid Bits, That’s A Nice Hat! By Jess Bradley is available now from all good bookshops | ISBN: 978-1788453950 | AmazonUK Affiliate Link | UKBookshop.org Affiliate Link
Meet Jess Bradley
Jess Bradley, who is making an appearance at Summer Book Fest next month (Saturday 11th July) in Bovey Tracy, in Devon, is a writer and artist for The Phoenix Comic, a writer for BEANO and has illustrated several children’s books. A Day In The Life Of A Poo, A Gnu and You, written by Mike Barfield and illustrated by Jess won the 2021 Blue Peter Award for Best Non-Fiction and Jess got a Blue Peter badge, which was very exciting. Super Dweeb was her first middle-grade book series, with six stories published to date, available singly or in collection,
Jess lives in Torquay with her husband and son and enjoys drawing in her many sketchbooks, playing video games, reading and watching scary films.
• Squid Bits, That’s A Nice Hat! By Jess Bradley is available now from all good bookshops | ISBN: 978-1788453950 | AmazonUK Affiliate Link | UKBookshop.org Affiliate Link
• Jess Bradley is online at jessbradley.com
• Squid Bits: Graphic Novel Fun with The Phoenix Comic’s Jess Bradley 11.00am – 12 noon, Saturday 11th July 2026, Riverside Community Centre, Bovey Tracey, TQ13 9AW | Book Tickets Here
This event is a collaboration between Bovey Tracey Library and First Draft Books, Bovey’s independent bookshop. Tickets are £2 per person and all proceeds go to support the work of a wonderful library. Thanks for your support.
Note: All children must be accompanied by an adult. Please reserve one ticket for each child and adult joining the event. Recommended for ages 7+.
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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, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events
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