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Beat the Pandemic Blues with Lew Stringer’s Barmy Comix!

By John Freeman on April 21, 2020

Comic shops shut? Comic cons cancelled? Postal services delayed? Need a comic to read? Fear not, because you can still read comics digitally, and Beano and Cor! Buster Easter Special artist Lew Stringer is offering Barmy Comix – ready for you to download for free – but donations would be welcome.

“I’d intended to have Combat Colin No.5 out in print by now,” says Lew, “but due to the Coronavirus crisis I’ve put that on hold for a few months.

“Instead, I thought I’d create Barmy Comix No.1, a one-off 32 page compilation of a few of my creator-owned strips from over the years.”

Barmy Comix No.1 features Combat Colin, Brickman, Derek the Troll, and Pedantic Stan, the Comics Fan… plus a nine-page preview of Combat Colin No.5! That’s a quarter of the postponed issue of Combat Colin, plus a few “best bits” thrown in!

Barmy Comix No.1 is free to download but Lew isn’t earning a great deal at the moment so if you want to donate £2 after you’ve read the comic, please PayPal him at: lew.stringer@BTopenworld.com

Combat Colin © Lew Stringer
Brickman © Lew Stringer
Pedantic Stan © John Freeman &Lew Stringer
Derek the Troll © Lew Stringer

• Click HERE to download Barmy Comix No.1 – and don’t forget to donate £2!

All characters © Lew Stringer except Pedantic Stan © John Freeman & Lew Stringer

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.