Home › Comics › British Comics › Creating Comics: Mal Earl’s “Radclyffe: Scream of the Steamonculus” wraps in latest volume of Aces Weekly

Creating Comics: Mal Earl’s “Radclyffe: Scream of the Steamonculus” wraps in latest volume of Aces Weekly

By John Freeman on May 22, 2023

David Lloyd’s Aces Weekly Volume 62 wraps this week with the final instalment of Mal Earl’s “Radclyffe: Scream of the Steamonculus” part of the digital comic anthology’s lineup.

There’s still time to subscribe to the ongoing title, and find out more about this intriguing character, before Volume 63 begins soon – and later this year Radclyffe will also feature in the lineup of a new print anthology, too.

“It’s been 10 years since the hybrid-human steampunk vigilante took root in my psyche,” Mal teases, “and now he’s out I want to get to know him.

“The original ideas behind the character remain pretty much unscathed since that first story written back in 2013,” he reveals, “but the additional ‘textures’ that attached themselves while putting him into a final narrative have been very satisfying indeed.”

Of the current adventure, Mal says, in terms of his approach to the story, “I had one eye on the Aces Weekly ‘SmartTV’ option throughout the production of the strip, and the final episode hopefully takes advantage of that to the full!

“If you’re reading it – spread the word!”

A dedicated page on Mal’s official web site will slowly gather information and history pertinent to him as he grows, and in October we’ll see the next chapter in making our hero flesh in the pages of Peter Duncan’s new 1900 anthology.

“If each strip you do is the best strip you’ve done, you know your improving… and that’s the case with ‘Steamonculus’,” says Mal.

Either subscribe to each volume of Aces Weekly, or just grab the one you want…. but do drop Mal a line and tell him what you think.

“In the style of James Bond… Radclyffe will return!” Mal assures.

• Subscribe to Aces Weekly or buy back volumes 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.