The Daily Mirror’s Andy Capp celebrates 60 years of publication this year – and the occasion is being marked in the town his creator Reg Smythe lived and worked with a special exhibition at the Museum of Hartlepool. ‘60 years… Read More ›
Humour Comics
Bank Holiday Reading: The 1976 Frankie Stein Holiday Special
Holiday Specials may be few and far between these days when it comes to British comics – it’s simply too expensive or publishers to “sell in” one shots, sadly. But this doesn’t mean you can’t dip into your collection and… Read More ›
Splank! a New Comic, in the works
Comics fan Peter Duncan began his British comics-oriented blog Splank! just over a year ago, on 1st April 2016, starting with a post about Splank!, a totally imaginary Irish version of Pow!, one of a trio of unique and, by… Read More ›
In Praise of… Leo Baxendale
Leo Baxendale is a British cartoonist who should need no introduction to downthetubes readers. Not only was the creator of the classic Beano strips “Little Plum”, “Minnie the Minx”, “The Bash Street Kids” and “The Three Bears”, but he was… Read More ›
Creating Comics: An Interview with Commando Editor Kirsten Murray
With war comic Commando recently passing its landmark 5000th issue and many changes behind the scenes in its editorial department, downthetubes caught up with the veteran title’s recently-installed editor, Kirsten Murray, just part of her role as DC Thomson’s Heritage… Read More ›
New Asterix album title revealed as the Gauls head for Italy!
Asterix and the Race through Italy – yes, the title of the 37th album recounting the adventures of our friends from Gaul created by two comic book geniuses – Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny – has finally been revealed, due for… Read More ›
Happy 30th Birthday, Combat Colin!
Huge congratulations to longtime British comics creator Lew Stringer this morning, whose much-loved clumsy combat hero Combat Colin celebrates 30 years of publication. The first Combat Colin strip appeared in print in Marvel UK’s Action Force Issue 5, published on… Read More ›
VIZ among Big Issue editor’s favourite reads
Best-selling humour comic magazine VIZ is one of Big Issue editor Paul McNamee‘s favourite reads, he reveals in an opinion piece for InPublishing magazine. He’s also a fan of Private Eye, Q – and the Church Times advertiser section. Celebrating… Read More ›
2017 Brussels Comic Strip Festival celebrates 60 years of Gaston LaGaffe (that’s “Gomer Goof” to his English fans)
This year’s Comic Strip Festival in Brussels will celebrate the 60th anniversary of famous Belgian comic character Gaston Lagaffe, organisers have announced. The gag-a-day comic strip was created in 1957 by the Belgian cartoonist André Franquin in the Franco-Belgian comics… Read More ›
In Review: Football Earth – The Wild Side by Steve English
By Steve English Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Summersdale Out: Now The Book: In 2009 scientists discovered dolphins playing football with jellyfish off the coast of Wales. Some believe they have been playing this game for hundreds, if not thousands of… Read More ›
Sneak Peek: Sink Your Teeth into Comic Book Slumber Party’s new title, Deep Space Canine
Available to order now from Avery Hill Publishing is the British Comic Award nominated series, Deep Space Canine, produced in partnership with comics powerhouse Comic Book Slumber Party. Life in space can be tough – and when you’re balancing a hydro-herb habit, mysterious… Read More ›
King Kong, wartime Beanos and banned Oz comics – quite a selection in latest ComPal comic auction!
The latest Compalcomics online auction has just launched and offers a fantastic selection of wartime Beanos, pre-war Mickey Mouse Weeklies and copies of Glasgow / Northern Looking Glass, considered the world’s first “comic”, published in Glasgow in 1825. Plus, there’s the chance… Read More ›
DC Thomson celebrates as Beano sales figures climb in a difficult market
We reported on the latest ABC circulation figures for British news stand comics earlier today, and we can now reveal that Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson is delighted the Beano, 110% Gaming along with other titles No.1 and The Scots Magazine are celebrating… Read More ›
Crowdfunding Spotlight: The Penned Guin Treasury Edition on Kickstarter
Writer/artist Alan Henderson has been producing his newspaper style, three panel, humour strip The Penned Guin since early 2013. The characters are all, unsurprisingly, penguins and the humour, by Alan’s own admission, consists of “terrible puns and Dad jokes that really make… Read More ›
The Independent celebrates modern British comics, offers Phoenix subscriber deal, UK news stand distribution costs revealed
British newspaper The Indpendent has published an upbeat article on modern British comics such as The Phoenix, which includes comments from Lew Stringer, Jamie Smart and Phoenix editor Tom Fickling. Written by David Barnett, the article (“How classic comics gave way to garish… Read More ›
The Dandy’s Korky the Cat hits, er… the catwalk! Thanks to top fashion designer Stella McCartney
The Dandy comic may sadly be long gone but Beano Studios has teamed up with fashion designer Stella McCartney to bring some of its characters back into the public eye for her autumn 2017 collection. Korky the Cat, Dinah Mo and… Read More ›
Something For the Weekend: Titan Comics Rolls Out Five New Titles, including new era for Doctor Who titles
It’s a busy week for Titan Comics with five, fantastic new launches: Walter Hill‘s new Hard Case Crime series (and the inspiration behind the upcoming neo-noir movie starring Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver), The Assignment #1; Khaal #1 – Titan’s new… Read More ›
New Year, New Beano!
The latest issue of DC Thomson’s weekly humour comic The Beano is on sale now in all good newsagents and supermarkets acrss the UK, crammed with comedy goodness from creators including Barrie Appleby, Nigel Auchterlounie, Hunt Emerson, Bambos Georgiou, Laura Howell,… Read More ›
Beano blasts out of 2016 with final fun-packed issue
Yes, we know you had your special Christmas Issue, and even a Christmas Special – but Beano fans will be delighted there’s a new issue out now, on sale in all good British newsagents, supermarkets and digitally. In Beano 3865,… Read More ›
Who the heck are Europe Comics, anyway? A quick guide to this exciting pan-European project
Many comics fans with a social media presence may have noticed sponsored ads for a project called Europe Comics popping up in their feeds. I’ve run a couple of stories on some books and re-posted some of their items, but… Read More ›