This photo of “S Lavner“, newsagent and tobacconist, situated at 241 Bethnal Green Road, E2, was taken in Bethnal Green by seminal British post-war artist, photographer, collagist, printmaker and teacher Nigel Henderson – and offers a fascinating snapshot of London’s… Read More ›
Steve Holland
Broadcaster Jonathan Ross joins campaign to preserve British Comics History and call for national Comics Museum
Comic artists, writers, editors, publishers, academics and broadcaster and comics collector Jonathan Ross gathered in person and by Skype at London’s Cartoon Museum this weekend (Saturday 2nd November 2019) to voice support for the preservation of British comics history, and… Read More ›
Essential British Comics Reference: Bear Alley Books’ “Ranger The National Boys’ Magazine”
Online discussion about where a piece of art by the talented British comic artist Ron Embleton (TV Century 21, Look and Learn, Ranger, World of Wonder) might have been published prompted Bear Alley Books publisher Steve Holland to remind me… Read More ›
Tube Surfing: Marvel UK Memories, Alan Moore, Gene Ha – and Captain Pugwash!
Here’s a quick round up of comics-related news items, recalling Marvel UK, Alan Moore‘s partnership with Gene Ha on Top 10, a look at some gorgeous Doctor Who art and more… • The brainchild of Melvyn Bragg, Opening Shot was… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Artist and Designer Roger Perry – A “Truculent Foot Soldier”
We’re very sorry to report the passing of artist, designer, photographer and downthetubes contributor Roger Perry, who died on Saturday 23rd July at his home in the Philippines – a day after celebrating his 78th birthday. His wife Rosa has… Read More ›
Eagle Daze: The Life and Times of Leonard James Matthews – Part Twelve
Leonard Matthews, General Managing Editor of Fleetway and the Eagle Group of Comics, was a Creative Visionary… but that, Roger Perry argues in his extensive biography of the man which continues here on downthetubes, is only due to him having… Read More ›
In Memoriam: IPC Managing Editor Gil Page
We’re sorry to report the passing of Gil Page, an editorial stalwart of Amalgamated Press, Fleetway, IPC and latterly Egmont, as that company’s Managing Editor. He passed away peacefully in his sleep earlier in the week, aged 79. “Gil was… Read More ›
Eagle Daze: The Life and Times of Leonard James Matthews – Part Seven
Leonard Matthews, General Managing Editor of Fleetway and the Eagle Group of Comics, was a Creative Visionary… but that, Roger Perry argues in his extensive biography of the man which continues here on downthetubes, is only due to him having utilised the ideas… Read More ›
Comic Creator Spotlight: The Art of Ron Smith, Part One
As a comic fan of long standing, one of my real pleasures is identifying and applauding some of the artists that I feel never got the appreciation that they so richly deserved. But I have found that even with the… Read More ›
Bear Alley Books “Complete Captain Future” out this week
One of the stars of the 1950s pirate era of comic publishing, Norman Light‘s Captain Future was the star of the comic Spaceman, which Light published in 1953-54. One of the most successful titles from the minor publishers of the… Read More ›
Bear Alley Books announces Bullet strip “Frontline UK” as next collection
Steve Holland at Bear Alley Books has announced that his next collection of classic comics is another DC Thomson-published story, “Frontline UK”, reprinting the complete series from Bullet where it appeared back in 1976. The original artist was Ian… Read More ›
Bear Alley Books announces reprint of DC Thomson’s “Arena” strip
Steve Holland at Bear Alley Books has just the next title from the independent publisher will be a reprint of the 1979 series “Arena”, published by DC Thomson. Originally serialised in The Crunch, created by Dave Taylor (not to be… Read More ›
In Review: Countdown to TV Action
by Steve Holland Publisher: Bear Alley Books Out: Now The Book: The latest comic index from Bear Alley Books covers the history and content of Countdown and TV Action, the Gerry Anderson-themed comic from Polystyle launched in the early 1970s…. Read More ›
Bear Alley Books “Countdown” book on sale next week
The latest comic index from Bear Alley Books, Countdown to TV Action, goes on sale from 4th July. The 200-plus page book, which features a a colour cover featuring the work of Gerry Haylock, John M. Burns and Gordon… Read More ›
Obverse Books delivers Sexton Blake
Edinburgh-based Obverse Books, the publishers of numerous fantasy books including a number of titles inspired by Paul Magrs’ time-travelling heroine Iris Wildthyme, recently announced the acquisition of the license to the famous Baker Street detective, Sexton Blake from from IPC… Read More ›
Bear Alley Books releases Boys’ World: Ticket to Adventure
Bear Alley Books, run by ace comics archivist Steve Holland, is to publish a guide to the the seminal British comic Boys’ World on 9th September – and if you order before 2nd September you can get a 10 per… Read More ›
Ranger Book Available From Bear Alley Books
The Rise And Fall Of The Trigan Empire is rightly considered one of the best British comic strips of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Written by Mike Butterworth and initially illustrated by Don Lawrence, it ran in Look and… Read More ›
Colour Ranger Reprints From Bear Alley Books
Steve Holland’s Bear Alley Books imprint have been putting out reprint titles from old British comics for two years now and the latest titles from the imprint are adaptations of the classic novels King Solomon’s Mines and Treasure Island, both… Read More ›
In Review: Lion – King of Picture Story Papers
by Steve Holland Published by Bear Alley Books at £24.99 Paperback 262 black and white pages The Book: A history of the famous Lion weekly, which ran from 1952 until 1974. Steve Holland tells the story of Lion’s creation and… Read More ›
Lion: King of Picture Story Papers From Bear Alley Books
Steve Holland of the Bear Alley blog is just about to release Lion: King Of Picture Story Papers, the second of his updated comics indexes available from Bear Alley Books. Lion was a weekly boys adventure comic published by… Read More ›