Thunder Brother: Soap Division hits a Six

By John Freeman on August 6, 2013

The latest issue of Paul Rainey‘s glorious Thunder Brother: Soap Division is now available. Issue six features “House of Tiny Tearaways” which is the concluding half to last issue’s story “Mind Your Language”. Can Thunder Brother extract some unwelcome visitors from the real world out of one of Britain’s most popular soap opera’s before they cause irreversible damage to the show?

This issue’s extras include Goddard and Prisk Are Now Investigators of the Paranormal and another episode of .Ghost.Zombie. both of which are also written and drawn by Paul, who’s also recently managed to become an occasional contributor to Viz. (His character, 14 Year Old Stand-Up Comedian, appeared in issues 226 and 227 while The Charlie Brooker Story is scheduled to appear in September’s issue).

The new issue of Thunder Brother: Soap Division is available in both printed and digital formats and can be ordered directly from ‘the shop’ link at Paul’s website www.pbrainey.com

A longtime web comic publisher, Paul recently made the difficult decision to stop posting weekly updates of Thunder Brother: Soap Division to his website in the face of declining visitor numbers (in marked contradiction, it seems to good sales of the comic).

“Suffice to say, my enthusiasm for the strip is as virulent as before and that the definitive method of delivery will be the print edition from now on.” says Paul. “Having said that, digital versions of the comic are available

“If you’re a comic reader who prefers to experience their reading material in a format compatible with their mobile or tablet device, all five issues of Thunder Brother: Soap Division are now available as pdf files for you to buy and download. Each pdf features exactly the same content as the printed version; a complete Thunder Brother: Soap Division episode plus all of the previously hard to find or unseen extras such as additional artwork and comic strips by me.

“Each issue is 24 pages long, is in full-colour throughout, costs just £1.50 (wherever you are in the world) and is available now via my new store: www.comicsy.co.uk/pbrainey.”

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.