Rebellion Releases — 14 May 2025

Following on from the success of Sugar Jones, The Haunting of Jilly Johnson is a masterclass in 1970 supernatural gothic comic storytelling, drawn with immense style by Rafael Busom Clua!

From the very first night in her new flat, Jilly Johnson is haunted by nightmares and calls out the name of a man who Jilly does not know. Spooked by a fortune teller, and by what she sees as the flat itself sending her messages, she becomes determined to find out more about the previous tenants, and the accident that led to the death of one of them.

And then in The Island of Stones, two English tourists on holiday on a Greek island meet a modern master sculptor, known for his stone statues of the human form, and discover the secret of his success – the head of Medusa. This story acts as a showcase for Rafael Busom Clua, who initially caught the reader’s eye with his incredibly stylish work on Sugar Jones, and is perfect for fans of both 1970s fashion and frights alike!

The Haunting of Jilly Johnson is out now!

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2432
Cover: D'Israeli.

JUDGE DREDD // NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Dan Abnett (w) Rob Richardson (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // TIDES OF WAR by Andi Ewington (w) Paul Marshall (a) Pippa Bowland (c) Jim Campbell (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK ONE by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
SILVER // PERFIDIOUS by Mike Carroll (w) Joe Currie (a) Simon Bowland (l)
New! SCARLET TRACES // EMPIRE OF BLOOD by Ian Edginton (w) D'Israeli (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Comic Cuts — 9 May 2025

A week of ups and downs... but thankfully mostly ups.

On the downside, my new DVD drive is on its way back to the supplier. I've used an external drive on my laptop for many years — I used to watch films and TV shows on DVD at lunchtime and just before bed and had pretty much worn out a couple of drives. I've had one sitting by me since I moved office, but I've only used it for copying CDs (albums) onto the laptop (a) so as not to damage the CD by constant playing, and (b) because the drive was on its last legs. So I've used it a half-dozen times (I stream many albums, but buy only from my favourite bands, like Frost*, Big Big Train, Solstice, etc.) but I knew it needed replacing.

Because of the work on the Air Ace Companion, I dug out an old... hang on, let me rewind a bit... after two days fruitless searching for a specific DVD onto which I had burned an old film, I fortunately stumbled onto it (and some other I didn't know I'd misplaced). That's how that story actually goes. Anyway... I managed to copy the film (which I'll come back to in a minute) and thought it might be an opportunity to copy some others. So I copied about three discs worth.

Now, I've got a thousand discs, recorded off of old video tapes and off the TV, so I thought that, if I do a couple of every day, I could start transferring these old discs into something my PC could read. So, the next day I stick in a disc and the drive won't read it. Try another... same result. Try one of the discs it was happy to read yesterday... same result. The drive has finally given up the ghost.

So I ordered a new one online and it arrived a couple of days later. It worked fine and I transferred a couple of discs. On Wednesday, I plugged it in to transfer a few more and there was a terrific rattling sound. I couldn't get the disc to open I cut the power by yanking the power cable out of the laptop. Plugged it back in and quickly hit the 'open' button. Out popped the DVD and the spindle it had been sitting on, which had come loose.

Which is why I'm waiting on yet another external DVD drive after returning the damaged one. Different make, and hopefully a bit more robust.

On the upside, I've cleaned up something like 250 illustrations for the book—can we fit them all in, is the question now—and I've worked out what I think will be the line-up of biographical pieces that will appear in the book, which will include Juan Abellan, Victor Hugo Arias, Nino Caroselli, Graham Coton, Pino Dell'orco, Ferdinando Fernandez, Ian Kennedy, F. Solano Lopez, Julio Cesar Medrano, Marvello Ralli, George Stokes, Alan Willow and Juan Zanotto.

(And if you're thinking, "Well, where's Gino D'Antonio and Giorgio De Gaspari and all the other big names?"—this is just the first volume. I'm planning a War and Battle Companion that will cover some of the other titles and will have essays on many more artists and writers.)

There's an introduction which covers the history and introduces a lot more contributors. I'm still finding out new information and even this week I spent most of a morning trying to track down information on a one-off cover contributor who doesn't seem to have painted or drawn anything related to comics—so that's a morning that resulted in, I think, two sentences in the introduction, where you'll discover the name and, more importantly, be able to look at the cover he painted!

(I'm counting that as a downside. I love doing the research for these books, but sometimes the results are a bit thin.)

I almost forgot to say why I was looking for a film on that missing DVD. It was shot back in 1960 by an art bodger on Air Ace and included some shots of the staff. I've taken some screen grabs, so you'll be able to meet some of the behind-the-scenes folk who put the popular pocket library together, including editor Arthur Bouchier. As the film was shot on 8mm, then transferred at some point onto video and then to a DVD and now onto my computer, they're not great, but (at this moment in time) they're the only images I have.

Other bits of good news: the Netflix adaptation of El Eternauta was as good as I'd hoped it would be; Daredevil: Born Again is building up to a stunning climax... we only have a couple of episodes left; and we're looking forward to Andor; Mel went to see Thunderbolts and reckoned it to be very entertaining; I'm about to start the third season of Reacher, which I'm looking forward to; after that, the second season of Silo; and Mel and I are looking forward to the start of Poker Face season two, so there's some good TV coming up.

I've saved the best news to last: the contract for volumes one and two of Mytek the Mighty are signed. I'm just waiting on a second set of proofs to make sure that the few corrections I had to make have taken and that the printing is consistent. So they're due with me next week (at least they should be... but I'm remembering the problems I had with an order last November) and if I'm happy with the results, I'll start taking orders and the books should be released by the end of the month.

It's always good to end these columns on a happy note... and this week I'm very happy!

Commando 5851-5854

This year’s VE Day – always a special day here at Commando – marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. To celebrate, we’ve got some extra special VE Day themed issues full of the usual action and derring-do you’ve come to expect! Issues 5851-5854 will go on sale from today, Thursday 8th May 2025!

5851 War-Torn! 

In 1939, war was declared, sparking six years of devastation known as World War Two. Two brothers, Michel and Hans Weber were torn apart by the conflict — separated and on opposite sides of the fighting, with one in Germany and the other in Canada. They had started the war as brothers — would they end it as enemies, or could their bond survive?
   Here's an issue that takes the concept of sibling rivalry to extremes! Think the argument over who gets the top bunk times a million - here’s hoping they can put their differences aside before Sunday lunch at mum’s.

Story: Ferg Handley
Art: Jaume Forns
Cover: Keith Burns

5852 The Last Days of the War

A Wehrmacht captain, a German scientist and an RAF pilot. This unlikely combination was thrown together in the crumbling ruins of a defeated Germany by a common aim — survival.
    If they could get to Allied territory, they’d be safe. But with vengeful SS men hot on their heels, their chances were very slim.
    Germany in the final days of WW2 is always fertile ground for storytelling. The uncertainty, the conflict, the evocative war-torn landscapes, it’s all here in this outstanding story from CG Walker!

Story: CG Walker
Art: Nebot
Cover: Jeff Bevan
First Published 1984 as No. 1854

5853 For You the War is Over

Germany, 1945. The end of the war is near. Commando Sergeant Alfred Millin and his comrades are forced to battle their way through what remains of the bitter German forces. Millin worries what awaits him when the fighting is over — will he be pulled back into his criminal past?
    Andrew Knighton’s brilliant script explores the difficult prospect of returning to life after war, and why that might not be so thrilling an idea for some. The legendary Mike Donaldson, of The Broons and Oor Wullie fame, does a stellar job with interior and exterior art in his Commando debut!

Story: Andrew Knighton
Art: Mike Donaldson
Cover: Mike Donaldson

5854 Steer for Action

From the first day of war in 1939, the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the countries opposed to Hitler’s Germany knew that it would be a long, bloody struggle before the Nazis were toppled to defeat. They couldn’t know then that the day of victory would come in May 1945, and for those six years of savage war, Clive Sterling, Royal Navy, would sail hostile seas and face deadly danger almost every day in that fight for freedom.
    We’re taking to the hostile seas to face deadly danger in this final issue of our special VE Day set! With both cover and interior art from Gordon C Livingstone and an outstanding script by Ian Clark, it’s definitely not one to miss.

Story: Ian Clark
Art: Gordon C Livingstone
Cover: Gordon C Livingstone
First published 1995 as No. 2857

Rebellion Releases — 7 May 2025

Whatever the weather, the 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 2025 is filled with stories to supercharge your Summer! Featuring 48 pages of high-octane action and adventure from across the Galaxy, this year’s edition of the bestseller features the return of classic characters, alongside some of the most exciting new Thrillers this side of Nu-Earth!

Judge Dredd heads off on his hols thanks to writer Al Ewing, making his long-awaited return to Mega-City One after thrilling readers around the world on series like Immortal Hulk and Absolute Green Lantern! We’re sure it’ll be a nice and peaceful trip for him, and certainly nothing horrific will happen which will require the full force of the Law to be upheld!

Dredd’s followed through spaceport security by the return of Strontium Dog Johnny Alpha and his team of intergalactic bounty hunters! Best pack a few extra time grenades and make sure you’ve brought a spare charger for the Electro-Nux, because trouble always follows Johnny, Wulf, and the Search/Destroy Agency!

This packed issue also checks in Cyd Finlea for a one-off The Out story by creators Dan Abnett and Mark Harrison – if anyone knows about getting away from it all, it’s galactic photojournalist Cyd: nobody has gone further “Out” of the known universe than she has!

We’ve a brand new Future Shock from the team of Andi Ewington and Nick Dyer to get you panicking ahead of your own holiday this year… and this special is rounded out by the return of all-round gentleman and occult detective Ampney Crucis to the Galaxy’s Greatest for the first time in… what, a decade? Where the deuce has he been? Only Ian Edginton and D’Israeli know!

With five electric stories to get you crackling with Thrill-Power this summer, The 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special is an adventure into the unknown which you can’t afford to miss! All this and a truly zarjaz cover from Chris Weston? Seatbelts on, universal passports in hand, Earthlets – let’s go!

At only £4.99 for 48 pages of interstellar action, the 2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 2025 will be out on 16 July from all good newsagents and comic book stores, as well as the 2000 AD app and webshop!

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD 2431
Cover: Cliff Robinson / Dylan Teague.

JUDGE DREDD // NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Dan Abnett (w) Rob Richardson (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // TIDES OF WAR by Andi Ewington (w) Paul Marshall (a) Pippa Bowland (c) Jim Campbell (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK ONE by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
FUTURE SHOCKS // THE TAKEOVER by James Peaty (w) Cam Smith (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SILVER // PERFIDIOUS by Mike Carroll (w) Joe Currie (a) Simon Bowland (l)

The Haunting of Jilly Johnson by Rafael Busóm Clúa
Rebellion ISBN 978-183786539-0, 7 May 2025, 80pp, £14.99. Available via Amazon.

From the very first night in her new flat, Jilly Johnson is haunted by nightmares and calls out the name of a man who Jilly does not know. Spooked by a fortune teller, and by what she sees as the flat itself sending her messages, she becomes determined to find out more about the previous tenants, and the accident that led to the death of one of them.
    And then in 'The Island of Stones', two English tourists on holiday on a Greek island meet a modern master sculptor, known for his stone statues of the human form, and discover the secret of his success – the head of Medusa?

• 6 May. Alan Moore is interviewed by smoky man about writing, magic, politics... everything you'd expect from an Alan Moore interview. "If I understand the subject correctly, magic begins hundreds of thousands of years ago with some clumsiness involving a potato."
• 1 May. An interview with Dandy and Beano artist Andy Fanton on the  eve of him attending Portsmouth Comic Con. "It’s still wild to me that anyone would be traveling to see me! I don’t feel particularly legendary on a day-to-day business, unless we’re talking about legends being old and ancient, in which case bang on!"
• 30 Apr. The modernist aesthetic of Tove Jansson's Moomin comic strip. "As Elina Drucker has documented, Jansson was among a number of Nordic authors of formally innovative experimental picture books, including Egon Møller-Nielsen and Egon Mathiesen. For these artists, picture books presented an opportunity to test the boundaries between media."
• 29 Apr. Just when you thought the whole Diamond Comic Distributors Chapter 11 saga could have no more twists, Alliance filed a notice that they were "terminating the previously executed Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Diamond." No reason was given. Diamond had previously made it clear they preferred the offer from another source, Universal Distribution and Ad Populum, and that offer has now [see here] be taken up. Meanwhile, a trustee in Diamond's bankruptcy case has filed a motion asking the judge to convert the case to a Chapter 7 liquidation or dismiss the Chapter 11 case. And. just to add to the chaos, Alliance is now suing  Diamond for fraud and deception, saying they hid the fact that an agreement to distribute product from Wizards of the Coast was about to end.
  
• 22 Apr. Titan Comics is asking for clarity over their contract with Diamond Comic Distributors, who have recently been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy and have now been purchased by Alliance Entertainment. Rich Johnson has the details.
  
• 21 Apr. Neil Gaiman is suing Caroline Wallner, one of his accusers in recent sexual assault allegations, over breaking her NDA relating to a payment Gaiman made to her (reportedly $275,000) in exchange for her silence about his alleged misconduct.
• 17 Apr. Comicbook Couples Counseling Podcast has a special guest to help it celebrate Superman's 87th birthday. It's Grant Morrison. "We're positively chuffed to chat Superman with Grant Morrison. We discuss their approach to the character in All-Star Superman and how it differs from the version they wrote in JLA, Action Comics, Final Crisis, and other stories." (audio, 1h 19m)
• 16 Apr. The sale price being asked for a Frank Quitely Superman cover is causing some argument over the value of art. Nick Pitarra argues: "I think this All-Star Superman trade cover not only says it all, it ends the conversation. When Grant and Vin wrapped their acclaimed run, Vin drew one final image—crystallizing their story and Superman forever. This image."
• 16 Apr. Anderson Entertainment have announced a timeline for the 60th anniversary celebrations for Thunderbirds, which includes two volumes collecting the entirety of the comic strip that appeared in TV Century 21, with restored artwork and additional features. Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Volume 1 will be available to pre-order in June with Volume 2 following in October. A series under the title Thunderbirds: Hidden Dangers, will begin in September, telling new stories in various formats, including novels and comic strips.
• 15 Apr. The world's oldest comic, the Glasgow Looking-Glass, has its 200th anniversary celebrated in a new exhibition at the Mitchell Library between 1 May and 31 July. John Freeman's report also covers news of a Kickstarter for a New Glasgow Looking-Glass comic.

A Lilliput Magazine Anthology, edited by Chris Harte

Chris Harte was responsible for a history and bibliography of Lilliput, the famous pocket magazine that ran from 1937 to 1960. He has now edited two anthologies collecting some of the best stories and writing from the magazine.

The first volume covers the first ten years, 1937 to 1946 and includes work from an incredible range of authors, from Ernest Hemingway to George Bernard Shaw. There's an informative introduction about the how Lilliput came to exist and the background of its creator and first editor, Stefan Lorant. How it was put together by Lorant with the aid of Alison Blair and photographer Zoltan Glass is itself a fascinating story, expanded upon in Harte's History and Bibliography, which is still available.

The stories include some relatively well-known pieces, like Karol Capek's 'The Fortune-Teller', first published in 1929 about a woman who is taken to court after giving a card reading to a policeman's wife, but for the most part the stories are obscure and little known.

Some of the bigger names include journalist and novelist John Brophy, MP and campaigner George Lansbury, literary critic V. S. Pritchett, crime and science fiction novelist Margot Bennett and Hornblower-creator C. S. Forester. Forty-nine short pieces in all.

Volume two contains seventy-one pieces and is almost 100 pages longer, filled with the same mix of stories and features by names you'll know and others that are now obscured by time. Claud Cockburn, Bill Naughton, Hector Bolitho, Patrick Campbell, Paul Tabori, Richard Gordon, Eric Ambler and Dennis Bardens (probably the only Lilliput author I have a letter from). Maurice Richardson, who debuted in the earlier volume with one feature, here has fourteen, including the story of the Rev. Harold Davidson, nicknamed the prostitutes padre, who died in the jaws of a lion in 1937. Richardson had an important part to play in slowing the magazine's decline, a reliable hand while editors came and went during the 1950s.

These two volumes are a fascinating trip into history, charting the changing attitudes of a period that covered war, austerity, affluence and the emergence of terms ranging from "crumpet" to "the establishment". Social history aside, they are also great books to have on your bedside table as you can dip in whenever sleep eludes you.

Lilliput Magazine: A History and Bibliography by Chris Harte. Sports History Publishing ISBN 978-189801018-0, 3 June 2024, 362pp, £29.95. Available via Amazon.
A Lilliput Magazine Anthology by Chris Harte. Sports History Publishing ISBN 978-189801019-7, November 1924, 164pp, £14.95. Available via Amazon.
A Second Lilliput Magazine Anthology by Chris Harte. Sports History Publishing ISBN 978-189801021-0, April 2025, 258pp, £14.95. Available via Amazon.

Comic Cuts — 2 May 2025

It's very easy to get distracted when I'm researching and that has been hammered home this week thanks to the days I have spent re-reading old correspondence and just stumbling over little bits of information that has nothing to do with what I'm meant to be writing about—namely the Air Ace Picture Library.

Apart from a lot of gossip that I can for the most part ignore (some is too good not to repeat, so you'll be getting to hear some of it when the book is out), there's the occasional fact chucked in as an aside that I just have to go and look into.

For instance, I knew that best-selling author Minette Walters used to write romance novelettes when she worked at Fleetway prior to writing her first crime novel (The Ice Storm, 1992), but a little further digging proved that she'd worked at the firm between 1972 and 1977. She wrote her first romantic story in, I believe, 1973 as a way to show her contributors at Woman's Weekly Library how to combine romance, character, plot and suspense to make a first-rate 30,000-word romance. Writing hospital romances, she went on to pen 35 novelettes under about ten different pen-names, as well as short stories and serials. I don't think the pen-names have ever been revealed.

Lane Meddick

Something else I didn't know: Julian Clary used to work on the Underground as a guard on the District Line, and my correspondent recalls hearing him announce over the tannoy, "Oh, do mind the doors!"

Here's another: the actor Lane Meddick was actually Leonard John Meddick, a wartime Spitfire pilot who became an actor and sometimes writer for the War libraries. I managed to get this screen-grab of him in an uncredited role in Carrington V.C. (a.k.a. Court Martial in the US, 1954).

When the DIY magazine Easy: The His and Hers Do-It-Yourself Weekly was merged with another DIY mag, Homemaker in 1969, there was an idea at IPC to replace it with a boys' magazine containing a mix of stories, sport and some simple DIY ideas called Scope. Four of the staff from Easy were put on it, including deputy editor Denis Gray (who apparently later emigrated to New Zealand), two sub-editor, Susan and a guy whose name I don't know, and art editor Laurie Shrimpton.

The idea got as far as a dummy issue being printed, but after some consideration by management, the idea was scrapped and Scope never saw the light of day.

Last one for now: I'd heard that a young girl who worked at Fleetway was murdered and it took a while to track down the story, which I was sure had grown more lurid in the retelling. Not the case... it was as tragic as rumoured.

"One girl used to come from Old Fleetway across the bridge to outside our War Pic rooms to get tea," recalled Roy McAdorey in 2006. "One morning on the underground on my way in to work, I read a news item about a “glamorous red-head” getting killed in a lover’s tiff. Got to work to discover it was this girl who used to get tea from Florrie’s trolley."

The girl was Carol Ann Lester-Smith and the Evening News broke the story on 16 November 1964 under the headline "Girl, 18, Killed Then CID Keep Vigil" with a sub-heading "Friend And Father Hurt In Stabbing".

Detectives were waiting by the bedsides of two stabbed men, hoping to interview them about the death the previous night of 18-year-old Carol Lester-Smith outside her home in Kingsley Road, Wimbledon, the paper reported. The two men were 52-year-old Sidney Lester-Smith, the girl's father, and a friend, Godfrey Hodgett, a week shy of his 21st birthday. "Red-haired Carol started work with a magazine house a few months ago and hoped to make a career in journalism," said the paper. The next day, the Daily Mirror claimed that she "had worked in London for two years as a £10-a-week editorial assistant with Fleetway Publications."

The two hospitalised men survived, but by then it was clear to detectives that one was not a victim. Geoffrey Hodgetts was taken from hospital on November 27th and appeared at a special court at Wimbledon where he was charged with murder.

The court case took place in December, revealing more details. Hodgetts, a Post Office engineer, had been dating Carol, but she—two years younger—thought she was too young to marry or tie herself to an engagement. Hodgetts, besotted with Carol, had, a few days before, threatened to kill himself; as she tidied her desk ahead of the weekend, she had ominously remarked that "If you don't see me on Monday, you'll know I'm dead", according to the Mirror.

On Sunday, shortly before 10 pm, her father opened the front door and welcomed Hodgetts in, only for Hodgetts to stab him with a double-edged knife. He tried to defend himself with a broom, and the noise attracted Carol from upstairs. Running down the stairs, she attempted to grab Hodgetts from behind. Her father dropped the broom and also struggled with Hodgetts.

Carol ran out of the house to get help, and Hodgetts, leaving her father lying on the floor, chased her down and attacked her. When her father reached the street, he saw Carol slumped against the door of a house opposite, Hodgetts still striking at her with the knife.

Hodgetts then stood up, held the knife against his stomach, and ran against a wall, twice before collapsing.

Pleading not guilty to murder, he instead pleaded guilty with diminished responsibility to manslaughter and was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey in January 1965.

With a company as huge as Fleetway Publications in the Sixties there are bound to be a enough stories over the years to fill a tabloid.

So, to the news... and it's good. The contract for Mytek the Mighty volumes 1 and 2 has been signed and I can now get going with the last few steps towards getting it into the hands of readers. Expect more news over the next couple of weeks.

I spent much of yesterday trying to match images to issue numbers as I have a large number of photos of original artwork from the war libraries that have yet to be matched with an issue number. I managed to track down quite a few yesterday, but there are still many more to go. Wish me luck!

Rebellion Releases — 30 April 2025

The 2000 AD Creator Tapes continues its epic interview with the legendary comic book artist Simon Bisley, beginning with a page-by-page commentary of Sláine: The Horned God Anniversary Edition, sharing his process, techniques, and memories of creating this landmark series for 2000 AD. He and Molch-R then continue to chat about the vital role attitude plays in his works, working on ‘Lobo’ and ‘Batman v Dredd: Judgement on Gotham’, and how his viewpoint has been integral to his success.

Hosted by 2000 AD Brand Manager Michael Molcher, The 2000 AD Creator Tapes brings you fascinating in-depth interviews with many of the biggest names in comics. With new episodes on the fourth Saturday of every month, The 2000 AD Creator Tapes is perfect for weekend listening, when you’re burning through your chores, or if you’re looking to learn more about the artists who make 2000 AD the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! Subscribe now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app!

(Catch up with part 1 on YouTube).

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2430
Cover: Simon Davis

JUDGE DREDD // BLITZERS by Ken Niemand (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Dylan Teague (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
CHIMPSKY’S LAW // THE TRUTH CONUNDRUM by Ken Niemand (w) PJ Holden (a) Jack Davies (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SILVER // PERFIDIOUS by Mike Carroll (w) Joe Currie (a) Simon Bowland (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK ONE by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // TIDES OF WAR by Andi Ewington (w) Paul Marshall (a) Pippa Bowland (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Battle Action #9
Cover: John Higgins

JOHNNY RED // A COUPLE OF HEROES by Garth Ennis (w) Keith Burns (a) Jason Wordie (c) Rob Steen (l)
DREDGER // MOTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF by Garth Ennis (w) John Higgins (a) Sally Jane Hurst (c) Rob Steen (l)

Comic Cuts — 25 April 2025

Last week I mentioned we were off to see a band on Thursday evening. The whole trip went smoothly, with a nice pub dinner ahead of the gig. We chose a pub just around the corner from the venue and had some fun pointing out people we thought were going to see the band: mostly paunchy, grey-haired, bearded men in their sixties... hey, that's me!

I hit the merch desk early and picked up a copy of a live CD/Blu-ray that I didn't have of a live Solstice gig from a coupe of years ago. I thought I'd leave the new album as there would be other opportunities. Back in our seats, we were surprised to see that the venue had removed the back curtain — maybe it was the band needing more room, or the lighting set-up — and you could see the stained-glass window. The venue (Colchester Arts Centre) is a de-consecrated church and an amazing venue for live acts. The last live band I'd seen was years ago, probably Mitch Benn and the Distractions wa-a-ay back in 2007, although I watch a lot of live gigs, either on DVD/Blu-ray or on YouTube when money is a bit tighter.

Back-up band was Ebony Buckle and her husband Nick on keyboards and guitars respectively singing only a handful of songs, but ranging from something old in 'Disco Lasers' to something new in '900 Swans'. The songs are fun, often quirky, harmonious and tell a story, all delivered with catchy, sometimes soulful melodies. A delightful start to the evening.

Mel had said that she wanted one of Ebony's albums beforehand, so she went merch hunting and bought both albums and was then chatting to Ebony while I was thinking through this radical notion of buying more than one album... what sort of witchcraft and deviltry is this? I mustn't succumb...

Thankfully it wasn't long before Solstice were on stage and ripping through... I want to say 'Firefly' but I didn't write down a set list and I didn't know all the songs from the new album (a couple have been released with videos on YouTube if you want to find them). I do know they played the whole of the new live album, which is daring as a lot of people go to see bands wanting a "Greatest Hits" set. Not this audience, it turns out. They grooved along to everything — and it really was music to groove to, with rock solid performances from everyone.

I've been a fan of electric violin since the days of Hawkwind and UK, and one of my current favourite bands, Big Big Train, has a violin. Having the fiddle driving the music isn't anything new, but here it sets up the riffs, backed by bass, drums and keyboards, so that the guitar can just soar over the top. Three- and four-part vocal harmonies bring out the best in the lyrics, which are for the most part songs of freedom, hope and joy. And why not! The band are clearly enjoying themselves on stage, switch around for some songs, and having a good time interacting with the audience.

Some fans have been following the tour closely, so the front row is well known to the band. It's a front row fan's birthday and to celebrate, someone has bought cakes — for everyone in the venue! We pass around trays as Andy Glass (guitars) jokes about what's in them. Oh, and a hedgehog puppet makes an appearance. Like I said, the band are having a lot of fun.

It's over too soon. But the band don't run off. Within five minutes a few of them are milling around the merch desk, signing. My willpower crumbles and I buy the new album to get it signed by anyone with a sharpie. I tell Andy Glass that this is the first time I've seen the band but I hope they come back to Colchester again. Only later do I realise that's not true.

You see, Solstice have been around since about 1980, and have come and gone like a tide. The latest version of the band has been around since 2019 or so and they seem to be finally breaking through. But an earlier version of the band played Reading Festival in 1983 and I was there!

I must have seen them, although I can't remember a thing about most of the bands that played that whole weekend. But they played on the Friday alongside Pendragon, Pallas, Man, Big Country and The Stranglers. What a line-up! The Saturday was Magnum, Marillion, Suzi Quatro, the infamous Anvil, and Black Sabbath, and the Sunday included Twelfth Night, The Enid, Cockney Rebel, Ten Years After and Thin Lizzy. Just about every Prog band that was finding an audience in the early 1980s despite being told that Prog was going the way of the dinosaurs thanks to punk.

If you've got this far and you're thinking, "But, Steve, where's the connection to British comics?" Well, in 2013 they released an album called Prophecy, with a cover by none other than Barry Kitson. You knew I'd get it back to comics somehow!

Talking of which... while I'm still waiting on Rebellion (contracts due next week), I've started work on the main text for the Air Ace Companion. I managed to dig out some old letters and interviews I did back in 2006 when I was writing the introduction to The Fleetway Libraries volume covering the war libraries. I've found old letters from  writers like David Satherley, Ian Kellie and Gordon Brunt which will help give some first hand insight into Air Ace and other libraries. I've also managed to gather some background on a number of writers who had been stubbornly elusive back then, including the story of Ellis Evans, who was a P.O.W. during the war, and details on many others, which speaks to the authenticity of the stories as they were written by people who had actually gone through the Second World War themselves, often on the front lines of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, or flown missions deep into enemy territory.

I'm also interviewing some of the surviving artists, which is taking time and pushing Google Translate to its limits. The floor around me is strewn with old photocopies of artist biographies from overseas from my correspondence with fans in Italy, Spain and Argentina. And some artists, too. I have to hand letters from Ferdinando Tacconi and Solano Lopez and I'm looking for a letter I had from Gino D'Antonio, which I've buried somewhere. But every time I look for something, I find something else interesting: a letter from David Motton, a copy of an obituary for Tony Weare I wrote in 1994, a photocopy of some previously unpublished artwork by Eric Bradbury (which I need to clean up a bit as there's a fold across the two pages)... who knows what else I might find before the book is finished.

Commando 5847-5850

G’day mates! We’re celebrating Anzac Day with this bonza set of issues, so slap a few shrimps on the barbie and get ready for some ripper adventures from Australia and New Zealand! Issues 5847-5850 will go on sale from today, Thursday 24th April 2025!

5847 The Duel

The time has come for the crew of HMAS Wombat to strike out on their own adventure! With a Japanese destroyer helmed by Captain Aki Kato causing havoc in the shipping lanes, it falls to Captain John Griffin and his rough and ready crew to save the day once again!
    But with Kato able to predict all of Griffin’s tricks, the battle for the Pacific soon turns into a duel to end all duels!
    Nothing like a classic sea battle eh? Brent Towns gives us yet another swashbuckling adventure from the crew of the HMAS Wombat, with a cracking cover by Keith Burns. There’s thrills, spills, even a knife fight on a beach – crikey!

STORY: Brent Towns
ART: Esteve Polls
COVER: Keith Burns

5848 Battle Squadron

Before the war, Mike Stallard had fought as a pilot in China, Spain and South America. He hired out his skills to the highest bidder and always ended up where the dogfights were the fiercest.
    Then he went to France with the RAF, fighting strictly to order in clumsy Fairey Battles against sleek, deadly Me109s. And unless the top brass listened to fighting men like Mike and let them fight in their own way, this was going to be the last war that Mike and his mates would ever fly in.
    We’re spoiling you with our covers this round – a Kennedy AND a Bevan? Not to mention art from Jose Maria Jorge! You’re welcome. From the sea to the air, follow the rebellious Mike Stallard as he teaches the top brass a lesson in rulebreaking!

STORY: Brunt
ART: Jose Maria Jorge
COVER: Ian Kennedy
First published 1971

5849 The B-Team

Palestine, 1917. Sergeant Blake Burnstock and the rest of his section in the Australian Light Horses are always being made to feel second best – the B-team, their comrades call them. But when their rival unit, the A-team, are captured by the Turks, Burnstock and his boys consider it their duty to get them back. Unfortunately, their commanding officers don’t see it that way. Well, second best or not, they’re going to rescue their countrymen. Against orders and against the odds, the B-team are riding out!
    We love a good underdog story here at Commando, and this one’s a beauty! Bombastic! Brilliant! Dominic Teague’s whip-sharp wit paired with the stunning art of Juan Fernandez and Neil Roberts is a recipe for a bonza of an issue!

STORY: Dominic Teague
ART: Juan Fernandez
COVER: Neil Roberts

5850 Crime in the Sands

Life in the small supply depot in North Africa was quiet for Nick Hart. He was miles away from the war and nothing exciting ever happened.
    But that wasn’t going to last for long. Pretty soon he’d find himself behind enemy lines, playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the Germans — and the only men he could turn to for help were four hardened criminals
    Coming to us from all the way back in 1982, this classic story of desert warfare from Roger Sanderson is sure to whet your appetite for another Commando staple – the rebellious criminals turned heroes! Complete with a gorgeous Jeff Bevan cover, this is not one to miss!

STORY: Roger Sanderson
ART: Cruz
COVER: Jeff Bevan
First Published in 1982

Rebellion Releases — 23 April 2025

BIG-ASS SWORD, the new OGN from Andreas Butzbach is coming from Rebellion this November!

Set in an unrecognisable futuristic wasteland filled with brutalist structures, struggling remnants of the natural world – oh, and a robot carrying a BIG-ASS SWORD – Rebellion are proud to publish the English-language comics debut of acclaimed writer/artist Andreas Butzbach.

In a world far from our own reality, a robot warrior wanders through a vast and hostile techno landscape, filled with strange lifeforms and mechanical beings left over from a long, forgotten war. At the robot’s side is a talking Skull. On his back? A BIG-ASS SWORD!

Told in a classic European sci-fi style, but distinctly its own instinctive and unpredictable creation, BIG-ASS SWORD is a thought-provoking futuristic mystery! Releasing on the 4th November, this original graphic novel will be published as a 96-page hardback from Rebellion Publishing, as they continue to push the limits of hard sci-fi and fantasy.

It’s a story filtered through creator Andreas Butzbach’s own experiences with isolation – the first Covid lockdown in 2020 provided an opportunity to turn his battle into something creative and fresh.

“I’ve seen a lot of zombie movies so I knew I would be in for a rather long time,” he says. “And I wanted to make good use of the time in isolation. I grabbed a pencil and an empty sketchbook and started to draw full comic pages right into it. The plan was, to just fill the book with comic pages. No scanning or adjusting, just like back in the old days when I was a kid: ideas straight onto the paper”.

Described as The Mighty Boosh meets Head Lopper, this Heavy Metal-esque original adventure from German artist/writer Andreas Butzbach will first appear in an exclusive one-off story featured in the weekly 2000 AD before the complete 96-page graphic novel is published through Rebellion this November.

“When I started with this comic”, Butzbach reveals, “I did not know where to go or where it would lead me – just like the robot who leads the story. I’m not telling one big epic story arc in the traditional way. This is not a ‘save the world’ comic: it’s more a ‘this is how the world is now, deal with it’ comic. I don’t want to tell you what is going on: you should read and think about it, make your own picture and then you can tell me”.

BIG-ASS SWORD takes influence from artists including Mike Mignola, Simon Bisley, Katsuhiro Otomo and more as it follows a wandering robot and the strange and unpredictable world he explores with his companion, a profane talking skull. Butzbach revels in the surprise of his world. “I love nature, but tech and industry is part of life as well. I enjoy the aesthetics of trees and flowers as much as I’m able to cherish industrial machinery and buildings. I’m inspired by Brutalism, with railings and huge pipes, twisting and bending where every pipe and hose has it’s purpose – just like tree roots or the veins running beneath our skin”.

The stunning result of Butzbach’s creative expression is a stark, startlingly funny comic which is filled with bright and stirring imagery showcasing a world fallen into ruin. Collected in English for the first time this November, this original graphic novel from Butzbach continues his partnership with Rebellion which includes The Thirteenth Floor, Smash!,, and The Treasury of British Comics Annual.

BIG-ASS SWORD will be published by Rebellion on the 4th November 2025, and is available to pre-order now!

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2429
Cover: Jake Lynch

JUDGE DREDD // BLITZERS by Ken Niemand (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Dylan Teague (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
CHIMPSKY’S LAW // THE TRUTH CONUNDRUM by Ken Niemand (w) PJ Holden (a) Jack Davies (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SILVER // PERFIDIOUS by Mike Carroll (w) Joe Currie (a) Simon Bowland (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK ONE by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // TIDES OF WAR by Andi Ewington (w) Paul Marshall (a) Pippa Bowland (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Strontium Dog: Search and Destroy Volume 4 by John Wagner, Alan Grant, Chris Lowder (w) Carlos Ezquerra, Robin Smith (a)
Rebellion ISBN  ‎ 978-183786430-0, 23 April 2025, 192pp, £24.99. Available via Amazon.

Warped by radioactive Strontium-90 fallout after the Great Nuclear War, mutants like Johnny Alpha only have one career option available: a hard life as galactic bounty hunters known by the ‘norms’ as ‘Strontium Dogs’. The Strontium Dogs patrol the galaxy, bringing trouble to the troublemakers.
     It’s a hard and dangerous life where only the toughest can survive. Johnny Alpha – the leader of the mutant rebellion – might just be the toughest of them all.
    This collection sees Johnny and his brother-for-life Wulf Sternhammer return to the Gronk homeworld seeking justice against a band of violent trappers - unaware that they're walking into a trap...
    Alongside "The Kid Knee Caper" and "The Killing", this volume also contains "The Moses Incident", in which a routine bounty takes a dark and sinister turn which changes Johnny's world forever and sends him into the darkest parts of the galaxy. Will he be able to escape The Island of the Living Dead?
    Johnny's story continues in this fourth volume written by John Wagner (A History of Violence) and Alan Grant (Batman), with art by Carlos Ezquerra (Preacher).

Essential Judge Dredd: Tour of Duty Book 3 by John Wagner, Robbie Morrison, Al Ewing, Rob Williams (w) Carlos Ezquerra, Kev Walker, Patrick Goddard, John Higgins, John Haward, Mike Collins, Guy Davis, Colin MacNeil (a)
Rebellion ISBN 978-183786428-7, 23 April 2025, 208pp, £24.99. Available via Amazon.

The essential Judge Dredd graphic novel series – this is the ultimate introduction to the Lawman of the Future! And this is the grand finale to the epic Tour of Duty storyline!
    During Origins, Dredd discovered a mutant branch of his own bloodline. For the lawman, it brought home the injustice inherent in Justice Department’s Mutant policies. He believes that those unfortunates warped by the legacy of the Atomic Wars deserve to be treated with more humanity, as they are currently forbidden entry into Mega-City One, and exiled to facilities and townships in the irradiated wasteland.
    But Dredd’s support of Mutants may see him join them to live out the rest of his life in The Cursed Earth...
    The stories collected in this volume affect the Dredd’s world for years to come, and features work by writers John Wagner (A History of Violence), Robbie Morrison (The Authority), Al Ewing (The Immortal Hulk) and artists Carlos Ezquerra (Preacher), Kev Walker (Star Wars), Patrick Goddard (Rogue Trooper), John Higgins (Watchmen), John Haward (Tales of Telguuth) and Mike Collins (Doctor Who).

Spector: Incorruptible by John Wagner (w) Carlos Ezquerra, Dan Cornwell (a)
Rebellion ISBN  ‎ 978-183786424-9, 23 April 2025, 112pp, £18.99. Available via Amazon.

Just a few years into our future, faced with unsustainable levels of corruption within the branches of city government, and a police force that is equally rotten, Spector is created. A robot detective, untainted by corruption and beyond bribery, Spector is charged with cleaning up the city. But it is an uphill battle, as many people currently in positions of power want the robot to fail.
     Written by John Wagner (A History of Violence), this standalone graphic novel represents the final work of Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd), with Dan Cornwell (Rok of the Reds) completing the story.

Comic Cuts — 18 April 2025

I'm writing this column earlier than normal as we have plans for Thursday evening. I'm celebrating my birthday in grand style by going to a live gig featuring melodic Prog Rockers Solstice, supported by the fabulous Ebony Buckle. I'll put in a couple of links at the end so you can get a feel for what they're like (the Ebony Buckle will be the delightful bit of pop silliness, 'Susan', which I promise will bring a smile to your face; the Solstice was recorded at Colchester Arts Centre back in 2023, so you can even see the venue we'll be at!).

Still no news on my Mytek contracts, but I'll be chasing them up once my elderly ears have stopped ringing. Long gone are the days when I headbanged to Motorhead (often supported by Girlschool) at ear-blistering volume back in the late Seventies. Me and my best mate Mark saw a lot of New Wave of Heavy Metal bands back then, although we were both into more Proggy music; he was a huge Genesis / Steve Hackett fan, and we saw Hackett a few times and I'm still following him (he's tours relentlessly). I was into Hawkwind and, yes, they have a new album out this week which I will be getting, to go with the other fifty or so albums they've released.

Musically I'm reliving my childhood because loads of bands are re-releasing albums that have reached their 50th anniversary. Warriors on the Edge of Time, one of Hawkwind's finest albums, is 50 next month. Dozens of others are getting remixed and remastered with bonus demo versions or live recordings. As I tend to listen to music on two tiny speakers attached to my laptop, and I'm streaming a lot of the music, the remastering doesn't always show through, but I do like a live album.

And a good documentary. I watched Becoming Led Zeppelin yesterday, which had me digging out a recording of their Knebworth appearance back in 1979—I was there! August 4th, slap bang in the middle of a crowd of 100,000 people. It was a weird mix of bands, none of which I was especially interested in (they even had Chas 'n' Dave as one of the support acts!), but worth sitting out in a packed field just to have three hours of Zeppelin playing at their peak.

Nowadays I'm less about rockin' all night and more about getting home at a reasonable hour.

The research for the Air Ace Companion is going well, although I'm stretching Google Translate to its limits. My new obsession is to find out who was the assistant to Julio Cesar Medrano when he was drawing for War Picture Library and Commando in the early 1970s. I'm surprised to say that I actually know some of the artists who worked with Medrano, including ex-Starblazer artists Quique Alcatena and Raul Vila (who drew one of my Starblazer scripts). I've tracked down a couple of others via Facebook and e-mail and so far... well, I'm still working on it.

I'm also in touch with a couple of artists from Spain who worked on Air Ace, so it will be interesting to get their perspective. And I'm researching a few other artists and editors for short biographical sketches. This is always my favourite bit of doing a book where I'm trying to ferret out such details as: was there just the one woman or were there two women who worked on Air Ace? I know you're all asking that same question.

At the time of writing I'm still deep in that rabbit hole and the answer, if I can find out myself, will be published sometime in the next few months.

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Rebellion Releases — 16 April 2025

This week's 2000 AD continues the stories from last week, as Dredd continues to deal with exploding citizens, Chimpsky finds himself falling under the influence, and Mr Brass and Mr Bland come to a strange... agreement. With Silver back in the Prog and Ghosted making bold new steps with its debut, the Galaxy's Greatest is firing on all cylinders right now!

Then in the Megazine we have a flurry of new arrivals, as sour-faced Brit-Cit Judge Armitage returns to solve another cold case, while Cadet Dredd receives a mysterious new assignment. Add to that the manic arrival of space pirates Barrel & Hammer, and a older and calmer (!?) version of Judge Dredd to Mega-City One, and you've got a packed Meg this month!

Here are this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2428
Cover: Joe Currie.

JUDGE DREDD // BLITZERS by Ken Niemand (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Dylan Teague (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
CHIMPSKY’S LAW // THE TRUTH CONUNDRUM by Ken Niemand (w) PJ Holden (a) Jack Davies (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
SILVER // PERFIDIOUS by Mike Carroll (w) Joe Currie (a) Simon Bowland (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK ONE by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
NU-EARTH WAR TALES // NU ROMANCE by Gordon Rennie (w) Gary Welsh (a) Gary Caldwell (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Judge Dredd Megazine #479
Cover: Toby Willsmer

JUDGE DREDD // OLD MAN JOE by Ken Niemand (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Matt Soffe (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
DEATH CAP // FRONTIER JUSTICE by T.C. Eglington (w) Boo Cook (c) Simon Bowland (l)
CADET DREDD // THE HAUNTING OF ISO-BLOCK 8 by Paul Starkey (w) Nick Brokenshire (a) Jim Campbell (l)
ATOMFALL by Jonathan Howard (w) Anthony Williams (a) Steve Canon (c) Rob Steen (l)
ARMITAGE // MURDER. SETTING: AUTOMATED, EXPRESS by Liam Johnson (w) Warren Pleece (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
ROK OF THE REDS by John Wagner & Alan Grant (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Abby Bulmer (c) Jim Campbell (l)
BARREL & HAMMER // BOOTY CALL by David Barnett (w) Luke Horsman (a) Simon Bowland (l)

Comic Cuts — 11 April 2025

I'm waiting on contracts, now that the books are finished. I had some minor corrections that needed to be fixed, which I did over Sunday and Monday, so everything is ready to go once the paperwork is signed and the license fee paid.

So I'm happily cracking on with the Air Ace Companion book, writing little essays about Italian and Argentinian comic artists whose work has been part of the bedrock of British comics in the Sixties and Seventies. Over the decades, Argentina has contributed something like 80-100 different artists who worked in British comics, and I imagine that number can be at least trebled for Italian and Spanish artists.

Some of the greatest names in European and South American comics have contributed a strip or two (or in the case of F. Solano Lopez, dozens) to UK comics. Some of the most prized are Hugo Pratt's contributions to the war libraries, but there are also strays that only a handful of people know about, like a reprint of 'Anna della Jungla' in a British weekly. How about one of the most famous Italian comics strips, Storia del West drawn by Gino D'Antonio and others... celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017 because nobody realised it had actually debuted the year before in the UK.

And new information is coming to light daily. I mentioned last week that I'd discovered a couple of extra names who had contributed to UK comics; well I can add another this week: no less a person than Juan Gimenez, artist of the saga of the Metabarons written by Alejandro Jodorowsky and dozens of other volumes that are celebrated across Europe (but not here, because, y'know, comics are for kids). There have been a few translations over the years (Humanoids deserves a big THANK YOU), but these comics are still almost unknown.

Mind you, there are some excellent English language reprints out there that I know nothing about... usually because they've appeared in the USA and haven't appeared over here except maybe Forbidden Planet or Gosh! Comics. Oh, and I'm broke most of the time, so even if they do appear I'm not in a position to buy them.

One I do have is El Eternauta by Hector German Oesterheld and F. Solano Lopez, published by Fantagraphics in 2015. I've just checked on Ebay and there's one copy available, price $390 + $25 shipping, another at $250 + $43 shipping. Some lucky person snagged a copy in the UK for £85, but they're mostly selling for between $200-400 in the USA.

I'm especially excited about El Eternauta because it is being made into a TV series, due out at the end of the month on Netflix. Six hour-long episodes shot in Buenos Aires in Spanish ... so not your usual Netflix series. It was originally announced five years ago!



Talking of comic-related TV shows, Mel and I have managed our watch-through of Daredevil, spread over 26 evenings in January (Season 2) and March (Season 3). This is the second time I've watched it, and it's still fantastic, with Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin the most chilling portrayal of a villain in TV history, and probably in the history of the MCU, as he's now canon.

I wasn't that fussed by Thanos in the Avengers movies, probably because the finger-snap thing halving the population... he'd have to circle the whole universe every few decades because losing half the population only slows population growth. If Thanos was to snap his fingers today (population roughly 8 billion in 2024) and the population is reduced to 4 billion, or 1974 levels, we should have achieved 8 billion again in 50 years. I doubt even an intergalactic supervillain could revisit every advanced civilisation every five decades. It's not like he's a god, just a powerful villain with a powerful weapon (the infinity gauntlet).

The other thing that bugs me about those movies—I may as well get this off my chest at the same time—is that they are tending towards a big, twenty-minute CGI punch-up at the finale, usually accompanied by some kind of sky beam. They're all getting a bit samey.

And I'm not hopeful for the next Avengers movie, Avengers: Doomsday. While I love many of the characters (and also most of the films), have you seen the line-up for this fifth Avengers movie? Over thirty major characters, including former Avengers, the Fantastic Four, some X-Men, and more. They're going to need a five hour movie for them all to have any meaningful story arcs and the CGI punch-up with Doctor Doom's cohorts will have to last an hour so everyone can get a few jabs in.

And (finally) it won't have an ending, because there's a sequel already set for 2027. I can't tell you how frustrating I find waiting a year (and sometimes longer) for the conclusion of a film. My memory is terrible at the best of times, but being battered by a cinema sound-system, watching a movie with a too-big cast who are replaced by computer-generated doppelgangers for the ending, and then discover that it is "To Be Continued" is the reason I don't go to the cinema any more. I'll wait until I can see it on my adequately large, adequately loud TV from the comfort of my own sofa.