Bear Alley

• 14 Apr. Mark Millar has said that he intends writing Superman stories that he will then publish when Superman enters the public domain in 2033. As Rich Johnson points out, Millar is well known for headline-grabbing announcements and this might just be one more. "In a decade, DC Comics will lose the copyright on those first issues of Action Comics which established so much about the character. So yes, Mark Millar could absolutely publish Superman comics, though it would have to be under a different name, as DC/Warner Bros still owns the trademark."
  
• 7 Apr. The BBC celebrates the work of Bryan Talbot. "Making up the story is the fun bit, the best bit really," Bryan says, adding: "Drawing it is the hard part."
• 5 Apr. Steve Bell discusses getting fired from The Guardian in epsiode 41 of Caglecast with Daryl Cagle. "We get the whole story from Steve, at a time when more cartoonists who are critical of Israel or Netanyahu are being accused of drawing anti-Semitic cartoons. We also have two of Israel's top editorial cartoonists to discuss Steve's cartoon." (video, 20m)
  
• 30 Mar. Comic Artist Bryan Hitch joined Bill Cox live at the Comic Art LIVE channel last Saturday (23 March). "Bryan has been an Artist and Writer of comics for over thirty years, on books such as the Authority, Ultimates, JLA, , Hawkman, Batman's Grave, Venom, Ultimate Invasion and now, GHOST MACHINE! For the art sale we'll have published pieces available for some of Bryan's most recent works and many from early in his career, and we'll also be taking on some commission opportunities." (video, 2hr 21m)
  
• 27 Mar. Writer Paul Cornell and artist Rachael Smith have teamed up for a graphic novel whodunnit, Who Killed Nessie? and have launched a crowdfunding campaign at Zoop to find backers. According to Paul, "I was talking with some creator friends and just suddenly came out with this title and the idea for a cover. It’s one of those things that was just sitting there out in the ether waiting to happen. I’ve been reading about cryptids (largely under the bedclothes, the reading not the cryptids) since I was a kid, and sometimes Rachael’s amazing cartooning just connects with an idea I have in my head and I can see how her characters would look doing this stuff. Hence: this!"
  
• 23 Mar. Dark Horse kicks off its Millarworld titles with Nemesis: Rogues Gallery, a 5-issue mini-series written by Mark Millar with art by Valerio Giangiodano & Lee Loughridge.. "Kicking it all off with Nemesis just feels right as it’s been the most asked about character since our Big game crossover concluded at Christmas."
  
• 22 Mar. Neil Gaiman's recent Heritage Auctions sale raised over $1m. Of the 125 items that were sold, the top seller was a page of art from Watchmen #7 that had been gifted to Gaiman by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, which sold for $132,000. "A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Hero Initiative, which provides medical and other assistance to veteran comic creators in need, and the Authors League Fund, which helps professional authors, journalists, critics, poets, and dramatists in need of assistance.  Gaiman also plans to share a portion of the proceeds with the artists whose work is auctioned."
• ... and in more Neil Gaiman news, his Dead Boy Detectives is getting the Netflix treatment. The streaming platform is already producing The Sandman, and will add the new show on 25 April. "The Flight Attendant’s Steve Yockey developed the series, and he is co-showrunning it with Beth Schwartz of The CW’s Arrowverse fame. The ensemble cast also includes Briana Cuoco, Ruth Connell, Jenn Lyon, Yuyu Kitamura, Lukas Gage, and Lindsey Gort."
  
• 18 Mar. Andrew Sumner interviews Michael Moorcock about the second volume of Moorcock's Multiverse from Titan. "Moorcock and Sumner, as usual, also chat about a whole bunch of other things, including: the dark side of late stage capitalism; Moorcock's upcoming short story Wigan (plus Wigan the northern English town, Bowen's chunky steak pie and pie-coveting canine Alfie Evans); J.G Ballard; the Three Peaks Challenge; the sheer brilliance of Walter Simonson, the whereabouts of Mike's voucher copies, dream couches, Moorcock & Sumner's Hyperbolic Chambers (TM); Moorcock's undiminished singing voice; Tony Bennett, Johnny Cash & Joan Baez; Blossom Dearie's last gig, the unique nature of Moorcock's career, more on his association with Hawkwind & The Deep Fix, the foresight of Mike's beloved claw-hammer-wielding mother; Italian actress Silvano Manga, Taylor Walker beer barrels, Mike's upcoming novel The Wounds of Albion, Mike's relationship with Arthur C. Clarke, Philip José Farmer & Leigh Brackett; Jack Vance's The Dragon Masters; Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword; the influence of Edgar Rice Burroughs; old-school Republicans; The Scaffold's Lily the Pink and Roger McGough's poetry; Pete Brown & His Battered Ornaments; Mal Dean's Amazing Band; the glory of Liverpool's science-fiction & music scene; watching the boxing at Liverpool Stadium; visiting Apple Corps Ltd and turning down George Harrison's money!" (video, 1h 9m)
  
• 12 Mar. Shining Spotlights casts a... spotlight on Paul Gravett. "Today we sit among an industry legend. He's written and recorded of comic industry for several decades. Interviewed industry giants such as Alan Moore, and even launched magazines such as Escape. Historical books such as Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics. The list goes on." (video, 1h 15m)
• 8 Mar. Joel Meadows talks to Bleeding Cool about his book Face to Face. "For me creating a portrait is intended to be a piece that reflects the essence of the subject that I have shot and that is why I like to photograph people that I have interviewed as I already have a rapport with the subject."
  

• 7 Mar. Susannah Clapp reviews Posy Simmonds at the Pompidou. "Two things​ you will see in Paris but not in London: the word ‘culture’ on a banner at a demo, and a major exhibition by an English artist and writer who has for half a century made the Brits roll their eyes at themselves."
  
• 7 Mar. Chris Weston discusses Time Breakers being collected, Akira and not getting credit for his bat-suit designs. "I was inspired by Jim Holdaway‘s art at the time. Unfortunately, I got too inspired, perhaps; I’d made the lead character, Angela Attenborough, look almost identical to Jim’s version of Modesty Blaise. Stuart Moore, the editor, fearing we might get sued, asked me to change her hairstyle in every panel." The big news is that Chris has a new creator-owned series coming out from Dark Horse shortly. "It’s a very big-name writer so I’m quite exited! It should be announced imminently!"
  
• 7 Mar. Busy Garth Ennis chats about the new Battle Action volume from Rebellion and reveals that there is a third series in the works. (video, 18m)
• 2 Mar. Garth Ennis and Axel Alonso have announced a Kickstarter for Marjorie Finnegan, Temporal Criminal with one of the rewards being that contributors can be drawn into the story. (video, 3m). The Kickstarter itself has already hit its target.
  
• 2 Mar. The announcement that a Criminal TV series is in development led to the collections of the series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips selling out. The Amazon Prime series was announced on 8 January and Brubaker reported that “What happened was we were preparing new printings of the entire series, planning a slow rollout, assuming the real interest in the books would happen closer to the show hitting… but instead the day after the announcement of the Amazon greenlight, all the books we had in stock sold out. So we rushed them back to press immediately, and if they’re not already at the distributors they will be soon.” 
• Here's another interview with Brubaker that dives into his work with Sean: "We work exactly the same as we have for 20 years. It’s a very steady collaboration. I don’t know if there’s anybody else in comics who’s ever really done what we do for this long."
  
• 1 Mar. Bryan Talbot is one of 19 comics' creators who have been inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame for 2024.
  
• 29 Feb. Earlier this month, Dave Gibbons dropped hints that  Martha Washington might be reaching our screens in the future during a talk at Sheffield Hallam University. 'Comics Up Close – Origin Stories' was a one-day academic event also featuring Stephen Appleby and Karrie Fransman. 
• 24 Feb. Neil Gaiman is auctioning off a bunch of stuff at Heritage Auctions. Here he talks about why he's selling. (video, 6m)
  
• 21 Feb. Dave McKean is interviewed at The Comics Journal. "I don’t dream very much, certainly nothing I remember very clearly. I used to dream a lot more, and I tend to link dreams to anxiety - I’m just not that anxious these days."
• 19 Feb. Knockabout and Top Shelf have announced the upcoming release – in October 2024 – of  the long, long-awaited The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic by Alan Moore and Steve Moore. Chris Staros, editor-in-chief at Top Shelf, says the books "represents an amazing capstone, created by Alan and Steve, and brilliantly brought to life by five unforgettable artists. It’s been a privilege to watch those magical minds spend years building this grimoire, and I’m proud to join Knockabout in finally sharing it with the world." The five artists include the late Kevin O'Neill, John Coulthart, Steve Parkhouse, Rick Veitch and Ben Wickey.
• 13 Feb. Tripwire interviews Doctor Who artist Lee Sullivan. "I embraced digital art as soon as I saw Dave Gibbons demonstrating a high-definition Wacom tablet, and since Doctor Who – Prisoners in Time for IDW, I have been drawing fully digital finished art for comics and latterly have learned to paint and colour in Photoshop. I saw straight away how much more streamlined and flexible digital could be."
• 9 Feb. Brian Bolland is looking for his original artwork from The Killing Joke for a new Artists Edition-style reprinting of the famous Alan Moore-penned Batman story from Graphitti's Gallery Editions, to be published this autumn.
  
• 8 Feb. Paul Cornell is interviewed at Word Balloon about Saucer Country, Dr Who, Hammer Holmes and more. (video, 1h 15m)
  
• 7 Feb. Tony Foster has announced the 2023 ComicScene Award winners. You can find a full breakdown here. The winners include 2000AD (Best UK Comic), The 77 (Best Indie Comic), The Daleks (Best Comic Collection UK), Garth Ennis (Comic Creator of 2023), Neil Gaiman (Best Writer of All Time)... plenty more at the link. Congratulations to all winners and runners-up... and, yes, I spotted Bear Alley nestling in the lower regions of the Best Comic Media category. Your vote(s) are very welcome.
  
• 6 Feb. Cartoon historian Mark Bryant is campaigning to have a Blue Plaque recognised by Southwark Heritage for James Henderson, publisher of numerous comic weeklies in the 19th century, including Funny Folksand Lot-o'-Fun. Henderson is one of eight nominees, the list including missionary John Davis, Francis Rossi of Status Quo, songwriters Stock, Aitken & Waterman, and artist Brian Catling.
  
• 3 Feb. Jamie Smart, The Phoenix and other young creators of graphic novels all get a positive mention in an article about David Walliams writing a graphic novel for children. "I think it’s a shame that we live in a world where, in order to get a break in publishing, people from under-represented backgrounds have to first go to all the trouble of winning a TV cooking show, developing a successful pop career or becoming an international footballer."
  
• 1 Feb. The Top 20 Superhero graphic novels list compiled by Circana BookScan, is dominated by two British writers. Although not holding the top spot (which went to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin (hc) by Kevin Eastman (IDW Publishing), Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman filled a significant number -- almost a third -- of places: 3) Watchmen (2019 edition, DC Comics); 4) The Sandman Book One (DC Comics); 8) Batman: The Killing Joke (deluxe hc ed., DC Comics); 11) Watchmen (Deluxe edition hc, DC Comics); 12) V For Vendetta (DC Comics); 19) The Sandman Book Two (DC Comics).
• 25 Jan. Posy Simmonds has won the Grand Prix at Angouleme. She is the first Briton to win and only the fifth woman in the festival's 51-year history. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is currently hosting a retrospective of her work. The prize comes as the Pompidou Centre in Paris is staging a retrospective exhibition of Simmonds’ work. “Comics weren’t really approved of at home, but my parents allowed them as long as we continued to read novels” she said in a recent interview.
  
• 22 Jan. Garth Ennis talks about writing James Bond for Dynamite Entertainment. "What inspired me more than anything else was Bond himself; the notion of a guy alternating casual charm with utter ruthlessness as necessary. Ultimately, he’s the British establishment’s killing machine, and as such extremely interesting." And here's someone who thinks he got it right.
  
• 18 Jan. The Folio Society has issued a limited edition of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy, introduced by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean. At £745 I'm thinking I might have to give this a miss, but you can see some of the illustrations in a brief (4m) video interview with McKean at the link above and it is a thing of beauty. There is a very brief extract from the introduction here. "Gormenghast is, to my mind and to my taste, a perfect creation ... There are no other characters in literature who live so visually in my mind as the inhabitants of Gormenghast."
• 16 Jan. American comics' scholar David Kunzle passed away on January 1, aged 87. His interest in early comic strips meant that his books included a good deal of scholarship and study of British comics, including Ally Sloper. The Comics Journal has a fine obituary and tribute.
• 16 Jan. Susanna Clarke converses with Alan Moore over Zoom. Moore reads from one of his stories. (video, 1h 16m)
  
• 15 Jan. Dave Gibbons confesses "I've had the life that I wanted when I was 10 years old". "It was definitely a formative event for me because nothing could have made me want to do comics more than having these people that I despised doing something like burning them. In a nutshell, I very much thought looking at these people burning these comic books, "If people like you hate comics, then I love them.""
• 15 Jan. Part two of the Al Ewing interview has been released at the Ideas Don't Bleed podcast site. (41m) see 8 Jan for part 1.
  
• 8 Jan. Criminal, the crime series by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips, has been picked up by Amazon MGM Studios. Brubaker and crime writer Jordan Harper will be showrunners, while Phillips will be an executive producer. “Sean and I have been building this world in our books for over a decade, and now to be able to bring it to life for Amazon is just incredible. And to have Amazon support the project the way they have and show so much faith in my and Jordan’s vision for the show is even more incredible,” Brubaker is interviewed on Comic Book Club about his latest collaboration with Phillips, Where the Body Was. (video, 1h 23m)
  
• 8 Jan. Ideas Don't Bleed podcast interviews Al Ewing. "We’re joined by Al Ewing (The Ultimates / We Only Find Them When They’re Dead) as we discuss his comics origins, his process, writing The Immortal Thor for Marvel Comics, and more!" (41m)
  
• 4 Jan 2024. Missed this from last month: Cavan Scott and Luke Horsman discuss bringing 'Enemy Earth' to a close in 2000AD Xmas Special (Prog 2362). "We're racing toward the conclusion, and the reveal of what actually caused Earth's flora and fauna to turn against humanity."
• 31 Dec. Rich Johnson reports that the National Library of Scotland has finally purchased a copy of The Broons Annual 1940 (1939). "This purchased copy is the only known copy of Broons Annual 1940 in a public collection in Scotland, and was not made part of The National Library of Scotland's extensive collection when it was first published, as it was considered ephemeral. They changed their mind a few decades later but copies were hard to come by."
• 31 Dec. Dave Gibbons has a Christmas message for you. "In FP's answer to the annual UK Royal Christmas Message, Andrew Sumner is joined every year on this most festive of days by comic book royalty, AKA his old pal Dave Gibbons, to talk about many festive things, including: Dave's significant involvement in 2023's return of David Tennant to the role of Doctor Who; Dave's encounters with Adam West & Frank Gorshin & David Carradine; Dave & Sumner's review of some of the best Christmas comics of December 2023." (video, 36m)
  
• 30 Dec. The Guardian reviews Luda by Grant Morrison. "A drag queen’s hallucinatory journey through a hyperreal version of Glasgow is extremely arch – and a lot of fun."
• 30 Dec. Also from The Guardian, Posy Simmonds offers her highlights, including her favourite pub and relaxing by watching giraffes drink.
  
• 21 Dec. The TLDR! Podcast talks to Si Spurrier about his return to Hellblazer. (1h3m)
  
• 13 Dec. Andrew Sumner talks to Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips about their latest graphic novel from Image, Where the Body Was.  "Their latest masterpiece, released just in time for the Holidays, features their signature combination of intriguing script, evocative character-driven art and exquisite colours (by Jacob Phillips)." (video, 26m)
  
• 11 Dec. Alex Grand & Mike Alderman interview Dave Gibbons. The video "delves into Gibbons' self-taught art career, transition from surveying to comics through 'Fantasy Advertiser,' and early influences from DC Comics. He discusses his beginnings in underground comics, contributions to horror and action genres, and his style's evolution through '2000AD' and 'Dan Dare.' The talk highlights his notable collaborations, including with Alan Moore on Superman and the creation of 'Watchmen,' why they stopped talking, and his journey to becoming an Eisner Award-winning artist for 'The Originals.' Gibbons also shares insights on being the UK's first Comics Laureate, his foray into video game design, adapting to digital media, and advice for aspiring comic artists." (1h45m)
  
• 8 Dec. Si Spurrier is interviewed on Off Panel podcast about his work on The Flash, Uncanny Spider-Man, Damn Them Al and mroe. "Spurrier discusses this busy stretch, testing boundaries, the yes/no conundrum, balance within the chaos, finding his way into superheroes, delivering the necessary story, his contrarian nature, tie-ins, the X-Office, jumping on points, how his different flavors of writing impact each other, data pages, the difficulty of Damn Them All, the bad/good of that book, what he wants from comics, and more." (1h25m)
  
• 8 Dec. Dan Leno was the first living person to have a comic named after them. Daniel Parker looks at the life of the music hall comedian in comics. "Leno recognized how prevalent his image had become, both in and out of character. The celebrity shrewdly took advantage of this notoriety by becoming one of the first performers to start selling merchandise at his shows. Dan Leno mugs, postcards and inkwells soon became very sought-after commodities at the height of his fame."
• 5 Dec. Mark Millar and Netflix are moving Millarworld from Image to Dark Horse, the brand including 20 franchises, 40 graphic novels, 5 new series to debut in 2024 and a further 4 in 2025, and upcoming hardcover omnibus editions. "This feels like a partnership made in heaven already and now the strikes are over and the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror, we can start to roll out all the associated shows and movies at Netflix too. I’m buzzing, but this might just be the booze."
  
• 5 Dec. Pat Mills enjoys the sunshine in Spain and talks about his new book on writing comics,  Page Turners, plus Doctor Who and more. (video, 1h35m)
  
• 4 Dec. Grant Morrison has revealed how their Wonder Woman Earth One graphic novel with Yanick Paquette was originally a movie pitch. Morrison has revealed on their Substack (you'll need to subscribe) that they have also pitched many other stories, including Teen Titans, Doom Patrol, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Superman.
  
• 4 Dec. The latest series of Doctor Who launched with an episode based on the comic strip creation, the Star Beast. Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons were both paid an ex-gratia payment by the BBC, but Mills has complained that neither have received any compensation or royalties from Panini UK, who have reprinted the strip in their Fourth Doctor anthology.
  
• 4 Dec. He recently celebrated his 70th birthday, and old pal Smoky Man, who edited a 50th birthday volume back in 2004, has edited Alan Moore: Portraits of an Extraordinary Gentleman, with a cover by Gary Spencer Millidge and essays and images from over 50 contributors, including an introduction by Iain Sinclair and an afterword by Peter Hogan. Profits from the book will be donated to the NGO Doctors Without Borders.
• 28 Nov. Roger Langridge talks Justice Ducks, the latest title from the Darkwing Duck series at Dynamite.  "Editor Nate Cosby ... said I had a pretty free hand in terms of the kind of stories I could tell, but suggested “aliens” as a starting point, as something I could take or leave."
• 24 Nov. Alan Moore held an audience with the Scottish Book Trust in which he discussed magic, empowerment and how he saved Brazil. Rich Johnson reports.
  
• 10 Nov. Garth Ennis interviewed again, this time about the 2022 Battle Action volume, the recent mini-series and what to look forward to in the next series (due next year). "I can tell you there’ll be ten issues, each one featuring an episode of a multi-part Johnny Red story by myself and Keith Burns (with the last issue all Johnny Red), alongside a one-off in the same format as the special and miniseries. You’ll see some of the stories we’ve been doing returning, along with some that haven’t featured before. Likewise, the creative teams will be a mixture of current and new."
• Bill Cox of Comic Art Live chats with Chris Killackey, Roger Clark and Guy Mills, who are behind the new collections of David Wright's 'Carol Day' strip, published by Book Palace in oversized editions using the original artwork. (video, 1h 10m)
  
• 5 Nov. Variety interviews Garth Ennis. “I never get used to the notion that I might be living in a movie. In New York, there are some incredibly cinematic moments, locations and characters.”
• 27 Oct. CBR talks to Duncan Fegrado about Giant Robot Hellboy. "I know when I was drawing it, I could hear those huge metal joints clanking and protesting. If I couldn't hear it in my mind, then it wasn't working."
• 25 Oct. Neil Gaiman is to be honoured with the Visionary Award at The Art of Elysium Benefit in January 2024, a non-profit that has brought together creators and those in need to create transformative healing experiences through art.
• 24 Oct. Duncan Fegrado has teamed up with Mike Mignola for Giant Robot Hellboy. "Giant Robot Hellboy started life as one of many wonderful pencil sketches that Mike drew throughout the pandemic ... I guess he was still entertained by the idea, because when Mike suggested we collaborate on a new Hellboy one shot he suggested that Giant Robot Hellboy."
• 23 Oct. Paul Grist and Anna Morozova discuss Smash!. Grist: "I’ve been a fan of The Spider since I first read his exploits in a Summer Special whilst on a family caravan holiday as a child in the 60’s. I was fascinated by the scratchy spidery drawings (Reg Bunn), and I think the Steel Claw was also in the same collection. That was my introduction to the slightly shadowy world of the British Comic Hero."
• 22 Oct. Newsarama talks to Rob Williams about the latest Judge Dredd arc. "We so often see Dredd smashing down doors and firing his Lawgiver and being the man of action. But he is, first and foremost, a cop. I thought it'd be interesting to place him as a detective in a story. Following threads, tracking down clues."
• 16 Oct. Steve Bell has been sacked by The Guardian over a cartoon depicting Benjamin Netanyahu cutting open his own stomach, the cut resembling the outline of the Gaza strip. "The image itself was inspired by the late, great David Levine's cartoon of President Lyndon Johnson (LBJ) showing off his operation scar, which Levine draws in the shape of a map of Vietnam."
• 16 Oct. Joel Meadows of TripWire fame, has been interviewed for the Pop Culture SquadCast, discussing his debut graphic novel, Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders. (video, 39m)
  
• 10 Oct. Kate McAuliffe, content editor for DC Thomson's Heritage Comics department and occasional Commando writer, will be giving a live talk on the production of Commando followed by a Q&A on 17 October, 7-8 pm.
• 9 Oct. The folks at 2000AD pay tribute to John M. Burns, who has recently announced his retirement. "On the occasion of his retirement, we at 2000 AD wanted to send John our very best wishes and our heartfelt thanks for the incredible body of work he’s produced over the years. As so many of you have been saying, including the writers and artists who worked with him and loved his work so much, we will all miss seeing his work in the pages of the Prog."
• 9 Oct. Over on the Forbidden Planet Youtube channel, Andrew Sumner has posted an interview with Dave Gibbons recorded at the recent Lakes International Comic Art Festival. The two each nominate five of their all-time favourite comics. "It's a wide-ranging hour long conversation that touches upon many creators that Dave has worked with and/or been inspired by - including Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli, Mark Millar, Will Eisner, John K Snyder III, Jack Kirby, Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips, Jean Giraud, Gino D'Antonio, Darwyn Cooke, Steve Ditko, Carmine Infantino & Wally Wood!" (video, 1hr 5m)
• 5 Oct. The Times interviews Neil Gaiman. “I would read sometimes as a kid and go, ‘You have forgotten what it is to be a child, whoever you are.’ In the way that CS Lewis didn’t. CS Lewis’s genius was not Narnia, it was not the weird Christian analogue, it’s that his kids feel like kids."
• 5 Oct. Rich Johnson breaks the news that Bobby Joseph has been named the new UK Comics Laureate, an ambassadorial and educational role promoting the comics form in the UK.
  
• 5 Oct. The Guardian has a feature on Argentinean writer and editor Hector Oesterheld, whose most famous work—El Eternauta, drawn by F. Solano Lopez—has begun filming in Buenos Aires, due for release by Netflix in 2024.
  
• 3 Oct. John M Burns has announced his retirement, having recently cut back on his workload on medical grounds. A biography of his career is in the works and four large art books are being compiled from original artwork and sketches by Paul Duncan.
  
• 2 Oct. "It's one thing to quit comics, a different thing to stop thinking about them" Alan Moore interviewed. "I do actually live in a dystopia - I'm in Northampton, which is a bankrupt and collapsed Middle England town - but humor has always been at the forefront of my work. Even in my grimmest work there's usually a few good jokes."
• 27 Sep. Si Spurrier talks The Flash and how he's introducing horror into the speed force. "When the opportunity arose to pitch, the question was, ‘What would you do if you were writing The Flash?’ And it was a no-brainer. That always confuses people when I say that, as if it’s not obvious that The Flash and cosmic horror should go hand-in-hand?"
• 26 Sep. Ian Edginton and D'Israeli discuss the return of 'Helium' to 2000AD. Edginton: "I’d always wanted to do a story that had airships and aircraft front and centre, the more eccentric and Heath Robinson looking the better! The question was why are they there? Why would there be a need for such things? Out of this sprang the idea for Helium."
• 26 Sep. Joel Meadows launches the Tripwire Comics Presents imprint with Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders: The Gene Genie graphic novel, by Meadows and artist Andy Bennett. "When Watson leaves Holmes to help Francis Crick unravel the DNA helix and finds himself in the employ of England’s most evil man, Holmes is forced to team up with an unlikely group to defeat this monstrous figure and return England to its status quo." 
• 24 Sep. Chloe Maveal in conversation with Eddie Campbell about his new graphic novel. "My name is on the cover three times. I usually have a hard time selling my titles, but this one was accepted right away, as was the idea of doing the book as a double, flip-over book with Second Death on one side and Fate of the Artist on the other."
• 22 Sep. Cartoonists have responded to the mean-spirited government minister Robert Jenrick—who had cartoons on the walls in the reception area of a migrant centre in Kent painted over—by publishing Welcome to Britain, a colouring book with friendly, welcoming illustrations from cartoonists and with support from The Phoenix. Quentin Blake, Ralph Steadman, Chris Riddell, Ros Asquith, Nicola Jennings and Terry Gilliam are among the contributors.
  
• 16 Sep. Rob Williams and Pye Parr talk Petrol Head, due from Image on 8 November. " In a climate crisis-ravaged future metropolis, an old, grumpy, obsolete, smoke-belching, cigar-chomping, HOTROD-RACING ROBOT is one 12-year-old girl’s only hope. Together, can they outrace the chasing Robo-Cops with an invention that might just save humanity?" (video, 44m) Here's a print interview with Williams on the same subject.
• 14 Sep. The Telegraph has interviewed Alan Moore on the occasion of the release of his short story collection in paperback. “I’ve always had, I think, a fairly decent visual imagination, and when I was working in comics the visual descriptions would be going into the lengthy notes that I was writing just for the artist.”
• 11 Sep. Rob Williams describes his perfect Sunday. "Favourite all-time comic? Oof. Too many to choose. I might go for Moore/Davis' Captain Britain, or Year One, or Wagner and Exquerra's The Apocalypse War, or Justice League International, or the Arcudi and Guy Davis run on BPRD. I re-read that pretty recently, and it's extraordinary."
  
• 9 Sep. Gosh! are hosting a sale of books from the estate of Kevin O'Neill on Sunday, 1 October between 10.30 am and 7 pm, all proceeds to benefit the estate. You will have to go in person as there will be no catalogue nor will there be any mail order or online sales.
• Retailer Ocado and Beano Studios have teamed up to launch the Food Waste Book, with advice from a range of Beano characters on how to help families make their food go further and includes recipes and other fun things. You can download a free PDF copy here.
  
• 5 Sep. Grant Morrison returns to comics writing a text story for Ahoy Comics... actually Chapter One of a "round robin" tale which will appear across 13 issues between September and December. Morrison's opening chapter of 'Partially Naked Came the Corpse' appears in Project: Cryptid #1, with various writers continuing the story, which is rounded off by Kek-W in Captain Ginger: The Last Feeder #2. You can read the opening of the story at the link.
  
• 1 Sep. The New York Post interviews Mark Millar. “I remember when I started out, they were like ‘He’s the guy who does family friendly stuff.’ Then the next thing I did was the opposite, and people were like, ‘He’s the guy who does the sweary violent stuff,'” he said. “So I was like, ‘Now it’s time to do something thoughtful, with no action.’ As soon as people think they have me pegged, I like the idea of doing something different.”22 Aug. The University of Dundee is planning a new exhibition celebrating the work of Sydney Jordan, which will feature original artwork from 'Jeff Hawke' and more. It will run from 7 October 2023 to 6 January 2024.
• 18 Aug. John Freeman takes a look at the work of the two artists who worked as 'Vanyo'.
  
• 15 Aug. Neil Gaiman has said that Good Omens series 3 will happen. "As we were heading into Season 2, we planned everything so that we could go smoothly into making Season 3. Amazon wouldn't commission two seasons, we would have to bring out the audience for Season 2, but everything was planned and set." The screenwriters' and actors' strikes have "upended that plan a little. At best, they may delay it; at worst, it's possible that we won't get the viewing figures or something, and it might not happen at all. If that becomes a thing, I'd definitely write the book."
• ... Gaiman also discussed season 2 of The Sandman, saying "We shot two weeks and then production halted, and will restart (I hope) after the strike."
  
• 10 Aug. I mentioned in my Paperback & Pulp Fair round-up that there was a book about Arthur Ferrier in the works. More information about Arthur Ferrier's Queens of Burlesque can be  found here. The planned book will be kickstarted in the near future.
• 4 Aug. A Kickstarter for £25,000 to produce a graphic novel adaptation of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman's Good Omens with art by Colleen Doran was funded in 10 minutes and, with a month still to go, has reached over £900,000 (it broke the million dollars  in two days) and has been the most successful 24 hours of any comic campaign, as well as being the most backed comic on Kickstarter. Good Omens: The Official (and Ineffable) Graphic Novel will be released next summer.
  
• 1 Aug. "Appropriately Bad-Ass" The Liam Sharp Story! told in four parts on video as Liam chats with Troy-Jeffrey Allen. Part 1 (video, 6m), Part 2 (video, 10m), Part 3 (video, 9m), Part 4 (video, 7m)
• 31 Jul. Interview with Arthur Ranson. "Comics seemed too often to be like slideshows, jumping from one scene to the next. I wanted to try for something with more flow and continuity. It was to that end I was introducing more panels than were scripted. It is to 2000 AD's credit that I felt free to exercise any creativity I might have."
• 16 Jul. "Yappy birthday!" Fred Bassett turns 60. "When cartoonist Alex Graham started drawing Fred Basset in 1963, readers complained he looked nothing like a dog... So the Mail gave Alex his very own hound"
  
• 16 Jul. Chloe Maveal looks back at Ed Hillyer's The End of the Century Club. "As varied as his publishers and subject matter would be, the one constant in ILYA’s work was a confidence and skill that was present in even his earliest work and won him praise from readers and fellow creators alike."
• 12 Jul. Rian Hughes discusses his latest novel, The Black Locomotive, on the Virtual Memories podcast. "We talk about how he wanted to follow up 2020’s XX with something more plot-driven & less philosophical and wound up celebrating his love affair with London while getting in touch with his inner JG Ballard."
• 6 Jul. Mike Moorcock dives deep into the Multiverse. "In their usual manner, [Moorcock & Andrew Sumner] also chat about a whole bunch of other things - including including French cuisine vs Melton Mowbray pork pies; Zoot Money's raw talent and his phenomenal Big Roll Band; Mike's fondness for his good pal Lemmy and the all-around decency of the Hawkwind membership; Wigan Pier and the power of Uncle Joe's Mint Balls - and how to cook plum puddings in the River Thames." (video, 1h 11m)
  
• 2 Jul. John Freeman has spotted a new videocast from The 77 Publications, run by MarkWHO77—Mark Baumgarten, Vicky Jukubowski and Ben Cullis—with interviews that to date include Steve Parkhouse (54m), Mike Collins (56m), Andrew Sawyers (1h 30m), John Wagner & Robin Smith (1h 38m), and Andrew Richmond (1h 9m).
  
• 30 Jun. Rachael Smith on encouraging a new generation of comic artists.
  
• 30 Jun. Bryan Hitch talks about teaming up with Jonathan Hickman for a new spin on Marvel's Ultimate Univers. (video, 1hr 34m)
• 30 Jun. Jacob Philips is interviewed along with writer Christopher Golden about The Enfield Gang Massacre, new from Image. "When I suggested the idea of the three panel pages to Chris I just thought it’d be a really cool “widescreen” way of drawing the comic, I didn’t think about how tough it would make it for Chris to fit the whole story into significantly less panels but he really pulled it off."
• 21 Jun. Dave Gibbons and Tim Pilcher were interviewed at the recent London Film and Comic Con. Rich Johnson has details. Gibbons's Confabulation is an A to Z of his life and work... ""none of that slog through the early years… it's all good stuff. I had a little black book, as things occurred to me, what happened in my life, I could just write them down… you can write away at anything you want. Which interesting thing do I feel like writing today… eventually it came to a hundred thousand words."
• 21 Jun. John McCrea  talks Judge Dredd and Mars Attacks on the 10th anniversary of their meeting. (video, 1h 22m)
  
• 21 Jun. Britain's First Graphic Novel Award (formerly the Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition) is returning after a 3-year hiatus. Submissions of a 15-30-page extract of works-in-progress should be submitted by 14 September.
• 21 Jun. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips discuss their new noir graphic novel Night Fever with Andrew Sumner, " a departure into an underground 1970s Europe and a riveting tour though an after-hours dreamscape, where one man confronts the darkness within himself. Among many other things, Ed talks about his inspirations for this narrative departure and Sean discusses the new-but-old approach he took to creating Night Fever's indelible art." (video, 1h 14m)
  
• 13 Jun. According to a report by Bleeding Cool's Rich Johnson, Barry Windsor Smith has been released from hospital after suffering an Ischemic Stroke on 20 May, five days before his 73rd birthday. He spent eight days in intensive care, and weeks in rehabilitation, and he is now recovering at home.
  
• 13 Jun. Dave Gibbons is interviewed by Forbidden Planet TV's Andrew Sumner about his recently released autobiography, Confabulation. (video, 39m)
• 11 Jun. Cartoonist Tony Husband has spent nearly forty years satirising British life and a large selection of his cartoons for Private Eye can now be seen at the Edge Arts Centre until mid-August. “We used to do a Christmas party in the office on Carlisle Street, which was very laid back and had a piano at one end. Richard Ingrams would get on the piano and Peter Cook and Willie Rushton would sing along and we’d all get pissed up and sing Christmas carols. It is a family and you feel you're part of something.”
  
• 8 Jun. Who wants to be the next UK Comics Laureate? asks Rich Johnson. "The next incumbent will be selected from nominations received from the comics community by a panel of experts who include comic creator and publisher Yomi Ayeni, journalist Rachel Cooke and Chairman of the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival, Peter Kessler ... Please send your nominations for Comics Laureate to Carole Tait by email at carole@comicartfestival.com, to be received no later than Friday 30th June 2023."
  
• 4 Jun. The post-Brexit trade deals signed with Australia and New Zealand have recently come into effect, and to celebrate, the UK has sent a shipment of British goods, including copies of The Beano signed by editor John Anderson, signed cricket and rugby tops, malt whisky, gin and other goodies.
• 4 Jun. John Wagner was interviewed by Scottish newspaper The Herald about the upcoming re-release of Bogie Man omnibus and mentioned the TV adaptation, saying: "It’s on YouTube if you want to see it but I would recommend you don’t. The writer twisted the plot around so that nothing made sense, and he did put all our jokes in but in the wrong place.
• 30 May. The Essential Neil Gaiman: a guide to Gaiman's best books. "Gaiman’s run as the writer of “The Sandman” from 1989 to 1996 shows off his storytelling chops as he reboots a mostly forgettable character from the DC Comics universe into the ethereal Dream (also known as Morpheus), a brooding godlike being who rules the somnolent realm of fantasies and fears."
• 26 May. Regular Commando cover artist Keith Burns has illustrated a history of World War 2 written by historian James Holland. They are interviewed at the History First website. "I had found myself in a strange niche where I specialised in World War Two aviation stories so I could do all the aircraft, no problem, and most of the other hardware."
• 26 May. Emanata Studios launches a short film today based on the Beano character Calamity James. The comedy stars Mark Bonnar and is being hosted by the BBC iPlayer before being shown on BBC3. According to John Freeman, "We’ve been lucky enough to have a sneak peek – and while it’s very different to reading the strip in Beano, it’s very funny, as poor Calamity’s woes get ever worse!"
• 19 May, ComicScene Magazine is returning—with your support on Kickstarter! You can now join the pre-launch page to register your interest. The Kickstarter starts Tuesday 23rd May at 4pm (BST) and ends 9pm on Thursday 29th June."
• 14 May. The late Carlos Ezquerra is to have a street named after him in his home town of Zaragoza, Spain. His wife, Sandra, posted on Facebook: "This recognition means a lot to my family, friends and fans and I am sure I speak for all of them when I say that we are deeply touched and grateful for this very special tribute. It is a fitting finale to his entire career in the world of comics."
• 14 May.  Chloe Maveal interviews Glenn Fabry over at The Gutter Review. "So Garth said ... “I don’t like this cover artist. You should use Glenn Fabry.” And Karen Berger said, “Glenn Fabry is a terrible drunk! You can’t use Glenn Fabry! He won’t be able to get anything done on time! He’ll be just pissed out of his head and rolling around on the floor vomiting!”
  
• 11 May. The Cartoon Museum won the Museums & Heritage Award for Community Engagement - specifically, the work they have been doing with autistic kids and their families. Steve Marchant made the announcement on Facebook.
• 9 May. The Kickstarter to publish Ian Gibson's new graphic novel Lifeboat smashed through it's £4,000 target in 12 minutes and hit £10,000 in just over 24 hours.
  
• 8 May. Titan Comics are to publish three graphic novels printing previously unpublished material based on Matt Groening's Disenchantment Netflix series. "In 2019, Groening announced he had formed a new publisher, Bapper Books, and the first two Disenchantment comics were released as a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive under that imprint. Although 17 issues, over 500 pages, were created, the rest of the comics were never released."
• 8 May. Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson has had to apologise over a cartoon published by the paper which was subsequently removed from online. The paper's 'Corrections and Clarifications' column noted: " A cartoon (published in the newspaper on 29 April 2023, and online the day before) about the resignation of the BBC chairman, Richard Sharp, did not meet our editorial standards, and we decided to remove it from our website. The Guardian apologises to Mr Sharp, to the Jewish community and to anyone offended."
      Rowson wrote; On Saturday 29th April 2023 The Guardian published a cartoon of mine about Richard Sharp’s resignation as Chairman of the BBC, the top news item the previous day. The main focus of the cartoon was Boris Johnson sitting naked on top of a dungheap holding bags full of dollars, with various wheeliebins around its base, labelled “Patrons”, “Friends”, “Families” and so on. Johnson was saying to Sharp, as the latter was leaving the dilapidated and clearly fire damaged room they were in, “Cheer up, matey! I put you down for a peerage in my Resignation Honours List!”
      I think the purpose of the cartoon was fairly obvious - Johnson’s blithe toxicity by association, and how Sharp was the latest bit of blowback from the former Prime Minister’s
  casual if all consuming sleaziness and selfishness. None of that, however, seems to have fuelled the furious response to the cartoon. That was all down to how I depicted Richard Sharp."
• 5 May. Interview: Mike Moorcock, whose Multiverse series from 1997 is being reprinted by Titan in two volumes, the first landing in August. (video, 1hr 2m)
  
• 3 May.  Steve Pugh talks about his latest work from DC Comics, Peacemaker Tries Hard. "For artists, those types of characters are just great to work on. They throw big shapes, crash through stuff, and yell a lot. Big action scenes with characters like Peacemaker are awesome to create, showing lots of chaos."
• 29 Apr. David Roach gave a talk on girls' comics and his new book, A Very British Affair, at the Cartoon Art Museum on Thursday, April 27. Richard Sheaf reports: David talked for an hour, with only the occasional interjection from the host, Rebellion’s Michael Molcher, regaling his audience with his knowledge of, and love for this much overlooked part of British comics history."
• 21 Apr. Garth Ennis describes his new modern horror series The Ribbon Queen with AWA Studios, which will be in shops on July 26, 2023. "Ancient horror loose in New York." (video, 1m)
  
• 20 Apr. Dark Horse are to publish a comprehensive slipcased two-volume, 600-page collection of the works of Dave McKean. The title will be Thalamus: The Art of Dave McKean (presumably referring to the thalamus located in the middle of the brain) and it will be available from 29 November.
• 14 Apr. Neil Gaiman has been named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2023 by Time magazine. James McAvoy writes:  "The way he writes makes you feel like you’re being let in on a massive secret. His worlds are hidden, shrouded in mystery, yet they’re never that far removed from ours. They’re always just barely within your peripheral vision—under the street or in a dark building or at the end of a lane. He brings dreamscapes to life."13 Apr. PreviewsWorld interviews Simon Furman about his new collaboration with Heavy Metal's Hector Trunnec: Astrobots. "Planet Earth is heading inexorably towards the stage it can no longer adequately support human life and a new breed of 'evolving AI' robots - Astrobots - are sent on missions to the stars to scout potential colony worlds and build biomes and cities for colonists to inhabit."
• 10 Apr. Brian Bolland is amongst the possible inductees to the Will Eisner Hall of Fame. Four will be chosen from a list of 16 nominees, with the results to be announced at San Diego Comic-Con. Voting is being held online, with prospective voters asked to apply. Deadline for voting is 28 April.
• 10 Apr. Sequential 21 interviews Steve Kyte. "We heard about plans for the first Gerry Anderson convention in 1981, got in touch with the organisers, and did artwork for them. I did the convention book cover, and from that event grew Fanderson, the official fan club."
  
• 8 Apr. An exhibition and charity auction in memory of Carlos Pacheco at the Comic Barcelona convention raised over  €3250 (£2877). Pacheco, who produced artwork for Marvel UK and in the USA, died in November 2022.
  
• 3 Apr. Dan Abnett discusses bringing Vampirella and The Superpowers together. "This is a complete, self-contained “film noir” thriller – with superheroes – and you can read it in its own right, or as a continuation of the Vampi-as-superhero stories we’ve done before."
• 31 Mar. A collection of covers by Dave Gibbons. "What I can exhibit here in no particular order, are vintage 2000 AD covers in their full glory, and not how they looked after they’d been printed on bog standard paper stock."
• 29 Mar. Over on Substack, Grant Morrison has published the script for the lost Seaguy sequel, Seaguy Eternal.  "Fun fact: when I announced that the title of the next Seaguy volume would be Seaguy Eternal, it didn’t take long before the name was nicked for Batman!!! Typical billionaire!" Meanwhile, Comicsbeat has published its list of their 10 Best Grant Morrison Comics.
• 25 Mar. Dave Gibbons was recently asked whether he if he would ever be open to publishing the Watchmen scripts by Alan Moore, which he still has. "Dave Gibbons answered that it was certainly an idea. His art agent, Joseph Melchoir, then asked from the audience, 'who actually had the Watchmen scripts?' Dave Gibbons answered emphatically with a smile, 'ME.'"
• 21 Mar. Phillip Vaughan takes viewers on a guided tour of the Ian Kennedy Exbibition at the Lamb Gallery, University of Dundee. The exhibition runs until 6 May. (video, 25m)
  
• 20 Mar.  "Shaky Kane and The Call of the Kraken": Steve Cook reveals how he decided to make a documentary about Shaky: "Armed with just a very small recording device called a Sony HD Bloggie, we set about making this rather absurd film that we decided to call Shaky Kane Unravelled. There was no script, no lighting equipment other than a torch, and we made the whole thing up as we went along."
• 13 Mar. Down the Tubes has an interview with Paul Gravett. "Letting go of Escape was not easy for me and Peter. I was very lucky to build a different career still in comics. By 1989, I was already working for the Angoulême Festival on the curation “God Save the Comics!”, still the largest exhibition of original artwork from British comics yet staged anywhere, for the new Centre National de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image."
• 9 Mar. New Yorker cartoonist Jason Chatfield takes a look back over the career of Ronald Searle.
• 6 Mar. Sexton Blake is returning in the autumn in a newly expanded edition of Caribbean Crisis, written by Michael Moorcock from an idea by Jim Cawthorn. The revision has been done by Moorcock and Mark Hodder, reversing some editorial changes made to the original and adding 10,000 words to the original 29,000; in addition a second, 42,000-word Moorcock/Hodder collaboration, Voodoo Island, will appear in the same volume, to be published by Rebellion.
  
• 6 Mar. Lily Collins and Jennifer Saunders explore the world of Tove Jansson's Moomins in a new podcast,  The Moomin Phenomenon, available from all your usual podcast providers.
  
• 6 Mar. Posy Simmonds has received the Sergio Aragones Award at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. In a video message, she said: “I’m very pleased and excited to accept the Award, and I would like to thank the NCS very, very much for this great honour.”
• 3 Mar. News of the death of Wally Fawkes is making it into a few news sites: Metro, The Daily Cartoonist, The Times (behind a paywall), The Independent, The Evening Standard, Daily Telegraph (behind a paywall), ...
• 3 Mar. Frank Quitely (Vincent Deighan) recently appeared on the BBC2 The Great British Menu. Rich Johnson describes how "During the show, Frank Quitely talked about his work and career, showed off a few original artwork pages of Sandman, talked about how Desperate Dan influences his version of Superman..."
• 1 Mar. Michael Molchar's I Am The Law reviewed. "Molcher discusses topics including police violence, unemployment, moral panics and institutional racism via multiple flash points and conflicts of the last several decades, many of them injustices with no shortage of culpability to go around." Molchar is also interviewed at Forbidden Planet TV (video, 39m)
  
• 27 Feb. Interview: Al Ewing at Off Panel. "Ewing discusses managing the work, what drives his schedule, where pitches fit in, dealing with external forces, constraints as opportunities, Fury's evolving identity, Immortal Hulk's structure, no longer being the space guy, avoiding repetition, mic drop moments, realizing the potential of characters, the secret to tie-ins, how he works with artists, pushing himself as a writer, and more." (audio, 1h 23m)
  
• 26 Feb. Michael Moorcock is the latest interviewee at Mandy Jackson-Beverly's The Bookshop Podcast (audio, 54m) "In this episode, I chat with author Michael Moorcock about growing up in London during WW II, his life as a journalist, writing Gloriana, Or The Unfulfill'd Queen, and his latest music."
• 24 Feb. The Panel Gallery in Northampton has announced a Jock exhibition showcasing over 40 pieces of art by the Scottish artist. It will run between April 1st and 29th.
  
• 20 Feb. Want a free preview to Rebellion's upcoming Battle-Action 5-issue mini-series? Well, you can download a 36-page issue zero here.
  
• 18 Feb. François Peneaud takes a look at the history of the double-page spread from the 1940s to the 1960s, including examples by Peter Jackson Patrick Nicolle, Eric Parker, Frank Bellamy and Ron Embleton. The video is in French but has English subtitles. (video, 9m)
  
• 13 Feb. The BMJ (British Medical Journal) continues its campaign against fast food advertising on the Beano's website with their latest podcast. "Claire Mulrenan, specialist registrar in public health, and Mark Petticrew, professor of public health evaluation, both working at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine were surprised to see high-fat, high-salt fast food brands being featured heavily on the website of one of the UK's most beloved children's comics." (audio, 18m)
  
• 12 Feb. It's awards time: the ComicScene Awards 2023 have been announced and the winners are... too many. Follow the link for the full list.
• 8 Feb. COMICA celebrates 20 years with month-long series of talks in March with talks featuring Posy Simmonds (2nd March), Charles Peattie & Russell Taylor (7th), Brian Bolland & Dave Gibbons (14th), Armando Iannucci, Michael Lake, Tim Searle & Patrick Walters (22nd), Lucie Sullivan & Lucie Arnoux (23rd), Dave McKean & Iain Sinclair (28th) and Martin Rowson (30th).
  
• 7 Feb. 'Beyond Pickwick – Robert Seymour and late Regency caricature in Britain' by Brian Maidment. "If known at all, Robert Seymour is remembered as the first illustrator of Dickens’s Pickwick Papers (1836). He was, nonetheless, a well-established and prolific comic draughtsman in his own right by the 1830s." (video, 1hr 1m)
  
• 6 Feb. Brian Bolland is dissects Batman: The Killing Joke for Cartoonist Kayfabe. (video, 1hr 50m).
  6 Feb. The Guardian's obituary for David Sutherland. "The Beano’s publisher, DC Thomson, knew that the wilder and more chaotic the characters, the more the readers loved them. The comic had let loose a legion of unruly heroes who brought pandemonium to parents, teachers and officials in ways their 1950s readers never could."
  
• 4 Feb. An interview with Tim Quinn. Tim is organising a new event in Liverpool and here is where you can find out all about it. (video, 1hr 14m)
  
• 2 Feb. Accusations have been made that the Beano website is promoting high fat, salt and sugar junk food. "An investigation by the British Medical Journal found the website – promoted as a digital hub for six- to 12-year-olds – showcases products from well-known brands that are harmful to children, including fast food, confectionery, soft drinks and ultra-processed food." The original British Medical Journal article has a follow-up editorial in which editor-in-chief Kamran Abbasi says: "Inadvertently or not, the Beano is promoting junk food to children, to the detriment of public health, and it should stop. Today’s “innocent fun” is tomorrow’s health crisis."
• 25 Jan. The Comics Journal's Tom Shapira investigates "A Very British Scandal" — the missing writer of the Captain Britain Omnibus. "The other name on the cover is Jamie Delano, and that is a rather strange choice. Delano doesn’t appear until about halfway through the book, and he doesn’t stay until the end."
• 18 Jan.  AWA picks Peter Milligan as its creator of the month. "I think one of my problems is I didn’t have a real influencer either positive or negative. Thus have I remained rudderless, drifting from one disaster to the next.". (A late post from last August, but worth a read.)
  
• 16 Jan. The Comicscene Awards 2023 voting form has been posted. So where am I... um... well, that'll teach me not to put anything out last year. Mind you, I was involved one way or another with two books in the Best Comic Collection UK (Captain Condor, Trigan Empire Vol IV), neither of which can match the sheer mightiness of my mate David Roach's two Apex Collection volumes. Even I'm voting for them... but which to choose...?
• 9 Jan. Chloe Maveal demands that the judges at the Will Eisner Awards "just put John Wagner in the Hall of Fame already"! "This is a ramble that friends and unfortunate family have heard me grumble about after a drink or two: that Wagner is one of the minds that, over the course of a career spanning half a century, has molded and raised the bar on comics and what we can expect of them, but remains criminally unrecognized for his contributions"
• 9 Jan. A look back at the Bristol Comic Expo by Charles Ep Murphy. "My young self was exposed to a mass of comics I’d never heard of before and all the small presses and the contemporary big websites and, dear reader, there was SO MUCH STUFF."
• 4 Jan 2023. The Comics Journal interviews Peter Milligan.  "I think all forms of storytelling actually are a kind of wrestling with the past, a kind of wrestling with this stuff that’s gone on before us. And I think that comics, films, novels - I think that time is key to all of that, and I think that comic books have a certain relationship to time which is different from novels or different from films, and that’s why certain stories work really well in certain mediums and some don’t."