Comic Cuts — 28 November 2025

My self-imposed deadline of finishing the writing on the new book by the end of the month has come and will go over the weekend. I forgot how much I still need to re-read and the fact that the re-tooled Action ran for fifty issues, so that's 150 pages of tiny printed text for all of the longer-running strips (Spinball, Hellman, Lefty, Dredger, Hook Jaw). I have a suggestion for Rebellion, who are planning to reprint the first ten issues next year: Make 'em Apex Edition size so that old geezers like me can read the darn thing.

Other than not finishing it, I'm pleased with the way the book is coming together. Over the past few days I've had to take a look at everything from the history of punk rock to the plot of Lord of the Flies; eagle-eyed David Roach has also just added the name of another artist who contributed to the paper, one I recognise from his having worked with F. Solano Lopez's studio and as an assistant to Hugo Pratt.

Various disruptions (some welcome, some not so) have kept me busy in other areas than what I'm meant to be doing. Vistors on Saturday; a problem with storage on Sunday that involved a whole morning shuffling files between external hard drives; another morning spent researching the aforementioned Tibor Horvath (there isn't anything about him in English); an afternoon experimenting with AI text-to-sound programmes to help a friend "read" a book that he wouldn't otherwise be able to read; lugging a box of envelopes down to the post office to return them to a new supplier... they were meant to be like the envelopes that I send out my books, but these were incredibly flimsy and no better than a standard A4 envelope (the card was that flexible!). I've just put in an order with my previous supplier, and damn the expense.

Tuesday saw the funeral of my friend David Slinn. I learned a few things about David's background (he was a fiercely private man) and his love for—and career in—comics was a big part of the wonderful humanist ceremony his family organised. When something I had written about him was read out by the celebrant, some dust must have got in my eye as I'm usually pretty stoic. Unfortunately, I'm of an age where there will be more and more family funerals in my future.

Let's not end on a sad note. There's a good chance that I will be going to Glasgow in March for what's known as the Commando and British Comics Swapmeet, to be held at Cameron Halls, 147 Mossgiel Road G43 2BY. These swapmeets have been held in Stoke, Glasgow and Colchester for a couple of years now, and I've attended four (three in Colchester, one in Stoke) and I've always managed to do OK. So the offer of a ride to Glasgow seems too good to turn down. Hopefully it'll get some of my books in front of a new audience who might not have seen them before. 

I'd love to do more shows, but frankly the costs are too high. A table at most shows is five times (or more) the price and transport for me (I don't drive) is always going to be a problem; when I took books up to the London Paperback & Pulp Bookfare in March last year I knackered my arm and, eighteen months on, it's still less mobile and more painful to this day, but nowhere near as bad as it was last year.

OK, so I've just spent most of the afternoon looking into the work of Tibor Horvath and it looks like he was Solano Lopez's assistant on over 50 episodes of 'El Eternauta' in 1958-59. Amazing! Even after forty years of digging around in comics, I'm still stunned by how much there's still to learn.

Rebellion Releases — 26 November 2025

Keith Burns is one of the best aviation artists around, a member of the Guild of Aviation Artists, who’s been exhibited at the RAF Club in London, and won Aviation Painting of the year.

But comics run in his blood, particularly 2000 AD. His first published work came in 2006’s Strip Search volume organised by Hunt Emerson and John McCrea. Since then, he’s been busy, busy busy in comics, contributing to Garth Ennis and McCrea’s The Boys: Herogasm and other Boys-related comics, making a hell of a lot of Commando covers, and, of course, Keith and Garth have been working together to tell the definitive saga of classic Brit war hero Johnny Red over the years – with the final Johnny Red tale, A Couple of Heroes, out in January.

His wrapround Megazine cover is one that gives him a chance to really show off all that he’s great at. And it doesn’t stop there, as Keith’s doing the art for the Garth Ennis-written Judge Dredd strip this month, something playing to their love of all things war comics and aviation, in Judge Dredd: Rhinemann Seven. It’s Keith’s very first Megazine cover and his very first time doing Dredd, in a tale of a Messerschmitt pilot taking a very wrong turn and ending up in Mega-City One. It’s a follow-up to the one-off Dredd from Prog 446 in 1985, The Squadron That Time Forgot by Alan Grant, John Wagner, and Ron Smith, under a cover by Ian Kennedy, another great of war and aviation artwork…

... And you can continue reading about how the cover came to be in an interview with Keith by Richard Bruton & Pete Wells at the 2000AD website.

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2460
Cover: Nick Percival.

JUDGE DREDD // MESSENGERS by Ken Niemand (w) Nick Percival (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
RED DRAGON by Rob Williams (w) Steve Yeowell & Patrick Goddard (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon Bowland (l)
BRASS SUN // PAVANE by Ian Edginton (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // GHOST PATROL by Alex de Campi (w) Neil Edwards (a) Matt Soffe (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Judge Dredd by Carlos Ezquerra Apex Edition
Rebellion ISBN, 26 November 2025, 128pp, £95.00. 

Carlos Ezquerra was one of 2000 AD’s great pioneers. He co-created Judge Dredd, cementing the look of one the most enduring characters in the history of comics. This collection presents his work to the reader in its true size, newly scanned from the original artwork, showcasing the work of a master in all its glory.
    This Apex volume contains seven complete stories in colour (‘Behold the Beast’, ‘The Big Itch’, ‘It’s Happening on Line 9’, ‘The Other Slab Tynan’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’, ‘Tarantula’, and ‘John Brown’s Body’) from the Judge Dredd Annuals published in the 1980s, when Ezquerra was at the peak of his powers, and more Judge Dredd classics, as well as several of his early Strontium Dog pages.

Comic Cuts — 21 November 2025

I've had a somewhat chaotic week processing orders—thankfully there are lots of names I remember from previous orders, which makes me think the first three books must have been OK; there's nothing quite like a returning customer to gladden the heart!

I'm also trying to get on with the next one, as I have a deadline to hit. I finished writing notes on some of the latter-day stories and I'm now re-reading the whole thing from the beginning so that I can try to match the tone of the early parts, the level of detail, make sure I'm not repeating myself, filling in a couple of places where I'd left myself notes, etc., etc. I need to do this because some of the book was written five years ago, when I was looking at the 45th anniversary. Then my money ran out. 

In a way that has worked to the book's advantage, as I'm now aiming for the 50th anniversary, which means—working backwards—I need to be getting proofs in January, designing the book in December and finishing the writing in November. So things are a little tight, especially as I like to take a few days off around Christmas.

I don't want to sound smug, but I'm going to... I have all my Christmas presents and cards sorted out already, as I was ordering things in such a way that I benefited from free postage each time. It also helps that everyone gets books from me (not written by me, I hasten to add), so I find it quite easy to shop for people. I find that "What book do you want" helps focus people who might need to think forever if the question is "What do you want". 

I, too, like to receive books. I'll sometimes pick a reference book that I might not otherwise buy, but my wants list this year has been all fiction. I won't say what. I'll save that for my new TikTok channel and my latest #bookhaul video. See, I can talk like the young people.

One of the reasons I go for books is that if I need something, it often can't wait, so I go out and buy it. So my new toy this week is a wireless microphone. During the recording of my last couple of videos, I noticed that my old microphone was recording very poorly on one of the stereo channels, and doing the microphone equivalent of "turning it off and on again"—i.e. taking the wire out of the microphone and then putting it back in—didn't improve matters. It's an old microphone that I bought twenty years ago second hand, so I have no idea how old it actually is.

The new microphone is small, you clip it onto your clothing, it connects up to a receiver and that plugs into my laptop; I then record using my usual audio programme, GoldWave. I've only tried it once, but it seemed to work OK. 

I had hoped to be able to use it out of the office, but have run into a technical problem... my phone is too old. And not too smart, I'll add. It doesn't have the right kind of socket for me to plug in the receiver. Curses! My plans are foiled again by my natural thriftiness and sticking to outdated technology until it stops working.

Too late to ask for a new phone for Christmas. Maybe next year.

Commando 5907-5910

The next set of Commando issues 5907-5910 go on sale from today, Thursday, 20th November 2025 — action abundant with tanks, rifles, historic swords and the return of Cadman The Fighting Coward!

5907: Charlie’s Tank

Corporal Charlie Shaw was in the thick of it when tanks rolled into battle during the First World War. As one of the drivers of a Mark IV Male tank, he was certain nothing could stop them taking Bourlon Ridge! 
But the tanks weren’t invulnerable — and soon Charlie found himself and his tank captured by the Germans!
    Well, Sergeant Joe Shaw wasn’t about to stand around and let them capture his younger brother and his tank — even if it meant deserting his trench and rushing headlong at  the Germans to stop them!

Story: Julian Michael Carver
Art: Jaume Forns 
Cover: Neil Roberts

5908: The Rifleman

Danny Willis was the best shot in the regiment. In fact, the NCOs who had trained him said he was the best shot in the entire British Army.
    When he got to the front and found himself with fighting men at last, he was all ready to show them just what he could do. But he soon discovered there was a heck of a difference between a rifle range in England and a trench in the front line in Italy.

Story: E. Hebden
Art: V. Fuente
Cover: Penalva
First published 1971 as No. 592

5909: Cadman: Born to Lead

Lieutenant Gerald Cadman, the fighting coward, once again finds himself precisely where he does not want to be — on the front lines! The arrival of the heroic and aristocratic Captain Blickley-Phipps, however, gives Cadman an idea for how to improve his station.
    But for Private Tom Smith, something doesn’t seem right about Blickley-Phipps. Ruthless in his quest for glory, the captain will gladly sacrifice his own men for victory. Even Scruff the dog can smell an impending disaster, but Cadman may be too distracted to find a way out this time!

Story: Andrew Knighton
Art: Mike Dorey
Cover: Mike Dorey

5910: Two of The Bravest

These were two swords with a history. One belonged to a fearless Arab leader, the other to a heroic Foreign Legion officer. Many years ago, they had clashed as their owners fought a respected foe.
    Now, as the desert wastes were engulfed by the Second World War, these two fine blades were destined to clash again.

Story: CG Walker
Art: Carrion
Cover: Ian Kennedy
First published 1984 as No. 1834

Rebellion Releases — 19 November 2025

Rebellion's new trilogy of Definitive Editions concludes next year, as they celebrate one of 2000 AD’s most enduring and loved characters – Sláine!

Sláine Mac Roth of the Sessair tribe is known as the Warped Warrior – a mighty barbarian who can master the ‘warp-spasm’, harnessing the power of the Earth to transform into a monstrous creature. Accompanied by his dwarf sidekick, Ukko, and wielding his legendary axe Brain-biter, he travels Tir-Nan-Og, a land marred by warring tribes and ruled by merciless gods.

Tir-Nan-Og (the ‘Land of the Young’) is a violent world, home to warring tribes who worship gods both benign and malevolent. One such tribe is the Sessair, brave warriors of enormous skill and the best of them is a young barbarian named Sláine Mac Roth. Sláine is, among other things, a master of the ‘warp-spasm’ channelling the mystical power of the Earth through his body to become a mighty, monstrous berserker!

Created by Pat Mills and Angie Kincaid, Sláine: The Definitive Edition collects the complete series in order, and includes original covers from the full run. This reimagining of Celtic mythology mixed with sword-and-sorcery tropes stood out in the predominantly science fiction anthology 2000 AD, and it proved to be a testing ground for many acclaimed artists.

In this third volume, the Celtic hero continues his arduous journey across Tir-Nan-Og, accompanied by his sidekick Ukko, and faces a slew of mighty warriors, vengeful gods, and legendary beasts in his quest to return to his tribe and claim his rightful place as king. 

This seminal epic by Pat Mills features the artwork of David Lloyd (V for Vendetta), Glenn Fabry (Hellblazer, Preacher), and Mike Collins (American Gothic) as the barbarian ascends to the throne he was deemed unworthy of ever claiming! With the publication of this third volume, readers can now collect every Sláine story up in new hardback editions right up to the classic The Horned God storyline!

Available in standard paperback or as a limited embossed hardcover edition, volume 3 of the trilogy will be available from the 2000 AD webshop and comic shops through Diamond and Lunar.

The Definitive Sláine Volume 3 is available for pre-order now, and will be on shelves May 2026!

And now, this week's releases..

2000AD Prog 2459
Cover: Cliff Robinson, with Dylan Teague.

JUDGE DREDD // AND TO THE SEA RETURN by Rob Williams (w) Henry Flint (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
RED DRAGON by Rob Williams (w) Steve Yeowell & Patrick Goddard (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon Bowland (l)
VOID RUNNERS // BOOK TWO by David Hine (w) Boo Cook (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
BRASS SUN // PAVANE by Ian Edginton (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // GHOST PATROL by Alex de Campi (w) Neil Edwards (a) Matt Soffe (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Judge Dredd Megazine #486
Cover: Keith Burns.

JUDGE DREDD // RHINEMANN SEVEN by Garth Ennis (w) Keith Burns (a) Jason Wordie (c) Rob Steen (l)
MEGATROPOLIS II by Ken Niemand (w) Dave Taylor (a) Jim Campbell (l)
ARMITAGE // DROKK THE RIPPER by Liam Johnson (w) Staz Johnson (a) Quinton Winter (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
ANDERSON, PSI-DIV by Alec Worley (w) Ben Willsher (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROK THE GOD by John Wagner & Alan Grant (w) Dan Cornwell (a) Jim Boswell (c) Jim Campbell (l)
DREADNOUGHTS // QUALIFIED IMMUNITY by Mike Carroll (w) John Higgins (a) Sally Hurst (c) Simon Bowland (l)

The 2000AD Art of Sean Phillips
Rebellion ISBN 978-183786529-1, 19 November 2025, 272pp, £34.99. Available via Amazon.

In a career that has so far spanned more than 30 years, Sean Phillips has received awards and acclaim at every turn. But before his stand-out career in the US, Sean did some of his earliest work for 2000 AD - The Galaxy's Greatest Comic and its sister publication the Judge Dredd Megazine.
    This collection forms a retrospective of Phillips' work for 2000 AD and shows how his art evolved from the fully painted work and collage of the early 1990s, to the familiar style he employs on hit books today.

2000AD Definitive Edition: Nemesis the Warlock Volume 4 by Pat Mills (w), David Roach, John Hicklenton, Carl Critchlow (a)
Rebellion ISBN 978-183786565-9, 19 November 2025, 192pp, £24.99. Available via Amazon.

In the penultimate volume in the Definitive Nemesis the Warlock series, the cosmic conflict between Nemesis and Torquemada continues to unfold across the history of time and space. Chasing after the dangerous Thoth, Nemesis, Purity and Torquemada race backwards through time to try and claim him first. But time-travel has consequences for the whole of reality, and Thoth's presence causes ruptures which threaten existence itself!
    Written by Pat Mills, this mind-bending volume of Definitive Nemesis features art by John Hicklenton (Heavy Metal Dredd), Carl Critchlow (Batman/Judge Dredd), and David Roach (Star Wars, Aliens).

A Comic Cuts Special — 15 November 2025

 The launch day video... only one day late!

Comic Cuts — 14 November 2025

I usually try to do a little video Comic Cuts whenever I release a book, but the sun and the sky have conspired against me. Yes, the weather is too nice! 

When I moved into the living room from my old (ex-garage) office—it had no insulation, so winters were bitterly cold; also, the concrete floors were better for taking the weight of so many books and magazines—I hadn't anticipated the problem of sunshine. I'm right next to the French windows, which is fantastic during the summer, but a nightmare if I'm trying to use the laptop to shoot a little video. The curtains to my right are so thin they can't stop even a photon, and there's a door to my left that's little more than a window that the sunlight streams through.

I tried filming this (Thursday) morning, as there was plenty of cloud cover, yet it was still too bright. Even with the curtains shut, I knew I was fighting a losing battle. That left me with a choice: option A is to relocate to the middle of the room (which I've done before); unfortunately that would involve clearing the dining table and shifting a load of boxes, so it's not my preferred option. Option B is to wait until this afternoon and let the sun move to the other side of the house and see if I race against time to edit the video down before I collapse into bed. There's also an Option C, which is to film it this afternoon and finish the edit tomorrow (Friday) and put it up when I can.

Hence me writing this on Thursday morning as a back-up just in case the video is unusable or just late. I'm happy to make the announcement, but the video will be nice so that you can actually see what I'm nattering on about. [Thursday night update: I'm partway through the edit, so it'll be tomorrow or Saturday before I post the video, depending on what crops up work-wise tomorrow.]

So, I've been busy: MYTEK THE MIGHTY Volume 4 is ready to go. As a few of you will know, I did all four of the books earlier this year so that I could get them out on a regular schedule, with the first two released in July, the third in September and the fourth in November. During the interim I've been working on another book, THE AIR ACE PICTURE LIBRARY COMPANION, which revamps and vastly expands one element of the now out of print book THE WAR LIBRARIES. 

If you're thinking "Well, I've got the War Libraries book, so I won't need this new one," think again. The only element from the old book (the list of titles) takes up 12 pages of the new book, and even that has been revised with whatever new information that has been unearthed since the earlier book was written twenty years ago. Everything else is new, including two introductions, a dozen biographies of important creators who worked on the library, and an artist and author index for the first time, with brief biographies of everyone we know to have written and drawn on AIR ACE. 

And it's in full colour, which is handy because it features a lot of original cover artwork by the likes of Georgio De Garpari, Nino Caroselli, Pino Dell'Orco, Alessandro Biffignandi, and not forgetting the Brits: Graham Coton, Alan Willow and Ian Kennedy.

The MYTEK THE MIGHTY book this time around features half a dozen stories rather than the long yarn that featured in volume 3. There's an introduction about artist Bill Lacey and almost 200 pages of his fantastic artwork. It's worth noting that MYTEK is still going: there was a story in the Smash! Special a couple of years back, and that's continued in this year's Treasury of British Comics Annual 2026. There's juice in the old robot yet! 

Release info. I will start taking orders today and I'm offering discounts on both that will be available for the next two weeks, after which the books will be available on my Ebay store or directly at full price.

Rebellion Releases — 12 November 2025

“I am very excited about this!” Pat Mills, Sláine co-creator.

Join professional storyteller Jason Buck for ‘Sláine: The Horned God’: a tale of ancient Celtic heroes and villains, monsters and magic, dragons and demons, and goddesses and gods. Set in a “time which is not a time” when Britain was rife with magic and mischief, this show brings together the epic heroic exploits and divine transformation of the one who would be High King of the Tribes of the Earth Goddess, reimagining ancient mythologies, and brought to life through traditional storytelling, for modern audiences.

In partnership with 2000 AD and Rebellion, the show will tour across the UK, with additional dates to be added. Created by Pat Mills ‘the godfather of British comics’ and Angie Kincaid, Sláine has captured the imagination of comics readers for generations.

Ages: Adult and teen (12+), not suitable for children.

“My friends and I saw Jason and I was absolutely blown away. It was my first time at one of his events and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can’t recommend these events enough.” Erika, Warwickshire

“Jason Buck is a man made of myth, magic and mead. His stories are filled with adventure, his beard is full of unexpected twists and his tankard filled with a poet’s brew. Sit around the fire and listen to his tales – you won’t be disappointed.” Abbie, Strange Times Storytelling Club

DATES AND TICKETS

January

• 15th January: Burton Tayor, Oxford: BUY TICKETS
• 20th January: Temperance Café Bar, Leamington: BUY TICKETS
• 22nd January: Glastonbury Assembly Rooms BUY TICKETS

February

• 9th February: The Hop Sun Tap (Microbrewery), Haywards Heath BUY TICKETS
• 16th February: Cafe #9, Sheffield: BUY TICKETS
• 18th February: Micklethwait Social – Jorvik Viking Festival Fringe BUY TICKETS
• 20th February: Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire: BUY TICKETS
• 21st February: Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Shropshire: BUY TICKETS

March

• 5th March: Merlin’s Cafe Bar, Birmingham: BUY TICKETS
• 20th March: The Pit at Newstead (Notts): BUY TICKETS
• 22nd March: Digital Screening! BUY TICKETS

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2458
Cover: INJ Culbard.

JUDGE DREDD // AND TO THE SEA RETURN by Rob Williams (w) Henry Flint (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
RED DRAGON by Rob Williams (w) Steve Yeowell & Patrick Goddard (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon Bowland (l)
VOID RUNNERS // BOOK TWO by David Hine (w) Boo Cook (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
BRASS SUN // PAVANE by Ian Edginton (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // GHOST PATROL by Alex de Campi (w) Neil Edwards (a) Matt Soffe (c) Jim Campbell (l)

The 2000AD Annual 2026 by Rob Williams, T.C. Eglington, Maura McHugh, Gordon Rennie, Steve Dillon, Jim Alexander, Chris Smith, Hayden Nash, Garth Ennis, Alex de Campi (w) Joe Currie, Staz Johnson, Colin MacNeil, Steve Dillon, John Hicklenton, Glenn Fabry, Martin Emond, Silvia Califano (a)
Rebellion ISBN, 12 November 2025, 112pp, £25.00. Available on Kindle via Amazon.

The 2000 AD Annual returns just in time for 2000 AD's 49th year!
    This celebratory Annual contains several all-new stories, featuring Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and PSI, Anderson. The book also contains a few 2000 AD classics from the thrill-archive which have never been reprinted before.
    The creative line-up bringing their talents to this tome include Rob Williams, Maura McHugh, Joe Currie, T.C. Eglington, Staz Johnson, Crom, Jake Lynch and more!

The Treasury of British Comics Annual 2026 by Stephen Brotherstone & Dave Lawrence, Ned Hartley, David Roach, Suyi Davis Okungbowa, Willie Paterson, Tom Tully, Chris Lowder, James Tomlinson, Peter Milligan, Keith Richardson (w) Henrik Sahlstrom, Steve White, David Roach, Edison Neo, Eric Bradbury, Francisco Fuentes Man, Ken Reid, Frank Langford, Ian Kennedy, Josep Gual, Martin Baxendale, Horatio Altuna, Jesus Reondo, Solano Lopez, Carlos Cruz, Juan Arancio, Marvyn Johnston, Vanyo, Bratt Parson (a)
Rebellion ISBN, 12 November 2025, 112pp, £25.00. Available on Kindle via Amazon.

It's three times the charm as the Treasury of British Comics returns with a third, action-packed Annual!
    This year we have a carefully curated collection of thrilling, diverse strips from a variety of classiic British comics titles, including Jag, Smash!, Wildcat, Wham!, Valiant, Misty, and Whizzer & Chips, amongst others.
    There are also four all-new stories, featuring Spellbinder, Helmet Head, Mytek The Mighty and Gums!

Comic Papers by Small Publishers 1945-1950

I was complaining only last week that I could do with four pairs of hands to cope with the workload I have and to speed up the number of publications Bear Alley Books can manage each year. And as the words left my mouth, a new book by Alan Clark dropped onto the doormat. The 17th book from Half Holiday Publishing in the 4¾ years since February 2021. That's one every 3-4 months. The rest of us should hang our heads in shame.

Comic Papers by Small Publishers 1945-1950 is right up my (Bear) alley, as it covers some of the minor publishers that I've written about in the past. The major publishers (Amalgamated Press and DC Thomson) had been forced to reduce their output, with surviving comics being published fortnightly; newsprint was rationed and books were delayed as publishers sought paper. Imports of magazines and books from abroad were made impossible because the government had imposed a tax to help with paying off the war loan

A few enterprising newcomers realised that this left a gap in the market; pulps, paperbacks and comics imported from American had been sold cheaply in the UK, and if paper could be found, almost anything would sell to an entertainment-starved public. Gangster novels by Darcy Glinto, Ben Sarto and Hank Janson led the way and comics soon followed, printed on whatever paper became available—even the grease proof paper used to wrap margarine.

Some of these 'minor' publishers became quite large: Philipp Marx later produced puzzles as well as books for the very young; Scion published hundreds of comics and novels; and Hamilton & Co. went on to become Panther Books. Others lasted only a few years, or a few issues, before they disappeared. There was a lively provincial publishing scene for a while, in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and elsewhere with names like Cartoon Art and Hotspur Publishing. If you could find paper (and didn't mind what you printed on), some small distributors became quite extensive publishers: Gerald G Swan and A Soloway, to name two.

Anyone who has read one of Alan's earlier books will know the format: loads of colourful pictures interspersed with little biographical sketches of some of the many artists who filled the pages of these comics. I'm always amazed how Alan has managed to gather together such an astounding range of photos of these creators. There are dozens of titles covered that are likely to be new even to collectors who have dipped their toes into collecting these post-war independent comics. 

Comic Papers by Small Publishers 1945-1950 by Alan Clark.
Half Holiday Publications [no ISBN], (Nov) 2025, 326pp, £40. Available via Ebay.

Comic Cuts — 7 November 2025

I spent longer than I anticipated on last week's video, and it was only by the skin of my teeth that I managed to post it Thursday night, in time for Friday's regular Comic Cuts column. I thought I'd start putting part two together a bit earlier this week, only to discover that the scans I thought I had a good run of were incomplete. Thankfully, the ever-helpful community of comic collectors came to my rescue (a big THANK YOU to Dave Hayward) and you'll see the results above.

I should also add that those issues helped solve a little mystery and confirm that there was a small error in the Lion: King of Picture Story Papers book where, on page 129, I say that Joe Colquhoun was the artist on Paddy Payne except for Gino D'Antonio between 24-10 and 21-11-59. That should be 28-11. Gino did six issues, not five. It's always good to make sure these little errors are corrected.

While I was waiting to finish off the video, I cracked on with the Action Index, which is now mostly written. I've still to tidy up the details on the second run of the title, but I've now re-read almost all the stories (I'm halfway through '"Jinx" Jackson', which is the last series I need to read). Next up, I'll be going through issue-by-issue to see if there were any interesting features that need to be mentioned. Then I've got to go through the whole thing from word one to make sure it all makes sense. It'll be interesting to see what I wrote, as I started this five years ago and I've slept since then.

I've now had the contract for MYTEK THE MIGHTY Volume 4, so I'll be gearing production on that title next week, alongside the AIR ACE PICTURE LIBRARY COMPANION, which I'm now waiting on. They could be on sale as early as next week if I risk having them sent directly again. I'm tempted, as it means I can offer a discount for everyone who picks up the book(s) ahead of Christmas. Yes, Christmas. Apologies if this comes as a shock, but we're only six, seven (geddit?) weeks away from Christmas Day.

Question is, what should I do for the Bear Alley Christmas Party, and will I let myself go to the pub for lunch, or will I force myself to work through until Christmas Eve? Never work for yourself is my advice: the hours are good but the individual minutes can be grueling.

Commando 5903-5906

Commando issues 5903-5906 go on sale today, Thursday, 6th  November 2025!

5903: The Lions of Ypres

During the First World War, 1.3 million Indian soldiers fought alongside the British Army, men like Sepoy Ram Thapar and Lal Mathai who had been brought from the hot climate of India to the frozen, battle-torn wasteland of Ypres, Belgium.
    They were unprepared for what horrors awaited them in the muddy trenches but they met the challenge head-on, bravely roaring like lions.
 
Story: Bobby Joseph
Art and Cover: Mike Dorey 

5904: Brave Coward

Lieutenant Guy Merton was no good. As a fighting man, he was an out-and-out failure.
    Then something happened — something no-one else knew about — and it turned him from a coward into a first-class fighting fury!

Story: Bernard Gregg
Art: Gordon C Livingstone
Cover: Aldoma
First published 1971 as No. 585

5905: Goat Major

When Huw Arthur joined the Welsh regiment, it quickly became clear he wasn’t much of a soldier. He couldn’t shoot to save his life, and he wasn’t particularly brave. As far as his superiors were concerned, there was only one job he could do… 
    For decades, the regiment had kept a goat as a mascot, and each goat had a steward — the Goat Major. Huw knew next to nothing about goats, but before long, he’d learn what it means to be a true soldier!

Story: Hailey Austin
Art: Alejandro Mangana
Cover: Simon Pritchard

5906: Band of Warriors 

Warriors, that’s what they called them — men who could take on the enemy anywhere, any time, and lick him.
     The last thing they needed was a coward amongst them, but that’s what they got.
 
Story: Staff
Art: Denis Mcloughlin
Cover: Philpot
First published 1984 as No. 1797

Rebellion Releases — 5 November 2025

One of the greatest comics ever published, as you’ve never seen it before – Rebellion is proud to announce the Charley’s War Apex Edition.

One of the defining masterpieces of British comics, Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun’s deeply affecting and political serial from the pages of Battle Picture Weekly follows working class sixteen-year-old Charley Bourne as he eagerly signs up to fight in 1916 but then experiences the hellish world of industrialised warfare in a bitter fight for survival.

The Charley’s War Apex Edition will present a carefully curated selection of the finest pages from Colquhoun’s masterful, painstakingly detailed, harrowingly vibrant, and unflinchingly honest portrayal of the tragedy of the Western Front at their original size for the first time.

Collecting pages from the first few years of Charley’s War, and containing as many complete episodes as possible, readers will be able to fully immerse themselves in this artistic masterwork with this oversized (481×371mm, 19”×14⅝”) hardcover collection.

Due for release on 29 Apr 2026, this new 144-page Apex Edition will come in standard and slipcase editions. The standard edition will be available through all good comic book stores via Lunar Distribution, and both editions will are now available to pre-order through the 2000 AD and Treasury of British Comics webshops.

Written by British comics legend Pat Mills and based on in-depth research on World War One, Charley’s War is an unashamedly brutal but honest portrayal of ‘The War to End All Wars’, where Charley and his young friends soon realise they have been thrust into a conflict where ordinary people are expected to throw away their lives to serve the selfish interests of those in power.

Groundbreaking in scope and heartbreaking in its portrayal of the horrors that Charley must face, Charley’s War was a trailblazing and critically-acclaimed series in the pages of the revolutionary 1970s comic book Battle Picture Weekly, and is widely considered one of the greatest works of the comic book medium.

The Charley’s War Apex Edition will offer a unique perspective on this stunning masterpiece, allowing those familiar with Colquhoun’s work to see it in a wholly fresh light while giving new readers the opportunity to encounter this classic work for the first time.

Legendary original art – brought to you at its original size: Rebellion’s Apex Editions are a breathtaking collection of oversized artist editions featuring some of the finest art the comic book medium has ever produced.

These special, deluxe books are the closest to holding the original pages in your hands – scanned at high resolution and painstakingly assembled, these books are not just must-haves for any comic book fan fan, but for anyone who loves stunning, groundbreaking art.

Previous Apex editions feature the work of Brian Bolland (Batman: The Killing Joke, Camelot 3000), Kev O’Neill (The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Marshal Law), Mick McMahon (Sláine, The Last American), Steve Dillon (Preacher, The Punisher), Arthur Ranson (Anderson, Psi Division, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight) and Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd, The Boys) – incredible artists whose influence echoes throughout and beyond the world of comics.

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2457
Cover: John McCrea with Jack Davies.

JUDGE DREDD // AND TO THE SEA RETURN by Rob Williams (w) Henry Flint (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
RED DRAGON by Rob Williams (w) Steve Yeowell & Patrick Goddard (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon Bowland (l)
VOID RUNNERS // BOOK TWO by David Hine (w) Boo Cook (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
BRASS SUN // PAVANE by Ian Edginton (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // GHOST PATROL by Alex de Campi (w) Neil Edwards (a) Matt Soffe (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Judge Dredd The Complete Case Files 48 by John Wagner, Al Ewing, Gordon Rennie, Robbie Morrison, John Smith (w) Karl Richardson, Carl Critchlow, Colin MacNeil, PJ Holden, Mike Collins, Paul Marshall, Jon Haward, Colin Wilson, Peter Doherty, Kev Walker, Patrick Goddard, John Higgins (a)
Rebellion ISBN 978-183786607-6, 304pp, £24.99. Available via Amazon.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
The epic, world-shattering Tour of Duty storyline begins as Judge Dredd is exiled to the Cursed Earth in the wake of his decision to support new pro-mutant laws in Mega-City One.
    The best-selling series collecting The Law in order continues as the ultimate lawman of the future brings his unique brand of policing to the streets and creeps of the dystopian nightmare he calls home.
    Written by John Wagner (A History of Violence), Al Ewing (The Immortal Hulk), Gordon Rennie (Missionary Man), Robbie Morrison (The Authority) and John Smith (Vampirella) with art by Karl Richardson (Warhammer), Carl Critchlow (Batman/Judge Dredd), Colin MacNeil (Strontium Dog), PJ Holden (Terminator/RoboCop), Mike Collins (Captain Britain), Paul Marshall (Firekind), Cliff Robinson (Vector 13), Jon Haward (Tharg's Future Shocks), Colin Wilson (Point Blank), Peter Doherty (Kingsman: The Red Diamond), Kev Walker (Hellblazer), Patrick Goddard (Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley) and John Higgins (Watchmen).

Big-Ass Sword by Andreas Butzbach
Rebellion ISBN 978-183786563-5, 96pp, £16.99. Available via Amazon.

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!
    This stunning, Heavy Metal-esque adventure, marks a stunning, original graphic novel debut in the English-speaking market for Andreas Butzbach.

• 14 Nov. There's a new Dan Dare project underway from B7 who are launching a Kickstarter for Dan Dare: First Contact by Alex de Campi and Marc Laming. “Alex and I are huge fans of Dan Dare from Frank Hampson and Frank Bellamy’s original stories of the 1950s and 60s, through to 2000AD’s more anarchic take on the character in late 70s. We are both extremely excited to bring Colonel Dare to a new audience.”
• 12 Nov. Freak Sugar has an interview with  Rob Williams in which he discusses Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: The Ghost Ships of Labrador. "I’ve been writing a fair bit of Judge Dredd of late. Myself and the amazing RM Guera (Scalped) have a Dredd GN out in February: Rend and Tear With Tooth & Claw. That contains two long-form Judge Dredd stories we did in the last couple of years. He’s a real master of an artist. And then in June next year another Judge Dredd GN is released by myself and Henry Flint And To The Sea Return which is a nautical horror that I suspect Hellboy fans would enjoy a lot."
• 10 Nov. Talking of V For Vendetta (below), HBO has announced a TV adaptation to be writen by Pete Jackson (Somewhere Boy, The Death of Bunny Munro). James Gunn and Peter Safran (the executive producers of the recent Superman and other projects) will produce for DC Comics and Ben Stephenson and Leanne Klein for Warner Bros' Wall to Wall Media.
• 5 Nov. The movie adaptation of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's V For Vendetta will be re-released to celebrate its 20th anniversary on 5 November 2026. "V For Vendetta is one of the best-loved comics adaptations of all time, and the rare R-rated comic book movie that got solid reviews and a strong box office."
• 4 Nov. Andreas Butzbach weilds a Big-Ass Sword at Rebellion. "Where I’m from, art was not perceived as something you can make a living from. When you are a kid it is fine, but later, people started to question the urge I had, and still have. The working class is not supposed to thrive in art and media. We are supposed to work in factories, workshops, or behind the counter."
• 1 Nov. John Freeman recalls Dan Dare's 'Mission to the Stars'. "The strip was the work of writer William Patterson, perhaps best known for his stories for Sydney Jordan’s “Jeff Hawke” strip, published in the Daily Express, and drawn by Don Harley, one of the great “Dan Dare” artists."
• 29 Oct. The return of Vertigo will also see the return of Grant Morrison's Sebastian O, re-teaming with Steve Yeowell. “I thought I’d take a swing at one of those late career renaissances I hear about!”
• 28 Oct.  Ian Edginton on the long-awaited return of 'Brass Sun'... and writers' blocks. "In a not so small nutshell, at the heart of the story is The Orrery, a fully functioning, life-sized clockwork solar system. A clutch of planets, moons and asteroids orbiting a vast, life-giving brass sun via immense metal spars. This once unified collection of worlds fell into war and has regressed into eccentric fiefdoms and petty baronies. Millenia later the sun is now winding down and the outer worlds are giving in to entropy and icing over with the rest to inevitably follow."
• 27 Oct. An interview with Al Davison, author of The Spiral Cage and his recent work, Muscle Memory. "The book covers some of the same ground as The Spiral Cage, but also addresses my surviving systematic physical/ritualistic childhood abuse at the hands of my father, which I couldn’t write about when my parents were still alive. It also looks at disability hate crime, something I continue to have to deal with on a daily basis, and the political landscape that has lead to a huge escalation in these crimes."
• 23 Oct. “Basically, I’m hoping to please both nostalgia fans and those who enjoy pop culture critique!” – Paul Cornell on the Bronze Age Avengers, his first Commando comic, and new publishing venture Cosmic Lighthouse.
• 17 Oct. More Grant Morrison as they were involved in an "ask me anything" session on Reddit to promote the Batman/Deadpool crossover.  Asked (for instance) about what their plans were for an Arkham Asylum sequel, Grant answers "I may still write it, so no details yet." One exchange worth highlighting (and Rich Johnston did just that) concerned Zenith and 2000AD: "I'd have preferred if they'd left Zenith alone, but they can't help themselves. Due to their own administrative error, I didn't sign away my rights to the series, but they've been unwilling to acknowledge my position or offer me even a minimal cut while doing everything they can to sneak Zenith stuff in behind my back. If they'd been smarter, I might have come back for a new Zenith story. I'm sure Rob Williams will do a decent job and I have no beef with him, but I find the whole thing a bit distasteful and prefer to have nothing to do with it…. There are legal issues with Zenith that make any return unlikely."

Comic Cuts — 31 October 2025

 A short video tribute to the late David Slinn. There were some problems with the glare of sunlight through the curtains which caused the colour to appear streaky and bleached out, so I turned the whole introduction into black & white. Hopefully the next one will see some improvements.

Rebellion Releases — 29 October 2025

2000AD's fourth and final bumper issue of the year arrives this week, with 48-pages of blistering sci-fi action and excitement! Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Void Runners, Brass Sun and Red Dragon are joined by two complete stories this issue, as Nightmare New York returns for another supernaturally-charged walk through the streets of the Big Apple.

Then, we have an exclusive BIG-ASS SWORD story from creator Andreas Butzbach, ahead of the release of his original graphic novel in November! 

And now, this week's release... yeah, it's the bumper issue mentioned above...

2000AD Prog 2456
Cover: Mike Dowling.

JUDGE DREDD // AND TO THE SEA RETURN by Rob Williams (w) Henry Flint (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
RED DRAGON by Rob Williams (w) Steve Yeowell & Patrick Goddard (a) Dylan Teague (c) Simon Bowland (l)
BIG-ASS SWORD // DEFRAG PROCESS by Andreas Butzbach
VOID RUNNERS // BOOK TWO by David Hine (w) Boo Cook (a) Annie Parkhouse (l)
BRASS SUN // PAVANE by Ian Edginton (w) INJ Culbard (a) Simon Bowland (l)
NIGHTMARE NEW YORK // HARD TIMES by Kek-W (w) David Roach (a) Peter Doherty (c) Jim Campbell (l)
ROGUE TROOPER // GHOST PATROL by Alex de Campi (w) Neil Edwards (a) Matt Soffe (c) Jim Campbell (l)

Eagle Times v38 n1-3

After a short break in the supply chain, I'm back on the mailing list for Eagle Times and have been able to catch up on the latest three issues, which have included their usual diverse mix of articles about and around the classic Eagle comic of the 1950s and 1960s.

The magazine runs to 48 pages with colour covers and its contents are chiefly the work of David Britton and Steve Winders now that so many of the former contributors have passed on to ventures new or simply passed on. Sadly this will happen when you have a magazine that is (a) about a comic that debuted 75 years ago; and (b) is now in its 38th year.

I'll scamper through the contents of all three issues as some articles are multi-part ventures and a new number for the year will often see a spate of "part 1" episodes. In this instance we have the launch episodes of articles on Blackbow the Cheyenne, The Happy Warrior and Montgomery of Alamein (also the debut of a new tale featuring PC49, 'The Case of the Elusive Elvis').

The issue begins with another regular, 'The Way We Were', a selection of readers' letters from 1950 issues showing how attitudes to some things have changed over the years. Blackbow begins with a brief overview and then concentrates on a single story which David Britton considers well thought out by author Ted Cowan, with Frank Humphris providing some high quality artwork.

The Happy Warrior (Winston Churchill) and Montgomery of Allemein are two strips written by Clifford Makins and drawn by Frank Bellamy that should need no introduction. That's not to say that they don't deserve study, and Steve Winders certainly puts both under the microscope.

David Britton has been writing a series on female contributors to the Eagle group which now includes June Mendoza and Daphne Rowles as well as his ongoing study of Jeff Arnold.

One-offs on the subject of Cricket, the Eagle Dinner, Wrath of the Gods and a new debut in the autumn number, a look at Luis Bermejo's contributions to Heros the Spartan, are all welcome and fun to read. I would also recommend Eric Summers' feature in the Summer number on George Beardmore and Jack o' Lantern in which the author discusses how reading old Eagle strips can lead you down many a rabbit hole seeking out the historical truths of the stories. It is one of the reasons why Eagle Times has survived so long and has featured such a range of subjects over the years. The Summer number was, incidentally, the magazine's 150th issue.

Of special note is a fantastic cover on the Summer issue by Graham Bleathman showing the Anastaia flying over London with Dan and Digby piloting. The artwork was bought by the Eagle Society and is the subject of a raffle open to members. Any income above the cost of the artwork will be donated to charity. The results will be drawn at next year's dinner, so now would be a good time to join.

The quarterly Eagle Times is the journal of the Eagle Society, with membership costing £30 in the UK, £50 (in sterling) overseas. You can send subscriptions to Bob Corn, Mayfield Lodge, Llanbadoc, Usk, Monmouthshire NP15 1SY; subs can also be submitted via PayPal to membership@eagle-society.org.uk. Back issues are available for newcomers to the magazine and they have even issued binders to keep those issues nice and neat.

Comic Cuts — 24 October 2025

Running repairs might have been a theme of this week. I bought 200 polypropylene bags recently, so I've started cleaning, repairing and bagging some of my paperbacks. They are 5 x 7 3⁄8 inches, so good for, say, old Penguin crime novels, but not for a lot of the 1950s digest-sized paperbacks, which is what I actually want to protect. Not that they'll go to waste, as I have hundreds (maybe thousands) of books that will comfortably fit. 

I've bagged up some of the books on nearby shelves, although I've had to skip some—I bagged my Raymond Chandlers, but couldn't do Killer in the Rain because the spine is too wide and my Hamish Hamilton edition of Pearls Are a Nuisance, which is digest size. I bagged all my Hal Clement books, bar The Best of..., which (again) had a too-wide spine. Hopefully I can buy some slightly larger bags next year.

And one of my shelves was looking slightly drunk and was listing badly; the top shelf began 8 inches to the right of the bottom shelf because the backboard that keeps it upright had bowed because I had stacked too many books on the shelves, some magazines, and a couple of dozen hefty reference books. The nails that held the board in place had mostly come loose, so it was a case of emptying the shelf (thanks Mel!) lugging it out into the kitchen and hammering two dozen nails into it. The lower shelf is permanently warped, but I managed to get a few nails in to hold it steady and even managed to get the two boards to fit back into the bit of plastic that runs from top to bottom down the centre.

It is now back in place, looking good, and I have a small stack of books that I will sell off one way or another that are no longer causing the shelves to bow. 

Tuesday and Wednesday was my weekend—it tends to move around as Mel never has the same days off one week to the next—as I'd spent Saturday and Sunday going through the proof copy of the AIR ACE PICTURE LIBRARY COMPANION and ironing out some textual anomalies and tidying up a couple of bits that needed clarifying. I was back on the same text on Monday when proofreader extraordinaire (stand up and take a bow) Richard Sheaf sent me an embarrassingly long list of corrections and queries.

The text is now done and the book will be out next month. Quite when I don't know as I need also to sort out the contract for MYTEK THE MIGHTY Volume 4. This should be sorted out shortly, hopefully next week. Once I've coughed up some money to Rebellion I should be able to get a decent print run sorted by (hopefully) mid-November. Then it's full steam ahead with the ACTION Index. 

As well as the bagging and repairing of books and shelves, I'm also trying to clear the shelves of some book I no longer need, so you might find a few things turning up on Ebay. 

Ships of the Sky (extract), unpublished strip by David Slinn

Sad news arrived on Wednesday. My good friend and occasional collaborator David Slinn passed away at the age of 88. David worked for a variety of comics, including Eagle and Express Weekly. He was an amazing source of information as he had contacts with most of the comic publishers of the 1950s and 1960s and had an amazing memory for names and incidents. 

He was a delight to chat with, and a conversation could veer sideways into all sorts of areas: it might start with a focus on Cowboy Picture Library (to which he contributed) but could end up with a discussion about Bob Geldof's opinion on teenage girls' magazines. Email took over from phone calls, which meant scans, lists and research could be bounced around—often between David, myself and David Roach—hoping for a consensus of opinion on who an artist might be. Sometimes he could be elliptical with an answer: there is still a Cowboy Comics artist he identified but never got around to naming. "Think so-and-so" [I forget the name] he said, implying that I would recognise the similarities and then make the mental leap that he had. I hadn't a clue and still to this day those issues remain unidentified. (My particular skill when it comes to indexing comics has always been to listen to people smarter than myself and write down what they say.)

David had helped so much with the Ranger index that I thought he deserved a co-writing credit; that's not to say that his contributions to all the other indexes was any less welcome. David and I had launched into a new project, an index and history of (Junior / TV) Express Weekly and the first results were bounced between us in January of this year. I mentioned in my blog for 10 January that I had been writing an article on why newspapers were rationed for so long after the war, full rationing only ending in 1956. Yet new publications were allowed from 1950. Well, that's all part of the Junior Express story and the first thing I sent over to David. I wrote up a second part in April while I was waiting on paperwork for the first two Mytek books. Once that arrived I dived straight back into getting them ready for publication, unaware that David was not well, having been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He spent his last few months in a hospice, where he was well cared for by staff and family. We chatted a couple of times on the phone and I sent him the second section of the Express Weekly history. Sadly, his condition deteriorated and he passed away on Wednesday morning.

His family will still be processing the news themselves, so it's too soon to write more. Hopefully I'll be able to share more in a week or two. 

Commando 5899-5902

Spooky season continues as creepy Commando Issues 5899-5902 go on sale from today, Thursday, 23rd October 2025!

5899: Frostbite

Caught in the chaos of the Battle of the Bulge, the 28th Infantry Division thought they had enough problems. But then, their comrades began mysteriously disappearing in the depths of the frozen forests.
    Tasked with finding the missing soldiers, Private Howard Kennedy and nine of his fellow troops were sent off into the snow in search of answers. What they found hidden among the frozen trees would haunt him for the rest of his days!
    A devilish debut from writer Julian Michael Carver, this first-person narrative puts you amongst the trees in Paolo Ongaro’s claustrophobic rendering of the Ardennes, and, with a cover like that from Marco Bianchini, you can’t help but shiver!
 
Story: Julian Michael Carver
Art: Paolo Ongaro 
Cover: Marco Bianchini

5900: Time of Terror

The sea mist clung to the three British Commandos as they paddled a rubber dinghy towards the dark French coast. Behind them, their submarine slowly vanished beneath the waves, leaving them to face any dangers that lay ahead. And of danger there would be plenty, for no plans had been made for bringing them back again!
    Motton’s story strikes at a squaddie’s worst nightmare — abandoned in France AGAIN. But there’s plenty of light comedy and charm in the trio’s banter and Gordon C Livingstone’s stellar artwork to turn this into a dream issue. 

Story: Motton
Art: Gordon C Livingstone
Cover: Gordon C Livingstone
First published 1971 as No. 544

5901: The Curse of the Zelda

Stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the surviving crew of the wrecked HMS Avon was starting to wonder whether they would ever see land again. But the sight of a ship on the horizon soon raised their hopes.
    Once on board the strange frigate, though, it seemed their troubles weren’t over. Not a soul was aboard the ghost ship, and some of the men were hearing things. Who was the mysterious figure glimpsed out of the corner of the eye? What had happened aboard the Zelda?
    A spine-tingling story from Rossa McPhillips where Juan Fernandez’s dream-like artwork oozes the occult. Plus, the issue hosts another cracking cover from Marco Bianichini, the master of the macabre!

Story: Rossa McPhilips 
Art: Juan Fernandez
Cover: Marco Bianchini

5902: Flames of Fear 

No man is completely fearless — everyone has something he’s afraid of. 
    Take three soldiers caught up in the fighting in the jungle, each with a fear to overcome. For one it was fire. For another, tanks. And for the third, it was a dragon!
    Goodness gracious great tanks of fire! There is plenty to fear in this frightful fable as CG Walker stalks a trio of haunted soldiers, certain they’ll meet their doom in the jungles of Burma. 

Story: CG Walker
Art: Ruiz
Cover: Jeff Bevan
First published 1984 as No. 1792