Comic Cuts — 16 October 2026

Barry & Caitlin

We had quite a build up to last weekend's Colchester Comic Mart and it all seemed to be over in a flash. There were the usual worries — would I have the right stock and the right number of books — and some unusual worries — would the new book arrive on time for me to launch it. Thankfully, I'd put those worries aside by Thursday, when I swapped them for a madcap afternoon — and all of Friday — sorting through a load of magazines that I had managed to sell, which were to be picked up on Saturday, all the time keeping an eye on the clock because I needed to nip down to the post office before it closed, and make sure I was in for when Karl came round to pick up the boxes of books that were my stock for Saturday!

So I spent the week in a state of low level anxiety and two of those days feeling slightly sniffly because of a flu jab, which I'd thankfully shaken off by mid-week. No Covid jab this year as they've narrowed the criteria of who is allowed a free dose and I no longer qualify. It's a little annoying because I do live with someone with a customer-facing job. It isn't just that Mel might catch it from a careless customer, but that if I catch it and pass it to her, she, in turn, could pass it on. That's how pandemics get started.

Back to Saturday: there was one slight hiccup. The Comic Mart is held in a Methodist Church and they had double-booked the main hall. As they couldn't cancel the wedding that was to take place at noon, the various dealers were spread around the rest of the building. One big hall because four smaller rooms and a corridor.

For some of us that meant a back-breaking slog carrying our books and comics upstairs into the depths of the maze that is the Methodist Church. And at the end of the show, we had to lug everything that hadn't sold downstairs and wend our way through the corridors and into the car park, still partly filled with church goers who had attended the wedding.

In between I planted myself behind my table and had a whale of a time chatting to customers and, when the footfall slowed, to everyone in the room. Next to me was Barry Kitson and his good lady Caitlin, who was sketching and signing all day. Two doors down was Jim Swallow signing his thriller Air Side and copies of his Commando comics (yes, there are more Harrier Squadron stories on the way). Karl Kennedy and Pete's Comics meant that there were plenty of comics to buy, too.

I did pretty well, and I'm pleased to see copies of SEXTON BLAKE selling quite well, alongside the two other releases this year, ACTION: THE SEVENPENNY NIGHTMARE and THE SHRINKER. I signed everything... so those scarce unsigned copies might be worth selling on in the future.

There's always after-Swap Meet work to do, including a stock take and putting in an order to re-stock some of the books that sold well. Monday I had an eye test in the morning which involved putting stinging drops in my eyes so that they could be photographed. I'll hear the results in a week or two. It did mean that I walked across town squinting in the sunshine finding everything too bright and a little blurry. 

The rest of the week has been a chase to complete some indexing of a box of magazines ahead of us hosting a friend of Mel's from America. I've also a couple of books to read and review and I'm keeping an eye on a couple of Ebay auctions that I have bids on. Just won one, an obscure crime novel which dates from the early 1950s. The author is unknown and was only credited with two novels, but I have the other one, so it seemed like an opportunity to read the pair.

I'm now on holiday for the week, although I'm not involved in every activity so I'll still be doing the basic Bear Alley Books stuff and I should have time to write something next week.I'm looking forward to at least a couple of days off, but I'll be back in harness after next weekend.

Rebellion Releases — 14 October 2026

Rebellion have released information about their release schedule for 2000AD's 50th anniversary year of 2027. Here's a list of what to expect next year... not so many Treasury titles of older British material, but plenty of Dredd and quality (Definitive, Apex) 2000AD reprints.

January 2027
2000AD: A Visual History 1977-2027
Judge Dredd: Compact Crimes 1
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 52

February 2027
50 Years of Judge Dredd: A Celebration 
Fighting Mann (Treasury)
Judge Dredd: Compact Crimes 2
The Out Volume 2
Slaine Definitive Edition Volume 4

March 2027
Essential Judge Dredd: Titan
Judge Dredd: Compact Crimes 3
Strontium Dog: Search & Destroy Volume 6

April 2027
Action Before the Ban Volume 2
Essential 2000AD: Bad Company
Judge Dredd: Compact Crimes 4
Judge Dredd: The Oubliette Part 1

May 2027
Brink Compendium 1
Judge Dredd: Compact Crimes 5
New Adventures of the Trigan Empire Book II

June 2027
The Complete Starlord Volume 2
Judge Dredd: Compact Crimes 6
Judge Dredd: The Haunting of Sector House 9

July 2027
The Ballad of Halo Jones
Judge Dredd: And to the Sea Return
Judge Dredd: Brian Bolland Apex Edition (revised and expanded)

August 2027
A.B.C. Warriors Definitive Edition Volume 1
Judge Dredd by Simon Bisley
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 53
Judge Dredd: The Oubliette Part 2
Red Dragon

September 2027
Essential 2000AD: The VCs
Judge Dredd: A New Future

October 2027
Essential 2000AD: Flesh

December 2027
The Complete 2000AD by Alan Moore : DR & Quinch and Skizz

And now, this week's release...

2000AD Prog 2504
Cover: Tazio Bettin.

JUDGE DREDD // THE NEW FUTURE by Rob Williams & Arthur Wyatt (w) Henry Flint (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
AZIMUTH // HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DAGON by Dan Abnett (w) Tazio Bettin (a) Matt Soffe (c) Rob Steen (l)
DURHAM RED // HUNGRY CITY by Alec Worley (w) Ben Willsher (a) Simon Bowland (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK TWO by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
HERNE & SHUCK // STORMING THE STONE by David Barnett (w) Lee Milmore (a) Quinton Winter (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Comic Cuts — 9 October 2026

It's a big weekend for Bear Alley Books as we head into town for the Colchester Swap Meet. This is the fourth such get-together and I think I enjoy each one more than the last. There's always plenty of lively action at the tables as people dig through boxes looking for bargains and filling gaps in their collections, there are always some interesting guests — Barry Kitson is signing at this year's event — and it's great to meet some of Bear Alley's readers.

I'll be there with the usual bewildering collection of Bear Alley's books, including the latest releases, THE SHRINKER and  SEXTON BLAKE VOLUME 1, and copies of the ACTION: THE SEVENPENNY NIGHTMARE. 

I should have copies of almost 30 different books. Yes, I'm as surprised as you are that Bear Alley has lasted this long and published quite so many books. Actually, there have been more: if you include the FORGOTTEN AUTHORS series (5 volumes to date), THE TRIALS OF HANK JANSON, four SEXTON BLAKE ANNUALs, novel reprints by Gwyn Evans and Andrew Forrester (7 volumes), biographies of Evans and Harry Bensley, the autobiography of John Chisnall, and a couple of books on behalf of other people... that pushes the total to over 50 books.

Not only that, but the Bear Alley blog has been running for over 20 years, with the first post appearing on 15 August 2006.

No wonder I'm exhausted!

Actually, that's partly down to a flu jab, which generally knocks me out for a day and makes my arm ache for two days. Sadly, I don't qualify for a Covid jab this year, so I'll just have to stay indoors and keep working on the next book or two.

This week has been broken up somewhat by preparations for the show, sorting out a correction or two on the second Blake volume and a morning lost to get the flu jab. This seems to be the month for being poked and prodded as I have a bi-annual diabetic eye test and a six-monthly blood test coming up. And I think I'm due a check-up at the dentist. Some of these will have follow-ups next month. Thank Dog we're off to see Mitch Benn (again!) so we at least end of the month on a laugh.

I think that's all the news that's fit to print this week. Hopefully I will see some of you at the Swap Meet. I take cash or credit card!

Commando 5999-6002

Commando celebrates its 6000th issue in this week’s next set, on sale from Thursday 8th October from publisher DC Thomson in newsagents, on subscription and as digital editions! Featuring superheroes, a special tale from celebrity authors James Holland and Al Murray, and some special crossovers, fighting from Korea to Dunkirk, D-Day and Stalingrad…

Commando 5999: Captain Starblaze
Story: Daniel McGachey
Art: Paolo Ongaro
Cover: Graeme Neil Reid

At the height of World War Two, pulp hero Captain Starblaze led a super-team into battle against the darkest Axis powers. Now, as a new decade unfolds, he stands against the ever-present threat of the red menace, his trusty sidekick, Miss Miraculous, by his side. At least, that’s how fiction would have it. But the truth is stranger – and deadlier – than any supervillain could ever hope to match!
    Issue 5999 offers features a terrific trifecta of Commando contributors! Enjoy a ripping yarn by Daniel McGachey reminiscent of classic Commandos like No. 84 “Hero from Hollywood” and No. 483, “Shooting Star”, alongside amazing artwork from star artists Paolo Ongaro and Graeme Neil Reid — and what a cover!

Commando 6000: Sweet Revenge
Story: James Holland & Al Murray
Art: Esteve Polls
Cover: Keith Burns

At Tarrant Rushton Airfield, 8.30 pm, Monday, 5th June, 1944, airborne troops are waiting by their gliders for the order to move. They are going to be the first Allied troops to land in France as part of Operation Overlord: D-Day. 
    “We’ll be all right, Jr. Stick close to me. I’ll look after you.” That’s what Sergeant Davis said to a green Sapper Regan, as orders came in to hurry to Dunkirk in May 1940. Regan would live by those words in the years he waited after vowing to return to France. Now, climbing into his glider, he is finally getting his chance for sweet revenge!
    And here it is… the big one! With over 65 years in the making, the DCT Heritage team wanted to make this extra special, so they enlisted superstar historian James Holland and comedian Al Murray from the acclaimed World War Two Podcast We Have Ways Of Making You Talk to write Issue 6000, “Sweet Revenge”!

Commando 6001: I Flew With Ramsey’s Raiders
Story: Ferg Handley
Art & Cover: Carlos Pino

In Spring 1945, the end of the war was in sight, but the Germans were still causing havoc. In a pocket of southern Norway, a heavily-guarded Luftwaffe base is targeting the North Sea shipping channels and gunning down RAF aircraft. 
    Captain Jimmy Ramsey and his crack team of raiders have been charged with a new mission to do what they do best – tear the base apart. But to do it, they’ll need to team up with an ace pilot you may have heard of… Sergeant Matt Braddock!
    Welcome to the Commando crossovers to end crossovers as two mavericks collide. In the red corner, we have Captain Jimmy Ramsey and his ragtag group of rebels, and in the blue corner, we have Sergeant Matt Braddock – the RAF’s best and bravest bomber pilot, both series of which happen to be written by veteran writer Ferg Handley and illustrated by the magnificent Carlos Pino!

Commando 6002: Kampfgruppe Falken: Escape Stalingrad
Story: William Graham
Art & Cover: Manuel Benet

Two armies clashed within Russia’s industrial capital in one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War. Every man was desperate to get out, but Major Heinz Falken had orders to get in – not only to get in, but to get one man out… 
    Commanded to rescue the son of one of the Führer’s favourite generals, Falken had no choice. He had to save the one lucky soul he was sent for or face a firing squad!
    For the final celebratory issue in this 6000th issue set, DCT have brought out the big guns and got ex-Boys’ Comic editor from yesteryear out of the storeroom — Bill Graham, whose name you might recognise from the likes of Football Picture Monthly and Warlord! He’s come out of retirement to pen this amazing issue, alongside his longtime colleague and maestro Manuel Benet!

Rebellion Releases — 7 October 2026

Violent, gritty and unrelenting, Action comic was the brainchild of Pat Mills and Geoff Kemp. Tasked with creating a new anthology comic for the IPC’s boys adventure division, the pair rapidly developed a winning formula: reimagining existing story ideas from fresh perspectives and infusing them with a health dose of modern realism. 

With strips such as Hookjaw, Dredger, Look Out For Lefty and Blackjack, success was instantaneous but so was the criticism. Many of the press including, The London Evening Standard, The Sun and the Daily Mail were quick to denounce the comic, while Mary Whitehouse and the pressure group “Delegates Opposing Violent Education” piled pressure on the IPC board to do something about it.

In less than a year, Action had been pulled from circulation, then returned months later, a sanitised, pale shadow of its former self. But the spark had already been lit. Action had made its mark and became the catalyst for the evolution of the British comics scene, paving the way for 2000 AD and the British invasion of UK talent into America.

Now, for the first time in decades, Rebellion are collecting Action in a series of new archival editions, containing all of the strips and some of the editorial that created so much infamy back in the 1970s!

The celebration of Britain’s most anarchic comic continues in this second explosive volume of Action, which collects issues 13 through to 24. From the skull-cracking secret agent, Dredger, to the mankind-hating Hook Jaw, its easy to see why Action captivated a whole generation of kids.

This volume includes the dramatic conclusion of The Running Man, and the start of two new thrilling strips; Hell’s Highway and the brutal, future sport tale, Death Game 1999.

Out in April 2027 and available in standard and webshop-exclusive editions, Action: Before The Ban defies the censors and proudly celebrates a landmark series in British comics history!

And now, this week's releases...

2000AD Prog 2503
Cover: Stewart K. Moore.

JUDGE DREDD // THE NEW FUTURE by Rob Williams & Arthur Wyatt (w) Henry Flint (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)
AZIMUTH // HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DAGON by Dan Abnett (w) Tazio Bettin (a) Matt Soffe (c) Rob Steen (l)
DURHAM RED // HUNGRY CITY by Alec Worley (w) Ben Willsher (a) Simon Bowland (l)
GHOSTED // BOOK TWO by Guy Adams (w) Megan Huang (a) Simon Bowland (l)
HERNE & SHUCK // STORMING THE STONE by David Barnett (w) Lee Milmore (a) Quinton Winter (c) Annie Parkhouse (l)

Thistlebone: The Complete Collection by TC Eglington & Simon Davis
Rebellion 978-183786862-9, 7 October 2026, 208pp, £29.99. Available via Amazon.

BRITAIN, 2019.
The secluded rural village of Harrowvale holds a dark past: years earlier, on a farm bordering the woods, a cult—led by the charismatic Jasper Hillman—sought to escape civilisation and find purity in the old ways, namely worshipping an ancient deity called Thistlebone. The cult’s pagan beliefs grew so deranged that they kidnapped a young girl, Avril Eason, with the intention of sacrificing her. But Avril escaped… and now, so many years later, she returns to Harrowvale to face the demons of her past.
    Haunting and visceral, the Complete Thistlebone collects volumes 1-3 of the acclaimed folk horror series by T.C. Eglington and Simon Davis.

Rogue Trooper: The Complete Collection Volume 4 by Steve Dillon, Simon Geller, John Smith, Mark Millar, John Tomlinson, Gordon Rennie, Ian Edginton, Gerry Finley-Day, Andy Diggle, Guy Adams (w) Steve Dillon, Chris Weston, Kev Walker, Brett Ewins, Jim McCarthy, David Hill, Dave Gibbons, Staz Johnson, David Roach, Dylan Teague, Simon Coleby, Mike Collins, PJ Holden, Rich Elson, Steve Pugh, Colin Wilson, Darren Douglas, Lee Carter, Jimmy Broxton (a
Rebellion  ‎ 978-183786619-9, 7 October 2026, 352pp, £24.99. Available via Amazon.

Rogue Trooper's adventures across Nu Earth continue as he is tasked with wiping out an army of religious fanatics, fights for survival in the ruthless gambling settlement of Cinnabar, combats an underwater threat while attempting to cross the Khoisin reservoir... and more!
    This volume collects the work of comics superstars Mark Millar (Civil War, Kingsman), Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) and Steve Dillon (Preacher, The Punisher) alongside 2000 AD veterans Gerry Finley-Day, Brett Ewins, and Gordon Rennie.

Judge Dredd: Nordland Rising by Ken Niemand, Peter Milligan, Dan Abnett, Ian Edginton, Gordon Rennie, Arthur Wyatt (w) John McCrea, Cam Smith, Simon Coleby, Jake Lynch, Neil Edwards, Anthony Williams, Clint Langley, Dan Cornwell, Nick Dyer, Tom Foster, Nick Percival (a)
Rebellion 978-183786852-0, 7 October 2026, 112pp, £19.99. Available via Amazon.

THE INTERDIMENSIONAL INVASION HAS BEGUN!
 Thanks to advances in Nort technology, War Marshal Josef Jaegir has used the black hole around which Nu Earth orbits as a means of invading other universes. Reaching out to Sov War Marshal Kazan, he’s joined forces with East-Meg One to subjugate Mega-City One, and in other realities the Norts have allied themselves with the alien Krool, the Geeks,the Volgans and the Nazis. It’s a war on all fronts, with Jaegir demanding nothing less than total victory.
    Can Judge Dredd and a team of mighty multiversal warriors including, Rogue Trooper, Major Eazy and Bad Company, overcome this overwhelming alliance of evil?

Comic Cuts —2 October 2026

At last! After trailing the publication of SEXTON BLAKE VOLUME 1 for the past two weeks, I can now say... contracts were signed yesterday and the book will be officially launched at the Colchester Swap Meet on Saturday, October 10th. 

In the meantime, the order page is up and running (link to the right) and if you want to take advantage of our early-bird discount, please go visit the page. You can pay by Paypal. For those of you who don't have money in your Paypal account, you can still use them to pay by credit card.

I should have some copies available at the Swap Meet, and if any are left I'll have the book up on my Ebay store a day or two after, so it will be available there if that's how you prefer to order. I'm only doing a very short initial run to make sure the book gets on the press and printed copies arrive in time! I'll do a longer print run later in the month, ahead of getting SEXTON BLAKE VOLUME 2 out in about six weeks. 

That volume is awaiting a second proof, but the first one looked pretty good, aside from a little glitch on the spine where I forgot to change volume 1 to volume 2. D'oh!

In the meantime, I have been back working on the PIRATES project, about the little independent publishers that popped up like mushrooms after the Second World War. As I've previously mentioned, a lot of this was written back in the 1990s when I was editing a collecting magazine, so I've thirty years of additional research to incorporate—some of it extensive, some of it a line here and there. 

This week I have been tackling the back story of Captain Marvel, but also looking at a couple of British publishers of superheroes, including Cartoon Art and Scion Ltd. who find themselves woven into the fabric of that chapter as publishers of early British superhero characters—characters with names like Powerman and Litening. Once I've finished on this section of the book, I'll probably get going on the next index.

I'm keeping this short as it's late and I need to get some sleep as launch day usually starts early and there are lots of things to do that will keep my brain racing. Unfortunately, I'm of an age now where it's not the excitement that gets me up so early but my bladder. If you don't know what I mean, just wait a few years.

• 7 Oct. As part of downthetubes' celebration of Commando's 6,000th issue, Jeremy Briggs has interviewed some of the creators of the series, beginning with Ferg Handley. "[Ramsey's Raiders] was originally intended to be a mini-series, but I ended up writing a chronological series which took us up to the end of World War Two. There then followed some stories taking place post-war, such as in Korea.
• 23 Sep. Down the Tubes begins serialising a feature by Barrie Tomlinson, 'It's Only a Comic!''', written twenty or so years ago. "For over 25 years, I was Roy of the Rovers‘ best friend. I made him a star. A national institution! Together, we had a ball. And it wasn’t just a football, it was an adventure like no other!" 
• 21 Sep. The Off Panel podcast interviews Rob Williams about Judge Dredd's new future and how to make a career out of writing comics. (video, 1h 22m)
• 21 Sep. David Brazier celebrates the 50th anniversary of Captain Britain with a look back over the various iterations of the character, from his American origins to the stellar reimaginings of David Thorpe, Alan Moore and Alan Davis.
• 17 Sep. The Gordan Knot that is the history of Marvelman / Miracleman has another twist added to it as David Colton has been introduced in Avengers@ Armadeddon #4 as the new Miracleman. Previously he had appeared in Captain America as the titular character, but the new tale by Chip Zdarsky, Delio Diaz and Frank Alpzar reveals that the source of Colton's mysterious powers was Miracleman.
• 26 Aug. Garth Ennis and John McCrea are re-teaming on a horror one-shot, The Snail. "It might be said that a talking snail is not the best source of life guidance, but given the scum and villainy people are taking advice from nowadays, perhaps it’s no worse than any of the other options?"
• Smash Pages interview Darryl Cunningham's change of pace with his latest graphic novel, John of the Night. "I got tired of the constraints of non-fiction. I’ve always been an imaginative person, and I found that fact-based books didn’t allow me to run with my imagination the way I wanted to."
• 20 Aug. The personal comic collection of Marvelman artist, the late Garry Leach, has been put up for sale through Book Palace, including many silver age Marvel and DC gems.
• 14 Aug. Roger Langridge discusses his career and early years of cartooning in New Zealand. "I arranged an appointment to bring in my portfolio and show [Peter Hogan] my work, which was a thing you could do then – but, on the day of the appointment, I showed up at the office only to be told that Peter had just been fired. But Steve MacManus, editor of the Judge Dredd Megazine at that point, very kindly agreed to see me instead."
• 12 Aug. Nick Abadzis discusses his and Angela Watson's autobiographical graphic novel My Beloved Other. "I got into comics professionally when I began working in comics retail in London when I was nineteen, and eventually this led to me hearing about a job through a friend as a color separator at Marvel Comics UK (back when Marvel had a British office, which dates me. This was 1987.). Marvel UK was a kind of university of comics where they taught you the House of M way of making comics."
• 12 Aug. Image have announced that they will be publishing Ghost Drive Station by Warren Ellis, five years after promising not to publish a new Ellis comic until he made amends with victims of his sexual misconduct. The supernatural story is drawn by Lordess Foudre. Ellis has admitted that he hurt people deeply and has said that he is "ashamed of these mistakes." However, Katie West of So Many of Us has said "I’m grateful to everyone who was wondered if Warren has ‘made amends to the satisfaction of all involved.’ It shows me solidarity and care are widespread within comics. I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied, but I also would say I am no longer personally invested in Warren’s transformation.” Ellis has responded with a further statement.
• 31 Jul. Alan Moore crouches in the long grass. "In the Long London Quintet, I decided to investigate the last 50 years of the 20th century as a way of finding out how we got here in the 21st century. So I thought it would be good to set a book in each of the decades. I set the first book in 1949 —that seemed like a good place to start, because London had been obliterated; it was a tabula rasa, a blank slate, nobody knew what was going to happen."
• 30 Jul. Interview: Garth Ennis. "Comic book legend Garth Ennis joins Collectors Confessions to discuss his newest AHOY Comics series, BABS: The Black Road South! We dive into creating Babs, balancing fantasy and satire, working with artist Jacen Burrows, and why this world was worth revisiting. We also explore Garth's incredible career, including Preacher, The Boys, Punisher, Hitman, Hellblazer, war comics, horror, comedy, and what continues to inspire one of the most influential writers in modern comics." (video, 54m)
• 21 Jul. "Without A1 and Deadline, we might be in an entirely different place in comics." Two legendary publications combine. "Bringing together two legendary comics titles from the late 20th century in one package, A1 Deadline is an anthology that both builds on the past and looks to the future." Coincidentally — because, like A1, it was also edited by Dave Elliott — Penthouse Comix is also being relaunched.
• 13 Jul. Liam Sharp is among the winners of this year's Inkwell Awards Sharp won the All-In-One Award (Favorite artist known for inking his/her own pencils) and said on Facebook "Huge thanks to Bob Almond for creating and organizing these awards, and all those who voted for me - I had some incredibly stiff competition from people I truly admire!"
• 5 Jul. Alan Davis looks back on the anniversary of Frank Bellamy's death and offers some fascinating insights into Bellamy's use of photographs and his mastery of storytelling.
• 1 Jul. Scientific study shows that your brain prefers that you read comics on paper rather than on screens. "Regions at the front of the brain associated with language processing, narrative integration, and difficult mental tasks lit up less in the on-paper contingent. This suggests their brains were working less hard to recall events from the first half of the story and mentally connect them with what they read later."
• 1 Jul. The suit againt Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer filed by Scarlett Pavlovich that was dismissed last October, a motion upheld by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Pavlovich's allegations occurred in New Zealand, and the court decided NZ was the more appropriate venue for any dispute.