As regular readers might have spotted, Rusty Staples isn’t a news blog: it’s an olds blog. Here, we tend to look backwards rather than forwards. That’s mostly because there are literally many comics news websites out there, all promoting the latest releases from the Big Publishers and doing a far better job of it than I would.
But what about the independent comics that don’t have a massive multi-media company promoting them? What about the small-press comics that are created on budgets so thin that they’d crack if you attempted to spread jam on them? Or even marmalade?
Small-press and independent comics have always been around and many of them are fantastic. (Some them are not, of course, but that’s also true of the Big Press comics.) Most of the comics creators I know started out working on independent or small-press publications, myself included: it’s our school, our training ground, the place in which we hone our skills… The output of the smaller press is often raw, unpolished, savage, and spectacular, and occasionally quite avant-garde: the future is rarely forged by people who always play by the rules and follow the well-trodden paths, but instead by those who are ambivalent (or oblivious) to the rules and just want to do their own thing.
So with that in mind, plus a healthy dollop of guilt for not having done it before, I put out a call for Irish and British publishers of recent and upcoming indie and small-press comics to get in touch so that I can help spread the word.
Aces Weekly
Publisher: Aces Weekly Limited
Available: Aces Weekly website, £1 per week
Aces Weekly is an exclusively online — no printing, no paper — comic art magazine from David Lloyd (multi-award-winning artist on Night Raven, V for Vendetta, Kickback, Aliens, War Stories and much more)! Every Monday evening, serials and shorts designed specifically for your tablet, laptop, desktop — and your smart TV! — are ready to read at your command in massive, seven-week volumes featuring top talent from across the globe.
Created by comics legends David Lloyd and Bambos Georgiou (writer, artist, letterer and comics super-fan who’s worked on 2000AD, Deadline, A1, Revolver and heaps of Marvel UK titles), every seven-issue volume of Aces Weekly is packed with strips and pages of extras, including character sketches, layouts, scripts and background info.
The online comic has been running for over ten years and is currently on volume 67, another massive collection of superior serials and shorts of up to 150 pages, including Extras, coming right at you through cyberspace in 7 weekly chunks for just £1 per week, in any currency, which also acquires the next volume, then the next, then… well, you get the idea. It just keeps going. £1 per week. You read that right!
Volume 67 features the dark debut of Cain from Roberto Goiriz; Serraq from Chris Geary; The Whale House from Andrew Cheverton and Timothy Stephen Keable; the nutty Drell’s Marauders from Gary Whitlock; the extraordinary Lazarus from Paco Vilchez Barea; and the amazing Grace’s Imaginary Menagerie from Ryan Taylor. Fun, thrills, murder and psychedelia — yeah, the same stuff we give you every time at the usual bargain price! AND you’ll get to see the winner of our Psycho Gran Colouring Competition!
We’re at www.acesweekly.co.uk and we await you.
Falcon #1
Publisher: Sentinel Publications
Available: April 2024 (estimated), £6.00
A homage to Eagle and other British anthology titles of the 1950s and 1960s, Falcon is a tabloid-sized twenty-eight page comic featuring a mixture of humorous and adventure strips (in black-and-white and colour), text stories, pin-ups and features by both new and seasoned creators.
Falcon has sprung from the minds of Ed Doyle and Alan Holloway, creators of Sentinel and Bolt-01 – A Tribute, plus a whole host of wonderful creators including Paul Spence, Stephen Matthews, Graham Puttock, Paul ‘Deadeye’ Dick, Jack Bates, Laurence Allison, Pete Howard, Rob Anthony, David Metcalfe-Carr, Morgan Gleave, Stephen White, David Hitchcock, Michael Powell, Gavin Pollock, Garry Wharton, Andy Hayes, Christoff Rodríguez, Andrea Bormida, Grant Richards, Andy Smith, Patrick Brown, Dan Pollard, Dan Goodfellow, Jo Bramley and Gary Whitlock.
At the time of this article’s posting, Falcon‘s Kickstarter campaign is still running — but it’s already surpassed its target (in fact, it reached the goal in under four hours, and has been tagged by Kickstarter as a “Project We Love”!).
Tara Togs – The Silence of Unicorns
Publisher: ComicScene
Available: Launching soon on Kickstarter
Former Oor Wullie and Broons artist Stephen White – using the name Stref — has created a 68-page all-ages graphic novel titled Tara Togs – The Silence of Unicorns.
Inspired by Tintin, Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, the story is set in Edinburgh, Scotland and was-part funded by Creative Scotland. Stref comments: “The project took three years to complete, mostly as a Covid lockdown project, in between my current ongoing work for Viz Comic.”
Tara dreams of becoming a professional photographer and her knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time lands her smack-bang in the middle of a gang of ruthless criminals and their plot to steal a valuable piece of art. Armed only with her quick wits and unfailing bravery, she sets out to bring the gang to justice. She manages to make a few friends on her adventure that can lend a helping hand. Only together do they have a chance of stopping the thieves and solving the mystery of one of the world’s greatest lost treasures.
Published by ComicScene, Tara Togs has the universal appeal of Harry Potter and is the perfect next step comic for those brought up on the Beano, Phoenix, Asterix, Monster Fun, Hilda, Bunny vs Monkey and Dog Man.
The Tara Togs Kickstarter campaign goes live on 29th February 2024, and you can get the stand alone book for only £10 (plus postage) or with additional bookplates, script pages, sketch pages, Tara Togs sketches and original artwork.
Monolith #1-#3
Publisher: Dead Universe Comics
Available: £5 per issue + £2 p&p
In 1968 Stanley Kubrick’s seminal science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey launched the career of a plucky and versatile actor called MONOLITH.
Despite being the Monolith’s only starring film role, it wasn’t the only role Monolith tried out for. Presented here are a selection of the many movies and TV shows that Monolith auditioned for but sadly didn’t get.
“It’s truly a beautiful thing. Funny, daft, surreal. The artwork is sublime. I love it!” — Tony Husband, cartoonist & writer (Private Eye, The Yobs, co-founder of Oink!)
“I thought Monolith was brilliant. I laughed out loud several times.” — Davey Jones, cartoonist & writer (Viz, Gilbert Ratchet, Major Misunderstanding)
Created, written and drawn by David Leach, Monolith is a three-issue series available now from Dead Universe Comics. E-mail: info@deaduniversecomics.com.
Dead Universe Comics, Bourbon Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 2PZ, UK
01296 706500
Shaman Kane #10
Publisher/Creator: David Broughton
Available from dbroughton@hotmail.co.uk, £5.00 + p&p
Who is Shaman Kane?
Problems with those pesky Poltergeists, maybe it’s a Vampire infestation or a Zombie plague outbreak to deal with? Then look no further, contact licenced occult operative and supernatural entity termination specialist Shaman Kane. Making the galaxy a safer place for living beings everywhere.
In Shaman Kane issue #10 — written and drawn by David Broughton — Kane is unofficially reinstated into the Shaman order only to be transported to a secret Shaman facility which is under attack from evil forces.
“Shaman Kane has been a favourite among the various 2000AD-inspired small-press comics. David’s artwork impressed from the very beginning, and it has been a real pleasure to see it improve steadily with each issue.” — Peter Duncan, editor of Sector 13, Belfast’s 2000AD fanzine.
“David Broughton is one of the best in the small press world, and every book of his is a must read.” — Ben Willsher, Judge Dredd and 2000AD artist.
“Dave Broughton has created an unashamed bash ’em up sci-fi action comic. It is a great read and has a superb grasp of action and mood.” — Antony Esmond, The Awesome Comics Podcast.
“I always enjoy the intrinsically British, 2000AD-influenced quirkiness of Shaman Kane, which come with more than a dash of Jack Kirby-inspired universe-spanning craziness, to boot. If you like your space opera frisky and feisty, this series is most definitely for you.” — John Freeman, DownTheTubes comic book news website.
32 pages including cover, U.S. Size format, full colour.
Whapp! Super Holiday Special
Publisher: Sector 13 Comics
Available: April 2024, initially Kickstarter, then available from Sector 13 website
Whapp!, Splank! and Yow! are a trio of comics produced in aid of the NHS Together Charity. Based loosely on the Odhams’ titles from the mid-sixties Wham!, Smash! and Pow!, they feature a mixture of both adventure and humour strips that hark back to the mixed-genre British comics of the past, with a particular emphasis on the surreal and bizarre. All three comics will be offered together as part of a Kickstarter campaign in April this year.
Whapp! Super Holiday Special will be an oversized newsprint comic, with covers and centre pages by Nigel Parkinson and stories and pin-ups by creators like Davy Francis, Andrew Richmond and Mark Bennington. We also have very special stories by Kek-W with incredible art by Jack Parsons.
Splank! Annual 2024
Publisher: Sector 13 Comics
Available: April 2024, initially Kickstarter, then available from Sector 13 website
Published in the format of an old-fashioned British Comics Annual, this 100 page-plus A4 book will have a cover by John Farrelly and a brand-new, feature-length colour strip by Oink great Davy Francis.
David Thomas and Andrew Richmond introduce “The Bogs” and we have stories from Steve MacManus, Kek-W and Mark Bennington. The award-winning Metaphrog duo give us a modern fairy tale and the team of Keith McVeigh and Joe Matthews have supplied a series of strips on the costumed crime fighting capers of Hugo Ball, founder of the Dada movement.
Other highlights include Dave Windett’s superb and surprising cold-war adventure strip and Kek-W teaming with Sector 13 artistic stand-out Cat Byrne. Watch out for a very special seasonal outing for the Cthulhu Kids with superb art by Gary Whitlock.
Yow! #1
Publisher: Sector 13 Comics
Available: April 2024, initially Kickstarter, then available from Sector 13 website
The A5 digest of the trio of titles, Yow! will feature tales specifically designed for the format. “Beef Encounter” teams writer Pete Howard with The Falcon’s Ed Doyle while The Ballad of Billy Bones teams Julius Howe with Rob Anthony, last seen in Sector 13 issue 7.
Other surprise stories are still being worked on!
Sector 13 Silent Special
Publisher: Sector 13 Comics
Available: March 2024, Sector 13 website, £5.50 (inc UK Postage)
While there will be no more regular issues of Sector 13, Belfast’s award-winning 2000 AD fanzine, the team will continue to look for special stories and themes to produce one-off issues from time to time. This ‘Silent Special’ features two stories told entirely in pictures, no dialogue, no captions, no words.
With covers by Pete Stewart and stories by George O’Shea and Torgo Wells, this 44 page, B&W, A5 digest will cost £5.50 (inc UK Postage) or, for a limited period, will come free with full sets of Sector 13 for £38 (inc UK Postage).
Anno Domini 1900 #1
Publisher: Sector 13 Comics
Available: March/April 2024, initially Kickstarter, then available from Sector 13 website. Details on the Sector 13 Comics Facebook page.
Featuring stories by 2000 AD legends Kek-W and John Smith, Anno Domini 1900 imagines what a comic of science fiction and fantasy might have looked like had it been created in 1877. With additional stories by Julia Round (author of Gothic for Girls, the definitive study of Misty comic) and the remarkable Mal Earl this A4 magazine features some of the most consistent writing in any Sector 13 comic.
Artists, Mauro Longhini, Diego Guerra (with whom we worked on a story for Heavy Metal Magazine) and Pau Scorpi bring an international flavour to the comic, while Mark Bennington adds his particularly British brand of humour.
Scott Twells is as distinctive as ever with his idiosyncratic use of colour and we introduce the team of Pete Howard and Adam Brown with the first in a series of humour strips featuring some of the most groan-inducing gags you’ve ever read. Spot illustrations by Hunt Emerson and David Hitchcock round out a package we are incredibly proud of. Final page count will be more than 48 pages with the cost yet to be decided.
Enough Nonsense
Publisher: David Robertson, Fred Egg Comics
Available: www.fredeggcomics.bigcartel.com, £5
Enough Nonsense is a one man anthology – at least as far as the writing goes. “Utterly Untrue” remembers the decades when perceived wisdom was that the Titanic sank whole. “Personal Message” sees a private email from one person to another posted online. “A Discussion regarding Equality” has a heated argument on woke ideology. “Legacy” questions why on Earth one devotes so much time and effort to making comics.
And there’s more! Enough Nonsense features thirteen different short stories written by David Robertson, with art by others (listed below), on topics such as comics writers/artists workloads, turning 18 at the turn of the decade, the meaning of professional and aspiring artists, weeding books from libraries, clocks as artwork, the effects of working two jobs, liking the wrong pop groups for your peer group, daughters growing up, the inanity of TV quizzes, moral panics, the nature of reality, Pascal’s Wager, music for kids or adults, memories of parenting, Star Wars conventions over the decades, unintentionally offensive shop signs, fridges that beep to be closed, listening to birdsong, reviews, older cats, the reality of numbers, and writers unwilling to write without payment.
Credits: Writer: David Robertson. Artists: David Robertson, Claire Brown, Peter Conrad, Clio D, Zu Dominiak, Joan Edam, Helena Edwardson, Andy Hanks, Donna Hart, Paddy Johnston, Marc KZ, Tim Kelly, Stuart McAdam, Francesca Mancuso, Norrie, Neil Paterson, Iestyn Pettigrew, Neil Scott, Mike Sedakat, Tom Stewart, Andrew Strachan, Vedabredda, and Cherish York.
Format: 5.83” x 8.27”, Colour / black & white, 40 pages
Shokwave Book 4
Publisher: Kult Creations
Available: Kickstarter campaign or Shokwave blog, March 2024
Shokwave is an American sized, square-bound, 48-page, colour and black-and-white anthology comic. Each issue features a quartet of ten-page strips and support material written by John A. Short and with art by some of the best artists working in UK comics at the moment…
“Nosferatu II” – The sequel to 1922’s silent horror movie classic drawn by award-winning artist David Hitchcock! Eighty years after Count Orlok terrorised the German city of Wisborg, a scholar of the occult comes into the possession of his ashes. What Wolfgang Von Krueger doesn’t know is that the Cult of Orlok are working towards the reincarnation of the nosferatu!
“Anna Key” – A crazy alien adventure with full colour art by ‘Switchblade Stories’ Chris Askham! Alien thief, Anna, tricks her way into the job of sheriff on a deep-space way-station and finds herself trying to fix the ever increasing chaos her laziness and inexperience generate.
“The Clock Strikes!” – A revival of the first masked hero from Golden-Age comicbooks drawn in noir style by Longpig‘s Adam Jakes! A man with no face stalks the criminal underworld of 1930s New York. Urban legend has it that he’s an avenging ghost or maybe even Death himself having swapped his scythe for twin automatics.
“Resistors” – A slick, near-future tale of a robot rebellion brought to life by Fantagraphic’s artist Richard Pester. Today, plus fifty years. The ever more life-like and intelligent androids are beginning to develop minds of their own. Join sex robot Jez and her synthidroid friends as they ‘resist’ a world that treats them like objects.
Each strip is in a completely different style to the others… Including noir, horror, near-future sci-fi and off-the-wall fun! The first three issues of Shokwave are still available either through the Kickstarter campaign or the blogsite. Contains grown-up stuff.
The Dunfermline Story
Publisher: Maximized Comics
Available: May 25th 2024, £10, exclusively from Little Shop of Heroes, Dunfermline for an initial period and online at www.maximized.co.uk
Dunfermline is Scotland’s newest city, with the honour bestowed by the late Queen Elizabeth for her Platinum Jubilee. It was the ancient capital of Scotland and has a long association with royalty. It is also the birthplace of industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and has been home to many musicians, actors, writers and artists (Ncuti Gatwa, the new Doctor Who, to name but one).
The Dunfermline Story illustrates some of the fascinating stories from the city’s thousand-year history, and not just the stories of the rich and famous. Inside you’ll find inventors, thieves, merchants, weavers, soldiers, witches and ghosts!
I mean, would you believe that a Dunfermline man invented a ‘walking on water machine’, or that another grew up to become the richest man in the world?
Written by Colin Maxwell, the stories are illustrated by many local artists and stalwarts of the Scottish small press and indie comic scene, as well as well-known comic artists such as Mike Collins, Vicente Alcazar, Nigel Parkinson, Lew Stringer, Anna Morozova, Dan Cornwell, Stewart Kenneth Moore, Tanya Roberts and Stephen (Stref) White.
The book is presented in the Scots language (with a translation available online) and was chosen as one of nine publications to be awarded a Scots Language Publication Grant from the Scottish Book Trust in 2023.
A4, 64 pages, colour.
Sherlock Holmes and the Empire Builders: The Gene Genie vol. 1
Publisher: Tripwire Comics
Available: 20 Jan 2024, BigCartel
Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders by Joel Meadows and Andy Bennett is an epic alternate world sci-fi adventure featuring The World’s Greatest Detective as people have never seen him before.
When Watson leaves Holmes to help 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.
The Gene Genie is a two-part oversized graphic novel. The first book includes a colour pin up section with art by Liam Sharp, Bill Sienkiewicz, Shawn Martinbrough, Frazer Irving and Barry Kitson.
“When you think there is nothing more to be said or done with Sherlock Holmes, along come Meadows and Bennett to breathe fresh life into the great detective. Bravo! I’m thoroughly enjoying this original tale!” — Michael Moorcock, fantasy writing legend (Elric, Jerry Cornelius)
“If you love Holmes you will love this, if you are new to Sherlock Holmes you could have no better introduction.” — Kelley Jones, artist, Batman
“Promises to be an intriguing twist on the classic Doyle stories, in the hands of two enthusiastic and capable creators.” — J.M. DeMatteis, writer, Justice League International, Kraven’s Last Hunt
“The game is indeed afoot! It’s no small takes to take on the works of Conan Doyle, and yet Joel and Andy had done a neat job of it. Gorgeous artwork by Andy that captures the mood and the spirit of Joel’s page turner. Enjoy it all!” — Jeph Loeb, writer Batman: The Long Halloween, producer Daredevil TV show, producer Jessica Jones
“Joel Meadows and Andy Bennett have delivered a rare treat for fans of Sherlock Holmes – tantalising new stories that stay true to the tone and aesthetic of the canon.” — Frank Quitely, Batman, All-Star Superman
Heirgloom
Publisher: TBA
Available: Late 2024/Early 2025 via crowdfunding
When the long-prophesied invasion of Granville House by Pale Mortimer and his zombie cohort finally looms imminent, it is up to the stoic Fisher to whip the Granville family into shape. Disastrous coincidences, old frolics, family secrets and festering grievances emerge among residents and staff at the most inopportune of times! Will golden child Jack’s rigorous training pay off? Will hard-boiled sister Charlotte’s potential go unnoticed? And will middle child Richard manage to lift a sword before the battle begins?
Set in the early 20th century countryside, and written by Emmet O’Brien, illustrated by Coireall Kent and lettered by Charlie Aabø, Heirgloom promises to be as gripping, gruesome and lyrical as it is hilarious.
Follow the completion of Heirgloom and future crowdfunding/publishing via the creators’ Instagram channels: O’Brien (@thinkingcog), Kent (@coireallcarrollkent) and Aabø (@charlieaabo).
Blazer #4
Publisher: The77 Publications
Available: April 2024, £5.95, The77Comic.net
Created by Steve MacManus — former Action Man from Action, 2000AD editorial droid and the launch editor of both Crisis and Judge Dredd The Megazine — as a love letter to the British weekly comics of his youth, BLAZER! has found a loyal audience amongst fans with similar, nostalgic memories of anthology titles where every issue ended with a flurry of cliff-hangers.
Replicating the format of a regular British weekly of yesteryear, Blazer! number four will be 32-pages with four pages in colour and will be shipped April, priced £5.95.
“This looks amazing! Is there a better named comic?” — Jock (Judge Dredd, The Losers, All-Star Batman, Savage Wolverine)
Lifeboat
Publisher: The77 Publications
Available: The77Comic.net, £20
The late and much-missed Ian Gibson — renowned comics artist and co-creator of Halo Jones — worked with The77 Publications to raise the funds required to see his long awaited graphic masterpiece Lifeboat become a reality.
Lifeboat‘s Kickstarter goal was reached in only 12 minutes and ultimately raised over four times its target funding! The book was subsequently published to great acclaim in 2023.
The sixty-page trade paperback contains not only the first three episodes of Ian Gibson’s long-awaited magnum opus but also an extended look at Ian’s artistic process, a foreword by John Wagner, and supplementary essays by fellow professionals who worked with Ian and knew him best.
This Comic is Haunted #3
Publisher: The77 Publications
Available: The77Comic.net, £6.95
Curated and edited by The77‘s Dave Heeley — creator of “Division ’77” and “Silver Jubilee” from The77 comic — with a spectacular art vision by master of horror Andrew Richmond, This Comic is Haunted boasts 40 pages, two incredible covers and nine stories. Price £6.95.
The77 Annual No. 2
Publisher: The77 Publications
Available: The77Comic.net, £25
The77 Annual No.2 is an old school hardback annual that will keep every avid comic reader satisfied.
Its 100+ pages are packed with strips featuring readers’ favourite characters from The77 (voted Best Indie Comic at the ComicScene Awards 2024), BLAZER!, Pandora and This Comic is Haunted plus some new ones too!
Creators include Mike Collins, Dan Cornwell, Glenn Fabry, Ian Gibson, Steve MacManus and Stephen Pugh.
“The future of British comics” — Everything Comes Back to 2000AD podcast
“The77 gets it right!” — John Higgins (Watchmen, Judge Dredd, Razorjack, Dreadnoughts)
“A tremendous achievement” — John Wagner (Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog, The Bogie Man, Star Wars: Boba Fett, Button Man)
Bigger
Publisher: Mike Armstrong
Available: mike-armstrong.com, £2 (physical edition), £1 (digital)
A small boy ventures into the forest on the trail of an unknown creature. He finds more than he bargained for… and much more than he realises.
A wordless short story about discovery, connection, and loss.
“… succinct, profoundly beautiful and beautifully profound… such heartfelt, deftly expressed insight. I found it very affecting” — Stephen L. Holland, Comics Laureate & Owner of Page 45
“… a beautiful piece of storytelling that reminds us of the bonds that tie and of the inner child in all of us, made all the more effective for its wordless presentation” — Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier
Paragon presents Bludd and Xandi Book One
Publisher: Dave Candlish
Available: PARAGONcomic.blogspot.com, £12 (includes P&P).
Paragon comic is a long-running action adventure anthology (nigh on 18 years now, with a host of now-professionals honing their talents within its pages, along with long-standing pros like Si Spencer, Shaky Kane and Phil Elliott) and this special sixty-page, A4-sized, square-bound (think Tintin book size) collection includes the full story of Bludd & Xandi Book One and a host of extras including writer’s notes, pencilled pages, pin ups and never-before-seen artwork!
It starts in a rainy diner in the middle of nowhere and every customer is slaughtered. Two celestial enforcers are sent to capture the culprit, a demon, who has escaped. It’s a rollicking adventure through heaven and hell!
Written by Mark Howard (a regular with both Paragon and Zarjaz)
Pencils by Tom Newell (now a fully fledged art droid with 2000AD)
Inks by Davey Candlish
Lettering by Jim Campbell (also a regular in 2000AD) and Filippo Roncone (Blazer, The 77)
Colours by Karen Holloway (2000AD).
With a pedigree like that, you know it’s worth buying!
Unit 666, Book One
Publisher: A joint PigDog Press/Rawhead/Warwick Fraser-Coombe publication
Available: See Facebook page
Early in 1944 the Allies have amassed a huge amount of intelligence on the Germans’ desperate attempts to turn the tide of the war using occult techniques, radical scientific breakthroughs and potentially alien technology. They create a special commando formation, Unit 666, made of up men with special skills and talents, in order to hunt down and destroy or capture these Nazi capabilities.
Unit 666 storm ashore on D-day and immediately neutralise a threat to London from one of these ‘vunderveppen’. One of the unit’s new arrivals post D-Day is a young man who may or may not be the bastard son of Churchill’s assignation with a hedge witch.
Meanwhile, in Germany, Hitler — now a half-living cyborg existing in a semi-sentient state in his cyber-bunker attended to by alien physicians — commissions a commensurate unit of his own, the Kriegsjaeger, with the mission to protect his ‘vunderveppen’ and provide a counterpoint to Unit 666. They are set on a collision course with the Allied commandos.
There will be zombies, werewolves, aliens, giant mecha, all kinds of precise historical references. Sounds like a job for Unit 666.
All scripts by Noel K Hannan, artists for strips and pin-ups: Bhuna, Warwick Fraser-Coombe, Bill Storie, Derek Gray, Lyndon Webb, Andrew Sawyers, Chris Askham, Rik Rawling, Neil McClements. Variant covers by Patrick Goddard and Steve Austin, coloured by Daz Stephens.
Unit 666 co-created by Noel K Hannan, Bhuna and Warwick Fraser-Coombe.
Once the Unit 666 Kickstarter campaign is fulfilled (March 1st latest), it will be available at £20 (UK postage, other international locations on request) from the following locations:
Noel Hannan noel@ankhdigital.co.uk
Warwick Fraser-Coombe warfras@hotmail.com
Neil Roche kingbhuna@hotmail.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Unit666.comingsoon
Chuffin’ Billy
Publisher: Rawhead
Available: Kickstarter launching 1st March 2024, publication intended for 31st March 2024, available thereafter on Amazon.co.uk. £15 approx.
HG Wells’ War of the Worlds really happened, but the true story was suppressed. The Martians opened a second front in the North of England where they were met by the BILLYs, war robots designed and built to defeat them. The war in the North took a turn at the Battle of Doncaster but almost all the Billys were lost. Many years later, in (sort of) present day Wakefield, a working Billy is unearthed by two old soldiers and they start to piece together the events which took place a century earlier…
Writer Noel K Hannan and artist John Welding have been working together since they were 15 and are now somewhere in the region of 56 or 57. Neither is entirely sure. About anything, really. The first Chuffin’ Billy story, “A Wakefield Winter’s Tale”, was published in the Shift Yearbook in 2022. This Kickstarter edition reprints that story plus its sequel, “Wakefield High Noon”, and includes a portfolio section featuring Clint Langley, Mal Earl, Ian D. Peterson, Rik Rawling, SP:Zero, Derek Gray, Ben Allen and Lyndon Webb, plus John’s sketchbook and some incredible work from the Chuffin’ archives in the shape of Philosophical Iron.
Keep an eye on the Rawhead Facebook page for the Chuffin’ Billy Kickstarter launch info!
GraffitiFish issue #1
Publisher: Gweni Press
Available: January 2024, malearl.com, £4.50
GraffitiFish is an ongoing A5, 24-page, full-colour collection of strips old and new, remastered for the modern world — written and illustrated by Mal Earl.
GraffitiFish is the first part of Mal’s Jigsaw Project, which he describes as “from comix to pulp novellas, from Steampunk to 1950s fetish, from Poetry to 70s horror tales, from psychedelia to Spaghetti Westerns… and all points in between…” and “These are the worlds within… and every one is a piece of me.”
“Beautiful! Moebius? Mahfood? McCarthy..? Maybe some Kev O’Neill… and psychedelia? People should be talking about this artist! Genuinely outstanding.” — Antony Esmond, Awesome Comics Podcast
Ghost Sails
Publisher: Emmet O’Brien / Charlie Aabø
Available: Late 2024/ Early 2025: follow the Ghost Sails Facebook page for details.
A swashbuckling saga of spirits and scoundrels who can travel to realms beyond the seven seas!
Captain Alistair Greaves, a jaded pirate, becomes aware of a supernatural solution to his boredom when the sails of his ship are replaced with ghosts! Eager to try out this eerie innovation he sets sail to the underworld for one Hell of a heist!
Presented in a larger European style Volume format, this is an old fashioned adventure tale shot through with humour and an irresistible anarchic energy!
Charlie Aabø is also working on his long running noir comedy series Jon Pay P.I. and the upcoming steampunk Western series Fuego & Brimstone (both with writer Rob X Román).
Charlie and Emmet are also involved with the upcoming Heirgloom book (see above!), and have collaborated on a sci-fi story for the book Lifesigns named “Taking its Toll.”
A note from Uncle Rusty: If this feature is well-received and generally not considered to be a terrible idea, I might do it again in the summer — so keep an eye on the blog: I’ll announce the next one in plenty of time for small-press and indie publishers to send in their details!
Rusty Staples 