Tops and Bottoms 5th February 2025

It creeps into the bones right?

The cold I mean. I’ve had enough already. I was on the motorway this morning at 4am. Having scraped the ice off the windscreen and thinking ‘Enough is Enough!’

It won’t be. My seasonal angriness won’t affect the clouds above my car. And likewise as we walk in to another week of shabby comic releases and terrible treatment of the customers who buy the books and hold up the so-called industry the world just continues to get frostier.

My Saturday was spent avoiding a load of bellends at Waterloo and watching a screening of the new treatment of ‘Spearhead from Space’. Followed by a session of chatting in the bar at the BFI. It made up for the earlier feelings of exasperation at attempts to actually buy some comics I wanted. It’s OK though, I keep being told that there is no problem with the Comics Industry and I should stop worrying. Diamond distribution anyone? Anyone?

Sunday night turned into a pleasant highlight of the week. Not only did I get to spend a couple of hours with my boys Vince and Dan but we were also joined on Episode 501 by comics writer Joseph Sieracki. A nicer dude you couldn’t hope to meet and he’s also part of a few teams putting out some super interesting work. Go have a look here. 

Moving onwards. What follows is a quick run through the comics I enjoyed this week and the ones I didn’t. It’s got me noting that most of the bottoms recently have been Marvel or DC. Companies that are not just completely losing the quality race, but sometimes I think haven’t even heard the starter pistol. It’s the same this week. Unsurprisingly.

Small Press Comic of the Week.

Great care package from Ugly Man Comics arrived with a hand from my overworked postman. I’m working my way through them and they are all raising a smile. What else do you need? Go have a look for yourself right here. 

Tops.

It’s been a Finnish Age since Dragon made the ‘Tops’ here. I’ll admit to a small slice of disillusionment over his ‘point to prove’ cover a while back. (Don’t make me and my wallet part of your stupid internet argument) But this weekend I was sat in a London cafe waiting for some buddies and reading the pull pile. NOTHING (yes, capitals) was closing in of the competent for me (see below). I was moaning on to Dan on WhatsApp when SG floated to the top of the new read pile. My last nerve on my last hope. And it came through with stars. Big kick-offs, great art, maybe a death and an all-round 100 pages of superb new and old material. 

Bottoms.

Speaking of low points. This under-cooked nonsense was complimented by a text page that was barely legible and a professional graphic designer’s bad dream! I got F all out of this crap. Wolverine has a full mask and the script and art did not make up for their being shit-all story worth reading. The Ultimate Universe seems to be a range of one stinker after another. Avoid. 

Many thanks for reading.