Tops and Bottoms – 4th March 2025.

Hey!

Looks like all that awards nonsense are being rolled out. We just had the most underwhelming Oscars I’ve witnessed and I also got through the ballot from the Eisners. The cool seems to have been turned down and the cringe up. But I voted for those I felt deserved the award and ignored the rest. It was nice to see a couple of under appreciated artists in the list. We’ll see right. 

Meanwhile and never likely to win any kind of award but from folks I’m proud to be involved creatively with is the imminent Tribute Press Spring Catalogue. Three comics and one book of solid advice(ish). We’ll be seeing the return of some old favourites and some new characters. There is also a chance that you will witness the return of a certain grumpy barbarian who started all this. You can sign up to be notified here and the Kickstarter drops on Friday night. 

Over at the ACP this week we have a Three Amigos Episode. We review and recommend loads of comics as well as shouting out events and new releases in the small press world. We also go deep on a couple of big subjects. Firstly the assertion that we only get well written villains these days and not heroes. Then, the biggie, how do you separate the art and the artist? Should you? Can you? From the overreaction against Ed Piskor to a period of under-reaction to Neil Gaiman we talk and have strong personal opinions about it all. See if you agree and let us know your thoughts. 

Again, on to the task I have decided to roll out once a week. Where I list the tops and bottoms of my reading pile. You may not agree, I don’t care.

Small Press Comic of the Week.

‘The Hall of the Mad Maggot King’ from Buck Macumba and Ugly Man Comics. An alliterative achievement that is adventurously accomplished and should be amusingly acclaimed. This is the story of mercenaries in a fantasy framework fighting and fucking (kinda). It is a new favourite. Grab your copy here.

Tops.

I had a quiet weekend for a change so decided to catch up on my Leo reading. This is the third story in the ‘Kenya’ series (the second being ‘Namibia’). Leo is co-writing with Rudolph’s and art is by Marchal with Sebastian Bouet on colours. Similar to his previous series Leo uses some great pacing and drops in shock moments that always grab me. The moment at the end of the first volume was great! My only grumble is that Cinebook print these slightly small, pushing me to seek out the larger album/hardback versions at Angouleme. 

Bottoms.

There’s a lot of this stuff out there. Easily the least favourite thing I read this week. 

I have no other words.