Tops and Bottoms – May 7th 2025.

Good Day!

It’s been a quieter week in my comics life over the last seven days or so. A strategically timed trip to the comic shop on Sunday avoided the chaos of Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) on the 3rd. Very kindly, Gosh Comics put aside the DC and Marvel offerings for me. They weren’t all that bad. There were a couple of others I was curious about but a scan of EBay reveals some stupidly priced offerings that I’ll be avoiding for a while. Sometimes comic sellers have no shame. 

The ACP this week is the start of AMAYGO month. Which translates to it just being us three for a whole month. It went off the camp site straightaway. We were a little excited. Do not google ‘Shanghai Shotgun’. 

I’ve also taken a kind of Lent promise for May. Partially prompted by the repeat feelings that Vince and I made on the recent ACP and mostly because of my own old man fuckery. There are three phrases I’m going to stop using when talking about/describing/mentioning/reviewing/recommending comics. It is my belief that using these terms can diminish the ability to distribute and sell to the common man or woman. Comics should be the medium available to everyone. This is bound to wind up the usual schoolgirls, so buckle up.

First up is the big offender – ‘Graphic Novel’. A much overused descriptor that does nothing to encourage sales to Joe Public and everything to allow the pompous and posh to show cultural superiority. It always makes my guts tie up when I say it. ‘Big Comics’ may now be my go to for the rest of the year. 

‘All Ages Comics’. An innocent phrase that has been twisted to allow adult men and women to run about screaming at MCM. Most of it is for kids, or used to be. Then the writers and artists started putting ‘big people gags’ in there as a little wink. Then every kids comic and cartoon had jokes about 40 year old movies or serial killers or politicians (or Golf!) etc. As a parent of a dude who was once a toddler and back then if a comic I was considering buying for him said ‘All Ages’ I’d put it back on the shelf. Leave some comics for the kids (see bottoms later).

‘Graphic Medicine’ (see above for intended superiority – this time with a pseudo academic slant.) I’ve never heard such nonsense in my life. If it’s a comic about a Doctor, or a nurse or healthcare – then just say that for fucks sake. Try and give it a sales reach outside of certain shelves in University town bookshops? People can be such self-important pretentious bellends. 

Let’s get on with some Tops and Bottoms. This week again with a little twist. 

Indie Book of the Week.

So well crafted by Howard Chaykin as a men’s adventure comic it massively made me realise what should be being done in comics elsewhere. I got this through a Zoop crowdfunding project but fully expect it to be on the shelves elsewhere soon. Grab it. 

Tops.

A series will often creep under the radar and get ignored by the so-called comics press. This is a big example of some solid storytelling and art. Done with an ear to fun dialogue and drawn with style and momentum. It would be nice if Marvel did a trade but who knows these days. It was just five issues. Well worth looking for cheaply.

Bottoms.

What kid is interested in golf? I warned you. This came up from someone who followed me on X. I’m rarely on there but this easily made my least favourite comics read of the week.

That’s it for this week. Stay safe. 

And thanks for reading.