Tops and Bottoms – 2nd July 2025.

For historical context – yes, it is freakin’ hot.

Enough of that.

It’s been an active comics week for me. Lots of comics through the door and over the counter have been emptying my wallet. I’ve jumped feet first into an Italian comics addiction (more of that below) and rage quit eBay when I discovered that Epicenter Comics don’t ship to the UK. I also had an unconnected rant ready to roll out, but after the length you got last week (easy) I’m saving it for another time.

Podcasts have been fast and sexy, buckle up.

First up was Episode 176 of the Never Iron Anything Comics podcast. I was joined by Alan Henderson and Eamonn Clarke (Click on their names for all the details) to chat about the UK’s greatest underground comics creator – Hunt Emerson. But, not only the dirty head shop spinner racks of the Underground he also keeps his inky pen in with kids comics, conspiracy theory magazines and the odd (quite odd) gentleman’s magazine. Have a listen by clicking right here or going to the home page of the NIA site. 

Whilst over at ACP we had the publisher from Hibernia Comics, David McDonald on for a chat about his ongoing reprint and fanzine projects. A man with a big passion for those long out of print British comics stories, full of violence and excitement.

Some of the younger folks reading this and those from overseas probably won’t realise how popular comics used to be in the UK. Every kid read at least a couple and sales of each weekly were in the millions. Do yourself a favour, go pick something up from his site here and then listen to him talk about them here. 

Couple of mainstream comics this week hitting the ‘Top’ and ‘Bottom’ of my reading pile this week.

Reprint of Italian Comics this week.

I could rant about the Sergio Bonella Editore characters being left out in the cold when it comes to English language reprints but I won’t. Instead, go buy something. ‘Zagor’. It feels abnormal and as if it came out of a weird 1972 paperback novel. Part mystical, but all action adventure. It has a whiff of some forgotten age of cartooning. But still reads as fun and fast-paced. Cheap as chips if bought from Forbidden Planet. 

Tops.

Yes, I know this was last week’s too. But this new issue is even better. Stan Sakai played with some themes of religion and mortality here. With a sensitivity that to some may defy the simpler cartooning style. Always to be picked up!

Bottoms.

Not a bad cover?

Didn’t mention the ‘Friendship Festival’ did it??!! I’m off to find something with grown up emotions and that doesn’t make me want to vomit quite so much.

Not everything can be perfect.

See you next week, and thanks for reading.