Tops and Bottoms. – 26th of November 2025. – Never Iron Anything

(Posted a little earlier).

“Man, sometimes it takes you a long time to sound like yourself.”—Miles Davis.

Most people missed out on ‘Doctor Who Day’ this year. (If we can ignore the rather out of place RTD posting.) I know it’s not exactly comics but it’s adjacent. 62 years of some ups and downs but there’s some gold out there well worth a rewatch. (Below is a panel from the brilliant ‘Junkyard Demon’ by Mick McMahon (artist) and Steve Parkhouse (writer) for the UK weekly that was later coloured for a US release. Glorious isn’t it.)

The gates are open. We’re committed to the week. Work is not nearly done and it’s too early to wish for that weekend.

It’s Wednesday. Like it or not. And this crap is back in your mailbox.

Apologies, I was feeling bitter. Work has been relentless. Friends are ill and I’ve been back to the dentist. I’m a victim of a literal short, sharp and shaky shock. But comics are ever present in one form or other and in a sliding scale of well made to badly I read so many. I’m settling in to a few new habits. Reading the pile in the mornings and listing at the weekends. I’ve always enjoyed a coffee and a half hour before work begins and fitting in some comics works with perfection. There are so many to get to and at my age so little time. The CLZ listing continues at a pace. I’ve just got to the 10k mark and still not ventured into the ‘Longbox Room’. This may take years.

To us collectors the organisation can mean a lot. Should I feel ashamed that not all are bagged or bagged AND boarded? I’m trying to plastic-protect the valuable ones but the others are just free and wild. Stacked into short and fun runs and slowly added into themed collects in specific longboxes. Biro notes on the lids. Time passes differently in the ‘Comics Room/s’. Six hours feels like minutes even without headphones and a handy playlist/podcast/audiobook. No voices penetrate this area, no knocks at the door or phone ringing. Honestly, it couldn’t be more fun.

Can I draw your timely attention to a couple of Kickstarters by friends?

First up is ‘Hellbreaker’. Pat Mills, Ian Ashcroft, Ken Reynolds and George McDonald have one of the best comics of the year available on Kickstarter right here! The deluxe version containing an extra short story is only available through the length of the campaign so don’t wait for it to hit the shelf!

Also climbing the charts is the third volume of ‘Vyper’! Formed masterfully with the idiosyncratic action-based eye of Dan Butcher. This is a comic that deftly captures the action-comedy satire target it aims at. Funny, fun and exciting in equal measure. Dan’s best so far.

And don’t forget that this is coming soon. Full details to be announced soon.

Let’s get back to recommends and anti-recommends!

Tops.

Far more than the Punisher ‘Homage’ it may appear to be. This creates a wacky world and lampoons those annoying self-help gurus and people with ‘LOVE. LIVE. LICK’ signs in their livings rooms. Josh has created a villain SO annoying that capital letters do not do them justice! This is one of three so jump on now before the first one becomes too hard to find.

Bottoms.