Tops and Bottoms – 16th December 2025. – Never Iron Anything

Welcome back.

“There is always a philosophy for lack of courage.” – Albert Camus.

What an awful week. I think you’ll probably agree.

There is a distinct lack of what was once called ‘Conventional thinking’. This can be viewed as possibly both a good and a bad turn of a page in this history textbook. But, its place has been taken often by a freakishly outlandish crowd-sourced and uttered proudly unconventional thinking. A style of false-think designed to draw attention and somehow flatter only those weaponising it. So many spring to mind. But it’s the widespread antisemitism that seems one of the most twisted in our current world.

A week before the awful scenes in Australia I witnessed and intervened on two separate incidents on the same late night Northern Line tube journey. In a packed tube I was the only person to act, albeit (fortunately) verbally, when a very elderly Jewish couple faced anger and abuse through prejudice. I’m sadly used to conflict but that journey stayed with me, ran around my mind for a long 48 hours. Then a week later…

Recently, I’ve heard people say that antisemitism doesn’t exist. Even in the odd moment make shameless and heartbreakingly incorrect claims about the Holocaust. People I’ve long known. People I’ve broken bread with. People I’ve supported. People in comics. People who chose a side in a bloody conflict faraway and so think they must disbelieve anything that paints any Jew anywhere (else) as a victim. The faces of the stoic couple on that tube tell me otherwise. There’s a wave of what some believe to be righteous anger leading to prejudice sweeping London and elsewhere in the so-called ‘free west’. They’re wrong. Massively and criminally wrong.

Stop it.

For fucks sake.

I considered leaving this week’s column there. But I guess that people could use something brighter in their day.

So onwards we drive shifting quickly in our gears.

Small Press Comic of the Week.

Mike Sedaket is not only a buddy of mine, a member of the much-missed ‘That Comic Smell’ podcast but also in his daily life a Zoologist. He makes fun little comics. They are full of positivity and enthusiasm. His living room table to my hands. This is why comics can brighten your day right here. He also tells me that he is rubbish at sales and PR so watch this space for a place you can buy a copy.

Tops.

I opted for a couple of variants of ‘Rook: Exodus’ issue 9. (The above cover by artist Derek Kirk Kim). Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok and Brad Anderson continue to show the rest of comics how it is done. The world of Rook is dying and he and his team think they may have a plan to kick-start it. But some spiders are in their way!

Bottoms.