British Comics

Saw this last week in Settle - they have a pot festival with loads of characters created out of plant pots.

In a forgotten and overlooked corner of the sprawling BBC website is BBC Cult and it includes a section on British comics including history of various parts of the field and example comics, including a DR and Quinch story from Alans Moore and Davis.

Whizzer and Chips was my favourite comic, but which side were you on?

Originally running from 1966 through 1971, Smash! was a weekly comic book anthology with a special place in British comics history — it was the original UK home for Marvel comics, with the American publisher licensing out characters like the Hulk and the Fantastic Four to Oldhams Press before establishing its own UK publishing arm in the 1970s. (DC did something similar; early issues of Smash! actually included both the Hulk and Batman reprints, as unlikely as that might seem now.)

This new incarnation of Smash! sees writer Paul Grist create a storyline that draws together some classic British adventure comics characters — including The Steel Claw, Janus Stark, and Jane Bond (yes, Jane Bond: she’s a British spy from '60s anthology Tina) to deal with the threat of the Syndicate of Crime, and its leader the King of Crooks.

The Beano, the world's longest-running comic, has marked its 85th anniversary with guest appearances from Adele, Stormzy and Harry Styles.

The commemorative issue, out on Wednesday, also includes depictions of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The guests were drawn after 3,000 children - aged seven to 14 - were asked in a poll which celebrities they would like to see in cartoon form.

Sir David Attenborough, Lewis Hamilton and Jill Scott all appear too.

Footballer Marcus Rashford is in there as well after being voted as the most inspirational celebrity, while TV presenting duo Ant and Dec topped the list of famous people that youngsters would invite to their birthday party.

Spider-Man actor Tom Holland and Manchester City player Phil Foden also figured highly on the list of celebrities that they would like to be best friends with.

Since the Beano launched in Dundee in 1938, more than 4,000 issues have been printed featuring around 700 characters, such as Dennis [the Menace] and Gnasher, the Bash Street Kids and Billy Whizz.

Colin Maxwell, 51, has been awarded a Scots Language Publication Grant from the Scottish Book Trust after successfully pitching 'The Dunfermline Story'.

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A big aspect of the book is that it will be written in Scots with an English translation and perhaps even a glossary so that readers can expand their knowledge of the language.

Got any interest comics, graphic novels, trade paperbacks, etc on the go? Then let us know.

From Broken Frontier:

A 2-part miniseries where 31 British-associated comics creators, editors, publishers, shop owners, academics, journalists, and community organizers discuss British comics and its community from the past and present.

• Part 1
• Part 2

Makes sense to start with a documentary (or two) about British comics and this is a great one.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3