downthetubes News Round Up - Friday 7th February
Out and About
Before I launch into this week’s downthetubes catch-up post I’m going to start with some comic shop recommendations – this time, for Lancaster, my home town, since I had chance to drop in on both shops this week, for the first time in a while!
First Age Comics on Moor Lane, Lancaster has had a mini-makeover since I last visited and alongside its American comics there’s some great British vintage material on sale, too. Mark and Lucy Braithwaite also host regular WhatNot auctions online, well worth checking out.
It was also great to catch up with Matt Simmons, who runs ZineFreak in the Assembly Rooms on King Street. Matt focuses almost entirely on the sale of small press and indie comics and has a range of material that will remind some readers of the heady days of Fast Fiction at Westminster Comic Marts in the 1980s, and Smallzone, which was run by Scratch Comics publisher Shane Chebsey. I ran an item on ZineFreak last year, if you’re curious!
And now, the news…
NEW COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS
• DC Thomson 2026 annual covers revealed – 90 years of “Oor Wullie” and “The Broons” celebrated
Cover reveals for next year’s annuals from the Dundee-based publisher
• Second Sight Publishing and Dark Horse Comics announce new horror anthology, “Shook! Songs of the Dark Sirens”
A new volume of horror comics featuring a cadre of award-winning women creators and artists of colour
• Crowdfunding Spotlight: Captain Wylde & The Headless Mariner
Necromancy! Sea-monsters! Flying ships! Clockwork hands!
CREATING COMICS
• Jan Strnad and Dennis Fujitake’s “Dalgoda” finally collected
US publisher About Comics has released an omnibus collection of the marvellous SF strip Dalgoda by Jan Strnad and Dennis Fujitake, first published in the 1980s by Fantagraphics.
• ComicScene Podcast launches with ILYA, Sebastian Chow and more
Catch a gathering of comic creators talking about their craft
• Crowdfunding Spotlight: “In Between the Trees”, the story of two women who fell in love in the most unexpected place
The latest comic from German publisher Moom Comics, currently seeking backing on Kickstarter, tells the story of two women who fell in love in the most unexpected place – a cult.
EVENTS NEWS
• Tickets on sale for UK Marvel Studios’ The Infinity Saga Concert Experience concerts
The opening night in London has sold out, but there are plenty of other dates around the UK
THIS WEEK’S MOST POPULAR POST…
Since I’ve scheduled this issue a little ahead of publication I might be being a bit previous, as we say here, but right now, the news that Rebellion are to publish new adventures from the Trigan Empire, written by Michael Carroll with art by Tom Foster, has been the runaway most popular item on site this week.
The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, created by writer Mike Butterworth and artist Don Lawrence, and is to get its first, stunning-looking new chapter in more than 40 years with New Adventures from the Trigan Empire, launching in November from Rebellion. Find out more here!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
John Freeman
From a hidden location not involving penguins. Honest.
