Merry Christmas – and Strawjack: The Terror of Romney Marsh Part Eight, too!

I’m scaling down for the festive season a little earlier than usual, so Merry Christmas, All! And a Happy New Year!

My thanks to Maxim Šimić (artist on Escape from New York, and Mitch etc) for this year’s Downthetubes card, art featured on an issue of STRIP Magazine which I edited back in 2013. I’ve paid him for using this as this year’s eCard.

I’m sure Doctor Who fans among you will appreciate the reference. “Crucible” characters designed by Smuzz; “Black Ops Extreme” characters by PJ Holden.

Enjoy the festive season, be kind out there, and recharge folks! You all deserve it!

Now to our “normal” programming… another slice of Strawjack – The Terror of Romney Marsh, a steampunk-tinged graphic novel by Keith Page, steeped in piracy, smuggling and general skullduggery! With his permission, I’m republishing it here on Substack, leading into an initial subscriber only publication of the second Strawjack adventure, “Figgerty’s Gallop” next year.

Available now in print and digitally, Strawjack: The Terror of Romney Marsh is written and illustrated by Keith Page, lettered by Robin Jones and edited by John Freeman, with invaluable support from David Hailwood and a smashing series logo created by Jim Campbell (who we are fervently wishing all the best after his accident at Thought Bubble).

Strawjack: The Terror of Romney Marsh is the creation of Keith Page. Inspired by the great British comics artists of the past such as Frank Hampson, Don Lawrence and Joe Colquhoun, he’s worked full-time in comics and illustration for almost 30 years. Subjects have ranged from television-related material such as Thunderbirds, science fiction, and war stories of all periods for Commando.

Keith is also the creator of several The Adventures of Charlotte Corday projects, some available online as well as those previously released in print. His published works also include The Casebook of Bryant and May: The Soho Devil, written by Christopher Fowler, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, written with Stephen Walsh, the story of comedian Tony Hancock, published by B7 Comics.

• Strawjack – The Terror of Romney Marsh is available now from Crucible Comic Press, from AmazonUK, in print and as a digital edition | Paperback: ‎44 pages | ISBN-13 9798531575012| Also available from Amazon.com

• Find out more about The Adventures of Charlotte Corday | Read the stories for free on Tapas

• You can find out about other Crucible Comic Press titles here on downthetubes

Declaration: Crucible Comic Press is owned by John Freeman, editor and publisher of downthetubes | Strawjack is © 2025 Keith Page