Thinking About Christmas Already? It’s The Treasury Of British Comics Annual
by Richard Bruton
Celebrating the finest of comics past and present, The Treasury Of British Comics Annual 2024 brings classics from the past and soon-to-be classics of the now to a Christmas stocking near you this year.
I don’t know if it was a thing in American households but in Britain of old, the Christmas annual was a tradition for practically every child. Talk to any of us of a certain age and we’ll go all misty-eyed over the hardback annuals featuring our favourite comics, TV shows, movies, sports stars, and so many other subjects that would appear under the Christmas tree and be devoured while the family was arguing over the turkey.
It’s a tradition that continues to this day, as kids find The Beano, Dandy, and many others available in shops before Christmas and, if they’re lucky and their parents want to continue the old tradition, under the tree at Christmas. And this year the Treasury of British Comics is joining in with a hardback collection of new and old strips celebrating the very best of Brit comics.
Arriving on 8th November in the traditional hardcover, the Treasury of British Comics Annual will arrive just in time for the festive period – take your pick from a retail edition with a cover by Henry Flint and an edition exclusive to the Treasury of British Comics webshop featuring a cover by David Roach.
Inside the pages, there’s material from historic titles of old, including Lion, Starlord, Misty, Action, Wham!, Scream!, Smash!, Battle and Valiant. And the talent includes Brian Bolland, Joe Colquhoun, Steve Dillon, Pat Mills, and Leo Baxendale.
As far as the new material, Simon Furman brings together two of Britain’s greatest characters – The Leopard from Lime Street and The Spider – against each other. Artists David Roach and Mike Collins bring the action to the page as young Billy Farmer comes up against the inventive but ruthless master criminal and anti-hero.
Then there’s the return of Alec Worley and DaNi’s Black Bess and another quest to punish evildoers, complete with more of DaNi’s incredible artwork that evokes the work of master artist Sergio Toppi.
And finally, on the Eastern Front in the dying days of World War Two, Sergeant Holstein and his battle-hardened unit of men (and one mighty beast) face off against cutthroat Cossacks in Gustav of the Bearmacht by Kek-W and Staz Johnson.
The Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 is published by The Treasury of British Comics on 8th November 2023
