Comic Advent Calendar Day 16: Christmas Means Mayhem In Downtown
by Richard Bruton
We’re back with day 16 of your Comicon Advent Calendar, our festive treat to you dear readers – 24 days of festive comics leading up to the big day…
Today, we’re going back to 1989 and Deadline Magazine, home to Tank Girl, Wired World, Johnny Nemo, Hugo Tate and so much else. But even this epitome of cool in comics felt the Christmas spirit at this time of year, so here’s the 1989 Downtown strip from (the then) young Ian Edginton and Steve Pugh in what was, if I’m right, their first series published professionally.
It’s just your everyday Christmas tale of Santa and his reindeers making the normal present run, although this being Downtown, they do have to dodge the shark-shaped gunships.
All of that means that poor old Santa finds himself upside down in a ceiling… and from there it all gets very silly indeed…
Jason Sex, God-hunk mercenary is actually based on a wonderful chap I used to work with at Birmingham’s finest comics store, Nostalgia & Comics. Both Ian and Steve were regulars and Steve obviously took great delight in including him here – and yes, it was the era of hair metal, where the music was loud, the locks were long, and the fashions were a thing all of their own.
Anyway, back to the story… and it’s all getting a little out of control, something the cast are beginning to realise…
So, what are they to do when they smell a rat messing with what was meant to be a nice, normal Christmas tale… well, you take it right to those who’re meant to be in control of it… Messrs Edginton and Pugh…
