The Sunday Spotlight – The ‘You’ve Been Speaking When You Should Have Been Running’ Edition
by Richard Bruton
It’s Sunday, which means it’s about time I give you a little glimpse into just some of the comics news I’ve seen this week. Why, that would be The Sunday Spotlight…
LAUNCHING SOON ON ZOOP – 50-ODD YEARS OF BIG NOSES BY HUNT EMERSON…
One of Britain’s finest cartoonists, Hunt Emerson, has been making comics for more than 50 years now. To mark the occasion, journalist and writer Rory Milne contacted him for an interview. Well, said interview turned into many interviews, which covered so much ground that they’ve decided that there’s a books’ worth of material in what they had been talking about.
And that’s how 50-Odd Years of Big Noses came about. It’s a journey through the life and work of Emerson, from the early days in the 70s, all the way through to the present day, taking in the likes of Large Cow Comix, Brainstorm Comix, his work with Knockabout Comics through the years, Calculus Cat, Firkin the Cat, Jazz Funnies, loads of work for the Fortean Times, working for the Beano… all of it so good. Hunt’s promising plenty of comix and illustrations to be included in the book, including many rare pieces.
Right now, the book’s got a launch page sign-up on crowdfunding site Zoop, which you should all be entering those email addresses into.
SLAINE: THE HORNED GOD STORYTELLING TOUR BY JASON BUCK – JAN-MAR 2026…
Pat Mills and Simon Bisley‘s Sláine: The Horned God is the sort of mythic tale that used to be told and retold around campfires over a flagon of something warm and alcoholic. So, it’s somewhat fitting that their essential tale of Sláine, of ‘ancient Celtic heroes and villains, monsters and magic, dragons and demons, and goddesses and gods, in a time where Britain was rife with magic and mischief,’ should be brought to the stage by Jason Buck, performance storyteller.
Promising traditional storytelling for modern audiences, bringing this finest of the Sláine saga to life, Jason will be on tour around England from January to March 2026. If you’re further afield, there’s an online performance available as well. For more from Jason, have a look at his YouTube channel. For tour dates and booking links, head here.
NEILL CAMERON’S DONUT SQUAD – ADD IT TO YOUR CHRISTMAS MUST-BUY LIST – IT’S A DOUBLE BOOK OF THE YEAR…
Book 1 of Neill Cameron‘s Donut Squad, collecting the wonderfully silly strips from The Phoenix Comic, is a book of the year, not once but twice, as Waterstones and Blackwells in the UK have both chosen it as one of their shortlist picks. Heck, Waterstones even have a special Christmas edition with extra festive-themed Donut strips. And of course, Book 2 is out in January. Seriously, what are you waiting for?
B7 COMICS, ALEX DE CAMPI AND MARC LAMING TO KICKSTART DAN DARE: FIRST CONTACT…
Well, many have done their take on the Pilot of the Future, and there’s been a fair number of good versions since the original ended in the late sixties.
Now, B7 Comics is having its shot at the character. Alex de Campi writes and Marc Laming draws the three-book reimagining, with the full approval of the rights holders, The Dan Dare Corporation.
‘A dying planet, a desperate mission – and a first contact that may spell the end of human life as we know it…’
The Kickstarter for Book One, First Contact, will launch on 1st February 2026, with the book being published later in 2026. Sign up for updates here.
