It’s Count Binface, The Comic — Bringing Back The Absurd To British Politics

Count Binface, candidate for the Clacton by-election in the UK, “leader of the Recyclons from planet Sigma IX,” is getting his own comic, published by SelfMadeHero on 6th August, just ahead of the by-election on 13th August.

The Count Binface Comic Book is a 72-page anthology, completely unauthorised, that celebrates the ‘intergalactic space warrior’ and extraterrestrial politician, Count Binface. Contributors include Dave McKean, Bryan Talbot, Martin Rowson, and Steven Appleby, with 10% of every sale will be donated to Shelter via Work for Good.

The Count Binface Comic Book will be available in-store at GOSH! London on 6th August (Pre-orders here) and on sale at other good bookshops and online in the week leading up to the 13th August by-election triggered by Reform UK MP Nigel Farage resigning, only to stand again.

Here’s what SelfMadeHero have to say about it all…

“For years, Earth has staggered from one crisis to another: malfunctioning hand dryers, unaffordable croissants and the disappearance of Ceefax. Politicians promised solutions. Pundits offered analysis. But only one intergalactic space warrior had the vision, the cape and the bin-shaped head to Make Earth Great Again. And then something happened. Count Binface arrived from planet Sigma IX. He took on prime ministers, mayors, and assorted human calamities; he won votes, hearts, and at least one moral victory. Along the way, he became Britain’s most formidable Recyclon, defender of common sense, enemy of the planet Copyright and tireless champion of the Lovejoybox set.

“Now, with more than 30 of the finest comics creators on planet Earth receiving the Bin-Signal, this revolutionary 72-page anthology brings the Binface universe gloriously to life. Expect space battles, political nonsense, cosmic bureaucracy, recycled wisdom, and more heroic rubbish than you can fit in a wheelie bin. This publication has not been prepared, approved, authorized, or licensed by Count Binface or any related entity.”

Okay. Now, if you’re in the UK, you’ll most likely be aware of the extraterrestrial entity known as Count Binface and his continuing mission to stand for Parliament.

But for those of you reading this further afield, a little explanation may well be in order.

For a start, why is a man with a bin on his head standing for Parliament?

Well, there’s long been a history of joke candidates who stand in UK elections of all sorts. Perhaps most famously, Screaming Lord Sutch and his Monster Raving Loony Party. You see, unlike high-profile US elections, you don’t need millions to stand in an election to the UK Parliament, just the modest £500 deposit, which you lose if you’re not elected.

Count Binface, previously Lord Buckethead, has been standing as a candidate to Parliament for many years now, and frequently can be seen on the stage for the announcement of results next to the likes of Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Andy Burnham. Rumour has it he may have something to do with a British comedy writer called Jonathan David Harvey.

What’s different about the Clacton by-election?

The Clacton by-election was triggered when Farage, leader of the right wing/far right (it depends who you ask) Reform UK party, resigned the parliamentary seat of Clacton that he’d won in 2024’s general election with 46.2% of the vote. He did this against a background of increasingly troublesome publicity over his party involving multi-million-pound personal gifts, political donations from dubious sources, and the threat of a parliamentary investigation.

This privately-educated, former City of London trader, former MEP, serial candidate at British elections, figurehead of Brexit, and a man given £5 million as a gift by a Thailand-based British cryptocurrency investor said that he was doing it to give the people of Clacton the chance to have their say, pitching it as a “People versus The Establishment” contest. Yes, Farage does like to present himself as a man of the people.

Accused of using the by-election as a way to take the heat off, all the main parties immediately announced they wouldn’t field candidates against Farage, meaning he would most likely get re-elected, still to face the parliamentary investigation.

Enter Count Binface …

With no one standing against Farage, Count Binface decided to fill the void. With a manifesto promising 99 Flake ice-creams to cost no more than 99p, a pledge to build at least one affordable house, and a promise to not accept £5 million gifts from crypto billionaires, at least not on Earth, he’s been all over the media in the UK. He’s not alone of course, with a record-breaking 34 candidates now standing, many of them similarly joke candidates.

Is Binface likely to win? Probably not. But he’s certainly making the by-election a fascinating thing, a perfect example of all the ridiculousness of British politics, good and bad. Plus, it’s not letting a politician pull off a stunt by-election to avoid the necessary scrutiny into his affairs.

So, with all that said, enjoy what promises to be a damn fine comic celebrating a unique moment in British politics, The Count Binface Comic Book.

The Count Binface Comic Book has all been put together in record time as well, with SelfMadeHero Managing Director Emma Hayley having the idea when the whole farce of Clacton’s by-election happened, and Count Binface announced he would stand as a candidate. Since then, work has been frantic, a lot of it coming together at the recent ARC Comics Fair earlier in July.

This from SelfMadeHero again …

“When Count Binface announced earlier this month that he would stand against Farage in the Clacton by-election, SelfMadeHero Managing Director Emma Hayley knew the time was right to celebrate this exciting new force in British politics in comic book form. “I’ve been a fan of his ever since learning of his policy to nationalise the singer Adele,” says Hayley. “After Count Binface said he was standing, I started contacting all the great comics creators and cartoonists I’ve worked with over the years.” Remarkably, the anthology has been put together in less than a month. “It has been a hectic few weeks,” says Hayley. “I’d like to thank all the writers and artists who went the extra mile because they believed in this crucial work of political satire. And because they thought it was a funny idea to celebrate a guy dressed as a bin.”

And here’s the full list of contributors, quite a who’s who of modern Brit comics, all in a book that looks great, supports a wonderfully important charity, and gets the Binface message out to more and more of us!

Nick Abadzis, Krent Able, Steven Appleby, Andrew Attwell, Rachael Ball, Becky Barnicoat, Henny Beaumont, Hannah Berry, Abbigayle Bircham & Bobby Joseph, Paul Ashley Brown, Grazia Caleo & Louis Netter, Darryl Cunningham & Jonathan Edwards, Dix, Kate Evans, Babak Ganjei, Fraser Geesin, ILYA, JAKe Detonator, Rich Johnston, Rebecca K. Jones, Jonesy, Dave McKean, Peter Morey, Rob Murray, Woodrow Phoenix, Anna Readman, Scarlett & Sophie Rickard, Martin Rowson, Mark Stafford, Bryan Talbot, Edward Taylor, Myfanwy Tristram.

Now, here’s Count Binface’s election manifesto…

And finally, this glorious bit of TV from the BBC…