The Gosh! Authority 12.03.25

Hello!

This Thursday, 7-9pm, sees excellent journalist and cartoonist Becky Barnicoat come join us to celebrate the release of her new graphic memoir Cry When the Baby Cries! Come on down to toast the book and get your copy scribbled in (in the best way). Details here.

But you might want to pop down Wednesday evening, 7-9pm, as well, as Reads, the graphic novel reading group, delves into Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, Patrick Horvath's gruesome yet cuddly tale of warring anthropomorphic serial killers. It was one of our best books of 2024, so looking forward to hearing what people think! Everyone is welcome, so do come along! Details here.

Just a heads-up that while last week's Image titles are coming this week, this week's Image titles look to be delayed to next week. Not sure whether these are teething issues or just going to be the new normal with the splintering of distribution channels, but at least they're still coming!

And for a last bit of admin, we've been contacted by a film company looking for background extras for an upcoming feature film. There's a scene shot in a comic shop and they want some comic fans to fill the place. Here's the skinny:

"Anyone interested in being involved needs to make an account with the Agency we recruit all of our Supporting Artists from – and select the Comic Flyer option when asked ‘How did you hear about us’. Two10 Casting are one of the largest and most reputable background agencies working in the UK, their full details and information can be found on their website – www.two10casting.com."

A bit of fun, and a chance to earn some moolah to boot!

On with the (rather small amount of) comics!

HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK

• FULLY LOADED #1 - An action-packed science fiction tale from British comics stalwart Jimmy Broxton. Set in the year 2065, a retired criminal (and former special forces operative) is pulled back into a a world of violence once again, now battling the gangs whose will be used to enforce. This looks like a real passion project, with lushly illustrated black and white interiors showcasing a world that's part-Bladrunner and part-Mega City One. John Freeman does a nice preview over on Down the Tubes.

• MONKEY MEAT SUMMER BATCH #1 - The return of Juni Ba's anything-goes satirical anthology series, which will hopefully get a few more eyes on it in the wake of his lovely Boy Wonder mini-series. He's squeezing two stories in per issue this time around, and even throwing in a game or two for good measure. Follow the inhabitants of Monkey Meat Island as they navigate, exploit and are victims of the hellish temple to capitalism they have created. 

• EL FUEGO HC - David Rubin is always on my radar, whether working in Jeff Lemire's Black Hammer world, on the recent much-overlooked Operation Sunshine minis with Marcus Parks & Henry Zebrowski, or on his own creative projects such as this. This original graphic novel sees and architect struggling with an existential crisis at the end of the world. An extinction-level meteor is headed for Earth and nothing can stop it. The world's wealthiest have bought their way into a bolthole on the moon to wait it out under the auspices of saving humanity, but the man who designed it now wonders: has he done the right thing? He travels the world, confronted everywhere by the consequences of his decision, trying find some kind of absolution.

• MURDERBURG TP - A collection of six funny stories by underground comics legend Carol Lay. A mob family decides to give up the criminal life and retire to the weird little island of Muderburg, AKA Murderburg. It's an ominous place, hidden behind flesh-eating fog and founded on a mix of genocide and political murder, that also operates as a sunny retirement village for the Scazzo crime family. Enjoy the members of the family navigating this murderous paradise as they settle in to the good life!

• NICK FURY VS FIN FANG FOOM #1 - The next of JM Straczynski's oddball team-ups sees Eyepatch-Man meet Giant Purple Shorts! Well...kinda, as this is set during WWII, where patch-less Nick Fury is with the Howling Commandos and Fin Fang Foom appears to be short-less in the previews I've seen. Disappointing, but I'm sure artist Elena Casagrande has her editorially mandated reasons!
  

Until next time, my friends!

Andrew.