It looks like "The Phoenix Presents" series will once again dominate our "Comic / Graphic Novel of the Week" slot if this particular entry is anything to go by.

"Mega Robo Bros" is one of our favourite strips in the mighty Phoenix Comic. It's a strip that veers between providing blistering action-packed story arcs that take its robo-protagonists Alex and Freddy from their ordinary lives as robo schoolkids in the not-too-distant-future, to Agents of R.A.I.D, fighting for justice against a weird, wonderful and sometimes deadly range of robo-foes.

In this latest collection of stories taken from the pages of the Phoenix weekly comic, Alex and Freddy face off against their most deadly opponent yet but this isn't your ordinary everyday robot, this is Wolfram, one of the first creations of their mum, Dr Sharma. A deadly robot who is absolutely hell bent on revenge.

We won't go too far into spoiler territory, suffice to say that a certain blogger makes an appearance in this collected edition of the fantastic MRBs - and that once again we've been treated to a strip that perfectly fuses science-fiction kick-ass mecha-action with some pretty neatly observed insights into what it's like being parents to a couple of ordinary everyday young lads who just also happen to be super-powerful robots.

As this particular story arc draws to a satisfying close, rest assured that there's still plenty of action to look forward to in the weekly Phoenix comic with Mega Robo Bros - so don't be too downhearted when you reach the end of this.

It's inclusive, but not at the expense of just ticking boxes. Characters in the strip are there because they BELONG there, they work beautifully there, and danged if we wouldn't give our eye teeth to see that happen a lot more in comics (and kid's books in general, to be honest!)

With some superb new artwork (just look at that cover) this is a treat even if you do own the original strips in their comic form. We've said it quite often on the blog, Neill is a massively talented fellah and this is some of his best work yet.

C's best bit: Well obviously it's a certain cameo! It didn't go to her head though, nosirree!

Daddy's favourite bit: Once again, as ever with the MRB stuff, I just can't get enough of the dad's hang-dog expressions (usually when Freddy has destroyed something expensive yet again!)

"Mega Robo Revenge" (Mega Robo Bros Book 3) is out now, published by David Fickling Books.

Oh dear - so much for that New Year's Resolution about not sticking comics into our Book of the Week slot quite as much.

Once again we're held in thrall by the amazingly talented bunch associated with The Phoenix Comic, and another stunning collection nails our first Book of the Week slot of 2018.

We're talking about the second sequence for Neill Cameron and Kate Brown's fantastic "Tamsin" series, with "Tamsin and the Dark" expanding on Tamsin Thomas' tenure as The Last Pellar.

The last whatnow? Why, the staunch defender of humanity from the nefarious machinations of the magical realm, that's what.

Once again Neill and Kate expertly delve into ancient British folklore, mining a rich seam of characters and story ideas that I've loved since I was a kid, and that C is beginning to appreciate now she's old enough to get behind more mature comics such as this.

In this second collected outing, Tamsin is beginning to explore her powers, once again under the tuition of King Arthur, who just happens to have taken the form of a rather curmudgeonly (and hilarious) crow.

Tamsin's troubles aren't just confined to magical realms though. There's plenty of annoyance going on in the real world. Her brother Morgan is a typical big brother, annoying and always out to prove how cool he is to his dullard mates (who also get drawn into this particular adventure).

Yup, same Tamsin. Same.

Something is stirring deep underground. A dark maniacal menace that was long buried and sealed by magic is beginning to draw acolytes to do its bidding. Tamsin may be the key required to unlock the charms and spells keeping the dark creature at bay. But she's not about to roll over and play dead for some ancient evil just yet...

We love these stories. For me, they take me way back to reading stuff by John Gordon - who always seemed to have a knack for turning crusty old legends of Ancient Britain, Gogmagog and chalk figures into a new mythos meshing with contemporary kid-life. In the same way Neill and Kate successfully achieve the same beautifully magical mix here with strong storytelling, a good molasses-dark plot and exquisite artwork.

I love Tamsin's Mum. Even if she's from Oldham. She has a heck of a lot of Joyce Byers (Stranger Things) about her in this adventure.

Once again we still can't help cackling at the approach to dealing with swearing in this story too (don't worry, wibbly parents, nothing to corrupt your tinies' little minds!)

We've just seen more exquisite stuff in the Phoenix Comic from Tamsin's story arc in "Tamsin and the Days" so we look forward to seeing a collected version of that at some point in the future too. Meanwhile this is once again fantastic stuff though, from two sublime talents who are - quite rightly - equally proud of their own and each other's work on this blisteringly brilliant slice of storytelling. .

C's best bit: Tamsin's various exchanges with King Arthur (who is about as helpful as Clippy, the horrid Microsoft virtual helper that thankfully her generation were entirely spared from).

Daddy's favourite bit: I have a lot of respect for folk who do their homework, and take a subject like ancient Anglo-Saxon / Ancient British mythology and give it a tweak of their own to produce stories that are just as thrilling, dark and magical as the original stories must have been to our ancestors. Damned good stuff.

"Tamsin and the Dark" by Neill Cameron and Kate Brown is out now, published by David Fickling Books (kindly supplied for review). 

Our Picture Book of the Week this week may have arrived a little late but we're so glad it's here. Let's get ready to Mega-Robo-RUMBLE!!

What's that? It's the sound of inevitability Mr Anderson, as once again The Phoenix Presents blasts its way into our Book of the Week slot. This week's first Book of the Week is the epic "Mega Robo Bros Book 1" by Neill Cameron (David Fickling Books)

I have a feeling that once again this year, the awesome "The Phoenix Presents" collections are going to be regulars in our Book of the Week slot...

Most comic fans will be able to tell you the exact character, story, writer and artist that really got them into comics in a big way. For me it was Judge Dredd in 2000 AD, written by John Wagner and drawn by Ron Smith and Brian Bolland.

For Charlotte it was undoubtedly the first time she caught sight of Pirates of Pangaea by Daniel Hartwell and Neill Cameron. Setting the pages of The Phoenix Comic alight with the most incredible adventures week after week. Charlotte is now a regular Phoenix reader but missed quite a few of the early PoP stories.

So imagine her excitement when Book 1 of the collected early stories popped through our letterbox, courtesy of the lovely folk at David Fickling Books / The Phoenix.

(Well you don't really have to imagine her excitement, here's photographic proof!)


We join Sophie Delacourt, a gutsy 12 year old embarks on a fantastic journey to the mythical lost land of Pangaea. Legend has it that dinosaurs still walk the earth there - and not just walk the earth, but are part and parcel of everyday life.

Sophie soon finds out that this is the case as her ship sails across the ocean, under the watchful eye of a grizzled but kindly bosun.

As the ship makes landfall and Sophie gets her first real sight of the amazing "long necks" and their pilots - the "Snuffmen" who hold the secret of pacifying dinosaurs to a point where they become willing mounts. Trouble soon catches up with Sophie - for the land isn't just a land of dinosaurs, it's a land of pirates and brigands too!


Her ship attacked, and the crew killed or captured, Sophie ends up leaping out of the frying pan and into the fire as she escapes the foul pirates and the evil Captain Brookes along with Kelsey, a cabin boy and a pirate ally known as Ten-Gun.

Danger isn't far behind though, as Sophie lives on her wits and fearlessness, swiftly forced to adapt to this strange new land.

Sophie is EXACTLY the sort of hero that Charlotte needs to see in comics. I've slowly introduced her to many brilliant comic series and graphic novels that are suitable for her age, and along with Pirates of Pangaea it feels like the new golden age of comics for kids is fully embracing the idea that girls are as interested in action comics as boys, and want to see heroes they can really get behind in those comics too.

"Pirates of Pangaea" is fantastic for both boys and girls, and we've been thrilling to the exploits of Sophie in the comic. If you've missed out so far though, there's really no better way to pick up the threads of this fantastic tale than with this initial collected volume.

We can't wait for the strip's return in the comic and for the collected volume 2! C'mon Daniel and Neill, get scribbling!

Charlotte's best bit: "Pirates of Pangaea" was her comic introduction, she absolutely loves the mix of fast-paced action, dino thrills and a tough gutsy girl hero to look up to. Utterly brilliant!

Daddy's Favourite bit: It's just such a brilliant idea! Mixing dinosaurs and pirates in a thoroughly original fantastically written and illustrated strip that cannot fail to get kids completely hooked!

(Kindly sent to us for review by David Fickling Books)

Like this? We think you'll love these too!

Long Gone Don Volume 1 by The Etherington Brothers

Mo-Bot High - Book 1 by Neill Cameron

Star Cat Volume 1 by James Turner

Before the awesome Phoenix Comic hit shelves, The DFC featured a huge chunk of the talent who regularly contribute to "The Pheen" as it's affectionately known at ReadItDaddy Towers. Charlotte was too young to be into comics, and it seems astonishing to think that the DFC folded when the quality of strips and contributions was so amazingly high.

Here's a good example of why the DFC was fantastic - in one of the best strips featured in that hallowed and sadly departed mag. "Mo-Bot High" tells the story of Asha, a girl arriving at a new school to find that things aren't quite as they seem. Like every school there's a clique to get in with, a bunch of no-good bullies who delight in making people miserable. But unlike any other school, Asha's new seat of learning has a hidden secret. Each and every day the pupils get to play with possibly the most awesome thing on the planet - gigantic holographic mech robots summoned from their mobile phones. Welcome to Mo-Bot High!

Asha's first day doesn't run smoothly as she instantly falls out of favour with one of the bullies, and ends up challenged to a Mo-Bot scrap the next day. Asha can't practice or train outside of school (Mo-Bots only work on school premises, y'see! What a shame - can you imagine how handy they'd be on the weekly supermarket run?) Can she somehow work out the intricacies of controlling a giant holographic robot before getting terminally frazzled by her new-found enemies?

"Mo-Bot High" sets the scene for Asha's story and world perfectly, but then snatches the rug out from under you as you realise that book 1 is all there is (Wahhhhh!!!) so it's a tantalisingly sweet insight into a comic series that cruelly never got the chance to bloom beyond this initial outing. But hey, you never know - those Mo-Bots might make a reappearance one day - here's hoping!

Charlotte's best bit: She really loved Asha's holographic Mech and instantly set about drawing her own (which she claims she's going to take to school one morning - that'd certainly make show and tell interesting!)

Daddy's Favourite bit: It seems unbelievable that the DFC didn't catch on when this was the quality of the strips it featured. Beltingly good stuff, a wholly original take on the 'school' story and who doesn't love gigantic scrapping mechs! PleasepleasepleasepleasePLEASE somehow resurrect this Neill, it's superb!

(Borrowed from Abingdon Library for Review)

Like this? We think you'll love these too!

The Phoenix Comic by various awesome folk.

Tin by Chris Judge

Long Gone Don by The Etherington Brothers

Round 1 - BIFF!

Bottom Faced Fish Man - Stand upwind of him, he's a bit of a whiffer

Charlotte drawing Rainbow and Diamond

Round 2 - POW!

"The Lovely Mermaids vs Bottom Faced Fish Man" - The next zillion seller from ReadItDaddyMondoComics

"Wait a minute Daddy, you need to read a bit more, your character is RUBBISH!"

Charlotte busies herself making her lovely mermaids royally rock but who's that lurking in the corner?

Round 3 - Kra-KOOOM!

Hey, those farty stickers are very useful!

Bottom Faced Fish Man - does anyone have a breath mint?

Round 4 - Za-FOOM!

Charlotte spent a lot of time perfecting hairstyles but said "Why hasn't Neill's book got more girl hairstyles in it!" (Eeps!)

Some truly awesome drawing tips (I need them, Charlotte doesn't!)

Round 5 - The Verdict - Which book is best?

Our heads were spinning like Bottom Faced Fish Man's trying to choose between this pair of absolute crackers!

A graduate from the awesome comics workshop week receives his certificate from none other than David Fickling himself!

Ace comics dude and all round good egg Neill Cameron was kind enough to invite us to a rather special event to celebrate the launch of his upcoming book "How to Draw Awesome Comics" - and also to celebrate the launch of a rather special comic indeed. After a week long workshop at Oxford's Story Museum, a gaggle of talented kids came up with their own set of brilliant comic strips with lots of top tips from Neill.

A truly talented bunch of boys and girls, the genius author-artists  and their awesome comic creation

Encouraging creativity and fostering a love of comics. David Fickling and Neill Cameron at the launch of "How to Make Awesome Comics"