Coming up on Monday is my very favourite regular issue of my very favourite comic of all time. How’s that for hype? After a year-and-a-half of covering OiNK the best issue the team produced is here at last! Of course, as regular blog readers will attest I am a huge nut for Christmas and that might have something to do with it. That’s right, #43 is our second (and unfortunately final) Christmas issue and it’s stuffed with goodies.
Promo drawn by Ian Jackson
We’ve got a traditional (sort of) Christmas perfume advert from Burp the Smelly Alien, the comic’s take on the most popular toys of the time (Transformers) and Channel Four‘s yearly broadcast of The Snowman, plus OiNK’s Nasty Christmas Carols! This one isn’t to be missed so make sure to click that ‘Follow’ button or do so over on the blog’s socials and I’ll see you here, eggnog and a mince pie in trotter, on Monday 12th December 2022.
I was at school in the 80s so wasn’t exactly clued in on the world of fashion. I did have four older siblings however, so was a witness to sports jackets, rainbow leggings, jumpsuits and enormous hair. Amongst the geometric shapes and bright-as-the-sun colours was a sense of humour about it all. Fashion wasn’t taken as seriously as it had been previously, or since, and OiNK was right there in the thick of things.
Promo drawn by Mike Green
On the cover of #42 is a memorable image of a certain late pop sensation and inside a hilarious rewording of one of his earliest hits, a cut-out doll for you to dress up a certain old lady as Judge Dredd, a greasy new fashion trend ‘pops’ up everywhere and a strip about dental care had a profound impact on me as a kid. Plus, OiNK went all sty-lish itself with a new piece of merchandise that’s probably the most sought after (and rarest) to this day. The next review will be all dressed up and ready for you on Monday 28th November 2022.
Coming up on Monday is the 41st edition of OiNK. It’s the Sickness and Health Issue and what better place to insert a special pull-out Pete and his Pimple comic! This news definitely excited me as a kid when I spot-ted this promo below in #40. That issue had already been one of the very best I’d read and then to have this news round it all off was just awesome for this young pig pal at the time.
Promo by Lew Stringer
As a not-so-young pig pal today I’ll admit I’m really looking forward to this particular issue for the same reason. While Lew Stringer‘s character may be the headline act watch out for what I personally think is the very best Burp strip yet, Janice and John finally return after the little bit of commotion they caused back in #7, plus there’s some news for OiNK fans which at the time was even more exciting than the mini-comic! The review of #41 will be here on Monday 14th November 2022.
Coming up on Monday is the highly memorable 40th issue of OiNK, the second Hallowe’en edition. Featuring a simply gorgeous Ralph Shephard cover that any original pig pal will remember, I’ve my own very personal memories attached to this issue so expect a particularly nostalgic review in three days. The Next Issue promo from the previous issue set the tone perfectly for what was to come.
Promo by Charlie Brooker
Obviously The Adventures of Death from Charlie Brooker has to be included and the character is probably the perfect embodiment of the issue’s contents. He’s not the only highlight, though. The mini-strips are all firing on all cylinders in this issue and there’s a gorgeous J.T. Dogg pull-out to boot. That’s not the only pin up either, a certain spoof movie poster by Simon Thorp will round things off and for fans it’s one they’ll not want to miss seeing again! You can check it and more out in the full review when it hits the blog on Monday 31st October 2022.
The next issue of OiNK will really play with your mind. It’s the Games and Puzzles Issue! You know you’re in for a treat when you see a front cover by arguably OiNK’s number one artist Ian Jackson in which he draws other cartoonists’ characters as special chess pieces! It’s a classic from the off.
Promo by Wilkie
Inside, Rubbish Man takes on The Puzzler in a brilliant spoof of 60s Batman, the Dice Maniac returns for his second (and last) appearance, Harry the Head takes a flying leap through the entire comic for a special competition and The Spectacles of Doom brings us the perfect parody of 80s fantasy movies. None of it should be missed, so click the ‘Follow’ button (bottom-right as you scroll) to subscribe via email or join us on Facebook or Instagram to be notified when the review goes live on Monday 17th October 2022.
Coming up in a couple of days is a feast of fun, a gala of gags, a picnic of puns, it’s the next OiNK in the real time read through, the Food & Drink Special. With a photo cover featuring Chris Sievey and Marc Riley as their alter egos and the final set of free stickers things are looking good from the moment the issue is picked up.
Promo written by Mark Rodgers, drawn by Mike Green
Does the inside match up though? Well, the cover leads to a photo strip starring Frank Sidebottom and Snatcher Sam, a hilarious pairing before they even open their mouths! Pigswilla makes a very welcome return to face off against a bread monster (as you do), we get a kind of mini spoof comic in the shape of The Deano and Fatty Farmer gets his first (and only) full page outing in a bizarre nightmare world. The review will be here on the blog from Monday 3rd October 2022.
As OiNK continues through my favourite issues each one brings with it more happy memories of reading these all those years ago (35 years ago to be precise). The next issue brings back specific memories for me, not least of which was how much I enjoyed it. Will it live up to those memories all this time later? Given how much I’ve been enjoying the blog’s main real time read through I think the odds are pretty much stacked in its favour.
Promo written by Mark Rodgers, drawn by Mike Green
In the Happy Families Issue you’ll see a surprisingly touching moment for the young trouble maker Hadrian Vile when his diary chronicles a major life moment, Cowpat County delivers one of the greatest gags in all of OiNK history, there’s a cut out (or rather, save image and print and cut out for you lot) card game and a major announcement of some new OiNK merchandise! The next review will be here on Monday 19th September 2022.
A few days ago I published a blog post called ‘OiNK’s Golden Age’ where I explain I believe the issues that make up the rest of this year are the very best of OiNK‘s run. It all kicks off with #36, the OiNK Goes Peculiar issue! New paper, new size and a new cover design signal the beginning of the time I’ve been looking forward to since I started this real time read through in April 2021, and to celebrate Uncle Pigg even gave us some free stickers.
Both promos by Patrick Gallagher
The issue itself is one of the best OiNK produced with highlights including the craziest Burp yet, Tom Thug taking control of his own strip and J.T. Dogg bringing his art style to a character you wouldn’t expect. I’ve distinct memories of this issue and many of the ones to come between now and the end of the year. To say I’m excited for this would be a massive understatement. Let’s hope it lives up to those memories! You can find out in the review, which will be here from Monday 5th September 2022.
With the next issue of OiNK we officially begin the second half of its run and it’s the first to be published by Fleetway Publications instead of IPC Magazines. Not that you’d know without looking at the tiny copyright notices but big changes were definitely coming. This would be the first and last issue from Fleetway to keep OiNK in its glossy format (for now) but it’s certainly not the last time we’d get plenty of big laughs. The main feature in this Travel Issue is a board game by Lew Stringer, which is as good a start for the new publishers as anyone could want!
Promo by Lew Stringer
Alongside the game, Psycho Gran finally returns and a young chap by the name of Charlie Brooker becomes a regular from this issue onwards with a couple of strips, not least of all The Adventures of Death! The art in the finale of The Street-Hogs will also surely see off the fancy paper in style. Full review coming up on Monday 22nd August 2022.
The next issue of OiNK marks the halfway point in the comic’s life, not that we (or its creators) knew this at the time. There’s also another big event happening between this and the following issue, one that was inconsequential to readers but which would be very consequential in the long run. I’m not going to give it away yet, although I’m sure some pig pals will be able to work it out. In the meantime I’ll show you the Next Issue promo from #33, which contains no clues about what I’m talking about, so don’t dwell.
Promo written by Mark Rodgers, drawn by Mike Green
The Amazing Adventure Issue has another 32 big, glossy pages with highlights including a meeting of minds (or lack thereof) between Tom Thug and Pete and his Pimple, you’ll finally meet OiNK‘s own punk band The Slugs and witness the incredible artistic feat of The Styeux Tapestry! The next review will be here from Monday 8th August 2022.
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