Have a close look at this photograph. Spot anyone familiar?

I love Christmas. To be honest that’s a bit of an understatement. It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is all about feasting, friends and fun, lighting up the darkest days of the year, warming us during the freezing winter. To me it’s for thanking all my loved ones for the year just gone, and this year I’d also like to thank all of you fantastic blog readers for your support. Since the OiNK Blog was relaunched in the Spring of 2021 you’ve been amazing with your feedback and I hope this Christmas I can thank you with the best month yet!

So, did you spot who was on top of my tree?

The biggest blog highlight for me will be OiNK reaching its second Christmas Day, the day most of us pig pals got our trotters on The OiNK Book 1988, my favourite OiNK of all and my favourite childhood book to this day. It’s backed up with the best regular issue which just happens to be this year’s festive edition, and there’s the Hogmanay issue as well. There’s the start of two new, albeit very slow real time read throughs with the first in both the Big Comic Book and Knight Rider Annual series.

The former of those two I went on to collect the fortnightly comic spin-off as a kid and the latter I’m particularly looking forward to because the show it’s based on is (with no exaggeration) my favourite thing in the whole universe. I had this first Knight Rider Annual when it was first released, but what I never realised until recently is that the interior art was by David ‘V for Vendetta’ Lloyd! This will be a real treat for comics (and talking car) fans.

Not only that, David agreed to have a chat with me about his time on the Knight Rider books so watch out for that exclusive interview over Christmas, and an interview with a retro toy enthusiast who gives us an insight into collecting blog stars the Ring Raiders from Matchbox. There’s a review of Ring Raiders comic editor Barrie Tomlinson’s book Comic Book Hero just in time for you to throw a Christmas gift hint to someone, and a look at a fantastic gift I received a few Christmases ago when I took a trip to Beanotown in a personalised Beano comic!

I think it’s about time we started to cover the unique range of OiNK merchandise on the blog too, don’t you? The OiNK 45 record was about as unique as you could get and I’ve permission from OiNK’s editors to publish all three songs here on the blog. That’s a nice Christmas bonus! We’re not done though. Finally, over on the blog’s Instagram our Robots in Disguise reach the seventh holiday season in their read through! So watch out for the Christmas issue and the latest annual over on social media (plus #300!). Also, how about a Transformers/OiNK crossover you probably never knew happened?

I’m really looking forward to sharing all of these with you and remember you can leave any comments you wish under each and every post, or on the blog’s social media on Instagram and Facebook. Things are shaping up for this to be one of the very best Christmases ever in my personal life and I aim to make it so right here too. Beginning of course with the OiNK decorations! Not only is Tom up on my tree as is tradition in my house, check out these Christmas cards by Davy Francis I’ve received over the years.

No need to look on enviously though, below is Tom Thug’s page from #43 of OiNK by Lew Stringer. Just print it out, stick it to some thin card (I used a mince pie box appropriately enough), cut him out and soon he can be scowling at you from atop your tree too. Thanks to Lew for allowing me to grab this from his own blog since the page doesn’t actually exist in my issue anymore!

It all kicks off tomorrow with The Big Comic Book 1987 review (and of course the suitably icy new logo at the top of the blog if you’re reading this at the time) so get the mince pies warmed, the rum and raisin ice cream scooped, the Schloer poured and the Tayto Turkey and Stuffing flavour crisps in a bowl (that’s just for the Northern Ireland readers that one) and settle down for the OiNK Blog at Christmas.

Happy Holidays to all for the next month-and-a-bit!