An American Batman in London

Batman Monthly issue 35 reprints the Detective Comics 590 story An American Batman in London. Where we see Batman on a rare trip outside Gotham but to a similarly appropriate city, London in England. After preventing an attack in Gotham by two criminals shouting ' Allahu Akbar!' Batman has tracked down a islamic terrorist organization to the England capital and tries to prevent them from doing what Guy Fawkes failed to by blowing up the houses of parliment on the 5th of November.

 At the end of the story, Batman is faced with a possible uncomfortable truth that our Western society may well provoke some of these terrorist attacks and attitudes. 
Even though this story is over 25 years old, it still holds relevance today. With islamic terrorist attacks on London and other major Western cities still prevelant. Though with our cultural sensitivity, the depiction of someone shouting Allahu Akbar whilst commiting a crime would probably never appear in a modern comic book.

Zodiac Toy Store Comics

In the late 60s a toy store emerged in the UK known as Zodiac. By the mid 80s it was one of the largest and most successful chain of toy stores in the UK. Unfortunately in 1990 the company closed down due to mismanagement.

During it's heyday in the 1980s the store started to produce it's own comic book and sticker albums featuring unique characters to spread brand awareness of the store and engage children more.

The comics featured such characters as the Miami Mice (a take on Miami Vice, but with mice) and the Star Bears, a team of teddy bears that each had a super power based on one of the signs of the zodiac.

One of note is the Scare Bears, created by Werebear creator George Nicholas and very similar to the Werebears but covering all classic monsters in the form of teddy bears.

Astonishing Spider-man 39

A rather appropriate cover for the time as this issues release coincides with the Brexit vote in the UK.