It’s becoming traditional lately for this column to sing the praises of something from Blink Twice Studios so I might as well start there. In point of fact, the the Blink Twice Stand was my first port of call when I made my way into the Expo hall. I wanted to have a chat with the Etherington Brothers (or at least with Bob, the writing half of the family who seems to do all the talking. Now I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Lorenzo speak more than a dozen words together – he’s always too bust drawing something…) but their stand was difficult to miss in any case.

Blink Twice have a real talent for making an impression – their energy alone creates a sort of weird magnetic field that probably interferes with the radar at Bristol Airport but even of it didn’t their stand this year was huge. I mean like fifteen, twenty feet tall! Truly impressive.

Much more impressive though was Tusk. This is a new title, which is set in the wonderful world of Malcolm Magic, but features a brand new set of characters who have nothing to do (yet, at least) with events in the main Malcolm Magic story line. A spin off series if you will, set in the bar of The Last Mammal Standing and featuring the eponymous Tusk who tends bar, and his regular crowd of drinkers.

At this point I should point out that Tusk is a Rhino, which means technically he doesn’t have tusks, he has a horn. But I won’t do that because if I did I’d be a smart arse.

Anyway. Zoological details aside, this is a truly remarkable book which offers the satisfying mix of quality and madness we’ve all come to expect from Blink Twice. Lorenzo’s gorgeous idiosyncratic art is as lovely as ever, as is the heavy paper and the cardstock cover. Writer Bob Etherington opts for a short story format in this title however. If Malcolm Magic is a serial, (and it is – and if you’re reading this boys, pull your fingers out and get issue seven finished – I want to know what happens next!) this is more of a sketch show. The motley collection of oddball characters (all of whom will be familiar to anyone who ever spent any time propping up a bar) is introduced over the space of six short tales which make it clear that Malcolm isn’t the only resident of Fuzzton that likes the odd beer.

What really impresses me about this book (aside from the high production values and the fact that it’s funnier than Mr Funny the Clown on the day he invented his best joke ever) is the way Etherington manages to introduce so many characters in so short a space and makes you care about every single one of ‘em. There is real narrative skill at work here – it’s just possible that Bob and Lorenzo might be actual geniuses.

Don’t believe me? Click the link and buy yourself a copy.

I also picked up the sketchbook for Moon, Blink Twice’s next project – a totally non-Malcolm related space opera. It looks good, but I’ll keep you in suspense until closer to the release date… 

- Regie Rigby