🔥 It’s PHOENIXFEST this weekend! It sold out super quick even though it’s bigger than ever before, but if you want to see me and @neillcameron.bsky.social doing our live shows (and some extra stuff too!) you still can from the comfort of your own home! Tickets: www.ticketsource.com/whats-on/onl...

This weekend I get to stand onstage at the Sheldonian Theatre, the very spot where my Dad received his doctorate in mathematics, and get a bunch of kids to draw farting doughnuts and incontinence jokes. Living my best life over here!

Anyway the chance to visit such an esteemed and august institution and ABSOLUTELY WRECK THE TONE was always going to be something I jumped at. Thanks for having me, Bodleian!

It’s a BIT weird because I’ve done a massive donut squad painting on the window of a shop that doesn’t sell any kids books, or comics, or indeed donuts. But they are very lovely, and have biscuits, and it will all make sense this weekend.

Anyone with young Donut Squad fans in Oxford, get along and check out the window of the Bodleian shop at the Weston Library. I made a cool thing! If I do say so myself.

I started to write an um actually reply to someone on the internet, and then I slapped myself in the face and walked away. Remember, WE ALL HAVE THIS POWER.

I hate Al and I refuse to use it Peter, if you don't use Al a bunch of super rich men will lose a lot of money I already said I hated Al Harry, you don't need to sell it to me

Some interesting discussions were had afterwards! In between all the staring into the middle distance and shaking.

Went to see Akira at the cinema with two people who’d never seen it - or I think maybe any anime except Spirited Away - before, and let me tell you that was a wild evening.

STATIONNNNNN

That’s going to be one hell of a Delay Repay claim.

Oh my holy lord, what?? Hope you are okay! (and get to sleep for a week now.)

Nothing big, I just want it to unify humanity and usher in a golden era of peace, understanding and good vibes. Like Bill and Ted’s music did, but with comics about donuts.

Lol, I believe this week's Phoenix contains the Donut Squad strip my son described as "the most you thing you have ever done" 😂

Clicking ❤️ felt very self-congratulatory here, but I DID IT ANYWAY (thank you)

MONKEY TOES

In conclusion, if the publishing industry could just get over their weird fear of the word “comics” that would really help my brain out a lot, thank you 👍

(It really does sound like I am trying to be reductive and squash creativity here. I’m not! I love things that mess with form and combine comics with other modes of storytelling in imaginative and playful ways. There’s a good way of doing these things, of course)

Yeah I think it was the sheer meaninglessness of “graphic novel style illustrations” that caused my unfortunate early morning rage-embolism

I woke up too early and I’m grumpy apparently. Ignore me. Good luck to all who make books and / or comics, it’s hard enough without grumpy tired middle aged men sniping at you from their sofas.

This is a problem with the term ‘graphic novel’ I think, it’s kind of intrinsically meaningless and any narrative that has some kind of pictures could be described as such. Whereas, and I’m not trying to be reductive or squash creativity here, but something is either a comic or it’s not.

LOUIE knows what I’m talking about

Remember that big famous celebrity author who wrote his first graphic novel that was not, it turned out, in any real sense a graphic novel? (FULL DISCLOSURE I didn’t read it, this is what I heard)

Comics for kids are suddenly super popular and as publishers rush to ride the wave I feel like we’re going to see a lot of this kind of confusion / comics-adjacent passing off

“…with amazing graphic novel style illustrations by…” what does that meeeeaaaan though

I mean they’re mentioning bunny vs monkey a lot, so 🤷

Reading a press release about a new book and genuinely cannot tell if it is a comic or not

Every single boss fight in this game has taken me more replays, time and effort - and given me more joy - than entire games I have paid good money for.

Particularly as I did not in fact pay for it. (My kid did, I’m freeloading)

Just in terms of ROI / value for money, one of the greatest video games I’ve ever played.