Get your choc ices ready! Submit your annual leave request to HR! Book a deckchair on your nearest beach! And head over to John Bagnall’s Etsy store to pick up a copy of The Bugle Summer Special, the ideal reading material for this hot hot summer.

The Bugle Summer Special is a tribute to the British comics of yore and has been lovingly put together by cartoonists John Bagnall and Phil Bartle, who have populated the fictional northern English town of Slackdale with characters such as Nervous Nigel, The Boggs, entertainer Bryan Trowell, Harold McHector the Manic Collector, Father Ogle, Misery Guts, sweet shop owner Bobby Minto and the battling brothers Eric and Derek.

This issue also features stories by regular Ugly Mug contributors Ed Pinsent and Marc Baines, along with an all-new House of Harley three pager: the return of Lady Backenforth – she’s the Lord of the Manor – in another battle with the boys and girls of Slackdale…

And it comes with a fantastic FREE gift – Battling Eric and Derek Puppets.

To celebrate the new issue, there’s a launch event this Friday (26th June) at Consett Heart – Heritage & Arts Centre, The Old Ambulance Hall, John Street, Consett, County Durham DH8 5AS. Get yourself along for a night of musical entertainment from The Tunisians, Lee Harrison and One Dollar Zombies.

Original artwork from The Bugle will be on sale, along with comics, postcards and jars of Slackdale pickles! The exhibition opens at 5.30pm and the music begins at 7pm. Entry is free but any donations go to keeping Consett Heart open.

The Bugle Summer Special is available now for £5+postage from John Bagnall’s Etsy store.