Return Of The Funny Comics Fan Club

The highly acclaimed podcast The Funny Comics Fan Club returns for a new season today, and starts by looking at Cracker from 1975.

In each episode of The Funny Comics Fan Club the hosts - comedian John Dredge and academic Doctor Mark Hibbett - read through an issue of an old British comic. The first season was named as Podcast Of The Week by The Radio Times and was one of its Top Ten recommended shows, between George Clooney and “Threads”! The show has also been featured in The Sunday Times, on BBC Radio London, and has topped the UK’s Comedy Fiction podcast charts. It has also been nominated for Best Jingle in the Independent Podcast Awards 2025.

So far Mark and John have talked about The Beano, Krazy Comic, Whizzer & Chips, Topper, The Dandy, TV Comic and more. As well as dipping into the history of these comics they’ve also discussed Basil Brush’s career as a landlord, the ongoing war between swordfish and sword swallower, and where exactly hoedowns are supposed to happen.

The Funny Comics Fan Club is available in all good newsagents and from all good podcast suppliers. Images of the strips discussed can be found on their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages so you can read along with us!

Series 3 opening episode: 023: Cracker | The Funny Comics Fan Club Mark Hibbett has a PhD in Doctor Doom (no, really). He’s also a semi-retired international rock star who has performed live on Radio One, toured all around the UK, and is probably best known for his internet hit “Hey Hey 16K.”

John Dredge is a comedian and poet probably best known for his silly sketch comedy podcast “The Nothing To Do With Anything Show”. His work has appeared in various media outlets despite popular demand.