BILLY THE BRAVE - THE COMIC
Voted 'Best Charity Comic' in the ComicScene Awards 2025
On Monday 4 March 2024, Beano comic writer Ned Hartley (Bananaman) put out a plea on social media for comic artist friends to draw something to help keep the remaining days of a young reader with a terminal brain tumour bright and cheery. Adam Bagley Art answered the call!
4-year-old Billy Thompson of Great Bookham, Surrey, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an incurable brain tumour that primarily affects children, in November 2023. Despite such devastating news, Billy’s parents Jamie and Ellie managed to quickly raise an incredible £225,000, which enabled them to take time off work to care for him full-time. It also afforded Billy’s family time to make special memories with him during his last months.
Fundraising efforts were given a huge boost when Queen rock star Sir Brian May saw footage on social media of Billy playing air guitar on his way to radiotherapy treatment and recorded a personal video response to say how impressed he was. Reported on by the national press, Billy subsequently received special messages from acting legend Dame Judy Dench, and former rugby player Jonny Wilkinson.
Through correspondence with a family friend, I learned that as well as reading The Beano, Billy also enjoyed dressing up as Marvel and DC superheroes. With this in mind, I decided to surprise him with his very own superhero comic, in which he was the star. Titled Billy the Brave, it comprised of a four-page comic adventure, four pages of jokes and puzzles, one Billy the Brave poster, and a selection of “free gifts”.
It was the last thing he read. Sadly, Billy passed away on the day he received it, Easter Sunday 31st March. Mum Ellie sent me a touching message a month later, telling of how it made him laugh.
Billy the Brave is now available here for all to read at the request of Jamie and Ellie and Billy's sister Maddie. It is hoped Billy's comic adventure will serve as a pleasant, indirect way of aiding their efforts in raising awareness of the issues surrounding DIPG.
In November 2024, Ellie surprised me by calling on her social media followers (affectionately known as Billy's Battalion) to help get Billy the Brave nominated for the ComicScene Awards 2025. Nomination for Best Charity Comic was secured on Sunday 5 January 2025 and on St. Valentine's Day, Friday 14 February, it was announced Billy's comic had won! An incredible achievement for what was originally intended as a personal gift, I like to imagine Billy is in spirit feeling proud as punch knowing his comic sits alongside mainstream winners such as Batman and The Beano.
Ellie Thompson is on X, Facebook and Instagram, where she provides regular news updates and shares personal experiences relating to DIPG. Please do follow and support.
Please also consider supporting DIPG brain cancer charity Abbie's Army which raises money for medical research and offers help, support and advice to families affected by DIPG. Thank you.
4-year-old Billy Thompson of Great Bookham, Surrey, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an incurable brain tumour that primarily affects children, in November 2023. Despite such devastating news, Billy’s parents Jamie and Ellie managed to quickly raise an incredible £225,000, which enabled them to take time off work to care for him full-time. It also afforded Billy’s family time to make special memories with him during his last months.
Fundraising efforts were given a huge boost when Queen rock star Sir Brian May saw footage on social media of Billy playing air guitar on his way to radiotherapy treatment and recorded a personal video response to say how impressed he was. Reported on by the national press, Billy subsequently received special messages from acting legend Dame Judy Dench, and former rugby player Jonny Wilkinson.
Through correspondence with a family friend, I learned that as well as reading The Beano, Billy also enjoyed dressing up as Marvel and DC superheroes. With this in mind, I decided to surprise him with his very own superhero comic, in which he was the star. Titled Billy the Brave, it comprised of a four-page comic adventure, four pages of jokes and puzzles, one Billy the Brave poster, and a selection of “free gifts”.
It was the last thing he read. Sadly, Billy passed away on the day he received it, Easter Sunday 31st March. Mum Ellie sent me a touching message a month later, telling of how it made him laugh.
Billy the Brave is now available here for all to read at the request of Jamie and Ellie and Billy's sister Maddie. It is hoped Billy's comic adventure will serve as a pleasant, indirect way of aiding their efforts in raising awareness of the issues surrounding DIPG.
In November 2024, Ellie surprised me by calling on her social media followers (affectionately known as Billy's Battalion) to help get Billy the Brave nominated for the ComicScene Awards 2025. Nomination for Best Charity Comic was secured on Sunday 5 January 2025 and on St. Valentine's Day, Friday 14 February, it was announced Billy's comic had won! An incredible achievement for what was originally intended as a personal gift, I like to imagine Billy is in spirit feeling proud as punch knowing his comic sits alongside mainstream winners such as Batman and The Beano.
Ellie Thompson is on X, Facebook and Instagram, where she provides regular news updates and shares personal experiences relating to DIPG. Please do follow and support.
Please also consider supporting DIPG brain cancer charity Abbie's Army which raises money for medical research and offers help, support and advice to families affected by DIPG. Thank you.
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Print copies included free gifts
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Jokes, puzzles and a poster were also included
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