Last week, in a rare moment of total clarity, I finally understood what my life’s purpose was. I finally knew the reason I was put on this earth.
It was to create a mash-up between the much-loved long-running Scottish comic strip, The Broons, and our own Bob and Berta Hoon in an all-new comic called The Hoons.
The idea amused me no end. I read The Broons and Our Wullie religiously growing up, always getting one or the other in my Christmas stocking, depending on which title was published that year. For those of you who didn’t grow up in Scotland at some point in the last seventy-odd years, the books were published in alternate years – The Broons one year, and Oor Wullie the next.
Anyway, I quickly wrote a short Broons style script, but with Bob and Berta Hoon in place of Maw and Paw Broon. I posted a message on a Facebook group for comic-book illustrators looking for someone who could replicate the style of the original strips, and included a sample Broons page, as I assumed nobody in the group – most of whom are in the US – would know what the hell I was talking about.
About an hour later, an illustrator called Stevie White got in touch. He reckoned he could probably have a pretty good go at drawing the script, since he’d been the artist on The Broons of sixteen years!
Stevie sent the finished strip yesterday, and it’s even better than I could have hoped. I’m making this first one available for everyone to read, but future issues will be available exclusively to members of my VIP Club, so if you haven’t already done so, sign up at the bottom of this page (it’s free!)
Enjoy the comic. Click to enlarge it and view it in a new window. And let me know what you think in the comments!
UPDATE! I’ve gone ahead and made both strips available below. Merry Christmas!
I love it. Can you do an Oor Wullie with Tyler next please?
Brilliant would like more of the Hoons great characters in your books
Absolutely brilliant! And yes it did bring a smile to my face 🤣
Love it. A Christmas with Hoons will be hilarious
Had a few minutes to kill and read this. What a laugh. Roll on Hoon the movie.
Brilliant you should do an annual it would be a best seller
It’s fuc%&my brilliant
Perfect kick off to The Hoons! Enjoyed the giggles and Iris showing up had me switching accents in my head lmao!
I love it.
Such a nostalgia hit but brought bang up to date with Bob and Berta.
That’s hilarious 😂
Great stuff! I haven’t even started the Bob Hoon books yet but love the sweary bastard so looking forward to them. I’m just on the 12th Logan book. We had a magic time in Fort William, Glenfinnan and Aviemore when we travelled 4 years ago so your books bring it all back. Such lovely people too… keep up the great writing !
Love it! Reminds me a bit like ‘foot rot flats’ that was very popular 30 or something years ago here in OZ ( tho I believe it was a Kiwi publication ) they also made a film of it, so who knows the ‘Hoons’
could go international 😂
Keep on with you brilliant books/ ideas JD. I for one can’t get enough of them!
Good Luck in your new endeavour!
I absolutely love Bob, Berta and Iris 😂 Have listened to all your books twice and I still end up laughing in public places!
Keep them coming!
Brilliant! And perfectly in keeping with the DC comics.
🤣🤣🤣 Brillinant!
Hilarious! I’m currently reading the 4th Bob hoon and dying for more Jack! I love your work!
So like the broons very well drawn
Brilliant!
Cackling like a pair of numpties here in sunny Tenerife.
Perfect retro-style comic. Love it!
Amazingly cleaver and one of the funniest things iv read, could we please get an annual every year
They’re exactly how I pictured them! Brilliant idea 💡 More please.
Brilliant and just how I picture them.
Brilliant!
Fabulous! Can’t wait to see the Hoons ongoing mad adventures.
love it, need more keep it coming 5 star
I’m not a big comic strip fan but this is fantastic! I can’t wait for the next one.
Great comic takes me back to my childhood ( many years ago 🚶🚶🚶🤣
Hope for more to come
Loved it. Sounds just the type of thing you imagine would happ
Have never read the Broons. Love this – made me laugh out loud. Just how I imagined Bob and Berta. More please
Fantastic
Brilliant! Brought back happy memories. I remember comics well from my childhood. Hokn never ceases to make me howl with laughter! Can’t wait for me in your VIP Club!
Speechless, abso-feckin-lutely speechless. This is brilliant!
Pure dead brilliant so it is
I can just imagine that scenario,.. looking forward to the next installment.
Chuckling away to myself! More please.
Brilliant.
This was GREAT! I’ll admit I pictured Berta different but the writing was perfect and the cartoon is very funny!
Absolutely brilliant loved it keep it going can’t wait for more 😀
Absolutely brilliant, loved the take on the broons effect. Hope to see a whole book of the hoons some day 😁😁
Loved it. I knew I would you are an absolute belter of an author. Love to see you print a book of these comic strips. Genius.
Loved it. Absolutely brilliant and hilarious.
Awesome! I live in the U.S. but I’m a fan of Bob &Bertie loved it!
Love this! You could do a whole comic with all the characters
Barry,
The Hoons is great, I love the nostalgic look at their world, and a brilliant way to show the chaotic lives I imagined they led.
I am not sure if the characters met the look that I had imagined but it is a great read!
What a brilliant idea , love it!!
Absolutely howlin! I grew up reading the Broons and Oor Wullie. My nana used to get me the annual every Christmas and I’d read the wee ones they did in the Sunday Post as well
Hilarious
Love it. I read the Bob bits in Dougray Scott’s voice and Kate Dickie as Berta.
Looking forward to the next Heather book with Tammi-Jo as her side kick.
Absolutely loved it
Yes, yes, yes, we want more.
Brilliant
Brilliant! Sinead looks like Tosh off Shetland!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣brill, i always got the Broons or Our Wullie for xmas luv’d them both, even read them in the Sunday paper. You should defo dae a book every year if poss i’d defo buy it. This was so funny. Thanks it’s cheered me up ..😊
Loved it and I agree with the people who asked for Tyler as Oor Wullie with maybe Jack Logan as PC Murdoch
Howled with laughter . Brilliant 👏 my favourite characters love them all .
Absolutely brilliant. Although I’m from London, my husband is from Kilsyth so I know about the Broons. This is Genius! I will look forward to seeing what is next 🤣🤣
Brilliant. We are going to hound you for the rest of the guys xx
Love this! Bring on more Hoons!
Absolutely brilliant! Looking forward to the next part!!!
F—–g perfect and all the nuances of all characters (Broons and Hoons)
Tyler in an Oor Wullie style next please
We always got the annuals too and us 4 kids had to have a lot of patience sharing over xmas
Love it
I’m US so I had never heard of it but loved it anyway! More please and bring on the gang!
Brilliant. Jings, crivens, help ma Hoon.
I love this sooo much! Absolutely brilliant!!!
Brilliant, loved it, Broons and oor Wullie part of our childhood memories. 😀
Brilliant ! More please 😂😂
Fantastic,Berta just as I imagined her,I had Bob a bit more plumper in my mind,but think the whole thing great,I used to get the broons and oor. Willie, every Christmas,well done xx
Showed this to my mum and husband who are both Scottish (me being half) and they grew up with both The Broons and Our Willie and loved it, as did I. Definitely will keep an eye out for more issues!!
This is bloody class loved it made me laugh so much my husband like Hoon 😂😂😂
Laughed like a drain. I would love to have the annual in my Christmas stocking. Pure genius. I love the hooks.
I loved it! More, more, more please!
I need a full hoons book for next Christmas 🎄
Loved it! Brought back fond memories of Oor Wullie and The Broons.
Keep it coming!
Brilliant!!! Having read The Broons & Oor Wullie growing up, this hits the spot. More please – Tyler as Oor Wullie & Logan as Murdoch????
Love the Hoons! Can’t get enough of them. This is hilarious, more please
Bloody brilliant, just suits my warped sense of humor.😂😂😂
We really need more of this type of humor here in Australia.
loved it. A wee geg, as they say here in Belfast.
Amazing! so excited for what comes next for the Hoons!
That had me laughing out loud. Brilliant
Fabulous, very funny indeed.
Lol brilliant, love the characters, cant wait till I see a drawing of Tyler and his hair 😂 Bob I thought would be a bit thinner, wiry but love them 💕
That’s brilliant, you can’t just leave us with 1 page, looking forward to the next instalment
Fantastic not quite the image I had of Hoon but Berta is spot on very funny. Quite sure this will take off in a big way. Clever you
Brilliant can’t wait for more love Hoon and his sister
Brilliant!
Brilliant. Please could you give us one that shows us Tyler’s hair?
At my age I can just imagine being dumped on by two really active young kids. True to life. More please
Fantastic! Bring on the rest, illustrations brilliant, just as I imagine the books.
Brilliant, proper Bob Hoon! Looking forward to future Hoon Toons
I grew up with the Broons and Oor Willie at Christmas and the weekly supplement in the Sunday Post…This is brilliant,hope to see many more.
Brilliant, thank you. Berta is just as I imagined her.
Absolutely brilliant! Loved The Broons and Oor Wulllie! More of The Hoons please 🤣🤣🤣
Absolutely brilliant!!! I can just imagine that scenario. Brought back happy memories as I always got the annuals every Christmas as well. Looking forward to the next instalment.
Absolute magic, we expect The Hoons 2024 Christmas Annual then?
Great idea!
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a real giggle!! Just loved it………
LOVED IT
Just brilliant, I too read both books.
Dog that is GOOD!
So funny! Loved it, can’t wait for more.
Love it,but could it not be swearier?A real blast from the past,LOL.
Though I’m a Canadian of Scottish heritage, I’m not familiar with this comic series.
I have to say, though, that the drawings depict *exactly* what the Hoons have always looked like in my mind’s eye! Dead ringers 😁
Fantastic! The Hoons rule. You couldn’t ask for a better tough/soft man and manic sister. Long may they have a part in your books.
Hilarious! Even being from the US, and not having heard of those comics, I laughed out loud. I love the Hoons, even if I probably wouldn’t want to live next door to them!!
Class. Bob should be a bit more boggle-eyed though. Looking forward to more.
This is great. I love it. Can’t wait for the next strip.
This is deadly, love the Hoons 😂
I can only imagine what the twins first words will be! Hilarious!,
Priceless. More please.
Brilliant. Totally cheered me up cos I’ve been feeling shite due to a chest infection.But by laughing so much I had another coughing fit🙄😭🤣🤣
The icing on the cake: the wee poetic intro. Fantastic. More!!!
love it, need more keep it coming 5 star
Put a smile on my face – love it
OMG! The Hoons! What a pair. Hilarious. More please.
Brilliant, very funny ,lets hope there are more to come.
Hilarious! 😂😂😂
Exactly as I pictured them! Ten stars at least 🙂
I laughed my arse off!
Brilliant, loved the poetic header.
I have never heard of the Scottish comic strip, but I love the Hoons! Love all your books. Thanks for the preview and look forward to more!
I read Oor Wullie when I was little – and in England too! We were more enlightened than you would imagine. I love this and look forward to more episodes. Is the image of Hoon a true one, taken from life? I often try to picture him. Then need counselling.
I loved your The Hoons, maybe you could get it animated? I used to follow The Broons and Our Wullie in the Sunday Post when I was a child living in the North-east of England, it was the one Sunday newspaper my Granddad Jack used to buy. I also remember the adventures of Black Bob but wiki tells me I have misremembered and that the valiant dog and his shepherd only appeared in the Dandy, not in the Sunday Post.
In the US but lived in the UK married to a Yorkshireman. My brother in law got comics and I read them all. I loved this so much. The Hoons would be an amazing show.
Oh JD, you’re too good to us. This is fabulous fun. And spot on creation of the Hoons we have come to know and be scandalized by, I mean love. Looking forward to more.
Never heard of the comics even though I grew up in England {now living in Canada} but laughed out loud at this and the characters are so much as I imagined. Thank you for the preview and looking forward to more.
The spilled cigarettes all over the floor 🤣🤣🤣
You have excelled yourself once again. I was laughing out loud, it is so funny. Give us more please!
Hoon and Berta the ultimate baby sitters. This was a laugh out loud experience. Keep it up.
Absolutely fantastic. Luv it. Keep them coming
Waiting for the next installment. Brilliant!
I like this, very ye olde Scotland ya bam etc. Hoon is getting a bit of an outing these days… I was a bit unsure about a novel with Mr Hoon as a protagonist… But I’m reading North Wind and liking his patter so far. Keep it dark.
Absolutely brilliant! This could be the start of something BIG! Well, BIGGER!
Also grew up with the Broons and oor Willie! Mote please? 😃😃
Aw, brilliant! Fab idea. Looking forward to seeing some more. Hoon heaven!
Brilliant!
I’m in the USA and have never heard of The Broons but The Hoons are fantastic! Love them – not sure what that says about me – and can’t wait for the next one.
Swede living in Australia but grew up reading Tintin in the 70s and 80s. Getting a The Duponds and Captain Haddock feel from your comic strip. Love it.
Just love it J D. On a winner as usual, I still have a copy of the Broons.
And I have lived in Australia for 60 years. Looking forward to more
Hoonery.
Love your creativity with the Hoons. So bloody funny
Oh, yeah, I need more of this shite! Brilliant!
Fantastic
OMG, OMG, OMG, F***ing excellent.
Absolutely wet the pants, laugh out loud, stuff!! Not that I’ve wet my pants, but a close run thing!!
Love it J D. Let’s have more Hoonery.
I do love this!!! I am eagerly waiting on another Hoon book too. You write the best books! Thank you
I nearly peed my pants laughing at this! Totally brilliant
LOVE IT!!!! Please keep it coming! Can’t wait for the next one! Really a stellar⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ idea!
🤣🤣🤣🤣 love it. Grew up with The Broons ( not literally). More please 😻
You certainly brought a smile to my face. X
Jings, it’s the Broons meets Biffa Bacon 🙂 Briliant.
Love that clean art from Stevie White.
Another vote for Oor Tyler here.
Looks great and with our WILLIE perfect. Get going please.
Love it!!
Fantastic! Takes me back to my childhood. What memories. You e captured the essence of the family between you.Except of course the strongest words i remember from The
Broons, we’re jings and helpmabob ! But then those were innocent days.
Absolutely brilliant! I’d be dead proud too… I’m still laughing about the Hansel & Gretel quip
Fan-fucking-tastic!
Having been brought up on The Broons and Oor Willie, I love the style.
Brilliant I love it hope there will be more to come
Brilliant!
Great, really enjoyed it, how did I miss the first one!!
Absolutely cracking – looking forward to my regular comic reading –
That is what was absolutely brilliant. I love Bob Hoon brilliant character.
Thanks for giving us a fantastic book series with even more brilliant spin offs.