Iqbal Ali's "Mr Jones's Smoking Bones" Debuts as Graphic Novels via B7 Comics

B7 Comics is to publish Iqbal Ali's popular independent 12-issue comic book series "Mr Jones's Smoking Bones." It will be released as two graphic novels.

Set in 1867 in England and India, this story offers a heady mix of murder, mystery, and secret societies. Volume 1 collects the first seven chapters of "Mr Jones's Smoking Bones." It will be released in November 2025.

1867. The East India Company has fallen. A smoking skeleton is killing ex-company members. A drug-addled Indian detective, who harbours a deep-rooted hatred of the British Empire, is drawn into the investigation. He enters a world of secret societies and the occult.

Fortean Times describes "Mr Jones's Smoking Bones" as a series "…where science and the occult met in the shadow of the British Empire... An excellent comic told from a different perspective to others set in this era."

BSFA, Eagle and Hugo Award-winning writer Paul Cornell says: "An extraordinary work, an afterlife mystery approached almost as science fiction, with layers of politics and history. It feels like nobody's written any previous comics, and a master stylist has started anew without reference to genre or medium. In other words, Iqbal Ali is the new Alan Moore."

Iqbal Ali says of his new partnership with B7 Comics: "I'm delighted to be partnering with B7 Comics to publish Mr Jones's Smoking Bones. I've been a fan of their work on radio and comics for a while, especially the incredible audio dramas on Audible. So, to have my work alongside that catalogue is an honour. B7's commitment to boundary-pushing work makes them the perfect partner for this project."

Publisher, Andrew Mark Sewell, says: "I was immediately struck by Iqbal setting his story during a fascinating period in British colonial history, melding a supernatural mystery story with the politics of the time, not shying away from the inherent racism. It's a story that intrigues and demands your attention from the first page, with hints of science fiction, and not a superhero in sight, which is refreshing. It's exactly this kind of rich, character-led stories that defines what B7 Comics is all about."

Mr Jones's Smoking Bones is illustrated by Priscilla Grippa and written by Iqbal Ali, published by B7 Comics. Mr Jones's Smoking Bones (Vol 1) graphic novel (202 pgs / RRP £22.95) will be available from GetMyComics/B7 from 1 November 2025. It is available now to pre-order from B7Media.com.