[News] News of May

 Another month is over, so here are the News of May:

• The most important news first: Japan will issue Pokemon stamps in July! This is something I had been waiting for for years. On 7th July two sheets will be issued with ten stamps each. One sheet reproduces cards of the Trading Card Game, while the other uses great illustrations of various Pokemon. On 25th August another collector's item will be issued. This will be a box including a third sheet of ten stamps as well as real trading cards. Especially the box also generated an interest beyond the stamp collector community in the Pokemon fan community. I am not really sure whether these stamps commemorate the recent 25th anniversary of Pokemon or are a way to catch in the current hype of trading cards. Maybe it is both. More than 50 different Pokemon will appear on the three sheets and for most it will be the first time on a stamp. By far the most featured Pokemon are from the first generation followed by the eight and the fourth. Five Pokemon from the second generation will appear on the stamps, three from the fifth, two each from the third and the seventh and none from the sixth. I am really looking forward to these!
• An image of the upcoming Jean de la Fontaine stamps from France became available as well. The issue will take the form of a souvenir sheet with two stamps. The main part of the sheet as well as one of the stamps shows a view near Fontaine's home where a few of his fables can be discovered. The second stamp shows an illustration of the fable "The Frog and the Ox". Another great issue from France!
• In the meantime the Exupery sheet I already mentioned twice was shown. It is one of those many French issues reproducing old stamp issues, so in this case one of Exupery. This I doubt is of real interest for collectors of children's book stamps.
• The rest of Hong Kong's stamp programme is here and an issue in September honours Feel 100%, "an original Hong Kong comic, [which] acquired international fame for winning the Second International Manga Award by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 2008 [and which] had been adapted into movies and television drama that were popular among the younger generation of the time". Six stamps and two souvenir sheets will be issued.
• The Slovakian programme for 2022 includes a stamp about children's book author Klára Jarunková.
• Jersey issued its next set about decades, the 1990s this time, and the sheet includes the text "First Harry Potter Book is Published" for 1997. Worth a mention, but not worth a buy.
• As of today there are still no news about the Lord of the Rings stamps announced by New Zealand Post for the 2nd June, the day after tomorrow.
• And finally the whole sheet about Kater Mikesch from Czechia can now be seen on the website of the Czech Post. The stamp itself is cute, but the rest of the sheet is a bit boring. Issue date is the 23rd June.

The new issues of May were the Star Wars Droids from the USA and Jean de la Fontaine from Monaco.

The Star Wars Droids I already added to my collection mint, on FDCs, on covers and four already on postcards, but so far I did not managed to upload them here. I will however do so soon. Also I got some older US comic stamps together with the droids on covers. Also those I will upload later.

Monaco: 400th birthday of Jean de la Fontaine (2021)

USA: Star Wars Droids (2021)

On matching Cards:

FDCs:

Used on a Card with Special Postmark:

Used on Covers with Special Postmarks:

Used on Cards:

[News] News of April

Unlike the last months April was a month full of news. Here they are:

• This week finally the new Star Wars Droids stamps of USPS will be issued. Perfectly in time for Star Wars Day you can join the virtual dedication cerenomy on Facebook and Twitter. It will take place on Tuesday, May the 4th, 11 am EST. More information you can find here.
• Armenia issued a stamp about the Cartoon Kikos on 21st April. You can buy it on WOPA.
• On 25th May Monaco will issue four single stamps about author anniversaries. One of them deals with the 400th birth anniversary of Jean de la Fontaine and shows a portrait of the author next to an illustration of the fable The Fox and the Crow.
• The first image of the Czech stamp about Kater Mikesch became available. However it is just an image of a single stamp, while a souvenir sheet was promised. The image of the whole sheet will most likely be available by the end of May. 
• In last month's news I mentioned the "Bloc Saint-Exupéry (spécial salon)" and a "Carnet 'Le Petit Prince 75 ans'" planned in France in June. The images of the Carnet are now available and it is indeed a booklet of twelve stamps. Issue date is the 21st June.
• In January I wrote about an issue from Alderney that was listed as TBC online, but as Lorax in the printed bulletin. The issue was apparently changed and is now listed as Secret Garden online.
• Finland revealed its stamp programme of the rest of the year and unfortunately it does not include a new Moomin set. 
• Poland already revealed its stamp programme for 2022, which includes an issue about Kajko and Kokosz.
• The German stamp programme for 2022 was revealed months ago and now there is the first update. Originally it included Benjamin Blümchen and the Smurfs as Helden der Kindheit and Pettson and Findus as single stamp. Now Benjamin Blümchen is listed as single stamp and Pettson and Findus are now probably included in the Helden der Kindheit. I like this change, as the single stamp is usually issued in March, while the Helden der Kindheit are just issued in December, so nine months less to wait for Benjamin Blümchen, my most anticipated stamp for 2022 at this point.

The News Issues of April 2021 were Kikos from Armenia, the single stamp about The Little Prince from France and Classic Science Fiction from the United Kingdom.

My only New Addition in my collection of Childhood Heroes on Stamps this month was The Little Prince in mint condition. I also got the Classic Science Fiction, but decided to include them in my general collection and not in this topical collection.