Another Halloween Buster (1987)

Looking through my collection to find Halloween themed issues I was surprised to see how few I had. Halloween (in comics at least) hasn't really become common until quite recently when it started to slowly replace the fireworks issues. They don't begin until the late 1980's (although The Beano did have a few before this date, and possibly also The Dandy), I can't say for certain why the fireworks issues slowly decreased but I suspect it was due to the fact that they are considered too dangerous or something, but after the late 1980's fireworks only appeared in the backgrounds, or at "safe distances" from the characters. 

One Halloween comic I did find is this 1987 Buster and Nipper issue. At this point Buster himself was illustrated by Tom Paterson, and it must be said he did a cracking job with this story. It would be really nice to see the whole strip in full colour, but oh well - we can't have everything!

The actual number of Halloween themed strips is bitterly disappointing. In fact, there are only two strips especially themed for the occasion, another couple that always have "scary" theme (Beastenders and Dracula Dobbs, and possibly also Faceache) and the advertised pull-out mask. The other themed strip was, as could be guessed at, by Jack Edward Oliver, and it was his Vid Kid strip. Again, this would look nicer in full-colour, but it would be several years before it obtained that, and even then it was only very cheap block colouring.

And finally, here's something that is full colour - the mask on the centre spread! Feel free to print it out and wear it - if you dare!!! Art looks to be by Tom Paterson, and you may also notice that this is the mask Buster is wearing in his own strip. Look again if you don't believe me!

And that brings us to the end of the Halloween themed posts that this blog has to offer for the year. But don't fret - we only have a few days to wait until the much loved fireworks night which means, of course, fireworks comics! Keep checking back for more!