Launched in February 1995, Fleetway obviously had high hopes for BVC (Big Value Comic) because they cancelled Buster Monthly, Whoopee Monthly, Whizzer and Chips Monthly and Big Comic Fortnightly (by now Big Comic Monthly - see previous post) to merge, in a way, into it, in order to attract readers from all four titles.
A four-page flyer was given out to advertise issue one, tucked away in the merging comics and, I'd imagine, also Buster. Strangely pages three and four are only half the width of pages one and two.
The cover of BVC No. 1 on the flyer has a white background but the final published version had a red background. I don't own any issues of BVC but I've found an image of issue one's front cover here:
http://www.comicvine.com/bvc-the-big-value-comic-1/4000-269474/
http://www.comicvine.com/bvc-the-big-value-comic-1/4000-269474/
As you can see the two covers are very different. On the published version, besides the red background, the price has a black circle around it, the strapline was changed, the date and issue number were moved as was "Not On Sale To Adults!" and a star with "1st Bumper Fun Issue!" written inside it was added. Quite a significant number of changes.
Big Value Comic didn't last long, and in November that same year it was cancelled without notice, replaced by Buster Classics in February 1996 (which ended in September 1996).
3 comments:
I hate to be pedantic, but you say BVC was launched in April 1995, when the flyer says it's February?
Unless there was some sort of delay? Either way, thanks for sharing the flyer, always nice to see historical tidbits like this.
Hmm... I don't know where April came from - it was indeed February!
That great big greasy smudge on the cover is the remnants of the rubber centipede free gift. You can even make out it's legs on poor Frankies body.
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