I Spy in Whoopee!

A few days ago in the comments section of my previous post, Irmantas mentioned that I Spy, a D.C Thomson character from Sparky, appeared in a Scream Inn strip, in IPC's Whoopee comic, in the issue dated 26th October 1974! Here is that strange, inter-companies crossover in full, illustrated by Brian Walker.

Is it I Spy though? I'll leave that for you to decide...

This wasn't the only crossover mentioned. A few months earlier in the 2nd March 1974 edition of Shiver and Shake, Timothy Tester, a Whizzer and Chips favourite, leapt out of the pages of Whizzer to test Scream Inn, and to try his chances of winning the million. Here is the two-page strip. The menu boards in Scream Inn are always interesting, so be sure to take note of it in this strip.

Many thanks for Irmantas of Kazoop for informing me of these crossovers and providing the scans. As you may already know, Irmantas writes a very interesting blog that mostly focuses on cataloguing entire comics. He started off with Cor, then Shiver and Shake and is now beginning on Monster Fun. He covered Scream Inn's run in Shiver and Shake in four posts last year, the first of which can be found here:

http://kazoop.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/a-look-at-shiver-shake-strips-scream-inn.html

And whilst you're there, be sure to check out the whole blog - there's lots if interesting stuff!

Themes in Comics - Witches, Wizards and Magicians!

A regular theme in British Comics is a guest magician, who was more-often-than-not called Marvo and most certainly sporting a neatly trimmed moustache, tophat and bow-tie. Also on the magic side of things is the wizard, with their mortal enimies the witches. Wizards will always appear wearing a tall pointy hat covered with stars and moons and a matching cloak, with a long white beard somewhere inbetween!

The kids in the above strip obviously don't know the difference between a wizard and a magician! Merlin is clearly dressed as a wizard, wearing the traditional star cloak and hat!

Below is a 4 page strip from the 1984 Cor annual! Entitled Wilfred the World's Worst Wizard, the strip appeared in only a few annuals and was illustrated by Alan Rogers. As with all images on this blog, click on the thumbnail to enlarge.

Just as with all the other Cor! characters Irmantas has written a review of Wilfred over on Kazoop! 

http://kazoop.blogspot.com

Based in the modern day, it was occasionally the kids themselves who were the magicians! One such example is Bewitched Belinda, who appeared in Whizzer and Chips, illustrated by Reg Parlett.

The most common name for a witch is Winnie, and that is the name of the witch who had her very own comic strip in the early issues of Sparky. 

I could go on for ages about this theme, and scan dozens more characters and stories from various different comics, but instead I'll conclude this post with a title box from one of D.C. Thomson's well known boys story papers...

Flashback to 1965: Sparky No. 26!

Back in 1965 a new comic was launched, published by D.C Thomson. It was called Sparky, and was launched in January of that year, to last for 12 years until 1977, with the annuals even lasting until the 80's! Issue 26 went on sale on 17th July, and for 5d you got 26 pages of comics, puzzles and jokes! The front cover featured Sparky himself, demonstrating one of the many uses you can have with bottles of pop! 

This issue also brought with it the start of a new adventure strip called Lonely Wood. The story is based around brother and sister Frank and Pat Freeman, who find and look after injured or lost animals. Hence the first panel on the boxes of duck eggs it reads "with care" - and they're definatly been carful with them! 

Hungry Horace also appeared in this issue. Originally from The Dandy, his strip had ended in 1956, but had joined Sparky when it was launched and would even make it into the merge with Topper. I don't know how long he lasted from there, but it wasn't for at least another 10 years!

Another Dandy character to appear in Sparky comic was Keyhole Kate. Out key-hole peeping sneak didn't have as much of a success story as Horace did, lasting in The Dandy from issue 1937 - 1955, and from Sparky to 1974. Both Hungry Horace and Keyhole Kate in the Sparky were illustrated by George Drysdale.

Under Nosey Parker's strip (which is another revived character, although this time not from The Dandy), is an advert for the 1965 Dandy summer special! For just 1/6d you got heaps of holiday smiles, thrils and games to play! Now if it wasn't going for so much on ebay I'd want to get a copy!

The L Cars on a penny coin!

Well no, not literally - but the above image took up a full page in the 1975 Sparky annual, leading on to a story in which two robbers disguised themselves as policemen to rob not only some banks but the police payments as well! Does anybody know how they drew those coins? Here's the story, but I must admit my favourite bits are the cartoons in red at the top!

And there's some more gags in the following L Cars, and here they are for you to feast your eyes upon!

In my post about the 1973 Sparky book I said that the Puss and Boots story in that particular annual was my favourite because the illustrations were so good. Well, I've changed my mind, and this one is now my favourite! Just look at that title page!

The Sparky book 1973

The Sparky book you see above may occur to you as an odd or random choice for me to write a post on, as it has no significant inpact on the comics 16 year life span. But my reason for choosing it is simply because it's brilliant! The book is a fantastic read right from Bill Hill's wonderfully drawn, and funny, front cover, right through to the 1800's style Sparky which appears in the back.

I'll start with the only negative though, which is a comic strip going by the name of 'Sam's Snake'.I dislike it because it seems a bit of a copy of Sid's Snake from Whizzer and Chips, but - as I've now discovered, the series began a month before Whizzer and Chips even came out! Here's a page of Snodgrass Snake in action - art by Phil Millar.

The first Puss and Boots story in this annual is definatly one of my personal favourites, not because of the story - but because of the quality of the artwork, which looks even better printed in full colour. For instance, take a look at how John Geering drew the title box!

Bill Ritche's Barney Bulldog and the Arkward Customer is a good, classic story with a nice strong storyline. I particulary like the full pager with the old man shooting through the air! Brilliant stuff!

I Fly has only one page in the entire annual, but still a pretty good, funny story - I assume it came to somebody randomly at some point, and they thought it was a good idea. I guess we'll never know...

On the page right next to I Fly is I Spy at the Hotel Splendide, an amazing nine page story all about I Spy clearing out a hotel full of enemy spies! Drawn by Brian Walker. (you can read the full story here - http://theyellowedpages.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/i-spy-hotel-splendide-sparky-book-1973.html)

Tales men tell has some exceptional illustrations, although not much information about them. Does anybody know who the artist for them is, he simply signed his pieces as 'Mr.'?

And to conclude the annual classic Sparky comic. One shall say no more. ;)

IT'S HUGE! - Dandy 3522

This weeks Dandy is out for £2.50! Ok, so it's a pound more than usual, but you do get 44 pages and some Toxic Slime and Squidgy Eyeballs. Just so you know and start moaning that prices were never raised because of free gifts back then, it doen't actually note that this is a free gift. I actually saw a preview of this comic a little while back on Nigel Parkinsons blog, but he never told us that the cover would be a little bigger. And yes, it is only the cover that is bigger, as you can see in the below image!Also, the comic features the return of an old Sparky strip, Tingummyblob, drawn by Jamie Smart. The issue also includes a 12 page Harry Hill story, Lords of the Jungle, another brilliant story drawn by Nigel Parkinson. Now, I wont give too much away, but here are the first two boxes!

Next weeks Dandy will also be 44 pages, and comes with a 'Knife through head' toy.

Dandy #3522, Febuary 19th 2011. £2.50, on sale now!