Whizzer and Chips - From The Drawing Board To The Final Product

Here's an interesting glimpse into the production process of comics from back in the days before computers. This piece shows how Whizzer and Chips issue dated 25th September 1982 made it from the art stage to the final product. Before this step, of course, the lettering would have been added on to the strip, either written onto the board itself or more likely glued on top.

These images were shared by Phil-Comics so I'll let his explanation do the talking.

"On a recent visit to a collector's house he mentioned that back in 1982/83 (aged 23/24), he was such a fan of the IPC comics that he got into some dialogue with IPC and was able to visit Kings Reach Tower, on the south bank of the Thames, the home of IPC comics, several times and met some of the editors including David Hunt (Eagle), Steve MacManus (2000AD), Ian Vosper (Roy of the Rovers), plus group editor Barrie Tomlinson. He told us he became interested in the comics when he bought the first issue of Whizzer and Chips in 1969 (aged 10), being intrigued by the “2 comics in 1” format, so the highlight of his IPC visits was when he went to the Whizzer and Chips office and was presented with a front cover of Whizzer and Chips by the editor Bob Paynter.

"The production process was to scan the original artwork and to print it at a reduced size of the actual comic. The printed scan of the original artwork was stuck manually onto white board, in this example the cover, where a date of issue and reader cover joke were also stuck on, plus the copyright line at the bottom. The transparent sheet was then applied over the artwork and colours applied. As a point of interest, we thought we'd message Barrie Tomlinson, on Twitter, who added the following when we sent him a few pics of the cover "That looks like a thing which was sent to the printers. Editorial was doing the colour separations so it was cheaper at the printers. The printer would use the black and white outline cover and then strip in the various colours shown on the overlay."

Phil said this piece will be up for sale on his ebay page soon.