Christmas Jackpot Annual

The 1984 jackpot annual has a bit of a festive cover, as did most of Fleetway's annuals that year, this one starring Top of the Class. As you would probably expect with an annual like this, not many of the stories inside had a christmas theme. I found one, and a few with a bit of snow.

The one christmas themed story is this Laser Eraser story. In the first box the tree has a label on it reading 'MR ODDSOCKS', a nice feature! Art by Robert Nixon.

There were quite a few stories that featured snow in them, in Kid King it melts so he replaces it with icing! Here is a 'Little and Large Lenny' strip (the character was probably based upon the comedy show 'Little and Large') , artwork by Artie Jackson.

Another christmas comic coming soon!

Jim Petrie Interview

Jim Petrie,the artist for Minnie the Minx, The Sparky People and others, was recently interviewed in Classics from the Comics #174, which then ended the following issue (I think...). He is most well known for Minnie the Minx, who he drew for 40 years, producing over 2000 strips for the weekly, annuals and comic libraries. Here's the interview, and a two page Minnie story.

The issue also had a page showing what Jim has been up to in his retirement.

Free Copy of Beano #452

Just a short post today. I'm sure you've all seen the first Dennis the Menace strip which appeared in Beano #452 on March 17th 1951. Since original issues usually sell for around £150 (although there is one currently on eBay for a buy it now of £450! And yes, it is definitely an original.), you can read the issue along with this years Beano and Dandy annual for just £12.99! (Although, instead of The Beano and The Dandy it's main focus this year is 60 years of Dennis the Menace.) But from now on I'd watch out for this issue on eBay as I'm sure some dodgy people are already thinking about selling them as originals....

Scream Inn Board Game!

Scream Inn was a popular comic strip in Whoopee and was drawn by Brian Walker! But - to my complete suprise - there was also a board game! Produced in the 1970's by Denys Fisher, it was described as "A howling, hair raising, 3D action game." Intrestingly though, none of the characters from the story featured in the game, exept for the ghost. Another intresting piece of comic history, along with Ken Reid's Frankie Stein model, and the game can be picked up on eBay for around £70. Here's a few images:















The later instruction booklet was a bit more boring:

Another board game made by Denys Fisher is called Ghost Train, but I don't think this is related to IPC. Pictures below.

Jerry Robinson 1922 - 2011

Mike Marts, editor of the Batman series at DC Comics, called the artist "a pioneer in storytelling".

Robinson, who was first hired to draw comic books in 1939, aged 17, is credited by many as crafting the Caped Crusader's arch-enemy The Joker.

"I think the name came first - The Joker. Then I thought of the playing card," he said, last year.

Green-haired villain The Joker first appeared in 1940 and was later brought to life by actors Cesar Romero, in the 1960s TV series, Jack Nicholson, in 1989 film Batman, and Heath Ledger, in 2008 movie The Dark Knight.

"The streets of Gotham City are a little lonelier today," said Marts.

However Batman creator Bob Kane claimed he and the series' original writer Bill Finger created the character.

Robinson was hired by Kane in 1939 after the two met at a resort in Catskill Mountains where Robinson was selling ice cream, wearing a white jacket covered with his own illustrations.

In the 1950s, he drew comic strips and cartoons for Broadway magazine Playbill.

After leaving the Batman team in the early 1940s, he went on to create comic book characters including nuclear superhero Atoman.

In later life, he taught at New York's School of Visual Arts and was president of both the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and the National Cartoonists Society.

He also curated a number of major exhibitions of comic book art in the US and all over the world.

"Jerry brought a realism to comics - and a sense of humour," said Kochman, his editor at Abrams Comic Arts, which last year published a book entitled Jerry Robinson: Ambassador of Comics.

"He saw the value of comics as an art."

Robinson is survived by his wife of 57 years, two children and two grandchildren.

From BBC News -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16105961