Saturday 25 June 2011

Old Comics you Want to See - UPDATED!

I have recently received in the post a new batch of Beano comics, including 2 VG 1956 beano's (I love you Phil Comics!) and a near inclusive lot of Beano's from January to June 1967 (With some fab covers and 2 original 4 page adverts for Bimbo and The Beezer (No's 1277 and 1280 respectively). For specific Issue numbers visit the updated "Old Comics you Want to See" post.

If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, just click on the long link above and all the info you need is on there. ;) Want me to put a strip up from any of those issues or any others in my collection, just post a comment below! :)

Monday 20 June 2011

What happens when you go sticking your nose through keyholes...

I'm sure you've all asked yourself that very same question, and here Keyhole Kate gives us the answer. This particular story is from Easter 1945 (March 31st to be exact.), drawn by Allan Morley;






So there you are! Remember kids, don't stick our nose through keyholes for you're sure to burned by a cigarette end! :D

Saturday 18 June 2011

The Country Cuzzins: 1st and 2nd Appearances - for Wizzkid97

As requested by Wizzkid97, I am putting up the first and second appearances of The Country Cuzzins for you to see. The strip was drawn by artist Hugh Morren, debuting in issue 1075 (Dated Feb 23 1963). Interestingly, that same issue also saw the debut of long running adventure story, The Q-Bikes. Anyway, here they are;






The strip finished in issue 1138, to be replaced by the long-running strip Billy Whizz in issue 1139.

Want a strip you love up on this blog? Well, now you can! Look through my collection of comics here and post a comment telling me which strip/issue you would like me to put up. Simples! 






Saturday 11 June 2011

Old comics you want to see!

Hi, sorry I haven't posted in ages, I've been caught up in other things. But now I'm back, and I should hopefully be able to post a lot more frequently from now on. Anyway, on with the show, eh?! :)

I promised I'd show some examples of my collection, and I have failed to meet that promise as of yet. But fear not, now I shall give you the chance to choose what i put up.

I will now give a list of what comics I have. They are practically all beano's but there are a few others too. Read through the list, and if I have what you want post a comment saying what you would like to see. you can be as specific as you like, anything from "Something from the 60's, please" to "could you put up a 1953 Roger for me, please?" If there is a certain strip you want but you're unsure of when it's from, just tell me the name of the strip and I'll see if i have an example of it.

So, here we go! (List will be updated when new comics arrive, so keep checking back.)

The Beano

1950's:

1950: 404 - 15/4
1951: 453 - 24/3, 481 - 6/10
1953: 563 - 2/5
1955: 691 - 15/10
1956: 742 - 6/10, 751 - 8/12
1958: 832 - 28/5

1960's:

1962: 1039 - 16/5, 1062 - 24/11
1963: 1074 to 1076 inclusive - 16/2 to 2/3
1965: 1217 - 13/11
1967: 1277 to 1299 inclusive - 7/1 to 10/6 (Except No's 1288, 1296 and 1297)
1968: 1335 - 17/2, 1336 - 24/2, 1340 - 23/3, 1342 - 6/4, 1347 - 11/5

1970's:

1971: (Some have rips and tears and last 3 have middle 4 pages missing) 1510 - 26/6, 1512 - 10/7, 1513 - 17/7, 1515 - 31/7, 1516 - 7/8, 1519 - 28/8, 1525  - 9/10, 1529 - 6/11, 1536 - 25/12 (Xmas)

1980's

1980: 2000 - 15/11

1989: Full year

1990's

1998: Full year

2000's

Issue 3333 to the current issue (3589) inclusive.

The Dandy: 

Various Xtreme issues from 2007 to 2010, around 30 of them, mainly early ones.
Most Dandys as of 30/10 2010.

Comment away! :)





Comment away! :)

Sunday 17 April 2011

If the Beano and the Dandy Merged...

It's been a while, and I'm back. And I'm back with a bloody long post too! Sorry for the giant gap since I last posted, other things have taken over priority, so the blog has had to take a back seat.

Anyway, on with the show...

I've been recently thinking what would happen if the beano and the dandy were forced to merge, and what I would like to happen. So, here is my contents of a perfect "The Beano and Dandy". Brace yourself, it's long!

The Beano and Dandy:

Cover: Dennis the Menace and Gnasher

You just couldn't have anyone else, could you? I think it could have a big picture of them relating to the story, much like in the current beano. Then underneath there could be a banner telling you what's inside, much like the one the dandy has at the moment. Art by the current artists Jimmy Hansen, Nigel Parkinson and Barry Appleby, with the odd Tom Paterson strip, just because.

Page 2: Issue xxxx - Whats Inside

Taken from the current dandy, this will give a contents, giant introduction from a character from the comic and maybe a Jamie Smart hide and seek puzzle. After a number of issues they could also include collector's corner and who's reading yours from the current beano, as there would have been enough issues for someone to have some form of a collection.

Page 3: Top half - Biffo the Bear and bottom half - Korky the Cat


Both of these are iconic strips yet work best in under a page, so what better way to use them than putting them on page 3 as half page strips, eh? Biffo could be drawn by Andy Fanton and Korky could be drawn by his current artist Phil Corbett. It would be eye caching and the first page readers would see when they look inside the comic.

Page 4: Bananaman 


Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 5: Billy Whizz

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Pages 6 and 7: Minnie the Minx 

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 8: Kid Cops 

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 9: Subscription Advert

You just need one, and it would be even better if it was made into some fun, comic strip form drawn by Barry Appleby.

Pages 10 and 11: Billy the Cat

The beano is lacking an adventure story, and the best and most familiar to readers is Billy the Cat. It should be adventurous but not so much so that younger readers fail to understand it. Drawn by Steve Beckett.

Page 12: Ratz

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 13: Shorts 

1) Grampire - Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)
2) Clown Wars - As much as I like it as a full page strip, I think it works better as a short. Everthing else stays the same.
3) Freddy the Fearless fly - Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)
4) Big Eggo - I think it would work as a short, and  I think without a character from the first issue it can't really call itself the beano. Art by David Sutherland.

Shorts are really good in comics. They can give new artists a place to start, and then if the ed. thinks they're good enough they could have a full page strip. Also, a lot of strips work best as just 2 or 3 frames. Shorts are an essential ingredient in comics!

Pages 14 and 15: The Numbskulls 

With more interesting storylines the numbskulls could be really good! Everthing else stays the same.

Pages 16 and 17: The Bash Street Kids

Just as it is now but with some slightly better storylines as the bash street kids can get rather boring at times.

Page 18: Arena of Awesome

With the beano dominating the front and back covers, the dandy just had to have the centre spread. Maybe each week there could be one beano character and one dandy character battling it out, or just as it is now. Drawn by Jamie Smart.

Pull Out "The Beezer and Topper" Comic: 


With the demise of Classics from the Comics last year and the Beezer and Topper ending almost 20 years ago, I think there is a need for more beezer and topper content. It would have appeal not only for nostalgics, but for the kids as well who jump with excitement when there is a cool mini-mag to pull out (or is that just me? :P) Anyway, here's what would be in it:

Cover: Beryl the Peryl 

Yes, I know she has most recently been in the dandy, but who else could you use?! Art by Barry Appleby.
 Otherwise, it could be pretty much the same as it was.

Page 2: Welcome and Contents page

This will have a contents on the top half and on the bottom half will have a "did you know?" page which would focus on a topic such as "...that Berly the Peryl was in 2 different comics?" ect.

Page 3: Beryl the Peryl  

Contined from cover.

Page 4: The Banana Bunch

Just as they were would be nice, but realisticly, they need a little modernising. Art by Nigel Parkinson.

Page 5: Mickey the Monkey 

Like it was in the early days. Art by Ken.H.Harrisson

Pages 6 and 7: Adrian the Barbarian

Just like it was! Art by Hunt Emertson or Brian Walker

Page 8: Baby Crocket

Just how it was but with a little bit of jamie smart magic! :)

The Beano and Dandy Continued: 

Page 19: Arena of Awesome

Continued from page 18.

Page 20: Thingummyblob

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 21: Shorts

1) Twit - ter: Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)
2) Freddie Fear - Son of a Witch: I think this would work as a short. With some new ghoul or monster every time, each with a hidden pun! Art still Dave Eastbury.
3) Grampire: Same as before.
4) Big Eggo: Same as before.

Pages 22 and 23: Fred's Bed

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 24: Meebo and Zuky

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 25: Mailbag  

Just how it is now but with added beano! ;)

Page 26: Retro Beano 

Just how it is now but with strips other than just dennis and reduced to one page to make room for...

Page 27: Retro Dandy

Just like retro beano but... well... retro dandy! :D

Pages 28 and 29: Roger the Dodger       

Just how it is now but with no reprints and the occaional Tom Paterson one when Barry isn't available.

Page 30: Gnashers Tale          

Just how it was! Same artists as for Dennis.

Page 31: George Vs Dragon    

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 32: Ivy the Terrible

Just how it is was! :) It was just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :) Art by Diego Jourdan.

Page 33: Ball Boy

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 34: Desperate Dan 

Just how it is now! :) It's just perfect and I wouldn't change it in any way! :)

Page 35: Next Time... 

Just how it is now, but with added beano.

Page 36: Dennis the Menace and Gnasher

Continued from cover.

So there you have it, my perfect "Beano and Dandy." Why not spend a while coming up with your own. Obviously, this isn't set in stone, and strips could change from time to time because there are many great strips I've missed out (For instance I was toying between Ratz and Meebo and Zuky and in the end went for the later). I hope you've enjoyed reading it just as much as I have making it!

Comment away! Ciao!














I Said I'd Post Some of my Artwork, so Here you Go!

Gawsh, it's been a long time, but fear not, I have not forgotten this blog and have a giant blog post on the way soon so look out for that. In the meantime, I said in my welcome message I'd post some of my artwork up on here, so here you go!

"The Party Stopper" is a character I came up with recently who tries his hardest to be confident and fit in, but it nearly always backfires on him. Hope you like it, but remember that I'm an amateur so don't criticise too much! :)

Thursday 24 March 2011

The Dandy and Nostalgia Recently...

Well, according to the "Next Week" page of this weeks Dandy, Freddy the Fearless Fly will be making a comeback next issue (He also played a key role in this week's Boo, drawn by Andy Fanton who tends to put cameo's in his work). This means, as long as Dan and Korky still appear, the next Dandy will contain 3, yes 3 characters who appeared in issue 1 published well over 70 years ago. A great thing for nostalgics, but what do you think?