At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Formerly known as Classics from the Comics, this forum covers all of DCT's retired titles, like Beezer, Topper, Victor, Nutty and Sparky!

Moderator: AndyB

Kashgar
Guru
Posts: 2781
Joined: 09 Nov 2006, 14:15

At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by Kashgar »

Below are listed the places 93-100 in the Topper-Beezer Top 100. As I mentioned it is, for the most part, a simple list of the strips in question which can be discussed, or ignored, as the whim takes you.
So, in reverse order -

100) Lone Wolfe (Beezer) - Ron Smith (Factoid - at 121 issues this was the longest running adventure strip that began in the first issue of either the first issue of Beezer or Topper)
99) The Teeny Toppers (Topper) - Bob MacGrath
Next we have six titles all tied for 93rd place and all courtesy of the Cracker pull-out
that featured in the Beezer in the late 1970's. The fact that these strips were never fully integrated into the pareent comic proper has been ignored.
93) Iron Hand (Beezer) - Paddy Brennan
93) Little 'Orror (Beezer) - David Easington
93) Young Foo (Beezer) - Brian Platt
93) Billy the Kid (Beezer) - Gordon Bell
93) Jest a Minute (Beezer) - Ken Harrison (pseudo joke page but with enough strip content to qualify in my estimation)
93) Joe Soap (Beezer) - John Dallas


AndyB
Throgmorton
Posts: 2322
Joined: 01 Mar 2006, 20:00
Contact:

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by AndyB »

I didn't realise that Bob McGrath had drawn the Teeny Toppers, because all the ones I remember seeing were drawn by Keith Reynolds. Standard image was the three of them standing in a circle pulling painful things out of each other and saying "PLOT!"

User avatar
dishes
Posts: 341
Joined: 29 Jun 2010, 09:12

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by dishes »

From the 1985 Topper Summer Special:
Image
Is it weird to have no interest in keeping or collecting free gifts?

My artwork: http://www.iancockburn.co.uk

toxteth o'grady
Posts: 92
Joined: 06 Jan 2009, 15:44

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by toxteth o'grady »

Kashgar wrote: Next we have six titles all tied for 93rd place and all courtesy of the Cracker pull-out
that featured in the Beezer in the late 1970's. The fact that these strips were never fully integrated into the pareent comic proper has been ignored.
93) Iron Hand (Beezer) - Paddy Brennan
93) Little 'Orror (Beezer) - David Easington
93) Young Foo (Beezer) - Brian Platt
93) Billy the Kid (Beezer) - Gordon Bell
93) Jest a Minute (Beezer) - Ken Harrison (pseudo joke page but with enough strip content to qualify in my estimation)
93) Joe Soap (Beezer) - John Dallas
I was walking down the street the other day when I suddenly had one of those lightbulb-over-the-head moments over this post.

These six ‘Cracker’ strips did not all have the same number of appearances :-

‘Jest A Minute’ continued into 'The Best Of Plug' after ‘The Best Of Cracker’ and ran to Beezer issue no. 1314.

In addition, ‘Joe Soap’ made a further two appearances in The Beezer (issue nos. 1649 & 1650, recorded in ‘The Book Of The Beezer’).

So, I make it that ‘Billy The Kid And Pongo’, ‘Iron Hand’, ‘Young Foo’ and ‘Little 'Orror’ should be at no. 95, ‘Joe Soap’ at least one place higher with ‘Jest A Minute’ significantly higher.

User avatar
paw broon
Posts: 1215
Joined: 29 Jan 2011, 19:13
Location: Falkirk, Scotland

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by paw broon »

This is excellent. I'm learning more every time I log on here. I ignored these wonderful comics and strips for far too long. So much to catch up on. Thanks.

User avatar
Peter Gray
Posts: 4222
Joined: 28 Feb 2006, 00:07
Location: Surrey Guildford
Contact:

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by Peter Gray »

love to see this thread carry on when Kashgar has time..

User avatar
Dunder Ed
Posts: 227
Joined: 24 Jun 2012, 14:38
Location: Exeter, Devon

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by Dunder Ed »

One question I ask is why Billy the Kid was taken from the Cracker at it's closure, but then moved to the Beezer. To me this is odd as Billy was just a Dennis the Menace wannabe. Was he high in the ratings?

toxteth o'grady
Posts: 92
Joined: 06 Jan 2009, 15:44

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by toxteth o'grady »

As this thread has been dormant for some time, would anyone object if I resurrected it? There would be one difference - I would be basing the top 100 on the large format /tabloid editions ( ie Topper nos. 1-1439 and Beezer nos. 1-1314) rather than the full runs with the A4 size comics.

User avatar
Peter Gray
Posts: 4222
Joined: 28 Feb 2006, 00:07
Location: Surrey Guildford
Contact:

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by Peter Gray »

that would be great... :D

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by Phoenix »

toxteth o'grady wrote:As this thread has been dormant for some time, would anyone object if I resurrected it?
The only member who might have the right to raise any objections is Kashgar (Ray Moore). However, he took some much-needed leave from the forum a few years back, and I know that he is unlikely to return as a comicsuk guru any time soon. We are in fairly constant touch with each other by phone and email, and recently linked up with alanultron5 with regard to his updated Sparky File, and while I haven't discussed this particular matter with Ray, I am positive that he will not remotely object to the idea of somebody else taking the thread over, and giving it a new lease of life.

toxteth o'grady
Posts: 92
Joined: 06 Jan 2009, 15:44

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by toxteth o'grady »

Thanks Phoenix, I'll get started in the next couple of days.

toxteth o'grady
Posts: 92
Joined: 06 Jan 2009, 15:44

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by toxteth o'grady »

Here goes. Places 100-91 of the Topper-Beezer 100 based on the large format /tabloid editions.


100) DICKY BURD (Beezer - humour) 78 appearances in total -
75 between issues 684 - 853 (1969-1972)
and 3 between 1158 - 1181 (1978)
Took up about 1/3 page (the other 2/3 taken by The Numbskulls)

99) HOOZEE THE WOTSIT (Topper - humour)
79 appearances between 1153 and 1235 (1975/76)
Hoozee had another series that ran during the A4 issues as simply 'The Wotsit'

Three tied for (96)
WILLY NILLY (Topper - humour) 80 appearances from 923 to 1002 (1970-1972)
THE FIDDLESTICKS (Beezer - humour) 80 appearances from 940 to 1019 (1974/5)
MARCH OF THE GIANTS (Beezer - adventure story) 80 appearances from 940 to 1019 (1974/5)

Two tied for (94)
JOHNNY ROVER (Topper - adventure) 81 appearances from 574 to 654 (1964/65)
This was one of the new stories that appeared in the first 16 page edition.

LITTLE COPY CAT (Topper - humour) 81 appearances between 785 and 687 (1968/69)
This strip took up 1/4 of the page, the rest was 'Send It To Kelly' (1/2) and 'Andy Ladd' (1/4). According to Kashgar/Ray Moore's 'Topper Tales', it first saw the light of day in the People's Journal in 1950.

Three tied for (91)
- all three were found in the 'Sparky' pull-out section, which ran from issue nos. 1276 to 1439 - 164 in all.

L-CARS (Topper - humour) 82 appearances from 1276 to 1357 (1977/79)
[Made 488 appearances in 'Sparky']
THE SPARKY PEOPLE (Topper - humour) 82 appearances from 1276 to 1357 (1977/79)
[Made 442 appearances in 'Sparky']
FREDDIE STARE (Topper - humour) 82 appearances from 1358 to 1439 (1979/80)
[no appearances in 'Sparky']
Last edited by toxteth o'grady on 26 Jul 2013, 16:10, edited 3 times in total.

toxteth o'grady
Posts: 92
Joined: 06 Jan 2009, 15:44

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by toxteth o'grady »

I'll be posting again on Monday.
I was unable to put this at the bottom of my previous post as it had become unstable, as text was 'wobbling' all over as I tried to enter it. Luckily, I saved it to Notepad before submitting, as the whole lot disappeared with some 'timeout' message. I've had this problem a few times before and I bet I'm not the only one. Any tips/advice, anyone?

User avatar
Digifiend
Posts: 7315
Joined: 15 Aug 2007, 11:43
Location: Hull, UK

Re: At last, the Topper-Beezer Top 100.

Post by Digifiend »

Yeah, that's happened to me. Just refresh the page. You'll be prompted to resend the information. Do so, and your post will publish.

Post Reply