No Buster Due To Industrial Action

[Peter Gray]

Thanks very useful..

[bustercomic]

Buster Index doesn’t mention that the comic was not published for 4 consecutive weeks on 17th, 24th, 31st May and 7th June in 1980. These were the only 4 gaps in my collection of Buster for 1980. The other day I noticed that the 4 dates were also my only gaps in Whoopee collection for the same year and this got me thinking of industrial action effecting both comics.

Upon checking the neighbouring issues for both titles I can now confidently say that both comics did not come out on 17th, 24th, 31st May and 7th June 1980. In Buster and Whoopee issues dated 14th June 1980, editors provided no explanation or apology, but absence of the issues can be traced. In Buster issue dated 14th June storylines of serialized strips (The Leopard from Lime St., Ben the Bad, Keen and Mustard) carry on from the point where they ended on 10th May. The 4 missing issues make 1980 quite a short year for Buster because it also didn’t come out for 4 weeks in the beginning of the year...
I hope my fellow collectors will find this bit of info useful!

Most useful indeed. I know that Buster was fortnightly for January & February 1980 but I didn't know about the May/June absence. Shame Buster missed it's own 20th Birthday!