BIG Comic Fortnightly

Buster, Whizzer and Chips, Whoopee, Wham, Smash, you name it!

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Gilly
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BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Gilly »

As my 100th post of Comics UK I thought I'd ask about a comic I found on a stall at Barnsley market last Saturday.

Its called BIG Comic Fortnightly and in it is loads of strips from IPC/Fleetway comics such as X Ray Specs, Sweet Tooth and The Winners. All the comic strip pages are in Black and White except Creepy Comix on the back page.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has any information on this comic. Are all the pages reprint? The issue I have got is No 86 and is from September 1991 so with being fortnightly it must have started late 80s early 90s.

If I had a scanner I would show you all but if anyone else has more information it would be greatly appreciated.

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Digifiend
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Digifiend »

It started in June 1988, here's issue 1's cover:
Image

It's all reprint, from Buster, Whizzer and Chips, and Whoopee.

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swirlythingy
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by swirlythingy »

Agh, pipped to the post!

There's been quite a bit of discussion about this in the past. For example:

http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtop ... ic+#p49723
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Gilly
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Gilly »

Thank you both for your help.

The cover of mine is much less colourful than the 1st issue and the price had gone up to 50p. I'm going to read the old discussion now.

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Peter Gray
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Peter Gray »

I love it as a teen..lots of pages I hadn't read before from Cheeky...Krazy..Monster Fun..Jackpot..
I used to enjoy searching shops for it..fond memories of reading it on holiday..

The Reg Parlett special Big Comic is a highlight..wished they did more artist specials..

BRING IT BACK!!

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stevezodiac
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by stevezodiac »

These sometimes turn up in flea markets, i've ignored them before but will pick some up if I see any again.

big bad bri
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by big bad bri »

Peter Gray wrote:I love it as a teen..lots of pages I hadn't read before from Cheeky...Krazy..Monster Fun..Jackpot..
I used to enjoy searching shops for it..fond memories of reading it on holiday..

The Reg Parlett special Big Comic is a highlight..wished they did more artist specials..

BRING IT BACK!!

I would love to see this or a new title say a 100 pager every week or fortnight as there is a wealth of ipc fleetway material & it hasn't been seen for years & a whole new generation need to see these stories.

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Digifiend
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Digifiend »

After DCT's Classics from the Comics failed, I'm afraid your suggestion is highly unlikely to ever happen.

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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by AndyB »

Big Comic Fortnightly got relaunched as BVC then Buster Classics, and failed even before Buster itself. It won't happen :(

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TwoHeadedBoy
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by TwoHeadedBoy »

Digifiend wrote:After DCT's Classics from the Comics failed, I'm afraid your suggestion is highly unlikely to ever happen.
I wouldn't call a twelve year run a "failure" :wink:

It'd be nice to have a weekly/fortnightly/monthly (!!!) Fleetway reprint anthology comic, sure, but when they're all so cheap on eBay and at 2nd-hand shops and the like, is there really a point? Not that I'd turn it down if BVC got relaunched!
http://twoheadedthingies.blogspot.co.uk/ - My comics blog, mostly lesser-known UK stuff from the 1980s and 1990s

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Digifiend
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Digifiend »

It wasn't selling enough copies, that's why it ended. It may have been successful enough a few years ago, but it ended up financially unviable. If that isn't failure, what is? For a non-comics example, Rangers are the current Scottish League champions (i.e. successful), but now they've financially failed too - they're in administration.

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TwoHeadedBoy
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by TwoHeadedBoy »

Fair enough, but twelve years is a long time for a comic, especially when compared to the likes of DFC, Krazy, Cheeky, Monster Fun, Triffik, Fizog etc.

I'd say it was more of an "unfortunate casualty" of the decline in magazine and comic sales.
http://twoheadedthingies.blogspot.co.uk/ - My comics blog, mostly lesser-known UK stuff from the 1980s and 1990s

Raven
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Raven »

It especially seemed to be a casualty of distribution. Many really did seem to find Classics hard to find. At one point it seemed like larger city branches of WHSmith were the only place to find it.

Interesting to ponder whether IPC material might do any better - if aimed at least partially at kids, it would undoubtedly look a lot less dated than much of the Thomson Classics material.

AndyB
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by AndyB »

Can't see it. The fact that Big Comic Fortnightly went through so many relaunches suggests it is a waste of time - its final incarnation, Buster Classics, didn't run for very long at all.

Raven
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Re: BIG Comic Fortnightly

Post by Raven »

Possibly the best way to present this kind of thing now is attractive books, with a good selection of carefully chosen material, at the right price. I could see a 'Best of Whizzer and Chips' standing a chance alongside the 'Best of Eagle' and 'Best of Commando' type books at Christmas time.

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