Comics UK

I have just got the last issue of Buster & the front cover states there were over 2000 issues produced but i have read before there was only 1,904 produced can anyone tell me the exact number if known or does the buster front cover count holiday specials & annuals etc.

It ran from 28 May 1960 to 22 December 1999 which is 39 complete years (minus one week) which is about 2027 issues plus about 31 weeks for the year 1960 making about 2058 issues but there was at least one period where strikes stopped publication but that still leaves just over 2000 issues.

Buster was affected by industrial action several times through the 70s and the early 80s, missing a total of 32 weeks. In addition to that, in 1971 two issues had combined dates (April 18-25 and June 6-13). And please remember that Buster became a fortnightly from April 1, 1988 for the last 46 issues that actually covered a period of 92 weeks. If you subtract all this from the total number of 2058 weeks calculated by stevezodiac, you will get the accurate number of issues.

I always thought it was a pity Buster didn't make it to 2000 and celebrate his 40th.

klakadak-ploobadoof wrote:Buster was affected by industrial action several times through the 70s and the early 80s, missing a total of 32 weeks. In addition to that, in 1971 two issues had combined dates (April 18-25 and June 6-13). And please remember that Buster became a fortnightly from April 1, 1988 for the last 46 issues that actually covered a period of 92 weeks. If you subtract all this from the total number of 2058 weeks calculated by stevezodiac, you will get the accurate number of issues.

2058-32-2-46=1978.

I think there was a few double xmas issues as well before it went fortnightly so maybe we will never know the exact number produced which is a shame as i feel Buster & all british weeklies are an important piece of history,the likes of which will never be seen again as the world & technology has moved on too much.
Unless anyone on here has the complete run & would care to have a count up.

Tammyfan wrote:I always thought it was a pity Buster didn't make it to 2000 and celebrate his 40th.

Me too. The last issue was dated into January 2000 (the date that a new issue would've come out had the last one not been the last, if you see what I mean), but it would've had to survive to May to mark its 40th year. Egmont should've kept it going 'til then, then bowed out on a birthday ish.

I did a rough calculation based on the pages at the Bustercomic website, and I came up with the figure 1,895 (not quite the 2,000 that Fleetway advertised on their final issue.)

It's a shame the website doesn't seem to have been updated since dec 2010 I could be wrong of course but the page by page says 1,906 issues were produced all these different figures

IPC still managed to get the date '2000' onto the final issue cover, so by the skin of the teeth, it qualifies as 'this Century' for me, even although the 21st Century never actually started until January 2001 [there was never a 'year Zero', only 'Year One' AD.]

As a collector of Buster, I've been working from a spreadsheet that I have put together which takes into consideration the double issues and industrial strikes and I make it 1904. Ive counted 31 issues not printed due to industrial action and I found 2 double issues from 1970 but I wonder if there was more. Cant say for sure that this is definitive but have used the Buster index and the internet for reference and think its quite close!

Does anyone own a complete collection? & can have a count up

big bad bri wrote:Does anyone own a complete collection? & can have a count up

I have just over 1000 so still some way to go!

paul p wrote:

big bad bri wrote:Does anyone own a complete collection? & can have a count up

I have just over 1000 so still some way to go!

I have 1100 & it was on my bucket list to try & get the whole lot but i know that will never happen & also im thinking of selling my collection of all comics as im getting old & tired lol they take up 2 much room,i need room & my heart ain't in it any more as im on a bit of a downer at the mo i may have to give phil comics an email or ring if i do decide to sell up but i change my mind daily.

big bad bri wrote:

paul p wrote:

big bad bri wrote:Does anyone own a complete collection? & can have a count up

I have just over 1000 so still some way to go!

I have 1100 & it was on my bucket list to try & get the whole lot but i know that will never happen & also im thinking of selling my collection of all comics as im getting old & tired lol they take up 2 much room,i need room & my heart ain't in it any more as im on a bit of a downer at the mo i may have to give phil comics an email or ring if i do decide to sell up but i change my mind daily.

Perhaps together we have the complete collection!!! I know what you mean though about space and I sometimes wonder if it will serve any purpose to actually get them all but it would be nice. Buster was my favourite comic as a kid and I only restarted collecting comics again just under a year ago but need to slow down because of cost. I'm focusing on 68-86 and once I complete these years I'm going to start on 60-67 but these are where it can be quite expensive unfortunately. It will be a shame if you decide to sell but if you do, hopefully some will come my way on Ebay via Phil!