Lil Imp by Tom Paterson 1988 and others

[Peter Gray]

Found another Tom Paterson fun comic character..Lil Imp a 1988 Dandy character..
is this the first character Tom drew for The Dandy? When did it start?
The Laughing Planet I have all the 1991 Dandys what came after this in 1992...I've found that in late 1992 it is Hyde and Shriek..

Also discovered another new one Kylie Phizzoz a kind of Faceache girl character..in my May 19th 1990 issue...is this a one off?

I put Tom Paterson up there with Leo Baxendale and am trying to collect Tom's work so the info will be very helpful..thanks..

[Digifiend]

Kylie and Lil Imp have never been in the annuals. Obviously very shortlived.

Collecting Tom Paterson's work you say? You say he's up there with Leo Baxendale? No surprise, Tom actually took over several of Leo's strips. Sweeny Toddler in Shiver and Snake being the first. Minnie the MInx in The Beano is another example, although there's a 2000 week gap in between (Jim Petrie's tenure).

[Peter Gray]

Lil Imp was in one Dandy annual.

[Peter Gray]

Quite an odd strip...

[Digifiend]

I don't think Lil Imp's punishment would be used nowadays - it's almost as though a slipper was edited out! Thanks for displaying the strips.

[Kashgar]

As well as the 1990 Dandy Annual Tom Paterson's 'L'Il Imp' appeared in the Dandy comic Nos 2413 (20/2/88) - 2435 (23/7/88).

[rossmac]

As I've got most Dandys between 1988 and 1994 I thought I'd have a look for you and see what i could suss out about this Kylie Phizzog strip. This is by no means comprehensive, I don't have the time to look through all my comics, but from what I can see, she first appeared in Issue 2526 (Apr21,1990) in colour and she introduces herself, so I guess it's the first story. She appears in colour again in 2528 (may5,1990) and then the one you posted here. That appears to be it as the Laughing Planet starts (once again it's an introductory story) in issue 2538 (Jul14,1990) and I see no more sign of Kylie.

Hope that is of interest!

Regards,
Ross

[Digifiend]

Must've been a trial - and the character proved unpopular. What works for a Fleetway comic doesn't always work for a DCT comic.

[Peter Gray]

Thanks for the info Kashgar and rossmac
so not very long runs..

[Classic Comics]

If memory serves, Lil Imp has a number of artists. Tom Paterson was the first with Steve Horrocks and Ken Harrison both taking duties later on.

[Kashgar]

I only checked my records up to Mar 1990 so CC may well be right about a revival of L'il Imp after that date. All I can say for certain is that after July 1988 he didn't appear again in the weekly comic in the next 18 months.

[Classic Comics]

I only checked my records up to Mar 1990 so CC may well be right about a revival of L'il Imp after that date. All I can say for certain is that after July 1988 he didn't appear again in the weekly comic in the next 18 months.

I only remember because I wrote Lil Imp for a while. It was one of the earliest things we tried Steve Horrocks on and he drew a couple. Ken Harrison certainly drew at least one. I have a feeling it may have been for an annual or a special issue but I can't remember off the top of my head. It's a long time ago. Lil was a good little character and a lot of fun to write.

[Digifiend]

All I can say for certain is that after July 1988 he didn't appear again in the weekly comic in the next 18 months.

Kashgar, Lil is a girl! Didn't you notice she has her hair in bunches?

Classic Comics, don't you wish you could've been namechecked in the comics, like 2000AD and Marvel writers are? Never understood why even letting artists (except for Allan Morley and Dudley Watkins) sign their work was not allowed in Beano and Dandy until much later (in the 90s). As for writers, I can only think of two examples, and in fact they're linked - Kev F's Billy the Cat vs General Jumbo in the 2008 Beano annual, and it's sequel starring Jumbo only in the 2009 one. Both were drawn by other artists.