Free comics in The Guardian

[Raven]

You do sometimes get old copies with staples removed where kids have clearly separated Whizzer from Chips. But you can see the holes!

[kevf]

Crikey still doesn't have widespread distribution. In fact, I've never seen it in a shop (no Borders or Forbidden Planet near me). It might sell more copies if you could buy it WHSmith, but that would be a gamble.

The latest Crikey is on sale in Borders in Bristol. I would have bought it but, cough, temporary cash flow situation. Looked brilliant.

[stevezodiac]

I picked up that Boys Own reprint a few weeks back, a stallholder in Deptford market was selling a bundle of Images of War mags for 50p each all in their original plastic sleeves, I kept the facsimile newspapers and the Boys own and took the magazines to a charity shop. I have quite a few Boys Owns from issue no. 2 onwards, frustratingly issue 1 must have been kept or bought before i came across them, got a load of Girls Owns too, all disbound copies so in very good, albeit trimmed, condition.

[Lew Stringer]

Steve Holland's blog shows a preview of the covers of the free comics that The Guardian is giving away. More news will no doubt be in today's Guardian:

http://bearalley.blogspot.com/2009/09/comic-cuts.html

Lew

[Digifiend]

Talking of work... my occasional employer, The Guardian newspaper, is giving away comics for the next week, starting tomorrow (Saturday) with an issue of Jackie, the Valentine Day issue from 1975. Over the following six days they'll give away the following comics: Sunday (Observer)—The Beano (#2000 from 1980); Monday—Roy of the Rovers (the 1981 issue when Roy is shot); Tuesday—Bunty (the 1972 Summer Special); Wednesday—The Dandy (the last Korky the Cat cover from 1984); Thursday—Tammy (the very first issue from 1974); and finally, on Friday—Whizzer & Chips.

You can see what the comics look like at the head of this column. I'm told that they're being reprinted in their original format.

That's good news. If he's right, they're not shrinking them or removing any pages or colour.

[steelclaw]

I hope there's a 'Slade' picture in tomorrows 'Jackie'. Although it might be a bit late for them to have been in it, they were going through a fairly lean spell after there trip to the US. Probably a picture of the Bay City Rollers though.

[Digifiend]

Damn! Googling's futile, I managed to find the Feb 1st and Feb 22nd issues for that year, but not Feb 15th. Those two had Rod Stewart, and Hello, then Elton John and Rubettes posters. http://www.20th-century-collectables.com/jackie.htm

Ebay has a copy of the issues either side. The issue being reprinted seems to be issue 580. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jackie-girls-maga ... 286.c0.m14

[steelclaw]

Damn! Googling's futile, I managed to find the Feb 1st and Feb 22nd issues for that year, but not Feb 15th. Those two had Rod Stewart, and Hello, then Elton John and Rubettes posters. http://www.20th-century-collectables.com/jackie.htm

Ebay has a copy of the issues either side. The issue being reprinted seems to be issue 580. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jackie-girls-maga ... 286.c0.m14

As It's Valentine's day edition I bet their's a David Essex Pic.

[Lew Stringer]

It's a curious mix of comics that are being given away. A few landmark issues (Roy Race Shot, Beano 2000, Tammy No.1) but otherwise fairly so-so. Obviously they're only targeting the 30 and 40 somethings but I'd have liked to have seen some more significant issues from that era - a copy of Action, an issue of Oink!, Star Lord No.1, or any D.C. Thomson boys' comic (sadly lacking in this bunch) but I'm being picky. We should be grateful that they're doing them at all.

Looks like it's going to be a very interesting and nostalgic week! Hopefully they'll be a success and, who knows, next year perhaps they'll do another run, this time featuring selections covering a wider time-line. (TV Century 21! Wham! Radio Fun! Illustrated Chips! Eagle! Bunty No.1! Victor! - Probably not, but you never know....)

Lew

[Steve Henderson]

I missed Oink, I was too young for it and still Beano obsessed, curiosity has often led me to look it up on a few occasions I hear Charlie Brooker was involved in it, would have been back before tv go home if my historys correct. I would have loved to have seen an Oink given away if only to satisfy my selfish curiosity. but as you say Lew were lucky there giving them away anyway. I hope they do more.

A few of the papers are doing Beatle things tomorrow which is another thing I will be looking out for. looks like the binmen will have trouble hauling my paper recycle bin away with all the newspapers in it!

[Lew Stringer]

I missed Oink, I was too young for it and still Beano obsessed, curiosity has often led me to look it up on a few occasions I hear Charlie Brooker was involved in it, would have been back before tv go home if my historys correct.

Yes, Charlie did quite a bit for Oink, writing and drawing his own pages. Quite a simple style but I was amazed to find out recently that he was only about 16 back then. His strips were very funny. I emailed him a while back about those days but he didn't respond for some reason.

Seek out Oink! if you can. IPC pretty much allowed us to do what we wanted in the comic (within reason) and I'm sure you've heard that WH Smith were so shocked they put it on the top shelf. The wussies.

Lew

[Steve Henderson]

Yes WHSmiths seem to be petrified of comics, they had a big hoo ha with the Viz so they did a few sweary marys (looking a bit like minnie the minx) on the from cover, leading to confusion from WHSmiths and the printers who censored the whole point of the joke.

I will keep my peepers open for Oink! theres a website with what looks like a sample issue on it which I have has a look at in the past.

[Phoenix]

This morning's issue of Jackie seems to be as close to the original as you can get, even down to the glossy pages. Furthermore, there is no indication that I can see that mentions that it is a reprint. This bodes well for the rest of these freebies.

[Kashgar]

David Essex cover and centre spread, Slade on the rear cover.

[steelclaw]

David Essex cover and centre spread, Slade on the rear cover.

Brilliant just bought it.

The original 'Jackie' was much bigger but it's FAB.