Favourite year of `Sparky`

[alanultron5]

Yes! Sparky comic! Do `you` have a favourite year of its 1965-77 run? Maybe it will surprise those who know the comic; but my own most fondly recalled year is 1968, especially the first half of the year. My guess that for the majority of Sparky fans it would probably be 1969.

[alanultron5]

To elaborate. During 1967, I felt the comic was not quite as entertaining as it was in Autumn 1966 (Another good era for me) and the huge September 1967 `overhaul` I felt was very much needed. In this returned favourites `Klanky` and `Davey Spacer` plus new fun pals such as `Meddlesome Matty` and `Deputy Dawg`. Entering 1968 strips such as ` The Floating Farrells` `Blondel, the `Wandering Minstrel` were-for me- most welcome. `Fun` strips such as `Big Billy Bigg` `Clever Claire` and `The Snooks` (Euro imports-but I didn't know that back in 1968) I liked very much. At the same time, the adventure strip `The Lonely Lad of Blue Lagoon` (A `Hotspur repeat -original title `Lonely Larry`) hit a purple patch when our hero was trapped in underground volcanic caverns inside the island.

All this made January to July `Sparky` my most fondly recalled era of the comic. Yes! I know that the 1969 comic was most likely more influential in the comics style; but for me, in sheer enjoyment, it was the period I have highlighted here.

[Tin Can Tommy]

Shouldnt this go in the Retired DCT Titles category?

I wish I had enough issues of the Sparky to have a favourite year. I've only got a few annuals plus issue 500. I aim to collect more Sparky annuals in the near future. Regarding a favourite year it would have to be some where in the early/mid 1970s. I really like John Geering's Puss and Boots and I feel the mid 1970s is when Sparky started having more of an identity of its own dropping a lot of the older Beano and Dandy characters like Hungry Horace and Keyhole Kate.

[alanultron5]

I got my sections mixed up. If admin can shift it to `retired` please? Sorry about that.

[alanultron5]

Horace stayed with the comic right to its merger with Topper. He stayed in Topper & Sparky until Topper was merged with Beezer.