Dilly Dreem

[Marionette]

I've lately become slightly obsessed with Dilly Dreem, who appeared in School Friend from 1950 to 1965. Art was by Dora Broderick, who may have been the writer as well. I haven't been able to turn up any information to confirm it yet.

Right now I'm looking for several things - any information on Dora Broderick, for one. Also information on Dilly herself. And of course I'm trying to track down some comics. Top of my list are the two issues of Schoolgirls' Picture Library that featured Dilly, numbers 267 and 279. Particularly 279 as I have the original cover art for that issue on my wall, so I'd love to read the story associated with it. Comic Book Plus have scans of a lot of School Friends, but nothing before 1952 and nothing after 1959. I'm really curious to see what the earliest strips were like, and I also want to see Dilly Dreem's Schooldays, the later, colour version of the strip.

[Goof]

I may be able to help with some of this.

First off, I have seen the series artist named also as Dora Leeson - very possibly the same person, identified by both maiden and married names. At some point towards the end of the run, I think she was replaced by an artist who, as far as I know, has never been identified, despite having a long and prolific career in girls’ comics that ran until around 1990. You may know him/her as the artist for the Tammy 1972 story “Dogs of the Duchess”.

Secondly, I don’t know if you are looking for any of Dilly’s Annual stories, which ran from 1952 to 1969 – mostly reprints presumably. There were also a few stories in June/School Friend Holiday Specials. I think I have almost all of these, and can provide a list and/or a few scans.

School Friend 1965 & 1966 Annuals include five “Dilly Dreem’s Schooldays” stories. Two of these are in colour, but they look to me as if they were coloured for the annual reprint, rather than being reprints of colour stories.

There were also a couple of reprints in Sally Annual 1973, under the name “Daisy Dreem”.

I also have the two Picture Libraries. The “Dogs of the Duchess” artist drew both stories. Happy to send you story synopses, or a scan of #279 if this would be of use.

If you would like any lists/scans from the material I have, please PM me your email address.

[Marionette]

This is very interesting. From what I understand, when the strip was changed to Dilly Dream's Schooldays it was moved to the back cover and appeared in colour. I have the 1966 annual and that has 2 Dilly strips, but both are in black and white. They also appear to be by the original artist, so perhaps they are reprints of earlier strips.

I also have the Sally annual and my guess was that it was a tryout for an updated version of Dilly, since this character is not at boarding school and has a more modern hairstyle. She also looks younger than Dilly, so I was thinking of her as Dilly's little sister. I would be surprised to find this was a reprint.

I shall PM you about scans, thanks.

[Goof]

I've emailed you about the scans etc.