Did you / do you actually find old british comics funny?

colcool007 · Post by **colcool007** » 10 Jan 2008, 13:20

The one that got the most laughs out of me was The Broons/Oor Wullie. I loved Krazy and thought it was hilarious. Most comics were of the 'make me smile' category, but the odd one or two would always make me laugh and still do like Ivor Lott and Tony Broke.

Brendan McGuire · Post by **Brendan McGuire** » 10 Jan 2008, 21:25

There was a sequence in one of Leo Baxendale's Willy the Kid books that had me roaring out loud with laughter (various animals chasing each other down Willy's Dad's collar which impacted on the neighbours next door). I am smiling as I type.

SH · Post by SH » 11 Jan 2008, 20:37

Willy the kid yes funny stuff, I actually haven't read it , i just look at the panels and laugh. Sigh i still haven't got Willy the kid three yet, ebay check in coming right now!
book one is a cracker.

chrissmillie · Post by **chrissmillie** » 25 Mar 2008, 19:37

Despite not being overly enthusiastic about them on previous posts, I've just subscribed to Classics from the Comics (still prefer adventures though).

Chris

Muffy · Post by **Muffy** » 20 Aug 2008, 12:48

Bumpkin Billionaires - Whoopee dated 6th Oct 1979
I was re-reading this old issue on the tube yesterday and burst out laughing (the other tube users must have thought I was mad!)

Pa Bumpkin buys a poorly rag-and-bone mans horse for Â£100,000 called 'Hurricane'.
He the races him against a tortoise (the tortoise wins); he trys to jump a puddle - Hurricane starts drinking from it. Pa intends to race him at a race-course. He then feeds him a huge pile of doughnuts and cream cakes and buys a luxury horse-box to put the vastly overweight horse in to take to the race-course 'Opsem'.

He then decides to blindfold himself and the horse, and bets his entire fortune on winning. However Hurricane can hardly fit in the starting stalls due to his vast weight, and as the race starts, he bursts the stall, knocking over all the other Jockeys and horses. Still blindfolded pa thinks, "Yippee! We must be miles behind already!" they then slowly trot off and win the race, being the only horse left!! (and win another massive fortune.)

DJDogfart · Post by **DJDogfart** » 20 Aug 2008, 16:13

willy book 1 is by far the funniest, the bit where the black kid knocks the bully's teeth out is probably the funniest ever. willy exclaims "crikey, lots of teef flying about today!" Classic stuff Mr Bax

Steve Henderson · Post by **Steve Henderson** » 20 Aug 2008, 16:30

I remember anything by Tom Paterson making me laugh especially the 'lunar-tics' in the Beano annual 1993 I think (could be wrong) its all in the detail! Nowadays its the Viz that makes me laugh out loud due to my childish sense of humour I generally go back to old comics to admire the artwork though!

THE MOOSE · Post by **THE MOOSE** » 21 Aug 2008, 00:05

I agree with the person that said comics were for smiling at always flet happy after rweading my UK comics as a kid, but once I turned about 10 I found them too childish although loved the art of Baxendale, Reid, Watkins, Parlett etc which I found delightful and innovative - I moved on to MAD and things like Archie comics after that for a few years then Marvel DC etc where I have moslty remained - I don't find much funny about UK comics now (although enjoy Jamie Smarts work and always liked Steve Bright, Tom Paterson and Lew Stringer art/humour) then again its no aimed at my age group

But great memories from childhood that will stay with me - Saying that I have laughed out lound at VIZ (mostly out of stunned shock

)

favourite Strips - Swots and Blots by Baxendale (funny drawings ) SMASH/Valiant era and Clever Dick - Frankie Stein Ken Reid only, dark humour very dark also Faceache by Reid - Parletts Harrys Haunted House and Mowser - Watkins' Oor Wullie (my favourite as a kid) - The Strip I SPY (sorry dont know who drew/wrote it) - Puss and Boots (ditto re the artists) and Finbar Saunders (VIZ) its just so stupid and childish!

Matthew · Post by **Matthew** » 21 Aug 2008, 00:18

Maybe "out loud" laughs are more commonly a reaction to comic timing which could be why people tend to laugh less at humorous printed material than they do at things that happen in real time (like film comedy, spoken humour or real life happenings).

The Beano always portrayed characters rolling around on the floor, howling at the rafters with their copies of the comic but then comics are all about exaggeration I suppose.

There were a few rare occasions when comics made me laugh out loud by the way but mostly I smiled - or frowned while examining the pictures.

dandy mad · Post by **dandy mad** » 21 Aug 2008, 20:08

Calamity james always made me lol and so did herbert out of the bash street kids because my old history teacher was the spitz of him and as blind

felneymike · Post by **felneymike** » 21 Aug 2008, 21:01

It's not old, but "Il Duce, Old Duce" in the latest Viz made me cackle like a madman opposite a bunch of bemused Manga browsers in Borders the other day.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 21 Aug 2008, 21:23

Thing is, people's expectations of humour comics are often too high. Yes, there are some strips which will actually physically raise a laugh, but for the most part they're just amusing. Some might consider them to be a failure if they don't provoke a belly laugh but that's as unlikely as expecting adventure strips to leave the reader breathless or expecting horror comics to actually make them jump out of their seats.

Reading a comic is usually a quiet and passive experience.

Lew

Steve Henderson · Post by **Steve Henderson** » 21 Aug 2008, 22:56

Perhaps it differs from comic to comic, it does for me. If I want to laugh I will read a Viz strip but if I fancy a good yarn and nice detail I will have a read of my Asterix books. The Viz does not give be belly laughs every single time but there have been occasions were I have been incapable of moving due to laughing too much. As I have grown my tastes have too (in the case of the viz gotten more immature) and so I read Beano strips more admirably now rather than to laugh so it does indeed become a quite and passive experience in most cases but not all, 'Il Duce Old Duce' was great though, his best (do not know the artists name although been told many times

) has to have been his 'p***ed grim reaper' from a few years back

... for me anyway!

Comics UK