Girls comics

[kath_ann]

Hi all,
i found this site while trying to research some old comics we had sorted out.They are mostly from the 72/3's.
Can any one give me any info on them,they are showing thier age although in good nick,mainly just discoloured and not any where as bad as some on ebay.
they are.
judy
mandy
tammy
bunty
debbie
cor!!
Any tips gratefull
thanks

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

welcome to the forum, kath ann.........back in the early 70s, I read as much comics as I could lay my hands on, and that included girl's comics after my cousin had finished with them.

The comic I recall mostly from the girl's range from this period is 'MANDY', with it's titular cover-star, [and typical DC THOMSON pet dog which resembled 'TOWSER' from the 'BEEZER']........

the first story inside this comic [from around 1970 onwards] was a tale of a mysterious dark-haired girl, with a mystical pendant ['VALDA' was the name of this strip] ------and it was a very evocative, memorable strip, and for me the highlight of this comic.

other tales included 'the LONELY BALLERINA', 'the RIDDLE of the LOST HEIRESS', and 'the WILLING HANDS of MEG SMITH', all of which are self-explainatory........this paper ran from 1967-1991, [when it merged with 'JUDY'.]---this was 'rebranded' as 'M&J', and ran until 1997.....though ANNUALS still appear to turn up, even now.

[kath_ann]

Thanks for the info,i only remember reading a few,my debbies run from 8 to something so i will read them,see if my memory comes back.
Kath

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

here's a couple of examples of 'MANDY' annual covers from the period I remember, Kath:







----these change hands today for around a TENNER......the 1972 edition is £6 [perhaps it is in poorer condition.]

[kath_ann]

Thanks for that,they look in good condition.

[Kashgar]

Current 'Daily Page' entry, the first issue of the Fleetway girl's picture paper 'June' surely deserves some sort of mention here.
Diana's Diary by the superb artist Colin Merrett whose career spanned more than 55 years, from the AP comic papers of the mid 1930's to D C Thomson's 'M&J' in the early 1990's, and the show-jumping strip 'Against All Odds' by that great from the boy's picture papers, Geoff Campion, have already been highlighted.

[stevezodiac]

You may want to look after your comics by putting them in plastic bags, you can get professional ones but as far as i'm concerned the ones you can get in the high street (300 food bags for a quid on a roll) are quite adequate for DC Thomson sized comics (Mandy Judy Bunty etc as well as Cor!!). One roll should see all your comics protected. But make sure you get the food bags rather than the sandwich bags as the latter are too small. You may not want to bother but it's a nice little diversion and makes the comics easier to handle, taking away the fear of damaging them or their getting dirty or stained. And ebay buyers would be happier to receive them bagged up.

[kath_ann]

thanks for that info,i will do that at the weekend. Is there many girls comic collectors around ,i only seem to find boys comics,

[colcool007]

We collect Misty and we do pick up any comics that we find going cheap at car-boots, but apart from that, we are not really not girl comic collectors.

[helsbels]

Hi Kath Ann.
From my experience of buying, selling and swopping there is a lot of interest in girls comics. I started off by collecting Misty and Spellbound(both of which I'd had since my youth!) and have since gone on to collect Tammy, Jinty, Debbie, Mandy, Bunty, June, Lucky Charm, Lindy and I have a smattering of Tracy and Judy comics. I collect comics, summer specials, annuals and picture story libraries. I just really enjoy reading the stories(admittedly there are a few iffy ones!) and you can't help but admire a lot of the fantastic artwork on show.

[felneymike]

I have a 20's Schoolgirls Own annual and a 60's Schoolgirls Picture Library, and if those single ones are anything to go on it's worth getting more

[Muffy]

Tammy (and Jinty) had some lovely story's. Some were one issue specials like the 'Button Box' story's, and often longer storys of 10 to 15 issues. 'Nanny Young' was good to read, 'Pam of Pond Hill' and 'Bella' was always in the 80s issues. I remember a story about a little dog called Riley, a fox called Rusty (In 'Rusty remember me'). 'A horse called September'. Almost all the characters were orphans and had such hardships.

[felneymike]

I recently bought a "stories for girls" book from Dean (the company that took over the Chatterbox annuals in the 40's and 50's), and one story in it features a woman racing driver... must have been a real departure for the times. I couldnt help but think of her looking like that pilot from the 50's in Torchwood, though

[philcom55]

It'd be interesting to compile a list of those rare fictional heroines who defied the usual nurse/ballet-dancer/model stereotypes of the 50s and 60s. Certainly there were a number of intrepid aviatrixes in the mould of Amy Johnson and Amelia Earhart, beginning with Captain W E Johns' surprisingly advanced stories about Squadron Officer Joan 'Worrals' Worralson, and continuing with Girl's female answer to Dan Dare, Kitty Hawke.

Can anybody think of other female characters who gave the blokes a run for their money? (Mike Hubbard's Jane Bond from Tina springs immediately to mind!)

- Phil R.

[Earl]

For some reason AXA springs to mind