Free comics in The Guardian

[ajsmith]

Did Alan Grant write for Tammy?

[Raven]

I think we'd all agree with that last sentence, it would be good if the Guardian repeated this promotion. What comics would you guys like to see featured if they did?

Valiant
One of the nice tots' weeklies like a Playhour or Jack and Jill
Shiver and Shake
Monster Fun
Sparky
Jag
Score 'n' Roar


would be ideal.

[Jonny Whizz]

What about Sparky?

[Raven]

I think Sparky would be a nice choice, and I think the material in it would be far superior to that of the Beano and Dandy replicas we got this week - I'd suggest a mid-70s-ish Sparky with a lovely loony Puss 'n' Boots double spread. Thomson's most creative fun weekly of the period.

I may also swop one of my choices above with Polystyle's TV Comic to show it wasn't all IPC and D C Thomson - an early to mid-Seventies issue featuring Basil Brush, Doctor Who, Dad's Army, Tom and Jerry and The Pink Panther should go down well.

So - my final choice, for variety:


Valiant (1971 issue)
Jack and Jill (mind you, a Pippin could be good ... )
Monster Fun
Sparky
Jag
TV Comic
Score 'n' Roar

[Digifiend]

I notice the "interview" with me is in today's Guide (free with The Guardian) not in Monday's issue as expected. They use one line from a ten minute interview and even then I'm misquoted.

I've just found that an interviewer didn't do his research when asking celebs about the favourite comics. Wonder if it was the same person?

Ricky Tomlinson, actor
I liked Desperate Dan in the Dandy. He was like me: big, fat, rough and ready, and ate scouse pies – but he had a good heart. He was super-duper.

They seem to have misunderstood his accent, because he obviously said cow pies, not scouse. The interviewer is obviously not a Dandy fan, or they'd have realised that.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery ... =352451773

[Lew Stringer]

Ricky Tomlinson, actor
I liked Desperate Dan in the Dandy. He was like me: big, fat, rough and ready, and ate scouse pies – but he had a good heart. He was super-duper.

They seem to have misunderstood his accent, because he obviously said cow pies, not scouse. The interviewer is obviously not a Dandy fan, or they'd have realised that.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery ... =352451773

Surely Ricky was just making a pun?

Lew

[AndyB]

I think that tomorrow's Whizzer and Chips is from 1978. Odds it's the last issue before Krazy joined it?

[STARBOY]

I'd like to see the Guardian provide facimilies of some of the following if they repeated this:

Scorcher
Smash (probably have to be an IPC issue due to th eMarvel character and (c) issues)
Vulcan (the rarer Scottish editions)
Misty
Thunder
Knockout
Hotspur

Might be fun to see some really classics like Film Fun, Rainbow etc

[Digifiend]

1978 Holiday Special


First Whizzer and Chips with Krazy


Image of all the Guardian giveaway comics - notice Slippy the Snake is the letter W in Whizzer.


The Krazy merger seems to have coincided with a new logo, confirming it as being before then, so you're probably right Andy.

[AndyB]

I'm going solely on 30-year old memories, but I recall that the new logo was either just before or coincided with the Krazy merger. My memories are very hazy, as I was five at the time, but I certainly remember the old Slippy logo.

[kevf]

I think we'd all agree with that last sentence, it would be good if the Guardian repeated this promotion. What comics would you guys like to see featured if they did?

What's most likely is that a rival paper will copy the idea (this has happened with everything from wallcharts and the G2 pullout section to Notes & Queries). When they do, though it might require buying a Daily (ecch) Mail, my choices would be:

Sparky
Valiant
Lion (circa 1964 or 1972)
Look-In (NB: this could never happen, with TV rights)
Shiver & Shake
2000AD (how about the McDonalds v Burger King issues?)

Kev F

[steelclaw]

I think that tomorrow's Whizzer and Chips is from 1978. Odds it's the last issue before Krazy joined it?

Your right, Funny their's no mention of the merger inside Whizzer & Chips,(Digi find it) unless I'm going blind in me old age.

Now this Whizzer & Chips I would love to see on the shelfs now, I would buy it without fail, 2 Adventure strips as well.

My comics for the next Daily Paper comic week would be:

Buster & Jet - 1973
Lion & Thunder - 1972
Sparky - 1974
Scorcher - 1971
Mandy - 1986
Wizard - 1970
Beezer - 1964

[Lew Stringer]

I posted a comment about this yesterday (which has disappeared for some reason) but basically it only makes sense for a newspaper to give away the most popular comics, because the main point is to get new readers buying The Guardian. The seven given this week are all the most famous titles from that era. Comics such as Sparky and Jag might have a fan following but they're not titles the mass market would be so familiar with.

Lew

[Raven]

It's the 8th April issue of Whizzer and Chips - two weeks before the merger issue with Krazy (22nd April) I think.

Highlights are Super Store, a Cliff Brown double puzzle page, Terry Bave's Oddball, and Tiny Tycoon. An odd issue to choose, quite a few years past the comic's peak, with the odd reprint and ghost artist on show (Sweet Tooth really has to be by Trevor Metcalfe!), but plenty of good stuff in there. Nice to see Money Talks and Pete's Pockets. A particularly aggressive Shiner. Quite a nice Thingumajig instalment.

[Raven]

I posted a comment about this yesterday (which has disappeared for some reason) but basically it only makes sense for a newspaper to give away the most popular comics, because the main point is to get new readers buying The Guardian. The seven given this week are all the most famous titles from that era. Comics such as Sparky and Jag might have a fan following but they're not titles the mass market would be so familiar with.

Lew

I think these were more 'what would you like to see' than 'what are we most likely to get.' Jag should be given away just so I get to see another sample of Tom Kerr's Boy Bandit!

But Sparky had a good, long run and could be a *possible* contender, I think (and adults may get more out of that title than some). Though Topper and Beezer would be much more likely as an alternative Thomson comic.