COLONEL Blink

[Niblet]

I think we're supposed to infer that at the time of Blink's adventures in The Beezer, he was retired. This strip (from Best of The Beezer No. 4) gives us a little insight into his military career in the 1930s.

Blink as drawn by Tom Bannister must have been one of the most consistently funny strips ever. A delight.

[felneymike]

There was another strip, I think it was reprinted in a late issuye of Classics, where he went to the camp of his old regiment, except he took a wrong turn and ended up at the circus, mistaking the ringmaster for the general, the apes for guards etc

[Jonny Whizz]

I totally agree with Niblet in saying that Colonel Blink was a brilliant strip. I find many of the ideas in it very funny, and Tom Bannister's artwork suited it really well.

One of the best strips I remember involved him having a gangster film on the TV, where when the man in the film said to stick his hands up and hand over his money, which he pushed into poor Rover's mouth. He then walked out into the street and ended up in his neighbour Cartwright's house, who then told him to stop walking with his hands in the air. Blink, under the mistaken impression that Cartwright was behind the whole thing, was then horrified to realise that his neighbour had turned to crime!

I never really thought about Blink being a Colonel, though I did notice how his Auntie was clearly younger than he was. I can't think of any reason for that though.

[Tin Can Tommy]

One of the best strips I remember involved him having a gangster film on the TV, where when the man in the film said to stick his hands up and hand over his money, which he pushed into poor Rover's mouth. He then walked out into the street and ended up in his neighbour Cartwright's house, who then told him to stop walking with his hands in the air. Blink, under the mistaken impression that Cartwright was behind the whole thing, was then horrified to realise that his neighbour had turned to crime!

I read that story quite recently it was a goodun and was reprinted in Dennis and Gnasher and Friends Cartoon Capers which is were I read it.

On another note what was up with Colonel Blink always saying Arf!Arf! was that meant to be a laugh or is he just pretending to be a dog or some other sort of animal.

[Digifiend]

Arf sounds like laugh in certain accents...

[philcom55]

"Arf! Arf!" is the way Elzie Segar's Popeye used to laugh.

- Phil R.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

The original colour strips looked very effective; if any of you guys missed out on the original format, you missed a treat!

[big bad bri]

Was Blinky from the dandy & beezer & topper I think related to colonel blink at all cos i gthink i remember reading somewhere it was his nephew but i may be wrong.Or was it supposed to be his adventures as a young un just updated for the modern era.

[yanobandy]

It was probably him reinvented. Was blinky a teenager?

[big bad bri]

he was a kid though i doubt he was a teen as dandy & beano kid characters rarely are.

[Jonny Whizz]

Yes, Blinky was Colonel Blink's nephew in the Beezer and Topper. The original version of Blinky looked much like a younger Colonel Blink, however when Nick Brennan took over his appearance was totally revamped so he didn't look like his uncle at all. I don't think Colonel Blink was mentioned as often once Blinky transferred to the Dandy, but he was referred to as his uncle if memory serves.

Something similar happened to the Numskulls, where in the Beezer the 'skulls originally lived inside a man, but he was replaced by a boy once it merged with the Topper and then by Edd when it moved to the Beano.

[Digifiend]

The Boy in the Beezer and Topper is the same character as Ed in the Beano. Same clothes, same cropped haircut, looks like the same character. When it debuted in the Beano though, the artist had changed and the two mouth 'skulls had been replaced by a single one (why this wasn't done when they replaced The Man I don't know).

[NP]

It isn't generally known but Steve Delaney's wonderful Count Arthur Strong character is based on Colonel Blink.

[Dunder Ed]

I think he was in one the annuals in some war capers where he was dressed up as a soldier. Colonel Blink is one of my favourite characters and last night I found a wonderful Dandy comic library (Number 174, Horror Film) with him meeting Bananaman.

[Digifiend]

Rare? The Beezer had a number of comic libraries under the Dandy banner (my list makes a note of those), and Banana Bunch is now in the Dandy. Not to mention all the Cartoon Book comic libraries, which featured characters from Beano, Dandy, Beezer, Topper and Nutty all in one place.