Comic Strip Cards

philcom55 · Post by **philcom55** » 12 Mar 2007, 17:25

Following on from recent discussions about Super DC I was reminded that there have been a number of interpretations of American comicbook characters produced in the UK for a British audience. Many of these are pretty well documented but I was intrigued by a set of Superman sweet cigarette cards that I recently acquired, printed in 1967 by the 'Primrose Confectionary Co. Ltd.' of Slough. Of course it may well be that they are simply reprints of an American series, but I can't help but feel the style in which they're drawn is much more characteristically British - possibly by someone like Pat Williams. What does anyone else think going by the examples below?
[IMG:380:413]http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q123 ... pcard2.jpg[/img]
[IMG:379:405]http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q123 ... pcard1.jpg[/img]
Also, does anybody have particular memories of other cigarette and bubble gum cards - many of which told continuing stories in the style of a comic strip?

- Phil Rushton

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 12 Mar 2007, 19:14

I used to love collecting these cards and I think those Superman ones ring a bell - most famously, for me as a kid of about 5-6 years old at the time, was the "Mars Attack" cards (of which my cousin has a full set) which were banned (followed up by the American Civil War ones which were probably worse) -on a more comic related basis I vividly rememebr a set of "cards" of sorts - that you folded in to make up new heros and or silly characters ie it would have 3 - 5 character printed - one in the middle and 2 either side (possible 4 ) that you could flip their head torso and / or legs over to super impose on an other character (if his makes sense - I doubt it) ie Superman, FLash and Grorila Grodd on one card and you could flip it so it had Gorilla Grodds face, Supermans torso and the Flashs legs??? I think this will make sense to those that remember hte cards in question to the rest of you apologies for gibbering on! - others were the 60s tv show Batman cards, Cap Scarlet etc I think if you colleceted them all on the reverse of some cards there were pieces of a picture that made up a small poster (which i think u could possibly send away for a proper version of it?)

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 13 Mar 2007, 12:38

Hi Cap'n H, I remember those triptych type cards featuring DC's heroes and villains too. In my memory though, which I admit could be wrong, I remember them as being only split into two parts and not three, like a set of dutch doors. And that each full picture featured a phrase, split into two, half at the top and half at the bottom, which when matched up with another altenative half gave you an extra comic take on the mismatched picture produced.

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 13 Mar 2007, 13:42

Thats the very ones Kashagar - thankfully your memory is far better than mine - I loved them as a kid and was looking for them at comic marts with no luck (although I get the feeling I woud be disapointed).

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Mar 2007, 14:02

Plunging into the Comics Time Vortex I grabbed a handful of those cards for your 21st Century viewing pleasure. They were called Comic Book Foldees but as can be seen from the image below they have suffered severe cosmic battering during the journey into our Century.

[IMG:557:450]http://i10.tinypic.com/2rm8ftz.jpg[/img]

Lew

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 13 Mar 2007, 14:04

How many times have you been told, Lew - never play with the free gifts!!!

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Mar 2007, 14:19

Here's the box art:

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/news_ ... 3539_8.jpg

Do a Google search for "Comic Book Foldees" to find more info.

Lew

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Mar 2007, 16:43

Steve Bright wrote:How many times have you been told, Lew - never play with the free gifts!!!

Tested to destruction!

Those bubble gum Foldee cards were good fun though. It's the sort of cheapo free gift that could be given away in a comic now perhaps?

Lew

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 13 Mar 2007, 17:47

Lew Stringer wrote: ...It's the sort of cheapo free gift that could be given away in a comic now perhaps?

Lew

Cheapo, Lew? Have you lost all sense of proportion, man? Why, the unit costs of the original artwork must have run into tens of thousands per card alone!

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 13 Mar 2007, 19:25

Lew thanks (again) for putting thoose " foldees" on the site it brought back some great memories - I used to play with them for hours ill they fell apart as wel - brillaint.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Mar 2007, 20:13

Cap Haggis wrote:Lew thanks (again) for putting thoose " foldees" on the site it brought back some great memories - I used to play with them for hours ill they fell apart as wel - brillaint.

Actually I was surprised how tatty they were when I dug them out. The moral of this story is: don't repair / strengthen spines or folds with Sellotape 'cos 40 years later it'll turn the paper orange.

Lew

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Mar 2007, 20:17

Steve Bright wrote:
Lew Stringer wrote: ...It's the sort of cheapo free gift that could be given away in a comic now perhaps?

Lew
Cheapo, Lew? Have you lost all sense of proportion, man? Why, the unit costs of the original artwork must have run into tens of thousands per card alone!

Yes, I'm sure the artists are still living off their royalties.

Seriously, DC Thomson used to produce some great free gifts made of cardboard. You'd think they'd be economical to still produce, but I suppose buying in plastic toy giveaways works out cheaper.

Bring back the Thunder-Bang!

Lew

grumpy old man · Post by **grumpy old man** » 13 Mar 2007, 20:34

Wow I thought those Comic Book Foldees were something I?d dreamed up! No one else seems to remember them. I also remember the American Civil War cards one that stuck in the mind (excuse the pun!) was of a soldier being pushed into a pit of spikes. Other sets I remember are Land of the Giants and Tarzan which also had a poster on the collective backs.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Mar 2007, 20:56

grumpy old man wrote:I also remember the American Civil War cards one that stuck in the mind (excuse the pun!) was of a soldier being pushed into a pit of spikes.

All this time traveling is wearing me out, but here they are, from 1965 (or thereabouts). There was quite a fuss about them at the time, people calling for them to be banned etc. But we swapped them in the playground at infant school and thought they were GREAT! (And it taught us that war was bloody and violent, which put me off war comics that covered that up.)

[IMG:850:630]http://i13.tinypic.com/4g3oxuf.jpg[/img]

Lew

stevezodiac · Post by **stevezodiac** » 13 Mar 2007, 21:22

I PICKED UP SOME CARTOON CARDS FROM A FLEA MARKET A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THEY WERE DRAWN BY THE GREAT JACK DAVIS OF EC COMICS/MAD FAME. THEY WERE SICK HUMOUR STYLE AND QUITE A FIND. GOT ABOUT TWENTY OF THEM FOR ABOUT THREE QUID. I'D SHOW THEM IF I KNEW HOW TO PASTE IMAGES ON THIS FORUM. I KNOW JACK'S AN AMERICAN COMIC ARTIST BUT I THOUGHT I'D SHARE MY LUCKY FIND WITH YOU ALL.[/img]

Comics UK