Comics UK

Hi-Lights of 2008 for me - Good to see Paul Grists Jack Staff still going strong, The expansion of UK talant into the USA comics field (would be better to see them here, but no comics for them) , the success of Hot Shot Hamish in the Sunday Mail, The DFC (although not fan ) getting out there - the Beano Dandy and 2000AD all still being with us (was sure one - of the latter 2, might disappear) and ,more to my taste, the expansion of the Pannini/Marvel TITLES (and some nice titles from Titan) DOWNSIDE - Sadly the death of a lot of great writers and artists (UK and US) from Steve Gerber to Les Barton (and a heck of a lot in between, some very young like Michael Turner US artist) and what seems to be the "death" of Comics International .

Loved the concept of the burger giants in the 1978 2000ads fighting each other over a 'customer'. All those classic cursed earth mini-story's were superb. Whilst not as inflammatory or valuable were the progs featuring 'Tweak' and his history. These issues really touched my heart, with the fate of poor Tweak's family, trusting Dredd with the truth about his planet and his ability to see into the future - it was a lovely touch when he gives Spikes Harvey Rotten half his planet

Even 30 years later most will enjoy these, all Bolland artwork too (think they were all around Prog 80).

felneymike wrote:
My personal worst moments were probably chasing a 1958 volume of Hotspur, (i was all geared up for Red Circle and Alf Tupper out me ears) "just expecting" to win it and being outbid at the end annoyed me (probably why i spent a lot on the same year's Adventure's a few weeks later!). Also i saw a first edition of Tom Brown's Schooldays in an Oxfam for £15 one week, but could only get to that shop on Wednesdays. By the next week somebody had bitten thier arm off, of course. I'm still kicking myself for not buying it.

Hi FM, If it eases your pain any at missing the 1958 Hotspur volume Alf Tupper was strictly a Rover character and the only appearance of Red Circle school during the year was in In No 1155, the Xmas issue, dated 27th Dec. The story was titled 'Red Circle's Xmas Ice Scream!' and was the 1052nd and final time that the famous school appeared in the paper before it's resurrection as a picture paper after 1197 issues the following October.
Happy Xmas everyone.

The worst thing The Dandy still being extreem .....how dare they aim it at kidz
I also hate how they ignored its own Birthday..Christmas..I also hate the covers and light features The Dandy needs Tom P. back!

The best thing is DFC.though at the beginning I nearly gave up...Laura H saved it for me.. She needs a raise for saving DFC plus Jamies and Gary comic work
Also like some of the cartoon adventure stories more..Good Dog Bad Dog..Monkey Nutts..Super animal adventure squad...can you believe it..its actually better than the Dandy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love seeing Lews work in The Beano..
Doing my blog/Selling my cartoon cards...gone really well.......will do more stalls in Jan (not booked yet)...both done me a well of good..

now that 2008 is officialy out of the way, personal highs and lows were:

----- LOWS: the loss of premiere 60s/70s comics artists LES BARTON ['I SPY'] and KEN HUNTER ['SIR LAUGHALOT', 'BIG FAT BOKO', 'DANNY'S TRANNY', etc] : these two artsts, both with radically differing styles, both produced unforgettable imagery that will never be erased from my memory; [though happily, they both had long lifespans.]

HIGHS: not strictly comics-related, but certainly cartoon-connected: to have finally located, after a lifetime of searching, decent, good quality copies of early animated 'POPEYE' animated cartoons, after literally decades of yearning [lay off the schmaltz!----ED.]

AIMS for 2009: more 60s comics to track down, and on a personal note, to finally get my own cartoon strips completed .