Comics UK

[quote="]I wonder why the date wasn't on the cover in the first place anyway? The annuals had added the dates in the late 60s.[/quote]

I don't recall any summer or holiday special of any comic having a cover date until more recent years. It simply wasn't necessary.

The annuals carried the dates of the following year of publication because that was more traditional. (AP and Fleetway books had always done it.) As the books were often given as Christmas presents it made the books feel right up to date to have next year's date on the cover.

I'd forgotten that the Beano put the year of their Holiday Specials on the cover from 1992 onwards, and the Beezer and the Dandy from 1998, although I see the Topper's last one did in 1991. Fleetway never did, even at the end.