Comics UK

As a young kid, my first annual was Beano 1977. Thereafter, every xmas, my parents bought me, by demand, Krazy annual until 1980 after which I persisted personally with it until its demise in 1985. I always felt that Krazy had a very seasonal feel to it although it had long ceased by this time as a comic. Those early years, when I unwrapped it on xmas day was a treasure. The latter years, wasn't the same when I read it before that magical day. If you're a parent now, do not allow your child to read their chosen annual until xmas day; it's a lovely experience.

Agree wholeheartedly, Geoff. My two will be getting The Beano and The Dandy annual on Christmas Day this year (if Father Christmas thinks they've been good enough of course!) and I have a couple of comic (and comic related) books that I also hope to receive on the day. Difference is, as a kid I used to scuttle off and read my annuals while my parents got the house ready for Christmas dinner... Now I have to help with the 'ready-ing' myself I have to wait until our guests have departed before I can get stuck in to my new pressies!! Still love it, though!

Fully agree with the "opening your annual at Christmas". That's why I have my Dandy Annual wrapped up each year.

Lew Stringer wrote:

starscape wrote:There were also some really terrible annuals. The final ones of Starlord, Tornado, Action. All mind-stunningly poor. Just cobbled together with boring articles, with sub-standard tales (both art and story). Simply there for money, never mind the disappointment of kids on Xmas Day getting something so poor.

Mind you, at least they were out unlike DCT, that never put out, as well as Cracker, the likes of Bullet, The Crunch, Buddy, Spike etc. Wonder why as Fleetway got out annuals as soon as they could, even for years after the comics had folded?

I think it was just down to DCT being more cautious. None of those titles you mention were around for long, so perhaps Thomsons felt they didn't justify having their own annuals. (That said, The Hornet never had its own annual, oddly enough, despite the weekly running for many years.)

Warlord was the exception. Only two years into its run, it got its first annual.

The latest issue of Best of British magazine has a two page article on Annuals by Norman Wright. Also has a free calendar of nostalgic images. The article is about the annuals Norman received in 1957 which he still has and uses to illustrate the article. The calendar is twelve vintage holiday photos provided by readers.

I think my first annual may have been a 70s Sooty Annual, then I got Rupert, but then I got The Beezer 1977 annual - what a thrill that was! Got 1978s the next year.

Then I stupdily gave up comics got CUb Scout annuals next 2 years - just to please parents. I wanted a Look In annual for 1980, but they got me Cubs, and my heart sank at disappointment and got it for not wanting/liking it.

Couldn't find that Look In annual anywhere in the subsequent January sales.

Finally got a Look in Annual in Xmas 81 (1982 annual), as I did for next 4 eyars; then in Xmas 1985, I'd moved on up to the Spitting Image book.