Comics UK

Browsing through my local `rag` market the other day; I was thumbing through some 1980s comics when I was staggered to see the `Jonah` strip on a set of mags! It wasn't on old Beano's (worst luck!) but on a comic called `Buddy`. Produced by D.C Thompson, it consisted, mostly, of updated Beano strips, such as "Iron Fish", "Billy the Cat", "General Jumbo" etc! Not re-prints; but a more `adult` re-working of the strips!

However! the "Jonah" strip on the back page, was most definately reprint of the Ken Reid classic, which adorned the back pages of Beano circa 1958-62 (if I recall correctly).

There were about 27 issues of the comic-which I bought for a fiver! The latest issue (from 1982) was No 63. I could tell the `Jonah` strip was the original, as the strip in issue 6 had a more `human` looking Jonah; whereas by No 63 he looked like Plugs elder brother! Anyone know for how many issues `Buddy` ran for?

I don't think the adventure strips were reprints as you say in the blog, were they, but new interpretations of old characters ... ?

Does anyone know who the artist of that Iron Fish strip is from no. 2? I think that style would look quite modern today.

I really like your blog choices, steelclaw - things like the Valiant Space Specials, Buster Book of Spooky Stories and Birthday Book For Boys (I'd like to know who that kid Chameleon artist was) and the sundry other IPC treasures especially hold a tremendous appeal!

Thanks Raven.

I thought they were reprints,but what do I know "Peter Gray" said Billy the cat is new.I assumed that because they were old stories they must be reprints,
I think I had better change the blog.
Could anyone tell me what were reprints and what was new?

From Buddy 1981

Kid Chameleon surely inspiring David Bowie's later Young Americans look there.

I went off topic with that picture I'm going to start a new thread for it.

steelclaw wrote: Could anyone tell me what were reprints and what was new?

Was it not just Jonah that was a reprint?

Raven wrote:

steelclaw wrote: Could anyone tell me what were reprints and what was new?

Was it not just Jonah that was a reprint?

Possibley.

Off the top of my head I'm pretty sure that there were 130 issues of Buddy comic. A fair proportion of the strips it contained were expansions and 'further adventures' of characters that had appeared in earlier Thomson comics such as Billy the Cat, The Q Bikes, The Iron Fish, The Shipwrecked Circus etc. All strips were new other than Jonah which appeared as a reprint in every issue.

Kashgar wrote:Off the top of my head I'm pretty sure that there were 130 issues of Buddy comic. A fair proportion of the strips it contained were expansions and 'further adventures' of characters that had appeared in earlier Thomson comics such as Billy the Cat, The Q Bikes, The Iron Fish, The Shipwrecked Circus etc. All strips were new other than Jonah which appeared as a reprint in every issue.

Oh, did it have a Shipwrecked Circus strip? Do you have any idea which part of its run that appeared in? I wouldn't mind seeing how a modern update of that looked.

And do you recognise that Iron Fish artist from issue 2 on steelclaw's blog, Kashgar? (I have several issues of Buddy from throughout its run and the Iron Fish artist often seems to be different.)

I was pretty sure that Jonah was the only reprint as who could mimic Ken Reids work so well? It was because I was sure the Jonah strip was a reprint rather than a `new` artist/writers work that I bought the mags! As far as I can tell; the Jonah strip was reprinted from its very first incarnation when Jonah was more `human` looking!! Can't say, personally, that I though much of the rest of the comic but i'm sure it had fans!

alanultron5 wrote:Anyone know for how many issues `Buddy` ran for?

Hi Alan,
Kashgar's memory is, as usual, excellent. I can only improve on his post by adding the dates. To be precise, Buddy ran from issue 1 (Feb. 14 1980) - issue 130 (Aug. 6 1983) before amalgamating with The Victor.

phoenix4ever wrote:

alanultron5 wrote:Anyone know for how many issues `Buddy` ran for?

Hi Alan,
Kashgar's memory is, as usual, excellent. I can only improve on his post by adding the dates. To be precise, Buddy ran from issue 1 (Feb. 14 1980) - issue 130 (Aug. 6 1983) before amalgamating with The Victor.

Did you mean to type 1981

Buddy started on Feb 14th 1981 until 6th August 1983.

steelclaw wrote:Did you mean to type 1981

Hi steelclaw,
No. Regrettably, I did intend to type 1980. My record of this date is clearly wrong, and what is worse is that 1980 is the date I transcribed into my book Free Gifts In The Big Five. You are, of course, correct and I must therefore apologise to you and to alanultron5 for my mistake. Mind you, I am going to attach some of the blame to Kashgar because he checked the book before its publication and must therefore have missed it!!!! I will be more careful in future. After all, I am supposed to be some sort of expert on the DC Thomson story papers and I do actually have issue 1 of Buddy.