Februarys Issue No.155 another good Issue.

[steelclaw]

Bernard Briggs from the Hornet making an appearance, also I flew with Braddock and Billy the Cat are still in it, it's good to see some Adventure strips on sale even if they are reprints.

[Lew Stringer]

Just received my issue too. Somewhat damaged due to the post but nice to have a copy two weeks before it goes on sale in the shops!

A particularly good issue I thought, for my generation anyway. Quite a few 1960s strips including the brilliant Bill Holroyd on a 1967 Brassneck story.

Lew

[stevezodiac]

I was reading the Bernard Briggs story last night when my mate Steve phoned. I told him I had no memory of this strip and read some of it out to him. He immediately told me it was from the first issue of Hornet and said I had got a copy a couple of years back at a comic mart. I don't remember that at all. (must dig it out and put it on ebay the money earned going as a downpayment on some fresh brain cells). Very much in the Alf Tupper mould with his refusal to accept charity. Look forward to more of his stories. What is the name of the artist who drew School Belles, he had a really unique style.

[Kashgar]

From memory Steve and assuming I'm remembering the right strip 'The School Belles' was the work of Evi de Bono, who despite his rather exotic name (of Maltese extraction I think) was, and indeed still is, a Londoner through and through.

[AndyB]

Evi drew most of the School Belles, but Jim has printed a few non-Evi School belle strips. Have to wait and see which he's printed this month!

[Kashgar]

It is an Evi de Bono 'School Belles' in this issue.

[SID]

I think that's the issue I just purchased off eBay. Looking forward to reading it.

[Lew Stringer]

No sign of the latest issue yet. Any other subscribers receive their copy?

Lew

[stevezodiac]

Got issue 156 delivered last week.

[Lew Stringer]

Got issue 156 delivered last week.

Thanks. Sounds like someone at the post office has nicked my copy. One of the drawbacks of it being in a see-through envelope I suppose.

Lew

[steelclaw]

Got issue 156 delivered last week.

Thanks. Sounds like someone at the post office has nicked my copy. One of the drawbacks of it being in a see-through envelope I suppose.

Lew

I got mine last week as well, but a few months ago when I didn't get a copy I emailed them, and they sent me a new copy in a few days.

[Peter Gray]

Theres a nice review on Gordon Bell..
I like this feature on comic artists..
also mentioned is Pom-Pom...


a kind of African Little Plum..didn't last very long..


What newspapers does Gordon draw for today?

[Digifiend]

Just like Classics says, not PC. No wonder it didn't last long, it's racist! Don't forget, Peanut had already been axed from Beano's masthead when Biffo took over the cover.

I guess Pom-pom will never actually be seen in Classics. Sigh.

Did anyone see the Dashalong Dot stories in the same Classic Artist section? One was already used last year, but the other was way ahead of it's time - if it had appeared 30 years later, I'd have thought they got the idea for a hot-air ballooner from Richard Branson! Of course, he wasn't famous yet.

By the way, I just bought the 1967 Sparky Book from a charity shop, and it contains a black girl called Sparky - I assume she was the original cover star. She seems to be a female Ginger. Another one I don't expect to see in Classics.

[Kashgar]

Hi Digifiend, Sparky was male not female as a quick perusal of the many Sparky related
comments in this forum would make clear. He and Pom-Pom in the Beano and Coal-black Jonah in Topper are three post-war examples of the type of character that you wouldn't imagine are ripe for a revival.

[felneymike]

Ahh yes, i'll have to buy a Classics tomorrow. It still resolutely refuses to appear in Lincoln!