PLUG comic from DC Thomson

[kiwijohn]

Hi all,

There is currently an auction for 68 issues of DC Thomson's Plug comic that I keeping an eye on. I know I read a few issues of it as a kid, but I don't remember it at all. So the question is then, is Plug any good? There is a list of strips on Wikipedia, but that doesn't tell me if they're actually readable.

cheers

John

[Muffy]

My favourite story all those years ago was Ebagoom - all about the Romans going up north, where the natives had flat caps and whippets.

It was very similar to the Beano. First Ada's St Bernard was quite a good character, and the idea of a team of Ants was a nice idea. However after the first few issues, it wasn't as good as my then regulars of Buster and TV comic.

Hope this helps.

[Digifiend]

Similar to the Beano? Since Plug is the same character from Bash Street, the comic is effectively a Beano spin-off. But when it folded, it ended up merging into the Beezer.

[Raven]

Hi all,

There is currently an auction for 68 issues of DC Thomson's Plug comic that I keeping an eye on. I know I read a few issues of it as a kid, but I don't remember it at all. So the question is then, is Plug any good? There is a list of strips on Wikipedia, but that doesn't tell me if they're actually readable.

cheers

John

Plug was a weird mix of rather lame, uninspired strip ideas - a boy golfer, a boy jockey, etc. - that clearly have limited humour potential, and some really quite oddball and way out material - a bit like Sparky's odder extremes, but maybe even more so - which is probably more weird than funny. There's some very crude, amateurish artwork in it, which is difficult to like and not always easy to read, but that, strangely enough, gives it a bit of an 'alternative' feel, like a fanzine.

Overall, it's quite a curio and, I'd say, not at all like The Beano. In its favour, it does have quite a lot of energy to it, with busy artwork, and nice paper and covers, and is worth getting a few sample issues of, but probably not worth investing in 68 till you find out what you think of it.

[wilsia]

Personally I wouldnt waste my money on them as "Plug" was not one of DC Thompsons finest efforts. I remember buying the first issue when it came out and being disappointed in its content. Why? the artwork was dire and the stories very feeble, Antchester Utd was one of the worst strips that Ive come accross. I cant think of one strip that was above average.
Raven is correct in saying that its not like the Beano. It had the feel of being rushed together,maybe it was to compete with Cheeky comic it was around the same era.
I would have thought that giving the Bash St kids their own comic would have made more sense.
The only positive I have to say about Plug is that it was printed in glossy paper so it stood out a bit.

[tony ingram]

Similar to the Beano? Since Plug is the same character from Bash Street, the comic is effectively a Beano spin-off. But when it folded, it ended up merging into the Beezer.

Thing is, Plug wasn't really the same character in his own strip as he was in the Beano. He seemed to be older somehow, never went to school, and had a pet monkey instead of faihful Pug (who wasn't mentioned at all). As an afficianado of DC Comics, I always thought of the version in his own title as being the 'Earth Two' version of Plug!

[tony ingram]

My favourite story all those years ago was Ebagoom - all about the Romans going up north, where the natives had flat caps and whippets.

That was a great strip-definitely the best in the comic.

[Jon]

I can see where everyone's coming from with their comments about Plug, but when I first read it (after getting a couple off eBay), I actually laughed out loud at a few points. It definitely has its moments.

Something which makes it different from Beanos at the time is it had a lot more references to popular culture and real people - Tony Jackpot (boy golfer) always ended with a sort of profile about a famous sportsman, and Gnoo Faces was filled with puns and caricatures on the judges from New Faces.

[tony ingram]

I can see where everyone's coming from with their comments about Plug, but when I first read it (after getting a couple off eBay), I actually laughed out loud at a few points. It definitely has its moments.

Something which makes it different from Beanos at the time is it had a lot more references to popular culture and real people - Tony Jackpot (boy golfer) always ended with a sort of profile about a famous sportsman, and Gnoo Faces was filled with puns and caricatures on the judges from New Faces.

You are not alone-I'm a Plug fan, too. It has its clunkers, but on the whole I think it works well. It's just very unlike any of Thomson's other titles at the time.

[Jon]

It's just very unlike any of Thomson's other titles at the time.

Which, I suppose, is why it didn't perform so well (alongside the rather high price).

[SID]

I must admit I wasn't that impress with the comic (I only bought a few issues I think and then gave up). If it was in direct competition to Cheeky then IMHO it was on a loser since the latter was a far better comic content-wise.

Though I thought Plug himself was drawn very well (in almost the same vein as in The Beano).

I agree with wilsia in that I think it would have better that the comic featured the entire Bash Street Kids where the various strips were based on each of the kids. But maybe that would have taken too much away from The Beano?