Comics UK

Story Papers are a semi-ignored part of comic history, Penny Dreadfuls are today treated as "Sooo OSSUM" steampunk-fodder, and the early experimental juvenile periodicals are shrouded in mystery...

But no longer! The British Library has recently published the first in-depth study of Story Papers from 1762 (I thought the earliest one was from 1777, they must have dug something else up) to 1950. I don't have it yet, but apparently it has about 100 black and white illustrations (well, there was little colour in most of them anyway) and extensive bibliographies and checklists.

Unfortunately it's currently out of stock, and £50 when it isn't! But a few copies are floating about Ebay, for pleasantly surprising prices (if you are quick!).

http://publishing.bl.uk/book/penny-drea ... readfuller

felneymike wrote:Story Papers are a semi-ignored part of comic history, Penny Dreadfuls are today treated as "Sooo OSSUM" steampunk-fodder, and the early experimental juvenile periodicals are shrouded in mystery...

But no longer! The British Library has recently published the first in-depth study of Story Papers from 1762 (I thought the earliest one was from 1777, they must have dug something else up) to 1950. I don't have it yet, but apparently it has about 100 black and white illustrations (well, there was little colour in most of them anyway) and extensive bibliographies and checklists.

Unfortunately it's currently out of stock, and £50 when it isn't! But a few copies are floating about Ebay, for pleasantly surprising prices (if you are quick!).

http://publishing.bl.uk/book/penny-drea ... readfuller

I got mine off Amazon a few days ago for £32. Still expensive, but way better than £50.

felneymike wrote:The British Library has recently published the first in-depth study of Story Papers from 1762 (I thought the earliest one was from 1777, they must have dug something else up) to 1950. I don't have it yet, but apparently it has about 100 black and white illustrations (well, there was little colour in most of them anyway) and extensive bibliographies and checklists. Unfortunately it's currently out of stock, and £50 when it isn't! But a few copies are floating about Ebay, for pleasantly surprising prices (if you are quick!).

Thanks for the heads-up on this book, Mike. Mine is currently on its way from an eBay dealer, but I clearly wasn't as quick off the mark as Stuart V. I bought the cheapest available at £37.16. Perhaps I should have gone to Amazon! The author is a respected authority on fiction for boys. I have his other two books, The Encyclopaedia Of Boys' School Stories and Bullies, Beaks And Flannelled Fools.