Comics UK

Just read the following about "Paddy McGinty's goat" on the comicsuk Jet page:

Paddy McGinty's Goat starts off in the Irish town of Boggymorra when young Paddy McGinty was helping his Uncle Shamus farm his turnips. After a while Paddy starts to make his way home through a forest when, from out of nowhere, a lurid shadowy shape appears in front of him. The shape tells Paddy not to be afraid and revealed that he is not of this world and came from the planet Ven. He also made it known that he had the ability to change shape into anything, including the animal in the nearby field, a goat. As the story progressed, Paddy travelled to England to stay with his uncle Mick with the goat in tow. When he settled down he joined a new school and made a fateful enemy in the shape of Tug Grimes. Tug and his gang were always getting Paddy into trouble, only for the space creature, who went by the name of Goat, to come to the rescue in a variety of animals and insects. The story made it to the final issue of Jet, but did not survive the incorporation with Buster.

I've no memory of ever seeing this (possibly due to Jet's short life) but would appreciate any more info on it that anyone might have (including images?). It all sounds dreadfully "Stage Irish-y" to me...unless it's all a moving allegory based on the heartache of forced emigration etc.

Hmmm...maybe not...

f?star wrote: I've no memory of ever seeing this (possibly due to Jet's short life) but would appreciate any more info on it that anyone might have (including images?). It all sounds dreadfully "Stage Irish-y" to me...unless it's all a moving allegory based on the heartache of forced emigration etc.

Hmmm...maybe not...

It was as bad as you imagine. A pile of goat dung. I'm guessing the name was inspired by the Val Doonican song of the same name which he used to sing on his popular tv show of the time.

Lew

As bad as it may have been, it can't have been as ludicrous and offensive as the "Eastenders Goes to Ireland" debacle of a few year's back. Now there was a pile of goat dung the size of the Empire State!

Having said all that, I'd still love to see one of the stories...just to satisfy my morbid curiosity (for comic horrors).

The title must (indeed) have been inspired by Val Doonican and his winsome slice of "Oirish" charm...but I don't think he mentioned that the goat was a shape-shifting alien from the planet Ven.

"Jet" seems to be a comic that has a bit of a cult following - I have to say I found it pretty poor (apart form Faceaches debut by Ken Reid and the odd strip here and there Von Hoffman and the Dwarf) "Paddy McGintys Goat" I think was written by someone, that is considered a bit of a quality writer as well (or am I talking goat poo here?) - the strip wasn't to well drawn either - I would have to agree it wasn't that PC (although I didn't find it that offensive, but Im not Irish so apologies if it was) - I found "Adairs Anglos"a bit patronising (then again I was 10) which had another country representing England in the World Cup (why??) and they won it as well for "England " then again I'm Scottish lol but actually it was a pretty cool idea for a strip (recently reprinted on this site worth a look to laugh at) - Anyway I only have one copy of Jet left (sold a few last year) and my scanners broken - but if you can't get someone to scan a copy let me know and i'll post you out my 2 pages of htis strip (I warn you tho its not worth waiting for)

Don't really remember much about Jet at all, so can't comment either way. Still, from what I've seen it's hard to understand its cult status if you compare it to other short-lived publications like Scream! (much-loved by myself...despite it being blatantly...er..."influenced" by EC Comics).

I'm not expecting "Paddy McGinty's Goat" to be anything other than terrible, but I'm always fascinated by stories that sound like conceptual disasters from the get-go. Will see if anyone chips in with the offer of a scan. If not, I might take you up on your very kind offer.

Cap Haggis wrote:"Jet" seems to be a comic that has a bit of a cult following - I have to say I found it pretty poor (apart form Faceaches debut by Ken Reid and the odd strip here and there Von Hoffman and the Dwarf)

Same here. I thought the comic was quite inferior. A typical example of IPC trying to recreate the success of comics like Lion and Valiant but with mostly third-rate strips.

Thunder was another such disaster. (Adam Eterno being the notable exception in its line up.) Both ran for about 22 weeks if I remember correctly.

Those two comics seemed to be the start of IPC trying a slightly softer approach with the stories. Compare them to Valiant, Lion, or Tiger from the early sixties for example. The tone of British comics has been to make them gradually more "younger" ever since, for some reason. (No wonder some editors & managers hated 2000AD so much. It bucked the trend.)

Lew

I totally forgot about "Thunder" - although I remember the advert for it vividly on the TV - was that the comic with "The Steel Commando" in it by any chance??? I have to say I dont think its just nostagia but I do think the Lion, Valiant, Tiger, and Buster, in particular, were superior comics in the 1960s early 1970s some wonderful art and stories in all of them. I still think the mixture of adventure and humour strips, if done well would bne a hit with todays kids (maybe add articles on PCs, DVDs computer games etc to that mix)

Cap Haggis wrote:I still think the mixture of adventure and humour strips, if done well would bne a hit with todays kids (maybe add articles on PCs, DVDs computer games etc to that mix)

I think segregating the humour and adventure divisions was a mistake on IPC's part. I loved the variety of the original Buster and I don't think making it an all-humour title did it any favours in the long term.

Lew

I would like to defend both Thunder and Jet.

Thunder in particular was much more sucessful than its 22 issue run suggests.When cancelled it brought a large amount of it's strips with it Adam Eterno,Steel Commando,Black Max and I think Jet Skaters-whose artist I think did Paddy McGinty's Goat.And the terible trail to and from Toltec.Of the strips that got cancelled I really like the Gauntlet of Fate.Lion and Thunder was a true mix of the two titles

Whilst Jet is a bit harder to defend it was a comic that was humourous even it's adventure strips and was a brave attempt at something slightly different.Sludgemouth Sloggers which was based on It's a Knockout was a typical example.It was sporty(ish) with a twist.

Paddy McGinty's Goat was not the most offensive strip to the Irish by the way.There was a car race story-each of the home nations was represented in stereotypical fashion-Scots car was shaped like bagpipes,Welsh Car had a daffodil shaped fan as it's power source.And the three foreign characters were definitely not PC.And Sergeants Four also had the four home nations represented-The Englishmen was a cockney spiv.

The fact that both these comics command high prices and are collectable is a testament to something but I am not sure what

An early Merry Christmas to you all

Brian

brisey wrote:I would like to defend both Thunder and Jet.

Fair enough. I must admit I did collect both titles as a kid, but it was more in the hope that the comics would improve. Adam Eterno, Faceache, and Von Hoffman were the standout strips that made me return, - and presumably that applied to others too, as those three strips had decent runs in the comics they merged into.

I was also pleased to see "Sam" on the back page of Thunder, as they were reprints of "Biff" from Wham! - and by 1971 I'd foolishly long since lobbed my Whams onto a bonfire (around 1967 I think). Managed to reacquire them since though! (New copies that is, not the charred remains of my original ones. )

Lew

brisey wrote: Paddy McGinty's Goat was not the most offensive strip to the Irish by the way.There was a car race story-each of the home nations was represented in stereotypical fashion-Scots car was shaped like bagpipes,Welsh Car had a daffodil shaped fan as it's power source.And the three foreign characters were definitely not PC.And Sergeants Four also had the four home nations represented-The Englishmen was a cockney spiv.

Many comics of the era did - of course - lapse routinely into pretty 2-D stereotyping but it was generally more comical than offensive. An example of lazy ignorance more than determined racism perhaps. Even a story as progressive (relatively speaking) as "Charlie's War" had its fair share of 'types'.
Still, I'd be interested to see "Paddy McGinty's Goat" as I'm struggling to think of any other stories from that era actually set (at least in the beginning) in Ireland. Should be good for a laugh if nothing else.

Incidentally, the term "Home Nations" has become an increasingly contentious one (if you're from the Republic of Ireland). However, I'm sure "Paddy McGinty's Goat" would avoid such debatable terminology... being (as it was) a sensitive and sophisticated articulation of the politics of the "British Isles".

I know I have two or three copies of jet somewhere, drop me a line with your address and if I get a chance over the next week ill photocopy it for you. (it is pretty sh$t though).

Another one I remember with an Oirish slant was the Wilde Wonders, excellently drawn by the brialliant Mike Western.
I loved his art on this strip, and the strip itself was like a halfway house between the Beano and Victor. I read most of these when I was young in my brothers Valiant annuals.
One story that stick out was when Bill? Flynn the Wilde boys guardians returned to his relatives in Ireland, the Wild boys get involved in a bizarre hurling match for some turf.
I remember (having spent some days in the bog saving turf)thinking it was highly amusing that the artist didnt know what turf looked like!!
He had drawn it as something resembling a soggy sponge, wheras it should look like( for those of you that dont know) short thick black sticks.
Its amazing what will amuse a 10 year old, and stick in his mind for over 20 years

Oops-apologies for the Home Nations usage.And I fully agree that the characters were meant no offence.

One of the unintentionally funny comics I have read recently was a Thriller Picture Library called Spy 13 and the Invasion of Ireland-which had the British Spy teaming up with an organisation(not unlike the IRA) to keep the Germans out of Ireland.It had more Oirish language in it than was healthy and totally ignored the fact that only one country threatened to invade the Republic in WW2 and it wasn't Germany--but it was a rattling good read.

Comics I love em.

Brian

Lew

I thought you would have liked the Prisoners of Stalag 41(think I have that right)

Must admit I am amazed (reading them and the Lion) about the longevity of Steel Commando

Brian

brisey wrote:Lew

I thought you would have liked the Prisoners of Stalag 41(think I have that right)

No, it didn't appeal to me at all I'm afraid. Comedy Nazis just seemed so out of date by 1971.

Lew