Girl comic 1950s-60s

Discuss all the girls comics that have appeared over the years. Excellent titles like Bunty, Misty, Spellbound, Tammy and June, amongst many others, can all be remembered here.

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philcom55
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by philcom55 »

I seem to remember that Girl also featured a comic strip adaptation of 'The Day of the Triffids' in its later issues; unfortunately it was based on the dreadful film rather than John Wyndham's classic novel!

- Phil R.

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suebutcher
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by suebutcher »

Matrix, here's the "Girl" cover for 13 July 1963. I can almost smell the sea breeze!
Girlfrance.jpg

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

Thanks Sue, great covers that's 'Belle and Mamie', I think that is the first of that story, they end up going for a cruise,... more to follow!

It is really noticeable the lack of the 'Girl' logo on that cover, the last time it appeared was on the 28/10/61, unless anyone has seen one later?

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

Here is another great artist that worked on this title, Dudley Pout.

The scanned example below for those who have not seen it is called 'Prince of the pampas' it's all about a girl who is "staying on her uncles ranch in Argentina, who rescues a high spirited wild colt Prince of the pampas from a local who wants to kill it for its hide". Lovely work.
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Prince.of.Pampas.000.jpg

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

A little more info on 'Girl' comic.

Some time in early 1963 the comic shrank to the size of the early 'Princess' comic, the example below with the Fourmost on the cover is dated 5/9/64 it has hardly any old 'Girl' strips in it only 'Lettice Leefe' which has been reduced to example in the scan below, plus as Phil mentioned, 'Happy Days', plus 'Uncle Lionel', and 'Minx and friends', it is ready to merge!
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Let.leef.jpg
Girl.Fourmost.jpg
Last edited by matrix on 17 Mar 2013, 11:31, edited 1 time in total.

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

Here is another artist that worked on 'Girl' comic, Roland Davies. I know he has his own thread but thought I would add this scan on here as it was for 'Girl'.

He did a few illustrations for 'Girl' plus the lovely artwork in this strip 'Send for Sally' which ran in 'Girl' from sometime in july 1962 to November 1962. It was written by Peggy Stewart.

Did he do any more for 'Girl' comic?
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Send.for.Sally.000.jpg

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

Here is another historical strip still written by Chad Varah, but this time drawn by Chris Garvey who as Phil has already mentioned is realy painter June Mendoza.

This is a nice story called "soldier Joan" all about Joan of arc, it appeared in 'Girl' comic in 1954.
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Soldier.Joan.000.jpg

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helsbels
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by helsbels »

matrix wrote:Here is another historical strip still written by Chad Varah, but this time drawn by Chris Garvey who as Phil has already mentioned is realy painter June Mendoza.

This is a nice story called "soldier Joan" all about Joan of arc, it appeared in 'Girl' comic in 1954.
This story was reprinted as Maid Of Orleans in the June & School Friend Book of Heroines - I enjoyed reading this as a child.

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

helsbels wrote:
matrix wrote:Here is another historical strip still written by Chad Varah, but this time drawn by Chris Garvey who as Phil has already mentioned is realy painter June Mendoza.

This is a nice story called "soldier Joan" all about Joan of arc, it appeared in 'Girl' comic in 1954.
This story was reprinted as Maid Of Orleans in the June & School Friend Book of Heroines - I enjoyed reading this as a child.
I wonder why they changed the name? Did you realise it was a reprint from 'Girl'?

I can understand why you enjoyed it, there are some lovely pages to the story, unfortunately the scan does not do it justice.

Tammyfan
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by Tammyfan »

matrix wrote:
helsbels wrote:
matrix wrote:Here is another historical strip still written by Chad Varah, but this time drawn by Chris Garvey who as Phil has already mentioned is realy painter June Mendoza.

This is a nice story called "soldier Joan" all about Joan of arc, it appeared in 'Girl' comic in 1954.
This story was reprinted as Maid Of Orleans in the June & School Friend Book of Heroines - I enjoyed reading this as a child.
I wonder why they changed the name? Did you realise it was a reprint from 'Girl'?

I can understand why you enjoyed it, there are some lovely pages to the story, unfortunately the scan does not do it justice.
Changing the names of serials when they were reprinted happened a lot, particularly if it appeared in a separate publication. For example, Girl Picture Library reprinted a lot of old Tammy and Jinty strips under revised (and sometimes terrible) titles. Bunty sometimes reprinted her own strips under revised titles eg "Sandra's Sad Secret" was reprinted as "Cheat!". M&J reprinted a lot of old Mandy and Judy serials. For some reason they changed the names of some of those serials (when they were not reprinted in the Judy/Mandy classic section) but not others eg "The Many Faces of Moppet" retained its original title but "Be Nice to Nancy" was changed to "Be Nice to Nikki".

And why did they change some titles for reprint? Most likely for legal or copyright reasons. :roll:

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

Phil, I do not have the issue that your original artwork of "Margaret of Antioch" is from but here is I believe the next issue where the poor girl loses her head, in the final of the story. This issue is dated 28/1/61 which would date your artwork to vol 10 no 3 21/1/61. The story ran from 1/10/60 to 28/1/61.

The scan below as mentioned before is another fine piece of artwork drawn by Gerald Haylock.
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Margaret.jpg

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philcom55
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by philcom55 »

Wow! Thanks Matrix, that's really helpful - I didn't even know that page was from 'Margaret of Antioch'! It's quite astonishing to see a series ending with the heroine's decapitation...but then I guess there's not much choice when you're writing about a martyr! :?

- Phil R.

Update: I just checked my page and noticed that it has '10/2' written on the back of the board so I'm guessing that it must have appeared in Volume 10, number 2 - making your issue of Girl the next but one. :)

matrix
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by matrix »

Oops! sorry Phil, nearly led you astray with the issue number there!

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philcom55
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by philcom55 »

No need to apologize Matrix - I'd never have realized the significance of those markings on the back without your input! :)

- Phil R.

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philcom55
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Re: Girl comic 1950s-60s

Post by philcom55 »

Incidentally, here's my only printed episode of the series from Vol.9, No.44, showing a young Margaret as she takes her first tentative steps on the road to martyrdom. Somehow it puts all those quaint goings-on at the Vatican this week into their proper historical perspective!

Image

,,,BTW is it just my imagination or does Gerry Haylock's version of the older Margaret really look as though she was based on Audrey Hepburn?

- Phil R.

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