Looking for "I Don't Want to Be a Model!"

[Tammyfan]

Can anyone help with a story called “I Don’t Want to be a Model!” It was about a girl who is being forced to be a model by her cruel guardian, who holds her prisoner by hiding her glasses, although it is very bad for her eyes and gives her great pain. It was probably in Tracy or Mandy, and Rodney Sutton was the artist ("Lisa the Lonely Ballerina" in Debbie and "That Bad Bettina!" in Mandy). Can anyone provide more details, including the names of the girl and the villain, publication dates and the title it appeared in, please? Thank you.

[Phoenix]

Can anyone help with a story called “I Don’t Want to be a Model!”

It was in TRACY, near the end of her run. I can't guarantee to provide the key details until much later today as I'm scheduled to see various people in relation to the sale of my house and the purchase of its replacement in Cornwall, and I'm running late already.

[Tammyfan]

Thank you, Phoenix. I'm looking forward to further details!

[Phoenix]

This post updates my earlier one. The basic facts, Briony, are the following. "I Don't Want To Be A Model!" ran in TRACY 235 (Mar. 31 1984) - 243 (May 26 1984). It had nine instalments therefore. The girl needing the glasses is Roslyn Grant (13), and the woman who removes them is Gerda Grayson, a friend of her mother's, and a qualified teacher, who persuades the Head of Roslyn's school that she has decided to home-school Roslyn. In reality she is insisting that Roslyn become a model. Roslyn takes the money from her mother's emergency jar and even has enough money to get a taxi to the railway station where, with the help of a stranger, she catches a train to London. The police there become involved when they pick her up as a runaway when they discover that her uncle and aunt are away, and take her to a foster home for the night. At a photo shoot in the fashion studio the following day Roslyn nearly knocks over a valuable camera on its tripod because she can't see it. When later she is booked as a teenage model at a fashion show she gets through it, but when she tells Gerda that she needs her glasses, her concerns are dismissed as a touch of nerves. Gerda even takes Roslyn out of school. (She had done that already!) Then Roslyn tells Gerda that she has found a school photograph with her mother and Gerda on it. Gerda rips it up because she sees that she is in the background as usual while Roslyn's mother Mary, ''pretty, popular Mary hogged the limelight. I suppose your mother kept this to gloat over. Well, not any more." Roslyn is shocked because she thought Gerda was in her mum's crowd, one of her friends. The essence of Gerda's harsh treatment of Roslyn is delivered in two speeches, here presented together. "Oh, yes, your Mum let me tag along - kind-hearted Mary, taking pity on poor, unpopular Gerda. I was supposed to smile and look grateful! How I longed to get my own back! I never thought I'd have a chance like this. Now YOU'RE going to suffer the way I suffered, Roslyn dear!"

Meanwhile Mary's younger sister, Kate Armstrong, calls with her husband Bill. Gerda warns Roslyn to watch what she says or she will spill a lot of beans about Roslyn's poor behaviour. Roslyn seizes her chance, and feigns a sudden blackout. Shortly afterwards Kate recognises Gerda from the photograph as the Gerda that bullied all the juniors at school, and tells her that Mary had befriended Gerda at school because she had felt sorry for her, being simply too good-natured to see through her. (a different photo from the one that Gerda had ripped up??) Not appreciating having to listen to such home truths Gerda walks out. Shortly afterwards Mary finds Roslyn's glasses so all's well that ends well.

[Tammyfan]

Thank you for the start and end dates, Phoenix. I’ll go see what 30th Century Comics has to offer.

[Tammyfan]

Update: looks like nothing there or on eBay. Oh, well. If anyone else can help with a synopsis or even scans, thank you so much!

[Phoenix]

I have updated above my post on "I Don't Want To Be A Model!"

[Tammyfan]

Thank you, Phoenix! Let's hope Mrs Grant finally wises up to Grayson after hearing how Grayson treated her daughter.

[Phoenix]

Let's hope Mrs Grant finally wises up to Grayson after hearing how Grayson treated her daughter.

As presumably you can see for yourself, Briony, this story has more holes in it than a tramp's socks. Perhaps this is an example of a story being used because there wasn't a better one available the week that it started.

[Tammyfan]

Let's hope Mrs Grant finally wises up to Grayson after hearing how Grayson treated her daughter.

As presumably you can see for yourself, Briony, this story has more holes in it than a tramp's socks. Perhaps this is an example of a story being used because there wasn't a better one available the week that it started.

Maybe that is why it is not a long story. Just as well for Roslyn's poor eyes.

[Phoenix]

Maybe that is why it is not a long story. Just as well for Roslyn's poor eyes.

Even without her glasses Roslyn would have been able to see through the holes in the plot.

[stevezodiac]

Let's hope Mrs Grant finally wises up to Grayson after hearing how Grayson treated her daughter.

As presumably you can see for yourself, Briony, this story has more holes in it than a tramp's socks. Perhaps this is an example of a story being used because there wasn't a better one available the week that it started.

More holes than a string vest on a shooting range infested by moths?

[Phoenix]

More holes than a string vest on a shooting range infested by moths?

I can't see too many moths hanging about when the first rifle shot rings out, Steve, unless they have no hearing facility. My Biology classes at Lancaster Royal Grammar School, to give it its full name, unfortunately didn't consider moths worthy of study of any kind. As far as I can recall, the only animal that featured at any point was the rabbit, who came on as a substitute for a human being when, in the third year, sexual intercourse was on the syllabus. Our teacher was Mr 'Tusker' Briggs, and on this subject he was nervous. To clarify, his nickname had been bestowed upon him years earlier because a couple of his middle front top-row teeth protruded rather threateningly, the odd bubble appearing when he spoke, more than one when he felt under pressure. Anyway, while all the boys were watching his mouth, 'Tusker' managed to romp through the issues, during which time he drew a couple of relevant illustrations on the board for us to copy into our exercise books later and label. However, one of the boys, Peter Bilsborough by name, who was a year older than us, but who had done so badly in his previous summer exams that he was repeating the whole year's work in all his subjects, decided to have a bit of fun at 'Tusker''s expense. He put his hand up, and when invited to speak by the worthy 'Tusker', told the teacher that he hadn't fully grasped any of the pearls of wisdom that 'Tusker' had dropped, and asked him to go over it all again. 'Tusker', who I'm sure just could not face doing it again, declined. At the time, many of us wondered why, given that he was always going to find all explanations problematic, he didn't simply use humans as examples rather than rabbits, and get it over and done with.

[Tammyfan]

Maybe that is why it is not a long story. Just as well for Roslyn's poor eyes.

Even without her glasses Roslyn would have been able to see through the holes in the plot.

While her mother could not see through Grayson.

[stevezodiac]

London comic mart in two weeks. I'll see if there are any Tracys there.