The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Formerly known as Classics from the Comics, this forum covers all of DCT's retired titles, like Beezer, Topper, Victor, Nutty and Sparky!

Moderator: AndyB

Post Reply
alanultron5
Posts: 1746
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 15:58
Location: Wolverhampton
Contact:

The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by alanultron5 »

THE SPARKY FILE.

Hello all! What I will be displaying in this `thread` will be a page-by-page breakdown of `Sparky` comic contents between 1965 and January 1969. This will be done in similar format to I.Shhpyguy, treatment of Sparky issue 225 (May 1969).

My big drawback is I have no scanner! I apologise for this as it does handicap this thread somewhat! However, I aim to compensate by giving as detailed text description as possible! Hope it will garnish comments and other feedback!



SPARKY.

Sparky No 1 entered the market on 23rd January 1965. It had been advertised just after Christmas 1964 on telly with scenes of youngsters playing with the free gift, the “Flying Snorter”. This was a yellow balloon with a flattened airhole which let the air out in sort of controlled way to give a rasping sound! You blew it up, and let if go, and there it went, rasping away till all the air inside was depleted.

My Mom bought me the new comic (I was Eight years of age in early 1965) The “Snorter” was great fun indeed! Whish I’d kept it. Anyhow, this was the start of a long and happy association for me with Sparky comic. In fact, I had purchased (and later bought myself) all but four Sparky’s (and kept them) to about June / July 1971. Oh! How I wish I’d kept them.

At the time, I didn’t know Sparky both reprinted old 1940s strip and conceived new adventures using old characters! My Mom wasn’t pleased with the content, but I begged her to please continue buying it as I was quite happy with it.

By 1967 I was buying the comic (and Dandy, Pow & Smash) with my pocket money. Friday’s was Sparky day and after school, I would have my tea, then I would change out of my school clothes and dash to my local newsagents (With my street clothes on of course!) for my Sparky!

My early favourites were “Flubberface” (the friendly monster), “Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora” (whose dreams led to wonderfully surreal adventures). I also liked the “Jeff Ye Jolly Jester” strip too! In all, I thoroughly enjoyed my Sparky comic each Friday. After reading, I would store my Sparky along with my Dandy’s and other comics in my wall set clothes store! No sunlight got in, so they were in superb condition.

The covers (first & last pages) and the middle colour ones were full colour.
Pages 2, 11, 14 and 23 were always a mix of Red, Black and White. All other pages were in monochrome.

The `Sparky` Logo was curved similar to the `Dandy`. Colours of Logo were the same as Dandy too. The word Sparky was in bright red on a yellow surround. This was complimented by a royal blue background which made it an identical colour scheme to the Dandy.

On with the show! Here now, is a breakdown of page content from Sparky No2.


SPARKY No 2.(30 January 1965, 5d)

Page 1
(Cover) Heading “Free Inside `Big Banger` (it was one of those `Crack-Bang` efforts which the brown paper always split after about three `bangs`

Sparky clears the snow with his Vacuum cleaner, hitting a policeman with a burst of cleared snow. (Full Colour)

Page 2
`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`. Comic adventures of Cowboy Joe Bann and his all-purpose Banjo! (This page in Red, Black & White)

Page 3
`Keyhole Kate.` I had no idea, that Kate was an old character.

Pages 4 & 5
`The Young Castaways` Story concerned two babies from a shipwreck who were raised by friendly occupants of a South Seas island. Drawn by the artist who would later sketch Invisible Dick`.

Page 6
`Cuckoo In The Clock` Comic adventures of a wooden, but living, Cuckoo.

Page 7
`Hockey Hannah` Comic adventures of a schoolgirl and her hockey stick. This is one strip I have no recollection of at all!

Pages 8 & 9
`Wee Tuskey` Adventure strip, light hearted, which was about a young Elephant and his life in the jungle of south Asia. The Sparky comic had a real taste for animal based stories in its early years.

Page 10
`Hugry Horace` The only strip to be ever present from Sparky No 1, to 652 (final issue). At the time I had no idea he was an old Dandy character.

Page 11
Adverts for next weeks free gift, the `Red Racketty` and for a choice of Ten shilling postal order or a transistor radio if readers wrote to the comic and letter was published. In B/W & Red.



Pages 12 & 13
Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` One of my favourites; I loved the early adventures which could get really surreal. Unlike later stories, the early ones did not often turn into nightmares! This issue sets Dave and Dora to rescue the children of Hamlin Town. Full colour.

Page 14.
`Minnie Ha-Ha` Comic adventures of a young Red Indian Squaw, and her pet `talking` Raven; `Running Kick`. In B/W & Red.

Page 15
`Sparky’s puzzles` As it says, a page full of puzzles. Maze, spot the difference, etc.

Pages 16 & 17
`The Kidnapped Kidds`
A very strong (for 1965) story of two children who witness a train robbery and are subsequently held captive by the crooks. This was pretty gutsy stuff for Sparky! Gang leader Gus is not averse to physical violence to children or of holding his gun to their heads. I have no idea; but I would not be surprised if parents complained about this strip.

Pages 18 & 19 and top half of 20.
`The Palace of Secrets` This was a text story, along with a few illustrations, concerning the adventures of young Mary at the palace of Kra. This story is definitely aimed at female readers.

Page 20, bottom half.
The Editor and the rest of the Sparky staff introduce Pansy Potter to the readers, stating she will begin her adventures from next week’s issue.

Page 21
`Jeff Ye Jolly Jester `. The comic adventures of medieval Jester, Jeff!

Page 22
Freddie the Fearless Fly. Another rejuvenated old character. Again, I had no idea he was an old character until my Mother stated so.

Page 23
Top third, `Frosty McNab` A sort of `Jack Frost` character.
Middle third, `Grandma Jolly and her Brolly`
Bottom third, `Black-Jack` Chimney Sweep. You could tell these were old characters as the strips were actual re-prints. Even to me then, they looked terribly old fashioned! It was a stupid move by the staff and `Frosty` and `Black-Jack` departed very quickly.

Page 24
`The Moonsters`. In issue No2 Penny and Peter Pleasant are about to land on the Moon. Last week, Peter pressed a button while he and Sister Penny were exploring at the Rocket Ship exhibition (as you do). They land safely and are greeted by little green `Moonster` people who lay on a big feast for their Earth visitors. Note! One of the Moonsters has pointed `Spock-like` ears. This was not apparent in later adventures.

The final three inches of page 24 consisted of adverts for next weeks new pal `Peter Piper`. Also, the comic asks “Have you written to Sparky Yet?” All page 24 in full colour.

A very varied comic indeed! I had no idea that some strips were updated adventures of old characters. The `Kidnapped Kidds` was very strong stuff indeed! The text story was for girls only in my view! I looked forward to next Friday’s comic.
A Face unclouded by thought.

User avatar
ISPYSHHHGUY
Posts: 4275
Joined: 14 Oct 2007, 13:05
Location: BLITZVILLE, USA

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

It just so happens I have scans prepared to illustrate very early 'SPARKY': sorry, nowt from the very first issue [the first cover was an ad for the free gift, I seem to recall......but here's the next best thing; the second-ever cover featuring our non-PC [the term wasn't even coined in 1965] cover-star;

Image

as it was a brand-new comic, early issues naturally had a high standard of artwork, and at the time there was still a high quota of non-humour strips:

Image

looks like the work of INVISIBLE DICK artist TONY SPEER...


-----next up, a real [almost DUMBO-inspired] early polished gem:

Image

This material compares well even in comparison to what the other top D C T humour titles were putting out at the time, and a lot of these early adventure strips are still very readable today, it's a shame this sort of thing was eventually phased out completely altogether; there must have been a lot of skilled artists out of work at one point. [a bit like today!]

'WEE TUSKY' reminds me of PADDY BRENNAN'S work; can anyone confirm this?
Last edited by ISPYSHHHGUY on 18 Apr 2009, 13:40, edited 1 time in total.

alanultron5
Posts: 1746
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 15:58
Location: Wolverhampton
Contact:

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by alanultron5 »

Many thanks for those scans Rab! Sure helps my thread a whole lot! I noticed when compiling this `File` that the comic was very keen on animal based stories! I might use the term `obsessed` with them! From 1965 to 1969 I think there were at least a dozen! Probably more! I can't recall any other comic having so many in my comic days (1960 to 72).

I will be putting issue No7 on file (hopefully) on Monday. It has, what I personally feel is the closest to racist `Sparky` story on its cover in the comics history! If you can put a scan of this cover Rab, it will highlight just how stupid such a cover story this was!
A Face unclouded by thought.

User avatar
ISPYSHHHGUY
Posts: 4275
Joined: 14 Oct 2007, 13:05
Location: BLITZVILLE, USA

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

I've read this story, Alan, and it has to be seen to be believed! The only one I remember that actually refers to the character's colour.

User avatar
philcom55
Posts: 5170
Joined: 14 Jun 2006, 11:56

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by philcom55 »

ISPYSHHHGUY wrote:It just so happens I have scans prepared to illustrate very early 'SPARKY': sorry, nowt from the very first issue [the first cover was an ad for the free gift, I seem to recall...]
Spot on Spy! Here it is, care of Denis Gifford's 1985 Complete Catalogue of British Comics (as you can see, 'Sparky' does make a miniscule appearance apart from propping up the title! ):
Image

- Phil Rushton

User avatar
ISPYSHHHGUY
Posts: 4275
Joined: 14 Oct 2007, 13:05
Location: BLITZVILLE, USA

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

many thanks, Phil......a mid-60s artefact that deserves to be screened on this site......loads more early 'SPARKY' scans to come, it's very different from the post-69 stuff: I got my eyes opened by the quality of a lot of the very early material I wasn't so familiar with.

STARBOY
Posts: 696
Joined: 12 Oct 2008, 22:05

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by STARBOY »

Taking away the obvious "problem" surrouding the actual "Sparky" charcater himself, but it is strange that he was chosen as the front page lead as to me he's not a very well designed character (looks wierd, ugly, unfunny etc - as I say ignoring the offensiveness of it here") and all the more strange considering some of the great strips inside that could have been used - what were the thinking of, on a design basis alone, in using this??!

User avatar
ISPYSHHHGUY
Posts: 4275
Joined: 14 Oct 2007, 13:05
Location: BLITZVILLE, USA

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

The tragedy is, the very early 'SPARKY' strips in particular were very well-drawn, usually by RON SPENCER in the days when his work more approximated that of LEO BAXENDALE [more examples coming up illustrating this soon].......I thought the 'MOONSTERS' was a better bet for the cover [one of the titles' greatest-ever surrealist achievements, in my estimation] and indeed this made the cover later on: but 'SPARKY' loomed back to the front-cover again before long!

Maybe it was simply because the comic was named after him [a'la BIMBO, MANDY, TWINKLE, etc].


here's a real piece of 'SPARKY' history; when PETER and PENNY PLEASANT land on the MOON and meet the bizarre-but-brilliant BILL RITCHIE characters for the first time:

Image


ISSUE number one had PETER and PENNY at a rocket-base on Earth, apparantly, and they are blasted into space by mistake.

User avatar
ISPYSHHHGUY
Posts: 4275
Joined: 14 Oct 2007, 13:05
Location: BLITZVILLE, USA

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by ISPYSHHHGUY »

the two sides of early 'SPARKY' [from issue 2]:

Image

above: total whimsy from the comic's very early period, which secured it's reputation as a 'nursery comic' for some punters.

Image

-------however, the selfsame comic still managed to deliver material like the harrowing strip illustrated above, it's depiction of stark criminal activity could have troubled some impressionable readers in 1965, and it's debatable whether this subject-matter would be allowed today.



Image

on a cheerier note, I had no idea 'til recently that the very early reincarnation of PANSY POTTER within the comic was penned by future 'L CARS' stalwart BILL HILL.



Image


above: is this the most thoughtless/reckless storyline ever accepted involving the notorious 'SPARKY' character? In fact, it's the only time EVER I seem to recall the theme of 'skin colour' forming the central theme of a visual gag...though there are more than likely other examples slated somewhere, lurking in comicdom's demonic past.


At first glance, I actually thought this could well have been the work of LEO BAXENDALE [it's pretty close in execution], but he had more than likely up sticks from sunny DUNDEE, decamping to the anarchic climes of ODHAMS in early 1965........this work is more than likely the skilled pensmanship of usual artist RON SPENCER [whose early work for THOMSON did indeed emulate LEO really closely]. The irony of the above page is, for all it's controversy, this is, -----as yet------the finest artwork I have seen involving this character : it's of the highest standard throughout.

steelclaw
DC Skelton
Posts: 1868
Joined: 01 Mar 2006, 19:24

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by steelclaw »

Nice work Ispyshhhguy, that cuckoo in the clock brings back memories.

Here's cover No.4 from the gallery.

Image

Kashgar
Guru
Posts: 2781
Joined: 09 Nov 2006, 14:15

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by Kashgar »

The Young Castaways is indeed the work of Tony 'Invisible Dick' Speer.
Wrong about Wee Tusky though Rab, not Paddy Brennan but Jack Monk.
Also the page with Frosty McNab etc wasn't reprinted from anywhere it just looked like it was. The characters were all old but the strips, despite the dated execution, were all drawn specifically for Sparky.

alanultron5
Posts: 1746
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 15:58
Location: Wolverhampton
Contact:

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by alanultron5 »

Here's No 7

SPARKY No 7 (6th March 1965, 5d)

Page 1
`Sparky` gets pushed into vats of coloured paint (for snooping) Police can’t scrub all the colours off, so they paint the rest of him with black paint!! If a comic did that storyline today, we would all be hearing about it in the resulting prosecution! What incredible stupidity.

Page 2
`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`

Page 3
`Hungry Horace`

Pages 4 & 5
`The Young Castaways`

Page 6
`Hockey Hannah`

Page 7
`Keyhole Kate`

Pages 8 & 9
`Wee Tusky`

Page 10
`Sparky’s Puzzle Page`

Page 11
`Cuckoo In The Clock`

Pages 12 & 13
`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora.` Dave and Dora meet a giant king who can’t stop crying.

Page 14
`Pansy Potter` Top half. Bottom half is `Nosey Parker` comic adventures of a `elderly busybody`

Page 15
`Write To Sparky` Letters from readers.

Page 16 & 17
`The Kidnapped Kidds.` This is the episode where gang leader `Gus` hits young Jack Kidd across the face! And you thought Sparky was so twee!!

Page 18
`Freddie The Fearless Fly`

Page 19
`Flubberface. ` Comic adventures of a friendly water dwelling monster. This was one of my early favourites of the Sparky `fun` strips. Was `Flubberface` a new character, or an updated oldie?

Pages 20, 21. And the top two thirds of page 22.
`Palace of Secrets`

Page 22, bottom third is `Grandma Jolly and her Brolly`

Page 23
`Minnie Ha-Ha and `Running Kick` her talking Raven`

Page 24
Top three quarters is `The Moonsters` Bottom quarter devoted to three panels extolling next weeks adventures of: Left panel, `Sparky`. Middle panel, `Nosey Parker; and right panel `Jeff Ye Jolly Jester` Bottom caption “Order Your Copy Now”

One peculiarity of the comic, even up to 1968 was its weekly `rotation` of strips. “Freddie The Fearless Fly” “Jeff Ye Jolly Jester” “Flubberface” “Minnie –Ha Ha” “Joe Bann” would all take one to three weeks off for aforesaid other strips. It was a bizarre system that, as far as I know, no other D.C Thompson title suffered from.

The `Kidnapped Kidds` episode is quite violent, with the gang leader cuffing young Jack Kidd very viciously!
A Face unclouded by thought.

alanultron5
Posts: 1746
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 15:58
Location: Wolverhampton
Contact:

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by alanultron5 »

Thanks for that correction Kashgar! Those quarter page strips did really look like re-prints though! Was the "Hairy Dan" strip which lasted to about issue 28 in the same vein?
A Face unclouded by thought.

Lew Stringer
Posts: 7041
Joined: 01 Mar 2006, 00:59
Contact:

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by Lew Stringer »

STARBOY wrote:Taking away the obvious "problem" surrouding the actual "Sparky" charcater himself, but it is strange that he was chosen as the front page lead as to me he's not a very well designed character (looks wierd, ugly, unfunny etc - as I say ignoring the offensiveness of it here") and all the more strange considering some of the great strips inside that could have been used - what were the thinking of, on a design basis alone, in using this??!
I agree. Sparky was a bizarre choice for a cover star and personally I found the strips charmless even as a child. I don't think it helps that all the white characters are drawn with far less exaggeration than Sparky, which makes him stand out even more, but not in a good way.

Design wise he was a revival of an old Magic character from 1939 when he was called Sooty Snowball:

http://www.britishcomics.com/Magic/index.htm


Lew

User avatar
philcom55
Posts: 5170
Joined: 14 Jun 2006, 11:56

Re: The Sparky File 1965 to January 1969.

Post by philcom55 »

Kashgar wrote:The Young Castaways is indeed the work of Tony 'Invisible Dick' Speer.
...It's to be hoped that nickname didn't stick! :wink:

- Phil Rushton

Post Reply