`Sparky Free Gifts`

[alanultron5]

As a compliment to my `Sparky File` I compiled this `personal` account of my experience of collecting the gifts given away with the comic when I originally bought it! Hopefully, it won't be too large to Copy & Paste here!

SPARKY COMIC `FREE GIFTS`

It was Phil Shrimptons wonderful “Jump Froggy Jump” in Crikey No 6 that gave me inspiration to compile a similar `Sparky free Gift` article! Unlike Phil with Dandy and Beano free gifts, I have only managed to track down one gift so far (the `Zoomer Boomerang`) of the free gifts from Sparky’s tenure-but I’m hopeful of more! However! I did enjoy many of my Sparky free gifts of the time and will give my views on them here!

All comics give free gifts from time-to-time, but `Sparky` comic in its twelve year life of 1965 to 1977 must have given away more gifts in that period than any other DC Thomson (or IPC) title.

All comics when they commence have free gift promotions for the first two or three issues. What with adverts on television as well, it is a sure-fire way of getting market attention.

Long term companion titles `Dandy` and `Beano` gave away free gifts in their first few years up to the outbreak of WWII. After 1945 both titles only very rarely continued the practise in subsequent years. Only in 1960 and 1971 when re-promoting the comics did this occur. The previous free gift promotions had been 1940, which meant just two sets of promotions/free gifts in over `Thirty` Years!!

Why was this? The only reason I can discern is strange though it may sound; is good sales. Both the `Dandy` and `Beano` from the post war years, to the mid 1970s enjoyed massive sales, especially in the 1950s. Only in 1960 when both comics changed their logo and brought in new strips were free gifts offered as part of these `overhauls`. So, for both titles there was no need to try and entice readers when sales were soaring.

`Sparky` comic however, struggled with its sales and therefore was far more generous in this area in having `Nine` sets of offerings between 1965 and the final ones in 1974. All its free gifts came about when the comic was undergoing one of its rather frequent `overhauls`. `Sparky` comic never enjoyed such healthy sales as Dandy or Beano and was constantly re-inventing itself with logo changes, strip turnover and free gifts for most of its life! So for a long time reader such as I was, it meant a bountiful time for getting free gifts!

`Sparky` comic entered the marketplace in late January 1965, its first issue dated 23rd January 1965. It had been promoted with a few telly adverts just after the New Year! There were also `pink flyers` those four page loose pink slips in the previous weeks Beano and Dandy informing readers of the new comic. This is how I became aware of it, via my Dandy `flyer`. The Telly `ads` showed children playing with the free gift called the `Flying Snorter` balloon.

The `Flying Snorter` was a red and yellow balloon with an aeroplane motif. Once blown up and released it would happily `rasp` away via its specialised mouthpiece until the air ran out! I kept mine for about two weeks. Note! I have very recently acquired Sparky No 1 with `Flying Snorter` gift in superb condition at cost of £395.00.

Inside issue No1 there was a full page advert for next weeks gift in issue No2, 30th January 1965 the “Big Banger” This was one of those cardboard and paper hand propelled efforts where the paper `cracked` with a popping sound if you could whip it through the air fast enough! The paper on mine only lasted about six or seven goes! Inside issue two was another `ad` for 6th February issue No3s free gift of the “Red Racketty”.

The “Red Racketty” was one of those `whizz on a string` affairs that made a noise through its cardboard struts. It was a nicely designed toy which worked quite nicely. Sadly, it was fairly fragile, but mine lasted a good three months!

The next set of Sparky free gifts arrived in September 1965, barely nine months into the comics run. Obviously sales were none too good and another promotion had to be advertised on television and in other `Thomson` comics via more `pink flyers`!

Issue 34, 11th September 1965, in an inside page, announced that next week there would be the free gift of the `Squeezy Wheezy` squeak balloon. Also illustrated were four new stories that were commencing in issue 35 (next week). Another new story would appear in issue 36.

Issue 35 arrived with a logo change, four new strips and the `Squeezy Wheezy`. It looked a bit like a `kangaroo`. It had a small `squeezer` on the bottom of the balloon that gave the `squeak` sound when squeezed!

Issue, No 35 then ran an inside page advert for the next free gift, the `Spin-Din` in issue 36, 18th September. This was a cardboard constructed jet like plane which made a whirring sound when spun on its string attachment! It was a lovely designed affair in bright blue and red. It was though, a pretty difficult toy to construct properly; I could not get it all folded and looking correct however hard I tried! Thankfully, my Dad, in a rare good mood assembled it for me.

It was a pretty complex design for a cardboard toy, and out of all the variations on `whiz on a string` toys it was the finest looking flyer I ever owned. I can’t recall what happened to mine back then; lost along with other toys and items I was careless with I suppose. I would certainly pay a lot for one now.

The next set of free gifts soon arrived in early 1966 as the comic tried again to rejuvenate itself with three new strips in issue No 60 and another in No 61, accompanied by free gifts! Issue no 59, again in an inside page ran an ad for the `Sparky Spinner` which arrived in issue No 60 dated 12th March 1966.

This toy was one of the better Sparky gifts in my experience. It consisted of a wheel like disc with three propeller-like flattened `spokes`, a long threaded plastic stick and a small plastic tube (all in bright orange) You slipped the tube onto the stick all the way to the base. You then carefully wound the disc via its centre hole (which had a similar thread) down the stick till it rested on top of the tube!

Grasping the tube-you then pushed upwards! This caused the disc to spin as it rose on the sticks screw-like thread! By the time it exited the top it was spinning fast enough to fly a good few yards! You had to get the speed at which you pushed the tube just right! Too slow and it barely `flew`; too fast and it jammed on the thread! But once you mastered it, it was great fun indeed! Some rotter nicked mine after a week when I was daft enough to take it to school!

The following weeks gift in issue No 61 (19th March 1966) was the `Crack-Bang`. This was virtually identical to issue No 2’s `Big Banger` except that the `Crack-Bang` featured the `Sparky` character who was illustrated with fingers in ears on the toy! Again, like the `Big Banger` the brown paper `bang` section quickly broke!

The next set of free gifts arrived in just under six months in September 1966 as yet another overhaul was attempted by introducing three new strips in issue 86 and another in issue 87. Issue 86, 10th September 1966 gave away the `Tweek Squeek` which was virtually identical to 1965’s `Squeezy Wheezy`. Issue 86 ran an ad for next weeks gift, the `Bizzy Buzzer`

The `Bizzy Buzzer` in issue 87 dated 17th September 1966, consisted of a disc made of card, with a small hole at its centre! It had a design on it which made a buzzing noise and a hypnotic display when spun! You spun it via the two lengths of string that were threaded through the centre aperture! I wish I could recall the `design` on the disc, but until I find one, just can’t! Yet again, mine soon got lost, if only I had kept hold of my toys in those days!

The next set of free gifts took a bit longer, about a year, to arrive. In what was one of Sparky comics biggest overhauls the comic changed nine of its strips and its logo. Six new strips in issue 140 and another three in No 141. It also gave away in issue 140, 23rd September 1967, the `Rip-Snorter` balloon. This fellow was nearly identical to issue No1’s `Flying Snorter` except fhe `Rip-Snorter` carried a logo of a rasping `flying pig`!

Issue 141 the following week of 30th September 1967 gave away a rather novel gift! This was the `Target Tiddley-winks` set. It was a scored cardboard sheet that could be made into a sort of raised Dias. It had concentric circles marked with points to be scored and a `bull’s eye` hole at its centre!

You also got six small coloured plastic counters and a larger fellow to flick them onto the board or through the centre hole! The flip side of the `box` had a Ludo game on it so that when it was `unfolded` you could have a game of Ludo (you had to provide your own dice though!) It was a very enjoyable gift indeed!

1968 was `gift free` so fans of Sparky free gifts had to wait a good year and four months for the next lot! In comparison to Dandy or Beano fans it wasn’t very long at all as they only got gifts in 1960 and 1971!

Anyhow! Issue 210 on 25th January 1969 announced on its back page a whole new set of five new fun pals`. However; there were actually eight in issue 211, and the ninth joined in issue 212. It also gave an illustration of next weeks free gift the `Flip-Frog`.

Another logo change, a lot of new `fun pals` and the `Flip-Frog` all came in issue 211, 1st February 1969. It was the biggest overhaul of the comic alongside the September 1967 changes. Unlike the 1940 Dandy `Flip-Frog` which I think was bakelite with a metal spring and a blob of tar that sufficed as a spring `holder`. You pressed down the spring into the `tar` which would hold it for a few seconds until it `sprang` loose causing the frog to jump. The 1969 Sparky fellow was only a cardboard affair with a plastic `spring device`. `Thunder` comic issue No 1 (17th October 1970) gave free a similar `Kangaroo` designed `jumper`. Sadly, with the Sparky `Flip Frog` being only cardboard and plastic this meant it was a bit fragile and liable to break-as mine soon did!

The back page of issue 211 gave a full colour ad for next weeks gift, the `Zoomer-Boomerang` in issue 212 dated 8th February 1969. This was basically two strips of card that could be interlocked to look like a large `X` shape! When thrown correctly it did come back a little in its flight path, but not much! It had the Sparky character `Pansy Potter` painted on each strip. I have only just tracked down this gift! The cardboard wasn’t really very strong so I won’t try assembling it. It is in pretty decent condition though with the coloured artwork still quite eye catching.

Though the big overhaul of 1969 was supposed to usher in a rejuvenated comic the sales could not have been that good as in only eleven months yet another two weeks of free gifts and new `fun pals` were offered to readers! This overhaul was not as big with four new `fun pals` over the two weeks introduced this time.

Issue 260, 10th January 1970 gave a full back page ad for next weeks free gift the `Rub-A Dub-Dub!` `Biff-Balloon` in issue 261, 17th January. It was not the most inspired of free gifts being basically a balloon on a string! You just `bounced` it on the string! That was all! It didn’t even carry any logo on it.

Issue 261 itself carried a full colour ad again on the back page for free gift, the `Flicker Pics`. Arriving free with issue 262, 24th January 1970, the `Flicker Pics` free gift, is in my opinion, the finest free gift the comic ever presented its readers with.

The gift consisted of a plastic handle with two curved prongs, a little like a catapult in shape! Both prongs ended with little plastic pins that were carefully attached to a moveable plastic disc (it swivelled on the axis of the pins).

Along with this came a set of three glossy sticky-backed sheets of pictures of `Sparky` characters; `Hungry Horace`, `Puss and Boots` and `I .Spy` Each strip had two pictures painted for front and back of the disc! Sheet one saw `Hungry Horace` about to eat a pie and then eating it. The second sheet carried two pictures of `Puss and Boots` in almost similar fighting poses. Sheet three portrayed `I. Spy` about to appear with gun at the ready. The two pictures on each sheet were linked by a small collar of sticky paper. Each of the two pictures was circular and able to fit over the disc section, back and front.

Page 21 in that issue of Sparky showed you how to peel and unpeel each sheet of pictures. If you kept your backing sheet where they peeled from, each could be placed back on to it ready for the next time you wanted to play with it. To do this you then spun your disc to see one of the three characters in action as it revolved.

It was a really superb free gift and quite easily the most original the comic gave away! And yes! I went and lost mine within the year!

Free gift time came around again virtually one year later with another minor influx of new stories / fun pals , totalling three in January 1971. By this time stable mates `Dandy` and `Beano` were doing likewise as all comic sales-particularly D.C Thomson titles-were falling.

A full colour back page ad on issue 314, 23rd January 1971 displayed next weeks free gift of the `Sky Squeaker` rasping balloon. Arriving in issue 315, 30th January 1971, this all yellow balloon was just like the `Snorter` balloons of the 1960s except it was sausage shaped! It did not carry any logo or design.

Issue 315 advertised on its back page next weeks free gift of the `Whoopee Whistle`. It duly arrived in plastic sections inside issue 316, the following week of 6th February 1971. Inside on the “Sparky Funfare” letters and puzzles page readers were instructed (by illustration) how to assemble their whistle. The thing did tend to fall apart though, unless you used glue to cement it firmly in place! It was a fair gift, but nothing special. Issues 315 and 316 do turn up fairly frequently (sadly minus gifts though) on E.Bay-so sales must have been good comparatively.

These were the final Sparky free gifts that I got as by June of 1971 at age 15 and nine months I was about to leave school and start work! Comics were a school kid’s thing back then! I can however give what descriptions I know of later Sparky gifts!

In 1972 yet another two weeks of free gifts, along with two more new `fun pals` and another logo change arrived, this time in October of that year. Issue 402, 30th September 1972 gave a full back page ad for next week’s free gift the `Wot-A-Racket` flyer.

Arriving with issue 403, 7th October 1972 the `Wot-A-Racket` is basically the same design as issue three’s `Red Racketty` though this time in black! As with the 1965 device you stuck or glued a small coin on the front of the flyer to give it speed when spun! 1972’s coin being a 1p piece as apposed to 1965’s old halfpenny!

On the back page of issue 403 was a full page ad for next weeks free gift, the `Punchy Pete` biff-balloon! Going by the photo given, `Pete` looks an odd fellow! He was a large yellow balloon with the rather `punch-drunk` features of a boxer etched on its surface! Pete had two attached cardboard feet that `stabilized` him when inflated. You could then presumably give him a right going over! What fun!! `Pete` came with issue 404 dated 14th October 1972.

It would be almost two years before the next set of free gifts, which in Sparky terms was an age! By 1974 the comic was obviously struggling again for sales and a pretty large overhaul, and final logo change, was planned beginning with the 500th issue! Issue 499 dated 10th August 1974 gave a full back page advert for three new `fun pals` and a new free gift!

The gift in issue 500, 17th August 1974 was the `Super Tooter` a small plastic `organ like flute. These had often been one of the toys in `Lucky Bags` (does anyone remember them?). I recall that the `Super Tooter` made a pleasant enough sound as I do remember hearing a friend’s younger brother playing with one! Back page on issue 500 was another full page ad for next weeks free gift, the `Sparky Whirrrr-lers`

Coming free with issue 501, 24th August the `Sparky Whirrrr-ler` was yet another version of 1965s `Red Racketty` and 1972s `Wot-A-Racket` so not much innovation there! Amazingly, on the back page of issue 501 there was yet another full page free gift ad!

For free gift collectors issue 502 dated 31st August 1974 must be an utter nightmare! Why? Well, going back to issue 501 (back page) it announced eight! Free gifts! But hold! Before we all jump for joy! A small notice said “Sorry, only one per reader” Ah-ha! So in order to get all eight free gifts you had to buy at least eight issues of Sparky and most probably more!

The gifts were (1) the `Spin-A-Ring` a sort of flattened Frisbee like hoop. (2) A `Pop-Gun` (3) The `Zoomer Balloon` Identical to issue 315s the `Sky Squeaker` (4) The `High Flyer` Another `flyer` only this one was a three pronged affair! (5) A `Kazoo` Plastic of course. (6) The `Squeaker` This was similar to issue 35s `Squeezy Wheezy` squeaking balloon. (7) No seven was two different sets of painting sets which you had to buy more than one Sparky comic in a hope of getting.

The whole set were called the `Sir Prize` relating to Sparky’s `Sir` character! Big deal! It was still a sales ploy rather than any beneficial gesture to readers. It didn’t really work as Sparky comic was still on a downward sales slope.

The only other sort of `offering` to readers after these gifts was a three week run in issues 603 to 605 of 1p coupons inside each comic which readers could cut out and then get one pence off selected Cadbury sweets! I don’t believe this was any sort of success either as every copy of issues 603/4/5 I have seen still has the coupons inside untouched!

Unlike Dandy or Beano, Sparky never gave confectionary free gifts in all its promotions, only those 1p off Cadbury products as mentioned.

As well as the `Flying Snorter` with issue No 1, I have also recently acquired the “Zoomer Boomerang” gift (for £30) and hopefully, I might come across one or two more of the Sparky free gifts; I would certainly pay well for a full `Flicker Pics` set.

Here now, in table form is a list of all free gifts from Sparky comic.


No1 (23rd January 1965) the “Flying Snorter” Balloon.

No 2 (30th January 1965) the “Big Banger”

No 3 (6th February 1965) the “Red Racketty”


No 35 (18th September 1965) the “Squeezy Wheezy” Balloon.

No 36 (25th September 1965) the “Spin-Din”


No 60 (12th March 1966) the “Sparky Spinner”

No 61 (19th March 1966) the “Crack-Bang”


No 86 (10th September 1966) the “Tweek Squeek” Balloon.

No 87 (17th September 1966) the “Bizzy Buzzer”


No 140 (23rd September 1967) the “Rip-Snorter” Balloon

No 141 (30th September 1967) the “Target Tiddle –Winks”


No 211 (1st February 1969) the “Flip Frog”

No 212 (8th February 1969) the “Zoomer Boomerang”


No 261 (17th January 1970) the “Rub-A-Dub-Dub” Biff-Balloon.

No 262 (24th January 1970) the “Flicker Pics”


No 315 (30th January 1971) the “Sky Squeaker” Balloon.

No 316 (6th February 1971) the “Whoopee Whistle”


No 403 (7th October 1972) the “Wot-A-Racket”

No 404 (14th October 1972) the “Punchy Pete” Biff –Balloon


No 500 (17th August 1974) the “Super Tooter”

No 501 (24th August 1974) the “Sparky Whirrrr-lers”

No 502 (31st August 1974) the “Sir-Prize” (eight gifts scattered throughout issue 502 of Sparky. This meant you needed to buy at least eight copies to even hope of getting all eight!))

For his help, I give many thanks to Dave Willesden of `Wolverhampton Books & Collectibles.

Alan Smith © 2010

[alanultron5]

Ah! It seems to be OK! Bit dull looking though- only for `completists` Still, maybe some will enjoy it!

[Kashgar]

Not dull at all Alan. A complete list of anything related to comics is a joy to behold.
BTW the free gifts given away by the Thomson papers were usually inserted into the comics by students from Dundee University who made themselves a few quid by coming down to the Thomson offices and being set to work in a large room set aside for the purpose. Re the Beano and Dandy sales certainly played a big part in whether or not they gave away free gifts. After all why enter into the possible logistical nightmare of inserting a free gift into a million comics or more when sales were so high in the first place.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

wow......you learn something every day on this forum!

[The Dundee students inserting the free gifts ito the comics].

I also remember it was sometimes getting a regular SPARKY/BEANO/WHIZZER and CHIPS the weeks when the free gift issues came out; this tactic often meant the week's run sold out fast, with more casual readers more likely to buy a copy.