If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Discuss particular comic titles here.
There are separate subfora to discuss particular titles and groups of titles - use this forum for any missing title, or discussions which don't fit below!

Moderators: Al, AndyB

dandy mad
Posts: 769
Joined: 19 Jun 2008, 00:28
Location: Leigh lancashire
Contact:

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by dandy mad »

The Dandy obviously....

User avatar
standby4action
Posts: 149
Joined: 03 Mar 2007, 13:13
Location: Essex, UK

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by standby4action »

TV Century 21, but before The Saint and Tarzan were added and before Mike Noble left Captain Scarlet and obviously keeping Bellamy's Thunderbirds!

User avatar
SID
Posts: 1744
Joined: 02 Oct 2008, 22:53
Location: Mancave.
Contact:

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by SID »

My mind hasn't change.

Valiant and Lion featuring the cream of their strips.
Reading comics since 1970. My Current Regulars are: 2000 AD (1977-), Judge Dredd Megazine (1990-), Spaceship Away (2003-), Commando (2013-), Monster Fun (2022-), Deadpool and Wolverine (2023-), Quantum (2023-).

Billythecat
Posts: 35
Joined: 21 Dec 2013, 12:59

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Billythecat »

SID wrote:My mind hasn't change.

Valiant and Lion featuring the cream of their strips.
This. I dream of this.

BeanoMaster
Posts: 34
Joined: 21 Feb 2014, 19:37
Location: Isle of Wight

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by BeanoMaster »

The Dandy, Buster or Whizzer and Chips.

Spencer
Posts: 205
Joined: 03 Mar 2006, 00:02
Location: North Fambridge

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Spencer »

The Dandy. Still can't get over thinking how good the product was (in its last incarnation). The humour really clicked with my own kids who were circa 10-13 in the last year of publication. There are many that derided the art-styles etc. but I don't think many of the detractors were in the target age group.

And as for the Digital Dandy - well, their Facebook page says 'exciting plans' with news to follow soon.... Think one of the challenges they will face is how to promote whatever Digital plans they have to their target audience..

Still wondering (hoping) they are talking about original material rather than just archive availability (which would be nice for me but not so for the 'kids' who 'funny' comics are generally aimed at.

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

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Lew Stringer »

Spencer wrote:The Dandy. Still can't get over thinking how good the product was (in its last incarnation). The humour really clicked with my own kids who were circa 10-13 in the last year of publication. There are many that derided the art-styles etc. but I don't think many of the detractors were in the target age group.
I think you're right. From what I read, the detractors were well out of the target range, yet some of them are still blaming the art styles. Glad to hear your kids liked it.
The blog of British comics: http://lewstringer.blogspot.com
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/

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

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by alanultron5 »

Of course, I would love to see a updated `Sparky` with it's best `classic` strips attempted by today's illustrators and writers! To get anywhere near the quality of the great 1969-71 period of the "I.Spy" strip may take some doing-but who knows? "Thingummyblob" "Davey Spacer" "Klanky" "Dreamy Dave & Dora" "Puss and Boots" - mind you- no "Invisible Dick" no- that's just too much!! :)
A Face unclouded by thought.

User avatar
Muffy
Posts: 343
Joined: 24 Jun 2007, 17:14

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Muffy »

It would be nice to have some new Buster comics - though a monthly with new material would be better than fortnightly or weekly.

Also maybe a 6 issue limited run of 'Star Lord' would be interesting to see. Including Ro-busters and Strontium Dog.

User avatar
starscape
Posts: 989
Joined: 17 Jul 2011, 14:51
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by starscape »

Muffy wrote:Also maybe a 6 issue limited run of 'Star Lord' would be interesting to see. Including Ro-busters and Strontium Dog.
That's a great idea. Especially in a US-sized format. What's to lose apart from a few creator fees? What's to gain? Comic shop presence without the necessity of all those partnerships or in the back row away from the other comics.
STARSCAPE Comic
http://facebook.com/Starscape-Comic-108831387707862/
comics, cartoons, music & movies

Shiner
Posts: 316
Joined: 29 Sep 2006, 23:33

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Shiner »

Got to agree that a limited series sounds appealing. If you had the start of the run on the newsstand and then completed it by subscription (like a partwork title) could that be a feasible business model?

User avatar
Muffy
Posts: 343
Joined: 24 Jun 2007, 17:14

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Muffy »

Thanks starscape and Shiner :) Glad you liked the suggestion.

Also more collectable, being a short run and could generate interest.

User avatar
Old Freddy
Posts: 197
Joined: 11 Jun 2009, 19:51
Location: In front of the computer

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Old Freddy »

If I were to bring back any comic it would be The Dandy in its 2010-2012 incarnation (obviously not counting the last few months where it had to use reprints to make up the majority of the comic). If I couldn't bring that comic back for whatever reason, however, I would choose Whizzer and Chips. This is for several reasons.

Since Toxic's sales are fairly healthy, and was able to succeed where the Dandy (and its Xtreme incarnation) failed, Egmont obviously must be doing something right regarding marketing and such.

Also, the name "Whizzer and Chips" doesn't seem too anachronistic. names like The Beezer or The Topper (or even The Beano or The Dandy) are very dated, and probably were when the comics were new.

To add to that, I think Whizzer and Chips is probably a more recognised name than Buster. Usually when I talk to non-comic-fans about comics, they'll talk about Whizzer and Chips but often don't remember Buster, despite the fact that Buster predated and outlived W&C.

Since there's no chance in hell of Whizzer and Chips (or any Fleetway humour comic, for that matter) being reintroduced, I may as well make the most of this:

Since the Beano is currently 36 pages, W&C's original page count of 32 will probably make the "Two comics in one" gimmick seem a bit like a fib. For that reason, I'd up the page count. 36 pages wouldn't work as it's not a multiple of 8 (and so you couldn't pull out the "Chips" section, not that anyone does anyway). It would probably have to be either 40 or 48 pages. (72, the length of two Beanos, would be far too impractical for a weekly comic, and most licensed kids' comics/magazines have considerably less pages than the Beano anyway, so 40 or 48 pages would probably be the best way to go).

The covers for both sections will have eye-catching drawings dominating the pages, with the logo at the top of course, a slogan, issue date, price (maybe even the issue number, but it'd probably be best to restart the issue numbers) and bits of text telling the reader what sort of things to expect inside. The cover illustrations would probably relate to the first strip inside the comic or could possibly be wraparound covers like the ones from The Dandy in early 2012 featuring Bananaman.

Whizzer and Chips always had a strong selection of characters, which changed regularly throughout the comic's lifespan. If I were to bring back W&C the comic would have as little reprint as possible, and have a selection of existing Whizzer and Chips characters that proved to be popular when the comic was still around as well as brand new characters.

one thing I wouldn't let W&C do is fall into the trap of relying too much on its classic characters and not giving newcomers time to shine. It's all well and good to acknowledge the comic's history but I don't necessarily see it as a good thing if all the mainstays of a comic are thirty years old or more. If new characters are given a chance too then they have the chance to be the next Sid's Snake or Harry's Haunted House, etc.

I'd probably drop Shiner from the initial character roster when relaunching W&C. He wasn't the most popular character in the comic's later years, and the story potential is fairly limited. I would perhaps consider bringing him back for a trial run of six weeks or so later in the relaunched comic's life to see if he has potential and proves popular. He could also be a mainstay in the annuals if they were to be made.

If Shiner wasn't to be part of the main roster, however, a worthy competitor to Sid would have to be designed, to be the leader of the Chip-ites.

In fact, six week trial runs would be a great way of reintroducing old characters in general, provided that they aren't too of their time. in short:

Timeless set-up + good story potential + good writing and characterisation = great strip.

the same formula can apply to new strips as well as old ones, though some characters could be created to cash in on the latest craze (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, when you consider strips like The Dandy's Dark Newt or Flatman and Ribbon) provided that they only have short runs so as not to overstay their welcome.

I'd also want most if not all of the strips not to be written by staff but either by the artists or established humour comic writers (i.e. Mike Pearse, Kev F, Nigel Auchterlounie, etc.) who know how to draw the reader in and make the strips funny as well as make the characters more 3 dimensional.

Oh, and NO CELEBRITIES!!!! or at least not very many or very often.
Last update to http://comiccentral.jimdo.com: 7/4/2011

Sammy Shrink, Korky, Dennis and the Dandy all updated
Beryl the Peril Page Added
Navigation altered

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

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Lew Stringer »

Old Freddy wrote:
Since there's no chance in hell of Whizzer and Chips (or any Fleetway humour comic, for that matter) being reintroduced, I may as well make the most of this.
Egmont did hint on Twitter a while ago that they might be doing something to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Whizzer and Chips in October but there's been no information since. Shame, because as you say, it's the comic that people do remember.

I like your ideas by the way!
The blog of British comics: http://lewstringer.blogspot.com
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/

User avatar
Old Freddy
Posts: 197
Joined: 11 Jun 2009, 19:51
Location: In front of the computer

Re: If you could bring back 1 UK Comic which 1 would it be?

Post by Old Freddy »

Lew Stringer wrote:
Old Freddy wrote:
Since there's no chance in hell of Whizzer and Chips (or any Fleetway humour comic, for that matter) being reintroduced, I may as well make the most of this.
Egmont did hint on Twitter a while ago that they might be doing something to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Whizzer and Chips in October but there's been no information since. Shame, because as you say, it's the comic that people do remember.

I like your ideas by the way!
Glad you liked them. :) I did hear about the supposed 45th anniversary celebration via George Shiers' blog on Whizzer and Chips, but it's a shame that nothing more has been said about it.
Last update to http://comiccentral.jimdo.com: 7/4/2011

Sammy Shrink, Korky, Dennis and the Dandy all updated
Beryl the Peril Page Added
Navigation altered

Post Reply