Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

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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Tammyfan
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by Tammyfan »

DavidKW wrote:However, a lot of the stories from girl's comics would make terrific TV series

I agree & this alpha male heroine addict will confess, that I've written a few ideas down for TV series based on these strips.

Have jotted a few for "Meet The Days" - new name for The Happy Days to avoid fonz & shark-jumping confusion (always thought that series started to die a slow & painful death when Chachi arrived (aka Scott Baio). The Days show would need to be set in the 1960s suburbia (many were untouched by the "swinging") with Sue acting as on-screen narrator.

As for Lucky's Living Doll - when I first read a strip ideas bagan to ping in my head, I had a brainstrom & 20 episode ideas came out. More have since upon reading more.
I've written it as more like an action-adventure, a bit in the style of the ITC serials or The (uk) Avengers, but set in today's world with some modern influence. In this "Lucky Smith" is a little bit older - car-driving age & working. Tina could easily be computer-generated. I'll explain more on the LLD topic board.

Also think June's "Vanessa From Venus" would make a great Rentaghost meets Bewitched style fantasy comedy (with Candy in support).

"Patty's World" would make a good 70s set drama - in the real not rose-tinted world of Us Deoderant & power cuts.

The concept of "Jane Bond" & "Miss Adventure" are concepts that a lot can be done with.
Fanfiction, eh? Nothing wrong with that. Maybe we could even set up a website devoted to girls' comics fanfiction. By the way, somebody wrote to Tammy's lettercolumn once suggesting they make a Bella Barlow tv series. Never got off the ground of course, but is it feasible?

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RuthB
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by RuthB »

Well, as a matter of fact Purita has beein thinking for a while now -and she's talked about it in different interviews- in allowing to make Patty's World into a tv series but some of us fans are against it. Since it would be a Spanish production, they would probably turn it into a "teens" tv series and totally destroy it.

No, thanks. If it ain't broken...

Tammyfan
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by Tammyfan »

RuthB wrote:Well, as a matter of fact Purita has beein thinking for a while now -and she's talked about it in different interviews- in allowing to make Patty's World into a tv series but some of us fans are against it. Since it would be a Spanish production, they would probably turn it into a "teens" tv series and totally destroy it.

No, thanks. If it ain't broken...
There's nothing to stop fanfiction, though.

Tammyfan
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by Tammyfan »

I wonder if Penny's Place, the Comp or Pam of Pond Hill would work in television? The latter two might be considered too close to Grange Hill. After all, they were inspired by that series.

Someone in Tammy suggested a Bella Barlow television series. Thinking about it, I'm not sure that would work because the Cinderella/slavery elements were okay in a girls' comic but might look over the top or unrealistic on the screen.

'Catch the Cat' is another one that could make a great tv series. Could Molly Mills work as well?

And what could translate to the silver screen? I think Misty's 'The Sentinels' would be one.

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philcom55
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by philcom55 »

I know what Ruth means - especially as Patty is still being successfully published.

On the other hand, there's an honorable tradition of old, discontinued characters being revived for a modern audience with a 'whatever happened to' spin. This is particularly noticeable with superheroes like DC's Justice Society, Marvel's Captain America and Britain's own Marvelman. In the case of 'The Happy Days' it would be interesting to see a grown-up Sue Day coping with a family of her own in the present day - or perhaps Lucky's Living Doll could be brought back to life after being discovered in an old box by Lucky's daughter. I do, however, hate the current 'New 52' approach where all of a series' established continuity is completely swept aside in favour of brand new characters who share nothing but the same name!

- Phil Rushton

Tammyfan
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by Tammyfan »

philcom55 wrote:I know what Ruth means - especially as Patty is still being successfully published.

On the other hand, there's an honorable tradition of old, discontinued characters being revived for a modern audience with a 'whatever happened to' spin. This is particularly noticeable with superheroes like DC's Justice Society, Marvel's Captain America and Britain's own Marvelman. In the case of 'The Happy Days' it would be interesting to see a grown-up Sue Day coping with a family of her own in the present day - or perhaps Lucky's Living Doll could be brought back to life after being discovered in an old box by Lucky's daughter. I do, however, hate the current 'New 52' approach where all of a series' established continuity is completely swept aside in favour of brand new characters who share nothing but the same name!

- Phil Rushton
Remaking old favourites from the girls' comics, eh? I wonder how we could remake The Four Marys. I always thought those Marys were really dragging on, :roll: but of course Bunty could not do without them. But if we remake them, how could they be remade? Would they be in a comprehensive day school rather than a boarding school? Giving them that setting would give them scope for more stories outside their school.

And could we remake Bella Barlow? If we do, the first thing I would do is get rid of those scruffy overalls - I have always hated them, and give her a completely new wardrobe and hairdo. I don't think any self-respecting teen would wear her hair in pigtails these days, and Bella's hair is not that long anyway.

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peace355
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by peace355 »

By the 90s Bunty did try to modernise The Four Marys, including introducing a boys school, introducing the new thinking head teacher Mitchell and having them were ordinary clothes as well as their uniforms. I don't think you'd have to take them out of boarding school to modernise them.

I did always enjoy Penny's Place, think that would still work today.

Another favourite of mine was Cinderella Jones from Judy, always fun and humorous.

Tammyfan
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by Tammyfan »

peace355 wrote:By the 90s Bunty did try to modernise The Four Marys, including introducing a boys school, introducing the new thinking head teacher Mitchell and having them were ordinary clothes as well as their uniforms. I don't think you'd have to take them out of boarding school to modernise them.

I did always enjoy Penny's Place, think that would still work today.

Another favourite of mine was Cinderella Jones from Judy, always fun and humorous.
I am aware of attempts to modernise the Four Marys, including makeovers that made them look more like modern teenagers than the 1950s schoolkid style with long plaits and buck teeth, and introducing boyfriends, modern teaching methods and more liberal teachers. But I am afraid that the boarding school setting is a problem. I have read that in The Four Marys' day, boarding school stories were big and this is one reason why the Marys were popular. But in recent years the popularity of boarding school stories has declined, despite Hogwarts and Harry Potter. So if the Four Marys were revived, we either have to find a way to make the boarding school setting appealing once more or remove it altogether.

One thing I liked about Penny's Place was that it was drawn by one of my favourite artists, Guy Peeters.

Could The Comp still work? I don't know why Bunty cancelled it, but when she did I knew Bunty's own cancellation was not far off. The signs had been there for some time, but cancelling The Comp was the definite death knell.

Girls from NOODLES, Supercats, Catch the Cat, Danger Girl and other action/adventure types from the past are ones we could reinvent, and I suggest with a martial arts bent as this is very big these days.

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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by felneymike »

For an ultra-modern (well, 21st century) boarding school story, look up Chemical Blue. The first half has been 'published' on paper (by Sweatdrop Studios, don't go looking in WH Smith), but I think the whole story is lurking on Deviant Art somewhere.
My brother actually works in the 'bar' at a boarding school, they are still out there!

Of course, they could always just make the TV series be set in the past...

Perhaps the old "Danger Girl" series from Schoolgirl's Picture Library could be turned into a TV show or film. It would also need to be set in the 60's, though. Otherwise you'd just end up making Spy Kids 7 (or whatever number they've got up to). I think Danger Girl herself was an older teenager who could drive cars and that. It could be like a 'chaste' version of Modesty Blaise! (speaking of which, it's past time that got a decent film treatment!)

A lot of the shorter "be careful what you wish for" stories from Misty or Jinty could also work as episodes of a TV series, perhaps narrated by a ghostly storyteller. A lot of them were simple and short enough that modernisations wouldn't ruin the essence of the story (a girl who would sell her soul to be a pop singer has her soul trapped on a CD instead of a tape, for instance)

DavidKW
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by DavidKW »

Lots of interesting ideas I've been reading here & inspired some more:

Always thought The Cat Girl from Sally/Tammy would make a great series concept; in fact one idea would be to kind of merge it with the "Catch The Cat" idea: a girl has a cat costume who can also time-travel between the modern day and World War 2 torn Europe.

"Maisie's Magic Eye" also from Sally/Tammy would make another "Rentaghost" type family TV series.

I have thought of a few ideas for years on the concept of female secret agents action girls - both working alone or as a duo (a la Girls From Noodles). It'll take too long to explain but I do feel a bit annoyed about the lack of good action girl characters & role models on all TV shows these days (any that are get bogged down with relationship stories and made all soppy/fluffy or appearance obsessed). Has been a lot of concern on lack of good and positive female role models in the media.

Need to have agents who do things like play football, box, athletics, fly bomber planes & spaceships, drive race anything, like some woman do today & have done very successfully in some cases.

The agent/action girl strips that have been in girls' comics can provide good inspiration & be good tenplates.

DavidKW
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by DavidKW »

From what I read: re: Patty's World, it should be set in the 70s Britain & written and told as perspective from someone in that time; it could be a good idea though to have a concurrent "sister" program featuring the older Patty & her daughter Esther.

The idea I had for "Meet The Days" /Sue Day would be best if only set in a 60s bubble as a kind of TV show in the nostalgia/Heartbeat mould and slot (with not too much rose-tinted specs), where Sue addresses the camera.
One where Sue is grown-up with kids - the thing is many child comic TV and fictional characters just are never as appealing when portrayed in adult life.

Is quite a good idea for the "Lucky's Living Doll" - could have the adult Lucky having to pretend she doesn't know Tina's back to life after a long "sleep" is suspended animation due to her growing up; Tina would have to deal with the horrors of CCTV & mobile camera phones and internet.

My idea for a TV series based on Lucky's Living Doll - called more broadly "The Living Doll" - has elements of the doll with a superior perception of cameras & can freeze when photographed - it is a be careful what you wish for element as the adult "Lucky" did make the wish in childhood which has come to late fruitition and in a gothic overtone, risks getting cursed upon herself if she breaks the wish - so she's stuck with a live doll only she knows about.

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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by DavidKW »

Also, the viewers are teased as to if the doll may have been alive without the "Lucky" character (I've written her as about in early 20s) ever knowing many years earlier.

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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by DavidKW »

I have often said that the stories from "Misty" shoould be made as a tv series anthology called "Misty Tales" - something like "Hammer House Of Horror" was in 1980.

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philcom55
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by philcom55 »

It really is surprising how many 'cat characters' there were in British girls' comics. Here's yet another example from the 1992 Bunty Annual where the rather butch headmistress of a private girls' college moonlights as a female wrestler called 'Leopard Lily':

Image

Though Gertrude Williams (aka 'Grappling Gertie') doesn't possess any super powers she does have her own mask, costume and secret identity - as well as taking on blackmailers and corrupt gamblers in her spare time!

- Phil R.

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helsbels
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Re: Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

Post by helsbels »

philcom55 wrote:
Though Gertrude Williams (aka 'Grappling Gertie') doesn't possess any super powers she does have her own mask, costume and secret identity - as well as taking on blackmailers and corrupt gamblers in her spare time!

- Phil R.
This must be the same Grappling Gertie who featured in (I think) two Bunty picture story libraries?

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