Favourite characters/stories in girl's comics

[matrix]

Phil, have you seen this Happy Days story from 1964, it is very similar to the one you have posted, which also ends up at the seaside.

Is this Andrew Wilson's work? The artwork looks different to me, or is it my imagination!

Edit: Punctuation.

[philcom55]

How interesting! I don't think I've got that issue so thanks for posting it Matrix.

I'm pretty sure that Andrew Wilson drew all the weekly episodes - though I agree that early installments look very different from the later ones where he'd fully developed his distinctive style. With an unbroken run that lasted at least 12 years (after which earlier stories began to be reprinted) I reckon that Butterworth and Wilson managed to produce a really remarkable body of work for this strip.

On the 'runaway bus' storyline I'd guess that Jenny Butterworth realized there was a great deal of untapped potential in the first story and decided to rework it at greater length - not through laziness but because she felt that the 'dream' explanation had been a bit of a cop out. In the event I do prefer the 'real life' version - so much so, in fact, that I could imagine it being successfully adapted into a short play for TV or radio.

Here's the second episode:





(I love Wilson's eccentric bus-driver with the flower in his buttonhole! )

- Phil Rushton

[standby4action]

Phil
Watch for Illustrators #2 magazine from Book Palace for my article on Raymond Sheppard and I promise to add my scans of his extensive work to a new blog
Norman

That's really fascinating Tammyfan. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the writer had read that Blyton story when young and based his Misty script on it - either consciously or unconsciously. In fact, now that you've mentioned it, I'm beginning to wonder if I could have read 'The Strange Spectacles' myself: it would certainly explain why I found 'Don't Look Now' so curiously disturbing. Anyone familiar with the original Grimms' Tales can't help being aware of what a fine line there is between fairy tales and horror stories!

In my opinion it's a shame that so many people look down on Enid Blyton nowadays. Politically incorrect she may have been by the standards of today, but it's hard to find anybody born in the 1950s or 1960s who wasn't deeply influenced by her! (Oddly enough I just picked up a first edition of 'More Adventures of Pip' off a local market stall and found its description of British wildlife seen through the eyes of a peripatetic pixie to be utterly charming - especially with the brilliant Raymond Sheppard illustrations!)



- Phil Rushton

[philcom55]

I can't wait Norman - especially after seeing the mouth-watering teasers on Peter Richardson's 'Cloud 109' blog!

Incidentally, for anyone interested in classic British illustrators such as Sheppard, Ian Kennedy and Denis McLoughlin (most of whom worked extensively for comics) I can't recommend Illustrators highly enough. The first issue is already available from The Book Palace and it's a real joy to behold!

- Phil Rushton

(Hmmm, I wonder if anyone's thought of doing a feature on Andrew Wilson...?)

[Tammyfan]

Re The Cat: I've encountered some stories about 'The Cat' and one thing puzzles me: why do the Germans, French and Allies always think The Cat is a male? It should be apparent, even with her disguise, that the Cat is a female, and as far as I can tell Marie makes no effort to disguise her voice in Cat costume. But no - they always refer to The Cat is a 'he'. Another reason they must have all been in for a big surprise when, I presume, Marie revealed herself Does anyone have a scan of that moment?

I suspect The Cat must have had a lot of fans among the boys as well because of the action and adventure appeal. Hmm, I wonder how The Cat would have got on if she had appeared in Battle instead of Bunty?

[Tammyfan]

Re Cat characters: There was also 'Mark of the Cat' from June. This story featured another resister from occupied France in a cat costume (perhaps this was the same writer as Catch the Cat!). Nobody knows who she is, and this is the mystery that keeps everybody guessing, whether it is the reader, the Nazis, or the children who follow The Cat and try to help out. (But I have my own hunch as to who she is!) It's pretty odd that nobody knows her identity because her cat costume does not conceal her face, unlike those of our other cat heroines. Even more surprising, this Cat is a full grown woman while our other cat-costumed heroines are young girls.

The Cat came from a long tradition of girls who pretend to be collaborators so they can secretly help oppressed/imprisoned people while taking abuse and ostracism from the same people for their 'collaboration'. But more often the people concerned are prisoners/inmates of an orphanage, workhouse or prison. Sometimes, like The Cat, the heroine adopts an alter ego so she can work in disguise. Stories with this theme include Detestable Della from Bunty and The Double Life of Hateful Hattie from Mandy.

An intriguing twist on this theme was 'Force of Evil' from Suzy. Britain is invaded by the Asian Sin Pact Forces and the collaborator here is Mr Potter who works as a newscaster for the invaders. The family suffers harassment, abuse, and Mr Potter's daughter is faced with the question - is her father a traitor? She cannot believe it and the story revolves around her trying to prove he isn't a traitor. But is he or isn't he? In the end it is revealed that he was working undercover for the British and was part of a sneaky plot to drive out the Sin Pacters.

[matrix]

(Hmmm, I wonder if anyone's thought of doing a feature on Andrew Wilson...?)

Have you Phil? It would be a nice credit to Mr Wilson, and Jenny Butterworth, for all the excellent work that they put into "Happy Days".

Taliking about influencing strips, going back to the bus examples, I wonder if Cliff Richard and the Shadows "Summer Holiday" had an influence.

[RuthB]

We did a feature of Andy Wilson long time ago in Foroesther. But there is no much information about his bio.

[standby4action]

And Steve Holland doesn't have a lot either

We did a feature of Andy Wilson long time ago in Foroesther. But there is no much information about his bio.

[RuthB]

There used to be a little blurb in wikipedia about Jenny Butterqorth, but it dissappear misteriously! And nothing on Wilson. I imagine he might be dead, but maybe he got children...?

[philcom55]

On the subject of 'cat-girls' who appeared in British comics I don't think anybody's mentioned Kathleen Grange who fought crime alongside her cousin Billy in the pages of Beano as 'Billy the Cat and Katie'. Here she is in action in the 1973 Beano Book (artwork by Sandy Calder):



- Phil Rushton

[Tammyfan]

Philcom: Does this cat character from Beano have any super powers or does she get by on gymnastics and gadgets?

And let's not forget Leopardman from Buster's 'The Leopard from Lime Street'. This was Billy Farmer, the schoolboy who gains the powers of a leopard after being scratched by one that was innoculated with a radioactive serum. He may have been male, and borrowed a lot from Spiderman, but I think he merits inclusion in our discussion of cat characters.

[matrix]

On the subject of cats in girl's comics, although a slightly different view, I thought Clarence deserved a mention on here, from "Daktari" in "Lady Penelope"!

[Digifiend]

Philcom: Does this cat character from Beano have any super powers or does she get by on gymnastics and gadgets?

Billy and Katie don't have superpowers. They're very agile, which they hide by pretending to be clumsy when not wearing the catsuits, and their most common weapon is the cord worn around the waist. It can be thrown to knock out enemies, and used to tie up a villain.

[Tammyfan]

Philcom: Does this cat character from Beano have any super powers or does she get by on gymnastics and gadgets?

Billy and Katie don't have superpowers. They're very agile, which they hide by pretending to be clumsy when not wearing the catsuits, and their most common weapon is the cord worn around the waist. It can be thrown to knock out enemies, and used to tie up a villain.

I guessed they were the gadget and gymnastics breed, but thanks for telling me. It looks like Cat Girl and the Leopardman are the only cat characters I have seen so far with real super powers. But could there be others? Oh, yes, Nicola Scott of Misty's Cult of the Cat. She is chosen as the latest priestess of the Cult of Baast, the Cat Goddess. At first she is terrified by all the strange 'cat' happening to her - growing fur on her hands, nails turning into claws, having the agility of a cat, becoming scared of water, etc. But eventually she accepts that The Cult of the Cat is dedicated to fighting the forces of evil, so she throws in her lot with the priestesses. In a sequel, The Nine Lives of Nicola, Nicola now has real superpowers, including the ability to turn herself into a cat. No cat suits here, which makes a bit of a change.