If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls 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.

Moderator: AndyB

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

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by philcom55 »

As one of Bessie Bunter's strongest supporters I thought you might be interested in this newspaper article about her by the excellent Mary Cadogan Tammyfan, even though it mainly deals with her appearances in story papers such as the original School Friend rather than the later comic strips (it was published in 1979 when Bessie was still appearing every week in Tammy).

Image

Image

Image

It's fascinating to hear that she was made 'nicer' than her brother because that was what the readers wanted. Also, I love the idea that she was "a cook of Cordon Bleu standards". :)

- Phil Rushton

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Phoenix »

Mary certainly remembered the words uttered by Jemima Carstairs in your 1979 article, Phil, because she was to use a version of them as the title of her 1989 book of reflections on fiction for girls Chin Up Chest Out, Jemima. The sketches of those schoolgirls in the article also appeared in that book. To celebrate her eightieth birthday in 2008, Girls Gone By Publishers produced what may turn out to be her final musings on the genre in Mary Carries On.
Attachments
MaryCarriesOn.jpg
chinup.jpg

User avatar
peace355
Posts: 343
Joined: 05 Sep 2011, 22:32
Location: Uk
Contact:

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by peace355 »

Traveller's in Time (Bunty)
Two girls are accidentally transported from the 1800s to the present day and they have to learn to adapt to the new time while trying to figure out how to get back to their real time. I like time travel stories in general but what I also like in this story is the girls develop a good friendship and how they are each resourceful in their own way.

Image

Image

Image

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Phoenix »

There was a time travel story called Trapped In Time! in 1986, also in Bunty, but the two girls, Jan and Hilary Exton, are transported 200 years into the past.

Tammyfan
Posts: 1981
Joined: 23 Aug 2012, 10:41

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Tammyfan »

philcom55 wrote:As one of Bessie Bunter's strongest supporters I thought you might be interested in this newspaper article about her by the excellent Mary Cadogan Tammyfan, even though it mainly deals with her appearances in story papers such as the original School Friend rather than the later comic strips (it was published in 1979 when Bessie was still appearing every week in Tammy).

- Phil Rushton
I was a great fan of those Bessie Bunter strips in Tammy! :D
Last edited by Tammyfan on 04 Feb 2014, 04:29, edited 1 time in total.

Tammyfan
Posts: 1981
Joined: 23 Aug 2012, 10:41

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Tammyfan »

peace355 wrote:Traveller's in Time (Bunty)
Two girls are accidentally transported from the 1800s to the present day and they have to learn to adapt to the new time while trying to figure out how to get back to their real time. I like time travel stories in general but what I also like in this story is the girls develop a good friendship and how they are each resourceful in their own way.
I remember that one. It was a bit embarrassing for them when they did get back to their own time and everyone was staring at the length of their 20th century school skirts. Luckily their dad found them pretty quickly and got them back into Victorian skirts fast.

User avatar
peace355
Posts: 343
Joined: 05 Sep 2011, 22:32
Location: Uk
Contact:

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by peace355 »

Looking at more minority characters being represented "Please, Mum!" (Bunty: 1984) has an Indian girl recently moved to England with her mother and sister. Her sister totally adapts into the English culture which drives her and the mother apart. Shirin is left stuck in the middle, and she wants to honour her mother's rules but she also wants to be able to fit in at school.

Previously overly strict parents causing problems was common but I don't remember seeing an Indian girl as the main character. I only have a few issues and while it was playing to stereotypes, it was good to see some different characters. Later such characters became more common like Sita in Penny's Place.

Image

Image

Image

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Phoenix »

peace355 wrote:I don't remember seeing an Indian girl as the main character.
I think you may be overlooking Shining Grass. She is the joint main character in Jenny Appleseed in Judy 541 (May 23 1970) - 549 (Jul. 18 1970). This story is by way of a sequel to the text serial Johnny Appleseed that appeared in The Wizard in 1950. Jenny is his granddaughter, and she is continuing his work with the help of Shining Grass, her Indian blood-sister.

User avatar
peace355
Posts: 343
Joined: 05 Sep 2011, 22:32
Location: Uk
Contact:

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by peace355 »

I do remember coming across that story, but if I'm thinking of the right story, wasn't Shining Grass a Native American, rather than from India? Either way yes that is another minority as a main character.

What actually got me thinking of representation of minority characters was the new Ms Marvel that has recently come out with a Muslim Pakistanti-American girl as the lead. But talk of variety of character backgrounds might be better addressed in a different thread.

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Phoenix »

peace355 wrote:I do remember coming across that story, but if I'm thinking of the right story, wasn't Shining Grass a Native American, rather than from India?
Yes she was, peace. Sorry for the confusion. I have to admit that normally when I think of Indians from India, they are either batting or bowling. I'm much more clued in to Pawnees, Shawnees, Sioux, Blackfeet, Mohawks and the like. I have just read through the first five episodes of Jenny Appleseed to check my recollections, and I've discovered that I was correctly describing Shining Grass as an Indian, exactly as she is referred to in the serial. Her tribe is never mentioned by name.

Tammyfan
Posts: 1981
Joined: 23 Aug 2012, 10:41

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Tammyfan »

Bound for Botany Bay (Jinty) featured Aborigines. A convict girl ends up a slave to a cruel woman (whose equally cruel cousin in England is responsible for her transportation) along with a fellow slave who is an Aborigine and they set about escape. Jinty could have done some more research into Aborigines, though - the native costumes they wear at one point look more like American Indian dress!

Tammyfan
Posts: 1981
Joined: 23 Aug 2012, 10:41

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Tammyfan »

Nobody's posted on this thread for a while. Shall we call it quits, let our list stand as it is and not bother about honourable mentions?

JT Mirana
Posts: 125
Joined: 11 Apr 2013, 13:38

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by JT Mirana »

As a man who used to be a boy, all these girls' serials passed me by, but I do like the 'closed world' setting of the girls' school story and I was working on something last year that I hoped to publish as a one-off. It never got off the ground because I couldn't at that time find an artist who I thought was up to scratch.

Only the first episode got written - but if anyone would like a copy to read, PM me with email details and I'll send you a copy. I'd be interested to get feedback on it from those who know the girls' serials well. I'm in two minds about whether to proceed with it, so I need a push in one direction or the other!

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Phoenix »

Tammyfan wrote:Nobody's posted on this thread for a while. Shall we call it quits, let our list stand as it is and not bother about honourable mentions?
Well I'm on record, Tammyfan, saying that I'm no longer interested in lists, so I wouldn't have anything more to contribute. I'm just too busy anyway.

Tammyfan
Posts: 1981
Joined: 23 Aug 2012, 10:41

Re: If we had a list of the 100 greatest serials in girls co

Post by Tammyfan »

Well, I shall wrap up with the list as it stands. It will stay open so people can still have their say and put up other nominations if they wish. I will not bother with honourable mentions.

The 100 best girls’ strips of all time

1. A Horse Called September (June/Tammy)
2. Alice in Spaceland (Princess Tina)
3. Alona the Wild One (Princess Tina)
4. Angel; The Diary of Angel (Mandy)
5. Anna, Junior Miss/Girl with the Golden Smile (Judy)
6. Balloon of Doom (Bunty)
7. Bella (Tammy)
8. Belle and Marie; Belle of the Ballet (Girl – first series)
9. Bessie Bunter (School Friend/June/Tammy)
10. Bobby Dazzler (Judy)
11. Catch the Cat (Bunty)
12. Cherry & The Children (Girls Crystal/Schoolfriend/June)
13. Cinderella Jones (Judy)
14. Cinderella Spiteful (Tammy)
15. Climbing Rose (Judy)
16. Cuckoo in the Nest (Tammy)
17. Cult of the Cat (Misty)
18. Down with St Desmonds! (Bunty)
19. Dracula's Daughter (Jinty)
20. Ella on Easy Street (Tammy)
21. Force of Evil (Suzy)
22. Fran’ll Fix It! (Jinty)
23. Fran of the Floods (Jinty)
24. Glenda’s Glossy Pages (Tammy)
25. Hannah in the House of Dolls (Bunty)
26. Hetty in the House of Secrets (Spellbound)
27. I Hate Janey! (Judy & Tracy)
28. Jane Bond (Princess Tina)
29. Jill Crusoe (School Friend)
30. Junior Nanny (Judy)
31. Lady Penelope (Lady Penelope)
32. Land of No Tears (Jinty)
33. Lettice Leefe: The Greenest Girl in School (Girl – first series/Princess Tina)
34. Lisa the Lonely Ballerina (Debbie)
35. Lorna Drake (Bunty)
36. Lucky’s Living Doll (June)
37. Luv Lisa (Bunty)
38. Maisie’s Magic Eye (Sally/Tammy)
39. Mam’selle X (Girls’ Crystal/School Friend/June)
40. Moira, Slave Girl of Rome (Princess Tina)
41. Molly Mills (Tammy)
42. Moonchild (Misty)
43. My Schoolfriend Sara/My Friend Sara (School Friend/June)
44. Nothing Ever Goes Right! (Judy)
45. Olympia Jones (Tammy)
46. Pam of Pond Hill (Jinty/Tammy)
47. Patsy on the Warpath (June)
48. Patty’s World (Princess Tina/Pink/Mates/Girl – second series)
49. Penny’s Place (M&J/Bunty)
50. Sandra of the Secret Ballet (Judy)
51. Secret of the Skulls (Tammy)
52. Skinflint School (Judy)
53. Slaves of War Orphan Farm (Tammy)
54. Starr of Wonderland (Diana)
55. Sue Spiker (Emma)
56. Sugar Jones (Pink)
57. Surprise Corner (Poppet/June)
58. Susan of St Bride's (Girl – first series)
59. The Blind Ballerina (Judy)
60. The Button Box (Tammy)
61. The Cat Girl (Sally/Tammy)
62. The Chair that Rocked St. Claire's (Judy)
63. The Children’s Champion (Bunty)
64. The Comp (Nikki/Bunty)
65. The Dancing Donnellys (Bunty)
66. The Double Life of Sad Sarah (Mandy)
67. The Daughter of Lorna Doone (Princess – first series)
68. The Face of Romany Fortune (Spellbound)
69. The Fairground of Fear (Tammy)
70. The Flights of Flopear (Bunty)
71. The Four Faces of Eve (Misty)
72. The Four Marys (Bunty)
73. The Frightening Fours (Judy)
74. The Girls from NOODLES (Diana)
75. The Guardian Tree (Mandy)
76. The Happy Days (Princess Tina)
77. The Honourable S. J. (Judy)
78. The Human Zoo (Jinty)
79. The Jealousy of Jemma (Debbie/Mandy/M&J)
80. The Land of Nowhere (Bunty)
81. The Pink Peril (Diana)
82. The Quest Of Katie Courage (Suzy)
83. The Sad Spells Of Fay Martin (Mandy)
84. The Secrets of Charlie Chatterbox (Bunty)
85. The Seeker (Bunty)
86. The Silent Three (School Friend)
87. The Sentinels (Misty)
88. The Strangest Stories Ever Told (School Friend/June/Tammy)
89. The Supercats (Spellbound/Debbie)
90. Toots (Bunty)
91. Trixie’s Treasure Chest (Debbie)
92. Valda (Mandy)
93. Vanessa from Venus (June)
94. Wee Slavey (Judy)
95. Wee Sue (Sandie/Tammy)
96. Wendy and Jinx (Girl – first series)
97. Wendy at War (Debbie)
98. Westward the Wagons (Princess Tina)
99. Winner Loses All! (Misty)
100. Worlds Apart (Jinty)

Post Reply