High concept (AKA bizarre) stories

[Marionette]

Girls comics often seem to be full of stories with the most peculiar premises. Take, for example, all the sports stars with implausible handicaps.

I was just reading an article by Pat Mills where he mentions a story he refers to as Penny's Pogo Stick, about a girl travelling across Nazi-occupied Europe in world war two with her trusty pogo stick, in which is hidden some secret plans. Anyone know this one? I'd be interested to see some samples of it. Pat says it was in Bunty, but gives no more details. The title may not be entirely correct, but if there are any more stories that fit the description I'd be surprised.

[Phoenix]

I was just reading an article by Pat Mills where he mentions a story he refers to as Penny's Pogo Stick, about a girl travelling across Nazi-occupied Europe in world war two with her trusty pogo stick, in which is hidden some secret plans. Anyone know this one? I'd be interested to see some samples of it. Pat says it was in Bunty, but gives no more details. The title may not be entirely correct, but if there are any more stories that fit the description I'd be surprised.

The story is Leap-Along Lesley, Mari. It ran in Bunty 138 (Sep. 3 1960) - 154 (Dec. 24 1960). Pat Mills's memory is essentially trustworthy. It tells the story of Lesley Vashli, who lived alone in a house on the outskirts of Warsaw with her father Alexei, a scientist working for the Polish Government. In 1939 Alexei gave his daughter a pogo stick on her twelfth birthday. All her friends had their own, and the girls had a lot of fun that day. Later that same day the German bombers arrived in huge numbers. Alexei puts the plans for a new aero engine inside the pogo stick, and tells Lesley that, if anything happens to him she is to get the plans to Poland's friends the British. Needless to say, eventually they both make it to London. The illustration is the first page of episode 2.

[Tammyfan]

Maybe Pat's got it confused with another story called Penny's Pogo Stick?

[philcom55]

...Those Germans really didn't stand a chance did they?

- Phil R.

[Marionette]

Maybe Pat's got it confused with another story called Penny's Pogo Stick?

I suppose it's possible the story was recycled with a different name. That's not unheard of, after all.

Thanks, Phoenix. That really is a gem.

[Phoenix]

It is probably worth mentioning that the title Leap-Along Lesley, especially the girl's Christian name, given that readers might quite reasonably have expected her to have a Polish one, was inspired by Limp Along Leslie, which was the title of six of the ten excellent text serials about Darbury Rangers' footballer/sheep farmer, which appeared in The Wizard in the 1950s.

Maybe Pat's got it confused with another story called Penny's Pogo Stick?

I suppose it's possible the story was recycled with a different name. That's not unheard of, after all.

I haven't yet come across a repeat of the story, with or without a change of title, but if I do find one I'll report back.

[Marionette]

http://ukgirlscomics.com/ does indeed list Penny's Pogo Stick as a serial in Bunty, as well as Leap Along Lesley, though there is no further information.

The mystery deepens...

[Phoenix]

If someone can give me an approximate year for Penny's Pogo Stick I should be able to locate it as I have most issues of Bunty, although I haven't had time yet to list the content of any of the many issues I've bought so far this year.

[Tammyfan]

http://ukgirlscomics.com/ does indeed list Penny's Pogo Stick as a serial in Bunty, as well as Leap Along Lesley, though there is no further information.

The mystery deepens...

I suggested Penny's Pogo Stick after reading what Pat said. I did not realise there was the possibility of confusion with Leap Along Lesley. But then it is possible there is such a serial in Bunty, or they are indeed two serials that are similar. If not I will have to ask for it to be corrected.

[Tammyfan]

It is probably worth mentioning that the title Leap-Along Lesley, especially the girl's Christian name, given that readers might quite reasonably have expected her to have a Polish one, was inspired by Limp Along Leslie, which was the title of six of the ten excellent text serials about Darbury Rangers' footballer/sheep farmer, which appeared in The Wizard in the 1950s.

Maybe Pat's got it confused with another story called Penny's Pogo Stick?

I suppose it's possible the story was recycled with a different name. That's not unheard of, after all.

I haven't yet come across a repeat of the story, with or without a change of title, but if I do find one I'll report back.

Definitely not unheard of to recycle stories with different titles. Bunty did it a lot with hers, and M&J recycled old Judy serials with different titles.

[Phoenix]

I suggested Penny's Pogo Stick after reading what Pat said.

Can you please clarify, Tammyfan, if the appearance of Penny's Pogo Stick in peace's ukgirlscomics list is there because somebody has seen an an actual episode of it, or because you passed on Pat Mills's recollection to her?

[Tammyfan]

I suggested Penny's Pogo Stick after reading what Pat said.

Can you please clarify, Tammyfan, if the appearance of Penny's Pogo Stick in peace's ukgirlscomics list is there because somebody has seen an an actual episode of it, or because you passed on Pat Mills's recollection to her?

It was the latter.