DC Thomson Editors

[David McDonald]

Hello All,

I'm familiar with most of the editors from IPC adventure department in the 70's and eighties, but there does not seem to be as much information on their DC Thomson counterparts. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place!
I wondering if anyone has any idea of who the editors of Wizard Hotspur and Sparky was in the mid to late seventies?

Thanks

David

[stevezodiac]

I met Ian Chisholm and an editor by the name of Paterson in thei Fleet Street office in the early 70s but don't know which titles they edited. We have a Sparky expert on this site so let's hope he sees your request.

[stevezodiac]

It was alanultron5 but he hasn't posted on here since March 2023.

[Kashgar]

Iain Chisolm was the first editor of Beezer and the second editor of Sparky after Willie Mann. Roy Paterson was editor of Buzz and the Sunday Post Fun Section for a number of years amongst other things.

[David McDonald]

Thanks Kashgar and Steve, really appreciate the reply.
Ian Chisolm may be one ro talk to, I have found the name Bill Graham who seems to have been around in the mid seventies. I wonder if anyone may have a contact for them?

[Kashgar]

You're welcome David. Sadly Chiz has been dead a long time as has Roy Paterson.

[stevezodiac]

Yes Ian Chisholm must have been in his 60s when I met him in mid 1970s. They rarely connected with fans but I suspect my Scottish surname Mitchell might have helped as Dundee has the biggest concentration of Mitchells in Britain.

[David McDonald]

Sparky seems to have had two lives, one as a Beezer/Topper clone, and then one with a life of its own, and with maybe a bit of a nod towards Mad.
Wizard still amazes me. I was familiar with all DCT titles of the seventies and eighties- Victor, Hotspur, Bullet Warlord, Crunch Spike etc. Wizard (and Hornet too) seems to have flown under the radar a bit, no annuals or special, and they are titles I rarely see come up for sale. Wizard in particular has some really interesting content, you know, its great to find something 'new'
I always thought Mitchell was an Irish surname, you live and learn!

[AndyB]

Living retired editors include Euan Kerr (Beano), Morris Heggie (Dandy), Alan Digby (Euan's replacement on the Beano), and probably Dave Torrie (Beezer). I don't think Dave does email.

[Kashgar]

Hi Andy. Sadly Dave Torrie has been dead a number of years.

[David McDonald]

Thanks for the replies. If I find out any more information ill let put it here. I'm doing a King Cobra collection in the spring- it would be nice to name the commissioning editor.