The Lash Street Old People

[philcom55]

I must admit that I didn't follow Oink! comic when it was being published in the 1980s - mainly because of a mistaken belief that it was filled with nothing but pig jokes. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised by the range and quality of material contained in two Oink! Annuals I just picked up at a charity shop. Along with cartoonists such as Noel Ford, Banx and Haldane who were better known for their work in more adult publications I was pleased to see an equal number of familiar names from regular comics like Tom Paterson, John Geering, Kev O'Neil, Ron Tiner and Lew Stringer. This makes the spoof of the Beano included in the 1988 book all the more interesting from my point of view, with Desperate Old Man, Dennis the Pensioner and The Lash St. Old People deserving special mention for Tony Husband's witty scripts and the authentically Thomsonesque artwork of Ed McHenry and 'Lezz'.

Nevertheless, in spite of the clear affection with which these strips were produced, one wonders whether any of the artists involved felt nervous about the way in which the notoriously touchy publisher of the real-life Beano might react - especially if they hoped to work for them in future.

Bearing this in mind I can't help noticing that the pseudonymous 'Lezz' looks suspiciously like Sparky's original 'I Spy' artist Les Barton!



- Phil Rushton

[Digifiend]

I wonder if DCT even know about this one. The characters are too recognisable and so this probably breaches copyright.

[Alex Matthews]

I was looking through the same annual not long ago. I have a complete collection of Oink! stashed in a cupboard at my parents house, which pleases them no end. The best humour comic I ever read, and the comic that inspired me to be a cartoonist.

That strip is indeed the work of Les Barton, who sadly died last year. He was also responsible for the strip 'The Slugs'.