Comics UK

Ah well! You live n' learn! Have to be more careful in future!

Today's scans are a GEORGE DRYSDALE special, with three pages from the 24TH JUNE 1967 issue [n.127]:





this next KEYHOLE KATE scenario contains nightmarish, PINOCCHIO- like imagery:




Lastly for today, a SPARKY-character cover from an artist who sometimes alternated with RON SPENCER.

This artist also produced work for BIMBO in the sixties: is it JIMMY GLEN, in an earlier, more elaborate style? ----there is a similarity.

Any idea...kashgar, or anyone else?

Spot on Rab. It is Jimmy Glen.

I've re-jigged me 1967 & 1969 comparisons as Digifiend suggested-here we try again!!



THE GREAT SPARKY `OVERHAUL(S)` September 1967 & February 1969.

The Sparky comic went through a few `re-brandings / overhauls` in its twelve year life (1965 to 1977). These were due to dips in sales; hence action taking to try and pick things up!

There were at least a dozen in that 12 year period of its life. What would happen was an announcement of free gifts for a couple of weeks plus new `fun pals` joining the comic (which meant the end of old unsuccessful strips).

On the occasion of a bigger re-shuffle there would be a change of the logo, meant to herald in a new era for the comic.

The first big change was on 18 September 1965 with the comic’s logo changing colour (though not its design). Most re-shuffles were fairly minor, not making too radical a change.

There were two very large overhauls, those on the weeks of 23rd and 30th September 1967; and on 1st and 8th February 1969. I will now list those strips / fun pals exiting and arriving on both the 1967 and 1969 overhauls. Those new strips marked with # mean the strip had been in the comic before!

On both the September 1967 and February 1969 re-newels the comic’s logo was changed. Though the February 1969 changes have been seen as the most influential of the comics many re-jigs! My view is that it was not as radical as that, and that the September 1967 changes were virtually as important in the development of Sparky comic.



September 23rd & 30th 1967.

Out

`Balloon Family Robison` (2 Pages)

`Nosey Parker` (1/2page)

`My Grockle and Me` (2 Pages)

`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo` (1 Page)

`Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer` (2 Pages)

`Cuckoo in the Clock` (1 Page)

`Prentice Pete` (2 Pages)

`The Slowdown Express` (1 Page)


In

`Deputy Dawg` (1 Page)

`Big Ossie` (2 Pages)

`Charlie Chutney` (1/2 Page)

`Meddlesome Matty` (1/2 Page)

`Snapshot Sid` (1 Page)

`David Copperfield` (2 Pages)

`Tom Tardy` (1 Page)

# `Klanky` (2 Pages)

# `Davey Spacer in Giantland` (2 Pages)





February 1st & 8th 1969


Out

`Sailor Browns Schooldays` (2 Pages)

`Charlie Chutney` (1/2 Page)

`Big Billy Bigg` (2 Pages) * Note! Billy would return once more in mid 1969.

`Harry Carry` (1 Page)

`The Coral Island` (2 Pages)

`The Boyhood of Deadwood Dick` (2 Pages)

`Cheating Charlie` (1 Page)

`Sparky` (1 Page)


In

`Esky Mo` (1 Page)

`Harry Presto` (1/2 Page)

`I. Spy` (1 Page)

# `Klanky` (2 Pages)

`We are the Sparky People` (1 Page)

`Wyatt Twerp` (2 Pages)

`The Jungle Ark` (2 Pages)

`Helpful Henry` (1 Page)

`Cap’n Hood and his Merry Men` (1 Page)

Now that's much easier to read - thanks!

I see that ISPYSHHHGUY's Sparky scan has a new logo - much more modern than the original one, and the comic finally had its own identity (logo was too similar to Dandy of the same era before). Of course the later logos and new stories made Sparky Comic (as it became) even more distinct.

Yes! The logo from 23 Sept 67 to 25 Jan 69 is my favourite `Sparky` logo of all. The comic started to move away from its `Alice in Wonderland` rather fey early style from that date!

For me, the 1969 changes aren't all that seismic, just another effort by Thomsons to up sales a bit! If you study the new intake of 1969, only "I. Spy" and "We Are the Sparky People" last past the January 1970 `re-shuffle` I will admit that if you include the additions of "John / Barney Bulldog" (9 Nov 68 in place of "Moonsters") "L. Cars" (21 Dec 68 replacing "Dreamy Dave & Dora") and "Spoofer McGraw" (28 Dec 68 replacing "The Snooks") then that period of Nov 68 to Feb 69 is quite a radical era in the comics history!

today's additions all originate from issue 141: [30 SEP, 1967]:


first up is a real oddity:DEPUTY DAWG, the TERRYTOONS characters, licensed out to THOMSON, with staff artist JAMES MALCOLM doing the honours!:



more traditional fare from BIG OSSIE:



the earlier BOB WEBSTER version of KLANKY: this appears to be an alien civilization of advanced technology [they can visit other planets, for one thing]..................but that's an olde-style typewriter in frame one!

Hi Rab, James Malcolm was at one time a Thomson staff artist but that was only until 1953 when he left and went freelance. All work he supplied to Thomsons after that date (and in the 1960's most of his work was for Fleetway) was done on a freelance basis.

cheers, Kash! I accept your reliable info.....

two very different sides to the SPARKY coin, today, readers. Firstly, some very traditional fare:



---and now for the bizarre DAVEY SPACER in GIANTLAND, which transposes the JOHNATHAN SWIFT GULLIVER tale into deep [late 60s] space:





both today's scans are from issue 141: 30 SEP, 1967.

stop press! time to backtrack for an earlier, FEB 1967 cover:

Love the Moonsters doing magic...very funny..liked the swords in the box..and the frog!!

a real action-packed bonanza from FIREMAN FRED circa 11 FEB, 1967: [issue 105]:




the ramaining 3 pages from today's entries all originate from issue 134 [12 AUG, 1967]:

[and this first set is a real oddity}:






----lastly for today, a third SPARKY variation for NOSEY PARKER [artist unknown]:

ISPYSHHHGUY wrote:a real action-packed bonanza from FIREMAN FRED circa 11 FEB, 1967: [issue 105]:




the ramaining 3 pages from today's entries all originate from issue 134 [12 AUG, 1967]:

[and this first set is a real oddity}:






----lastly for today, a third SPARKY variation for NOSEY PARKER [artist unknown]:

The Nosey Parker strip looks very amateurish so I would guess it was supplied by a 'try-out' artist. The faces for the most part though have been drawn in by occasional NP artist Fred Sturrock.

Without a doubt! Granny Cupp accidently foiling an attempted `Junta` down South American way, has to be one of the all-time "Way Out Man!" stories ever! What on earth did Minnie the Tea Lady put in the Sparky Staff cuppa's in August 1967? "Groovy Baby-Freak Out"

very interesting , the fact that the NOSEY PARKER faces were likely drawn by another more established artist, [with the remainder drawn by an up-and-coming artist] kashgar....I have heard of this technique in FILM FUN styled comics, but I was unaware it was possibly a THOMSON poilicy, also.......