Help Identifying A British Annual

[perspexorange]

Hi all. I’m hoping that one of the knowledgeable folk on these forums may be able to help me.

I’m trying to identify a UK annual I used to have when I was a child. I only have a small number of memories of this and not enough for me to be able to correctly name it.

I used to have this annual in the late 70s, possibly early 80s. However, I had it second-hand (probably from a Cub Scouts’ rummage sale etc.). In which case, it could very well be as old as the late 60s to early 70s.

I seem to think it was a mix of ‘comedy’ type strips (think Beano, Dandy, Topper, Beezer etc.). and ‘adventure’ style strips. So, possibly something like Pow!, Smash! etc.

The only strip I know was in there was a reprint of a Superman strip, which may help to identify which annual it was (presumably very few publishers had the rights to publish DC properties).
I only have vague memories of this Superman strip but know it featured one of Superman’s arch-enemies, Mr. Mxyzptlk. I seem to think that the opening splash page to the story featured some sort of intergalactic zoo.
There’s also a very vague memory that there was some sort of metallic ‘wand’ featured in the story, but this is very dim and I may well be misremembering.

If any of the above rings any bells, please can you let me know. I’d love to know which annual it was or, if someone just recognises the Superman story from the vague recollections that I provided, letting me know a name and or # number of the Action Comics/Supeman issue would be great.

Any help gratefully received.

[jim244]

Hi all. I’m hoping that one of the knowledgeable folk on these forums may be able to help me.

I’m trying to identify a UK annual I used to have when I was a child. I only have a small number of memories of this and not enough for me to be able to correctly name it.

I used to have this annual in the late 70s, possibly early 80s. However, I had it second-hand (probably from a Cub Scouts’ rummage sale etc.). In which case, it could very well be as old as the late 60s to early 70s.

I seem to think it was a mix of ‘comedy’ type strips (think Beano, Dandy, Topper, Beezer etc.). and ‘adventure’ style strips. So, possibly something like Pow!, Smash! etc.

The only strip I know was in there was a reprint of a Superman strip, which may help to identify which annual it was (presumably very few publishers had the rights to publish DC properties).
I only have vague memories of this Superman strip but know it featured one of Superman’s arch-enemies, Mr. Mxyzptlk. I seem to think that the opening splash page to the story featured some sort of intergalactic zoo.
There’s also a very vague memory that there was some sort of metallic ‘wand’ featured in the story, but this is very dim and I may well be misremembering.

If any of the above rings any bells, please can you let me know. I’d love to know which annual it was or, if someone just recognises the Superman story from the vague recollections that I provided, letting me know a name and or # number of the Action Comics/Supeman issue would be great.



Any help gratefully received.

Hi perspexorange

My thoughts on this are that only SMASH comics carried reprints of Superman in the UK , as POW etc only had access to Marvel properties.
When you mention an intergalactic zoo, it reminds me of the Superman story "The Interplanetary Zoo" from Superman 145 (1961).
However, Mr Mxyzptik doesn't feature in this story but interestingly features in the following story in the same issue "The Night of March 31st!" .

I hope that this information is of some use.

All the best

Jim

[perspexorange]

Many thanks for your reply, Jim. Much appreciated.

This certainly helps me narrow down things a little and I can eliminate POW! and start searching SMASH!

Thanks for the Superman 145 mention. I've checked a copy of that online and it doesn't ring any bells, sadly.

I'll keep searching, Thanks again!

[starscape]

The Superman annuals though, by Atlas Publishing, also had other non-Supes action and humour strips. You can peruse the covers here and maybe something will stand out: https://britishcomics.fandom.com/wiki/S ... las)_Vol_1

[perspexorange]

Many thanks for this.

I've had a look at the gallery, but nothing is standing out to me.
I'm pretty sure it was a non-Superman annual. I only remember there being one Superman story in it, with the rest of the titles being humour or other action strips.

I'm really drawing a blank on this. Can't find any Smash! annuals with Superman content in them (although I can see that he did feature in the weekly comics).

I'm sure I'll find it at some point.

Seem to remember I had some old Sparky/Topper/Beezer annuals, but can't imagine that they'd have access to DC properties (had Beano and Dandy annuals too, but can certainly rule these out).

[jim244]

Many thanks for your reply, Jim. Much appreciated.

This certainly helps me narrow down things a little and I can eliminate POW! and start searching SMASH!

Thanks for the Superman 145 mention. I've checked a copy of that online and it doesn't ring any bells, sadly.

I'll keep searching, Thanks again!

Pleasure Sir.

What about issue 141 of Superman? (1960 )
Features Brainiac and a Kryptonian zoo.

[stevezodiac]

Radio Fun has Superman for a while and was mainly 'fun' strips. Only one 1950s annual has been indexed on Grand Comics Database but no superman strip in it.

[Tin Can Tommy]

Didnt Buster have Superman in too? After it merged with Radio Fun.

At least according to the Buster comic fansite it did
https://www.bustercomic.com/superman.html

I dont know whether it was in annual too. But if it was it would be one of the early Buster annuals.
Theres a gallery of them on this site:
https://comicsuk.co.uk/annuals.php?ComicTitleID=34

[perspexorange]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I did check Supes 141, but it’s sadly not it.

I think 1950s and early 1960s would be too early.

Some of those Buster annuals do look familiar (1972 especially). It might just be that I had one or two of them anyway, but they didn’t contain the strip I’m hunting for.
Have now started looking through eBay listings to see if there are any photos of interior shots for Buster annuals.

I’m pretty sure the strip was in full colour rather than b&w or the two-tone colours used in a lot of these annuals.
But, to be honest, the memory does play tricks after 40+ years. I may be misremembering.

The other thing I’ve got a vague memory of is a portly king character. Not sure if that was in the Superman strip or maybe another strip entirely but contained in the same annual.
Sorry - so many fragmented memories.

[jim244]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I did check Supes 141, but it’s sadly not it.

I think 1950s and early 1960s would be too early.

Some of those Buster annuals do look familiar (1972 especially). It might just be that I had one or two of them anyway, but they didn’t contain the strip I’m hunting for.
Have now started looking through eBay listings to see if there are any photos of interior shots for Buster annuals.

I’m pretty sure the strip was in full colour rather than b&w or the two-tone colours used in a lot of these annuals.
But, to be honest, the memory does play tricks after 40+ years. I may be misremembering.

The other thing I’ve got a vague memory of is a portly king character. Not sure if that was in the Superman strip or maybe another strip entirely but contained in the same annual.
Sorry - so many fragmented memories.

As the Queens' royal mantra was...Never apologize or explain !!!!
I think everyone has came up with excellent suggestions and it could realistically be anyone of the above but ultimately I find myself drawn to identify the actual Superman story as the guy is under 90 years old in comics and it shouldn't be that difficult.
I personally wouldn't rule out 50s or 60s stories as these were still being reprinted in the UK in the 70s and 80s.
From what you have described so far,it sounds like a 60s story to me.
But I have looked at the main Mr Mxyzptlk stories and can't find it which makes me wonder if in reality this is a different villian such as Brainiac or Toyman.
That doesn't mean I am right, you may be right, I don't know.
Here is a list, would you mind answering yes to anything that rings a bell from the story?
1: Supergirl
2:Lois Lane
3:A city in a bottle.
4:Magic
5:Lex Luthor.
6:Jimmy Olsen.
7:Any idea how the central villian of the story was defeated?
Apologies for so many silly questions!!!
Cheers
Jim

[perspexorange]

Hi Jim.

Many thanks for your thoughtful response.

I agree that I'm pretty sure that it's a 1960s story. I'm quite the fan of DC and can picture the art being very reminiscent of that particular decade.

I too have been hunting through old appearances of Mr Mxyzptlk, and have looked at pretty much every appearance he has made from the 1940s to about 1980 and I'm drawing a blank. Like you, I'm wondering if it might be that it involves another enemy that I've misremembered. Perhaps the enemy was some other sort of magical being that my brain has incorrectly linked to Mxy. I could've sworn it was him though.

As to your checklist, I certainly don't remember Brainiac, Kara, Kandor etc being featured. I was aware of Brainiac and Kara at the time (having a handful of 60s comics that featured both of them), so I think I'd have remembered them if they'd have featured.

Hmm. Sorry. I'm not much help, am I?
Probably the only way I'll get to the bottom of this, is by leafing through British annuals of the 60s and 70s, I think.
I'll keep checking eBay etc.

Really appreciate yours (and others) help though! Very decent of you.

[jim244]

Hi Jim.

Many thanks for your thoughtful response.

I agree that I'm pretty sure that it's a 1960s story. I'm quite the fan of DC and can picture the art being very reminiscent of that particular decade.

I too have been hunting through old appearances of Mr Mxyzptlk, and have looked at pretty much every appearance he has made from the 1940s to about 1980 and I'm drawing a blank. Like you, I'm wondering if it might be that it involves another enemy that I've misremembered. Perhaps the enemy was some other sort of magical being that my brain has incorrectly linked to Mxy. I could've sworn it was him though.

As to your checklist, I certainly don't remember Brainiac, Kara, Kandor etc being featured. I was aware of Brainiac and Kara at the time (having a handful of 60s comics that featured both of them), so I think I'd have remembered them if they'd have featured.

Hmm. Sorry. I'm not much help, am I?
Probably the only way I'll get to the bottom of this, is by leafing through British annuals of the 60s and 70s, I think.
I'll keep checking eBay etc.

Really appreciate yours (and others) help though! Very decent of you.

Hi Perspexorange,

Firstly, an apology, I didn't know that you were familar with DC comics etc and in retrospect my reply didn't feature that into account.
So yes, Kandor ,Kara etc.
ANYHOW:
HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS:
Superman simply didn't feature in many British annuals.
Tin Can Tommy makes a great point about Buster but the strip wasn't popular and only lasted a year and I don't think it featured in any Buster annual.
Starscape thinks as I do, that it was a Superman annual or even a differnt annual based on DC comics that also featured humour strips.
HOWEVER.....
Steve Zodiac has maybe hit it on the nail with Radio Fun.
Why???
Because Radio Fun probably did feature Superman in annuals AND was not the Superman of Action comics or Superman comics BUT WAS the Superman of Daily comic strips.......
Which means that the story you remember may be so hard to find because it's newspaper as opposed to origin being in one of Supes' famous titles.............
EITHER WAY
Have a great weekend
Jim

[perspexorange]

Thanks Jim.

Please don't apologise for not realising I was familiar with DC. I didn't make this clear when I posted and so you were right to volunteer this info. After all, all information is good and, certainly in this case, I need as much knowledge and help as can be provided.

Thanks to you and Steve Zodiac for your suggestions on Radio Fun (and apologies to Steve for not responding to his helpful suggestion earlier; I thought I had, but it appears not). Radio Fun certainly seems plausible, based on what you both know.
I might just try researching Mxy appearing in the dailies as well, as I don't think I included these when hunting down appearances (I mainly covered Action, Superman & Superboy). I will say that I'm not very familiar with the Superman dailies (unlike the Batman ones, which I'm pretty genned up on). I wonder if there's a good index online for the dailies. More hunting to do!

Have a great weekend too!

[jim244]

Thanks Jim.

Please don't apologise for not realising I was familiar with DC. I didn't make this clear when I posted and so you were right to volunteer this info. After all, all information is good and, certainly in this case, I need as much knowledge and help as can be provided.

Thanks to you and Steve Zodiac for your suggestions on Radio Fun (and apologies to Steve for not responding to his helpful suggestion earlier; I thought I had, but it appears not). Radio Fun certainly seems plausible, based on what you both know.
I might just try researching Mxy appearing in the dailies as well, as I don't think I included these when hunting down appearances (I mainly covered Action, Superman & Superboy). I will say that I'm not very familiar with the Superman dailies (unlike the Batman ones, which I'm pretty genned up on). I wonder if there's a good index online for the dailies. More hunting to do!

Have a great weekend too!

I have been searching for a good index for the dailies but have been unsuccessful.
I've seen a series of books that reprint the strips and am tempted to collect the series and if I do, then I will do an index here on Comics UK.