William A. Ward's...The Invisible Spy

 

Dennis M. Reader's Cat Girl -Bruno Plum

 Sadly, I have four detached and very poor quality images from Topical Funnies 32 featuring Cat Girl by Dennis M Reader. There are very few examples of the super heroines he created out there and, although I would love to publish this one for posterity...its quality is just too low.

If anyone has a copy of that issue and can offer a scan of the strip it would be greatly appreciated.

The 'Ultimate' Book of British Comics

 Just a little warning.

I ordered this book from Amazon as I did not recognise the cover.  

What I got was THIS book the cover of which I DID recognise. 

 

I would not recommend it since there is nothing in it that you would not find in an old Denis Gifford or Alan Clark book. Forget the  bullshit claim that the catalogue every comic produced would require a book three times the size of this 296 pager. Denis Gifford accomplished it and even updated later volumes.  

The fact that the Boy's Papers were skipped is acceptable as although they had comic strips in them if you want to on weekly comics  -although the fact that they contained strips needed to be mentioned. Then we come to the biggest exclusion of all. Comics of the 1930s-1950s because this book concentrates on the 1960s-1980s. No mention of Gerald Swan, no mention of Marvelman or any of the significant comics of the three decades he ignores.

Basically, as a comic historian and fan I found the book not that good -but luckily I only paid £3.00 for it. The author does enjoy hyperbole though as in the claim "which is, literally, read by millions" re his work 

If you just want a list of some 60s but mainly 1970s-1980s titles then this is for you...if you can buy it cheap.

Allow Me To Introduce Invisible George by Alan Fraser

 Alan Fraser was a British comic artist who started out in 1933 drawing Charlie Chick for The Boys and Girls Own Yorkshire Evening News which was a free comic supplement given out in the early 1930s circulation war.  

In 1934 F W Woolworth produced a giveaway comic which  Fraser drew featuring Charlie Chick  -Charlie hicks Paper.   

During the 1940s his often zany work appeared in comics from A Soloway such as All Star Comic, All Fun Comic, Comic Papers and Comic Adventures.  He also contributed to many other small publishers such as Martin and Reid, Holland Press and J B Allen.

So, how about a man that can turn invisible? H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man was still big back then but Invisible George was far less darker in tone!  Here you go -enjoy!

Please note that I have had these scans so long I am not sure whether they are mine or from someone else. If the latter -THANK YOU

Merry and Bright -Help Needed To ID Year

It is an oddity in my collection of old stuff: Merry and Bright Published by John F. Shaw & Co., Ltd., London.According to a search result:

"John F. Shaw & Co., Ltd., a London-based publisher, produced an annual titled "Merry and Bright". This annual was published in the early 20th century, according to bookselling sites. The annual is a hardcover book, and first editions can be found for sale through secondhand booksellers. "

In fact, after months of searching I have only ever found one copy. First edition and £46 but 

nothing to indicate the year published. I would guess at late 1920s to early 1930s. Anyone know

better?

On Gathering British Golden Age Material

 

 Thrill Comics no. 1, April, 1940. Does it exist? Well, yes but you might not think so if you looked for information.  William A. Ward's character The Bat appeared in that first issue and a later later edition of Extra Fun in 1940 -paper regulations and rationing was causing more than a few problems.

 I do wonder how many copies of annuals/albums saw print since most are basically published issues bound together so...unsold copies?

Anyway, let me tell you a story about cooperation amongst comic 'fans'.  In the late 1990s and early 200s I found my own books and scans supplemented by scans sent by an American who belonged to one of my Yahoo groups. I had two British comic collectors add a couple issues but they insisted that they did not want to be named although I did thank them using their online names later.

That was it. From 2002-2025 not a single person has helped to get old characters and strips back into print so that they are not forgotten. No money involved of course since the books hardly sell and I treat them as labours of love.

I managed to have a late friend scan the special issue of Back From The Dead (appearing in parts in War Comics (1940) and Topical Funnies (1941) before being compiled in whole in Picture Epics (1952).  My friend's scans were not up to much, or so I thought.  

I managed to find two other people who scanned their copies and....they matched up perfectly, ink fades and defects exactly the same as the copies my friend had sent. If each had scanned their own copies of  Back From The Dead then how could that be? As I got to know even more about the period I realised that it was down to rationing and cheap ink and paper and cut price printing.  Some of the defects in Swan comics also appear in the same strip in the annuals and clearly show that Swan was not wasting a penny and bound non selling issues made a good album -new money for old rope so it goes.

Recently I was sent a scan of a Dene Vernon strip -in fact the first Dene Vernon strip from Thrill Comics no.1, April, 1940 (the series ran from 1940-1946) but this one came from Weird Story Magazine no. 1, August, 1940 Dave Brzeski for that!  I thought this would be great as my copy of the strip was not great, however, after looking at the copy from WSM I found that apart from the small differences the quality was the same. This appears to have been another example of Swan needing "filler pages" and adding the Vernon story.

I have searched for...let's say a "very long time"..a copy of the first appearance of Krakos the Egyptian from New Funnies Autumn Special (1940) and then the series from Thrill Comics 1941-1946 but no luck. Denis Gifford would never slap a book on a scanner but he had a copy of the first issue with Krakos in and was selling it for £5 (he sold a lot via his Association of Comic Enthusiasts -ACE). Sadly, he passed away before I could buy. I do know that several ACE members had copies and Denis had sent me their details. Not one was willing to scan or sell when I later asked. 

The same thing happened when I tried to find the first appearance of William A. Ward's The Bat from Thrill Comics no. 1, April, 1940 -he took a quick jump over to Extra Fun!  No one was willing to scan or sell a copy and there were various excuses such as a scan making their comic less valuable (I hate to say it but a scan of a comic is not going to devalue an actual hard copy!).

Having just seen prices being asked by some sellers fro Swan comics -£250, £500 for an eight page comic????- I don't think I could afford  even a later issue currently going for £98 and that for 8 pages. 

I have spent a lot of money to date and I just wish there were people out there that interested in British Golden Age comics but there just are not. Speculators have latched on to Swan simply because they have heard the name and think that there is a burgeoning market for the books.

Cooperation over just the last 25 years has been near absent which is a pity as more and more old comic fans pass on and their collections and memories are lost.

I Found Another Spring-heeled (or Springheel) Jack!

 

With my long time (decades) of studying and researching the springald known as Springheel Jack how could this not catch my eye?

 Butterfly and Firefly No. 1001 13th May, 1936

The Chuckling Prowler! (no, I am being serious!)

Ever heard of The Chuckling Prowler? This is taken from The Skipper of 15th July, 1933. I have another story but it's a "to be continued" and I do not have that part so...

Have fun!

The 7 Horse Power Kid and Spick and Span!

Just for those people who keep claiming -even in 2025- that British Boy's Papers never contained comic sets (or strips): The 7 Horse Power Kid and Spick and Span!

 

Streamline no. 3 Moved So Fast From My Collection

 You see, at one time I was a complete trusting moron. My home was an open house for comickers and while we worked and talked they would also delve into my collection. 

A good few books 'vanished'.

Amongst those comics was Streamline no. 2 which I picked up for £1 at a Bath Comic mart in the 1980s.  

 I understand why Denis Gifford let NO ONE near his home and collection.  

I am posting this in case anyone has a scan (at least) of this issue? If so please let me know!!

NEVER Be Afraid To Ask Me A Question About Old/Obscure British Characters

 

 2013  is a long time ago now but I had no idea that I was the subject of a LOT of discussion on the Comic Book Plus forum. I won't name names for obvious reasons but I do recall someone was hitting me with question after question about obscure British comic heroes on Brit Comics.  There was no explanation and then the person vanished.

Last week I found out what was going on (hey, I don't visit comic forums and I'm old!!):

"I am currently playing Stump the Hooper over @ Britishcomics @ Yahoo. I need to come up with some really obscure British super hero or heroine types from the 1930's or 40's or earlier. Got any suggestions out there guys?"

The response he got was:

"if that's Terry Hooper, and it is, you've no chance.  He's close to encyclopaedic in his knowledge of British comics characters.  But, and remember, he could be reading this, you might want to try some from British storypapers.  We call them storypapers nowadays but when I was a wee boy, they were all "comics", whether it was illustrated stories or text strips or balloon strips."

Well, I never read forums as when I ask questions I rarely get a response or if I do it's "Well, if you don't know how would we?"

Anyway, the original poster followed up:

"Well that didn't work out too well. Seems I sort of teed Mr. Terry off. Big mistake on my part and a big embarrassment of myself. So much so that I resigned from his group in utter shame! My bad."

I have no recollection of how this person thinks he teed me off.  The thing is IF he had said "are you up for a challenge?" then yes. If he hit me with  question after question with no explanation I would wonder what was going on as I always answer any questions or mails and research can take a while. He should certainly NOT have resigned but just explained.

Finding old characters and informing people about them is what I try to do to keep the memories of the characters and creators alive (if very dusty with slight foxing).  I think the original poster stated that he showed me an image of a character and I then sent him an image of how the character looked originally rather than how he thought the character looked.

I do tend to be brief and to the point -the same as with work: get a job do it quickly then finish BUT I would never get angry at someone unless they were seeming to be trying to annoy me.   If it had just been mentioned what his intention was I would have been open to  a challenge.

The Outlaw Sheriff : Runner

 My last offering for a while since no one seems to want to discuss anything will be this one pager of The Outlaw Sheriff which I believe may have been drawn by Dudley Watkins.

Taken from D C Thomson's Adventure no.  1348  18th November 1950

Thunderbolt Jaxon and the Glamorous Cannon Ball

  Thunderbolt Jaxon started out in The Comet (13th August, 1949) so is definitely a Golden Age hero. In 1958 he moved on to Knockout comic with some reprints. Hugh McNeil was the artist who drew the adventures.

Please not that I slightly cracked the spine on the annual to bring you these pages...at my age I cry over such things.

Ever Had The "Green Shiver"?

 For just over £6 ($7?) I bought a copy of The Green Shiver a "vest pocket book" given away by D. C. Thomson with Adventure comic in the early 1930s. This is no. 9. I missed out on a copy about three years ago as someone was putting in ridiculous bids.  Despite what Ebay sellers are telling you these old British comics are not "solid gold investments" or worth paying a small fortune for.

Some people believe that these are mini comics because certain "experts" have called them that. They are not.

The book measures 2.75 x 2.75 inches so is tiny.  And here is what is inside -a text story that with my spectacles is readable but, considering the age of the book it is in immaculate condition.

And to show just how old the joke of someone put in a cannibal boiling pot taking the opportunity to have a bath....

The question has to be was it worth buying?  Well, if you are an archivist and also into comics and want to see as wide a range of pre-war comic/boy's papers and associated items -yes.   Will I read the story? One day when I have the time and don't mind straining the eyes I will!

Long Len and Puffing Billy -When The Goose Trotted!

 How often did those elitist "Platinum experts" keep laughing at me and saying "They NEVER had comic strips in Boy's Papers!!" So...The Boys' Realm 11th December, 1926 

The Man With A Thousand Faces -The Circle of Fate! (1931)

 The Bullseye 24th January, 1931. Artwork is by, I believe, George Wakefield

Dixon Hawk and the Electric Shadow (1932)

May be easier to download and read.  This is testing to see what is readable!  Adventure  9th April, 1932

 

Comic History -Denis Gifford And The Birth Of The British Super Hero

 

I have written a number of times about one of the Founding Fathers of British comic book history, Denis Gifford (the other Founding Father is, of course, Alan Clark).

Denis worked on many comics as a scripter or artist -or both.  He also created many comic book characters. He should also be credited as being creator of the first British super heroes.

The first of these, of course, was Mr. Muscle (no, not that advertising character from TV). Mike O'Leary stumbles across a body in a dark alley -the man speaks:"Quick! Car BOL 1570 ohhhh!"  The man is dead. Mike sheds his every day clothes to reveal "the famous uniform of Mr. Muscle!"   it doesn't take the costumed hero long to track down the Japanese saboteurs in "The Invasion Plans"

"Britain's Superman" was the work of a seventeen years old Gifford in 1945 and appeared in a tuppeny (2d or two pennies) eight-pager titled Dynamic Comics.

"Mike O'leary drinks the essence of strength" is something I have read.  This is odd since when I asked Denis his response was "No origin. He just appeared and went into action!"   That was the norm in those days  It was produce an action story.  No time for long convoluted explanations.  Unless Denis forgot (!) I think this is a mistake on someone's part.  I know Denis had a copy of the comic but he never ever let anyone borrow or take anything away to copy.

The intention had been that this was "Britain's Superman"!

In 1947 appeared Streamline Comics.  The hero was...guess? Streamline who was billed as "The Fastest Man Alive!".  The first of the four issues was drawn by AC1 (Air craftsman 1) Denis over a weekend as a Duty Clerk in the Royal Air Force.

Denis designed the costume and gave scientist Keenan King an origin: he injected himself with Elixir-X and became a speedster.  "The first thing to do is to get a skin-tight uniform" says Keenan.  What else?

The character was a collaboration between Denis and Bob Monkhouse (creator of The Tornado and Pat Peril).  Issues 2-4 were drawn, badly compared to Gifford's work, by Bryan Berry who was to go on to become a top Sci Fi auther.

 Below: some sources (who have NOT done their work) claim Berry "drew the cover to #4"  whereas he was the artist of interior art as well.

 Cardal Publishing is said to have gone out of business due to court cases over the "erotic" books they published -UK obscenity laws were very draconian at the time and even saw "saucy seaside" postcard artists such as Donald McGill prosecuted.  In fact, Denis very strongly hinted at the publisher being "very shady" and taking the money and running.  That does seem far more likely!

In 1949 appeared issue number 1 of Ray Regan. Regan was a hard nosed 'tec and you'll notice from the cover the banner reads: Ray Regan -Also Tiger Man!  I used to have a full colour image of this but everything saved to 3 inch floppy disk was lost back in the 1990s!  Still better than nothing.  Find a scan anywhere else if you can (if you do please let me know!).

 Denis Ray, an American comic fan sent me scans of the Tiger Man strip and I thank him!  I should have asked for a cover scan!

Basically, the origin of "The mightiest man of action"  goes as follows.  Phil Britton and Professor Beauclerc are in deepest, darkest Africa when Britton is attacked by a sabre-toothed tiger.  Yes, a tiger.  Go with the flow.  The tiger dies and Britton develops great strength.  The Prof. not really qualified in my opinion, believes to tiger died after its power flowed through its sabre teeth into Britton.   Hey -Timely (Marvel) Comics character The Whizzer got his powers after a "transfusion of mongoose blood"  Go figure.

There seem to have been a few tigers in deepest and darkest Africa according to UK comics.  And, yes, I came up with an explanation linking them all.  But that's another matter.

Britton is shown in tiger-skin pants (yewch!) so the assumption is that he was to be one more jungle lord (there was one every 5 square miles back in the day).  But when I asked Denis about this I was told that had there been a second issue, Britton would have been back in the UK in a Tiger Man costume that Monkhouse had sketched out.

That was it.

Denis was quite happy to see his characters get a new lease of life and thought Mr. Muscle and Streamline running around after Robert Lovett (Back From The Dead) was "a hoot!"

Now there were heroic characters before these three -but they all conformed to the British norm for powered action heroes: civviy- clothes.  TNT Tom is a prime example.

Dennis M. Reader was to later bring forth more costumed characters but Gifford was first in 1945.

Today all of this seems to have been forgotten.  After all, if it isn't in full colour or after 1998 and Marvel or DC it doesn't seem to matter.  But let's give credit where it is due!