• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Comics

K

kraggy

master brummie
Thought I would create a new post regarding comics as I loved buying them as a child in the 70's, usually from one of two newsagents in College Road, Handsworth. I now collect comics for nostalgia purposes dating from the 50's onwards though predominantly 70's. If anyone has any memories of buying and reading comics, it would be interesting. Comics I collect include The Dandy, Beano, Whizzer and Chips, Topper, Buster and Monster Fun, Cheeky, Action, Look In, Eagle, Jack and Jill, Hurricane, Beezer, Battle, Jackpot, Krazy, Puck, Tiger, Speed and Whoopee. Also collect annuals which were a mainstay Christmas present that every kid loved. Hope this list jogs some memories!

Looking at the response, I definitely mean the paper variety of comics!
 
Last edited:
I am sure there was a 60’s comic call ‘Smash’ had a character called Grimly Fiendish, the rottenest crook in the world. I think he may have originated from another comic called ‘Wham’.

Was it Wham that had the character Puss and Butch, the cat and dog who were always fighting?

Nostalgia indeed
 
Along with the usual Beano, Dandy, Topper, et al, I used to enjoy the Hotspur. This had more printed stories but I liked it for the steam engine adventures. Every week there was a train robbery, brake failure, a bridge down -- or perhaps all three. I never grew tired of reading them because, well, because they involved steam locomotives!
 
I count myself extremely fortunate that in the mid 50s my aunt Emily and uncle Charlie Burton (that's what I knew them as but they were actually great. aunt and uncle) owned a newsagents at 145 Park Lane, I used to get thick rolls made up of out of date comics but probably only a week old and unsaleable. All of the grown ups were referred to as aunt and uncles, it's only since researching my family tree that I realise they were actually related.
 
I loved Bunty and Judy. When I was younger I had Robin , my brother read Eagle ( and Swift?)
My husband still likes old annuals of Beano and Dandy, I found some at a car-boot sale a few years ago.
rosie.
 
mw0njm. said:
the beezer funny paper.
hotspur.
wizard.
my sis had the bunty.
i still have some beano and denise the menice annuals.
View attachment 153680
Click to expand...
Yes, the Beezer was a large comic but reduced in size in later years. I loved the smell of the newsagents when I walked in. The Beano is the only vintage comic still on sale as far as I know (2000AD is still on sale too). I'm not sure if the 'Commando' comics are still around or not, haven't seen any in years.
 
My earliest recollection of comics is one called Jack & Jill. Dad used to paste the centre spread on to a piece of hardboard and then using his skills and an electric jig saw made several jigsaw puzzles for my sister and me.
I progressed to the Beano and Dandy, then on to the Lion and Tiger. Loved the free gifts that came with a lot of comics.
I loved reading and remembered loads of comics. Radio Fun, Film Fun, Topper, Victor, Hotspur, Wizard, Eagle and many others. My last comic I remember buying regularly was Boy's Own Paper but that was more of a magazine than a comic.
 
kraggy said:
Yes, the Beezer was a large comic but reduced in size in later years. I loved the smell of the newsagents when I walked in. The Beano is the only vintage comic still on sale as far as I know (2000AD is still on sale too). I'm not sure if the 'Commando' comics are still around or not, haven't seen any in years.
Click to expand...
'Commando' i loved to read that.:grinning:
 
rosie said:
I loved Bunty and Judy. When I was younger I had Robin , my brother read Eagle ( and Swift?)
My husband still likes old annuals of Beano and Dandy, I found some at a car-boot sale a few years ago.
rosie
Click to expand...

same here rosie..bunty..judy..dandy and beano for the lads and we always had an annual at christmas i loved the smell of the new annuals

lyn
 
Were comics like the Judy and Bunty made of course paper, not like the glossy, finer grade paper used today ? Maybe it was recycled paper ? I also remember the Rupert Bear annual being made with courser paper, a bit like thin blotting paper. One I remember had a red linen binding along the spine and a cardboard cover. Quite crudely made really. And they were very think annuals, must have had a lot of pages. I liked the feel of that coarser paper, warm to the touch. Viv.
 
Can I add Warlord, a forerunner to Battle from 1974, Lord Peter Flint was an agent code name - Warlord, his and many other stories were in each issue - wish I had kept my copies!!
 
Viv
It is likely that the paper you referred to was partly recycled, but pure paper does tend to be a bit course and slightly like blotting paper. I think the glossy stuff is obtained by adding clay to it. It is this that is the large component of ash if you burn it.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone (probably the ladies...if I'm allowed to say that in these gender free times!) remember a lovely comic called Princess? Then it changed to Princess Tina. Mom fetched it for me every Saturday morning. Oh the excitement, especially when it had a free gift like a beautiful plastic ring! I've still got some of the annuals, and I still love them!
 
lmr3103 said:
Does anyone (probably the ladies...if I'm allowed to say that in these gender free times!) remember a lovely comic called Princess? Then it changed to Princess Tina. Mom fetched it for me every Saturday morning. Oh the excitement, especially when it had a free gift like a beautiful plastic ring! I've still got some of the annuals, and I still love them!
Click to expand...
Princess Tina
Princess Tina was a weekly British girls' comic It was launched on 23 September 1967 by merging Princess and Tina. In 1973 the title was merged into Pink.More at Wikipedia:grinning:
 
I used to get this, although I doubt it was not my choice. Must have been my dad’s idea as I expect he thought Judy and Bunty were a waste of time and money. But it was full of interesting info.

I bought this one on eBay last year as it had a special article on floating schools, a similar month long trip I was fortunate to go on in 1969. The info is surprisingly detailed, and to me as an adult, looks quite interesting. But I wonder whether it was so engaging to me as a 9 or 10 year old. Viv.

51EF7597-AC7C-48EB-919D-D560ED8EA023.jpeg

281F04CE-AF4C-4FC1-B8F3-6C5C0B955F18.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Vivienne14 said:
I used to get this, although I doubt it was not my choice. Must have been my dad’s idea as I expect he thought Judy and Bunty were a waste of time and money. But it was full of uninteresting info.

I bought this one on eBay last year as it had a special article on floating schools, a similar month long trip I was fortunate to go on in 1969. The info is surprisingly detailed, and to me as an adult, looks quite interesting. But I wonder whether it was so engaging to me as a 9 or 10 year old. Viv.



View attachment 153921
Click to expand...
that could be me a very very nice man lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top