Lumbering Jack the 142 years old Policeman

Andrew Christine

For Peter and ISpy here are the first two full episodes of Lumbering Jack shown just as they appeared in Topper no's 902 and 903 (May 16th & 23rd 1970), followed by the final panels of the last-ever episode from no. 911 (July 18th). Amazingly enough it only lasted for ten issues!

Incidentally, according to Ray the version of Jack in the 1972 Annual was indeed drawn by John Dallas.

It's interesting to note that Lumbering Jack was relatively unusual for a British humour strip in that it featured a vague plotline which actually developed from week to week with a beginning, middle and end. As such it probably had more in common with the traditional adventure strip than a series such as 'Dennis the Menace' where the same dance of Hubris/Nemesis is enacted over and over again every week, with few developments beyond the occasional acquisition of a dog or a sister.

Phil Rushton

http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3202

Thanks Phil Rushton from comicsuk forum









John Dallas version in the 1972 Topper Book.

This strip was quite strong stuff...lots of hitting and smacking no wonder it didn't last long.

Plum Duffy by Brian White. A silly fun Topper strip.

UPDATE

Plum Duffy was originally drawn by Brian White, the artist who had drawn the Nipper newspaper strip in the 1930's.

Thanks to Kashgar for the info.



The strip went beyond Christmas and ended in May 4th 1974.
Just shows Topper comic could also be very quirky like Sparky.

A World-Wide Weirdies from Idea to Creation..

Hello Peter,

I have just been reading and looking at the scans on your blog for Ken Reids World Wide Weirdies. I was a big fan of these as a kid and had loads of Whoopee comics. I was very interested to see that you have a scan of 'The Marauding Mushroom' from Jan - March 1977. I thought you may be interested to know that I am the Jon Sampson from Surrey that you can see on the top the page. I hope my little story will interest you and give you a bit of background to that particular World Wide Weirdie.

I am very artistic and had (and still have) a very big interest in anything cartoony. I work as an illustrator and have had my own cartoon work published. As a child I was a big fan of certain comics including Whizzer and Chips, Cheeky, Buster and of course Whoopee. I must have been 9 or 10 when I sent in a drawing to Whoopee in the hope it would become a World Wide Weirdie. My drawing was of a mushroom that had fangs dripping with blood and scary eyes and I called my creation 'The Murdering Mushroom'. Obviously this was a bit too horrific for Ken Reid to draw so the title changed and Ken Reid added arms and legs to the mushroom. My original drawing didn't have arms or legs but Ken Reid kept the fangs and even added more scary teeth.

I had mixed reactions when I saw my creation in print. On one hand I was over the moon with it but on the other I was disappointed that the title had changed and that it only looked a little bit like my original drawing. At the time lots of copies of this Whoopee comic were bought to give to relatives etc. Over the years my copies disappeared but I managed to get hold of a copy a few years ago over the internet. Someone at Toonhound pointed me in the right direction. I thought I'd never see it again and the excitement I had as a kid came back to me when it came in the post and I saw it for the first time in over 30 years.

I hope you found that interesting
Yours
Jon Sampson
.......................................................
Hi Jon

Very nice to hear the other side of the story..I'd think other people would like to read this as well.I'll add it as a blog post...
thanks for emailling..
Was funny how you did an even worse drawing than Ken Reid's one..

Thanks again

Peter

Ian Knox Starr's Wars takes the cover of Whizzer and Chips

For a one off Sid's snake isn't on the cover!!
and its no raid...

















A very short lived strip after a front cover promotion...trying to grab the Star Wars film craze.

Chalky is Top of the pops

Terry Bave actually created the character and drew the first ones.
Cor!! 24th July 1971.




Chalky was a very popular character and made it to number 1 in a poll.
It was a great concept drawing a picture which people think is real.
UPDATE Its by Dick Millington.






see what I mean...:)



Gordon Hill did a very lively Chalky..Gordon also drew the Krazy Gang. I will show more of Gordon's comic character work another time.
The cover of course was mostly starred Buster himself.

Reg Parlett said that Chalky was his favourite character...he said this in 1991 so theres a compliment.

Terry the Terror by Reg Parlett Film Fun 1962

Image got deleted I should of saved it better...if klakadak-ploobadoof can resend the image to my email I'll put it bak up unlwaa anyone else can help with a scan..
1st Sept 1962. Film Fun and Thrills comic.
Terry isn't much of a terror..things just happen by the looks of it.
Always great to see a new Reg Parlett comic character.

thanks to klakadak-ploobadoof at comicsuk forum..
http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3164
also see Roy Wilson's Bruce Forsyth on the cover of Film Fun and Thrills.
This is the second to last issue of Film Fun before it merged with Buster.


New full version are now uploaded at-
www.petergrayanimals.co.uk


Here the extra cub missed out before..


and the extra meercat...:)

Buy prints..
email me at thejeep2000@yahoo.co.uk
for more information..

Have a Beezer of a Guy Fawkes night

Tom Bannister- Pop, Dick and Harry and Colonal Blink..
remember don't smoke a firework..:))
I love the title panel of Guy Fawkes reading The Beezer on the Bonfire!!:))




Some Dudley D Watkin's magic..



Leo Baxendale sure can celebrate Guy Fawkes night in style..

John Nichol's Bob on the Beat The Beano Nov 5th 1959

Some nice pen effects making a good darkness night time scene...
A nice firework theme story. John also drew some other stories in the Beano annuals like Nik O' Lightning 1958.









More animal drawings done...I've tried a more bold colour approach..very pleased with them..

I'm doing the Maltings Farnham Craft fair on Saturday and Woking Flea Market on Sunday. Selling my prints and cards...hope to see you there..

Paddy Brennan's The Amazing Peet from Planet K from Topper

Just like the previous blog posts on Paddy Brennan captured the 1950's this comic page from 1973 captures the era.
Its so wonderfully 1970's...
the clothes, cars, supermarket, the prices of food with 2p off its just magic to look at.
It is always worth another look at a comic page from the past by a top artist and marvel at the details.
Also a fun little odd character.
Its the tongue which sticks in my mind.

Paddy Brennan's Flip McCoy from Topper

You can see the real joy in Flip...who wouldn't with a Hoppicopter..I want one..

Again I just love the period it captures..this is from Topper comic number 17.
30th May 1953.







1960 Topper annual Flip has a new mode of transport..