The Enid Blyton Society

Anyone remember Enid's Adventure Magazine from the mid-eighties? I worked for World/Gutenberghus briefly at that time and part of my work was to edit this monthly offering. The picture-strips and text were originated in Denmark, and I used to paginate it all together, then compile the competitions and puzzles - and even badger suppliers for the prizes! The best bit was judging the competitions: I used to fill a large bin with the entries, then mix 'em all thoroughly with a flailing arm before picking out the lucky winners! I really wish I'd made the time to go and see the folk at D/Waters, in London, but was always too busy to go down. Sadly, the mag folded after a dozen issues or so, due to lack of sales. Johnny

I only found out about these magazines a few years ago and have managed to collect four issues (1, 2, 4 and 7). It must have been fun to have had a hand in producing them! I find it interesting to see the stories re-told as a comic-strip, although the artwork is a bit flat and lacks the depth and detail of the artwork in the 1990s Mystery and Suspense magazines. The puzzles are quite entertaining. One of the ones I have is Five Go Off to Camp and I like the portrayal of Mr. Andrews - his eyes are set very close together and he looks truly villainous!

Anita

Wish I'd kept copies of them, Anita. I used to try and change the bubble-text wherever I thought it wrong - but they seemed to take no notice of me! In one issue Julian says, "Abso-bally-lutely!"

Hope you manage to get your hands on some copies, Johnny. There are quite a few odd bits of text. In Five Go to Mystery Moor (number 7), Dick says to George: "I thought I saw a patrin that meant 'You in a caravan,' George, but it walked away!" George says, "Eh?" and Dick replies, "It turned out to be a cockroach carrying a twig! Ha-ha!" In the same story, Sniffer is very attached to his teddy bear but feels he should be growing out of that now. So yes, it's all a bit peculiar!

I just worked out a morse code puzzle on the back cover of that particular issue. The message read, "Have fun."

Anita

I know, Anita! Next time I'm in the pub, I must ask if anyone's heard the one about the patrin and the cockroach. They'll be splitting their sides!

A secret message for you:

.... .. .- -. .. - .-

Johnny

.... .. .--- --- .... -. -. -.--

What more could one ask for - a gal who knows her Morse Code!

Actually, I used the back page of Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine as a reference!

Anita

Bah...sack that editor!

I've collected some more copies of Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine recently and was wondering how many there were altogether (there must have been at least 16 from what I can gather.) Each magazine contains a picture-strip version of one Famous Five book. Which stories were not used at all, I wonder, and what would have happened if the magazine had continued beyond 21 issues? Perhaps Claude Voilier's stories would have been used?

Anita

I think that 16 is about right, but I do have them all and will let you know as soon as I can get access to them. Eventually I think that all this sort of information should be available on the Magazine Listing - much work to do still!

Hi,
I recently found two Famous Five comics in a second-hand bookshop. They are Five go off to camp and Five go down to the sea. They are circa 1986, published by Star Comics by arrangement with Darrell Waters. The plots are almost exactly the same as the books, with Clopper the horse and everyone else.

Does anyone know if I've found a rare treasure? They are in excellent condition and I paid £1 for both. Are there more of these? Was the entire series made into comics?

I think you got yourself a bargain at only £1. I don't know about rare, I've a feeling I've a couple lurking about the house somewhere and I wouldn't have paid a lot for them, but I might be thinking of some other comic.

Are they called Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine? If so, they were published in 1985. Seventeen of the twenty-one books were adapted in 1985 and 1986, the missing titles being Five Fall into Adventure, Five Have a Wonderful Time, Five On a Secret Trail and Five Are Together Again. £1 for two sounds good to me! The magazines sometimes turn up on eBay, with prices varying quite considerably.

Thanks for the information on the EB comics. I shall lookout for the remaining ones in second-hand shops here. On the inside back cover of these two comics, the publishers have announced the release of the next two.

I have scanned the front covers of the two I have and am attaching them with this post. What have I found here, please?


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