The Enid Blyton Society

Tonight on TV BBC 4 there is a programme about the history of comics in the UK since 1937 (which, as you all know, is when the Dandy was first published).

My fridge is covered in pictures of Mini the Minx. Do you have a favourite comic character?

Viv

I used to love "Toad of Toad Hall," based on Wind in the Willows, in a comic called Playhour in the early/mid 1970s. Toad's arrogance and impetuosity always got him into trouble, yet he was so full of fun and enthusiasm that one couldn't help rooting for him.

Anita

My cousin has been drawing 'Desperate Dan' in the Dandy for ?20 years.

I was always more a Beano or Topper person myself!

Viking Star wrote:My cousin has been drawing 'Desperate Dan' in the Dandy for ?20 years.

I was always more a Beano or Topper person myself!

I used to meet with 'Charlie Gregg' who drew Desperate Dan until the mid-eighties. I even had a look around the drawing offices of DC Thompson in Dundee in 1981.

Wow - this thread does take me back!

Viking Star wrote:I was always more a Beano or Topper person myself!

Me too! I once had a letter published in The Beano many years ago. Imagine my elation at recieving a 50p postal order from DC Thompson as payment for my literary efforts!

If I recall correctly it was a letter to Dennis the Menace, my favourite Beano character. All the Dennis stories back then seemed to end with a caning or a slippering, imagine corporal punishment being depicted in comics today, there would be an outcry!

I loved "The Silent Three" who were a trio of schoolgirl detectives solving mysteries and righting wrongs (tyrannical prefects/mistresses figured largely), in the School Friend comic. They dressed in green silk robes and met by candlelight in the school crypt. Brilliant stuff. I also liked Bessie Bunter in the same comic.

Kate

I used to love The Bash Street Kids, dead funny. I loved The Dandy, The Beano, Whizzer and Chips, The Victor and The Warlord. What memories. Anyone remember Alf Tupper? He always struck me as a bit Blytonian, in an Ern sort of way.

I had a look at the Dandy annual last year, it was'nt a patch on what it was in the 70's.

Kate Mary wrote:I loved "The Silent Three" who were a trio of schoolgirl detectives solving mysteries and righting wrongs (tyrannical prefects/mistresses figured largely), in the School Friend comic. They dressed in green silk robes and met by candlelight in the school crypt. Brilliant stuff. I also liked Bessie Bunter in the same comic.

Kate

I have The 1956 School Friends Annual- It must have been my mum's, with a Silent Three strip in it- Great stuff!! The Silent Three Mermaid Mystery.

Lucky Star wrote: Anyone remember Alf Tupper?

Alf Tupper, The Tough of the Track! Existing almost entirely on a diet of fish and chips, he would see off the university snobs and win the mile every time. He was also a dab hand with an oxyecetylene torch, was there no end to his many talents? I used to thoroughly enjoy those stories from the now defunct Victor comic.

I like the Disney characters especially Donald duck! (He reminds me of my nephew )
I just realised that Disney is American.

Petermax wrote:

Lucky Star wrote: Anyone remember Alf Tupper?

Alf Tupper, The Tough of the Track! Existing almost entirely on a diet of fish and chips, he would see off the university snobs and win the mile every time. He was also a dab hand with an oxyecetylene torch, was there no end to his many talents? I used to thoroughly enjoy those stories from the now defunct Victor comic.

My brother and I used to love Alf Tupper. He was my favourite read. He could have had both legs amputated and he would still have won the race!

Baby Crockett, in Beezer. And The Four Marys, in Bunty, which I hardly ever saw (my sister usually got Mandy) but enjoyed when I did.

I used to like The Four Marys in Bunty. I stopped buying it when they updated it though as I didn't like the new style. They were supposed to be old-fashioned in my opinion.

I also liked Dennis the Menace and his dog (was he called Gnasher?)

Petermax wrote:

Yep thats the guy. No equipment. no shoes and no money but always the champ. Thanks for the pic Petermax.

It is my birthday today and I have just received as a present "The Best of June and School Friend", a nostalgic look back at my favourite comic. No Silent Three stories sadly, I don't think that strip survived the merger of the two comics, but plenty of other favourites: Vanessa from Venus, Bessie Bunter, Dilly Dreem's schooldays, Lucky's living doll, Sally Starr of Surprise Corner, The Strangest Stories Ever Told and horoscopes of the Stars, such as Adam Faith, Helen Shapiro and Russ Conway. Bliss! What a fabulous present! It's as good as getting the annuals at Christmas forty-odd years ago. If there are are any more June & School Friend fans on the forums I can recommend this book.

By the bye check out this website: http://www.comicsuk.co.uk

Happy Days!

Kate.