tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67518062939080337622023-11-15T10:47:59.794-08:00Sparky ComicHistory of the Sparky comic and its contents!alanultron5http://www.blogger.com/profile/01460167309889829411noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6751806293908033762.post-55762602847509937432012-02-11T01:47:00.000-08:002012-02-11T01:47:57.479-08:00Here is the 1967 chapter!<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(46)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">1967.</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 18pt;">`Invisible Dick`, `The Lonely Lad of Blue Lagoon` and A `major` revamp.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In 1967 as stated at the end of the 1966 chapter, Sparky comic was looking rather old fashioned in comparison to its `swinging sixties` rivals, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I.P.C titles such as `Wham`, the new `Pow` and `Smash` and in comparison to City publishing’s `T.V 21` comic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Evidence of this could be seen as the year progressed. Some adventure strips were still rather old fashioned in style or even worse, were very dull. For example there was “Prentice Pete” the adventures of an incredibly simple minded apprentice; `Greedy Gus` the horse with `appetite` and `Titch, the Pup that Grew and Grew`. Riveting, I do not think!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yet again sales must have struggled and, you guessed it; yet another two weeks of free gifts and new stories were planned for September that year. However, in what must have been a long considered move to try and bring the comic into the second half of the 20<sup>th</sup> century, this time, the overhaul would be very comprehensive and, for this comic, quite radical in an attempt to save the publication. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The early part of 1967 saw a little bit of `tinkering` which began in the January 28<sup>th</sup> Issue No 106, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which saw an addition to the `Moonsters` strip. These were the `Oakies`, animated tree creatures, obviously introduced to bring in a bit more variety to the strip. It was truly bizarre that such creatures could be mooted as `moon life` even back in 1967. Seemingly, the `Oakies` didn’t really catch on with the readership as they faded from the strip after a few months.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue 107 on 4<sup>th</sup> February saw the new adventure strip, `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Keepers of the Dancing</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Drums</i>`. This was a `boys own` styled strip concerning an African dance troupe and their attempt to travel to <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Johannesburg</place></city> to attend a large dance festival. A mystery enemy kept trying to sabotage their journey. The strip was very ill informed about African vegetation and wild-life which today is pretty shameful even for a `fun` comic. It lasted to issue No 122, 20<sup>th</sup> May 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Pause for Thought!</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unfortunately in UK comics of this era it was not just ethnic minorities, but certain members of the animal kingdom that really `copped` a bad image; both in comics and in Hollywood films pre 1970s. `Keepers of the Dancing Drums` in one episode, portrayed a gorilla as a vicious, carnivorous killer. Oh dear, no! Gorillas are gentle vegetarians and not one recorded instance (as far as I know) of one ever harming a human has surfaced. The adult chimpanzee though is a different matter altogether; it is an ape that can easily kill a human. </i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Similarly, the `Lonely Lad` strip, amongst others, portrayed octopuses as killers too. Now! Whereas fictional giant octopus can be accepted in such a light, the real life pacific octopuses (the planet’s largest octopus) are gentle creatures that have never harmed any human either. The octopus to really fear is the tiny `blue ringed octopus` </i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(47)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">which possesses a highly lethal poisonous bite. Squids on the other hand though are pretty aggressive fellows, so they are ripe for comic `vilification`! </i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The 1970/71 `Bushboy` strip certainly gave snakes a very bad name. Contrary to what the strip told readers, poisonous snakes `never-ever` target humans. They only strike people in self defence when surprised.</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What in retrospect, would turn out to be a very bad day for me in my `Sparky` reading life happened on 11th February 1967 (issue No 108). This was the start of the long running `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Invisible Dick`</i> strip. This strip had originated in 1922 (`Rover` comic) and run in 1938 `Dandy` It was now `updated`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The premise for the strip certainly tuned to 1960s society in that the origin of the `invisibility` was now linked to the `space-race` of the period. However, it was, I feel, most was unrealistic to say the least, Dick Dickson’s Dad was an Astronaut (this is early 1967 and the U.K can barely afford Concorde never mind a space programme).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dickson senior takes a torch with him and the capsule encounters cosmic rays, which is quite a steal from Marvel Comics origin story for the `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fantastic Four</i>`. On return, dad gives Dick the torch as a memento. Dick soon discovers that it makes all it shines its black beam on invisible. That’s the sum of it really.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">For me, this became quite easily the most irritating and truly boring strip in Sparky comics (and any other comics in my view) entire history. I found it soon to become awfully repetitive and extremely tedious. Virtually every storyline was a repeat of some bully, or self important fellow receiving their come-uppance via Dick’s torch.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thankfully, this first run of the strip ended at issue 123 27<sup>th</sup> May 1967, but! It would return in 1968. One aspect of the strip was what in my view was a `lessening` of clarity in artist Tony Speer’s work on the strip. I think his later years on `Invisible Dick` were not his best work, but this is only my opinion.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In mitigation, there is one truly innovative `Invisible Dick` story that really impressed me on getting some late 1971 Sparky’s recently. In one issue, Dick and a friend are pot holing. His friend breaks the regular torch they have and the pals get lost. Dick realises his torch can help them and he shines its black beam to where the cave roof should be. At once beams of sunshine penetrate through the `now invisible` section of cave roof, lighting the cave up. As they progress Dick creates more `holes` to guide them. Up above, townsfolk are horrified to see what must be subsidence creating great holes in the roads and fields.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That was a really good episode and truly innovative, but it took over four years to bring forth such an engrossing tale. Another inventive story from mid 1969 occurred when Dick encountered fellow Sparky character `Peter Piper` and his magic pipes which brought any icon to life. They had a sort of duel, which Dick </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(48)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">won of course! So, the strip could be fairly engrossing when it tried, but so often it was the same over repeated formula.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another awful (my view) aspect of the strip was the way Dick would address viewers in the final panel; talking to them in such crowing and self serving tones that I soon truly loathed the character.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In the eight years of the strips life I’m afraid that I only rate a bare ten to twelve episodes of real interest and invention. This makes me wonder about readers top two choices. Was the `Invisible Dick` strip really picked by so many readers as to give it such a long run in the comic? Maybe I am completely out of step with other Sparky readers here!?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If only more thought had gone into it the `Invisible Dick` strip could have been truly entertaining, but, sadly, it soon got back into the rut of bullies and prigs getting the worst of it. All I know is, that personally, I rate it the comic’s very worst offering in its entire history.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue 110, 25<sup>th</sup> February brought us `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lost Ponies of Thor</i>` This was an adventure strip about a rare breed of ponies and two children’s efforts to keep them safe. It is another story I have had to read up on as I recall very little of it at the time. It was drawn by the same artist of `<place w:st="on">Island</place> of the Past` rather basic and not eye catching artwork. It ran to issue 119, 29<sup>th</sup> April.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Replacing the wonderful `Willie the Woeful Wizard` strip in issue 117, 15<sup>th</sup> April, was another listless animal based story, titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Greedy Gus</i>`. This was set in the Wild West about a horse with a relentless appetite. Basically, it was a re-working of the `McGinty the Goat` strip (same artist Bob Webster). As with that strip, it was poor fare indeed. Thankfully, it only lasted to issue No 127, 24<sup>th</sup> June.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Beginning on 6<sup>th</sup> May 1967 with issue 120 1967 saw the commencement of `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cave Kids</i>` which was set in prehistoric times. It featured young cave children Daro and Oaki and their way of life in such far away times. They, their Father, Mother and baby Brother lived in a cave that they had `liberated` from its ursine inhabitant, `Black Bear`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Bear was a mite `cheesed off`’ at this and tried to drive them out again until they discovered fire which terrified the bear. I do recall one very atmospheric episode featuring the summer solstice at <place w:st="on">Stonehenge</place>, but apart from that I can’t recall too much about it first time around, so it couldn’t have been too engrossing. Today, it reads fair, but nothing special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It lasted a bare dozen episodes to issue no 131, July 22<sup>nd</sup>.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue 122, 20th May in a rare move (Because `fun` strips usually changed on `re-promotions`) the `Winnie the Witch` fun strip was replaced by new fun pal titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harry Carry`</i>. This featured Harry and his mate Sam, who were in the haulage business. Harry was self employed; he and his work partner, Sam undertook any haulage work they could get, no matter how bizarre or daunting it may turn out to be. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(49)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Some of their adventures were pretty unbelievable, but on the whole, it was more reality based than fantasy. Harry’s mate, Sam, had a habit of always complaining with what became his catchphrase “<place w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I.</i></place><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> `ates</i>!” (Whatever the thing was each week that riled him). The strip was drawn by James Malcolm.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It was one of the first steps in a move away from fantasy based fun pals, like Winnie, towards characters that had a little more `everyday` reality to them. The big changes of September 1967 would reinforce this direction.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue 123, and replacing `Keepers of the Dancing drums` <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we saw the return, this time for more than just `one` issue, of `Prentice Pete` the handyman’s assistant who seemingly possessed about half the brains of an amoeba! Pete really was just too `thick` to be true. The strip was too ridiculous to enjoy for my tastes at all. One episode even tried to put across that Pete didn’t know the difference between a Fox and a Dog, even five year old readers wouldn’t accept such puerile storylines. It finally ended at issue 140, 23<sup>rd</sup> September 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A very enjoyable and engrossing `new` strip though was `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lonely Lad of Blue</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lagoon`</i> which commenced in issue No 124 dated 3<sup>rd</sup> June. This was actually a Hotspur comic reprint (I did not know that then) originally called `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lonely Larry</i>` which turned out some wonderfully inventive storylines and beautiful artwork, especially from Bill Holroyd towards the end of its run in summer 1968. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Larry` or `Ken` as he was called in this re-run, had been stranded on the island after a shipwreck with an elderly couple. The woman had died when the strip began and her husband was very frail. Ken cared for him and called him `Dad` though the man and his late wife weren’t actually related to Ken at all. The old man sadly died in episode two (in his sleep) leaving Ken alone except for his pet Toucan, `Tommy`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One of the best of the 1967 stories in the run of Ken’s adventures was when a volcano broke surface just offshore of Ken’s island and Ken, with Tommy, had to evacuate to another island. The strip changed artists in its 1967-68 tenure in Sparky which did affect continuity a little. As well, part of the storyline was run incorrectly in early 1968, so someone in the Sparky office wasn’t concentrating.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Other artists on the strip were Steve Chapman and someone called Buzelli!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The 1<sup>st</sup> July issue No 128 initiated yet another animal themed strip. This was `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Titch, the Pup that grew and Grew</i>`. Titch was the pet of schoolgirl Linda Wilson. One day he devoured a whole bag of pig feed and started growing, and growing and growing.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He finally stopped when he reached the size of a small horse. Titch and Linda became a television story and the huge puppy got into many adventures. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finally, he became fed up of pig feed (no! I don’t know why they fed him on it either) He started to shrink, just a little at first; then he drank some spilt whitewash and next morning was `puppy-size` again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very ably drawn by an artist whose identity still eludes me, but apart from such good artwork I found </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(50)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the Titch strip was yet another yawn fest which ended at issue 137, 2<sup>nd</sup> September 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Good news though (for me) was an old fun pal making a return flight in the summer of 1967, issue 132, 29<sup>th</sup> July (replacing the `Cave Kids`) this was old `Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer` with eight episodes, to issue 139, of utterly surrealistic flights of fancy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quite the weirdest adventure came when Granny accidentally thwarted an attempted South American junta! I can’t give justice to it in words; it has to be seen to be believed; surrealism par excellence!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Three new writers joined the comic during 1967. These were Gordon Cook, Mike Baird and Peter Clark. Peter Clark would scribe the very finest `<place w:st="on">I.</place> Spy` stories from 1969 to 1971.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The second Sparky book, dated 1968 came out in September 1967. The `Moonsters` were the cover stars again, becoming a brass band this time. The cover did look similar to the 1967 book, having the same light blue tone of artwork. The 1968 book only ran to 124 pages rather than last years 128 totals. Next years book (the 1969 one) and subsequent issues would be back at 128 pages. About 50 were in full colour. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Here is the line up of the 1968 book.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;">SPARKY BOOK 1968, </span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Contents.</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`David` # (non-comic strip) this was the biblical story of how shepherd boy David became King of the Jewish peoples)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Clara’s <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Crystal</place></city>` # (non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`<street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">No Highway</address></street> for the Heyworth’s` # (non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Pansy Potter`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Fireman Fred`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Winnie the Witch`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Young Ben` # (non-comic text strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>`Cuckoo in the Clock`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Goldie`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Lonely Wood`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Stone age Stella` # (non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hockey Hannah`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tusky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Nosey Parker`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dotty Daydream` # (non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Pa, Ma and the Kids` # (non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(51)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Slowdown Express`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Big Klanky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Will O’ the Well (text)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Kipper Feet`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`<street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Lucy Lane</address></street>’s Paper Round` # (non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Pause for thought!</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I have to make a personal point here concerning the two religious strips, `David` and `The Road to Cavalry` from the 1968 and 1969 books. I think Dudley Watkins was the artist for those strips. I have no particular gripe against religious based strips in general, but I do object when they are placed in a book aimed at the readers of a `fun` comic.</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I wonder; how many fans/readers were surprised when getting their 1968 or 1969 book to find this kind of material in the contents?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I for one, when getting my Sparky book 1969 thought it a deception that I had paid for this `message` based strip! If I had wanted religious education in books I would buy religious themed books, not `fun` annuals.</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Back to the file, and September 1967 also saw the return of `The Balloon Family Robinson` which broke the record set by 1966’s second run of `Lonely Wood` for brevity in the comic at just `two` episodes in Issues 138, 9<sup>th</sup> September, to No 139 16<sup>th</sup> September. It is a record that will surely never be beaten-or equalled, if you discount the one-off `filler` episode of `Prentice Pete` in 1966. Why bother to bring back an adventure strip for just two issues? </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Also returning for just one issue was fun pal `Joe Bann and his Big Banjo` in issue No 138, 9<sup>th</sup> September. Joe had been absent since issue 77 way back on 9<sup>th</sup> July 1966. It was a very strange move to bring him back after over a year for just one episode; why the `Slowdown Express` (the fun strip he replaced) could not have gone on for one more episode, I just don’t know.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By late Summer 1967 the comic was obviously struggling again though; and it was time for another couple of weeks of free gifts and new `fun pals`. However, this time the overhaul was to be very large indeed, and, for Sparky comic, quite radical. As with previous overhauls, Television advertising (I personally recall the 1967 ads) newsagent promotions and pink `fliers` were used to highlight the forthcoming changes and free gifts.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Many fans and commentators when mentioning the comic’s history, always point (with good reason) to the February 1969 re-launch as the big `turning point` for the comic. Some find the 1969 overhaul a sort of `year zero` moment in the comic’s history in that the comic was finally hauled into the latter half of the 1960s! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the 1969 re-shuffle was very important, but many forget the 1967 changes.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(52)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My view though, is that the September 1967 changes were every bit as radical as 1969s with the comic becoming more contemporary and relevant to 1967 readers after September that year. It must have been noticed even by those fine persons in DC Thomson’s that by 1967 the UK was in the midst of a cultural revolution via music, fashion , the media and the arts.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By August 1967, `Sparky` comic in particular of the Thomson’s stable was looking rather like a relic from the 19<sup>th</sup> century in the way it looked. Sales must have been dangerously low as a radical move was decided upon, not just to change a few strips, but to overhaul half the comics content and to greatly modernise it’s masthead logo.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Regarding new strips, there were as many `ins` and `outs` as <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would take place in the legendary 1969 reshuffle and for the first time the emphasis was now on bringing in more `fun pals` in the strip turnover. The logo change to a more symmetrical design gave the comic a contemporary look which was in contrast to the two rather antiquated logos (issues 1 – 34 and 35 – 139) it had sported to that date.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Below are the listings of the 23<sup>rd</sup> and 30<sup>th</sup> September 1967 comics (both weeks of the overhaul) this is because, unlike every other re-jigging where nearly all new stories were included in the first week; the 1967 renewal spread the new intake rather more evenly; six new stories issue 140, and three new ones in issue 141.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Below these listings is a list to show which characters / strips moved out and in over the weeks of 23<sup>rd</sup> and 30<sup>th</sup> September 1967.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPARKY NO 140, (23<sup>rd</sup> September 1967, 5d)</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first of the two weeks major overhaul saw not only six new stories / fun pals but a big change in the masthead design. The title /Logo changed radically to a straightened out `Sparky` in deep red, set against a custard yellow background. Horizontal lines above and below the logo gave a very symmetrical look to the title. The 5d price was now enclosed in a blue diamond shape. This is my favourite ever design of Sparky cover.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The free gift, as advertised above the new logo was “The Rip Snorter” a rasping balloon similar to issue No 1’s “Flying Snorter!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1 </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky` Sparky plays a record he likes too loud upsetting his neighbours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The `Sparky` character was now back on the front cover-while the `Moonsters` swapped over to the back page- `Sparky` would remain here to the next big overhaul starting on issue 211. He would only appear on the `Funfare` section after </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(53)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">that. I thought putting Sparky back on the cover was perhaps the one big mistake of the 1967 reshuffle.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New `fun pal` `Deputy Dawg` The cartoon series had been a big success on the telly, so the comic gave a comic strip version a run out. A very puzzling move for Sparky comic as this was the only time they encroached onto `T.V Comic’s territory. Sadly, the comic version never matched the TV series and was soon dropped.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New Story, `David Copperfield` This story was the first in a series of adaptations by the comic of works by famous authors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Charles Dickens classic was the first to be realised in this format. Artwork was quite superb!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top half, New `Fun Pal`, `Meddlesome Matty` Young girl tries to be helpful but it nearly always goes wrong. I quickly warmed to Matty, she reminds me a little of Melinda Messenger!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bottom half, advert for Sparky book 1968.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`My Grockle and Me` The final episode of this very funny adaptation on an old `fun pal` Possibly ended due to George Drysdale being ill-he would sadly pass away later in 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Write to Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 11 </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Full page advert for next week’s free gift (Target Tiddleywinks) and the three other new stories / Fun Pals.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` A team of `wake` experts try to keep Dave and Dora from falling asleep-but it is all a dream.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New `Fun Pal` `Tom Tardy` Drawn by <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laura Gold, the artist who drew the departing `Cuckoo in the Clock` Young Tom can never get to School on time. This strip took a bi-weekly rotation with the `Pansy Potter` strip to issue 175 in May 1968. I thought that it was dull fare indeed.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(54)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New story, `Davey Spacer in Giantland`. Returning for a second run in the comic, Davy Spacer had first appeared in 1966 in a story where he was a giant on a planet of little people. The story was based loosely on Jonathan Swift’s `Gullivers Travels`. This second tale followed the Brobgdanian chapter where `Davey` is the small fellow in a <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Land</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Giants</placename></place>.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18 & 19</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Lonely Lad of Blue Lagoon`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 20 & 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Prentice Pete` This was the final episode of this very hard to enjoy tale of a moronic Joiners apprentice! Pete made `Benny from Crossroads` seem like a towering intellectual colossus in comparison.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Harry Carry`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New `Fun Pal` `Snapshot Sid` The comic adventures of a young free lance news photographer who got his picture by `hook or by crook`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters` now back on the rear of the comic, where they would see out their run to issue 199.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>SPARKY No 141</u></span><u> </u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(30<sup>th</sup> September 1967, 5d)</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic was into its second week of the major overhaul. Above the title it advertised this week free gift; “Free inside; Target Tiddlywinks”. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky` He goes camping this week, and though reminding himself, successfully not to forget the tin opener, he goes and forgets the tins.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Deputy Dawg` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 3, 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New Story! ` Big Ossie`. Yes, yet another animal based story! This effort featured a tame Ostrich that was owned by Tim and Mary Parker. Supposedly set in 19<sup>th</sup> </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(55)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">century <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">South Africa</country-region></place>, it had a 1960s look to it. At the time of first reading I found this story pretty poor fare, subsequent viewing only confirms my first opinion.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top half, New `Fun Pal`,`Charlie Chutney`. The comic adventures of a Cook which I found not very comical at all. Charlie would often share the same page as `Meddlesome Matty`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bottom half an advert for `Flying Skimmer` free gift in next week’s `Hornet` comic. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`David Copperfield`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Write to Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora`. It’s fitness time with `Jim Nastic` and `Tramp O’ Leen`.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one of the poorest Dave and Dora stories ever. This particular one was one of the first of stories filled with ever more silly puns and word bending phrases. Sadly, the strip lost most of its originality and became rather formularised with the James Malcolm drawn strips the worst offenders in my view.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Pansy Potter` The Pansy Potter strip would now become bi-weekly, rotating with new fun character `Tom Tardy`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New series! `Klanky` This was the first episode of Klanky’s second run in Sparky, the first had been in June to September 1966. Klanky’s rulers (on the yet unnamed home world he was constructed), decide to send him to Earth again in order to help human kind again. Klanky would become a firm favourite in the comic, appearing on and off up until 1974.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18 & 19</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Davey Spacer in Giantland`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 20 & 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Lonely Lad of Blue Lagoon`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(56)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Snapshot Sid`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top three quarters is `The Moonsters`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bottom quarter is a four panel preview titled “Four Fun Pals in a Pickle”. First panel is `Klanky`, who, in this colour panel, turns out to be red. Second panel features `Snapshot Sid`, in the third is `Deputy Dawg, with the fourth panel featuring new story `Tom Tardy` the boy who is always late for school.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yes, this was a very comprehensive re-launch indeed! Below, I have listed those strips dropped and those introduced over the weeks of 23<sup>rd</sup> and 30<sup>th</sup> September 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPARKY RE-LAUNCH of SEPTEMBER 23<sup>rd</sup> & 30<sup>th</sup> 1967.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>New Strips Introduced, Issues 140 & 141.</u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 8pt;"></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Deputy Dawg` (1 Page)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Big Ossie` (2 Pages)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Charlie Chutney` (1/2 Page)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Meddlesome Matty` (1/2 Page)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Snapshot Sid` (1 Page)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`David Copperfield` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Tom Tardy` (1 Page)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"># `Klanky` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"># `Davey Spacer in Giantland` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Strips marked with # sign were old characters returning.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(57)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Out</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">`</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Slowdown Express</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">` </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(1 Page)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Balloon Family Robison` (2 Pages)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Nosey Parker` (1 Page)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`My Grockle and Me` (2 Pages)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo` (1 Page)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer` (2 Pages)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock` (1 Page)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Prentice Pete` (2 Pages)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The weeks of 23<sup>rd</sup> and 30<sup>th</sup> September are a vital part of Sparky history. The comic had obviously been struggling badly in its sales and a big overhaul was needed. It was the change in fun characters that was most radical, with a move to more `down to earth` characters that children could identify with, debuting. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The new intake: and as mentioned in the September listings, Davey Spacer returned; this time crash landing on planet Gargantua, populated by of giants. This second series of Davey’s adventures was titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Davey Spacer in Giantland’.</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Every creature on the planet, even including insects and spiders, possessed but one eye. Many of the creatures such as rabbits, cats and dogs on this world could actually understand what Davey said to them, though they could not speak themselves. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The early part of the story, where Davey’s crashed ship, the `Discovery` is taken away by inquisitive giants (It crashed in open countryside) into the city leaving Davey and Puff to try and chase after it, is by far the best part of the tale. At first, it seems the giants are of a medieval society by the way many of them dress, but we later find out they are actually more advanced than late 20<sup>th</sup> century Earth in some ways. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In his quest to track down his ship, Davey and his pet `Puff` are captured but thankfully for them the giants themselves turned out to be friendly and their scientists led by Davey’s friend, Professor Dee, both repaired Davey’s ship and made their own craft based on Davey’s.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Davey in return was able to help them in certain ways. Firstly, and this is where the story takes a truly bizarre direction; in a battle against intelligent, but malevolent rats. The intelligent rodents lived in an underground city which was </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(58)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">similar to 17<sup>th</sup> century Earth villages. Unlike their fierce but uncultured country rat cousins these fellows could speak and walked on two feet! They had stolen some </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">film from the Gargantuan scientists and were planning to attack the upper world, release all white rats in science labs and make slaves of those few Gargantuans they didn’t kill.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The rats caught Davey and were convinced that he was a minature Gargantuan spy. Living underground, they knew nothing of outer space and would not believe he came from somewhere called `Earth`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One very weird, but funny scene in this part of the tale was when a captured Davey was shown sections of rat society including their armed forces. Davey asks about a troop of rats dressed as legionnaires and is told that those rats are from the hot areas of Gargantua and are `Desert Rats! ` OUCH!! </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Davey, and Puff manage to escape the rat jail. They then set out to make contact with the other animals of the giant world including Cats, Rabbits and Dogs. All can quite easily understand what Davey says and they form an army and attack the rat city. Soon the rats are on the run and try to escape via a large ship on an underground sea. Davey throws grenades onto the ship and every rat is drowned. Presumably, unlike the country rats, these ones cannot swim.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The wiping out of every rat in that society by Davey and his animal friends was really rather brutal stuff for such a strip as in effect it was a form of genocide. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There was also a new breed of deadly wasps that could kill the giants with one sting. These too were `eliminated` by Davey, this time helped by intelligent rooks. I must say that today this comes across as pretty brutal, exterminating whole species, but I suppose it was all on an alien planet and not Earth, and presumably allowed in the context of a fantasy strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The grateful giants took Davey and the Discovery aboard their ship that they had copied from the Earth ship designs and once free of their planets massive gravitational pull set Davey’s ship on course for Earth. They gave Davey a huge </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">diamond so that people on Earth would believe there was a race of friendly giants. This second `Davey Spacer` series ran to issue No 157, 20<sup>th</sup> January 1968, I enjoyed it very much.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another 1966 character returning in the overhaul was `Big Klanky`. The title of the strip now changed slightly as from this second series onward he was titled just `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Klanky</i>`. Once more he came to earth to aid humanity, in particular Ernie and Sis Huggins. The second series began by showing Klanky, obviously back on his planet of origin facing short, bald headed aliens (who are seated behind desks) so readers certainly now knew that he `did` have (It was only alluded to in the first series) alien masters, but not who they were or what their home planet was called. Only in the next series would more be revealed on this subject.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The last episode of the first Klanky season had never actually shown him return home, so readers must have been puzzled when the Huggins children were suddenly missing him; quite a case of bad continuity there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An interesting facet of </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(59)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the first two Klanky series was the rocket he arrived in. In both series it was shown (in one panel only) to be the atypical version of a 1950s sci-fi rocket, cigar shaped </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and with four fins for stabilizing. In series three there would be a big change to such rockets from Klanky’s home world. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Once arrived, Klanky took off where he left off in helping the Huggins family and thwarting crooks and scoundrels. This, second run of Klanky’s adventures in Sparky lasted to issue No 160, 10<sup>th</sup> February 1968.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David Copperfield</i>` strip which commenced in issue 140 was the first in a series of classic book adaptations the comic presented over the next year and a half to February 1969.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`David Copperfield` was presented in the format that pre `Dandy` comics had displayed fun strips (and the current Dandy strip `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Bob</i>` was shown) which was having no word balloons but strips of text along the bottom of each frame. I believe it first ran, a few years earlier in the girl’s comic `Bunty` covering all of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charles Dicken</i>s` story. The `David Copperfield` strip in Sparky was an abbreviated version leaving out all of David’s later adventures. It ended at issue No 158, 27<sup>th</sup> January 1968.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The final new adventure story of the 1967 changes was titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Ossie</i>`. This was, thankfully the final animal themed strip ever presented in the comic debuting from issue No 141. He lived on a ranch owned by the parents of Tim and Mary Walker who befriended him. It was set in early 20<sup>th</sup> century South <place w:st="on">Africa</place> and was as dull as ditchwater. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, at last, the powers that be at the comic were realising that readers were tiring of these endlessly themed animal stories and as stated, `Big Ossie` was the final entry of the genre, and not before time too!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Of the intake of new fun pals in the issue 140, 141 overhaul, `Charlie Chutney` (Chef), and `Snapshot Sid` (Photographer) had very real-life jobs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fun pal youngsters `Tom Tardy` and `Meddlesome Matty` were basically ordinary characters who got themselves into comic, but believable scrapes.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The new `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tom Tardy</i>` strip was rotated bi-weekly with the `Pansy Potter` strip until issue 175, 25<sup>th</sup> May 1968, leaving the `Pansy Potter` strip as a regular weekly effort to the end of its Sparky life in December 1975. Tom was a schoolboy who was always late for school. Drawn by Laura Gold, this pretty dull strip was full of harsh canings for Tom when he was late, which brings me to another…</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Pause for Thought!</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The `Tom Tardy` strip was the worst example in Sparky comic, and probably every other `fun` comic, for showing children being whacked unmercifully. </i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of course corporal punishment was part of British comics up to the P.C 1980s and has to be seen in this context however, one or two `fun` strips did seem to revel in it. The `Tom Tardy` strip had a streak of sadism in it that I find abhorrent to a great degree. On one occasion, even his own Father is set to thrash him within an inch in a very brutal fashion until it is realised it is the Father’s school report on show, not </i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(60)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tom’s. His Teacher is a martinet of the worst kind. This fellow could well be jailed today if he were a `real-life` teacher. I do wonder about the mind-set of the staff at the comic who produce this material; they seem to be living in 1867 not 1967!</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Daresay, that I really shouldn’t take it so seriously, but I’m afraid that I find no humour at all in this sort of `punishment strip.</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The next new fun pal was `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deputy Dawg</i>`. This is the only occasion that Sparky based a fun strip on a television based character. The cartoon series was a wonderfully funny and enjoyable affair. Unfortunately, the Sparky strip could not match it, and it departed on 16<sup>th</sup> March 1968 in issue No 165.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meddlesome Matty</i>` was drawn by James Malcolm who was one of the artists on the `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` strip. Matty tried so hard to help people but nearly always made a mess of it. She looks to me like a young Melinda Messenger! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matty was an update of the Dandy comic `Meddlesome Matty` from the late 1930s and 1940s. One difference between the 1940s and the 1960s Matty, was that the latter was far prettier! As with `Nosey Parker`, when Matty tried to genuinely help people it all went wrong which didn’t seem fair or funny to me. Other times though, she was far too `meddlesome` and rather deserved her regular comeuppance. Matty ran to mid 1969, issue 224, and was the longest lasting of the five new `fun pals` of the September 1967 intake.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Charlie Chutney</i>` who was yet another old Dandy comic character updated, this time from the 1944-47 original; was a cook whose fun adventures weren’t all that funny to me. He and Meddlesome Matty often occupied the same page in their respective half-page strips. Charlie sometimes made guest appearances in the `Hungry Horace` strip which was most logical. He departed in issue 209 in January 1969</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The final new fun pal of the September changes was called `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snapshot Sid</i>`. Sid was a young newspaper photographer who often got his `shot` by the most bizarre coincidence` he was drawn by Bob Webster. This strip wasn’t the least bit funny to me and I often ignored it totally. Sid took his last `shots` in issue 191, 21<sup>st</sup> September 1968. He was replaced the following week, issue 192, by `Cheating Charlie` on September 28<sup>th</sup> 1968.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sadly in 1967, artist George Drysdale became too ill to continue drawing strips, `My Grockle and Me`, `Hungry Horace` and `Keyhole Kate`. `My Grockle and Me` ended for good in the September re-shuffle except for a later one-off appearance in the `Sparky Book 1970` by Mike Lacey. The final drawn George Drysdale edition of Kate was in issue No 144, 21<sup>st</sup> October 1967, and Hungry Horace in No 145, 28<sup>th</sup> October.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Horace and Kate, of course both continued with a short term interim artist (unknown) for a few weeks. By the end of 1967 both were drawn by Albert </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(61)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Holroyd who would draw Kate to 1970 and Horace to the comic’s conclusion in 1977. Sadly, George Drysdale passed away in late 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Old characters, `Minnie Ha-Ha`, `Hockey Hannah`, `Freddie the Fearless Fly` ,`Joe Bann`, `Fireman Fred`, `Jeff Ye Jolly Jester`, `Nosey Parker`, `Cuckoo in the Clock`, Flubberface`, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>`The Slowdown Express` and `Winnie the Witch` were gone for good. The comic still had its share of fantasy, particularly `Davey Spacer` and `Klanky`, but there was now a more `down-to earth` feel to it.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 26pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">EVENTS OF 1967</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Political happenings in 1967 were the pay freeze introduced by the government in spring that year. Heavy bye-election defeats for Labour occurred throughout 1967, especially the one to the Scottish nationalists. The Arab/Israeli `seven day war` took place in June leading to an overwhelming victory for the Israeli’s. In November the pound was devalued leading to Chancellor Jim Callaghan swapping posts with home secretary Roy Jenkins. And the Vietnam War still escalated.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Sport: and Manchester United won the league with <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Nottingham</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Forest</placetype></place> second. In the F.A cup, in the very first all <city w:st="on">London</city> final, Tottenham Hotspur beat <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Chelsea</place></city> 2-1. Glasgow Celtic became the first <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region> side to win the European cup, beating Inter Milan 2-1.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Formula one; and due to the continuing new strictures on engine capacity, <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</country-region></place>’s Denny Hulme won the title from Jack Brabham. Most victories of the season (four) though came from Jim Clark.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Music: 1967 was a truly seminal year for music with the “Sgt Pepper” album and “Whiter Shade of Pale” single setting the standard. `Flower Power` bloomed over the summer along with many drug related `psychedelic` singles & albums. However, in the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region> it was ballads that sold best. Also in 1967, Sandie Shaw became the first <country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region> winner of the Eurovision song contest; <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ireland</place></country-region> came second.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Biggest selling <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region> single was “Release Me” from Englebert Humperdink at over a million sales. It stayed consecutively in the Record Retailer top 50 for 56 weeks. He scored the second biggest seller with another million plus hit “The Last Waltz”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A Whiter Shade of Pale” sold 810.000 in the <country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region> giving it fourth largest <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region> seller just behind the Beatles “Hello Goodbye” in third at 830.000 sold. Biggest <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region></place> selling LP was of course The Beatles “Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” at close to 900.000 by years end (It topped a million UK sales in mid 1973) It just edged out the year long selling soundtrack of “The Sound of Music”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(62)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">US</country-region></place>, the biggest selling single (at over 4.000.000) was the Monkees “I’m A Believer” beating Lulu’s “To Sir with Love” (over 2.500.000) into second. Biggest selling <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">US</country-region></place> album was “More of the Monkees” at over 4.000.000 actually beating “Sgt </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Pepper” though `Pepper` went over five million by late 1969. 1967 in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">US</country-region></place> sales saw albums outsell singles for the very first time.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">1967 was the year that Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Move, Cat Stevens and the Bee Gees all broke through. In the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">US</country-region></place>, names such as Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, the Doors, Qucksilver Messenger Service etc all started making themselves known.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Sadly, the year in music suffered some fatalities. Two most prominent causalities were Beatles manager Brian Epstein who died of an accidental overdose over the August bank holiday. In December, soul legend Otis Redding died in a plane crash.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Event of the year was the June `Monterey Pop Festival` <country-region w:st="on">USA</country-region> (<place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">San Francisco</city></place>) which showcased the move away from purely pop music to rock. 1967 was a truly epic year in music history.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In films, notable successes were “The Dirty Dozen” and the Bond “You Only Live Twice” Clint Eastwoods Italian made (in 1964) “A Fistful of Dollars” released only in late 1967 in the US and made a fortune. Most incredible happening was the late 1967 release of “Bonnie and Clyde” which New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther lambasted (Crowther had reviewed films since the late 1930s for the paper) The NYT received so many letters from young fans of the film accusing Crowther of being totally out of touch with the culture of the day that the paper dismissed him, brought in the much younger Pauline Kael, who praised the film unreservedly!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Television: A good year for TV in 1967 with shows such as “The Prisoner” and “A Magnum for Schneider” (The first of the “Callan” series) Gerry Anderson’s new “Captain Scarlett” offering was a vast departure from his earlier series in that not only were the puppets now properly proportioned, but the series eliminated any traces of humour and was (for the time) pretty violent and down beat. <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Anderson</place></city> had wanted to make more “Thunderbirds” but was overruled by ATV Television mogul Lew Grade. Grade later admitted that it was one of his greatest errors.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The “Forsythe Saga” (starring Eric Porter, Nyree Dawn Porter and Kenneth More) was the first of the incredibly successful historical series made by the BBC. It was hugely successful in the <country-region w:st="on">US</country-region> even though <country-region w:st="on">US</country-region> television was now in colour (“Saga” made in B/W) the series even sold to the <place w:st="on">Soviet Union</place>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Colour television arrived on BBC 2 in July 1967 with coverage from that years `<place w:st="on">Wimbledon</place>` tournament gaining the honour of very first colour transmission on UK TV. The first colour BBC2 entertainment series was a version of Thakery’s `Vanity Fayre` here starring Susan Hampshire as female protagonist `Becky Sharp` note! As “Becky Sharp” the novel had been the very first all full colour film back in 1935.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 26pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div>alanultron5http://www.blogger.com/profile/01460167309889829411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6751806293908033762.post-12719882010499333382012-02-09T07:24:00.000-08:002012-02-09T07:24:57.123-08:001966<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(28)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">1966.</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 18pt;">`Big Klanky`, Willie the Woeful Wizard`, Davey</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Spacer,</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> m</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 18pt;">ore free gifts, but a struggle to stay afloat.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1966 was obviously a critical period for Sparky comic as it presented two free gift and new story / Fun pal promotions that year. The scarcity of editions on E.Bay or other sources seems to bear out very low sales in 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1966 saw an easing of the amount of fun strips in rotation. This meant the loss of `Flubberface`, and Minnie Ha-Ha` during the early part of the year, `Hockey Hannah` halfway through; and both `Jeff Ye Jolly Jester` and `Freddie the Fearless Fly, during the latter months of 1966. Other fun strips, `Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`, `The Slowdown Express` and the `Pansy Potter` were still rotated in what still must have been a puzzling way of presentation to readers. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The year also saw <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>three new `fun` pals arrive, `Fireman Fred`, `Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer` and `My Grockle and Me`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first issue of the year, No 50 dated 1<sup>st</sup> January presented the strip <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Quest of</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Wandering Wingates`</i>. It was set during the time of the holy crusades. The father of Dickon and Norah Wingate was forced into Prince John’s army and their farm destroyed. The children ended up in the holy lands and their attempts to get home were the main body of the story. It was drawn very ably by the artist (unknown) who had drawn 1965’s `Gilpin, the lost, lost boy` tale. It ran to issue No 59, 5<sup>th</sup> March. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A surprise move in issue 53, 15<sup>th</sup> January, was the return of `Will O’ the Well`. This time it was as a picture strip. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I felt it was a bad move as the imaginative text stories could never be matched in my opinion by pictures and it ran for only seven issues to No 59, 5<sup>th</sup> March 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Early 1966 saw two `fun pals` now depart for good. Issue 55 , 29<sup>th</sup> January, saw the very final `Minnie-Ha-Ha` fun strip and issue 59, 26<sup>th</sup> February, was the final departure of `Flubberface`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 56, 12<sup>th</sup> February 1966 gave readers an even shorter duration strip than `Will `O the Well`; `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pocahontas`</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the supposedly true tale of the daughter of a Red Indian chief and her encounters with early `new world` settler Adam Smith. This not too enthralling – for me - affair lasted just five issues to No 60, 12<sup>th</sup> March 1960.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 57, 19<sup>th</sup> February, saw the return of the three page `Lonely Wood` strip, but this was very much a `blink and you’ll miss it` affair, only lasting all of three issues to No 59, 5<sup>th</sup> March. Surely, one of the briefest ever runs of an adventure strip! Issue 57 also saw the `Pansy Potter` strip rested to issue No 80 in late July 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sales must have been still struggling in early 1966 and so another two weeks of free gifts and new stories began on issue No 60 dated 12<sup>th</sup> March. Again, Television </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(29)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">adverts, Newsagent displays and `fliers` were utilised to publicize another promotion, though this one not of the same size of that of September 1965. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Here now, is the line up of issue No 60.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>SPARKY</u></span><u> No </u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">60</span>. (12<sup>th</sup> </u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">March</span> 1966, 5d)</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Above the title of the comic it announced the free gift inside: `The Sparky Spinner`. This was a plastic wheel that spun on a plastic stick, with thread and could fly if operated correctly.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters` The Moonsters hold a funfare.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New story-`Seven at One Blow` This was the loose adaptation of the old tale of the Tailors apprentice.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Winnie the Witch`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New story- `Huffy, Muffy and Tuffy`. This strip was the `updated` version of``The Three Bears` (Not! The `Beano comic strip) from Dandy comic circa 1938/39. It featured the adventures of three South American bears. They dwelt at the foothills of the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Andes</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Mountains</placetype></place>. This strip was in the style of `Wee Tusky` and `Kipper Feet`. Artist was also Jack Monk.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Write to Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top two thirds is an illustrated ad for next weeks `Crack-Bang!` free gift. The bottom third of the page is a preview of next weeks new story, `Children of the Secret Pool`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New Story-`City Under the Sea` The futuristic adventures two children who are part of the community of an undersea city.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(30)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` Dave and Dora are in television advertising world.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18 & 19</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Pocahontas` This was the adaptation of the meeting between new world explorer Adam Smith and Pocahontas who was the daughter of a red Indian chief.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 20 & 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Goldie` The adventures of a golden eagle. Goldie was the `pet of sorts` to Steve and Betty Martin.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hockey Hannah`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Slowdown Express`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top ¾ `Sparky`. Bottom ¼ Three panel ads for next weeks free `Crack-Bang!` gift (left panel) and new story `Children of the Secret Pool` (middle panel). The right panel was a showcase of the comic’s fun characters.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Here is the list of new strips (and those departing) over issues 60 and 61. As with issue 35 and 36 in September 1965, the turnover is of adventure strips: no `fun pals` affected. It wasn’t such a big overhaul as the 1965 changes with no change to the Sparky logo.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>New Strips Introduced Issues 60 & 61, 12<sup>th</sup> & 19<sup>th</sup> March 1966.</u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Seven at one Blow` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Huffy, Muffy and Tuffy` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`City under the Sea` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Children of the Secret Pool` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Out</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(31)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Pocahontas` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Year of the Vanaks` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Will O’ the Well` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Quest of the Wandering Wingate’s` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">First of the new stories were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Huffy, Muffy and Tuffy</i>` the updated 1938/39 Dandy comics `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Three Bears</i>` which was in the same vein as `Wee Tusky` and `Kipper Feet` and drawn by the same artist, Jack Monk. It did not appeal to me at all. `Huffy, Muffy and Tuffy` were three bears (where have I heard that title before?) who lived in the foothills of the <place w:st="on">Andes</place> Mountains. Their `adventures` were every bit as daft as `Wee Tusky` or `Kipper Feet`.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They departed in issue No 74, 18<sup>th</sup> June 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Then there was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Seven at One Blow`</i> the adaptation of the tale of the tailor’s apprentice, which also began in issue 60. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter Pretzel (who thought that name up!?) who made his fortune by his wits rather than brawn. Many of the `ruses` or `ploys` he came up to beat his opponents or to solve a problem seemed utterly ludicrous to me even in 1966 let alone reading it now. One example is where Peter (who wishes to marry a Princess – as you do!) is ordered by her father (The King) to remove a mountain that blocks the view on one side of the castle, overnight! How does our hero do this? Simple, he plants a few gold coins in the soil in the foothills and by a ruse gets the greedy townsfolk to dig the whole mountain up, in one night. Is it any wonder I soon lost interest in the strip. It ran to issue No 72 date 4<sup>th</sup> June.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Best of all of the new strips commencing in issue 60, and occupying the centre pages in full colour, thus demoting `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` once more to two black and white pages, was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`City under the Sea`</i>. This futuristic tale featured John and Janet Lowe who lived in a great underwater metropolis we presume was in the near future, that was the centre of a huge fish-farm. The children assisted their father in his duties at the `farm` having many exciting undersea adventures.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This strip was very similar in artwork to the `Year of the Vanaks` strip the previous year, and similar to that story, most enjoyable. There were some very inventive episodes such as the time that huge rocks started raining down upon the huge domed enclosure. Investigating this seemingly impossible phenomenon it was discovered the reason was a fleet of colossal icebergs that had floated south and over where the dome was situated. The bergs it was surmised were once part of a huge glacier and part of their bulk was made of trapped rocks and stones that are gathered up when glaciers move slowly cutting a swathe through the land. The warmer southern seas were now melting the icebergs slowly to release their `cargo` of rocks upon the people below.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sometimes the episodes were very far fetched such as one story which featured a tremendous tussle between a huge sea serpent and an enormous giant squid! Reading it today, the science of many of the stories is pretty suspect, but it is still a very enjoyable tale. It had a good run of 20 issues to No 79, 23<sup>rd</sup> July 1966. When it </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(32)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">finished, `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` then returned to the middle pages (in full colour).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In the second issue of the new stories / free gift promotion, No 61 dated 19<sup>th</sup> March, began another intriguing story. This was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Children of the Secret Pool`</i>. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Young Jack and Jill Hardiman’s parents had been killed in a car crash in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Scotland</place></country-region> (where they lived), and the two toddlers were sent to an orphanage.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><place w:st="on"><city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Reading</b></city></place><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> about the crash was an elderly man who the readers learned was the children’s grandfather (his Christian name was never revealed). He strode off to the orphanage but was denied custody of the children by the worried staff (this storyline would really raise eyebrows today).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Undaunted, the grandfather returned at night and took the children. He took them to his home in the mountains. There, he told the children that the waters of the pool and stream that ran past his home had special qualities. Over the weeks, the children bathed and drank the waters. Like their grandfather, they became super fit and robust. They had many exciting adventures. Edward Drury was the artist on this strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It does read in print as a dubious story and child abduction no matter how benign the intent is today not good subject matter for a comic strip, but in actuality it was pretty innocent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, to stress a point I don’t think such a story would ever see publication these days. It ran to issue No 76 dated 2<sup>nd</sup> July 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 62, 26<sup>th</sup> March, saw the first serious animal story since 1965’s `Watch`. This one was titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Rory, the Horse of Many Masters</i>`. It was set in early 20<sup>th</sup> century, 1900 to be precise. It told the story of `Rory` a horse that swapped ownership many times. His first owner, Farmer Charles Oakham decided he preferred the new `horseless carriages` (Cars! To the uninitiated) and sold Rory. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Some of his owners were kind, other-not so! I didn’t recall much of this strip when first reading it in 1966 and have had to catch up on it when getting the comics again. The story is a series of vignettes as the horse, `Rory` goes through various owners finally ending back with Charles Oakham who had become disillusioned with motorised transport. It never stuck in my memory first time around so it couldn’t have been very special. It ran to 18<sup>th</sup> June 1966, issue 74. It was drawn by George Radcliffe. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 63 dated 2 April 1966, introduced the first new `fun pal` since 1965. This was `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fireman Fred</i>` who was drawn by artist Bob Webster who drew `Joe Bann and `Slowdown Express` strips.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fred was a very enthusiastic, but hopelessly inept fireman who for example, the extinguishing of a burning match would have likely led to a catastrophic conflagration of `great fire of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">London</city></place>` proportions! The strip was very dynamic with many crashes, bangs, and assorted mayhem. It was a wonder there were any buildings left untouched in Fred’s city/town. One lovely panel came in the episode where Fred and his fellow fire fighters? Were lining up for inspection by the regional fire chief. As well as the sight of Fred, there was a very `goofy` fellow, a right scruffy individual, an utterly too short specimen and a literal `knuckle </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(33)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">dragger-quite Neanderthal! It was a most underrated strip which deserves revaluation today.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Fireman Fred`, was a regular weekly strip until mid 1967 issue 127, 24<sup>th</sup> June. It popped back for two weeks 15<sup>th</sup> & 22<sup>nd</sup> July 1967, issues 130 & 131, and then it was gone for good.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 73 dated 11<sup>th</sup> June, saw a rather strange entry titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Boy in the <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Forest</placetype> of<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><placename w:st="on">Fear</placename></place>`</i>. This told of a feral boy (name never given) who experienced hostility from forest creatures as he tried to make a home there. Eventually `Boy` befriended the animals and settled with them. The story seemed to be set in the 1920s by the look of it. I must admit it is a rather bizarre story to me as readers were given absolutely no clues as to why the lad wanted to live in such a way, or any background to him. It ran to issue No 83, 20<sup>th</sup> August 1966 and was drawn by George Radcliffe.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The following week in issue No 84 it was replaced, in a very unusual move, by a one-off complete story titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prentice Pete</i>` which I think was drawn by Andy Tew. Pete was an incredibly thick workmate to a builder and was more hindrance than help. Though just a single week offering this time, `Pete` would return in spring 1967 for a longer run.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Back-dating a little now, and replacing `Rory, the Horse of many Masters` on 25<sup>th</sup> June 1966 (issue 75) was a new character who would become quite a firm `Sparky` favourite over the next few years. This was `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Klanky</i>` drawn by Bob Webster for this, and his second run in 1967. This initial series of the two page strip was titled `Big Klanky`. Subsequent outings were reduced to just `Klanky` thereafter.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Klanky had been sent to Earth by his creators (who were not shown to readers in this initial series) to `help mankind`. This he did most ably, often thwarting various wrongdoers in his adventures. He befriended the Huggins family, in particular youngsters Ernie and Sis. It was they who gave him the name `Klanky` due to the klanking noise he made as he walked. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first two episodes (which were at three pages length) were a little more serious in tone as the authorities tried to deal with what at first seemed an indestructible menace. Klanky was impervious to everything `thrown` at him; rather in the same manner as Victor comics “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Smasher</i>” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>robot – (of course, not to be confused with the `Dandy` comic fun character) which was an indestructible `killer` robot. Klanky though turned out to be most friendly and the strip then became very much lighter in tone from the third episode onward (now at just two pages).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Klanky was very powerful and almost indestructible. Most of his adventures with his adopted `masters` the Higgins family were themes where he often thwarted wrongdoers or sometimes when enemy foreign agents wanted to kidnap him. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Klanky strip did sometimes become repetitive; but never on the scale of tediousness that the comics updated `Invisible Dick ` strip conveyed. This first series ran to issue No 87, 17<sup>th</sup> September 1966. Klanky would return a number of times over the next few years with his real identity revealed in series three in 1969.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(34)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another animal based story beginning in issue 75, 25<sup>th</sup> June 1966 was `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Police Horse</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hadrian</i>` drawn by Andy Tew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was about a horse `Hadrian` who trained to be a police horse. His owner, Farmer’s daughter Joan, couldn’t afford to keep Hadrian and sold him to the Police. His trainer/rider, P.C Don Harper, taught Hadrian all he could about being a successful Police horse. It is another story that I just don’t recall from 1966 and have had to `catch –up` on it recently, which says a lot! It too ended on issue 85.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another `fun pal` now said a final farewell as Issue No 76, 2<sup>nd</sup> July 1966 was the final `Hockey Hannah` outing. `Joe Bann and his Big Banjo` took a long rest (over a year) from issue 77, 9<sup>th</sup> July 1966 to No 138 on September 9<sup>th</sup> 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The summer of 1966, 9<sup>th</sup> July, issue 77 introduced `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Balloon Family Robinson</i>` Set in the 19<sup>th</sup> century, it told of the Robinson families adventures in their wooden home that was held aloft by hydrogen balloons. It ran to issue 85, September 3<sup>rd</sup> 1966. It would return (very briefly) in 1967. Tony Speer was the artist.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As stated earlier, the `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` strip continued in its wonderfully surreal way. They actually met most of their fellow `Sparky` pals in one mid 1966 adventure which was very interesting. Later in 1966, James Malcolm joined those who drew the strip. His first story saw the twins encounter intelligent Loch <place w:st="on">Ness</place> monsters! Sadly, many of the James Malcolm stories never seemed, at least to me, anywhere as inventive as those `Dave and Dora` entries by his fellow artists who drew the strip in rotation with him.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 80, 30th July 1966 now saw the arrival of a truly mind bending new `fun pal` namely `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer</i>`. This was a two page `fun` strip and even in a surrealistic comic such as Sparky this was firmly at the very outer limits of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>weird premise conceived<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for such fun strips.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One day a flying saucer (from Mars) landed in Granny Cupps garden, it was having control trouble. The Martians were rather robotic looking, but quite friendly and most grateful for Grannie’s help.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">While the Martians carried out repairs, Granny served the creatures cups of tea with cake and biscuits. The craft was soon repaired and the friendly fellows headed by their Emperor left Granny the Emperors own small personal saucer in gratitude. The saucer had many devices which helped Granny quite a bit, and got her into some scrapes too in a series of very, very batty adventures for her and her pet cat `Snowball`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The artwork I thought seemed rather sparse and took some getting used to (artist unknown) but once you got used to the style of drawing it was actually rather quaint and did complement the strip. Granny finished her ride in issue 85, 3<sup>rd</sup> September 1966, but she would return in summer 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">No 80 also saw the return of the `Pansy Potter` strip which was now a full page offering. Both Bill Hill and Bob Webster now took turns at drawing the strip until Bob Webster took sole duties from late 1966 onward. Webster then began to bring in Pansy’s mom and dad more over the next few years (Bill Hill hardly ever </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(35)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">featured her parents). By 1969 Bob Webster really got into his stride with `Pansy` making it one of the highlights of the comic from that period.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another old character also returning <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to the comic after dropping out back in issue 29 on 7<sup>th</sup> August 1965, was `Nosey Parker`. He returned in issue No 83, 20<sup>th</sup> August 1966. The strip would rota in that many Sparky artists took turns on it, losing something in continuity to my eyes. Two whose style I recognise, were Albert Holroyd and Michael Barrat. It would sometimes only be a half page strip as it was in every 1965 outing; but at many instances expanded to a full page, especially in early 1967. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic certainly went through a heavy turnover of stories, both semi-serious and purely fun strips in 1966. It seemed to be struggling for continuity in its effort to garner a loyal readership and it must have still been struggling to improve circulation. Hence, by September 1966 yet another two weeks of free gifts and new stories was offered to readers in a bid to increase sales. Once more, Telly ads, newsagent displays and `fliers` came in to play, all paid for by D.C Thomson in another effort to publicise their new promotion.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As this was again not deemed one of the more radical re-jigs to the comic there was no logo change again this time. Anyhow, here is the line up for issue No 86 dated 10<sup>th</sup> September 1966, which was the first of the two weeks minor re-launch.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPARKY No 86. 10</span><sup>th</sup> </u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">September 1966, 5d</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top of page announces the free gift of the `Tweek-Squeak` balloon.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters` The moon creatures hold a fun-fare.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 3, 4 & 5 (this week only)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New story `My Grockle and Me` Young Jimmy Johnson receives a large egg posted by an uncle residing in <place w:st="on">Africa</place>. He warms it in the oven and it hatches out into a small dragon-like creature which makes the noise “Grockle”. Deciding to name it Grockle, Jimmy keeps it as it grows to the size of a small horse. I didn’t know at the time that this was an updated 1920s `Rover` comic strip called `Jimmy Johnson’s Grockle`. I consider this George Drysdale’s best work in the comic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top half, `Pansy Potter` Bottom half, `Nosey Parker`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(36)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New story, `Willie the Woeful Wizard`. This was the fun adventures of the court wizard to the king of Pom. It was a truly superb offering.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Write to Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Advert for next weeks free gift, the `Bizzy Buzzer` plus a preview of next weeks new story, `Nine Hundred Years Ago`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` Now back in the centre colour pages, the couple visit `<place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Census</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Land</placetype></place>`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Fireman Fred`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 16</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 17, 18 & 19</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New story `Terry Had a Little Pig` What I do recall of this was that it was very dull indeed to me.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 20 & 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Big Klanky` Klanky has been sent to earth by his masters to aid humanity. He aids the Huggins family which is a start.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Winnie the Witch`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top ¾ `Sparky`. Bottom ¼ of page is another preview of next weeks `Bizzy Buzzer` free gift and `Nine Hundred Years Ago` new story.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Here is a list of the strip turnover / changes of the weeks of 10<sup>th</sup> and 17<sup>th</sup> September. For the first time a new `fun pal` strip was introduced in these changes, this was My Grockle and Me`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>New Strips Introduced, Issues 86 & 87, 10<sup>th</sup> & 17<sup>th</sup> September 1966.</u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(37)</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`My Grockle and Me` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Willie the Woeful Wizard` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Terry Had a Little Pig` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Nine Hundred Years Ago` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Out</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">`</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Prentice Pete</b>` <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(2 Pages)</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Balloon Family Robinson` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Police Horse Hadrian` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willie the Woeful Wizard</i>` strip was not especially unique as magic based stories were common in fun comics, but the artwork and plots were just superb! Bill Mainwaering drew it to finely detailed precision, which very much complemented the surreal flavour of the storylines. I can honestly state, that in my opinion Bill Mainwaerings artwork on the `Willy` strip is the finest I have ever seen in any `fun` comic.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Willie was a tall thin, wiry bespectacled fellow who had long blond hair and slightly prominent teeth. He had a rather `scatty` personality and often got himself into awful muddles. Early on in his adventures he got around on a broomstick which was most unwizard like until he acquired a second hand magic carpet from one `Genie Kelly`.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Willie worked for the king in the land of `Pom`. He carried out many varied tasks which presented readers with wonderfully innovative storylines. His magic didn’t always go as planned, otherwise the `scrapes` he got into would have never happened! Of course, when things really mattered, Willy always came through.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The individual stories that consisted of the 31 week run were usually either three or four episodes long, apart from one of five parts and another of just two.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Willie’s first task was to acquire some dragons to help Pom fight off their aggressive neighbour’s army. Pom’s enemy was the nation of Quagar which was ruled by a czar who had visions of conquest. Willie needed help from the `With it Witch` who sent him on an errand before she would help him. It was while on the errand for the witch that Willie first encountered `Genie Kelly` (an actual genie who lived in a tree) they became friends.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">(38)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The next adventure saw Willy under orders to cheer the people of Pom up a bit by the king (who didn’t like sad faces) Sadly, Willie’s spell misfired and everyone (including the king and Willie himself) couldn’t stop laughing! Willie needed help from a young pretty maiden called `Ally Lulia` before he set things to right. She too became a good friend. Part of the story saw very daring references to 1960s drug culture by mentioning `Junk` being smoked and `Mescalweed` which was a thinly disguised reference to the actual hallucinogenic drug, Mescaline; very daring indeed!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Next up was the `Bongovian Cup Competition` where Willie encountered old enemy, one `Aldofini` who was court wizard to the Czar of Quagar. Willy entered the competition hoping to win the cup for Pom and put one over on the czar of Quagar whose entrant was the villainous `Adolfini`.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Unfortunately for Willy the union of magicians realised he had used up his quota of magic for the year and withdrew his powers! Willy made his way to Bongovia after entering the `<street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Palm Court</address></street> hotel which was a mirage. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Willy rode an imaginary camel he hired at the hotel but it disappeared once he forgot to believe in it! He finally made it to Bongovia but his chances at the </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">competition were hopeless with no powers. Seeing Willy’s plight the evil Adolfini ordered his henchmen to abduct Willy out in the desert and kill him. Luckily for Willy, the king of Pom on hearing how his powers were `taken away` ordered the magicians union on point of execution to restore them.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">With his powers restored Willy duly won the competition but Adolfini went and stole the cup from under his nose.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The next story went into outer space where Willie and the court scientist, flew by rocket to the planet `Pars` to search for a rare metal needed for Pom’s Marmalade mining process. Willie once more encountered the evil Aldofini on Pars. The evil Adolfini was forcing the Partians to work for him. Happily, Willy freed them and a grateful people gave him as much metal as he could carry.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">We next see Willie tasked to fetch back royal princess Sophie for an arranged marriage from her finishing school in `Twitzerland` only, Sophie wants no part in it. This story featured some very funny scenes involving a giant and a crooked innkeeper, both of who had stolen Willie’s flying carpet and tried to ride it with disastrous results. Both the `With it Witch` and `Ally Lulia` appeared in this story.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The next tale was that of a `Slimming Potion` for the king.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The King of Pom is fed up of being so fat, but can’t keep to a diet, so he orders Willie to make him a slimming potion. Knowing his own shortcomings with such concoctions, Willie wisely tests it out on the royal elephant first. He is right to as though the elephant certainly loses weight it doesn’t decrease in size at all! In fact, the poor pachyderm floats up into the sky, taking its keeper along for the ride.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Willie gives chase on his flying carpet and soon catches them up. Eventually the elephant’s weight begins to come back and it floats down into the crater of an extinct volcano. This is inhabited by Henry the Horrible Hermit who resents `intruders` and begins lobbing rocks at Willie and friends. Thanks to the elephant, </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">(39)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Henry is repulsed and with another dose of the potion, Willie floats the elephant back to Pom. He finds that the king has paced up and down so much in worry that he has lost enough weight this way to satisfy him.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Perhaps the lesser of Willie’s adventures, this tale of a flying elephant and an unfriendly hermit, perhaps didn’t quite come off.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">My favourite was the next story, the task for Willie to find `Old Tom’s Almanac`. The sheer levels of surrealism in this particular story were awesome and it has been one of my very favourite tales of all time.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The story commenced with the naughty `With it Witch` who was holding Willie’s friend, Ally Lulia` hostage (because Ally could not locate the tome) and would only let her go if Willy could locate the Almanac. For this, he had to climb an Indian rope to a land above the clouds (called `Nohow` land) to a library set in the cloudbanks which held the book. Here, he encountered old friend `Genie Kelly` again and both set out on the task.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">`Old Tom` who compiled the book was a giant who enjoyed Wizards and Genies for breakfast which was a bit of a problem for both and they barely escaped his clutches. Another obstacle was the dreaded `Seven headed Serpent` whose gaze turned all those it looked upon to treacle! Willie’s reflective glasses turned the serpent’s glare back on itself and it ended up as a sort of `treacle pudding`.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">With aid from `Genie Kelly` Willie gained the Almanac where it was held in a library up in the cloudbanks and freed `Ally Lulia`. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The concept of another world (`Nohow land`) above and amongst the clouds was truly innovative indeed and quite superbly realised by Bill Mainwearing’s delightful artwork.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The final adventure was in two sections. The first four episodes began with the streets of Pom troubled by the nasty `Van-Dal` ` Hooly Gan` and their gangs of `beat hicks`. Though Willy put temporary paid to their ways a permanent answer was needed. Hence, Willy goes on another mission on advice from the `With it Witch` to get `Doraymee` seeds which would cure the troublemakers for good.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">On his journey, Willie encounters `Prince Vince` who is being sent on impossible tasks by a Caliph whose daughter he wishes to marry. Willy helps all to a happy resolution and gets his Doraymee seeds. Unknown to Willy a great change has come over `Van-Dal` and `Hooly Gan` who are now married and have become solid citizens. A wandering minstrel, one `Robin Cupid` gave the louts some rather magical advice and they married and settled down. Due to a mishearing of partial conversations, Willy thinks `Robin Cupid` has replaced him and leaves the <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">kingdom</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Pom</placename></place> with all his possessions in belief that he is of no more use.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">The final two episodes see Willy encounter wandering knight Sir Hardy of Bongovia, whose king had sent him on a task to catch a `Snole` for the Bongovian zoo. Hardy rescued a dozing Willy from one of these fierce fellows and the two became friends. Snoles, by the way, are a sort of cross between a grizzly bear and a crocodile...the mind boggles!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">(40)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Back at court, the `With it Witch` asks for Willie’s job which puzzles the king. It then becomes clear that Willy has left on a misunderstanding and the king is distraught. Robin Cupid and postman `Jeepio` set out to search for him.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Meantime, and after Willy has rescued Sir Hardy from a whole bunch of `Snoles` they come across Robin Cupid and Jeepio and all is explained. Willy heads back to court to a tumultuous reception!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Just wonderful! The whole series was a wonderful tour-de-force in surrealism and innovative storylines. But; after seven months, or to be more precise, 31 weeks, that was it for Willy; gone, never to return! It is one of the most puzzling decisions in the comic’s history; or perhaps, am I really the only reader who adored the strip?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">As I stated earlier, in the second story the strip actually got away with a couple of drug references in that segment of the story by mentioning a character smoking `Junk` and `Mescalweed`(a nod to Mescaline) which was incredibly daring for a children’s comic. The strip often put in references to present day culture and `pop` songs for readers to spot which gave it a very topical flavour.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Characters such as the `With it Witch` (who played a modern day electric guitar) and `Genie Kelly` (only film musical buffs will catch on to the association of that name) inhabited his world. There was `Ally Lullia` a pretty young lady who aided Willy on some occasions. The local postman was called Jeepio (G.P.O). The king of Pom was a portly fellow of uneven temper. At times, he jailed Willy, once on point of execution. Under this `crusty` exterior though, he actually liked Willy a lot and was awfully upset on thinking Willy had gone forever in the final story.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Yes! I adored this strip with its delightfully bizarre nature and wrote my first letter to the comic in March 1967 saying how much I enjoyed it. The result being the following month (8<sup>th</sup> April 1967), issue No 116, was that the strip ended forever. Ah well, So much for reader feedback.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The week of 10<sup>th</sup> September 1966 saw the introduction of another updated old fun strip that I mentioned earlier; titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Grockle and Me</i>`. Jimmy Johnson grew Grockle from an egg sent to him from an uncle in <place w:st="on">Africa</place>. Grockle had an amazing appetite, even eating metallic objects, he even drank petrol with apparently no ill effects. `Grockle` acquired his name from Jimmy by the `Grockling` grunting noises he frequently uttered.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grockle was prone to bouts of temper, often belching out flame when in a fit of pique; he was also very accident prone, but had a certain level of intelligence. Grockle often got into fights with other creatures, once even badly beating up a Lion! He was a loving pet to Jimmy and, when things very occasionally went well; could be very helpful to him. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">At the time I had no idea this was a contemporary version of the old 1920s `Rover` and `Dandy`(1937-39) comic strip, `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jimmy Johnson’s Grockle</i>`. It was a very enjoyable fun strip which ran to the big overhaul of September 1967, issue No 140. It featured some of artist George Drysale’s best work.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(41)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The other new adventure strip, which was more serious in tone, was titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Nine</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hundred Years Ago</i>` commenced in issue No 87, 17<sup>th</sup> September. It was set just before the battle of <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Hastings</place></city>. A convoluted plot saw the blacksmith Father of Mildred and Edgar jailed by King Harold’s men. The children were made homeless and worked their way to <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">France</place></country-region> to try and raise help!? (I know! It is `most` confusing).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anyway, it cumulated in William the Conqueror winning at <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Hastings</place></city> and freeing the children’s Father. As well as confusing, it was rather dull to me; but saved somewhat by artist Bill Mainwaerings superb work on it. `Nine Hundred Years Ago` ran to issue 94, 5<sup>th</sup> November 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Terry had a Little Pig</i>` another Andy Tew drawn strip and the last of the September 1966 intake was, for me, an awfully tedious affair indeed. Terry Hicks won a small pig at a garden fete (as you do!) the strip outlined his efforts to keep the pig a secret from his perceived, disapproving parents. This too ended in November 1966, the 26<sup>th</sup> issue 97 to be precise, and not a moment too soon.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Also in September 1966 the first` Sparky Book` with cover date 1967` was issued (all D.C Thomson annuals were dated for following year by mid 1960s). The Sparky books were actually compiled more than a year in advance of the year they came out which meant that in some years, particularly in the 1970 book, the strips in the books had ceased in the weekly comic more than a year before!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The fun animal based adventures strips such as `Wee Tusky` and `Kipper Feet` were represented in this first Sparky book, but the only one of the more serious in tone adventure strip to feature in it was `Floating Along, Singing a Song`. This was titled in the book `The Canal Kids` the name the children called their musical group in the comic strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first Sparky book had 128 pages with 48 of them in full colour. It is not too common today, but isn’t as expensive as either the `Dandy` or `Beano` annuals 1967. The cover features the `Moonsters` Fire Brigade and is light blue in colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Here is the line up of the first Sparky book.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Sparky Book 1967, </span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Contents.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Canal Kids` (this was titled `Sailing Along, Singing a Song` in the comic)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Pansy Potter`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Jeff Ye Jolly Jester`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Nosey Parker`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dotty Daydream` # (This was a non-comic story, only appearing in the Sparky book.)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Freddie the Fearless Fly`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tusky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Young Ben` # (text and another non-comic story)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Winnie the Witch`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(42)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Slowdown Express`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Minnie Ha-Ha`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Lonely Wood`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dolly Dimple` # (another non-comic strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Kipper Feet`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`McGinty the Goat`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Will O’ the Well` (text)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Flubberface`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hockey Hannah`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Walk-About <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Wilsons</city></place>` # (non-comic adventure strip)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The # sign by a strip means that the strip never featured in Sparky comic, only the book.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Back to the comic itself and Issue No 88, 24<sup>th</sup> September 1966 saw `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` bumped off the centre pages again (back to two B&W pages) to make way for the adaptation of Pegasus the winged horse titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Horse With Wings`.</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It was a fairly interesting and enjoyable strip which certainly took some wild `flights of fancy`. Two episodes featured the lost continent of Atlantis whose citizens had devised weapons more advanced than 20<sup>th</sup> century technology. They were most warlike indeed and had made plans to conquer the rest of the world. The planet was saved from their warlike ways when the continent of Atlantis was destroyed by a huge earthquake, with our heroes escaping astride Pegasus just in time. Another couple of rather way out episodes featured a creature called a `Chimera` which was half lion, half dragon, and which was quite a sight to behold. The strip lasted to issue 106, 28<sup>th</sup> January 1967 and was drawn by Edward Drury, whose style of artwork looked very effective in full colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The final `fun pal` departures of the year, and for good, now occurred; these two old pals now departed in quick succession. They were `Jeff Ye Jolly Jester` who bowed out in issue 89, 1<sup>st</sup> October, followed shortly by `Freddie the Fearless Fly` in the 15<sup>th</sup> October issue, No 91, gone, never to return.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In late 1966 a popular adventure strip character that would have three series in Sparky circa 1966 to 1969, was introduced. This first outing was titled `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Little Davey Spacer</i>`. It commenced in issue 95 dated 12<sup>th</sup> November 1966. The first two series were loosely based on Jonathan Swifts “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gulliver’s Travels</i>” with Davey as a sci-fi Lemual Gulliver. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Davey West was a pilot for the Earth space fleet in the year 2084.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earth forces had battled with the `Invaders from the Rim` (I presume this meant the `Galactic rim`) in the region of the solar system close to the planet Saturn; and Davey’s ship was </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(43)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">badly damaged. He had to eject from the crippled ship and bodily landed on a small asteroid that readers learned was called `Astera` and populated by six inch tall peoples called the `Asterites`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Asterites looked human enough except for their elongated, pointed heads, which made it awkward for their Emperor who wore a crown! `Astera` was in orbit around Saturn. The Asterites mostly lived inside its honeycombed interior and had progressed to creating quite a civilised society.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Davey was `sort of’ captured by the six inch high Asterite populace who could not be sure whether the unconscious giant might be hostile, or not. As with Gulliver, he was secured to the ground by many ropes. Once he regained consciousness Davey managed to persuade the Asterites that he was friendly and was released.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Asterites then set up an oxygen supply for Davey to keep him alive. He was later joined by space dog, Puff` (whose very limited vocabulary was mostly based on the word “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Boogle!</i>”) who arrived in an egg that had floated on to Astera. Puff was a very friendly creature that resembled a poodle a little, except he had `three ears on top of his head rather like horns! Readers would only find out `Puff’s` world of origin in the `Davey Spacer` strip in the Sparky book dated 1970. Apparently it was “Planet Puffball” occupied by creatures similar to `Puff``. So, why on Earth was he floating in space in an egg then if he had a planet of origin? Oh well! never mind.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anyway, back to the strip itself, and one Asterite who wasn’t at all friendly towards Davey was Rann Cid (I never twigged this name back in 1966) whose factory had been damaged when Davey landed. Rann Cid tried to kill Davey on more than one occasion. He even tried overthrowing the Emperor in order to get his way. Davey and Puff saw him off and he was jailed for life. Davey’s closest friends, apart from Puff, were `Gog` and `Yak` two redoubtable Asterites who Davey helped to construct an Asterian space fleet.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Davey then helped the Asterites when they were invaded by one of `The Raiders from the Rim` ships, the same raiders that Earth forces had been at war with. The `Invaders`, when they alighted from their craft, were three human sized intelligent chicken-like creatures who were more prone to firing their ray guns rather than peaceful contact. The hostile creatures led by their cruel commander Oswan, set about capturing the Asterites. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">These three `Raiders` were soon driven off Astera but their full space fleet was set upon a massive battle with the Earth fleet. The Asterites and their new space ships aided the Earth forces by delivering (undetected as they were so small) limpet bombs to the raiders ships hulls, thereby eliminating the threat. A grateful Earth commander set up an alliance with Astera and towed the asteroid into orbit around the Earth. This first series ran to issue 107, 11<sup>th</sup> February 1967 and was very popular. I certainly enjoyed it a lot.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The strip `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Island from the Past`</i> commenced in late 1966 issue 98, 3<sup>rd</sup> December, it carried onto 18<sup>th</sup> February 1967, issue 109. It was the story of the island of Moa which had somehow reverted to prehistoric times with animals, plants and humans all de-evolved to that period.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(44)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Two modern day children, Hope and Rodney Murdoch became part of an expedition by their Grandfather who had first discovered the island many years before. It seems the island then sank and he only just got off it in time. Now it has `surfaced` all these years later and three generations of the family set out to re-discover it all over again. As luck would have it, they get temporarily shipwrecked there and the strip conveyed their adventures.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It was a most exciting premise for a story. The major drawback to the strip was what I regard as poor artwork that just does not do the story justice. As stated, it ended at issue No 109, 18<sup>th</sup> February 1967.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In the `Peter Piper` strip there was a change of artist through the year. The change was gradual with both original artist and newcomer rotating duties through spring / summer 1966. By late summer 1966 the new man took over full duties on the strip to autumn 1968. I can’t be certain, but I think this new artist was Bill Holroyd (Albert’s Brother) who drew the Peter Piper strip superbly in his tenure on it.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1966 had been certainly been a grim struggle by the comic for sales with two lots of free gift, and new story promotions. Despite such progressive offerings as `Willy the Woeful Wizard` `Klanky` and `Little Davey Spacer`, the comic was still looking somewhat archaic compared to the likes of `Wham` and `Smash` from rivals Odhams, and especially against City publications `T.V 21` offering. Even fellow stable mates `Dandy` and `Beano` seemed more contemporary in comparison. 1967 loomed ahead, would Sparky fare better?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">EVENTS OF 1966.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In Politics the current Government (Labour) won an increased (to 96) majority in the general election held in March. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The terrible Coal slag tip, Aberfan disaster occurred in October 1966, perhaps the most traumatic <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region> disaster of the 1960s. Also harrowing were the details of the notorious “Moors Murders” as the trial of Ian brady and Myra Hidley unfolded.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In sport: <place w:st="on">Liverpool</place> became league champions with Leeds Utd again second. FA cup winners were Everton who beat <place w:st="on">Sheffield</place> Wednesday 3-2 in a thrilling final. Biggest soccer event was that year’s world cup which <country-region w:st="on">England</country-region> won on home soil beating <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">West Germany</country-region></place> 4-2 after extra time.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In formula one, due to new rules on engine litre classification, 1961 champion, Jack Brabham regain the title. Graham Hill won the <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Indianapolis</place></city> 500 in 1966.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(45)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Music: Biggest <country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region> singles seller was by Tom Jones at year’s end with the only <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region></place> million plus seller, “The Green, Green Grass of Home” Biggest selling UK LP was the soundtrack to “The Sound of Music”. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">It was the year when the “Dave Dee” group, “Spencer Davis” outfit, and the “Troggs” dominated the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region></place> singles charts. 1966 was a year of very influential LP releases such as The Beatles “Revolver” the Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” and the first ever rock double, </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Bob Dylan’s “Blond on Blond” set. Sadly October 1966 saw the deaths of Alma Cogan (Cancer) and Johnny Kidd (Car crash).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The Beatles curtailed touring after August that year, though never `officially` announcing they had. It didn’t stop media speculation by the close of 1966 that perhaps the group were no more!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Biggest US selling single was Sgt Barry Sadler’s pro Vietnam “The Ballad of the Green Berets” Biggest selling US LP was the debut eponymous “The Monkees” at over two and a half million sold to years end.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Also in the US towards years end, the word `Psychedelic` began cropping up in connection with experimental pop music, sometimes associated with the drug LSD.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Notable films were, “Dr Zhivago” “A Man for all Seasons” and “Alfie”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Interesting TV offerings were “Thunderbirds” Supernatural anthology “Mystery and Imagination” and the surreal adaptation by Jonathan Millar of “<city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Alice</place></city> in Wonderland”. On a darker note, a play highlighting the plight of the homeless “Cathy Come Home” actually caused questions in Parliament and a change in the laws on accommodation!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region> colour television was introduced from the summer season causing the cancellation of many shows that couldn’t afford to film in colour such as long running western series “Rawhide” and horror spoof “The Munsters” </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In September 1966 on US TV both “The Monkees” and “Star Trek” debuted. Neither were truly high rating’s scorers but became very influential years later.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">November saw the death of popular entertainer, Arthur Haynes from an unexpected heart attack.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div>alanultron5http://www.blogger.com/profile/01460167309889829411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6751806293908033762.post-68682767530653995392012-01-31T06:48:00.000-08:002012-01-31T06:48:30.258-08:00The Sparky Comic 1965 to 1977.First of all folks; here is my `Word` text history of the comic. The first entry is for 1965. Apologies for lack of Pictorial content!<br />
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(1)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 22pt;">THE SPARKY FILE. 23 January 1965 – 23 July1977.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 16pt;">(Or, “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About `Sparky` Comic, But Were Afraid To Ask!”)</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 8pt;"></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm -7.7pt 0pt 0cm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This `Sparky File` will strive to be (I hope!) the most comprehensive guide and review of D.C Thomson’s hither to neglected 1960s – 1970s comic, Sparky.`<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is both a factual guide and a subjective review of the comic and its contents circa 1965-1977.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I now have re stocked a near complete run of the comic to aid me in compiling the `file`. The years 1966 and 1967 were awkward for a while, but I now have a majority of issues from both years, plus my memory, to work on – though there are a couple of minor gaps in both. However, I do like to think that this is, hopefully, the `definitive` guide to the history of Sparky comic- so far.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I have striven to list every issue number and date where a strip begins and ends in the comic, including periods of omission when strips dropped out for weeks, months or even years! Because `Sparky` comic revived so many old characters from past issues of other Thomson titles such as the `Beano` and `Dandy` I have endeavoured to note which publication such characters first appeared in, e.g. `Hungry Horace` first appeared in the first issue of the Dandy` back in<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1937. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hopefully, I have catalogued all `fun pals` who originated in all such titles. I have also supplied names of artists where possible and of the writers, who are far harder to gain details on. This latter data comes via the folks on the `Comics <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region>` site who I have credited at the end of this article. Their help has been invaluable and I thank them fully.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As each fun or adventure strip and character is covered in an initial resume I have put the title in italics: example here using <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hungry Horace</i> once more to demonstrate. Only with the initial coverage will this be done for the readers benefit; other references as normal print. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There will be a brief summary for fun strips and a more detailed synopsis for adventure strips, particularly in the case of the more serious mode of adventure strips. Where fun strips have points of interest, e.g. new characters appearing for short runs in such; or notable episodes as with the `Thingummyblob` strips etc, then these will be noted. Some fun strips such as `<place w:st="on">I.</place> Spy` and `Big Billy Big` ran episodic serials as part of their series. These will be described in more detail.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I aim to provide readers with an informative and comprehensive, as well as entertaining (I hope!) history of Sparky comic, and its assorted strips, both `fun` and `adventure`. Sparky comic has been sadly neglected by many comic historians, </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(2)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">so here’s hoping that the balance can be redressed somewhat. I am informed by those most able folks on the `Comic’s <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region>` site that the comic was set up by the `Boy’s and Girl’s comic department of D. C Thomson rather than the juvenile department which `Dandy, Beano, Topper and Beezer` originated from. I’m not sure what difference that makes, but that is how it originated. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The `file` consists of a year-by-year survey 1965 to 1977, its publication life, followed by a special `events` of each year, Politics, Sport, Music etc. Every years `fun` and `adventure` strips will be highlighted by a short summary of their characters and themes. As stated earlier, some strips, such as `Willy the Woeful Wizard` and `<place w:st="on">I.</place> Spy` for example, due to their serial based format, allow for rather more comprehensive synopsis. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Following the 1965-77 chapters there is a chapter regaling my experiences with the numerous free gifts that I collected when the comic underwent it’s many (nine) revamps, when it was trying to boost it’s none too healthy sales. Of course, there were actually ten separate free gift/ promotion weeks from the comic if you count the comics initial launch with free gifts. That initial launch, isn’t technically a `revamp` though, hence my stating nine.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Finally, there is an appendix section which lists the `adventure & fun` strips in table form an in depth look at the nine `promotions` the comic undertook, and a personal guide to anyone interested in collecting old issues of the comic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As this is also a subjective article I have voiced my opinions, which may appear to some readers perhaps rather strongly about certain `strips` in the comic. These views that I proffer concern I felt was an utter naivety regarding the portrayal of ethnic races along with my views on other issues raised. Hence the `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pause For Thought! </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>spots that appear throughout the file, as well as my views in the main text.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But! These are just my personal views and just because I like or dislike a strip it doesn’t mean said strip `is` actually good or bad, except to me. As far as subjective taste goes I happily accept that other people’s views, even vastly differing ones, on said strips merits are just as viable and every bit as relevant as mine. Hopefully, these `opinions` that I venture won’t mar readers enjoyment of the data provided –too much.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>`</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 26pt;">SPARKY`(</span> </u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">The `Forgotten` comic</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 26pt;">)</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">.</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Now, almost forgotten, apart from those devout fans such as members of the `Comics U.K board (like myself) `Sparky comic, when remembered, is thought of as the `odd-man-out` in the stable of D.C Thomson `fun` comics. The comic had a style rather unique amongst the `Thomson` family of titles aimed at the pre teen’s reader. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic had a different visual look to its strips as many of the artists had not worked on those sisters `fun` papers. The first Editor was Willie (Bill) Mann who had previously helmed `Victor` comic. Sparky comic in its early years carried strips that featured surrealistic themes not seen in the other Thomson stable of comics. There was also a high preponderance of animal themed adventure strips in the first two and a half years of its life. On the whole, it seemed to be aiming at a slightly younger audience (to 1969) than companion papers, `Dandy`, `Beano`, `Topper` or `Beezer`, but a bit older than the` Bimbo` comic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>readership.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Many commentators and fans of the comic give the view that it had a sort of `<city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Alice</place></city> in Wonderland` surrealistic whimsical feel to its early years (1965 to 1967). I would tacitly agree to this viewpoint as the comic certainly seemed to be very out of touch with the era it appeared-the mid 1960s. Certainly by 1967, `Sparky` comic seemed more `old fashioned` than even sister titles `Dandy` `Beano` `Topper` and `Beezer` let alone rival companies titles such as `T.V 21` `Wham` `Pow` and `Smash`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Content: the comic was composed of a mixture of `fun` and `adventure` strips. The `fun` strips which were mostly one page offerings (though there were sometimes two page ones) that were more simply drawn (in comparison with the `adventure strips). The `adventure` strips which were drawn to a higher degree of artwork were almost always two page efforts. The comic also ran two prose/ text (with some illustrations) strips for its first few months.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One aspect of the comic that I never spotted in 1965 but which my Mom pointed out to me was it’s feature of several old `fun` characters and `adventure` strips, albeit in updated format. It was a feature of the comic, reusing old characters from other Thomson titles even as late as the 1969 reshuffle. Only by the 1970’s was the usage of old characters discontinued. Yes! Sparky comic very much became a receptacle for old `fun pals` etc to be revived.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sparky comic was the last of the D. C Thomson big five fun titles to appear on 16th (though cover date was the 23<sup>rd</sup>) January 1965; and the first to founder on 16<sup>th</sup> July 1977. Its twelve year life seems to be poorly recalled by many U.K comics’ aficionados, one example being Graham Kibble White who has sadly got virtually all his factual data incorrect concerning Sparky in the small chapter on it in his book. The `Sparky File` hopefully, will try to do a little better than that.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anyhow, that’s enough introductions, now on with the show!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 26pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(4)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">1965.</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">The new comic is launched. `Hungry Horace` `Keyhole Kate` Dreamy Dave & Dozy Dora` The Moonsters` Etc!</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sparky No 1 entered the market on Friday 16<sup>th</sup> January 1965. The cover date was 23<sup>rd</sup> January; but all U.K comics were dated a week ahead of publication. These `week ahead` dates were for newsagents to know when to take unsold issues (when the date arrived) off the shelves and return them to D.C Thomson for pulping.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sadly, the date of Sparky comic’s first issue turned out to be one of the worst cases of bad timing in a commercial sense. Why? Well, also coming on sale the very same day was City Publications title “T,V 21” It was rather like the Monkees pop group releasing their “Headquarters” LP at the same time as Beatles “Sgt Pepper”. Sparky comic was quite overshadowed by the flashier TV 21 and this inauspicious start did not auger well for its sales. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As well as television advertisements, D.C Thomson also sent out card displays and publicity `fliers` and `solicitation` sheets for newsagents to display, advertising the new comic. Another aid to Sparky’s entry into the marketplace was fellow Thomson titles, `Dandy` and `Beano` issues of 9<sup>th</sup> January 1965, both carrying four page `pink flier` inserts that advertised the new Sparky comic. I had the Dandy one at the time and have recently bought (on E.Bay) the Beano edition with `pink flier`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As stated, `both` comics (Sparky and TV 21) had been advertised just after New Year’s Day 1965 on the telly. The Sparky ad showed scenes of youngsters playing with the free gift, the “Flying Snorter”. This was a yellow balloon with a flattened red coloured air hole which let the air out in sort of controlled way to give a rasping sound! You blew it up, and let if go, and there it went, rasping away till all the air inside was depleted. Sparky No2 gave away the `Big Banger` and No3 the `Red Racketty`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I was only allowed one of either `Sparky` or `TV 21` and though I was a big fan of `Stingray` and `Fireball XL5` etc, I chose `Sparky` (I bet I was in the minority there!) My Mom bought me the new comic (I was nine years of age in early 1965) The “Snorter” was great fun indeed! Wish I’d kept it. Anyhow, this was the start of a long and happy association for me with Sparky comic. In fact, I had purchased (and later bought myself) all but four Sparky’s (and kept them) to about June / July 1971. Oh! How I wish I’d hung on to them to this day as it would have saved me much money in recollecting them in the past two years. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">At a cost of 5d (old pence) it was 2d dearer than Dandy or Beano; but it had a page content of 24 pages instead of 16 as with Dandy, Beano or the A3 sized Topper and Beezer (they were 5d in mid 1960s prices too). Unlike Dandy and Beano, who increased their price (to 4d) in 1968, Sparky stayed at 5d right up to issue 281, 1<sup>st</sup> August 1970 when it increased to 6d. Friday was the day Sparky came out and it stayed Friday until late 1969.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(5)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic was aimed at a slightly younger readership than Dandy or Beano for the first three or so years of its life. Sparky comic never enjoyed the sales of Dandy or Beano; in fact Topper and Beezer seemed to better it here as well. The comic seemed to be the `oddball` of the Thomson output and really struggled to find an identity or a loyal readership.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As I said in the introductory chapter, I didn’t know Sparky had updated many old `fun pals` and conceived new adventures using old characters! My Mom wasn’t pleased with the content, but I begged her to please continue buying it as I was quite happy with it.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By 1967 I was buying the comic (and Dandy, Pow & Smash) with my pocket money. Friday’s was Sparky day and after school, I would have my tea, then I would change out of my school clothes and dash to my local newsagents (With my street clothes on of course) for my Sparky.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The covers (first & last pages) and the middle ones were always in full colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 2, 11, 14 and 23 were always a mix of Red, Black and White. All other pages were in monochrome.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The `Sparky` Logo was curved similar to the `Dandy`. Colours of Logo were the same as Dandy too. The word Sparky was in bright red on a yellow surround. This was complimented by a royal blue background which made it an identical colour scheme to the Dandy.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My early favourites were “Flubberface” (the friendly monster), “Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora” (whose dreams led to wonderfully surreal adventures). I also liked the “Jeff Ye Jolly Jester” strip too! In all, I thoroughly enjoyed my Sparky comic each Friday. After reading, I would store my Sparky along with my Dandy’s and other comics in my wall set clothes store. No sunlight got in, so they were in superb condition.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Along with its contents of some new strips, the comic was certainly a repository for many old Beano, Dandy (and other comics) veteran characters such as `Pansy Potter`, `Keyhole Kate`, `Ma Jolly and her Brolly`, `Hungry Horace`, `Freddie the Fearless Fly`, `Frosty McNab`, `Black Jack the Sweep`, `Stone age Steve`, `Dick Turpentine`, `Peter Piper`, `Hairy Dan` etc. Some of these strips even in early 1965 seemed very old fashioned to me even though they were `updated` versions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of these (in my view) were `Dick Turpentine` and `Hairy Dan` who were drawn by Basil Blackaller and `Stone Age Steve` by Robert MacGillivray; I am afraid that I never took to their style of work in 1965 and viewing today their style of art, I’m afraid it looks so primitive to my eyes.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Titular cover star `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sparky`</i> was a black skinned youngster, who though living in <country-region w:st="on">Britain</country-region> was bizarrely dressed as though he were a tribesman in central <place w:st="on">Africa</place>! He also sported strange antennae like protuberance on his head, which no one to this day can truly discern what on earth it is. In his first adventure (issue No 1) which for just that issue he appeared on the back page; he spoke like the characters in the 1937-44 Dandy strip `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bamboo Town</i>`. For 1965 this was incredibly crass and extremely insensitive. Thankfully `Sparky’s` speech was modified from issue 2 and </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(6)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">thereafter. Had he still spoken in that idiom by 1968 the comic would have surely been in deep trouble.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sparky was initially drawn by Ron Spencer for just a dozen issues, then for the remainder of his tenure to January 25<sup>th</sup> 1969 (issue 210) by Jimmy Glenn. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Seemingly, he lived alone, with no other family members ever appearing in the strip the four plus years that he was in the comic. Early on he was portrayed as a boisterous youngster who got up to the usual mischief that youngsters of his age group would participate in. However, by 1966 Sparky was changed in style in that he was both drawn a little more adult in appearance and `matured` somewhat in his behaviour. Though this was a responsible move in giving role models to readers, it did rather make Sparky a pretty boring character circa 1966 to 1969.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Pause For Thought Spot. </u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The `Sparky` character has probably been one of the more `controversial` cover stars of a comic as seen from today’s viewpoint. He has caused some debate in his years as both `cover` and back page star in the comic regarding his supposed race and colour. Only issue seven gave a hint to this in his treatment, but I can see why he is deemed Non P.C today. Speaking personally, I find two 1970s `L. Cars` episodes were far worse in this respect. The `Comics Britannia` series theorised that many staff at Thomson’s grew up in the era when Britain had an empire and celebrated `Empire Day` thus, many on the comic could not help in seeing foreigners as `inferior` to the British. I could; and do to some extent, understand this mind-set up to the mid 1960s; but by the 1970s I can see no excuses for comics still having such an ignorant outlook as I see it.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 26pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace` and `Keyhole Kate` were drawn by George Drysdale who would sadly pass away in 1967. George also drew the `Me and my Grockle` strip in 1966/67. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Hungry Horace</i>` had first appeared back in the `Dandy` in the late 1930s. The premise was simple in that Horace was a lad with a tremendous appetite and his efforts and ploys to feed his ever voracious appetite was basically the theme of the strip. Of course, back in the 1930s children going hungry were something readers could readily identify with. In the 1960s and 70s version, Horace was just a very greedy young lad. Most of his adventures stemmed from ever unsuccessful attempts by his Mom and Dad to somehow curtail his gluttony. How the strip lasted to the comic’s finale beats me, but it did becoming the only strip (bar a few omissions-see Appendix 1) to last from first to final `Sparky` issue.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who also began life back in the 1930s `Dandy` comic was out of date even back in 1965. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in the 1930s large keyholes that one could peer through were pretty common, but by the mid 1960s they were mostly replaced by the Yale lock. This meant that I could not understand how anyone could look </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(7)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">through keyholes of front doors as on the estate where I lived they all had Yale locks. That’s the only sort of keyholes there were, and I guess other 1960s children were similarly puzzled as to how Kate could peer through keyholes.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One aspect of Kate’s life also puzzled me greatly was that she lived with her Uncle, who was only known as “Uncle” in the strip and his son `Cuthbert`, Kate’s cousin. Where were her Mom and Dad? Maybe the answer lies in the origins of the strip back in the 1930s `Dandy` but I just don’t know.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anyhow, Kate’s Uncle, and Cuthbert were forever trying to cure Kate of her peeping habit, with `Uncle` quite often giving Kate a dose of his cane. I didn’t find that part of the strip at all funny; thankfully by the 1970s Kate’s caning scenes were phased out. Another bizarre side to the strip which sometimes occurred when George Drysdale was drawing it was those certain occasions when Kate interacted </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">with the artist, often bemoaning her luck and demanding the artist drew better scenarios for her. These `instances` was a rare case of breaking the `fourth wall` in a comic strip which in my reading enjoyment rather ruined the strip for me when this happened.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">With what I saw as a pretty confined and unlikely premise for a strip I am similarly amazed the `Keyhole Kate` strip lasted as long as it did in the comic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Another `reborn` character was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Freddy the Fearless Fly</i>` who too had first appeared in the 1930s `Dandy`. In the `Sparky` revival he was drawn superbly by </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Albert Holroyd. Freddie’s adventures saw him evading his enemy `Snider the Spider` and fellows like `Melvin the Mosquito` and `Harry Horsefly` Freddie only lasted into 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thankfully, some new strips such as `Flubberface` and the `Moonsters` were also included. The wonderfully surreal `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` which occupied the middle two pages (in colour) was perhaps the best of the early strips. `Flubberface` and `Jeff Ye Jolly Jester` were drawn by Bob Webster. He would also draw strips `The Slowdown Express`, `Fireman Fred` and from 1966, the Pansy Potter` strip, taking over from Bill Hill who had drawn her from 1965. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Flubberface</i>` I think was based on a short lived 1938 `Dandy` fun strip called `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flippy the Sea Serpent</i>`. `Flubberface` though only lived in a lake (though he could visit the coast as well) he was about 40 foot long and most friendly indeed! He did try to keep himself out of sight from adults, but happily aided any young children, or other persons, if they were in any sort of trouble. Though I never noticed it at the time, the strip did make some very poignant ecological points when humans would sometimes `pollute` Flubberface’s environment. In that sense, it was a most forward looking strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Frosty McNab`,</i> (an old Beano character<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">)`Black Jack</i>`, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Stone Age Steve`</i> all vanished by issue eight, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Dick Turpentine</i>` last rode out in issue 12,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Ma Jolly`</i> (an old Dandy character) ended at issue 17 and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Hairy Dan</i>` (also an old Beano strip) to issue 29. In my estimation, these strips were not very interesting; though I do recall enjoying the `Dick Turpentine` effort quite a bit.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(8)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Joe Bann and his Big Banjo”</i> as drawn by Bob Webster, was the wild west adventures of, Joe Bann and his horse, who he called “Hoss” back in the days of the old west. Joe was an amiable fellow who carried a large banjo as he liked a bit of music. Joe’s banjo was of great help to him on those all too frequent </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">occasions when he encountered, `rustlers` `hustlers` `bushwhackers`, hostile red Indians (or “Injuns” as Joe called them) plus the odd wild animal, cougars, bull’s etc. Yes! Joe’s banjo had a multiple of uses, some of which were actually pretty unbelievable really. I can’t say I really rate it too highly, but it wasn’t too bad a strip in my estimation, just not very memorable.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Jeff Ye Jolly Jester”</i> who I think was also drawn by Bob Webster, lived in medieval times in a society that somehow acquired television, helicopters, cars etc!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very daft, but enjoyable. Jeff was a quick witted fellow who dealt with crooks, witches, bullies by using his wits.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic had a letters page titled “Write to Sparky” and also a puzzles and conundrums page.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The first two years plus of the comics life saw the unusual mode of `strip rotation` which meant that fun strips such as `Flubberface` `Minnie Ha-Ha`,`Joe Bann` `Freddie the Fearless Fly` `Hockey Hannah` and `Jeff Ye Jolly Jester` were taking turns to appear. No wonder the comic struggled early on as it was difficult to get readership identification with characters if they didn’t appear every week! In fact, this bizarre practice was still in operation in late 1967-early 1968, rotating the `Pansy Potter` and `Tom Tardy` strips.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The only fun strips not put into rotation were `Sparky`, `Winnie the Witch`,`The Moonsters`, `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora`, `Hungry Horace` `Cuckoo in the Clock` and `Keyhole Kate`; These were the only regular continuing weekly fun strips in the comics early years.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New fun strip, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`The Moonsters</i>` began in issue No2. Readers get to see that Penny and Peter Pleasant are about to land on the Moon. The reason for this strange state of affairs was that Peter had pressed a button when they were visiting an exhibition of space rockets; this one being seemingly full of fuel and able to fly and land itself safely on the lunar surface. If only the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">USA</place></country-region> knew of such a British rocket!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anyhow, Penny and Peter were greeted by the very friendly green skinned `Moonsters` once they disembarked and settled down to a fun filled life on the Moon.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The `Moonsters` strip was in the style of the early <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beano comic fun strip, the `Bash St Kids` when that strip was titled `When the Bell Rings` circa 1954. Similar to the `<city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Bell</place></city> Rings` strip, the Moonsters had one or two (sometimes none) small panels leading to one large panel featuring several of the Moonsters trying vainly to achieve that weeks subject. It soon became obvious this Moon had oceans, forests, and many other similarities to Earth. Until the late 60s `space- race` this lack of scientific accuracy didn’t matter much. It was drawn by Bill Ritchie.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(9)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Other `fun` strips were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Minnie Ha-Ha, and Running Kick</i>`, her pet talking Raven` the fun adventures of a young Red Indian squaw and her talkative pet. It is believed this strip was a French import with new English dialogue, though I can’t be certain of this. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Then there was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock`</i> which, like `The Moonsters` began in issue No 2 and was drawn by one of two female artists on the comic, Laura Gold (Pamela Chapeau was the other on `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora`) This was about a wooden, but living clock cuckoo who would often leave his clock to get up to mischief. He lived with a family, Father, Mother and the two children. Cuckoo had two nemeses, the neighbour’s cat that often caused Cuckoo some hard times, and the children’s nasty cousin Cedric who Cuckoo always thwarted.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">No one was supposed to know that Cuckoo was alive, though Mom did see him flying on one occasion. This was explained to her that she was obviously `seeing </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">things` as you do! Cuckoo also often had `run –in’s with real birds, and once, a live cuckoo laid an egg in his box to the families amazement! It was a lovely `fairy-tale` style strip which I enjoyed very much indeed.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Hockey Hannah`</i> The fun adventures of a schoolgirl and her hockey stick. It wasn’t a very inventive strip which centred on Hannah’s stick. Sometimes it was a help to her, other times it got her into trouble. It now looks very dull stuff indeed and I must admit that I barely recall it at all from when I first read it. The strip was drawn by Andy Tew. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One character who I do recall when making his debut in issue, No 3 was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Peter</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Piper`</i>. The strip began with Peter taking a stroll in a park. Suddenly two bullies began picking on him (a regular hazard for `fun` characters). A nearby statue of Pan came to life and scared the bullies away (never?). Pan then gifted Peter his set of pipes. He told him they would bring any icon to life; be it statue, sculpture or any drawing if he blew the pipes at them. This done, Pan popped back on his plinth and became a statue once more (sans pipes). Only years later did I find out that Peter Piper was an old 1920s`Magic` comic character. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am afraid I still haven’t discovered the identity of the first Sparky `Peter Piper` artist who penned the strip to early 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yet another old two characters updated were `Pansy Potter` the strongman’s daughter and `Nosey Parker` (both drawn by Bill Hill), an interfering old busybody. They often shared one page split between them. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Nosey Parker</i>` who first appeared in the 1920s in the `Rover` was forever sticking his nose into other peoples business to his own detriment. He never seemed to learn. One nasty aspect of this strip was when `Nosey` tried to do genuine good deeds, e.g., picking up litter, and suffered for his pains. Not a good concept to present to readers at all in my view. He departed after issue 29, 7<sup>th</sup> August 1965 for over a year till issue 83, 20<sup>th</sup> August 1966; but Pansy Potter stayed as one of the `rotated` strips to early 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Pansy Potter</i>` who began life in the late 1930s in the Beano was strong due to being a strongman’s daughter-but, very oddly, in later episodes, she proved to be superhumanly strong whereas her dad was just moderately so! Pansy’s last </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(10)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">appearance before her `resurrection` in `Sparky` was in the 1960 Beano book, sporting her old `spiky top` hairstyle. For a few years, to August 1969, she sported a small `exclamation mark` style on her forehead before reverting back to her `spiked` look in mid 1969.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Now; here is an example of a very early `Sparky` line-up, in fact it is issue No1 itself!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPARKY No 1. (23 January 1965, 5d)</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This displays it is the first issue along with a picture of the free gift inside, the `Flying Snorter`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo` The comic adventures of Cowboy Joe Bann and his all-purpose Banjo! (This page in Red, Black & White)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate` I had no idea, that Kate was an old character, now updated.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Young Castaways` This lovely adventure story concerned two babies from a shipwreck who were raised by friendly occupants of a <place w:st="on">South Seas</place> island. Drawn by the artist (Tony Speer) who would later sketch Invisible Dick`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Jeff Ye Jolly Jester ` The comic adventures of medieval Jester, Jeff.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hockey Hannah` The comic adventures of a schoolgirl and her hockey stick. This is one strip I have virtually no recollection of at all!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 &9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tusky` Adventure strip, light hearted, which was about a young Elephant and his life in the jungle of south <place w:st="on">Asia</place>. The Sparky comic had a real taste for animal based stories in its early years.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace` This was the only strip to be ever present from Sparky No 1, to 652 (final issue). At the time I had no idea he was an old Dandy character.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top half, `Free gift` next week, the `Big Bang`. Bottom half, “Write to Sparky” and win a transistor radio.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` One of my favourites; I loved the early adventures which could get really surreal. Unlike later stories, the early ones did not often ` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(11)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">turn into nightmares. In their first adventure they stop a feud between the `thinnies` and the `fatties` by cooking a meal both can enjoy. (In full colour)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14 </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Minnie Ha-Ha, and `Running Kick` her Talking Raven` French import which displays the comic adventures of a young Red Indian Squaw, and her pet `talking` Raven; `Running Kick`. (In B/W & Red.)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles` As it says, a page full of puzzles. Maze, spot the difference, etc.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Kidnapped Kidds` A very strong (for 1965) story of two children who witness a train robbery and are subsequently held captive by the crooks. This was pretty gutsy stuff for Sparky! Gang leader Gus is not averse to physical violence to children or of holding his gun to their heads. I have no idea; but I would not be surprised if parents complained about this strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18, 19 and top half of 20,`The Palace of Secrets` This was a text story, along with a few illustrations, concerning the adventures of young Mary at the palace of Kra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story is definitely aimed at female readers.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 20 Bottom half</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Nosey Parker` Yet another old character revived, this time from 1920s `Rover` comic. `Nosey Parker` is a `busybody` who cannot leave things, or people alone. He nearly always gets the worse end of his actions. Unfortunately, on the odd occasion </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nosey tries to do genuine good, he also got clobbered. Not a good message to send out to young readers I say!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Flubberface` Here we have the adventures of a large, but friendly lake dwelling beast. This was one of my early favourites from the comic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Freddy the Fearless Fly` Yet another rejuvenated old character put out to see if there was more life in. Again, I had no idea he was an old character until my Mother stated so. Freddie was drawn by Albert Holroyd who was a very gifted artist. This helped the strip a lot I think.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top third `Dick Turpentine` The hopeless highwayman. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Middle third `Stone Age Steve` The comic adventures of a caveman.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bottom third `Hairy Dan` “Dan’s hairy chin will make you grin” crowed the caption; not me it didn’t! These three strips were drawn by artists who had been at Thomsons for many a long year; and goodness me, it showed. They were very dated strips in look indeed. Only the `Dick Turpentine` strip ever raised a chuckle with me. Page 23 was drawn in black, red and white).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(12)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky` here we have the title character of the comic. Sparky was a young black boy living in the U.K but dressed as though still in darkest <place w:st="on">Africa</place>! This first adventure saw Sparky delivering meats etc for a butcher. Amazingly, his dialogue was similar to the 1930s, 40s `<place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Bamboo</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Town</placetype></place>` strip with “Ma” instead of “My” and “Am” instead of “Is”. Thankfully, someone saw sense at the comic and this `cod` language was dropped after this outing. The strip would transfer to the cover page from next week.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The bottom two inches of page 24 saw a three picture preview of next week’s new `fun pals` `Pansy Potter`, `The Moonsters` and `Cuckoo in the Clock`. All page 24 in colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A very varied comic indeed; I had no idea that some strips were updated adventures of old characters. The `Kidnapped Kidds` was very strong stuff for a `fun` comic. The text story was for girls only in my view which was rather narrow- minded of me back then. I looked forward to next Friday’s comic.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Young Castaways`</i> strip is etched in my memory. It ran from the first issue to No 16, dated 8<sup>th</sup> May. The story featured on two babies who barely survived the sinking of the yacht their mother and father seemingly perished on. The babies were washed up on the Indian Ocean <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">island</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Akavu</placename></place>. They were found by the friendly natives who took care of them. The native leader, Queen Lemba, had worked as a nurse in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Australia</country-region></place> and had after some years had returned to the island she was born on.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Queen taught the babies as they grew to children, English and gave them the names Mark and Marina. The youngsters believed their parents must be dead as did the Queen who looked after them as best as she could.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mark and Mary had many adventures on the island. One day Mary was badly injured by a falling tree and though Lemba had some medical knowledge, she knew that a surgeon must operate on the child to save her. The island was often visited by a plane from nearby <country-region w:st="on">Australia</country-region> and a message was relayed regarding <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Marina</place></city>’s condition. A surgeon, Mr Maxwell, agreed to fly to the island.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Amazingly, the surgeon turned out to be the Childs father! Both he and their mother had survived and both had believed their children had drowned. It all ended happily with Mark and <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Marina</place></city> finding out their real name was Charles and Mary Maxwell. The strip was drawn very ably by Tony Speer. He would later draw the very long running, and (to me) repetitive `Invisible Dick` strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Now; running from issue No 1 to No 15, 1<sup>st</sup> May 1965, was a story that was anything but `fey` or `twee` (to belie Graham Kibble’s claims). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`The Kidnapped</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kidds`</i> saw two children John and Mary Kidd, witness a train robbery. They are caught by the husband and wife leaders of the gang, Gus and Betty.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gus in particular is a very nasty piece of work. In episode seven he hits young John severely across the face. The tenth episode has the very harrowing sight of Gus walloping John with his trouser belt, a scene no fun comic today would dare </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(13)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">display. This was no `Dennis the Menace` type spanking, it was graphic child abuse! Gus also holds the gun to the children’s head on more than one occasion. The final time he did this in issue 15 when the police have them cornered, Betty comes to her senses and knocks his arm away and the children are then rescued.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It was a very hard hitting strip which was drawn by artist David Ogilvie who succeeded admirably in giving Gus a very cruel look indeed. Had this story been mooted for inclusion a few months later it may not have been accepted for publication due to the real life horrors of Ian Brady and <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Myra</city></place> Hindley.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As it was, it still stands today as the most harrowing adventure strip in the comic’s history, in fact, this strip is probably the most `harrowing` piece ever in a `fun` comic. It really is a dark and shocking offering indeed! Nothing like it was ever attempted again and I think that maybe concerned parents wrote to the editor about the content and the fact of the `Moors Murders` hitting the headlines just after publication of the story must have given D.C Thomson pause for thought.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But now; let us take a look at the line up of issue No 2.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>SPARKY No 2, (30 January 1965, 5d)</u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Cover) Heading “Free Inside `Big Banger` (it was one of those `Crack-Bang` efforts which the brown paper always split after about three `bangs`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sparky clears the snow with his Vacuum cleaner, hitting a policeman with a burst of cleared snow. (Full Colour)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate. ` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Young Castaways` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo In The Clock` Comic adventures of a wooden, but living, Cuckoo. A beautifully weird premise this, with `Cuckoo` keeping the secret that he was alive from his owners.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hockey Hannah` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tuskey` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(14)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace. ` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adverts for next weeks free gift, the `Red Racketty` and for a choice of Ten shilling postal order or a transistor radio if readers wrote to the comic and letter was published. B/W & Red.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dreamy Dave and Dozy DoraThis issue sets Dave and Dora to rescue the children of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Hamlin</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Town</placetype></place>. In full colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Minnie Ha-Ha`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Page 15 `Sparky’s puzzles` </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Kidnapped Kidds` The Kidds woes continue as they are still in the captivity of the cruel `Gus` and his gang.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18 & 19 and top half of 20, `The <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Palace</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Secrets</placename></place>`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 20, bottom half, the Editor and the rest of the Sparky staff introduce Pansy Potter to the readers, stating she will begin her adventures from next week’s issue. I think this was possibly the best of the `reactivated` old characters, especially once Bob Webster took over drawing the strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Jeff Ye Jolly Jester `. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Freddie the Fearless Fly.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top third, `Frosty McNab` A sort of `Jack Frost` character.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Middle third, `Grandma Jolly and her Brolly`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bottom third, `Black-Jack` Chimney Sweep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could tell these were old characters because, though the stories were contemporary, they were drawn in 1940s style. Even to me then, they looked terribly old fashioned. It was a strange move by the staff and `Frosty` and `Black-Jack` departed very quickly. (Black, Red and White).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters`. In issue No2 Penny and Peter Pleasant are about to land on the Moon. Peter had pressed a button while he and Sister Penny were exploring at the Rocket Ship exhibition (as you do). They land safely and are greeted by little green `Moonster` people who lay on a big feast for their Earth visitors. Note! One of the Moonsters has pointed `Spock-like` ears. This was not apparent in later adventures.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(15)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The final three inches of page 24 consisted of adverts for next weeks new pal `Peter Piper`. Also, the comic asks “Have you written to Sparky Yet?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All page 24 in full colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A possibly controversial (by today’s standards) front cover story was issue No 7 dated 6<sup>th</sup> March, Page 1. Cover star `Sparky` gets pushed into vats of coloured paint (for snooping) Police can’t scrub all the colours off, so they paint the rest of him with black paint!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a comic did that storyline today, there is a chance they might get into serious trouble. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There certainly was a surfeit of animal based strips in the comics early years. Some were humorous such as `Wee Tusky` (young Burmese elephant), `Kipper feet` (young walrus) both drawn by Jack Monk, and `McGinty’s Goat` (regimental mascot) drawn by Bob Webster. Others were more serious in tone such as `Watch` who was a <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Newfoundland</place></state> rescue dog, and `Rory` the horse of many masters. There were fifteen of these animal themed stories from the comics inception to September 1967, which is what I would term, a very bad case of `overkill`!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Wee Tusky`</i> (which was an old `Dandy` strip originally) ran from issue No 1 to No 22, 19<sup>th</sup> June 1965. It relayed the `fun` adventures of a young Burmese elephant. Wee Tusky had a higher I.Q than many humans if any of the `adventures` are to be believed! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the conclusion of the first series, Tusky was captured by a hunter looking for animals for his circus. Tusky was replaced, in issue No 23 by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Kipper</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Feet`</i> who had originated in the `Wizard` in the 1930s I believe. He was a young walrus, and it was basically the same style of nonsense. Both strips were drawn by the same artist, Jack Monk.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Kipper Feet` left for good on issue No 34, 11<sup>th</sup> September, being replaced by another stint of `Wee Tusky`. This time the adventures of the small but highly intelligent pachyderm were set in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Britain</country-region></place> as Tusky travelled with his kindly owner’s circus. The second series of `Tusky` only lasted eight issues to No 42 dated 6<sup>th</sup> November 1965.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The far more serious minded strip <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Watch`</i> drawn by George Radcliffe which concerned the adventures of a Newfoundland rescue dog at a 19<sup>th</sup> Century fishing community, stands up far better today. It had many well executed storylines and is enjoyable to me on current reading. The family `Watch` stayed with were cousins of Lighthouse keeper Mr Darling and his daughter Grace. Some episodes featured brave sea rescues by Watch as the heavy storms wrecked shipping. It ran from issue No 16, 8<sup>th</sup> May, to No 35, 18<sup>th</sup> September 1965.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic also had a text strip <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`The <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Palace</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Secrets</placename></place></i>` from its first issue to No 14, 24<sup>th</sup> April. It was most certainly aimed at girl readers. Briefly, it was set in the Middle Ages at a European court in a land called `Kravia`. The Queen was too shy to meet her subjects (as can happen!). Young gypsy girl, Mary is found to be a near identical double to the Queen and is persuaded to take her place until the Queen can conquer her fears.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(16)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unknown to Queen and Mary, certain courtiers are set on assassinating the Queen which puts Mary’s life in danger as they do not know it is actually Mary they are targeting. It all ended happily with the villains foiled, the Queen regaining her confidence and Mary `adopted` by Queen and court, and falling in love. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Replacing this text story in issue No 15, 1<sup>st</sup> May 1965, was another text story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Will</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">O` the Well`.</i> This was a bizarre effort about a pixie like boy who lived at the bottom of a wishing well (and never got wet!); who granted wishes to whoever threw coins into the well and made a wish. Will spent all money `earned` on ice lollies. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Those wishing unselfishly on behalf of others fared best, while those wishing with selfish or cruel intentions got their wish; but in a manner that taught them a lesson. It was a very inventive series and an early favourite of mine. Will was certainly no ordinary boy, for example in one story when he was asked (by the local school teacher) if he should be at school. After assuring the man he `was` past leaving age Will reflected to himself ironically that if the teacher (Mr Gregg) knew that Will was over 100 years old it would astound him.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Will had magical powers to make events happen, to appear and disappear as he wished; and in one of the 1966 picture strip series, he could outrun a speeding car. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">So, it’s no real surprise that his being able to live underwater would not be much of a problem for him!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I was sad to see the text stories of `Will` end at issue 25, 10<sup>th</sup> July as it helped my reading ability and made me use my imagination to great effect. `Will` did return in comic strip form from No 53, 22<sup>nd</sup> January 1966, but that wasn’t as successful as the text story as the text leant to the imagination being used. The cartoon version only lasted to issue 59, 5<sup>th</sup> March 1966, a mere seven issues.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yet another comedy based animal strip was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`McGinty the Goat`</i> drawn by Bob Webster who also drew the `Joe Bann` fun strip. This strip was the fun adventures of a very aggressive Army regimental mascot. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wins my nomination as possibly the worst animal styled story in the comic’s history. For me, it stays in my memory as it was just so poor: not just back in 1965 but even more so on viewing it today. It ran from issue No 17, 15<sup>th</sup> May, to issue 29, 7<sup>th</sup> August 1965, fifteen issues.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Now, let us take another look at a 1965 line up; this time from issue No 20.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPARKY No 20, (5<sup>th</sup> June 1965, 5d)</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky` joins a brass band.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Joe Bann and his Big Banjo`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(17)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Watch` The Victorian period adventures of a <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Newfoundland</place></state> rescue dog and the fishing community he worked for. One of the more serious animal based stories in Sparky and quite a good effort indeed.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hockey Hannah`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Freddie, the Fearless Fly`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`McGinty the Goat` The fun adventures of a regimental mascot. For me, this was one of the worst examples of how very poor many of the `fun` animal stories in the comic were.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` This week the twins meet a king who never smiles.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top half, `Pansy Potter` Bottom half, `Nosey Parker`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Write to Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tusky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18, 19 & top 2/3 of page 20</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Will O’ the Well` Delightfully inventive text strip about a strange elf-like boy who lives in a well and grants wishes to whosoever throws coins into the well and makes a wish.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 20 Bottom 1/3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hairy Dan` Another updated old character. Unbelievably old-fashioned stuff.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Jeff Ye Jolly Jester`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Minnie-Ha-Ha! And her talking Raven`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(18)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic also gave readers two sci-fi, alien invasion adventures in 1965. The first titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Raiders from the Red Planet</i>` was rather something of a `blink and you’ll miss it` affair commencing in issue 30 (14 August 1965) to issue 34 (11 September) lasting just five episodes. It was in black and white and drawn by the artist who drew the current (1965) `Peter Piper` strip. The `Martians` themselves, looked identical to humans in every way (except for their space suits).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The story started by stating that the planet Mars had veered in its orbit and it was now close enough to Earth that it could<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be seen with the naked eye during daylight hours (A scientific nonsense as Mars could never get anywhere as close to Earth in natural terms). Soon, saucers from Mars arrived on Earth, in particular the stretch of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">England</place></country-region> where the story was set (what about invading the rest of the planet?) The occupants of the craft were shown to be none too friendly indeed.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">These Martians were armed with `gas` guns that could immobilise. They also set up parabolic shaped devices that operated as `heat` rays. Thankfully for the human race, the Martians were susceptible to the common cold, so that as in “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War of the Worlds”;</i> mankind’s saviour was a microbe. The story, though </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">interesting to some extent, was sadly, very rushed, not too well drawn (in my opinion) and made no real sense at all when given some thought by the reader. It was nice that the comic tried this style of story, but this short-lived effort was rather a failure in my opinion. There would very soon be a second `sci-fi invasion` strip; one which would last rather longer and in quality terms, of more depth.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In issue 35 (11 September 1965) the far better <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`The Year of the Vanaks</i>` appeared in colour on the middle pages (bumping Dreamy Dave and Dora to black and white).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The strip looked like it could be a reprint from an earlier Thomson comic as it has a 1950s look to it. It was though, I am informed a current production. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The story rather surprisingly opens with Earth already invaded by the aliens; these called `Vanaks`. Readers were told that a new planet called `Vana` had been discovered by astronomers and soon a Russian manned space shot was sent to investigate. Once on the planet no more was heard from the Russian team. Then, very quickly and before nuclear weapons could be utilised, the Earth- or most of it- was invaded by creatures from Vana in their space crafts. Why the whole planet was never conquered (the Vanaks could easily have achieved this given the weapons they possessed) was never made clear to readers which was a bad error I thought. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There were three different classes of Vanak creatures. The humanoid types were small (about four foot) fellows who were bright purple and possessed large bulbous (and bald) heads with pointed ears. Their robotic counterparts were cylinder like creations, also around four feet in height. These were red, blue or black depending on rank. Some of the cylindrical fellows had the facility to hover above the ground. The third, rarely seen Vanaks were large cumbersome humanoid shaped Robot </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(19)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">types, crimson in colour. These `third` Vanak types were the very highest ranking of their kind and only appeared when ever a `crisis` occurred. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Vanaks were armed with weapons that fired either green paralyzing rays or red death beams. The strip never disclosed whether they possessed heavier weapons. As stated, they occupied large tracts of the planet, but seemed to concentrate most of their forces in the U.K!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The world seemed enslaved; however, a resistance movement gathered itself together and slowly the Vanaks weaknesses were uncovered. They could be immobilised themselves if their green rays were transmitted at a slightly higher frequency. This was achieved by humanity by turning a Vanak world link-up television broadcast against them.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Earlier, it had been discovered that the aliens were very susceptible to wasp stings, dying in seconds on receiving stings. The humans then concocted formic acid devices (Wasp stings are basically formic acid) to use against them. Rather unnecessarily, a fatal Vanak susceptibility to shrill whistles was also added to the mixture which really did stretch credibility just a bit too far. Despite such flaws it was still an entertaining strip which ran to issue 56 (12 February 1966).</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 25, July 10<sup>th</sup> 1965 saw the addition to the comic of `fun` strips Winnie the Witch` and `The Slowdown Express` `Winnie` became a weekly regular while<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>`Slowdown` went into the rota system after issue 65 in 1966. There was also a new `adventure` strip that issue too, `Riddle of the Roughlands`. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Issue 25 was the only occasion that more than two new strips were introduced (this case, three) outside of `free gift overhauls`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Slowdown Express</i>` fun strip, drawn by Bob Webster was a bit of an anachronism in that it was strange that the comic run a strip about a steam train service just as they were ending in real life. It was a frantic affair which featured the most accident prone train and crew in railway history; had it ever been privatised, they would have gone bankrupt in a week.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Winnie the Witch`</i> featured the fun adventures of a novice witch. Sometimes Winnie would play mischievous tricks on humans, which mostly backfired on her due to her inability to control her `magic` properly. The same result applied when she tried to be helpful! Winnie would often fall foul of her boss, titled the Chief Witch in her adventures. Sadly, the artwork on this strip wasn’t very eye catching to me at all. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As mentioned earlier, issue No 25 dated 10<sup>th</sup> July 1965 also saw the debut of the Enid Blyton styled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Riddle of the Roughlands`.</i> This story featured youngsters Frank and Pat Freeman who encounter smugglers while on holiday on a area called the `Roughlands`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">They also encounter a young lady that they think is part of the gang, but it turns out that she is an undercover policewoman who later rescues the children and their dog `Nip` after they are caught and tied up by the gang of smugglers. With her help, the villains are captured in issue No 34, 11<sup>th</sup> September. It was quite </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(20)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">enjoyable fare which would very much appeal to younger readers. The strip was very ably drawn indeed; sadly, I don’t know the identity of the artist involved.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The following week of 17<sup>th</sup> July, issue 26, there commenced an adventure strip that mixed education with adventure. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Lonely Wood`</i> featured youngsters Dick and Cherry Grainger who helped their father who was a warden for a nature reserve called `Lonely Wood`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The strip often gave many interesting details on wildlife and flora and fauna of the region. I learned many interesting facets of the natural woodland from this strip. It was actually a three page strip except for the final episode of the first series, which marks it as unique in Sparky comic `adventure` strips which were two page affairs except for when the odd three page episode popped up in some of these. The only other strip to have a constant three page run similar to this was the `fun` strip `<place w:st="on">I.</place> Spy` which enjoyed a continuous three page run through 1970-71.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora</i>` fun strip which inhabited the two centre colour pages through September 1965 produced some of the best and innovative </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">surreal stories I have ever seen in any comic. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the early and most surrealistic stories were drawn by Pam Chapau. As with the characters in the </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1935 film “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peter Ibbotson</i>” Dave and Dora` would always experience each others dreams. An example of how inventive this format could be is the example from issue No 30 (14<sup>th</sup> August 1965)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dave and Dora are in their beds trying to sleep, but they just cannot nod off. They imagine sheep, and lo and behold a flock of sheep appear in their bedroom. They have to imagine up a shepherd to remove the sheep. They realise that whatever they think of will appear so they think up an elephant.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It fills their bedroom so they `think` it smaller and then into a porcelain figure. Enjoying this power of thought, they then think themselves onto the seaside. However! All the people on the beach laugh at them as they are still in their pyjamas. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Upset at this derision Dave and Dora think everyone away. Now finding themselves alone on the beach they don’t care for it and Dora wonders if it will rain. It then does to Dave’s chagrin. Dave wishes they were back in their beds and so they are-but! They are both in their beds on the beach with rain falling on them. Before anything else happens they are being woken up by their Mother who tells them it is time for school. Dave and Dora realise they had been dreaming about `not` being able to sleep all along.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Other themes in the strip were trips by rocket to the centre of the earth. Adventures at the end of a rainbow, trip in a time machine. Visits to the places where time and weather are made. There were also trips to a reverse `Topsy-Turvey` world, to the land of lost children and other strange dimensions. Another bizarre adventure from 1966, saw Dave and Dora travel to the Sparky office, meeting many fellow comic characters on the way, to help `Sparky` himself in preparing next weeks comic; delightful!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(21)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sometimes Dave and Dora realised that they were dreaming and would actually control the dream their selves. On a couple of occasions they found themselves actually part of another characters dream which was rather bizarre. One truly surreal adaptation of dreams within dreams was a 1967 adventure where both Dave and Dora were given the task of entertaining an audience of uninvited people to their house with varied dreams as entertainment similar to a cinema show. This acknowledgment of them knowingly dreaming within a dream was a very cerebral turn for the strip to take-but it stands the test of time superbly.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Storylines such as these made this strip a truly captivating read and one of the early successes from Sparky comic. I loved the more surrealistic plots very much indeed. Other artists took turns in drawing the strip in rotating order through 1966 to 68; these were James Malcolm, George Ramsbottom, Ian Makay, Ian Judge and more entries from Pam Chapau.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Despite serving up such interesting offerings (to me at least!) the comic was struggling sales wise. By late 1965 sales were obviously sluggish so the first of </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">many promotions for the comic took place. Thomson’s paid for some television advertising and sent out solicitation leaflets and display cards to newsagents to publicize this, the first of nine free gift promotions by the comic, 1965 to 1974. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There were also `pink fliers` in the `Dandy` and `Beano` comics as well as one in Sparky issue No 34 highlighting the promotion.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This first revamp would turn out to be pretty comprehensive, it was the third largest overhaul in the comic’s history (only the 1967 and 1969 changes would be more extensive) changing five `adventure` strips, four in issue 35, the other in No 36. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPARKY No 35 (18 September 1965, 5d)</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This issue saw something of quite a hefty `re-vamp` to the comic. Issue 35 also gave the first Logo change. It was the colour red in the word Sparky, which now changed place with the yellow surround. Hence, Sparky in yellow on a red surround. The blue background stayed the same though. The `Sparky` character strip and `The Moonsters` swapped front and back cover places from this issue up to issue 140. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The comic gave away a free gift; the `Squeezy Wheezy` balloon.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 1</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Moonsters`. They swapped places with the `Sparky` character, who now took over the back page. The Moonsters decide to make a film.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 2</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Keyhole Kate`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 3</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Peter Piper`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(22)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 4 & 5</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`New Story`. `Gilpin, the Lost, Lost Boy`. A strange offering this! Set in the 16<sup>th</sup> century, it concerned the adventures of a `sprite` (Gilpin) who had a spell placed upon him (by whom it was never revealed) that compelled him to become the servant of the first mortal he met. Gilpin looked human except for his large eyes. He possessed some magical powers to help him in his tasks. He finally achieved his aims and was no longer `lost` which is more than can be said for many a puzzled young reader of this strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 6</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Hungry Horace`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 7</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Winnie the Witch`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 8 & 9</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tusky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 10</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Write To Sparky`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 11</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top two thirds are an advert for next week’s free gift, the `Spin Din` (illustrated). The bottom third of the page showcases both this weeks new stories `The Year of the Vanaks` and `Gilpin, the lost boy`, with a panel from next weeks adventures in both.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 12 & 13</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>`New story`, `The Year of the Vanaks`. This was another space invasion, but in a much more serious mode. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In full colour, we see an advance guard of crimson robots who prepare the earth populace for the arrival of their masters; the Vanaks. These turn out to be about four foot tall with large bulbous heads. They are bright purple in colour.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 14</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Cuckoo in the Clock`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 15</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Sparky’s Puzzles`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 16 & 17</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Watch` This was the final episode.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 18 & 19</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`New story`, `The Flood that Mother remembers`. This story featured a coastguard and his family who were stationed in <place w:st="on">Southampton</place> in 1953. I think it was loosely based on the true story of the great flooding of 1953.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pages 20 & 21</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(23)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` The pair find themselves in `Topsy-Turvey` land. For the first time, the strip was moved away from the centre pages and was now illustrated in black and white.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 22</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Freddy the Fearless Fly` Bottom of the page “Next week; Jeff Ye Jolly Jester”.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 23</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">` The Slowdown Express`</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page 24</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Top three quarters, `Sparky` Who was now on the back page. Bottom quarter of the page was devoted to illustrated advert for next weeks new story `Floating Along, Singing a Song`. The adventures of a musical family; who live on a canal barge.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue 35 was the first in a series of `re-vamps` for the comic through the sixties. It probably gave away more free gifts 1965 to 1974 than any other Thompson comic in this period. My guess for this move was due to none too healthy sales. Here is a list of new strip and those replaced over weeks of 18<sup>th</sup> and 25<sup>th</sup> September 1965. All were adventure strips, no change in `fun pals`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>New Strips Introduced, issues 35 & 36, September 18<sup>th</sup> & 25<sup>th</sup> 1965.</u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Gilpin, the Lost, Lost Boy` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Year of the Vanaks` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`The Flood That Mother Remembers` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Floating Along, Singing A Song` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Wee Tusky`* (2 Pages) * = Returning Strip.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Out</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Lonely Wood` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Kipper Feet` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Raiders from the Red Planet` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Watch` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">`Riddle of the Roughlands` (2 Pages)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(24)<u></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There were five new `adventure` strips over issues 35 and 36, these were `Year of the Vanaks` `Wee Tusky` who came back on his second run in Sparky. `The Flood that Mother Remembers` and `Gilpin the Lost, Lost Boy` in issue No 35 and finally, `Floating Along, Singing a Song` in issue No 36.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Gilpin the Lost, Lost Boy`</i> strip which began in issue No 35 was a pretty surreal affair indeed. Readers were introduced to Gilpin as he addressed out loud; or maybe to said readers, bemoaning his plight. It transpired that a spell had been cast upon him (Bizarrely, readers never found out just who did `enchant` Gilpin) so that he must be the servant of the first human he encountered. This was a pretty bizarre way to introduce a story indeed. Gilpin was what was known as a `sprite`, an elf-like creature, but not of the water variety.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He encountered Henry Cranstoun and insisted he become Cranstoun’s servant. The power in his eyes made Cranstoun accede to this. Gilpin’s task was to bring about a marriage between Cranstoun and young lady Mary Scott. The Cranstoun and Scott families had been at war for years and only such a marriage could bring about peace.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A major problem for Gilpin was Mary’s mother, Lady Janet Scott. She was a witch who could read Gilpins thoughts. She was against any peace between the families as the war suited her purpose. It ran to issue 49, 25<sup>th</sup> December, when </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gilpin eventually worked things to a happy resolution therefore freeing releasing him from the spell he had lain under. It was a rather difficult story to follow reading it recently so goodness knows if children could make sense of it back in 1965; I very much doubt it.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`The Flood That Mother Remembers`</i> which also commenced in issue 35; was loosely based on the real life flooding <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the east coast, especially Lincolnshire, that had followed the great storm of 31<sup>st</sup> January to 1<sup>st</sup> February 1953. The strip followed the fortunes of Bobby and Mandy Jackson whose father had just been assigned coastguard duties at Bellford in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Lincolnshire</place></city>. The story also mixed in a smuggling theme to liven things up a bit which was very necessary in my view as I’m afraid that it comes over as a very dull affair in all. It was drawn by Tony Speer and concluded in issue 47, 11<sup>th</sup> December 1965.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">As previously mentioned, “The Year of the Vanaks” was also part of the new intake along with a second series of the comedy adventures of young Burmese Elephant “Wee Tusky”. Tusky was now part of a circus touring <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Britain</place></country-region>. This gave a new slant on his adventures as he coped with life in a new environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As stated earlier this second season only ran for eight issues to No 42. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue 36 brought the strip <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Floating Along, Singing a Son</i>g` to readers. It concerned a family who travelled the country on the `Nancy Lee` canal barge. The children formed themselves into an amateur pop group who entertained towns and villages they stopped at. They were followed by two mysterious characters that seemed like villains. The `villains` turned out to be friendly and informed the children that one of them was actually heir to a Dukedom! To me, it was most unlikely fare, but enjoyable; it was drawn by Edward Drury and also finished in issue 47.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(25)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This strip is unique in one sense as it was the only `serious` themed adventure strip to also feature in a `Sparky Book`. Comedy themed adventure strips such as `Klanky` and `Invisible Dick` featured in the Sparky books, but no seriously mode strips ever did apart from `Floating Along, Singing A Song` which did; but bizarrely under the title of `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Canal Kids</i>` which was the name of the pop group the kids titled themselves. The strip appeared in the first ever `Sparky Book in September 1966, titled the `1967` book`.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Issue No 43, 13<sup>th</sup> November brought us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`The Downside Donkeys</i>` which concerned a donkey reserve owned by the father of Mick and Cathy Murphy. Two silver donkeys they had purchased were wanted by foreign crooks, which was the base of the story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m afraid that it came across as rather dull stuff to me. Tony Speer took artistic duties on this one. This story lasted to issue 52, 15<sup>th</sup> January 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In the 18<sup>th</sup> December issue, No 48, yet another animal based story commenced. It was titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Goldie` </i>and concerned a golden eagle who became a pet of sorts to children, Steve and Betty Martin. The idea for the Goldie strip had obviously originated from the news story of the London Zoo golden eagle called `<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goldie`</i> (Of course!) who had escaped on 28<sup>th</sup> February 1965 and was on the loose for 12 days before he was recaptured. The strip ran to issue No 61, 19<sup>th</sup> March 1966 and yet again I found this another poor effort; in fact for me, it was utterly tedious. Yet again Tony Speer helmed the pens and pencils.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Also in issue 48 was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">`Lost Children of the Forest</i>` which was set during the Second World War in bomb strewn <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">England</country-region></place>. Linda and Barry wrights <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">London</city></place> home is </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">destroyed by a bomb and they believe their parents were killed in the blast. The homeless children team up with fellow orphans Peter, Robin and Sue Miles.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">All try to survive in the <place w:st="on">New Forest</place> region but find it very tough going. Salvation comes when they discover their parents had indeed survived the blast. They and their new friends make a new life away from <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">London</place></city>. Quite an engrossing tale that was brave enough to tackle social issues of the period it was set in. It lasted to issue No 55, 5<sup>th</sup> February 1966.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Unfortunately for `Sparky`1965 wasn’t quite the roaring success that had been hoped for with sales obviously rather sluggish. This led to the tried and tested method of a fairly comprehensive overhaul with free gifts (In September) to try and arrest this parlous situation for the new comic. </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Of the first year<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>`fun` strips, I certainly felt the `Dreamy Dave and Dozy Dora` middle pages entry was easily the best of the 1965 `fun` strips with `Flubberface` another I very much liked.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">From the `adventure` strips, `The Kidnapped Kidds` was easily the most dramatic, and `The Young Castaways` the most memorable. Text strip, `Will O’ the Well` was very inventive and surreal. Sadly, the `comedy` animal based strips were poor fare to me.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The new comic had survived its first year though and entered 1966, hoping for better sales. It was to be a tough struggle though!</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(26)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 26pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 20pt;">EVENTS OF 1965!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Yes! What else was happening in 1965, the year that `Sparky` comic entered the market place?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In the world of politics, 1965 saw the death of Winston Churchill and the suspension, for a trial period of five years, of the death penalty. The Vietnam War began to escalate greatly in 1965. <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Rhodesia</place></country-region> declared unilateral independence thereby incurring the UK Government’s imposition of sanctions, which were easily circumvented. In the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region> President Johnson forced through his bill of `Civil Rights` which outlawed segregation in the Southern States.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In sport, the football league division one champions were Manchester United who won the title on goal average from newly promoted Leeds United. F.A cup winners were Liverpool who beats <place w:st="on">Leeds</place> 2-1 after extra time in a truly dull match.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Grand Prix champion was Jim Clark (for the second time) who also became the first non <country-region w:st="on">US</country-region> competitor in over 50 years to win the <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Indianapolis</city></place> 500.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Music: and the Beatles were awarded M.B.E’s. They only scored the third largest selling single though in 1965 (they had scored biggest selling singles in 1963 & 1964) with “We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper” even though it went over 1.200.000. Beating it to second highest <country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region> selling single of 1965 with 1.300.000 was “The Carnival Is Over” by the Seekers (The only other <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region></place> million selling group song apart from the Beatles the full decade!)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Amazingly, the year’s best selling <country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region> single was a revival of a 1929 Rudy Valee song titled “Tears” by <place w:st="on">Liverpool</place> comedian, Ken Dodd. His version sold over 1.500.000 by years end (and 1.600.000 by August 1966).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Top selling UK LP was actually a late 1964 release, “Beatles For Sale” closely followed by the groups “Help” LP in August 1965.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The Rolling Stones scored top selling US single with “Satisfaction” Top selling US LP of 1965 was the `Mary Poppins` soundtrack.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Though the `Merseybeat` boom had died down, it was still an exiting year musically with such acts as The Who, Seekers, Yardbirds breaking through in 1965. <country-region w:st="on">US</country-region> Folk star Bob Dylan made his first tour of the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">UK</country-region></place> which caused controversy when he changed to amplified instrumentation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The British supposed `Dylan clone` (which he soon proved he was no such thing) Donovan also came to prominence in 1965. He would actually surpass Bob Dylan in the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">US</country-region></place> singles market during 1966-67. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(27)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The Beatles released their second feature film “Help” in 1965. Though it was a commercial success, neither the group themselves or many critics felt that it matched up to their 1964 debut, “A Hard day’s Night”.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Films and the most notable of 1965 were “The Sound of Music” and the 1965 entry in the James Bond franchise, “Thunderball”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">On television, “Stingray” and “The Avengers” (now with Diana Rigg) were great success’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Childrens television produced a remarkably adult `end of the world` style series with “Object Z” in October (Object Z returns would follow in April 1966) At the last moment, the BBC `pulled` “The War Games” a chilling scenario about the results of nuclear war. It would not be allowed TV screening until the late 1980s.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div>alanultron5http://www.blogger.com/profile/01460167309889829411noreply@blogger.com9