Sunday 30 June 2019

Through the past comically

I was given an unexpected early birthday present last week.  It had been tied up in a gold ribbon and tucked away in a corner in the local charity shop.  Honestly, when Mr SDS pulled it out of the tatty recycled Sainsbury’s bag and I laid eyes on its crumpled edges and yellow age spots (it happens to the best of us)… well, the neighbours would have been within their rights to complain about the noise.

Oohh! Ahh!

That was just at first sight.  Once I’d snipped off the ribbon and excitedly delved into the contents, things just got better and better.

See if you agree...

It was a bundle of familiar children's comics from the late '60s.

As if it wasn't about as good as it gets to include my favourite Pogles, there were The Herbs too...


...and things just carried on getting better with every turn of every page...  Oh Bizzy Lizzy, I wanted to be you.


Better and better!  I was in love with Joe.  I've only ever met one other person who remembers him, though.  Fab illustrations.  Ooh!


Ooh ahh...

Ahh!


And then there's this...  But, aged six, I liked him so much, he was an artist and an animal lover and he could have taught me to swim, I wanted him to be my Dad.  I know, I know.


Let's get back to real heroes!


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18 comments:

  1. Brian1 July 2019 at 05:48

    Probably a good idea to hang on to that Mr. SDS. What a cool gift! Your excitement is jumping right out of the computer screen. It's palpable. Lots of great animation here, but this '80s UK indie-pop fan finds himself drawn to the Woodentops.

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    1. C1 July 2019 at 10:37

      I'm hanging onto them that's for sure - just a stroke of luck that he found them when he did! I probably need to write a very adult post after this one to offset the childlike enthusiasm here... but the unexpected reminders of my childhood were just too much to contain.
      Of course! - The Woodentops - right up your indie street.

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  2. Richard1 July 2019 at 08:42

    Hello C or Mrs SDS? :)

    Found you via another lady friend, Alyson (WIAB fame).....
    Anyways this is a great first read for me, the comics.

    I guess for me as a child it was The Herbs for sure and Woodentops, Chigley & Lizzy. I remember them all from TV too plus M, M & M.

    Don't worry about RH he was a good entertainer, we can see what we are shown! Could be worser(?) not that its not bad but plenty other naughty types spring to mind from my childhood TV entertainers time.

    Keep up the good work!
    Regards......
    Richard

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    1. C1 July 2019 at 10:45

      Hi Richard, thanks so much for dropping in and for lovely comment. Those of us of a certain age can't escape the profound effect that those childhood TV programmes had on us, can we? I got that whole feeling back again and I'm pretty sure I actually had one or two of these comics as a kid too (though they're nowhere near as good as the images on TV).
      As for Rolf, I feel there is potential for Coojeebear to act out something suitably vengeful on him in a future comic strip...

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  3. The Swede1 July 2019 at 09:00

    What a great haul of comics C. Mary, Mungo & Midge - blimey! I remember the TV series vividly, yet a quick Google search tells me that it was broadcast in 1969 - ouch!

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    1. C1 July 2019 at 10:49

      Indeed TS - this is formative stuff! The comics themselves are from '68 and '69 so these programmes were at their peak - no riots in Trumpton though....(which has just made me realise I'd meant to include a Trumpton pic from this haul and have somehow missed it out by accident).

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  4. Martin1 July 2019 at 14:34

    Brilliant! What a great haul. Particularly liking Chigley.

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    1. C1 July 2019 at 22:28

      I love the fact that Lord Bellborough doesn't really have enough money to live at Winkstead Hall so is trying to work out how to make some. He should apply to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

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  5. Alyson1 July 2019 at 14:53

    You alluded to this forthcoming post when we met and yes, I definitely like it. A bit worried though that it being an early birthday present, you were stolen from Mr SDS on the big day - Hope not. Belated Happy Birthday if it has passed and if not, have a great day when it comes.

    I know for a fact, that the very first comic I had a subscription to was Playhour and TV Toyland. Back then quite a few had amalgamated so the names reflected that. There was also June and Schoolfriend and later on Fabulous 208 (2 mags rolled into one). What a haul you have here though, so it must have been a real nostalgia-fest going through the pages - As you say, no matter that they have age spots, as so does their former readership. What a great present - Well done to Mr SDS for spotting that bundle.

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    1. C1 July 2019 at 22:31

      I was sure you'd remember these - glad to know you did indeed have a subscription for Playhour and TV Toyland! (My first was for Twinkle - oh I loved it.) Vague memories now of June now you mention it (think my sister had that, along with Bunty, and she also had Fab 208).

      As for the birthday - no worries at all - it's not here quite yet!

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    2. Alyson1 July 2019 at 22:40

      Confused by the timeline as Playhour came before the Twinkle yet that one in your picture showed a date of 1968. I honestly wasn't still into Playhour when I was 8, I don't think. It must have run for some time. After Twinkle I got a weekly copy of the Bunty (still have the dressing dolls from the back page) but only a June and Schoolfriend annual. Much of the material for Alyson's Archive comes from Fab 208 as again, I still have some of them. Oh the memories.

      Re the birthday, phew, I would have felt bad.

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    3. C1 July 2019 at 22:50

      Ah yes, I've always enjoyed looking at your archives of Fab 208, as remember them from my sister's collection and thinking how cool they were (although I probably didn't use the word cool...) I don't think she kept any of them, and I didn't keep any of my old mags or comics either, so it's really evocative to see them again.

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  6. John Medd1 July 2019 at 16:13

    Remember when Joe moved house?

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    1. C1 July 2019 at 22:39

      Bloody hell, how long is it since I've seen the actual thing? not since the '60s - I didn't even think to check youtube. This so good. Totally love the art style. Thank you.

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  7. Rickety Rackety27 July 2019 at 11:48

    Have to say, this looks just about the finest gift ever. Amazing. I recall those comics very well indeed; I think between myself and my cousin we read them whenever our parents allowed. Were they a bit 'girly' for a young chap? Can't recall but I know they still give me a Proustian rush. In my defence, my staple comics were actually The Dandy, Sparky and Cor! but who wouldn't want Playhour and Teddy Bear? I did! The Pogles...the greatest children's TV programme in history?

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    1. C28 July 2019 at 10:32

      They're lovely, aren't they? I don't reckon these were too 'girly'at all - just perfect for kids of a certain age who watched certain programmes - whereas my other favourite childhood comic, 'Twinkle', was definitely more gender specific!
      I'm with you re. the Pogles - that, and the Clangers of course.

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  8. Rickety Rackety27 July 2019 at 11:49

    Also owned a very fine 'Joe' annual which I love to track down one day.

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    1. C28 July 2019 at 10:32

      Oh! I didn't even know there was such a thing! Definitely needs tracking down if possible...

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