One of the comics I used to read in the sixties was Valiant, though I don't recall seeing any with Knockout on the cover. I do recall "companion paper to Hurricane" which came later that year. 1964 is certainly the year when I start recalling reading comics, the strongest being given Wham! #1.
However I also remember reading a Steel Claw story with giant alien eyeballs and having no idea where this begins am starting in January and will gradually work/purchase my way through the whole year...
Regardless of my search there is plenty of other good reading to entertain me with Captain Hurricane, Billy Bunter, Kelly's Eye, Steel Claw, The Duke of Dry Gulch and Krake & The Time Machine.
It was weird to see a re-write of Asterix re-invented as ancient Britons in Little Fred and Big Ed in colour on the back page. Surprised the French publishers agreed. Travesty I thought.
Still good fun to be had by all in what was to become IPC/Fleetway's "flagship" title".
Hi Howie, Firstly glad to see you back I enjoy your blog and so glad to hear you are on the mend after your awful health scare - your NHS blog was excellent and well said, my brother had the same issue 8 years ago but sadly he was not as lucky as yourself but the doctors and nurses were amazing and tried so hard. Onto less serious issue now that Steel Claw strip seems to have resonated with many readers of the time. I think that the strip started in 1965 and if you want to read it you can see it in the link below (from "Bronze age of blogs") if that is a help (just scroll down past the Vampire Tales strip).
ReplyDeleteValiant was a favourite comic of mine as a kid and I picked up quite a few back issues a few years ago and was struck by how good the strips were on a second viewing -Jesus Blasco (artist on the Claw) is truly amazing and a match for anything the US was producing at the time and even now. I have to say I don't recall Asterix being reprinted in VALIANT (may have been before my time) but I do recall another French / Belgian strip about a boy and his dog being printed (cant recall the name). Anyway get better soon and take care.
http://bronzeageofblogs.blogspot.com/search/label/jesus%20blasco
Many thanks for your kind words Paul. Recovery will take a while but being retired should help!
DeleteI am very sorry to hear about your brother. Please accept my condolences.
Valiant Was my favourite of the IPC titles, though Lion occasionally came my way. British comics may have had a different format but many of the strips were up to US standards. Steel Claw being one of them. I didn't know about the Asterix reprint either, 1964 is where my early comic memories start but are obviously incomplete. My main love from that year was Wham! #1, but that's another story.
All the best.