Wildcat #1 (1988)

One of the more unusual British comics was the short live Wildcat launched in late 1988. A glossy fortnightly, Wildcat differed from other titles because the whole issue though segmented was not an anthology as most of us were used to. Wildcat was in fact the name of a spaceship containing the last few hundred members of humanity looking for a new home.

The different "strips" inside were about different landing teams on a newly discovered planet that they hope to make their new home....

Readers of other Fleetway titles had been been introduced to Wildcat through a free preview comic inserted in 2000AD, Buster, Whizzer, Oink, Eagle and even Roy of the Rovers in an attempt to give this title a chance of success.

So after picking up my first issue, I now have the problem of tracking down on of those comics with the preview to catch up with the story, which to be fair is abridged on page two.

The art and stories inside are good quality with plenty of aliens, man eating plants and electrified "Tribbles" to keep one occupied.

Wildcat lasted just 12 issues before merging with Eagle, though a Summer and a Winter Special were published after it's cancellation so collecting isn't too daunting.

This copy wasn't too dear costing £12 and did have the free gift, a poster of an "alien zoo" to which stickers were added from future issues.

 

Whizzer & Chips Holiday Special 1970

Judging by the weather the summer is well and truly over but the joys of the holiday specials of old helps cure those rainy days stuck inside. Whizzer and Chips was one of the better humour comics produced by IPC/Fleetway and is well remembered by many from their school days.

The summer always brought on those gigantic magazines we all read during those long holiday breaks. This edition published in 1970 had 96 pages of mirth, laughter and some adventure. Great value for a mere three shillings.

The usual scoundrels appeared in these pages  Champ, Odd-ball, Sid's Snake and others.

There was also Micky Marvel and his Talking Cat a rather charming little feature where after saving a moggy from drowning discovers this is no ordinary cat. It can talk. As a reward Micky gets the power to talk to animals. T

Turns out this was Merlin's cat!

In addition to the normal content there were also reprints of old features from Wham! whose comics had been absorbed by IPC/Fleetway that year. Glugg and Footsie the Clown made several appearances in the 1970 edition.



The summer specials lasted from 1970 until 1993. Pick up a copy if you can find one.


 

New! Aliens/Vampirella #1

Aliens/Vampirella #1 (Dynamite/Dark Horse)

Corinna Becko (w) Javier Garcia-Miranda (a)

One of the great things about comic books is that given the opportunity writers and artists can give us a mix of genres that would not be seen in other media. Recently we've seen Star Trek crossover with Planet of the Apes, Doctor Who and now Green Lantern. Archie brought us err... Archie vs Predator! Not to be left out Dynamite and Dark Horse have teamed up to bring us a crossover between everyones favourite Aliens and vampires in the form of Vampirella.

The first of a six issue mini series came out this week and it didn't disappoint. The opening pages saw hooded figures running from an Alien, though some someone should have told them that the creatures blood is acid, as one vampire discovers a little too late as he bites into the aliens neck.

Not a pretty sight I can tell you.

Switch to the future and mankind has started to colonise Mars, except there's something there. Something that came before and it's not the long dead vampires nest that becomes there major worry. The alien complex predates human history.

So who do they call?

Vampirella.

Anyone who shouted "Ghostbusters" can go to the back of the class.

Vampi as usual dives straight into the investigation and of course into danger. No human these are not vampire eggs don't be silly.

The final page will shock just like the original movie but Vampirella is a vampire she's dead already isn't she?

Read on. 10/10.

Buster (1966)

The Buster was one of my firm favourites growing up in the sixties. I have no idea when I started reading it but read it in a fairly regular basis I did. I had hoped to obtain some earlier editions for this review but alas there was a gap in my local comic shops run between these and the Buster and the Big One which I do not recall at all.

Along with Buster himself in colour on the front cover these editions also contained one of my favourite adventure stories, Galaxus. The page illustrated below is not from either of these but is published as a reminder for all you oldies like me and a taster for the young-uns who might like to try Buster out!



Buster was always a mixture of humour and adventure which I think accounted for it's longevity. Tin Teacher would be followed by Toys of Doom, a cracking little adventure feature that is just so British. Marvel as "Model Superfix Rockey Planes" attack the the old fashioned bi-plane being flown by our heroes. Superfix of course being a reference to those Airfix model planes most of us grew up building. At least that's one hobby which seems to have survived the computer age!

The everlasting Charlie Peace, arch-Victorian criminal appears stealing the pies and James Pond continues his misadventures which the same week also involved him flying in a pie. Don't ask.

Along with The Pirates, Dinah Mite and the WWII  story Mighty Misfits this comic certainly brought back memories galore. There's even a British super-hero Thunderbolt: The Avenger about PC Mick Riley who gained his super-powers from "an amazing wristwatch".



Then to round of the features there's strips about Charlie Drake and Whacko with Professor Jimmy Edwards, a TV programme I just about remember but here's a little taster for those of you who may not have ever seen it.



The Pools? Does that even exist any more in this age of the lottery?

Warren Comics: Creepy #105 (1979)

Creepy #105 (Warren)

Various (w) & (a)

One of the more interesting publishers back in the day was Warren  who produced three famous black and white magazine style comics, Eerie, Creepy and Vampirella. They had other shorter lived titles but these three remain fan favourites and Vampirella after changing publishers and formats continues to this day.

This issue is fairly typical fare and contains a number of short stories with good art and scripts from a variety of writers and artists. Obviously as an anthology title (with the odd "themed" issue) not every story in ever issue is a gem but I have fond memories of the title going back to the sixties.

Starting off with a rather off-beat story, Shrivel set in a poverty stricken medieval kingdom, we meet a rather old dragon out for a meal. He's grown too fat to fly but can deal with the only Knight the king is able to send against him. Add one nagging queen and a child prince the story ends with  the deaths of the kingdoms rulers and the young, rather irritating lad joining our dragon on his further adventures.

Next up is Night Life reuniting a vampire and his long lost love. Doesn't end well. Then there's a tale of werewolves set in the Wild West, which whilst not bad is probably the weakest story in this issue.

More interesting and amusing was Always Leave 'em Laughing when all the worlds clowns are sent to live on the moon as mankind turns into a rather over serious po-faced bunch who outlaw humour. But just who will have the last laugh you may well ask.

Two more sci-fi shorts follow. The Sign which involves two sets of "three wise men" and the rather entertaining, Visit To A Primitive Planet with a moral of "be careful where you land...especially if it's our world!

The Summoning ends this selection of shorts and all I can say is if you are in the swamp just do not blow that dog whistle OK!

Creepy ran for 146 issues from 1964 to 1983.

 

The Beano becomes longest running weekly comic!

The Beano officially became the worlds longest running weekly comic according to the Guinness Book of Records with issue number 3,800!

Launched on 30th July 1937 The Beano has entertained and enthralled generation after generation outliving all it's rivals including it's now departed older sister The Dandy.

After all what's not to like. Dennis the Menace, The Bash Street Kids, Little Plum and The Three Bears.

So congrats to DC Thompson for their achievement and may many more children get enjoyment from the antics of our chums in the pages of The Beano!

Here's some covers from over the years.




  

More from: https://www.beano.com/

Atlas/Seaboard: Devilina (1976)

Atlas/Seaboard was a short lived company that appeared with a bang on the comics scene launching around 20  colour comics plus a couple of black and white magazines in 1975/76. They disappeared very quickly despite having a few good titles of which Devilina was one.

Th relaxing of the comics code had brought about a boom in horror comics, though this outdated censorship had never applied to magazines and Warren had been publishing Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella with some success for several years.

Devilina is an obvious attempt by Atlas to cash in on the Vampirella market and to be fair though this comic only lasted two issues I for one think it had some potential.



Each magazine is a mix of horror stories led by the Devilina feature itself.

The premise is simple. A war in heaven sees Satan and his followers transformed into demons after a war in heaven. Into the depths he is followed by a woman carrying a baby. His mother and bay sister it turns out.

Satan had a mother? Go figure.

Not wanting them in his realm he places the pair in the future (our seventies) where young Devilina grows up to be a beautiful woman unaware of her heritage until her 18th birthday.

She gets horns. Bit of a give away really.

It's then that the adventures begin as Satan taunts her and kills her first and only love.

The story continues in #2 but is never completed and the character (as far as I am aware) never sees the light of day agin.

As with Vampirella, Devilina introduces some of the stories in this mag which are all quite good fare.

Worth picking up if you can find copies. there's only two issues to collect which is a pity. Deserved a longer run.

Still Dynamite Entertainment has recently picked up the licence to Atlas/Seaboard so you never know......