My Son will be 9 next month so i thought a little bit different present, seeing as he pours over all my old annuals, is to buy up some British titles from 1971 to give him an idea of what i was into at the same age.
First two to arrive are the 8th May Lion and Thunder and the Beano of Feb 27th.
As usual, the highlight of Lion (wonder if it'll be for him?) is the Black Max. Loads of aerial action in this episode - basically Max shooting Wilson and co on the ground but missing every time, Germans shooting Max and hitting him and Wilson flying back to base in Max's convenient spare plane in yet another hidden cave. Hardly any Bats this time, which is a real shame.
Next best strip for me, again, is Adam Eterno, this time in the far future where "gold is as common as lead" (though its not explained why) and fighting the magnificently named Grunn The Grimm.
But there's a moment in another strip that i must mention, which is a classic example of the quirkiness, barminess and brilliance of British Boys Comics that's endeared me to them so much.
It happens at the opening of "The Jigsaw Journey". The heroes have decended into the oceans depths to find a lost diving bell only to find it USED BY GIGANTIC OCTOPUSES AS A MONSTER FOOTBALL. I kid you not. The artworks just brilliant for it but, alas the batteries gone on my camera so no pic yet.
Onto the Beano, which falls outside of this her sites remit (shame, as i'd love to wax lyrical about Leo Baxendale and Ken Reid) except for Billy The Cat. I loved Billy The Cat - it gave me a superhero fix once a week, when i couldn't readily get any American titles. And i loved the clean, uncluttered artwork, a good example of which is here. And i loved that we could easily be him. He was just like us, looked like us, lived in a street like us and had no powers at all. How i wanted a motorbike helmet to convert.
"AIEEEE!" RATING: Sadly, none.
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