Hatch, Match & Dispatch – October 2019

Say hello to a new monthly feature here on Rusty Staples… a comprehensive, mostly accurate, although certainly incomplete list of anniversaries of British comic launches, mergers and cancellations! First, some caveats…

1. I’m only noting the “big” anniversaries (25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90 & 100+ years), otherwise we’d be here all day. Also, this means that this time next year the list will feature different titles! Besides, no one really makes a big deal about, like, the 47th anniversary of something, right?

B. The dates presented herein are the cover-dates, where known: in most cases the actual issues would have reached the stores about a week earlier, roughly(ish).

iii. For some monthly comics only the month is known, so those dates default to the first of the month.

Pre-lastly: Do please let me know of any major omissions or errors!

Lastly: apologies for not doing this at the start of this month — I didn’t actually think of it until yesterday. I promise that I’ll do my best to have next month’s list on-line in advance!)

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25 years ago:
October – Zig and Zag’s Zogazine (IPC, Oct 1994 to Mar 1995, 6 issues) launched.

14 October – X-Men (Marvel UK, 14 Oct 1994 to 01 Nov 1995, 14 issues) launched.

19 October – The Ren and Stimpy Show (Marvel UK, 19 Oct 1994 to 10 Jan 1996, 16 issues) launched.

30 years ago:
04 October – Fast Forward (BBC Magazines, 04 Oct 1989 to 06 Sep 1995, 310 issues) launched.

07 October – The Incredible Hulk Presents (Marvel UK, 07 Oct 1989 to 23 Dec 1989, 12 issues) launched.

35 years ago:
October – The Mighty World of Marvel (1983) (Marvel UK, Jun 1983 to Oct 1984, 17 issues) absorbed into The Savage Sword of Conan (1977).

October – Indiana Jones (Marvel UK, Oct 1984 to Aug 1985, 11 issues) launched.

40 years ago:
October – Wheels (Byblos, Oct 1978 to Oct 1979, 8 issues) final issue.

October – Shock (Portman Distribution, Oct 1979 to Jan 1980, 4 issues) launched.

October – Stark Terror (Portman Distribution, Oct 1979 to Jan 1980, 4 issues) launched.

06 October – Tracy (DC Thomson, 06 Oct 1979 to 19 Jan 1985, 277 issues) launched.

17 October – Doctor Who Weekly (Marvel UK/Panini UK, 17 Oct 1979 to present, 543 issues) launched.

23 October – Lucky Charm (DC Thomson, 23 Oct 1979 to 01 Jun 1984, 30 issues) launched.

23 October – Red Dagger (DC Thomson, 23 Oct 1979 to 01 Jun 1984, 30 issues) launched.

45 years ago:
05 October – Scorcher (IPC, 10 Jan 1970 to 05 Oct 1974, 248 issues) final issue: absorbed into Tiger.

05 October – Shiver & Shake (IPC, 10 Mar 1973 to 05 Oct 1974, 83 issues) final issue: absorbed into Whoopee!.

26 October – Dracula Lives (Marvel UK, 26 Oct 1974 to 19 Jun 1976, 87 issues) launched.

26 October – Planet of the Apes (Marvel UK, 26 Oct 1974 to 26 Feb 1977, 123 issues) launched.

50 years ago:
18 October – Whizzer and Chips (IPC, 18 Oct 1969 to 17 Oct 1990, 1092 issues) launched.

60 years ago:
October – Mad (Thorpe & Porter, Oct 1959 to Jan 1994, 381 issues) launched.

03 October – Zip (IPC, 04 Jan 1958 to 03 Oct 1959, 85 issues) final issue: absorbed into Swift.

10 October – Comet (1952) (Amalgamated Press, 29 Mar 1952 to 10 Oct 1959, 364 issues) final issue: absorbed into Tiger.

17 October – Sun (Allen/Amalgamated Press, 11 Nov 1947 to 17 Oct 1959, 558 issues) final issue: absorbed into Lion.

17 October – The Hotspur (DC Thomson, 02 Sep 1933 to 17 Oct 1959, 1197 issues) final issue before relaunch as The New Hotspur

24 October – The New Hotspur (DC Thomson, 24 Oct 1959 to 24 Jan 1981, 1110 issues) launched.

80 years ago:
14 October – Sports Budget (1935) (Amalgamated Press, 09 Mar 1935 to 14 Oct 1939, 241 issues) final issue: absorbed into Detective Weekly.

14 October – Modern Boy (1938) (Amalgamated Press, 19 Feb 1938 to 14 Oct 1939, 87 issues) final issue: absorbed into Boy’s Cinema.

28 October – Jolly Comic (Amalgamated Press, 19 Jan 1935 to 28 Oct 1939, 250 issues) final issue: absorbed into Comic Cuts.

90 years ago:
12 October – Playtime (1923) (Amalgamated Press, 24 Nov 1923 to 12 Oct 1929, 307 issues) final issue before relaunch as Bo-Peep and Little Boy Blue.

19 October – Bo-Peep and Little Boy Blue (Amalgamated Press, 19 Oct 1929 to 14 Apr 1934, 245 issues) launched.

100 years ago:
25 October – The Sunday Fairy (Amalgamated Press, 10 May 1919 to 25 Oct 1919, 25 issues) final issue before relaunch as The Children’s Fairy (having just been renamed The Children’s Sunday Fairy only two weeks previously).