Hatch, Match & Dispatch – Nov 2020

Here we are again with a super-streamlined version of Hatch, Match and Dispatch, readers! Just pure data, almost no filler! (See also Oct 2019, Nov 2019, Dec 2019, Jan 2020, Feb 2020, Mar 2020, Apr 2020, May 2020, Jun 2020, Jul 2020, Aug 2020, Sep 2020 and Oct 2020.)

Standard disclaimer: unless I decide otherwise, these are only the “big” anniversaries (25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90 & 100+ years); dates are cover-dates where known; monthly comics with no confirmed day of launch default to the start of the month; and this list is accurate only to the best of my knowledge, so do please let me know of any important errors or omissions!

Update 20201027: The great Rob Kirby has kindly supplied some corrections to my errant data! First, the Marvel UK X-Men comic (pictured on the right) that I believed had ended with issue #14 in November 1995 actually carried on until issue #34 in January 1996, so I’ve removed the entry from this list (but check back in January 2021!).

Second: Rob’s informed me that, contrary to my beliefs, the comic launched in November 1995 as Spectacular Spider-Man Adventures is still in print, albeit following several name-changes. It’s now simply called Spider-Man and at the time of writing is on issue #383! See the entry below for more details.

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25 years ago:

01 November – BVC – Big Value Comic final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 24 Feb 1995
To: 01 Nov 1995
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 18
Fortnightly. Reprinted strips from Buster, Whizzer & Chips, Whoopee!, etc. Issue-count is unconfirmed.

15 November – The Astonishing Spider-Man (1995) launched.
Publisher: Marvel/Panini UK
From: 15 Nov 1995
To: 18 Apr 2007
Duration: 11 years, 5 months
Issues: 150
Relaunched as The Astonishing Spider-Man (2007)

25 years ago:

01 November – Spectacular Spider-Man Adventures launched.
Publisher: Marvel/Panini UK
From: 01 Nov 1995
To: Ongoing
Duration: 25 years
Issues: 383
Renamed Spectacular Spider-Man from #95 (11 Feb 2004), Renamed Spider-Man Magazine from #227 (19 Oct 2011), Renamed Ultimate Spider-Man Magazine from #255 (29 May 2013), Renamed Spider-Man from #333 (16 Oct – 6th Dec 2017).
Note: Corrections to this date supplied by noted comics historian Rob Kirby!

30 years ago:

01 November – DC Action final issue.
Publisher: London Editions
From: 01 Jan 1990
To: 01 Nov 1990
Duration: 10 months
Issues: 6
Bi-monthly

01 November – Tom & Jerry (1990) final issue.
Publisher: Clearmark
From: 01 May 1990
To: 01 Nov 1990
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 7
Monthly. Number of issues and dates unconfirmed.

08 November – Batman Presents launched.
Publisher: London Editions
From: 08 Nov 1990
To: 08 Nov 1992
Duration: 2 years
Issues: 8
Series follows a one-off special of the same name.

10 November – Cartoon Time final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 15 Apr 1989
To: 10 Nov 1990
Duration: 1 year, 7 months
Issues: 52
Initially fortnightly, at least 52 issues. Very little known. Changed frequency to monthly at some stage.

10 November – Strip final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 17 Feb 1990
To: 10 Nov 1990
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 20
“Grimtoad” was a redrawn version of “The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad” from the short-lived Look Alive magazine.

17 November – Star Trek: The Next Generation (1990) launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 17 Nov 1990
To: 04 Jan 1992
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 24
Fortnightly until #19, monthly thereafter.

35 years ago:

01 November – Buster Comic Library final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 01 Aug 1984
To: 01 Nov 1985
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 30
Issue #29 is very scarce: the issue was pulled from distribution as the cover shows Buster holding a lit firework.

01 November – Eagle Picture Library final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 01 May 1985
To: 01 Nov 1985
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 14
Reprints from other IPC/Fleetway comics reformatted for digest size.

01 November – Barbie Magazine launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 01 Nov 1985
To: 10 Jul 1987
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 45

40 years ago:

01 November – Conan the Barbarian Pocket Book launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Nov 1980
To: 01 Nov 1981
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 13
The third of Marvel UK’s four Conan titles — and the second (of three) to use this image on the cover of issue #1.

01 November – The Incredible Hulk Pocket Book launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Nov 1980
To: 01 Nov 1981
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 13
.

01 November – The Titans Pocket Book launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Nov 1980
To: 01 Nov 1981
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 13
.

01 November – Young Romance Pocket Book launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Nov 1980
To: 01 Nov 1981
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 13
.

01 November – Savage Action Monthly launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Nov 1980
To: 01 Jan 1982
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 15
.

05 November – Valour launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 05 Nov 1980
To: 11 Mar 1981
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 19
.

05 November – Future Tense launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 05 Nov 1980
To: 01 Jan 1982
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 41
Monthly from issue #36.

29 November – Mickey Mouse final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 25 Oct 1975
To: 29 Nov 1980
Duration: 5 years, 1 month
Issues: 263
Relaunched as Mickey Magazine.

45 years ago:

01 November – Lindy final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 21 Jun 1975
To: 01 Nov 1975
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 20
Absorbed into Jinty.

22 November – Speed & Power final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 22 Mar 1974
To: 22 Nov 1975
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 87
Absorbed into Look and Learn.

29 November – Kick-Off Football Weekly final issue.
Publisher: Soccer File
From: 16 Aug 1975
To: 29 Nov 1975
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 16

50 years ago:

01 November – Air Ace Picture Library final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway/IPC
From: 01 Jan 1960
To: 01 Nov 1970
Duration: 10 years, 10 months
Issues: 545
Absorbed into War Picture Library.

70 years ago:

01 November – Western War Comic (1949) final issue.
Publisher: Swan
From: 01 Jun 1949
To: 01 Nov 1950
Duration: 1 year, 5 months
Issues: 5

80 years ago:

01 November – Extra Fun final issue.
Publisher: Swan
From: 01 Aug 1940
To: 01 Nov 1940
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

105 years ago:

20 November – The Greyfriars Herald launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 20 Nov 1915
To: 18 Mar 1916
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 18
First version of the paper: the second appeared in 1919 – too late for it to be considered a relaunch!