As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, sometimes it’s hard to decide whether a comic is a new title or just a continuation of an existing one. This month’s batch of titles includes Butterfly & Firefly, created by the merger of Butterfly (1904) and The Firefly (1915). Some might argue that this was simply a case of Butterfly absorbing The Firefly and taking on its name in the usual manner, and later reverting to its original title. But given that it took eight years to revert, and that the comic reset its issue numbers at each stage (as far as I know), I’ve chosen to them as separate comics. I could be wrong, of course, and I’m always happy to be corrected (as long as the person correcting me comes equipped with actual evidence and not just “I reckon…”).
(Sorry for the short preamble this time, folks: I physically can’t write much at the moment. Well, I can write, but I can’t properly see the monitor and I’m no touch-typist so Grud only knows what incomprehesnible typographucal errors I;m generatinh here.)
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!
Previous episodes of Hatch, Match & Dispatch:
2019: Oct, Nov, Dec
2020: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2021: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2022: Jan, Feb, Mar
25 years ago:
April – Jonny Quest – The Real Adventures final issue.
Publisher: Titan Magazines
From: Oct 1996
To: Apr 1997
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 6
30 years ago:
24 April – Overkill launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 24 Apr 1992
To: 24 Aug 1994
Duration: 2 years, 4 months
Issues: 52
Fortnightly until #42. monthly thereafter
30 April – Duck Tales launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 30 Apr 1992
To: 17 Sep 1992
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 11
Fortnightly.
35 years ago:
April – Deadface launched.
Publisher: Harrier Comics
From: Apr 1987
To: Oct 1988
Duration: 1 year, 6 months
Issues: 8
April – Second City final issue.
Publisher: Harrier Comics
From: Nov 1986
To: Apr 1987
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 4
02 April – Jem final issue.
Publisher: London Editions
From: 30 Oct 1986
To: 02 Apr 1987
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 12
Fortnightly. It’s likely that only twelve issues were published, although #13 was advertised in issue #12. However, several Jem specials were later published and possibly contained the material created for issue #13.
40 years ago:
April – Beano Comic Library launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: Apr 1982
To: 1997
Duration: 15 years
Issues: 368
Published four times a month. Replaced by The Fun-Size Beano. at some point in 1997 — though the exact date is unknown (by me, at least: do please let me know if you can shine some light on this!).
April – Monster Monthly launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Apr 1982
To: Nov 1982
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 8
April – The Super Heroes Monthly final issue.
Publisher: London Editions
From: Sep 1980
To: Apr 1982
Duration: 1 year, 7 months
Issues: 19
No connection with Marvel UK’s The Super-Heroes which reprinted American Marvel comics: this one reprinted American DC comics. Split into two volumes, with twelve issues in volume 1 and seven in volume 2..
03 April – Play Box (1982) launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 03 Apr 1982
To: 09 Oct 1982
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 28
07 April – Captain America (1981) final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 25 Feb 1981
To: 07 Apr 1982
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 59
Retitled Marvel Action starring Captain America from #20 to #29, after which the title reverted to Captain America. Absorbed Marvel Super Adventure in #37, though – unusually – this was not reflected in the title or mentioned on the cover.
See also: Pocket-Money Comics: Captain America
10 April – Heartbeat final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 03 Oct 1981
To: 10 Apr 1982
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 28
Absorbed into My Guy.
24 April – Kim launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 24 Apr 1982
To: 02 Jun 1983
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 59
Contains photo-stories, but apparently more of a magazine than a comic.
50 years ago:
22 April – Once Upon a Time (1969) final issue.
Publisher: City Publishing
From: 15 Feb 1969
To: 22 Apr 1972
Duration: 3 years, 2 months
Issues: 167
Weekly. In February 1973, ten months after its demise, it was relaunched/revived, After its demise it was revived, though this version only lasted sixteen issues.
55 years ago:
15 April – Terrific launched.
Publisher: Odhams/IPC
From: 15 Apr 1967
To: 03 Feb 1968
Duration: 10 months
Issues: 43
29 April – Giggle launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 29 Apr 1967
To: 13 Jan 1968
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 38
The Chuckles was a revamped version of The Gremlins from The Knock-Out Comic. Buck Bingo was Lucky Luke with a new name.
75 years ago:
April – Children’s Pictorial (1947) launched.
Publisher: Barrett
From: Apr 1947
To: Nov 1948
Duration: 1 year, 7 months
Issues: 9
Although ostensibly a monthly, this title doesn’t seem to have had more than nine issues… Sources are a bit vague on this!
85 years ago:
24 April – Boys’ Ace Library final issue.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 22 Feb 1936
To: 24 Apr 1937
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 24
100 years ago:
22 April – The Marvel final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 30 Jan 1904
To: 22 Apr 1922
Duration: 18 years, 3 months
Issues: 952
Relaunch of The Halfpenny Marvel. Relaunched as Sport and Adventure (see below).
29 April – Sport and Adventure launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 29 Apr 1922
To: 21 Oct 1922
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 22
Relaunched as Pluck (1922). Relaunch of The Marvel (see above).
105 years ago:
01 April – Work and Play final issue.
Publisher: Odhams Press
From: 01 Mar 1914
To: 01 Apr 1917
Duration: 3 years, 1 month
Issues: 129
Absorbed into The Scout.
07 April – Butterfly & Firefly launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 07 Apr 1917
To: 17 Oct 1925
Duration: 8 years, 6 months
Issues: 446
Relaunch of Butterfly (1904). and The Firefly (1914). Relaunched as Butterfly (1925).
115 years ago:
20 April – Boys’ Life launched.
Publisher: George Newnes
From: 20 Apr 1907
To: 12 Oct 1907
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 26
Rusty Staples 
Hi Michael, A quick addendum to Kim 🙂 As well as the usual photo strips and pop and fashion features, the magazine initially ran (what may well be originated) new strip material before switching to re-running US Marvel romance material, as previously seen over here in the Young Romance Pocket book series. Kim wasn’t badged anywhere as a Marvel UK title, published instead under the Cadence name. This probably explains why the magazine has gone under the radar until now. Many issues had cover-mounted free gifts in line with other publishers Girls’ comics which, of course, was still not a common feature of most other Marvel UK titles at the time.
Keep ’em coming. Always interesting to see what was out/ending in any given month across the years, and to see more unusual titles not previously clocked at the time for whatever reason. Rob
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Rob! I’ve never actually seen a copy of Kim so it’s one of the ones I’m more unsure about. (A few years ago I had the chance to buy issue #1 for £50 but… nah, that’s way too expensive!)
LikeLike
Hi Michael, I do appreciate all your hard work collating this material. It’s very useful. I’ve had this vague memory of a ‘big DC magazine from the early 80s’, and know I can see that it was The Super Heroes. so thanks for that.
The actual one I remember (it was my friend John’s but he never leant it to me) turns out to be Vol 2, No 1.
Now that I can see the cover in details, I see that Debbie Harry has been used as the likeness of Power Girl.
LikeLike