Ah, October — lots of people’s favourite month! Some love the re-availability of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, others adore Halloween, or the exciting build-up to Christmas, but for me this time of the year will always be extra-special because it’s the start of “don’t have to mow the bloody lawn for ages” season.
It’s a busy month here in the HM&D wing of Rusty Towers, with no less than forty different British comics and story-papers celebrating anniversaries of their birth or demise.
In fact, not only is the number of comics this month no less than forty, it’s also no less than fifty!
It is less than sixty, though. It’s fifty-eight.
One of those fifty-eight publications is a genuine ground-breaker and it’s celebrating its double-silver jubilee anniversary. The mighty The Mighty World of Marvel was launched around the end of September / start of October 1972 (cover dated October 7th), and kick-started the ball rolling, and in recognition of its importance and impact I’ve finally expanded the Marvel UK Timeline. It now covers more than just the 1970s and ’80s: I’ve added in the 1990s, too, featuring a grand total of around 170 different comics (that’s 8,584 issues, or approximately 350,000 pages!).
It’s a huge article but well worth a look — especially if you were around in that era. I 100% guarantee you might find at least one Marvel UK comic in that list that you’d forgotten all about — or one you never even knew existed.
In news of lesser importance, our semi-regular feature Comics on TV returned last Saturday in a new stripped-down, streamlined and waffle-reduced format (mainly because I didn’t have time to write lots of stuff: right now I happen to be extremely busy waiting for editors to get back to me).
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, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
25 years ago:
01 October – Marvel Heroes Reborn launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK/Panini UK
From: 01 Oct 1997
To: 22 Nov 2000
Duration: 3 years, 1 month
Issues: 42
Published every four weeks.
08 October – Casper (1997) launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK/Panini UK
From: 08 Oct 1997
To: 31 Dec 1997
Duration: 2 months
Issues: 4
Every four weeks.
30 years ago:
October – Death’s Head II (2) launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1992
To: Mar 1994
Duration: 1 year, 5 months
Issues: 16
October – Johnny Cougar’s Wrestling Monthly launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: Oct 1992
To: Mar 1993
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 6
Reprinting strips from Tiger, this one arrived in the midst of the early ’90s wrestling boom — and shortly after Marvel UK’s WCW title.
October – Star Wars launched.
Publisher: Dark Horse International
From: Oct 1992
To: Jul 1993
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 10
Reprinted the Dark Horse US miniseries Star Wars: Dark Empire and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, among others.
October – Tom & Jerry (1991) final issue.
Publisher: London Editions
From: Aug 1991
To: Oct 1992
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 15
Monthly.
10 October – Stingray the Comic launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 10 Oct 1992
To: May 1994
Duration: 1 year, 7 months
Issues: 32
Fortnightly until #24, monthly thereafter, with the issue numbers reset to Volume 2, #1, and the title changed to Stingray Monthly.
14 October – The Disney Weekly final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 06 Mar 1991
To: 14 Oct 1992
Duration: 1 year, 7 months
Issues: 85
Issue 0 was a special preview issue: there were 84 regular weekly issues.
Not to be confused with London Editions’ Disney Weekly. Replaced with Mickey and Friends.
17 October – Mickey and Friends launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 17 Oct 1992
To: 03 Sep 1996
Duration: 3 years, 11 months
Issues: 218
Replaced The Disney Weekly.
21 October – The Exploits of Spider-Man launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK/Panini UK
From: 21 Oct 1992
To: 18 Oct 1995
Duration: 3 years
Issues: 40
Published every four weeks.
35 years ago:
October – Inspector Gadget launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1987
To: Oct 1988
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 7
Bimonthly.
October – Keypers launched.
Publisher: Unknown
From: Oct 1987
To: unknown
Duration: 2 months
Issues: Unknown
I know very little about this one: it only popped up on my radar a couple of weeks ago. According to Denis Gifford’s ACE Newsletter (June 1988), Playhour was ‘absorbed by Keypers’ — although to the best of my knowledge Playhour had been cancelled in August 1987.
October – Madballs launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1987
To: May 1988
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 8
October – The Adventures of Luther Arkwright launched.
Publisher: Valkyrie Press
From: Oct 1987
To: Feb 1989
Duration: 1 year, 4 months
Issues: 9
Bryan Talbot’s classic Science Fiction epic collected (and completed) for the first time! Wonderful stuff indeed!
31 October – Super Naturals launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 31 Oct 1987
To: 04 Mar 1988
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 9
Fortnightly. A free preview issue was given away with other Fleetway comics.
31 October – Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK/Panini UK
From: 31 Oct 1987
To: Ongoing
Duration: 34 years, 11 months
Issues: 814+
Later issues are simply titled Thomas & Friends.
40 years ago:
October – Marvel Madhouse final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jun 1981
To: Oct 1982
Duration: 1 year, 4 months
Issues: 17
06 October – Fantastic Four launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 06 Oct 1982
To: 20 Apr 1983
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 29
09 October – Play Box (1982) final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 03 Apr 1982
To: 09 Oct 1982
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 28
Absorbed into Jack and Jill (1954).
16 October – Look Alive final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 18 Sep 1982
To: 16 Oct 1982
Duration: 1 month
Issues: 5
See also: In-Shallow Profile: Look Alive
20 October – Rupert Weekly launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 20 Oct 1982
To: 12 Sep 1984
Duration: 1 year, 11 months
Issues: 100
45 years ago:
October – Napalm Kiss launched.
Publisher: Ar-Zak
From: Oct 1977
To: Dec 1977
Duration: 2 months
Issues: 2
Actual dates unconfirmed.
19 October – Rampage launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 19 Oct 1977
To: 07 Jun 1978
Duration: 8 months
Issues: 34
Relaunched as Rampage Monthly.
22 October – Cheeky Weekly launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 22 Oct 1977
To: 02 Feb 1980
Duration: 2 years, 4 months
Issues: 117
22 October – Mirabelle final issue.
Publisher: Pearson/IPC
From: 10 Sep 1956
To: 22 Oct 1977
Duration: 21 years, 1 month
Issues: 1009
Absorbed into Pink.
Retitled New Mirabelle on 19 Feb 1977.
22 October – Tarzan Weekly final issue.
Publisher: Byblos
From: 11 Jun 1977
To: 22 Oct 1977
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 20
50 years ago:
07 October – The Mighty World of Marvel (1972) launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 07 Oct 1972
To: 01 May 1983
Duration: 10 years, 7 months
Issues: 397
Initially weekly. From #38 (23 Jun 1973) until #329 (17 Jan 1979) the title was The Mighty World of Marvel Featuring The Incredible Hulk, with many variations depending on the most recently absorbed title. Retitled Marvel Comic from #330 (24 Jan 1979), then revamped as a monthly title, Marvel Super-Heroes, from #353 (Sept 1979). Note that Spider-Man Comics Weekly #334 boasts “and Marvel Comic” on the cover, with the implication that it’s absorbed this title: it did so only in name, really, because MWOM was actually rebranded as the monthly Marvel Superheroes and then absorbed into The Daredevils.
07 October – Toytown launched.
Publisher: Williams Publishing
From: 07 Oct 1972
To: 17 Mar 1973
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 24
07 October – Walt Disney’s Now I Know launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 07 Oct 1972
To: 20 Oct 1973
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 55
26 October – Yogi and his Toy final issue.
Publisher: Williams Publishing
From: 26 Feb 1972
To: 26 Oct 1972
Duration: 8 months
Issues: 36
Relaunched as Hanna-Barbera’s Fun Time
60 years ago:
01 October – Secrets of the Unknown launched.
Publisher: Alan Class
From: 01 Oct 1962
To: 01 Mar 1989
Duration: 26 years, 5 months
Issues: 249
06 October – Valiant launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press/Fleetway
From: 06 Oct 1962
To: 16 Oct 1976
Duration: 14 years
Issues: 714
27 October – Yogi Bear’s Own Weekly launched.
Publisher: City Magazines/Robert Hayward and Sons
From: 27 Oct 1962
To: 28 Mar 1964
Duration: 1 year, 5 months
Issues: 75
70 years ago:
01 October – Picture Epics launched.
Publisher: Swan
From: 01 Oct 1952
To: 01 Nov 1952
Duration: 1 month
Issues: 4
#1 reprinted Back from the Dead from War Comics (1940) and Topical Funnies.
85 years ago:
16 October – Buzzer launched.
Publisher: George Newnes
From: 16 Oct 1937
To: 18 Jun 1938
Duration: 8 months
Issues: 36
16 October – Okay Comics Weekly launched.
Publisher: Boardman
From: 16 Oct 1937
To: 26 Feb 1938
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 20
16 October – Silver Star launched.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 16 Oct 1937
To: 22 Oct 1960
Duration: 23 years
Issues: 967
23 October – Golden launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 23 Oct 1937
To: 11 May 1940
Duration: 2 years, 7 months
Issues: 134
90 years ago:
15 October – Kinema Comic final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press/Fleetway
From: 24 Apr 1920
To: 15 Oct 1932
Duration: 12 years, 6 months
Issues: 651
Absorbed into Film Fun.
22 October – Children’s Greater World launched.
Publisher:
From: 22 Oct 1932
To: 01 Aug 1939
Duration: 6 years, 10 months
Issues: 62
22 October – Peg’s Companion final issue.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 01 Nov 1921
To: 22 Oct 1932
Duration: 10 years, 11 months
Issues: 572
Relaunched as Films & Fiction.
29 October – Films & Fiction launched.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 29 Oct 1932
To: 11 Apr 1933
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 24
Relaunch of Peg’s Companion
29 October – Secrets (1) final issue.
Publisher:
From: 24 Sep 1932
To: 29 Oct 1932
Duration: 1 month
Issues: 6
Absorbed into Secrets (2).
This was apparently a short test-run for the very long-lived story-paper of the same name which followed in November 1932 and ran for almost sixty years.
95 years ago:
15 October – My Story Weekly launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 15 Oct 1927
To: 12 May 1928
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 31
22 October – Tiny Tots launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 22 Oct 1927
To: 24 Jan 1959
Duration: 31 years, 3 months
Issues: 1334
29 October – Larks (1927) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 29 Oct 1927
To: 18 May 1940
Duration: 12 years, 7 months
Issues: 656
No known connection to the similarly-titled Larks! that ran for 239 issues from 1 May 1893 to 29 Dec 1906.
29 October – Robin Hood Library (1924) final issue.
Publisher: Aldine House
From: 01 Mar 1924
To: 29 Oct 1927
Duration: 3 years, 7 months
Issues: 88
I’m not sure that the cover here belongs to this version of the publication… Aldine’s Robin Hood Library initially ran from 19 Oct 1901 to Jun 1906 (88 issues), then was revived from Oct 1912 to sometime in 1914 (14 issues), revived again from Mar 1924 to 29 Oct 1927 (88 issues again: it’s possible that these were reprints/reissues of the first run), then again in 1930 for 8 issues.
100 years ago:
07 October – Sunbeam (1922) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 07 Oct 1922
To: 23 Jan 1926
Duration: 3 years, 3 months
Issues: 173
09 October – Pals (1922) launched.
Publisher: Hulton
From: 09 Oct 1922
To: 19 Nov 1923
Duration: 1 year, 1 month
Issues: 59
14 October – The Golden Penny launched.
Publisher: United/Fleetway/Amalgamated Press
From: 14 Oct 1922
To: 28 Jan 1928
Duration: 5 years, 3 months
Issues: 276
21 October – Schoolgirl’s Weekly launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 21 Oct 1922
To: 20 May 1939
Duration: 16 years, 7 months
Issues: 865
21 October – Sport and Adventure final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 29 Apr 1922
To: 21 Oct 1922
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 22
Relaunch of The Marvel
Relaunched as Pluck (1922)
28 October – Pluck (1922) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 28 Oct 1922
To: 04 Oct 1924
Duration: 2 years
Issues: 103
Relaunch of Sport and Adventure.
28 October – The Blue Bird launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 28 Oct 1922
To: 20 Sep 1924
Duration: 1 year, 11 months
Issues: 100
Apparently absorbed into My Weekly, a ‘grown-up’ magazine.
110 years ago:
01 October – Robin Hood Library (1912) launched.
Publisher: Aldine House
From: 01 Oct 1912
To: 1914
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 14
See Robin Hood Library (1924) above.
12 October – The Penny Popular (1912) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 12 Oct 1912
To: 30 Mar 1918
Duration: 5 years, 5 months
Issues: 286
A revival – The Penny Popular (1919), later renamed The Popular – appeared almost a year after this title’s demise.
115 years ago:
12 October – Boys’ Life final issue.
Publisher: George Newnes
From: 20 Apr 1907
To: 12 Oct 1907
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 26
Absorbed into The Captain (1899).
23 October – Judy, or the London Serio-Comic Journal final issue.
Publisher: Dalziel Brothers
From: 01 May 1867
To: 23 Oct 1907
Duration: 40 years, 5 months
Issues: 2113
Number of issues uncertain. Ally Sloper was introduced in the 14 Aug 1867 issue: almost certainly the first comic-strip character.
Update: I had incorrectly listed The Terminator (Trident Comics / Dark Horse International) with this month’s selection — thanks to an error in my database — but me ol’ mucker Ciaran Flanagan spotted it and corrected me! That’s now been removed.
Rusty Staples 
And the Luther Arkwright tour was the first time I saw an original comics page in the flesh!
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