Hatch, Match & Dispatch – January 2023

Happy day, readers! A tad later than usual (because the last Monday of the month this time around coincides with St. Boxing Day, and I already had a post scheduled for that day), we’re back once again with a look at some of the British comics that will be celebrating an important anniversary in the coming month.

I say “some of” because not all of the comics that perhaps should be on this list actually make an appearance, and that’s because — as I’ve noted a few times before — sometimes the info just isn’t out there.

This was brought home to me recently when a reader asked why Smut had never appeared on one of these lists.

My reply: “In order to keep things interesting, and to avoid swamping the lists, I’m only noting anniversary years in multiples of five, starting with the twenty-fifth. Smut was launched in May 1989, so its thirtieth anniversary would have been in May 2019, which was before I started compiling these lists. Smut‘s next due to appear in the May 2024 list for its thirty-fifth anniversary.”

“Oh, right.” the reader said. “But what about the anniversary of its cancellation?”

That was a good question… As far as I know, Smut was cancelled in 2007, so that’s too recent to be included. (Older readers might be thinking, “Right, 2007 was only, like, a year or two ago.” Ah, dear older reader… sorry to break it to you, but 2007 was it was actually fifteen years ago.) Besides… I don’t actually know when in 2007 Smut was cancelled.

In case you’ve not heard of Smut, it was one of the many adult-targetted comics that appeared in the wake of Viz‘s surge of popularity in the late 1980s. (Viz was preceded by many other British adult-oriented comics, but it was the first to achieve huge mainstream success.)

In terms of direct influence, Viz was absolutely phenomenal: as well as Smut, it sparked comics like Acid Head Arnie, Adroit, Black Eye, Blag, Brain Damage, Bugs ‘n’ Drugs, C’mon Ref!, The Daily Head, Doodlebug, Electric Soup, Elephant Parts, Filth!, Fizz, !Gag!, Gas, Gutted, Gutter, Igor, Jockstrap, Kack, Lazy Frog, The Onion Bag, Poot!, Pulp, The Red Card, The Scam, Scurvy Dog, Skank, Spit!, Streetquomix, Stuff and Nonsense, Sweet FA, Talking Turkey, The Top Banana, The Trout, The Truth, The Twilight Clone, Twisted, Ut, The Yorkshire Pest, Ziggy and Zit. (Disclaimer: some of these might not actually have been Viz-inspired or even Viz-like: I haven’t actually seen all of them!) There was even a few published here in Ireland, such as Fitz, Yellow Press, and Manky.

Here’s a look at some of them…

Some of these titles only lasted for a handful of issues, but others were quite successful. Smut itself stuck around for at least 182 issues, possibly up to 195 if an Ebay listing I recently found is accurate. (Maybe even higher: I found one suggestion that it had come close to 300 issues… although that seems unlikely as there were only around 216 months between May 1989 and the magazine’s demise in 2007.)

There was also a few kid-oriented Viz-like comics such as Fizog, The Big Greenie and Acne, which were regularly top-shelved by my local newsagent. (I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that some of the others on the above list were kids’ comics too.)

For most of the entries on that list we don’t know their launch date, cancellation date, number of issues, or their ultimate fate: were they cancelled outright, or did they morph into another personality? Smut was rebranded as Twisted, but I’ve no idea how long that one was around. The Damage started out as Brain Damage. Gutter became Gutted and then, according to at least one source, was reincarnated as Zit.

“Hmm. Well, now, that’s all very well, Uncle Rusty, but were any of these comics any good?” I imagine that I hear you ask.

Occasionally, yes, some of them did indeed have sparkles of pure brilliance. But most of them… Well, the public ran out of interest long before the creators ran out of vulgarity or low-hanging fruit to mock, which should tell you something.

Few, however, came close to Viz in terms of sales, with its circulation of well over a million copies per issue in the 1990s — and that was the era after the oft-cited decline of British comics. You don’t sell a million copies per issue if the readers don’t love what you’re doing.

Where was I going with all this? Oh, yeah: sometimes it can be tricky to confirm a comic’s details, so if I’ve got anything wrong here or elsewhere on the blog, or if I’ve omitted something that really ought to be included (and you can point to actual evidence, not just “Well, I reckon…”) then please don’t be shy about getting in touch.

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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, Oct, Nov, Dec

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30 years ago:

January – Bram Stoker’s Dracula launched.
Publisher: Dark Horse International
From: Jan 1993
To: Oct 1993
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 10

Adapted Francis Ford Coppola’s movie for the first five issues, after which the title changed to simply Dracula. See also: In-Shallow Profile – Bram Stoker’s Dracula

January – Codename: Genetix launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jan 1993
To: May 1993
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 4

January – Roy of the Rovers Monthly (1990) final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: Jul 1990
To: Jan 1993
Duration: 2 years, 6 months
Issues: 31

Relaunch of The Best of Roy of the Rovers Monthly.

January – The Incomplete Death’s Head launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jan 1993
To: Dec 1993
Duration: 11 months
Issues: 12

Reprints material from Death’s Head with new framing stories.

35 years ago:

January – Saban’s Power Rangers Zeo final issue.
Publisher: Redhill
From: Apr 1997
To: Jan 1988
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 10

January – Swiftsure final issue.
Publisher: Harrier Comics
From: May 1985
To: Jan 1988
Duration: 2 years, 8 months
Issues: 18

Absorbed Conqueror from #7. #13 is titled Swiftsure Presents Tales of the Ragged Reptile, #14 is titled Swiftsure Presents Black Berghese Warrior.

23 January – Battle Picture Weekly final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 08 Mar 1975
To: 23 Jan 1988
Duration: 12 years, 10 months
Issues: 664
Absorbed into Eagle (1982).

Very little is known about this obscure weekly title. I’m guessing it’s about war or something. See also: Branding: Battle Picture Weekly

40 years ago:

January – The Daredevils launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jan 1983
To: Nov 1983
Duration: 10 months
Issues: 11

Absorbed The Mighty World of Marvel (1972) before itself being absorbed by The Mighty World of Marvel (1983)

15 January – Debbie final issue.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 17 Feb 1973
To: 15 Jan 1983
Duration: 9 years, 11 months
Issues: 518
Absorbed into Mandy.

See also: Pocket-Money Comics: Debbie

22 January – Spike launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 22 Jan 1983
To: 28 Apr 1984
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 67

29 January – Photo-Love Weekly final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 31 Mar 1979
To: 29 Jan 1983
Duration: 3 years, 10 months
Issues: 197
Absorbed into Oh Boy!.

45 years ago:

January – Napalm Kiss final issue.
Publisher: Ar-Zak
From: Oct 1977
To: Jan 1978
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 2

14 January – Spellbound (1976) final issue.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 25 Sep 1976
To: 14 Jan 1978
Duration: 1 year, 4 months
Issues: 69
Absorbed into Debbie.

21 January – Scoop launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 21 Jan 1978
To: 10 Oct 1981
Duration: 3 years, 9 months
Issues: 194

50 years ago:

13 January – Pixie final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 24 Jun 1972
To: 13 Jan 1973
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 30
Absorbed into June.

13 January – The Rover (1961) final issue.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 21 Jan 1961
To: 13 Jan 1973
Duration: 12 years
Issues: 626
Absorbed into The Wizard (1970).

DC Thomson’s The Rover (4 Mar 1922 to 14 Jan 1961, 1855 issues) and Adventure (17 Sep 1921 to 14 Jan 1961, 1878 issues) merged to create this title, initially called Rover and Adventure. It then became Rover on 12 Oct 1963, then Rover and Wizard when it absorbed The Wizard (1922) (23 Nov 1963). Reverted to Rover with issue #448 (16 Aug 1969).

20 January – Buzz launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 20 Jan 1973
To: 04 Jan 1975
Duration: 2 years
Issues: 103

27 January – Bobo Bunny final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 22 Mar 1969
To: 27 Jan 1973
Duration: 3 years, 10 months
Issues: 201
Absorbed into Hey Diddle Diddle.

27 January – Music Star launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 27 Jan 1973
To: 18 Jan 1975
Duration: 2 years
Issues: 101 (estimated)

Weekly music magazine. Issue-count not yet confirmed. Not actually a comic as far as I know, but it was ultimately absorbed by Pink, which definitely had comic-strip content. See the My Guy Timeline for lots more info!

55 years ago:

January – Fleetway Super Library: Front Line Series final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: Jan 1967
To: Jan 1968
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 26

January – Fleetway Super Library: Secret Agent Series final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: Jan 1967
To: Jan 1968
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 26

January – Fleetway Super Library: Stupendous Series final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: Feb 1967
To: Jan 1968
Duration: 11 months
Issues: 24

January – Super Adventure launched.
Publisher: Alex White & Co.
From: Jan 1968
To: Sometime in 1969
Duration: 1 year, 5 months (very roughly estimated)
Issues: 51

End date unknown at present. No known or even likely connection with Marvel UK’s even clunkier-titled Marvel Super Adventure.

13 January – Giggle final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 29 Apr 1967
To: 13 Jan 1968
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 38
Absorbed into Buster.

Mostly contained reprints from British and European comics… The Chuckles was a revamped version of The Gremlins from The Knock-Out Comic. Buck Bingo was Lucky Luke with a new name.

13 January – Playland launched.
Publisher: TV Publications/Polystyle Publications
From: 13 Jan 1968
To: 05 Jul 1975
Duration: 7 years, 6 months
Issues: 391

13 January – Wham! final issue.
Publisher: Odhams/IPC
From: 20 Jun 1964
To: 13 Jan 1968
Duration: 3 years, 7 months
Issues: 187
Absorbed into Pow!.

Biff was later reprinted as Sam in Thunder (see Enfari’s Syndrome: Thunder). Eagle Eye, Junior Spy‘s arch-nemesis was Grimly Feendish who was later awarded his own strip in Smash!.

27 January – Twinkle launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 27 Jan 1968
To: 05 Jun 1999
Duration: 31 years, 5 months
Issues: 1638

60 years ago:

19 January – Treasure launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 19 Jan 1963
To: 16 Jan 1971
Duration: 8 years
Issues: 418

Rebranded as The New Treasure around issue #320 (February or March 1969).

26 January – Boys’ World launched.
Publisher: Odhams Press
From: 26 Jan 1963
To: 03 Oct 1964
Duration: 1 year, 9 months
Issues: 89

65 years ago:

04 January – Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse launched.
Publisher: Disney-Holding
From: 04 Jan 1958
To: 24 Jan 1959
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 56

Arguably continued from Walt Disney’s Weekly (Willbank Publications / Odhams, 8 Feb 1936 to 28 Dec 1957, 920 issues). There’s some murkiness around this title: see Zip’s Secret Origin for more info.

04 January – Zip launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 04 Jan 1958
To: 03 Oct 1959
Duration: 1 year, 9 months
Issues: 85

Relaunched from the remains of Mickey Mouse Weekly when Odhams lost the licence to Disney characters (Disney-Holding subsequently launched Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse,, above). See Zip’s Secret Origin for more info.

18 January – Bunty launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 18 Jan 1958
To: 17 Feb 2001
Duration: 43 years, 1 month
Issues: 2249

90 years ago:

07 January – Nan’s Novels final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 17 Oct 1931
To: 07 Jan 1933
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 65
Absorbed into Poppy’s Paper (1924).

95 years ago:

21 January – Comic Life final issue.
Publisher: Henderson/Amalgamated Press
From: 02 Jul 1898
To: 21 Jan 1928
Duration: 29 years, 6 months
Issues: 1543
Relaunched as My Favourite.
Originally titled Pictorial Comic Life.

Pitch and Toss were later reprinted in Big One as Chish and Fips.

28 January – My Favourite launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 28 Jan 1928
To: 13 Oct 1934
Duration: 6 years, 9 months
Issues: 351
Relaunch of Comic Life
Relaunched as Sparkler (1934)

28 January – The Golden Penny final issue.
Publisher: United/Fleetway/Amalgamated Press
From: 14 Oct 1922
To: 28 Jan 1928
Duration: 5 years, 3 months
Issues: 276
Absorbed into Comic Cuts.

100 years ago:

January – Children’s Companion launched.
Publisher: Religious Tract Society
From: Jan 1923
To: Dec 1927
Duration: 4 years, 11 months
Issues: 60

20 January – The Ruby launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 20 Jan 1923
To: 02 Jun 1923
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 20

115 years ago:

07 January – The Nugget Library (1908) launched.
Publisher: James Henderson
From: 07 Jan 1908
To: 01 May 1916
Duration: 8 years, 4 months
Issues: 330
Relaunch of The Nugget Library (1905)

120 years ago:

January – Wild West Library launched.
Publisher: James Henderson
From: Jan 1903
To: Feb 1909
Duration: 6 years, 1 month
Issues: 184

Later relaunched as Lion Library

125 years ago:

22 January – The Halfpenny Comic launched.
Publisher: Newnes/Trapps & Holmes
From: 22 Jan 1898
To: 29 Dec 1906
Duration: 8 years, 11 months
Issues: 467

130 years ago:

14 January – Comrades (1893) launched.
Publisher: Shurey’s Publications
From: 14 Jan 1893
To: 01 Oct 1895
Duration: 2 years, 9 months
Issues: 142
Relaunched as Pals (1895).

28 January – The Wonder (1892) final issue.
Publisher: Harmsworth/Amalgamated Press
From: 30 Jul 1892
To: 28 Jan 1893
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 27
Relaunched as The Funny Wonder (1893).

See also: The Mysteries of Wonder!

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