Hatch, Match & Dispatch – September 2023

Greetings, oh fellow traveller in the Realm of Quite Liking Things About Comics! If this is your first time visiting Rusty Staples then you are most welcome. Oh, and also, as the new person, you have to bring doughnuts. It’s a kind of tradition that we have. Everyone has to do it. You want to fit in, don’t you?

This post is our forty-eighth monthly Hatch Match & Dispatch! That’s four years of me giving you the heads-up on the British comics that are celebrating an impending anniversary — for free! Oh yes! I have never charged you a penny for this awesome and potentially life-altering service, but now… It’s payback time! Yes, you are all in my debt, and you can repay that debt by sharing this post on all the social media platforms of your choice!

Alternatively…

Don’t forget that there’s still time to vote in the 2023 Tripwire Awards, for which I’ve been shortlisted in the Best Writer category! Voting is open until Sept 12th — you can find out more on the Tripwire site!

Or you can use this handy QR code scanning thingy:

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Blog News:

• Did a little overdue housekeeping on my Reviews Round-Up page, updating a couple of links and adding fresh links to the comics I’ve reviewed since the last update, such as my Friday Flashback series (which might well be making a comeback soon, you’ll no doubt be thoroughly overjoyed to learn).
• Made a couple of minor corrections to the Marvel UK 1900s Timeline, which remains one of the most popular pages on the blog. (Although it’s still lagging quite some distance behind the DC Thomson Comics Timeline.)

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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
2023: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug

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30 years ago:

September – Acne final issue.
Publisher: Acne Publishing Co.
From: Aug 1991
To: Sep 1993
Duration: 2 years, 1 month
Issues: 31
Monthly. Despite this comic’s very strong resemblance to the multitudinous British “adult” comics that arrived in the wake of Viz‘s success (see the Jan 2023 HM&D for our in-a-bit-of-depth mini-featurette on same), Acne was actually a kids’ comic.

September – Children of the Voyager launched.
Publisher: Marvel Frontier Comics
From: Sep 1993
To: Dec 1993
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

September – Dances with Demons launched.
Publisher: Marvel Frontier Comics
From: Sep 1993
To: Dec 1993
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

September – Death 3 launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Sep 1993
To: Dec 1993
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

01 September – Death’s Head II and the Origin of Die-Cut final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Aug 1993
To: Sep 1993
Duration: 1 month
Issues: 2

September – Immortalis launched.
Publisher: Marvel Frontier Comics
From: Sep 1993
To: Mar 1994
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 4

September – Killpower: The Early Years launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Sep 1993
To: Dec 1993
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

September – Oh Boy Monthly final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: Nov 1984
To: Sep 1993
Duration: 8 years, 10 months
Issues: 118
Absorbed into My Guy Monthly.
Monthly. Issue count and end date unconfirmed.

September – Roy of the Rovers Monthly (1993) launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: Sep 1993
To: Mar 1995
Duration: 1 year, 6 months
Issues: 19
Monthly. Revival of Roy of the Rovers.

September – Shadow Riders final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jun 1993
To: Sep 1993
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

September – The Knights of Pendragon (1992) final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jun 1992
To: Sep 1993
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 15

30 September – Hurricanes launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 30 Sep 1993
To: 23 Dec 1993
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 7

35 years ago:

September – Muppet Babies (1986) final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Nov 1986
To: Sep 1988
Duration: 1 year, 10 months
Issues: 61
Initially published every four weeks; monthly from mid 1988.

September – Paris the Man of Plaster final issue.
Publisher: Harrier Comics
From: May 1987
To: Sep 1988
Duration: 1 year, 4 months
Issues: 6

10 September – Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 21 May 1988
To: 10 Sep 1988
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 9
Absorbed into Thundercats.
Fortnightly

17 September – Crisis launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 17 Sep 1988
To: 01 Oct 1991
Duration: 3 years, 1 month
Issues: 63
Fortnightly (1-48), monthly (49-63)

21 September – TV Fun (1988) final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 23 Mar 1988
To: 21 Sep 1988
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 14
Fortnightly. Revival in name only of TV Fun (1953) — See below.

40 years ago:

21 September – Top Cat’s TV Comic Show launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 21 Sep 1983
To: 20 Jun 1984
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 40

24 September – Princess (1983) launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 24 Sep 1983
To: 31 Mar 1984
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 28

45 years ago:

September – Castle of Horror launched.
Publisher: Portman Distribution
From: Sep 1978
To: 1978
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 5
Exact dates unknown.

September – Tales of Terror launched.
Publisher: Portman Distribution
From: Sep 1978
To: 1978
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 5
Exact dates unknown.

30 September – Toby final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 30 Jan 1976
To: 30 Sep 1978
Duration: 2 years, 8 months
Issues: 140
Absorbed into Jack and Jill (1954).
Issue-count estimated (138 issues confirmed).

50 years ago:

15 September – Hey Diddle Diddle final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 25 Mar 1972
To: 15 Sep 1973
Duration: 1 year, 6 months
Issues: 78
Absorbed into Playhour.

15 September – Teddy Bear final issue.
Publisher: Fleetway/IPC
From: 21 Sep 1963
To: 15 Sep 1973
Duration: 10 years
Issues: 520
Absorbed into Jack and Jill (1954).

22 September – The Avengers launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 22 Sep 1973
To: 14 Jul 1976
Duration: 2 years, 10 months
Issues: 148
See also: Avengers: The Old Order Changeth!

55 years ago:

07 September – Pow! final issue.
Publisher: Odhams/IPC
From: 21 Jan 1967
To: 07 Sep 1968
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 86
Absorbed into Smash!.

14 September – TV Tornado final issue.
Publisher: City Magazines
From: 14 Jan 1967
To: 14 Sep 1968
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 88
Absorbed into TV Century 21.

60 years ago:

14 September – Roxy final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 15 Mar 1958
To: 14 Sep 1963
Duration: 5 years, 6 months
Issues: 235
Absorbed into Valentine.

14 September – The Hornet launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 14 Sep 1963
To: 07 Feb 1976
Duration: 12 years, 5 months
Issues: 648

21 September – Teddy Bear launched.
Publisher: Fleetway/IPC
From: 21 Sep 1963
To: 15 Sep 1973
Duration: 10 years
Issues: 520

65 years ago:

01 September – War Picture Library launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press/Fleetway/IPC
From: 01 Sep 1958
To: 03 Dec 1984
Duration: 26 years, 3 months
Issues: 2103
Revived as War Picture Library (1985)

30 September – New Glamour final issue.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 16 Oct 1956
To: 30 Sep 1958
Duration: 1 year, 11 months
Issues: 102
Absorbed into Mirabelle.

70 years ago:

12 September – Comic Cuts final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 17 May 1890
To: 12 Sep 1953
Duration: 63 years, 4 months
Issues: 3006
Absorbed into The Knock-Out Comic.

12 September – Illustrated Chips (2) final issue.
Publisher: Harmsworth/Amalgamated Press
From: 06 Sep 1890
To: 12 Sep 1953
Duration: 63 years
Issues: 2997
Absorbed into Film Fun.
Changed its title to Chips in Sept 1952. Occasionally incorrectly listed as having been relaunched as (or absorbed by) TV Fun (1953) — this is due to an editorial in Chips‘ final issue that promoted said comic.

12 September – The Halfpenny Wonder final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 28 Mar 1914
To: 12 Sep 1953
Duration: 39 years, 6 months
Issues: 1760
Absorbed into Radio Fun. Issue count is estimated.
Note that the final issue heavily advertises the upcoming TV Fun (1953), but a small notice informs us that this comic was being absorbed by Radio Fun.
See also: The Mysteries of Wonder!.

19 September – TV Fun (1953) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 19 Sep 1953
To: 05 Sep 1959
Duration: 6 years
Issues: 312
Relaunched as TV Fan from 12 Sep 1959. Revived in name only in 1988 as TV Fun (1988) — see above.

90 years ago:

02 September – The Hotspur launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 02 Sep 1933
To: 17 Oct 1959
Duration: 26 years, 1 month
Issues: 1197
Launched as a story-paper, but comic-strips became more and more prevalent. Relaunched as The New Hotspur on 24 Oct 1959 to reflect its all-comic line-up.

95 years ago:

17 September – Cheerful Comic launched.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 30 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted material from The Monster Comic (Amalgamated Press, 23 Sep 1922 to 25 Jan 1930, 383 issues)

17 September – Happy Comic launched.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted material from Golden Penny (Amalgamated Press, 14 Oct 1922 to 28 Jan 1928, 276 issues)

17 September – Merry Moments (1928) launched.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted material from Golden Penny (Amalgamated Press, 14 Oct 1922 to 28 Jan 1928, 276 issues)

17 September – Sunny Comic launched.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted material from The Monster Comic (Amalgamated Press, 23 Sep 1922 to 25 Jan 1930, 383 issues)

17 September – Tip Tip Comic launched.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted material from Golden Penny (Amalgamated Press, 14 Oct 1922 to 28 Jan 1928, 276 issues). Not to be confused with Tip Top from Amalgamated Press or Tip Top Comics from L. Miller.

17 September – Up-To-Date Comic launched.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted material from Golden Penny (Amalgamated Press, 14 Oct 1922 to 28 Jan 1928, 276 issues)

100 years ago:

29 September – Half-Holiday final issue.
Publisher: Sloperies
From: 21 Apr 1923
To: 29 Sep 1923
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 24
Continued from Ally Sloper’s Half-Holiday (1922), with issues numbered #24 to #47.

110 years ago:

13 September – Cheer Boys Cheer final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 25 May 1912
To: 13 Sep 1913
Duration: 1 year, 4 months
Issues: 69
Relaunched as The Boy’s Journal.

20 September – The Boy’s Journal launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 20 Sep 1913
To: 30 Jan 1915
Duration: 1 year, 4 months
Issues: 72
Relaunch of Cheer Boys Cheer.

120 years ago:

12 September – Funny Pips launched.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 12 Sep 1903
To: 26 Dec 1903
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 16
Free with The Boys’ Leader.

12 September – The Boys’ Leader launched.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 12 Sep 1903
To: 12 Aug 1905
Duration: 1 year, 11 months
Issues: 101
Included a comic-book, Funny Pips, for the first sixteen issues.
See also: Sparkyology 101

17 September – The Union Jack (1903) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 17 Sep 1903
To: 18 Feb 1933
Duration: 29 years, 5 months
Issues: 1531
Later relaunched as Detective Weekly.

130 years ago:

01 September – Horner’s Penny Stories launched.
Publisher: W.B. Horner & Son
From: Sep 1893
To: 1940
Duration: 46 years, 9 months
Issues: 2400
Story-paper. Known as Horner’s Penny Stories from 1893 to 1917, Horner’s Penny Stories and Woman’s Own from 1917 to 8 Mar 1919, Horner’s Stories from 15 Mar 1919 to 5 Apr 1919, Horner’s Stories and Woman’s Own from 12 Apr to 28 Jun 1919, Horner’s Stories from 5 Jul 1919 until its cancellation in 1940.

01 September – Scholar’s Own (1893) launched.
Publisher: Educational Newspaper Company
From: Sep 1893
To: Aug 1906
Duration: 12 years, 11 months
Issues: 156

140 years ago:

25 September – The Union Jack (1880) final issue.
Publisher: Sampson Low/Cecil Brooks
From: 01 Jan 1880
To: 25 Sep 1883
Duration: 3 years, 8 months
Issues: 193
Absorbed into The Union Jack Library.