As you’ll see from the standard disclaimer below, in these features I generally only focus on older comics. Mostly, this is because my database of British comics is woefully inadequate when it comes to anything published in the past couple of decades. However, every now and then I have felt the need to highlight a more recent comic, and today I’m going to do so for Spaceship Away, which has now reached its twentieth anniversary. But is it a comic, or a magazine, or a fanzine? Or all three? Or, indeed, does that matter?
Spaceship Away is dedicated to the original Eagle, with a strong focus on that comic’s flagship strip Dan Dare. If it is a fanzine, well, I’ve rarely seen one as gorgeous as this, and I’ve seen a lot of fanzines. No poorly-photocopied A5-size black-and-white pamphlet here, folks: Spaceship Away is a proper-sized full-colour mag that at times is so absolutely gorgeous you kinda don’t want to touch it for fear of spoiling it.
Each issue is packed with news, articles and brand-new strips, many drawn by original Eagle artists such as Don Harley and Keith Watson. If you’re a Dan Dare or Eagle fan, I highly recommend that you treat yourself to a copy or two, or sixty, via the official website (but be warned: the website is not very intuitive. Quick Tip: for info on the individual issues, click “Summaries”) .
In other news, I’m very happy and honoured to announce that I’ve been voted Best Writer in the 2023 Tripwire Awards! Thanks to the awesome and talented people at Tripwire for organising the awards.
Many thanks also to everyone who voted for me! I promise to carry out my duties as Best Writer — opening supermarkets, speaking at the UN, judging beauty contests (er, I mean, scholarship programmes) — to the very best of my ability.
Blog News:
- Three years ago I conducted an exhaustively researched and extensive survey of British comics’ launch and start dates, based mostly on the data I had to hand and and stuff I just sort of guessed about, and October emerged as the most common month in which British comics were launched. What does this mean today? I don’t know, I just decided to include a link to it here because I want more people to see it. Thanks!
- As hinted last month, I’ve restarted the Friday Flashback series, with Whizzer and Chips, The Daredevils, Junior Express and The Beezer all now having received the treatment. Do let me know if you have a favourite British comic (or a hated one) that we’ve not already covered in any of our other reviews.
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, Sep
20 years ago:
October – Spaceship Away launched.
Publisher: Spaceship Away
From: Oct 2003
To: Ongoing
Duration: 20 years
Issues: 60
30 years ago:
October – Bloodseed launched.
Publisher: Marvel Frontier Comics
From: Oct 1993
To: Nov 1993
Duration: 1 month
Issues: 2
October – Bram Stoker’s Dracula final issue.
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
October – Dark Guard launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1993
To: Jan 1994
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4
October – Gene Dogs launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1993
To: Jan 1994
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4
October – Genetix launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1993
To: Mar 1994
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 6
October – Gun Runner launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1993
To: Mar 1994
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 6
October – Wild Thing final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Apr 1993
To: Oct 1993
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 7
06 October – Black Axe final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Apr 1993
To: 06 Oct 1993
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 7
01 October – James Bond Jr. launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Oct 1993
To: 04 Feb 1994
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 10
Fortnightly. Update: At least ten issues, confirmed by Richard Sheaf!
15 October – Rupert and Friends final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 16 Nov 1991
To: 15 Oct 1993
Duration: 1 year, 11 months
Issues: 51
Relaunched as: Rupert: Learn and Play.
23 October – Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 23 Oct 1993
To: 06 May 1994
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 14
Fortnightly.
35 years ago:
October – Deadface final issue.
Publisher: Harrier Comics
From: Apr 1987
To: Oct 1988
Duration: 1 year, 6 months
Issues: 8
October – Deadline launched.
Publisher: Deadline Publications Limited
From: Oct 1988
To: Oct 1995
Duration: 7 years
Issues: 71
October – Inspector Gadget final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Oct 1987
To: Oct 1988
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 7
Bimonthly.
October – The Best of Eagle final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: May 1988
To: Oct 1988
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 6
Monthly.
01 October – Lady Lovely Locks final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 16 Apr 1988
To: 01 Oct 1988
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 13
Absorbed into Care Bears.
Fortnightly.
01 October – The Marvel Bumper Comic launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 01 Oct 1988
To: 22 Jul 1989
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 31
22 October – M.A.S.K. final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 25 Oct 1986
To: 22 Oct 1988
Duration: 2 years
Issues: 80
Absorbed into Eagle (1982).
22 October – Oink! final issue.
Publisher: IPC/Fleetway
From: 03 May 1986
To: 22 Oct 1988
Duration: 2 years, 5 months
Issues: 68
Absorbed into Buster.
Weekly until #63, monthly thereafter
22 October – Original Sylvanian Families launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 22 Oct 1988
To: 02 Dec 1989
Duration: 1 year, 2 months
Issues: 30
22 October – Scouse Mouse Monthly launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 22 Oct 1988
To: 15 Apr 1989
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 6
22 October – Wildcat launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 22 Oct 1988
To: 25 Mar 1989
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 12
Fortnightly. A free preview issue was given away with other Fleetway comics.
See also: Scanning Large Images
40 years ago:
15 October – School Fun launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 15 Oct 1983
To: 26 May 1984
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 33
See also: Enfari’s Syndrome: School Fun
45 years ago:
01 October – Wheels launched.
Publisher: Byblos
From: 01 Oct 1978
To: 01 Oct 1979
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 8
Bimonthly. Seven regular issues preceded by a special preview edition.
07 October – Starlord final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 13 May 1978
To: 07 Oct 1978
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 22
Absorbed into 2000AD.
See also: Altered Images: Starlord #1 and Altered Images: Starlord #2
14 October – Fun To Do launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 14 Oct 1978
To: 06 Mar 1982
Duration: 3 years, 5 months
Issues: 178
50 years ago:
13 October – Tom and Jerry Weekly (1973) launched.
Publisher: Spotlight
From: 13 Oct 1973
To: 03 Aug 1974
Duration: 10 months
Issues: 43
20 October – Goofy launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 20 Oct 1973
To: 11 May 1974
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 29
20 October – Sandie final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 12 Feb 1972
To: 20 Oct 1973
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 89
Absorbed into Tammy.
20 October – Tarkan final issue.
Publisher: Simavi
From: 03 Mar 1973
To: 20 Oct 1973
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 34
20 October – Walt Disney’s Now I Know final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 07 Oct 1972
To: 20 Oct 1973
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 55
Absorbed into Disneyland.
55 years ago:
26 October – Fantastic final issue.
Publisher: Odhams/IPC
From: 18 Feb 1967
To: 26 Oct 1968
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 89
Absorbed into Smash!.
60 years ago:
01 October – Lion Picture Library launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 01 Oct 1963
To: 01 May 1969
Duration: 5 years, 7 months
Issues: 136
05 October – Poppet launched.
Publisher: Fleetway
From: 05 Oct 1963
To: 11 Jul 1964
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 41
19 October – Cherie final issue.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 01 Oct 1960
To: 19 Oct 1963
Duration: 3 years
Issues: 160
Absorbed into Romeo.
65 years ago:
01 October – Western Picture Library launched.
Publisher: Pearson
From: 01 Oct 1958
To: 1965
Duration: 6 years, 8 months
Issues: 104
There’s some confusion with this one… The British Library lists series 1 running from #1 to #92 (1958 to 1962), with a second series of four issues published in 1965.
25 October – Top Spot launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 25 Oct 1958
To: 16 Jan 1960
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 58
85 years ago:
06 October – Football and Sports Library final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 01 Nov 1921
To: 06 Oct 1938
Duration: 16 years, 11 months
Issues: 566
08 October – Happy Days launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 08 Oct 1938
To: 05 Aug 1939
Duration: 10 months
Issues: 45
15 October – Chuckler final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 31 Mar 1934
To: 15 Oct 1938
Duration: 4 years, 7 months
Issues: 238
Absorbed into Rattler & Chuckler.
15 October – Radio Fun launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 15 Oct 1938
To: 18 Feb 1961
Duration: 22 years, 4 months
Issues: 1167
Renamed Radio Fun and Adventures in 1959.
15 October – Rattler final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 19 Aug 1933
To: 15 Oct 1938
Duration: 5 years, 2 months
Issues: 269
Absorbed into Rattler & Chuckler.
22 October – Rattler & Chuckler launched.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 22 Oct 1938
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 25
22 October – Rocket (1935) final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 26 Oct 1935
To: 22 Oct 1938
Duration: 3 years
Issues: 157
Relaunched as: Target and Rocket.
22 October – Target (1935) final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 15 Jun 1935
To: 22 Oct 1938
Duration: 3 years, 4 months
Issues: 176
Relaunched as: Target and Rocket.
29 October – Target and Rocket launched.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 29 Oct 1938
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 24
90 years ago:
01 October – The World of Wonder (1932) final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 02 Nov 1932
To: 01 Oct 1933
Duration: 11 months
Issues: 52
Relaunched as: The World of Wonder (1933).
28 October – The Oracle (1933) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 28 Oct 1933
To: 08 Jun 1958
Duration: 24 years, 8 months
Issues: 1322
Source: Philsp
100 years ago:
06 October – Sports Budget (1923) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 06 Oct 1923
To: 02 Mar 1935
Duration: 11 years, 5 months
Issues: 595
13 October – The Vanguard launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 13 Oct 1923
To: 22 May 1926
Duration: 2 years, 7 months
Issues: 136
Little is known about this title. Possibly absorbed into Adventure.
27 October – Eve’s Own launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 27 Oct 1923
To: 30 Sep 1939
Duration: 15 years, 11 months
Issues: 831
The first 183 issues had the subtitle of “Stories.”
120 years ago:
10 October – The Union Jack Library final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 28 Apr 1894
To: 10 Oct 1903
Duration: 9 years, 6 months
Issues: 494
Absorbed into The Union Jack (1903).
125 years ago:
29 October – Playbox (1898) launched.
Publisher: Harmsworth/Amalgamated Press
From: 29 Oct 1898
To: 01 Dec 1913
Duration: 15 years, 2 months
Issues: 105
Rusty Staples 