Hatch, Match & Dispatch – April 2024

Fifty-five years ago, at the age of nineteen years and a couple of weeks, the mighty Eagle flapped its way into the Lion‘s jaws.

Now, while Eagle was arguably the parent of modern comics (see The Parent of Modern Comics?, one of the very first articles on this blog), and certainly its lead character Dan Dare is one of the greatest of all British comic characters, by the time it reached its end it had deviated a lot from its original format, which was twenty-pages packed with a random mixture of fact and fiction, in both comic-strip and text form.

But exciting as Eagle had been in the beginning, we need to remember that back in those days kids were expected to grow out of comics after a couple of years, so very quickly Eagle was no longer new and dynamic and trend-setting: it was the establishment, and kids naturally rebel against the establishment.

The folks behind Eagle — upstanding ex-military middle-class types or vicars who believed in the virtues of scouting and church-hall jumble sales and tiddly-winks tournaments and tweed suits and bob-a-job week and all that — perhaps took a little too long to realise that the readers didn’t want to be educated, they wanted to the entertained.

By its final issue Eagle had almost completely ditched the news pages and text articles and was now properly a comic, with nine strips (seven two-pagers, a one-pager and a page-and-a-halfer) and had dropped the “gather ’round, boys, and I’ll show you how to tie a double-clove reverse hitch knot in the strings of your inevitable haversack” approach, but clearly such changes weren’t enough to save it. Especially not when Dan Dare had been running repeats since 1967 and none of the other strips really stood out.

To see just how far Eagle had dropped in the readers’ estimations and expectations, compare the Enfari announcement in its final issue (cover-dated 26 April 1969)…

… with the commensurate announcement in the pre-merger issue of Lion…

The pilot of the future himself personally announces to his loyal Eagle readers that he’ll be appearing in the merged issue, but in the Lion announcement he doesn’t even get a mention until ten pages later, tucked away at the foot of the very Dare-alike tale Captain Condor: “Great News, Lads: Dan Dare Joins Lion next week!” (He does indeed show up in the subsequent issue of Lion, although still on repeats.)

So after almost a thousand issues the legendary and once-ground-breaking Eagle was no more. Chopped up for parts: a sad end for a comic that truly had led the way out of the dark post-WWII days.

But although it had passed, Eagle hadn’t been forgotten. A heavily-revised Dan Dare appeared in 2000AD, and a mere thirteen years* after Eagle‘s demise the comic was reborn for a new generation of readers, with yet another version of Dare, albeit one a lot closer in tone and style to the original. Of course, that second incarnation of Eagle has now been gone for over thirty years, so maybe it’s time it was re-revived… Any takers?

* Yes, fellow oldies, there really were only thirteen years between 1969 and 1982, even though 1969 feels like it was about a century ago and the 1980s were, like, just the other day.

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Blog News:

• Added a couple of previously-missed titles to the Before Marvel UK list. I suspect that this won’t be the last time… comics people in the past were often very lax with their record-keeping, almost as though they didn’t even care that us future comics folks would be grumpily scowling back at them.

• Not quite blog news, but personal news so that counts because this is, after all, my blog… I’ve recently been submitting T-shirt designs to Qwertee, The designs that receive the most votes after two weeks are made into actual t-shirts that sell for a limited time only — so your votes would be very much appreciated! Not all of my designs have been comic-related, but I plan to add new ideas every few days so please keep checking!

• Also in non-this-blog news: I recommend you jump on over to my other blog, From Mars, because I recently had the opportunity to bring one of my own characters back to the world of Judge Dredd… and finally close a tiny door I sneakily left open seven years ago!

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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!

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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, Oct, Nov, Dec
2024: Jan, Feb, Mar

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25 years ago:

22 April – Cosmic final issue.
Publisher: Bauer Media
From: 01 Aug 1997
To: 22 Apr 1999
Duration: 1 year, 8 months
Issues: 28
Issue #0 was presented free with Take a Break magazine. Vol 1: 5 issues (#0 to #4, Aug 1997 to Dec 1997, monthly), vol 2: 14 issues (Jan 1998 to Dec 1998, monthly to #13, thereafter fortnightly), vol 3: 9 issues (Jan 1999 to Apr 1999, fortnightly). 28 issues in total.

30 years ago:

April – Aliens final issue.
Publisher: Trident Comics/Dark Horse International
From: Jun 1992
To: Apr 1994
Duration: 1 year, 10 months
Issues: 39
Monthly. Published by Trident Comics from #1 to #16, then Dark Horse International thereafter. Volume 1 is issues #1 to #17, remainder are volume 2.

April – Death Metal final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jan 1994
To: Apr 1994
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

April – Death Wreck final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jan 1994
To: Apr 1994
Duration: 3 months
Issues: 4

April – Max Overload! final issue.
Publisher: Dark Horse International
From: Mar 1994
To: Apr 1994
Duration: 1 month
Issues: 2

35 years ago:

April – Astounding Stories final issue.
Publisher: Alan Class
From: Feb 1966
To: Apr 1989
Duration: 23 years, 2 months
Issues: 195
Reprinted material from the US Marvel series Strange Tales of the Unusual, Strange Tales, Strange Worlds, World of Mystery, Spellbound, Mystery Tales, Adventure into Mystery, Journey into Unknown Worlds, The Amazing Spider-Man, Astonishing, Mystic and others. See Before Marvel UK for more info on the Alan Class reprint titles.

April – Best of Girl final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: Jun 1986
To: Apr 1989
Duration: 2 years, 10 months
Issues: 35
Absorbed into My Guy Monthly.
Monthly. Title later simplified to Girl Monthly. Issue-count and end-date estimated.

April – Creepy Worlds final issue.
Publisher: Alan Class
From: Aug 1962
To: Apr 1989
Duration: 26 years, 8 months
Issues: 249
Reprinted material from the US Marvel series Mystic, Adventures into Weird Worlds, Journey into Unknown Worlds, Marvel Tales, Mystery Tales, World of Fantasy, Spellbound, Astonishing, Dead of Night, Strange Stories of Suspense, Uncanny Tales, Adventure into Mystery, Mystical Tales, Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales of the Unusual, Tales to Astonish, Strange Tales, Adventures into Terror, Tales of Suspense, Amazing Adventures, Fantastic Four, Amazing Adult Fantasy, Girl Comics, Amazing Adventures, World of Suspense and others. See Before Marvel UK for more info on the Alan Class reprint titles.

April – Dragon’s Claws final issue.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: Jul 1988
To: Apr 1989
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 10

April – Escape final issue.
Publisher: Escape Publishing/Titan Books
From: Apr 1983
To: Apr 1989
Duration: 6 years
Issues: 19
Dates are approximate. Published by Titan Books from #10.

April – Point Blank launched.
Publisher: Brown
From: Apr 1989
To: Unknown
Duration: 8 months
Issues: At least 2
A monthly adult comic that reprinted European strips… Apparently lasted for eight months, although there’s very little known about this one!

15 April – Cartoon Time launched.
Publisher: Marvel UK
From: 15 Apr 1989
To: Sep 1992
Duration: 3 years, 5 months
Issues: 63
Initially fortnightly, at least 63 issues (advertised in Real Ghostbusters #193, Sep 1992). Very little known. Changed frequency to monthly around Dec 1990. Possibly a relaunch of The Flintstones and Friends.

15 April – Scouse Mouse Monthly final issue.
Publisher: IPC
From: 22 Oct 1988
To: 15 Apr 1989
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 6
Absorbed into Whizzer and Chips.

40 years ago:

April – My Guy Monthly launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: Apr 1984
To: Mar 2000
Duration: 15 years, 11 months
Issues: 131
Monthly. Initially called Best of My Guy Monthly but ‘Best of’ was dropped after issue #4. Reprinted photo-stories from My Guy. Issue #62 (June 1989) features ‘Incorporating Girl Monthly’ on the cover. The latter years of My Guy and My Guy Monthly are rather cloudy… According to the British Library this one runs up to August 1993, but other sources suggest that it was rebranded as MG: My Guy Monthly and remained in print until Mar/Apr 2000. See the My Guy Timeline for more info.

28 April – Spike final issue.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: 22 Jan 1983
To: 28 Apr 1984
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 67
Absorbed into Champ.

45 years ago:

April – Starblazer launched.
Publisher: DC Thomson
From: Apr 1979
To: Jan 1991
Duration: 11 years, 9 months
Issues: 281
See: Friday Flashback: Starblazer

28 April – Penny launched.
Publisher: IPC
From: 28 Apr 1979
To: 05 Apr 1980
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 45

55 years ago:

26 April – Eagle (1950) final issue.
Publisher: Hulton/Longacre/Odhams/IPC
From: 14 Apr 1950
To: 26 Apr 1969
Duration: 19 years
Issues: 987
Absorbed into Lion.

60 years ago:

April – Heroic Adventure Library launched.
Publisher: Pearson
From: Apr 1964
To: 1964
Duration: 2 months
Issues: 8

85 years ago:

08 April – Bouncer final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 11 Feb 1939
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 2 months
Issues: 9
Absorbed into Jolly Comic.

08 April – Dazzler final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 19 Aug 1933
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 5 years, 8 months
Issues: 294
Absorbed into Golden.

08 April – Rattler & Chuckler final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 22 Oct 1938
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 25
Absorbed into Tip Top.

08 April – Sunshine final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 16 Jul 1938
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 9 months
Issues: 39
Absorbed into Jingles.

08 April – Target and Rocket final issue.
Publisher: Target Press
From: 29 Oct 1938
To: 08 Apr 1939
Duration: 6 months
Issues: 24
Absorbed into Jolly Comic.

90 years ago:

14 April – Bo-Peep and Little Boy Blue final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 19 Oct 1929
To: 14 Apr 1934
Duration: 4 years, 6 months
Issues: 245
Absorbed into The Chicks’ Own.

21 April – Tip Top launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 21 Apr 1934
To: 29 May 1954
Duration: 20 years, 1 month
Issues: 727
Not to be confused with Tip Top Comic from Ransom (see below) or Tip Top Comics from L. Miller.

95 years ago:

13 April – The Gem Library final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 16 Mar 1907
To: 13 Apr 1929
Duration: 22 years, 1 month
Issues: 1104
Relaunched as The Gem: see below.

20 April – Cheerful Comic final issue.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted Monster Comic

20 April – Happy Comic final issue.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted Golden Penny comics

20 April – Merry Moments (1928) final issue.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted Golden Penny comics. Not to be confused with Merry Moments (Newnes), 12 Apr 1919 to 23 Dec 1922, 194 issues.

20 April – Sunny Comic final issue.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted Monster Comic

20 April – The Gem launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 20 Apr 1929
To: 30 Dec 1939
Duration: 10 years, 8 months
Issues: 559
Relaunch of The Gem Library: see above.

20 April – Tip Top Comic final issue.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted Golden Penny comics. Not to be confused with Tip Top from Amalgamated Press (see above) or Tip Top Comics from L. Miller.

20 April – Up-To-Date Comic final issue.
Publisher: Ransom
From: 17 Sep 1928
To: 20 Apr 1929
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
Reprinted Golden Penny comics

27 April – The Football Favourite final issue.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 04 Sep 1920
To: 27 Apr 1929
Duration: 8 years, 7 months
Issues: 451
Relaunched as Boys’ Favourite.
Renamed Football and Sports Favourite from #36, then Boys’ Football Favourite from #448 (6 Apr 1929)

100 years ago:

April – Woman (1924) launched.
Publisher: Hutchinson
From: Apr 1924
To: Jun 1929
Duration: 5 years, 2 months
Issues: 64

105 years ago:

April – Mitzpah Novels launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: Apr 1919
To: 25 Mar 1922
Duration: 2 years, 11 months
Issues: 164
Monthly at first, weekly from 9 Aug 1919

05 April – The Boys’ Realm (1919) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 05 Apr 1919
To: 16 Jul 1927
Duration: 8 years, 3 months
Issues: 432

12 April – Merry Moments (1919) launched.
Publisher: Newnes
From: 12 Apr 1919
To: 23 Dec 1922
Duration: 3 years, 8 months
Issues: 194

12 April – Our Girls (1919) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 12 Apr 1919
To: 30 Aug 1919
Duration: 4 months
Issues: 21

15 April – Prairie Library launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 15 Apr 1919
To: 10 Jul 1920
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 57

15 April – Robin Hood Library (1919) launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 15 Apr 1919
To: 10 Jul 1920
Duration: 1 year, 3 months
Issues: 57

19 April – The Big Comic final issue.
Publisher: Henderson/Amalgamated Press
From: 17 Jan 1914
To: 19 Apr 1919
Duration: 5 years, 3 months
Issues: 275
Relaunched as Sparks (1919).
Absorbed Sparks (1914) on 5 Jan 1918 and retitled The Big Comic and Sparks. Renamed Sparks and Big Comic on 5 Oct 1918. Relaunched as Sparks on 26 Apr 1919: see below.

26 April – Sparks (1919) launched.
Publisher: Henderson/Amalgamated Press
From: 26 Apr 1919
To: 17 Apr 1920
Duration: 1 year
Issues: 51

115 years ago:

27 April – Lion Library launched.
Publisher: James Henderson
From: 27 Apr 1909
To: 01 Nov 1909
Duration: 7 months
Issues: 28
A relaunch of Wild West Library

120 years ago:

26 April – Rob Roy Library final issue.
Publisher: James Henderson
From: 03 Nov 1903
To: 26 Apr 1904
Duration: 5 months
Issues: 16

125 years ago:

April – The Captain (1899) launched.
Publisher: George Newnes
From: Apr 1899
To: Mar 1924
Duration: 24 years, 11 months
Issues: 300

130 years ago:

28 April – Funny Folks final issue.
Publisher: James Henderson & Sons
From: 12 Dec 1874
To: 28 Apr 1894
Duration: 19 years, 4 months
Issues: 1614

28 April – The Union Jack Library launched.
Publisher: Amalgamated Press
From: 28 Apr 1894
To: 10 Oct 1903
Duration: 9 years, 6 months
Issues: 494