welcome and enjoy!

Hi and welcome to my blog about comics from other people’s childhood! It is dedicated primarily to British humour comics of the 60s and 70s. The reason they are not from my childhood is simply because I didn’t live in the UK back then (nor do I live there now). I knew next to nothing about them until fairly recently but since then I’ve developed a strong liking for the medium and amassed a large collection, including a number of complete or near complete sets. My intention is to use this blog as a channel for sharing my humble knowledge about different titles, favourite characters and creators as I slowly research my collection.

QUICK TIP: this blog is a sequence of posts covering one particular comic at a time. The sequence follows a certain logic, so for maximum results it is recommended that the blog is read from the oldest post up.

Copyright of all images and quotations used here is with their respective owners. Any such copyrighted material is used exclusively for educational purposes and will be removed at first notice. All other text copyright Irmantas P.



Sunday, July 8, 2012

A LOOK AT COR!! STRIPS: GUEST STAR


Guest Star feature started in COR!! in the summer of 1972; it was launched simultaneously in three IPC children’s humour comics (COR!!, KNOCKOUT and WHIZZER AND CHIPS), presumably with the aim to boost sales of companion titles by plugging their strips that were doing well.

WHIZZER AND CHIPS was the comic whose characters made the biggest number of guest appearances in COR!! The reason is easy to explain because WHIZZER AND CHIPS enjoyed a steady run, while KNOCKOUT folded in the summer of 1973. KNOCKOUT Guest Star appearances in COR!! were soon replaced by those from the new IPC comic SHIVER AND SHAKE that was launched in the spring of 1973. Another new IPC title WHOOPEE! arrived a year later (spring 1974) but only mustered one guest appearance before COR!! bowed out.

What’s interesting about the guest star appearances is that as far as I can tell the majority were original episodes rather than reprints from the “home” comic. I therefore believe it is worthwhile to provide a full list of all guest star appearances in COR!! to assist completists looking to collect full sets of their favourite character or strip, for example Match of the Week, Sweeny Toddler or Grimly Feendish from SHIVER AND SHAKE or Timothy Tester, Super Dad, etc. from WHIZZER AND CHIPS. Some (but by no means all) interesting reprints are also noted.

  • July 29, 1972, No. 113: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Fuss Pot)
  • August 5, 1972, No. 114: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Shiner)
  • August 12, 1972, No. 115: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Super Seven)
  • August 19, 1972, No. 116: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Odd Ball)
  • August 26, 1972, No. 117: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (The Haunted Wood)
  • September 2, 1972, No. 118: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Sid's Snake)
  • September 9, 1972, No. 119: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Boney)
  • September 16, 1972, No. 120: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Harry's Haunted House)
  • September 23, 1972, No. 121: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (The Toffs and the Toughs)
  • September 30, 1972, No. 122: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Wear 'Em Out Wilf)
  • October 7, 1972, No. 123: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Beat Your Neighbour)
  • October 14, 1972, No. 124: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Champ)
  • October 21, 1972, No. 125: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Son of Sir)
  • October 28, 1972, No. 126: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Ginger's Tum)
  • November 4, 1972, No. 127: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Pete's Pockets)
  • November 11, 1972, No. 128: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Belle Tent)
  • November 18, 1972, No. 129: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Joker)
  • November 25, 1972, No. 130: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Slowcoach)
  • December 2, 1972, No. 131: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (My Bruvver)
  • December 9, 1972, No. 132: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Timothy Tester)
  • December 16, 1972, No. 133: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Fuss Pot)
  • December 23, 1972, No. 134: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Belle Tent)
  • December 30, 1972, No. 135: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (The Haunted Wood)
  • January 6, 1973, No. 136: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Toffee Nose)
  • January 13, 1973, No. 137: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Super Seven)
  • January 20, 1973, No. 138: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Shiner ½ page)
  • January 27, 1973, No. 139: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Boney)
  • February 3, 1973, No. 140: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Super Dad)
  • February 10, 1973, No. 141: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Pete's Pockets)
  • February 17, 1973, No. 142: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Croc)
  • February 24, 1973, No. 143: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Fuss Pot)
  • March 3, 1973, No. 144: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Champ)
  • March 10, 1973, No. 145: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Sammy Shrink)
  • March 17, 1973, No. 146: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Super Dad)
  • March 24, 1973, No. 147: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Little Devil)
  • March 31, 1973, No. 148: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Loser)
  • April 7, 1973, No. 149: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Beat Your Neighbour)
  • April 14, 1973, No. 150: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Jimmy Jeckle / Master Hide)
  • April 21, 1973, No. 151: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Fuss Pot)
  • April 28, 1973, No. 152: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Glugg reprint from WHAM!)
  • May 5, 1973, No. 153: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Sammy Shrink)
  • May 12, 1973, No. 154: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Super Dad)
  • May 19, 1973, No. 155: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Boney)
  • May 26, 1973, No. 156: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Champ)
  • June 2, 1973, No. 157: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Son of Sir)
  • June 9, 1973, No. 158: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Belle Tent)
  • June 16, 1973, No. 159: Guest Star from KNOCKOUT (Haunted Wood)
  • June 23, 1973, No. 160: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Loser)
  • June 30, 1973, No. 161: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Ghost Town)
  • July 7, 1973, No. 162: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Harry's Haunted House)
  • July 14, 1973, No. 163: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Fuss Pot)
  • July 21, 1973, No. 164: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Sammy Shrink)
  • July 28, 1973, No. 165: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Webster)
  • August 4, 1973, No. 166: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Wear 'em Out Wilf)
  • August 11, 1973, No. 167: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Grimly Feendish)
  • August 18, 1973, No. 168: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Boney)
  • August 25, 1973, No. 169: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Horrornation St, 2 pages)
  • September 1, 1973, No. 170: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Smart Alec)
  • September 8, 1973, No. 171: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Desert Fox)
  • September 15, 1973, No. 172: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (The Toffs and the Toughs)
  • September 22, 1973, No. 173: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Beat Your Neighbour)
  • September 29, 1973, No. 174: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Moana Lisa)
  • October 6, 1973, No. 175: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Super Dad)
  • October 20, 1973, No. 177: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Webster)
  • November 10, 1973, No. 180: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Harry's Haunted House 2 pages)
  • November 17, 1973, No. 181: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Match of the Week: Divers versus Deep Sea Creatures, 2 pages)
  • November 24, 1973, No. 182: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Loser)
  • December 1, 1973, No. 183: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Ghouldilocks, reprint from JAG dated 23rd November, 1968)
  • December 8, 1973, No. 184: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Fuss Pot)
  • December 15, 1973, No. 185: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Tough Nutt and Softy Centre, 2 pages)
  • December 22, 1973, No. 186: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Champ)
  • December 29, 1973, No. 187: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Lolly Pop, 2 pages)
  • January 5, 1974, No. 188: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (The Toffs and the Toughs, 2 pages)
  • January 12, 1974, No. 189: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Grimly Feendish)
  • January 19, 1974, No. 190: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Joker)
  • January 26, 1974, No. 191: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Sweeny Toddler)
  • February 2, 1974, No. 192: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Pete's Pockets)
  • February 9, 1974, No. 193: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (The Hand) February 16, 1974, No. 194: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (The Toffs and the Toughs, 2 pages)
  • February 23, 1974, No. 195: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Webster)
  • March 2, 1974, No. 196: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Tiny Tycoon, 2 pages)
  • March 9, 1974, No. 197: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Moana Lisa)
  • March 16, 1974, No. 198: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Ding Dong Spells- Whacky Witch v. Fairy Goodmother, 2 pages)
  • March 23, 1974, No. 199: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (Frankie Stein by Ken Reid - reprint from WHAM! No. 66)
  • March 30, 1974, No. 200: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (The Duke's Spook)
  • April 6, 1974, No. 201: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Loser)
  • April 13, 1974, No. 202: Guest Star from SHIVER AND SHAKE (The Shiver Givers)
  • April 20, 1974, No. 203: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Bellet Tent)
  • April 27, 1974, No. 204: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Sammy Shrink)
  • May 4, 1974, No. 205: Guest Star from WHIZZER AND CHIPS (Belle Tent)
  • June 15, 1974, No. 211: Guest Star from WHOOPEE! (Ernie Learner)
From COR!! issue dated 21st April, 1973 (No. 151)
From COR!! issue dated 12th January, 1974 (No. 189)
From COR!! issue dated 6th January, 1973 (No. 136)
From COR!! issue dated June 15th, 1874 (No. 211)

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6 comments:

  1. STEPHEN ARCHERMay 24, 2019 at 11:33 AM

    Rebellion’s recent, and wonderful, Cor!! Buster Humour Special has given me a springboard to mention this: your look at Cor!! didn’t cover its strips which guest starred in W&C and Knockout. I assume you didn’t have the comics, understandable in the case of the less available Knockout. Want me to look them up at the British Library?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IrmantasMay 24, 2019 at 12:37 PM

      It would be interesting to take a look at those guest appearances in Whizzer and Chips as my collection of the title is patchy, as opposed to Knockout which I have a complete run of :) Please, let me know what you find :)

      Delete
  2. STEPHEN ARCHERMay 24, 2019 at 4:51 PM

    It’ll be my pleasure. Incidentally, when I got a few Knockouts from Ebay about 2005, I thought it looked like a mini version of W&C, what with Pete’s Pockets, Fuss Pot, Joker and Sammy Shrink plus others – and I later realised that that was the problem. It ONLY looked like a mini version of W&C and wasn’t terribly outstanding in its own right. Admittedly my perceptions were coloured by not having read Knockout originally which wasn’t around that long. We must remember however that 107 issues far surpassed the runs of Scream, Shiver & Shake and Starlord, giving us most of the above friends I’ve named (I know Sammy was from Odhams). I’d give Knockout 7 out of 10 any day. Let’s knock ourselves out!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 27, 2021 at 6:32 PM

    The Grimly Feendish page you reproduce from Cor!! 12 January 1974 is a reprint of the very last Smash! episode, from its 8 March 1969 issue.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 2, 2022 at 12:30 PM

    Further to this, the first Grimly Feendish appearance in Cor!! (in the 11 August 1973 issue) was also a reprint from Smash!

    I don't have the exact issue to hand but it was one of the earliest issues, c. March 1966.

    ReplyDelete

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