A LOOK AT COR!! STRIPS: BENNY BENDO

Next in line is Benny Bendo – a humour strip about a lad who had a super-power to bend objects with his hypnotic glance. The illustrator was Phil Millar. Benny Bendo appeared in COR!! annuals and specials from 1978 until 1985.

It’s interesting to note how the editor experimented with the subtitle of the strip trying to find the perfect one: the opening episode was entitled Benny Bendo - His Hypnotic Glance Has an Amazing Effect on Things. The next two episodes in the 1979 Annual had two different versions of the title: one was Benny Bendo – His Hypnotic Glance Has Amazing Effect on Things, and the other one was Benny Bendo - His Uncanny Hypnotic Powers Bend Anything! A year later it was modified slightly to become Benny Bendo - His Uncanny Powers Bend Anything! Starting from the 1980 Holiday Special it became Benny Bendo - His Strange Powers Bend Anything. Apparently, the editor was satisfied with the version because it was kept until the very end (except that one or two episodes had no subtitle at all and were simply entitled Benny Bendo).

Here is an account of all Benny Bendo’s appearances:

1978 Annual (one episode of 4 pages). In fact it was a series of short adventures. Here are the first two pages:

Quite possibly the strip also appeared in the 1978 COR!! Holiday Special but I just don’t have a copy to check yet…

1979 Annual (two episodes, 4 pages each). The first episode was actually another series of short adventures. In the second Benny Bendo visits a Fun Fair. 

1979 Special (one episode of 2 pages). Benny Bendo goes to the seaside. Here is the full episode:

1980 Annual (one episode of 4 pages). Benny’s adventures in winter.

1980 Special (one episode of 4 pages). Benny goes on holiday to the lousy Mudsea Holiday Camp.

1981 Annual (3 episodes). Benny meets smash-and-grab raider Sam-the-Snatch (2 pages); Benny visits the Zoo (1 page) and Benny takes a winter holiday (4 pages).

1981 Special (one episode of 2 pages). Benny’s adventures on his uncle’s farm.

1982 Annual (one episode of 3 pages). Benny plays golf;

1982 Special (two episodes, two pages each). In the first episode Benny takes a day trip to the sea and entertains his mates in poor weather. In the second Benny goes fishing and meets a bloke who is swimming where it’s not allowed.

1983 Annual (2 episodes).  The first one is another winter fun episode in which Benny makes an artificial ski-run in the park (2 pages); in the second episode Benny  helps a family travelling by car (3 pages). Here's the second page of the first episode:

1983 Special (one 1-pager). Benny helps a lady get her dog back without paying a reward to the crook.

1984 Annual (one episode of 2 pages). Benny helps carol singers get a sledge for the children’s home:

1985 Annual (one episode of 2 pages). Benny helps catch a bank thief and then saves a Lord Lummy’s son and heir from the kidnapper.