The appearance of Fiends and Neighbours in COR!! issue dated 24th November, 1973 (No. 182) was probably the
last good thing that happened to COR!! Alfred Jones and his wife (whose name I haven’t found mentioned in
the strip), a childless mid-aged traditional couple, got new neighbours
Mr. and Mrs. Really-Ghastlies and their two kids – daughter Bella and son ‘Orrid
(who had tiny horns and slept hanging down from the curtain rail). Later in
the series the Joneses discovered that their neighbours also had a giant baby who
used to go missing for weeks on end hiding in the bushes. Mister Really-Grastly’s
name was Igor and the Mrs. was never addressed by name (as far as I can tell).
In
the opening episode the nosey Mrs. Jones is eager to meet their new neighbours
so she pops round and pretends she wants to borrow a cup of flour. The lady is
in for a series of shocks at the peculiar looks and ways of the new neighbours
as she makes their acquaintance:
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| First episode in COR!! issue dated 24th November, 1973 (No. 182) |
The Really-Ghastlies were a strange lot indeed, without any
doubt they were close relatives of the famous Adams Family in America (no direct references were
made in the strip though) and they
also had family in Transylvania (we know that Bella’s grandmother lived there).
The chambers of their crumbling mansion were decorated with coffins, skulls and old family portraits
of witches, devils and fiends. The family’s favourite pet was a
monster-octopus by the name of Cyril who appeared in many episodes. Little ‘Orrid
had a pet vampire bat Grockle. Other pets included meat-eating fish and a
jelly-monster by the name of Fido who fed on ant eggs. Besides, the Really-Ghastlies
had a baby dragon and a vulture named Vernon, not to mention a whole swarm of
other small creepy creatures that inhabited the mansion and the hideous
man-eating plants that grew in the garden. Over the weeks the unfortunate Joneses
also got to know their neighbours’ visiting relatives such as gnome cousins
from the haunted wood and the giant cousin Boris. To make things even more exciting, in the last COR!! episode ‘Orrid
made himself a Frankenstein friend by the name of Clunk-Click.
The comedy of the strip was created by “cultural differences”
between the neighbours who never ceased to shock and surprise each other. There
is probably no need to say which family always fell victim to the ‘shocks’ part
of the bizarre neighbourly relationship. The Really Ghastlies, however, were
also puzzled at the ways of the Jonses who they thought were a couple of very
weird neighbours...
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| From COR!! issue dated 8th December, 1973 (No. 184) |
Here are details about appearances of Fiends and Neighbours outside
of COR!! weeklies. As this is one my favourite strips and a highlight in
COR!!, there is a good chance to find examples of the artwork in my blogposts dedicated
to the particular Holiday Specials and Annuals.
1974 Special – 2 episodes by an artist whose name I don’t know
1975 Annual – 1 episode by an artist whose name I don’t know
1976 Annual – 1 episode by an artist whose name I don’t know
1977 Annual – 1 episode signed by Tom Paterson
1978 Annual – 1 new episode by Graham Allen
1979 Annual – 2 episodes by Les Barton (one signed) + 1 reprint
1980 Annual – 2 episodes by Les Barton
1981 Annual – 2 episodes by Les Barton
1981 Special – 1 episode by Les Barton
1982 Annual – 2 new episodes, one by Les Barton and one by an
artist whose name I don’t know
1982 Special – 1 episode by Nigel Edwards
1983 Annual – 1 episode Les Barton
1983 Special – 1 new episode by an artist whose name I don’t know
1984 Annual – 1 new episode by Les Barton
1985 Annual – 1 new episode by Les Barton
1986 Annual – 1 new episode by Nigel Edwards
