THE CHRISTMASES OF SWEENY TODDLER – PART THREE

Below are the next four Christmassy episodes of Sweeny Toddler from WHOOPEE! period, years 1980 to 1983. The one from 1983 is a black and white reprint of the story that first appeared in 1977, in full colour. Scroll down two posts for the much nicer colour version and be sure to come back soon for the absolutely brilliant two-pager from WHOOPEE’s last X-mas issue. The panel at the top of this post is a taste :) ....

THE CHRISTMASES OF SWEENY TODDLER – PART TWO

Terwhang! – here comes part two of Sweeny Toddler’s Christmases from the X-mas issues of Whoopee! published in 1978 and 1979. Both covers are by Robert Nixon, and they are the only two examples of Mr. Nixon drawing Sweeny. I wouldn’t be so confident crediting Robert Nixon with the second cover but initials “R N” beneath the sock confirm it was him.  Inside pages are by Tom Paterson (as if you needed me pointing this out to you :) )… Enjoy! 

THE CHRISTMASES OF SWEENY TODDLER – PART ONE

Sweeny Toddler the infamous demonic baby first appeared in the first issue of SHIVER AND SHAKE in March 1973. The paper lasted for less than two years, so there was only enough time for one X-mas episode of Sweeny Toddler. Script and artwork by Leo Baxendale:

SHIVER AND SHAKE was merged into WHOOPEE! in October 1974. It sounds quite surprising, but Sweeny didn’t make a straightforward leap to the new combined comic. It had to prove its strength by participating in a poll: WHOOPEE! editor selected 8 strips and invited readers to vote in a Pick-A-Strip competition that ran in the Autumn of 1974. Sweeny was declared victor in WHOOPEE! AND SHIVER & SHAKE cover-dated 22nd March, 1975, and his regular appearances recommenced a week later. This means that Sweeny Toddler would have missed the X-mas of 1974 even if WHOOPEE! hadn’t been affected by industrial action in the end of that year and the X-mas issue of the paper  had been published (WHOOPEE! missed the last week of 1974 and the first two weeks of 1975).

Leo Baxendale stopped drawing Sweeny Toddler in June 1975, and was succeeded by the excellent Tom Paterson who imitated Mr. Baxendale’s style very well indeed. Here are the next three festive episodes from the 1975, 1976 and 1977 X-mas issues of WHOOPEE! :

Come back soon for more X-mas stories featuring the little pest!

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AT SCREAM INN - PART FOUR

Scream Inn ended in WHOOPEE! issue cover-dated 1st October 1977 when the Innkeeper won the million. A week later he decided to use the prize money to set up Spooktacular 7, inspired by The Magnificent Seven film. The feature continued until 22nd July, 1978, and here is the only X-mas episode of Spooktacular 7 that also turned out to be the last one for Innkeeper & Co.

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