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| Copyright REBELLION |
Looking through my back issue files recently, I uncovered this Christmas ish of The BEST Of WHOOPEE MONTHLY from 1985 - over a quarter of a century ago. I was buying the title at the time, but I was given this copy by BOB PAYNTER, the group editor of IPC's humour division, when I was down in London on business. Why do I remember? See the little number atop the right-hand corner? 2014 - that means it was Bob's personal copy. An unmarked spare must've found its way into his file cabinet. A lovely ROBERT NIXON illustration adorns the cover, no doubt culled from one of the weekly editions as the monthly was all-reprint.
The back cover features a nice BOOK WORM tale, drawn by SID BURGON, and complementing the approaching Festive Season, which would still have been around a month away when the comic first came out. Although dated December, it probably went on sale in November (at the latest), to give it plenty of shelf life and a greater chance of selling. These magazines were really very good value for money and it's a shame they're not still around today.
Robert Nixon was one of those truly gifted artists who could make anything look attractive. And whereas some artists would say "you can have it fast or you can have it good", in Robert's case, it was "you can have it fast AND you can have it good".
ReplyDeleteHe was definitely one of the very best. The only two strips his style didn't seem to suit (although they were still wonderfully drawn) were The Broons and Oor Wullie in The Sunday Post.
ReplyDeleteI'd not realised he had drawn The Broons and Oor Wullie. Don't want to be cheeky but any chance of showing us an example.
ReplyDeleteNot cheeky at all. Unfortunately, if I tried to scan some of his pages from my Oor Wullie and Broons books, it would split the spines. I'll see what I can do, but no promises.
ReplyDeleteThats ok, don't ruin your books for me. If you could tell me what books he is in i'll check my own.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I should have asked that first.
I'll have to dig them out to look, so I might as well try and scan as much of a page as I can (without cracking the spine) at the same time. Give me a day or so.
ReplyDeleteYou're very lucky, I bought that issue when it came out and I loved it. Been looking for another copy for some time in fact!
ReplyDeleteGlad to have stirred up some pleasant memories for you, Richie.
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