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I remember seeing WHIZZER & CHIPS upcoming launch advertised in a centre-spread insert in SMASH! in 1969, and being instantly fascinated by HARRY'S HAUNTED HOUSE. On the day of release, I was up around 7a.m. and across like a rocket to the newsagent's over the road from me, eager to immerse myself in this new comics experience. W&C survived in weekly form for just over 21 years before being merged with BUSTER, and I for one was sorry to see it go. I bought a copy of the last issue in the same shop that I had purchased the first, even though I no longer lived in the area.
Y'know, sometimes I think that any point in my past life is as near to me as 'over the road' was then, but it's a short-lived feeling that soon dissipates when I realise that all my yesterdays are quite a bit farther removed than that. Anyway, that's enough melancholy introspection - enjoy the 'Whizzer' section for the moment, and we'll be back before you know it with its companion paper 'Chips'. (Were you a Whizz-kid or a Chip-ite? Don't be shy now. )
Kid, before I discovered Marvel comics in November 1974 I used to get The Beezer and The Topper every week - I seem to remember that one or both of them were large enough that they could be folded in half like a newspaper, am I right on that ?
ReplyDeleteBoth were indeed that size, CJ. Jag (Fleetway/IPC) later tried it, but didn't last long.
ReplyDeleteW&C is one of those comics I associate (incorrectly) with starting in the mid 70s for some reason I forgot it started in 1969 - I had forgotten about the amazing Tom Kerr (one of my all time favourite UK artists) illustrated strip "The Stealer" and remember buying W&C just for this - looking back it was full of amazing characters and top notch artists/cartoonists (and writers) errrrr you don't have to happen to have any other issues that you could show................please
ReplyDeleteI loved the large size Beezer and Topper (I only bought a few issues of Jag) made it feel like I was reading a newspaper as a kid (as most papers were that size then)
Got quite a few issues from various years, McScotty, but they're buried at the back of a cupboard under a pile of other comics. I'll dig 'em out one day.
ReplyDeleteWhen you think of all the weekly comics that were available to us back then, we were really quite spoilt, weren't we?
Like Paul, for some reason I too associate it with the 1970s. I seemed to think it started circa 1972. Obviously my memory is right out on that one. Was the comic numbered or just dated? That might explain my confusion over when it started.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I was certainly a Chip-ite :)
Just dated, Steve. Perhaps you first picked it up later, after another comic had been merged with it?
ReplyDeleteKid, I don't really understand this - Whizzer and Chips was two different comics stapled together ? As I mentioned above it was only the Topper and Beezer that I read and I think that up till now I'd assumed that Whizzer and Chips was a merger of two separate comics. Were there any other two-in-one comics like this ?
ReplyDeleteYup, there sure was, CJ - Shiver & Shake. Even Beezer & Topper became a 2-in-1 comic (can't recall if it had individual covers 'though) in its last few years.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent choice of comic to show there, Kid. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd who knows, George - it could even be someone's favourite.
ReplyDeleteNice rush of nostalgia there - thanks!
ReplyDeleteWeren't the two groups Whizz-kids and Chip-ites?
You're right (the old memory again), so I'll change it and look more intelligent than I really am (as is my wont). Ta Phil.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen this since my brother got it all those years ago. He stuck with it for some time and obviously big brother (me) just HAD to read all his comics as well!
ReplyDeleteWish they'd at least bring back the Annual, JP. Alas, it's unlikely ever to happen.
ReplyDelete