American readers may be bemused by the free gifts often given
away with British weekly comics, seeing as it's not something done
too often with U.S. mags, but it was once the custom for U.K. comics
to offer an 'inducement' for the first three issues of any new periodical.
These could take the form of a novelty item, such as squirt rings, plastic
biscuits, luminous masks, and even, on occasion, confectionery - as was
the case with JET #1. The title lasted 22 issues - probably as long as
the free 'fruit' bars, which seemed to take ages to munch through.
Honest - they were as tough as old boots!
I wore my captain Britain mask when I read the first issue
ReplyDeleteI must confess to trying mine on, Phil - even 'though I was 17 at the time.
ReplyDeleteMy CB mask went straight in the bin where it belonged - what a crappy free gift. Have you ever noticed, Kid, that Trebor is Robert spelt backwards ?
ReplyDeleteNope, I'd never noticed that - wish I had.
ReplyDeleteThis is another comic I vividly recall getting at the time, I think I was in my last year at primary school at the time - not a great cover (a great artist, great strip all the same, the best by a mile (imho) in the comic) I wasn't a fan of Jet it was too quirky with only a few strong characters (Von Hoffman and Faceache) "Thunder" for me was the same although I have more fond memories of Thunder than Jet. Ahh those free fruit chews I remember it taking so long to "skin" the paper wrapper off the sweet itself that I just ate the paper I couldn't get off it.
ReplyDeleteThe lettering along the top of the masthead is terrible, McS. Thunder and Jet both suffered from lacklustre covers for their first issues. As far as design, that is - the illustrations were all right. I quite liked The Dwarf in Jet - along similar lines to The Spider.
ReplyDelete