WHOOPEE! SHIVER AND SHAKE WITH DELIGHT - IT'S ROBERT NIXON'S FRANKIE STEIN...

Copyright REBELLION

Mention the name FRANKIE STEIN to people of a certain age and images of KEN REID's maniacal, mental and marvellous comic strip character from WHAM! comic in the 1960s spring to mind.  My main memories of Frankie are from this period, but it's strange to realize that PROFESSOR CUBE's creepy creation enjoyed far more fame on his second stab at the big time in the 1970s than he experienced on his first outing.

Frankie appeared in Wham! around 142 times between '64 & '67, and six times in the '66-'71 Annuals, but his '70s appearances in IPC comics SHIVER & SHAKE and WHOOPEE! (not including MONSTER FUN, where he was honorary editor) far outnumber his earlier ODHAMS PRESS strips.  What's more, Ken Reid only illustrated 121 of Frankie's 142 Wham! outings, and only two of the six Annual stories, although, as far as the '60s are concerned, he's still the artist mainly associated with the strip in most readers' minds.

Although I bought Shiver & Shake and Whoopee! when they first came out, I didn't stay with them (apart from the odd issue) throughout their run.  Casting my mind back, I recall being pleased to see Frankie again, but I was a little disappointed that Ken hadn't resumed illustrating the cartoon antics of his comic creation.  (Excellent though his successor ROBERT NIXON undoubtedly was.)  I also wondered where Prof. Cube's 'real' son MICKY had disappeared to, as - apart from Reid reprints - he was absent from the '70s incarnation of the strip.

This led to a potentially perplexing situations on occasion, as in a reprinted Reid story where Prof. Cube goes on holiday and Micky accompanies him on the 'plane - with no mention as to who he actually is.  Older, more street-smart readers could perhaps be forgiven for wondering why Cube had apparently taken to hanging around with a young boy - and was taking him on holiday.  Yes, you're right - that's probably just a cynical, world-weary adult view of things - not something that would've crossed the minds of more innocent readers back then.

It's also interesting to note that Micky was present in only one of the last 16 Wham! strips, so it seems that he was in the process of being phased out anyway - regarded, perhaps, as surplus to requirements.  If so, then the '70s strips basically just picked up where Wham! ones left off, and Micky's absence is consequently less surprising than at first thought.

So for fans like me, it's Ken Reid's version of the character that remains the definitive one, but the fact is - we're probably in the minority.  To readers of the '70s, Frankie was an even bigger comic star for a longer period, and Robert Nixon is the artist with whom Frankie is mainly associated.  Every '60s Frankie strip would fit into one relatively thin volume, whereas his '70s pages would fill two or three thicker ones, at least.

Having featured Ken's version of Frankie several times in the past on this blog, it's now time to acknowledge Robert Nixon's even more popular incarnation of the comical creature.  I've been reading through these '70s strips over the last few weeks and Nixon's version of Frankie, though just as gormless as Reid's, is more lovable - and probably more innocent.  They're an enjoyable read indeed, and make me wonder if the strip might've had a longer run the first time around if Nixon's simpler style had been adopted from the start.  Who knows?