List of British comic strips explained
The following is a list of British Comic Strips. A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions.
The coloured backgrounds denote the publisher:
– indicates D. C. Thomson.
– indicates AP, Fleetway and IPC Comics.
– indicates Viz.
– indicates a strip published in a newspaper.
Strip | Publication(s) | Dates | Notes |
---|
The 12½p Buytonic Boy | Krazy, Whizzer and Chips | 1976 - 1986 | |
Ace Trucking Co. | 2000 AD | 1981 - 1986 | |
Addie and Hermy | The Dandy | 1940s | |
Alex | London Daily News, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph | 1987 - | |
Andy Capp[1] | Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror | 1957 - | |
AXA | The Sun | 1978 - 1986 | |
Beat Your Neighbour | Knockout,[2] Whizzer and Chips | 1971 | |
Beau Peep | Daily Star | 1978 - | |
Beelzebub Jones | Daily Mirror | 1937 - 1945 | |
Belinda | Daily Mirror | 1936 - 1959 | |
Beryl the Peril[3] | The Topper | 1953 - | |
Bessie Bunter | The Schoolgirl | 1919 - 1949 | |
Biff[4] | The Guardian | 1985 - | |
Biffa Bacon | Viz | | |
Biffo the Bear | The Beano | 1948 - 1986 | |
Big Vern | Viz | | |
Billy Bunter | The Magnet, Knockout, The Comet | 1908 - 1958 | |
Billy's Boots[5] | Tiger, Scorcher, Eagle, Roy of the Rovers | 1961 - ? | |
Billy the Bee | Evening Standard | 1950s | |
Billy the Fish | Viz | | |
Billy Whizz | The Beano | 1964 - | |
Birdman and Chicken | Krazy | | |
Black Bag | Viz | | |
Bobby Bear | Daily Herald | 1919 - ? | |
Bobby's Ghoul | Whizzer and Chips, Buster | | |
Bookworm | Whoopee!, Whizzer and Chips | | |
Brickman | Harrier Comics | 1979 - 2009 | |
Bristow | Aberdeen Press & Journal, Birmingham Evening Mail | 1961 - 2010 [6] | |
Brown Bottle | Viz | | |
Buck Ryan | Daily Mirror | 1937 - 1962 | |
The Bumpkin Billionaires | Whoopee!, Whizzer and Chips, Buster | 1974 - 2000 | |
Buster Capp | Buster | | |
Buster Gonad | Viz | | |
Cannonball Kid | Nutty | 1980 - 1985 | |
Captain Biplane | | | |
Captain Morgan and his Hammond Organ | Viz | | |
Captain Star | NME, The Observer | | |
Celeb | Private Eye | | |
Charley's War | Battle Picture Weekly | 1979 - 1985 | |
Charlie Peace | Valiant, Buster | 1964 - 1974 | |
Clare in the Community | The Guardian | | |
Cliff Hanger | Buster | 1983 - 1999 | |
The Cloggies | Private Eye, The Listener | 1967 - 1986 | |
Cockney Wanker | Viz | | |
Colonel Pewter | | | |
Countdown | Countdown (Polystyle Publications) | 1971 - 1973 | |
The Crimson Ball | The Dandy | 1963–1964 | |
The Critics | Viz | | |
Dan Dare | Eagle | 1950 - 1994 | |
Dangerous Dan | The Beano | 2011 | |
Dennis the Menace | The Beano | 1951 - | |
Desert Island Teacher | Viz | | |
Desperate Dan | The Dandy | 1937 - | |
Dirty Dick | The Dandy | 1960s | |
Doctor Poo | Viz | | |
Doomlord | Eagle | 1982 - 1991 | |
Dredger | Action | 1976 - 1978[7] | |
Drunken Bakers | Viz | | |
Eight Ace | Viz | | |
Em | The London Paper, The Sun | 2006 - 2010 | |
Ernie | Eagle | 1982 - 1983 | |
Emperor of the Daleks | Doctor Who Magazine | 1993 | |
Faceache | Jet, Buster | 1971 - 1988 | |
Farmageddon | Hartlepool Mail | 1992 - 1994 | |
Farmer Palmer | Viz | | |
The Fat Slags | Viz | 1989 - | |
Felix and his Amazing Underpants | Viz | | |
Ferdinand the Foodie | Viz | | |
Finbarr Saunders | Viz | | |
Fishboy | Buster | 1968 - 1975 | |
Flook | Daily Mail | 1949 - 1984 | |
The Fosdyke Saga | Daily Mirror | 1971 - 1985 | |
Fred Basset | Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday | 1963 - | |
Fru T. Bunn | Viz | | |
Fuss Pot | Knockout, Whizzer and Chips, Buster | 1971 - 2000 | |
The Gambols | Daily Express, The Mail on Sunday | 1950 - | |
Garth | Daily Mirror | 1943 - 1997 | |
Genius | The Observer | 1978 - 1983 | |
George Bestial | Viz | | |
Gilbert Ratchet | Viz | 1990 - ? | |
Grassy Knollington | Viz | | |
Great Pop Things | Record Mirror, NME | | |
Grimbledon Down | New Scientist | 1970 - 1994 | |
Grimly Feendish | Wham!, Smash! | 1964 - ? | |
Harlem Heroes | 2000 AD | | |
Harold's Planet | Online, Financial Times, The Scotsman | 1998 - | |
Hellman of Hammer Force | Action | 1976 - 1978[8] | |
The House of Dolmann | Valiant | 1966 - 1973 | |
If... | The Guardian | 1981 - | |
Ivan Jelical | Viz | | |
Ivor Lott and Tony Broke | Cor!!, Buster | | |
Jack Black | Viz | | |
James Bond | Daily Express, The Sunday Times | 1958 - 1983 | |
Jane | Daily Mirror | 1932 - 1959 | |
Japhet and Happy | The Daily News, News Chronicle | 1919 - ? | |
Jeff Hawke | Daily Express | 1955 - 1974 | |
Jet-Ace Logan | The Comet, Tiger, Thriller Picture Library | 1956 - 1972 | |
Joe Soap | Eagle | 1982 - 1983 | |
Johnny Fartpants | Viz | | |
Joker | Knockout, Whizzer and Chips | 1971 - 2000 | |
Judge Dredd | 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine | 1977 - | |
Junior Rotter | Whizzer and Chips, Buster | | |
Just Jake | Daily Mirror | 1938 - 1952 | |
Karenni the Minx | Viz | | |
Kewl Chix | Viz | | |
Kid Chameleon | Cor!! | 1970 - 1972 | |
Laurie Driver | Viz | | |
Lazy Bones | Whizzer and Chips | 1978 - ? | |
The Leopard from Lime Street | Buster | 1976 - 1985 | |
Leviathan | The Independent on Sunday | 1990s | |
Lost Consonants | The Guardian, The Observer | | |
Luck of the Legion | Eagle | 1952 - 1961 | |
Luvvie Darling | Viz | | |
Major Misunderstanding | Viz | | |
Master Mind | Buster | 1980 - 1983 | |
Maxwell the Magic Cat | Northants Post | 1979 - 1986 | Written by Alan Moore under a pseudonym. |
Memory Banks | Whizzer and Chips, Buster | | |
Mickey the Monkey | The Topper | 1953 - 1970s | |
Mickey's Miniature Grandpa | Viz | | |
Mickey's Monkey Spunk Moped | Viz | 1993 - 2010 | |
Millie Tant | Viz | | |
The Modern Parents | Viz | | |
Modesty Blaise | Evening Standard, Evening Citizen, Modesty Blaise Quarterly | 1963 - 2002 | |
Mr Logic | Viz | | |
Mrs Brady the Old Lady | Viz | | |
Mummy's Boy | Monster Fun, Buster | | |
Mustapha Million | Cheeky Weekly, Whoopee!, Whizzer and Chips | 1977 - 1990 | |
Nobby's Piles | Viz | | |
Norbert Colon | Viz | | |
Odd Ball | Whizzer and Chips, Buster | | |
Ogri | Bike, Back Street Heroes | 1970s - | |
Ollie and Quentin | | 2002 - 2011 | |
Oojah | Daily Sketch | 1919 - 1958 | |
One-Eyed Jack | Action | 1975 - 1977[9] | |
Orson Cart | Viz | | |
Pathetic Sharks | Viz | | |
Paul Whicker | Viz | | |
The Perishers | Daily Mirror | 1959 - 2006 (re-prints from 2010 -) | |
Pip, Squeak and Wilfred | Sunday Pictorial, Daily Mirror | 1919 - 1956 | |
Pirates of the Caribeano | The Beano | 2006 - 2009 | |
Postman Plod | Viz | | |
The Purple Cloud | The Dandy | 1961 (re-run 1968–1969) | |
Queens Counsel | The Times | 1993 - | |
Raffles, Gentleman Thug | Viz | | |
Rat Boy | Viz | | |
Rob Riley | Ranger, Look and Learn | | |
Robot Archie | Lion | 1952 - 1974 | |
Rogan Gosh | Revolver | 1990 | |
Roger Irrelevant | Viz | | |
Roger Mellie | Viz | | |
Romeo Brown | Daily Mirror | 1954 - 1963 | |
Roy of the Rovers | Tiger, Roy of the Rovers (comic) | 1954 - 1995 | |
Rupert Bear | Daily Express | 1920 - | |
Scarth A.D. 2195 | The Sun | | |
School Belle | School Fun, Buster | 1983 - 2000 | |
The Seekers | Daily Sketch | 1966 - 1971 | |
Sexton Blake | Halfpenny Marvel, Union Jack (magazine), Detective Weekly, The Boys' Friend, Penny Pictorial, The Sexton Blake Library, Knockout, Valiant, Tornado | 1893 - 1979 | |
Sid's Snake | Whizzer and Chips | 1969 - 2000 | |
Sid the Sexist | Viz | | |
The Silent Three | School Friend | 1950 - 1963 | |
Skid Kidd | Buster | | |
Spider | Lion, Vulcan | 1965 - 1971 | |
Steel Claw | Valiant | 1962 - 1973 | |
Store Wars | Whizzer and Chips | | |
Striker | The Sun, Nuts | 1985 - 2010 | |
Strontium Dog | Starlord, 2000 AD | 1978–present | |
Student Grant | Viz | | |
Suburban Satanists | Geek, Herman Hedning | 1997 - | |
Suicidal Syd | Viz | | |
The Suicide Six | Tiger | | |
Super School | The Beano | 2008 - | |
Sweary Mary | Viz | 1994 - 1995 | |
Sweeny Toddler | Shiver and Shake, Whoopee!, Whizzer and Chips | 1973 - 2000 | |
Sweet Tooth | Whizzer and Chips | 1973 - 2000 | |
Tamara Drewe | The Guardian | 2005 - 2007 | |
Tasha Slappa | Viz | | |
Teddy Tail | Daily Mail | 1915 - 1960s | |
Tharg the Mighty | 2000 AD | 1977 - | |
The Things | Viz | | |
Thrud the Barbarian | White Dwarf | 1981 - 2007 | |
Tinribs | Viz | | |
Toby Twirl | | 1946 - 1958 | |
Tom Thug | Oink!, Buster | 1986 - 2000 | |
Tomboy | Cor!!, Buster | | |
Tommy "Banana" Johnson | Viz | | |
Tranny Magnet | Viz | 2000 - ? | |
Tricky Dicky | Cor!! | | |
The Trigan Empire | Ranger magazine, Look and Learn | 1965 - 1982 | |
Tug Transom | | | |
Victorian Dad | Viz | | |
Vid Kid | Buster | 1987 - 2000 | |
Warlord | Warlord (DC Thomson) | 1974 - 1986 | |
Watch Out Beagle's About | Buster | | |
Whacky | Cor!!, Buster | 1970 - 1973 | |
Wicked Willie | | 1984 - | |
Wonder Wellies | Buster | 1983 - 1985 | |
X-Ray Specs | Monster Fun, Buster | 1975 - 2000 | |
Yankee Dougal | Viz | | | |
Lesser known British comic strips
- Belinda[10] was modelled after the American Strip Little Orphan Annie was published in the Daily Mirror. It was drawn by Steve Dowling and Tony Royle during the 1930s & 1940s.
- Billy and Bunny was a long-running comic strip featured in a Scottish Newspaper. They were drawn by James Crighton better known for drawing Korky the Cat for The Dandy comic. Billy was a young boy and Bunny was an anthropomorphised rabbit. Their stories were set in a fantasy fairytale world where they often got up to mischief. There were several annuals from 1922 to 1941 and in 1948 & 1949. Even on the last 1949 Annual, they were still wearing their early 1920s trademark spats and gaiters, a popular male fashion item from decades before. These annuals were all published by John Leng & Co, London
- Boy meets Girl was started in the Sunday Dispatch in 1940. It was drawn by Rouson and featured amusing ways of boy meeting girl
- Carol Day was a strip created by painter David Wright, and continued after his death by Kenneth Inns. It was published initially in 1956 in the Daily Mail, but later in 1971, it was in the Sunday Express. Carol was an ex-fashion model and was drawn as being very elegant.
- Come on Steve Published initially in the Sunday Express in 1936 and transferred to the Sunday Dispatch in 1941. It was drawn by Roland Davies. The character "Steve" was a cart horse name after the British jockey Steve Donoghue. The expression "Come on Steve" was a cheer used by racing fans to encourage Donoghue.
- Dot and Carrie was introduced as a three-month trial in the London Evening Standard at the end of 1922. It transferred to the London Evening News on 18 October 1960, finally ceasing on 23 May 1964. its author was J F Horrabin. Dot and Carrie were secretaries in an office under a Mr Spillikin.
- Eb and Flo were drawn by Wilfred Haughton[11] who also drew the Mickey Mouse Annuals from 1931 to 1939 and the Mickey Mouse Weekly comic covers as well as the Bobby Bear annuals in the 1930s. Haughton first drew this cartoon strip for The Daily Herald before his 1930s Disney work. It was about two Negro orphans, Ebenezer and Florence, who acted as parents to the unnamed Twins. Also featured were Timothy - a school pal, Uncles Joe and Desmond, Auntie Kate, Gran'pa and their pup, Sausage. There was a later annual published in 1939 (as dated by a 1939 inscription as found in a copy) by Deans called Eb' and Flo' annual which featured stories and reprinted cartoon strips all in a similar style to the Mickey Mouse Annuals. From their initial appearance in the late 1920s, an enamelled badge[12] shows Eb and Flo were the characters related to the 'Cheery Coons Club' for the Sunday People newspaper in the early 1930s.
- Flint of the Flying Squad was published in the Daily Express, starting in 1952. It was written by Alan Stranks and drawn by George Davies. The characters were used on a BBC Radio Home Service series in 1952, starring Bruce Seton, Mary Mackenzie & Norman Claridge. This used the same title
- Jimpy was drawn by Hugh McClelland (cartoonist). It started in the Daily Mirror on 5 January 1946 and lasted for six years. Set in medieval times the main character was a youth trying to become an apprentice wizard. Selection of title frames
- The Larks drawn by Jack Dunkley in the Daily Mirror, it was first seen on 5 August 1957.
- Lord God Almighty by Steve Bell appeared in The Leveller in the 1970s
- The Nipper started during 1933 in the Daily Mail and was drawn by Brian White (cartoonist). An annual was produced for many years. The nipper was a child of about 2 years age, who was able to get into the mischief of children of that age http://wn.com/Nipper_(comic)|examples. It should not be confused with the Canadian comic strip by Doug Wright about a similar child, but about 4 years old, and in a Canadian suburban setting.
- Paul Temple a strip based on Francis Durbridge's radio detective started in the London Evening News 19 November 1951 and lasted over twenty years, The graphics were by Alfred Sindall.
- Penny by George Davies appeared in the Sunday Pictorial during the 1940s and 1950s. The strip is featured in the film Penny and the Pownall Case (1948).
- Psycops. A strip that appeared in The Sun between 1994 and 1999. Written by Pete Nash (Striker) and illustrated by Nash, John Cooper and John M Burns.
- Sporting Sam was thirty years from 1944 in the Sunday Express. It was produced by Reg Wootton.
- Spotlight on Sally by Arthur Ferrier appeared in the News of the World at the end of World War II. It was contemporary and competed with the strip Jane.
- Tim, Toots & Teeny were a cartoon strip in the Daily Chronicle newspaper from at least 1929, and there were several annuals issued starting in 1930 to at least 1937, as the undated 1931 to 1938 Annuals inclusive. These annuals were published by George Newnes of London, and feature Tim (a cat), Toots (a pig) and Tiny (a duck). The first 1931 Annual states 'A Whole Year Of Adventure with the Famous Pets'. No artist or linked newspaper name is mentioned in these annuals, leaving them remaining unknown until two Christmas and Birthday postcards revealed their origins. A copy of the 1934 annual was found in the printer's archives, Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich, stamped 'Jarrolds Factory Book Dept.' To identify the set of eight Tim Toots & Teeny Annual books, 1931 Orange Car, 1932 Leapfrog, 1933 Train, 1934 Bicycle, 1935 Toy Plane, 1936 River Boat, 1937 Treehouse & 1938 Fairground are the front covers.
- Varoomshka by John Kent[13] appeared in The Guardian in the 1970s.
- Wildcat was a long-running comic strip in the anarchist newspaper Freedom, drawn by Donald Rooum.
See also
Notes and References
- News: Home town gains Andy Capp statue. BBC News. 28 June 2007. 2008-11-06.
- Web site: 26Pigs.com : UK Comics : Knockout . 2010-02-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090520185504/http://www.26pigs.com/knockout/bibliography.html . 2009-05-20 . dead .
- (July 21, 2008). "I was the inspiration for Beryl the Peril, reveals gran," Daily Record.
- https://www.theguardian.com/newsroom/story/0,,1678374,00.html Guardian retrospective
- News: The 10 best comic book footballers. Honeyball. Lee. 2003-11-30. 2007-01-19. London. The Guardian.
- Web site: Frank Dickens.
- Web site: Inside Action: Dredger. 22 August 2016 .
- Web site: Inside Action: Hellman of Hammer Force. 22 August 2016.
- Web site: Exclusive: Rebellion returns John Wagner's One-Eyed Jack to duty in first Fleetway archive collection. 16 November 2016 .
- Perry, George and Aldridge, Alan. The Penguin Book of Comics (Penguin, 1967)
- Web site: Eb and Flo comic strip.
- Web site: Eb and Flo badge.
- News: Michael McNay. McNay. Michael . Obituary: John Kent . The Guardian . 19 April 2003. 2012-02-12 . London.