I was a Bunty fan myself, but this really takes me back, Sharon. Very funny. The plot lines! Those stories of triumph over adversity were so character-forming and inspiring, as you say, even the most ridiculous. (One from Bunty featured a girl winning a show jumping competition on a cow.)
This is so interesting,Sharon! Growing up in Australia, I never came across any of these and now I feel bereft! 😆 Some of the story lines are 😂 Smashing magic mushrooms and devising plots like this actually sounds like a pretty great job.
This is utterly brilliant Sharon. All that creativity, all that blindness though! I can't get over it. I think you're right when you say "As a child I was in awe of the Mandy writers, although as an adult looking back, I can’t help but wonder if magic mushrooms were a regular staple on the menu in the office canteen." Great read 🫵🏼
I loved Whizzer and Chips , such a clever idea to make you believe you were getting two for the price of one! And then I graduated onto Jackie, all about boys and posters with posters of Donny O and David C and the Bay City Rollers!
You’re a reader after my own heart Sharon. I was obsessed with comics and annuals too and read all of these. My personal favourites were Whizzer and Chips and Tammy.
I remember them being very informative about things like personal hygiene as well as the fantastical storylines. I grew up wanting to swim the channel, and dreamt of the romance. I moved on to Look in and Smash Hits and Just 17.
That’s so lovely to hear Margaret. I love connecting with like-minded people. Comics were fantastic eh? We don’t give them enough credit. And thanks for the restack!
Aww I read all these also , I loved Mandy so much, all my memories of it are flooding back, my grandad always bought me the Christmas annual, and I loved Twinkle too ! I still have a copy signed by my grandad. The story lines are so mental, the alien granny , the bionic budgie hilarious 😆 great post ☺️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Oh this was such a glorious read. I was a Bunty girl myself - don’t remember a particular fixation with blindness, but there was an obsession with dancers/gymnasts/showjumpers who’d never dance, ride, or perform on the beam again, girls having secret lives as pop stars (the old fashioned relatives must never find out), and my particular favourite, sadistic sports coaches who flogged their talented protégées half to death for a cabinet of trophies (I swear there was one actually entitled “Chained to her Raquet’). Later on I graduated to Jackie and spent hours trying to draw like the illustrators who did the comic strips and wondering what Cathy and Clare were actually like!
Well I hope "Water Jill" will be appearing in Pigeon Post. It sounds like a cautionary tale - you were ahead of your time. ✨
I never read Mandy but I remember it being among the many comics on sale at the local newsagents'. I loved The Beano and The Dandy, and I once bought a Beryl the Peril annual which made me laugh until I cried. On holiday I branched out to Marvel comics which were sold in a campsite shop and the artwork in those was fabulous. Like you I still remember some of the stories and pictures to this day. You really did enter another world when you read those, which could be a great stress-reliever!
As a teen I read Jackie Magazine and I really loved that. I had quite a strict upbringing so it was not only entertaining but really informative. I also had a Diana annual for Christmas one year and I remember that having great stories in it.
You have really opened up a box of memories with this article Sharon. Thanks so much! 💛
Thanks Jules. I didn’t read Jackie, although I know many did. But you’ve triggered a memory with Diana! Also, I loved Beryl the Peril 😄 Re. water. I’ve watched Hugh Grant in an interview moan about the fact his daughter carries water across town to school, questioning why she can’t just use a water fountain there! I full agree. The fact we’ve all been told we have to have a bottle of water on us, at all times, is a big fat money-making con!
I loved Beryl. The pranks she used to play on her dad had me in stitches. I also loved Look-In and got all my posters from there. Later it was Smash Hits - not a comic but I loved that.
I don’t drink enough water but I think it does go a bit far sometimes. Moderation in all things, I think.
I was a Bunty fan myself, but this really takes me back, Sharon. Very funny. The plot lines! Those stories of triumph over adversity were so character-forming and inspiring, as you say, even the most ridiculous. (One from Bunty featured a girl winning a show jumping competition on a cow.)
I was also a Beano reader, via my brother.
A cow?! 😀 They really were quite brilliant, eh? Glad you enjoyed Wendy.
This is so interesting,Sharon! Growing up in Australia, I never came across any of these and now I feel bereft! 😆 Some of the story lines are 😂 Smashing magic mushrooms and devising plots like this actually sounds like a pretty great job.
Doesn’t it? If only my careers advisor had offered this up!
This is utterly brilliant Sharon. All that creativity, all that blindness though! I can't get over it. I think you're right when you say "As a child I was in awe of the Mandy writers, although as an adult looking back, I can’t help but wonder if magic mushrooms were a regular staple on the menu in the office canteen." Great read 🫵🏼
Bloody hell, I was wasting my time with The Beano, this stuff is amazing, blinding even!
I also loved Tintin.
By the way, subscribing to you made my phone crash. I’m thinking this is a good sign😁
Thanks Dean! If only I had such powers…
Wasting, not eating. Damn autocorrect!
I loved Whizzer and Chips , such a clever idea to make you believe you were getting two for the price of one! And then I graduated onto Jackie, all about boys and posters with posters of Donny O and David C and the Bay City Rollers!
There were some brilliant characters in Whizzer & Chips. Great comic!
You’re a reader after my own heart Sharon. I was obsessed with comics and annuals too and read all of these. My personal favourites were Whizzer and Chips and Tammy.
I remember them being very informative about things like personal hygiene as well as the fantastical storylines. I grew up wanting to swim the channel, and dreamt of the romance. I moved on to Look in and Smash Hits and Just 17.
I wonder what the staff room was like at Mandy.
I really enjoyed this. Thanks
That’s so lovely to hear Margaret. I love connecting with like-minded people. Comics were fantastic eh? We don’t give them enough credit. And thanks for the restack!
Aww I read all these also , I loved Mandy so much, all my memories of it are flooding back, my grandad always bought me the Christmas annual, and I loved Twinkle too ! I still have a copy signed by my grandad. The story lines are so mental, the alien granny , the bionic budgie hilarious 😆 great post ☺️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Oh good God Almighty, the flashbacks! Ta.
How fun. I missed out but read comics to my ‘legally blind’ daughter - she finds disaster funny - I think she knows good is coming.
Every week ‘can we go to comic store?”
Oh this was such a glorious read. I was a Bunty girl myself - don’t remember a particular fixation with blindness, but there was an obsession with dancers/gymnasts/showjumpers who’d never dance, ride, or perform on the beam again, girls having secret lives as pop stars (the old fashioned relatives must never find out), and my particular favourite, sadistic sports coaches who flogged their talented protégées half to death for a cabinet of trophies (I swear there was one actually entitled “Chained to her Raquet’). Later on I graduated to Jackie and spent hours trying to draw like the illustrators who did the comic strips and wondering what Cathy and Clare were actually like!
Thanks Jeanette. You’re right! Lots of gymnastics and horse riding!
Sharon, you've brightened up my Tuesday - again!
Just one question. Was it original Gran or alien Gran who was blind? You neglected to mention.
Ah - the joy of the Christmas annual. Sigh.
Wonderful stuff. Love this post. I thank you.
I guess being blind must have been incredibly common back then…
You’d think, but I’m really not sure..Maybe it was all before contact lenses made an appearance!
Well I hope "Water Jill" will be appearing in Pigeon Post. It sounds like a cautionary tale - you were ahead of your time. ✨
I never read Mandy but I remember it being among the many comics on sale at the local newsagents'. I loved The Beano and The Dandy, and I once bought a Beryl the Peril annual which made me laugh until I cried. On holiday I branched out to Marvel comics which were sold in a campsite shop and the artwork in those was fabulous. Like you I still remember some of the stories and pictures to this day. You really did enter another world when you read those, which could be a great stress-reliever!
As a teen I read Jackie Magazine and I really loved that. I had quite a strict upbringing so it was not only entertaining but really informative. I also had a Diana annual for Christmas one year and I remember that having great stories in it.
You have really opened up a box of memories with this article Sharon. Thanks so much! 💛
Thanks Jules. I didn’t read Jackie, although I know many did. But you’ve triggered a memory with Diana! Also, I loved Beryl the Peril 😄 Re. water. I’ve watched Hugh Grant in an interview moan about the fact his daughter carries water across town to school, questioning why she can’t just use a water fountain there! I full agree. The fact we’ve all been told we have to have a bottle of water on us, at all times, is a big fat money-making con!
I loved Beryl. The pranks she used to play on her dad had me in stitches. I also loved Look-In and got all my posters from there. Later it was Smash Hits - not a comic but I loved that.
I don’t drink enough water but I think it does go a bit far sometimes. Moderation in all things, I think.