I used to, then I was soon a Whizzer & Chips man. Every Saturday my dad would take my brother and I down the local paper shop in Yateley (next to the parade where I'd go and get my early vinyl (Nik Kershaw's The Riddle, Ray Parker Jnr Ghostbusters) over at Simon's Records) and we'd choose our comics and a quarter of Kola Kubes or Sweet Peanuts. And it probably all cost less than a couple of quid I bet. These days if I buy comics and sweets for my kids I'd be very lucky if I get any change out of a tenner.
Ahhhhh, there used to be so much choice! Sweets would take ages to eat and I'd take all day reading about the adventures of Mustapha Million or Shiner. And then what about the Holiday Specials? Those big, bumper editions that came out every summer just in time for the 6-weeks off.
And of course the big Annuals that you'd get for Christmas. I remember one year I was about 11 and I'd discovered where my mum and dad had hidden the 1983 Whizzer & Chips Annual - in one of the cupboards in the kitchen. I carefully carried a chair over to the worktop, climbed up and stood there with the cupboard door open, guffawing as I secretly read a few pages! I did this for a number of mornings before my folks got up but I was the fool though as by the Big Day I'd just about read it all.
All cheers and applause go to the mastery of one Justin Richardson who originally posted this pic up on the Official ABU Facebook Page.
Love this!
That post made me feel all warm inside... wonderful memories... I loved Whizzer and Chips too. Do you also remember the free comic books given away from a 'Walls' ice cream van? And also I loved the 'mini' versions of the Beano / Dandy that were quite thick but around A5 in size.
ReplyDeleteI rarely read The Beano or any of the DC Thompson publications but I was heavily into the IPC/Fleetway comics.I used to get Whizzer and Chips and Jackpot delivered every week and even now it's not unusual to find a battered copy of Whoopee by the Ramses bedside. And yes, the Fleetway annuals and Christmas went hand-in-hand for me, in fact it's probably true to say the 1978 Whizzer and Chips annual would be in my top 10 books list.
ReplyDeleteComics-wise I guess my favourite characters were Joker and Sweet Tooth. As for the annuals, no contest. The Pirates. I fricken loved The Pirates. And The Drips.