1960
Buster comic begins. The title character is originally described as ‘the son of Andy Capp’ although this is soon forgotten about.
Pre-teen girls’ comic/magazine Judy begins.
Corporal Clott enlists in The Dandy, just as National Service comes to an end. He serves the comic loyally until 1970.
1961
Winker Watson ‘the world’s wiliest wangler’ debuts in The Dandy.
The Dandy and The Beano both celebrate their 1,000th issues.
The Victor is launched.
Commando War Stories in Pictures is launched, later known as Commando. It is still going today.
June comic begins.
Send For Kelly (about an inept special agent) begins in The Topper.
1962
The Numskulls debut in The Beezer.
Valiant begins.
Film Fun (est: 1920) ends. Radio Fun (1938-61. merges into Buster) and TV Fun (1953-59) all end during this period.
1963
A Dandy-Beano joint Summer Special appears. The first separate Dandy and Beano Summer Specials appear in 1964.
The original Knock-Out ends. having started in 1939. The title is revived in the 1970s.
Swift merges into The Eagle.
The Hornet begins.
1964
Billy Whizz races onto the pages of The Beano.
‘Rollicking robot’ Brassneck debuts in The Dandy.
Girls’ comic/magazine Jackie is launched.
The Big One is launched, merging into Buster the following year.
Girl ends, after fourteen years, merging into Princess (1960-67). It is revived in the 1980s.
1965
Sparky comic ignites. Keyhole Kate (once of The Dandy) is amongst those appearing.
TV21 begins.
School Friend (est: 1950) merges into June.
1967
Bully Beef and Chips first clash in The Dandy.
Pup Parade, a canine version of The Bash Street Kids, arrives in The Beano.
The long-running Mandy begins.
Giggles starts. Like an actual giggle it only lasts briefly, merging into Buster in 1968.
TV Tornado comes and goes quickly, becoming absorbed by TV21 in 1968.
The Eagle is by now in clear decline. New Dan Dare stories stop appearing in the weekly comic.
1968
Dennis the Menace gets a new pet dog, Abyssinian wire-haired tripe hound, Gnasher
Twinkle is launched.
Jag is launched. It merges into another big cat, Tiger in 1969.
Buster’s Diary is replaced by Buster’s Dream World.
1969
‘Two-in-one, two times the fun!’ Whizzer and Chips launches with an unusual double-headed format. Sid’s Snake stars in Whizzer, amateur pugilist Shiner in Chips. Wear ‘Em Out Wilf, Champ and the long-running Odd Ball are all in the first issue.
Robin ends, after sixteen years. It was the most enduring of The Eagle’s sister titles.
After a decade of decline, The Eagle itself ends, merging into Lion. It is the end of an era.
Chris Hallam is a freelance writer. Originally from Peterborough, he now lives in Exeter with his wife. He writes for a number of magazines including Yours Retro, Best of British and Comic Scene – in which he wrote about Judge Death, The Ballad of Halo Jones, Dan Dare, The Eagle and Alan Moore’s Watchmen (amongst other things). He co-wrote the book, Secret Exeter (with Tim Isaac) and wrote A-Z of Exeter – People, Places, History. He was also wrote the 2014 annuals for The Smurfs, Furbys and Star Wars Clone Wars annuals as well as the 2015 Transformers annual.
Chris Hallam's World View 