IT'S A KIND OF MAGIC...

Images copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

MAGIC COMIC, launched in 1939, lasted for only 80 issues,

due mainly to paper shortages caused by the Second World War.

However, it had an impact far beyond its lifespan, in that one of its

characters was revived in The SPARKY in 1965, and then turned

up later in The TOPPER.  PETER PIPER is the strip we're talking

about, drawn originally by DUDLEY D. WATKINS in Magic and

then VIC NEIL in Sparky, with other artists taking over the

artistic duties in later years.

As you can see, Watkin's Peter looks like OOR WULLIE,

and is nothing like the Sparky interpretation, which is the one

I remember and regard as the 'real' one.  No doubt older Magic

readers threw up their hands in despair when they saw what had

been done to their childhood favourite in Sparky, much like I did

when DENNIS The MENACE and ROGER The DODGER's

dads were updated in The BEANO.  (Although, it has to be said

that their original 'look' had been established for many years

longer than Peter's initial Magic run, so the situation isn't

quite as comparable as it seems.)

So, enjoy seeing Peter's first Magic appearance in the

'30s, and comparing it to an example of his longer-lasting

Sparky strip in the '60s.  Interesting stuff, eh?

     

Posted in: Cartoons