IF I TOLD YOU I WAS A CHAMPION, WOULD YOU SAY I WAS 'LION'? ~ Comics Live Updates

LION & CHAMPION had a curiously 'dated' look for a comic of the '60s, in that it seemed more like a remnant of the '50s. Around a month after the above 1967 comic went on sale, FANTASTIC was launched, featuring MARVEL reprints of THOR, X-MEN, and IRON MAN, and was a far more exciting and modern prospect than LEO's weekly periodical (LION) launched in February 1952. 15 years later and it yet seemed stuck in the '50s, though I offer that observation as someone who didn't buy it when I was a kid, though I read occasional issues when they presented themselves. Perhaps those who did held a far different opinion of its merits.

Having said that, it's very professionally produced, and even includes an anti-hero called The SPIDER, who's reputed to have been created by SUPERMAN scribe JERRY SIEGEL, though there's been some doubt cast on this claim. The PHANTOM VIKING had originated in CHAMPION (launched in February 1966, it survived for a mere 15 issues before being merged into Lion in June), and appeared to be Britain's answer to Thor, but obviously FLEETWAY hadn't quite heard the question. When meek and mild OLAF LARSEN dons the Viking helmet of one of his ancestors (LARSEN The LIBERATOR), he gains super-strength and can fly, as well as growing several inches taller and putting on a few stone.

Thing is, when the wind changes, he transforms back to his normal self, which is a tad inconvenient when pursuing a superhero career. I might be imagining this, but I seem to remember that he also changed back if his helmet was dislodged, and if so, a chinstrap would've been a good idea, as a helmet with wings is liable to fly off when you're standing on top of an aeroplane travelling at several hundred miles an hour like in the above cover. However, as I say, perhaps I'm misremembering that part of his Achilles' heel.

JINKS is a foreign strip translated into English, and LOFTY LIGHTYEAR might be the same, though I'm not certain. MOWSER is the top humour strip in the comic anyway - the others are also-rans in comparison. An earlier Lion strip, KARL The VIKING, is reprinted in this ish, but this time as a Danish warrior called ROLF, before being restored to Viking status in the revamped SMASH! a couple of years later, though this time under the name of ERIC (no relation to half-a-bee). Just as well they didn't make Rolf an Australian singer, as it would've damaged his reputation no end. (Savour that exquisite DON LAWRENCE art.) I suspect Rolf became a Dane simply to avoid having two strips in the same comic with the word 'Viking' in the title.

ROBOT ARCHIE is a legend in British comics, and ZIP NOLAN was a well-respected strip too. Although an American Highway Patrol officer, he was later transferred to Britain for a spell (in some kind of exchange programme I assume) to study UK policing methods, but he eventually returned to the States I believe. The other strips are competently and professionally produced, but a little underwhelming - at least to my 21st century eyes. Maybe I'd have thought differently back then.

Anyway, I bought this comic just for the cover ('cos I liked it), so I thought I'd give you a quick run through of most of the contents so that you could see (or remind yourselves) of what a 'typical' British comic of the '60s looked like. Well, typical for Fleetway that is - ODHAMS PRESS were a little more wild in their weekly output, and even D.C. THOMSON's comic strip publications, without the presence of BAXENDALE and REID, were not quite what they'd once been.

Feel free to comment if you so wish.