How we were moulded in our formative years …
Bernie Newnham
My wife Pauline collected comics when she was about 12. We’ve had around 300 of them stashed in the loft for about 40 years.
Here’s one that cost a shilling or so in about 1966, that has turned out to be a bit special.
Dave Mundy
I well remember the “Eagle” comics when I was in primary school (before the 50’s) and it was more expensive than my “Dandy” and “Beano” and then the “Hotspur”. My best friend’s dad owned a shop and could afford it but when the “Lion” came out I got that instead and hoped that my birthday date would come up in their next issue, but it never did! Sadly, my mother got rid of them all, together with all my ‘love letters’ to various girlfriends, I never forgave her! I could have made a fortune by blackmail!
Dave Newbitt
Snap. I too had “Beano” and “Dandy” then “Lion”. My sister had the “Schoolfriend”, a sort of sister comic to “Lion” though it was in publication before the “Lion”. For some reason my parents disapproved of “Eagle” so I never had that. Seem to remember it being semi-glossy whereas the “Lion” was dull matt. I recall the content of “Beano” and “Dandy” more readily than the others though I’ve no idea why.
Bernie Newnham
I read “Eagle”, though my father read it to me before I could. I kept them, then my mother would throw them away in batches, thus scarring me forever. I used to get some back out of the stringed up packs and hide them, though there really was very little room to do so in our flat.
Much, much later, my wife was big on antique fairs, and I filled the time trapped there finding the “Eagle Annuals” that I didn’t have. I now own a complete set from 1 to about 14, though probably the whole set aren’t worth as much as my wife’s one comic.
Alasdair Lawrance
I don’t know why, but I had “Eagle” as well, mother was a bit of a snob and it might’ve been because it was edited by a vicar. That carried some clout with her.
I have 10 of the annuals, and 4 of the Model books – ‘Balsa Models’, ‘Cars’, ‘Spacecraft’ and ‘Boats’. Were there others? I’ve never seen any if there were.
Ed: This is from Facebook:
“Eagle” Book of “How it Works”
Nick Ware
I’m guessing that you chaps weren’t at boarding school? Where I was, I know I would have read them all, but never had the money to actually buy any. They were always there, bought by kids who could afford them, and eagerly anticipated. But I think they got passed around the school until they fell to bits – making your copies more rare!
Albert Barber
Roger Bunce
I was wondering about those cutaway illustration in the centre of the “Eagle”. Did they ever, c. 1960 say, have such a diagram of TV Centre? – and why not?
Ed: This is from Facebook:
“Eagle” Cut-away centre-spread showing the BBC Television OB of Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation 1953
Bernie Newnham
“Eagle” cost 4½d and “Dandy” cost 3d. Don’t know what the “Beano” cost ….
I think my parents approved of “Eagle” and thought that the “Beano” etc were just for downmarket kids. This from a flat with two rooms for six people – still, their intentions were good.
Alec Bray
I used to have the “Eagle” and “Beano” – and of course “Meccano Magazine” as well!
The “Eagle” had the Harris Tweed cartoon strip by John Ryan – although his first strip for the” Eagle” had been … Captain Pugwash! He also created Lettice Leefe for “Girl” – the girl’s equivalent of “Eagle”. It was a thrill to work with John Ryan on “Captain Pugwash” (some three episodes (IIRC) ) as I had so enjoyed his work in the “Eagle”!
Alan Taylor
My little bit of comic treasure is a complete set of “Action” comics from the 1970s, which i rescued from my younger [….] when they were going to be chucked in the bin I have never read them or had any interest in them, but vaguely knew of them. They are of interest in the comic world, partly because of their notoriety and partly because of what their artists went on to do.
It was considered a very violent magazine, but of course that might have been part of the appeal to boys of a certain age. There was quite a furore about it in the tabloid press at the time and it culminated with the editor doing a disastrous interview on BBC Nationwide, where he was totally crucified. He claims that he had been assured that it was going to be a nice friendly chat to set the record straight, but when the red light came on he was mercilessly stitched up. As a result, W. H. Smith refused to distribute it and they ceased publication. It later resurfaced in a rather neutered form, but no longer had the appeal it previously did and didn’t last long.
Some of the artists who worked on “Action” comic went on to start the 2000 AD comics which became very successful and introduced the character Judge Dredd.
I had pondered selling them about ten years ago, but heard whispers that somebody was pitching to do a TV documentary about the comic. I guessed that their value might suddenly increase if such a show were transmitted and raised awareness of the comic, but as far as I’m aware, the show never got made.
Last time I checked, the value of the set in that condition was around £600, but it fluctuates for no apparent reason and is probably less these days. They’ll remain in my loft for the foreseeable future.
Geoff Fletcher
I once had several years of “Eagle” comics from issue 4 onwards. They were stored in a large cupboard in our spare room at home in Shropshire. I joined BBC TV in October 1963 and when I went home for Xmas my Mum had done a big tidy up and thrown all of them out! They would be worth a fair bit today.
