Sunday 25 August 2013

The most forgettable comics I have ever owned. Part 3: The Victor Book for Boys, 1973.

Victor Book for Boys, annual, 1973
I definitely owe today's offering an apology. Not only is it not forgettable but it features one of the things I remember most strongly from my childhood.

For years I remembered reading a story that featured a mystery runner called W.H. Oami who broke some sort of cross country record before being exposed as a fraud. The clue was in his name: "WH Oami" = "Who Am I" [Gettit?].

For years I couldn't recall where I'd read that tale.

And then, blundering around the internet, I came across this very cover. Instantly the scales fell away from my eyes - and my feet - because I'm pretty sure this is where I read it.

I also recall that the cover references an interior story of some plucky British Tommies stealing a German bus and doing whatever it was they did.

To be honest, Weird War Tales aside, war stories never did anything for me as a kid, and by 1973 I was already well into American comics at the expense of British ones. So it's perhaps not so shocking that the existence of this book had gradually slipped my mind.

I do feel I should know more about old British comics, as they do seem more accomplished to me now than they ever did at the time. I fear the fault was mine rather than theirs.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wasn't interested in war comics either, I went straight from the Beano to Marvel. Then Marvel brought out that "Fury" comic and when it flopped they foisted it onto readers of Mighty World Of Marvel, so Fury and his howling commandos took up space that could have gone to something else. The Hulk and a war comic combined - it could only happen in the crazy world of '70s UK Marvel !

Steve W. said...

Same here, Colin. I hated it when Sgt Fury was in Mighty World of Marvel.

Unknown said...

This is going to sound extremely sad, but I've been going through my annual collection today and, yes, this is the annual about The Rummer From Long Ago, as mentioned in your blog... I have a few Victors here and a Twinkle. Think I prefer Twinkle if I'm being honest, or Beryl the Peril.

Steve W. said...

Twinkle! Now you're talking! Wasn't that the comic with the cut-out paper doll figures that you could dress up?

Mostly my exposure to girls' comics was through Tammy and the Bunty. It's a source of regret to me that I never saw any issues of Misty.

Thej said...

How can i download

Steve W. said...

I doubt there's anywhere it can be downloaded from, Thej.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Doggone if that wasn't my favorite Victor cover! I remember going over that annual catalogue like 10,000 times trying to figure out which ones to get! (We were only allowed two each!) Still have it too! It's a lifelong keeper!