Starting This Saturday (Sept 12th) Collect Free Classic Comic Reprints All Week with Every Copy of the Guardian and The Observer

Starting today, Saturday 12 September, the Guardian / The Observer is offering an exclusive seven-day free comics promotion. Each day the paper be giving away a classic comic - reprinted in its original format - inside the newspaper. They will be giving away reprints of  original issues of Jackie, The Beano, Roy of the Rovers, Bunty, The Dandy, Tammy and Whizzer And Chips every day in the Guardian and the The Observer from Saturday 12^th September.

This probably isn’t of much interest to North American readers of this site, but to British readers this is a wonderful opportunity to relive some nostalgic moments of their childhood. Of the seven comics on offer here only DC Thompson’s The Beano and The Dandy are still in publication. Therefore, many of these publication hark back to a time when there was a much strong British Comic industry, and the newsagent’s shelves were packed full of colourful characters and jaunty adventure.

Apart from The Beano and The Dandy, there are still a handful of incredibly fine British Comics in publication, including 2000 AD, Judge Dredd Megazine, and Commando Magazine. Not to mention all of the amazing work released by UK based Small Press and Indy publishers such as Accent UK, Orang Utan Comics, AAM Markosia, Sweat Drop Studios, and Unico Comics to name but a few; however, very few of these comics cater to children, or an all ages readership.

Last March, a new brand new all-ages weekly comic called The DFC began publication, which featured fantastic work from the likes of Phillip Pullman, Nick Abadzis, Tony Lee, Emma Vieceli, and Jamie Smart. Unlike the vast majority of comics in the current market, The DFC was funded entirely by subscriptions, without any commercial advertising. However, this March, after only a year of publication, their financial backer, Random House pulled out of the project, and The DFC had to stop publication.

The reason The DFC died, like so many comics before it, is because the sad fact of the matter is that children no longer read traditional British comics. So get out there, buy the Guardian and the The Observer every day this week, then sit down with your children, and share some of these classic stories with them, then encourage them to read more comics and books! Nostalgia is one thing, but the British comic industry will only be restored to its former glory if the demand is there.

Oh, and Parents, make sure to check out some of those Small Press companies mentioned above. There are some fantastic releases coming out of the UK Small Press and Indy scene right now, and some of it might be just up your alley. Try searching for Small Press on this site to see some reviews, or alternatively, click here!

Full running order for the comics giveaway:

1. Saturday 12 September - Jackie 1975 Valentine’s Day special
2. Sunday 13 September - The Beano #2000, 1980
3. Monday 14 September - Roy of the Rovers, 1981
4. Tuesday 15 September - Bunty 1972 Summer Special
5. Wednesday  16 September -  The Dandy, 1984
6. Thursday 17 September - Tammy #1, 1971
7. Friday 18 September - Whizzer and Chips

As well as the comics giveaway, the Guardian has featured a few other comic-centric articles in the past week, including:

• Jacqueline Wilson on Jackie magazine
• Our classic comics: The kids’ verdicts
• Funny business: Free comics in the Guardian - Editor Jon Ronson sits in on Beano writers meeting, and gets a Numbskulls strip published
• My Comic Hero - Various celebrities discuss who there favourite comic characters are/were, including: AL Kennedy, writer; Dan Cruickshank, historian; Martha Kearney, broadcaster and journalist; Ricky Tomlinson, actor; Ed Balls, Education secretary; Vince Cable, Lib Dem shadow chancellor; and then Kelly Osbourne and Perez Hilton, but who cares what they have to say…

Press Release:

‘Remember how you were with seven classic comics for grown up boys and girls. We are printing an original issue of Jackie, The Beano, Roy of the Rovers, Bunty, The Dandy, Tammy and Whizzer And Chips every day in the Guardian and the Observer from Saturday 12 September.

It all starts on Saturday with the 1975 Valentine’s Day special of Jackie, featuring David Essex, Slade, the Cathy and Claire problem page and a Donny Osmond strip story!

The Beano‘s back on Sunday with the 2000th issue from 1980, featuring a Dennis the Menace front cover and all your favourites: Lord Snooty, Minnie the Minx and the Bash Street Kids.

On Monday it’s the one where Roy Race is shot in Roy of the Rovers from 1981, followed by the Bunty 1972 Summer Special on Tuesday. The Dandy, with the last Korky the Cat cover from 1984 is your comic for Wednesday, while Thursday sees the return of the very first Tammy from 1971. And finally, on Friday, catch up with Sid, Slippy and Shiner in Whizzer and Chips, two comics in one!

They don’t make them like this anymore….

Related posts:

1. Free Comic Book Day - Saturday 2nd May 2009
2. The Mindscape of Alan Moore, Now Available on iTunes - Enter to Win a Free Copy!
3. View Spider Woman the Motion Comic Episode 1 for Free, With No Region Restrictions
4. Comic Book Covers of the Week - Week of Wednesday 06 August 2021
5. Small Press Sunday - This Week: Skip Week - Next Week: Accent UK