Jings! The Broons and Oor Wullie are 75

Today's issue of The Sunday Post celebrates the 75th anniversary of its long-running strips The Broons and Oor Wullie. The paper includes a free 16 page supplement to mark the occasion, looking back at the strips over the years.

Created in 1936, the original artist of the strips was Dudley D. Watkins, who drew them up until his sudden death in 1969. The artist's style was considered irreplaceable for years, and The Sunday Post used reprints from September 1969 to September 1974. Following years saw various artists come and go: Tom Lavery, John Polland, Robert Nixon (on Oor Wullie), Ken Harrison, and the current artist Peter Davidson. "Of all the strips that Watkins drew his output on Wullie and the Broons was given top priority and work on all of his other strips was considered secondary to their production each week." said comic historian Ray Moore on the Comics UK Forum recently.

Originally the two strips formed part of the pull-out Fun Section, - two tabloid pages that could be folded up into a four page A4 comic. Several years ago the Fun Section was reduced to just The Broons and Oor Wullie being printed on one page of The Sunday Post. Recently the presentation was redesigned so that each strip now has its own page, with additional activity bits in the sidebars.

So popular are the two strips that even here in Warwickshire my local shops have all sold out of today's Sunday Post! If you're looking for a copy, good hunting!

http://www.sundaypost.com/