Thursday, January 25, 2018

CHIPS cover (1939)

I'm a bit busy at present but I didn't want the week to pass by without posting something from the history of comics, so here's a quick scan of the cover to Chips No.2527, dated February 11th 1939 (published on Wednesday Feb.8th). It featured those long-running cover stars Weary Willie and Tired Tim and was drawn by Percy Cocking.

 Comics only had 8 pages back then, so they really packed a lot in for the reader's money. A very busy cover with some smashing cartoon work. And yes, it really was printed on pink paper. Definitely a cheap and cheerful comic!

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 While I'm at it, I'll give a plug for my other blog. (Hey, I promote the work of others often enough so why not plug my own?) Drop by there sometime and have a look:
http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.co.uk



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6 comments:

  1. Robert CarnegieThursday, 25 January 2018 at 22:49:00 GMT

    Is this where they got the idea to use in "Road Runner" cartoons, of the aperture painted on a wall??

    I've just noticed the magazine title with all the cast riding (or not) on the "joy wheel", was that a permanent attraction? According to web pages, that's a curious fairground ride - the term "short lived" was used - which is a large flat wheel mechanically turned at ever-increasing speed until the last of the riders falls off. It sounds jolly dangerous.

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  2. Lew StringerThursday, 25 January 2018 at 23:06:00 GMT

    Yep, the joy wheel (or a variant thereof) was popular in fairgrounds for decades. I remember a similar thing, but a giant spinning barrel, but I never went on it.

    The aperture painted on a wall dates back to early cinema I believe. I'm sure there's something like that in a silent comedy I've seen.

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  3. Lew StringerThursday, 25 January 2018 at 23:10:00 GMT

    Forgot to answer your other question. Yes, the masthead of Chips (and similar comics such as Comic Cuts, Jolly, Funny Wonder etc) always carried a busy scene in those days, showing the comic's characters having fun. They'd usually run the same image every week, then change it for another after a while. Celebratory issues such as Christmas or Whitsun had their own illustrated mastheads.

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  4. Peter GrayThursday, 25 January 2018 at 23:27:00 GMT

    Very nice

    love the mast heads in this era..
    also clever story..

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  5. GriffThursday, 25 January 2018 at 23:48:00 GMT

    My father was a child of the 1930s and to this day he still describes tired people as 'Weary Willie and Tired Tim" - and until I saw the characters featured in your blog (in your earlier post on the origin of these characters), I'd had no idea where this saying came from! Great stuff.

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  6. Robert CarnegieSaturday, 27 January 2018 at 01:09:00 GMT

    Thanks for answer. The "joy wheel" by its name is appropriate for inclusion in this prominent position on the magazine.

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