Childhood Comics and Annuals

[Boodi 2]

I did not have many annuals but I did read the comics on a regular basis, especially "Mandy". There was one spooky story that stuck in my mind about a girl whose life was totally changed due to a series of tragic events in her family. The story opened with the girl getting ready for bed one night and noticing that the moon was reflected on the windowpane and a mirror in her bedroom, which was said to be a bad omen, something I never heard of either before or since. Unfortunately I can no longer remember where I read the story, but the idea of the moon's reflection being a bad omen made a huge impression on me at the time.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I don't know that story but it sounds just my kind of thing!

[pete9012S]

Yes, sounds great!
Boodi, can you remember if it was from the 1960's or 70's at all?

[Boodi 2]

It was some time between 1968 and 1973...at a guess I would say 1971. The theme was a bit similar to "The Family at Red Roofs" and I think there was finally a happy ending! I recalled it last night when I noticed the reflection of the moon on my bedroom window, but thankfully I am not very superstitious although I do try to avoid the number 13!!!

[Boodi 2]

A small digression on my dislike of 13 is that on one occasion when I entered a show jumping competition my horse was allocated number 13 and I almost had a fit, with the result that the numbers were changed...the girl who volunteered to take number 13 instead jumped two clear rounds and won first prize, while I had a refusal and then knocked the fence, ending up among the "also rans"! Nevertheless, I still do my best to avoid 13!!!

[pete9012S]

We sat at table 13 in a restaurant recently. The lady asked is we wanted to change. We took a chance... it was ok!

Talking of comics, this site is good:

british comics
Comics from the UK

https://britishcomics.wordpress.com/

[Boodi 2]

Thanks Pete and glad to hear you had no ill-effects after your meal at Table 13!!!

[Judith Crabb]

Maybe, Boodi, it was 'No Mirrors for Morna' - though that sounds a bit too light-hearted. One thing about the comics, they did go in for catchy titles, often alliterative. (Enid knew a thing or two - no Secret Five, Famous Seven or Eight Find-outers!) 'Dance into Danger or 'Trouble at Trekkers Tarn' or 'Fear behind Footlights' and hundreds like them demand to be read. There's a 'Splendid Seven' which doesn't sound nearly as good as 'Secret Seven' but that could hardly be used again.

[Boodi 2]

Thanks Judith, but "No Mirrors for Morna" does not sound familiar and the story in question was most definitely not light-hearted. Unfortunately "Mandy" does not feature in the site for which Pete kindly supplied the link and I suspect I probably read it there as I used to buy that comic every week at the local newsagents. While I also read "Judy", "Bunty" and "Diana" occasionally I rarely bought them new and either borrowed them from friends or bought them at jumble sales...most of my pocket money was spent on Enid Blyton!!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I love alliterative titles, Judith. Mister Meddle's Muddles trips off the tongue beautifully, as do the titles of the other two Meddle books and the short story 'Connie's Curious Candle'. My first comic as a child was Playhour and that may have prompted my enjoyment of alliteration as it featured characters such as Wizard Weazle, Tommy Trouble, Sonny and Sally, Pinkie Puff and Moony from the Moon. Of course, there's also a lot of alliteration associated with nursery rhymes - Diddle Diddle Dumpling, Sing a Song of Sixpence, Tommy Tucker, Jack and Jill, Simple Simon, Lucy Locket...

Boodi, Enid Blyton commented in Enid Blyton's Magazine that 13 was her lucky number!

[Stephen]

http://girlscomicsofyesterday.com/2020/ ... nual-1987/

The Delemere Diamonds! I remember this one very well! Basically, a girl goes to stay with her aunt in a large old house to discuss her inheritance. Over the mantelpiece, there's a large portrait of a stern looking ancestor, Delia Delemere, with the family motto "I'll have what is mine!" written underneath. The girl assumes that the house will form part of her inheritance, so is really put out when the aunt announces she's selling to a property developer to turn it into a hotel or something. The aunt also shows her a diamond necklace in a safe, but that will be sold as well. The girl thinks that Delia Delemere would never stand for this kind of foolish business venture, and wonders why she's not wearing the necklace in the portrait. Anyway, aunt and niece spend the evening sitting beneath this large painting, hardly speaking to one another having fallen out over this. They go to bed for the night, but the aunt hears a noise and comes down to see the shape of a person moving around in the darkness. When she turns the lights on, the safe is empty, the niece has since come down, and the aunt accuses her of stealing the necklace. She denies it, but suddenly screams when she notices that Delia Delemere is now wearing the necklace in the portrait and has an almost gloating smile on her face. They both realise it has been spirited away, the business venture will now never happen, and the words "I'll have what is mine!" seem to echo through the house...

[Katharine]

Another 'goosebumps' story!

[pete9012S]

Sounds fantastic Stephen. So many great annuals and stories and so little time!
Here's a little snippet I found:

[Splodj]

'TV Comic' featured Noddy strips for 2 years, from issue 267 to 371. Perhaps these were reprints from books.

https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/comic/42 ... -comic-276

[Anita Bensoussane]

I have quite a few Mandy annuals but not the 1987 one. David Matysiak, illustrator of 'The Delemore Diamonds', is one of my favourite artists from girls' comics and annuals.

TV Comic featured Bom strips as well as Noddy strips, Splodj. Details can be found in the Cave of Books:

https://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/bly ... y=TV+Comic