Zip
Publisher: Odhams Press
Format: Weekly anthology comic
First Issue: Zip#1 (4th January 1958)
Last Issue: Zip#85 (3rd October 1959)
Annuals and Specials: Zip Annual 1959, 1960
Absorbed: None
Absorbed into: Swift
Strips: Billy Brave, Bobby
the Bear, The Brainy B's, Brett
Brand of the British Railways, Captain Morgan,
Hans Anderson's Fairy Tales; Hefty and Hoppy; Hokus,
the Merry Magician; Jimmy Hanley's Notebook,
Jungle Jinks; Kiki, the Boy Clown;
Nigel Tawny, Explorer; Old
MacMuddle, Pinto Pete and Pip, The
Pond People, Pony Express, Professor
Pobble, Robin Alone; Skippy,
The Boy Who Lives In A Barrel; Strongbow the
Mighty; Toby and his Master Punch; Touchdown,
Wells Fargo
Comments: On 8th February 1936 Willbank Publications launched Mickey Mouse Weekly, a title under license by the Walt Disney Corporation. At some point during the subsequent 21 year run of the title, Odhams Press took over publication, but the license was finally ended on 28th December 1957. The Disney strips were relaunched by their parent company in Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, but Odhams had included other strips not licensed from Disney. These were swiftly transferred to a new title, Zip, which was launched on 4th January 1958. Initial strips including the cover star Skippy, Don Lawrence's Western strip Wells Fargo, and Gerry Embleton's Robin Hood-esque Strongbow the Mighty (which Gerry's brother, Ron, had previously drawn for Mickey Mouse Weekly). Zip lasted for 85 issues before being cancelled and merged into Swift.
Skippy held the cover slot from #1 through #45, with explorer Nigel Tawny taking over that slot from #46 for at least the next few issues.
Don Lawrence's Pony Express and Wells Fargo tales were collected and republished by the Book Palace, but that collection seems to now be out of print.
Billy Brave was one of the characters who had originally appeared in Mickey Mouse Weekly, beginning his adventures in 1950. Drawn by Tony Weare, Billy was the son of a farmer who had been admitted to the prestigious boy's boarding school Mannington College, where he had become "schoolboy star of the sports field." |
Bobby the Bear was a
humour strip about a small bear. |
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Hefty and Hoppy was
a humour strip starring an elephant and squirrel. |
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Jimmy Hanley's Notebook was an editorial feature illustrated by Gerald Palmer. |
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Kiki, the Boy Clown -
a humour strip starring a clown |
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Professor Pobble - no additional info at this time |
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First Posted: 19/10/2010
Last updated: 05/11/2023
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