List of Topper comic strips

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The Topper was a long running anthology comic which ran from 1953 to 1990. Mergers with two other comics, Buzz and Sparky in 1975 and 1977, respectively, added characters from those comics to The Topper's roster. The Topper eventually merged with another comic The Beezer in 1990 becoming the Beezer and Topper, this new comic featured a number of characters from The Topper and ended in 1993 with a few of the characters going on to appear in two other comics The Beano and The Dandy. The comic included a number of comic strip adaptations of classic novels, mainly the works of H. Rider Haggard and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Strip Title [1] [2] Artists [1] GenreFirst Appearance [1] Last Appearance [1] Notes
Beryl the Peril Davy Law, and later drawn by John DallasComic11963Appeared on cover from 1986 to the merge with The Beezer in 1990. Later appeared in The Dandy .
Big Fat Boko And His Crafty Crow (Series 1)Ken HunterAdventure130
Captain BungleGeorge MartinComic1363
The Fighting Frasers (Series 1)Bill HolroydAdventure199
Flip Mccoy The Floating Boy (Series 1) Paddy Brennan Adventure168
Foxy Charles Grigg and later Evi de BonoComic11229A fox forever trying to steal chickens and forever getting blasted by The Farmer. Later appeared in The Dandy .
Fritzi RitzComic199
Mickey the Monkey (series 1) Dudley D. Watkins, later drawn by Vic Neill.Comic11666The original cover star until 1973.
Nancy Ernie Bushmiller Comic11111Reprints of the American comic.
Smart ArtGeorge Martin/George DrysdaleComic1470
Tiny Tim (Series 1)James ClarkComic1361A minute boy who lives and plays amongst insects
Treasure Island (Original Series) Dudley D. Watkins Adventure130
Uncle Dan - The Managerie Man Allan Morley Comic2248
Kidnapped (Original Series)Adventure3154
The Tiger Of KashgarAdventure3171
Robinson CrusoeAdventure5579
The Jolly Rogers Paddy Brennan Adventure6980
Big Fat Boko And His Crafty Crow (Series 2)Ken HunterAdventure72101
Wild Young Dirky (Series 1) Dudley D. Watkins Adventure8094
Coal-Black Jonah (Series 1)George RamsbottomComic Adventure81108
King Solomon's Mines (First Version)Adventure95121Based on the novel by H. Rider Haggard
Ferd'nand Henning Dahl Mikkelsen Comic100304
Happy Daze (Series 1)Adventure100133
Sir Laughalot (Series 1)Ken HunterComic Adventure102123A fantasy knight and his misadventures
Lucky Dicky Dolphin (Series 1)Adventure109128
Wild Young Dirky (Series 2)Adventure122132
Ali Baba And The Forty ThievesAdventure124130
Billy BoomerangAdventure129144
Jimmy's Mighty Midgets (Series 1) Paddy Brennan Adventure131147
(The Story Of) Gordon The GipsyAdventure133139
The Fighting Frasers (Series 2)Bill HolroydAdventure134196
(The Story Of) Allan Quatermain (First Version)Adventure140164
Big Fat Boko And His Crafty Crow (Series 3)Ken HunterAdventure145175
The Lady Of The LakeAdventure148158
Keep-Fit KittComic159199
Wild Young Dirky (Series 3) Dudley D. Watkins Adventure159173
(The Story Of) The Black Arrow Ron Smith Adventure165192
Coal-Black Jonah (Series 2)George Ramsbottom and George DrysdaleComic Adventure174185
Jed Cooper (First Series)Adventure176201
Sir Laughalot (Series 2)Ken HunterComic Adventure186199
(The Story Of) Captain Blood Paddy Brennan Adventure193222Adaptation of the novel by Rafael Sabatini
Happy Daze (Series 2)Adventure197219
Dixie's Box O’ TricksComic200214
Jimmy's Mighty Midgets (Series 2) Paddy Brennan Adventure215224
Big Chief Running Chump (Series 1)Adventure217242
In The Kingdom Of Zero (First Version)Bill Holroyd/Ron Smith/Ken HunterAdventure220258
Rob RoyAdventure223250
Coal-Black Jonah (Series 3)Comic Adventure225234
Jed Cooper (Second Series)Adventure235248
King Gussie (Series 1)George MartinComic235430A short strip about a king; like strips such as Desperate Dan, this surreally combined historical and modern day elements.
Big Fat Boko (Series 4)Ken HunterAdventure243261
Wulf Of The Arrows (Original Series) Paddy Brennan Adventure249282
Oliver TwistAdventure251280
Julius Cheeser (Series 1)George MartinComic256867A short strip about a cat's failures to catch a mouse.
Shorty's Little Giant (Series 1)Adventure259291
Big Uggy (Series 1)George DrysdaleComic262469A caveman and an anthropomorphic dinosaur friend Dopey
White WolfAdventure281300
Dive With The Dolphins (Series 2)Adventure283313
Sir Laughalot (Series 3)Ken HunterComic Adventure292311
Jack-A-LanternAdventure301315
The Bustem Boys On Bunkum Island (Series 1) Rudolph Dirks Comic305595A reprint of the American comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids [3]
Unlucky StarrsAdventure312331
Thunder GunnAdventure314321
Prester JohnAdventure316336
Wild Young Dirky (Series 4)Adventure322341
Happy Daze (Series 3)Adventure332341
The Call Of The WildAdventure337354
Big Chief Running Chump (Series 2)Adventure342358
Mystery NickAdventure342363
The Dragon's Teeth (Original Series)Adventure355383
Journey To The Lost Land (Original Series)Adventure359383
Figaro (Series 1)Tom BannisterComic364922An overweight Mexican bandit and his gang, and his donkey or mule Pedro.
Natty Jack (Series 1)Comic364390
The Tribe Must Not DieAdventure364373
(The Story Of) The Three MusketeersAdventure374402
Not Guilty... But Sentenced To DeathAdventure384404
TarzanAdventure384388
(They've) Got The Wrong WrightComic Adventure389396
(The Story Of) Sinbad The SailorAdventure397412
(Beware Of ) Gum-Drop Gas (Original Series)Comic Adventure403419
Back To Zero (Original Version)Bill Holroyd/Ron Smith/Ken HunterAdventure405435
Send for Kelly George Martin, and later by Sid Burgon Comic Adventure4131963A secret agent called Nick Kelly, helped by assistant Cedric for most of the strip's run. Cedric was later replaced by Harry, nephew of Kelly. Survived Beezer merger in 1990. The strip appeared on the cover from the year 1973 to 1975.
Stallions Of The MoonAdventure419439
Big Fat Boko (Series 5, Reprints)Ken HunterAdventure420475
Danger In The HillsAdventure436442
(The Adventures Of) Midshipman KeenAdventure440470
The Storms At SeaAdventure443455
Castle's In The AirAdventure456469
Natty Jack (Series 2)Comic470475
Treasure Island (Reprint Series) Dudley D. Watkins Adventure470499
The White Witch Paddy Brennan Adventure471489Adaptation of the novel She by H. Rider Haggard
Big X - The Bluffer From Planet E (Original Series)Comic Adventure476495
The Last Warriors Ron Smith Adventure490500
The Big Chief Says Me No Like Um Railroad! (Series 3)Adventure496507
Kidnapped (Reprint Series)Adventure500523
The Iron ManAdventure501515
The Happy GoluksAdventure508518
Danger All The WayAdventure516533
The Flying DutchmanComic519528
King Gussie (Series 2)George MartinComic519920
Catriona Adventure524543
(Tall Tales From) Toad-In-The-HoleComic529638
Young HammerfistAdventure534545
It's A Funny WorldDefault544571
Sir Laughalot (Series 4, Reprints)Ken HunterComic Adventure544598
Flip Mccoy In Australia (Series 2) Paddy Brennan Adventure546610
Johnny RoverAdventure574654
King Solomon's Mines (Redrawn Version)Adventure574599
Desert Island Dick (Series 1)Comic5751144A short strip about a castaway, his pet octopus and his incompetent attempts to summon rescue. The name is a parody of Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4.
ArtyComic596617
The ShockerComic Adventure599611
(The Story Of) Allan Quatermain (Redrawn Version)Adventure600624
Island From NowhereAdventure611631
Billy Benn's Den / The Adventures Of Billy BennAdventure612677
The Ups And Downs Of Old Batty (Series 1)George MartinComic618696
Bunyan's Runaways!Adventure625677
Hector's ProtectorAdventure632652
Pop And The AnimalsComic639677
Giants From The SeaAdventure653677
Peter PlanetAdventure655703
Big Fat Boko (Series 6)Ken HunterAdventure678784
Big Uggy (Series 2)George DrysdaleComic678922
Rusty's RaidersAdventure678695
The Whizzers From Ozz (Series 1) Paddy Brennan Adventure678779Young Willie Walker meets two alien boys, Krik and Krak, who have a spacecraft and alien gadgets. Last strip was January 6, 1968, when Krik and Krak flew back to Ozz again.
Three Eggs In A BasketAdventure696728
Ali Babble (Series 1)Comic Adventure697766
The Plague Of London - 1966Adventure704729
In The Kingdom Of Zero (Redrawn Version)Bill Holroyd/Ron Smith/Ken HunterAdventure729766
Cracker JacksonAdventure730740
The Inky Top Imps (Series 1)Adventure741814
Circus Of FearAdventure767786
The Whiskery DicksComic767793
The Bright BoysComic768804
Kidnapped College (Original Series)Adventure780802
Andy LaddGeorge MartinComic785921A short strip about a resourceful young inventor
Little Copy CatComic785867
Sir Laughalot (Series 5)Ken HunterComic Adventure785814
Back To Zero (Redrawn Version)Bill Holroyd/Ron Smith/Ken HunterAdventure787814
Old Batty (Series 2)George MartinComic794867
The Dragon's Teeth (Reprint Series)Adventure803831
Ali And His Magic Carpet (Series 2)Comic Adventure805858
Big Fat Boko (Series 7)Ken HunterAdventure815833
The Sky Shark (Series 1)Adventure815846
TinyTom BannisterComic8241470The World's Biggest Dog
Oliver's Travels (Original Series)Comic832838
Big Chief Running Chump (Series 4)Adventure834867
(Beware Of ) Gum-Drop Gas (Reprint Series)Comic Adventure839855
Journey To The Lost Land (First Reprint)Adventure847867
Jiffy And The Glyphs (Original Series)George MartinComic856978
Have-A-Bash-BillyComic859902
Dopey JoeComic868921A short strip about an incompetent Indian
Splodge (Series 1) Charles Grigg Comic8681152The last of the goblins - around four inches high and invisible to humans, except readers of The Topper, who stole food (Later in The Beano )
The Whizzers From Ozz (Series 2) Paddy Brennan Adventure868941
Wulf Of The Arrows (Reprint Series) Paddy Brennan Adventure868901
Lumbering JackComic902911
Old Batty Ace Of Space (Series 3)George MartinComic903922
Sir Laughalot (Series 6)Ken HunterComic Adventure912922
Tales From Bunkum Island (Series 2) Rudolph Dirks Comic923965
Jingo The JesterAdventure923952
Willy NillyComic9231002
The Sky Shark (Series 2)Adventure942954
Big X - The Bluffer From Planet E (Reprint Series)Comic Adventure953972
The Inky Top Imps (Series 2)Adventure955978
Sir Laughalot (Series 7)Ken HunterComic Adventure973978
Super SpecsComic9731013
Dicky's ThickiesDefault979989
Thor ThumbComic9791074
The Whizzers From Ozz (Series 3) Paddy Brennan Adventure9791056
Figaro (Series 2)Tom BannisterComic9901049
Tales From Moth EtonComic9911011
Danny's TrannyKen HunterComic10031737A boy and his magical transistor radio - was cover star from 1975 to 1979.
Uncle BobComic10121074
Dreamboat BillComic10241066
Piggy BanksComic10501144
Happy Daze (Series 4, Reprints)Adventure10571074
The Amazing Peet From Planet K Paddy Brennan Adventure10751125
Top Of The FlopsComic10751096
Whistling BillyComic10751089
Star GuestsComic10771080
Plum DuffyComic10901109
Ghastly ManorMurray BallComic10971266A group of ghosts and monsters who live in a run-down manor which is perpetually for sale. Each episode is based on them scaring away a prospective buyer.
Morgan The MountieComic11101144
Dizzy Doodles (Reprints Of 'Smart Art')George Martin/George DrysdaleComic11121144
The Fighting Frasers (Series 3, Reprints)Bill HolroydAdventure11261138
The Sky Shark (Series 3)Adventure11391144
Big Fat FloPhil MillarComic11451187Originally ran in Buzz
The Deadly Dwarf Of Drayton's CircusDefault11451152
Fred The FlopTom Lavery/Dave GudgeonComic11451736Incompetent, petty criminal whose schemes always fail. Originally from Buzz
Jimmy Jinx (and what he thinks) Ken H. Harrison and Gordon Bell Comic11451881Originally from Buzz later appeared in Fun Size Dandy
NobbyBob McGrathComic11451357
Sammy's ScribblesComic11451228
Sleepy EdComic11451187
Hoozee The WotsitComic11531235
The Whizzers From Ozz (Series 4) Paddy Brennan Adventure11531187
Kidnapped College (Reprint Series)Adventure11881210
Shorty ShamblesComic11881235
Golden OldiesDefault12021220
Phone The Crows!Comic12111235
The Wonderful World Of SidneyAdventure12111245
Quiz KiddDefault12291260
Mysterious Monty MercuryAdventure12361260
Tiny Tim (Series 2, Reprints)James ClarkComic12361282
Tricky Dicky John Dallas [4] Comic12461963Cover star from 1979 until 1986. Moved to the inside for the duration of the comic's life, survived Beezer merge, later appeared in The Beano
Big Fat Boko (Series 8, Reprints In ‘Pick Of The Topper')Ken HunterAdventure12611275
Big Uggy (Series 3, Reprints In ‘Pick Of The Topper')George DrysdaleComic12611275
Flip Mccoy (Series 3, Reprints In ‘Pick Of The Topper') Paddy Brennan Adventure12611275
Julius Cheeser (Series 2, Reprints In ‘Pick Of The Topper')George MartinComic12611275
Shorty's Little Giant (Series 2, Reprints In ‘Pick Of The Topper')Adventure12611275
Splodge (Series 2, Reprints In ‘Pick Of The Topper') Charles Grigg Comic12611275
Ali's Baba Malcolm Judge/Vic NeillComic12761870
Hungry HoraceAlbert Holroyd/Gordon Bell Comic12761963A kid with the bottomless appetite who is always after food. Originally from Buzz and The Dandy
L CarsComic12761357
Peter PiperComic12761870Character with magical pan pipes that could animate objects. Originally appeared in the short lived The Magic Comic and revived in Sparky .
Puss An’ BootsComic12761394
(We Are The) Sparky PeopleComic12761357
Thingummy BlobAlbert HolroydComic12761439
Hizz And HurzzComic12831301
Happy Harry's HowlersComic13001319
AutoteachComic13021315
Janet The GannetComic13161341
Desert Island Dick (Series 2)Tom BannisterComic13221353
Whistler And His DogMartin Baxendale/Daniel PhippsComic13421373
Freddie StareComic13581439
The Mini MartinsAdventure13581382
Tyme TwinsComic13581394
The Whizzers From Ozz (Series 5) Paddy Brennan Adventure13581394For this series the Whizzers from Ozz appeared on the comic's cover, replacing Danny's Tranny before itself being replaced by Tricky Dicky.
Souper BoyJohn Dallas [4] Comic13741737A weedy boy who became extremely strong when drinking a special soup, similarly to Popeye
Journey To The Lost Land (Second Reprint)Adventure13831403
Big Uggy (Series 4)Comic13951417
The Knights Of The Round TableComic13951439
Tom And TerryBob McGrathComic13951872from Sparky
KlankyAdventure14041421
Oliver's Travels (Reprint Series)Comic14181424
Barney BulldogComic14221439
Jiffy And The Glyphs (Reprint Series 1)George MartinComic14251439
Al Change - He’s His Own GrannyTom BannisterComic14401737
Fearful Fun TalesKeith ReynoldsComic14401580
Foxy (Series 2, Reprints)Comic14401466
Ghastly Manor (Series 2)Murray BallComic14401528
Splodge (Series 3, Reprints)Comic14401466
Splursh The Marsh ‘UnComic14401470
Jiffy And The Glyphs (Reprint Series 2)George MartinComic14671528
Timothy TrimComic14671490
Knut And BoltComic14711492
Square Eyes Malcolm Judge Comic14711881The TV Copycat/ the TV fan
OoglyComic14911607
BattywomanComic14931512
FingyAlbert HolroydComic15131666
The Amazing Peet From Planet K (Reprint Series)Adventure15291580
The Teeny ToppersKeith ReynoldsComic15811705
The Whizzers From Ozz (Series 6)Adventure15811631
Desert Island Dick (Series 3, Reprints)Comic15821734
Whistler And His Dog (Series 2)Martin Baxendale/Daniel PhippsComic16081737
Baba’s Topper TaleComic16321705
BrainlessComic16321666
Boppo The Hopeless HooliganComic16671737
Old Batty (Series 4, Reprints)George MartinComic Adventure16671705
Sudsy Malone And PlumbComic16671705
Jingo The Jester (Reprints)Adventure17061728
Joe The JannyComic17061737
The WotsitComic17061737
Willie Fixit Robert Nixon Comic17061881
Figaro (Series 3)Tom BannisterComic17291808
King Solomon’s Mines (Reprint Of First Version)Adventure17291754
The Neals On WheelsComic17381818
Pearl Gordon Bell Comic17381881
Tricky Dicky’s Big Gag!Comic17381871
The Video KidEvi De BonoComic17381881
Stan And Oily - the Runaway RobotsKen HunterComic Adventure17551825
Smart Art’s Sketchbook (Series 3)George Martin/George DrysdaleComic18121870
The Skratch SquadComic18191875
BogeymanComic18711963
The OzziesComic18711897
SpikeComic18731962
StavrosComic18731963
Pup Parade Gordon Bell Comic18761963
Figaro (Series 4)Comic18821963
KongComic18821961
Little Red Rooster / Foxy And Little RoosterComic18821963
Scaredy CatJohn DallasComic18821963
Vest EndersComic18821963
Stupid CupidComic18971920
Hoo-Haa HenryComic19071963
Captain Bungle (Series 2)George MartinComic19271963
Mickey The Monkey (Series 2)Comic19271963
That’s RichComic19531963
What’s Your Problem ?Comic19531962

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>The Topper</i> (comics)

The Topper was a UK comic published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd that ran from 7 February 1953 to 15 September 1990, when it merged with The Beezer.

<i>The Dandy</i> British childrens weekly comic

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Beryl the Peril Fictional character

Beryl the Peril is a fictional character created by David Law, the creator of Dennis the Menace, for issue 1 of The Topper comic published by DC Thomson & Co. Limited. Like Dennis, she had black and red apparel, and devilishly tormented her parents and other members of her community. Despite not having quite as many appearances as other DC Thomson characters such as Dennis the Menace or Desperate Dan, Beryl is still considered one of the classic characters which define the popularity of British comics.

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Nick Brennan is a British cartoonist who works mainly for D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. He started drawing for the company in 1993, drawing a revival of Peter Piper from The Dandy, revived from The Magic Comic, but with a departure from Watkins' creation, with Peter instead sporting an Elvis-like hairdo and purple jumper.

Dudley Dexter Watkins was an English cartoonist and illustrator. He is best known for his characters Oor Wullie and The Broons; comic strips featuring them have appeared in Scottish newspaper The Sunday Post since 1936, along with annual compilations. Watkins also illustrated for comics such as The Beano, The Dandy, The Beezer and Topper, and provided illustrations for Christian stories. Watkins was posthumously inducted into the British Comic Awards Hall of Fame in 2015.

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Colonel Blink was a British comic strip, drawn by Tom Bannister in November 1958 for the majority of its run, with a few later strips being drawn by Bill Ritchie and Gordon Bell in the same style as Bannister. The strip was published in the comics magazine The Beezer. Denis Gifford in his Encyclopedia of Comic Characters (1987) attributes his creation to "Carmichael." His latest appearances were in the reprint Classics from the Comics series and the associated Beano and Dandy reprint annuals.

Paddy Brennan Comic artist

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Adrian the Barbarian was a comic strip in the comic The Beezer, and later the merged Beezer and Topper, first introduced in 1989. It featured a boy who dressed as a barbarian with a magical sword. He lived in a very strange world where almost anything could happen, whether it be good or bad. Many inanimate objects gained life in the strip, for example a pile of coal for the fire turned into a man called Old King Coal. He appeared in The Beezer annual until the last one dated 2003.

Send for Kelly was a long running comic strip that first appeared in The Topper, originally drawn by George Martin.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Topper Tales by Ray Moore
  2. ↑ "Archived copy of The Topper Comic Summary". Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  3. ↑ "This week in 1962: THE TOPPER" . Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  4. 1 2 "Obituary: The work of Beano and Topper cartoonist John F Dallas thrilled millions" . Retrieved 2022-03-22.
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