Apart from Rockfist Rogan amongst others there was Jet Jackson a racing car driver Ginger Nutt the boy who takes the biscuit, Colwyn Dane a detective and Dixie Jim who was a sort of cowboy. I do not remember the one you mention,
It had mostly written stories with a "comic" at (maybe at either end ) but definitely in the middle I think, but my memory is fading. - Roger Curnow

The Last Issue was Issue Number 1729, issued week ending 19/03/1955. In the centre pages it informs the readers that it is the last issue and that next week (week ending 26/03/1955), the readers should start buying LION (issue number 162). None of the characters from the Last Issue of Champion, ie "Catch em Alive Kit", "Rockfist Rogan", "Rocky Wonder Dog of the Wilds", "Jimmy Keane of Greycliffe Fourth" or "Colwyn Dane 'Tec Thriller" appear in the LION issue - so to me it seemed a bit strange.

However, Rockfist Rogan did start appearing in the TIGER comic week ending 26/03/1955 (issue number 29) but there was no mention of this in the last issue of Champion. In TIGER comic week ending 21/05/1955 (issue number 37), the Front Banner of the TIGER comic started to have in normal print the wording "Incorporating THE CHAMPION". (see attached JPG). This was still appearing on TIGER comics to at least week ending 10/10/1959. (could be longer but I don't have any records after this date) Rockfist Rogan was still going then as well.

I've got no idea when the 1st comic was issued, but with 1729 issues (and assuming that they're weekly) it would have to been around for just over 33 years. (ie around 1922). I have a Champion Annual dated 1926 (see attached JPG). At the beginning of the book the Editor makes mention of the fact that the last two years the annuals sold out quickly. There is also an advertisement for the weekly Champion Comic priced at two pence. - Brad Farrell

Your info re. the last issue of The Champion (No.1729) in incorrect. The centre pages do not refer to the Lion but to the Tiger which, on the following two weeks, was giving away free gifts. Hence the staement "Tell the newsagent you will want Tiger in future". - Alan Pratt

Interesting that Alan Pratt's information regarding Centre Pages of Last Champion Comic Differs from Mine (ie Tiger VS Lion). Attached is an image of my last Champion Comic which clearly states that LION should be purchased. As I purchased my in Australia (although origin unsure as it was second hand), maybe it was different, although I do have both Lion and Tiger Comics that were both issued week after Champion ceased and the TIGER comic definitely incorporates the Champion (again unsure of origin as both were S/H). I am aware that Eagle Comic released a different version of their comic for Australia in the 50's, maybe LION did the same? - Brad Farrell

In the 1940s, called the Champion and Triumph. Other story characters beside Rockfist Rogan and Colwyn Dane were:

Kangaroo Kennedy - the Whizbang Bowler
Punch McPhee - the Fighting Seacook
Trapper Pete and his Racing Huskies -

During the 1940s the Champion had only written stories. In the late 40s or early 50s there appeared a black and white comic strip (serial) in the centre pages. I cannot remember its name but the villain was "The Black Spot" who I believe rode a motorcycle. Also around that time for a while each Champion contained a collectible card. I think they featured the fastest racing cars and boats of the day. Perhaps someone else has a clearer recollection.- Bill Trench

The character I recall (in the '40s) was Wilson -Champion of Champions. He dressed completely on black and was capapbble of winning any athletic competition. In those days the Champion cost 5d, way too much for me, so I bought The Adventure or The Wizard for thruppence, and swopped with a more affluent pal.

I often wonder how I would react to a re-read of of those stories that enthralled our generation - Richard Martin

I subscribed to the Champion for while in the late fifties. Apart from Rockfist Rogan, my favourite was 'Ginger Nutt the boy who takes the biscuit' who along with his friend Jumbo Merlin made life hell for the prefects at the public school they attended. The prefects all had doubled barrelled names for some strange reason, Tasker-Lynch and Bagshaw-Smyth wherre just two of them. In addition there was a good football story, Johnny Fleetfoot, the Redskin winger and Colwyn Dane was an impressive detective. Why was it that detectives in the comics of the 30s 40s and 50 all had fancy names, Sexton Blake, Colwyn Dane and ferrars Locke of the Magnet to name but three. Perhaps it's a throw back from Sherlock Holmes.

This is a really good site. Very nostalgic indeed. Keep up the good work. - Felix Oliver-Tasker

Richard Martin states that Wilson was featured in The Champion. This is wrong. Your own page on the Wizard correctly shows that Wilson was featured in that paper, and was brought back in picture story form later in the Hornet.

By the way, what about the 1960's Champion that ran for about 15 issues (subsequently absorbed into Lion). Surprised that you do not have a listing for this. Best strip was Return of the Stormtroopers about a load of Nazi's who were put in suspended animation only to plague the world again in the future.-Steve Woodard

Around the mid 1940's, as well as Rockfist Rogan and Colwyn Dane, I seem to remember "Gusty Gale Gets Cracking" about two private school boarders Gusty Gale and Johnny Coe who were determined to save their school from the advances of an evil builder who had one of the masters,Waxy Crane, in his pay. Incidentally, was not the original (early 40's) "Rockfist Rogan R.A.F." in which our hero,aided by is sidekicks Curley and Archie and hampered by a clumsy but likeable Dizzy, took out most of the Luftwaf-Barry Butler

I remember reading and looking forward to each issue of Champion which I had on order as a child at my local (Australian) Newsagent. Imagine my excitement when I came across a large pile of them in a second hand bookstore about five or six years ago. Nostalgia must be an expensive hobby as each threepenny issue now cost $4. I managed to buy issues number 1721, 1633,1252,1235, 1366 and 1455. In the 1235 Issue (29 Sept 1945) there are stories about Rockfist Rogan (by Hal Wilson) The team without a ground (by Edward Home - Gall)Punch McFee- the fighting sea cook (by Donald Dane), Gusty Gale Gets Cracking (by Reg Wilson) and the Colwyn Dane thriller (by Mark Grimshaw)..Ten years later, appearently almost at the end of its long run we were entertained with The Sand Yacht Trackers ( by Walter Tyrer), The Swooping Terror ( by Tony Moore)The Greycliffe Circus Japers (by Reg Thomas). Only Colwyn Dane and Rockfist Rogan had survived the decade, and my favourite author Edward Home-Gall had disappeared.

I hope this brings back some memories to all concerned. Occasionally when I suffer from insomnia I get out my magnifying glass and try to decipher the small fading print and relive the nostalgia.-Lindsay

I inherited a beer box full of "The Champion Magazines" from my brother Charlie, this was about 1958. My favourites were Rockfist Rogan and Ginger Nutt, the boy who takes the biscuit. They are pretty hard to find in Australia these days I reckon, so I have bid on a few on Ebay in U.K. Hope I get 'em, I really would like to read the Champion again - Bill Metcalfe

When I first began getting the champion delivered in Adelaide,(1951, and the wait between issues seemed an eternity), the centre comic was “legionnaire terry’s desert quest”. Terry, with his friends Pierre, (zut alors) and I think an Italian, were searching for something to vindicate his dad, who had been disgraced, I think. They were constantly harassed by the awful german sergeant(gott in himmel, schweinhund, blitzen etc). As time went on , there were written serials, in addition to those mentioned—“ben barnes, the lad with the test match touch”, “the secret service six-hitter”, and “salty blake”-he came ashore and became captain coach of a team of no-hopers, and took tham to an fa cup final, or similar success. I remember he swapped the tall goalie (lofty?), with a small midfielder(?midge) to great effect. I knew no more about soccer then than I do now, but I remember it as a master tactical move. ther was also a comic about two likely brit cyclists, competing in a continental race / tour de france, again in harness with some good Europeans, against some beastly germans - Frank Robertson

Fireworks Flynn (originally his schooldays) later as a teacher. How I wished our teachers had his approach to teaching ! The Champion arrived regularly in New Zealand cost 4d and was the most popular of the boys book style comics. I recall Colwyn Dane's assistant Slick Chester and employee (ex con) Tiger Gates and his bloodhounds. And of course Rockfist and his long suffering boss Group Capt Blantyre - Jon Olsen

I read the Champion from about 1947 to 1953 and recall a serialized story about a Canadian (or was it U.S.) ice hockey team. Surprisingly, I didn’t think it strange then but do now, as ice hockey was never really a sport that British lads would identify with. However, it was a great story with a mystery player called Kilroy who I think was on the run from the police or was attempting to clear himself from some criminal charge. There was also a wonderful football story, “Danny of the Dazzlers” who played for North London Utd., a veiled reference presumably to Arsenal or Spurs. - Lawrence Bergman

What about Leader of the Lost Commandoes!!!
I bought an old copy in the 1990's and was surprised that I knew the ending to the story.
Must have been buried deep! - Kenn Rogers

I read avidly champion magazine in the mid forties and remember The Mantamer from Muskrat but my hero was Colwaun Dane Detective and it was just not on to have any comic strip instead of the written word an extraordinairy good magazine that fired the fertile imagination. - John Bogie

If you have any other information on The Champion please drop us a line.