Sparky gave us 'Keyhole Kate', 'Wee Tusky' and 'Hungry Horace'.

A copy of Sparky issue 1 with the free 'Flying Saucer Ballon' would be worth around £60 today.

Sparky teamed up with 'Topper' in July 1977.

I used to read Sparky regularly and I thought it one of the best comics of its type around.. you havent mentioned Dreamy Daniel one of my favourite characters as well as Spoofer McGraw, Spy vrs Spy, L Cars, and the Numbskulls there are sevral other sIll have to look up ..... I still have a few Annuals around which I read my kids from time time. - Penzance

When Sparky began in 1965 it was clearly aimed at a slightly younger readership than Beano and Dandy (but not as young as "Bimbo", D.C. Thomson's pre-school comic of the time). Very wholesome entertainment (barring the racist "Sparky" character himself) and well spoken characters.

This approach clearly didn't work saleswise, as Sparky had a dramatic revamp in 1969. Gone were the more fey strips, (and the Sparky strip thankfully) and in came slang phrases, occasional experimental layouts, and crazy goon-like strips such as "Sparky People", "L-Cars" and "Spoofer McGraw", not forgetting the stylistic comedy-adventure spoof, "I-Spy". It must have pushed Sparky's sales up, as the comic continued well into the 1970's! - Lew Stringer

I loved 'I-Spy' and had forgotten about 'him/it/' until today - but I do recall drawing him and putting him into Spiderman scenes - so I must have liked the character. He was definitely a precursor of R2D2! -
Chris H

Remember Baron Von Reichs Pudding, the flying hun from vorld var von? A comic strip about a German WWI pilot. Also, the last front page/back page strip was Some Mummies Do 'Ave 'Em, based on some mummies in a museum that were actually alive.

They didn't make it into Topper and Sparky.

Planet of the Nirdles was another favourite of mine. - Richard Butt

Love the site, for your 'Sparky' page: I used to get the Sparky every week, and loved it - so did my father.

Favourite characters? Puss n'Boots (policemen with flashing lights on helmets and hoops for runnig with, rhinos with exhaust pipes), Brainless ("Why are you painting so fast?" "In case it runs out!"), Baron von Reisch Pudding ("I say Ralph, that jolly great goose has gorn and laid an egg on your plane" "Dashed messy, what?") and Planet of the Nirdles - splik, splek, splok! I recently mentioned Planet of the Nirdles to my father, and he didn't recall it, so now I'm getting paranoid in case it's a false memory.

Probably totally politically incorrect, anarchic, surreal, comically violent and above all fun - and therefore unacceptable nowadays. They really don't make 'em like that any more... - Brendan

In fact Hungry Horace and Keyhole Kate originally appeared in the Danday and Peter Piper (one of my favourites) first appeared in Magic. At the time Sparky was the best comic from the DC Thompson stable. - Clive Huggett

Does anyone recall Mr. Bubbles(the "bubble imp")? He lived in a washing-up liquid type of bottle, and when squeezed, he popped out and granted three wishes. - Jimmy O'Beirne

I have massive interest in Sparky as my grandfather was the artist who drew Keyhole Kate, Hungry Horace, and some other characters that I cannot remember at this moment. His name was George Drysdale, and he was one of the three artists who ever drew Keyhole Kate. -

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Thanks for replying to my email...! I found your site very interesting! It is cool to hear what other people thought of 'Sparky', mainly because of the connection to my grandfather! As he died in 1967, he was only involved in a small portion of the life of 'Sparky', which reminds me... he also drew 'Jimmy and his Grockle'. I know there are other characters too... although he did lots of work for other comics from as far back as the 1940's. My mum is much more knowledgable on his career, so I shall have to get in touch with her about it... she has almost every edition of 'Sparky' that he ever had work featured in (from issue 1 - issue 100 at the least... chances are she has a lot more than that) but i know she would not part with them no matter how much money was offered. There is too much sentimental value, and i know i would be the same if they were mine..! Thanks for getting back to me, and keep up the good work... I shall keep on watching your site..! - Laura Cowper

I have very fond memories of Sparky Comic, having been on staff from 1967 to 1976. The reason for the change of policy in about 1969 was a change of editor, Ian Chisholm, comic genius, in place of Willie Mann, who was more orientated to the like of the boys' paper, Victor, which he had edited. Ian Chisholm (Chiz), was willing to experiment, and allowed writers to develop zany ideas. He was fortunate in having on staff Mike Baird and Pete Clark, both of whom were absolutely dedicated to squeezing the maximum out of comic situations. Chiz also sought out artists who were either zanily innovative (J.K. Geering on Puss and Boots) or just plain hilarious (Willie Hill on Mike Baird scripted L-Cars). We were also lucky to have Jim Petrie (Beano's Minnie) for We Are The Sparky People.

THROGMORTON!!!

To fans, glad you enjoyed the comic, and delighted that you remembered Planet of the Nirdles, which was one of my own favourites, for selfish reasons. Anybody like Minnie, the Sparky Office Tea-Lady? -
Gordon Cook

Hello , I can remember reading the sparky and remember one of dreamy dave and dozy dora's adventures when they found themselves in a world where two armies of women were fighting a battle .. I am uncertain of the year. - Ray

Does anyone remember SPARKY ANNUAL 1976 - end papers inside cover? Fiery red with staff cowering. Gordon Cook wrote 3 ideas which I pencilled in to show the Editor, CHIZ. His comment to them - KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT but he gave us the OK at last. It was reviewed favourably in the Observer that year, I told Chiz about the comment and his reply was AH-FLEETING FLAME! Best wishes Gordon. -
JIM PETRIE (ARTIST)

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