Wham! (comic)
Encyclopedia
Wham! was a weekly British comic
published by Odhams Press
. It ran for 187 issues from 20 June 1964 to 13 January 1968, when it merged into its sister title Pow!
. Although Wham! was superficially a typical British comic in the mould of The Beano
, its later issues (under the Power Comics
imprint) included short instalments of The Fantastic Four
reprinted from American Marvel Comics
. To many of its readers, this move destroyed Wham's originality and style.
The initial success of Wham! prompted the creation of sister titles Pow!
and Smash!
with similar intent, and led to the formation of the Power Comics
line. But as costs rose in 1968, the inevitable adjustment of content, followed by mergers of titles, made the Power Comics more like those they were attempting to replace.
Created by Leo Baxendale
, in its early issues Wham! presented both clear imitations of Beano strips, such as a clone of his Bash Street Kids
in the shape of The Tiddlers, and new original strips such as Eagle Eye, Junior Spy and Georgie's Germs in which he attempted to break the mould of older strips by the use of bizarre humour, outrageous puns, and surreal plots.
The cult figure Grimly Feendish
, originally the most popular character in Baxendale's Eagle Eye, Junior Spy strip, with the travelling accomplices (including bats, spiders, octopuses and other creatures of darkness and slime) who assisted Feendish in his schemes of world domination, graduated to his own comic strip in Smash! in 1966.
History of the British comic
A British comic is a periodical published in the United Kingdom that contains comic strips. It is generally referred to as a comic or a comic magazine, and historically as a comic paper....
published by Odhams Press
Odhams Press
Odhams Press was a British publishing firm. Originally a newspaper group, founded in 1890, it took the name Odham's Press Ltd in 1920 when it merged with John Bull magazine. By 1937 it had founded the first colour weekly, Woman, for which it set up and operated a dedicated high-speed print works...
. It ran for 187 issues from 20 June 1964 to 13 January 1968, when it merged into its sister title Pow!
Pow!
Pow! was a weekly British comic published by Odhams Press in 1967 and 1968 from their headquarters at 64 Long Acre, London. Part of their Power Comics imprint, it was printed on newsprint stock, in black-and-white except for its colour front and back covers, and initially comprised 28 pages.Pow!...
. Although Wham! was superficially a typical British comic in the mould of The Beano
The Beano
The Beano is a British children's comic, published by D.C. Thomson & Co and is arguably their most successful.The comic first appeared on 30 July 1938, and was published weekly. During the Second World War,The Beano and The Dandy were published on alternating weeks because of paper and ink...
, its later issues (under the Power Comics
Power Comics
Power Comics was an imprint of the British comics publisher Odhams Press that was particularly notable for its use of material reprinted from American Marvel Comics. Appearing chiefly during the years 1967 and 1968, the Power Comics line consisted of five weekly titles: Wham!, Smash!, Pow!,...
imprint) included short instalments of The Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
reprinted from American Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. To many of its readers, this move destroyed Wham's originality and style.
The initial success of Wham! prompted the creation of sister titles Pow!
Pow!
Pow! was a weekly British comic published by Odhams Press in 1967 and 1968 from their headquarters at 64 Long Acre, London. Part of their Power Comics imprint, it was printed on newsprint stock, in black-and-white except for its colour front and back covers, and initially comprised 28 pages.Pow!...
and Smash!
Smash! (comic)
Smash! was a weekly British comic, published in London by Odhams Press Ltd from 64 Long Acre and subsequently by IPC Magazines Ltd from 189 High Holborn and Fleetway House in nearby Farringdon Street....
with similar intent, and led to the formation of the Power Comics
Power Comics
Power Comics was an imprint of the British comics publisher Odhams Press that was particularly notable for its use of material reprinted from American Marvel Comics. Appearing chiefly during the years 1967 and 1968, the Power Comics line consisted of five weekly titles: Wham!, Smash!, Pow!,...
line. But as costs rose in 1968, the inevitable adjustment of content, followed by mergers of titles, made the Power Comics more like those they were attempting to replace.
Created by Leo Baxendale
Leo Baxendale
Leo Baxendale is a British cartoonist, who was the creator of the classic Beano strips Little Plum , Minnie the Minx , The Bash Street Kids and The Three Bears .Leo Baxendale was at the end of his National Service days in the RAF, when he decided he...
, in its early issues Wham! presented both clear imitations of Beano strips, such as a clone of his Bash Street Kids
The Bash Street Kids
The Bash Street Kids is an ongoing comic strip featuring in the British comic The Beano. The strip was created by Leo Baxendale under the title When the Bell Rings, and first appeared in The Beano in issue 604, dated 13 February 1954. It became The Bash Street Kids in 1956 and since then, it has...
in the shape of The Tiddlers, and new original strips such as Eagle Eye, Junior Spy and Georgie's Germs in which he attempted to break the mould of older strips by the use of bizarre humour, outrageous puns, and surreal plots.
The cult figure Grimly Feendish
Grimly Feendish
Grimly Feendish is a villainous character in the British Wham! and Smash! children's comics from the 1960s. He was created by Leo Baxendale. Grimly's first appearance was in Wham! #4...
, originally the most popular character in Baxendale's Eagle Eye, Junior Spy strip, with the travelling accomplices (including bats, spiders, octopuses and other creatures of darkness and slime) who assisted Feendish in his schemes of world domination, graduated to his own comic strip in Smash! in 1966.