Sparky was a British comic published weekly by DC Thomson, that ran from (issue dates) 23 January 1965 to 9 July 1977 when it merged with The Topper after 652 issues. From 1965–1980 the comic published an annual entitled The Sparky Book. It was a DC Thomson comic, originally aimed at a slightly younger audience to The Beano and The Dandy later it was aimed at the same audience. It changed its name to The Sparky Comic in 1973.

List of comic strips Strips which featured in Sparky at some point during the course of its 12-year run included. All numbers refer to issues of Sparky. Strip title Artist First appearance Last appearance NotesSparky1210The adventures of a Golliwog style black boy who wore a grass skirt. The character was almost identical to the Sooty Snowball character that had appeared in the earlier Magic Comic. Sparky was the original cover story until replaced with The Moonsters.The MoonstersBill Ritchie2199Green aliens living on the moon. Originally on the back page, but soon became the cover story.Dreamy Dave and Dozy DoraPamela Chapaeu1204A brother and sister who constantly dozed off and shared the same bizarre but vivid fantasy dreams.Hungry HoraceGeorge Drysdale1652(originally from The Dandy) A boy who thought of nothing but eating.Keyhole KateGeorge Drysdale1488(originally from The Dandy) She was a nosey girl with pigtails and glasses who spied through keyholes. Later moved back to The Dandy.Joe Bann and his Big Banjo1138Freddie the Fearless Fly191Originally in The Dandy.Jeff ye Jolly Jester189Hockey Hannah176Minnie Ha-Ha155Flubberface159Hairy Dan129This strip was originally in The Beano.Dick Turpentine112Nosey Parker1139The character was originally featured in The Rover in 1925. It also featured in The Sunday Post and The Beezer.Stoneage Steve15Pansy PotterJohn Geering2567Revival of a strip from The Beano.Frosty McNab24Revival of a strip from The Beano.Cuckoo in the Clock2139Black Jack the Chimney Sweep25Grandma Jolly and her Brolly217Peter Piper3652A boy with magic pipes which could make objects and pictures alive, revival of story from The Magic Comic.Winnie the Witch25122A strip with the same name appeared in The Beano.The Slowdown Express25137Fireman Fred63131Granny Cupp and her Flying Saucer80139My Grockle and MeGeorge Drysdale86140Revival of a strip from The Rover and later The DandyHarry Carry123209Meddlesome Matty140224Originally in The Dandy.

A girl whose meddling always got her into trouble.Deputy DawgJames Malcolm140165Based on the Terrytoons cartoon.Snapshot Sid140191Tom Tardy140175Charlie Chutney141209Originally a 1940s Dandy Character. Big Billy Bigg161243 Belgian import, known as Jerom. Drawn by Eduard De Rop.Studio of Willy VandersteenThe Snooks166205Belgian Import, known as De Familie Snoek. Drawn by Eduard De Rop.Studio of Willy VandersteenClever Claire170178Belgian Import, known as Kari Lente. Drawn by Bob Mau. Cheating Charley192210John Bulldog/Barney BulldogBill Ritchie200528Similar to Biffo the Bear and the third cover strip. Name changed to Barney Bulldog in issue 211 1 February 1969.L-CarsBill Hill205652Two incompetent policemen named Cedric and Frederic (the name comes from the contemporary show Z-Cars, but with a pun on learning 'L-plates')Spoofer McGrawGordon Bell206652"He tells tall tales", who continually gave outrageous explanations for the origins of tractors, mummies etc. to his gullible duffelcoat-wearing friend Bo. 643–652 were reprints.Esky Mo211259An Eskimo boy living at the North Pole.Harry Presto211224The Conjuror's son – a boy who uses his magician dad’s hat to pull out assorted objects.Sparky People211652A semi-fictional office staff who produced Sparky. 647–652 are reprints.Wyatt TwerpRon Spencer211298The inept Wild West sheriff.Helpful HenryHugh Morren211230Revival of a strip from The Wizard, Dandy Monster Comic and The Beano. Male version of Meddlesome Matty.I-SpyLes Barton 1969–70. Brian Walker 1970–1972. John Fox 1974–1976.211586He was a secret agent with a long coat which concealed hundreds of weapons and gadgets. Similar to a character from Smash! called The Cloak.Cap'n Hood and his Merry MenRay Hamilton212231Kings of the Castle230652The Kings lived in a castle and the 'Dirty Rascals' were forever trying to get in.Puss 'n' BootsJohn Geering231652"they fight like cat and dog", an eternally warring cat and dog duo.Sam's Snake244426Ali's BabaMal Judge261652Early strips were called Ali and his Baba. An invisible guardian angel Ali, who lived on a cloud and wore a cape, following an unknowing toddler Baba at all times and protected him from harm. Continued in The Topper and reprinted in The Dandy as Jimmy's Green Genie in 2004.I. Fly262426Rudolph the Red Coat Mountie276299All the other mounties in the force had failed to catch master of disguise dangerous Dan McGurk, and so it fell to assistant cook Rudolph to get his man! Reprinted in 603–626Trouble Bruin280314Ma Kelly's TellyLes Barton, Jim Petrie315402Willie Getaway or will he notPhillip Milar316499A man who thinks he is a wanted criminal as he can't read the small print on the 'wanted' posters that he has in fact inherited a large fortune, spending each strip trying to escape 'capture' by people wanting the reward for finding him.Tom Kat323401Captain Cutler and his Butler397426A Victorian era explorer Egbert Cutler searching for the source of the river Bongo, and his polite but long-suffering manservant Crumbs. This strip was notable for including the writer and artist as off-panel characters; Crumbs would interact with them and request changes to the strip in order to assist the clueless Cutler.Snip and Snap403499Two dogs eternally conspiring to bite the visiting postman. Reprinted as "The Red Hot Chilli Dogs" in the Dandy Xtreme as of August 2007.Dreamy Daniel403652A boy with a rich internal fantasy life who easily confused his imagination with realityJumbo and Jet427455Adventures of a mouse and an elephant.Baron Von Reichs-Pudding474652The flying Hun from vorld var von!Herman's Horoscopes490602ThingummyblobAlbert Holroyd500652A strip with the same title has recently been in The Dandy.Superwitch500651Minnie the Tea LadyJim Petrie501648Ah! Choo!545650Some Mummies Do 'Ave 'Em568652The final cover story. Title is a play on the sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.Planet of the Nirdles578642The Circus of P. T. Bimbo581652

List of Sparky adventure Strips As well as featuring comic strips Sparky featured adventure strips, though fewer and fewer of these appeared later in the comic's life.

Strip title Artist First appearance Last appearance NotesThe Young Castaways116Wee Tusky142Two series. First (1–22). Second (35–42). A text story of the same name also featuring an elephant appeared in the first Dandy Monster Comic.The Kidnapped Kidds115The Palace of Secrets114This was a prose story with a few illustrations not a comic strip.Will O' the Well1559Two series. First (15–25) was a text story. The Second (53–59) was a comic strip.McGinty the Goat1729Kipper Feet2334Riddle of the Roughlands2534Lonely Wood2659Two series. First (26–34). Second (57–59).Raiders from the Red Planet3034Glipin the Lost, Lost Boy3549Year of the Vanaks3556The Flood that Mother Remembers3547Floating Along, Singing A Song3647The Downside Donkeys4352Lost Children of the Forest4855Quest of the Wandering Wingates5059Pocahontas5660Seven at One Blow6072Huffy, Muffy and Tuffy6074City under the Sea6079Children of the Secret Pool6176Rory, the Horse of Many Masters6274Boy in the Forest of Fear7383KlankyBob Webster75499Five Series. First (75–87) called Big Klanky. From Second (141–160) onwards called Klanky. Third (211–239). Fourth (280–299) called Around the World with Klanky. Fifth (377–499) called Klanky. An alien robot who is befriended on earth by Ernie and Sue Huggins.Police Horse Hadrian7585Balloon Family Robinson77139Two Series. First (77–85). Second (138–139).Prentice Pete84140Two Series. First One-off in 84. Second (123–140),Willy the Woeful Wizard86116Terry had a Little Pig8697Nine Hundred Years Ago8794The Horse with Wings88106 Davey Spacer95240Three Series. First (95–107) called Little Davey Spacer. Second (140–157) and called Davey Spacer in Giantland. Third (227–240) called Davey Spacer.The Island from the Past98109Keepers of the Dancing Drums107122Invisible DickTony Speer108652Three Series. First (108–123). Second (182–499). Third (563–652) which were reprints. Originated in Rover comic in 1922 and was in first Dandy comic 1938. Sparky comic version changed the origin of Dicks invisibility from a Jar with invisible solution to a Torch with black beam that makes all it shines on invisible for a period of time.The Lost Ponies of Thor110119Greedy Gus117127The Cave Kids120131The Lonely lad of Blue Lagoon124183Titch, the Pup that Grew and Grew128137David Copperfield140158Adaptation of the book of the same name.Big Ossie141155The Magic Sword156168The Floating Farrells158170Uncle Tom's Cabin159178Adaptation of the book of the same name.Blonderl the Wandering Minstrel169181South Seas Suzie171186The Old Curiosity Shop 179198Adaptation of Charles Dickens story of same nameThe Captive Kidds185195Unrelated to the earlier Kidnapped KiddsSacramento here we come186197Sailor Brown's Schooldays196210The Boyhood of Deadwood Dick198210The Coral Island199210Adaptation of R. M. Ballantyne book of same nameThe Jungle Ark211226Mr BubblesPamela Chapaeu & James Fox240652A 'bubble imp' living in a plastic bottle similar to washing-up liquid. Each strip someone would squeeze it and he would grant three wishes. Two series first (240–546) and second was reprints from (627–652)The Jungle Walkers241254The Misery King255260Bushboy261359Two Series. First (261–275). Second (346–359).Four Legged Fred299314The Mini-Martins322332Tess of the Taoki356363The Wild West Kids364376North Sea Oyl587592Reminiscent of the film The Blob.

See also List of DC Thomson Publications

References

Smith, Alan The Sparky File, Comics UK, expanded from article in Crikey!

One of the appendixes of The Sparky File showing a list of strips that were in Sparky. Posted on the ComicsUK forum .