IT is crystal clear that the stories read in comics when young exert an influence for life. That is obvious from recent correspondence (Letters, May 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21 & 22).
No matter what make of aircraft were flown by Matt Braddock, RAF, his wartime exploits were published after the Second World War, not during it. However, he was a hit. He was maintaining a tradition. In the war years, there were numerous tales of heroes fighting by air, land, and sea. All contributed to keeping up spirits in that period.
The Black Sapper, recalled by Hugh Steele (Letters, May 22), appeared in The Rover in 1937 and 1938. The 1920s and 1930s, when the boys’ papers, Adventure, Wizard, Rover, Hotspur, and Skipper, were launched, produced their own galaxy of memorable characters. The Skipper was discontinued in 1941 as paper restrictions took effect. The four others continued with a reduced number of pages throughout the war, to the joy of myself and many others.
The superheroes adored by children today are standing on the shoulders of the giants of the past.
Christopher Reekie,
Edinburgh EH4.
I HAVE been nostalgically inspired by the correspondence from past readers of the Hotspur, Rover, Adventure and Wizard and so on, with their recollections of Wilson the Wonder, Alf Tupper, Flight Officer Braddock and so many other heroes, all of whom had their individuality and certainty of purpose. What a grounding they were in the character development of many of my generation. I am somewhat surprised however that the wonderful Eagle has not as yet merited mention. I well remember waiting with bated breath for the very first edition to arrive at the paper shop where I illegally worked as a delivery boy, being as I was, like so many others, well below the statuary age for being employed.
The first edition was no disappointment, with its exciting modern artwork and content, featuring among others, astronaut Dan Dare as he rode into space aboard his three-phase rocket, which had not as yet been developed, but would eventually many years later, carry mankind to the Moon. His inter-stellar adversary The Mekon appeared soon afterwards, a being who had evolved without legs, which he no longer required, as he moved swiftly around on his hover chair. From day one, The Eagle was educational as well as entertaining with its sectional drawings and detailed descriptions of aircraft carriers, submarines, ocean liners, power stations and the like and its articles on historic adventurers and scientific developers, including Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps, the construction of The Great Wall of China, Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin, Bell’s telephone, Edison’s electrical lighting system and so on. This paper was so engaging that one could hardly wait for Friday morning when it arrived at the shop and had my name applied to it, just like the adult readers of the daily press. It was so absorbing that my dad was into it whenever he returned from work and each edition was carefully stored for our family friend Douglas Philp, who was studying for an honours degree at Trinity College in Dublin and buried himself in my Eagles whenever he arrived home on vacation.
I recall too that we were encouraged by our progressive teacher Miss Nicholl, at Thornwood Primary School, to pin extracts from the Eagle, such as the sectional drawings, and science and historical articles, to our classroom wall and they were often the subject of discussion thereafter.
Is there any equivalent for today’s young folks? Perhaps there is, on their tablets or smartphones, since paper publications are apparently no longer so popular?
Ian Cooper, Glasgow G61.
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