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British Comics: A Cultural History

James Chapman

234 x 156 mm
304 pages
70 illustrations

Hardback
978 1 86189 855 5
October 2011
£25.00

“We are all nostalgic about comics. Many of us still peek at them – some of us even collect them. British Comics: A Cultural History is the first historical study of these cherished British comic papers and magazines and their place in our society, from their origins in the late Victorian period to the present day.

“Beginning with the first comic superstar, the likeable rogue Ally Sloper, cultural historian James Chapman traces the rise of comic publishing and comic reading in Britain. British Comics considers the major genres, including comics for girls, boys’ adventure, sports and war stories. The heyday of British comics came in the 1950s and ’60s when titles such as Eagle and School Friend sold nearly a million copies a week. A new breed of violent comics appeared in the 1970s, including the controversial Action and cult favourite 2000AD, and in the 1980s came the rise and fall of adult comics such as Warrior, Crisis, Deadline and Revolver. Chapman discusses alternative comics such as Viz, and analyses the work of contemporary British comic writers including Alan Moore, Ian Edginton, Warren Ellis and Garth Ennis whose success has prompted a renaissance of British comics.

“Examining both the creators of comics and their readers, Chapman argues that British comics have a distinctive identity in their own right that is different from the comic books of America, France and Japan. They have responded to cultural and ideological currents in British society, not only providing escapism for their readers but also offering a mirror of their times. An invaluable reference for all comic fans and collectors, British Comics showcases the major role they have played in the imaginative lives of British children, teenagers – and many grown-ups too.”

James Chapman is Professor of Film Studies at the University of Leicester. He is the author of many books, including Cinemas of the World: Film and Society from 1895 to the Present (Reaktion Books, 2004) and War and Film (Reaktion Books, 2008).

So you’ll be thinking “intellectual twaddle then?”  When you see “a cultural history” attached to a book on any subject you tend to think this or simply “bor-riiing”.  In fact, though there is nothing really new in this book material-wise if you are a comics historian but there are little gems.

I love the quote from Julie Burchill (“columnist”) in 1989 writing that anyone who read a comic was not an adult and should have voting rights withdrawn.  I’d say the same about journalists. In fact, to a degree, Burchill shows the general ignorance of journalists.  Most come up with comic items and the only title they can think of is/includes  “Sok! Pow! Bam!” because their only reference is the rather camp 1960s Batman TV series.

It is a fact that comics in the UK have always been seen as “kids stuff” and I well recall walking into a newsagents in Bristol and buying a copy of Viz along with some Marvel Comics (back when you could find them in newsagents). My younger brother was with me and he was around 13 years old. The shop assistant looked at us both: ”Ahh, Viz for dad and super heroes for the kid, heh?” I wasn’t going to correct him in a long and embarrassing conversation about not being my brothers father (!) nor about the Viz being for my brother.  I was never into Viz as I thought it was too juvenile.

Viz and its copy-cats titles are dealt with well here.

I do like the fact that in this book Chapman recognises the contribution of the late Denis Gifford who, regarding his work on Ally Sloper magazine, “..with his accurate spoof of the style of traditional British humour comics…anticipated Viz by nearly three years.”

Nice to see someone acknowledging Denis’ contribution to comics rather than just cribbing from his books constantly to make themselves British “comic book authorities”.

It is a fact that Gifford, along with the now vanished Alan Clark, were the British comics historians from whom it might be said “many –many- have ‘borrowed’ from but very few have credited.”

Chapman takes a look at all aspects of British comics in culture which is not as boring as it seems.  He notes the difference in support and attitude towards comics in the United States, Europe and Britain -I love this: someone is backing up everything I’ve said for 30 years, independently!

In France and Belgium and many other European countries now, comics are seen as an art form.  I’m trying to scratch out of my brain what I read…my age. Interestingly, when comparing the US-Europe-UK I can’t recall mention of the fact that many of the British comics top creators were Spanish, Italian, Argentinean, such Carlos Ezquerra and the great Massimo Belardinelli. So British comics were “European” before their time.  A pity that there is no such thing as real mainstream comics in the UK now.

Chapman looks at the early boys papers that were mainly text with a few images or sets (panels) with text below them but when it comes to the UKs true Golden Age of Comics (1939-1950) there is little to go on.  Truly, this is a forgotten period and many comic collectors frown on anything not Amalgamated Press or D. C. Thomson. But the man who might be called “the saviour of British comics” during rationing, Gerald Swan does get a mention.

There is also a look at the knee-jerk reaction to horror comics in the UK.  After the great American comics purge of the genre many, like Prime Minister Winston Churchill, took the religious and morally superior view that our kids must not be victims to the vile stuff!  This of course, ushered in the good clean comics such as The Eagle which Chapman looks at.

And then, of course, we have “The Violent Years” when Action had people chomped up by a shark and even someone dissolved in an acid shower.  The moral majority won out there as well!  2000 AD did try to swing toward the more graphically violent but its editors had a trick. As Gil Page, Managing Editor, once told me: “Every couple of months the Board looks at what we are publishing and want to see a new issue –we tone things down that week!”  Oh yes –rebellion in management.

Underground Comix are looked at as are the more adult themed comics that followed 2000 AD such as Miracle Man, Luthor Arkwright and V For Vendetta.

Very few really good comic history books come out in the UK since Denis Gifford passed on and Alan Clark vanished (if there are any I’ll review them!). I think this is a valuable contribution to British comics history and if you are interested in that subject or, better still, if you are involved in media studies, this book is for you.

I have one negative to add. The price. In today’s market £25.00 for a hardback book might put off potential readers.  But that is not my decision (I know my place).

Certainly a surprise to me as someone who tries to avoid “cultural history” books but this was good read all round.