10 February 1979: Cheeky
The continuing adventures of Mystery Boy (drawn by John Richardson) were heralded on the cover of Cheeky – in the shops 44 years ago this week.
Mystery Boy was the tale of a young lad making his way across WWII Britain in search of his real identity, having lost his memory in a train crash. Its run in ‘The Mystery Comic’ insert in the middle of Cheeky was a reprint of the original Whizzer and Chips story, Who is Sandy?
‘The Mystery Comic’ was presented as a rare comic that Cheeky could never find in the shops. Each week, as part of the diary-style format of Cheeky’s Week (usually drawn by Frank McDiarmaid), his interactions with other Krazy Town characters would lead him to a copy.
Also in this week’s Cheeky:
6 Million Dollar Gran
Calculator Kid
Paddywack
Skateboard Squad
Eagle Eye
Baby Burpo
Alongside Mystery Boy in ‘The Mystery Comic’ are:
Tub
Why, Dad, Why?
Mustapha Mi££ion
Elephant on the Run
Disaster Des
Cheeky was very much a comic of the perceived latest kids’ trends – skateboarding, yo-yos, calculators, disco and all that. This ‘What’s New, Kids’ page provided an opportunity for children’s products suppliers to promote their wares.
