The third issue of the original run, dated 5 August 1939A typical mid-run example of the relaunched 1970s incarnation, dated 4 March 1978
The Magic Comic was a British comics magazine. It was the ill-fated third comics magazine fromDC Thomson (afterThe Beano andThe Dandy). It was aimed at a younger audience, with more emphasis on picture stories. The first issue was published on 22 July 1939. The comic ran for only 80 issues until 25 January 1941.[1] Paper rationing resulting from the outbreak of the Second World War caused its demise. Its EditorBill Powrie promised that 'the Magic' would return; however, he was killed in action in 1942.
Two annuals, namedThe Magic Fun Book, were also published in 1941 and 1942. From 1943 to 1949,The Magic Comic would share its annual withThe Beano, under the title,The Magic-Beano Book. The cover star wasKoko the Pup who would later team up withBig Eggo in the Magic-Beano Books between 1943 and 1950 in the story namedEggo and Koko.
A first issue ofThe Magic comic was sold oneBay in February 2006 for £1,250 to a collector, and it was one of only 6 copies known to exist. A 'Very Fine' copy was also sold in 1997 for £2,975.[citation needed] On 20 January 2015 the first 24 issues of The Magic Comic were sold for £13,000 (+20% commission; 15,600); it came to £650 per comic.
On 31 January 1976DC Thomson revived the Magic Comic.[1] This incarnation would go on to last until 1979.[2] The new version was aimed at younger audience thanThe Beano andDandy and was more of a pre-school comic than the originalMagic comic. The comic was loosely concerned withmagic of all kinds. Even though this new comic was considered a revival it contained none of the characters that appeared in the earlierMagic. However it did contain characters fromThe Beano with a spinoff ofBiffo the Bear involving his niece and nephew, Cuddly and Dudley, appearing in the new comic.
Koko the Pup (The comic's cover star featuring ananthropomorphic dog.)
Dolly Dimple, not so simple
Peter Piper (Drawn byDudley Watkins this comic strip featured a boy with magical pipes that could bring statues to life. It was revived in the Dandy in the 1990s.)
Boy Biffo the Brave
Uncle Dan The Magic man
The Boy with the Golden Goose
Cheeky Mary – The Lord Mayors Daughter
Tell-Tale Tilly
Sam Swell
Little Squirty
The Adventures of Grandfather Clock
The Tickler Twins in Wonderland (About a pair of twins living in a world full of characters from popular fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The Beano characterPansy Potter would later have her own in Wonderland series.)
Pa, Ma and Squeaker
Oompah Pete
Ugly Muggins
Wee Hi Lo
Poor Blind Billy
The Seven-Foot Cowboy
Val in the Magic Forest
The Magic Joke Page
Inky, Binky and Bluff
Sooty Snowball (The main character of this comic strip was a black caricature who was dressed in nothing but a grass skirt. It appeared on the comic's back cover.)
Leave It to Lop Ears
Crusty Crosspatch
The Wolf Boy of Badenoch
Old Pop Pelican
Tootsy McTurk (A comic strip about a man with unusually large feet. A similar strip called Claude Hopper would later appear in the Dandy.)
