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[paw broon]

I know I'm always going on about Billy the Cat (and Katie) but it's been such an entertaining strip since it began.  And here is Nigel Dobbyn's more modern take on the heroes - very good it is too.  Sad he's not doing it any more:-
http://www.nigeldobbyn.co.uk/oldsite/billy00.html

[subkoff]

Paw, A friend of mine worked on the eighties version of Billy the Cat, he recently dug out some pages of pencils from the strip that he'd saved from that era, all his inked finished pages were kept by DC Thompson. I'll try and get some of his pencil pages up on a blog.

[paw broon]

That would be great, subkoff .  When you do, please post the link so we can all have  look.  I don't suppose you'd let us know who that friend was, would you? 
As you know what you're talking about, I assume you are aware of comics.co.uk.  Sorry, doing  this on a tablet and don't know yet how to add a link.

[subkoff]

Peter Foster was the artist I mentioned before, did a little bit of work for Fleetway and a lot of work on Buddy, Champ and DC Thomson's girls comics in the eighties, also did a couple dozen Commandos and Football libraries.

[paw broon]

Thank you subkoff.  I will do a bit of checking, now.  Buddy was a bit of a revelation when it came out, I remember.  I was more interested in the heroes e.g. Iron Fish, BtC etc.  and , like most British anthologies, it was weekly.  There are a lot of discussions re. girls comics on http://comicsuk.co.uk/forum/index.php, incl. a newish topic on a Spanish artist, Cuyas, who did work for British titles - worth a look.
Commando and Football libraries were comics I tried not to read as I don't really enjoy war comics and I can't stand football.  I've never understood how someone would prefer Roy of The Rovers to Radio Fun or Misty.  But then, I am a grumpy old *** at times.
Here's a link to a Cuyas site - if your Spanish is up to it - took me ages to read through and I still haven't understood it all.   According to RuthB on comics uk, this story never appeared in British comics.  Shame.

[davidcarman@tesco.net]

Hi all
Started writing an 'origins' of Billy the Cat with the permission of DC Thomson
Can't sell it but can publish as fan fiction
Been doing a lot of research and buying old Beanos and have lots of ideas
I'll keep you posted and ill be dropping it onto my website www.davidcarman.co.uk
David

[paw broon]

David, your link doesn't seem to go anywhere.
You'll have the stories from Buddy also, I assume?
Please let us all have a read when it's ready.  As a fan, I'm really curious.

[davidcarman@tesco.net]

Here it is, the completed origins of
BILLY THE CAT AND KATIE

At
www.davidcarman.co.uk

took me forever to think of a good background story but at last I can release it

Thanks to DC Thomson et al for the permission