For dkelsey:
After WWII ended, and paper rationing and the Canadian ban on foreign comic book imports was lifted, a flood of full-colour US comic books started coming into Canada, the Canadian publishers couldn't compete, and most closed operations. The couple that hung on (i.e. Bell Features, etc) needed more sales to stay afloat. So they imported US comics produced and packaged by their original publishers, and even printed in USA. The Canadian firms just printed the front and back covers, containing the local advertising. To help boost their sales, the Canadian firms also assembled copies to sell in The UK, and so, printed their covers. This was a UK issue, but, I wonder why there is no Indicia bar at the bottom of the Inside Front Cover, which should contain the Copyright of the Canadian company, and the laws covering the issue, and the prices for single copies and subscriptions in The UK. Twinkle was published by Spotlight Publications in USA, and must have been provided to this Canadian publisher by Spotlight's distributor and packager, which probably packaged all the Universal Comics group titles, including Latest, Pop-Pop, Three Ring, Jeep, Bee-29, and Teen Town Comics, all of which I have or have seen Canadian issues. All the others I've seen had the Canadian Indicia, if I remember correctly. So this one may have been a printing oversight. What is very interesting to me is that this issue has a story (Marty & Mat - a funny animal story drawn by Howie Post) which was NOT included in the Twinkle #1 original US issue, and seems likely to have originally been slated for inclusion in Latest Comics #3, which was never issued, because that series was cancelled after #2.
Here are the indicia from Canadian Three Ring Comics #3, listing information on BOTH the Canadian and UK issues:
Three Ring Comics Vol.1 No.3, Sept. 1946 published 4 times yearly by Century Publishing Co. 2382 Dundas St. West, Toronto Canada.Entire contents copyrighted by Century publishing Co. British distributors: Streamlined Books, Ltd. 23 Holloway Arcade, London N.7. Printed in Canada.
So, Twinkle, Pop-Pop, Latest, Jeep, Bombardier, and the rest were distributed in Canada by Superior Comics, Ltd., and in The UK by Streamlined Books. Thus, Canadian and UK issues were identical, other than the price printed on the front covers. So THIS was a UK issue.
Link to the book:
Twinkle Comics (Can)(1946)