Another look at publications that were launched on the same date…
(As always, we’re going by cover-dates, not the days on which the comics appeared on the shelves, which is data that we almost never know.)
Buttons (1981) (Polystyle Publications)
First issue: 3 October 1981
Last issue: 13 January 1990
Issues: 433
Relaunched as: Buttons (1990)
A nursery-age comic tied in with the classic BBC show Play School, this one featured age-appropriate renditions of established shows like Postman Pat, King Rollo, Pigeon Street, and my personal favourite, Morph.
Heartbeat (IPC)
First issue: 3 October 1981
Last issue: 10 April 1982
Issues: 28
Absorbed into: My Guy
A weekly magazine aimed at girls in their mid-teens, complete with photo-stories, fashion tips, pin-ups of hunky pop-stars, and the like. Sadly it didn’t last very long before it was consumed by its stablemate My Guy.
Cancelled on the same date:
Love Stories — Amalgamated Press, 2 Nov 1929 to 3 Oct 1931, 101 issues, relaunched as Nan’s Novels
Girl (1951) — Hulton/Longacre/Odhams/IPC, 2 Nov 1951 to 3 Oct 1964, 664 issues, absorbed into Princess (1960)
Zip — IPC, 4 Jan 1958 to 3 Oct 1959, 85 issues, absorbed into Swift
Boys’ World — Odhams Press, 26 Jan 1963 to 3 Oct 1964, 89 issues, absorbed into Eagle (1950)
