However, the third issue had its gift sellotaped blatantly on the cover - the Friend of Cheeky badge. The cover-borne gift had the advantage over two-dimensional inserts in that it was immediately apparent if the gift was missing, but a pile of comics with cover-mounted freebies meant the stack of issues on the newsagent's counter was unstable. The consequent risk of scrunched-up covers necessitated a search for a copy with as near pristine a front page as was possible. After a number of such searches by excited readers, scrunchment was almost inevitable, so an early trip to the shops was advisable on cover-mounted gift days.
There then followed the dilemma of how to release the badge/spud gun/space spinner from captivity without damage to the comic. By cutting the tape on either side, the gift could be removed, leaving two strips of sticky tape adhering to the cover. After about twenty years, the tape fell off, leaving a slightly dark and semi-transparent patch on the paper.
There's not really much to say about this gift. It was a metal badge with a proper pin on the back. Nice.
The same badges were awarded to readers whose letters were printed on the Friends of Cheeky Chit-Chat pages, which began in Cheeky Weekly dated 09 December 1978. After Cheeky Weekly ceased publication, the first combined issue of Whoopee! and Cheeky offered readers a free Friend of Cheeky badge in return for a stamped addressed envelope - the editor obviously had a few boxes of badges cluttering up the office, as apparently 2000 were on offer.
I still have my badge too!
ReplyDeleteZeg
Hi Zeg, not a stalker but a great fan of Cheeky and I've seen your name come up sooo much mainly down the cbr scans. Can you recommend somewhere (someway) of getting all scans. I have about 40 of the 117 so far and probably 50 of the original comics back in the UK (not bad seeing as my mum donated original my full set from 1977 to 1979 to the school rainy-playtime box :( and I had to pick them up here and there.)
DeleteIn any case, most of the files offering scans have been inactive for a while now. Would be great if I could find a bit of a shortcut.
As for Walter_Wurx - grrreat site! Thanks for the hard work - total respect :)
Best wishes,
RGP
Cheers, Zeg. Hope you're still wearing it!
ReplyDeleteThank you! My friends and I remember this badge and often use the phrase "Friend of Cheeky", but had no idea where it came from!
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising how these little things stick in the memory for years.
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased I've been able to find out where it came from! My Dad used to prepare promotional items for giveaways with comics etc. so it could well be a relic from his work, as I don't recall reading the comic myself - perhaps I'd moved on from Beano to Jackie by then? Now, I must see if I still have the badge ....
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to know your Dad was involved with free gifts in comics. On the Comics UK forum we discussed free gifts a while back http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3114. It would be great if you could add to the thread any recollections of items he was responsible for, as the whole topic of free gifts is a fascinating one to us comic fans. You don't necessarily have to give his name. Just an idea, anyway. Thanks for reading the blog.
ReplyDelete