Welcome to the Cheeky Weekly blog!


Welcome to the Cheeky Weekly blog!
Cheeky Weekly ™ REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, COPYRIGHT ©  REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED was a British children's comic with cover dates spanning 22 October 1977 to 02 February 1980.

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Cheeky Weekly Index - Cheeky Annuals and Specials Index
Cheeky Weekly Artist Index
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Cheeky Weekly Timeline
Major Characters from the Cheeky pages
Features Ordered by Date of Commencement

*** ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT ©  REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Used with permission. ***
*** CHEEKY WEEKLY, KRAZY, WHOOPEE!, WHOOPEE, WOW!, WHIZZER AND CHIPS and BUSTER ARE ™ REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, COPYRIGHT ©  REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ***
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Sunday 30 December 2012

The features - Laugh and Learn

Cheeky's Teacher gained his own puzzle feature, Teacher's Teasers, as from 26 August 1978. Although Teacher's Teasers was a filler that appeared in just 3 issues, it seems that the Cheeky Weekly editor felt the podgy pedadogue deserved elevation to co-star status with the toothy funster himself in a new feature, Laugh and Learn.

Laugh and Learn had a sporadic, 5-issue run between Cheeky Weekly's 07 October 1978 and 09 December 1978 comics. Each episode was set in Cheeky's classroom, where Teacher would focus on a particular area of general knowledge. As Cheeky's tubby tutor attempted to impart salient facts relating to the topic in question, our toothy pal would counter each point with a wily witticism. Only in the 04 November 1978 comic did Cheeky emerge from the lesson punishment-free; in all the other episodes Teacher gave him lines or, on one occasion, an essay to complete.

In the first strip Barrie kids us that Bubblegum Boy
has been aloft since the Cretaceous period,
67 to 65.5 million years ago.
We know he actually emerged in the Krazy era (1976-1978).

Teacher's lectures commenced with the lesson on prehistoric creatures shown above, and subsequent episodes covered the following topics;
  • Chivalry and Knighthood (this was the only single-page Laugh & Learn, all the others being 2 pages)
  • The Seven Wonders of The World
  • The History of Transport
  • British Wildlife
The artwork on the series was unusual for a British humour comic, as each episode was a collaborative effort between Barrie Appleby, who drew the classroom and characters therein in his usual fun, zany style, and Brian Walker who did some very nice work illustrating the topics on which Teacher was expounding. Brian signed his work in all but the first strip, whereas Barrie didn't sign at all.


Cheeky avoids a punishment

Despite the caption in the final panel of the fifth Laugh and Learn, dated 09 December 1978, reading 'There'll be another feast of fun and facts soon pals!', it was the last episode to appear - see below. Maybe reader feedback indicated that kids found the educational element of the feature uncomfortably similar to actual lessons.



Laugh and Learn in the Cheeky Weekly Index


Feature First Appearance Final Appearance Total Issues Total Issues Missed In Run Page History
Laugh and Learn07-Oct-7809-Dec-78556,7,8,9,22,23

Issues Missed In Run
14-Oct-78
28-Oct-78
11-Nov-78
18-Nov-78
25-Nov-78

Feature Artist Number of Issues First Appearance Final Appearance
Laugh and Learn Barrie Appleby507-Oct-197809-Dec-1978
Laugh and Learn Brian Walker507-Oct-197809-Dec-1978

Thursday 27 December 2012

The Pages - Page 14

Page 14 underwent 85 churn events during Cheeky Weekly's run - the highest churn rate of any of Cheeky Weekly's pages. For this reason I propose to substitute the insightful prose analysis of the comings and goings on this page, which have heretofore fascinated readers of previous The Pages posts, with a couple of tables succinctly detailing the weekly contents of the page (cries of 'Boo!', 'Shame!' from disappointed blog readers).

Let's start off with this summary - just a reminder that '1/2' after an element name means the Total figure represents the number of times page 1 of a 2-page story fell on page 14. So Mustapha Million had the first page of his story on page 14 in (coincidentally) 14 issues, while the second page of the Tuesday feature, with an embedded Doug's Doodle, was to be found on page 14 in 6 issues. 12 of the 27 single-page Elephant On The Run episodes were to be found on page 14, etc.

Count of Elements (or distinct combinations thereof) appearing on Page 14

Elements Total
Mustapha Million 1/214
Elephant On The Run12
Why, Dad, Why?12
What's New, Kids9
Mystery Boy6
Old Comic6
Tuesday 2/2\Doug's Doodle6
Advertisement: IPC5
Paddywack4
Disaster Des3
Joke-Box Jury3
Stage School 1/23
Advertisement: WH Smith2
Elephant On The Run 1/22
Star Guest2
Wednesday (conclusion)\Creepy Sleepy Tale 2/22
What's New, Kids\Advertisement: IPC2
6 Million Dollar Gran 2/31
Advertisement: Birds Eye Mousse1
Advertisement: KP1
Advertisement: Knit Stitcher1
Advertisement: Weetabix1
Advertisement: World Cup Aces1
Christmas Jokes booklet 2/21
Constable Chuckle booklet 2/21
Creepy Sleepy Tale 1/21
Disaster Des spot the difference1
Doctor Joke booklet 2/21
Farmer Giles booklet 2/21
Hid Kid what does he look like\Advertisement: IPC1
Jogging Jeremy booklet 2/21
Joke-Box Jury\Advertisement: IPC1
Kite Competition winners1
Knock-Knock booklet 2/21
Manhole Man booklet 2/21
Mechanic Jokes booklet 2/21
Mr Chips booklet 2/21
Petula Jokes booklet 2/21
Silly Snaps 1/21
Six-Gun Sam booklet 2/21
Teacher's Teasers1

And here is a run down of the contents of page 14 in every issue of Cheeky Weekly. Enjoy.

Date Details
22-Oct-77Tuesday (first appearance) 2/2 - Art Frank McDiarmid\Doug's Doodle (first appearance) - Art Terry Bave
29-Oct-77Tuesday 2/2 - Art Frank McDiarmid\Doug's Doodle - Art Terry Bave
05-Nov-77Creepy Sleepy Tale 1/2 - Art Mike Brown
12-Nov-77Tuesday 2/2 - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils\Doug's Doodle - Art Terry Bave
19-Nov-77Ad: Knit Stitcher (single appearance)
26-Nov-77Tuesday 2/2 - Art Frank McDiarmid\Doug's Doodle - Art Terry Bave
03-Dec-77What's New, Kids
10-Dec-77Joke-Box Jury (first appearance)
17-Dec-77Tuesday 2/2 - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils\Doug's Doodle - Art Artie Jackson
24-Dec-77Tuesday 2/2 - Art Dick Millington\Doug's Doodle - Art Terry Bave
31-Dec-77Ad: IPC 'Spotter Book next week'
07-Jan-78Old Comic reprint from Chips 'Dickie Duffer' 1 of 2 reprint from Chips 'Rudolf the Red Nosed Ranger'
14-Jan-78What's New, Kids
21-Jan-78What's New, Kids
28-Jan-78Ad: IPC 'Misty No 1' 1 of 2 Ad: 'Shoot' 5 of 13
04-Feb-78Ad: IPC 'Misty No 1' 2 of 2
11-Feb-78What's New, Kids
18-Feb-78What's New, Kids
25-Feb-78What's New, Kids
04-Mar-78What's New, Kids
11-Mar-78Ad: KP (first appearance) 'Outer Spacers Star Wars promotion' 1 of 2
18-Mar-78Ad: Weetabix (first appearance)
25-Mar-78What's New, Kids
01-Apr-78Ad: IPC 'Monster Fun Holiday Special' 2 of 2 Ad: 'Look and Learn' 4 of 16
08-Apr-78Old Comic reprint from Tip Top 'Happy Family' reprint from Tip Top 'Merry Moments at Sunnyside School' 2 of 2
15-Apr-78Ad: WH Smith (first appearance)
22-Apr-78What's New, Kids\Ad: IPC 'Look and Learn' 7 of 16
29-Apr-78Joke-Box Jury\Ad: IPC 'Look and Learn' 8 of 16
06-May-78What's New, Kids\Ad: IPC 'Whizzer and Chips' 3 of 6
13-May-78Kite Competition winners (single appearance)
20-May-78Old Comic reprint from Film Fun 'Abbott and Costello' 2 of 2
27-May-78Hid Kid what does he look like (single appearance)\Ad: IPC 'Tiger' 3 of 10
03-Jun-78Old Comic reprint from The Jester 'Sandy and Dusty'
10-Jun-78Old Comic reprint from Chips 'Casey Court' 3 of 3 reprint from Chips 'Jimmy Joy' 2 of 2
17-Jun-78Old Comic reprint from Tiger 'Dodger Caine' 3 of 3
24-Jun-78Ad: Birds Eye Mousse (first appearance)
01-Jul-78Ad: World Cup Aces (single appearance)
08-Jul-78Paddywack (first appearance) - Art Jack Clayton
15-Jul-78Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
22-Jul-78Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
29-Jul-78What's New, Kids
05-Aug-78Ad: WH Smith
12-Aug-78Creepy Sleepy Tale 2/2 - Art Not known\Wednesday (conclusion) - Art Barrie Appleby
19-Aug-78Creepy Sleepy Tale 2/2 - Art Not known\Wednesday (conclusion) - Art Barrie Appleby
26-Aug-78Joke-Box Jury
02-Sep-78Teacher's Teasers - Art Ed McHenry
09-Sep-78Joke-Box Jury
16-Sep-78Ad: IPC 'Soccer Monthly No 1'Ad: 'Cheeky Annual' 1 of 6
23-Sep-78Silly Snaps 1/2
30-Sep-78Why, Dad, Why? (first appearance) 'Mystery Comic' 1 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
07-Oct-78Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 2 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
14-Oct-78Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 3 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
21-Oct-78Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
28-Oct-78Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 5 of 37
04-Nov-78Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 5 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
11-Nov-78Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 6 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
18-Nov-78Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 8 of 34 - Art Reg Parlett
25-Nov-78Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 9 of 37
02-Dec-78Elephant On The Run 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 10 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
09-Dec-78Elephant On The Run 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 11 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
06-Jan-79Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 9 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
13-Jan-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 13 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
20-Jan-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 14 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
27-Jan-79Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 10 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
03-Feb-79Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 11 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
10-Feb-79Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 12 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
17-Feb-79Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 13 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
24-Feb-79Disaster Des 'Mystery Comic' 18 of 30 - Art Mike Lacey
03-Mar-79Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 15 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
10-Mar-79Disaster Des 'Mystery Comic' 20 of 30 - Art Mike Lacey
17-Mar-79Disaster Des spot the difference (single appearance) - Art Mike Lacey
24-Mar-79Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 23 of 37
31-Mar-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 23 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
07-Apr-79Star Guest 'Fuss Pot' - Art Norman Mansbridge
14-Apr-79Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 26 of 37
21-Apr-79Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 27 of 37
28-Apr-79Star Guest 'Scared-Stiff Sam' - Art Mike Lacey
05-May-79Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 29 of 37
12-May-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 28 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
19-May-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 29 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
26-May-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 30 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
02-Jun-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 31 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
09-Jun-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 32 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
16-Jun-79Elephant On The Run 'Mystery Comic' 32 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
23-Jun-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 33 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
30-Jun-79Mustapha Million 1/2 'Mystery Comic' 34 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
07-Jul-79Stage School (first appearance) 1/2 - Art Robert Nixon
14-Jul-79Mustapha Million 1/2 - Art Joe McCaffrey
21-Jul-79Stage School 1/2 - Art Robert Nixon
28-Jul-79Stage School 1/2 - Art Robert Nixon
04-Aug-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
11-Aug-79Mustapha Million 1/2 - Art Joe McCaffrey
18-Aug-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
25-Aug-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
01-Sep-796 Million Dollar Gran 2/3 - Art Ian Knox
08-Sep-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
15-Sep-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
22-Sep-79Disaster Des - Art Mike Lacey
29-Sep-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
06-Oct-79Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
13-Oct-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
20-Oct-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
27-Oct-79Mustapha Million 1/2 - Art Joe McCaffrey
03-Nov-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
10-Nov-79Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
17-Nov-79Knock-Knock booklet (single appearance) 2/2
24-Nov-79Manhole Man booklet (single appearance) 2/2
01-Dec-79Doctor Joke booklet (single appearance) 2/2
08-Dec-79Six-Gun Sam booklet (single appearance) 2/2
15-Dec-79Mechanic Jokes booklet (single appearance) 2/2
22-Dec-79Constable Chuckle booklet (single appearance) 2/2
29-Dec-79Christmas Jokes booklet (single appearance) 2/2
05-Jan-80Jogging Jeremy booklet (single appearance) 2/2
12-Jan-80Farmer Giles booklet (single appearance) 2/2
19-Jan-80Petula Jokes booklet (single appearance) 2/2
26-Jan-80Mr Chips booklet (single appearance) 2/2
02-Feb-80Elephant On The Run (final appearance) - Art Robert Nixon

Thursday 20 December 2012

The Ads - Cheeky Weekly Christmas issues

Cheeky Weekly's brief existence on the newsagents' shelves spanned 3 Christmases; those of 1977, 1978 and 1979. Sadly, however, industrial action prevented publication of the Christmas 1978 issue, although much of the work prepared for that issue eventually surfaced in one form or another.

Thus, there were only ever 2 in-house ads promoting forthcoming Cheeky Christmas fun. The first appeared on page 30 of Cheeky Weekly dated 24 December 1977 (the full-blown Christmas issue appeared a week later, cover dated 31 December 1977 and with an official on-sale date of 22 December).


The artwork for this half-page ad is dominated by a drawing that was utilised a number of times in the comic, and is what I refer to as the 'standard Cheeky face' (as seen at the top of this blog). The toothy funster invites readers to spend Christmas with him and his 'pals' (a rather quaint, archaic word which by the late 70s' was only ever used in comics).

Below our hero's grinning mug, and surrounded by a holly border, a random cast of Cheeky Weekly characters have been assembled by some deft cut-and-paste action. To enhance the seasonal effect, certain of Cheeky's co-stars are sporting pencilled-in festive headgear. Snail bravely risks a sarky remark about Ursula.

Among the milling throng were 2 characters who actually didn't appear in the following week's comic, Doodle Doug and Milkie. The less-than-seasonal evil leer that Doug is displaying here is a possible reason for his exclusion from the festive issue.

Two years later, and sharing the page with an ad for the 1980 Cheeky Annual, this half-pager appeared in Cheeky Weekly dated 22 December 1979;


No doubt due to budgetary constraints, the cast list for this ad is pared down to Cheeky and Snail, and no festive border is present. The toothy funster models a rakish topper-and-scarf combination, as Snail hitches a ride. Us 'pals' are exhorted not to miss the seasonal issue, and Snail is on-message with his advice to order a copy. Prospective purchasers are promised a comic 'full of festive fun'.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Cheeky Weekly cover date 27 January 1979

Our chubby chum Tub gets to appear on two covers this week. Not only is the rotund rascal the subject of the main pic on Cheeky Weekly's front page, but he makes a return to The Mystery Comic's front page after having been bumped from the perplexing publication by the Snap Game in the two previous issues. Readers might have expected the image of Tub on Cheeky Weekly's cover, depicting him clad in his jim-jams and plummeting earthward, to have some connection with his strip in this week's issue.  However, readers are left puzzling over the strange cover scene, as the image is lifted from a panel in the Tub strip that will appear in 2 weeks' time. Maybe the absence of Tub from the comic for 2 weeks resulted in Tub's asynchronous cover appearance.

Beneath Tub's dramatic descent, Mike Lacey draws his first What A Cheek cover strip. Cheeky and the Knock-Knock Door are enjoying a joke as the toothy funster commences his usual Sunday paper round, entirely unaware that they are about to be squashed by their corpulent co-star.

Art: Mike Lacey

We enjoy a rare glimpse chez Lily on page 2. Lily's attire and the way Milkie is hanging around her front door on a Sunday (a day when milkmen don't even deliver) reminds me of this…



6 Million Dollar Gran is back to a full 3 pages, after having been reduced to a 2 page story in last week's issue. Gran and the Potts kids pay a visit to the flower show, and yes that familiar old plot gets yet another airing - a thief steals the trophy. Order is soon restored when Gran lassos the fleeing felon with the Mayor's chain of office (almost strangling said dignitary in the process).

Art: Ian Knox

There's some nice feline fun by Terry Bave in the Calculator Kid story.


On the cover of The Mystery Comic, this week's double cover star Tub is involved in a snowy tale. Maybe this story was intended for last week's snow-themed issue, in which the hapless heavyweight's story was one of the few not to participate in the gelid japes. This week's Elephant on the Run episode finds our pachyderm pal and his plastic-clad pursuer in a mountain ski-ing resort - another story that would have been ideal for last week's snow issue, in which Elephant's strip was among the few that were conspicuously free of the white stuff.

Tub's is not the only strip returning to The Mystery Comic after a two week break. The exasperated father and inquisitive offspring team from Why, Dad, Why? are also back. However, the snap game intrudes upon the Mystery Comic for a third week, so this time Mustapha Million's 2 page story is missing.

In the course of the Disaster Des strip we learn that US President Jimmy Carter is a reader of Cheeky Weekly.

Art: Mike Lacey

Paddywack, who has painted himself into a corner on this week's Pin-Up Pal poster, brings the issue to a close.

Mike Lacey provides all 10 Cheeky's Week elements in this issue, plus his regular strip Disaster Des. A Herculean effort, yet not quite equalling the 13 elements in total that he contributed to the 04 November 1978 comic.

Cheeky Weekly Cover Date: 27-Jan-1979, Issue 64 of 117
PageDetails
1Cover Feature 'Tub' - Art Nigel Edwards (single art on feature)\Cheeky's Week - Art Mike Lacey
2Sunday - Art Mike Lacey
36 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
46 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
56 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
6Monday - Art Mike Lacey
7Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
8Your chance to vote (first appearance)\Ad: IPC 'Mickey Mouse' 9 of 18
9Tuesday - Art Mike Lacey
10Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
11Spaghetti Junction maze (single appearance) - Art Steve Bell (single art on feature)
12Wednesday - Art Mike Lacey
13Tub 'Mystery Comic' 13 of 34 - Art Nigel Edwards
14Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 10 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
15Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 15 of 37 - Art John Richardson
16Friends of Cheeky Snap Game
17Friends of Cheeky Snap Game
18Elephant On The Run 'Mystery Comic' 15 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
19Elephant On The Run 'Mystery Comic' 15 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
20Disaster Des 'Mystery Comic' 14 of 30 - Art Mike Lacey
21Silly Snaps\What's New, Kids
22Thursday - Art Mike Lacey
23Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
24Joke-Box Jury
25Friday - Art Mike Lacey
26Eagle Eye reprint from Shiver and Shake
27Eagle Eye reprint from Shiver and Shake
28Chit-Chat
29The Burpo Special 'Uncle Hamish' - Art Mike Lacey (first art on feature)
30Saturday - Art Mike Lacey
31Saturday - Art Mike Lacey
32Pin-up pal 'Paddywack' - Art Jack Clayton (single art on feature)


Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 27-Jan-1979
Artist Elements
Mike Lacey10

Saturday 15 December 2012

Whoopee! staff artist's Cheeky

1982's 'little alien lost' movie blockbuster, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, had its UK premiere on 09 December of that year. In Whoopee! dated 26 February 1983, Cheeky regaled his Krazy Town pals with a barrage of E.T. gags. At the end of the strip, readers were invited to submit their own E.T. suggestions for the chance to win 'E.T. type awards'.

Whoopee! 26 February 1983
Art: Frank McDiarmid

In Whoopee's 09 April 1983 issue, the following announcement appeared, including a version of Cheeky drawn by (presumably) a Whoopee! staff artist.


Whoopee! E.T. - Erroneous Text.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Roy Mitchell's Cheeky

A new puzzle feature began in the 04 December 1982 issue of Whoopee!. This new series of perplexing posers went under the name of Quizmaster, and characters from the roster of Whoopee! stars would take turns at being the titular question-setter. The series was drawn by Roy Mitchell, who signed himself 'Mitch', and would include a trademark mushroom/toadstool thing each week (which Mitch also incorporated into his Rambling Rhymes artwork in the same comic).

The host of the first Quizmaster was Cheeky Weekly's Calculator Kid, and in the 19 March 1983 issue Cheeky got his chance at setting readers some brain teasers.


I found Mitch's real name on Peter Gray's blog.

Sunday 9 December 2012

Profile - Doctor Braincell

Madcap medic Doctor Braincell first appeared in Cheeky Weekly issue 21, dated 11 March 1978. Evidently the scriptwriter had a plentiful supply of Doctor jokes, as thereafter the GP japester was absent from the comic on only 4 occasions, making his final daft diagnosis in Cheeky Weekly's last issue.

Braincell actually appeared twice in the issue in which he made his debut - on Friday he produced a copy of The Mystery Comic from his little black bag, and he was outside the cinema as Cheeky and pals exited the Saturday morning pictures. In neither of these appearances was he named.

Braincell's debut
Art: Barrie Appleby

However, when the daffy Doctor next appeared in Cheeky Weekly (25 March 1978), he was given a namecheck by the toothy funster as Doctor Brain-Cell.

The Doctor's first namecheck
Art: Barrie Appleby
The 20 May 1978 issue saw the jolly GP feature in 9 Cheeky's Week elements, as Cheeky engaged in a multiplicity of medical mirth.

On the cover of the 27 May 1978 comic we witnessed a comical consultation as Cheeky sought advice from Braincell in the What a Cheek strip. This was the only strip in which the Doctor was seen in his surgery (although a later Pin-Up Pal poster would depict a surgery scene - see below), and it was also the first of Braincell's 9 cover appearances - 6 times in the cover strips (What A Cheek and Cheeky's Week) and, after the cover strips came to an end in the 30 June 1979 issue, a further 3 times in the main cover pic.

2038: Geriatric GP meets toothless funster
Cheeky Weekly 19 August 1978
Art: Frank McDiarmid
On every occasion where we saw the nameplate outside his front door, the merry medic's name was spelled Braincell (except in the 08 September 1979 comic), and in 13 January 1979's Burpo Special, wherein the funny physician was the subject of Burpo's infantile interrogation, his surname was again missing its hyphen. Although the Brain-Cell spelling is more common, I have adopted the unhyphenated version in this blog, as;

(A) It's the name shown (with one exception) by his front door, and he should know how to spell it

and

(B) it's marginally funnier.

08 September 1979 - I suspect the hyphenated spelling on
the nameplate is the result of it being squeezed into the frame
Art: Frank McDiarmid

19 May 1979 - both spellings of the Doctor's name in a single gag
Art: Frank McDiarmid

The playful pill peddler often sported a sticking plaster on his head, and something on his Adam's apple which was either a pimple or some sort of dressing, possibly on the site of a shaving accident. He was evidently afflicted by a chronic conk condition, as his proboscis was permanently bandaged.

The scatty stethoscope-user was seen frantically searching through his medical text books while attempting to diagnose Cheeky's sore digit on the Pin-Up Pal poster in the 24 February 1979 issue. The poster can be seen on Bruce's blog. Cheeky's Cut-Out Comedy Catalogue of Doctor Jokes appeared in the 01 December 1979 issue. Braincell never appeared in Cheeky's strip in Krazy.


Character Total Issues First Appearance Final Appearance
Doctor Braincell9311-Mar-197802-Feb-1980

Count of elements by artist

Character Artist Total Elements
Doctor BraincellFrank McDiarmid50
Doctor BraincellMike Lacey19
Doctor BraincellBarrie Appleby16
Doctor BraincellFrank McDiarmid pencils16
Doctor BraincellJim Watson4
Doctor BraincellDick Millington4
Doctor BraincellUnknown Cheeky Artist 11