Profile - Rex Press

The toothy funster's jolly journalist chum Rex Press made his debut in Cheeky Weekly dated 29 September 1979. Or did he? I suspect that the newspaper reporter named Reg Press who made a single Cheeky Weekly appearance in the issue dated 15 September 1979 was intended to be the same person, but maybe an admin mix-up resulted in his name being changed. Rex is obviously a more appropriate appellation since, when coupled with the surname (which is itself a nod to machinery crucial to the journalistic profession), it references newspapers containing Express in the title.

Reg Press - Cheeky Weekly 15 September 1979
Art: Jimmy Hansen

'Reg' was drawn by Jimmy Hansen and the fact that the journalist's face wasn't seen on this occasion makes me wonder whether Frank McDiarmid hadn't designed the visuals for the character at that point. However, by the time that Rex made his debut two weeks later his trademark 'tache, trilby, and check jacket were fully formed.

Rex Press' debut - Cheeky Weekly 29 September 1979
Art: Frank McDiarmid

Cheeky's 2-page Saturday strip in the 10 November 1979 issue showed our grinning hero visiting the newspaper office, and Cheeky popped back to Rex's workplace for a quick Tuesday gag in the edition dated 24 November 1979.

Art: Bob Hill

Although he played a major role in the Speed Squad story in Cheeky Weekly dated 15 December 1979, the intrepid trio failed to recognise Krazy Town's roving reporter. 

 
Rex Press didn't quite make it into Cheeky Weekly's final issue. His last appearance was in the penultimate editon, dated 26 January 1980. Nevertheless Rex, despite being a rather late entrant into the Cheeky Weekly supporting cast, turned up in a creditable15 issues (16 if we include Reg). Neither Reg nor Rex ever appeared in Cheeky's strips in Krazy.

Birthday Bash

Cheeky Weekly comes under the spotlight again (and why not - I say you can never have too much Cheeky) over at the Great News blog, as the first issue of the toothy funster's own title, cover dated today, 39 years ago, is examined and found to be full of fun. Happy birthday!

Dynamic Debut

The Great News blog is looking back at the momentous comic that set the Cheeky phenomenon in motion.

Cover Collaborations

By early 1989 the 'rival comics' aspect of Whizzer and Chips was being de-emphasised, to the extent that all cross-comic raids had ceased *, Sid and Shiner's letters pages were both located in Whizzer while their respective comic strips had been combined into single a feature within Chips, and readers were no longer encouraged to separate the two 'titles'. Also gone were the cover comic strips, replaced by a series of full-page depictions of the W&C stars in situations various. As the comic increasingly resorted to reprints, these covers showed resurrected IPC veterans such as Fuss-Pot sharing jolly japes with newcomers including Wonder Wimp.

In the 04 March 1989 edition, reader Rachel Thomas asked who was responsible for the cover art. The answer revealed that the covers were a collaborative effort (a surprise to  me) between Jimmy Hansen and Barrie Appleby.

* The raids would resume in August 1989.

Cheeky Weekly cover date 29 September 1979

This week it's the turn of Charlie and Calc to get an above-title banner promotion, below which Gunga Jim is the instigator of maritime mirth. The action takes us to Krazy Town harbour once again, and we even get a glimpse of the lighthouse in the distance. Do snails find the salty coastal atmosphere uncomfortable? Cheeky's slithering pal gives no indication, but appears to be enjoying the gag. Sadly the unnamed pirate character, despite seeming ripe material for a smattering of corny nautical witticisms, never returned to the Cheeky's Week supporting cast.

Art: Frank McDiarmid

6 Million Dollar Gran takes a trip to a stock car racing tournament, and it's not long before she pits her own jalopy against another old banger. Needless to say, the aged automaton emerges triumphant, and blows the prize money at a food stall. Ian Knox's typically grotesque final panel shows Gran cramming celebratory comestibles into her synthetic alimentary canal.

Cheeky can't resist his own sausage-related gag on the following page....

Frank McDiarmid

 

It's not often that I include Mystery Boy in these posts, but this week his already bleak predicament seems about to get much worse...

Art: John Richardson

 

Having a much easier time of it is Mustapha Million, who this week is enjoying a story in colour.

Art: Joe McCaffrey

With the festive season on the horizon, WH Smith place an ad aimed at those readers busy compiling their Christmas lists, notifying them that this year's annuals (dated a year ahead, as is the tradition) are now in stock. The Beano is prominently featured, and a number of other DC Thomson titles are mentioned, but sadly the 1980 Cheeky Annual doesn't get a promotional boost. However, IPC ran an ad for it in last week's issue.

Thursday sees Cheeky's first encounter with humorous hack Rex Press, although it's quite possible that the similar character named Reg Press who appeared in the comic dated 15 September 1979 was intended to be the same person.

Art: Frank McDiarmid

Paddywack encounters an open aperture – I've always said Manhole Man should take more care.

Art: Jack Clayton

The comic concludes with the garden-goings-on of Snail of the Century, which was absent from last week's issue.

Art: Frank McDiarmid

This is a gratifyingly all-Frank McDiarmid-Cheeky's Week issue, the previous such edition being that dated 08 September 1979.

 Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 29-Sep-1979

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid	9

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 29-Sep-1979, Issue 99 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Gunga Jim' 3 of 5 - Art Frank McDiarmid
2	Sunday - Art Frank McDiarmid
3	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
4	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
5	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
6	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
7	Monday - Art Frank McDiarmid
8	Ad: Trebor 'Olympics competition' 2 of 3
9	Joke-Box Jury
10	Tuesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
11	Ad: Palitoy 'Star Wars Collection' 1 of 3
12	The Gang reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Robert MacGillivray
13	The Gang reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Robert MacGillivray
14	Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
15	Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art John Richardson
16	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
17	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
18	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
19	Ad: WH Smith (final appearance) 'Annuals'
20	Chit-Chat
21	Disaster Des - Art Mike Lacey
22	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid
23	Speed Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
24	Ad: IPC 'Top Soccer' 2 of 3 \Ad: Pop-A-Points (first appearance)
25	What's New, Kids
26	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid
27	Ad: IPC 'Whoopee Guy Fawkes mask' 2 of 3 Ad: 'Puzzle Time' 6 of 6
28	Why, Dad, Why? - Art John K. Geering
29	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
30	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid
31	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid
32	Snail of the Century - Art Frank McDiarmid

More Toothy Fun

There are more Cheeky goings-on over at GNFAR today, as a pre-Cheeky Weekly issue of Krazy comes under the spotlight. This issue is one of those featuring the teasers that preceded the debut of the toothy funster's own spin-off title.