Cheeky Weekly cover date 26 January 1980

Art: Frank McDiarmid

It’s the penultimate edition of Cheeky Weekly, although readers picking it up from the newsagents’ counters all those years ago would have been unaware that was the case (however there are intimations of the imminent demise of our favourite comic inside this issue as we’ll see). A rather strange cover suggests that Cheeky’s Sunday paper round has been extended to include Tarzan’s jungle abode. This rather jarring cover, abandoning any pretence of a link with the toothy funster's Krazy Town locale, makes me wonder whether  the creators were, by taking this liberty with the setting, signalling (maybe subconsciously) that the end of the title was looming. Nevertheless, Frank McDiarmid furnishes a nice depiction of the bellowing vine-swinger.

Over the page we’re back in Krazy Town for the remainder of Cheeky’s deliveries, and the weather has improved since the snowy conditions that prevailed in last week’s comic, although Gloomy Glad’s personal rain cloud is, as ever, precipitating.

Frank again

The kids of Stage School are on an educational trip to the museum, but they’re not enjoying it so use their showbiz wiles to trick Sir into spinning what he thinks is a piece of ancient pottery atop his cane.

 

Art: Robert Nixon

This gets Teach into a state of nervous exhaustion and the entire group ejected from the building, so the kids head for their Stage School and a lesson from their (rarely-seen) cravat-sporting showbiz teacher. This is the final time Robert Nixon will draw the aspiring performers in Cheeky Weekly - Barry Glennard will deputise next week.

This week’s episode of Elephant on The Run sees our pachyderm pal return to employment in the circus. Cheeky Weekly readers who have followed this feature since its first episode will recall that in the opening instalment a terrible accident befell the amnesiac tusker while he was appearing at Tingaling’s Circus. The final panel of this week’s adventure could almost serve as a conclusion to the story, with The Man in the Plastic Mac seemingly frightened off and Elephant happy in his new circus role. What is missing, of course, is an explanation of why our be-trunked hero is being pursued. Maybe we’ll discover the reason in next week’s comic (non spoiler alert – we won’t).

Robert again

 

Mike Lacey takes over the artwork duties from Frank McDiarmid on Cheeky’s Week as of Thursday.

 

I don’t often show Tub strips, mainly because it’s not a favourite of mine, but this one’s not too bad as our portly pal gets one over on his rather unpleasant dad.

Art: Nigel Edwards

 

Cheeky’s Chit-Chat message cryptically refers to an upcoming 'exciting' event…

There’s no particular theme to Cheeky’s Saturday, so our toothy chum roams Krazy Town exchanging gags with his pals, as he does most days. Is the billboard a deliberately ironic inclusion?

Art: Mike Lacey

This issue sees the final Cheeky Weekly appearances of

• Ah Sew
• Dan-Dan the Lavender Man
• Hid Kid (final non-appearance in his case)
• Mechanic
• Ursula
• … and Messrs Chips, Haddock and Mutton

And we also say goodbye to the Paddywack strip (although the witless welly-wearer will continue to confound in Whoopee!). This week's Cheeky's Cut-Out Comedy Catalogue, featuring gags relating to Krazy Town's jovial joiner Mr Chips, is the final one. Ian Knox delivers his final 6 Million Dollar Gran artwork (Nigel Edwards will provide the visuals next week).

Frank McDiarmid furnishes 5 Cheeky's Week elements, and Mike Lacey gives us his final 4 renditions of the Cheeky pages.

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 26-Jan-1980

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid	5
Mike Lacey	4

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 26-Jan-1980, Issue 116 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Tarzan of the Apes' - Art Frank McDiarmid
2	Sunday - Art Frank McDiarmid
3	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
4	Paddywack (final appearance) - Art Jack Clayton (final art on feature)
5	Ad: IPC 'Mickey Mouse' 17 of 18 Ad: 'Shoot' 12 of 13
6	Monday - Art Frank McDiarmid
7	Ringer Dinger reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Terry Bave
8	Stage School - Art Robert Nixon (final art on feature)
9	Stage School - Art Robert Nixon (final art on feature)
10	Tuesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
11	Ad: IPC 'Tiger' 9 of 10 \Ad: Pop-A-Points (final appearance)
12	Soggy the Sea Monster reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Robert Nixon
13	Cheeky's Cut-Out Comedy Catalogue (final appearance) 'Mr Chips Jokes'
14	Cheeky's Cut-Out Comedy Catalogue (final appearance) 'Mr Chips Jokes'
15	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
16	Disaster Des - Art Mike Lacey
17	Elephant On The Run - Art Robert Nixon
18	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
19	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
20	Thursday - Art Mike Lacey (final art on feature)
21	Tub - Art Nigel Edwards
22	The Gang reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Robert MacGillivray
23	The Gang reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Robert MacGillivray
24	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox (final art on feature)
25	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox (final art on feature)
26	Friday - Art Mike Lacey (final art on feature)
27	Joke-Box Jury
28	Speed Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
29	Chit-Chat
30	Saturday - Art Mike Lacey (final art on feature)
31	Saturday - Art Mike Lacey (final art on feature)
32	Snail of the Century - Art Frank McDiarmid