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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Showing posts with label Sid the Street-Sweeper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sid the Street-Sweeper. Show all posts

Thursday, 8 September 2016

Profile - Sid the Street Sweeper

Employed to keep things clean in Krazy Town, Sid the Street-Sweeper made his first, uncredited appearance in Krazy dated 01 October 1977, where he was seen clearing away the detritus during the coda to Cheeky's typically hoary Knock-Knock Door gag.

Sid's debut - Krazy 01 October 1977
Art: Frank McDiarmid


Sid wasn't seen again in the pages of Krazy until its final issue dated 15 April 1978, but he was present in the inaugural edition of Cheeky's own title, which was published just 3 weeks after the comical cleansing operative made his Krazy debut.

First issue of Cheeky Weekly
Art: Frank McDiarmid


It has to be said that Sid wasn't the most diligent refuse collector – he was always looking for an opportunity to sweep rubbish under cars, down drains, beneath loose paving slabs or into any suitable below-ground-level aperture including those frequented by Manhole Man and, in the 31 December 1977 edition, into his mother-in-law's front garden.

Frank again
This gag references world champion show jumper David Broome
 
Sid was among the guests at the Cheeky family's New Year party in the 07 January 1978 issue, and was the source of the Mystery Comic (secreted under his hat, not in his rubbish barrow) in Cheeky Weekly dated 28 January 1978. The 29 April 1978 edition was the issue to feature the most appearances by Sid, who turned up on 4 days as he handed Cheeky pages of the Mystery Comic that he came upon during his cleaning rounds. Since at that time readers had yet to witness the whole of that perplexing publication, Cheeky was anxious to secure that week's Mustapha Million story, and fortunately we were spared 2 blank pages as Sid located the vital elements on Friday. However, this time the pages were found at the bottom of his refuse collecting bin, but that week's MM story showed no sign of grubbiness when printed in the comic.

Sid prevents the Cheeky Weekly editor from hurling himself off IPC's headquarters building
Art: Jim Watson

In the course of Cheeky's Week as depicted in the comic dated 06 May 1978 Herman the Traffic Warden, in his pursuit of the world parking ticket record, apparently stuck several penalty notices on Sid's barrow, although we only witnessed this happening on Friday. Herman would also gleefully affix a ticket on Sid's barrow during Cheeky's trip to the seaside in the 08 September 1979 issue.

Sid provided Cheeky with the Cheeky's Pal Puzzle in the 11 November 1978 edition, and the map that was the subject of the poser two weeks later.

The first panel has us wondering why Sid is standing in for the  Knock-Knock Door - the punchline explains why
More Frank
 
The mirthful muck manager made a single appearance on the cover when, on the front of the 17 February 1979 issue, he was featured as a member of the Joke-Box Jury panel.

Cheeky Weekly 22 December 1979 - the toothy funster's handing out his Christmas cards...the only appearance of Sid's wife.
Art: Mike Lacey



The streets of Krazy Town must have been accumulating rubbish during Sid's longest absence from the comic - 13 weeks between the issues dated 09 June and 08 September 1979 (the aforementioned occasion of Herman's issuing a parking ticket while on the promenade). Maybe on his return Sid found the strain of clearing the massed refuse a little too taxing, because his second-longest absence occurred not long after – the 12 weeks between the 29 September and 22 December 1979 editions.

Our litter-gathering chum was the subject of the Pin-Up Pal poster in the comic dated 08 April 1978.
 
Sid didn't quite make it to the final edition of Cheeky Weekly – his appearance in the 05 January 1980 comic was to be his last, having swept through a total of 56 issues.


Character Total Issues First Appearance Final Appearance
Sid the Street-Sweeper5622-Oct-197705-Jan-1980


Count of elements by artist


Character Artist Total Elements
Sid the Street-SweeperFrank McDiarmid22
Sid the Street-SweeperFrank McDiarmid pencils16
Sid the Street-SweeperMike Lacey7
Sid the Street-SweeperBarrie Appleby6
Sid the Street-SweeperJim Watson5
Sid the Street-SweeperUnknown Cheeky Artist 13
Sid the Street-SweeperDick Millington2
Sid the Street-SweeperNot known1

Thursday, 11 November 2010

Cheeky Weekly cover date 14 January 1978

It's not hard to guess the answer to Cheeky's question on this week's cover.

Proving that no joke is too hoary for use, even on the front cover, the What A Cheek strip shamelessly gives another outing to a venerable gag.







Can you spot the Humphrey on the Sunday page?  Those seeking enlightenment may find the Unigate ads here instructive.









On Sunday evening, as Cheeky returns home to watch 6 Million Dollar Gran, we see the first appearance of the 'Save a comic - buy Krazy' slogan (Krazy's demise was mere weeks ahead).  In Gran's adventure, she rescues a coachload of school kids who have been buried in an avalanche.


On the What's New Kids page, Cheeky is advertising The Morecambe and Wise Comic Book by Denis Gifford and Terry Wakefield.  Straining to read what's on the cover of the book, there seem to be references to famous comic characters - Ally Sloper's topper, Kate's keyhole, Lord Snooty's collar, etc.







A mad motorcyclist makes several appearances in the Cheeky's Week strips in this issue, tearing across the background.  He is eventually revealed to be one Evil Karneevil.  There's possibly an Emerson, Lake and Palmer reference there.



Like last week's Mustapha Million tale, this week's is reduced from the normal two pages to one.  This is also the first Mustapha tale to be drawn by Joe McCaffrey, and sees our wealthy hero discover that the local playground is as dilapidated and broken-down as the attendant.  Big-hearted (and walleted) Mustapha provides a spanking new playground.


There is evidently some sort of mix-up in compiling the elements of this week's comic.  On the Interval page, just as the titles for this week's Space Family Robinson episode appear, one of Cheeky's pals says that in last week's episode Mrs Robinson vanished.  However, we can clearly see she's present in the first panel of the ensuing episode, and actually it's at the end of this week's instalment that she disappears.  Nevertheless there's some nice artwork in this instalment, as the Robinsons encounter those frigid fiends, the Icemen.

 
 

The comic rounds off with two more sections of the spotter book.

All the Cheeky's Week art this issue is by Unknown Cheeky Artist 1, the first time this artist's work has featured in the comic.

We say farewell (and in one case, hello as well) to 2 minor characters from Cheeky's Week this issue.  The short-sighted dustman makes his fourth and final appearance - I suspect it was felt the comic had room for only one refuse-disposal-related character, and Sid the Street-Sweeper prevailed.  Mad Scientist, who had featured in the 'Ello It's Cheeky strip in Krazy, makes his first appearance during the Interval, but is never seen in the comic again.

Also bowing out is the Doug's Doodle gag feature, although aspiring artist Doodle Doug will return.

The Tweety feature makes what is mercifully its only appearance in the comic's run.  I'm not sure why Sylvester isn't credited in the title, as he is present in the story.  The bad news is that we will be forced to endure 28 episodes of Tweety and Sylvester in the coming weeks.


Cheeky Weekly Cover Date: 14-Jan-1978, Issue 13 of 117
PageDetails
1Cover Feature 'Lily and Ursula' - Art Frank McDiarmid\What a Cheek - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
2Sunday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
3Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
4Sunday evening - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
56 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
66 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
76 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
8Monday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
9James Bold 'The Ghost Highwayman' 2 of 9 - Art Mike White
10James Bold 'The Ghost Highwayman' 2 of 9 - Art Mike White
11Suddenly - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
12Tuesday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
13Old Comic reprint from School Friend 'Dilly Dreem' 1 of 2
14What's New, Kids
15Wednesday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
16Creepy Sleepy Tale - Art Keith Reynolds
17Creepy Sleepy Tale - Art Keith Reynolds\Wednesday (conclusion) - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
18Joke-Box Jury
19Thursday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
20Home Movie 'Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp' - Art Jack Clayton
21Friday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
22Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey (first art on feature)
23Ad: IPC 'Roy of the Rovers' 3 of 8 Ad: 'Spotter Books promo' 2 of 2
24Doug's Doodle (final appearance) - Art Artie Jackson (final art on feature)\Saturday - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
25Tweety (single appearance)
26Tweety (single appearance)
27Interval - Art Unknown Cheeky Artist 1 (first art on feature)
28Space Family Robinson 'March of the Icemen' - Art John Richardson
29Space Family Robinson 'March of the Icemen' - Art John Richardson
30Ad: IPC 'Shoot' 3 of 13
31The Cheeky Spotter Book of Fun - Art Jim Petrie
32The Cheeky Spotter Book of Fun - Art Jim Petrie


Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 14-Jan-1978
Artist Elements
Unknown Cheeky Artist 112