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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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Sunday 19 September 2021

Ringer Dinger Reprint Data

 

Dinger's debut - Whizzer and Chips
02 January 1971
Art & script - Terry Bave



I am extremely grateful to Stephen Archer who has researched Ringer Dinger's original run in Whizzer and Chips during 1971. As all Friends of Cheeky know, Dinger was first exhumed from the mouldy vaults of IPC to help fill the Cheeky Summer Special of 1978, and went on to make a total of 36 appearances across Cheeky Specials, Annuals and 3 issues of the weekly comic...

Date Title Element Episodes
01-Jul-1978 Cheeky Summer Special Ringer Dinger 5
01-Sep-1978 Cheeky Annual 1979 Ringer Dinger 4
01-Jun-1979 Cheeky Summer Special Ringer Dinger 4
01-Sep-1979 Cheeky Annual 1980 Ringer Dinger 5
06-Oct-1979 Cheeky Weekly Ringer Dinger 1
26-Jan-1980 Cheeky Weekly Ringer Dinger 1
02-Feb-1980 Cheeky Weekly Ringer Dinger 1
01-Apr-1980 Cheeky Holiday Special Ringer Dinger 4
01-Sep-1980 Cheeky Annual 1981 Ringer Dinger 4
01-Jun-1981 Cheeky Summer Special Ringer Dinger 3
01-Aug-1981 Cheeky Annual 1982 Ringer Dinger 4


TOTAL 36

The telephone-toting tyke had a very year-specific original outing, dialing in to 1971's new year issue of the mighty two-in-one title, appearing in every edition, and hanging up in the same year's Christmas comic, with a call into Whizzer and Chips Holiday Special 1971 along the way. Stephen has provided dates, and details of the characters summoned by the magical but unreliable communication device, for each of Dinger's Whizzer and Chips appearances. I have given the Holiday Special a notional cover date of 01 June. As I'm not familiar with the early years of Whizzer and Chips, I was interested to learn from Stephen that in two Dinger tales our young hero summons characters who had previously featured in Whizzer and Chips strips of their own - 06 Feb 1971's Mummy from The Mummy's Curse, and Miss Fizz and Ivy who formerly starred in The Scareys of St. Mary’s. The Mummy episode was not one of those reprinted in the Cheeky titles, but the Scareys' escapade was resurrected in the 1982 Cheeky Annual.

Below are details of Ringer Dinger's 54-episode original run - thanks once again to Stephen Archer for the information.

Title Cover Date Element Summoned
Whizzer and Chips 02-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Father Time, animated numbers 1,9,7,1
Whizzer and Chips 09-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Cannibal
Whizzer and Chips 16-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Ferno the fire-eater
Whizzer and Chips 23-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Jack Frost
Whizzer and Chips 30-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Jolly Roger
Whizzer and Chips 06-Feb-1971 Ringer Dinger The Mummy (former W&C character from The Mummy’s Curse)
Whizzer and Chips 13-Feb-1971 Ringer Dinger Dinger’s teacher
Whizzer and Chips 20-Feb-1971 Ringer Dinger Hippie artist
Whizzer and Chips 27-Feb-1971 Ringer Dinger Royal Engineer
Whizzer and Chips 06-Mar-1971 Ringer Dinger Swordsman
Whizzer and Chips 13-Mar-1971 Ringer Dinger Loch Ness Monster
Whizzer and Chips 20-Mar-1971 Ringer Dinger Old King Cole
Whizzer and Chips 27-Mar-1971 Ringer Dinger Baron von Flugel
Whizzer and Chips 03-Apr-1971 Ringer Dinger Captain Ahab
Whizzer and Chips 10-Apr-1971 Ringer Dinger Egg Egg-spert
Whizzer and Chips 17-Apr-1971 Ringer Dinger Jester (Dinger, bored with TV, dials Jester to entertain him)
Whizzer and Chips 24-Apr-1971 Ringer Dinger Miss Fizz and Ivy (former W&C characters from The Scareys of St. Mary’s)
Whizzer and Chips 01-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Speed Spring Cleaning man
Whizzer and Chips 08-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Highwayman
Whizzer and Chips 15-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Danny the discus thrower
Whizzer and Chips 22-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Cap’n Cutlass
Whizzer and Chips 29-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Dinger’s double
Whizzer and Chips Holiday Special 1971 01-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Wagon master, Lift Attendant
Whizzer and Chips 05-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Jumping Jack
Whizzer and Chips 12-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Shriek of Araby
Whizzer and Chips 19-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Walter Tapitt
Whizzer and Chips 26-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Hans Upp
Whizzer and Chips 03-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Hazel Nut
Whizzer and Chips 10-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Chimney sweep
Whizzer and Chips 17-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Marcel Du Dah
Whizzer and Chips 24-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Cricketer
Whizzer and Chips 31-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Jock MacGregor
Whizzer and Chips 07-Aug-1971 Ringer Dinger Baker
Whizzer and Chips 14-Aug-1971 Ringer Dinger Jack Boot
Whizzer and Chips 21-Aug-1971 Ringer Dinger Jack the Reaper
Whizzer and Chips 28-Aug-1971 Ringer Dinger Shot-putter
Whizzer and Chips 04-Sep-1971 Ringer Dinger New spook
Whizzer and Chips 11-Sep-1971 Ringer Dinger William the Conkerer
Whizzer and Chips 18-Sep-1971 Ringer Dinger Sniffer the bloodhound & policeman
Whizzer and Chips 25-Sep-1971 Ringer Dinger King Pinn
Whizzer and Chips 02-Oct-1971 Ringer Dinger Spaceman
Whizzer and Chips 09-Oct-1971 Ringer Dinger I. Wirem
Whizzer and Chips 16-Oct-1971 Ringer Dinger Big game hunter
Whizzer and Chips 23-Oct-1971 Ringer Dinger Joiner
Whizzer and Chips 30-Oct-1971 Ringer Dinger Sports curler
Whizzer and Chips 06-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Gail Force
Whizzer and Chips 13-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Man with spinning top
Whizzer and Chips 20-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Lino layer
Whizzer and Chips 27-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Jester (Dinger, playing football, dials for ‘full back’, gets ‘fool back’)
Whizzer and Chips 04-Dec-1971 Ringer Dinger Bowman
Whizzer and Chips 11-Dec-1971 Ringer Dinger Golfer
Whizzer and Chips 18-Dec-1971 Ringer Dinger Tank and crew
Whizzer and Chips 25-Dec-1971 Ringer Dinger Lumberjack

I was curious to learn more about Marcel Du-Dah, who was conjured forth by the magic phone in W&C dated 17 July. This tale was not chosen for reprint, so is one I have never seen. Most of the character names give a good idea of their role, but Monsieur D-D was something of a mystery. Stephen explains, "Marcel Du-Dah was a beret specialist when berries were required". In naming this character Terry Bave was clearly referencing fellow artist Marcel Duchamp, something of a surprise since I don't think Terry's involvement in Cubism was particularly extensive. Or maybe I missed the issue of Whizzer and Chips containing Terry's Odd-Ball Descending a Staircase.

The table below shows all the Dinger elements to appear across the Cheeky titles, and the date of each tale's original appearance. As you'll see, all the Ringer reprints in the 1982 Cheeky Annual were, by means of expanding the artwork, converted from single page to double page adventures. You'll also note that the sequence of reprints completely ignored the original publication order. It's understandable that the Christmas episode wouldn't be appropriate for a Summer Special, but most of the tales I have seen were not specific to a time of year.

It's not clear whether the jester who materialised in W&C dated 17 April was the same medieval merry-maker who was summoned in the 27 November comic, but neither Dinger nor jester acknowledged having met before in their November encounter, which is lucky for the Cheeky editor who reprinted the two tales in reverse order (Cheeky Annuals 1980 and 1981).

Title Date Page Origin Summoned
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jul-1978 9 Whizzer and Chips 24-Jul-1971 Cricketer
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jul-1978 28 Whizzer and Chips 19-Jun-1971 Walter Tapitt
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jul-1978 38 Whizzer and Chips 03-Apr-1971 Captain Ahab
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jul-1978 46 Whizzer and Chips 31-Jul-1971 Jock MacGregor
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jul-1978 52 Whizzer and Chips 16-Oct-1971 Big game hunter
Cheeky Annual 1979 01-Sep-1978 24 Whizzer and Chips 11-Dec-1971 Golfer
Cheeky Annual 1979 01-Sep-1978 41 Whizzer and Chips 18-Sep-1971 Sniffer the bloodhound & policeman
Cheeky Annual 1979 01-Sep-1978 75 Whizzer and Chips 21-Aug-1971 Jack the Reaper
Cheeky Annual 1979 01-Sep-1978 122 Whizzer and Chips 25-Dec-1971 Lumberjack
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1979 8 Whizzer and Chips 18-Dec-1971 Tank and crew
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1979 24 Whizzer and Chips 12-Jun-1971 Shriek of Araby
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1979 43 Whizzer and Chips 09-Oct-1971 I. Wirem
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1979 64 Whizzer and Chips 25-Sep-1971 King Pinn
Cheeky Annual 1980 01-Sep-1979 25 Whizzer and Chips 27-Nov-1971 Jester (Dinger playing football, dials for ‘full back’, gets ‘fool back’)
Cheeky Annual 1980 01-Sep-1979 36 Whizzer and Chips 30-Oct-1971 Sports curler
Cheeky Annual 1980 01-Sep-1979 49 Whizzer and Chips 04-Sep-1971 New spook
Cheeky Annual 1980 01-Sep-1979 97 Whizzer and Chips 13-Mar-1971 Loch Ness Monster
Cheeky Annual 1980 01-Sep-1979 113 Whizzer and Chips 20-Mar-1971 Old King Cole
Cheeky Weekly 06-Oct-1979 28 Whizzer and Chips 11-Sep-1971 William the Conkerer
Cheeky Weekly 26-Jan-1980 7 Whizzer and Chips 13-Feb-1971 Dinger’s teacher
Cheeky Weekly 02-Feb-1980 11 Whizzer and Chips 09-Jan-1971 Cannibal
Cheeky Holiday Special 01-Apr-1980 13 Whizzer and Chips 08-May-1971 Highwayman
Cheeky Holiday Special 01-Apr-1980 23 Whizzer and Chips 28-Aug-1971 Shot-putter
Cheeky Holiday Special 01-Apr-1980 27 Whizzer and Chips 01-May-1971 Speed Spring Cleaning man
Cheeky Holiday Special 01-Apr-1980 39 Whizzer and Chips 23-Oct-1971 Joiner
Cheeky Annual 1981 01-Sep-1980 7 Whizzer and Chips 16-Jan-1971 Ferno the fire-eater
Cheeky Annual 1981 01-Sep-1980 84 Whizzer and Chips 17-Apr-1971 Jester (Dinger bored with TV, dials Jester to entertain him)
Cheeky Annual 1981 01-Sep-1980 103 Whizzer and Chips 30-Jan-1971 Jolly Roger
Cheeky Annual 1981 01-Sep-1980 113 Whizzer and Chips 29-May-1971 Dinger’s double
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1981 26 Whizzer and Chips 27-Feb-1971 Royal Engineer
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1981 27 Whizzer and Chips 27-Feb-1971 Royal Engineer
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1981 41 Whizzer and Chips 06-Mar-1971 Swordsman
Cheeky Summer Special 01-Jun-1981 49 Whizzer and Chips 27-Mar-1971 Baron von Flugel
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 44 Whizzer and Chips 24-Apr-1971 Miss Fizz and Ivy (former W&C characters from The Scareys of St. Mary’s)
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 45 Whizzer and Chips 24-Apr-1971 Miss Fizz and Ivy (former W&C characters from The Scareys of St. Mary’s)
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 62 Whizzer and Chips 10-Jul-1971 Chimney sweep
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 63 Whizzer and Chips 10-Jul-1971 Chimney sweep
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 76 Whizzer and Chips 07-Aug-1971 Baker
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 77 Whizzer and Chips 07-Aug-1971 Baker
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 104 Whizzer and Chips 26-Jun-1971 Hans Upp
Cheeky Annual 1982 01-Aug-1981 105 Whizzer and Chips 26-Jun-1971 Hans Upp

These are the original stories which weren't reprinted in any of the Cheeky titles...

Title Date Feature Synopsis
Whizzer and Chips 02-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Father Time, animated numbers 1,9,7,1
Whizzer and Chips 23-Jan-1971 Ringer Dinger Jack Frost
Whizzer and Chips 06-Feb-1971 Ringer Dinger The Mummy (former W&C character from The Mummy’s Curse)
Whizzer and Chips 20-Feb-1971 Ringer Dinger Hippie artist
Whizzer and Chips 10-Apr-1971 Ringer Dinger Egg Egg-spert
Whizzer and Chips 15-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Danny the discus thrower
Whizzer and Chips 22-May-1971 Ringer Dinger Cap’n Cutlass
Whizzer and Chips Holiday Special 1971 01-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Wagon master, Lift Attendant
Whizzer and Chips 05-Jun-1971 Ringer Dinger Jumping Jack
Whizzer and Chips 03-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Hazel Nut
Whizzer and Chips 17-Jul-1971 Ringer Dinger Marcel Du-Dah
Whizzer and Chips 14-Aug-1971 Ringer Dinger Jack Boot
Whizzer and Chips 02-Oct-1971 Ringer Dinger Spaceman
Whizzer and Chips 06-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Gail Force
Whizzer and Chips 13-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Man with spinning top
Whizzer and Chips 20-Nov-1971 Ringer Dinger Lino layer
Whizzer and Chips 04-Dec-1971 Ringer Dinger Bowman

So following publication of the Cheeky Annual 1982 in the autumn of 1981, there were a further 17 Dinger adventures which had not been revived (re-using 10 April's story, which I'm assuming had an Easter theme could have been problematic, and to reprint the first Dinger tale at this late stage was clearly not possible). However, for some reason no further Ringer Dinger stories would feature in the upcoming Cheeky titles, namely the Cheeky Summer Special of 1982, which would be the final Cheeky Special, and the Cheeky Annuals dated 1983-1985. It's certainly not the case that these publications would be free of reprints, but for some reason the editor chose to extract historic material from elsewhere in the catacombs of IPC to use as fillers. Maybe those 17 Dinger pages had been misplaced or no longer resided in IPC's vaults.

2 comments:

  1. Perhaps I should've clarified the '71 Holiday Special featured ONE Dinger story, with two characters dialled up therein. It follows therefore that there were 17 stories not 18 that didn’t get to Cheeky Weekly and its subsequent Special and Annuals. Apols for any misunderstanding. If the artwork plates were unavailable IPC could’ve reprinted the original comic strips; I imagine that’s what Rebellion have done with Sweeny Toddler…

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    1. No problem - I'll update the post. I hadn't thought about the possibility of reprinting directly from the comics rather than the original art - good point.

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