Cheeky Weekly cover date 16 June 1979

Art: Mike Lacey

It's a while since we had a special, themed Cheeky Weekly (the most recent was 31 March 1979's Jersey edition) but as promised last week, this issue is the disco special. The cover's title background is adorned with suitably festive stars and there's a star of a different kind in the cover strip as Mick Jagger drops in to enjoy a joke with Cheeky and affable agriculturalist Farmer Giles. Mick is notably silent, probably because they would have had to pay him more money had he been given dialogue.

This is the final time that Mike Lacey will draw a Cheeky's Week cover strip.

On page 2 it soon becomes clear that, as we go through the week in anticipation of Saturday's disco, there'll be a plethora of poptastic puns and a deal of disco drollery.

Art: Mike Lacey

Sadly, 6 Million Dollar Gran is too preoccupied with entering a cross-Channel flying race to participate in the top ten tomfoolery.

Calculator Kid is in festive mood, but his destination is not the disco; he's been invited to a fancy dress party. Silicon-chipped sidekick Calc advises Charlie to take an unlikely route, involving much mud and brambles, to the celebrations. Arriving in a tattered and grimy state, Charlie of course wins a box of chocs for his 'tramp outfit'. This is one of those rare occasions when the outcome of Calc's microchip machinations is less than optimal...

Art: Terry Bave

What's New Kids makes a surprise return on page 8 – readers probably assumed that the advertising feature had been dropped as it last appeared in the 10 February 1979 edition.

The toothy funster has no trouble tracking down a copy of the current Mystery Comic, as it seems the perplexing publication has been posted on billboards across Krazy Town this week.

Art: Mike Lacey, who is careful not to show
any detail of the Mystery Comic's
front cover

Elephant on the Run is reduced to a single page for the first time, but it's a typically fun episode in which our pachyderm pal employs his ventriloquial and trunk manipulation skills to evade his dogged pursuer (although it's unclear how the doll becomes larger when on the bus than it had been on stage).

Art: Robert Nixon

The latest Star Guest instalment fetches up within the Mystery Comic for the 6^th (and final) time. On this occasion the comic-within-a-comic is host to Whoopee's 2-Ronnies-inspired Sheerluck and Son.

Art: Jimmy Hansen

There's further intrusion upon the Mystery Comic as, in keeping with Cheeky Weekly's theme, the instructions for IPC's new dance craze, The Cheeky Hustle, make their appearance. Readers are invited to cut out the instructions which consist of a series of drawings depicting the toothy funster in various stages of terpsichorean frenzy. Rather than presenting a boring set of pics, I wanted to show an actual demonstration of the dance. However, having failed to interest Mick Jagger in the job, but at not inconsiderable expense (well, the cost of a plate of fish and chips), I have persuaded Cheeky himself to get down and strut his funky stuff...

Art: Jimmy Hansen

Here's an accompanying track for the full disco ambience...

After Cheeky's dancefloor exertions there's an opportunity to relax with this week's Mystery Boy episode before the Mystery Comic concludes with Disaster Des. The presence of Star Guest and the Hustle instructions means we're deprived of Mustapha Million this week.

The Cheeky Weekly section resumes with Joke-Box Jury's usual varied (and sometimes inappropriate from today's viewpoint) mix of gags, before Cheeky's Week reaches Thursday and the mounting anticipation of the forthcoming disco.

Of course there are no disco-related elements in the latest instalment of Menace of the Alpha Man (partly because it's a reprint but mainly because the titular antagonist is not given to displaying his dancefloor moves), following which readers are for the first time invited to submit their guesses as to the identity of the masked menace. Although the strip hasn't yet concluded, all the necessary clues have been provided and prizes of £2 are on offer to the senders of the first 50 coupons correctly naming the hooded villain - the answers will be opened on 26 June.

That leaves only the Chit-Chat page to be negotiated before we finally arrive at Saturday's disco.

Mike Lacey again

The toothy funster is a little premature in his assertion that 'That's all we have time for', because the comic rounds off with a Burpo Special in which the subject is Burpo himself. The Burpo Special is drawn by Frank McDiarmid, but all the other Cheeky's Week pages this week are by Mike Lacey, with Jimmy Hansen contributing the Cheeky Hustle booklet.

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 16-Jun-1979

Artist	Elements
Mike Lacey	9
Frank McDiarmid	1

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 16-Jun-1979, Issue 84 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cheeky's Week - Art Mike Lacey (final art on feature)
2	Sunday - Art Mike Lacey
3	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
4	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
5	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
6	Monday - Art Mike Lacey
7	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
8	What's New, Kids
9	Tuesday - Art Mike Lacey
10	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
11	Ad: The Stickits
12	Wednesday - Art Mike Lacey
13	Tub 'Mystery Comic' 32 of 34 - Art Nigel Edwards
14	Elephant On The Run 'Mystery Comic' 32 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
15	Star Guest 'Sheerluck and Son' - Art Barry Glennard (first art on feature)
16	Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 26 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
17	Cheeky Hustle (single appearance) - Art Jimmy Hansen (single art on feature)
18	Cheeky Hustle (single appearance) - Art Jimmy Hansen (single art on feature)
19	Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 35 of 37 - Art John Richardson
20	Disaster Des 'Mystery Comic' 28 of 30 - Art Mike Lacey
21	Joke-Box Jury
22	Ad: IPC 'Buster Holiday Special' 3 of 3 Ad: 'Angler's Mail' 1 of 2
23	Thursday - Art Mike Lacey
24	Speed Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
25	Friday - Art Mike Lacey
26	Menace of the Alpha Man reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Eric Bradbury
27	Menace of the Alpha Man reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Eric Bradbury
28	Who Is The Alpha Man? (single appearance)\Ad: Dunlop Playsport (first appearance) - Art Nick Baker (first art on feature)
29	Chit-Chat
30	Saturday - Art Mike Lacey
31	Saturday - Art Mike Lacey
32	The Burpo Special 'Baby Burpo' - Art Frank McDiarmid

Cheeky Weekly cover date 31 March 1979

Here's something rather unusual for Cheeky Weekly's 73^rd issue – the cover leads with the news that readers can sport their very own facsimile of the cheeky funster's trademark jersey. All that's required is wool, knitting needles (neither of which are supplied) and some proficiency in following the pattern printed inside this issue. So it's over to you, (as the cover announces in a blatant display of late-seventies sexism) 'kind mums, sisters grannies, aunties or big brother's girlfriend'. Good luck with that. Despite her clicking needles, Cheeky's cover co-star Granny Gumdrop is - judging by her skin colour - entering the final stages of hypothermia.

Page 2 wastes no time in establishing the knitting theme which runs throughout Cheeky's Week this issue – Cheeky announces in Sunday's first panel that Krazy Town's notorious knitter Granny Gumdrop is producing replicas of the toothy funster's stylish garb for all his pals. Judging by the attire of Constable Chuckle, Manhole Man, Doctor Braincell and Cheeky's parents, Granny's needles have already seen considerable action.

Art: Barrie Appleby

Art: Nigel Edwards

Cheeky Weekly's other Gran, of the 6 Million Dollar variety, is collecting her pension at the opening of her story this week. Quite how a robot came to be eligible for a pension remains unexplained. The synthetic senior citizen is outraged to discover a fake banknote among her cash, so decides to forge her own notes in order to lure the currency fakers to reveal their identities. It's not long before the aged automaton delivers the genuine forgers (if that's not a contradiction in terms) to the cop shop.

Granny Gumdrop is appropriately this week's source of the Mystery Comic, which makes no mention on its cover of the knitting pattern which is located therein.

Why, Dad, Why? is in colour on page 16 (sharing the centre pages with the colour cover of the cut-out knitting pattern) and the title banner at the top shows son suffering from the tweaked ear he receives at the end of the story, while Dad leers evilly in anticipation of the thrashing he will administer with the aid of a busted inner tube.

Art: John Geering

The instructions for Cheeky's jersey continue from page 17 to page 18, after which the Mystery Comic concludes with another thrilling Mystery Boy episode. Missing from this week's Mystery Comic is Elephant On The Run, bumped from the issue by the knitting pattern.

Returning to Cheeky Weekly, readers with a vacant space on their bedroom wall will be looking forward to loosening the staples in next week's issue after they've read the ad on page 21 – the toothy funster's comic will feature the first section of a Top Ten Poster as part of the Comics Go Pop promotion also appearing in companion titles Whizzer and Chips and Whoopee! Whoopee's Sweeny Toddler and Bumpkin kids are certainly getting excited. Apparently none of the stars of Cheeky Weekly or Whizzer and Chips were available for the ad.

Barrie Appleby, who has drawn all the Cheeky's Week elements thus far this week, hands over artwork duties to Frank McDiarmid as of the Thursday page, but the jersey japes continue.

Art: Frank McDiarmid

Cheeky Weekly's participation as one of the host titles for the 1979 Star Guest run gets under way this issue with a promotional appearance by Whoopee's peerlessly parsimonious pater, Lolly Pop (who will make return Star Guest appearance later in the run) drawn by Sid Burgon. One might have expected the accomplished Sid, who was the regular Lolly Pop artist at the time in Whoopee! and provided weekly strips for most of the IPC humour titles of the period, to be among Cheeky Weekly's band of talented cartoonists. Only two pages of Sid's work appeared in Cheeky Weekly, both of which were part of the Star Guest run. In addition to the Lolly Pop page mentioned above, Sid delivered the Joker page that appeared in the 07 July 1979 issue of the toothy funster's comic.

Art: Frank McDiarmid

The Pin-Up Pal poster on the back page, this week featuring the Skateboard Squad drawn by Mike Lacey, is the final one in the series.

This issue is another nice Cheeky Weekly special edition (see also the skateboard, 60 years into the future and Smurf issues), with the knitwear fun running through Cheeky's Week. It's a pity the theme didn't extend to the Skateboard Squad and Calculator Kid strips.

Other strips not participating in the pullover punfest are 6 Million Dollar Gran, Paddywack and all of the Mystery Comic features. However none of these stories take place in Cheeky's universe, so the lack of knitwear references is understandable. The intrusion of the knitting pattern into the Mystery Comic is purely due to the mechanics of the Cheeky Weekly printing process, so presumably isn't actually to be considered as part of that perplexing publication.

Some loose strands to knit together with this post -

The Chit-Chat page in Cheeky Weekly dated 19 May 1979 contained an admission regarding the jersey pattern...

But 11 August 1979's Chit-Chat proved that some jerseys had been successfully completed...

As mentioned above, Barrie Appleby and Frank McDiarmid share the Cheeky's Week art duties this issue, each contributing 4 elements.

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 31-Mar-1979, Issue 73 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Cheeky's Jersey' - Art Frank McDiarmid
2	Sunday - Art Barrie Appleby
3	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Nigel Edwards
4	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Nigel Edwards
5	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Nigel Edwards
6	Monday - Art Barrie Appleby
7	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
8	Tease Break\Ad: IPC 'Battle Action' 2 of 2
9	Tuesday - Art Barrie Appleby
10	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
11	Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
12	Wednesday - Art Barrie Appleby
13	Tub 'Mystery Comic' 22 of 34 - Art Nigel Edwards
14	Mustapha Million 'Mystery Comic' 23 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
15	Mustapha Million 'Mystery Comic' 23 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
16	Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 19 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
17	Cheeky's Jersey Pattern (single appearance)
18	Cheeky's Jersey Pattern (single appearance)
19	Disaster Des 'Mystery Comic' 21 of 30 - Art Mike Lacey
20	Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 24 of 37 - Art John Richardson
21	Ad: IPC 'Comics Go Pop promo next week'Ad: 'Tornado' 1 of 4
22	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid
23	Star Guest (first appearance) 'Lolly Pop' 1 of 2 - Art Sid Burgon (first art on feature)
24	Joke-Box Jury
25	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid
26	Menace of the Alpha Man reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Eric Bradbury
27	Menace of the Alpha Man reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Eric Bradbury
28	Chit-Chat
29	Chit-Chat
30	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid
31	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid
32	Pin-up pal (final appearance) 'Skateboard Squad' - Art Jimmy Hansen (single art on feature)

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 31-Mar-1979

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid	4
Barrie Appleby	4

Cheeky Weekly cover date 21 October 1978

Cheeky Weekly commences its second year of publication with this first birthday issue. Not all comics survive to the end of their first year, so this is certainly something to celebrate. The main cover pic features birthday cards from a few of Cheeky's pals and we're invited to guess who sent them. Despite the cover's 'see inside' caption, the identity of the senders of the greetings isn't given in the comic. Can anyone name them all?

Rather surprisingly, no mention is made of the anniversary in this week's cover strip.


The writer of the Cheeky's Week script for this issue seems to have taken inspiration from the 1950 film Harvey, starring James Stewart; as during the week Cheeky has multiple encounters with a human-size rabbit that is apparently only visible to the toothy funster.

6 Million Dollar Gran is reduced to a 2-page episode in which the synthetic senior citizen strives to keep young Pete Potts out of danger as he sleepwalks around town. All comic readers know that one must never waken a somnambulist. This Gran episode is drawn by Nigel Edwards, the third time he has stood in for usual artist Ian Knox.

Inside The Mystery Comic, The Man In The Plastic Mac isn't fooled by our Elephant chum's deft disguise dodges and, like Gran, Mustapha Million's story is truncated by having one page less than normal.

On page 22, back within the Cheeky Weekly section, our Calculator Kid pals are beset by that recurring problem for comic characters; the old meanie who won't give kids back their footballs. Needless to say, Calculator soon has the balls bouncing back to their rightful owners.

Space seems to be at a premium in this issue, as even our perplexing pal Paddywack is reduced to a single row of panels this week.

On Saturday a relieved Cheeky finds out that the giant rabbit he's been seeing all week wasn't the result of a mental aberration brought on by the strain of a year's worth of jokes and japes. It is in fact Presto The Magic Rabbit, who Cheeky's pals have hired for a special show at the cinema, to celebrate Cheeky Weekly's first birthday. Not only that, but Ursula the usherette is giving away all the goodies on her tray for free.

After this week's episode of the film serial, Presto returns on the back cover to set this week's Cheeky's Pal Puzzle, a rather too-brain-taxing word search.

All the Cheeky's Week features in this comic are drawn by by Frank McDiarmid pencils.

Presto The Magic Rabbit makes his only Cheeky Weekly appearance in this issue, and consequently this is the only issue to contain the Hey Presto! Magic Show feature, replacing the usual supporting feature pages.

The higher-than-usual number of adverts in this issue resulted in some features being truncated. While being frustrating for readers expecting their usual-sized helpings of 6 Million Dollar Gran, Mustapha Million and Padddywack, the increased advertising is possibly a sign of a reasonably healthy circulation, or else IPC was offering reduced rates for advertising in this title due to poor sales.

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 21-Oct-1978, Issue 53 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Happy 1st Birthday'\Cheeky's Week - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils (first art on feature)
2	Sunday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
3	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Nigel Edwards
4	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Nigel Edwards
5	Ad: IPC 'Whoopee' 3 of 9 Ad: 'Look and Learn' 11 of 16
6	Monday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
7	Laugh and Learn - Art Brian Walker - Art Barrie Appleby
8	Ad: Kellogg's
9	Tuesday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
10	Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
11	Ad: IPC '2000AD'Ad: 'Shiver and Shake'
12	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
13	Tub 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 34 - Art Nigel Edwards
14	Why, Dad, Why? 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 28 - Art John K. Geering
15	Mystery Boy reprint from Whizzer and Chips 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 37 - Art John Richardson
16	Elephant On The Run 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
17	Elephant On The Run 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 34 - Art Robert Nixon
18	Mustapha Million 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 34 - Art Joe McCaffrey
19	Ad: Weetabix
20	Disaster Des 'Mystery Comic' 4 of 30 - Art Mike Lacey
21	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
22	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
23	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
24	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
25	Ad: Trebor 'Chews Music Centre Competition & Free Jeans Badges' 2 of 3
26	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
27	Hey Presto! Magic Show (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils (single art on feature)
28	Hey Presto! Magic Show (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils (single art on feature)
29	Interval - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
30	The Terrible Trail to Taggart's Treasure reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Eric Bradbury
31	The Terrible Trail to Taggart's Treasure reprint from Shiver and Shake - Art Eric Bradbury
32	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils\Cheeky's Pal Puzzle 'Presto' - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils (first art on feature)

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 21-Oct-1978

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid pencils	10

Cheeky Weekly cover date 09 September 1978

This week's cover abandons the What a Cheek strip in favour of plugs for reader participation features Joke-Box Jury and Paddywack, which can earn money for successful contributors.  The Crack-A-Joke game, now in its second week is also mentioned in the above-title banner, as a reminder for prospective comic purchasers, vacillating over the tempting piles of funny papers on their newsagents' counter, who remembered to keep their cut-out pages from the previous issue.  Parts 2, 3 or 4 of the game will be useless to readers who haven't got part 1.

There's evidence of a theme developing on the Sunday page, as Frank McDiarmid includes a couple of Smurf-related slogans in the background of a couple of panels - 'Smurfs Rool' and 'Smurfy Tyler-Moore', a reference to US actress Mary Tyler-Moore.

The Skateboard Squad are at a grand sports meeting and yes, it's time for that traditional British comic standby script to get yet another airing - the trophies are stolen, just as they were in the Squad's strips in the 06 May 1978, 20 May 1978 and 01 July 1978 issues.  This time, the terrific trio's deft use of the tug of war rope brings the fleeing felon to account.

There's more Smurfery on Sunday evening, as it appears Father Abraham is on the trail of his chirruping blue chums.


 

The same page also sees a bit of a row developing between Snail and Frank McDiarmid.  Good gag about the miners.

In this week's Six Million Dollar Gran strip we learn that the synthetic senior citizen is a member of Midwich Grannies Club, who are on a mystery tour by coach.  The coach, which is as venerable as the assorted granny passengers, soon breaks down.  Gran, determined to complete the mystery tour, tows the charabanc into the middle of an army artillery range. Is there a connection to John Wyndham in the story?

As Cheeky Weekly approaches its first anniversary, page 9 solicits feedback from readers.  This is one of the most detailed readers' polls I have seen, and there's not even a '5 entries drawn from a hat will win a £2 prize' incentive for readers to complete it.  It's interesting that Creepy Sleepy Tale is included in the list of features, when it ended 2 issues ago. This is actually the second time a readers' poll has been conducted - the first poll was printed way back in the 10 December 1977 issue, where it occupied a third of a page.  Let's hope the results of this poll mean we finally get shot of those flippin' Warner Brothers cartoon strips…

There's further mollusc/artist antagonism on the Tuesday page when Snail is amazed to see Cheeky leaning at a 45 degree angle with no visible support.  In the next panel Frank realises he forgot to draw the wall against which the toothy funster is lolling, prompting an outraged thought balloon from Snail, "Bah! That artist has got to go!"

On page 13 the reason for this issue's high level of Smurfage becomes apparent - a Super Smurfs Competition, of the 'spot the difference' variety, is featured.  Cheeky Weekly, National Benzole and Decca records pool their mighty resources to offer readers a chance to win vouchers to redeem for Smurf merchandising from National Benzole service stations.  As a bonus, all winners will receive a copy of a 'Smurfs hit' from Decca records.

The Joke-Box Jury is sitting in judgement on page 14, the same line-up of jurors as featured on the cover, except they've changed their seating arrangements.  All of them seem suitably amused by this week's batch of readers' funnies, so senders of all the jokes featured are assured of their £2 prizes.

I like Cheeky's encounter with Louise on Thursday.  Frank McDiarmid depicts a toothy funster boiling with rage.  Good acting, Cheeky, but we all know you fancy Louise really.

On page 31 is an announcement which all comic fans fear - no, not the 'Great news for all readers' which often heralded the end of the line for a title, but a note from Cheeky…

...good to know that our toothy pal cleared the price hike officially.

Avid TV viewer Square Eyes makes his debut in Cheeky's Week this issue.

We lose 3 pages of funnies to the Crack-A-Joke game for the second week, but on the plus side, this issue contains a glorious all-Frank McDiarmid Cheeky's Week, with added Smurfs.

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 09-Sep-1978, Issue 47 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Win money with Joke-Box Jury' - Art Frank McDiarmid 'Win money with Paddywack' - Art Jack Clayton (single art on feature)
2	Sunday - Art Frank McDiarmid
3	Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
4	Sunday evening - Art Frank McDiarmid
5	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
6	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
7	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
8	Monday - Art Frank McDiarmid
9	Readers poll (single appearance)
10	Ad: IPC 'Whizzer and Chips' 5 of 6
11	Tuesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
12	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
13	Smurfs competition (first appearance)\Ad: Bassett's
14	Joke-Box Jury
15	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
16	Crack-A-Joke Game
17	Crack-A-Joke Game
18	Silly Snaps
19	Silly Snaps
20	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid
21	Mustapha Million - Art Reg Parlett
22	Mustapha Million - Art Reg Parlett
23	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid
24	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
25	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid
26	Tweety and Sylvester 'Bowled Over'
27	Tweety and Sylvester 'Bowled Over'
28	Interval - Art Frank McDiarmid
29	Archie's Angels reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner
30	Archie's Angels reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner
31	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid\Ad: IPC 'Soccer Monthly' 1 of 5
32	Crack-A-Joke Game

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 09-Sep-1978

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid	10

Cheeky Weekly cover date 19 August 1978

Following on from the teaser at the end of last week's issue, this week's cover has been cleared of clutter to give prospective readers a look at a familiarly-attired old gent, his geriatric manhole-dwelling companion and a septuagenarian snail.

It becomes clear on page 2 that this is to be a high-concept issue, as Cheeky gets a glimpse into his life in 2038, courtesy of crazy clairvoyant, Crystal Belle.  One of the surprises on this page is the sight of Bubblegum Boy (now Bubblegum OAP?), still floating above the streets of Krazy Town.

After a glimpse of 2038's Jetboard Squad in the final panel of Sunday's page, it's a bit disappointing to find that on the following page is a story of their grandparents, the Skateboard Squad, set in 1978.

On Sunday evening, the elderly toothy funster is delighted to find that a 1978 repeat of 6 Million Dollar Gran is on TV.  Fortunately for us readers, the repeat must feature the episode that we would have witnessed anyway had this issue not leapt 60 years into the future, as it's one we haven't read before, in which Gran tackles a volcanic eruption.  Unfortunately, there's a continuity error at the end of the Gran strip - in the final panel a youthful toothy funster is seen in front of the TV set as a 'The End' caption appears, not the aged version who started viewing the episode in the final panel of the Sunday evening page.

Doodle Doug, now grey-haired, delivers the Paddywack strip as usual, and the intellectually-challenged subject of his strip doesn't look a day older than when Doug drew him 60 years earlier, but of course comic characters seldom age, the Cheeky's Week strips in this issue being a notable exception..

Cheeky meets the adult Burpo on Wednesday, and has to read a Creepy Sleepy Tale to a new generation of Burpos.  There's another continuity error in the conclusion to Wednesday, which features a youthful Cheeky again.

On Thursday, Cheeky visits Krazy Town library to peruse their bound editions of the Mystery Comic, from which he selects the Mustapha Million story which appeared in the issue dated 19 August 1978.  As Creepy Sleepy Tale had been shifted forward in the comic, and consequently was in black and white, Mustapha Million benefits from being in the full-colour centre-page slot.

The What's New, Kids feature on page 19 is firmly set in 1978, as a youthful Cheeky and not-so-youthful Granny Gumdrop tell us about various items of merchandise hoping to attract the attention of kids from the late 70s.

On Friday, the elderly Cheeky meets an equally aged Charlie Counter, who has of course brought Calculator with him.  Calculator, looking not a day older than he did in 1978, calculates what he and Charlie were doing 60 years earlier to present the Calculator Kid strip on page 21.

There's a double-page Joke-Box Jury on pages 22 and 23, and sitting in judgement of the readers' jokes are youthful versions of Cheeky's pals, so it's not set in 2038.

Cheeky attends the pensioners' film show on Saturday.  60 years into the future, they're still showing those rotten Tweety and Sylvester cartoons, but luckily for us regular readers, the main feature is the second episode of the Archie's Angels series we started reading in last week's issue.  What are the chances of that happening?

Crystal Belle brings Cheeky back to 1978 in the 3-panel conclusion to Saturday, and this issue rounds off with a back-cover Pin-Up Pal poster of Herman the traffic warden.

This is a great issue with lots of fun to be had as we encounter senior-citizen versions of many of Cheeky's pals (but sadly no Walter Wurx - I suppose poking fun at an elderly gent with bladder problems would have been a bit cruel).  Just to be exceptionally picky - it's a shame about the couple of continuity errors.  I suppose the strips in question were prepared some time before the idea for this special issue was mooted.  Nevertheless, I always appreciate it when comic creators go to the trouble of doing something special like this, and this is one of the most memorable issues of Cheeky Weekly.

Thankfully, most of the Cheeky's Week art on this special issue is pure Frank McDiarmid.  Frank delivers 10 Cheeky's Week elements plus the cover and Pin-Up Pal poster, with Barrie Appleby delivering the Wednesday conclusion.

Having enjoyed this issue, we're left reflecting on one question - what did Cheeky do this week in 1978?  We'll never know.

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 12-Aug-1978, Issue 43 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Crystal Belle' - Art Frank McDiarmid\What a Cheek - Art Frank McDiarmid
2	Sunday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
3	Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
4	Sunday evening - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
5	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
6	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
7	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
8	Monday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
9	Ad: Bubbly
10	Tuesday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
11	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
12	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
13	Creepy Sleepy Tale - Art Keith Reynolds
14	Creepy Sleepy Tale - Art Keith Reynolds\Wednesday (conclusion) - Art Barrie Appleby
15	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
16	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
17	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
18	Ad: Trebor 'Double Agents Fingerprint Kit Promotion' 2 of 2
19	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
20	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
21	What's New, Kids\Joke-Box Jury
22	Ad: Rowntree Mackintosh
23	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
24	Ad: Burton's (single appearance)
25	Tweety and Sylvester 'Brain Drain'
26	Tweety and Sylvester 'Brain Drain'
27	Interval - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
28	Archie's Angels (first appearance) reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner (first art on feature)
29	Archie's Angels (first appearance) reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner (first art on feature)
30	Archie's Angels (first appearance) reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner (first art on feature)
31	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils\Ad: IPC 'Jinty' 6 of 7
32	Pin-up pal 'Teacher' - Art Frank McDiarmid

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 19-Aug-1978

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid	10
Barrie Appleby	1

Cheeky Weekly cover date 12 August 1978

This week's above-title banner (printed in pale green on a yellow background and therefore hardly visible) alerts readers to the new cinema serial which starts inside, and below that, silly seer Crystal Belle predicts fun ahead.  As always, the comical clairvoyant's prophecy is proved right and the larks commence immediately below as Cheeky engages Posh Claude in some horological hilarity in the What a Cheek strip.

There's trouble in Krazy Town park (again) for the Skateboard Squad as they take on a bully who's been pinching the little kids' pocket money.  Deft placement of a skateboard by Skipper propels said lout into the ornamental fish pond, after which the sodden small-change snatcher hands his victims back their cash.

On Sunday evening Cheeky's dad announces that the family is going on a surprise barge holiday, so the toothy clan clamber into their car (Snail presumably slithers aboard) and, with mum at the wheel, set off for the canal.  Cheeky's worried that he'll miss today's episode of 6 Million Dollar Gran, but is delighted to find that his dad has borrowed a portable TV, so our toothy pal can watch his favourite programme while they travel.

There's some great Ian Knox art in this week's Gran episode.  I particularly like the depiction of the vicious hound descending on the baddie to reclaim his bone.

Throughout Cheeky's Week, the toothy funster is surprised to meet several of his pals who, by coincidence, also happen to be holidaying on or beside the canal.  Even Burpo's parents are there, meaning the toothy funster is not spared his usual Wednesday babysitting session.  To make it worse, Burpo's cousins are also along for the holiday.

On Thursday, Cheeky frets that he won't be able to find the Mystery Comic, but a copy just happens to float by the barge inside a bottle.  Cheeky enjoys a colour Mustapha Million strip (the first time that we have enjoyed a multichromatic Mustapha), as Creepy Sleepy Tale, usually a colour feature in the centre pages, has been shifted forward in the comic and is in black and white.

On Friday, as Cheeky returns from holiday, and just as we're beginning to wonder how this week's Calculator Kid strip will be incorporated into the comic, Cheeky meets Nosy Nora, who has been snooping on Charlie and Calculator's latest doings, and is happy to tell Cheeky what transpired.

On Saturday it becomes apparent why Cheeky had to finish his holiday on Friday, as otherwise he wouldn't have been able to attend the cinema show.  As announced on the cover, a new film serial starts this week - Archie's Angels.  In fact, this is a reprint from Whizzer and Chips, 1972, with art by the ever-reliable Ron Turner.  I'd always assumed that the strip's title was a play on TV series Charlie's Angels, but a quick search reveals the TV show debuted in 1976, so the comic strip title is evidently a play on the word archangel.

 

…needless to say the kids, all of whom have had "several" flying lessons, form an aerobatic team dedicated to rescuing those in peril.

There is no 'Cheeky's pal appearing throughout the week' element in this issue, instead the canal barge holiday theme dominates Cheeky's Week.  On page 31 is a teaser for next week's issue, featuring an old geezer wearing a familiar jumper and trainers.

Teacher is the subject of the back cover's Pin-Up Pal poster, and is seen enjoying a daydream in which Cheeky is imperilled in a variety of fiendish ways.

Gloomy Glad's Dad makes his third and final Cheeky Weekly appearance this issue, and Glad's Mum makes her only appearance in the toothy funster's comic this week.

The art team that I refer to as Frank McDiarmid pencils produce the majority of the Cheeky's Week art in this issue, providing 10 elements.  Barrie Appleby delivers the Wednesday conclusion, and there's pure Frank McDiarmid art on the Crystal Belle cover feature, What a Cheek and the Pin-Up Pal poster.

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 12-Aug-1978, Issue 43 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Crystal Belle' - Art Frank McDiarmid\What a Cheek - Art Frank McDiarmid
2	Sunday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
3	Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
4	Sunday evening - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
5	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
6	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
7	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
8	Monday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
9	Ad: Bubbly
10	Tuesday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
11	Paddywack - Art Jack Clayton
12	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
13	Creepy Sleepy Tale - Art Keith Reynolds
14	Creepy Sleepy Tale - Art Keith Reynolds\Wednesday (conclusion) - Art Barrie Appleby
15	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
16	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
17	Mustapha Million - Art Joe McCaffrey
18	Ad: Trebor 'Double Agents Fingerprint Kit Promotion' 2 of 2
19	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
20	Calculator Kid - Art Terry Bave
21	What's New, Kids\Joke-Box Jury
22	Ad: Rowntree Mackintosh
23	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
24	Ad: Burton's (single appearance)
25	Tweety and Sylvester 'Brain Drain'
26	Tweety and Sylvester 'Brain Drain'
27	Interval - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils
28	Archie's Angels (first appearance) reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner (first art on feature)
29	Archie's Angels (first appearance) reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner (first art on feature)
30	Archie's Angels (first appearance) reprint from Whizzer and Chips - Art Ron Turner (first art on feature)
31	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid pencils\Ad: IPC 'Jinty' 6 of 7
32	Pin-up pal 'Teacher' - Art Frank McDiarmid

Cheeky's Week Artists Cover Date 12-Aug-1978

Artist	Elements
Frank McDiarmid pencils	10
Barrie Appleby	1
Frank McDiarmid	1

Cheeky Weekly cover date 31 Dec 1977

 Happy Christmas, pals!  And so we reach a Cheeky Weekly milestone, the first Christmas issue. The front page dispenses with the British comic tradition of a snow-topped title, but Frank McDiarmid furnishes a seasonal, Christmas cracker-based cover with a nice falling snow background.

This is a great issue, with Frank firing on all cylinders as he delivers a whole festive-fun-packed Cheeky's Week.  Included are such treats as a group photo featuring the whole of the Cheeky clan (hope Flash Harry used the 'reduce tooth glare' setting on his camera), and Cheeky scoffing a huge slice of Christmas pud in front of 6 Million Dollar Gran on TV.  There's even a Cheeky's Week page in full colour.

Krazy Town looks very seasonal under a blanket of snow, although it poses something of a problem for Snail.  Even Gloomy Glad has the Christmas spirit, and everyone is looking forward to the Vicar's Boxing Day party.

As promised in last week's comic, in this week's Skateboard Squad story we discover which presents the Squad bought for each other with their reward money.  Er, skateboards.  Right.  However, the ingenious team find that by inverting their boards they can travel on the snow.

Sadly, it seems Snail doesn't get a look in with the Christmas grub, but he does get to read the rather unsatisfying concluding chapter of James Bold's first adventure, Fangs of Fear. Although Bold will be back with a new adventure next week, this is the final edition to show Cheeky having a sneaky bedtime read of a Bold novel.

At the Vicar's party there are 2 interlopers; Pongo Snodgrass from Krazy comic makes his only appearance in a Cheeky's Week's strip (although he will appear in a later Creepy Sleepy Tale and 6 Million Dollar Gran episode), and Billy Bunter, also in a one-off appearance, is assumed by the other partygoers to be Krazy's Micky Mimic.  Wipeout, the canine member of The Skateboard Squad, makes his debut as part of Cheeky's Week, but I'm not sure if he was invited.  Skatie from the Squad is also present in her second Cheeky's Week appearance (her first being in the 03 December 1977 issue), but Skipper seems to be absent.

The comic ends on a cliffhanger - who will be the first person through the front door on new year's day?

As it's Christmas, I won't mention that on page 9, Cheeky's mum says that Dad gave Cheeky the racing game, when on page 2 we clearly see it's from Aunt Sarah.

 

Cheeky Weekly	Cover Date: 31-Dec-1977, Issue 11 of 117
Page	Details
1	Cover Feature 'Christmas Issue' 1 of 2 - Art Frank McDiarmid
2	Christmas Morning (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)
3	Christmas Morning (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)
4	Skateboard Squad - Art Jimmy Hansen
5	Christmas Dinner (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)
6	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
7	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
8	6 Million Dollar Gran - Art Ian Knox
9	Christmas Day (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)
10	James Bold 'Fangs of Fear' 11 of 11 - Art Lopez (final art on feature)
11	James Bold 'Fangs of Fear' 11 of 11 - Art Lopez (final art on feature)
12	Boxing Day (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)
13	Boxing Day (single appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)
14	Ad: IPC 'Spotter Book next week'
15	Wednesday - Art Frank McDiarmid
16	Creepy Pantomime (single appearance) - Art Keith Reynolds (single art on feature)
17	Creepy Pantomime (single appearance) - Art Keith Reynolds (single art on feature)\Wednesday (conclusion) - Art Frank McDiarmid
18	Thursday - Art Frank McDiarmid
19	Home Movie 'Xmas Past' - Art Jack Clayton
20	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid
21	Mustapha Million - Art Reg Parlett
22	Mustapha Million - Art Reg Parlett
23	Friday - Art Frank McDiarmid
24	Old Comic reprint from Film Fun 'Frank Randle'
25	Joke-Box Jury
26	Saturday - Art Frank McDiarmid
27	Cocky Doodle reprint from Buster\Ad: IPC 'Roy of the Rovers' 1 of 8
28	Bam Splat and Blooie reprint from Buster\Ad: IPC 'Shoot' 1 of 13
29	Interval - Art Frank McDiarmid
30	Space Family Robinson 'Forest of Fear' - Art John Richardson
31	Space Family Robinson 'Forest of Fear' - Art John Richardson
32	New Year's Eve (first appearance) - Art Frank McDiarmid (single art on feature)