On this day, 19 June 1982: Wow!

Cover artwork: David Mostyn

 Wow! ran for a little over a year, between the Junes of 1982 and 1983. On its own terms, it's an extremely good comic - it's nicely designed, showcases some of the very best humour cartoonists on IPC's roster at this time, and an interesting mix of fun features and competitions alongside the strips. It's blighted rather unfortunately for modern eyes by the splashy full-colour centre pages devoted to the marketing of Rolf Harris's Magic Brushes, but that aside, it represents all that was good about IPC's juvenile range. I get the impression that it was just a little after it's time, however - a new comic launched at a time that humour comics were on the wane - so Wow! is not as well, nor as fondly, remembered as the likes of Jackpot (launched a couple of years earlier) or Whoopee! (into which it was merged).

Shipwreck School: Mike Lacey (artist)

Creepy Comix: Reg Parlett (artist)

Hi De Hi, Hi De Hoooo: Rob Lee (artist)

Space Invaders advertisement: Jack Edward Oliver (artist)

Team Mates: Tom Paterson (artist)

Jake the Peg: Paul Ailey? (artist)

Rolf's Magic Brushes: Paul Ailey? (artist)

KBR Kids' Band Radio: David Mostyn (artist)

Spare Part Kit: Vic Neill (artist)

Adam and his Ants: Sid Burgon (artist)

Adam and his Ants: Sid Burgon (artist)