British comics: Difference between revisions

In the 1970s very few boys' comics in the "slick" format were launched, although ''Countdown'' was one exception, launching in 1971 with content similar to ''TV 21'' (which had closed by then) and ''TV Comic''. ''Vulcan'', a reprint title, was another, in 1976. Girls' titles which had launched in the "slick" format in the 1960s continued in that format into the 1970s; and others, such as ''Diana'' and ''Judy'', changed to become ''slicks''. They found themselves in the same market as teenage titles for girls such as ''Boyfriend'' and ''Blue Jeans'', which had changed their content and were featuring mainly product-related articles and photo-strips.

 

 

In the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the [[underground comics]] movement inspired two new comics in the UK: ''[[Oz (magazine)|Oz]]'' and ''[[Nasty Tales]]'' were launched with the Underground premise of counter-culture rebellion. ''Oz'' notoriously featured the children's character ''[[Rupert the Bear]]'' performing sexual acts. Both magazines were tried at the [[Old Bailey]] under the [[Obscene Publications Act]] because of their content. The ''Oz'' defendants were convicted, although the conviction was overturned on appeal. The ''Nasty Tales'' defendants were cautioned. However, both these comics ceased publication soon after their trial, as much due to the social changes at the end of the counter-culture movement as any effect of the court cases. These were always adult magazines, not titles aimed at the mainstream children's market.