The History: 1980 - 1989
During its penultimate decade, Buster absorbed three of
the six remaining Fleetway publications. In February 1982, Jackpot joined Buster,
becoming the 8th magazine to do so.
Jackpot Issue 1, from May 1979
This bought in new characters such as The Winners, Top of the Class and Jack Pott himself. The Leopard of Lime
Street was still going strong, being the final adventure story Buster was to use
in its pages. Red was appearing in the centre and back pages, the first colour for
many years.
Buster and Jackpot February 1982
However, all comics were suffering with the new
technologies that were coming out, with comic reading becoming less the thing to do.
Every comic felt the brunt of the trouble, but Fleetway publications seemed to be
feeling the worst.
School Fun from October 1983
Seven months after it’s launch, School Fun joined
Buster in 1984. At the same time Whopee (considered by some to be the third great
Fleetway comic with a run of over 10 years) was entering it’s final stages
before joining Whizzer and Chips.
Buster and School Fun March 1985
More about this in the Mergers section. School Fun’s
arrival at Buster comic bought with it more familiar characters to later readers like
School Belle, Young Arfur and
Walt Teaser.
Nipper Issue 1 from January 1987
Eight months into it’s run, Nipper joined Buster in
September 1987, leaving just three comics to Fleetway’s name (Oink! Whizzer
& Chips and Buster). Nipper kept Buster going some more, with chracters such as
Brad Break, Ricky Rainbow, Mighty Mouth and, of course, Nipper himself.
Nipper and Buster from September 1987
Oink from May 1986
Although starting strong, crazy comic Oink!, joined
Buster’s pages after a two and a half years solo run. New characters included
Tom Thug's Skooldayz and Pete's
Pimple.
Buster and Oink! from November 1988
Now boasting more colour pages, and with X-Ray Specs on the front cover Buster appeared to be
strengthening with the new life from it’s more recent mergers. However,
time’s were still tough in the comic industry, and with now just two titles to
it’s name, Fleetway and IPC were losing what had been a comic empire.
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