The History: 1990 - 2000
Whizzer and Chips Issue 1, October 1969
It was evident that at some point, the two strongest
titles in Fleetway were to merge. In November 1990, Whizzer and Chips joined Buster
becoming the final title to join the comic. Although still continuing with The Best
of Whizzer & Chips monthly, and releasing annuals it was as if Whizzer and Chips
had never left, though joining Buster’s weekly output made it clear struck a
final blow to the Fleetway comic industry. The merger between the big two, bought in
strips such as Joker, Junior Rotter,
Sweeny Toddler and The Bumpkin
Billionaires although they were all reprints from the older days of the
comics.
Buster and Whizzer and Chips from December 1990
As a 32 page colour production, Buster continued weekly
until January 1995. But it was evidently struggling. With the price rising gradually
from 55p weekly to a final price of £1.10 fortnightly production costs were
obviously high. However, whilst still boasting to be the only 32 page all colour
comic (even if most of it was reprints coloured in) Buster did manage to push through
the decade.
It was obvious though the axe was beginning to fall. Despite spin off publications
such as Buster Classics, The
Best of Buster and of course Big Value Comic, none managed
to put Fleetway back in the position it had been in many years beforehand.
The first signs began appearing just over a year before Buster’s end. Classic
strips were starting to appear, such as the early Cliff
Hanger episodes, and the first ever Bobby’s
Ghoul. Plus returns from characters who had not been seen for some while such as
The Savers, and Adam Adman. During
this time the only new strip to Buster was Dr. Zitbags
Transylvanian Pet Shop, running in the mid nineties based on the television
programmes.
39 years into it’s run, Buster went to town in it’s birthday
celebrations, presumably knowing that it wouldn’t reach forty. Two strips were
dedicated to the birthday. Tom Thug stole some of Specky Hector The Comic Book Collectors comics to read old
Buster’s and Chalky drew a huge image on the side of
a building showing Buster edition one (a strip reprinted from 1995 and the 35th
Birthday).
Four months before the close of Buster, the final letters page appeared, listing all
of the remaining reader birthdays, and the closure of Cliff
Hanger, with every option leaving Cliff to lead a life without the evil
spies.
Buster's Final Front Cover
Finally, the edition marked 22nd December 1999 to 4th
January 2000 was also marked the last one. Artist J. Edward Oliver (who created such
strips as Cliff Hanger, and Mastermind) took his character
Crazy Maisie to the end, revealing how each
character’s story ended.
The final frames revealed Buster removing his hat to show off a Dennis the Mence
style haircut, and Vid Kid’s remote control getting
caught out by the Millenium Bug, and plunging the comic into darkness.
The Back Cover of the Last Ever Edition
After nearly forty years, 12 Mergers, 344 different strips
and Millions of readers Buster breathed it’s last, becoming part of comic
history, along with it’s makers Fleetway, who’s comic empire had
crumbled. With no comics left to merge with, it was clear that Buster was on his way
out, but to make it to Forty years was one huge achievement.
The Final Word goes to Ray Moore who helped compile The Buster Index released in
1995.
"Now, sadly, Buster is a bridge from nothing to nowhere as it stands alone, having
ironically outlived all it helped create."
Buster Comic 21st May 1960 – 4th January
2000
Take me to the 1960s
Take me to the 1970s
Take me to the 1980s
Take me back to The Contents Page