The final addition to the Buster family was Buster
Classics. Despite the loss of The Best of Buster and BVC, Fleetway persevered with a
final comic. Buster Classics was a monthly comic launched in February 1996. Once
again it featured strips from the late 70s and 80s.
It could well have been a great chance to go right back into the archives of the
1960s & early 70s, but the opportunity was never siezed. Sadly, by September 1996
it had disappeared and became part of comic history. I say sadly because it was
actually quite good. The final annuals from Fleetway were back in 1994 and the likes
of Young Arfur, Walt Teaser, Gums etc had only made brief appearances in BVC or Best
of Buster. It was good to relive some of the golden oldies.
Each month there would be a guest star normally from
Whizzer and Chips. These included the likes of Lolly Pop and Sammy Shrink to name
just two.
The Buster Classics letters page looks familiar. It was exactly the same format as
BVC, with a Super Soaker prize. In fact in issue 1, the letters printed were left
over from BVC.
Buster Classics was the last of the spinoffs. After eight months and a small price
increase, it left us and with it a good chunk of history went too. Those old Buster
favourites were lost, many of them never to be seen again.
Back to the Spinoffs