Those who may enjoy the proto clear line stylings of
the great Dudley D. Watkins and his colleagues at D.C. Thompson might be interested in two books produced for the Christmas market last year - reproductions of
The Dandy Monster Comic (effectively the first annual) and the first
The Broons book, both originally produced in 1939. They are both very nicely produced, and come in slip-covers.
I bring these up now as the London Charing Cross Road branch of the "Bookends" remaindered book chain has them in currently, at less than 25% of the original cost (they were £16.99, and now are £3.99 each); if you have a "Bookends" or other outlet such as "Bargain Books" it could be worth a look.
Also of note is that, like
Congo, there was a bit of controversy for the
Dandy book last Christmas, as one of the strips for the character "Smarty Grandpa" (effectively Granpaw Broon by another name) uses the now-unacceptable expression, "nigger minstrels", and shows Grandpa (albeit inadvertantly) in black-face, together with stereotypically drawn black musicians.
What made the situation slightly different to
Congo is that the story revolves around the fact that Grandpa is fast friends with the musicians, rather than being paternalistic towards them (although there is a slight insinuation that Grandpa in black-face is more entertaining to his accidental audience than the troupe, albeit that he is laughed at for being inept).
Anyway, whatever the rights and wrongs, the book came out without any disclaimer or explanation, when really it could at least have been mentioned on the slip-cover.
So I would warn you that book contains themes and depictions of race which, while deemed acceptable in 1939, may now be seen as offensive.
