Inspired by the Girls Comics of Yesterday site and by the Tammy Project, the purpose of this blog is to be a index for a specific UK girls comic, namely the IPC/Fleetway publication Jinty.
It is an ongoing work aiming to provide a general guideline to the contents of these comics. Eventually you should be able to see listings of the contents of a specific issue, look up a particular story, or get lists of the stories a specific creator worked on.
As with other similar sites, this is a non-profit fan site, and I own none of the images. Jinty, Tammy, Misty are ™ REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, COPYRIGHT © REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Scans on this site have been done by fans from the printed comics for illustrative purposes only and are not intended for wider distribution; they are very definitely not intended to be to a professional standard! Apologies for any murkiness, wonkiness, or show-through from the other side of the page.
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Contributors currently are Jenni Scott (comixminx) and Mistyfan.
The site was conceived and started by me, Jenni Scott, with the intention of having a weekly update schedule (to motivate me to keep working on it steadily). With substantial help from co-contributor Mistyfan you are currently seeing a more frequent update schedule, long may it last!
Mistyfan has been a huge fan of girls’ comics since childhood. She has a particular soft spot for Tammy as this was the first comic she came across, but her interest rapidly expanded to other titles!
A Resource on Jinty: Artists, Writers, Stories 
Very well done. I was a prolific Jinty reader and oh how I now wish I hadn’t thrown away the huge pile of back issues I had amassed by the early eighties. I have all the annuals 75 to 82 (except 78 which is AWOL). I would love to read a bunch of the comics again. ‘Fran of the floods’! That was the story I keep trying to tell my (now grown up) daughters about. They have both loved reading the annuals too and you’re right when you mention the slight sci-fi feel to some of the stories. I especially loved the long-running serials and could never wait for Saturday morning and the sound of the paper boy delivering my weekly read.
Thank you Kathy! I *did* throw away my JIntys (or rather my mum asked me if she could give them away and I foolishly said yes). Luckily I decided I wanted to get copies again at a time before they became quite so expensive and collectible, and was able to get a whole run for a good price.
I think it’s more than a slight sci-fi feel – clearly science fiction as a theme was a big thing in a lot of girls comics, particularly in Jinty of course but far from exclusively. Admittedly it doesn’t go as far as 2000AD in being pretty much all sf but still.
I’m so glad to discover this site, it is bringing back a lot of memories. I started with issue 1 of Penny, through all the mergers, of which Jinty was the mainstay, to the last Tammy. Unfortunately my grandmother threw my collection out, without telling me.
I am trying to identify a story that I think appeared in older Tammy’s (early 70s) that I’d inherited from my cousins. I didn’t get the whole run of it and always wanted to know what happened, but the plot device seems to fit a lot of Tammy stories. There’s a girl, or a group of girls, trapped somewhere. It has a spooky feel to it, and I think there are toys that come to life, and a mystery about who is running the place. Any ideas? I am happy to chase down all suggestions 🙂
Thank you again for this great site.
Very glad to hear from you! You’re one of many who had your issues thrown out or disposed of, of course: many sympathies as I also had this happen (I agreed to it at the time, though begrudgingly, so I can’t only blame my mum alas!).
You’re right about the story gist being quite similar to other stories. Anything else you can remember about it at all, any small detail that has stuck in your mind at all?
In response to the item about 23 year old men laughing while writing these stories, my late husband Malcolm Shaw took writing for girls’ comics extremely seriously. He edited and wrote for many girls’ comics and eventually became a freelance writer. This included Jinty and Misty (including his often mentioned story Four Faces of Eve) and many other comics even 2000AD. He loved the girls’ genre best of all. He wanted to write good quality stories for all the people who read these publications. He often spoke of all the letters they received from the thousands of girls who read these comics and who loved them too. He worked extremely hard and I never ever heard him laughing about his work, it was hard graft but work he loved. He died the day before his 38 birthday in 1984.
Many thanks for your comment, Brenda – it is lovely to hear from those connected more directly to the creative side of things. I also feel that the story about 23 year old men laughing actually refers to a much smaller and less general group of the writers concerned than it has sounded like when being recounted in the past.
If you were able to give any more information on what you remember about your husband’s work in Jinty and other titles, we would be very grateful – though appreciating of course that it was a long time ago now. In particular we are always after more data on who wrote what story. For instance, I have assumed that Malcolm probably wrote “Guardian of White Horse Hill”, about an orphan who is transported back into ancient Celtic times and who is helped by the Celtic horse goddess Epona, but I would love to get confirmation on that.
And finally I should also say that we are appreciative of having lost a lot in Malcolm’s death – he was clearly a fantastic writer who died far too young.
Yes far too young. I know he wrote many stories for a huge number of comics but as they did not acknowledge writers it is hard to know which were his unless someone remembers. I don’t think I still have many references to what he did write. Pat Mills has proved to be a good resource. It was prior to computers but this info. must be stored somewhere hopefully and someone out there knows where it is.
Pat Mills is someone I have asked before now; I think we probably have had the input from him of what he remembers. I have been in contact with the publishers directly and unfortunately such things as editorial files do not exist any more, so once again we are back to people’s individual memories. If you ever do find any references that help us, we would be very grateful – while ackowledging that this may be too much of an ask!
I am pretty certain Malcolm wrote Guardian of White Horse Hill. Its hard knowing who wrote what as IPC never printed writers’ details on the strips. Only the writers know.
Indeed.
Thank you so much for this website. Jinty was a huge part of my formative years and i can remember the upset of missing the odd weeks edition due to printing strikes. I think like many readers, my mother looked down on comics and eventually persuaded me to throw away my back copies, but i can still remember many of the serials today. I also have realised that 95% of the content on my ipod is spoken word dramas / fiction, so that love of a good story has stayed with me. I remember the fabulous artwork and feel sad how little they were seemingly respected back then. Finally, i remember the feeling of dread when they announced Jinty would be merging another comic with Jinty in the ‘&’ role. I knew this meant it would disappear after a few months. Heartbroken – it was like a methaphor for the end of my childhood. Thanks again!
So glad to hear this! Thanks for writing in 🙂 and hope you keep reading!
Thank you very much for everything you send me by email. Your ´Resource on Jinty´is the best comic blog of all by far. Today for the very first time I saw pages of Sally In A Shell, beautiful artwork by Juan Garcia Quiros – a story I wrote in 1976. Very nice to see it and show to family and friends.
Witch of Widdecombe Wold is another I´ve never ever seen. I wrote it in 1975(one of the very first I penned) for Tammy, but maybe it went to another girls comic. Does anyone anywhere know where I might see some pages of it?
Best wishes and thank you!
Hi Terry did you work with Malcolm Shaw? Were you in-house or freelance?
I never worked alongside Malcolm. I met him and Wilf Prigmore when they took me to lunch to some restaurant in the Strand in 1975 or 1976. Both were real nice. I was writing some of the Molly Mills and Wee Sue then.
I never met them much after that as I rejoined the staff at IPC in King´s Reach Tower in September 1976, subbing on Tiger & Scorcher comic. I worked much more in-house than freelance. I started at Fleetway Publications on Lion comic in March 1960, went freelance in October 1975. I´m kind of both, editorial and writer.
I enjoyed editing as you´re in control and the money´s regular – as a freelance, you are at the mercy of the market.
Pete Downer was a friend of Malcolm. Pete was Art Editor on Battle when I was Editor and told me about Malcolm. I wasn´t so aware then, but know now that Malcolm was an exceptionally talented writer – his stories in Misty prove it. There were only a handful of great comic writers and I think Malcolm was one of them. I was more run-of-the-mill. We were all shocked by Malcolm´s illness and thought it so wrong for someone so young with a family. Extreme ilnesses have hit my family, so I know how horrible it all is.
Hi Terry I am glad you mentioned Peter Downer I know exactly who he is. I had forgotten his name. I knew of Wilf as well. Yes Malcolm was a gifted writer it was so sad that he died so young as he had just begun developing his writing skills for TV. It has been an impossible task knowing who wrote what as the publishers never said who wrote them. I’m afraid I lost his notebooks moving house where he listed what he wrote. Anyway good to hear from another writer.
Hi Brenda I beg your pardon not realising straightaway that you´re the wife of Malcolm. You mentioned it in one of your past messages talking about Malcolm taking his work extremely seriously unlike some others. I also took it seriously, as most people did, you had to, you tried to do your best, you knew the readers were bright and intelligent and wanted original, inspiring stories.
Pete Downer – he used to be Art Editor of Tammy and I guess that´s how he became friends with Malcolm. He visited Malcolm when he was ill as Pete sadly told me in the office one day. Did you meet Pete? Ex-para, a warm-hearted chap.
Many IPC people were affected like Gil Page, Managing Editor of the comics. I worked in an office next to Gil and he told me had been in touch with you.
None of us could ever get rich in comics, but we enjoyed the appreciation of the many thousands of readers, as you wrote in your message Malcolm saying to you and as my Mum used to say to me, Malcolm´s name often appears in comic blogs and so forth, so he´s still appreciated which is great for his family. Best wishes.
Terry
No worries Terry. It is always good to hear from people who knew him. I pass all the messages on to his sons Adam and Jake which is comforting to them. I remember visiting Pete and his family but of course you lose touch with everyone after a death. IPC staff and his colleagues sent the largest collection of books, annuals, presents for the boys that Christmas which they absolutely loved. It proved a bit of a distraction after he died.
Correction: I went freelance in October 1970 until October 1976.
Hello,
I wrote most of the episodes of Jeannie ‘s uncle meanie. The character was John Wagner’s creation. John was my roommate in Dundee. We both worked for D C Thomson. He was in the faction dept.. I was in comics.
The other character I wrote and helped create was Wee Sue. Gerry Finlay Day suggested the character. I wrote most of the early ones.
I was not a prolific writer. I wrote a few other characters. Later I wrote for Walt Disney in Italy.
I decided on a change of direction and went to University.
Both John Wagner and Alan Grant asked me to show them how to write for comics. I think I explained there was no formula, no secret. If you can read the stuff and get interested enough you can probably write it.
John, Pat and Alan are obviously very talented writers and very pleasant individuals.
Iain
Many thanks for writing in, Iain! Have you seen the posts about some early issues of Sandie, which include episodes of Wee Sue that you presumably wrote? More posts on those to come, soon
Hi there. It’s been a while since I posted anything on here, but I was wondering about the indices pages on here. I noticed there were some issues listed that are in italics or have nothing written next to them. Is this because they are missing from your collection(s)? If so, would you like any help in filling in any gaps as I have complete collections of Jinty, Tammy, Sandie and Sally if you would like lists of contents from any missing issues. I’m currently compiling lists of contents for missing Diana Annuals for Lorraine’s Girl’s comics site.
I also have all the Lindy comics if that helps.
I’d love to know what the story was about the girl in the future in a world with no nature. I remember her sister was ill and she found some grass she thought might cure her (?) it’s a vivid memory but no idea if I have it right. I’d love to re-read the story. It’s stayed with me my whole life.
I think you may be thinking of The Forbidden Garden: check it out on the site and see. If so, someone may be able to send you scans, perhaps…
Here: https://jintycomic.wordpress.com/2014/12/27/the-forbidden-garden-1979/
How can I get a chance to read the “Incredible Shrinking Girl”? I have been looking for Issues 1-5 on eBay, but so far, no luck!
Hi! Sorry, I don’t have it myself so I can’t help. Sometimes people have scanned issues for sale, have you tried searching for that at all? Or there is a Facebook group for British girls comics which is often able to help.
Hi Comixminx,
I’ve just stumbled across your blog – great stuff! I have a huge love for old British comics, but I have to admit that there are shameful gaps in my knowledge when it come to the titles marketed at girls! (I run my own comics blog on WordPress: https://michaelowencarroll.wordpress.com)
I’ve just been checking out your Wants list… The only one I have that you’re missing is issue #5 (8 June 1974) so if you’re still looking for that one, just let me know and you can have it for One Billion Dollars, or for free, whichever works best for you!
Cheers,
Mike
Yep, I’ve just checked: I definitely have Jinty issue #5. It’s in pretty good condition for its age: a small tear on the front cover, address written in pen on the back cover, but otherwise it’s fine. Yours if you want it!
Cheers,
Mike
Many thanks for the offer and apologies for the delay in replying! I was pretty sure my wants list was up to date but checked again to be sure and yes, I’m still wanting it. Thank you so much! I’ll email you (your email is not visible to others but it is to me as admin).
Hi there. I’m searching for the artist Ron Lumsden who was a family friend many moons ago. My family have some ink drawings that we would love to return to him. If anyone has any details please can you let me know? Thank you so much.
Hi! I don’t have any contact details for Ron Lumsden myself, sorry, but perhaps others reading this will do. Fingers crossed!
Thank you I hope so!!