COMICS, BOOKS AND THE PICTURE HOUSE


My world of imagination (or day dreaming if truth were told) was also nourished by the comics and books I read.  I was always fond of reading and, like most other children in the 1950s, I could hardly wait until it was time to get the Radio Fun, the Dandy, Beano, and later on the Wizard and, best of all, the Eagle.


Another source of reading excitement was provided by the American Comics like Superman and Batman.  Not only did these bring in new adventure heroes but the inside covers carried small advertisements for such essential boyish needs as periscopes to spy round corners, secret codes, books to teach you how to throw your voice or perform magic tricks, and even X-ray glasses with the selling point that, with these glasses, you just happened to be able to see through girls’ dresses! I never knew of anyone actually buying any of these offers, not even the X-ray glasses.



When it was my birthday or Christmas, there would usually be at least one present of a book or books.  I enjoyed books ranging from long established classics like Treasure Island or Robinson Crusoe to more modern series such as the Just William books about a ten year old always plotting adventures and getting into scrapes and the Famous Five series about four children and a dog always plotting adventures and getting into scrapes.  Often the Five would unmask some spy or other villain and keep him in captivity until handing him over to the police, or help rescue people from danger.  William, on the other hand, usually unmasked and imprisoned some totally blameless character and generally wreaked havoc – but (almost) always with the best of intentions.

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