British Comics Update: Jag #1 1968
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: In 1968, Fleetway/IPC launched Jag, the third (after Lion and Tiger) of their ‘big cat’ anthologies – and this was the biggest, measuring 12″ by 14″. This awkward size, somewhere between TV 21 and Beezer, meant that it was usually displayed folded even when brand new in newsagents. Despite its imposing size, much of Jag’s content was surprisingly by-the-numbers, although later in its run it acquired a ‘star’ feature – ‘Football Family Robinson’ – ably illustrated by Joe Colquhoun, which went on to a much longer life in Tiger, which absorbed Jag after less than a year. Jag, owing to its unusual dimensions, hasn’t generally been stored carefully or survived the years well, and our latest copy is only a Good, with a heavy horizontal newsagent’s fold, wear to right and bottom edges and, sadly, without the Free Gift. Still, a less common and interesting backwater in UK comics’ publishing history.
PICTURED: JAG #1 4/5/68 GD £30