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The Rover was the second of the ‘Big Five’, first published
March 4th 1922 it ran to 1855 issues, with the last issue (1855) January 14th
1961.
The Rover was merged with Adventure and the first issue of Rover and
Adventure was issued the following week January 21st 1961, the title ran to 142
issues before reverting to The Rover October 12th 1963 and
then merging with The Wizard issue 148 November
16th 1963.
Rover and Wizard was published the
following week November 23rd 1963 and again it reverted back to The Rover with issue 448 August
16th 1969 and so after nearly 51 years, January 13th 1973 saw the last issue of
The Rover with issue 626.
Below are some of the characters
featured in The Rover:
ALF TUPPER, MATT BRADDOCK, KID LAINE, MORGYN THE MIGHTY,
NICK SMITH, TELEGRAPH TIM, THE WONDER
MAN, THICK-EAR DONOVAN, NICKEL, THE ROBOT BOY, WALLY BRAND.
And the stories:
THE BIG TREE,
PONY EXPRESS, V FOR VENGEANCE, I FLEW WITH BRADDOCK, THE TOUGH OF THE TRACK, THE
DIXIE DRUMMER, THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER, THE BARROW BOY FROM MARS, THE BIG
FELLOW, THE ‘TEC NOBODY KNOWS.
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A SELECTION OF THE ROVER COVERS |
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5 |
9 |
20 |
24 |
28 |
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April
1st 1922 |
April
29th 1922 |
July
15th 1922 |
August
12th 1922 |
September
9th 1922 |
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36 |
48 |
209 |
313 |
483 |
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November
4th 1922 |
January
23rd 1923 |
February
27th 1926 |
April
14th 1928 |
July
18th 1931 |
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637 |
800 |
866 |
933 |
1044 |
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June
30th 1934 |
August
14th 1937 |
November
19th 1938 |
Mar
2nd 1940 |
November
14th 1942 |
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1133 |
1151 |
1192 |
1240 |
1276 |
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April
13th 1946 |
December
14th 1946 |
January
17th 1948 |
April
2nd 1949 |
December
10th 1949 |
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1388 |
1485 |
1740 |
1826 |
1855 |
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February
2nd 1952 |
December
12th 1953 |
November
1st 1958 |
June
25th 1960 |
January
14th 1961 |
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#1855 January 14th 1961 Last issue of The Rover merged with Adventure. |
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SCHOOL BADGES |
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SCHOOL BADGES first appeared on the front cover of: ‘THE ROVER’ and later the back cover of ‘ROVER AND ADVENTURE’ I have checked my collection of comics
and formulated a list. If you have any information you wish to
add please email me. And between us we could compile a
comprehensive list. |
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1400 |
Maybe your School/College is listed. To
check out the list Click here |
1439 |
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The Rover Title List 1941
- 1961
The Rover and Adventure Title List 1961 - 1963
The Rover and Wizard Title List 1963 - 1969
The Rover Title List 1969 - 1973
Following are a selection of stories featured
in THE ROVER:
ADVENTURE
STORIES
THE
ARMY OF THE FLAMES:
Read about the R.A.F. of the future, its wonder pilots and the amazing
aircraft they use in their death – or glory battle against an enemy that threatens
to obliterate the earth from 5000 miles away in space!
Click here to
read the first double episode of The Army of the Flames.
THE
BLUE FLASH:
A man could freeze to death on a trouble-shooting job. “Sparks” Hendrie
knew that, none better.
This first episode appeared in the Rover in 1949.
Click here to read the first episode of The Blue Flash.
THE
DUEL OF THE GIANTS:
Two giants of the iron road fight a tremendous duel to decide a “war” between
rival railway companies.
This complete story appeared in the Rover in 1957.
Click here to read The Duel of the Giants.
THE FRIGHTENED YEAR OF THE FIREFLIES:
Britain is under attack from an Eastern power launching “Fireflies”
(nuclear rockets).
Britain is protected from this menace by an invisible umbrella.
Click here to
read the last episode of The Frightened Year of the Fireflies.
MORGYN THE MIGHTY:
The exploits of the world’s strongest man on an island of terror!
Click here to read the first episode of Morgyn the Mighty.
PONY
EXPRESS:
An epic story of the pony express and two bitter rivals, J.A. Slade
& Wal Loader, who set aside their feud, to get the mails through.
Click here to
read the first episode (first series) of Pony Express.
Click here to
read the last episode (first series) of Pony Express.
THE 99 DEADLY DAYS:
The Planet Earth is attacked by a strange ray emanating from Nimbis;
this ray causes the Ice Caps of the world to melt. Scientists have 99 days to
save Earth from destruction.
Click here to
read the last episode of The 99 Deadly Days.
THE MENACE IN PIT 19:
Follow seven men on their rescue bid
along the strange tunnels from nowhere.
From the Rover issue 1306 July 8th 1950
Click here to read the first &
last episode.
THE
PUZZLE OF THE PURPLE SAND:
Shortly after the start of the war, a British agent working in a German
laboratory discovered a purple sand which he suspected the Germans were using
to manufacture an explosive of an atomic nature which could win the war.
Click here to read the last episode of The Puzzle of the Purple
Sand.
THE
‘TEC NOBODY KNOWS:
John Martin was a member of the Scotland Yard Ghost Squad and the
greatest authority on missing persons in the country.
Click here to
read a complete episode of The ‘Tec Nobody Knows.
THE
WOLF OF
Along the untamed North-West Frontier of India two dauntless men were
famed, even among the brave, for their bravery.
Click here to
read the first episode of The Wolf of Kabul.
SCHOOL
STORIES
THE SCHOOL BEHIND THE HIGH WALL:
Wrongly accused David Garfield is sentenced to a term in Ashfield
Approved School and uses his time to prove his innocence.
A follow up to this story entitled “His Number’s 99” concerned
troublemaker Jim Hawkins.
Click here to
read the first episode of The School behind the High Wall.
THICK-EAR
DONOVAN:
British schoolmaster Thick-Ear Donovan is the Sheriff and Schoolmaster
of Moose Springs, North-West Canada.
Click here to
read a complete story of Thick-Ear Donovan.
SPORTS
STORIES
ALF
TUPPER – THE TOUGH OF THE TRACK:
Alf Tupper was eighteen years of age when he first appeared in THE ROVER in 1949, he continued
his adventures in VICTOR in
the early 1960's. He lived with his Aunt Meg in Anchor Alley, Greystone. The
house had one room upstairs and one room downstairs; Alf's bed was a mattress
on the kitchen floor. He was employed as a welder working in Ike Smith's
welding shop which was located under a railway arch, his wages were £1.5s
(£1.25p) per week of which he paid his Aunt £1.2s.6d (£1. 12½p) for rent. This
meant he had 2/6d (12½p) for himself. Following a bust up with his Aunt Meg, he
moved into Ike Smith's welding shop, sleeping on a mattress by his workbench.
Alf joined the Greystone Harriers paying a subcription fee of half a
guinea; he was only a member of the Harriers for three weeks and was instructed
to return his membership card by Bob Richards the Hon Secretary, following an
ontrack fight with Vic Mason in the 440yards at the Greystone Harriers Sports
meeting. Alf's staple diet was fish & chips wrapped in newspaper.
Click here to
read the first episode (First series) of Alf Tupper - The Tough of the Track.
Click here to
read the last episode (First series) of Alf Tupper - The Tough of the Track.
Click here to
read the first episode (Second series) of Alf Tupper - The Tough of the Track.
Click here to
read the last episode (Second series) of Alf Tupper - The Tough of the Track.
GORGEOUS
GUS:
Jeepers! A footballer with his own
dressing-room, creases in his shorts, a valet to attend him!
Ah, but this is no ordinary footballer, boys!
This is Gorgeous Gus.
Click here to read the first episode of Gorgeous
Gus.
IT’S
GOALS THAT COUNT:
There have been many stories about professional footballer, Nick Smith.
Here are some of the titles: “It’s Goals that Count”, “Football is my job”,
“Nick Smith’s Ragged Rovers”, Nick Smith Builds a Team, “It’s Teamwork that
Counts”, “All Over the World – It’s Goals that Count”.
Click here to
read an episode of Nick Smith.
IT’S
RUNS THAT COUNT:
Rob Higson, England cricket player and Highshire County Cricket Club
captain, narrates this cricketing story.
Click here to
read an episode of It’s Runs That Count.
THE
SATURDAY WONDERS:
Jimmy Kane football writer for the "Penstone Evening
Telegraph," relates the story of Penstone Rangers in the Saturday Wonders.
The story first appeared in The Wizard in
1947/48 as 'The Red Rangers' and was reprinted as 'The Saturday Wonders' in The
Rover from 1958.
Click here to
read the first episode of The Saturday Wonders.
WAR
STORIES
I
FLEW WITH BRADDOCK:
Sergeant Matt Braddock V.C., D.F.M., was one of the R.A.F.'s greatest
pilots. His various exploits are told by his
navigator Sergeant George Bourne. Braddock flew
various aircraft including Beaufighters, Hampdens and Mosquitoes. I Flew with Braddock stories appeared in
the WIZARD and the ROVER during the 40's and 50's later becoming picture
stories in HORNET and VICTOR.
Click here to
read the (First series) first episode of I flew with Braddock.
Click here to
read the (First series) last episode of I flew with Braddock.
SQUADRON
X:
During the Second World War Squadron X was formed, and consisted of a
group of top fliers gathered together by their Wing Commander “The Big Fellow”
to carry out special missions.
Click here to
read the first episode of Squadron X.
MISCELLANEOUS
CHARLIE
THE CHALLENGER:
Can a man with one hand tied behind his back beat an expert bricklayer
at his own game? Charlie Smith thinks he can.
Click here to read the first episode of Charlie the
Challenger.
Vic Whittle 2019
© D. C. Thomson
& Co Ltd