The Hotspur
The Hotspur has had a double life, it begun as a storypaper with issue #1 in (2nd Sept 1933) and ran for 1197 issues until (17th Oct 1959). After this date it became a comic rather than a storypaper renaming itself 'The New Hotspur'.
Issue #1 of 'New Hotspur' ran from (24th Oct 1959) lasting 173 issues until (9th Feb 1963), dropping the 'New' from its title in issue #174 and becoming just 'Hotspur' again from (16th Feb 1963) and running a further 944 issues until (24th Jan 1981) until merging with The Victor.
The Hotspur - (issues #1 - #1197) - Years (1933 to 1959)
The New Hotspur - (issues #1 - #1117) - YEARS (1959 to 1981)
Free Gifts/comics listed to date...
The Hotspur volume 1
- The Hotspur #1 - (2nd Sept 1933) - Black cloth mask
- The Hotspur #78 - (23rd Feb 1935) - The Big Spoof Book
- The Hotspur #283 - (28th Jan 1939) - Make Your Own Badges
- The Hotspur #292 - (1st April 1939)- Dodger Drew booklet
- The Hotspur #293 - (8th April 1939) - My Own Easter Logbook
- The Hotspur #299 - (20th May 1939) - The World's Lost Cities booklet
- THe Hotspur #335 - (27th Jan 1940) - set of 12No. Guns in Action trading cards
- The Hotspur #852 - (7th March 1953) - The Rocket Glider
- The Hotspur #955 - (26th Feb 1955) - The Zippy Boomerang
- The Hotspur #956 - (5th March 1955) - Pot Shot Pete (aim game)
- The Hotspur #1170 - (11th April 1959) - 2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks (cards #7 & #8)
- The Hotspur #1172 - (25th April 1959) - 2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks (cards #23 & #24)
- The Hotspur #1173 - (2nd May 1959) - 2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks
- The Hotspur #1177 - (30th May 1959) - 2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks
The Hotspur volume 2
- The New Hotspur (vol.2) #1 - (24th Oct 1959) - Jumping Frog (3x colours)
- The Hotspur (vol.2) #363 - (1st Oct 1966) - The Hotspur Boomerang
- The Hotspur (vol.2) #521 - (11th Oct 1969) - Handy Book of Football colours
- The Hotspur (vol.2) #626 - (16th Oct 1971) - Squirty Ring
- The Hotspur (vol.2) #627 - (23rd Oct 1971) - sheet of 15 stickers
The Hotspur #1 - (2nd Sept 1933)
Free Gift: Black cloth mask
Description:
This free gift was a black cloth mask almost identicial to the Beano comic #1 free gift except the Beano free gift was a tan colour.
The Hotspur #78
- dated (23rd Feb 1935)
Free Gift:
The Big Spoof Book
The Hotspur #283
- dated (28th Jan 1939)
Free Gift:
Make Your Own Badges book
The Hotspur #292
dated - (1st April 1939)
Free Gift:
Dodger Drew booklet
Description:
Hotspur Handy books series No.3
The Hotspur #293
dated - (8th April 1939)
Free Gift:
My Own Easter Logbook
Description:
Hotspur Handy books series No.4
A checklist & guide book for the young boy, pleaces he's been, things he's done as well as the usual Boy Scout type information
The Hotspur #299
dated - (20th May 1939)
Free Gift:
The World's Lost Cities booklet
The Hotspur #335
dated - (27th Jan 1940)
Free Gift:
Guns in Action trading cards
Description:
set of 12No. trading cards mounted onto a single sheet
The Hotspur #852
dated - (7th March 1953)
Free Gift:
The Rocket Glider
The Hotspur #955
dated - (26th Feb 1955)
Free Gift:
The Zippy Boomerang
Description:
This white plastic boomerang came with a rubber bang & 'shooting stick' housed inside a paper envelope with user instructions to the front.
Hotspur #956
- dated (5th Match 1955)
Free Gift:
Pot Shot Pete
Description:
aim game
The Hotspur #1170
dated - (11th April 1959)
Free Gift:
2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks
- card #7 - The kick curves out
- card #8 - When it pays to pass back to your back
Description: (64 card set)
originally these two cards would be joint together & would have to be cut apart
The full 64 card set was spread over The Wizard, The Rover, The Hotspur & The Adventure comic. Two cards per issue spread over 8 issues per title.
The Hotspur #1172
dated - (25th April 1959)
Free Gift:
2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks
- card #23 - The Long-Distance Lob
- card #24 - The Chip Back from the Line is a Winner
Description: (64 card set)
originally these two cards would be joint together & would have to be cut apart
The full 64 card set was spread over The Wizard, The Rover, The Hotspur & The Adventure comic. Two cards per issue spread over 8 issues per title.
The Hotspur #1173
dated - (2nd May 1959)
Free Gift:
2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks
- card #??? -
- card #??? -
Description: (64 card set)
originally these two cards would be joint together & would have to be cut apart
The full 64 card set was spread over The Wizard, The Rover, The Hotspur & The Adventure comic. Two cards per issue spread over 8 issues per title.
The Hotspur #1177
dated - (2nd May 1959)
Free Gift:
2x cards - Football Tips & Tricks
- card #??? -
- card #??? -
Description: (64 card set)
originally these two cards would be joint together & would have to be cut apart
The full 64 card set was spread over The Wizard, The Rover, The Hotspur & The Adventure comic. Two cards per issue spread over 8 issues per title.
The Hotspur volume 2
The New Hotspur
(volume 2) #1
Date - (24th Oct 1959)
Free Gift:
Jumping Frog
- 3x colours (red, yellow & green)
Description:
A tin toy frog with a spring pin that is trapped by a small amount of tar attached to the underside of the toy to cause a delayed sping action.
Sometimes confused with the Jumping Frog of Dandy Comic #2 (red frog). The easiest way to identify are the words 'EMPIRE MADE' etched into the underside of the frog.
The Hotspur (vol.2) #363
- dated (1st Oct 1966)
Free gift:
The Hotspur Boomerang
Description:
Cardboard boomerang mounted onto card, to be punched out to form an 'X' style boomerang
The Hotspur (vol.2) #521
- dated (11th Oct 1969)
Free gift:
The Handy Book of Football Colours
The Hotspur (vol.2) #626
dated - (16th Oct 1971)
Free Gift:
The Squirty Ring
Description:
blue ring with red water store, came housed in an illustrated envelope
The Hotspur (vol.2) #627
dated - (23rd Oct 1971)
Free Gift:
Sheet of 15x stickers
Description:
Sheet of 15 x stickers ranging from 'I like school', 'I hate your Team' - 3x large stickers & 12x small stickers.
