#22jan

Spike No. 1, dated 22 January 1983. Iron Barr cover by Mike White. The rest of the line-up was Starhawk, A Ghost in the Cockpit, The Man in Black (Wilson), The Bleak Street Bunch, 5 Minute Mystery and Ticker Tait. Both the Wilson strip and Ticker Tait were drawn by Neville Wilson.

I can remember getting this in the NPO in Northcott Shopping Centre, Glengormley. The NPO was a chain of stationery shops/newsagents which were later bought over by Easons. Any remaining Easons in Northern Ireland closed down during 2020 and we don't really have a similar chain of newsagents now. I used to love going into shops like that as a kid. You never knew what new books or comics would be on the shelves.

Back page ad for the upcoming free gifts below. DC Thomson.

2014

Louis in Sheffield

2016

Louis was spotted at Sunglass Hut in LA 🕶

2017

Louis landed in NYC ahead of another round of promo for Just Hold On

2020

Louis appeared on BBC's The One Show where he performed Walls for the first time live 📺

- Do you feel like you've said what you wanted to say with this album? x

George and Pattie pose for press photos at the NEMS offices in London on the 22nd January 1966, the day after their wedding. 

The Wizard No. 102 (22 January 1972) and 162 (17 March 1973). Either they had a lack of new ideas for free gifts at this point or they had ordered huge amounts of these. Probably a bit of both. Can't remember the same free gift being given away so soon after the last one though.

It probably reappeared many times after this as well. In September 1982 The Victor gave away the very similar looking Super Whizzo!

Wonder how it would have fared against the Space Spinner (2000AD, Eagle) or the Turbo Flyer (Tornado)?