By the close of discussion that began with a posting of the cover of Fantasy Advertiser #75, drawn by Tony O’Donnell and featuring some, today, obscure British independently-published comic characters alongside Judge Dredd, DC Thomson’s King Cobra and Marvelman (Miracleman), those mystery characters had not just been identified. David Hathaway-Price, keeper of the brilliant Classic UK Comic Zines, had also added the issue in question to his growing archive of digital restorations of the title on his brilliant site – an issue that also featured comic strip drawn by Mike Collins, today well known as a Doctor Who comic artist and storyboard artist; reporting on developments on Marvel’s new Epic line and the upcoming debut of The Official Marvel Handbook of the Marvel Universe (shockingly, direct sale only); a mention for a new companion title to 2000AD, Zarjaz, and news on Titan Books latest planned reprints from the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic; and hints of a companion title to Warrior from publisher Dez Skinn (that, like Zarjaz, never happened, although of course Zarjaz is now the name of a terrific 2000AD-inspired comics zine from Futurequake Press).

On the letters pages, lively discussion included commentary on the recently–released Blade Runner, reviewed in the issue by Andrew Robins alongside Conan the Barbarian, who also lamented the banning of horror video releases Driller Killer and Death Trapunder the Obscene Publications Act.

But for those of you simply curious about who those mystery characters are, alongside Marvelman, King Cobra, Billy the Cat, Judge Dredd and a and Captain Britain are Moonstone, Fantasy Advertiser’s comic strip star created by Martin Lock, a strip written and drawn by Mike Collins and Mark Farmer, and Captain Clyde, a creation of none other than Grant Morrison.