This week’s news story of goats facing a cull in Scotland* reminded us at downthetubes of the time one of the herbivorous mammals caused mayhem in Action, in “Look out for Lefty”.
As Great News for All Readers curator David Moloney, who previously posted the cover on his enjoyable website notes, “In 1976 had been the go-to comic for thrills, drama and violence. In 1977, post-ban, it was the comic with a goat on the cover.”
“Look out for Lefty”, written by Tom Tully, usually drawn by Tony Harding, with Barrie Mitchell also on art duties during its run, was one strip that led to Action getting “banned”, a powerful storyline the media of the day alleged might provoke hooliganism on terraces drawing particular ire.
For more on the birth, protests and lingering death of Action, check out the downthetubes Sevenpenny Nightmare microsite compiled by Moose Harris here, partially rescued after the original domain was hijacked.
(If there’s anyone out there who has copies of missing original pages of the site, not mirrored by Wayback Machine, we’d love to hear from you!)
• The Sevenpenny Nightmare: Look out for Lefty
Remembering Tom Tully and Tony Harding
• British Comic Legends: Writer Tom Tully
• In Memoriam: “Look Out for Lefty” artist Anthony John “Tony” Harding
• “A Lovely Bloke”… Barrie Mitchell remembers Tony Harding
• “Does Your Dad Draw for Roy of the Rovers?”
* BBC News and other media outlets have been reporting how goats roaming across Langholm Moor, including 11,000 acres recently purchased by rewilding company Oxygen Conservation, are facing a cull, to the dismay of locals who have presented a protest petition opposing it to their local MP.
Oxygen Conservation say there has been a “massive increase” in the goat population since 2023 and they need to reduce numbers to allow trees to grow on the estate.
Action and “Look out for Lefty” ©️ Rebellion Publishing Ltd
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Classic British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes News
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