While I was at Marvel UK, I contacted TV Times to see if they would be interested in us producing a weekly strip based on Coronation Street. They were. Granada TV were also okay with the idea, but wanted to see 12 sample pages. I had this one written and drawn up by Maureen and Gordon Gray, which I think showed great potential.

My feeling was that if Marvel UK could start making money from other than the one main areas (superheroes and young children’s comics) we might be in with a chance of surviving into the new century. Once again the plug was pulled on this at the last minute when the boss decided it wasn’t worth pursuing.

After all, Coronation Street was hardly likely to have a lengthy run, was it?

I recall scripting a similar page for Emmerdale too, but not sure if it got to art stage.

Maureen and Gordon were a delight to work with and we worked a lot together both in the US and over here. Amazing talents in every form of illustration. I have a zillion funny letters from them over the years.

• Tim Quinn is online at mightyquinnmanagement.com| Buy his biography Argh! here from Miwk Publishing

Further Reading

• Ed Sellek’s ‘Easties’, a comic strip parodying EastEnders for the EastEnders official blog

• The British edition of MAD Magazine (No.212) featured Coronation Street stars on its covers. Copies turn up on eBay and other online auction sites

Tim Quinn

Tim Quinn was born in Liverpool in 1953, the very same year Beryl the Peril first appeared in The Topper. Coincidence? We think not! His mother named him after her favourite childhood comic book character, Tiger Tim. Educated by Irish Christian Brothers whose prospectus boasted, “We will instill a fear of God into your child”, it was little wonder Tim chose a life in comedy. And there’s nothing more comical than working in or for the comics industry at times, for companies that include Marvel UK, where he was Head of Special Projects…

Categories: British Comics

Tags: Coronation Street, EastEnders, Marvel UK