Sunday Post celebrates 100 Years with special edition

By John Freeman on October 5, 2014

Today’s Sunday Post – famous for ‘The Broons’ and ‘Oor Wullie’ comic strips – is celebrating its 100th birthday this weekend, marking the milestone with a free souvenir special which tells the extraordinary history of the publication dubbed the ‘most successful weekly newspaper in the world’.

The paper still sells over 150,000 copies a week, mainly in Scotland but also in Northern England.

Publishers D C Thomson have created a 96-page centenary magazine given away with today’s edition, reflecting the way the Post has evolved into a riveting fun-filled mix of news, short features, sentimental stories and classic comic strips.

“We are very proud to celebrate 100 years of The Sunday Post,” Editor-in-chief Donald Martin said.

“The paper’s place in Scottish society and the affection felt for it is unique, so we’re delighted to share this momentous occasion with our readers.”

The Sunday Post was first published just weeks after the outbreak of World War One, continued when global hostilities ended in 1918.

Its two comic strips – ‘The Broons’ and ‘Oor Wullie’ – are its most recognised features, both first published in the 1930s and have continued until the present day.

“Like the Simpsons, the cartoon characters remain the same age no matter what year the paper is published in,” notes the media site Hold the Front Page.

The souvenir issue contains 20 pages of archive material of ‘The Broons’ and ‘Oor Wullie’, plus a two page article on the life of the strips original artist, the late Dudley Watkins; a page dedicated to the comic strips’ guest stars, from Sir Alex Ferguson and Andy Murray to Alex Salmond and Gordon Brown; alongside an eight-page reprint of the first ever ‘Fun Section’.

“Our special souvenir edition includes the paper’s take on everything from the millennium to Churchill and the moon landings, Maggie Broon’s wedding to Oor Wullie’s brother – and everything in between,” enthuses Martin. “The supplement is a wonderful walk down memory lane and really is 96 pages you won’t want to miss.”

• Lew Stringer details the content of the Souvenir Special here

Images © DC Thomson

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John Freeman

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.