{"id":34070,"date":"2025-10-20T10:55:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T10:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=34070"},"modified":"2025-10-20T10:55:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T10:55:23","slug":"leo-baxendales-sweeny-toddler-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/10\/20\/leo-baxendales-sweeny-toddler-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Leo Baxendale\u2019s Sweeny Toddler"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Leo Baxendale<\/strong> & others (Rebellion Studios)
\nISBN: 978-1-78108-726-8 (HB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times. <\/em><\/p>\n

Win\u2019s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Utterly Bonkers, Inspired Lunacy… 10\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you know British Comics, you know Leo Baxendale.<\/p>\n

Long ago and still right now, Baxendale (27th<\/sup> October 1930 – 23rd<\/sup> April 2017) was the epitome of rebellious, youth-oriented artistic prodigies who, largely unsung but definitely much noticed, went about seditiously transforming British Comics: entertaining millions and inspiring uncounted numbers of those readers to become cartoonists too.<\/p>\n

Joseph Leo Baxendale was educated at Preston Catholic College, served in the RAF and was born on 27th<\/sup>, October 1930, in Whittle-le-Woods, Lancashire – but not necessarily in that order. Like Spike Milligan and so many brilliant others, his response to privation, injustice, war and the post war era was being funny in an absurd way. If you\u2019re quick, you can track down some of his stuff – of which far too little has been archivally published – and celebrate his 95th anniversary in an appropriate manner.<\/p>\n

Baxendale\u2019s first paid artistic efforts were drawing ads and cartoons for The Lancashire Evening Post <\/strong>but his life – and the entire British comics scene – changed in 1952 when he began freelancing for DC Thomson\u2019s top weekly The Beano<\/strong>. He assumed creative control of moribund Lord Snooty and his Pals<\/strong> and originated anarchically surreal strips Little Plum<\/strong>, <\/em>Minnie the Minx<\/strong>, <\/em>The Three Bears<\/strong> and When the Bell Rings<\/em>. That last strip then rapidly metamorphosed into legendary, lurgy-packed anarchic icon The Bash Street Kids<\/strong>, thereby altering the daily realities and lifetime sensibilities of millions of readers and generations of kids.<\/p>\n

Baxendale also contributed heavily to the creation of comics tabloid The Beezer <\/strong>in 1956 but, following editorial and financial disputes with his editors, migrated in 1962 to London-based, Harmsworth-owned conglomerate Odhams\/Fleetway\/IPC. South of the border, his initial humorous creations included Grimly Feendish<\/strong>, General Nitt and his Barmy Army, Bad Penny<\/em> and a horrid horde of similarly revoltingly, uncannily engaging oiks, yobs and weirdoes who cumulatively made the company\u2019s \u201cPower Comics\u201d experiment such a joy to behold.<\/p>\n

During the 1970s he devised more remarkable cartoon star turns which, whilst not perhaps as seditiously groundbreaking as Plum, <\/em>Minnie, or The Bash Street Kids, nor as subversively enticing as Wham<\/strong>, Smash<\/strong> and Pow<\/strong> creations such as Eagle Eye, Junior Spy<\/em>, The Swots and the Blots <\/strong>and The Tiddlers<\/em> (or indeed, as garishly outlandish as George\u2019s Germs<\/strong> or Sam\u2019s Spook<\/strong>), remained part of the nation\u2019s junior landscape for decades after.<\/p>\n

The main body of his later creations appeared in mighty anthology Buster<\/strong>: features such as The Cave Kids<\/em>, Big Chief Pow Wow<\/em>, Clever Dick <\/em>and Snooper<\/em>. Baxendale latterly foisted Willy the Kid <\/strong>upon the world before creating his own publishing imprint Reaper Books.<\/p>\n

He also sued DCT for rights to his innovative inky inventions: a 7-year struggle that was eventually settled out of court. Other notable graphic landmarks include pantomimic vision THRRP!<\/strong>, his biography A Very Funny Business: 40 Years of Comics<\/strong> and the strip I Love You, Baby Basil<\/em> which ran in The Guardian<\/strong> during the early 1990s.<\/p>\n

Signature stinker Sweeny Toddler<\/strong> debuted in Shiver and Shake <\/strong>in 1973, unsurprisingly surviving repeated mergers – with Whoopee!<\/strong> and Whizzer and Chips<\/strong> – before settling in at the seemingly unsinkable Buster<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This stunning hardback (and eBook) celebration – hopefully the first of many gathering the entire run and Baxendale\u2019s IPC\/Fleetway oeuvre – is another crucial addition to Rebellion\u2019s ever-expanding Treasury of British Comics<\/strong>. It gathers the episodes from Shiver and Shake<\/strong> spanning March 10th<\/sup> 1973 to 5th<\/sup> October 1974, plus the first nappy-load from Whoopee!<\/strong>, from 23rd<\/sup> November 1974 until 7th<\/sup> June 1975.<\/p>\n

The potent package is suitably accompanied by an appreciative, informative and responsible Introduction<\/em> by his son Martin (who drew the Bad Boy\u2019s adventures after Baxendale senior moved into publishing) and offers a magnificent exercise in manic misrule starring the absolute worst baby in the world… outside of a democratically elected government.
\n\"\"
\nIn a simple terrace house with the legend \u201cTremble wiv fear, Sweeny livs here\u201d scrawled all over it, lives a spotty (occasionally be-stubbled) mono-fanged tyke who is disturbingly fast and strong with a physiognomy that can sour milk. He is precociously able to read – after a fashion – and that, coupled with a lethally low tolerance for boredom and obedience, means the nasty nipper always finds new and distressing ways to amuse himself at someone else\u2019s expense…<\/p>\n

With or without faithful dog and eager abettor Hairy Henry<\/em>, Sweeny turns every pram ride into a pulse-pounding rollercoaster adventure for his poor benighted mum and grandad; every visit to park, shop or museum into a heart-stopping chase and every cuddlesome interlude with ill-advised adults into an exhausting episode in psychological and physical torture.<\/p>\n

At least six strips re-presented here are not by Baxendale, but record-keeping is sadly incomplete. Chances are they\u2019re drawn by Tom Paterson, who eventually took over the feature (or possibly Roy Nixon?) but they are all deliciously weird and wonderful: a blend of unbeatable whacky wordplay, explosive slapstick and bizarre situations, garnished by Baxendale\u2019s unique and evocative sound effects: once read, never forgotten…<\/p>\n

Briefly retitled Help! It\u2019s Sweeny Toddler<\/strong> in experimental pages that feature second stories starring monstrous beasts living in the borders and margins of the panel dividers, later episodes never lost the eccentric impetus of the first, with the baby from hell, as ever, mugging old ladies, postmen, schoolboys and other unwary visitors; creating his own zoo, attempting to sneak into X films (maybe get granddad to explain those?) and totally tormenting anyone who treats him like a child…
\n\"\"
\nAs well as straight strips, this collection also offers \u2018Sweeny Toddler\u2019s Beat the Bully Guide\u2019 <\/em>and graphic game \u2018Sweeny Toddler\u2019s Fifty Frightful Faces!\u2019<\/em>, proving the vile versatility of the manky mite.<\/p>\n

Leo Baxendale was one-of-a-kind: a hugely influential, much-imitated master of pictorial comedy and noxious gross-out escapades whose work deeply affected (some would say warped) generations of British and Commonwealth kids. We\u2019ll not see his like again, but these astoundingly engrossing comedy classics are a perfect example of his resolutely British humorous sensibilities – absurdly anarchic, explosively whimsical, outrageously aggressive, crazily confrontational and gleefully grotesque – starring an unremittingly rebellious force of nature with no impulse control.<\/p>\n

Sweeny Toddler<\/strong> says and does whatever he wants as soon as he thinks of it, albeit usually to his own detriment and great regret: a rare gift, usually only employed by madmen and foreign Presidents.<\/p>\n

These cartoon capers are amongst the most memorable and re-readable exploits in all UK comics history: smart, eternal, existentially funny and immaculately rendered. This a treasure-trove of laughs that spans generations and must be in every family bookcase.
\n\u00a9 1973, 1974, 1975 & 2019 Rebellion Publishing Ltd. Sweeny Toddler is \u2122 & \u00a9 Rebellion Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n

Today in 1920 artistic icon Nicholas Vicardi <\/strong>AKA Nick Cardy<\/strong> was born. We last admired his mastery in DC Finest: Aquaman – The King of Atlantis<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In 1935 today, cartoon pioneer Sidney Smith<\/strong> died way too soon. You would already know that if you\u2019d listened and looked up Sidney Smith\u2019s The Gumps<\/a><\/strong> like we told you to last week.<\/p>\n

In 1993 unsung legend Gaylord Dubois<\/strong> died. He wrote and edited dozens of key features, supplying thousands of stories to comics legends. We are particularly partial to Edgar Rice Burroughs\u2019 Tarzan: The Jesse Marsh Years Omnibus volume two<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Leo Baxendale & others (Rebellion Studios) ISBN: 978-1-78108-726-8 (HB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times. Win\u2019s Christmas Gift Recommendation: Utterly Bonkers, Inspired Lunacy… 10\/10 If you know British Comics, you know Leo Baxendale. Long ago and still right now, Baxendale (27th October 1930 – 23rd April 2017) was the … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Leo Baxendale\u2019s Sweeny Toddler”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[42,113,66,125,296,107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-of-british","category-comedy","category-horror-stories","category-humour","category-school-stories","category-science-fiction"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-8Rw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34070"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34074,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34070\/revisions\/34074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}