{"id":34096,"date":"2025-10-25T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T08:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=34096"},"modified":"2025-10-24T14:08:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T14:08:24","slug":"heritage-comics-presents-spellbound-damian-darke-i-dont-want-to-be-a-witch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/10\/25\/heritage-comics-presents-spellbound-damian-darke-i-dont-want-to-be-a-witch\/","title":{"rendered":"Heritage Comics Presents Spellbound: Damian Darke & I Don\u2019t Want To Be a Witch!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"
\nBy Daniel McGachey & Lauren Knight, Georgia Standen Battle<\/strong>, Brian Lewis,
\nDu Feu & Francisco Cueto<\/strong>, Alan Hebden & Patrick Wright<\/strong>, Kek W. & Jaume Forns<\/strong>, &Vicente Alcazar<\/strong>, & various (Heritage Comics\/DC Thomson & Co.)<\/p>\n

ISBN: 978-1-91743641-0 (TPB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

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

DC Thomson is probably the most influential comics publisher in British history. In the 1930s The Dandy<\/strong> and The Beano<\/strong> revolutionised children\u2019s comedy comics, whilst newspaper strips Oor Wullie <\/strong>and The Broons<\/strong> (both created by writer\/Editor R. D. Low and Dudley D. Watkins) have become a genetic marker for Scottishness. The company uniquely portrayed the occasional toff, decent British blokes and working-class heroes who grew from the prose-packed pages of Adventure<\/strong>, Rover<\/strong>, Wizard<\/strong>, Skipper<\/strong>, Hotspur<\/strong> and latterly \u201cstrip picture papers\u201d like Victor<\/strong> and Warlord<\/strong>. They also cannily followed wider-world trends and capitalised – as much as any tasteful, all-ages publishing house could – on global interests that filtered down to juvenile consumers.<\/p>\n

Their Girls Papers line especially shaped successive generations and, whenever cited, examples still evoke passionate memories. Don\u2019t take my word for it either; just ask your mum or grandmother about Judy<\/strong>, <\/em>Bunty<\/strong>, <\/em>Diana<\/strong>, <\/em>Mandy<\/strong> and the rest\u2026<\/p>\n

And that goes double for the spooky sagas in Spellbound<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

Kids have always delighted in scary stories but the 1970s horror bubble presented lots of problems for comics publishers. With parents and watch groups always readily on hand to complain or kick up a fuss, how to cater to a genuine demand without incurring another 1950s style comics panic was uppermost in every comic editor\u2019s mind. The answer, obviously is with style, imagination and caution…<\/p>\n

Predating Fleetway\u2019s fantasy icon Misty<\/a><\/strong> by a couple of years, Spellbound<\/strong> – \u201cthe all-new mystery story paper for girls\u201d- launched from DC Thompson\u2019s haunted mansion on September 25th<\/sup> 1976.<\/p>\n

Opening in plenty of time for Halloween, it ran for 69 issues before merging in January 1978 with generally-school-&-fashion-themed title Debbie<\/strong>. In its time Spellbound recounted horror-tinged fantasy tales along traditional lines, mixed with school scenarios and, as always, supplemented by text features, activities, and general interest snippets. Its true rewards and achievements rested in the roster of stellar creators associated with its solo strips and serials: artisans including Brian Lewis, Estaban Maroto, Edmond Ripoll, Enrique Bad\u00eda Romero, J\u00e9sus Redondo, Adolfo Usero, Jordi Franch, Norman Lee and others for material including \u2018When the Mummy Walks\u2019<\/em>, \u2018The Secret of Silver Star\u2019<\/em>, \u2018Supercats\u2019<\/em>, \u2018The Haunting of Laura Lee<\/em>\u2019, \u2018Peril on Paradise Island\u2019<\/em> and more.<\/p>\n

DCT is constantly looking for better ways to reach fresh audiences and recently moved into digital publishing of vintage and original new stories in a big way. Backing up their Commando<\/strong> war stories and Starblazer<\/strong> science fiction reprint projects comes this initially digital-only treat: a timely compilation of supernatural sagas is an ideal way to expand their Heritage Comics imprint (expect more reviews in coming months).<\/p>\n

This blockbuster tome collects many magnificently understated macabre moments from the periodical, focussing at first on short stories narrated by Master of Mystery Damian Darke<\/em> before closing with a complete serial from Spellbound<\/strong> #1-15. Throughout, the monochrome lore is littered with those aforementioned prose featurettes and the occasional full colour cover reproduction, and the entire fear fest is festooned with new stuff such as informative<\/p>\n

opening letter to the readers \u2018Spellbinding Tales…\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Then comes a new introductory spooky strip by Daniel McGachey & Lauren Knight, as wayward teens Gwen & MacKenzie <\/em>– who really should know better – break into an old abandoned house and discover the world is not what they thought it was…
\n\"\"
\nThe cover of #46 (August 6th<\/sup> 1977) leads to our introduction to the Man of Mystery from Spellbound <\/strong>#1, as Damian Darke describes the events of a judicial \u2018Spectre from the Flame\u2019<\/em> returning to punish evildoers from beyond the grave in a superb chiller limned by Brian Lewis. Next, Jenny & Denise<\/em> experience a \u2018Journey into Fear\u2019<\/em> (#19) when they are lost in a storm on the Yorkshire Dales and fetch up at an old edifice that is absolutely not the youth hostel they\u2019re looking for…<\/p>\n

That\u2019s augmented with prose potted ghost story \u2018Spellbound Special Feature: Poor Little Rich Boy\u2019<\/em> from #4, before Lewis strikes again with \u2018The Warning\u2019<\/em> (#46) wherein hikers Joan & Babs<\/em> meet a little girl who literally isn\u2019t there (anymore…) whilst from Spellbound <\/strong>#2, \u201cbiker chick\u201d Lindsay Gordon<\/em> inadvertently survives a very close encounter with Cumbrian legend the \u2018Ghost Rider\u2019<\/em> before \u2018Spellbound Special Feature: Get Friendly with Your Phantom\u2019<\/em> (#12) textually tells of how to act if one gets too close to the dead-&-not-gone…<\/p>\n

Haunted objects \u2018The Preston Figurines\u2019<\/em> (#36) move heaven and earth to be reunited when sold separately at an antique shop, after which – from #7 – Darke details how a mean miserly usurer gets his just deserts in the \u2018Swamp of Evil\u2019<\/em>: a period piece neatly bookended by text tract \u2018Spinning Spectres\u2019<\/em> from #13.<\/p>\n

Spectral salvation and revelatory redemption come when lost voyager Judy Rose<\/em> survives a snowstorm thanks to \u2018The Cavalier\u2019s Cloak\u2019<\/em> (#37) even as in #35 horse lover Kathy King <\/em>is saved from certain swampy death by \u2018The Ghost of Whitefire\u2019<\/em> – a modern myth bolstered by prose historical pointers in #17\u2019s \u2018Spellbound Special Feature: Milady Greensleeves\u2019<\/em>…<\/p>\n

From Spellbound<\/strong> #21, \u2018Mystery at Howlen Hall\u2019<\/em> revisits classic gothic literature as a sister searches for a lost sibling at a creaky old manse and only finds madness and worse, whilst Lewis shines in a sentimental scare-fest involving a valiant dead puppy and an \u2018Echo on the Wind\u2019<\/em> (#4) prior to prose \u2018Special Feature: Mr Nobody\u2019<\/em> taking a peep at people who aren\u2019t there…
\n\"\"
\nMurder from beyond and a most unquiet landlady garnish a florid tale of perilous \u2018Poison Ivy\u2019<\/em> (#48), whilst Victorian vignette \u2018The House of Palgrave\u2019<\/em> (#3 by Lewis) explores a Cornish dwelling that is in no way welcoming to its owner\u2019s new bride, all before auction-going flatmates Sue & Carol<\/em> get more than they bargained for after buying \u2018A Spoonful of Evil…\u2019 <\/em>(#43). This brings Darke\u2019s delightful diatribes to a halt for the present, allowing a \u2018Spellbound Special Feature: The Housemaid\u2019s Revenge\u2019 <\/em>(#28) and the cover to #8 (November 13th<\/sup> 1976) to usher in a classic serial…
\n\"\"
\nIllustrated by Norman Lee (When the Mummy Walks<\/strong>, The Shop at Shudder Corner<\/strong>, most Spellbound<\/strong> covers) \u2018I Don\u2019t Want to Be a Witch!\u2019 <\/em>is reprinted from Spellbound<\/strong> #1-15, and blends traditional outsider-at-boarding-school comedy drama with a hefty dose of wyrd warfare. However, here, 13-year-old Celia Winters<\/em> perpetually foils the many schemes of her high witch aunt Armida<\/em> who strives to make the teenager her vassal and mystic acolyte, but first must get her out of the infernal normal school she loves and away from all her friends at St. Ann\u2019s…<\/p>\n

For three action- and imagination-packed months, Celia, best pal Anne<\/em> and pet Myna bird Merlin<\/em> duck & dodge & dive, craftily utilising the hidden magic grotto on school grounds (\u201cnormal life\u201d huh?) to foil Auntie\u2019s every incredible ploy. Constant chaos and bewildered teachers cannot quell the madness, nor will her feline familiar Lucife<\/em>r and spiteful tattle-tale mean girl Ruth Narkle<\/em> hold back as they seek to squash Celia\u2019s every effort to stay nice and normal. Eventually the escalating arcane pot boiler inevitably bubbles over…<\/p>\n

\u2018I Don\u2019t Want to Be a Witch!\u2019<\/em> may have ended but is here revived in a creepy continuance by Georgia Standen Battle & Anna Morozova who introduce a fresh new generation to close this tome…
\n\"\"
\nRounding out the nostalgia chills is a final cover gallery – seven more scary front pages – accompanied by one last yarn: another illustrated prose poser from the first issue suitably entitled \u2018Nightmare\u2019<\/em>…<\/p>\n

Short sharp stories of solidly spooky standing superbly rendered make this a horror fan\u2019s delight and a welcome doorway into more inviting times. Why not climb aboard this coachload of chillers and see what used to make our spines shudder and shake?
\n\u00a9 DC Thomson & Co., Ltd. 2019.<\/p>\n

Today in 1922 Maurice Dodd<\/strong> was born. We love him for one of the world\u2019s greatest comedy strips. So will you if you scope out The Perishers Spectacolour<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Daniel McGachey & Lauren Knight, Georgia Standen Battle, Brian Lewis, Du Feu & Francisco Cueto, Alan Hebden & Patrick Wright, Kek W. & Jaume Forns, &Vicente Alcazar, & various (Heritage Comics\/DC Thomson & Co.) ISBN: 978-1-91743641-0 (TPB\/Digital edition) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced in less enlightened times. DC Thomson is probably the most … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Heritage Comics Presents Spellbound: Damian Darke & I Don\u2019t Want To Be a Witch!”<\/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":[280,42,102,122,66,125,296],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-animal-antics","category-best-of-british","category-fantasy","category-historical","category-horror-stories","category-humour","category-school-stories"],"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\/34096","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=34096"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34103,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34096\/revisions\/34103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}