Monthly Archives: August 2011

Prisoners of the Sewing Machine / Slaves of the Sewing Machine

Mandy,

Plot

Susan Boyd worked as a dressmaker for Mrs Leach, who owned a dress stall in the local market and ran a squalid workhouse in a slum house, where several other homeless children worked and lived like slaves. When Susan tries to smuggle out a message for help, Mrs Leach punishes her by locking her in a dark cupboard. Following this, Susan pretends she has broken and starts acting as compliant toady to Mrs Leach, but she is using this to secretly help the slaves.

Notes

  • Art: Claude Berridge

Appeared

  • Prisoners of the Sewing Machine – Mandy: #498 (31 July 1976) – #511 (30 October 1976)
  • Reprinted as Slaves of the Sewing Machine – #1104 (12 March 1988) – #1116 (4 June 1988)

“This is Your Home”

Mandy, , ,

Plot

Fourteen year old, Magdalen Dennion was convinced that her father, who had  lost his memory, was the rightful heir to Sedley Hall, the big house where she worked as a housemaid. Once, when looking at a painting or Sedley Hall, Mr Dennion had said, “This is your home …”—and so started Magdalen on the search for her father’s family. However, a man claiming to be the missing heir, Sir Richard Sedley, had appeared and was instantly accepted as genuine by old Lady Sedley, whose sight was bad. Discovering that the man calling himself Sir Richard was an impostor, Magdalen realised that he would go to any lengths to keep the fortune that was within his grasp. Magdalen suspected that the butler, Soames, was also in the plot.

Notes

  • Artist: Tony Thewenetti

Appeared

  • “This is Your Home” – Mandy: circa #114 (22 March 1969) – (?)

Bonnie and the Desmonds

Mandy,

Plot

Thirteen year old Bonnie Clyde was maid of all work for her Aunt Deirdre, Uncle Terrace and spiteful cousins Marcia and Faye Desmond. Bonnie’s luck seems to be changing when her beautiful voice won a holiday camp talent contest with a group formed with her cousins, though Marcia and Faye saw themselves as the stars.

Notes

Appeared

  • Bonnie and the Desmonds – Mandy: #583 (18 March 1978) – #597 (24 June 1978)

Patty Power!

Mandy

Plot

Patty Power received a strange signal from Outer  Space through an old television set. After seeing the signal, Patty was able to bend metal objects—by merely thinking about it! Patty became a local celebrity.

Notes

Appeared

  • Patty Power– Mandy: #517 (11 December 1976) – #527 (19 February 1977)

Sandy’s Losing Streak

Mandy

Plot

Sandy Wilson had always been a winner, until one morning on a training run, she scared a horse pulling an old woman’s caravan, causing the breakage of an old crystal ball. In her fury the woman, Old Meg, put a jinx on Sandy so that when a white streak appeared in Sandy’s hair, she would lose whatever she was trying to win

Notes

  • Reprinted and translated to Dutch as “Sandy’s overwinning” (“Sandy’s Victory”) – Debbie #38 (1983).

Appeared

  • Sandy’s Losing Streak – Mandy: #812 (2 August 1982) – #821 (9 October 1982)

Wendy Won’t Win!

Mandy, ,

Plot

Tennis star Wendy Moore was  honoured by having the new tennis courts in her home town of Tarnford named after her. But, as she performed the opening ceremony, Wendy had a curse put on her by an old gipsy woman. The land used for the courts had been a gipsy camping ground for many years. Gipsy Zara blamed Wendy for taking it from them. She told Wendy that, from that time on, she would not win at tennis. Another Tarnford tennis star, wealthy Irma Parfitt, was jealous of the honour which the town had given Wendy. The rich girl took every chance to remind Wendy of the gipsy’s words.

Notes

Appeared

  • Wendy Won’t Win! – Mandy: #331 (19 May 1973) – #340 (21 July 1973)

Lady Jane Smiff

Mandy

Plot

Jane Smith was a skivvy in a large  Victorian household. Miss Jemima Dalglish, daughter of the household, used threats to persuade Jane to take her place at Miss Hardcastle’s School for Young Ladies, whilst Jemima ran off to London. The deception was soon detected and Jane was summoned to Miss Hardcastle’s private parlour. To her surprise Miss Hardcastle wanted to keep Jane on as a student and teach her to be a lady.

Notes

  • Reprinted and translated into Dutch (as Van diensmeid tot dame – From skivvy to lady) –  monthly Mariska 12/1982 and reprinted in Mariska Stripstory #3 (circa 1984).

Appeared

  • Lady Jane Smiff – Mandy: #781 (2 January 1982) – #793 (27 March 1982)

The Legend of the Singing Sword

Mandy

Plot

Trudy Morgan and her sister Olwen  lived with their parents and grandfather on a farm near Cwm Llewellyn in the Welsh hills. One stormy night the two sisters discovered an ancient sword. It turned out to be the magic sword of Prince Llewellyn. The sword sang to give a warning when danger threatened the valley.

Notes

Appeared

  • The Legend of the Singing Sword  – Mandy: #359 (1 December 1973) – #364 (5 January 1974)