www.kellysComics.co.uk

Topper.

The Topper was a UK comic published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd that ran from 7 February 1953 to 15 September 1990, when it merged with The Beezer and both comics were renamed as Beezer and Topper which ran until 1993. A strip named "Mickey the Monkey" originally graced the front cover. In the early 1970s, it was replaced by "Send for Kelly". That strip was replaced with "Danny's Tranny" in 1975, and then "Tricky Dicky" in 1979. "Beryl the Peril" took over on 24 May 1986, and remained there until the merger with The Beezer. There were also annuals every year.

Unlike most other comics at the time, which were A4 paper size, this was double the size at A3. It changed to A4 in 1980, one year before The Beezer. The comics that merged with The Topper during its 37 year run were Buzz in 1975 and Sparky in 1977.

The Clash drummer Topper Headon reportedly gained his nickname because of his resemblance to Topper character "Mickey the Monkey".

I was the inspiration for Beryl the Peril, reveals gran

The Daily Record. Jul 21 2008

A GRAN has revealed she was the real-life inspiration for classic comic character Beryl the Peril.

Rosemary Moffat was the daughter of artist David Law, who drew the tomboy for The Topper.

And she has revealed he would copy the faces she pulled when she threw a tantrum to use them for Beryl.

Rosemary, 62, insisted Beryl was an early feminist.

She said: "Beryl was the start of young women asserting themselves, being as good as the boys - or as naughty as boys.

"Bolshy, upfront, as opposed to being wicked. When I was growing up, she was a female Dennis the Menace and we loved her.

"My dad used to discuss the script and I don't remember him ever saying, 'Oh, that's anti social. I don't like her doing that'.

"My dad would laugh at some of the antics she got up to."

Cartoon favourite Beryl was to be honoured with a plaque in a new women's history trail in Dundee - home of comics' publisher DC Thomson.

But the plans were dropped because Beryl is a fictional character. And the decision was welcomed by Dundee politicians who claimed she was a bad role model for kids.

Not surprisingly, Rosemary has backed the plaque campaign.

She called on politicians to lighten up and give Beryl a plaque to recognise her "feistiness and pluckiness".

She did not look like cartoon hellraiser Beryl, who has dark hair that she wears in trademark pigtails.

Rosemary was pale and had blonde, wavy hair - but she remembers growing up climbing trees and playing cowboys and Indians with her sister Alison and their friends.

Rosemary, who still lives in Dundee, said her father was constantly sketching her facial expressions and trying to stop her tomboy behaviour.

The gran, who works as a part-time cook, added: "I would climb up walls and trees and my father would go frantic in case I fell.

"I would hurl childish abuse at him and wouldn't come down. I remember throwing a tantrum and dad, instead of being angry, would laugh hysterically.

"He would say to my mother, 'Did you catch that? Did you see the expression on her face?' I think some of Beryl's grimaces were mine."

Rosemary called on public health minister Shona Robison to "lighten up" after the MSP claimed that Beryl should be awarded an ASBO rather than a plaque. She added: "Shona is taking it all a bit too seriously."

Beryl became cover girl of The Topper comic in 1986. After the comic ceased in 1993, she moved to The Dandy where she still appears.