Welcome to the Cheeky Weekly blog!


Welcome to the Cheeky Weekly blog!
Cheeky Weekly ™ REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, COPYRIGHT ©  REBELLION PUBLISHING LTD, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED was a British children's comic with cover dates spanning 22 October 1977 to 02 February 1980.

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Thursday 8 September 2016

Profile - Sid the Street Sweeper

Employed to keep things clean in Krazy Town, Sid the Street-Sweeper made his first, uncredited appearance in Krazy dated 01 October 1977, where he was seen clearing away the detritus during the coda to Cheeky's typically hoary Knock-Knock Door gag.

Sid's debut - Krazy 01 October 1977
Art: Frank McDiarmid


Sid wasn't seen again in the pages of Krazy until its final issue dated 15 April 1978, but he was present in the inaugural edition of Cheeky's own title, which was published just 3 weeks after the comical cleansing operative made his Krazy debut.

First issue of Cheeky Weekly
Art: Frank McDiarmid


It has to be said that Sid wasn't the most diligent refuse collector – he was always looking for an opportunity to sweep rubbish under cars, down drains, beneath loose paving slabs or into any suitable below-ground-level aperture including those frequented by Manhole Man and, in the 31 December 1977 edition, into his mother-in-law's front garden.

Frank again
This gag references world champion show jumper David Broome
 
Sid was among the guests at the Cheeky family's New Year party in the 07 January 1978 issue, and was the source of the Mystery Comic (secreted under his hat, not in his rubbish barrow) in Cheeky Weekly dated 28 January 1978. The 29 April 1978 edition was the issue to feature the most appearances by Sid, who turned up on 4 days as he handed Cheeky pages of the Mystery Comic that he came upon during his cleaning rounds. Since at that time readers had yet to witness the whole of that perplexing publication, Cheeky was anxious to secure that week's Mustapha Million story, and fortunately we were spared 2 blank pages as Sid located the vital elements on Friday. However, this time the pages were found at the bottom of his refuse collecting bin, but that week's MM story showed no sign of grubbiness when printed in the comic.

Sid prevents the Cheeky Weekly editor from hurling himself off IPC's headquarters building
Art: Jim Watson

In the course of Cheeky's Week as depicted in the comic dated 06 May 1978 Herman the Traffic Warden, in his pursuit of the world parking ticket record, apparently stuck several penalty notices on Sid's barrow, although we only witnessed this happening on Friday. Herman would also gleefully affix a ticket on Sid's barrow during Cheeky's trip to the seaside in the 08 September 1979 issue.

Sid provided Cheeky with the Cheeky's Pal Puzzle in the 11 November 1978 edition, and the map that was the subject of the poser two weeks later.

The first panel has us wondering why Sid is standing in for the  Knock-Knock Door - the punchline explains why
More Frank
 
The mirthful muck manager made a single appearance on the cover when, on the front of the 17 February 1979 issue, he was featured as a member of the Joke-Box Jury panel.

Cheeky Weekly 22 December 1979 - the toothy funster's handing out his Christmas cards...the only appearance of Sid's wife.
Art: Mike Lacey



The streets of Krazy Town must have been accumulating rubbish during Sid's longest absence from the comic - 13 weeks between the issues dated 09 June and 08 September 1979 (the aforementioned occasion of Herman's issuing a parking ticket while on the promenade). Maybe on his return Sid found the strain of clearing the massed refuse a little too taxing, because his second-longest absence occurred not long after – the 12 weeks between the 29 September and 22 December 1979 editions.

Our litter-gathering chum was the subject of the Pin-Up Pal poster in the comic dated 08 April 1978.
 
Sid didn't quite make it to the final edition of Cheeky Weekly – his appearance in the 05 January 1980 comic was to be his last, having swept through a total of 56 issues.


Character Total Issues First Appearance Final Appearance
Sid the Street-Sweeper5622-Oct-197705-Jan-1980


Count of elements by artist


Character Artist Total Elements
Sid the Street-SweeperFrank McDiarmid22
Sid the Street-SweeperFrank McDiarmid pencils16
Sid the Street-SweeperMike Lacey7
Sid the Street-SweeperBarrie Appleby6
Sid the Street-SweeperJim Watson5
Sid the Street-SweeperUnknown Cheeky Artist 13
Sid the Street-SweeperDick Millington2
Sid the Street-SweeperNot known1

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