Do you remember the Galactalites. They were a comic strip in one of the better newspapers in the early 1970s – either the Guardian or Observer, I think. I came across a couple of them the other day among my archives of trivia (otherwise known as junk). A search on Google revealed that they were not a figment of my imagination because there was one lonely entry – in Michigan State University Library - Reading Room Index to the Comic Art Collection. But even that was only to an index entry in a Shire Publications booklet - “Stap Me! The British Newspaper Strip”, by Denis Gifford.
No other search engine helped so I tried for the cartoonist ‘Edward’ but whilst that took me interesting places it didn’t yield the creator of the Galactalites.
I found a vaguely similar creature called the Sillcone by J Edward Oliver but the Galactalites were not his work.
It seems that not only their worst fears – as shown below – were realised but the memory of them was also wiped out!
Hey fab - someone else remembers the galactalites!! Yep, seeing the strip was the one reason to buy the Observer in the early '70's. I've still got copies of the 2 strips shown here, along with a few others I can't lay my hands on just now.
ReplyDeleteAny more info, please post...I 'd leave more detail if I knew how being not into this blogging stuff just now. David
I was a big fan of the Galactalites in 1971. According to a note which I came across by chance in my 1971 diary the strip was by Edward Barker, a cartoonist. I had also noted the name Stephen Fry with a Meard Street address, W1 Tel 734 7752 in connection with the Galactalites. All this info was given to me by The Observer who I had rung about back copies.
ReplyDeleteJill Yakas, Athens, Greece
Little-known fact .The Galactalites were formerly known as the Largactilites but Edward had to change the name after trade mark complaints from May and Baker the manufacturers of the drug Largactil.The Galactalites (Largactilites) used also to appear in the International Times (IT) and possibly Oz though my 60's -70's memory is a little purple hazey on that one.
ReplyDeleteKeep smiling
Arwel
I love obscure facts at the best of times but when they are obscure facts about obscure trivia it's wonderful;! Thanks Arwel.
DeleteThe exact spelling is "The Galactilites"
ReplyDeletesee
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Edward_Barker_(cartoonist)