The Moonsters

THE MOONSTERS is one of the most memorable, definate highlights from early-period SPARKY comic, spanning the first four years of the publication. Although the strip missed out on the very first issue [23 January 1965] primarily due to the debut issue utilizing the complete cover page to promote a free gift, the arrival of The Moonsters in issue two introduced SPARKY readers to child-astronauts Peter and Penny Pleasant as they arrive by rocket on the alien-looking MOON surface, to be greeted by the bizarre but appealing Moonsters: an obviously alien race of tiny green moon-men [and presumably females of the species ] who swamp Peter and Penny, in a friendly and well-meaning manner.

The strip was drawn [with great charm and zest] by Bill Ritchie, a stalwart DC Thomson funnies contributer with a disarmingly 'simplistic' style that nevertheless produced a great sense of mood and texture in many of his published comic sets. The strip often comprized of small introductory frames to set up that week's particular theme; the bulk of the page was taken up by a grand-scale 'splash' panel, which detailed the comedic, slapstic cavortings of the industrious aliens as they set about their 'helpful' business.....all of this was set against a stylized rock-formation backdrop.

For all their obviously-alien appearance, [they have one eye, speckled green skin, and 60s-styled TV ariels sprouting from their noggins] the Moonsters lack advanced technology, and indeed their moon-culture and customs strangely mirror that of 1960s Earth, as band-concerts, fire-drill and suchlike are played out with instruments and implements identical to that seen on Eaerth of the same period. Nevertheless, there were welcome appearances within the background of bizarre one-eyed alien dinosaurs, of the scale associated with Prehistoric Earth.

THE MOONSTERS scooped the front page of SPARKY before long, although their most permanent residence within the comic was that of the back page, which they occupied for most of their running time.