Previewing ‘Badtime Bedtime Stories’: More Of That Leo Baxendale Brilliance

by Richard Bruton

An absolute genius of comics, the collection of Badtime Bedtime Stories is Leo Baxendale at his most ridiculous best…

Coming from the pages of Monster Fun in 1975-1976, Baxendale’s Badtime Bedtime Books, collected at last by the Treasury of British Comics as Badtime Bedtime Stories, are just everything you’d expect if you’ve ever read anything by the master of British humour comics. (And if you’ve never read anything of Baxendale’s, you’re going to have an absolute treat here!)

Originally published as a mini-4-page pull-out ‘book’ in Monster Fun, Baxendale‘s Badtime Bedtime Books delighted a generation of kids, packed with tales of Dr Jackal and Mr Snide, Little Miss Muffet, Jack the Nipper’s Schooldays, Punch and Chewsday, Little ‘Red’ Riding Hood, Jack and the Beans (in Tomato Sauce) Stalk, Little Boy Glue, Little Miss Stuffit, Moby Duck, Little Bo Creep, and The Underwater World of Jacques Custard.

It’s perfect Baxendale, the last of his ‘mainstream’ UK humour comics work and, as you’ll see, nobody did it better. The man was simply a genius of comics.

This new Treasury collection, available in a standard hardcover or website exclusive version, has restored all that brilliant Baxendale insanity to perfection. It’s reprinted in a smaller scale to keep some of that original feel of the Badtime Bedtime Books that so many kids pulled out of copies of Monster Fun so many years ago. All of Baxendale’s mini Badtime Bedtime Books are here, all the wonderful gags, all the extra bits, all the incredible off-the-wall humour, it’s just so funny and such a delight – whether you’re six or 60, this one will absolutely delight.

For those that don’t know, Baxendale (1930 – 2017) was one of the greatest artists in the long and brilliant history of British humour comics. Through a long and wonderful career, he created Minnie the Minx, The Bash Street Kids, Grimly Feendish, Bad Penny, Eagle Eye, Junior Spy, The Man From B.U.N.G.L.E., The Tiddlers, Sweeny Toddler, and so many more classic, incredible strips for DC Thomson, Fleetway, and Odhams.

As I say, Badtime Bedtime Books was his last work for the mainstream of British humour comics. Always passionate and driven, not to mention often outspoken, Baxendale would leave Brit kids comics and make his own way, whether that was with Willy the Kid, his Reaper Books publishing house, THRRP!, a most decidedly not for kids comic, and I Love You Baby Basil!

Sadly, Baxendale passed away in 2017, but he’s remembered by generations of comic fans and comics professionals for being one of the very best in the business and certainly one of the funniest and most original voices in Brit comics.

And these Treasury collections are a perfect way to keep the work and the memory of this British comics genius alive.