The Black Sapper from Hotspur - Compiled and edited by H. C.

The Black Sapper began life as a prose story in Rover in issues 384-402 with dates 

1929/08/24 - 1929/12/28. Being the original illustrator Jack Glass.

Later in the late 50s and early 60s, The Beezer published the strip in issues 

196-267 and dates 1959/10/17 - 1961/02/25

There was an adventure from Black Sapper in the Beezer Book 1962, all these 

comics were drawn by Jack Glass.

In the 70's The strip ran in Hotspur among the issues 602-623 1971/05/01-1971/09/25 

and 648-674 1972/03/18-1972/09/16 with the art of Terry Patrick.

After a new break the strip returned in the issues 729-740 with dates

 1973/10/06 - 1973/12/22 in this case the strip was drawn by Keith Shone.

(Issues 648-651 from Hotspur are not included in the H.C. Compilation)

There were several adventures published in the Hotspur Book for Boys 1974-77 

Writer:- The Hotspur editorial team. Artists:- Jack Glass; Terry Patrick; Keith Shone.

Main cast:- The Black Sapper.

The Black Sapper (he had no other name as far as I am aware), started as a criminal in his early adventures. But later in (new?) stories published in the Hotspur, he fought on the side of law and order.

The Sapper made use of his marvellous drilling machine the Worm, which could burrow through the earth and other materials. (Called the Earthworm in the original series). The worm had a crew of one man, although occasionally it did carry a second person. The machine, cylindrical in shape has a large screw on the nose of the machine. The later series mentions that the worm was designed by Professor Jordan and his son, Johnny and that it is atomic-powered. (Hotspur issue 619). The machine was also lightweight, being made with metal that 'was half the weight of aluminium, but tough enough to act as a heat shield for a moon capsule'. (Hotspur issue 611).

The Sapper wore a tight black suit (similar to a frogman's suit), and a black helmet. The worm and the Sapper's uniform remained the same in both the early and later series. Although the later version of the worm had up to date equipment, such as an outside camera so the Sapper could see what was happening above ground on a television screen.

In the first series drawn by Patrick, Britain has been invaded by an eastern race the Khansus. The Black Sapper fights along side the British resistance in the fight back against the invaders. A later series would see the Sapper on the trail of a gang of international crooks led by the mysterious and sinister Octopus.

The series drawn by Shone sees the Sapper having broken up the international gang of crooks in the last series, hunting down the scattered leaders. A complication arises when the Sapper is blinded by an explosion. He enlists the aid of a young orphen boy Jeff, to act as his eyes. This is possibly the last Sapper series to be published in the Hotspur, but this needs to be confirmed.

The following adventures of The Black Sapper are from issues an original Sapper story from the Beezer issue number not known; and from The Hotspur issues 603; 611; 652; 665 & 736.

http://www.victorhornetcomics.co.uk/sapper.html

Compilation completed by Luis Miguel (Thank you so much)
 adding the missing pages:

1971-77. The Black Sapper from Hotspur & Hotspur Book or Boys 74-77

229 Pages

Compiled and edited by H. C. 

We thank H. C. for his courtesy in offering our reader 

this magnificent compilation.