Jimmy Watson
Adventure story character(s) from The Beano
Jimmy Watson on the Jimmy and his Magic Patch masthead.
Publication information
Stars inJimmy and his Magic Patch
Author(s)Uncredited
Illustrator(s)
First appearanceIssue 222
(1 January 1944)
Last appearanceIssue 903
(7 November 1959)
Current statusDiscontinued
Character timelineIssues 222 – 239, 265 – 299, 316 – 354, 416 – 452, 682 – 694 (reprints), 727 – 743 (reprints), 784 – 794 (reprints), 891 – 903
Also appeared in
Beano works
  • The Beano Annual 1951, 1952, 1953, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963
  • The Magic-Beano Book 1947, 1950
DC Thomson worksClassics from the Comics (issue 148, 169)
Main Character
OccupationStudent
Characters
Crossover charactersStrang the Terrible

Jimmy and His Magic Patch was a British adventure story published in the British comics magazine The Beano in 1944. It was drawn by Dudley D. Watkins and later continued by Paddy Brennan until 1959. It starred schoolboy Jimmy Watson who time-travelled accidentally with a cloth patch on his school clothing.

Synopsis

Jimmy Watson was walking to school when he rescued a cat from a bull terrier. He returns the cat to its owner, a Romani pensioner, who repays him by repairing his trousers with a patch from a carpet. Ever since, Jimmy accidentally time travels whenever he thinks about a historical event or time period. He has met Alfred the Great,[1] Florence Nightingale,[2] and George Stephenson,[3] as well as Robin Hood,[4] Sinbad the Sailor and William Tell.[5][6] Future adventure strip character Strang the Terrible appeared in a two-part story in issue 233 before his series' debut in 240,[7][8] and Strongarm the Axeman (from 1939)[9] also appeared in issue 445.[10]

Due to the patch, stories about Watson are set during schooltime or whenever he is travelling to or from campus. His school uniform is a cap and a striped tie with a suit, often coloured as a black jacket with blue trousers. The patch on the seat of his trousers is red.

Publication history

Jimmy and his Magic Patch debuted in issue 222 with artwork by DC Thomson staff artist Dudley D. Watkins.[11] The comics were drawn photorealistically and were published in a text comics format, a convention of The Beano's adventure story genre. Its appearance in the issues flited between linear and episodic, since Watson would eventually return to the present day and travel somewhere else. There were 14 two-parters[7][6] and three three-parters,[12] all with artwork by Watkins.[13]

Watson's adventures had eight series that ended in issue 903, but it was secretly shorter than it seemed. An already hardworking artist, Watkins drew art for over 60 issues between 1944 and 1947, but these would be reprinted three times in 1955,[14][15] 1956 and 1957.[16][17] Frequent adventure comic artist Paddy Brennan drew for new adventures between issues 416 and 452,[18][19] and issues 891 and 903.[20][21] Andy Hutton redrew a Watkins-illustrated story for issue 784.[22]

Subsequent cameos and appearances

The Beano

As with most of the official run, Watson's series would be reprinted yet again: a two-parter from issues 327 and 328 for The Beano's 50th anniversary in The Dandy and The Beano: 50 Golden Years,[23] in which Watson and Ali Baba are captured in a villain's cave.[24][25] His "portrait" appeared in issue 2000's Hall of Fame.[26]

Watson has also appeared in The Beano Annual-The Magic Comic hybrid in 1947 and 1950's edition,[27][28] and the Beano Books of 1951,[29] 1952[30] 1953[31] and 1961,[32] with Beano magazine reprints from 1958 to 1960, and 1963.[33][34][35][36] Watson appeared on a double-page spread with 254 other Beano characters in 2019's edition.[37]

DC Thomson

Jimmy and his Magic Patch was also reprinted frequently in Classics from the Comics.[38][39]

Reception and legacy

Cloth patches sewn onto damaged clothing were nicknamed having a "Jimmy and his magic patch" by some schoolchildren during the Second World War.[40] "No underpants then, you had to sit in school until a repair could be done on them," a man explained. "When we went to school [during the Blitz] you were not allowed to wear long trousers until you reached the age of 14, short trousers were the normal thing to wear, and when your backside became thread bare you would have the hole covered up with what we called 'our jimmy and his magic patch'."[41]

References

  1. ↑ DC Thomson staff (6 May 1944). Gilchrist, Stuart (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 231. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  2. ↑ DC Thomson staff (15 July 1950). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 417. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  3. ↑ DC Thomson staff (19 August 1950). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 422. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  4. ↑ DC Thomson staff (26 August 1944). Gilchrist, Stuart (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 239. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  5. ↑ DC Thomson staff (18 October 1947). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 320. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  6. 1 2 William Tell two-parter:
    1. DC Thomson staff (19 October 1946). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 296. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    2. DC Thomson staff (2 November 1946). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 297. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  7. 1 2 Strang the Terrible:
    1. DC Thomson staff (20 May 1944). Gilchrist, Stuart (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 232. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    2. DC Thomson staff (3 June 1944). Gilchrist, Stuart (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 233. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  8. ↑ DC Thomson staff (9 September 1944). Gilchrist, Stuart (ed.). "Strang the Terrible". The Beano Comic. No. 240. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  9. ↑ DC Thomson staff (1 April 1939). "Young Strongarm the Axeman". The Beano Comic. No. 36. Illustrated by Jack Glass. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  10. ↑ DC Thomson staff (27 January 1951). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 445. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  11. ↑ DC Thomson staff (1 January 1944). Gilchrist, Stuart (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 222. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  12. ↑ Merlin and the Noble Knight:
    1. DC Thomson staff (25 August 1945). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 265. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    2. DC Thomson staff (8 September 1945). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 266. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    3. DC Thomson staff (22 September 1945). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 267. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    Smugglers:
    1. DC Thomson staff. "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 287. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    2. DC Thomson staff. "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 288. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    3. DC Thomson staff. "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 289. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    Robinson Crusoe:
    1. DC Thomson staff. "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 282. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    2. DC Thomson staff. "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 283. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
    3. DC Thomson staff. "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 284. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  13. ↑ Moore, Ray (1991). The Beano Diaries – Volume 2. British Comic World. p. 138.
  14. ↑ DC Thomson staff (13 August 1955). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 682. Illustrated by Dudley D Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  15. ↑ Riches, Christopher (2008). The history of The Beano : the story so far. New Lanark: Waverley Books. pp. 322, 323. ISBN 978-1-902407-73-9.
  16. ↑ DC Thomson staff (27 July 1957). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 784. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  17. ↑ DC Thomson staff (5 October 1957). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 794. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  18. ↑ DC Thomson staff (8 July 1950). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 416. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  19. ↑ DC Thomson staff (17 March 1951). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 452. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  20. ↑ DC Thomson staff (15 August 1959). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 891. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  21. ↑ DC Thomson staff (7 November 1959). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 903. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  22. ↑ DC Thomson staff (27 July 1957). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano. No. 784. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  23. ↑ The Dandy and the Beano: THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS. Fleet Street, London: D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 1987. pp. 48–51. ISBN 9780851163840.
  24. ↑ DC Thomson staff (24 January 1948). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 327. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  25. ↑ DC Thomson staff (7 February 1948). Moonie, George (ed.). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Comic. No. 328. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  26. ↑ Cramond, Harold, ed. (15 November 1980). "Hall of Fame". The Beano. No. 2000. Illustrated by David Gudgeon. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  27. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1946). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Magic-Beano Book 1947. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 51.
  28. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1949). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Magic-Beano Book 1950. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 99.
  29. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1950). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Book 1951. Illustrated by Dudley D. Watkins. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 98.
  30. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1951). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Book 1952. Illustrated by Paddy Brennan. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 74.
  31. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1952). The Beano Book 1953. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 50.
  32. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1960). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Book 1961. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. pp. 34, 82.
  33. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1957). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Book 1958. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. pp. 7, 67, 117.
  34. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1958). The Beano Book 1959. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. pp. 17, 77.
  35. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1959). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Book 1960. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. pp. 12, 82, 102.
  36. ↑ DC Thomson staff (September 1962). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". The Beano Book 1963. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 53.
  37. ↑ Beano Annual 2019. London: D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 2018. ISBN 978-1845356798.
  38. ↑ DC Thomson staff (2 August 2008). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". Classics from the Comics. No. 148. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
  39. ↑ DC Thomson staff (8 May 2010). "Jimmy and his Magic Patch". Classics from the Comics. No. 169. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. p. 44.
  40. ↑ "BBC - WW2 People's War - Jimmy and his magic patch". BBC News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  41. ↑ Cronin, Brian (28 January 2019). "Look Back: A Nation at War Learned the Magic of a Patch". Comic Book Resources.
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