This is the first part in a series where we'll be looking at what's out there in the comics world – outside of our own Elf~Fin comic book series – that features mermaids. This selection is probably little known but it is a point of nostalgia for me. "Milly the Merry Mermaid" were delightful short stories published in the the Princess Gift Book for Girls (1973) and the Princess Tina Annual (1971) by IPC Magazines, London, and distributed in Australia by Gordon & Gotch. There are many other books in the series but I only have those two. I found second hand copies of them while I was growing up and read them over and over again. I loved the gentle humour, some of the environmental themes, and Milly's undersea animal pals who could all talk.
These stories really influenced me. I've chosen a one page story to showcase here, and a two pager where we see a large full body panel of Milly where her tail takes prevalence. It looks like there were two artists working on them, as the style is different for both. I have no idea who wrote or drew them, as there are no creator credits in the book—a real shame. Many writers and artists were anonymous in those days. I believe if they were published now, the creators would have had a great fan base. Anyway, we hope you like them. You can still find some of the Annuals on eBay or online. Here's one of the books from whence these stories are sourced. It says 1972 but my book says 1971. I wonder who'll be the first to grab it for their mermaid collection...
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