The 12½p Buytonic Boy
Encyclopedia
The 12½p Buytonic Boy was a fictional character
who had his own strip in the UK
comic Krazy.
For much of its life the strip was drawn by Robert Nixon
, although Brian Walker frequently deputised when Bob was on leave.
It first appeared in issue 1, dated 16 October 1976. The strip was about a boy called Steve Ford, who, after buying a special tonic from Professor Nutz for 12½ pence, gained special powers. He would later be hired by the Everso Secret Service, using his powers to interfere with the plans of the villainous spies from rival organisation, the "NME". This being the period of the Cold War
, the names of the agents of the NME included Boris and Ivan and they would occasionally dress as Russia
ns.
The name and strip itself was a pun on The Six Million Dollar Man
television series, whose main character was called Steve Austin, the "bionic man". Ford
and Austin
are both popular car manufacturers. Prior to getting his powers, Steve Ford crashes his karty, much like Steve Austin crashes an aircraft.
The Buytonic Boy's most famous catchphrase, following an altercation with a robotic Australian villain, was "Fingers over nose in case you pop one of those corks again... and a thump on your brain-box because the price is right!" Oft-imitated in classrooms, to the dismay of fellow-pupils and teachers alike, one boy was reportedly caned in 1981 by his headmaster for repeating this popular slogan once too often.
After Krazy finished in 1978, he became a Whizzer and Chips
Whizz-Kid, and stayed in that comic until early 1986. Around the time the half penny
ceased being legal tender, the strip was retitled The Buytonic Boy, variously attributing to BB: Buytonic Boy and The Buytonic Boy starring Steve Ford. It would later be retitled, more permanently, to Super Steve, and, after that, Super Steve vs NME Nasties, in which readers would write to the NME and suggest ways of defeating Steve (which always failed).
He was also known for three weeks in 1984 as W4 during a short-lived spell when Whizzer and Chips code-number titled its characters in an attempt to attract a teenage audience.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
who had his own strip in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic Krazy.
For much of its life the strip was drawn by Robert Nixon
Robert Nixon (artist)
Robert Nixon was an artist who worked on several British comics.Bob was born in South Bank, Middlesbrough, in North Yorkshire on July 7, 1939. He was the fifth of six children born to Arthur Nixon and Phylis Thompson. Robert's mother Phylis worked as a housewife while his father worked locally...
, although Brian Walker frequently deputised when Bob was on leave.
It first appeared in issue 1, dated 16 October 1976. The strip was about a boy called Steve Ford, who, after buying a special tonic from Professor Nutz for 12½ pence, gained special powers. He would later be hired by the Everso Secret Service, using his powers to interfere with the plans of the villainous spies from rival organisation, the "NME". This being the period of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the names of the agents of the NME included Boris and Ivan and they would occasionally dress as Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ns.
The name and strip itself was a pun on The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI...
television series, whose main character was called Steve Austin, the "bionic man". Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and Austin
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
are both popular car manufacturers. Prior to getting his powers, Steve Ford crashes his karty, much like Steve Austin crashes an aircraft.
The Buytonic Boy's most famous catchphrase, following an altercation with a robotic Australian villain, was "Fingers over nose in case you pop one of those corks again... and a thump on your brain-box because the price is right!" Oft-imitated in classrooms, to the dismay of fellow-pupils and teachers alike, one boy was reportedly caned in 1981 by his headmaster for repeating this popular slogan once too often.
After Krazy finished in 1978, he became a Whizzer and Chips
Whizzer and Chips
Whizzer and Chips was a British comic magazine that ran from 18 October 1969 to 27 October 1990, when it merged with the comic Buster. As with most comics of the time, Whizzer and Chips was dated one week ahead....
Whizz-Kid, and stayed in that comic until early 1986. Around the time the half penny
British Half Penny coin
The British decimal half penny was first issued on 15 February 1971, the day the British currency was decimalised. In practice it had been available from banks in bags for some weeks previously....
ceased being legal tender, the strip was retitled The Buytonic Boy, variously attributing to BB: Buytonic Boy and The Buytonic Boy starring Steve Ford. It would later be retitled, more permanently, to Super Steve, and, after that, Super Steve vs NME Nasties, in which readers would write to the NME and suggest ways of defeating Steve (which always failed).
He was also known for three weeks in 1984 as W4 during a short-lived spell when Whizzer and Chips code-number titled its characters in an attempt to attract a teenage audience.