A Red Herring
Before we get to the main event of Popeye transfers, I thought I might quickly mention these four issues of TV Comic: 1480, 1481, 1482 & 1483 (25th April to 9th May 1980), each of which came with more free stickers. However, we do know that these stickers were definitely not by Letraset; they were, in fact, printed by Fun Products, of Leeds.
Above: from No.1480; below: from 1481.
Many thanks to wrongshoe for many of the images on this page.
TV Comic: 1530 (17th April) to 1533 (15th May 1981) — Popeye Transfers [LP147]
The whole business of "stickers/tattooze/skin transfers/iron-ons/rub-down transfers" is potentially quite confusing, but that's mainly because Letraset didn't always stick to their core technology — rub-down transfers. They were perfectly willing to print any of the other types if the client expressed a preference, & in this case we have a set of four skin transfers, which normally Letraset would refer to as "tattooze".
A quick look at this trade ad for Letraset's other products should clarify matters.
(N.B.: although I've tried to be consistent with the use of the traditional term "Free Gifts", Letraset were going for a long time & didn't have the luxury of consistency. So they refer to them in this ad as both "premiums" — the US term — & "give-aways". I'm sure you got that right away…)
It's hard to tell exactly what the transfers are going to look like applied, when you have to view them through their backing paper:
These scans courtesy of wrongshoe
(But see also below!) No.1530: LP147/2 — No.1531: LP147/1 — No.1532: LP147/4 — No.1533: LP147/3
From No.1530; let the Editor know what you thought of the Popeye film.
Since I own a copy of three of these four issues myself, I dared to remove the backing papers for a better look at the transfers! Here they are flipped, for your reading convenience.
"Printed in Italy" refers, of course, to Sodecor.
• Next Page: Eagle 17th & 23rd December 1983 — Ultraman Poster & Transfer (LP221) →
Other pages in this article about Free Gift Transfers in Comics:
- Cor!! No.2, 13th June 1970 — Anglo Bell Boy Double Treat — Somportex Combat Bubble Gum →
- Michelino: 1, 2 & 3, 1971-1972 (PR130) →
- Look-In No.8 (of volume 7) week ending 19th February 1977 — Action Transfers (SAT Carnival) →
- Wall's / Look In No.11 (of volume 8), week ending 11th March 1978 — "Star Wars" Transfers Offer →
- TV Comic: 1377 5th May 1978 & 1378 12th May 1978 — Skateboard Iron-On Action Transfers →
- Look-In No.40 (of volume 8) week ending 30th September 1978 — Free Kalkitos Fun Transfer Kit →
- TV Comic Nos.1452 & 1453, 12th & 19th October 1979 — Hanna-Barbera Transfers →
- Whizzer and Chips, Monday 13th October 1979 — Free Gift Kalkitos →
- Marvel UK: Doctor Who Weekly Nos.1-4, October 17th - November 7th 1979 — Transfers by Dave Gibbons →
- Marvel UK: The Empire Strikes Back Weekly No.118, May 29th 1980 / Dairylea — Star Wars Transfers →
- TV Comic: 1530 17th April to 1533 15th May 1981 (4 issues) — Popeye Transfers (LP147) — this page; see above ↑
- Eagle: 17th December, 23rd December 1983 — Ultraman Poster & Transfer (LP221) →
- Marvel UK: Transformers Nos.1-3, 20th September - 31st October 1984 — Free Action Transfers →
- Marvel UK: Spider-Man No.607, 27th October 1984 — Free Rub Down Spider-Man Transfers →
- Splat Comic No.1, 27th February 1985 — Terrifically Terrible Transfers (Tattooze) →
- Marvel UK: Secret Wars No.1, 27th April 1985 — Free Secret Wars Rub Down Transfers →
- Marvel UK: Return of the Jedi Nos.97-99, 27th April - 11th May 1985 — Free Ewok Transfers →
- Marvel UK: The Spider-Man Comic Nos.634-635, 4th-11th May 1985 — Free Action Rub-Down Transfers →
- Katy No.1, 31st October 1986 — Colour Transfers Free Inside →
- Disney Magazine (UK) & Micky Maus (Germany) — 1984-1991 →