Champ
   
                             
   Champ simply wanted to be the best - "champion" - at
   everything he did. But although he was always boasting
   about his forthcoming successes he rarely triumphed, and
   frequently presented his ever-present pal Georgie with
   a spectacular failure to chortle over. Champ wasn't a
   Big Head, though, he was just extra-keen, and not
   very good at the things he uindertook...

   Poor old Champ really did go through the Fleetway mill with
   at least four different artists bringing their own vision to the
   strip. He was first drawn by the masterful Leo Baxendale, of
   Bash Street Kids fame. In those very first Whizzer strips, our
   Champ sported a rather spectacular nose. By issue 21,
   however, his design had been refined and his hooter shrunk
   to the more familiar "button nose" variety:

     

   Colin Whittock took over Champ after Leo, mimicking the new
   button-nose look throughout his run on the strip. That's Colin's
   Champ version at the top of the page and it's Colin who pointed
   out the finer subtleties of Champ's nose, and who kindly supplied
   me with the scan above. Colin, of course, found everlasting
   Fleetway fame courtesy of, amongst others, Lazy Bones.

    

   Anyway, back to Champ. In later years you'll see that "The"
   was added to the strip title and new artists took up the pen,
   including J Edward Oliver whose sharp black lines must be
   instantly recognisable to Fleetway fans. That's his version 
   above. JEO has a fine official site that's well worth a visit.
   During our exchange, JEO made mention of Champ.
   Apparently, Fleetway editor Bob Paynter had suggested
   he should use a "Baxendale style", but JEO didn't realise
   that the previous incarnation was actually by
   Leo Baxendale!

   Below is the final Champ to appear, courtesy of Paul Ailey.
   Paul was one of Fleetway's unsung support artists, frequently
   "ghosting" strips for others when they were away on holiday,
   or otherwise indisposed. He also drew Jackpot's Adam & Eva.
   What's more, this splendidly generous chap furnished the
   Hound with a treasure trove of comic interviews and articles
   to assist with the creation of Fleetway St. It's all been
   very much appreciated...