Tom-Foolery

"Tom-Foolery" is a Saturday morning comic strip. It (along with The Railway Series) was the primary inspiration of Engines of Eight.

## History

The Tom-Foolery series began running in select British newspapers beginning in 1954. The comics were the brainchild of newspaper editor Tom Collins, who wanted to create a lighthearted and humorous strip that would appeal to readers of all ages. The comic strips became very popular and gained a large following over the years.

In the 1960s, some of the comics were rewritten and published as books for fans to enjoy. While the critical reception was lackluster, many fans were very happy to see all of their favorite characters in book form. Over time, merchandise began arriving, and fans could proudly display their love for the series through various products such as shirts, toys, and posters, among others. Some of these fans include people like Reyland Murks, who took the show's writing elements and gave them new life in the 1973 television show Engines of Eight, which was almost similar to the comic strips in certain dialouge spots.

In 1976, the comics briefly mentioned Reyland Murks in a line that reads, "Oh, Reyland's the guy who did something with our word-style... I just can't think what it is!"

In January 1977, a new team of writers began writing the comics. This brought fresh ideas and storylines to the beloved characters. The reception for the new era was positive, but some people did express concern that a new writing team would bring the series downhill.

The 1950s–1960s comics were later remastered and began new reruns in the newspapers, first being released in Japan in 1980 under the title of トム・フーラリー（Tomu Fūrarī）, translated by a comic researcher Ōno Kohei (大野耕平). Although the response to the series was positive, some Japanese audiences were not as impressed as expected. The series would later be released in English and other languages in 1981, gaining a cult following worldwide.

In 1982, talks were in the works of creating a live-action adaptation of the popular series. Plans for this adaptation did get greenlit in 1983, but after a screening of the pilot episode, the project was put on hold indefinitely due to negative feedback from test audiences. Eventually, the show was seemingly cancelled in 1984.

In 1982, after the plans for the ill-fated live-action series were made, a new spin-off comic strip was announced that focused on the adventures of secondary characters from the original series. The comic strip spinoff series began in August 1982 and ran for several years, gaining a dedicated fanbase.

In 1983, the idea of creating a feature-length film was put into motion; however, it was quietly cancelled in December 1983, as the series was starting to become less relevant due to the rise of other popular British comics such as 2000 AD and Judge Dredd.

In 1984, a new writing staff took over the series, and like fans had worried when the 1977 team first stepped in, the series took a nosedive in quality. The new writers struggled to capture the essence of the original characters and storylines, resulting in a decline in both critical acclaim and fan interest. This led to the new team being removed from the series in 1985 with the hopes of revitalizing the comic. However, despite subsequent attempts to revive it, the series never regained its former glory and ultimately faded into obscurity.

In December 1990, the Tom-Foolery series concluded, with the final issue being released on December 22, 1990. Even though the comic was a grand finale to the series, to other British comics, it felt like a minor footnote in the grand scheme of things. The series would see limited reruns in certain newspaper outlets, but ultimately these were discontinued on May 7, 1994, and the series never saw another publication.