[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_topper_1980_cover.png]]
''The Topper'' was a long running [[BritishComics British Comic]] which began in 1953. It was the fourth humour comic to be released by Creator/DCThomson after the better known ''ComicBook/TheDandy'' and ''ComicBook/TheBeano'' and the shortlived ''TheMagicComic''. In a similiar manner to its sister comic, ''ComicBook/TheBeezer'', the comic was originally A3 in size before going to A4 in 1980.

The comic [[ComicsMerger merged]] with two other comics during its run: ''Buzz'' in 1975 and ''Sparky'' in 1977. The comic would go on to merge with ''Comicbook/{{The Beezer}}'' in 1990 as ''The Beezer and Topper'' before finally going defunct in 1993. Unlike ''The Beezer'', after 1993 there were no more ''Topper'' annuals.

The comic's most popular strip was Beryl the Peril. This strip was something of a DistaffCounterpart to ''ComicBook/TheBeano'''s [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]] and was originally drawn by the same artist. This strip would go on to have its own spin-off annual and go onto appear in ''ComicBook/TheDandy'' (one of the few ''Topper'' characters to survive its closure).

Other classic strips in ''The Topper'' included [[FunnyAnimal Mickey the Monkey]], Send for Kelly, [[StupidCrooks Fred the Flop]], [[ThePrankster Tricky Dicky]], [[HaveAGayOldTime Danny's Tranny]], [[FarSideIsland Desert Island Dick]] and Big Uggy.
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!!This comic (and its strips) provide examples of:
* AnimatedAdaptation: An episode of the [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]] TV series involves Dennis attempting to watch a week long marathon of Nick Kelly. Nick Kelly was the main character from the Send for Kelly strip.
* BigEater: Hungry Horace was this. The character originally appeared in ''ComicBook/TheDandy'' before turning up in ''Sparky'' and then being transferred to ''The Topper'' after ''Sparky''[='=]s merger.
* ComicsMerger: ''The Topper'' absorbed ''Sparky'' and ''Buzz'' during its lifetime before being merged into ''ComicBook/TheBeezer''. After the ''Beezer''[='=]s demise a few ''Topper'' characters reappeared in other comics, most notably Beryl The Peril in ''ComicBook/TheDandy''.
* CunningLikeAFox: Averted in the Foxy strip as Foxy's attempts to catch the Farmer's chickens would always end in disaster.
* FarSideIsland: Desert Island Dick.
* GoodAngelBadAngel: The strip Jimmy Jinx and what he thinks (originally from ''Buzz'') used this trope as its main gimmick.
* HaveAGayOldTime: The strip Danny's Tranny was about a boy called Danny and his magic transistor radio. The phrase Tranny has now gained other meanings.
* MasterOfDisguise: Al Change. Also a Master of Disguis''ing'', because the contents of his disguise bag worked on anybody.
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Splodge was a strip about a Goblin who could only be seen by readers of ''The Topper''.
* PowerUpFood: Souper Boy gained Super powers after eating Soup.
* ShowWithinAShow: Nick Kelly when he was in the [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]] TV series.
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