The Leopard from Lime Street was a story appearing regularly in Buster comic from 27 March 1976 to 18 May 1985 (whereupon it was repeated in colour). It was drawn in 'realistic' comic style by Mike Western and Eric Bradbury, much like Marvel Comics's Spider-Man story (to which it bears numerous similarities), in direct contrast to the stylised cartoony style of the rest of Buster.
Contents
Premise
Billy Farmer lived with his Aunt Joan and Uncle Charlie in the fictional town of Selbridge. He was scratched by a radioactive leopard called 'Sheba' while taking photos at the local zoo for the school magazine, and thereafter gained leopard-like strength, speed, reflexes, and tree-climbing abilities. As with Spider-Man, while he's often fighting crime, he often sells photographs of himself to the local paper, using the money to support his frail aunt. Like Spider-Man, the Leopardman is forever trying to convince the people of Selbridge that he is a hero, not a villain - not easy when you name yourself after a dangerous animal. Unlike Spider-Man, he has to contend with his violent, greedy and lazy uncle.
Publishing History
His stories were published in French, in the comic Sunny Sun. and Greek in the "Blek" comics series, mostly during the 80s. The origin of the Leopard from Lime Street was reprinted in the independent comic, Starscape (comic), along with the final published adventure from the Buster Annual 1987.
Rebellion Developments is due to republish the series as part of The Treasury of British Comics.
Legacy
An alternate version of the Leopardman was one of the superheroes assembled to fight the Lloigor in the 2000 AD strip Zenith. This is not, however, considered an official part of the Leopard's continuity, particularly since, due to confusion regarding mergers and acquisitions of involved parties, 2000 AD had no legal right to use the character.