Rare Oor Wullie annuals added to National Library collection

The National Library of Scotland  (NLS) has completed its collection of the Oor Wullie annuals by buying two rare volumes for £4000.

Seventy years after it was first printed by DC Thomson, the 1940 edition of the adventure comic strip was purchased at auction by the NLS for £3000. The 1942 annual attracted a further bid of £1000.

The two annuals were the only Oor Wullie books to be produced during the second world war because of paper shortages.

Modern Scottish collection curator at the NLS Andrew Martin said, “We all know Oor Wullie. He’s one of the iconic Scottish figures and it’s appropriate that the library has the full collection.

“It’s a record of Scottish publishing and further evidence of a very important character in the Scottish psyche.”

The NLS had been searching for copies of the annuals for a while and missed out on one 1940 edition this year when it was sold at a car boot sale for £1000.

“There are said to be very few in existence,” Mr Martin added. “We never know exactly but I think our Oor Wullie fans would say there are fewer than 10 in the world.”