Rupert and the Whale story commenced on Saturday 27th August and is a reprint of a story from the Ian Robinson and John Harrold team appearing in the newspaper in 1995 and then in colour in the 1997 Rupert Annual.
The Bear’s summer holiday is based at a different Rocky Bay guest house than usual as the landlady is now a human rather than the usual Mrs Tiger who must have retired.
The present in the story entitled Rupert and the Birthday Present turned out to be a baby kangaroo from Sailor Sam for Guide Beryl who promised to keep him and make him the guide company mascot.
It is surprising that he never appeared in further stories.
Finishing after 30 episodes the story was specially written by Alfred Bestall for the 1963 Rupert Annual and this is the first time it has been reprinted.
