1979 was a year of momentous events. In Britain, it began with the so-called Winter of Discontent, as rubbish piled high in the streets and the dead went unburied. Later, guerillas stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, Margaret Thatcher entered Downing Street, and Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose while on trial for stabbing his girlfriend to death. Elsewhere, murderous dictator Saddam Hussein rose to power in Iraq, America’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant went into meltdown, and there was an anthrax epidemic in Russia following an accident at a biological weapons plant.

But it’s all swings and roundabouts, because 1979 also saw the first issue of Viz Comic going on sale. And now, with a rousing brass fanfare to celebrate its 40th year as the country’s most flatulent magazine, Viz is puffing out its cheeks to release its latest annual - The Trumpeter’s Lips.

Within the 226 pages of this lavishly produced hardback you will find the very best bits from issues 262-271, including

*    Cartoons: The Fat Slags, Sid the Sexist, Mrs Brady Old Lady, Roger Mellie, Eight Ace, Buster Gonad, Big Vern and many, many more
*    Informative features: Let’s Go Dogging!, Secrets of the White House Shite House, How Did Henry VIII Mow His Lawn?, Who’s Who at a Car Boot Sale, and  A Day in the Life of a Model Railway Enthusiast
*    Edge-of-your-seat adventures: In Search of the Giant Squid of Sumatra, The Crown Jewels Mystery, Wally Walton’s Emergency Scorpion Squad and Wall to Wall Carpet Warehouse, Ballet Nurse on a Pony, Pip of the Peloton, and Bad Bob the Randy Wonder Dog
*    More articles, spoof ads, Readers’ Letters and Top Tips than you could shake a really big stick at

Just like our rubbish and dead were piled up in the streets four decades ago, Viz - The Trumpeter’s Lips will be piled up in shops and internet retailers this Christmas, guaranteeing a “Winter of This Content” (as specified above) for everyone.