A COMIC expert who helped bring the Bash Street Kids and Spider-Man to life has branded a Merseyside school’s own magazine “one of the finest I’ve ever had to edit”.

For the past 40 years, Crosby-born and bred Tim Quinn worked as illustrator, writer and editor on the world’s most famous comic books, ranging from the UK’s Beano and Dandy to New York-based Marvel Comics’ titles Spider-Man, X-Men, the Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four.

But, after opting to return home, Mr Quinn was bowled over by a new breed of “marvels” he worked with at Merchant Taylors’ junior school, in Crosby.

Staff invited him to spend 10 weeks with pupils with a view to launching the school’s own comic.

With his expert tuition, students aged 10 and 11 worked on the project.

They came up with the name BOOM, which stands for Brill Oracle Of Merchants’, and then set about the major task of filling its 24 pages.

The end result included a comic strip account of Daleks invading the independent school and destroying its landmark clock tower.

Other pupils’ ideas making the grade included an article allowing children to match up baby photos of their teachers with pictures of them today and an in-depth profile of a boy’s grandparents and their first-hand account of the Second World War.

At £2 a time, the finished product is selling like hot cakes throughout the school, and Mr Quinn is due to return to help with the second instalment in September.

Despite working alongside the world’s finest comic creators, Mr Quinn said the students’ efforts would complement any newsagent shelf.

He said: “Over a period of 10 weeks, the boys have put together one of the finest magazines I have ever had the privilege to edit. I am happy to say the boys are the best editorial team I have ever worked with.

Mr Quinn, who is hoping to revive school magazines across Merseyside, added: “Obviously the magazine itself is a great boon to any of the students keen to pursue a career in the media.”

Derek Youngson, deputy head at the junior boys’ school, said: “This was a great experience for the boys.

“It was inspirational for them to meet someone who has spent his life illustrating and writing superhero comics.”