THE coronavirus pandemic was predicted in a 1987 Bunty annual with an eerie sketch of a “deadly virus” which ravaged the world in 2020.
In one story called The Lost World, two teens in 2020 were depicted in a bubble, cut off from the outside world by a “sizzling silver curtain”.
The force-field appears to protect the surviving humans from a virus which has destroyed the Earth, keeping them safe if they stay within it.
A girl named Jane, dressed in a futuristic outfit, asks her pal if she ever wonders what the world is like beyond the curtain, with Jean replying: “I used to.
“But when you know it’s certain detail outside, it’s silly to even think of escaping.”
The British comic for girls was popular throughout its run from 1958 to 2001, featuring fictional stories.
This bizarre story is introduced with a familiar description of a deadly virus arriving on the planet and forcing them to stay inside – with travel between cities and countries banned.
It starts: “It was the year 2020. Jane Tate and Jean Wilson were on their way to a history lesson.
“Like everyone else in their city they were trapped by the sizzling silver curtain that cut everyone off from the world outside.”
A teacher tells them: “We know nothing more about the menace, Jane. The experts say that it could be hundreds of years before the plague has burnt itself out.
“To venture outside is certain suicide, that everyone knows.”
She explains the “virus that was deadly to humans” and saw “millions of people” killed came from a space ship returning to Earth.
The comic was aimed at youngsters, published by a Dundee firm DC Thomson & Co.
This eerie story was dug out from the archives by the daughter of Dr Emily Munro, an archivist at the National Library of Scotland.
It comes as Scots are set to be banned from leaving the country and anyone crossing the border will be slapped with a fine as new travel bans come into force.
The law kicks in at 6pm and anyone who flouts the rules will be punishable by minimum £60 fixed penalties.
And UK coronavirus deaths rose by 501 yesterday as infections dropped by more than 10,000 compared to last Thursday.
Another 22,915 Covid infections were confirmed, down from the 33,470 recorded this time last week.
The Government said it was keen to relax lockdown restrictions to allow up to four households to meet over the festive period.
Families could form social “bubbles” with up to four households for five days of “freedom” over the festive period.
But health experts have criticised the five-day reprieve starting on Christmas eve.
