Adelaide's earliest comic paper - as distinct from satirical newspapers - was the Adelaide Punch. There are references to the existence of the title as early as 1865 when it appeared to have been run by Richard Wells of the Register, however the earliest existing copy dates from 1868. Modelled closely on the English Punch (which was even read by Queen Victoria), it was published by William Roberts and William Fawcett. The illustrations were by Tom Carrington, previously of the Melbourne Punch. This incarnation however, lasted for only twelve issues.

In 1878 Adelaide Punch was revived by Caleb Dalwood, a nephew to the Frearson brothers of the Illustrated Adelaide News. In July 1878 Adelaide Punch passed to Scrymgour & Sons, a large firm of Adelaide printers. Dalwood continued to contribute cartoons to Frearson's Weekly and Frearson's Monthly through the following year, and also contributed cartoons to Adelaide Punch until 1880. Editorship is unclear until December, when JCF Johnson took over as owner and editor. Johnson was formerly drama critic for the Register. 'WJK' remained the artist of the main cartoons until early 1880. Johnson, an accomplished writer, was also an able artist and contributed the 'side pictures' for Adelaide Punch. In 1882 he sold the paper and in 1884 was elected to South Australian Parliament. The new owner of Adelaide Punch was Edward Derrington of the Port Adelaide News.

In early 1884 the paper was taken over by its chief cartoonist, Herbert Woodhouse. Woodhouse had begun drawing the side pictures for the journal in 1881, and by 1884 seems to have been contributing almost all the cartoons. Other cartoonists had previously included 'A.E.' or A. Esam, 'H.R.', E. Dale and 'Dane'. In October 1884 Adelaide Punch was sold to its rival, the Lantern and ceased as a separate title.

Carrington, Tom

Dale, E.

Dane

Dalwood, Thomas Caleb

Derrington, E.H. (Edwin Henry), 1830-1899

East, William Henry

Esam, A.

Fawcett, William

Johnson, J.C.F. (Joseph Colin Francis), 1848-1904

O'Donnell, Harry

Roberts, William

Woodhouse, Herbert

Frearson and Brother

Frearson's monthly illustrated Adelaide news (Adelaide, S. Aust.)

Frearson's weekly illustrated (Adelaide, S. Aust.)

Kapunda herald (Kapunda, S. Aust.)

Illustrated Adelaide news (Adelaide, S. Aust.)

La Caricature (Paris)

Lantern (Adelaide, S. Aust.)

Le Charivari (Paris)

Melbourne Punch (Melbourne, Vic.)

Port Adelaide news (Port Adelaide, S. Aust.)

Punch (London)

Rattlesnake (Adelaide, S. Aust.)

Scrymgour & Sons

'Adelaide Punch,' Yorkes Peninsula advertiser, 4 April 1882, p. 2

'Late Mr JCF Johnson', Adelaide observer, 25 June 1904, p. 41

Marquis, Len. South Australian newspapers: a selection of material from the extensive research notes gathered for a proposed history of the press in South Australia by Leonard Stanley Marquis/ prepared by Ronald Parsons, Lobethal, S. Aust.: R. Parsons, 1998

'Our city letter', Kapunda herald, 10 September 1878, p. 3