CRIVENS! COMICS & STUFF!: BRITAIN'S 'SMASH!'-ING SUPERHERO

Friday 16 January 2015

BRITAIN'S 'SMASH!'-ING SUPERHERO - THE TERRIFIC TRI-MAN...

Straight from the SMASH! Annual for 1971 comes TRI-MAN, Britain's answer to SPIDER-MAN - who, as he had only a short run in the weekly, was obviously not the answer anyone was looking for. When Smash! ditched the MARVEL reprints in early 1969, there were seemingly numerous complaints, resulting in fictional office boy MIKE (editor GIL PAGE) appealing to the readers to give the comic's new direction a chance. However, it would appear that Tri-Man was an attempt to appease those who missed the U.S. superheroes, and perhaps even the brand-new U.K. superhero contents of the '71 POW! Annual were also created specifically for this purpose. (Though they were never seen again.)

However, all that was yesterday; for today, let's enjoy RON TURNER's 5 page action-packed adventure of the titanic teenager! He may not have been in Spidey's league, but he at least gave it a try, man! (Winner of the worst pun of the year award!)

Here he has a different coloured costume and looks more like a middle-aged man than a teenager

14 comments:

John Pitt said...: Brilliant, Kid! Thanks so much! Really hope it didn't damage your spiine? I was going to say, "Tri gently, but if looks like it would crease it, then don't risk it!" Anyway, really great to see (and download!) these! You've shared so much with me over the years! I really appreciate it!
Did Ron Turner also draw the strips in the weekly as well? If not, can you remember who did without digging them out?; 16 January 2015 at 20:40
Kid said...: Luckily, the strip is right at the front of the Annual, JP, and not in the middle. Had that been the case, I couldn't have scanned it. If I remember correctly, it was Solano Lopez who drew the strip in the weekly comic. (Can't dig my back issues out anyway - I don't even know which box they're in up in my loft.); 16 January 2015 at 20:46
John Pitt said...: P.S. For an even worse pun, - It's good to see a " FAIR " fight!!
:-D; 16 January 2015 at 20:48
Kid said...: Oh dear - I've hope I've not opened up a 'helter-skelter' of bad puns. Not even in a 'roundabout' way. Otherwise I'll be spending my time trying to 'dodgem'.; 16 January 2015 at 21:03
John Pitt said...: I liked Lopez's art in Kelly's Eye, so I suspect some atmospheric, gothic strips for Tri-Man in the weeklies! I shall have to search for some images.; 16 January 2015 at 21:57
Kid said...: No doubt I'll get around to showing the weekly strips on the blog at some stage, JP.; 16 January 2015 at 22:32
Anonymous said...: I'm afraid this is another topic of which I have no memory or knowledge so I've been reading your Beano reviews, Kid. Very interesting but in one you lament the lack of snow on Christmas mastheads - I bought the Xmas beano a few weeks ago and that did have snow (maybe not on the outer bag masthead though) but it looked more like cotton wool than snow I thought, far too fluffy looking. Do you know the name of the artist who drew Nick Kelly in the Beezer (or was it the Topper) in the early '70s ?; 16 January 2015 at 23:19
Kid said...: I believe it was George Martin who drew Send for Kelly in The Topper, CJ. Lovely art, too.; 17 January 2015 at 05:12
Anonymous said...: Thanks very much,Kid - the reason I asked is because I saw some artwork recently (on this blog I assume) and recognised it instantly as the same style as Nick kelly who was my favourite character in my pre-Marvel days. I'll have to find out some more about him now.; 17 January 2015 at 13:23
Kid said...: Nae bother. Wikipedia has a page on him, I think. Or it may be one about The Topper that mentions him. I'm sure there'll be others, too.; 17 January 2015 at 13:32
John Pitt said...: Bet you knew I'd just have to revisit this post, eh?; 24 May 2016 at 13:33
Kid said...: And guess what? I was going to link to it in the final Tri-Man episode.; 24 May 2016 at 13:46
John Pitt said...: You must still link it, Kid, so that all four of Tri-Man's fans can ALL have access to it, as we wouldn't want the other two to miss out, would we?; 24 May 2016 at 16:17
Kid said...: Don't worry, JP - I will.; 24 May 2016 at 19:30

About the artist:

From 1985 to 2000 A.D. (little joke there), I contributed to a variety of high profile comics and magazines for various companies.

For IPC/FLEETWAY/EGMONT, I freelanced as a lettering and logo artist on various weekly comics and monthly magazines, and also as a resize comic artist and spot illustrator on pocket books, summer specials and annuals.

For MARVEL U.K., BLACK LIBRARY, REDAN and USBORNE BOOKS, I again freelanced as a lettering artist, also working as a restoration artist for MARVEL U.S., restoring and re-creating certain pages of JACK KIRBY art for their MARVEL MASTERWORKS editions.

I also lettered the MARVELMAN sample pages submitted to MARVEL U.S. when they were considering acquiring the character, which - as we all now know - they DID.

Supplied comic strips, cartoons and illustrated advertisements for local business campaigns and newspaper publication on a professional basis since the age of 16. Did my first paid art job for publication at 14 or 15 for Lanarkshire Education Board.

Have also made TV appearances as a collector of memorabilia.

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Just some of the titles I worked on are:

2000 A.D. * JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE * DICEMAN * SONIC The COMIC * JUDGE DREDD, LAWMAN Of The FUTURE * CRISIS * REVOLVER * EAGLE * TIGER * BATTLE ACTION-FORCE * BUSTER * WHIZZER & CHIPS * WHOOPEE * NIPPER * SCHOOL FUN * ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE * The REAL GHOSTBUSTERS * DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE * COUNT DUCKULA * RUGRATS * The TRANSFORMERS * DEATH'S HEAD * THUNDERCATS * GALAXY RANGERS * DRAGON'S CLAWS * SINDY * MARVEL MASTERWORKS * The TROLLS * LOADED * INFERNO * WARHAMMER * ROSE BLACK.

Copyright Notice:

Images remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are used here only for the purpose of review, promotion, and nostalgia.

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In the case of images culled from my own collection where copyright of an item isn't mine, I impose no copying restrictions on fellow bloggers.

(Although, if you don't allow copying on your own site, then you really shouldn't be copying from others, should you?)

And while you can credit this blog if you like, it's not mandatory. Who has time to make notes of every casually visited site during an idle browse of the internet?

In the case of anyone copying images of my own artwork and calligraphy, I affirm my right to be identified as the creator, and any such copying should not be for the purpose of monetary or material gain. (Unless it's mine.)

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Please also note that this blog is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or connected to, any organisation, business, or group, and is wholly independent.