The BATMEN Versus The SIGN Of The ZODIAC...

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Back in the early '90s, I was chatting on the 'phone one day to legendary editor, the late ALAN FENNELL, about the FIREBALL XL5 reprints from TV CENTURY 21 in one of the comics he was then responsible for.  "Why didn't you start the stories from the first-ever episode?" I enquired of him.  "Because the artwork wasn't good enough!" was his frank reply.

I must confess that I was a little surprised by Alan's assessment because, although MIKE NOBLE is the Fireball artist in the minds of most readers of the time, his predecessor on the first five instalments in the series, GRAHAM COTON, turned in a very atmospheric job, I thought.  To date, the strips have never been reprinted* in any book, comic, or magazine, so I thought I'd present them here on my blog for anyone wanting to relive their childhood, or to read them for the very first time.

So, enjoy Part One - the rest will follow at fairly regular intervals.

*Update: In 2023, Coton's strips were included in the Fireball XL5 60th Anniversary Comic Anthology, which reprinted all the XL5 strips from TV21 and Countdown.

And below is the cover to the very issue that the above strip appeared in.

R.I.P. CARMINE INFANTINO - MAY 24 1925 - April 4 2013.

The world's greatest FLASH artist, CARMINE INFANTINO, has passed away aged 87. Carmine held the position of publisher at DC COMICS between 1971 and '76, and was responsible for hiring JACK KIRBY away from MARVEL in 1970. Others will no doubt supply more detailed accounts of Mr Infantino's life and career, but in the meantime, here is one of the most iconic BATMAN & ROBIN images from the '60s (pencilled by Carmine and inked by MURPHY ANDERSON), in tribute to a truly remarkable artist.

Copyright DC COMICS