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COUNTDOWN was TV CENTURY 21's natural successor. Not only did it feature GERRY ANDERSON related strips (in some cases reprints from its forerunner), it was also edited by DENNIS HOOPER, who'd been the art editor on TV21 itself. However, successor it may have been, but it wasn't exactly a success, and after just over a year, changed identity by becoming TV ACTION. It managed to survive for another year and a half or so, and with its demise, DOCTOR WHO returned to his previous publication, TV COMIC.
For all those who weren't around at the time, here's the first half of the very first issue to give you a taste of it. If it was one of the weekly comics of your youth, then say hello again to an old friend. The second half will follow in a subsequent post before too long. Countdown starts now!
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I see there's a UFO strip - that's one show I could never get into when I first saw it (1974) and I've seen it repeated over the years but it still does nothing for me, why on earth did the women wear those daft purple wigs ? That Dastardly and Muttley strip is actually Stop The Pidgeon.
ReplyDeleteOr 'Stop The Pigeon' to be pedantic. Actually, CJ, I was never really into UFO either, but I did like watching the women who wore those daft purple wigs.
ReplyDeleteThis one was certainly part of my youth - I would look forward to getting home from school of a Friday (even on top of it being the end of the week!) to see a new issue on the table, purchased by my Mum during the day. Loved the Science as well as the strips, especially Mr Burns'
ReplyDeletework on Countdown and Dr Who, first by Harry Linfield then Gerry Haylock. And the artists actually received a credit, albeit squeezed in the panel gaps. I still have my copy of the first issue and a handful of others, including some TV Action - only wish I'd been able to hang on to more, though I did download the entire run in digital form a couple of years ago. But, as we've mentioned before - not the same as having the actual paper copy. Great to be reminded of this one again, may pull out the survivors for a browse later from my 'collection'.
Strange to think that Countdown lasted only 58 issues, PC, with TV Action only lasting 74 (132 in all). It came out just over a year before I moved to another house in another neighbourhood, thus counting down the end of one phase of my life and heralding the start of another.
ReplyDeleteI loved UFO, countdown was a bit iffy though, enjoyed the reprints and a couple of the artists. Gerry Haylock, John Bryn (I think that was his name, the countdown strip guy). The colour was always a bit odd, Haylock preferred to use body colour in place of tints and the countdown guy's colours were wild. There was also a nice swansong from an artist whose name I don't recall but he did a bloody brilliant UFO strip, I think it was in one of the specials. Incidentally a -facinating fact- regarding countdown, is the typeface used for the title was called Countdown in the Letraset catalogue, which I'm sure you probably knew already.
ReplyDeleteIf I ever knew that, DSE, I'd forgotten, so thanks for reminding me. In fact, I must've known, because I've got the Letraset catalogue. Brian Lewis is the artist you're thinking of, I think, but he drew a few things after Countdown for Dez Skinn. He was the artist who drew Charlie's Choice in Smash! back in the '60s.
ReplyDeleteBrian Lewis did some great stuff (as you note) for Dez Skinn for House of Hammer that are well worth looking out - I think I have a HoH special on Brain Lewis somewhere - and a few Dan Dares - did he also do a cartoon strip at Odhams called "Space Jinx" (or similar title) the style looks similar to Charlie's Choice"?
ReplyDeleteYup, he also drew Space Jinx for Smash!, and apparently also Pest of the West and Georgie's Germs for Wham! Interestingly, he also drew Tomboy for Cor!!, and I used to resize some of his strips for either the Buster or W&C comic libraries back in the mid-'80s. He was only 49 when he died, alas. A fine talent, ended far too early.
ReplyDeleteHey Kid, that was pretty impressive, you pulled the guy's name out of the air with no hesitation from my very brief and slightly inaccurate description.
ReplyDeleteDon't be too impressed, DSE - I'll probably disappoint you next time.
ReplyDelete