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Isn't it funny how some things seem different in black and white, eh? This MIKE NOBLE illustrated FIREBALL XL5 story was first published in full colour in TV CENTURY 21 in 1965 (dated 2065), and reprinted in 'monochrome' in 1971 in COUNTDOWN. When I look at the colour version, memories of where I lived at the time come flooding back, and when I look at the black and white presentation, a completely different set of memories in another house six years later is forefront in my mind. The same tale, but two completely different sets of recollections and associations - weird, eh? Or perhaps not.
Anyway, although I've presented the colour pages in a series of posts a couple of years or so ago, I thought I'd show the black & white ones for all those who first experienced the adventure in this format. The story has been reprinted three more times (that I know of) since then: in CENTURY 21 in 1991, in (mainly) black and white (the first two pages were in colour), a couple or so years after that in IPC/FLEETWAY's THUNDERBIRDS comic, and again a few short years ago in one of a series of books by REYNOLDS & HEARN, also entitled CENTURY 21 (and also in full colour in both latter cases).
On the same subject, a few years back, I purchased a DVD two disc set of FRANK CAPRA's film IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, containing the original b&w movie, as well as a colourised version. (This was to replace a video of the colour version I'd bought back in the '80s.) I know some purists might disagree, but it adds a whole new dimension to the cinematic classic when seen in full colour. You can currently obtain the double-disc set from WHS for only £9.99 - and it includes four cards and a poster. Go on - give it a try!
In the meantime, enjoy again one of STEVE ZODIAC and the crew of XL5's finest comic strip adventures. "Fire retros, Robert!"
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But the first ( tabloid-sized ) TV21 colour pages were the best - Noble art just how he painted it!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, JP. However, having said that, quite a few pages from some of the stories in the Reynolds & Hearn Century 21 books were printed from the original art, so the quality would've been at least just as good. Unfortunately, my books are still packed away so I can't check if this particular story benefited from any original art pages.
ReplyDeleteEven so they would have lacked the sheer size of the originals ( and maybe some of the glossiness? )
ReplyDeleteI bought The Dalek Chronicles ( and I'm GLAD to have 'em! ), but the magazine-sized pages didn't compare to the TVC 21 pages. I'd love to get all my TV 21's back again!
The books have glossy pages, JP, and, in the cases of ones printed from original art, they don't suffer from the slightly off-register printing that TV21 sometimes had. You should check out the books - you may be pleasantly surprised.
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