JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER...

I'm feeling fair chuffed with myself.  Here's why.  About 33 years ago, I bought a pack of 'Heritage Library' book covers, the purpose of which was to transform paperbacks into hardbacks and thereby make them look more impressive on one's bookshelf.  I duly performed the operation - which involved removing the backing from the adhesive interiors of the covers and inserting the books - on three or four paperbacks I had.

The results were not quite so impressive as I'd imagined and I immediately regretted my rash action.  Too late, alas - the new covers couldn't be removed from the books without inflicting major damage, so I just had to live with them.  One of the volumes was a paperback of The Wind In The Willows, which I vaguely noticed was now the precise dimensions of an actual hardback edition of the book I also possessed, but it was to be quite some time before my mighty brain 'joined the dots' and came up with a rescue plan.

Anyway, to cut a long story to a slightly shorter (but still too long) one, the other day I rediscovered said transformed book and decided to restore it to some semblance of normality.  I dug out my copy of the 'genuine' hardback and scanned the dustjacket, and then printed off a replica of it, resulting in a perfect fit for the compromised edition.  All I need do now is obtain a clear protective sleeve for the dustjacket, and the book's integrity will be fully restored.

Don't believe me?  See for yourself in the accompanying photos.  Not a bad job at all, if I say so myself.

JOURNEY Into HISTORY - PART TWENTY-FIVE Of FAVOURITE COMICS Of The PAST...

Images copyright DC COMICS

JIMMY OLSEN was never a regular buy for me when I was a kid, though that changed when JACK KIRBY took over for 15 issues back in the '70s.  One that sticks in my mind however, is the above one - #97 - bought by my brother during my family's holiday in Largs in 1968.  He also purchased FANTASTIC #70, featuring the first half of the origin of The INCREDIBLE HULK.  This was the first time ODHAMS had reprinted the tale, having begun with issue #2 when the strip debuted in SMASH! in 1966.  However, the GARGOYLE part of the tale had appeared back in Smash! #27, cover-dated August 6th 1966, as a self-contained story, out of sequence with, and seemingly unconnected to, The Hulk's origin tale.)

To digress for a moment, this was a peculiarity of Odhams: They didn't bother with SPIDER-MAN's origin from AMAZING FANTASY #15, instead starting with ASM #1 when the series appeared in POW!.  Nor did they commence with DAREDEVIL's origin in Smash!, reserving an abridged version of the tale for the 1968 Fantastic Summer Special.  I'd have to check, but I don't think they published the first-ever AVENGERS story either, though I could be wrong on that one.  As far as I can remember, the only characters that they definitely printed from their very first issues were The FANTASTIC FOUR, THOR, IRON MAN, X-MEN and DOCTOR STRANGE.

On that '68 holiday, I also acquired a bendy CAPTAIN SCARLET figure and a STEVE ZODIAC & ZOONY The LAZOON on a jet-mobile toy.  Whenever I look at my replacements of either the Jimmy Olsen or Fantastic comics, or the Steve Zodiac toy (I haven't got 'round to replacing Captain Scarlet yet), I'm instantly transported back in time to our holiday residence for that year, which was the ground floor flat of what was essentially a Glasgow-type tenement, complete with the 'luxury' of an outside toilet in the back courtyard.

One day, my brother bought a trick dog-poo, which we placed on the pavement outside the front of the building, then stood around trying to look nonchalant so that we could register the looks of disgust on the faces of passers-by.  It went largely unnoticed, to the extent that somebody accidentally kicked it as they passed, sending it skiting along the path.  'Twas my idea to pour some water over it, to give it the appearance of a more realistic, freshly-deposited doggie-jobbie, but that failed to attract any more attention than before.

We were to return to Largs two more times, in 1969 and '71.  No doubt I'll regale you with the background to some of the comics and toys I bought on those occasions at a future date.  (You lucky 'Criv-ites', you!  I really shouldn't spoil you so much.)

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Since first posting this, I've been back to Largs, and below is an example of the type of tenement we stayed in, where me and my brother perpetrated our doggie-poo trick.  Ah, memories!