Friday 16 January 2015

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

Copyright relevant owner

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
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14 comments:

  1. John Pitt16 January 2015 at 20:40

    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?

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  2. Kid16 January 2015 at 20:46

    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.)

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    Replies
    1. John Pitt16 January 2015 at 21:57

      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.

      Delete
  3. John Pitt16 January 2015 at 20:48

    P.S. For an even worse pun, - It's good to see a " FAIR " fight!!
    :-D

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  4. Kid16 January 2015 at 21:03

    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'.

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  5. Kid16 January 2015 at 22:32

    No doubt I'll get around to showing the weekly strips on the blog at some stage, JP.

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  6. Anonymous16 January 2015 at 23:19

    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 ?

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  7. Kid17 January 2015 at 05:12

    I believe it was George Martin who drew Send for Kelly in The Topper, CJ. Lovely art, too.

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  8. Anonymous17 January 2015 at 13:23

    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.

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  9. Kid17 January 2015 at 13:32

    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.

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  10. John Pitt24 May 2016 at 13:33

    Bet you knew I'd just have to revisit this post, eh?

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  11. Kid24 May 2016 at 13:46

    And guess what? I was going to link to it in the final Tri-Man episode.

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    Replies
    1. John Pitt24 May 2016 at 16:17

      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?

      Delete
  12. Kid24 May 2016 at 19:30

    Don't worry, JP - I will.

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