Sunday 15 March 2015

SMASH ! COVER GALLERY - PART NINE...


Copyright REBELLION

With the above issue of SMASH!, adventurer SIMON TEST assumed cover star status for the rest of the comic's run.  This resulted in some impressive images from artist ERIC BRADBURY, but I'd have liked to see JANUS STARK and perhaps some other characters appearing on the cover from time to time.  Eventually, of course, Smash! was merged into VALIANT, but while it lasted, it was one of Britain's best comics - featuring 40 pages for only 7d (old money).

Any of these covers ring the bells in memory's belfry?  Then let's hear all about it, chums.  Your comments are often far more interesting than anything I write (though I'd deny it in court).

And don't forget to come back for part ten.









As you can see, the first few issues above contained football cards as free gifts.  Other companion papers also had cards, and one I had at the time was GORDON BANKS (which I re-acquired last year), presented with SCORCHER during my last six months at primary school.  This surprises me, because until I bought the replacement and checked, I'd always associated it with some time in 1967 or '68, rather than the start of 1970, which seems kind of late.  (Not that it matters much I suppose, because the area was exactly the same over that time period.)

Funny how the mind plays tricks like that though, eh?  Just over two years later, I was living in another house in another neighbourhood, but back then, the future lay stretched out in front of me, and I had no inkling that I'd be living it anywhere other than the home I'd known for almost the previous five years.  Ah, the memories contained in just that one card.  As someone once said - "The only thing to look forward to's the past!"

 
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5 comments:

  1. Mel15 March 2015 at 14:43

    I love seeing these old Smash comics. My collection disappeared sometime during the mid 70's so to experience these covers again is a real nostalgia blast. I managed to hang on to my Wham collection which started at Christmas 1966 (#132 I think it was) to the end of its run. A few are in a terrible state - the ones where I cut out the pennants for the free gift in Fanastic - but most are OK. I'd like to scan them but my scanner is too small. Are you using an A3 scanner Kid? And by the way what happened to the Smash cover dated 21 March 1970?

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  2. Kid15 March 2015 at 18:53

    No, Mel, I use an A4. However, the Epson scanner has a slightly larger screen, which, with careful positioning (and sometimes several attempts), captures a few extra millimetres of image that other makes can't accommodate. I've now added the missing comic - I'd simply overlooked it.

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  3. John Pitt15 March 2015 at 22:18

    I used to collect those brooke bond tea cards in the 60's.
    What Mel was just saying about the pennants, I'd LOVE to see scans of the Wham, Smash & Pow pennants, if possible?

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  4. Kid15 March 2015 at 23:01

    I've got 'em, JP, so it will happen. Patience.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kid9 October 2023 at 11:48

    In the unlikely event that anyone's interested, in an updated response to Mel's comment, I now use an A3 scanner.

    ReplyDelete

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