TOYBOX TREASURES Of The PAST: CORGI TOYS 1966 BATMOBILE...

BATMAN & ROBIN copyright DC COMICS

This is my very own CORGI TOYS BATMOBILE, which I acquired from a shop in Edinburgh back in 1991.  Someone I knew told me about it, so I duly hopped onto a coach with an old school pal one morning and shot through to buy it.  The one I'd bought back in 1970 or '71 only had ordinary hubcaps, the original gold and red Bat-symbol ones having been replaced in what was undoubtedly a cost-cutting exercise, but I'd always regretted not having the first version and was glad to be able to finally rectify that - even if it was 20 years later.

The first person I ever knew to acquire this 'must have' toy in 1966/'67 was a friend who lived a couple of doors along from me, a lad by the name of JOHN FIDLER.  I like to think his choice of Christmas present (for such it was) had been influenced by the fact that we both liked to run around our neighbourhood playing BATMAN & ROBIN.  (Though that's probably only because I like to take credit for everything - unless it's bad, of course.)

Corgi wanted to re-release this toy a number of years ago, but try as they might, they just couldn't obtain permission from the relevant copyright holders.  That's why they eventually went with the idea of doing the 1966 comicbook Batmobile (as well as others), which had a similar (though not the same) Batman image to the one on the underside of their original 1960s TV toy.  The comicbook version was nice, but nothing could ever replace the original Corgi model.

Now that the copyright issues over this car have finally been resolved, I wonder if Corgi will ever follow through with their original plans, and re-issue this iconic TV vehicle for a whole new generation of children (and an older generation of collectors)?  Wouldn't that be nice, Bat-fans?  Why not get in touch with them and suggest it?  You just never know!

Anyway, enjoy the pictures in this post, and I'll maybe post more classic toy cars from yesteryear soon.  Incidentally, the second set of missiles in the bottom photo are actually bright red - they came out a funny colour because I scanned them instead of photographing them.  I trust you won't hold it against me.

KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS - 2000 A.D. #1...

Images copyright REBELLION PUBLISHING

February 1977 - a new comic title hit newsagents' counters that's still around over 38 and a half years later.  Little did I guess then that, in a mere eight years time, I'd become a regular contributor to 'the Galaxy's greatest comic', during what is now regarded as the periodical's golden age.  What are your recollections of 2000 A.D.?  Was it the comic of your youth, or did you march to a different weekly's drum?

Why not tell us all about it in the comments section?

And here's what the space spinner looked like...

And here's the cover of the 'dummy' issue...

ZENITH - PHASES* ON STUN...

(*No, that's not a typo in the title.)

Y'know, I've now not worked regularly in comics for the same period that I did (15 years), but there are still perks to be had from my days as a contributor, even after all this time.  For example, REBELLION, publishers of 2000 A.D., recently sent me complimentary copies of their stunning four volume set of ZENITH hardback books, a character whom  I was involved with in a minor way back in the late '80s and early '90s.  And even as I type, the deluxe APEX Edition of Zenith (same as the oversize artist editions by MARVEL and DC) is winging its way to me, courtesy of those nice Rebellion chappies.

So thanks to them for their unstinting generosity, but don't despair, frantic ones, as you too can own these fantastic books, which are available from your local comics store or book shop for a paltry sum.  (You can also buy them direct from Rebellion's website.)  So why waste money on unnecessary items like food or clothes when you can buy these great books?

Right, I'm off to don my Zenith costume and then patrol the city - why not nip out and purchase at least one of these books today?  You're bound to regret it if you don't.

Images copyright REBELLION PUBLISHING

BABE Of The DAY - RAQUEL WELCH...

It's RAQUEL WELCH, leaning

at a slightly odd (if not impossible) angle

as she takes her puppies for a walk on the

beach.  Unluckily for all dog-lovers they're

off-frame, but fortunately there's another

 pair of puppies for us to enjoy!

WHATEVER BECAME OF KEVIN AND JANINE?

Hopefully, a side-on view of a bit of nip won't shock anyone too much, but there's a reason for me publishing this particular pic.  I think it's Page 3 model JANINE ANDREWS, and the original glossy photo from which I photocopied this image used to adorn the wall under the window ledge beside the desk of IPC art assistant KEVIN BRIGHTON, who worked on the same floor (26th) as myself in KING'S REACH TOWER in Stamford Street, London, circa 1985-'87.

His desk was situated right in front of mine, and as I visited the Capital every week (sometimes twice), I got so used to seeing the lovely Janine that Kevin let me photostat the picture so that I could have my very own copy to take back home with me.  For nearly 30 years it's graced the side of a filing cabinet in my room, and whenever my eyes fall upon it, I can't help but be reminded of King's Reach Tower, the view from the window of the 26th floor, and, of course, Kevin himself.

The last time I saw Kev was in December '87, when I visited London, not for the purposes of work, but for a two day stay in the city just for the hell of it.  In fact, I haven't been back to London since, and although I spoke to Kevin a couple of times on the 'phone shortly after, I don't know what became of him once the IPC Youth Group began to disintegrate following pension-pincher ROBERT MAXWELL's acquisition of it a few years before his ill-fated swim in 1991.

Kevin was quite a talented cartoonist in his own right, so maybe he fulfilled his artistic ambitions, met and married Janine Andrews, ditched the pic, and lived happily ever after.  Whatever happened to him, I have fond memories of my visits down south in the '80s, and one glance at the above perky pin-up brings it all back to me.  Ah, happy days indeed.