THE BAXENDALE LETTERS - PART THREE...

I'm lucky enough to have acquired the third WILLY The KID book a few years back, thereby completing the set, but before I managed that, I'd written to LEO BAXENDALE in 1995 to ask him whether or not it had ever actually been published.  Above is his interesting response.

COMING ATTRACTIONS ON 'CRIVENS!'...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Guess what, Crivvies?  When I posted the previous piece about the SUB-MARINER King-Size Special #1, I'd never seen the second issue and wondered whether it had ever actually been published, despite readers being advised in the first issue to look forward to it.  (After all, plans sometimes change.)  While searching for confirmation that SAL BUSCEMA had illustrated the first cover, I discovered that #2 had indeed been printed, so I searched eBay and bought one for a few paltry quid.

Look at the great BILL EVERETT art, above!  It'll be a few days until the mag arrives, at which time I'll show you the cover again, as well as some of the contents.  That's the seller's photo of the very issue I purchased today, so I can't wait until I get my grubby hands on the actual comic and place it next to its predecessor.  It may have taken 43 or 44 years to get the next ish, but it really does seem like only a short while ago since I bought the first Special all those years ago.

I hope you crazy Crivs are all at least half as excited as I am about it, 'cos then I'll be twice as excited as you!  Excelsior!

BABE Of The DAY - VERONICA CARLSON...

I'm not quite sure what the lovely

VERONICA CARLSON's doing, but

regardless, she sure looks good doing

 it.  That's good enough for me!

FAVOURITE COMICS Of The PAST PART FORTY-SEVEN - SUB-MARINER KING-SIZE SPECIAL #1...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

I well remember the day I bought this KING-SIZE mag sometime in 1972 (or '73) as it was a particularly sunny one.   Can no longer recall whether it was a Saturday or a weekday during the school summer holidays, but I believe I purchased it from a local R.S. McCOLL's in the main shopping centre of my home town.  From there I made my way along to another newsagent in a neighbouring area, and I remember walking the stretch of road between the two precincts, and the hot sun beating down upon me on the journey.

As for the contents, I'd first read these stories in the pages of TERRIFIC back in 1967, although, at the time, it seemed a far longer period than 5 or 6 years between 'then-and-now'.  Poor VINCE COLLETTA is much-maligned in some fan circles nowadays (due mainly to poor quality reprints), but his inking over GENE COLAN's pencils on the strip was excellent, and easily the equal of his inks on JACK KIRBY's THOR tales.  And add to that a superb SAL BUSCEMA* cover and you've got yet another of my 'favourite comics of the past'.

(* I think I can see a hint of MARIE SEVERIN  in there as well.  Couldn't swear to it though.)

Incidentally, Gene was originally named in the credits as ADAM AUSTIN, but this was altered for this King-Size re-presentation of these SUB-MARINER tales.

Any momentous memories of this mighty MARVEL-lous mag, frantic ones?  Then don't be shy or selfish!  Share your rambling reminiscences with the rest of we cavortin' Crivvies in our cataclysmic and sometimes controversial comments section.  Go on!  (Right after you've ogled the awesome art of course.)