The SIGN Of The BAT... (Updated)

BATMAN copyright DC COMICS

I've shown this MARX TOYS TWISTABLE BATMAN before on the blog, but I thought I'd let you see him with his new Bat-emblem.  See, in the early or mid-'90s when I first acquired this replacement for the original ones I'd had as a kid (that's right, I had more than one, though not all at the same time), he came without his utility belt, Bat-a-rang, and Bat-sign.  He still had his original cape with copyright label attached, but it was a little the worse-for-wear.  So I promptly made him a new cape (using the original as a template), new utility belt, and new Bat-a-rang.

His original cape was a darker blue than his mask, boots, and gloves, so I used a darker blue for the replacement.  Eventually, I made another one that was closer to his blue plastic parts, but still just slightly darker.  I created the Bat-a-rang from a piece of perspex, the belt out of felt (hey, a poem), and I photocopied the Bat-emblem from the official one at the time ('90s) used on merchandise.  Later on, I replaced it with one copied from the '60s AURORA Batman model kit, and last night I made one copied from ADAM WEST's Batman costume.  Sure, I could've copied the original Marx one (got a photo of it in a book), but West is best (hey, another poem), so that's what I've gone with.

These figures are quite hard to come by in any condition and command a pretty penny when they occasionally turn up, so I'm extremely glad to have one.  He's been a work in progress over the years, but at last I'm satisfied with his overall appearance.  (However, if there's anyone out there with a spare original emblem, belt and Bat-a-rang, get in touch.)  Below is a photo of someone else's toy with the original emblem and belt, followed by an earlier photo of the above figure with the first emblem I made.  And, following my response to TC in the comments section, I dug out my BATMAN COLLECTED book by CHIP KIDD, and the final pic below comes from his esteemed and fairly comprehensive publication.

BABE Of The DAY - MICHELLE KEEGAN...

MICHELLE KEEGAN should

be a BOND GIRL, don't you think?

So competition time: Think up a typical

Bond girl name for Michelle and give

us all a laugh.  Keep it clean now.

COUNTDOWN TO TV ACTION...

Copyright relevant owner

COUNTDOWN TO TV ACTION is a splendid volume, published by BEAR ALLEY BOOKS (in 2014), and is sure to delight all fans of this iconic comic from the early '70s.  The amount of research author STEVE HOLLAND puts into his work is astonishing, and this tome is packed with facts and figures.  In fact, perhaps it has far too many facts and figures, as I felt disinclined to read all the lists contained in the back of the book.  However, it's good to know it's all there and that if I ever need to know who drew a strip and what colour of trousers he was wearing on the day he drew it, I know where to find that info.

I jest of course, but sometimes it felt that some aspects the book were included more to pad out the contents to an acceptable length than because they really needed to be there.  However, that's the minor quibble of a pedant, so don't let it put you off buying this excellent softcover edition and reliving the heady days of your youth if you read this comic during its 132 issue run.  It would've been nice if at least some of the illustrations were in colour, but even that absent aspect doesn't really detract too much from what a worthy addition to your bookshelf this tome would be.

You can order copies here, and with Christmas fast-approaching, now might be the time to grab a copy - either for yourself, or for a friend or relative who remembers Countdown/TV Action with fond affection.   

TARKAN #1 - COMPLETE FIRST ISSUE...

Images copyright relevant owners

Several posts back, I showed you the cover of TARKAN #1 and a few interior pages, but have now decided to go the full hog and let you all read the complete 1st issue.  Normally I'd crop the margin off each page and present them singly, but this time I've decided to try something different.  I thought it might increase the sensation of reading an actual comic if I featured the pages as if the actual mag were in your hands, so here it is as nature intended - two pages at a time.  You can let me know in the comments section if you prefer this style of presentation or my usual way of doing things.  Remember that the left-hand page above is the back cover, and should be read last after you've read the rest of the mag.  Now, forward...!

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(You'll notice that the dialogue on page 15 suggests the opposite of what's actually implied in the pictures, but obviously things had to be toned down from the original as the publishers wouldn't want to lose younger readers by incurring the wrath of their parents with blatantly salacious content.)