SOUVENIR FACSIMILE Of The MAGNET FIRST ISSUE...

Copyright relevant owner

If this were a more ambitious (and better) blog than it is, devoted to imparting knowledge on the featured subject, there would now follow an expository essay on the history of The MAGNET and BILLY BUNTER.  Fact is, though, I'm a lazy buggah and can't be bothered doing the required research just to justify showing you 5 pages, so if you click on the names, you'll be transported to their respective WIKIPEDIA entries, which should tell you everything you need to know (and probably more than you want to).  Problem sorted.

The images here are from a 1965 souvenir edition of the first issue of The Magnet, published by FLEETWAY.  Clock the back-page ad on the glossy cover, featuring RANGER, wherein the classic comic strip The TRIGAN EMPIRE made its debut.  A little slice of history, eh?  I think I once read a Bunter book, in which BILLY BUTLIN appeared, but I don't recall much about it.  I much prefer the comic strips of Billy that were drawn by REG PARLETT.  Any Bunter fans out there?  Declare your affection for the fat owl in our comments section. 

A FANTASTIC FACSIMILE EDITION & A TRIO OF TITANIC TRUE BELIEVERS - GRAB 'EM WHILE YOU CAN!

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Castel Crivens has just taken possession of a fabulous foursome of great comic mags, rabid readers!  Although I've got the original issue of FANTASTIC FOUR King-Size Special #6, I decided to get the Facsimile Edition to keep it company.  It's even got the 'continued next page' lines and the COMICS CODE box like the original.  What more could any Merry MARVELite ask for?  How about some TRUE BELIEVERS as well?  Yes?  Good, 'cos I've got some of them too!

Have to say that I'm not too keen on the new cover logos they're giving these otherwise magnificent mags.  They should retain the originals and find a way of adding the 'sub-title' in an unobtrusive way.  After all, I doubt that readers are buying them due to being tenuously linked to a theme, it's more likely because they're simply an inexpensive way of acquiring 'back issue' reprints of classic tales.

Anyway, if you've been wondering what to spend your pocket-money on, Crivs, then wonder no longer.  Straight round to your nearest comicbook shop and buy as many as you can carry.

SECRET ORIGINS COVER & IMAGE GALLERY PART SEVEN...

Copyright DC COMICS

Here's a question for all you cavortin' Crivvies.  Have you ever read a retelling of an origin story that was better - or even as good - as the original?  There must be some, but I just can't think of one.  Maybe that's why this series of SECRET ORIGINS didn't rock my boat as much as I would've liked it to, though it must've held its own, sales-wise, seeing as how it lasted for 50 issues.  If it wasn't selling, the plug would've been pulled much sooner.

Now, having written the above, KEITH GIFFEN's art on The CREEPER story below, looks quite good, and has some DITKO-esque touches without being a slavish imitation.  Credit must also go to MURPHY ANDERSON, as well as ARVELL JONES for their renditions in issue 19 of UNCLE SAM and The GUARDIAN (& The NEWSBOY LEGION) respectively.  MIKE CLARK (who I'd never heard of before) and RICK LEONARDI likewise do decent versions of Dr. MID-NITE and BATGIRL (#20), though I still prefer CARMINE INFANTINO's original debut tale of BARBARA GORDON's caped and cowled alter-ego.

GEORGE FREEMAN is another name I'm unfamiliar with, and though he turns in a perfectly respectable job on GREEN LANTERN in ish 18, his art doesn't really grab me.  However, it's JACK KIRBY who lets the side down with his frankly awful single illustration of The Guardian on #19's cover.  Murphy Anderson inked Jack's pencils, but even he couldn't save it, despite his magic pen and/or brush.  JK was offered the gig of drawing the whole strip for the issue, but declined, perhaps aware that age and illness had taken its toll and that he wouldn't be up to it.  If so, I think it was a wise decision on his part, but he should've knocked back the cover as well.

Well, that's us now got the first 20 issues out of the way - only another 30 to go.  Do you want to see them, or would you prefer me not to bother and just move on to something else?  My own instinct is to finish what I started, but knowing your opinion wouldn't hurt in helping me make up my mind one way or the other should I ever find myself wavering on the matter.  It's only taken me 3 and a half years to get to this point - if it takes even half the time with the remaining issues, my posts will have lasted far longer than the entire run of the mag.

Anyway, enjoy the accompanying images and feel free to leave a comment if you so wish.  Your opinion counts, even if it disagrees with mine.