WHEN SUGAR WASN'T A DIRTY WORD...

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Remember the 1969 song 'SUGAR SUGAR' by The ARCHIES?  In 1977, the famous HONEY MONSTER released a cover version of it, but don't ask me what position it reached in the charts 'cos I don't have a Scooby.  (Did a quick search, but could find no info.)  I bought it though, and still have the single in the same condition as when I acquired it back in '77, cover and all.  Was doing some shifting about in one of my rooms earlier and rediscovered it in a box along with a pile of other singles, and thought you might like to see it.

SUGAR PUFFS was first launched by QUAKER OATS back in 1957 with JEREMY The BEAR as mascot, but Honey Monster replaced him around 1976/'77 (sources vary).  At first, Jeremy was a cartoon bear, but eventually a real one was used, though apparently it ripped its keeper's arm off.  That's maybe why the decision was made to bring Honey in.  The owner of the cereal - as well as its name - has changed more than once over the years, but it's reassuring to still see Honey's face staring out from the supermarket shelves whenever I'm doing my shopping (only on the servants' day off, mind) after all these years.  Long may it be so. 

And below is Honey Monster with actor HENRY McGEE (comedian BENNY HILL's sidekick) in a 1976 TV ad for Sugar Puffs, these days known as Honey Monster Wheat Puffs.  (Note that, in the ad, Jeremy The Bear still adorns the box as mascot.  That would soon change as Honey's popularity increased.)

And just in case you were wondering how the song sounded as performed by Honey Monster, below is another TV ad of an earlier 'customised' version of it, which proved so popular it led to the release of the 1977 single - though featuring the original 1969 lyrics, not the amended ones in the ad.  Catchy, eh?

YOGI AND HIS TOY LIMITED COVER GALLERY...

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YOGI And His TOY was an odd comic that lasted for 36 issues from February to October 1972, before becoming HANNA-BARBERA'S FUN TIME in November, lasting for around 6 months or so.  It was odd because it combined two different forms of storytelling; namely the use of speech balloons along with captions below the panel drawings.  The DANDY's WINKER WATSON employed the same format, but that's the only other time I recall it being done in a (then) 'modern' comic.  (The DAILY EXPRESS newspaper strip RUPERT BEAR also used lower captions, of course, but not speech balloons.)

I only have a handful of Yogi Issues, but I thought I'd show the covers anyway, just to give all you crazy Crivs an idea of what it looked like in case you missed it at the time.  As you can see, a couple of them are quite worn, as it's difficult to track down better condition copies at a reasonable price.  I doubt I'd ever bother seeking out a complete set unless I got them for a song, but it would be good to have several in sequential order and in decent condition.

As I said before in a previous post, I was probably too old (at 13) to be buying this comic, but I always found it hard to resist the lure of a new periodical and was also a big Yogi Bear fan, which was no doubt my main reasons for buying it.  The comic only had 14 pages and cost 10 pence, which despite full-colour throughout, was a tad on the expensive side.  This was doubtless to cover the cost of the alleged 'free' gift, and makes you wonder where the Trade Descriptions folk are when you need them.

Anyway, that's enough weary waffle from me - enjoy the covers.  And if you'd like to read the complete first issue, click here.

BABE Of The DAY - MARTEL MAXWELL...

Not sure what MARTEL MAXWELL is

doing in this photo, but she looks good doing it.

Maybe she's playing at BATGIRL, but if so, she

forgot to wear the mask.  (It'd be a sin to cover

her cute wee face anyway, don'tcha think?)