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When COUNTDOWN comic came out in 1971, I gave the first issue a cursory browse-through on top of my local newsagent's counter, but wasn't particularly impressed by it. Consequently, I didn't start buying it until later, when it began reprinting some FIREBALL XL5, STINGRAY, and CAPTAIN SCARLET strips from TV CENTURY 21. (I think they reprinted some THUNDERBIRDS ones too, but that may have been later - can't quite recall offhand.) Only six or so years had elapsed since I'd first read the Fireball and Stingray strips, but that was half my life away at that point and therefore seemed a much longer period of time.
There was one Fireball adventure I particularly loved, which takes place on URANITURE, a planet seemingly populated by living snowmen. Countdown reprinted the colour pages in black and white, two pages to one (like the MARVEL UK 'landscape' titles), but that didn't overly bother me as it was great to see MIKE NOBLE's dynamic, action-packed art again in any form. I decided to extract these pages and assemble them in their own mini-comic, but I made a bit of a hash of it and, embarrassed by my less-than-perfect attempt, eventually discarded my homemade efforts to the dustbin of history.
However, over the years, it always bothered me that I hadn't succeeded in my goal, and though I again possess the original TV21 presentations, as well as various colour and b&w reprints of this particular tale and don't really need any more, I decided to have another crack at it. I own quite a few issues of Countdown, but not the numbers containing this particular adventure*. I do have access to them though, so I printed them out and assembled them under a cardboard cover, and - viola - I've finally completed the task I set myself 46 plus years back. It does my heart proud to finally finish something begun so long ago. Why, I'm almost overcome with emulsion. (*Got them now though.)
Have you any similar tales to tell, frantic ones? If so, let loose in the comments section. And if you'd like to read this Fireball tale, click here for part one.
(Update:) If I may be permitted a little self-indulgence, this adventure, as I said, first appeared in colour in TV Century 21 (#34, September - #39, October, back in 1965), and whenever I look at the colour version, I associate the strip with the house I lived in at the time, plus the route leading to the newsagent's around the corner from me, and the shop itself, from where I usually bought the comic.
Jump forward six years to October 1971 and Countdown #38, when the first episode of the strip was reprinted (ending in #43, December), and the black and white version has different associations for me. I was living in a different house in another neighbourhood by this time, and purchasing my comics from another newsagent's, so obviously they're what spring to mind when I look at Countdown's monochrome mini-pages. Remarkably though, the manager of the first shop (Chamber's) was now in charge of the second shop (R.S. McColl's), so I also associate both incarnations of the tale with him, a gentleman by the name of Mr. Smith.
I'm also astonished to realise that a mere six months after the story ended in Countdown, I was living in yet another house in yet another area, because it seems that I held on to my homemade 'collected edition' in the previous house for far longer than that. Isn't it strange that the same strip can have two separate associations with two different times and places, simply because of the different way in which they were presented?
12 comments:
I try very hard to link some comics etc from the past to events etc but I'm finding as time goes by that I am forgetting a lot of these associations, so it's great you still recall these. I cobbled together some of Ken Reid's strips from those old monthly titles like Funny Fortnightly / monthly into a book not as grand as yours but similar. I also did that for Hotshot Hamish but sadly they were consigned to the bin a few years ago
You never know, McS, Rebellion might do a volume of Hotshot Hamish, so that's one to look out for. Ken's best work was for the Power Comics by Odhams, so if you've got those two volumes (and if you get the Football Funnies books), then you'll be well-served in the Ken Reid department. (I think you only got one of the Power Comics books, didn't you? Time to buy volume 2.)
I have one Hotshot book that was published a few years ago as an annual but love the later work, the art is amazing (cartoony) I think there were a few Hotshot specials that I'm looking to track down. Yeah I think I'll get the other Power book
I saw a Hotshot Hamish Annual somewhere, but had no idea what year it was from. I just assumed it was an old one, but it's probably the one you've got.
Yeah I think it was the Scottish Sunday Mail that published it. I got mine for £1 in the Works
Some good bargains to be had in there, wasn't there? Does it still exist?
Yeah the Works is still going strong Kid a store opened in Hamilton a couple of years ago and there's one in your home town as well ( or was last time I was there). The year before lockdown they had a few DC and Marvel graphic novels very well priced, none of interest to myself as they were to recent but in Hamilton at least they took an age to sell so there hasn't been any actual comics that I've seen for two years. I got the large coffee table Trigan Empire edition in there a few years ago for £4
Yes, there is a Works in my town, but I'd forgotten that was its name as I associate The Works with being mainly a book shop, whereas it now seems to be mainly an art supply shop with a few books. Doesn't seem like the same kind of shop any more, hence me forgetting what it's called. Maybe other branches are different if they're bigger. Incidentally, I got that big Trigan Empire book for nothing 'cos I stole it. Only kidding, a pal gave it to me.
Yeah it's about 60% art supplies and kids toys now. But you can occasionally get the odd comic book.
I've bought a few comics-related books over the years, so I don't know why I forgot it was The Works. Must be getting old or/and senile.
I bought my 2021 calendar in The Works - the subject of the calendar is endangered animals and the picture for August is the Sumatran elephant.
What are the other ones on the calendar, CJ? Did they do one for endangered insects? I feel sorry for bees at the moment, poor wee things.
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