A cascading cornucopia of cool comics, crazy cartoons, & classic collectables - plus other completely captivating & occasionally controversial contents. With nostalgic notions, sentimental sighings, wistful wonderings, remorseful ruminations, melancholy musings, rueful reflections, poignant ponderings, & yearnings for yesteryear. (And a few profound perplexities, puzzling paradoxes, & a bevy of big, beautiful, bedazzling, buxom Babes to round it all off.)
Monday 27 September 2021
FIREBALL XL5 ANNUALS COVER GALLERY (UPDATED)...
Thursday 23 September 2021
POST FROM THE PAST: ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR...
The rubber-band version |
My very own toy - the camera flash has lightened the colours |
Sunday 12 September 2021
IS HENRY NOBBINS CONNECTED TO AMOS BURKE?
Images copyright relevant and respective owners |
Take a look at this Burke's Law strip from TV Century 21 #2. According to the terms of a murdered relative's will, his trio of surviving family members each have to break a world record in order to inherit a share of his fortune. I couldn't help but me reminded of a later strip called His Sporting Lordship (in Smash!) in which labourer Henry Nobbins had to break a world record in a series of sporting events before he could claim his hereditary title of Earl of Ranworth and the fortune that went with it.
Only around four years stand between the two strips and I'm prompted to wonder if His Sporting Lordship was 'inspired' from this episode of Burke's Law. Or could it even be that the same writer wrote both strips and he was simply recycling (with a bit of development) the basic plot of his earlier work? Or was it all nothing more than a mere coincidence? What do you think readers? And if anyone happens to know who wrote both strips, don't keep that info to yourself now.
Comments and speculation (as well as solid details) most welcome.
His Lordship graced the covers on four of six Smash! Annuals |
Monday 6 September 2021
THE END OF THE QUEST...
Copyright relevant owner |
Arrived today at Castel Crivens, the final issue I needed to complete the first full year's worth of TV Century 21 - #47. I have quite a few subsequent issues of the comic in its various later incarnations, but I doubt I'll bother trying for a full set of year two's batch as I felt the comic was going off-the-boil with the arrival of Thunderbirds in 1966.
There's no denying Frank Bellamy could draw, but I get the impression he was rushing the pages for TV21, and he wasn't as dynamic a storyteller on the strip as Mike Noble on Fireball XL5, or Ron Embleton on Stingray. I might've gone for year two for The Daleks (which ended in #104), but Marvel/Panini's Dalek Special made that redundant - and the first year was the comic at his best.
So - full first year of TV Century 21 - result!
Saturday 4 September 2021
CALLING ALL OLDIES (UPDATED)...
Thought you might like to know that WHS is currently selling limited edition packs of Opal Fruits (original flavours too) for only £1. I purchased a packet yesterday and scoffed my way through them in no time at all. Must buy another one as soon as I can and enjoy again a slice of my childhood.
Well, what are you waiting for? Get along to the shops now. Oh, and I've just noticed that Home Bargains also has them for a mere 99p. (I see that some eBay sellers are asking for nearly a fiver a bag. Tsk, tsk!)
And guess what - Farmfoods has them for only 89p.