WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH - STINGRAY...

Copyright relevant owner

Those of a certain age (as in decrepit old farts like me) may well remember the above ad (drawn by Ron Embleton) for the Stingray inflatable which appeared in TV Century 21 - and maybe even other comics as well, back in the '60s.  I always assumed it was a buoyancy aid to help keep kids afloat in the swimming pool or the sea, but there's actually no mention of that in the ad, so perhaps it was simply intended as a 'toy' so that kids could play at being Stingray.  Will we ever know?  Do we even care?

Anyway, subconsciously, I guess I fancied this piece of merchandise in my youth, so when the chance to obtain one recently presented itself, I took the plunge (figuratively speaking - no jumping off diving boards for me) and bought it.  I haven't inflated it and may never do, but there it is below laid out on my carpet for your perusal, followed by some of the seller's pics of the item in its inflated state.

Completely useless to me of course as I'd never fit in it, and it'll probably live in a box somewhere for the rest of it days.  However, considering I never owned one way back when, it's strangely still nice to have after all this time.  Anything you ever wanted (or wouldn't have minded) but never had when you were much younger, Crivvies, that you'd love to own today?  The comments section awaits your valued contributions so kindly get typing!

DAREDEVIL #1 FACSIMILE EDITION...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Another nice new Facsimile Edition that every true Marvel fan should have, so buy yours while they're available and before they shoot up in price on eBay.  Would've been better with the barcode box on the back cover (same as DC) and as you can see below, the indicia is in the wrong place as it would've been under the ad on the inside cover when originally published back in the '60s (hence the space under the ad next to the splash page)*.  That aside, it's still worth having, but I can't help but wish they'd print it on a high quality newsprint paper (again, like DC) as opposed to the slightly glossy paper they use.  At least they've included the 'Continued After Next Page...' lines, which help capture the feel of the period.  Can't wait 'til they do Journey Into Mystery #83.

(*Incidentally, Marvel eventually moved the indicia to under the splash page in their mags, but at this time it was still placed under the interior cover ad.) 

And look below - my original copy of issue #1, and below that, both issues side-by-side.

DRAMA VERSUS COMMON SENSE - IS IT WORTH THE SWAP...?

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Sometimes common sense has to be ignored for the purpose of drama.  For example, remember when James Bond chases a fleeing bad guy up some kind of crane in Casino Royale when all he really had to do was wait for him to come down at some point and capture him then?  Wouldn't have been as dramatic or exciting though, would it, and it could be argued that Bond was so caught up in the chase that he wasn't thinking clearly when he continued the pursuit and placed his own life in extreme danger by doing so.

Same goes for comics.  Take Fantastic Four #1 as another example, where Reed Richards fires a flare gun into the sky to capture the attention of his teammates.  Why not just use the little walkie-talkies of the kind that the Invisible Girl uses in issue 4, instead of seemingly causing a panic among the populace by a smoke-message?  (And would three English words in the sky really start rumours of an alien invasion - according to one cop - within seconds of the group's name appearing?  Even accepting that aliens might be suspected, it would take time for rumours to spread and the cops to hear about them, surely?)

Then we cut to Susan Storm, taking tea with a society friend.  Why doesn't she simply say she has to leave instead of turning invisible?  The short answer is to show the readers what her power is, but it's kind of contrived.  Then she makes things difficult for herself by pushing through a crowd while still invisible.  Surely if she could be seen, people would get out of her way and not inadvertently impede her, but this doesn't seem to occur to her.

And why not turn visible when she gets into the stationary cab/taxi?  The driver must've heard the door open and close and known he had a passenger, and it makes no sense that Sue would trust to sheer chance he'd go anywhere near where she wanted to - or decide to 'cruise' for a fare at precisely that moment.  Jack Kirby obviously intended that the driver was aware he had a hire and it was purely the fact that the money seemed suspended in mid-air that surprised him, not that he didn't know someone was in his cab.  Perhaps an example of a 'failure to communicate' between Stan Lee and Jack for which the 'Marvel Method' became famous for.

We next turn our attention to Ben Grimm, standing inside a men's clothing store.  Despite his bulky form and being swathed in a heavy overcoat, hat, and shades, he seems to have been able to enter the shop without difficulty.  When his attention is drawn to the flare, surely it would make more sense to exit as quietly and as (apparently) easily as he entered, instead of disrobing and crashing through the door frame and drawing unwanted attention to himself?  Of course it would, but this is a short-cut way of showing readers what The Thing looks like and what his 'schtick' is.

And what about that Johnny Storm - what an utter plonker!  He's sitting in a car, yet 'flames on' and reduces it to molten slag, with no regard for igniting the petrol/gasoline and possibly blowing his pals to kingdom come.  (He seems to have learned his lesson to some degree by the time issue 4 rolls around.)  Interestingly, in Stan's surviving two-page synopsis of the first issue, none of these details are present so it's likely that Jack was solely responsible for how each individual character was introduced.

These first half-dozen pages of FF #1 are utterly bereft of logic and common sense, but there are other failings throughout the rest of the mag which I'll leave for another time.  Sure, these liberties are taken for the purpose of creating dramatic impact and introducing the characters and their powers as quickly as possible, but does that excuse such 'shoddy' storytelling?  What do you think, readers?  Tell me and your fellow Crivvies and say how you would've handled this issue had you been responsible for producing it.

ADAM ETERNO: VOL. TWO - GRUNN THE GRIM...

Copyright REBELLION

Latest arrival at Castel Crivens, Volume Two of Treasury Of British Comics' Adam Eterno - Grunn The Grim, from the combined Lion & Thunder.  In his introduction, Chris Lowder says the following:

"Ironically, Thunder itself was a massive con from the start, since it was by no means built to last but created solely as a weekly that, after six months or so, would be merged into another paper (In Thunder's case Lion), thus boosting the latter's readership.  This neat trick had been practised by the Amalgamated Press/Fleetway/IPC since the 1900s and, in business terms, was usually highly effective."

Trouble with that is, it flies in the face of common sense.  Sure, no new comic was ever published without the knowledge it would be merged with another title if it failed to live up to expectations, but it is seriously unlikely that a new periodical would ever see the light of day without the hope that it would be a smash hit that would run for years.  Here's why: the sheer expense of launching a new comic was immense and usually took around two to three years to recoup its launch-costs, so going to all that time, trouble, and financial outlay simply isn't practical unless you have long-term aspirations for it.

A comic was usually only merged with another when its circulation was declining, so adding a shrinking readership to another comic may not have increased the circulation of the senior title by enough of a margin to make the financial investment worthwhile.  It would make far more sense to have given Lion a boost by a run of free gift issues and new characters, than go to the expense of launching a new comic for the purpose of boosting the sales of another a few months down the line.  After all, would the bigwigs really risk that approach, knowing that a new comic could be a dud from the start?  Very much doubt it.

Anyway, this looks like a great book and I can't wait until I have a surge in energy so that I can settle down to reading it - I therefore heartily recommend it in advance.

BABE Of The DAY - KATE UPTON...

What more could we ask for, Crivvies,

than a Babe in a bikini on a beach?  And do

you see the way she's gazing at me?  I can tell

that she positively adores me - and who could

possibly blame her?  She knows a real man

when she sees one, sure enough.

TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ONE MIGHTY MAGAZINE...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Managed to obtain (at huge expense) a brilliant condition copy of The Fantastic Four #1 recently.  Good as the Marvel Facsimile Editions are, it's better to have these early strips printed on good old-fashioned newsprint paper (as this one is), don't you think?  Incidentally, I see that Marvel is reissuing a facsimile of FF #1 yet again sometime in May, and if the photos are accurate in the listings I've seen, there's no barcode box on the front cover.  (That's it below.)

So here's a question for you, Crivvies - what's the one comic you don't own that you'd love to add to your collection above all others?  The comments section awaits thee so don't be shy now.

TO BE HE, OR NOT TO BE HE? THAT IS THE QUESTION...

I see a once popular comics writer has announced he's 'transitioning' and becoming a woman.  His business, although as he's insisted on sharing the news with the world (or at least his fans and followers on his blog and FB site), then perhaps I'll be forgiven for wondering about a few things pertaining to his situation (and that of others like him).

Does this mean that his life up to now has been a lie?  Is his openly admitted long-suffered depression a result of him agonising over the years about which gender to identify with?  Does his wife and children feel betrayed in discovering that he's not quite the 'man' they thought he was?  As he's in his 70s, wouldn't he be better just continuing whatever time he has left as he is, instead of facing such a life-changing event in old age?  Or is it, as one commenter speculated, merely a publicity stunt to draw attention to himself and his plans to write a trans character comicbook?  Time will tell, I guess.

I know of someone who transitioned, and without me giving any clues as to who it is, they give a strong indication of now regretting ever having done so.  My own belief (for what it's worth) is that compulsions to change genders are more than likely as a result of some form of mental illness, and should be treated as such and not indulged.  Some people think they're John The Baptist, or Napoleon, or some other character from history, and some people think they were born into the wrong body.  Shouldn't they all be regarded as different manifestations of the same psychological disorder?

What bothers me somewhat is the willingness of others to welcome this sort of decision as though it's a wonderful thing, rather than a worrying symptom of an underlying medical condition.  The very thought of losing the 'little chap' fills me with horror and I simply can't wrap my mind around anyone deciding to willingly divest themselves of their own lifelong companion.  It actually makes me feel queasy.

The writer is known for being quite an angry person, who has no truck with anyone who doesn't see things as he does.  (Admittedly, though, this may only be a blog persona he adopts to conceal a sensitive side, which he'd prefer not to reveal.)  Once he's past the point of no return, will he be a nicer, kinder, more polite individual than he often appears to be?  Again, time will tell.

My own advice, which he wouldn't countenance for a second, would be "Don't do it!" and that advice would be the same for anyone in his situation, so I'm not picking on him.  I just hope that, should his current thinking be down to some psychological delusion, he'll come to his senses before it's too late.  He appears to believe in God, so to paraphrase the sentiments of the late comedian Dave Allen, may his God go with him!   

ACTION COMICS #1050 - ALEX ROSS VARIANT...

Copyright DC COMICS

Do you know what I love?  (Aside from Susan Storm, Salma Hayek, and myself - though not necessarily in that order.)  New versions of classic comicbook covers, such as this one by Alex Ross of Action Comics #1, which recently arrived at Castel Crivens.  I couldn't recall whether I already owned it or not, but decided not to take any chances (when I spied it on eBay) in case I didn't and it suddenly shot up in price.  I've browsed the contents and they seem interesting, so hopefully I'll enjoy reading it when I eventually get around to it.

Do you like this sort of thing, Crivs?  Then say so in our comments section.

******

And do you know what I hate?  (Aside from pompous, pretentious posers, and [sometimes] myself - though again, not necessarily in that order.)  A third of a comics page being given over to credits that few people are even going to read.  Bring back traditional splash pages to comics is what I say - and do it right away!

Let's now take a look at another new version of a classic comicbook cover (below), again by Alex Ross.  Lovely, innit?  Y'know, the boy's not a bad artist - what think the rest of you?

The FANTASTIC FOUR #2 FACSIMILE EDITION (Updated)...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here's one I meant to show you last week - The Fantastic Four #2 Facsimile Edition.  Indicia in the wrong place (should be under the inside cover's ad), though it's got the 'Continued After Next Page' lines, which adds to its 'archival authenticity'.  Here's a few images to whet your appetite Crivvies - it'll look good sitting next to your facsimile of FF #1.  I wish Marvel would do FEs of all the Lee/Kirby FF issues - that'd be awesome.

At the story's end, one of the Skrulls disappears, meaning Jack perhaps intended him to have died when his rocket-pack exploded after colliding with Johnny, or a page was omitted for reasons of space.  If the former, maybe Stan wanted to avoid casualties, hence there being no reference to any demise.  Four Skrulls are shown tied up in one panel, but unless a page was cut, one Skrull might've been added by another hand to make up the numbers, before Stan decided just to explain the absentee with a hastily-contrived (and inadequate) remark from Reed.  

Below is the cover as it was originally produced, before being amended for publication at the behest of Stan (in all likelihood).

Note that when the speech balloons were removed, part of the tail (pointer) of Johnny's was missed.  Where are the proofreaders when you need them?

And below is the facsimile cover after I've applied a little smattering of digital technology to remove the 'extended' floorboards and the balloon tail.  My talent knows no bounds.  (Or should that be my bounds know no talent?)

BABE Of The DAY - CATWOMAN...

Copyright DC COMICS

Yeah, only a 'drawing', but she sure is a hottie!

The UNTOLD LEGEND Of The BATMAN...

Copyright DC COMICS

Here's a 'little' beauty that's just been delivered into my eager mitts - The Untold Legend Of The Batman.  I have the original 3-issue series from 1980 (which is how long I've owned it), a standard-size paperback book containing all three stories, and an audio dramatization with reprints of the original comics, but with cardboard covers.  And now I've got a 'treasury size' limited edition for good measure.

What's interesting about it is that it doesn't appear to be a facsimile of a previously published Special, it's more of a 'what if' presentation - y'know, like a 'Lost Annual'.  Some ads from the period are included, but they're likely taken from other '80s mags and included here to give it a touch of authenticity.  Anyway, allow me to show you some pictures from it... and once you've savoured them, feel free to comment.

F.O.O.M. STANDS FOR WHAT...?

Back in 1972/'73 when F.O.O.M. was being prepared, according to commenter Gene Phillips, Marvel asked readers if they could come up with their own ideas for what the initials might stand for, other than Friends Of Ol' Marvel.  I don't know what the result was, but it seems like a great idea to me.  So, Crivvies, what can you suggest might have been a better name for the Marvel club known as F.O.O.M.?

I'll start us off:  Fantabulous Organisation of Marvel.  Or: Far-out Organ Of Marvel.  Or: Followers Of Outright Magnificence.  Or: ???  The floor's now yours. 

THE SECRET UNKNOWN WORLDS OF ALAN CLASS - WELL, NOW YOU CAN KNOW...

Copyright relevant owner

Arrived yesterday at Castel Crivens, two items celebrating publisher Alan Class's 30 year career from 1959 to 1989, with Mr. Class still very much around at the ripe old age of 87.  I was originally too tired (and lazy) to scan my own copies, so used images from the Gosh! Comics website when I first published this post, though I've since replaced them with my own items.  (I didn't want you blaming me for  the reflection of the camera flash on Creepy Worlds #250.)

They could be sold out by now, but it wouldn't hurt to try and obtain them if you were a reader of Alan Class mags back in the day.  The 'Secrets Of The Unknown...' tome by Nick Neocleous has some very nice colour cover reproductions to prompt your memory of bygone days from your comics-reading youth, and also contains an interview with Mr. Class himself.

As for Creepy Worlds #250, it contains some nice 'public domain' strips, plus a couple of brand-new ones produced (I think) specially for this anniversary number.  Definitely worth having, especially if you happen to own the preceding 249 issues (and even if you don't).  Both items are autographed by Alan Class and Nick Neocleous, inside the book and on the back of the mag.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT - SPIDER-MAN COMICS WEEKLY #1...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

In just over a week it'll be 52 years since the very first issue of SMCW went on sale.  If you were around back then and are anything like me, you'll probably find that hard to grasp as it only seems like a few years ago at the most.  Looking at the above cover reminds me of family and friends who are now gone, as well as places that either no longer exist or have changed beyond recognition.  However, while perusing this mag, for a few seconds at least, everything is at it was, and in the back of my mind, still is.  Long may it be so, eh, Crivvies?  Feel free to comment.

******

February 10th 1973 was the day SPIDER-MAN COMICS WEEKLY #1 went on sale (and the secret of FOOM was revealed to the waiting world).  After sharing the first 19 issues of The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL, the web-spinner was awarded his own mag, backed up by The MIGHTY THOR, with ol' Shell-head, The INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, joining them in issue #50.

A week this coming Monday, is the 52nd anniversary of this collectors' item classic, so I thought I'd treat you to a selection of covers and images from SM's very first pulsating periodical in the U.K.  He'd previously appeared in POW! back in the '60s and then TV21 at the start of the '70s, but this was the first British weekly that presented full, uncut adventures in a publication with him as the title star.

So feast your eyes on the pics that follow, and indulge yourself in warm recollections of when you first laid eyes on them 52 years ago.  (And dig that dynamic JIM STARLIN illo on the back page.  Terrific stuff, eh?)  Okay, ready for your trip back in time?

Then let's go!

It was exactly one day short of six years since this story had appeared in FANTASTIC #1.  Nowadays,
six years seems like only a fart in the wind to me, but back then it felt like half a lifetime away.  In fact,
considering I'd not long turned 14 when SMCW #1 appeared, it practically was.

This Starlin illustration was also used as the cover of MWOM #20

And below is the paper bag mask given away with this first issue.  Were any readers happy with this free gift I wonder?

(This is a slightly revised post of one first published on Tuesday, February 5th 2013.)