HERE COMES TONI, RINGING HIS BELL...

Long-time regular readers may remember my post about my Tonibell Miniball, which I inadvertently left in the loft when I moved house back in 1972.  19 years later, I gained access to the loft of my old home and recovered my Miniball, thereby settling a mystery in my mind once and for all.  Y'see, I didn't know for certain whether the ball was actually there, it was just a suspicion, but one that turned out to be well-founded.  I've now had it back in my possession for 34 years, far longer than I originally owned it, or the time I was without it.  (If you're interested, you can read that post here.)

Anyway, for some reason I've developed an interest in Tonibell memorabilia, and recently acquired three model ice cream vans sporting the Tonibell name and logo.  I'd never heard the name before I bought my first and only Miniball around 1967 or '68, though I believe the company still operates today.  Which is my cue to show you my three vans, plus an original badge from many years ago.  There are other vans in the series (made by Oxford Diecast), which I may decide to collect in the future.  The ones on show here are all different scales, from tiny to medium to large, but they're great collectables.

Do any of you recall Tonibell ice cream, Crivvies, and are there any vans that still come round your neighbourhood today?  Or have you seen their ice cream sold in shops recently?  Do tell in our lonely little comments section.

Update: And, below, is the above badge alongside its new pal, just acquired.

The COMPLETE 1st ISSUE Of BUSTER...

Copyright REBELLION

If you're of a certain age, it's hard to think of Buster comic without strips like Charlie Peace, Galaxus, Fishboy, Leopard From Lime Street, etc., but none of them appeared in the first issue, consisting of a mere 16 pages for 4d.  However, it was around the size of a tabloid newspaper and slightly larger than TV Century 21, and managed to survive for just short of 40 years, changing size, page count, and frequency of publication over the decades.  The final issue came out at the end of 1999, but as the comic was a fortnightly by then, it was dated into 2000 - and had it lasted until May, it would've celebrated its 40th Anniversary.

Anyway, I recently acquired the very first collectors' item issue and thought it only right and proper to share its comic strip contents with you adoring and adorable Crivvies (don't worry, CJ, you're included too), so without any further ado ('cos all my ado is done), here are all 16 pages for your palpitating perusal and pleasure.  Don't ever say I'm not good to you all 'cos it would be a danged lie, though there's no need to feel guilty as you can thank me for my ginormous generosity in the comments section.  Before that, however, enjoy the pulsating pages laid before you.  And remember to click on them to enlarge, then click again for optimum size.

(Update 13-9-'25:) Incidentally, I note someone is currently selling one on eBay at an asking price of £800.  Well, what're you all waiting for?  Crack open that piggy bank. 

And below, for completists, is the first issue's free gift.

MIND YOU DON'T MISS THE (BAT)BOAT...

Characters copyright DC COMICS

Arrived yesterday at Castel Crivens, the reissue of Corgi Toys (singular on the box for some reason) first version of the Batboat And Trailer.  I never had this as a kid, so it's good to add it to the collection almost 60 years later.  It was supplied with an adaptor for the Batmobile exhaust as the 1966 BM didn't have a tow-hook, though one was added for later editions after the release of the Batboat.

Anyway, for those Crivvies who are into such things, here's a few photos to rekindle your memories if you had this toy back in the day.  Feel free to share any reminiscences in the comments section.

Below, in response to LH's request in the comments section, is an original Corgi Bat-copter.

BABE Of The DAY - FLEUR EAST...

Fleur East - a gal I'd never heard of 'til

recently.  However, she's certainly a babe

who's worthy of appearing on Crivens, I'm

sure you'll agree.  You do, don't you?

BRING ON THE BAD GUYS - TOO LATE, THEY'RE HERE! (ALONG WITH SOME GOOD ONES)...

Images copyright relevant and respective owners

Above is a comic mag I got a wee while back, mainly because the cover is based on that of the 1976 Fireside book Bring On The Bad Guys by Stan Lee (with a little help from a whole kaboodle of collaborators).  Below is the original cover, though I have to say I like Dr. Doom's right hand on the new cover more than on the old one.  That aside, it would probably be hard to distinguish between the two pieces of artwork from just a quick glance at them side-by-side if not for the mastheads.  I haven't read the mag yet, so I'm undecided on whether I'll buy subsequent issues, though probably not.  (I've had the book since I first bought it way back in the dim and distant days of the '70s.)

Next is a Golden Age-sized facsimile of Superman #1, though as the interior images are the same size as the standard reprints of this classic issue, I'm not sure why DC bothered.  When they did Detective Comics #27 in this format, they scanned the interiors from a 1939 original, and apart from the price on the cover and the barcode on the back, the interiors looked pretty much as they did when the issue was initially published back in the '30s.  The GA Action Comics #1 and Superman #1 contain brand-spanking new images with a huge margin around them.  Whatever happened to consistency?  Still worth having though.

Below is the second monthly ish of Panini's new Fantastic Four mag.  I read #1 and #2 over the last few days and quite enjoyed them, though as yet remain undecided whether I'll continue with the title past the third issue.  Time will surely tell.

Below is one I've been looking to acquire for quite a number of years now - Valiant & TV21 Summer Special for 1973.  Can't remember whether I actually owned this one back in the day, but I might have done and that's good enough for yours truly.*  Nabbed it at last, though I think I might already have it on a data disc somewhere, but if so, that was just a stopgap.  Nothing beats the real thing.  (*I know I had [and have] the Valiant & TV21 Summer Special for 1972 and I don't like having one without the other, so I now own both of them.)

Been extremely tired recently, Crivs, and suffering intense spasms of pain throughout my body, hence the dearth of posts on Crivens, but I'll try and do better in the weeks ahead.  (Though if posts remain sparse, you'll know why.)  Can't get a doctor's appointment 'cos whenever I 'phone, the line is engaged for half-an-hour, and if I get through, a message says all the appointments are allocated for the day, so try again tomorrow.  I've actually visited the surgery in person to try and see a doctor or arrange an appointment, but been told I'll have to 'phone for one.  Absolutely disgraceful state of affairs, I'm sure you'd agree, but there's nothing I can do about it.

Apart from die from an undiagnosed illness, that is, but I'm hoping that isn't an option.  Anyway, enjoy the covers.  Got a favourite?  Then say so you know where. 

"IN THE TOWN WHERE I WAS BORN..."

Copyright relevant owner

Back in what must've been the very early '70s, I acquired a Corgi Toys Beatles Yellow Submarine from a jumble sale held in the church across the road from my house.  Because of this, when Corgi reissued the sub in, I think, 1997, I bought two of them - one to tuck away, the other for display.  Originally, there were two versions, one with white and yellow hatches (and a red stripe separating the lower half from the conning tower), and one with red hatches (and no red stripe).  The push-'button levers' for springing open the hatches were unpainted metal (which tarnished over the years), though were painted black for the '90s reissues.

Here's where it gets confusing.  Corgi say that the two versions were released in the same year (1969), but they're not sure which came first or whether both were available at the same time.  Some other sources claim that the red hatched edition didn't go on sale until 1971, but the original '69 box had a picture of the sub on the back with white and yellow hatches, respectively, if that's any indication of sequence.  I once thought my jumble sale acquisition had red hatches, but this may have been due to the fact that when I bought my '90s models, they had red hatches and this may have 'coloured' my memory.  (Good one, Gordie.)

When I recently bought the white and yellow hatched version from the Corgi Shop, it seemed familiar, so it's always possible the one I had in the '60s/'70s was the same.  Either way, I've got both versions now - the Corgi Model Club red hatched version and the Corgi Shop white and yellow hatched incarnation, as well as my two '90s reissues.  There was a slight problem with the '90s model, in that when you released the hatches, they sprang back and the stem/hinge hit the metal behind it, which chipped the paint on the hatches over repeated use.  I took one apart and affixed something to the insides to prevent this happening, but I'm glad to report that Corgi has now remedied the flaw in the current versions, though they may've done this a few years back.

Contrary to the box's claim, the periscopes rotate, not bob up and down

The '60s original said Corgi Toys on the base (and Made In Gt. Britain), the modern reissues since the '90s have no raised country of origin on them (they're made in China) and sport the Corgi dog symbol along with the name Corgi (and The Beatles Yellow Submarine logo).  That'll be because they're not regarded as toys for kids these days, but models for the 'adult collector' and nobody under the age of 14.  (When did 14 year-olds become adults?)  The Corgi Shop version has the 'levers' painted black, the CMC ones are unpainted as per the originals.

Did you have a Yellow Submarine when you were a kid, Crivs, and were/are you a Beatles fan?  Which one of these two versions do you prefer?  And, while you're here, why not reveal what your top three favourite Beatles songs are?  Don't be shy now, tell all your fellow readers what you think in our comments section (before I die would be nice).