BABE Of The NEW YEAR - JACQUELINE BISSET...

Happy New Year to all Criv-Kids.

See you again (hopefully) in 2026.

THE TIME TO STOP IS GETTING NEARER...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Sadly, I'm compelled to conclude that my buying days, especially of old toys and vintage comics, will soon have to come to an end for one very good reason.  Namely, all of my friends who'd be interested in them are now dead, and there's not as much fun buying stuff when you can't share it with those who were around when you owned the originals as a child or teen.  Besides, I've got replacements for the vast majority of items I recall owning when younger so I'm running out of things to buy anyway.  To say nothing of running out of space to store things.  If only I had a TARDIS - or a much bigger house.

I suppose there'll be a few exceptions I really must have when I see them, but I don't think there are too many - yet, to be honest, I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.  That's because, on consideration, there's another reason that's just occurred to me.  Recently, one of my childhood pals passed away, and as he was a hoarder, emptying out his flat (I only played a small role) continues to be a mammoth undertaking and most of his belongings will simply be binned, which is a great shame.  He wasn't particularly good at keeping anything in good condition, but he wouldn't like to see anything jettisoned.

I'd hate for that to happen to any of my stuff, so it's about time to subdue my collecting instincts and perhaps even thin down my vast accumulation of stuff.  Having said that, I recently purchased the above comic, even though I already have various reprints, but I've always loved the cover since I first saw it adorning Pow! #10, cover-dated 25th March 1967.  Any Crivs out there relate to anything I've said?  Comments welcome.

And now, a word from your host...

 A very MERRY CHRISTMAS to all CRIV-KIDS everywhere.

TOMB RAIDER...?

Copyright DC COMICS

You may remember me mentioning one of my childhood friends dying recently (October 21st), though we weren't exactly on talking terms at the time of his sad expiration from Lupus.  However, the pal of his who's been tasked with clearing out his flat invited me round to help myself to just about anything I might like or want that wasn't already taken, so I found myself in a place I haven't stepped inside in approximately 6 or 7 years, going through the belongings of the departed one.  Joe (for that was his name) was a bit of a hoarder, so it's going to be a huge undertaking for his pal to empty the flat as every room is filled to overflowing with stuff Joe had accumulated from diverse sources over his limited lifetime.

With an occasional exception I mainly restricted myself to things I myself had given Joe over a period of several years, but there was one item I'd recommended to him just before we'd fallen out (again) that caught my eye, which was the stonkingly huge Jack Kirby Fourth World Omnibus published a few years back.  Apparently, the first printing had a howling error, in that a Jimmy Olsen page had been printed twice, resulting in another page being omitted.  DC recalled the book and issued a second printing which was error-free and fired the person responsible for the blunder in the first version.  No, I don't know his name, but I'll bet he's kicking himself for his oversight.  Thankfully, it was the corrected edition Joe had.

I already own all the tales in their original form and also in previous reprints, but the book is an extremely impressive publication which I'm glad to have.  Death tends to wipe the slate clean when it comes to the 'trespasses' of friends, so I'm going to imagine the book is a Christmas gift to me from Joe as, out of all his friends, I'm pretty sure he'd prefer me to have it - and none of them were into comics anyway.  He was only 64, so died far too young as he should've had at least another 20-odd years ahead of him.  It would probably take that long to read the Omnibus - did I mention how stonkingly huge it is?  Anyway, Joe, thanks for the present and a Merry Christmas to you wherever you are.  Sadly, there's no point in wishing you a Happy New Year.

Below, Joe in 1981, sometime around February or March, in the front room of 103 Boulton Road, Southsea, Portsmouth.  This is the way I prefer to remember him, as the kind of life he led in the ensuing years sadly took their toll on him.  However, in memory he'll be forever young.

DOCTOR STRANGE #1...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

When it comes to Doctor Strange, the late Steve Ditko was, in my opinion, the definitive artist on the strip.  Other artists have, of course, worked their own illustrative magic on the Doc's mystical adventures, but if I had to choose between them all, it would be Ditko's iconic issues which would be accompanying me on my journey to that mythical desert island were I ever to become a castaway.

You'll all have your own preferences I'm sure, and here's another one to consider - the 'first' issue of a new series starring the Doc which you Crivvies may be interested in.  I was pleasantly entertained by it, but rather than tell you what it's all about, I thought I'd just hit you with some pages and see if they manage to pique your curiosity.  Now's your chance to get in on the ground floor - don't miss it!

Have you got a favourite Doctor Strange issue from the '60s or '70s?  Tell your fellow readers which one it is - and why.

CHRISTMAS With The SUPER-HEROES...

Copyright DC COMICS

Here's yet another DC Limited Collectors' Edition I didn't have at the time, but I've got it now - or at least a Facsimile Edition of it.  I've previously read two of the stories elsewhere, but the remainder are new to me.  I love such publications because, not only do they take me right back to the '70s when the originals first went on sale, but also because there's usually an interesting mix of reprints in them.  Plus, they also give me material for Crivens so that you lot have something to look at when you're not watching paint dry.  So what else can I say - feast your eyes on the images on display.  And if you had this one when it was first released, feel perfectly free to declare it to the world via our captivating comments section.

No comments yet?  What's the matter with you lot - don't like Christmas?

Sadly, only Gerry Conway of the seven people depicted here is still alive today

WOWZA! THRILLING ADVENTURE STORIES #2...

Copyright relevant owner

I can't help but wonder whether any other b&w magazine ever had such a magnificent line-up of top-notch artists as Thrilling Adventure Stories #2 by Atlas/Seaboard.  Adams (colour cover), Simonson, Starling, Heath, Severin, and Toth!  That was surely worth a dollar of anybody's money.  Anyway, I promised you Crivs I'd show you the mag when it arrived and I always try and keep my promise.  Why?  Because a promise made is a debt unpaid, that's why.

Don't remember having this issue back in 1975, though I definitely had (and now have again) the first ish.  There were only ever the two issues so I can legitimately claim to have a full set - can you?  Regardless, enjoy the dynamic drawings and feel free to comment on them.   

SUPERMAN Vs SPIDER-MAN 'TREASURY EDITION' 50th ANNIVERSARY...

Copyright DC COMICS & MARVEL COMICS

Due out the first week in January, two versions of the 50th Anniversary edition of Superman Vs Spider-Man, one with the original Andru/Adams cover and one painted by Alex Ross.  I've got two originals, but I've just ordered both of the new ones and if you're smart you'll do the same.  Okay then, at least buy one, but get your orders in fast before they sell out!

Come to think of it, I also have the gold-trimmed standard-size reprint, plus a book with the first few DC/Marvel superhero team-ups, including this one.  What can I say?  Well done me!  (Any other Crivvies wish DC would issue this in a hardback edition or am I the only one?)

FANTASTIC FOUR #12 FACSIMILE EDITION...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Not long arrived, Fantastic Four #12 Facsimile Edition, bringing to an end the sequential release of the first dozen FF comics, though if they've been selling in droves, who knows - perhaps Marvel will decide to continue with subsequent issues in an unbroken monthly line.  I remember reading this tale, I think for the first time, in The Mighty World Of Marvel #s 24 & 25 (it was spread over two issues) back in 1973, and now, 52 years later, I've just read it again.  (I've read it several times over the years, of course, in different reprints, but there's a special significance to me to read it on a Saturday, just as I did 52 years back, and also 5 years later in The Complete Fantastic Four #s 24 & 25 in 1978.)

Anyway, this has been a great run of mags as, even though I have various reprints of the first 12 tales (and others), it's nice to have them as individual issues, with original ads, letters pages, and pin-ups.  I've bought two of each comic, one set for reading and just looking at, the other to tuck away somewhere as back-up copies.  Actually, that's not quite true, as I purchased several #1s.  Anyway, if you've been dithering about acquiring this (or any previous) issue for yourselves, perhaps the following 'chapter' pages will persuade you to take the plunge.  Thing is, should Marvel ever decide to reprint them yet again, but without the intrusive barcode boxes on the front covers, I know I'll just have to buy them all over again.

So tell me, Crivvies, are there any particular runs of Marvel mags you'd like to see facsimiles of?  Be so good as to say what they are in the comments section.

(Regarding the cover - "The Hulk is nearby!  I can feel it!"  Seems to me this speech balloon is better suited to Susan (female intuition) rather than Johnny, but obviously Stan didn't want the tail crossing over The Torch's body so gave it to him instead.) 

THRILLING ADVENTURE STORIES #1...

Copyright relevant owner

Just taken possession of Thrilling Adventure Stories #1 and am waiting for #2 to arrive, hopefully tomorrow or Monday.  Published by Atlas/Seaboard in 1974/'75, it lasted for only two issues before vanishing off the face of the earth when the publisher 'took down his tent and got off the grass'.  I'll show off number 2 when it gets here, but in the meantime, enjoy some interior images from the first ish.

Did any of you have this mag back in the day, Crivs?  If so, what did you think of it?

THAT'S WHAT I CALL BAD TIMING...

Saw a new post on McS's blog (That Was Then) with a time of 5 hours ago, though it wasn't there when I checked a couple of hours before that.  It now says 13 hours ago, so McS probably thinks I'm havering, but here's a screen-grab I took at around 12:19 pm to prove what I'm saying.  I refresh my browser often to update it, so I don't know why some people's posts don't always appear in my blog-list at the time they're actually published.  Any guesses?

SHORT-LIVED MAGS - MOVIE MONSTERS...

Copyright relevant owner

Remember, when young, you'd think back 3 or 4 years and it seemed like forever?  As you get older, it seems to work in reverse.  Think back 50 years and it seems like only a few years ago, if not months.  Can never get my head around that.

Anyway, today's post is yet another which is sure to bring in a deluge of comments (ever the optimist, despite evidence to the contrary with the last three entries) as we focus on a mag that was published in 1974/'75 and lasted, as far as I know, for only four issues.  Movie Monsters (by Atlas/Seaboard) was devoted to (you mean I actually gotta tell you?) monsters from the movies and it was a mixed bag affair.

Some nice photos, though sometimes wrongly attributed, and loads of typos, spelling mistakes, and words that made me think I had dyslexia.  I can only conclude it was produced in a hurry and the editor and proof-reader were too busy 'goofing off' playing poker to pay proper attention to what they were doing.  However, if you could overlook such irksome obstacles it actually wasn't a bad wee publication.

I've just purchased all four mags, two of which have arrived, the other two I'm still waiting for.  I was reminded, while leafing through #2 & 3, that I still have a couple of articles I clipped from my original issues way back when, so now I have the complete contents again.  I'm not exactly sure I had all four of them at the time - maybe only two, possibly three, but 50 years on I have the full set (unless there was a #5).

Did any of you buy this title back in the day?  What are your memories of it, effendis?  (Like, did the last two covers give you nightmares?)

BABE Of The DAY - DEVILINA...

Art RIC ESTRADA, copyright relevant owner

Better not mess with this broad - her big

brother will give you hell if you do!  Still, one

night with her would surely be absolute heaven,

as she's what you'd call a 'horny' little devil.  (I'm

so blamed clever, I sometimes amaze myself,

honestly.)  Drool cups at the ready... go!

OLIVER HARDY HAS A BAD BREAK...

In my local neighbourhood shops was once an establishment called STANLEY'S STORES.  It was a hardware store and contained a Post Office section, as well as selling a variety of household items.  At the time of this trivial, self-indulgent reminiscence, it wasn't my local neighbourhood, but the one next to it.  It had previously been the area in which I lived, but we'd moved in 1965 and weren't to return 'til '72, though that's neither here nor there, I suppose.

In this shop, tacked to the wall was a sign - the one you see above, in fact.  I recognized the LAUREL & HARDY figures as being in the style of the LARRY HARMON cartoon show of the famous comedy duo, which was then on TV.  It seemed likely that the sign's artist had copied them from the strip in TV COMIC, or the cover of the 45 rpm single of the theme tune (which I also had at the time, and now do again since first publishing this post).

Anyway, having noticed the sign on numerous occasions when accompanying my mother, I one day ventured to enquire whether I might have it.  Much to my surprise, I was informed that I could, and that's how it came to be in my possession.  I've owned it, at a guess, since around 1971 (perhaps even late '70 or early '72) and because the shop is long, long-gone, it's a nice reminder of a place that was once a familiar part of my young life.

I bought my WADE porcelain YOGI BEAR (which I still have) from the same shop, perhaps even on the exact same day, so that's two items which conjure up images of a long-vanished era on which I look back with some fondness.  Do you have a similar link to your youth?  Then tell your fellow Criv-ites all about it, why don'tcha?  Go on!

(Originally posted Monday 2nd November 2015.)

Incidentally, regarding the wording on the sign, I've seen printed versions in shops, saying 'Nice to handle, nice to hold, but if you break them, consider them sold.'

CHERILEA DALEKS - OR ARE THEY?

Copyright BBC TV and the Estate of TERRY NATION

I won't keep you in suspense - one is, and one isn't.  Approaching 11 years ago, I bought the gold Dalek on the left of the pic, which is an original Cherilea available solely from Woolworth's back in the '60s. 'Swoppets', they were called, due to the fact they were comprised of three sections that pulled apart, allowing the owner to swap pieces from one to another - or various others in fact.  They came in a variety of colours so you could create an army of 'rainbow' Daleks from whichever shades were available.  Though imperfectly fitting and not entirely accurate, they were inexpensive and could keep a kid entertained for what seemed like hours.

The head came in two versions as the first one was amended to make it more robust (I assume).  If you made the mistake of fitting the head over the 'peg' too tightly, when you pulled it off, the head 'rings' could separate, leaving you with two or three head-parts instead of one.  So Cherilea remade the head with no gaps between the rings so that it stayed in one piece when removed from the rest of it.  The Dalek on the right has the amended head, though it's not an actual Cherilea, but a 'ringer' with a few alterations.  Someone made and sold resin replicas of the original design a few years back on eBay and recently decided to make a 'phase two'.

The most recent version has a choice of two midriffs - one with 'slats' and the other with the disc on the back - plus a base more in keeping with the movie Daleks of the '60s.  They also come in a variety of colours - blue, purple, white, yellow, black, and grey.  There's only eight remaining, and once they're gone, they're gone, as the seller won't be making any more.  I think they're a great addition to any collection and something that all Dalek-lovers are likely to want, so don't let them slip beyond your grasp - get over to eBay and buy one now!*

If you had a Cherilea Dalek as a kid, Crivs, share your reminiscences in the comments section.  (I believe they made Mechanoids as well, also known as Mechonoids, but I never had one.)

*Seller has now sold out!

E-MAN Cover Gallery - The CHARLTON Issues...

Copyright relevant owner

A staggering 40 years ago (my senses spin at the realisation) I bought First Comics 7-issue reprint series of Charlton's E-Man, originally published in 10 bi-monthly mags back in the '70s.  I remember my father buying me Charlton's first issue in an 'atmospheric' (dingy if you prefer) newsagent's around the corner from Glasgow's famous Barrowland market ('The Barras'), and me reading it on the bus on the way home.  (This was perhaps near the end of '73 or sometime in '74.)  I think I may've got #2 from a shop in my home town sometime later, but I never saw any subsequent issues (that I recall) until the reprint series in '85.

As far as I remember, the 7 reprint issues didn't contain the original Charlton back-up strips (not at hand to check), which included The Knight, Killjoy (by Ditko), Travis In The Dragon Killer, Liberty Belle (Ditko again), and Rog 2000 (Byrne).  Rog had first appeared in a fanzine called CPL and his strip in E-Man #6 marked John Byrne's professional debut and first work published in colour.  The mag lasted for two years, from 1973 to '75, and it's strange to think I was yet a mere schoolboy when it first came out, and a working lad when it finished - even though I was unaware of its schedule or lifespan at the time.    

And now, 40 years later, I've only gone and bought the original 10 comics in one go (at a bargain price), even though I obtained a replacement for my '73 first ish a number of years back, meaning I now have two copies of that premiere issue.  (It's always handy to have a spare.)  So why lumber you with this information you may be wondering.  Obviously, I'm paving the way for this E-Man cover gallery, necessitating a certain amount of preamble beforehand (well, preamble would be out-of-place afterwards).  So enough waffle from me, as I unleash 10 cataclysmic covers (and a Nova 'pin-up') from yesteryear just for you.

Was E-Man one of your favourite comicbook characters back in the day?  Then be sure to share your reflective reminiscences in our potentially captivating comments section.  (It needs you!)  Oh, and here's another question for you.  Pretty as these pics are, do you think speech balloons on all 10 covers (and not just #s 2 & 3) would've made them more interesting to potential buyers or are they better with none?

******

(Note how the UK price almost doubles in two years - from 6p, 7p, 8p, to 10p in just 7 issues.  Interestingly, the UK price on #s 3 & 4 - printed on the covers under the 8p stickers - is only 6p.)  I've also just noticed there's a 6 month gap between the 2nd and 3rd numbers, which perhaps explains why I recall only the first two issues (and #2 only vaguely, if I had it at all - think I did).