RIP-OFF CITY STARTS HERE...

Remember a post I wrote a few years ago about an eBay seller who sold me a comic he said had no pen markings, yet when it arrived, the cover had parts coloured in with a red marker?  The same guy is selling the above page for £99, even though there's no way to prove its source as most, if not all, back covers on Marvel mags that month would have carried the same ad.  Do you get the impression the guy's a bit of a chancer?  He's sure got a brass neck!  And in the highly unlikely event that single pages can sell for up to £4,000 (as he claims), it would be a story page, not a back page ad which shows no indication as to which issue it's from.  You can actually buy complete issues of Journey Into Mystery #83 in decent condition for around four grand, and probably even a page of original art for that price.  To me, this just shows he regards his potential customers with contempt.  What do you say, Crivvies?

MOAN Of The MONTH...

Was just reading a comment on another site by an obvious moron, who used the phrase 'sort-after' when he should have said 'sought-after'.  Just where do these cretins come from?  I could crush a grape!  (So it's handy I have a pack of them in my fridge.)

SPOT The DIFFERENCE...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Above is the cover from the second THOR KING-SIZE SPECIAL from 1966, below is a reprint from 1994 - which still carries the original indicia, but with the words 'second printing' appended to it.  Sharp-eyed readers will notice that ol' Goldilocks' right arm is different on the two versions, the first having been amended before printing, the second presumably featuring the cover as KING KIRBY originally drew it.  (Though there's a hint of JOHN ROMITA about it.)

The reason for this is pretty obvious: Marvel's file copies of artwork were usually photocopied before any alterations were made, hence many reprints down through the years sported pages as they'd originally been drawn, not published.  Thankfully, in recent years, Marvel has addressed this issue and striven to ensure that reprints are as close to archival quality as possible.

Thought you might enjoy seeing Kirby's original version.

But hold!  There's even more to the story!  Take a good look at this third version of the cover, below.

While thumbing through my hardbacked volume of THOR MASTERWORKS Vol 5 recently, I espied this amazing oversight.  Either the patch covering Thor's original arm has fallen off (which would mean that Marvel had access to the original art), or an art restorer re-created the new arm on a file photostat, but then simply forgot to delete the original Kirby limb it was intended to replace.  Who knows the truth behind this Marvel mystery?  Answers in the comments section if it happens to be you.

BABE Of The DAY - GAL GADOT...

No words are needed to accompany

this vision of loveliness, but you all know

what a chatterbox I am so I can't stop myself.

Crivs, I give you (a photograph of) sensational

Israeli actress Gal Gadot - like, wow!  (On

Gal's blog, she has a Hunk of the Month

feature and it's usually always me!)

CRIVENS RECOMMENDED READING...

Copyright DC COMICS

DC Comics goes from strength-to-strength when it comes to their Facsinile Editions, with Justice League Of America #75 being a shining example of just how to produce a near-perfect replica.  Nothing I can fault this one for, and it wouldn't be hard to mistake for the original comic.  Definitely one to buy and keep.

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

I bought this Iron Man mag (#2/Lgy682) because of its cover's retro look, but didn't spot the mock-aging in the thumbnail on the dealer's site.  I think it would've been better had Marvel omitted the 'weathered' effect (often seen in canvas reproductions) and made it appear brand-spanking new, but maybe that's just me.

Buy 'em now if you haven't already. 

TOYBOX TREASURES Of The PAST: The DALEK ORACLE...

Wow!  It's almost 10 years ago since I acquired The Magical Amazing Robot, which was a renamed reissue of The Amazing Magic Robot, but in every other way a doppelganger of the classic toy from childhood - if you're of a certain age that is.  There was a similar toy called The Dalek Oracle, and since I obtained the Robot version, I've quite fancied having the Dalek incarnation also.  (Someone gave me the Dalek figure back in 2019, but without everything else that went with it.)  Taa-daa!  Well, thanks to eBay, I've now bought the full kit and caboodle (also spelt with a k), though the photos you see here are the seller's as it'll be a few days 'til my new (pre-owned) game arrives at its welcoming forever home.

So Criv-Kids, did any of you have this fascinating game when you were a lickle kidlet, and if so, what are your memories of it?  Can you barely remember it, or do you yet pine for this much-loved item from childhood?  Tell your fellow readers now.  

 

BABE Of The DAY - GAL GADOT As WONDER WOMAN (HOT TOYS 2018)...

A recent addition to my vast accumulation of stuff is this great Hot Toys Wonder Woman 12" articulated figure, modelled after sensational siren Gal Gadot.  (Incidentally, the 't' isn't silent.)  This is described as the deluxe version (though surely that would be Gal herself) and is a figure I could look at for hours.  At least this way I can't get arrested for staring at the real Gal when I see her shopping in my local Farmfoods.  (Well, it looks like her.)

By the way, I can't wait 'til midnight, because when I utter a secret mystical incantation, then this 12" figure becomes a life-size, living, breathing goddess whose only purpose is to please me.  (First thing I'll do is get her to make me a cuppa and a bacon buttie - priorities are important.)  Am I in for a great time or what?!  (Even if it is only in my imagination.)  

ACTION COMICS #583 Facsimile Edition...

Copyright DC COMICS

Nah, it can't be, can it?  40 years since this mag first hit the stands and changed the continuity of Superman forever.  Well, that's not quite accurate, as Superman's continuity has shifted a few times since this momentous mag went on sale in 1986 and I haven't bothered to keep myself informed as to all the developments in the Man Of Steel's day-to-day life since the first Crisis.

He's married to Lois Lane now, I think, and they have at least two kids (one of whom 'plays' for both 'teams', I understand, so right away that's not the Superman I remember or recognise and am therefore not interested in reading about.  No, not when I recall ol' Supes/Clark Kent at his best and he's not been at his best for a goodly number of years now, more's the pity.

However, there was once a time when Supes was still the character I grew up reading, and this latest facsimile is a good example of that, even though it marked the end of the particular era of which I speak.  It's the second part of a story begun in Superman #423 (below), written by Alan Moore, and is a perfect example of when he was still capable of turning in a good yarn that pressed all the right buttons.

Still can't believe it's been 40 years - seems like only last week to me and that's no exaggeration.

BABE Of The DAY - SUPERGIRL...

Copyright DC COMICS

Ah, Supergirl, wotta darlin' you are!

You're stunning enough to be eligible as my

next girlfriend and, what's more, the fact you're

only an illustration makes me equally eligible as

a prospective new boyfriend.  (A pic is better

 than nowt I guess, so you'll have to do.)

FINALLY - The 'REAL' SWAMP THING #88...

Copyright DC COMICS

My thanks go to reader McSpotty McScotty for alerting me to this one.  (Update: Oops, my mistake - it was Baggsey!)  A hitherto unpublished Swamp Thing #88, featuring the presence of Jesus Christ, presented as it would've been had it seen the light of day back in 1989, is a very nice read indeed.  I had reservations about it in advance, but Christ is presented in a totally respectful way, with not even a hint of anything to cast doubt on the New Testament's claims about Him.  It's the first of a four-parter and there'll be a collected edition before too long. 

Criven's verdict?  Definitely one to have in your collection.

(Incidentally, sad to learn that McS's Keir Starmer lookalike venture isn't doing very well, but if nobody wants the real Keir, an impersonator is hardly going to pull in the crowds.  Now if only he looked like me, his business would be thriving.)

BARRIE TOMLINSON (Was A Comic Book Hero)...

Copyright relevant owner

Who'da thunk receiving a book would be such a slow process?  I ordered the above book via Amazon on April 24th, a few minutes after ordering the 'Real Roy Of The Rovers Stuff' via eBay - both by Barrie Tomlinson.  The eBay book arrived 3 days later, but there was no sign of this one.  A full week after purchase, I signed in to Amazon to check the book's progress and guess what?  It still hadn't been dispatched!  I promptly cancelled and ordered one from eBay (April 30th), and though it was sent within a couple of days, it only turned up today (May 8th).  So though I mentioned this book around a fortnight ago and had hoped to feature it long before now, circumstances conspired against me.

Anyway, if you were a comics reader in the '70s and '80s (to name but two decades), you'll probably find this book about all the comics Barrie worked on throughout his 50 year career an interesting read, and it may well add an extra dimension to your own childhood and teeanage years, learning about what was happening in the world of Fleetway/IPC at the time.  He discussess a lot of comics, 2000 A.D. included, and there's some fascinating info to be learned about his involvement with them.  Honestly, you could spend your dosh on far less worthy items, so straight on to eBay or Amazon with you!  Both books are now out-of-print, so grab 'em while you can - you might not get another chance.

The SAVAGE SWORD Of CONAN REFORGED #4...

CONAN characters copyright CPI

Still on the theme of Conan, thought I'd show you some images from the latest issue, newly arrived today, Crivvies.  This was a difficult ish to procure for some reason, as the first seller I advance-ordered it from eventually said his source wasn't able to supply him with sufficient numbers to fulfil his orders, so I had to buy it from elsewhere.  Regarding the cover (variant B), I've had a poster of this Neal Adams illo on one of my walls since around 1975*, which came free in #1 of the UK weekly SSOC (not to be confused with the later UK monthly edition).  I may well call it quits with this issue, given the difficulty in obtaining it, though it's a real treat to see these formerly b&w tales sensitively coloured for a new (and not-so-new) readership.

If you have any thoughts on these images being 'colourised' then feel free to share.  After all, it's always good to get 'mail'.  (McS - did you hear?  I said Neal Adams!)

(*To be more precise, it's a replacement I acquired around '84 or '85, my first one being damaged in '83, though it's still an original UK poster from '75.)