A & BC BATMAN HAND PUPPET...

Image copyright DC COMICS

Do you remember the 'bat' item shown above? I recall getting a BATMAN hand puppet in Glasgow's KELVIN HALL in the 1960s (and immediately disposing of the disgusting 'confectionary' contained within), but it didn't last long.  Its thin polythene soon creased and shed colour and detail in places.

I also acquired one from a classmate, IAN ROBBIE, in exchange for a small packet of KP salted nuts (which cost tuppence) and (I think) a thru'penny bit.  The deal was struck in the school playground during a break one day, and though I'm now no longer 100% certain which one I got first, thinking about it, I think Robbie's preceded the Kelvin Hall one.  Regardless of the correct sequence of events, neither of them lasted any significant length of time.  

In real life that is, but they lived on in memory to the present day.  I ran into Ian last week, not having seen him in 20-odd years, and we reminisced about that ol' puppet he was persuaded to part  with.  To be honest, I was quite surprised that he even remembered, because in all the time I've known him (over 50 years), I don't think he's ever referred back to it before.

Perhaps one of those nuts lodged in his throat, ensuring that the item he swapped for them likewise lodged in his memory.  (See what I did there?)  Anyone else remember them?  If so, leave a comment in the you-know-where.  (It's good to share, so get typing now.)

The INCREDIBLE TRI-MAN - PART THREE...

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Two titanic TRI-MAN episodes for you this time, folks, as that gives you four SOLANO LOPEZ pages to enjoy.  JOHNNY SMALL's got his work cut out for him when - but wait!  Why tell you when you can read it for yourselves?  So what're you waiting for?  Get reading!

BABE Of The DAY - CANDY LOVING...

CANDY LOVING gazes down at

me adoringly, seconds before making a

cup of tea for me.  So it may've been only

a dream, but it seemed real enough to me.

(Obviously I had to make my own tea -

 dreams only go so far after all.)

RECOMMENDED READING: MARVEL EPIC COLLECTION - ANT MAN/GIANT MAN...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here's a book for all you '60s MAREVELites who thrilled to these tales the first time around.  I read them in a weekly comic called TERRIFIC back in 1967, and also, I think, MARVEL COLLECTORS' ITEM CLASSICS (too lazy to check).  I've also got the two MASTERWORKS volumes that present the full run, but this edition has approximately two thirds of them, suggesting that volume two will perhaps include later SCOTT LANG ANT-MAN stories.

So read the spiel on the back cover, raid your piggy bank, and then get 'round to your nearest comics shop or bookstore and acquire a copy of this valiant volume for yourself.

 

YIPPEEE! PART TWO Of The INCREDIBLE TRI-MAN...

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When WHAM!, SMASH!, and POW! reprinted MARVEL strips, the pages were re-sized two U.S. pages to one U.K. page, which was more in keeping with the panel-count of home-produced strips.  Therefore, if TRI-MAN had been an American comic, all 44 pages (well 43 and a half to be exact) would've been 88, meaning that, at 22 pages per issue,  a U.S. Tri-Man mag would've lasted for only four issues. So, bit of a failure then, eh?

However, the strip was not without charm, even if the formula was a blatant rip-off (or 'homage' if you prefer) of the SPIDER-MAN/PETER PARKER set-up in Web-head's own mag.  I have fond memories of reading the incredible adventures of JOHNNY SMALL's alter-ego back in 1969/'70, and the character even made a return in GRANT MORRISON's ZENITH.

Who knows - perhaps he'll make another comeback one day.  Anyone like to see that?  Or should Tri-Man remain in comicbook limbo and never return?  Make your thoughtful feelings known in our ever-lovin' comments section.

'CONAN' BOWS OUT - LONG LIVE THE 'NEW' CONAN...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS and CPI

I've shown this splash page before, I'm sure, but it's now come time to revisit it.  Mainly because its twin, taken from an issue of CONAN The BARBARIAN #6, has been affixed to my wall since 1979.  Like BILBO BAGGINS, it was also there and back again (regular readers will know what I'm alluding to), but it's now faded and rippled, and its retirement fast approaches.  I've already printed out an actual-sized replacement to fill its spot on the wall, but it's kind of sad to have to say farewell to something that's been with me for 37 years.

True, its clone (a more pristine, vibrantly-coloured clone admittedly) will assume its predecessor's place, but it's a bit like leaving your wife for a younger woman who's the double of your missus as she was 30-odd years ago.  I feel extremely hard-hearted in jettisoning the original pic after its many years of faithful service, but my room could sorely do with a splash of colour to restore it to what it once was, poster-wise.  Sadly, several more 'old friends' will be taking their final bow before too long, to be replaced by doppelgangers waiting to step into their vacated shoes.

I'll do the deed tonight, and feel like a murderer.  Perhaps, if inanimate objects have any kind of 'sentience', it will view its demise as a welcome release, as people and pets in pain do when their final moment comes and they enter that eternal sleep which is the fate of us all.  Alas, there's no resisting entropy.  If only such were not the case, eh?  Maybe one day - hopefully.

Anyway, at least the situation allows me to show you a nice BARRY SMITH pic. That's surely worth a little bit of maudlin sentiment, don'tcha think?  (It oughta be.)

HOORAY! PART TWO OF TIMELY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION COVER GALLERY...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

You liked the other covers I showed you from this 11 issue series, right?  Then I'll bet you'll love these variant ones at least just as much.  So why not wax lyrical about them in the comments section?  Sometimes you just have to express yourself!

  

The INCREDIBLE TRI-MAN - PART ONE...

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When SMASH! gave up reprinting MARVEL stories in 1969, there seems to have been quite a bit of protest from disappointed readers about the decision.  Why else would editor GIL PAGE - in the guise of 'office boy' MIKE - appeal to them to give the new direction a chance?  However, note must have been taken of the reaction, because very soon, the comic was featuring a U.K. superhero of its own - The INCREDIBLE TRI-MAN!

The cover-dated ish of 13th September 1969 bore a banner which read "You can meet a great new character inside - The Incredible Tri-Man!"  However, the strip doesn't appear to have been as popular as IPC anticipated, because it ended after 21 episodes, never to be seen again.  (Except for a full-colour RON TURNER illustrated adventure in the 1971 Annual.)

So, starting now, we re-present British SPIDER-MAN clone, The Incredible Tri-Man.  If you thrilled (or yawned) to his weekly adventures as a kid, you can now re-live a moment of your long-ago youth. If not, you can scratch your head in bemusement at what your grandfathers used to read back in 'prehistoric times'.

And if you'd like to leave a comment, hey - I ain't stopping you!  Get that typing finger moving now.

TIMELY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION COVER GALLERY - PART ONE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Back in 2009, MARVEL celebrated its 70th Anniversary by releasing 11 retro-style mags about their heroes from the '30s & '40s.  However, in 1939, Marvel was called TIMELY, and that was the name given to the collected edition which I acquired only a few days ago.  I'd actually bought some of the single issues at the time, but didn't have a complete set, so it was nice to read what I missed back in '09.

The original issues also contained reprints from the '40s, which the book doesn't include, but don't let that deter you from tracking down a copy.  I'm thoroughly enjoying working my way through these excellent tales, which are well-worth the read.  See the mighty Prince NAMOR, The SUB-MARINER, maintain all his regal nobility as he mercilessly disposes of a submarine-load of ruthless NAZIS.  See BUCKY BARNES as the new CAPTAIN AMERICA, in a story that will tug at your very heartstrings.

There's more of course, as you can see from the cataclysmic cover gallery laid before your awestruck eyes.  Cop a gander, then scamper round to your nearest comics shop or bookstore and buy this volume for yourselves.  Trust me, you'll be glad you did!

Coming in part two - the variant covers.  Don't miss 'em!

  

BABE Of The DAY - GILLIAN DUXBURY...

Lovely GILLIAN DUXBURY

on my luxury cruiser, waiting to greet

me with hugs and kisses, and a cool glass

of cola to satiate my raging thirst.  There's

another of my appetites she'll be seeing to

shortly, but you Crivs don't need to know

anything about that.  (No, of course I'm

 not making it up.  I wouldn't lie.)

ERIC, EDDIE, & HAGAR - THINGS AIN'T AS BLACK & WHITE AS THEY USED TO BE...

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Another newspaper strip which has been on my wall for even longer than the SMALL WORLD one shown a couple of posts back is the above HAGAR The HORRIBLE two panel strip from The SUN.  Like Small World, it accompanied me to our new house in 1983 and back again when we returned to our previous residence in 1987.  The newsprint original (which you can see below) looked a bit decrepit next to the recently-restored pristine one by DON ROBERTS, so I decided to give DIK BROWNE's famous Viking warrior the same treatment.  However, now I'm faced with a decision. 

You see, great as it is to see these familiar strips from my past in their new form, I feel it would be a bit cruel just to discard the faded and browned old originals.  It's a bit like getting a new pup of the same breed as your faithful old dog and getting the senior one put to sleep just because it's past it.  Okay, it's not precisely the same thing, but it's similar - especially if you get attached to things to the same degree that I do.

So what would you do?  Throw the old ones out and not think twice?  Or carefully store them away and let them enjoy a well-deserved retirement after many years of faithful service?  Or do just shake your head and say "That guy's utterly bonkers!"?  Go on, leave a comment.

PART EIGHT Of DON STARR In The DRAMA Of DOOM...

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DON STARR's DRAMA Of DOOM concludes with these three double-page episodes, Criv-ites.  We join him again in an APPOINTMENT With FEAR - coming whenever I get around to scanning the pages from my back numbers of TERRIFIC.  So don't forget to remember to join us then.  Pax Vobiscum!

IT'S A BIG JOB FOR A SMALL WORLD...

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SMALL WORLD by DON ROBERTS debuted in The DAILY RECORD back in 1982.  I liked the strip, so cut it out and affixed it to my wall.  When we moved house in 1983, I rescued it and put it on the wall of my room in our new home.  Four years later when we moved back to our previous abode, I did the same thing in reverse, and there the strip has resided for the last 28 and a half years.  Until recently that is.

As you can see, over time, the strip has rippled and faded in the rays of the sun, even though it wasn't directly exposed to daylight.  Alas, such is entropy.  I can't find any information about collected editions of the strip, nor any images of it on the internet, though there is a brief mention of it.  Therefore I had no other choice but to try and restore the strip to something resembling its former pristine glory.  What you see below is the first step in that time consuming process.

Working from the above strip, I re-coloured each panel as best I could, but I was presented with a problem.  The original colours had become so faded and washed out, I simply couldn't discern what they were, except in a few isolated cases.  (I'm slightly colour blind.)  My mission then became one of making the strip look presentable so that I could restore it to its place on the wall in a readable form.  I therefore ignored trying to duplicate the original colour scheme and just aimed at making it look as good as possible.

The finished result is below.  Not perfect by any means, but it took me hours to re-ink most of the line-work.  (I had to work on an A4 printout, which isn't entirely conducive for restoring fine detail.)  That in itself was another big problem, because I wasn't entirely sure what I was looking at in some instances, even in its original version.  However, it doesn't look too bad, is readable, and due for replacement in its accustomed spot once I've published this post.  So, how did I do?

Paeans of praise are very welcome (hint, hint).

Update:  I thought the blue background was a bit bright compared to the original, so decided to paint over it with a lighter shade.  I think it looks much better.  See below.