SECRET ORIGINS COVER & IMAGE GALLERY - PART THIRTEEN...

Copyright DC COMICS

Panic ye not, cavortin' Crivs - although this entry concludes the 50 issue regular magazine run, we're not going to end on unlucky (part) 13, as there's still one final post to come featuring Annuals and Specials.  So it's only taken around 8 years to get to the end of this series, which kind of reflects not only my lack of enthusiasm for this mag, but yours also, as (with a few exceptions aside) not many of these posts seemed to generate too many hits or comments.  Who knows, maybe there'll be a collective sigh of relief now that it's about to end, which will inspire a rabid response to mark its passing, eh?  However, wait 'til part 14 when we officially pull down the curtain on this particular gallery and close its doors for good.  In the meantime, cast a glance over what's on offer this time around.

 

DETECTIVE COMICS #27 FACSIMILE EDITION...

Copyright DC COMICS

Saw the above facsimile edition on Baggsey's Super Stuff  blog several days back and simply had to order my own copy (two, to be precise) which arrived yesterday.  This is probably the best reprint of Detective Comics #27 - featuring the debut of The Batman - yet to see the light of day, and even if you have earlier reprints, this one is 'the daddy' of them all and a definite 'must have'.  (It's even the same dimensions as Golden Age comics, not modern-day size.)  So what are you waiting for?  I got mine via eBay, but you should be able to buy it at your local comicbook store.  Grab it while you can!

BABE Of The DAY - DENISE MILANI...

There's no doubt Denise Milani

is an incredibly stunning woman, so in

recognition of the fact, let's just take a mo

to admire her beauty.  And in case you're

wondering, she's looking over at me to

 the left of her, admiring mine!

PART TWELVE Of SECRET ORIGINS COVER & IMAGE GALLERY...

Copyright DC COMICS

Fast reaching the end of this series, Crivs, after a mammoth scanning session of all the remaining issues in my collection.  Like I've said before, it may not have set the blogging world on fire, but some images at least were worthy of seeing the light of day on Crivens.  In the main, the artwork was competent and professional, if not exactly overwhelming - a few images aside.

Anyway, only two more parts to go.  I don't know who'll be more relieved when these Secret Origins cover & image galleries have finally run their course - you or me.  (Probably me, to be honest.  There's far more work involved for me in preparing theses posts than there is for you in reading them - if you actually do, that is.)

Comments welcome.

CORGI GLOSS BLACK 1966 BATMOBILE REISSUE...

My Corgi gloss black reissue of the 1966 Batmobile arrived yesterday, but when I snapped the above photo, the camera flash didn't exactly do it any favours.  The matte black version is due out in October and one will be winging its way to me then 'cos I'm a member of the Corgi Model Club and get sent each new release automatically.

For the first six months of its life, Corgi's Batmobile was matte black, before being switched to gloss for the remainder of its run.  Why?  Speculation on my part, but when George Barris first customised the only existing prototype of the Lincoln Futura into the Batmobile, it was given a matte black finish, which was changed to gloss before filming of the TV show began.

I therefore assume Corgi was sent photographic reference of the car with a matte finish when they began manufacturing the toy, which was changed when it was realised the car on the telly had a gloss finish.  Who knows, maybe the show's producers pointed out the error and asked Corgi to amend it.  Anyway, my photo doesn't do it justice so here's Corgi's own.

Will you be buying this great toy and reliving your childhood?  

TASCHEN FANTASTIC FOUR BOOK...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here are a few photos of a great book by Taschen I received today - The Fantastic Four.  (That's its protective box, above.)  The pages are photographed from high quality copies of issues 1-19, plus FF Annual #1, which then have subtle digital manipulation applied to correct any dodgy colour registration and to 'fix' any smudged panel borders which were sometimes present in printed issues (due to the flexible plates used).  The result is as close to the original published look as you're ever likely to get.

I see Nick Caputo and Barry Pearl received a thank you in the credits, so they were obviously involved in the production in some way.  (Hope they each got a free copy.)

To be honest, the book was an indulgence as I already have the stories several times over, in Masterworks, Epic Collections, and Omnibus Editions (as well as one or two original issues).  The book is huge, 28 x 39.5 cm, and is lovely just to browse through.  There are others in the series, but I think I'll stick with just the FF volume as I don't really have the space to accommodate any more books of this size.

Don't you think it's a beauty?

Below are some more photos from Taschen's own site...

BABE Of The DAY - DENISE MILANI...

It's not exactly what you'd call a hot

day, so here's a nice picture of stunning

 Denise Milani to warm you all up.

LIFE In The '70s - On MARS...

I watched the first episode of Life On Mars earlier tonight and was surprised to see how dark, dim, dismal, dingy and dated the '70s appeared to be, especially in regard to the interior of houses and shops.  That's not how I remember things at all.  Surely the '70s were bright and colourful, and furnishings were more modern and not quite so old-fashioned looking?  Is it my memories of the era that are mistaken, or have the show's makers gone overboard in trying to reproduce their perception of what the '70s were like?

What do you say, readers?  To me, the '70s still (mostly) feel like fairly recent history, not something that happened in the far distant past.  How does the period seem to you when you think back on it?  (If you're old enough to have lived through it at the time.)