CHARIOTS Of The FRAUDS...

Forty-plus years ago, the 'space gods' theories of writer ERICH VON DANIKEN were all the rage, grasping the public's imagination.  Comicbook readers saw such themes played out in the four-colour pages of JACK KIRBY's The ETERNALS, and TV programmes mined the topic for its rich seam of interest and controversy.  In the late '70s, I read at least one of Von Daniken's books and was unimpressed, and later, while discussing the subject with a friend, he lent me an abridged version of the book you see above.

It was written from a religious perspective, but that particular fact is by-the-by and needn't concern us now.  What I found interesting was how it dealt with so-called 'evidence' that, on a superficial level at least, seems quite persuasive.  For example, according to Von Daniken, there's an island in the Nile called Elephantinos, which has been so named for centuries, and is shaped, apparently, like an elephant.  However, this shape can only be noticed from the air - so who, Von Daniken wonders, went up to find out - and how did they do it?

When one ponders the matter, it seems entirely reasonable, doesn't it?  How could mere man, bereft of the later development of flight, know that the island on which he lived was shaped like an elephant, and was therefore why it was so christened?  Surely that's not such a ridiculous question, is it?  However, its shape has almost certainly changed over the centuries, and the Greek word 'elephantinos' doesn't translate as 'like an elephant' as Mr. Von Daniken claims, but simply means 'ivory'.  Guess what though.  The island was once the site of an ivory market, hence, unsurprisingly, the name.  (And does the island above look anything like an elephant to you?) 

Was Von Daniken (a convicted fraudster) ignoring the facts and loading the dice in his favour for the purpose of selling a few books, or was he serious in his speculations on the origins of mankind?  Whichever it was, upon piercing the fragile surface of his so-called 'evidence', it would seem that it simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

BABE Of The DAY - JESSICA ALBA (AGAIN)...

JESSICA ALBA proved such a big hit last time,

here she is again as SUE STORM, The INVISIBLE

GIRL.  Though, obviously, in this picture, she's visible.

(Just in case you were confused.  And, incidentally,

if you don't fancy her, you definitely are!)

ROCKERS ON FIRE...

Here's a logo I produced for someone a goodly number of years ago, for some place or purpose which I was never quite clear on.  (I think it was for a club, and tee-shirts were mentioned, though I did it for nothing.)  I copied the 'Blazers' style from one of MARVEL's NEW UNIVERSE titles (forget which one), but what you're looking at was hand-lettered and coloured the 'traditional' way - no computers involved.  I think it's pretty darn good - what do you think?

SWEENY TODD NEVER HAD A LOOK IN...

Remember these things?  They're two different examples of the same idea - hair trimmers!  Not for beards so much, but for cutting hair, in the mistaken belief that cost-conscious parents could save a few shillings when these items first came out.  Talking of which, does anyone know exactly when that was?  I seem to recall it being in the very early '70s when I lived in another house, but sometimes I wonder if it could've been a year or two later than that (or perhaps even before).

These things were devastatingly lethal - my father only had to approach me from the other side of the room, waving it in my general direction, for my hair to be sheared from my head as if a scythe had been swung.  Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but it's not too far removed from the truth, as any poor soul who ever had to suffer the application of these plastic torture devices will readily testify.  (Show us your scars.)

Anyone remember what they were called or who they were made by?  (Ronco, perhaps?)  Or do you have any childhood tales of getting slagged by your classmates upon arrival at school when they clapped eyes on your dad's feeble attempts at a home-made haircut?  Do feel free to share!

DOCTOR WHO INGOT COLLECTION...

For details, click here.  (No longer available.)

AGAIN - ADVENTURE In The 21st CENTURY...

Copyright relevant owner(s)

Last week, I told you about the 50th Anniversary

of classic '60s comic TV CENTURY 21.  By way of

 celebration, click to see the complete first issue.

TALKIN' TO YOUR HEART - JIM REEVES...

JIM REEVES' voice was so soft and gentle that PAT TWITTY (I think) once likened it to someone who walks through snow, but leaves no footprints.  Here's one of his 'talkie' tracks which ably demonstrates the truth of that claim.

BABE Of The DAY - JESSICA ALBA...

Mere words are superfluous - simply gaze

in awe at the beautiful JESSICA ALBA.  (And

wipe that dribble from your chin, Melvin.)

FUN-DAY MONDAY...

Copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

Here's a classic DENNIS THE MENACE page to banish the Monday morning blues and put a smile on your face.  Why don't comics seem to be as funny as this anymore?  Answers on a postcard, please - to just about any UK comic you can think of.

IMAGINE SIX NEW PANINI/MARVEL MAGS - WHAT WOULD YOU INCLUDE?

Okay, peeps, here's a question for you.  PANINI are doing a great job with their range of MARVEL COLLECTORS' EDITIONS as far as style and format go - but what would be your ideal line-up for six new magazines, including strips from the Silver and Bronze Age?  You can pretend the current ones don't exist and include character from them, if you wish.  Don't be shy now - let's have your suggestions!  

AGAIN - THE LEGEND TESTERS...

Copyright REBELLION

It's a brilliant concept when you think about it - being able to go back in time and ascertain, one way or another, the veracity of the events of legend.  Imagine being able to travel back to Biblical times and see for yourself whether well-known religious accounts actually happened or not.  Or materialise the day before yesterday's Lotto draw and mark the winning numbers on your entry form.  Now you're talking!  (Though if you could afford a time machine you obviously wouldn't be short of a bob or two to start with.)

Anyway, back to reality (more or less).  Let's now revisit the 1960s to read again an adventure of The LEGEND TESTERS from the SMASH! Annual for 1968.  It's as close to time travel as we're likely to get - in more ways than one!

   

The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL - STILL AROUND AFTER FORTY-TWO YEARS...

All images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Amidst all the changes that life inevitably brings, such as favourite shops disappearing, old schools and churches being demolished, once familiar haunts changing beyond recognition, and, of course, friends and family falling victims to time, it's nice to have one seemingly-eternal constant to remind you of the past and how things once used to be.

Such a 'constant' in my life is The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL, which I was buying in 1972 and am still buying in 2015 - over 42 years later.  Of course, I'm stretching things by calling it constant, as there've been periods over those years when it's been absent from the newsagents' shelves, but the thing that matters is that it's here now, like an old soldier that just refuses to die, or fade away.

I bought the latest issue yesterday (Saturday, the day I used to buy it many moons back, although then it was a weekly as opposed to a monthly periodical), and it's extremely comforting to me in my dotage to see that familiar name and masthead adorning a comic mag which I'm still reading and collecting today just as I did back when I was a mere teenager.

To me, the best thing in the comic is DAREDEVIL; I don't often read the other two strips, but DD is worth the price of the comic by itself, especially as it's contained within covers bearing the name of MWOM.  I'd love MARVEL to do a special issue, containing strips featuring the weekly title's original line-up of The HULK, SPIDER-MAN and The FANTASTIC FOUR, just to fully capture the mood of the mag from the early 1970s.  They could still have Daredevil in it as well, of course, as he joined the line-up with issue #20 back in early '73.

So many things have vanished from my life - just as, I'm sure, they have from yours - so it's good to be able to rekindle warm memories of yesteryear by immersing myself in a Marvellous Marvel Mag that was around when I was still a schoolkid - especially as the school itself now no longer exists.

So, if you're in the same boat as myself, why not pick up a copy of the latest MWOM from your local WHS today?  And even if you're a fresh, new, young thing who's never heard of the mag before, why not give it a try?  Take it from me - the chances are you'll love it!

"Make Mine (The Mighty World of) Marvel!"

BABE Of The DAY - RACHEL RILEY...

Patience, panting Crivvies,

here's the beautiful RACHEL

RILEY.  However, I know you lot

are never happy.  I'll wager you've

already begun the countdown to

the next Babe post on Crivens.

(See what I did there?)

THE KID HAS A 'NEW' BLOG...

Always looking back

For anyone who might be interested, I've started a new Blog - although it mainly features old posts from this one.  However, it's not so comics-orientated, being more concerned with my melancholy musings about the past.  Although some comics are mentioned, it's only in passing and doesn't focus on them per se.

Some of you will have read these posts before, of course, but many haven't.  So whether you're about to read them for the first time or simply want to renew your acquaintance, feel free to pay a visit to my 'new' Blog here.  

HOORAY! IT'S The COMPLETE DENNIS The MENACE BOOK COVER GALLERY - PART THREE...

Images copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

Ah, they don't make DENNIS The MENACE Books like these anymore - mainly because they don't make them at all.  The last Dennis Annual came out a few years back and it doesn't look as if the books are destined to return to D.C. THOMSON's publishing schedule any time soon.  Too bad - although, that said, the last few seemed to reflect the TV cartoon more than the comic strip character I knew of old, and I was growing increasingly disenchanted with them.

Never mind.  At least we can still enjoy these wonderful covers from a time before an editorial urge to 'update' everything that was good overwhelmed and diminished that which was already perfect.  Bloody 'new kids' on the block - think they know everything.

BRITAIN'S 'SMASH!'-ING SUPERHERO - The TERRIFIC TRI-MAN...

Copyright relevant owner

Straight from the SMASH! Annual for 1971 comes TRI-MAN, Britain's answer to SPIDER-MAN - who, as he had only a short run in the weekly, was obviously not the answer anyone was looking for.  When Smash! ditched the MARVEL reprints in early 1969, there were seemingly numerous complaints, resulting in fictional office boy MIKE (editor GIL PAGE) appealing to the readers to give the comic's new direction a chance.  However, it would appear that Tri-Man was an attempt to appease those who missed the U.S. superheroes, and perhaps even the brand-new U.K. superhero contents of the '71 POW! Annual were also created specifically for this purpose.  (Though they were never seen again.)

However, all that was yesterday; for today, let's enjoy RON TURNER's 5 page action-packed adventure of the titanic teenager!  He may not have been in Spidey's league, but he at least gave it a try, man!  (Winner of the worst pun of the year award!)  

Here he has a different coloured costume and looks more like a middle-aged man than a teenager

WELL LOOKEE HERE NOW - PART TWO OF THE CURSE OF THE KA...

Copyright relevant owner

Okay, you begged, pleaded, cajoled, threatened and even bullied me into giving in and presenting part two of THE KURSE OF THE KA from the SMASH! Annual for 1968, published by ODHAMS PRESS.  Happy now?

BABE Of The DAY - NICOLA BRYANT...

Today's Babe is naughty but nice NICOLA

BRYANT - definitely DOCTOR WHO's sexiest-

ever female companion.  Disagree?  Hah!  Then

obviously your girlfriend must be a bloke!