(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - CATERINA MURINO...

Do you look just like the stunning

CATERINA MURINO?  Are you able

to pretend aging, average-looking men are

the virile, handsome, manly young studs they

imagine themselves to be?  Then I just may

 have a job for you - get in touch.

HEY, KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DALEKS?

Above is a MARX 'Bump'n'Go DALEK which sold on eBay recently.  You'll have noticed it's got a blue base and silver appendages.  Whenever I notice this version up for sale, it's usually described as being unable to accommodate modern 'C' type batteries in its battery compartment.

The two original Marx Daleks which I own have black bases and appendages, and new 'C' batteries fit into it with no problem at all.  (And no, they're not the DAPOL re-issues.)  Comparing pics of the blue-based battery compartment with that of a black-based one, there appears to be absolutely no discernible difference in size.

I'm wondering if the claim of new batteries not fitting is a convenient excuse to cover the Dalek not working, so that a seller can claim he couldn't check to see if it did or not as he was unable to get batteries to fit.  As the seller in that instance wouldn't be advertising it as a working model, that leaves the buyer with no comeback - sold as seen!

(Or could some sellers be so thick that they've tried to fit in the larger 'D' size batteries, not being aware that the smaller 'C' type still exists?  Unlikely, isn't it?) 

Later versions of this model had slimmer waistlines, but the two I have are the original thicker-waisted Daleks with the big, red-balled eyepiece.  Could the size of batteries have changed at some stage in the '60s, necessitating a larger compartment in the black-based Daleks, or are some sellers simply at it?  If you have one of these blue-based toys that works with new batteries, please let me know.

Oh, and did this toy come with instructions?  I've never seen any and there's none on the box.

Blue-base of silver Dalek.  Plastic is blue, not sprayed

Silver-base of black Dalek.  Plastic is silver, not sprayed

DAPOL version takes 2 x AAs, unlike MARX original

HUNK Of The MONTH - FRANK N. STEIN...

Luxuriant hair, dreamy eyes, strong features -

but that's enough about me.  Here's big FRANK

to set the pulses racing amongst female fans!

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - VALERIE LEON...

Voluptuous VALERIE LEON appeared

in The SPY WHO LOVED ME and NEVER

SAY NEVER AGAIN, which double-qualifies

her as a 'BOND BABE'.  With a chassis like hers,

she should be standard issue in car dashboards in

case of accidents.  Thing is, guys would then be

crashing on purpose if Val was a substitute for

 air bags.  And who could blame 'em?

SUPERCAR - WITH JEREMY CLARKSON NOWHERE IN SIGHT...

Copyright relevant owner

Here's a picture of a SUPERCAR Annual cover - simply because

I like it!  (And isn't SUPER-R reminiscent of FIREBALL XL5?)

CAPTAIN BRITAIN COVER, SPLASH PAGE & IMAGE GALLERY - PART FIVE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

CAPTAIN BRITAIN #17 was a bit of a mess!  Due to a printer's error, it included some pages from #18 (in place of the intended pages), which meant that the entire colour content didn't make much sense.  The following issue contained a complete and correct extra colour section of the previous week's pages, to enable readers to construct a coherent comic for their collection.  (At the printer's expense, no doubt.)

However, to spare you the confounding confusion, I've posted the pages in the order that they should've been, not as they were.  That's the kind of considerate chum I am to all Criv-ites (and Criv-kids) everywhere.  You'd like to thank me, you say?  Well, simply enjoy the plethora of impressive images before you and perhaps proffer a comment on your own personal memories of them.  That'll be thanks enough.

     

The above pin-up was first published (in full-colour) in the US FF Annual #2 in 1964.  This
particular UK version previously appeared (with green spot colour) in MWOM #17 in 1973

The highlighted curves on the Contessa's bottom were blacked-in so that
red-blooded teenagers wouldn't get too excited and burst a blood vessel

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - MARTINE BESWICK...

"Come on in, sit down and have

a drink.  Have I told you lately that

I love you?"  Well, that's the way my

fantasy with MARTINE BESWICK

 starts - you can write your own.

TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT...

Copyright relevant owner

A daily newspaper strip that I always thoroughly enjoy is CALVIN And HOBBES by BILL WATTERSON.  Funny and clever in equal measure (and also often touching), it's a genuine delight to read.  (The above example encapsulates, according to some, my attitude towards disagreement on this blog.)

Basically, the strip is about a six-year old boy who owns a stuffed toy tiger, which to him, in his imagination (ah, or is it?) appears to be a real one (though not to anyone else) who interacts with him.  The strip started in 1985 and came to an end ten years later.  Below is the last ever C&H strip.

A 'fake' final strip was also produced, though I'm unaware of who was responsible for it.  (Perhaps Watterson panels were used.)

And then a follow-up, presumably by someone who wasn't particularly happy with the above 'ending'.

Now, I have to warn you about what lies at the other end of this link.  You simply must read it, but you'll need an extra large box of KLEENEX tissues handy.  It's an absolute belter of a tear-jerker.  When you've read it (and dried your eyes) come back and tell me what you think of it.  Go on, jump over now.

The ORIGINAL DANGER MOUSE...

Copyright REBELLION

From SMASH! Annual for 1967 comes DANGER MOUSE!  Not the DAVID JASON-voiced rodent of TV fame, but one who pre-dated him by a good number of years in the pages of one of Britain's favourite weekly comics back in the '60s.

If I ever win the Lottery, I'd love to revive some of the comics of yesteryear, with all-new stories starring the characters that I read as a youth.  Would they sell, do you think?  More to the point - would you buy them?  Let's hear your thoughts.

DO YOU HAVE ORIGINAL SIN?

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Well, next month, on June 4th, the story kicks off in The

MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL #13 - a 100 page issue

for the paltry price of £3.50.  Don't miss it, true-believers -

it would be a sin if you did!  (Nice one, Kid - nice one!)

HAUNTED HORROR #16...

Images copyright relevant owners

Lucky chap that I am, I managed to get a copy of the current issue of HAUNTED HORROR #16 today.  This ish contains the tale to which I posted a link several posts back, The MAN Who OUTDISTANCED DEATH, and contains six other supernatural stunners besides.  Here's a view of the splash pages to encourage all you frantic Criv-ites to rush out and buy your own copy (each, that is - not one between you).  I haven't yet read the other six spooky stories, but the price is worth it for the first tale alone!  One to grab while it's going!