SUMMERTIME...

I remember seeing this on the PARKINSON

show back in 1980.  Absolutely brilliant!

MOONRAKER TRAILER...

MOONRAKER comes in for a certain amount of flack from some fans, but it was a natural progression for the BOND movies, which had started to reflect the cinematic tastes of the times.  For example, LIVE & LET DIE echoed 'blaxploitation' movies, The MAN With The GOLDEN GUN tipped its topper towards KUNG FU films, The SPY Who LOVED ME dived into the deep in the wake of JAWS - and Moonraker launched into outer space after STAR WARS. Plus SHIRLEY BASSEY sung the title theme.  So what's not to like?

Incidentally, I don't recall the trailers lasting this long in my local cinema.  Weren't they much quicker.  Anyone remember?

BABE Of The DAY - BRIGITTE BARDOT...

Words?  You want words?

It's BRIGITTE BARDOT, man!

 Who's got time for words?

SUPER DC - HISTORY Or MYSTERY...?

SUPERMAN and related characters copyright DC COMICS

I've read that SUPER DC came out in June 1969 and lasted to July of 1970.  That may be true (in some parts of the country anyway), but it's not the whole story.  When I bought issue #1, one of the trio of free gifts was a 'wristwatch calendar', consisting of three adhesive strips (one month on each) to be applied to the strap of one's watch.  The months on my calendar labels were November and December 1970, and January 1971.  Not that they were any good to me, because I didn't wear a watch then, nor do I wear a watch now.  However, this fact tends to indicate that, at least in Scotland, the first issue didn't go on sale until September or October of '70 at the earliest.

So what's the scoop?  You're asking me?  I can only speculate, but here's what may have happened.  The comics were tried out in England first, and unsold copies were then distributed to the rest of the U.K. at a later date.  This would explain why all 14 issues bore the price of 1/- (one shilling) even after decimalisation on February 15th 1971.  In some (but not all) cases, issues on sale after this date had a 5p sticker covering  the old price.  Or perhaps there was some kind of nationwide delay between publishing and distribution, and the main reason that people think the comic came out in 1969 is because of the price and the copyright date in the indicia.

There's evidence to suggest that issue #1 (at least) was reprinted, as the indicia is different in two copies I have in my collection.  Take a look at page 39 (above) and spot the difference between both versions.  (Click to enlarge for a better view.)  I suppose this could perhaps merely be as a result of the NATIONAL PERIODICALS copyright attribution being added during a pause in the print run when it was noticed it was missing, but that wouldn't explain why the comics are also slightly different sizes.  So it's anyone's guess as to the true history of this U.K. reprint monthly, published by TOP SELLERS and edited by MICK ANGLO (who also illustrated some covers and text stories).  If you think you can help clear up this minor mystery, feel free to chip in your two cents (or pence) worth in the comments section.

NEW DOCTOR WHO ANNOUNCED...

...he'll be continuing in the role for a good while yet.  (Ha!  Had you going there for a second, eh?)

******

Shame that this Glasgow Police Telephone box is on a concrete platform.  Because of that, and the fact I'm leaning back against it, I look almost like a dwarf.  However, I think this is an intriguing look for the new DOCTOR WHO when PETER CAPALDI eventually packs it in.  

Are you paying attention, BBC?

BABE Of The DAY - RAQUEL WELCH...

Poor RAQUEL seems to have fainted.

Stand back, all, and give her some air.  I'd better

administer some mouth-to-mouth and a vigorous

chest massage.  (If it's good enough for LARRY

 HAGMAN, it's good enough for me.)

HONEST - I ONCE HAD A 'NOBEL PRIZE'...

I've shown these photos before, but there's a reason for their reappearance.  I'm unsure as to which of the photos was taken first (possibly the colour one), but both of them were snapped in 1965.  The colour picture was taken outside the house I recently regained entry to for the first time in 50 years, and the b&w pic was captured in Port Bannatyne when we holidayed there in May/June of '65.  (That's #19 of TV CENTURY 21 I'm holding in my grubby paws.)

Look at the car though.  We had this car from 1964 to around 1969 or '70, and I remember reading early issues of TV21 right up to middle issues of FANTASTIC while being driven home from the shops after buying them.  The car is a NOBEL 200, the British version of the German FULDAMOBIL, and had a fibreglass chassis.  I only ever saw one other (at a distance), and though I've a strong impression that I was in our Nobel at the time, I now wonder if it might actually have been from our new vehicle (a RELIANT ROBIN) - which, if so, means it's entirely possible that what I saw was our own, former car.

However, let's not get bogged down with uncertainty at this stage.  The point is that it was a rare car, and even without the photos, the licence number (77 JJO) was lodged in my brain from an early age.  That's mainly because, another house later, it matched our house number - 77 - and the JJO has a rhythm about it which is hard to forget.  Looking back, it's the only number plate of the several cars my parents owned that I remember.  I'd like to think it's still out there somewhere, owned by a collector, and wasn't consigned to oblivion many years ago.

I tend to regard it as a long-absent family member with whom I'd like to get reacquainted.  If, by some slim chance, any of you happen to know of its whereabouts, or how I could find out its fate, then let me know, eh?  It'd be nice to hear that it still exists.

******

Update: Managed to find and buy a limited edition, white metal model (1.43 scale) of the car on eBay.  It was manufactured by a German company called BUDIG in around 2008.

The TITANS CENTRE-SPREAD POSTER GALLERY - PART NINE...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here it is - the final part of The TITANS centre-spread poster gallery, including the one comprising two parts from SUPER SPIDER-MAN in a crossover promotion between the two titles.  (In other words, a ploy to get you to purchase a comic you didn't usually buy.)

Okay, folks, that wraps it up for this series.  Drop in again soon to see what else Crivens! has up its sleeve.

Copyright MARVEL COMICS and CPI

BLUE BOY...

JIM REEVES backing band were called

The BLUE BOYS.  Appropriate, given the

title of this song.  Take it away, Jim.

TV21 - ADVENTURE In The 20th CENTURY (MARVEL UNIVERSE)...

Images copyright respective owners

Strange as it may seem, many MARVEL fans who bought the ODHAMS POWER COMICS back in the '60s, tend to think that - ALAN CLASS monthly mags aside - Marvel reprints in Britain all but disappeared until The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL was launched on September 30th 1972.  What they apparently forget (and I include myself) is that TV21 published various Marvel tales within its pages from issue #62 (cover-dated November 28th 1970) to #105 (cover-dated September 25th 1971), which was its final issue before being merged with IPC's VALIANT.  (The Marvel strips didn't survive the merger.)

Over a span of 10 months, The SPIDER-MAN, The SILVER SURFER (with a guest-appearance from The FF), The GHOST RIDER (that's the one with a horse, not a motorcycle), RINGO KID, HOMER The HAPPY GHOST, and perhaps one or two other strips, dominated up to half the comic some weeks - so it's strange that so many comic fans appear to have forgotten Marvel's continued presence in the world of U.K. comics between March 1969 and September/October 1972.  (The dates when SMASH! abandoned Marvel reprints and MWOM went on sale, respectively.)

Perhaps it was the brevity of their presence.  After all, 44 issues can hardly be considered a long run and, as far as I can recall (without looking at every issue), none of the Marvel strips were ever featured on the cover - apart from an occasional mention in the banner, but certainly never in a prominent way. 

Anyway, as a little treat, here's a look at the Marvel content of the first issue (#62, new series) of TV21 to feature such strips.  Cast your eyes carefully over each creatively-crafted page.  Are you beginning to remember?  Are memories, long suppressed, starting to claw their way from the back of your brain to burst once more into the warm glare of welcome recognition?  Then congratulations!  You are whole once more and your past is once again your present.  I have done my job and done it well, so it's time for me to leave you and your joyous reminiscences to spend some time together alone.  After all, you know what they say - three's a crowd.

See you next post.

Don't forget - click on image to enlarge, then click again for optimum size.

PART EIGHT Of The TITANS CENTRE-SPREAD POSTER GALLERY...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

And now, the penultimate part of The TITANS poster gallery.  Only one more post and "that's all she wrote", fellow fans.  Some of these centre-spreads were perhaps not as dynamic as they could or should have been, but full marks to MARVEL for at least trying to do something different.  As I've said before though, it's just a shame that they weren't presented in full-colour.

Anyway, be sure to come back for the wrap-up in the final post in the series, on this, the absolutely best blog in the history of something-or-other, but don't press me on the details.

PLANET Of The APES Poster...

Copyright relevant owner

The above colour poster was given away with MARVEL U.K.'s PLANET Of The APES #1 in 1974.  The same illustration was the actual cover of the U.S. monthly first issue, just in case you were thinking you'd seen it somewhere before.  (Well, you were right - you had!)

AH, BUT IS IT AN ORIGINAL...?

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

MARVEL had been publishing their weekly periodicals in Britain for a while, when, perhaps responding to some readers' requests, they asked the rest of us if we'd like to see more original covers.  To my mind, 'original' covers meant the original covers which had first appeared on the U.S. mags, not newly-originated ones for the U.K. comics, which seemed to be what Marvel had in mind.  I responded, saying "Yes, more original covers please!" - as, no doubt, did quite a few other Marvelites, because, before too long, the weeklies sported brand-new (and, a few exceptions apart, mostly inferior) cover art all across the board.

I eventually twigged to what had happened regarding the differing interpretations of what was meant by 'original', but, going by the poor reception of many of the 'new' covers featured on this blog, I had the right idea and Marvel had the wrong one.  (I exclude JIM STARLIN's covers on early issues of MWOM because they were well-drawn and I actually like them.)  Perhaps, had Marvel stuck with more 'classic' covers from the original U.S. issues, their titles may have enjoyed a greater success.

So what say you readers?  Did you care much for the specially-produced, newly-drawn cover art on the Marvel weeklies of your youth, or, like me, did you prefer to see the classic covers that had first graced the initial printings of these early titanic tales?  Make your valued views known in the comments section - the fate of the free world hangs in the balance!  (Well, if I'm gonna lie, I like to make it a big one.)

This cover illo was also pressed into service as a splash page in the very next
issue.  Not quite in the same league as the SURFER cover above, eh?

ANNA MARIE...

Again - the velvet-voiced JIM REEVES,

singing about a lost love - ANNA MARIE.

(Hankies at the ready.)

BABE Of The DAY - INDIANA WHO...?

Move over JONES - here's INDIANA

JANE to the rescue!  I know which one I

prefer.  (And she isn't afraid of snakes - not

even of the one-eyed trouser variety.)

MARVEL'S The SUPER-HEROES COVER & IMAGE GALLERY - PART ONE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

At last, The SILVER SURFER had arrived!  He'd been here before of course, in the pages of an ailing TV21, but those reprints had been re-sized and re-dialogued, and, in the process, had lost something of their MARVEL 'magic'.  In the pages of The SUPER-HEROES they remained largely unaltered - apart from the early tales being split over two issues on account of them being 38-40 pages long.

Bringing up the rear of the mag was The X-MEN, the origin of which had previously been presented in The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL, but it was rolled out once more to kick-off the series proper.  I don't want to say too much at this point as I'd prefer to reveal things bit by bit as we go along, but I can guarantee it'll be worth your while coming back to view the awesome images that lay in store for you in this sensational series.

However, that's enough from me for the moment until part two - let's read what STAN (The Man) LEE (or his stand-in) has to say about it all!