SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #7...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Behold - the mighty GALACTUS!  But hold on a mo!  It's Galactus as pencilled by JACK KIRBY sure enough - but not as inked by JOE SINNOTT.  Nope, 'twas the valiant VINCE COLLETTA who delineated this page, demonstrating that he was just as capable of doing justice to the KING's pencils as some of his more fan-favourite peers.

When approached for a comment, Mr. Galactus declared himself to be extremely pleased with Vinnie's contribution to this portrait, so if you wanna argue - take it up with him!

CAN YOU SPOT The DIFFERENCE...? (Updated)

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Believe it or not, Ripley, there are three main differences (not including the colouring) between these two versions of the same page.  Can you spot what they are, frantic ones?  Go to it!

And below is a side-by-side comparison to help you out a bit.  (Click to enlarge - we don't want you suffering from eyestrain.)

Update:  Okay, you've all had enough time, so here's the list of differences.  The recoloured page was re-created from the reprint (below) of Thor's origin in #158, as the original proofs of JOURNEY Into Mystery #83 had been mislaid.  As you can see, the logo protrudes over the border in the original, but not in the reprint, Thor's dialogue balloon has been relettered or retouched (or both), and DON BLAKE's cane arm extends further from his body.  Those are the three main differences, but there are others:  The story number at the bottom of the page and the corner page number have been deleted, and the 'energy' lines around Thor's hammer (under 'and the', and above the first panel) are slightly different.  Luckily, superior proofs of the original tale were rediscovered and utilsed for most future printings (but not always).

SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #6...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Yet another spectacular splash page, folks - drawn by JACK KIRBY and VINCE COLLETTA (pencils and inks respectively).  What a team they made on THOR during the 1960s, and looking at this particular page makes me wonder why some people didn't like Vinnie's inks on Jack's pencils.  Could it be because he left the zips off The RECORDER's boots perhaps? Anyway, let's not dredge up that ol' controversy again, let's just appreciate a great piece of art by two of comicdom's finest.  Comments welcome.

BABE Of The DAY - JANE RUSSELL...

The sultry JANE RUSSELL gives

me the eye.  However, I think I'll hold

 out for the rest of her.  (Guffaw!)

RECOMMENDED READING: THOR EPIC COLLECTION VOLUME TWO...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here's a big belter of a book, frantic ones - The MIGHTY

THOR EPIC COLLECTION Volume Two.  As per usual, I'll

let the back cover spiel tell its own story, as it can do it far better

than I ever could.  Doubtless you'll all be wondering just where you

can purchase this valiant volume, but wonder no more.  Your local

comicbook store will doubtless be more than happy to supply you

with a copy in return for mere money.  Well, what are you

waiting for?  Grab one now before they all sell out!

Gasp!!! AMAZING! MAGICAL! ROBOTIC! It's The AMAZING MAGIC ROBOT (Though Not Necessarily In That Order)...

Who remembers this classic toy from their childhood?  Originally manufactured by MERIT in the early '50s, it had a good long run over the years, and, although I never owned one as a kid in the '60s, I always wanted one.  It's original name was The Amazing MAGIC ROBOT, but RETRO-RANGE's version is called The Magical AMAZING ROBOT, but is practically identical to the first in every other way, even utilising the box art of one of the earlier editions.

The robot is bronze-coloured (or is it dark green?) in the current release, as opposed to the silver one I recall as a child, but Merit may also have used variant colours down the years, as they produced different editions of the game during its heyday.  Anyway, it may have taken me 50 years to eventually get one of these classic items, but it was worth the measly fiver it cost me from a Glasgow 'bric-a-brac' shop.

If any cavortin' Crivs have any memories associated with this 'toy', feel free to reminisce to your heart's content in our 'amazing magical' comments section.  (Incidentally, there was another version called The DALEK ORACLE by BELL TOYS, which did the exact same thing.)  Bring the past back to life today, before tomorrow becomes yesterday.  (H'mm, now doesn't that sound almost profound?!)

SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #5...

Image copyright DC COMICS

Another JACK KIRBY-WALLY WOOD splash page, folks, one which actually precedes the previous CHALLENGERS page I showed you, as they're both from the same story.  I always thought that Jack often drew horses too small in relation to people in the same panel, but whether that's the case here or not, no one can deny the powerful impact of the above scene - not even me.  Enjoy!

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - JULIE EGE...

Now JULIE EGE is what

I call a woman.  If only she'd call

 me, I'd be a very happy man!

RECOMMENDED READING: STAR WARS EPIC COLLECTION - The ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS VOLUME ONE...

Images copyright LUCASFILM Ltd

Are you a STAR WARS fan?  Are you a comicbook fan?  Then this is the book for you!  I'll let the spiel on the back cover (below) speak for itself, so instead, let's look at ROY THOMAS's introduction to the OMNIBUS volume, reprinted as one of the bonus features in the back of this book.  Roy recalls seeing a rough cut of the film, wherein DAVE PROWSE's voice hadn't yet been dubbed by JAMES EARL JONES, and describes him as having a "thick Scottish accent".  Well, slap me with a wet kipper and call me 'Bob' - Prowse comes from Bristol, and sounds nowhere near Scottish.

It reminds me of the time BOB HOPE's writers had actress JILL St. JOHN describe SEAN CONNERY as a "typical Welshman" in a show for a U.S. Air Force Base in Madrid.  I'm sure Sean wouldn't have been well-pleased, proud Scotsman that he is.  So what, if anything, have we learned from this?  One thing at least - Americans seem to be total crap at distinguishing accents, simple as that.  However, they have been known to produce some very good comicbooks, so we forgive them for their 'tin' ears.  Big of us, eh?

Okay, back to the book.  You can buy your very own copy at your nearest comics shop or bookstore.  Remember - last one there is a big girl's blouse!

RAMPAGING REPOST: WHIZZER & CHIPS #3 - HALLOWE'EN/GUY FAWKES ISSUE...

Copyright REBELLION

It's Hallowe'en tonight and the mood hangs heavy in the air, so that's all the excuse I need to republish this pertinent post (again).  Back On October 25th, 1969, the third issue of WHIZZER & CHIPS went on sale, with a GUY FAWKES mask as a free gift.  It looks like the artwork of TOM KERR to me, but regardless, I remember rushing over to the newsagent's across the road from my house to buy it, the minute the shop opened in the early hours of that Autumn morning a whopping 47 years ago.  (The comic bears the date of November 1st, but British comics were traditionally dated up to a week ahead to give them a longer shelf-life.)

Handy how both Hallowe'en and Guy Fawkes Night were covered by this issue coming out in advance of the two occasions. I wonder if the mask was used by 'guisers' on October 31st, and then 'recycled' for use on their 'guys' on November 5th?  If so, quite a few of them probably perished on top of a bonfire in parks and gardens the length and breadth of the U.K.  It's a wonder any survived.

As this was the last Hallowe'en of my primary school days, it was most likely the very last time I went out 'guising' (or 'trick or treating' as they call it now), but I didn't wear this mask and have no solid recollection of what I actually dressed up as that particular year.  However, one glance at the above cardboard mask brings back the sights, sounds and scents of that Autumn evening in my old neighbourhood, so very long ago.

Makes me wish that I was ten years old again.  Did anyone else have this W&C mask? What are your memories of this day in 1969?  (Or any childhood Hallowe'en night if you don't go back that far.)  Spill all in the comments section.

SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #4...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

What fascinates me about this splash page is the caption box. Just why the lettering is spaced within it the way it is puzzles me, as it's an odd layout to be sure.  There's nothing even remotely odd about JACK KIRBY's & DICK AYERS' art though, and the perspective seems spot on.  You really get the sense that the FF are actually floating downward in defiance of gravity, and the alien architecture makes you wonder if Kirby had really been to Planet X.  I mean, how else could he have drawn the darn place so convincingly?

RECOMMENDED READING: MAN-THING COMPLETE COLLECTION VOLUME TWO...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Are you a MAN-THING fan?  (No, that's not a euphemism.)  Then you'll absolutely want to buy Volume 2 of this COMPLETE COLLECTION from MARVEL.  Cop a gander at the back cover below for the contents of this terrific, inch-thick tome. Wouldn't it be magic if old 'Manny' were to encounter DC's SWAMP THING, or has that already happened?  (Nobody tells me anything around here.)  Now what great shop would sell a fantastic book like this I wonder?  All together now - all good ones.

BABE Of The DAY - VERONICA CARLSON...

It's stunning VERONICA CARLSON

in distress - though she looks more out of it

than in it to me.  (Pedants will point out her

top isn't part of a dress, but my pun won't

 work if I acknowledge that fact.)

SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #3...

Copyright CPI

Not exactly what you'd call a dynamic splash page perhaps, but certainly an evocative one, BARRY SMITH's and FRANK GIACOIA's image has a quiet power and foreboding menace that, to me, makes it entirely memorable.  I first read this story in 1972, in the MARVEL Annual for the following year, and never quite forgot it.  Now you can all remember it as well, by Crom!

BABE Of The DAY - IMOGEN HASSALL...

Whose heart doesn't beat a

little faster on sight of IMOGEN

HASSALL?  Yours, you say?  Well,

you're obviously in a coma and in

need of medical attention!

AW, GO ON - SAY AH...

From Tuesday's DAILY EXPRESS.  If this doesn't

melt your heart, then it's obviously made of stone.  Click

to enlarge, then click again for optimum size.

SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #2...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

This one's a beauty.  From THOR's first appearance, as pencilled by JACK KIRBY and inked by JOE SINNOTT, it portrays the god of thunder in all his awesome glory.  Could anyone but Jack have made an instant visual hit out of a guy with long blond-hair and what looks like a seagull's wings on his headgear - especially in the '60s?  I very much doubt it.  What say the rest of you pantin' Criv-ites?

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - JULIE EGE...

It's late October and the chilly

winds are on their way.  Purely out

of the goodness of my heart, here's a

sight that will surely warm all of you

 up - the sizzling JULIE EGE.

SPECTACULAR SPLASH PAGES #1...

Image copyright DC COMICS

Pencilled by Jolly JACK KIRBY, inked by Wondrous WALLY WOOD, and appreciated by lovers of great comicbook art everywhere.  Who can look at this page and not feel like they're back in ancient Egypt?  Or, at the very least, an MGM production of a movie set in 'The Land of the Pharaohs'.  Comic art at its very best, I'm sure you'll agree.

BABE Of The DAY - VICTORIA VETRI...

Here's VICTORIA VETRI with her hand

on my head, trying to keep me underwater.  She's

always foolin' around like this, though I know she

loves me really.  After all, who wouldn't?

ARTIST STEVE DILLON PASSES AWAY...

Just learned via STEVE HOLLAND's blog (here) that artist STEVE DILLON has died at the age of 54.  I met Steve once (at least) in the 2000 A.D. offices, and used to letter ROGUE TROOPER when he illustrated it and SIMON GELLER wrote it.  I liked his art - he had a natural talent and was drawing professionally from the age of 16, and was every bit as good as older, more seasoned professionals.  The world of comics is the poorer for his untimely passing.  Read more about the man and his work at the above link.

RECOMMENDED READING: THE SON OF SATAN CLASSIC...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Well, lookee here - it's DAIMON HELLSTROM, otherwise known as The SON Of SATAN.  Ooh, controversial or what, but MARVEL managed to pull it off.  This cracking collection gathers the full original run of these '70s tales together in one volume, which can be obtained from all good comics shops and bookstores for a paltry sum.  Run, don't walk, to your nearest one now!

CADET'S STINGRAY SWEET CIGARETTE CARDS - PART FIVE...

Copyright relevant owner

Okay, peeps, here's the last batch of CADET's sweet cigarette cards featuring STINGRAY.  You now have all 50 cards in the collection.  Remember to click on either of the two images, then click again for optimum size to see these cards in all their glory.  The THUNDERBIRDS cards will be along before you know it.

BABE Of The DAY - IMOGEN HASSALL...

IMOGEN HASSALL was a stunning-looking actress who appeared in TV shows such as The SAINT and The AVENGERS, as well as various movies throughout her acting career.  I was shocked to discover only recently that she committed suicide in 1980, aged 38.  I'd assumed, whenever I saw her in anything on TV, that she was still 'out there', acting away to her heart's content.

Funny how we become so familiar with some thespians through seeing their movies and shows constantly repeated on telly, that, even though (unknown to us) they may be long dead, we consider them still contemporary with our own lives, and feel like we're welcoming an old friend into our living-room whenever they pop up in some old film or other on that box in the corner (or flat screen on the wall).

Some actors make us smile on sight of them, so deeply are they ingrained in the memories of our youth, and we once again enjoy their company for however long their performance lasts in some old movie or repeated TV show.  There's a sad side to that though, when the realisation eventually dawns on us that they took their last bow and exited stage left, and that the final curtain came down for them many years ago.

Alas, poor Imogen.  I'll look for you on TV. 

RECOMMENDED READING: Dr. STRANGE EPIC COLLECTION VOLUME THREE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

No, you haven't missed the first two in the series - MARVEL publishes these cataclysmic collections out of sequence, so you still have volumes one and two to look forward to.  However, back to this EPIC softcover tome - just read the spiel below to see what magnificent goodies lie waiting within.  Available now from your nearest comicbook store.  Race you there.