PART TWO OF THE "NOT GOOD ENOUGH - DO IT AGAIN!" DEPARTMENT...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Above, the published cover of The FANTASTIC FOUR #20.

Below, JACK KIRBY's original attempt, rejected by STAN LEE.

And below that is a finished version, lettered and inked by yours truly.

And yeah, you're right - it isn't good enough, so one day I will do

it again.  (The Jack Kirby Collector liked it 'though.)

KID'S KLASSIC (KIRBY) KOMIC KOVERS - BLACK MAGIC #4...

Image copyright DC COMICS

The art for this cover was originally intended for PRIZE COMICS

first issue of BLACK MAGIC in 1950, but it never saw print until the

fourth issue of DC COMICS revival of the title in 1973.  See?  It often

pays never to throw anything away - especially KIRBY artwork.

WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURES?

Anyone who buys any of the current PANINI/MARVEL mags

will know that, occasionally, there are no letters pages because of

a paucity of epistles from which to publish.  It's always been the case

that the proportion of readers who write in to a comic is a relatively tiny

one, which often made me wonder about British comics once including a

small 'favourites' coupon for readers to fill in and send with their letters

or jokes.  After all, there was no guarantee that the strips listed were

representative of the wider readership, so it was hardly an ideal

way of evaluating which strips were really the most popular.

Did you ever fill in one of those coupons and send it in to your

weekly comic?  Cast your mind back to childhood and see if you can

recall what your favourite strips were.  Here's a list of weeklies to jog

your memory:  BUSTER, WHAM!, SMASH!, POW!, WHIZZER &

CHIPS, COR!!, WHOOPEE!, WOW! - or any others you can think of.

Just think - the choice of the few determined the reading options of the

many.  Hardly fair perhaps, but how else can one even try to gauge the

popularity of a comic's contents?  Never sent one in?  Perhaps if you

had, that strip you liked which disappeared might've continued if

the editor had known more readers liked it.  H'mm.

  Okay, thinking caps on, typing fingers at the ready.   

WAKE UP, IT'S - DAWN OF THE UNDEAD...

ARION has a new comic available and you have a chance of

winning MARVEL Digital Codes if you buy it.  Details here.

BABE OF THE DAY - CINDY CRAWFORD...

The beautiful CINDY CRAWFORD

demonstrates her invisible sword-swallow-

ing act on the beach.  Is there no end to her

  talents?  A big hand for Cindy!

PART FORTY-TWO OF FAVOURITE COMICS OF THE PAST - SHOWCASE #94 (EXPANDED)...

Images copyright DC COMICS

Apparently (if I've got my comics history right), SHOWCASE #94 was originally intended to publish the first appearance of JACK KIRBY's ORION Of The NEW GODS, until DC COMICS decided to give the series its own mag.  Because of that, the last issue of Showcase to appear was #93 in 1970.  Number 94 eventually turned up in '77, featuring the debut of The New DOOM PATROL, who also starred in #s 95 & 96.  Incidentally, ROBOT MAN's new body was inspired by JOHN BYRNE's character - ROG-2000.

And now for the eagerly anticipated (cough) personal bit.  On the Saturday I first bought this issue, I was making my way home just as it was getting dark, and took a detour through the grounds of one of my old schools.  On the far side of a putting green adjacent to the school grounds was a small wooded area, the silhouette of which, it seemed to me in the gathering gloom, was the perfect double of the background on the comic's cover.  That's why, even today, I can't look at one without also thinking of the other.

Hard to believe that was very nearly 40 years ago.  My old school is now gone and a new structure stands in its place, but the one I knew yet exists in the evergreen land of memory - especially when I look at the cover of Showcase #94.  Got any memories associated with this ish?  Then get typing, frantic ones.

   

I've had replacements for issues #94 & 96 for years now, but since first writing this, I've acquired #95 to complete the trilogy.  I've therefore added their covers and splash pages to this post so that all three issues are together.  I seem to associate these mags with the same newsagent's I bought #94, so that's more than likely where I originally got them.  Enjoy.

FAVOURITE COMICS OF THE PAST - PART FORTY-ONE: SUPERMAN #251...

Images copyright DC COMICS

At one time, I could've told you in exactly which shop I purchased

my original copy of SUPERMAN #251, but now I'm none too sure.

(Maybe  it'll come back to me later.)  What I can tell you with absolute

certainty, however, is the date on which I bought it - October 7th 1972.

The reason I remember is because that was the day that The MIGHTY

WORLD Of MARVEL #2 went on sale, which I'd obtained earlier that

surprisingly sunny Saturday morning.  A few hours later, I also took pos-

session of TERRIFIC #1 and The SUPER-HEROES #1, two comics

from the '60s, which I picked up in a jumble sale in The Old Parish

Church Hall in the Old Village quarter of my town.

I've long since re-acquired replacements for all the comics I got

that day, the above one being bought around 1980 or '81 ('82 at the

latest), which means that I've now owned it for a far greater period of

time than I ever had my original copy.  It should come as no surprise to

any of you (mainly because I've said the same thing many times before)

when I say that all it takes is one glance at its cover or contents, and I'm

magically whisked back to the '70s (wait for it, here  it comes) faster than

a fart from The FLASH.  I found the 'classic tale' of particular interest,

because Superman changes his features (much like the FF's MISTER

FANTASTIC can) to resemble his alien foes, and uses 'telepathic

will-control' to influence the mind and actions of his captor.

So there you have it!  Another of my 'Favourite Comics of

the Past'.  Is it also one of yours?  Then why not indulge in a spot

of pleasant reminiscing and tell the rest of us all about it?  After all,

why should I have all the fun?  The comments section awaits!

THE "NOT GOOD ENOUGH - DO IT AGAIN!" DEPARTMENT - PART ONE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

You're looking at the cover of FANTASTIC FOUR Annual #1

- or are you?  Yes, you are - sort of.  The above cover is the one that

JACK KIRBY initially drew for the Cosmic Quartet's first yearly

outing, but it was rejected by STAN LEE, who then had Jack whip

up the version that graced the published issue, which you can see

below.  So which one do you prefer - and why?

RESTORATION BLUES...

At the risk of being accused of narcissism, I just  had

to post this old photograph of myself I found the other day.

It's from around 1977 or '78 and was extremely faded (having

been reprinted some years ago from a deteriorated negative), but

I applied some computer magic and, hey presto - restored it to

something resembling its former glory.  Now if only I could

do the same thing for myself, I'd be a very happy man.

The memories this photo conjures up are a welcome

reminder of past times, when summer skies seemed bluer,

drifting clouds were whiter, and age and infirmity were beyond

my imagining.  A glimpse of a moment frozen in time forever, but

one that I can now only experience as a spectator from a far dis-

tance, and no longer as a participant in the moment it happened.

However, I'll grab it with gratitude as it's as near to it as I'm

likely to get.  Thank goodness for photos, eh?

Y'know, I really miss being young.  How about the

rest of you?  (Assuming you're not, obviously.)

BABE OF THE DAY - CAMILLA LONG...

Journalist CAMILLA LONG is

today's Babe, fellas.  Saw her on the

BBC show HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR

YOU and was instantly smitten.  By the

way, this is post number 3000, so

celebrate with a cup of tea.

SPECTRE - HAVE BOND MOVIES GIVEN UP THE GHOST?

Watched SPECTRE on Blu-Ray at a friend's house last week

and was bored witless.  My pal fell asleep through it, which surely

says a lot about the state of the JAMES BOND movies these days.  I

still can't quite make up my mind about DANIEL CRAIG.  He's good in

the fight scenes, but lacks the suaveness and sophistication that SEAN

CONNERY, ROGER MOORE, and PIERCE BROSNAN brought to

the role.  He's also clearly not tall enough to play 007, which means

he'd certainly never have got the part if CUBBY BROCCOLI had

still been alive.  Cubby had a thing about the actor physically

embodying the role, so they had to be around 6' 1", 6' 2".

And what's with the cocky walk and the standing with his legs

four feet apart that Craig does?  His predecessors had a confident

stride, whereas Craig swaggers like a playground bully.  And why in

blazes he was wearing a suit that looked at least two sizes too small in

Spectre I'll never know.  He was given short shrift when it was first an-

nouced he'd been awarded the part of Bond, due to the fact he wore a

life-jacket  on a trip up the Thames.  "What a wimp," cried his critics,

"James Bond would never wear a life-jacket!"  Funny that the group

of Royal Marines who were with him and also wearing life-jackets

escaped such comments.  Or maybe not - after all, who's going

to call a Royal Marine a wimp?  (Outside of someone with a

death-wish or who likes hospital food I mean.)

However, it must be admitted that Craig's three Bond movies

after CASINO ROYALE failed to live up to it.  SKYFALL was

a hit because of the sense of expectation for Bond's 50th year,

but after its action-packed pre-credits sequence, it was a bit of

a yawn, let's be honest.  The fans deserve better.

So is it time for a new actor to play 007?  Someone who's

tall, handsome, sophisticated and who doesn't look out of place

in a tux?  Well, modesty prevents me from recommending myself

for the part, but Craig's time may well be coming to an end.  Who

do you think should be the next Bond...James Bond?  You

  know where the comments section is, Criv-ites chums.

Now this guy would make a great Bond - even if he
does have an invisible Walther PPK (or PPK/S)

"Bond...Kid Bond."  (Probably more a case of
"Bond?  Who are you trying to kid?")

CHILDHOOD CAPERS - CHAPTER THREE: THE 'AMAZING' UNCLE WILLIE...

I used to have an uncle;  nothing unusual about that - lots of folk have uncles.  I had more than one uncle of course, but it's one in particular I'm going to talk about today.  Let's call him Uncle Willie - mainly because that was his name.  Although, in the interests of historical accuracy, it behooves me to admit that I'm unsure whether he was an 'actual' uncle or merely an 'honorary' one, in that convenient bracket that older male relatives are placed when it's not known exactly what their title should be.  He never struck me as a very nice man to be frank, and he was eventually sectioned under the mental health act for beating up his wife - who, unsurprisingly, happened to be my aunt.  They were both quite elderly when all this was going on, which is all rather tragic I suppose.

I remember being through in Edinburgh with my family back in the late '60s, visiting one of my father's sisters (another aunt), and Uncle Willie and his wife were there too.  We all left at the same time and I remember Uncle Willie put his hand in his pocket and slipped some coins into the hands of my other aunt's kids.  I was surprised to see this act of generosity, because he'd never done that with me or my brother.  I liked him even less after that.

Uncle Willie was a bit of a blowhard.  Full of tall tales and unlikely stories designed to portray himself in the most flattering light.  Anything anyone else had ever done, he'd done first or done better - and sometimes even both.  He and his wife were visiting our house one night, and he took the opportunity to regale my brother and myself with tales of how fit he was and how he was able to expand his chest to nigh Olympian proportions.

He could see from our expressions that we remained unconvinced (nor were we much interested, truth be told) so he insisted on demonstrating his 'amazing ability'.  At first he stood in a stooped position with his chest as far back towards his spine as possible, then slowly stood up, thrusting his chest out as far as he could and, arching his back while leaning forward, attempted to create the impression that he'd achieved his stated goal.  When he was finished, he proudly announced:  "Mabel, I've just expanded my chest by 11 and a half inches!"  He hadn't of course, all he'd done is made a tit of himself.   We were too polite to say so, but we had a good laugh at him after he'd left.

I'm glad I've no nieces and nephews, because at least I know I can never be regarded with derision or disdain in the way that me and my brother discreetly regarded Uncle Willie.  So I suppose the moral of this story is that if you want your young relatives to be left with a good impression of you when you're gone, then you should avoid trying to impress them while you're here.

THE TV21 TIME MACHINE GOES BACK TO 1965 FOR SENTIMENT AND NOSTALGIA...

Here's a page from the 1965 TV CENTURY 21 SUMMER

EXTRA, featuring an ad for a couple of Annuals, one of which I got

for Christmas.  I also had the STINGRAY Annual, but I can't remember

if I got it new at around the same time, or it was a later acquisition from

a pal or a jumble sale.  I have a vague idea it was bought new 'though.  I

must have purchased the Summer Extra in June or July of '65, and I re-

call seeing a display of both Annuals in a shop called KRAZY KUTS

in my local town centre from September on, while still living in

the house my family would move from come November.

I didn't get either Annuals 'though, until I was living in our new

house, so it's a bit strange to associate the covers and even some of

the contents with both houses, even 'though, in the case of the former

abode, it was only from looking through the books in the shop, and in

the latter, from the comfort of an armchair (or sitting against one

while sat on the carpet) in our new residence.

Krazy Kuts was a great shop (it was a CO-OP owned shop,

if I recall correctly), and survived well into the '80s.  I replaced the

Annuals a good number of years ago, and one glance at either one of

them reminds be of two houses and a shop, and what a great time it

was to be a child in the greatest decade of the 20th century.

This has been a completely self-indulgent, random, rambling

 Robson reminiscence for no good reason that I can think of.

SUPERMAN COLOURING BOOK...

Image copyright DC COMICS

Thought you might like to see this cover from a SUPERMAN

colouring book from 1940, which is reminiscent of the cover of the

first ish of The MAN Of STEEL's own magazine.  Nice, innit?  Is

it just me, or does Superman look like a young BOB HOPE?

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS TRAILER...

Now this is what I call a classic - JASON And

The ARGONAUTS.  Enjoy the trailer from 1963.

BABE OF THE DAY - VERONICA CARLSON...

VERONICA CARLSON looks like she could

have played the part of HONEY RIDER in Dr.

NO.  All she needs is a knife strapped to her thigh

and she'd have given URSULA ANDRESS a

good run for her money.

IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WAR, AT LEAST LET'S BE CIVIL ABOUT IT...

Okay, you may've already seen this, but it's

too good not to show just in case you haven't.

RECOMMENDED READING - COMIC BOOK APOCALYPSE: THE GRAPHIC WORLD OF JACK KIRBY...

Much as it pains me to admit it, I can do no better at

describing this book - a companion to an exhibition of JACK

KIRBY art at California State University - than to quote from the

spiel on the back cover:  "COMIC BOOK APOCALYPSE...spot-

lights Kirby's art from the mid-'60s through the '70s - his most sub-

lime and mind-bending work.  Illustrated with more than 100 im-

ages from such classic series as The FANTASTIC FOUR, The

NEW GODS, and KAMANDI, and with a store of essays by

artists, storytellers, and scholars, this book provides the in-

sightful, in-depth commentary that Kirby has always

deserved."  (Published by IDW.)

One thing to remember perhaps, is that Jack Kirby was a

comicbook artist with no illusions about the nature of the work

he produced.  From a quick read of one of the essays that accom-

panies the art, there seems to be a desire to impose a pretentious

meaning or motivation to some images that can be nothing more

than wishful-thinking on the part of the writer.  Thankfully, it's

Jack's art which is the main attraction here, not the imagina-

tive if-specious over-analysis by any of the 'scholars'.

You can buy this beauty from your local comicbook

store right now.  Rush 'round right away!

BABE OF THE DAY - CINDY CRAWFORD...

"Come over and lie beside me" said the scintilatimg CINDY

CRAWFORD - so I did!  I told her I was the greatest lover in

the world.  You can't get a bigger lie than that!

KID'S KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS - THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Originally drawn by STEVE DITKO for the cover of SPIDER-

MAN's debut issue, AMAZING FANTASY #15 (but rejected by

STAN LEE in favour of one by JACK KIRBY), this illo eventually

fulfilled its destiny as a front cover (even if only as a variant) on the

final ish of Spidey's own mag.  Ditko definitely drew his version first,

because the speech balloons and cover blurb were photostatted,

then pasted down on Kirby's incarnation of the cover.

******

Oh no, did it again.  Already featured this cover in this series,

then forgot I'd done so.  The old memory is failing me over and

over again lately - I'd better start keeping a scorecard.

BABE OF THE DAY - WHAT'S 'ER NAME?

This is, er...this is...what's 'er name?  I'll

let you know what she's called when I work

my way up to her face.  Fair enough?

(JORDAN CARVER.)