(BOND) BABES OF THE DAY - SHIRLEY, HONOR & TANIA...

Three babes for you today, chums!  SHIRLEY EATON,

HONOR BLACKMAN, and TANIA MALLET.  Now you're

all spoilt for choice.  Talking of which, if you could have a date

with only one of those ladies (at the age they are in the pic),

which one would be your woman of choice?

DELBERT - THE FRIENDLIEST DALEK IN THE UNIVERSE...

                                             

                                             

                                             Delbert Dalek was an oddball,

                                             simply just did not belong.
                                             Wouldn't answer to the shrill call,
                                             thought 'extermination' wrong.

                                             Delbert's Dalek-heart was loving,
                                             such a gentle, friendly soul.
                                             Didn't go for people-shoving -
                                             cosmic conquest not his goal.

                                             All the other Daleks plotted,
                                             didn't want him in their ranks.
                                             With his single eye he spotted
                                             their approach from all four flanks.

                                             Although Delbert was a softie,
                                             he got quickly off his mark.
                                             Never mind pretens'ons lofty,
                                             scarpered off into the dark.

                                             As he cowered all a-tremble,
                                             hidden by concealing rocks,
                                             something started to assemble -
                                             an imposing big blue box.

                                             Doctor Who had come to rescue
                                             Delbert from the Dalek throng.
                                             Del had not and never would do
                                             anything remotely wrong.

                                             "Quickly, Delbert, I will save you,
                                              jump in to my time machine."
                                              So he did and off they both flew,
                                              rescue's seldom been so clean.

                                              Delbert now lives down in Southsea,
                                              has a cottage all his own.
                                              In his garden he sips green tea,
                                              green tea he himself has grown.

                                              All the neighbours really love Del -
                                              wave when passing his front gate.
                                              When the postie rings his doorbell,
                                              it chimes out "Exterminate!"

                                              So for Del a happy ending,
                                              let's give credit where it's due:
                                              It's all thanks to that time-bending,
                                              Dalek-saving Doctor Who.

OO-ER! IT'S DOCTOR WHO & THE DIABOLICAL DALEKS...

                                   

                                           Doctor Who was in his TARDIS,

                                           which can move through time and space.

                                           Thought he'd go and tease The Daleks,

                                           self-appointed 'Master-Race'.

                                           Off he went to Planet Skaro,

                                           spinning through the endless void.

                                           Righting wrongs while facing danger

                                           were the things he most enjoyed.

                                           When he landed he soon noticed

                                           what a fearful place it was.

                                           But the Doc was used to walking      

                                           into danger's gaping jaws.

                                           Off he marched to find their city,

                                           when he got there, no surprise -

                                           Daleks soon had him surrounded,

                                           ray guns waving, stalks for eyes.

                                           But the Doctor, nothing daunted,

                                           (did you know he's got two hearts?),

                                           had a lethal secret weapon

                                           known as Gallifreyan farts!

                                           Stuffed his face before he landed

                                           with a dozen tins of beans.

                                           Knew he'd need a huge advantage

                                           to defeat those Dalek fiends.

                                           Popped off farts in all directions -

                                           My!  Did those guffs really rate.

                                           Solid objects?  Easy targets!

                                           Farts they can't "exterminate".

                                           Soon the Daleks were in turmoil,

                                           trapped within their metal shells,

                                           There was simply no escaping

                                           nauseating farty smells.

                                           He was soon back in the TARDIS,

                                           showed those Daleks he was smart.

                                           They'll give him a wide berth next time -

                                           now they know Time Lords can fart.

                                           As he travelled in his TARDIS,

                                           put his feet up, drank some tea.

                                           That's the way it really happened -

                                           just as he told it to me.

(BOND) BABE OF THE DAY - HONOR BLACKMAN...

Here's HONOR BLACKMAN, seemingly bragging

about something.  Well, she's not wrong, is she?  In the

1964 movie GOLDFINGER, legend has it that SEAN

CONNERY's's original scripted response to Honor's

"I'm Pussy Galore" was "So I see, but what's your

  name?"  It was changed to "I must be dreaming."

If the story is true, then Honor's line must've been

changed as well, because in the movie, she says "My

name is...", which doesn't really lend itself to the pur-

ported original reply.  Maybe the story is only apoc-

  ryphal, but it's one that deserves to be true.  

RICH BUCKLER PASSES AWAY (UPDATED)...

It's been reported that comicbook artist RICH BUCKLER has passed away.  He was an artist that could imitate the styles of others, but he was pretty good in his own right too, especially as a painter.  Another great artist gone, alas, aged only 68.

PULSATING PIN-UPS: BATMAN & ROBIN...

Images copyright DC COMICS

Above is the back cover of BATMAN #1, featuring the Caped

Crusader and the Boy Wonder, below the same pair on the front

cover of the same issue.  Two pin-ups for the price of one - what

more can you ask for when it's not costing you a penny?

PULSATING PIN-UPS PART SEVEN: THE SENSATIONAL SILVER SURFER...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here he is - NORRIN RADD.  Or as he's generally known -

The SILVER SURFER!  His surfboard looks a bit too narrow

and I'd say there's a little problem with the left leg, but it's still

a great drawing from JACK KIRBY & JOE SINNOTT.

BABE OF THE DAY- LINDA THORSON...

Here's leggy lovely LINDA THORSON taking

it easy while I make a pot of tea.  See?  I'm not the

sexist, mysoginist dinosaur you think I am.  Hang on

a minute..."Linda, dear, as you're lying there doing

nothing, perhaps you'd darn my socks while this

tea's brewing?"  Now where's the sugar?

TIME FOR ANOTHER 'TEENAGE TALES': HE SHOOK WHILE I SHIVERED...

It was Saturday, March 10th 1973, and me and a
pal, Adam Cowie, were in the Old Village quarter
of our town.  Earlier that morn, I'd bought the 2nd ish of

SHIVER & SHAKE, and was much taken with the free

Spooky Screamer included inside it.  So was Adam.
(Regular readers will know him as 'Billy Liar'.)

We went into a little newsagent's shop, called M.B.

BARR, and I bought some sweets at the main counter,

while Adam looked over the comics on another.  As I was

making my purchase, there was a sudden tearing sound,

which attracted not only my attention, but that of the two

elderly female shopkeepers.  Inwardly, my heart sank,
because I'd guessed what had just happened.

My friend was somehow able to explain away the

sound and the two shopkeepers couldn't notice any-

thing obviously amiss, so I completed my purchase and

we left the shop.  As I suspected, Adam had torn the free

Screamer from the interiors of S&S #2 on the counter -

not something I was pleased about, but there was noth-

ing I could do.  At least he hadn't nicked the actual

comic, which was some consolation to me.

We then went into a centuries old church grave-

yard, whereupon Adam ran about from tombstone to

tombstone, blowing his Screamer and trying to scare a

young couple strolling around, studying the inscriptions.

(Or maybe they were just in there for a bit of 'petting'.) 

What a pillock he was when I think back on it, but I also

can't help smiling at his naivety in thinking his stolen
Spooky Screamer was capable of actually scaring
anyone - even in an ancient graveyard.

So, though I was an unwitting (and unwilling)

'accomplice' in the theft of a free gift, whenever I

think back to that day, the memory is a pleasant one.

Shiver & Shake ran for only 83 issues, but it deserved

to last longer, being a great wee comic.  Although I was

only 14 at the time, I was happy to see two characters,

FRANKIE STEIN and GRIMLY FEENDISH, re-

turn from my childhood, where they'd first appear-

ed in WHAM! and SMASH! in the '60s.

Did you buy Shiver & Shake back in the day?

 What are your memories of the comic, chums? 

MONSTER OF THE MONTH - THE FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER...

Look at this handsome fella - great sense of humour.  I

told him a joke and had him in stitches - or did he start out

that way?  BORIS KARLOFF was definitely the best ever

FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER in my humble opinion.

If you disagree, don't tell me - take it up with him!

CRIVENS' CRACKING COMIC COVERS: SHIVER & SHAKE #21 (BACK PAGE)...

What are you lot moaning about?  Okay, it's a back cover, but

it's still a cover, ain't it?!  A superb piece by the great KEN REID,

who was helping out a well-known artist - well, you can see his name

for yourself at the top of the page.  I'd love to see the 'original' art for

this, because if it's bigger than A4, then Ken must either have traced it

from an enlarged photocopy, or covered the back in pencil and drawn

over the outline to transfer it onto art-board.  Or used a projector - or

even 'graphed' it.  Why do I think that?  Because all the 'errors' and

imperfections in my drawing are still there, and I'm sure he'd have

fixed them had he completely redrawn it.  Whichever method he

used, he finished it off with his usual detailed inking style.

Incidentally, I drew the original of this on Sunday, March 4th

1973, the day after the first issue came out, and posted it to IPC

on the Monday.  I was at my grandparents when I drew it, lying

on the carpet in front of the electric fire, and whenever I look at

the above page, I'm back lying on that carpet again in 1973.

LYONS MAID ZOOM ICE LOLLY...

Remember LYONS MAID ZOOM ice lollies?

Below are a few TV ads to remind all you ancient

fogies out there of your childhoods.

  

BABE OF THE DAY - NATALIE DORMER (AGAIN)...

Here's that nice NATALIE DORMER

(with my shirt on) preparing to jump over the

table and ravish my manly-man body as she's

done so many times before.  Okay, only in my

imagination admittedly, but what the hell - I

 still enjoyed it and it seemed real to me.

KID'S KLASSIC (KIRBY) KOMIC KOVERS: THE X-MEN #9...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

There's certainly a lot going on in this cover, but note how

ineffectual (as usual) MARVEL GIRL is, merely levitating in the

background.  She's about as useful as a chocolate fire-guard.  JACK

KIRBY often had difficulty portraying female characters as anything

other than glamorous-but-helpless adornment on the covers he did,

but JEAN GREY's power (telekenesis) doesn't really lend itself to

dramatic visual interpretation.  (The FF's SUE STORM didn't

fare much better, alas, but then again, I suppose invisibility

is another difficult one to do anything with.)

At least the gals were there to make the tea and sandwiches,

and wash and iron the costumes after the guys had done all the

heavy-lifting in the fighting department, so their presence wasn't

entirely redundant.  And it's always nice to have a pretty face

around, isn't it?  (That should p*ss off the feminists.)

******

(Incidentally, I first saw this cover on FANTASTIC #18 in

1967.  The back cover was a Power-House Pin-Up of TONY

STARK's secretary PEPPER POTTS, and I can remember

buying the comic as though it were only yesterday.  Sigh!)

THE MIGHTY WORLD OF MARVEL VOLUME 6, NUMBER 9...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here's a sneak preview of the cover to The MIGHTY

WORLD Of MARVEL #9, on sale June 1st, frantic ones.

Now you've no excuse not to buy it, 'cos you know what

it looks like in advance.  Only £3.99 for 76 pages.

CRIVENS' CRACKING COMIC COVERS: FRANKIE STEIN SUMMER SPECIAL 1976...

Here's the original art by ROBERT NIXON for the WHOOPEE

FRANKIE STEIN Summer Special 1976.  Great, innit?  Below is

the cover from the very issue I bought back then.  (41 years ago!)

BABE OF THE DAY - NATALIE DORMER...

Okay, relax - here's your real babe for

today - NATALIE DORMER.  You can

thank regular reader JS for this one.

BABE OF THE DAY - THE BRIDE...

Today's babe appears in answer to

a special request by BILL PRATT.

(Takes all kinds I guess.)

RIVETING REPOST: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS LOLLY - FAB FOR 50 YEARS...

Back in 2004, I was shopping in my local supermarket one night

('twas the servants' day off), when I espied a box of FAB iced lollies
in the refrigerated display cabinet designated for such items.  The box

featured a promotional tie-in to the THUNDERBIRDS film released
at the time, and I was heartened to see that this humble iced lolly
had not forgotten nor abandoned its 1960s roots.

You see, dear reader, this particular item of frozen confectionery

was linked to Thunderbirds from its very inception, being named after

the GERRY ANDERSON programme's 'call sign' and touted as "The

First Iced Lolly For Girls".  Of course, such sexist distinctions have
long since been forgotten and, as far as I'm aware, this LYONS MAID
favourite is still around today.  I know ZOOM iced lolly (as advertised
by FIREBALL XL5's STEVE ZODIAC) was likewise obtainable
a few years ago, but does anyone know if that's still the case?

I must look in the fridge the next time I'm in SAINSBURY'S.

******

Lyons Maid was sold to NESTLE in 1992, but the brand
was revived in '08, though I'm unsure if it's still going.  However,
I was doing my shopping a couple of days back and bought a box of
Fabs, which celebrates 50 years this year.  Below are pictures of the
box and one of the wrappers (I've also shown the Lyons Maid logo).
I find it reassuring, in light of the many changes that've happened
over the years, to still have something around that goes all the
way back to my childhood days.  Isn't that just Fab?!

YOGI & BOO BOO...

Copyright HANNA-BARBERA

And here's a model sheet for YOGI BEAR & BOO BOO

to go with the FRED & BARNEY one in the previous post.

I spoil you all, I really do.

FRED & BARNEY...

Copyright HANNA-BARBERA

Here's a model sheet for FRED FLINTSTONE and

BARNEY RUBBLE, to help keep the animators spot on

with their likenesses.  I'd imagine it might also be supplied

to comicbook artists as well, but couldn't swear to it.

Nice though, eh?

ANOTHER BABE OF THE DAY - LESLIE BIANCHINI...

"There's space on this chair beside me,"

trills the lovely LESLIE, "why don't you

come and sit beside me?"  I'm wise to her

though.  She only wants me close because

I've got a big bag of Maltesers to eat.

AN EXERCISE IN KEEPING FIT...

Here's how YOGI BEAR keeps himself in tip-top shape

(the handsome looking bruin), so if you're as fit as a fizzled-

out firework, then give Yogi's exercises a try today.  You'll

soon be fighting off frustrated females like me and Yogi do

(though you're allowed to give in to them if you want),

and be the envy of every guy in the neighbourhood.

A POST I JUST HAD TO SELF-PUBLISH...

A completely unrelated pic to the topic, drawn by me in 1983/'84

Back near the time The DANDY was about to

breathe its last, someone facetiously asked me why,

as I could "draw a bit", I didn't self-publish something

and show everyone how it was done.  Put-up or shut-up

basically.  Self-publishing has never really interested me,
simply because I don't feel I need to prove anything, nor
am I filled with an all-consuming desire to see my name
in print.  (Never say never though.)  Also, it's un-
likely to make me (or anyone) rich.

Self-publishing exists either because there aren't
enough comics around for creators' work to appear in
- or because nobody else will publish it.  (Or perhaps it's
merely a hobby or a vanity project.)  Some folk claim to
self-publish because it gives them more creative control
over their characters, though in the case of reprinting
old strips, just how much control is that?  It sounds to
me like mere rationalisation - or 'faulty reasoning'
as certain individuals like to call it.

Nah, folk are more likely to self-publish out of
vanity, or to try and make more money, or because
not enough of their time is spent earning a living from

mainstream pursuits.  (Not that they're all mutually-ex-
clusive.)  Whatever their reasons, it doesn't bother me
in the slightest, but they really shouldn't insult our in-
telligence by offering up their efforts as evidence
of a thriving comics industry.  It just isn't.

******

And to the lickspittle aiming kicks in my direc-
tion, did it never occur to you that your hero might
be behind schedule in his self-publishing ventures not
because of 'all' his mainstream work as you assert, but
because he's at weekend events instead of getting on
with it - or for any one of a dozen other reasons?!
Your assumptions 'prove' nothing - as usual.

  (Thanks to those who put me 'in the know'.)  

RECOMMENDED READING: MASTERS OF SPANISH COMIC BOOK ART...

Images copyright relevant owners

MASTERS OF SPANISH COMIC BOOK ART is a celebration of the great artists who revolutionized American horror comics in the 1970s with their work on Warren's Vampirella, Creepy, and Eerie magazines.  The first-ever com-prehensive history of Spanish comic books and the artists who brought them to life reveals their extraordinary success - - not just in Spain and America, but around the world.

Their global influence has been little known until this celebration of their contributions.  Containing artwork from over 80 artists, this in-depth retrospective includes 18 artist profiles with 500 illustrations, over half scanned directly from the original artwork, Masters Of Spanish Comic Book Art honours the "Golden Generation" whose artwork inspired the imagination of comic book lovers everywhere.

(From the back cover.)

Available now from all good comics and book shops.