SUPERMAN LOSES HIS HEAD...

 

 

When I was a lad, because of the sometimes sporadic nature of

U.S. comic distribution in Britain, I would often visit newsagents in

different and far-flung neighbourhoods in search of MARVEL and DC

comicbooks. This was because one was almost always guaranteed to

find some mags on sale in some shops that weren't available in others,

thus making my  investigative expeditions to distant territories well-

worth the wear and tear on my shoeleather.

 

One such mag was ACTION COMICS #406, containing two

SUPERMAN stories and an ATOM and FLASH team-up. The back-

up Superman tale (An Untold Tale of Clark Kent) was an interesting

little adventure set in London, and one that made quite an impression on

me as a 14 year old boy. It had atmosphere, an interesting premise (even

if the Superman impersonation was pushing things a bit far), and great

art from CURT SWAN and MURPHY ANDERSON. Plus a superb

colouring job by persons unknown. (To me, that is.)

 

But why talk about it when I can show you? So, roll up your eye-

lids and feast your peepers on the cracking little classic below.

   

KIRBY'S KAMANDI COVER GALLERY...

 

 

KAMANDI #29 was the first issue of the title I ever bought. It was

the SUPERMAN suit that drew me in, you see. Hitherto, I hadn't found

the prospect of a semi-naked, long-haired, girlie-boy the sort of thing I'd

want to read, much less part with my hard-earned cash for, but I just had

to find out about that suit. Why was it unworn? What had happened to

the mighty MAN OF STEEL? How did all the pieces fit together in

this post-apocalyptic world of the future?

 

There was only one way to find out, of course, and that was to buy

the mag - which I did - but, truth to tell, although I purchased a handful

of other issues after that, I never became a huge fan of the book. It was

KIRBY-by-the-numbers and, although an entertaining enough read,

nowhere near as satisfying as Jack's MARVEL work with STAN LEE.

(So why, as far as longevity goes, was it Jack's most successful mag

at DC COMICS? Go figure!)

 

However, Kirby is Kirby, so a good number of years ago, I managed

to re-acquire #29, as well as the first nine comics in the series. In fact,

if memory serves, I got #1 in the early 1980s, before I got #29 some

years later. Eventually, I had the set of issues whose covers you see in

this very post - which I've decided to share with you all at absolutely

no charge. Am I a great guy or what?

THIRD AND FINAL PART OF 'SMASHING' FACTS & FIGURES...

 

And now, the end is here, and so we face the final portion (oops, nearly

broke into a song there) - of SMASH! #2, featuring labels detailing the cast

and cost of each page's production. You now have the complete issue to peruse

at your leisure, as well as an insight into just how lucrative being a cartoonist

could be compared to the average wage in 1966. Don't be fooled 'though - it

wasn't easy money, and often involved working into the wee small hours of

the night in an attempt to meet a deadline.

 

Sadly, there just aren't as many opportunities available nowadays for

budding cartoonists, as weekly comics (with the exception of THE BEANO)

are mainly a thing of the past. So gaze upon these pages of Smash! and recall

a time in the nation's history when seemingly countless high-circulation

comics for girls and boys proliferated all across the country. Sadly, it

appears unlikely that we shall see such times again.

 

 

 

HOPE AND MEMORIES...

 

 

I've shown this photo before, but I'm sure there are quite a few of you

who haven't bothered trawling through the archives to look at previous

posts and therefore haven't seen it. So, just for you, here's the moment

when your humble host met (for the second time) legendary comedian

and Hollywood movie star, Mr BOB HOPE.

 

I told him I hoped his 'waiter' gig was secure 'til his career picked

up again and then asked for a fish tea for table #7. A chuckle aside,
there was no funny one-line response, but none of his writers were
on hand to supply him with one.

 

Incidentally, 'Baarb' (as his companions pronounced his name) had

a framed cartoon of mine in his collection for the last 19 years of his

life. I wonder where it is now? I'll post a copy of it one day.

SANDMAN COVER GALLERY...

 

 

In the Winter of 1974, DC COMICS' newest magazine hit the stands -

THE SANDMAN. Scripted by JOE SIMON and drawn by JACK KIRBY,

I'm unsure whether the decision to make it a regular series came before or

after the first issue debuted. When issue #2 went on sale, it was scripted by

MICHAEL FLEISCHER (as were all subsequent issues) and drawn by

ERNIE CHUA - who used to draw under the name of Ernie CHAN.

 

With #4, Kirby assumed the regular art chores on the book, but it

only lasted another two issues before being cancelled. The final issue

featured the inking of WALLY WOOD, but Jack's pencils were far too

abstract by this time for even the magic of Woody to be able to transform

them in the way he had with CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN

back in the '50s. There were some nice little touches here and there,

but, overall, the art was unremarkable.

 

The first five covers were drawn by Kirby, the last by (Ditko-ish)

BILL DRAUT, but none of them really qualify as memorable master-

pieces of (then) modern comic art. Jack was just churning it out by this

time, and it wouldn't be too long before he was back at MARVEL. How-

ever, the covers are an interesting reminder of a particular time in the

history of comics-publishing, and nothing by Kirby is without merit

or deserves to be ignored.

  

SCHOOLTIME SCANDALS - PART THREE: VALENTINE'S DAY - IT DOESN'T PAY TO BE A SMARTIE...

MR VALENTINE was a Maths teacher at DUNCANRIG SENIOR

SECONDARY SCHOOL who was regarded as a 'bit of a dish' by all the

female pupils and a 'great bloke' by most of the male contingent, especially

the sporty ones. If I recall correctly, he was involved in running the school
rugby matches in some way, and one of his favourite jokes when recounting
the most recent game was how surprised he was at how many of the 'under-
15s' in the opposing side had seemingly cut themselves shaving that morning.
(The implication being that the services of older 'ringers' had been procured
to ensure victory.) Cue hoots of uproarious laughter from enthralled pupils
eager to ingratiate themselves and curry the master's favour. If he's still
teaching, he's probably still cracking that joke today.
 

Mr Valentine married MISS HALL, an English teacher who insisted

on inflicting a sadistic torture upon her students. She would read aloud a

passage from STAN BARSTOW'S 'A KIND OF LOVING'  and then, as

some embarrassingly erotic paragraph beckoned, stop, look around, and then

ask some horrified pupil to take over. The pools of perspiration (well, I think
it was perspiration) left under the desks at the end of the period could have
filled a swimming pool, such was the terrified apprehension at being one of
the 'chosen ones'. I know I wasn't alone in considering the possibility that
the seemingly innocent and demure Miss Hall got her 'jollies' from
listening to beetroot-red schoolkids reading 'dirty' words.
 

However, back to her man: I, alone amongst the schoolboy throng,

wasn't fooled by his jovial and easy-going, bloke-ish manner, nor by the
fact that he sometimes appeared on SONGS OF PRAISE on TV. "Why?"
you may ask. And, having pretended you did, I shall now tell you.
 

******
 

One day, in Mr Valentine's Math's class, I asked for permission

to sharpen my pencil in the pencil-sharpener (what else?) next to the

blackboard at the front of the room. As I set about my task, Mr Valentine

produced a box of SMARTIES and announced he was going to share them

out amongst the pupils. What a guy! The class consisted of around five sets
of desks, one in each corner of the room and (I think) one in the middle. I
was making my way back to my desk as he went around the first group and,

jokingly, I leant in amongst them with proffered palms as he dropped some

Smarties into their outstretched hands. Stepping around me, he continued

to the pupil on my left and, smiling to myself at my jest, I resumed my
seat in one of the far corners near the large rear windows.

Eventually he reached the desks at which I was sat, and started to

drop Smarties into the hands of my compatriots. Free Smarties - what

a guy! When he got to me, he missed me out and continued to the student

next to me. "Sir," I said, surprised, "you haven't given me any." He looked

at me dismissively and retorted "You got some over there!", indicating the

desks nearest the blackboard. "But you missed me out, Sir," I protested.

"Stay after class 'til I have a word with you!", he replied.
 

So, free Smarties all 'round - for everybody except me! Did I say

what a guy? What a b*st*rd more like! When the bell rang at period's

end, although I was last in line, I slowly made my way towards the exit,

but he made no attempt to stop me. At one point I actually looked straight

at him as I approached the door, expecting him to pull me up, but he
stared off into the distance and said nothing.
 

Even today, I wonder what it was all about. I had never caused any

trouble in his class, never been cheeky to him and had kept a low profile.

Did he genuinely think he'd given me some Smarties, then remembered

that he hadn't and sheepishly abandoned his implied threat of punishment

at lesson's end? Or was it simply a sadistic act against a 14 year old pupil

to provide himself with a hilarious tale in the staff room at break-time
of how he'd 'got one over' on that 'odious Robson creature'?
 

Even to this day, whenever I hear old classmates mention what a

'great guy' Mr Valentine was, I smile a knowing smile, and think "Not

to me he wasn't!" And, way back then, I always changed channels when-

ever his smug, hypocritical kipper popped up on Songs of Praise on the
  telly. He might've fooled the rest of them, but not me, no siree!

His name may be Valentine, but he sure ain't no saint!

******

Did anyone else ever suffer similar 'schooltime scandals'?
Feel free to unburden yourself in the comments section.

FRANKIE STEIN - IN FULL COLOUR! A SUPER SUNDAY SPECIAL SELECTION...

 

 

Ye old blog host hasn't been feeling too well for the last couple of

days so new posts have been a bit thin on the ground. However, to try

and make up for it, here's a reprint from WHAM! that appeared in the

1976 FRANKIE STEIN Summer Special. The reproduction of these

original KEN REID classics wasn't that great in the reprints, but

hopefully you'll enjoy seeing it in colour for the first time.

 

The only other instance (that I know of ) where Frankie appeared in

colour was in one of the Wham! Annuals, so it wasn't too common an

occurrence. I also own the original Wham! issue in which this strip was

first published, but, alas, it's in a bound volume which I can't open

wide enough to scan properly in order to provide a comparison.

  

And I think that's a ROBERT NIXON illustrated logo adorning

the strip, replacing the original Ken Reid one, but it's hard for me to

say with any certainty as the reproduction isn't too clear and I'm not

at my best at the moment. Again, anyone else know for sure?

 

******

 

I've just discovered the existence of a book containing the

complete Frankie Stein and Jasper The Grasper strips, called KEN

REID IN WHAM! There are photos at PHIL'S COMICS, where it

sold at auction for £68 back in 2011. (The starting bid for another copy

was £100 in the same year.) Apparently it was privately commissioned

by a collector who wanted all the Ken Reid Wham! strips in a single,

high-quality volume. Can anyone supply any further details?

A ZERO X ADVENTURE - BY RON TURNER...

 

 

The recent MIKE NOBLE and RON TURNER pages I've featured

seem to have garnered a fair amount of approval, so I've decided to go

with more of the same. This time around it's a ZERO X story from the

TV CENTURY 21 Annual for 1968. Just look at those vibrant colours

and fantastically futuristic designs. What more could anyone ask for?

(Apart from the winning numbers from a rollover lottery draw - but

you can't have everything.)

 

So, enjoy the following pages - then leave your thoughts about them

in the handy-dandy comments section. Go on - you know how you

love seeing your name in print. (Oh yes you do!) 

 

MIGHTY MIKE NOBLE'S STAR TREK - FINAL PART...

 

 

As KIRK and SPOCK's battle with the malevolent COLLECTOR

reaches its climax, note once again what a dynamic artist and natural

sequential storyteller MIKE NOBLE is. I doubt that any comic strip

version of STAR TREK was ever better drawn, even ones hailing

from the TV series' country of origin, the good ol' USA.

 

TV21 was practically on its last legs at this stage, with only 61 more

issues to go before merging with VALIANT in 1971. A sad end to what

had once been Britain's best-selling comic by a wide margin. It went out

not with a bang or even a whimper, but merely the ghost of a sigh.

 

Alas, poor TV21 - I knew it well! However, its memory lives on,

and I'm glad to be able to share these fantastic pages with you here.

Hope you enjoyed 'em - and look out for more soon.

CALCULATOR KID...

 

Take a look at the above calculator, bought from WH SMITH's
(or was it WOOLWORTH's?) in Portsmouth Shopping Centre (or was
it Southsea?) in February or March of 1985. (The ol' memory is beginning
to fail, I'm afraid. Let's just go with my first impressions - there must be
some good reason why they were at the front of the queue.) Amazingly, the
original batteries lasted for about 23 years before needing to be replaced,
which surely must be some kind of a record. (Much like the 12 inch
black plastic disc with a hole in the middle up in my attic.)

I've addressed this subject before, but it always amazes me how
having a tangible reminder from a particular point in time brings home
one's recollections of the period in much sharper focus than would other-
wise be the case. Memories somehow seem dimmer and more distant with-
out a physical manifestation to accompamy them. When I look at the above
calculator, it's almost as if I'm back in my bedsit room in Buckland, using
my newly-acquired SHARP EL-508A to add up my weekly earnings
from my freelance work for IPC MAGAZINES LTD. in London.

Just think - I've now had that calculator for more than half my life,
although sometimes, when I'm lost in dreams of days gone by, it seems
as if it's still a fairly recent acquisition. Then it's as if someone's suddenly
hit the fast-forward button, and the movie-clip playing in my head of that
particular time accelerates to the present day - making me realize, with a
start, just how much water has gone under the bridge since those days
back in the mid-'80s actually took place.

I'll bet the following has happened to you. You've sat down to watch
a movie on TV which you remember seeing being reviewed a couple or
so years back when it was doing the rounds in cinemas. "Wanted to see
that at the time," thinks you, "so I'll watch it now!" After it finishes, you
see the copyright date in the credits and nearly fall off your chair. "1995?
No way! It only came out about 2 or 3 years ago!"  Go on, admit it - it's
happened a few times I'll bet. And you know you're getting older the more
often it occurs beacause, as we all know, time seems to pass much
faster the older we get.

Anyway, now that I've suitably depressed you with thoughts of
how brief life is, wouldn't it be great if you could punch in a figure on
a calculator, hit the subtract button, and somehow suddenly find yourself
magically younger by that very number of years? Why aren't scientists
working on such a device as I type this fanciful nonsense? If they're
  not, they should be. I'd be first in the queue to buy one.