Star Trek had debuted on TV in the USA in 1966 and it wasn't until 1969 that it was first broadcast in the UK (the final season of three was ending around this time in the USA as well). The BBC kicked off with the episode Where No Man Has Gone Before at 5.15pm on Saturday 12th July 1969, immediately following the popular sports programme Grandstand and just a few days before the first moon landing, so all things space related were very much in the forefront of everyone’s mind, and a big audience was guaranteed.
However, the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise were being followed by a slightly bemused readership since January 1969, when it appeared as a comic strip in the first issue of Joe 90 Top Secret, a 20 page glossy tabloid-sized anthology weekly that also featured LandoftheGiants, TheChampions, and of course Joe90 himself.
But where was Star Trek on TV everyone was asking? The scripts suffered from insufficient information supplied by Paramount with Captain Kirk referred to as Captain Kurt for the first few weeks! The Star Trek strip was exciting and fast paced, and in full colour, a big deal back when the majority of UK viewers still had black and white televisions. Even so, the strip made colour mistakes with the uniforms, sometimes giving Kirk a red tunic.
Publishers City Magazines were on the ball when Star Trek arrived on British TV. That same week they featured Star Trek on the cover, and also on the covers of the following three issues.
But the fate of the comic was already sealed due to falling sales and it was set to merge with TV21 a few weeks later. However, the popularity of Star Trek ensured it a place in the new TV21 and Joe 90 comic, where it later became the regular cover strip.
In 1971, TV21 merged into Valiant, but the Star Trek strip survived, becoming the regular centre-page attraction.
Star Trek's British strip finally ended in the Christmas 1973 issue of Valiant when the 5-year license the publishers had been contracted to came to an end.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I was one of those slightly bemused readers, knowing that ST existed but not being able watch it, and was very glad when it finally appeared (seemed like ages) on tv. The comic strip was no substitute!
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 31,006Chief of Staff
I think my iPad is going crazy (no, I know it’s me losing my marbles 😂) Forget the page above…for now.
Instructions: Read the first 4 pages below…then the last three pages…come back to page 5 and read the next 3 pages and then the first page at the top…apologies for the mess, I hope it doesn’t take too much away from the enjoyment of the read.
WARNING: This comic contains strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition - if in doubt, do not read.
D-Day - Russians On The Moon - Part Four
Read these after the fourth page…
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I remember getting the first issue of Wham when I was 7 (nearly 8) I’m feeling very old now 😂 it was advertised like this…
The local newsagent reserved me a copy here it is…
I have already done a history of the Power Comics in an earlier posting so look back through the thread if you’re needing a refresher. But it would be a couple of years before the Power Comics logo came into being.
The first issue of Wham! contained 17 pages (of its 24 pages) by legendary British artist Leo Baxendale. Four of which were in full colour. Of course, it was impossible to keep up that output every week, so following issues saw other artists join the comic to imitate Leo's style on many of the strips. Having left The Beano to work on Wham! artists were also imitating Leo's style on the strips he'd left (such as MinnietheMinx and TheBashStreetKids). As the 1960s moved on, Leo became the most imitated humour artist in the business.
Back to that first issue of Wham!, and here are a selection of pages, all by Leo Baxendale…
The centre pages gave us the first episode of Eagle-Eye, Junior Spy, a spoof of the popular spy genre of the time. The most important part of the strip though was its introduction of the baddie, Grimly Feendish, who would eclipse Eagle-Eye in popularity and go on to have his own long-running strip in Smash!
Ken Reid joined the comic in issue #4 bringing us Frankie Stein, and Wham! became more manic than ever. Wham! was a great comic, with a cheeky, anarchic attitude, and still very fondly remembered by all those around at the time. As previously documented, with the amount of titles in the Power Comics line, sales declined over time, budget cuts necessitated a reduction in colour pages, then a drop from glossy paper to newsprint. Reprints of the Fantastic Four were added (to fall in line with the other Power Comics content).
In total, Wham! lasted for 187 issues before merging into Pow! in early 1968.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
BATMAN #121 - February 1959 - The Ice Crimes of Mr. Zero - In which our heroes have to escape from being frozen in ice…
Mr. Freeze didn’t have the stellar appearances that most people think he had. He debuted in the issue below as Mr.Zero and it wasn’t until the 1966 Batman series that he reappeared in Season One as Mr. Freeze played by George Sanders. He made two more appearances in the following season, played firstly by Otto Preminger and then Eli Wallach. It wasn’t until then that he made his second appearance in the comics in 1968, this time as his TV named character Mr. Freeze. It would be another 9 years before he appeared again.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Charlton Comics published Tales of the Mysterious Traveler from 1956 to 1959, followed by two more issues in 1985 shortly before the company folded. The Mysterious Traveler narrates the short episodes and a lot of the stories were pretty decent.
TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #1
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
WARNING: This comic contains strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition - if in doubt, do not read.
D-Day - Russians On The Moon - Part Six
THE END
********
Next week, a bit of an experiment. This will appeal to those who love and are familiar with the Bond books, but it is different in one major aspect - yes, JAMES BOND IS BACK IN ACTION next Thursday!
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 31,006Chief of Staff
Comments
Another ace Batman story there.
Star Trek had debuted on TV in the USA in 1966 and it wasn't until 1969 that it was first broadcast in the UK (the final season of three was ending around this time in the USA as well). The BBC kicked off with the episode Where No Man Has Gone Before at 5.15pm on Saturday 12th July 1969, immediately following the popular sports programme Grandstand and just a few days before the first moon landing, so all things space related were very much in the forefront of everyone’s mind, and a big audience was guaranteed.
However, the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise were being followed by a slightly bemused readership since January 1969, when it appeared as a comic strip in the first issue of Joe 90 Top Secret, a 20 page glossy tabloid-sized anthology weekly that also featured Land of the Giants, The Champions, and of course Joe 90 himself.
But where was Star Trek on TV everyone was asking? The scripts suffered from insufficient information supplied by Paramount with Captain Kirk referred to as Captain Kurt for the first few weeks! The Star Trek strip was exciting and fast paced, and in full colour, a big deal back when the majority of UK viewers still had black and white televisions. Even so, the strip made colour mistakes with the uniforms, sometimes giving Kirk a red tunic.
Publishers City Magazines were on the ball when Star Trek arrived on British TV. That same week they featured Star Trek on the cover, and also on the covers of the following three issues.
But the fate of the comic was already sealed due to falling sales and it was set to merge with TV21 a few weeks later. However, the popularity of Star Trek ensured it a place in the new TV21 and Joe 90 comic, where it later became the regular cover strip.
In 1971, TV21 merged into Valiant, but the Star Trek strip survived, becoming the regular centre-page attraction.
Star Trek's British strip finally ended in the Christmas 1973 issue of Valiant when the 5-year license the publishers had been contracted to came to an end.
I was one of those slightly bemused readers, knowing that ST existed but not being able watch it, and was very glad when it finally appeared (seemed like ages) on tv. The comic strip was no substitute!
TV21 was immensely enjoyable…loved Joe 90 😁
WARNING: This comic contains strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition - if in doubt, do not read.
D-Day - Russians On The Moon - Part Three
Continued tomorrow…
The story is beginning to build now…
Indeed, good story.
I think my iPad is going crazy (no, I know it’s me losing my marbles 😂) Forget the page above…for now.
Instructions: Read the first 4 pages below…then the last three pages…come back to page 5 and read the next 3 pages and then the first page at the top…apologies for the mess, I hope it doesn’t take too much away from the enjoyment of the read.
WARNING: This comic contains strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition - if in doubt, do not read.
D-Day - Russians On The Moon - Part Four
Read these after the fourth page…
I got through it somehow!
I’m muddled at the best of times…so it didn’t really make a difference 😁
SAUCER COUNTRY Part 13 - 1 of 2
WARNING: This story may contain strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition.
*** I HAVE CENSORED SOME SCENES ***
Continues tomorrow…
Better and better.
SAUCER COUNTRY Part 13 - 2 of 2
WARNING: This story may contain strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition.
And the conclusion to this tale is next weekend, as the comic was cancelled.
I hope the ending wraps things up nicely and tidily, there's a lot of plot going on.
Yea…lots to tie up 👀
This week’s birthday covers 28th April - 4th May…
2 Hotspurs this week but with different temporary merged titles… it’s one third of the way through the year and no repeats yet!
I remember getting the first issue of Wham when I was 7 (nearly 8) I’m feeling very old now 😂 it was advertised like this…
The local newsagent reserved me a copy here it is…
I have already done a history of the Power Comics in an earlier posting so look back through the thread if you’re needing a refresher. But it would be a couple of years before the Power Comics logo came into being.
The first issue of Wham! contained 17 pages (of its 24 pages) by legendary British artist Leo Baxendale. Four of which were in full colour. Of course, it was impossible to keep up that output every week, so following issues saw other artists join the comic to imitate Leo's style on many of the strips. Having left The Beano to work on Wham! artists were also imitating Leo's style on the strips he'd left (such as Minnie the Minx and The Bash Street Kids). As the 1960s moved on, Leo became the most imitated humour artist in the business.
Back to that first issue of Wham!, and here are a selection of pages, all by Leo Baxendale…
The centre pages gave us the first episode of Eagle-Eye, Junior Spy, a spoof of the popular spy genre of the time. The most important part of the strip though was its introduction of the baddie, Grimly Feendish, who would eclipse Eagle-Eye in popularity and go on to have his own long-running strip in Smash!
Ken Reid joined the comic in issue #4 bringing us Frankie Stein, and Wham! became more manic than ever. Wham! was a great comic, with a cheeky, anarchic attitude, and still very fondly remembered by all those around at the time. As previously documented, with the amount of titles in the Power Comics line, sales declined over time, budget cuts necessitated a reduction in colour pages, then a drop from glossy paper to newsprint. Reprints of the Fantastic Four were added (to fall in line with the other Power Comics content).
In total, Wham! lasted for 187 issues before merging into Pow! in early 1968.
Grimly Feendish, I remember him though not the others.
"Rainbow" was before my time but I do recall Tiger Tim appearing in another comic.
The free gifts were usually terrible!
I wonder where this idea came from? 🤔🤣
BATMAN #121 - February 1959 - The Ice Crimes of Mr. Zero - In which our heroes have to escape from being frozen in ice…
Mr. Freeze didn’t have the stellar appearances that most people think he had. He debuted in the issue below as Mr.Zero and it wasn’t until the 1966 Batman series that he reappeared in Season One as Mr. Freeze played by George Sanders. He made two more appearances in the following season, played firstly by Otto Preminger and then Eli Wallach. It wasn’t until then that he made his second appearance in the comics in 1968, this time as his TV named character Mr. Freeze. It would be another 9 years before he appeared again.
I always thought the puns began with the Arnie movie version; wrong again!
Charlton Comics published Tales of the Mysterious Traveler from 1956 to 1959, followed by two more issues in 1985 shortly before the company folded. The Mysterious Traveler narrates the short episodes and a lot of the stories were pretty decent.
TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #1
Good story. I'd never heard of that comic book.
I enjoyed that too…but it pales beside a new toaster 🤗🤣
Not sure how good those shoes are if he can the same guy another pair in only two months 🤔🤣
WARNING: This comic contains strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition - if in doubt, do not read.
D-Day - Russians On The Moon - Part Five
Concludes tomorrow…
Loved the cameo from Dr Strangelove! Wasn't expecting that (cue the Spanish Inquisition).
Hey, wait one moment- concludes tomorrow? Just as it's getting exciting!
Can’t believe they can wrap this up so quickly…👀
WARNING: This comic contains strong language and scenes that may cause distress to those of a nervous disposition - if in doubt, do not read.
D-Day - Russians On The Moon - Part Six
THE END
********
Next week, a bit of an experiment. This will appeal to those who love and are familiar with the Bond books, but it is different in one major aspect - yes, JAMES BOND IS BACK IN ACTION next Thursday!
Ahhhh…Star Child…nice 😁
Agreed, that was a nice tale mixing fact and fiction cleverly. Obviously I laughed out loud at the Kubrick cameo!