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Television Series Annuals - Part One
Artists were rarely, if ever, credited on each and every story in any of the annuals. But certain styles are unmistakeable, while others are obscured by the print production! The distinctive airbrush colours in the City Magazines annuals make identification of some artists (who may only have ever drawn one story) most difficult!
While every attempt has been made to cross check and very the credits listed here, there is always a margin of error and if you disagree or have better information regarding the identity of any of the artists, please contact us at technodelic@blueyonder.co.uk.
(?) indicates conjecture, or unconfirmed.
Four Feather Falls
Copyright ©1960
Cover: Frances Woof
Pages: 102
Publisher/Printer: Wm Collins Sons & Co, Ltd
Price: 7s 6d.
Credited Writer: Sylvia Thamm
Strips:
The Fastest Gun in the West. Artist: Unknown
The Hold-Up. Artist: John Woods
The Deputy. Artist: John Woods
The Runaway Train. Artist: John Woods
Every Dog Has His Day. Artist: Unknown
The Surprise Package. Artist: John Woods
Rocky is Stolen. Artist: Unknown
The Strolling Players. Artist: John Woods
Stories:
How It Began. Artist: Frances Woof
Jake's Adventure. Artist: Frances Woof
The Decoy. Artist: Frances Woof
The Joker. Artist: Unknown
The Hostage. Artist: Frances Woof
Notes:
The first story is a brief adaptation of the pilot episode of Four Feather Falls
Tex Tucker's Four Feather Falls
Copyright ©1961
Cover: Unknown
Pages: 102
Publisher/Printer: Wm Collins Sons & Co, Ltd
Price: 7s 6d.
Credited Writers:
Sylvia Anderson
Strips:
Toads in the Hole. Artist: John Woods
Rocky to the Rescue. Artist: John Woods
The Challenge. Artist: John Woods
Kalamakooya's Revenge. Artist: John Woods
The Dry City. Artist: John Woods
Mr. Mazda's Magic. Artist: John Woods
The Barn Dance. Artist: John Woods
Stories:
Dusty Takes a Trip. Artist: 'M.B.T' (?)
A New-found Friend. Artist: 'M.B.T' (?)
An Ill Wind. Artist: 'M.B.T' (?)
Pedro Has Another Plan. Artist: 'M.B.T' (?)
The Stage-coach Mystery. Artist: 'M.B.T' (?)
Notes:
The colour frontispiece, and presumably the text stories, are illustrated by an artist whose only signature is 'M.B.T'.
Supercar
Copyright ©1962 by A.P.Films Ltd and A.T.V. Ltd
Cover: Eric Eden
Pages: 96
Publisher: Wm. Collins Sons and Co. Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: Unknown
Credited Writers:
Sylvia Anderson, Eric Eden
Strips:
Operation 'Formula'. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
The Challenge. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Weekend in Wahalula. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Supercar Safari. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Supercar Survey. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
5-4-3-2-1-Sabotage. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Stories:
The Sunken City. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Around the World in Eight Hours. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Adventure in Space. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
The Monster. Artist: Eric Eden & Jacqueline Dickinson
Notes:
This is the first Anderson annual to feature colour within the annual itself, apart from the endpapers and frontispiece, for the first and last strips.
The strip stories in this annual form a kind of loose arc, concerning the development, building and test flight of Super-R, a rocket which bears a vague similarity to Fireball XL5!
The contents page spread features a joint signature of 'E.L.E & J.D', suggesting Eric Eden and Jacqueline Dickinson collaborated on the artwork together.
Supercar
Copyright ©1963 by A.P.Films Ltd and A.T.V. Ltd
Cover: Eric Eden
Pages: 96
Publisher: Wm. Collins Sons and Co. Ltd
Printer: As above.
Price: 8s 6d.
Credited Writer: Alan Fennell
Strips:
Killer Whale. Artist: Gerry Wood
Bridge of Danger. Artist: Gerry Wood
Close-up on Danger. Artist: Gerry Wood
Sahara Inferno. Artist: Gerry Wood
Kidnapped. Artist: Gerry Wood
Eruption. Artist: Gerry Wood
The Triumphant Procession. Artist: Gerry Wood
Stories:
The Workshop Robbery. Artist: Gerry Wood
The Treasure of Mesa Verde. Artist: Gerry Wood
Mission to Destroy. Artist: Gerry Wood
The Avalanche. Artist: Gerry Wood
Notes:
Following the format of the first annual, the strip stories here also have a running theme, concerning the restoration to power of the Maharajah of Subahn, an old college friend of Dr Beaker currently in exile. This gives the annual a very nice cohesive feel, more a single serial in chapters.
The text stories are stand-alone tales, not included in the strip arc.
Masterspy and Zarin only make two appearances, in The Treasure of Mesa Verde and Kidnapped.
The other credited artist, H J Cauldwell, would only appear to be responsible for the artwork for the puzzles and features.
Fireball XL5
Copyright ©1963
Cover: Eric Eden
Pages: 96
Publisher: Wm. Collins Sons and Co. Ltd
Printer: As above.
Price: 8s 6d.
Credited Writers:
Dennis Spooner, John Hynam
Strips:
Unknown Planet. Artist: Eric Eden
Commander Zero's Day. Artist: Eric Eden
Prehistoric Adventure. Artist: Gerry Embleton
Riot on Conva. Artist: Eric Eden
The Pets of Proton. Artist: Eric Eden
The Ice People. Artist: Gerry Embleton
Holiday Planet. Artist: Eric Eden
Derelict Planet. Artist: Eric Eden
Stories:
The Famine Fighters. Artist: Eric Eden
Through the Light Barrier. Artist: Gerry Embleton
Robot of Clystra. Artist: Eric Eden
Notes:
Some of the stories, presumably by Dennis Spooner himself, are loosely adapted from his episodes of the television series - notably Holiday Planet which is a reworking of 'Space Vacation'.
Other stories to bear similarities to episodes are Unknown Planet ('Robert To The Rescue'), The Famine Fighters ('Whistle For Danger') and Derelict Planet ('Dangerous Cargo').
John Hynam worked on the Cherry Ames Girls Annuals, contributed stories to the New Writings in SF and Out Of The World anthologies, and had several plays published in the 1960s. The early 1970s saw him contributing to the Barrie & Rockliff/Pan Books Ghost Book anthologies. He died in 1974, aged 59.
The cover art, and Steve Zodiac on his jetmobile, appear to have been reused for the Ariel Fireball XL5 Snap card game, also issued in 1963.
Fireball XL5
Copyright ©1964
Cover: Eric Eden
Pages: 96
Publisher: Wm. Collins Sons and Co. Ltd
Printer: As above.
Price: 8s 6d.
Credited Writer: Alan Fennell
Strips:
Cosmic Creature from Space. Artist: Eric Eden
Marooned. Artist: Gerry Wood
Solar System II. Artist: Gerry Wood
Robert on the Rampage. Artist: Eric Eden
Mecca of Space. Artist: Gerry Wood
The Evil Knowledge. Artist: Gerry Wood
The World Series. Artist: Eric Eden
Stories:
Beyond the Frontiers of Space. Artist: Eric Eden
Investigation Sunspot. Artist: Eric Eden
The Bedtime Story. Artist: Eric Eden
Space Station Mystery. Artist: Eric Eden
Notes:
Investigation Sunspot is similar to a TV Comic strip in which an Observation Station falls into the Sun.
The Bedtime Story uses a similar framing format to the episode 'Space Pirates', with Venus telling Jonathan Zero a bedtime story about how she came to own Zoonie. Unfortunate this story also refers Commander Zero's wife as 'Milly' - Fennell possibly getting confused with Admiral Carson's wife from his own script for the Stingray episode 'Hostages of the Deep'.
Fireball XL5
Copyright ©1965
Cover: Eric Eden
Pages: 96
Publisher: Wm. Collins Sons and Co. Ltd
Printer: As above.
Price: Unknown
Credited Writers:
B. (David) Motton and 'J. Dennison'
Strips:
The Crust of Death. Artist: Desmond Walduck
Danger from the Depths. Artist: Desmond Walduck
Steve Zodiac - Test Pilot. Artist: Desmond Walduck
Salts of Oodna. Artist: Desmond Walduck
The Planet Ship. Artist: Desmond Walduck
Morgan's Treasure. Artist: Desmond Walduck
Accidents Will Happen. Artist: Desmond Walduck
Stories:
Mystery of the Frozen Planet. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Crazy Wanderer. Artist: Rab Hamilton
The Planet of Fear. Artist: Rab Hamilton
The Lonely Lazoon. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Notes:
The first Fireball XL5 annual to appear after the launch of TV Century 21 shows some interesting changes, being based less on the series per se, and more on the new incarnation of the strip. Professor Matic is slimmer, Rab Hamilton's distinctive artwork, and dating the story Steve Zodiac - Test Pilot in 2060 almost make this edition an unofficial 'third' City Magazines annual for this year.
The story Steve Zodiac - Test Pilot states Professor Matic is the designer of Fireball XL5, and that Steve Zodiac took command of it when it entered service in 2060. This is not too different from the TV Century 21 news story on the front of issue 118 that states he took command in 2059 - but both are at odds with other TV21 strips (notably Agent 21) and the series, which suggest XL ships were being developed and used a number of years previously.
Given the accuracy of the spelling on credits, it can be inferred 'B. Motton' and 'D. Motton' are one and the same - David Motton, who had been writing Dan Dare for Eagle since 1962, and who would continue to do so until original stories gave way to reprints in 1967.
It is possible 'J. Dennison' is actually John Jennison, who wrote several storybooks and novels, some under the pseudonym 'John Theydon'.
Fireball XL5
Copyright ©1966
Cover: Mike Noble
Pages: 96
Publisher: Wm. Collins Sons and Co. Ltd
Printer: As above.
Price: Unknown
Credited Writers:
S. (Scott) Goodall, D. (David) Motton and 'R. Maile'
Strips:
The Stolen Ship. Artist: Joe Colquhoun
Space Blackmail. Artist: Richard Jennings
The Drifting Coffin. Artist: Ron Turner
The Valley. Artist: Geoff Jones
The Creeping Menace. Artist: T. Hurst (?)
The Planet of Destruction. Artist: ???
The Capsules of Death. Artist: Harold Johns (?)
Stories:
The Brain. Artist: T. Hurst (?)
The Living Rock. Artist: T. Hurst (?)
Small Trouble. Artist: T. Hurst (?)
The Lazoon Commander. Artist: T. Hurst (?)
Notes:
If the ©1965 annual showed a partial transition between being based on the television series and the TV Century 21 version, here the change is almost complete. From being slimmer, Matic is now taller and a far more dynamic character, Venus less of a central player, and Zoony absent from all but a few stories - though he does get one in which he stars.
While only three artists - 'T.Hurst', Rab Hamilton and 'H' (Ron) Turner - are credited, there are quite clearly several other artists' work here, including Mike Noble, whose quite recognisable style adorns the cover, Richard Jennings, Ron Turner and Geoff Jones.
Rab Hamilton's contribution is limited to the contents page, and vignettes on the opening and closing pages.
A variation of The Drifting Coffin, possibly by Scott Goodall, reappears in the ©1968 Thunderbirds annual as Curse of the Elastos - coincidentally, both are drawn by Ron Turner.
The Creeping Menace is also reworked as the Captain Scarlet strip Scarlet Goes Into Space in 1968 (TV21 issues 176-177).
A variation of the crystalising rock in the story The Living Rock, reappears in the Fireball XL5 strip Electrode 909, earlier in the year, again suggesting Scott Goodall as writer of both.
Stingray
Copyright ©1965
Cover: Ron Embleton
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & A P Films (Merchandising) Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 9s 6d.
Strips:
Night Raid. Artist: Unknown
Pacific Disasters. Artist: Rab Hamilton
The Great Robbery. Artist: Unknown
The Treasure Map. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Marineville Attack. Artist: Unknown
Stories:
The Invisible Menace. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Ghost Galleon. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Submarine Satellite. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Ocean Poacher. Artist: Rab Hamilton
Notes:
While no writers are credited (nor on any of the City Magazines/TV21 related annuals) it is known Angus Allan worked on the two Stingray editions.
This is the first annual to feature brief biographies of the main characters.
While there is no separate credit, trade press features and adverts imply this first Stingray annual, along with the first TV Century 21 annual, were co-produced with World Distributors, the well-known London and Manchester based publishers.
This is confirmed by the fact the original artwork for pages 51 and 55 (by Rab Hamilton), and pages 4 and 62 (by Selby Donnison) are still known to exist, having been rescued from the World artwork store before it was junked in the 1980s.
The original artwork for page 5 (by Selby Donnison, and also used on page 93) is also still known to exist, and sold on eBay for £195 in June 2006.
The original artwork for page 85 (by an unknown artist) also exists, and sold on eBay in July 2006.
Alan Fennell reworked the opening strip Night Raid as one of the weekly strips for the Funday Times in 1993.
Stingray
Copyright ©1966
Cover: Ron Embleton
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & A P Films (Merchandising) Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 10s 6d.
Strips:
The Collector. Artist: Ron Turner
The Sunken City. Artist: Ron Turner
History of Titanica. Artist: Ron Turner
Enemy in Marineville. Artist: Ron Embleton
Arabian Plot. Artist: Paludetti (?)
Death Ray. Artist: Ron Turner
Stories:
Marineville Must Go...! Artist: Ron Embleton
Tsunami Terror. Artist: Unknown
Bay of Lost Souls. Artist: Unknown
Aquacade Emergency. Artist: Unknown
Notes:
The annuals for this year, including Thunderbirds, TV Century 21 and Lady Penelope would be the first to feature colour photos.
The Titan Terror Fish cutaway from issue 41 of TV Century 21 is coloured and reprinted in this edition.
Some strips and features from this annual would be reprinted in Dutch for the comic Prins Valiant during 1967.
Thunderbirds
Copyright ©1966
Cover: Frank Bellamy (?)
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & A P Films (Merchandising) Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 10'6
Strips:
Ring of Fire. Artist: Geoff Jones
Blackmail for Power. Artist: Emilio Frejo (?)
The Target. Artist: Michael Strand
Thunderbirds In Danger. Artist: Gonzales (?)
The Hood Makes A Strike. Artist: Ron Turner
Atomic Ice Queen. Artist: Unknown
Deep Sea Pirates. Artist: Jon Davis
Stories:
Deadly Orbit. Artist: Unknown
Hellfire Valley. Artist: Unknown
Tomb of Ice. Artist: Unknown
Notes:
The first of the larger format annuals, along with Lady Penelope this year, which the other Anderson and TV21 annuals would adopt until the end of the 1960s.
This is the first annual to feature a whole series of specially commissioned cutaway diagrams - one for each Thunderbird - that had not previously appeared in TV Century 21.
The cover illustration was also used for the Dutch Thunderbirds Extra 2 in 1967.
The strip Ring of Fire is reprinted in Thunderbirds Extra 2 as De Olie Brand (The Oil Fire).
The following strips were reprinted in Thunderbirds Extra 3 in 1968:
Blackmail for Power as Chantage (Blackmail).
The Target as Het Doelwit.
Thunderbirds In Danger as Thunderbirds Bedreigd (Thunderbirds Threatened).
The Hood Makes A Strike as De Hood Slaat Toe.
Atomic Ice Queen as Verraderlijk Ijs (Treacherous Ice).
Deep Sea Pirates is reprinted in Thunderbirds Extra 3 as Diepzee-Piraten.
The following stories were reprinted in Thunderbirds Extra 3:
Deadly Orbit as De Dodende Capsule (The Killing Capsule).
Hellfire Valley as Naar het Binnenste der Aarde (Towards the Centre of the Earth).
Tomb of Ice as Grafkelder Onder Het Ijs (Tomb Under The Ice).
Thunderbirds
Copyright ©1967
Cover: Photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 10'6
Strips:
Terror Beneath The Waves. Artist: Jim Watson
River of Destruction. Artist: Jon Davis
Disaster at Deriba. Artist: Geoff Jones
Dive To Danger. Artist: Malcolm Stokes
The Trap. Artist: Jon Davis
Bridge of Fear. Artist: Ron Turner
Cloud of Death. Artist: Malcolm Stokes
Fight for Survival. Artist: Jim Watson
Stories:
Terror Mountain. Artist: Unknown
Moon Crack. Artist: Unknown
Collision Orbit. Artist: Unknown
Dead Man's Rescue: Unknown
Notes:
The annual, along with Lady Penelope and TV Century 21 this year, is the first to feature a photographic cover.
Thunderbirds
Copyright ©1968
Cover: Photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 12'6 or 62.5 new pence.
Strips:
Collision Course. Artist: Unknown
Day Return from Death. Artist: Ron Turner
Mask of a Traitor. Artist: John Cooper
Island of Fear. Artist: Mario Capaldi
Code of Courage. Artist: Mario Capaldi
Footprints in the Snow. Artist: Jim Watson
Antarctic Fury. Artist: Unknown
Curse of the Elastos. Artist: Ron Turner
Stories:
Four Hours To Eternity. Artist: Photos
Inferno. Artist: Photos
The Bean is Born. Artist: Photos
Aquaphobia. Artist: Photos
Notes:
A feature outlines some of Internaternational Rescue's previous missions, with synopses of the episodes 'Trapped In The Sky', 'End Of The Road', 'The Imposters', 'Ricochet', 'Operation Sun Probe' (sic) and also, interestingly, 'The Abominable Snowman' - which is based on the mini-album recording 'FAB'. The feature is illustrated by actual film frames from the episode 'Trapped In The Sky'.
The cover layout was used as the basis for a icon (left) on the covers of the 1990s Thunderbirds comics.
The annuals for this year, including Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, TV21, Lady Penelope and Project SWORD, feature both pre-decimal and decimal prices.
Captain Scarlet
Copyright ©1967
Cover: Artist: Frank Humphris (?)/photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 12'6 or 62.5 new pence.
Strips:
Destroy New Baghdad*. Artist: Keith Watson
Assassinate the Space Administrator. Artist: Jim Watson
Destroy Technoburg. Artist: Jim Watson
President Juma Will Die*. Artist: Keith Watson
Destroy the Indian Aqua City. Artist: Jim Watson
Nerve Fever Will Cripple Birmingham. Artist: Jim Watson
Portillo Project is Doomed*. Artist: Keith Watson
Assassinate the Director of Economic Affairs. Artist: Ron Turner
Stories:
Release Two Thousand Ruthless Criminals*. Artist: Photos
Destroy the World. Artist: Photos
Notes:
The first annual to illustrate the text stories wholly with photos from the series.
The strip Destroy the Indian Aqua City features Modesty Angel, who also appears in the story Mysterons Kidnap Colonel White in the Barratt Captain Scarlet's Spectrum Handbook.
The cover illustration was also used for the Dutch Captain Scarlet Album in 1968, along with some strips and features.
Some stories, strips (marked with *) and features would be reprinted in the ©1993 Captain Scarlet annual.
Captain Scarlet
Copyright ©1968
Cover: Artist: Frank Humphris (?)/photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 12'6 or 62.5 new pence.
Strips:
Destroy International Engineering Workshops. Artist: Keith Watson
Destroy the Northern Hemisphere. Artist: Jim Watson
Destroy Kalipur. Artist: Jim Watson
Assassinate Colonel White. Artist: Keith Watson
Flood the Atlantic Tunnel. Artist: Jim Watson
Destroy the City of London. Artist: Ron Turner
Destroy New Houston Oil Depot. Artist: Jim Watson
Stories:
Cause Germ War on Earth. Artist: Photos
Destroy World Peace. Artist: Photos
Notes:
The first frame of each strip story in the annual appears on the preceding page before the first full page proper. This only occurs in one other annual, for the strip Footprints in the Snow in the ©1968 Thunderbirds annual.
Editor/writer Howard Elson 'kills' writer Scott Goodall, to become a Mysteron, as an in-joke in the story Destroy the City of London.
Thunderbirds & Captain Scarlet
Copyright ©1969
Cover: Photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 62 1/2p or 12s 6d
Strips:
Captain Scarlet: Sun Burst. Artist: Jim Watson
Thunderbirds: The Mind Machine. Artist: Unknown
Captain Scarlet: Crash Course. Artist: John Cooper
Thunderbirds: Fire Lords. Artist: Ron Turner
Captain Scarlet: Runaway. Artist: John Cooper
Thunderbirds: Secret of the Mummy's Tomb. Artist: Unknown
Thunderbirds: Crash Down. Artist: Ron Turner
Stories:
Captain Scarlet: Destroy the Centre of Hope. Artist: Photos
Thunderbirds: Silent Snows. Artist: Photos
Captain Scarlet: Destroy the World Government. Artist: Photos
Notes:
The strip Crash Course is a reworking of some events in the first Captain Scarlet strip.
The strip Mind Machine is reformatted from a proposed TV21 Picture Library series that was piloted but never published. The artwork frames have been cropped and expanded to make eight pages for the annual.
The map of Mars in a fictional feature, outllining the TV21 future history of the planet, names the spaceport 'Eden' - a nod to artist Eric Eden, who also illustrated the feature.
Joe 90
Copyright ©1968
Cover: Photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 62 1/2p or 12s 6d
Strips:
Lust for Gold. Artist: Jim Watson
Deadly Toy. Artist: Ron Turner
Rat Trap. Artist: Ron Turner
Phantom Light. Artist: Jim Watson
Ambush. Artist: Ron Turner
Doctor Fawkes. Artist: Ron Turner
Checkmate. Artist: Ron Turner
Operation Torch. Artist: Jim Watson
Stories:
Bach to the Rescue. Artist: Photos
Talkdown. Artist: Photos
The Small Invasion. Artist: Photos
Notes:
The annual features imply that the Joe 90 series is set at the end of the 20th Century, contradicting an on-screen date of 2013 seen in the episode 'The Unorthodox Shepherd'. But it was recently discovered the features were working from a 'series outline' devised by Tony Barwick and Shane Rimmer, which placed the format '30 years hence' (i.e. around 1998/99).
Century 21 Publishing editor Linda Wheeway makes a cameo appearance as 'Petrana Kopski' on page 69 of the annual, while 'Stefan Malantoff' is art editor Roger Perry's nephew!
The strip Rat Trap would be reprinted in issue 84 of The New Thunderbirds.
Joe 90
Copyright ©1969
Cover: Photographic
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd & Century 21 Publishing Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 62 1/2p or 12s 6d
Strips:
Night Climb. Artist: Keith Watson
Break Down. Artist: Ron Turner
Stroke of Death. Artist: Unknown
Grip of Steel. Artist: John Cooper
Dive To Disaster. Artist: Mario Capaldi
Deadly Game. Artist: Jim Watson
The Deadly Swarm. Artist: Ron Turner
Stories:
Trip to Tombstone. Artist: Photos
North Pole Special. Artist: Photos
Too Many Cooks. Artist: Photos
Notes:
Jim Watson's design of disk-headed robots in Deadly Game had already been seen in one of his Zero X strips for TV21, and would be re-used in his strip Colony Earth for the comic 2000AD in 1978.
The strip Night Climb would be reprinted in issue 7 of Joe 90 in 1994.
The strip Break Down would be reprinted in issue 85 of The New Thunderbirds.
Thunderbirds
Copyright ©1971 (but published autumn 1970)
Cover: Unknown
Pages: 96
Publisher: City Magazines Ltd
Printer: Jarrold & Sons Ltd, Norwich.
Price: 62 1/2p or 12s 6d
Strips:
Thunderbirds: Menace of the Warlord. Artist: Matias Alonso
Zero X: The Switch. Artist: Vicente Alcazar (?)
Captain Scarlet: Wave of Destruction. Artist: Unknown
Thunderbirds: Freight-load of Fear. Artist: Matias Alonso
Stories:
Joe 90: The Thin Red Wire. Artist: Photos/Alan Willow
Thunderbirds: The Crab. Artist: Photos/Alan Willow
Captain Scarlet: Wave of Destruction. Artist: Photos/Alan Willow
Notes:
This annual is reputedly produced from artwork and stories left over from the TV21 annual in production at the same time, but which could not be used as the rights were no longer held by that publication.
One can imagine it was issued as it acted as a good prelude to the up-and-coming Countdown comic, and made a good companion to the UFO annual released at the same time.
Any additions, corrections or notes about any of the annuals featured here, please contact technodelic@blueyonder.co.uk.
The Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History would like to thank:
Peter Corri
Howard Elson
Milton Finesilver
Paul Johnson
Roger Perry
Bob Reed
Alan Willow
& The Book Palace
- for their help with this feature.
Version 1.1 - 31.01.07
All text © The Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History, and its respective writers, and may not be reproduced without permission.
All images © their respective copyright holders
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