Danger Man Annual [1967]

[1966] Annual. Original price 10/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd.

Based on the television series starring Patrick McGoohan.

Painted cover by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited)

 4 Indicia

 5 Danger Man Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Big Splash text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

17 No Medals for the General text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

24 The Silver Ring text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

38 Smugglers' Cove text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

51 Countdown text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

60 Dead on Nine text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

68 Payoff on the frontier text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

80 Moses Was the 1st Spy King! text feature UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

85 Playback! text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited)

With a far better cover, casting Drake in an appropriately moody light, the second annual is a slightly more refined example of the tie-in annual. The endpaper, alas, falls down when attempting to capture McGoohan's likeness, which will be a recurring problem throughout - so distinctive is his appearance that the illustrations struggle to match what we see on screen. A valiant attempt at bringing the character we know and love to the title page begins to claw back a degree of visual harmony with the series, but there's still a significant disparity in appearance.

It was the hottest night of the summer and Drake was sitting at a sidewalk table on the brilliantly lit Via Veneto in the teeming heart of Rome.
   The broad carriageway was agog with every kind of vehicle, from sumptuous Rolls-Bentleys through gleaming Alfa-Romeos and mass-produced Fiats to ancient horse-drawn carroze.
   The pavements of the famous gilded strip were agog with every kind of character, from international film stars through millionaire playboys to gaping tourists and shifty-eyed crooks on the make.
   But none of these received more than a passing show of interest from the Danger Man as he sat sipping black coffee at a table almost directly outside the entrance to the Café Royal.

One of the strengths of this annual in relation to the previous one is its sense of scope - no longer content with a few days in Wales, the reach is greater. As the character was soaked in the Spy-Fi tradition, I would have expected nothing less than a globe-trotting adventure. It is a great story, which even manages to include a spattering of Italian phrases as it races to a conclusion, and it nods towards the James Bond franchise with a pretty face concealing hidden dangers for Drake to counter.

The next stop on Drake's international jaunt is Rio, where he has been chosen by a joint British Intelligence-CIA task force to retrieve a sensitive plan for maintaining order in a troubled naval zone in which San Miguel is a major factor. His task is complicated when Juan Mizol, a man working for the San Miguel Secret Police, sees Drake talking to Jennings, a man known to them. As matters necessitate, Drake kidnaps the officer so that his cover isn't blown...

The humour which closes out the story feels desperately forced, although there are some brilliantly observed moments prior to this. Capturing, in small ways, some of the style of the series, there is much to enjoy in No Medals for the General. Off to Switzerland next, and he is tasked with preventing the kidnap of Abdul Hassan Bey, the Sheik of Menjpore, who is stopping at Zurich overnight before heading on to London, where he will sign an oil deal of significance to Anglo-American interests.

In isolation, calling Drake 'the Danger Man' isn't too noticeable, but when the phrase appears again and again it becomes slightly irritating. Having him referred to exclusively as Drake would have felt less juvenile, though it isn't a major problem.

Smoked Out takes Drake back to London. Smugglers' Cove - which sees Drake in Cornwall - is adorned with the fantastic visual of a Mini driving along a twisting road, and has him investigating people who are meant to be loyal to Britain. It vaguely prefigures some of the themes in The Prisoner, which is often viewed as McGoohan reprising Drake, though the surreality of that series is absent here.

Far classier, yet strangely lacking in a certain fidelity.

[1966]

Danger Man Annual

Temple Houston Annual [1966]

[1965] Annual. Original price 9/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Jeffrey Hunter.

Cover photograph (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Temple Houston Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Road to Valhalla text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

19 Boots & Saddles feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

20 The Civil War feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

21 Justice Before Breakfast text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

33 The Judgment of Houston text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

47 The Sheriff Who Rode Alone feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

48 The Battle board game; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

50 Nobody's Children text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

61 Paleface - Go Home! text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

75 Headgear feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

76 War Clubs feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

77 The Picture that Lied text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

87 Sleeping Dogs Tell No Lies text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

It is something of a minor miracle that the Temple Houston television series was as entertaining as it managed to be, given numerous obstacles which it had to overcome in getting to the screen, but - as both history and a western - it lacks a certain something. The sole annual based on the series is similarly constrained by a host of problems, most of which are inherited from the show. The production was rushed, inconsistent in tone, and contained numerous historical inaccuracies, and its annual is (comparatively) leisurely, uneven... and filled with more historically inaccuracies than an average Blackadder episode.

Ignoring facts isn't entirely a bad thing, giving creators the opportunity to elaborate and heighten known events for dramatic purposes. Unfortunately the author(s) don't stretch their meagre facts quite enough to create a sense that real-life circuit-lawyer Temple Houston, Jeffrey Hunter's character, is the cultured badass with a silver tongue he is meant to be. It is the minor, and unexplained, alterations which are the most telling - Temple isn't married, while the real Houston was married by the age of 23. An acceptable break, perhaps, as it gives the series room to explore romantic entanglements, but not addressing the fact is a point of contention.

Characters based on people of note should be presented with their life story intact, and not a shadowy semblance of their history. By depriving the character of aspects which were present in Houston's life, we are deprived of seeing the manner in which he approached different situations. The more facets present, the greater an understanding we can have of his assumed roles. Large additions and subtractions to his story reinforce the feeling that something is wrong. A reader could end up looking for cracks in the story rather than admiring the surface varnish.

It was probably the snazziest piece of gentlemen's haberdashery that had ever been paraded on the dirt streets of Lindley, Texas, and Temple Houston felt that by wearing it that bright morning he was raising the social tone of his adopted town several degrees. Always a sharp dresser, Houston's taste might have been considered on the flamboyant side, but then the Houstons were flamboyant stock, as the history of Texas showed. The fancy, brocaded silk waistcoat had set him back many good dollars. But every cent had been worth it, he decided, as he strolled along the boardwalk acknowledging with a flourish of his stetson the envious glances of the men and admiring ogles of the ladies. If you intended to be the town's best lawyer, Temple chuckled to himself, you have to advertise. The waistcoat, which put all other waistcoats in the shade, was a mighty good billboard of his qualities.

Straight from the start of The Road to Valhalla, the sense of playfulness which marked the second half of the series is brought to the fore, with the strutting peacock aspect of the character being highlighted. There is ample evidence of his propensity for what might be considered garish clothes, and this is actually a boon to the depiction here.

The major problem with the series - and, by extension, the annual - is that there is no sense Houston is a multi-lingual, extremely erudite, well-read walking legal encyclopedia. We instead get stories of a sickly horse which an entire town is wagering its financial future on, in what must be one of the dumbest stories to appear in a western context. By not depicting how sharp, and how fast, Houston's mind is, we are kept at arm's length from him, and distanced from anything resembling drama.

It is truly disappointing that so little is accomplished with so much material available.

Tales of Wells Fargo Annual [1961]

[1960] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Dale Robertson.

Cover painting by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Temple Houston Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 Gunfight at Powder Creek text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

19 The Trail of "Burro Sam" w: Gaylord Du Bois (uncredited); a: Alberto Giolitti (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1113 [Tales of Wells Fargo] (Jul 1960 - Sep 1960).

35 The Lucky Streak text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

45 Wells Fargo Facts 1852 - 1918 feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

46 Overland Mail board game; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

48 Storm Rider w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Dan Spiegle (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #829 [Tales of the Pony Express] (Aug 1957).

58 The Pony Express feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

59 The Texas Terror text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

69 Avalanche Pass w: Gaylord Du Bois (uncredited); a: Alberto Giolitti (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1113 [Tales of Wells Fargo] (Jul 1960 - Sep 1960).

85 Johnny Jump-Up text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

93 Rogues Round-Up feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Continuing the thematic cover design, Tales of Wells Fargo Annual has adopted a far more fitting lettering, though loses some degree of style in the process, the letters being far too fussy. As always Howarth provides a wonderful cover, though with Hardie far more pensive and thoughtful, giving a sombre air to proceedings. Had the endpaper followed, with a suitably melancholy spread, there might have been continuity of tone throughout, but its yellow and pink colouring is uneasily at odd with its scene of a stagecoach in imminent danger of attack. Quite what we are to make of this disconnect is hard to tell.

Beautifully presented reprints of the US strip, along with Tales of the Pony Express thrown in for good measure, add up to real value for readers.

[1960]

Tales of Wells
Fargo Annual

[1962]

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Annual [1967]

[1966] Annual. Original price 10/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Richard Basehart and David Hedison.

Cover photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Kingdom of Davy Jones text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

23 The Statue Makers text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

31 Robinson Crusoe of the Depths w: UNKNOWN (uncredited)); a: Alberto Giolitti (uncredited).

r: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (Gold Key) #04 (May 1966).

60 The One That Got Away text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

71 Vanderdecken Sails Again text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

81 Trapped in Lost Atlantis text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

This is painful. With such a rich variety of unexplored locations to set stories in, and so much of the planet covered in water, it is expected that the author of these stories might have decided to have some fun, taking the vessel to uncharted depths, creating unique and interesting problems for the characters to think their way out of, but that isn't the case. Tired, worn out references are the first indication that the stories are aiming squarely for pulpy, rehashed dreck. Davy Jones? Robinson Crusoe? Atlantis? Check, check, and check.

Narratives set underwater are open to a multitude of possibilities, and yet there are no risks taken - even ardent fans of the (mediocre) television series, approaching the title with expectations of the same quality of storytelling, are likely to be underwhelmed with the contents on offer.

If the author couldn't be bothered with a simple non-fiction feature, what was the point of snagging the license?

There are hundreds of mythical sea creatures which should have been considered, some truly terrifying in concept, but the sea-life on display is hokey, unimaginative, and entirely ridiculous. A giant green beach-ball with spindly tentacles? That's as terrifying as an average episode of Rainbow. World had, elsewhere, provided some great reference on prehistoric sea-life, and I wouldn't have complained one iota had that merely been reprinted here, though even reused elements are missing.

Facts about the sea in which the story takes place is, likewise, entirely absent, even though including such detail would have raised the sense of danger in which the characters are journeying in. Had the readers been informed of decompression sickness, the temperature of the sea, or even how dark things get, a mere few metres beneath the waves, then the sense of the vessel, and its occupants, being in considerable danger every step of the way might have been presented. As it is, the adventures might as well have taken place in a yellow submarine.

I expect at the very least a feature on Athenian ships, with Thucydides mentioned one (at the bare minimum), a feature on the different kinds of ships used throughout history, different names for familiar items (Kellick being an anchor, for example), and a quick recap of great literature set on the seas. Moby Dick, the most non-fictiony fiction ever fictioned, would have slotted in perfectly had the notion to include something of merit been considered for even a minute. There isn't even a playfulness in naming ships, such as including a vessel called Acushnet. I want to hurl this annual across the room with force, so limited is its imagination.

A terrible waste, which manages, miraculously, to make the television series appear to be high quality, entertaining, lavish, and intelligent in comparison.

Praise Tangaroa that there are only two of these annuals...

Here is the rock that strands me now;
With one side or the other it must come to war.
That's as sure as a ship's hull pegged tight.
Nowhere do I see safe, untroubled harborage.
                                  Aeschylus.

"The sea can wash away all human ills."
                                  Euripides.

Voyage to the Bottom
of the Sea Annual

[1968]

The Big Battle Annual [1960]

[1959] Annual. Original price 9/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Stories of Action, Valour and Daring

Cover painting by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia photograph by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 5 Contents

 6 The German Helmet text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

11 The British Infantry Section and the Weapons Used feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

12 Desperate Decisions w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

19 Small Support Weapons of World War II feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

20 The Fighting Men text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

26 V.C.'s of World War II text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

27 Tell Us Phantom w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

35 Famous Cap Badges feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

37 The Night of the Long Knives text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

45 Tanks of World War II feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

47 They Called Him Big-Head w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

56 Colourful Generals of World War II text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

62 The Pilot from the C.I.D. text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

72 Breakout at Dawn w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

83 Who Dares Wins... The Story of the Special Air Service text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

85 The Day the Tommies Came text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

93 V.C.'s of World War II cont.

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Although the page-count isn't excessive, this is a heavy annual - in weight, as well as content. It is also very attractive. Not, you understand, a pretty annual, but quite the polished piece of work nonetheless. Anticipating Battle Picture Weekly, Warlord, Victor, and similar titles, it offers a nice variety of fiction and non-fiction, prose and strip material, and does all this with a dash of style.

1942. Truck and jeep borne patrols of the long range desert group ranged far across the wastes of the western desert, striking terror in the rear of the enemy lines. Car and aircraft parks were attacked, petrol dumps set on fire, ammunition dumps blown up, roads mined and trucks ambushed.

Privates Tod Sloane and Ron Blake of the special patrol, B Squadron, L.R.D.G. were both fighting for promotion until a desperate action brought their rivalry to a climax.

The first strip is the kind of thing which could have appeared in any military title, with no distinguishing style to mark out the story. There are, however, a number of minor its of dialogue which makes me think that someone with experience in the armed forces was behind the script.

Instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, the Victoria Cross is the supreme British award for gallantry in the field of battle.

• Captain B.A.W. Warburton Lee, R.N.
• Second Lieutenant Richard Wallace Annand
• Flight-Lieutenant D.J. Nicholson, R.A.F.
• Corporal J.H. Edmondson, Australian Military Forces
• Second Lieutenant Premindra Singh Bagat, Corps of Indian Engineers
• Second Lieutenant C.H. Upham, N.Z. Military Forces
• Flying-Officer L.A. Trigg, D.F.C., R.N.Z.A.F.
• Lieutenant-Colonel C.C.I. Merritt
• Second Lieutenant K. Ngarimu, N.Z. Military Forces
• Subadar Lalbahadur Thapa, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles
• Lieutenant-Commander Wanklyn, D.S.O., R.N.

Although the selected V.C. winners are given brief biographies, they don't manage to truly capture the tremendous acts of bravery for which the individuals were honoured. It would have been better to source photographs (where possible) and reprint the Times notices. With so many great stories, it is a wonder that more wasn't made of the real-life material.

Up to the minute battle information, vital to the Allied cause, was collected by Phantom, code name for the General Headquarters liason signal regiment. Highly specialised mobile groups of men, expert in signals and reporting battle conditions, scouted between the gaps in the advancing Allied armies, moving like phantoms even behind the enemy lines. They had access to each and every H.Q., gathering top secret information and advising battle commanders on future tactics.

March, 1945. The Germans were still fighting fanatically for the Rhineland. Tension mounted as the British 90th Infantry Division prepared to attackthe key centre of Delfhausen across the River Molde. Phantom signal officer Lieutenant Harvey Wilson called on one of the Brigade Headquarters.

While somewhat stereotypical in its depiction of green officers being dismissive of specialised officers from lower ranks, the story folds out with a remarkable sense of combat conditions. The colouring is abysmal, and there are a few panels which lack backgrounds, both of which are my bête noires, but the wonderful manner in which things conclude make me look upon the strip with more affection than I normally would.

Burma, 1944. The Japanese Colonel Tanahashi struck against the British advance guard in the Kaladan Valley, scattering the British troops and laying bare their flank...

Cut off, a small British patrol fought its way back out of the trap with its leader, Lieutenant Rand, and his sergeant, 'Bighead' Colson, arguing all the way...

As much tension as personal conflicts can generate, there's simply too little room for They Called Him Big-Head to develop into something more than a passing moment in the midst of a battle. Despite that, these are interesting characters who have a wonderful story, and the lack of background to their bickering could have presented an interesting look at life in the centre of the conflict - that we don't get to see how things got to the stage where the story begins is a frustrating omission created by the necessity to wrap things up in a timely manner. A more luxurious pacing is sorely needed in tales such as this.

December, 1941. After a siege lasting 242 days, the heroic defenders of Tobruk had been relieved. In June, 1942, Rommel's troops again surrounded the fortress, but this time the defence by Imperial troops was to collapse in a matter of a few days.

News that Tobruk was being surrendered came to Corporal Caswell and the survivors of his section. When they were fully engaged with the enemy in a place called Kings Cross.

I want Breakout at Dawn to be true. There's no reason, mind you, that this tale has any relation to history, but it is such a great little narrative that it manages to draw attention away from the poor colouring completely.

A history of the SAS, no matter how concise, is going to have gaps, and, with barely a page and a half in which to lay out the background, the feature on its formation is riddled with tantalising hints of a greater narrative lurking under the surface. Events are rushed through, with no room to explain the source of some of the techniques, or tell the circumstances of how certain key aspects of the group was arrived at. There are fantastic books about the subject which struggle to find room for the great stories, and this is merely a taster.

This is not, despite what you may believe, a poor showing.

Yes, there is a sense of things being rushed through, and the lack of detail takes some of the sheen away, but there are still enough carefully-honed lines which have the ring of authenticity, and some of the art is truly breathtaking. That it wasn't followed by a series of annuals is a shame. It has the ring of being a Battle Picture Weekly try-out, with features on tanks and badges - pages peppered with images which are cleaner and clearer than similar features a decade later.

A fascinating little chunk of history.

Danger Man Annual 1966

[1965] Annual. Original price 9/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the television series starring Patrick McGoohan.

Painted cover by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 Endpaper illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 5 Title Page illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents Page illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Big Catch text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

20 The Code Breakers text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

22 Beat This Danger Man Code word puzzle; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

23 Night Train to Rome text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

38 Half a Million in a World Spy Ring text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

40 Traitor's Gate text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

51 Drake's Big Beat text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

62 The Silver Greyhounds text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

64 The House on 22nd Street text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

78 Espionage board game; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

80 The Temple text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

With a four-day break, Drake drives to Wales for a fishing break. Staying at the Mountain View Hotel, in the heart of Snowdonia, he is enjoying the peace and quiet of a riverbank - despite not having caught any fish - when a boulder falls from the mountainside, breaking his rod. As he is dusting himself off from the near miss he encounters Frank Barton, who is out rabbit hunting. Frank informs Drake that the area is known for its loose boulders, with most locals keeping away from the area.

Later, at the hotel's bar, Drake tells the bartender about the incident, and is told that the incident is the first of its kind he has heard of. Returning to the spot where he was fishing, Drake overhears Barton and another man discussing having set the boulder, and discerns that they are operatives for the Organisation.

While I dislike characters stumbling into plots in such a haphazard manner, what follows is interesting enough. There are a few problems with the details, but it effectively sets up the protagonist as a competent secret agent. The specific focus on ICBM technology is a touch too large for the location and men protecting the secret research.

The Code Crackers is a extremely brief overview of British security measures to prevent information falling into enemy hands, though barely covers the subject of codes specifically. That it is followed by a code for the reader to break is a nice touch, yet coverage of different information concealment and transmission practices (a great deal of which had already seen print) could have elevated the piece substantially.

Nobody knows for certain exactly how many spies there are in the world.
   The nearest estimate has been reported from United States sources. This figures that there are more than half a million people actively engaged in the far-flung and complex machinery od espionage and counter-espionage.

As much an apology for the security services as a feature about them, Half a Million in a World Spy Ring does a middling job of setting the extent of the spy culture, though crucially avoids corporate espionage, criminals employing spycraft, and individuals engaged in such actions. One would expect there to be mention of the military spying efforts which were so much a part of the cold war, yet the text is careful to remain diplomatically neutral in reporting events.
Frustrating observant readers further, The Silver Greyhounds relies on several stories which are fairly well-known to fill its contents. What remains unstated is the questionable actions undertaken during the roles of these proto-spies. Several notable spies from history are, likewise, omitted entirely.

A selection of fast-paced stories, a few text features, and a rather pedestrian board game don't make up for the fact that there are no strips included in this annual. It isn't all bad, as the excellent painted cover (with a remarkable likeness of McGoohan) and the prose material more than capture the style and tone of the television series. There's very little reference material available on this, and the lack of documentation regarding World's output makes it unlikely that much more will be forthcoming.

Danger Man Annual

[1967]

Space Family Robinson Annual [1967]

[1966] Annual. Original price 10/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd.

Lost in Space!

Painted cover by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Space Family Robinson Annual - Lost in Space! title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 Operation Rescue text story by by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

19 Prehistoric Planet text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

32 The Pit of Doom w: Gaylord Du Bois; Dan Spiegle.

r: Space Family Robinson (Gold Key) #13 (Jul 1965).

55 Space Station '75 text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Space Family Robinson (Gold Key) #13 (Jul 1965).

56 Star-Trapped text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

70 The Mist of Delusion text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Helpfully subtitled "Lost in Space!" in case prospective purchasers didn't realise the connection, its beautiful painted cover doesn't hold back in depicting threats to the titular family. I'm not entirely convinced that the rather brutal, and stark, lettering accurately captures the feel of the Gold Key comics though. The wider format used here is a real boon, allowing room for the art to breathe, and makes the title feel substantial.

The family, for those wondering, are scientists Craig and June, their son Tim, and daughter Tam, who - along with Clancy (a dog), and Yakker (a parrot) - live on Space Station One. This home-away-from-home is a remarkably versatile location, with two small ships available for transporting characters to and fro. Readers might have been familiar with the characters from the strip running in Lady Penelope, but no demands are made on readers to recall events previously seen.

Lively enough adventures, though the illustrations are slightly flat and unconvincing.

Space Family
Robinson Annual

[1968]

The Dr Who Annual [1966]

[Sep 1965] Annual. Original price 9/6.
pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the BBC television series starring William Hartnell.

Cover painting by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 The Dr Who Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 7 The Lair of the Zarbi Supremo text story by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

22 Who is Dr Who? text feature by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

24 The Sons of the Crab text story by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

37 The Lost Ones text story by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

50 Journey Back to Earth board game; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

52 The Equations of Dr Who text feature by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

54 The Monsters from Earth text story by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

67 Peril in Mechanistria text story by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

81 The Fish Men of Kandalinga text story by David Whitaker (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

The Dr Who Annual is a different experience than anything modern readers might be used to, with the title the prime indicator that details might not be observed in translating the character to the page. Howarth's take on the first Doctor is, however, a treat to behold, commanding attention against a desolate alien landscape. The contents, however, are far from what viewers would have been expecting - which might, in retrospect, not be entirely disappointing. Those predisposed to strong continuity are likely to get a nosebleed from the annual, but approached in the proper frame of mind it is a very entertaining read.

There is a strong sense of surreality to the cover, with curious aliens sharing the cover in an attempt to sell the SF angle to readers who might be unfamiliar with the television series, though the effect merely emphasises a separation from its established history. Maybe there's a convention on... Other explanations for so many species gathering here may apply.

I've never been entirely sold on the endpaper, with its jauntily-angled TARDIS, and a forties-style space-station hanging in the air - it is both too generic, and too specific, to convince as an image from the series, as if the Doctor and the TARDIS had been placed on a preexisting background.

Despite the beautiful lettering at the top of the page, the contents page illustration is, simply put, awful. The image isn't of recognisable aliens, and their gape-mouthed appearance makes the scene more comedic than dramatic. Owing more to The Outer Limits than anything, its one saving grace is the expert manner in which it draws the eye to the beginning of the first text story. Subtle it is not, yet there is great skill behind the image.

The shock of hearing the voice was so great that Dr Who had barely time to complete the materialisation process. But old habit was strong, and smoothly and efficiently the Tardis slid in through the transdimensional flux and fitted its rearranged atoms into the new sphere. By all the doctor's co-ordinates and calculations this world should be the planet Vortis but just where on the planet, or when in the time-scale of that world, he could not as yet know. He drove home the last lever and, with hands on the edges of the control panel, panted with excitement. The voice through his radio had been talking in modern English!

His name may not be right, the TARDIS isn't treated as an acronym, and - because it is so apparent here - the first Doctor panting with excitement is so out of character everything which follows is cast into a strange light. Clad in an Atmospheric Density Jacket, the Doctor sets out to investigate where (and when) he has landed. Finally locating the source of the message - a recording from a crashed ship, Solar Queen, the only inhabitants being a young boy named Gordon Hamilton and his injured, and comatose, father. Convincing the boy to help his fetch the other survivors - now missing - the Doctor and Gordon explore the Zarbi dwellings...

The robot Zarbi suits are a nice touch, although the Doctor's violent solution to the problems he faces is wildly out of character. Neither The Lair of the Zarbi Supremo or The Sons of the Crab, the next story, have the tone and character quite right. Trapped by alien scientists, the Doctor is subjected to a variety of tests, and faces being dissected. An entire planet of shape-shifters, desperate to discover a cure for their "affliction" is a wonderful conceit, and the sustained conversation between the Doctor and Formal gives some idea of what it must be like to live on such a planet.

The strong horror theme which arrives naturally from this set-up, and which is nudged slightly to the forefront, is a different (though not unwelcome) genre to the Doctor's normal adventures. As a story which would have been impossible to film in the mid-sixties, the appeal of this story is obvious. The Yend are one of the most imaginative species created for the annuals, and their plight lends events a rather downbeat tone.

Despite having the whole of time and space to play with, the Doctor finds himself on Vortis, apparently for the first time. Timey-wimey stuff, indeed. The absence of his companions throughout the annual, which is most noticeable whenever the Doctor is required to rescue himself, is one of the problems, taking away the ability to discuss science, history, and other subjects. Without this tether to the series emphasis on intelligent and reasoned exploration of the universe, there isn't the same educational undercurrent which the early stories did so well.

Once again the story concludes with multiple deaths.

Peril in Mechanistria stands as the most intriguing story, detailing a world run by machines - not just any machines, but ones which utilise human brains in their construction. Presaging themes which would be dealt with by the Cybermen, this is a wonderful glimpse into a more nightmarish version of what would appear on the screen. Things are, of course, kept from becoming too scary for younger readers, and the conclusion has a ray of hope which is often absent in the appearance of bio-mechanical integration throughout the series.

An odd, though fascinating, insight into how the series was perceived in the early years.

Doctor Who Annual

[1967]

Tales of Wells Fargo Annual [1960]

[1959] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Dale Robertson.

Cover painting by Walt Howarth (signed).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Temple Houston Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 Pay-Off in Ghost Town text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

21 The Man They Couldn't Drown w: Gaylord Du Bois (uncredited); a: Alerto Giolitti (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1023 [Tales of Wells Fargo] (Aug 1959 - Oct 1959).

37 The Kentucky Kid text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

47 The Last Stage from Gunsight text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

53 Faro Billy's Surprise Packet text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

61 The Skeleton Cave w: Gaylord Du Bois (uncredited); a: Alerto Giolitti (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1023 [Tales of Wells Fargo] (Aug 1959 - Oct 1959).

77 Black Gold text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

87 Sundown text story by Douglas Enefer; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

There are few cover artists able to so perfectly capture an actor's personality, and Howarth's depiction of Dale Robertson is among the best images of its kind. A stark and dramatic cover, perhaps, but with such a powerful image tying the design together it doesn't call out for further elaboration - a detailed background would have diminished the sense of immediacy we get, and (gun in hand) the character of Jim Hardie welcomes us in to the world of the series with a facial expression which cries out for explanation. What, we have to ask, is he looking at?

Tales of Wells
Fargo Annual

[1961]

Pellephant and His Friends Annual [1974]

[1973] Annual. Original price 70p.
80 pages. Colour and tone art.
Brown Watson Ltd.

Cover by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 Pellephant and His Friends Annual title page; illustration by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Fly, Flax and the Balloon Take a Trip to the Moon text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by GIL [Eigil Johansen] (uncredited).

 6 It's Puzzling! puzzle pages; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 8 Susie Susie the Pilot w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Mainow [Jaime Mainou] (uncredited).

15 Fly, Flax and the Balloon In Mexico text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by GIL [Eigil Johansen] (uncredited).

17 Pellephant Pellephant the Ski Champion w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Georges Bess (? uncredited).

25 Susie Susie and the Treasure w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Mainow [Jaime Mainou] (uncredited).

32 Pellephant Pellephant the Musician w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Georges Bess (? uncredited).

44 Susie Susie and the Dragon w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Mainow [Jaime Mainou] (uncredited).

51 Pellephant and the Toy-Shop Gang w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Georges Bess (? uncredited).

59 Pellephant The Snowstorm w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Georges Bess (? uncredited).

67 Fly, Flax and the Balloon And the Flying Mice text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by GIL [Eigil Johansen] (uncredited).

69 Coco the Clown text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

72 Puzzles from Pellephant illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

74 Sammy Salt and the Paper Boat text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

76 Fly, Flax and the Balloon And the Tight-Rope Walker text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by GIL [Eigil Johansen] (uncredited).

78 Out With Teacher! picture puzzle; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Note: All the material is (presumably) reprinted from European comics, though specific titles and issues are unknown.

"We need a dramatic cover to attract readers."
"How about Pellephant swinging from a rope?"
"Yeah, but... It needs something extra."
"How about if the rope is attached to a helicopter?"
"Sure. But need something to make the cover really exciting."
"How about having the helicopter fly over water?"
"That's perfect."
"Should we include the Liquorice Goblin, on fire, in the background?"

There is, you should note, not a single "Don't attempt this at home" message in the entire book. I would be the least surprised at learning there is, somewhere in the original comics, a feature on the best table-forks with which to bother electrical outlets. While the stories never actually cross such transgressive lines, they skirt the very edge of what is considered appropriate in a manner which can only be read as deliberate.

King Egbert had won a football pool, so he hired an aeroplane and too the queen, Susie and the dwarfs on a trip...

Firstly, how poorly is the royal purse if the king cannot otherwise afford such a trip? Secondly, how many children of the appropriate age are going to know about football pools? And thirdly, dwarfs? So... We're okay with that, are we?

Turbulence upsets the passengers, and Susie goes to tell the pilot off for the bumpy flight, though faced with criticism the pilot bails out, a parachute strapped to his back. With no pilot, the plane begins to spin out of control until Susie takes the controls. Matters seem well in hand until the plane runs out of fuel, at which point she cajoles a flock of birds to keep the plane in the air. Once safely back on the ground, the king decides to celebrate with lemonade and cakes.

There are a lot of things in Susie which work brilliantly, yet an ever-present sense of things being slightly of-kilter keeps it from being a strip which I would feel comfortable with small children reading on their own. Mainow's art is very lively and loose, with beautiful panels displaying a great sense of style, which takes some of the darkness off the story, but there are so many issues in the narrative which feel purposefully aimed at an older audience.

"Where are we going?" Flax wondered, while he crunched a lump of sugar with his beak.
   "If the Balloon wants to, I thought we might visit the Mexicans," the Professor replied, testing the air with a wet finger. "The wind is blowing in that direction anyway, but we might pass it by, as we can't see anything because of all the clouds."
   "Mexicans? What's that" Flax asked, and sat down on the basket edge. "Can you eat it? Does it taste as nice as sugar?"
   The professor looked at him very learnedly.
   "Mexicans are what we call the people who live in Mexico. You'll recognise them by the large straw hats that they all wear. The sun is very hot there, and as you know, everyone likes to have some shade when it gets too warm. We look for shady places when the sun gets very hot, but the Mexicans carry their shades along with them, just by putting their hats on."

Fly, Flax and the Balloon, doing their bit for international relations, set off for Mexico. Because they land on a cactus, the balloon is injured, and they have to swap some of Flax's sugar for a boy's shirt to mend the tear. As much as I want to go along with the sensibilities of the strip, enjoying it for what it is, I can't help but feel that it would work much better had it included actual facts about the countries the balloon travels to, rather than lazy stereotypes.

Pellephant decides that he is going to enter a skiing competition, the prize for the winner being a hundred bottles of ginger pop. Despite not being able to ski, Pellephant thinks he has a good chance of winning, though on the big day the Liquorice Goblin decides to sprinkle sand behind him as he descends on his run. Pellephant, following behind, soon comes a cropper, and begins rolling down the hill in an ever-growing snowball.

A fairly run-of-the-mill story - by Pellephant standards - sees Pellephant coming through in the end regardless of a lack of talent. There's likely a message in there somewhere, though I dread to think what it is.

The King of Gnomeland had decided he wanted to appoint a treasurer, so he asked Susie if she could help him decide...

If the king has been relying relying on winning money to take his friends out on plane jaunts, then a treasurer is long overdue. Susie decides that each of the candidates should take over the job for a day, the one who increases the treasury taking the appointment.

Ignoring the antics which follow, the idea of increasing the value of the royal treasure in a single day would seem preposterous even to younger children, who ought to be quite aware of the difficulty of such a preposition.

Even the puzzles in this annual require a particular sensibility to properly appreciate:

A dolphin is:
(1) a vegetable   (2) a butterfly   (3) a mammal   (4) a shell-fish   (5) a pair of scales   (6) a lady's hand-bag

While it isn't a perfectly balanced collection of material, with far too much of the page-count taken up with non-Pellephant material. I don't mind the Susie stories, as they have a really weird sensibility which fits alongside the main feature, but the rest of the contents are middling at best, and Fly, Flax and the Balloon is simply infuriating.

[1973]

Pellephant Annual

1975

Billy the Kid Western Annual [1961]

[1960] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. Tone art contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd.

Painted cover by Walt Howarth (signed)

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (signed).

 4 Indicia

 5 Billy the Kid Western Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Drummer Boy and the Blackfeet text story by Hart Cooper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

17 Dynamite Pass w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

27 The Adventure of Running Deer text story by Richard Armstrong; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

35 The Mystery of Mandrake's Mine text story by Geoff Williamson; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

45 The Wreckers w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

55 Outlaw Canyon text story by T.A. Cooper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

65 The Last Great Scout text feature by A.W. Dalby-Phillips; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

73 Ransom on the River! w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

83 Renegades of Fort Laramie text story by Hart Cooper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (signed).

Going out on a high, Walt Howarth's cover for the final edition of Billy the Kid Western Annual is a masterful, luxurious, and perfectly executed example of cover art. Capturing the essential elements of the character, and imbuing Billy with a handsome charm, it ranks as one of the finest covers to appear on a World annual - which points to the problems the title had experienced having been noted and acted on.

Jim Osborne shivered. And if there had been anyone about to confide in he would have been the first to admit that the spasm was as much fear as from the biting cold. If this was the New World, more and more he bitterly regretted having left the old.

Having left England with the 4th Regiment of Foot to drive the French from Canada, his troop was making its way slowly over a mountain when attacked, and as one of the few survivors he is desperately cold, lonely, and hungry, though thankful for being alive - as he attempts to keep warm, pondering the circumstances of his survival, he encounters a man named Mitch. Offered somewhere to keep warm, and a meal, he quickly succumbs to sleep. On waking he is surprised to witness two Indians walk up to the cave and enter, relaxing by the fire with cups of coffee. Walt returns, and informs Jim that they must travel to the Indian chiefs over the mountain to pass on news about Canada having yielded to the British crown, to cease lingering hostilities.

Far superior to most of the stories which have featured in the title, The Drummer Boy and the Blackfeet shows that courage, a cool head, and ingenuity can often be better than combat to rectify a problem, and gets things off to a fine start. With events of the story taking place farther in the past than the Billy the Kid strips, it is difficult to justify its inclusion, though it is a welcome addition nevertheless.

Wyoming - a young hard-working and fertile territory whose lush valleys attracted the returning gold-miners and captured them so much that they never returned to the thickly populated east from which they had come with such high hopes. And it was here that Billy the Kid came - to find himself caught up in the fierce wrangle between cattlemen and farmers that the new settlements had brought about.

When Billy happens upon a new town being constructed, and is surprised to see Lem Dacy - inveterate gambler, with a reputation as a gunman - has settled down to a life of farming. All seems peaceful in the town until cattle drivers arrive, informing the inhabitants that a herd of cattle are going to move through the valley, destroying everything in their way.

There were likely a list of laws which would have prevented such an action, and the means by which Billy saves the day seems to be far too extreme to hold credibility. The sound of the explosion would, surely, have a serious effect on the cattle - if the goal was to prevent a stampede, making such a racket would likely have precisely the opposite conclusion to the one desired.

The other strip, The Wreckers finds Billy two miles outside of Newtown, where the train tracks have been deliberately sabotaged - he manages to save the train, and its cargo, though is shot at for his trouble by those responsible. A rather pedestrian tale, told with slightly unattractive artwork, fails to live up to the earlier annuals' tales. Once again the strip introduces an old friend, never before seen, who has gotten into trouble. It is an annoying trend, and one which adds to the background of the character without clearing up his history.

The Last Great Scout, a text feature on William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, written with authority by A.W. Dalby-Phillips, might be a last throw of the dice, but it hits its mark with perfection. With a mere eight pages in which to cram as much information as possible, the economy of detail isn't particularly noticeable, minor incident given as much consideration as monumental event, and the sum total of the feature amounts to a fantastic insight into an amazing life.

Which begs the question - why couldn't this have been attempted throughout the title from the start?

The final strip, Ransom on the River opens with a dramatic image which is far more accomplished than most of the strip art in the issue.

When Micky O'Hearn struggles against odds too much for him, Billy the Kid happens to see the fight. Curiosity lead the Kid to follow a most unusual trail ... at one point every step along it could mean sudden death or slow drowning... but Billy corners desperate men and forces them to call off a diabolical plan to each make hundreds of dollars for themselves, at the expense of one young Irishman...

Jimmy Stewart wanted to start a new life in the West, and he got his chance when the wagon train he was travelling in was besieged by Indians...

Hart Cooper's Renegades of Fort Laramie uses a famous name for one of its characters with no perceivable reason, and distracts from the narrative. It is a story which, rather cheekily, features Kit Carson in a supporting role - in a manner which can be seen as emphasising the title's success over Kit Carson's Cowboy Annual, which ceased publication the previous year.

An improvement, with very impressive steps towards the sort of material it ought to have been containing, though constrained by having to maintain the stories which had been appearing in the title. More non-fiction features, and far better strips, could have improved the appearance of the annual to a greater degree.

[1960]

Billy the Kid
Western Annual

[1960]

Gunsmoke [1965]

[1964] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. B&W contents.
Purnell & Sons, Ltd.

Based on the US television series starring James Arness.

Photo cover (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

 4 Thrilling New Adventures of Matt Dillon, Chester, Doc contents page, illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

 5 Gunsmoke title page; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin. / Indicia

 6 The Desperate Man text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

14 Give a Dog a Bad Name text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

20 The Bounty Hunter w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Newspaper strip.

29 The Disappearance of Doc text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

34 The Dead Skull Trail text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

40 The Silent Rider text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

47 Wagon Train of Trouble text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

54 Freighter's War w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Barry Bishop.

r: Newspaper strip.

67 Rogue Stallion text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

74 The Iron Fist text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

83 Comanche Rising text story by John Challis; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Denis McLoughlin.

Although the cover may be be the most enticing prospect for a potential reader, with a rather mundane photograph, and the title rendered in a very unimaginative manner, the contents contain, by far, the best artwork the series has ever seen. Denis McLoughlin, whose expert skill at capturing dramatic, and extremely realistic, scenes is evident throughout, provides a focus which allows the stories to draw readers in. If you aren't immediately entranced by the amazing endpapers, then there is something wrong with you.

A seriously impressive spread, playing with light and shadow in complex cross-hatching and chiaroscuro techniques, the initial image sets the stage for what is both a lesson in art, as well as a challenge to other artists - McLoughlin never shies away from tricky perspective, playing with light and dark to create a deep and visually stirring selection of memorable images. Among the highlights are a smoke-filled room, which uses negative space to build a feeling of the surrounding flames, and a beautiful image of two men on horseback under immense trees, the three-dimensionality of which is spectacularly well done.

It isn't a wholly-impressive publication, however, with rather staid strips pulled from the newspaper adventures. Compared to the original material, these suffer in both scale and adventurous composition, though the narrative consideration assists in keeping the selection from being too off-putting.

Glorious art, which proves that no matter the subject, McLoughlin could make the material shine.

[1964]

Gunsmoke Annual

[1966]

Tenderfoot Annual [1963]

[1962] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Will Hutchins.

Painted cover by Walt Howarth (uncredited), based on promotional photograph.

Contents:

 2 Riders of the Range endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Tenderfoot Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 7 Gunsmoke at Ghost Cayon text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

22 Buffalo Bill illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

23 A Volume of Trouble w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1209 [Sugarfoot] (Oct 1961 - Dec 1961).

34 Guns Along the Brazos! board game; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

36 Calamity Jane illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

37 Tumbleweed Terror text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

45 Strangers on the West-Bound Stage w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Wagon Train (Dell) #12 (Jan 1962 - Mar 1962).

49 The Vanishing Twins text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

59 Trail to Justice w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1209 [Sugarfoot] (Oct 1961 - Dec 1961).

80 General George Crook illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

81 Lone Star Pay-Off text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

87 Secret of Red River Falls text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

94 Riders of the Range endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

Much changed in content, the annual also makes sure that readers are aware of its place among other titles available, playing on the Jeff Arnold strip with the name of its endpaper, displaying the clothes worn by three eras of ranchers - the Spanish vaquero, an 1830s Texas cowboy, and the modern clothing. The informative elements are continued through features of Buffalo Bill, Calamity Jane, and General George Crook, though as only a paragraph or two of text accompanies each page it is questionable if any of the title's readers learned anything new.

A lively board game, with extremely bright and attractive artwork, may feel as if it has been slipped in from another annual, but it does, at least, provide much amusement - play it with a competitive eight-year-old, and you will soon discover the appeal of these inclusions.

Tom sees a sign hanging over a shop which advertises books for sale. Told that the books come from the collection of Jud Baker, whose widow is selling them to raise money. After browsing, he purchases several titles, including one titled The History of Judicial Law in America, before riding off. Two men enter the shop looking for that specific book, and the shopkeeper informs them of the prior sale, and the direction Tom took when departing. The men chase after their quarry, and make their move when they see Tom sleeping.

Awakening, he reprimands the men for stealing, but before he can retrieve his property is knocked unconscious - deciding to retrieve his saddlebags, he trails the men...

With a rather straightforward story, only briefly touching on Tom's established personality as a student of the law, this doesn't play to the strengths of the series. Indeed, this could easily have been a tale penned for Bonanza, or Gunsmoke, or any number of series - while there is nothing wrong with generic tales (often a source of great enjoyment), it is a shame that so original a property fall so strongly to such storytelling.

The curiously-titled Strangers on the West-Bound Stage is an extremely simple story, though told well, concerning a prisoner's escape attempt. Almost a detective story dressed in western garb, it bears no relation to the series the annual ought to be covering, though is fine enough to warrant inclusion.

Newspaper impartiality, the rule of law, and wrongful sentencing are at the heart of Trail to Justice, which is the kind of story which perfectly suits Tom Brewster's character, and reminds the reader of the legal angle which has been such an integral part of the series. While there are slightly too many coincidences to make the narrative credible, the handling is intelligent and the art satisfactory,

Not as impressive as the inaugural edition, though with far more originated material to compensate for the dilution of ideas.

[1962]

Tenderfoot Annual

Compact Annual [1964]

[1963] Annual. Original price
112 pages. B&W contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the BBC television series by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling.

Cover photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

  2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited), photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

  4 Indicia

  5 Compact Annual title page.

  6 Contents

  7 Foreword by Donald Wilson, head of Serials, Drama, Television.

  9 Blue Skies and Deep Waters text story by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 19 How it All Began text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 25 At Home With the Editor text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 31 A Bit of a Dance text story by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 41 The Southend Story text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 47 Roming Around text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 51 These Are Their Lives text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 63 Ask Alison Morley text story by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 73 Fact and Fiction About Fashion text feature by Olive Harris; photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 79 The Correspondence Trick text story by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 88 Compact Hits text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 92 True or False? text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 97 The Night of the Fog text story by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

107 Hot Savouries recipe by UNKNOWN (uncredited); photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

110 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited), photographs by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Approaching an annual based on a soap opera is a tough enough proposition as it is - one is required to have enough familiarity with the series to comprehend references and allusions sprinkled throughout - though when dealing with an annual based on a soap opera which, by and large, doesn't exist anymore in the archives, problems are exacerbated. The BBC only has a handful of episodes in its archive, and is unlikely to ever broadcast them again, leaving this publication to succeed or fail as a stand-alone title.

A solitary edition for the short-lived soap, which ceased broadcasting in the mid-sixties. The cover captures, to some degree, a sense of the series appearance, with more than a hint of inspiration from US soaps seeping through. I've no idea who any of these people are, which makes it difficult to determine the fidelity of the stories.

There's an article on the series' music (with singles to track down for avid collectors), and recipes for adventurous readers to attempt.

If anyone knows more about the series, and can explain why this exists, I would love to know. As a curio from a bygone age, this holds a great deal of interest, but shorn of contemporary reference with which to assess the material on offer it remains a tantalising glimpse into a forgotten piece of television history.

Atom Ant Annual [1968]

[1967] Annual. Original price 8/6.
64 pages. Full colour & tone contents.
Atlas Publishing & Distributing Co. Ltd.

Based on the US television series.

Painted cover by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED [Balloons] endpaper by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Atom Ant Annual contents; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited). / Indicia

 5 Atom Ant "The Day I Broke the Bank-Robbers" text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 9 Atom Ant Up and at 'Em w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Phil de Lara (uncredited).

r: Atom Ant (Gold Key) #01 (Jan 1966).

19 Top Cat "Dibble's Dragon" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: UNKNOWN.

27 Secret Squirrel The Perils of Paris or Who Swiped the Eiffel Tower? w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Secret Squirrel (Gold Key) #01 (Oct 1966).

37 Quick-Draw McGraw "Tree-Trap" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: UNKNOWN.

42 Atom Ant On With the Game w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Tony Strobl (uncredited).

r: Atom Ant (Gold Key) #01 (Jan 1966).

52 Top Cat "Sorry, Wrong Number" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: UNKNOWN.

57 Puzzle maze; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

58 Secret Squirrel Who Needs Glasses.? text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

62 UNTITLED [Balloons] endpaper by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Note: Companion titles to this volume include: Yogi Bear Annual - Huckleberry Hound Annual - The Impossibles Annual - Flintstones Annual

The sole edition for Atom Ant to show his popularity, the annual is a slim affair, with thin pages, yet packed with strips. Not all of the contents, it has to be noted, are especially fine examples of the Hanna-Barbera characters in comic form, though there are more hits than misses in this collection. It is, if you like, a taster of the offerings the studio was producing for the small screen, sharing so much room with the various characters that it might as well have been titled the Hanna-Barbera Annual.

Its attractive cover, while not strictly in the style of the cartoons, is far more detailed than this type of annual would normally call for, and it makes the annual somehow appear more retro than if it had replicated the two-dimensional appearance of the cartoons. Did Secret Squirrel always look that goofy? Top Cat, with a mis-coloured jacket and hat, a tuft of red hair sprouting from the top of his head, is the sole sticking point in what is otherwise beautiful image.

I want this cover as a poster, and I don't normally care enough about these properties to make such a statement.

The endpaper is more in keeping with the usual depictions of the characters, as is the amusing contents page image. While the paper used is rather thin, it is also very white, and the strips are presented far better than Gold Key was ever able to manage - although the formatting made to conceal the portion of the page where the original indicia was located is rather obvious.

Atom Ant must clear his name when an ant with similar strength undertakes a series of robberies, while the authorities are determined that only Atom Ant could possibly be the perpetrator. Up and at 'Em may be predictable, and so very, very simple, but it follows what we have see in the series almost to the point of self-parody. Very clean art, imbued with an appropriate sense of fun, the strip's only drawback are the final two panels - one of thich indicates Butch will go to jail, the other freeing him to join the circus once more.

If a script can't decide on a proper conclusion, why should the reader care?

There are green cats in the Top Cat universe? There is a dragon (albeit a paper one) which TC uses to trick Dibble. Not intentionally, of course, but events conspire to see Dibble tasked to night duty after making his report. Secret Squirrel is a touch more ambitious in its storytelling, with the top of the Eiffel Tower having been stolen - and Secret Squirrel is on the case.

I really despise the use of invisible paint as a means of concealing items. It is a lazy and cheap method of introducing invisibility into a story, and doesn't make any sense.

Okay, so Hanna-Barbera shows aren't known for being intelligent, but still...

A string of robberies gives Quick-Draw McGraw trouble, so he sets out in search of a waterhole in the desert where the bandits have been striking from. So often a one-note character, there is nothing here to indicate that Quick-Draw actually has a personality. His cartoons aren't particularly amusing, and the trend for satisfactory-yet-unrewarding stories continues here.

Which is a real shame, as the setting provides for a wealth of amusing incident, not often fully embraced.

Top Cat's machinations turn foul on him when he sets up a telephone agency using Dibble's police telephone. In an escalating sequence of office-changes, TC ends up using the Mayor's office, but when the biggest job imaginable is offered he is too late to take advantage of it.

Although by no means perfect, the strip is good enough to keep a smile on my face - its plot is straight out of The Phil Silvers Show, and the artwork is very attractive.

It is difficult to gauge how well the annual would have appealed on release, with almost all of the featured characters having redesigns and shifts in storytelling over the years. An oddity, for sure, the annual is nevertheless very entertaining.

Billy the Kid Western Annual [1959]

[1958] Annual. Original price 6/.
96 pages. Tone art contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd.

Painted cover by Walt Howarth (signed)

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Billy the Kid Western Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Black Rider of Sunset Pass text story by Tex Bland; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

21 "The Brand of Justice" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: UNKNOWN.

29 The End of Red Mask text story by Hart Cooper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

39 Red Mask "Death at Split Mesa!" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Frank Bolle (signed).

r: Red Mask (Magazine Enterprises) #44 (Oct 1954 - Nov 1954).

45 The Sun Swallower text story by Jay Laurence; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

57 "Double Crossing Bandit!" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: UNKNOWN.

65 The Ransom of Little Bear text story by Dirk Saxon; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

75 Red Mask "The Man Who Rescued Redmask" w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Frank Bolle (signed).

r: Red Mask (Magazine Enterprises) #48 (Mar 1955 - Apr 1955).

81 A Bandit for Breakfast text story by Tex Bland; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

93 Guns of the West illustrated feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

An action-packed - although extremely bright - image of Billy the Kid fending off Indians attempting a stagecoach robbery adorns the cover, against an appropriately immense landscape of jutting mountains. While there are more than enough details present to provide the image with the correct level of authenticity, there is something a little off regarding the scene - perhaps the luminous quality of the image, although the simplicity of the landscape might play a part in undermining the solidity of the scene's credibility.

Billy the Kid Western Annual now looks like a second-string title when compared to other annuals from the company, and the feeling of fading interest in its fortunes continues to play out within its pages. Its endpaper features a cowboy encountering a bear which owes more to Rainbow than any living creature, and its stories display a dramatic decline in any sense of historical authenticity.

Was the stranger Billy the Kid, or wasn't he? If he was, how could he be in two places at once? It was a casual ride out into the hills that eventually led the boys to the answers to these questions.

Although The Black Rider of Sunset Pass has ample opportunity to square the fictional account seen throughout the series with the real Billy the Kid, the risk of muddying the waters with any explanation is abandoned before it even has a chance to answer lingering questions surrounding the identity of the gunslinger we have been following. Could it, perhaps, be a well-intentioned wannabe? An amnesiac who believes himself to be Bonney? Or merely someone using the name for their own ends?

Do not, for one minute, think that this annual will answer such questions.

Young brothers Hank and Steve Mullins are out riding while everyone is busy chasing down Billy the Kid, though as they are without provisions it isn't long before their hunger becomes apparent. Running into the man they believe to be the bandit the whole territory is seeking, they are offered a meal and a place to rest at his camp. During the night they plan to overpower him, though the stranger doesn't seem inclined to sleeping. When Hank and Steve wake in the morning, their new acquaintance has already departed. After checking in at home, the boys go to town, where news of another hold-up is circulating.

Naturally, being Billy the Kid's annual, the raider isn't who you likely suppose it to be.

Brett Sawyer of the "Lazy S" ranch is the most hated foreman in northern Texas. His slave-driving methods are encouraged by his brutal employer, Ed Clarke, now sole owner of the "Lazy S" since his brother Tom had mysteriously disappeared while on a visit to Dodge City with Sawyer twenty years ago. Ed Clarke is also the most powerful figure in the neighbouring town of Yellow Gulch...

After twenty years in jail, after being framed for a murder by his brother, Tom is returning to the ranch for the first time - and looking for old hands who can prove his identity. Billy the Kid, naturally, crosses his path as he makes his way homeward, and it isn't long before he has to step in to save the former ranch owner's life.

Red Mask, replacing The Durango Kid, is a rather uninspiring character, sharing many of his traits with numerous likewise masked cowboy figures, yet without a defining trait to set him apart. Although there has obviously been some energy expended in bringing him to the page, there isn't enough laid out to render events interesting. Who is he? Why is he wearing a red mask? What is the point of his existence?

It is getting difficult to care about the contents when so little groundwork has been done.

[1958]

Billy the Kid
Western Annual

[1960]

Gunsmoke Annual [1964]

[1963] Annual. Original price 8/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring James Arness.

Painted cover by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 4 Indicia

 5 Gunsmoke Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 6 Contents

 7 The Silver Arrow text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

19 The Train Robbery w: Paul S. Newman (uncredited); a: Alberto Giolitti (uncredited), assisted by Giovanni Ticci (uncredited).

r: Gunsmoke (Dell) #19 (Feb 1960 - Mar 1960).

33 The Bounty Hunters text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

38 Bounty Hunter illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

39 Skulduggery w: Paul S. Newman (uncredited); a: Alberto Giolitti (uncredited).

r: Gunsmoke (Dell) #19 (Feb 1960 - Mar 1960).

43 Kitty Kidnapped text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

57 Spurs! illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

58 Gunsmoke Showdown board game; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

60 Stirrups! illustrated feature by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

61 The Perilous Patient w: Paul S. Newman (uncredited); a: Alberto Giolitti (uncredited), assisted by Giovanni Ticci (uncredited).

r: Gunsmoke (Dell) #19 (Feb 1960 - Mar 1960).

73 A Dilemma for Dog text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

83 The Apple of His Eye text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

89 Small Bear Sign of Scorn w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Rex Mason (uncredited).

r: Cheyenne (Dell) #07 (May 1958 - Jul 1958).

93 The Feud text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Gunsmoke (Dell) #19 (Feb 1960 - Mar 1960).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

The moody, dramatic cover, with brooding skies overhead, and Matt Dillon ready with his firearm, really sells the annual. A few gorgeous feature pages, along with a board game, allow some degree of originality to be displayed, and Howarth really comes through with memorable imagery. The endpaper, featuring a stagecoach robbery, is one of the best examples of the type, with superb balance in framing and execution.

Gunsmoke Annual

[1965]