Aliens Vol.1 #8

Sep 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Cover by Denis Beauvaus.
r: UNKNOWN.

Free poster; illustrated by Dave Dorman (signed).
r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse)

Contents:

 2 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 3 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 4 Aliens Earth War, part two, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Sam Keith, lettering by Pat Brosseau, colouring by Monika Livingstone.

r: Aliens: Earth War (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

15 Humanity's Last Hope Has Returned in 1991 in a Last Ditch Attempt to Save Their Future in-house advertisement for The Terminator Vol.1 #02; illustrated by Chris Warner.

16 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

17 Predator Big Game, part one, w: John Arcudi; p: Evan Dorkin, i: Armando Gil, lettering by Kurt Hathaway, colouring by Julia Lacquement.

r: Predator: Big Game (Dark Horse) #01 (Mar 1991).

32 Aliens in-house advertisement for graphic novels and t-shirts.

33 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

34 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part eight, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau, colouring by Monika Livingston.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

49 Model Kits in-house advertisement.

50 Next Issue! (half page) / Subscriptions (half page)

51 Terminator T-Shirt Offer in-house advertisement.

52 Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis in-house advertisement.

While the grey semi-border makes the cover appear slightly drab, and the title of the comic difficult to easily discern at first glance, the image of the Predator is superb. It is an extremely powerful and immediate image, an effortlessly encourages speculation on the contents. The boast of a poster is, for some reason, in a rather stark white jagged balloon rather than being coloured, lessening the overall effect of its news, and the positioning is awkward in the extreme. Poor layout consideration also applies to the Predator side-box, which uses poorly-cropped art featuring lettering.

I don't expect perfection, merely adequate presentation. The amount of times I have had to stop and look closer at something in a Trident title to see what is going on is unbelievable. Time after time the look is spoiled by some minor, easily-fixable element, and the end product suffers from appearing so (dare I say it) amateurish. To have made this cover far more impressive would have taken ten minutes of light editing.

Earth War continues in stylish fashion, and footage from Earth serves to remind Newt of her childhood is a slightly heavy-handed manner, though is none the poorer for the echo. Keith's artwork ranges from extremely stylised to very real in rapid pace, and although there is definitely a 'look' to the series, I wish he had been more experimental with the layout, pushing the nightmarish elements to the forefront - this is, after all, the end of humanity we are witnessing, and yet there isn't an overriding sense of the futility of defence against the aliens.

A far better Terminator advert, sans low-resolution artwork, manages to make the series (finally) look appealing. Unfortunately it is another B&W ad, which calls into question just what was going on at Trident. Were the colour plates not available, or was this merely a theme the publisher was extending through all their promotions?

Most of Cibola County in New Mexico still looks like a Frederic Remington landscape.

The terrain is wide open and rugged, with very few people around to spoil the view.

Occasionally, however, there are things that disrupt the serene community.

Grants Airport is not too far north from here, so overhead traffic is not uncommon.

Frightened though they are, the locals venture out into the open after only a few minutes -

- and within the hour, things are have returned to normal.

That is, as normal as things will ever be again.

Predator: Big Game can be looked at as a compendium of settings dragged from blockbuster movies: the army base, the small-town diner, vast empty landscapes, all threatened by the arrival of The Outsider. In stories The Outsider is a position taken by invading armies, various kinds of aliens, technological monstrosities, relentless serial killers, or any other force which upsets the regular existence of a populace. Having already established the modus operandi of the Predator, no long introduction is required to explain back-story, getting straight to the drive of the story.

If you think disassembling the story in this manner is a simplification of what is presented, don't worry - this is, against a background of similarly-themed stories, a perfect little machine which ticks along with elegance. It is the Bugatti of story engines, which is why Arcudi's use of it here, with a wonderfully light touch, is so appreciated. While accusations of a generic feel might be warranted in places, he sets up events in such a precise manner that not even the most cynical of readers will fail to appreciate how much craft there is in the telling.

Turned down for a three-day pass, Enoch Nakai goes on anti-aircraft duty with his unit in the wilds of New Mexico.

The many smells of the prairie are like words to Enoch Nakai. Each smell has its own meaning.

As the fragrance of loam means fertile soil, and the scent of a hare means food -

An unfamiliar smell almost always means danger.

Stopping the tank upon which he is travelling, Enoch points to a tree which he claims is host to something unfamiliar. Investigating, his colleague is immediately killed by the hidden Predator, and only Enoch's fast reflexes save his skin. Running for assistance he encounters a passing jeep, which takes him to Sergeant Coates and Colonel Athelry, who are in command of transporting the alien ship away from its landing point, and he informs them of the occupant's actions.

Stock story elements are not a bad thing. Using familiar storytelling techniques draws the reader in to a tale of a rogue Predator hunting a military unit down one by one, and the art - using enough recognisable detail to sell the realism of the location - is able to convincingly locate the story in a time and place. I really do love this story, and, although there are pieces of its story which feel slightly out of position due to the truncated reprint format, it works magnificently.

Machiko flees as the Predator and aliens go after one another, and manages to get back to the secured area to warn the others.

#07

Aliens Vol.1

#09

Aliens Vol.1 #7

Aug 1991. Cover price £1.50.
52 pages. Colour & B&W.
Trident Comics, Ltd.

Edited by Martin Skidmore.

Cover by Denis Beauvaus.
r: Aliens (Dark Horse) #01 (Aug 1989)

Contents:

 2 Contents / Title Credits / Indicia

 3 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

 4 Aliens Earth War, part one, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Sam Keith, lettering by Jim Massara, colouring by Monika Livingstone.

r: Aliens: Earth War (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

28 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

29 Predator The Heat, part seven, w: Mark Verheiden; a: Chris Warner, lettering by David Jackson, colouring by Chris Chalenor.

r: Predator #02 (Jun 1989).

39 Credits / Story So Far text introduction (uncredited).

40 Aliens Vs Predator Untitled, part seven, w: Randy Stradley; p: Phil Norwood, i: Karl Story, lettering by Pat Brosseau.

r: Aliens Vs Predator (Dark Horse) #01 (Jun 1990).

49 Subscriptions (half page) / The Sheffield Space Centre (quarter page) advertisement. / Model Aerodrome Limited Presents (quarter page) advertisement for Halcyon Aliens figure.

50 The Terminator in-house advertisement for #01.

51 Cheap Mail Order advertisement for Planet X.

52 Aliens in-house advertisement for graphic novels and t-shirts.

Another wonderful cover marred by a poor notice placed over the art, this time promoting Earth War. While the title has every reason to bring attention to the story, the manner in which they do so lacks a style and flourish which the strip deserves. A visually stunning piece of horror fantasy which relishes its darkness, Sam Keith really pushes layouts and form to create a feast for the eyes.

Planet LV-426 - Acheron Terraforming Colony.

When I was young, I knew a little girl named Rebecca, Her friends called her Newt.

She had a doll named Casey. The two would stare for hours as manmade storms battered their tiny settlement.

The adult colonists found their new environment cruel and unrelenting, but the little girl had known nothing else. To her, the planet was home.

She only wanted what all children want -

- the warmth and security of family -

- the human connectedness that comes from belonging.

What she got was a nightmare without end.

As anyone who has seen Aliens can attest, Newt is tough. She survived in the alien-infested colony on her own, so that gives credence to her strength of character. Highlighting the fact that she would treat the colony as her home, accepting the harsh conditions there, is a clever way of preparing the reader for what is to come. What is more surprising, though understandable, is the hatred which she holds against Ripley for abandoning her. The addition to the film's conclusion, with Ripley being woken after three days in cryo by Captain Hankerson - who has been travelling in a second ship - is a rather clever way of getting more mileage out of LV-426.

Ripley is shocked when told footage from Kane's helmet still exists:

"The inboard suit recorders logged everything. The Nostromo's android dumped the data into the escape pod's computer long before you slagged him and blew the main ship."

Interested in the navigator, or pilot, which Kane discovered in the destroyed ship, Hankerson wants Ripley to accompany him to the planet to act as a guide, and to provide reliable first-hand information. Threatening to wake up Hicks or Newt if she declines, Ripley is forced to return to the LV-426 with another team of marines.

Keith's style takes some getting used to, especially when he uses more abstract techniques. Beautiful, mad, and quite amusing in places, he breathes life into the story, providing a visual counterpoint to the script's leaps of logic.

The Predators are not happy. Which might be an understatement, as they start firing on people gathered on the streets. It is only when Schaefer targets the fire hydrants that he is able to level the playing field.

Schaefer has no love for the city, his job, or even the people - so why the hell did he do it?

When it was all over, would anyone even care? Or would they turn bac to their televisions, pleased that their reception had finally cleared up -

Then I remembered what he'd said about the beast - the beast in all of us.

"Maybe the hunt is their way of keeping the beast alive"

- maybe this war was Schaefer's way of doing the same.

Mirroring protagonists with their antagonists is an old trick, though Verheiden's script is more explicit in showing the similarities than most would be comfortable with. Having previously set up the hunting background, with flashbacks, the scene doesn't jump out as being out of place, but it certainly makes the reader take notice. This hero of ours, we see, is far from heroic.

Which, given the enemy he is going up against, is probably for the best.

The Sheldon boy crashes his vehicle into a wall, bringing assistance from those investigating the unconscious Predator. The boy explains that his mother and father were killed by monsters, and when he sees the captive alien identifies it as the same species. A meeting is called after the Sheldon ranch is checked, and preparations are made for what is being considered an invasion.

Few of the ranchers had weapons or their own, and the corporate armory consisted of fifteen scatter-guns - primarily for use against fire-crawlers and briar-wolves - and ten pistols earmarked for a police force the town had never needed.

Prosperity Wells was never intended to be a fortress, but the ranchers, under Hiroki's direction, set up an admirable line of defense.

The final three pages are a masterclass in creating tension, with the aliens and Predators stepping up their sport, with Machiko stuck in the middle. The stacking of containers is reminiscent of old westerns, where the wagons are dragged into a circle, further elaborating on themes which have run through the story. As happy that I am about the threat aboard the Lector finally paying off, I do have to wonder - what have the aliens been up to all this time?

On second thoughts, I probably don't want to know...

The Terminator advert at the back of the issue is incredibly pixelated, and so stylised that it doesn't represent the eventual cover repro at all. Adverts this bad should be dropped, rather than negatively influence potential readers.

#06

Aliens Vol.1

#08

Dracula #5

May 1993. £1.25.
40 pages. Full colour & B&W.
Dark Horse Comics International

Edited by Dick Hansom.

Cover by Mike Mignola.
r: cover from Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #04 (Jan 1993).

Contents:

 2 Dracula Introduction text (uncredited) / Contents / Indicia

 3 Bram Stoker's Dracula, part five, w: Roy Thomas; p: Mike Mignola, i: John Nyberg, lettering by John Costanza, colouring by Mark Chiarello.

r: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Topps) #4 (Jan 1993).

20 Bloodlines text feature compiled by Dave Hughes.

22 Vampirella - What Has Gone Before text introduction; illustrated by Mike Kaluta.

23 Vampirella Who Serves the Cause of Chaos?, part two, w: Archie Goodwin; a: Tom Sutton.

r: Vampirella (Warren) #08 (Nov 1970).

30 Transmission Vamp text feature by Adrian Rigelsford.

32 Werewolf! w: Larry Ivie; a: Frank Frazetta, lettering by Ben Oda.

r: Creepy (Warren) #01 (1964).

38 Positive Blood Type reviews of vampire books by Seamus Ryan.

39 Subscribe - Comics for the '90s (half page) in-house advertisement. / Exclusive Fangtastic Offer (half page) advertisement for Studio Three Jewellery Design.

40 Timeless Terror From Dark Horse in-house advertisement

Note: There is more information about the Werewolf strip at DocDave's Frazetta blog.

Mignola's depiction of the beastial Dracula is grotesque and eye-catching, capturing the film's design ethos perfectly, and making the cover really stand out. The cover lines, when placed upon such a strong image, are rather inconsequential - not to mention being extremely difficult to read.

From Jonathan Harker's journal: 2 October

We left London by train and crossed the English channel that night in stormy seas, no doubt from the passage of the Count's ship. He commands the winds, but we still have the advantage. By train, we can reach the Romanian port at Varna in three days. By ship, it will take him at least a week. From Paris, we traveled through the Alps to Buda-Pest. The Count must sail around the Rock of Gibraltar, where we have posted a look-out, and then on to the Black Sea port at Varna where we will meet his ship and burn it into the sea.

Ending with a rather downbeat, and very dark, installment, the strip follows every other adaptation in condensing the journey to Dracula's castle into as brief a space as possible. It is annoying that the colouring is so suddenly dark as the small band rushes to stop Dracula, as it appears to already be night - "We've got to kill him before the sun sets!" seems, therefore, to be a misplaced line. Its closing pages hammer home the differences here than in other adaptations of the novel, with a tearful Mina delivering the killing blow to the vampire.

"We want no proofs. We ask none to believe us. God be thanked that all has not been in vain - the curse has passed away."

Bloodlines further elaborates on the cinematic success of the film, and offers up ten copies of Redemption's videocassette release of >The Vampire Bat in a competition. A less impressive product given coverage is Scarlett, an attempt by DC Comics to attract the horror crowd - Tom Joyner and Keith S. Wilson's opening issue might have had interesting moments, but quickly faltered, though the piece is strangely quiet on the comic's contents.

Vampirella arrives at a scene of worship, with the cult members in full chant. Attacked by the monster she had seen before, Vampirella defends herself - and makes her presence known, drawing the cult members down on her in force. Chained to an altar, it seems that she will be given as a sacrifice to Nuberus, though Tyler steps in to prevent her death. He admits that his real name is Ethan Shroud, warlock of Old Salem, and first leader of the Companions of Chaos, and professes his love for Vapirella, for which she rebuffs him. The real Tyler returns to life to drag Ethan into the limbo from which he has ventured, and the Crimson Chronicles, which the cult used in their ceremonies, burns...

Dragging out the Van Helsing subplot with a single page of plot development is a touch luxuriant, especially when the strips are being dragged out here, but with such accomplished artwork there is little to gripe about. I have a soft spot for the character, having read through stacks of the Warren originals (back when they could be picked up for 50p each), and it is a joy to see them get another chance to shine here.

The 1977 Louis Jourdan-starring Dracula gets coverage in Transmission Vamp, with some amusing observations from Adrian Rigelsford:

With the current tidal wave of interest in all things Dracula-related, it would seem an ideal time to dig up this Count, but, alas, this does not look like it will ever happen. Apart from the odd clip turning up now and again (and a recent screening at the National Film Theatre), the long-requested release of the production on the retail video market seems [as] unlikely as it has for the past ten years or so, with clearance and rights ownership causing endless problems.

It would turn up on the fifth of April, 1993 on BBC Two, while this issue was still on the shelves. As amusing as it would be to imagine the BBC broadcasting the show deliberately, it is an odd coincidence.

Positive Blood Type (the puns, they keep coming) tackles Anne Billson's Suckers, Poppy Z. Brite's Lost Souls, and The Ultimate Dracula anthology from Dell, with remarkable restraint. Laying off the awful vampire puns altogether would have endeared me more, as it reeks of trashy US horror magazines of the seventies, not one of which retains anything remotely close to charm. Of the books listed, The Ultimate Dracula, with a P.J. Farmer story, sounds the most interesting.

#04

Dracula

#06

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]

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]

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]

Land of the Giants Annual [1970]

[1969] Annual. Original price 12/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Limited.

Based on the US television series starring Gary Conway.

Cover photos (uncredited).
r: partial cover from Land of the Giants (Gold Key) #01 (Nov 1968).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED illustration by UNKNOWN (uncredited). / Indicia

 3 Land of the Giants Annual title page. / Contents

 4 Crash into the Unknown text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

10 The Name's the Same quiz; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

11 The Happy Return text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

17 Giants of Earth text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

19 Other Days: Other Giants text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

23 The Bigger They Are text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

25 The Toy Trap text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

32 Star Facts text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

33 The Mini-Criminals, part one, The Power Seekers w: Dick Wood (uncredited); p: Ted Galindo (uncredited), i: Tom Gill (uncredited).

r: Land of the Giants (Gold Key) #01 (Nov 1968).

47 Barry and the Bank Robbers text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

53 The Mini-Criminals, part two, The Torch is Lit w: Dick Wood (uncredited); p: Ted Galindo (uncredited), i: Tom Gill (uncredited).

r: Land of the Giants (Gold Key) #01 (Nov 1968).

65 All About Giants quiz; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

66 The Lost One text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

72 Man Made Monsters text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

73 The Bargain text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

80 Points of View text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

81 Nightmare in Giantland text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

86 Terror in the Woods! board game; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

88 The Mini-Spies text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 The Giant One text feature by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Young Barry Lockridge was the first to come to his senses after that tearing shock on the edge of space, when the sun seemed to increase its size twelve times, then fade into blackness, which slid into the greyness of oblivion. Chipper, his dog, was by his side when he recovered, and the dog was whining frantically. Barry stared round the large cabin.
   Sub-orbital spaceliner Flight 703, from Los Angeles to London, would have brought tears to the eyes of her designers. In a word, she was a mess! Many of the fabulous instruments were smashed; the walnut trim of the room was ripped apart in places, and the unconscious figures of crew and passengers were sprawled in every direction. Barry scrambled to his feet in sudden panic.

Retelling the series' pilot episode in speedy fashion, Crash into the Unknown gets across the central premise without attempting to rationalise events, and it is all the better for its haste - with the television series explaining events remarkably well, there is little reason for the recap other than giving readers a reminder of what has gone before. The set-up really could have been handled with a page-long summary, but this feels as if some energy has gone into fleshing out the moments after crash.

With the Spindrift at the bottom of an ornamental pool, Steve is concerned about the cabin pressure and air purifiers, taking the ship up and out of the water and up into the night. The hopes of some that this might get them back on course is quickly refuted:

"I'm afraid we are a long, long way from London, Mark," said Steve, in a level voice. "We are not even in the same dimension! This world of the giants is in an entirely different universe from ours. We have about one chance in ten thousand million of getting back home!"

Landing the craft on a flat roof so that the crew and passengers can get outside without having to dodge over-sized wildlife, to boost morale, and while considering their options Steve decides to return to the broken window in the laboratory to get back to Earth. When the ship returns, however, the way into the room is blocked...

Giants of Earth covers terrestrial monsters such as the Seward Glacier in Alaska, the Giant's Causeway in Ireland, Yellowstone Park, the Sahara, and Ayers Rock in Australia. While the geography lesson is handled intelligently, the sense of scale isn't as clear as it could have been - we are told that these are large, yet the immensity isn't articulated in a manner which is easy to grasp. Large numbers are thrown around - the Amazon is 3,900 miles long - but without a human-scale to compare such vast distances it loses some of the potential impact.

Accompanying this is Other Days: Other Giants, which concerns itself with dinosaurs. In specific, the Brachiosaurus, Allosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Titanotherium, Plesiosaurs, Ichthyosaurs, and the Mammoth. One can only wonder what the author would have made of the Alamosaurus or Argentinosaurus. Sizes are given in feet, rather than being described as X number of London buses long, which is (as any child knows) the proper way such measurements are meant to be given. When dates are presented ("one hundred million years ago") the sheer scale of the timeline is ignored.

Having some indication of humanity's existence in comparison makes timescales more impressive. Instead of presenting yet more impressive facts (going bigger, as it were), the next feature, The Bigger They Are, falls back on "David and Goliath" battles. Ho, and indeed, hum.

The Toy Trap uses toys as comparison to the stranded humans, in a plot which must have taken all of ten minutes to think up, and which doesn't fulfill anything near its potential. While using toys as a means of making the size difference concrete in readers minds, the lack of originality, combined with a sense of the story being provided merely to fill pages, makes it a difficult story to like.

Star Facts, albeit a single page, finally gets to real immensity. Although the handful of facts presented are interesting, the piecemeal manner in which the page is presented detracts from what ought to have been the real treat. There is, despite all this, a small concession to the younger readers.

Imagine an Earth forty feet in diameter. The moon would be ten feet across and a quarter of a mile away. The farthest planet, Pluto, would be only twenty feet across but would be 3,600 miles from Earth.

Oh, for the days when Pluto was still a planet...

The comic strip, reprinted from the US series, is a strangely muted affair, with artwork which doesn't capture enough drama within its images. Too bright, and with stiff poses, it is a real disappointment.

Barry goes investigating in Barry and the Bank Robbers, discovering a hatch which leads to the interior of a building. Far too relaxed in its telling, there isn't any sense that imminent death awaits the curious child, and without this tension hanging in the air there isn't much that the author can do to engage interest beyond describing the scale of the environment.

We get it. Everything is twelve times the size.

I'm impressed with the All About Giants quiz, which treats readers more intelligently than the prose thus far:

1. Who was the owner of Doubting Castle in John Bunyan's book Pilgrim's Progress?

9. Can you name the demon giant of Hindu mythology reputed to have ten faces?

Escaping from a cat, Valerie and Betty encounter Tuftian Spicer, an Earthman who is the only survivor of a team of space explorers who set out from Earth in 1954. He has been living in a rabbit hole all this time, and might know where there exists a power source capable of getting them off-planet and back to Earth, though he is hesitant to reveal the location as he might be left behind.

I know this is based on an Irwin Allen show, but there really should have been someone involved in the annual with a smidgen of knowledge about history.

Man Made Monsters, as with the other features, picks out a handful of large constructions, though the choice of items is, to say the least, eccentric.

Perhaps sensing that comparisons to Gulliver's Travels might be raised by readers regardless, Points of View tackles the novel head-on. Unfortunately the text is more interested with Land of the Giants, and most of the piece isn't actually about the novel at all. It begs the question of how this annual can simultaneously be so intelligent and so idiotic at the same time - had a little more care been taken in picking out important facts about the book, World might have pushed readers into hunting down a copy.

And there is no mention, while on the subject of literature, of Mary Norton's The Borrowers series.

Terror in the Woods is one of the poorest board games in any World annual, with wonky lettering, lurid colouring, and an unnecessarily complex layout. Some of the imagery is, as expected, rather good, though the presentation falls down when examined closely. It is a shame that something as simple as a game feature can't be delivered properly.

Closing with a feature on the blue whale, this annual presents a lingering feeling that there really wasn't a great deal of heart put into this. There are good aspects here, but so buried under the presentation that one has to work somewhat to find enjoyable material. Missing entirely are features on the cast of the series, despite cover photographs displaying the actors. While the annual is sloppy, it is also very, very close to being a great tie-in, with most of the elements in place for a top notch read. How they were fitted in remains the problem.

Disappointing.

Land of the
Giants Annual

[1971]

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.

Television Favourites Comic Annual [1958]

[1957] Annual. Original price 7/6.
96 pages. Full colour & tone contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd.

Cover by Walt Howarth (signed).

Contents:

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

 4 Indicia

 5 Television Favourites Comic Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 6 Contents

 7 The Lone Ranger The Navajo Trail w: Paul S. Newman; a: Tom Gill.

r: The Lone Ranger (Dell) #50 (Aug 1952).

17 Gunsmoke The Confessed Killer w: Eric Frewald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Jim McDonald, lettering by Ben Oda.

r: Four Color (Dell) #797 [Gunsmoke] (May 1957).

33 Roy Rogers and Trigger The Clue of the Cryptic Key w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Roy Rogers and Trigger (Dell) #122 (Feb 1958).

43 M-G-M's Lassie Message of Mercy w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Ralph Mayo (uncredited).

r: M-G-M's Lassie (Dell) #25 (Nov 1955 - Dec 1955).

50 Thoroughbred text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: M-G-M's Lassie (Dell) #25 (Nov 1955 - Dec 1955).

51 Rin Tin Tin Mirage w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Sparky Moore (uncredited).

r: Rin Tin Tin (Dell) #18 (Apr 1957 - May 1957).

63 Cowpuncher's Crossword (half page).

64 Rex Allen The Man Hunters w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Nicholas Firfires (uncredited).

r: Rex Allen (Dell) #25 (Jun 1957 - Aug 1957).

76 The Trail of Crafty Joe text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Rin Tin Tin (Dell) #18 (Apr 1957 - May 1957).

77 The Flying A's Range Rider The Clay Horse w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Bill Ziegler (uncredited).

r: The Flying A's Range Rider (Dell) #20 (Dec 1957 - Feb 1958).

87 The Telltale Roan text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Roy Rogers and Trigger (Dell) #122 (Feb 1958).

88 Silver Silver and the Wild Goose w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: The Lone Ranger's Famous Horse Hi-Yo Silver (Dell) #18 (Apr 1956 - Jun 1956).

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

A perfect depiction of the Lone Ranger, Matt Dillon, and associates, Howarth's covers continue to display uncanny likenesses. There is much within the pages of this annual to enjoy, and as it is once more a compilation of strips the sense of getting value for money remains - while it would have been nice to see some kind of crossover text piece there is enough variety to compensate for a lack of originated material. The endpaper is unusual in breaking the illusion of the western, with a scene of a film crew apparently shooting an episode of one of the featured series. Small touches such as this really keep the title from becoming stale.

A few miles south of Fort Kean, the Lone Ranger and Tonto ride in search of the raiding Apache terrorists...

Having found the Apaches, the duo accidentally make their presence known, forcing them to flee from the overwhelming odds. At Fort Kean Dick Carlyle enquires as to his father, who recently moved to the area to live with the Navajo. His father, a famous and wealthy artist, is going blind, although a cure for the man's condition is available if he can be found in time. Told that it is a bad time to mount a search, as the threat of Apache hostilities is ever-present, he begins his hunt at his uncle Mort's ranch. The next morning he rides out with a scout who has informed him of the artist's location, though Mort arranges for the Apache to kill Dick so that he can claim the inheritance.

With a plot arranged slightly too neatly, things fall into place with the precision of a clock, and the story suffers from an easy resolution - the Apaches are prevented from carrying out their massacre, the artist's eyesight is restored, and Mort and his cronies are rounded up, leaving no loose ends or lingering questions to maintain an interest beyond the story's immediate concerns. Characters such as the Lone Ranger, not tied to a specific location, tend to feel as if they are isolated from the consequences of their actions, with each story starting afresh. Having at least the illusion of an ongoing narrative can mitigate some of the difficulties this can present, though no such continuity is to be found here.

As Matt Dillon spurs south from Dodge along the deep-rutted stage road, a shot rings out. Quickly disarming the lone attacker, he learns that the man believed Dillon was after him. Greg Thorne rapidly confesses to the robbery, and is taken into custody. Kitty overhears men talking about Greg's father Ted being near Willow Falls, and as he was on the stage coach when it was robbed Dillon goes after him, despite Greg's insistence that he was operating on his own. When Dillon finds Tad, the man admits to robbing the stage, though without Greg's knowledge. Having two incompatible confessions, Dillon believes neither man to have committed the crime.

A funeral is arranged for Tad, supposedly killed in an alteration with Dillon, and rumours about the questionable nature of the funeral are leaked to ensure that the real robbers are in attendance.

A nicely-tuned little engine of a plot, with enough questions to keep things moving along in splendid fashion. While the colouring leaves something to be desired, there is detailed art to keep events grounded, and some very real moments. One might argue that having everything wrapped up so neatly, once more, is a mark against the story's credibility, but it is charming enough a tale to weather any criticism. As I've continually noted, shooting guns out of hands is ridiculous, but I'll let this instance slide.

When Roy Rogers rides into Yucca Flats to visit Bill Powers, the newly-appointed Sheriff, he comes across a robbery - Mr. Gaines, of the Express office, coming round after being knocked out by the robbers, states that the mining company's payroll has been taken. Roy and Bill ride out to pic up the trail of the fleeing thieves, though merely encounter a pair of cowhands for the Lazy Y spread. Returning to the Express office to see if there is anything they have overlooked, Roy discovers a clue which might save them a lot of work in bringing those responsible to justice.

Another frustratingly clear-cut tale, with all matters restored to rights in a brief page count, though blessed with some of the most action-packed images seen in the character's adventures, courtesy of Alex Toth. Looking far better than the story really deserves, there are numerous small details sprinkled through the adventure which add to something greater than the sum of its parts. Gaines - the name of the 'victim' - can be looked at as a dig at a certain publisher, and the date seen in the office is enough to raise a smile. Highly amusing stuff.

The problems I have with Rin Tin Tin are exaggerated, multiplied, and elaborated by Lassie, without the meagre concessions to reality which the former sometimes allows for. Can a dog really be more intelligent than the majority of humans? I'm going to come down solidly on the negative, and ignore the contents of the story. Unfortunately, the annual moves straight into a Rin Tin Tin strip.

Am I allowed to say that this is a "shaggy dog story?"

While I don't have a problem with series focusing on children, the fact that Rusty is allowed so much freedom rings slightly untrue - while the era in which the story takes place might have seen such autonomy in a young boy, his adventures would likely have had him confined to safer pursuits, or supervised so that such events don't reoccur. The plot used here is, surprisingly, intelligently handled, though one ought not to take this as meaning the story makes sense beyond the confines of the world inhabited by Rin Tin Tin.

Rex Allen discovers a man attempting to shoot Sheriff Bill Boone, and though the murder attempt is prevented the man makes his escape. The Sheriff tells Rex that he is taking Pug Blake from Arroyo Jail to Statesville Prison for safe keeping, Pug's gang having held up the overland stage two nights previous, killing the driver and Express company guard. Rex decides to ride with the Sheriff to ensure further attempts to pervert the course of justice as prevented. During the night Pug's men free him, stealing Rex's steed along with the other horses.

The Rex Allen stories are often a treat, and The Man Hunters is no exception. Even the coda, with a reprise of the story's opening, is great, and follows on from matters mentioned during the course of the story. I'm even warming to Koko, despite not being particularly fond of supernaturally-intelligent animals. That the narrative is so grounded in reality is a wonderful way to keep from falling into the traps so often stumbled into by lesser titles.

The Range Rider stories are beginning to feel like poor relations to better-known strips, and although there is some superb illustrative techniques on display, the story doesn't feel as if it is living up to its potential. I do appreciate the inclusion of geological quirks, and human error, in setting up events, though so much more could have been done to exploit the ideas raised.

A nature story, utilising Silver, concludes the annual - I have mixed feelings about this edition, with its highs and lows being so pronounced, though am likely, if challenged, to state that the benefits outweigh the negatives.

[1957]

Television Favourites Comic Annual

[1959]

Tenderfoot Annual [1961]

[1960] 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).

Contents:

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

 4 Indicia

 5 Tenderfoot Annual title page; illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited), based on promotional photograph.

 6 Contents illustrated by Walt Howarth (uncredited).

 7 A Dollar's Worth of Law w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1059 [Sugarfoot] (Nov 1959 - Jan 1960).

19 The Stallion Trail w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #992 [Sugarfoot] (May 1959 - Jul 1959).

41 Eye Witness w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited); a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #907 [Sugarfoot] (May 1958).

53 Delayed Justice w: UNKNOWN (uncredited); a: Nat Edson (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #1059 [Sugarfoot] (Nov 1959 - Jan 1960).

73 Brannigan's Boots w: Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer (uncredited), based on the teleplay by Devery Freeman, based on the teleplay by Fran Davis & Winston Miller, based on the magazine story by Michael Fessier; a: Alex Toth (uncredited).

r: Four Color (Dell) #907 [Sugarfoot] (May 1958).

93 Avalanche Trap text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

r: Cheyenne (Dell) #11 (May 1959 - Jul 1959).

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

There's a great look to the first Tenderfoot Annual edition, capturing the likeness of Will Hutchins wonderfully. The background is, in a nice touch, extremely detailed, proving that World Distributors could deliver with truly outstanding presentation when in possession of a property which really captured the imaginations of their artists.

Jake Perkins follows Tom out of Sand Ridge to ask him for help, giving the Tenderfoot his lucky silver dollar in exchange for getting his mine back from the men who stole it - telling Tom that he never learned to read, Jake has no idea what the men got him to sign. Agreeing to see the men, so he can understand the facts in the case, Tom returns to the Boulder Canyon mine with Jake.

Although sympathetic to Jake's plight, it seems that the men's claim to the mine is legally sound, albeit a morally dubious claim. After a scuffle with the mine's new owners, Tom and Jake leave. When they are discussing matters Tom is suddenly re-energised, and he drags Jake with him to the Carson Assay Office, in the next county, much to the surprise (and confusion) of the old miner.

A wonderfully clever story, hinging on points of law to bring its conclusion to a satisfactory resolution, A Dollar's Worth of Law is a fantastic piece of scripting, with a clear problem for Tom to solve. The art is stylish enough to compensate for the rather spartan pages - there are numerous panels devoid of background detail, differentiated by a selection of random colours. It isn't so much of a problem to detract from the sheer joy, or the audacity, of the story.

Early one morning in the foothills of New Mexico, a group of horse hunters wait, as their leader watches a figure in the valley.

Tom rides through the valley, entirely unaware of eyes on him. The men descend to greet him, and tell the Tenderfoot that the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are private property. Tom explains that he is trailing wild horses, and they invite him to work with them in tracking the herd down. Promising Tom the black stallion he has his eye on, they finally locate the herd. When Emmett Clark breaks his word about the stallion, Tom rides off.

During the night Lon, who has become friends with Tom, steals the horse away from Emmett, and sells the horse to a dealer in town for two hundred dollars. Lon hands over one hundred and fifty to Tom, and tells him where to find Mr. Tate, the horse's new owner. Agreeing to work off the horse's cost, Tom begins work at Tate's ranch. The July 4th Jamboree provides the perfect opportunity to see how Diablo runs, in the Gala Horse Race. Tate asks Tom to ride for him, against Emmett Clark's horse Texas Boy.

Concluding in a bittersweet manner, which is both appropriate and rather sweet, The Stallion Trail is wonderfully detailed throughout, maintaining its sense of location in small ways. Although there are still some shortcuts taken, such as blank backgrounds, there are enough elaborately constructed scenes to make up for any of lightly fashioned pieces.

Eye Witness sees a rider named Tate Mason accompany Tom as he rides into Bonanza. Mason explains that he saw Notch Coberley kill Chips McKay, the man whose job he is assuming, and that the trial is taking place on the next day. As they continue their journey several shots ring out, and it seems Coberley's men have set to killing Mason. Tom and Tate come up with a plan to get away from the criminals, though Tate isn't as lucky as Tom...

The aspiring lawyer gets a lesson in the law, in a tale which doesn't quite manage to convince on its legal footing. If a single witness wasn't present, it seems unlikely that the entire case would be summarily dismissed, and there isn't a credible reason why Coberley's men didn't simply kill Tate rather than waylay him. More explanation of the muddied plot points could have eased any concerns about the leaps in logic which have to be vaulted.

This is the territorial prison at Yuma, Arizona. The most notorious prison in Western history. Many of the worst desperados of the time were confined here... And many tried to escape... But few made it. This is the story of two men who did escape...

Pike and Len Hobson, lifers who have ended up in the prison due to robbery and murder, manage to escape into the Colorado river where they swim for freedom. Someone fires at Tom as he rides into San Carlos, and when he informs the Sheriff about the shooting is told that the Hobson brothers robbed a bank around the time they rode with Tom. That night, when Tom is in bed, the brothers slip into his hotel room and tell Tom that he can clear their name.

A case of mistaken identity which doesn't hinge on lookalikes is always to be applauded, and the intelligent manner in which the case is laid forth makes for a refreshing read. It isn't perfect, with Tom's account being believed a little too readily, but for such a brief strip this manages to impress.

Annoyingly, Brannigan's Boots, the strip adaptation of the pilot episode, is the final strip to be collected here. It doesn't really make sense for such sloppy placement to go unnoticed, and one must conclude that the decision was deliberate.

Tom Brewster rides into Bluerock... A small town obviously throbbing with election-day excitement...

Barney Turlock, the presiding Mayor, has taken office once more, with 429 votes to Joe Downey's 201 and Paul Evans' 123, the runners-up acting as the Mayor's Aldermen. As part of the celebrations a horse race is arranged, an entry fee of five dollars bringing the winner one hundred dollars, which TOm is eager to take. Turlock waives the entry fee for Tom, and he starts strongly but is thrown at the finish line - despite this, the race is declared a tie with Katie Brannigan. As a tie-breaker, a shooting contest is prepared. Although the loser, Tom is offered the job of Sheriff of Bluerock - earning him a hundred dollars a month.

The stagecoach carrying the town's mail - along with Tom's latest exam for his correspondence course - is robbed, leaving Tom with little option but to take the job. The first bit of business Tom tackles is the murder of Katie's father, the previous Sheriff, and he soon narrows the list of suspects to two men.

Exquisitely drawn, and with enough internal logic to make for a satisfying read, this is the annual's finest moment, which makes its placement at the back of the book a complete mystery. Indeed, there isn't a faltering step taken anywhere. The inclusion of Billy the Kid, as incentive for people to comply with Turlock's will, seems a tad less imaginative than other incidents, but it works to the advantage of displaying Tom's use of his brains over his fists. Or, indeed, his guns.

A brilliant collection of strips from a fantastic television series.

Tenderfoot Annual

[1962]