Hi Paul,
Got some news on the Comansi TB set that you introduced (post Oct. 31st) to the blog. I was so fascinated by the set and the box graphics that had to get me one! Only seeing it with my own eyes did I realize the reason for my enthusiasm. Happens so that I am currently viewing the dvd seasons of the great Cold War scifi actioner "The Invaders", which ran in 1967-68 and starred Roy Thinnes as architect David Vincent.
The box graphics of the said Comansi set are of "The Invaders"! (Don't read Spanish so it took me a while)
Los ovnis - The UFO's
Los alienigenas - The Invaders
The text on the box cover copy some lines from the narration of the opening sequence:
Destino: La Tierra - Their destination: The Earth
Mision: Apoderarse de ella - Their purpose: To make it their world
The UFO on the box cover is from the series, and there are some additional pictures on the box sides that draw from it as well. The number of the Comansi set is 107.
Now, the interesting question is whether the set was sold as a merry mix-up of The Invaders and Thunderbirds, or is this one a concocted combination of two different sets. Also the box bottom (underneath the insert diorama) was a surprise because it was made of a box lid of a third Comansi set, simply by turning it inside out and re-stapling it to form a blank box half.
To make matters more interesting, the set I received differed from the one pictured. Instead of Parker figure it featured Brains, the TB5 was white instead of orange and the TB4 (orange/white, seen in two halves) was all-orange. But this I think was quite usual with these cheapo sets.
What a mess! What an adorable carefree combination!
Cheers, Arto
Ps. About "2001" and C21 connection: In Comments Sean made an interesting remark about C21 "handling" the film in the U.K. in 1968. Was that a fact, and in what sense? That might explain why "2001" stills are so prominently featured in the SWORD Annual.
Cheers Arto. Great blog post. Fascinating. I loved the invaders when I was a wee laddie. The opening was 'On a dark road by a lonely diner' or something like that! Great music as well.
Great Invaders/T-birds mash-up! Even in Spanish, 'The Invaders'logo is immediately recognisable.
ReplyDeleteRe the question about Century 21 Merchandising handling 2001, yes, that's a fact. (C21M was responsible for selling many non-Anderson shows in the UK.)
C21 sold the UK licence for the 2001 Orion to Airfix, and also organized tie-in displays of its sister company's Project SWORD toys in the foyers of cinemas showing 2001, something I doubt pleased Stanley Kubrick!
Sean