There were slim pickings at this morning's freezing boot sale but a couple of things did turn up. A Chad Valley Crackshot game and this unusual Century 21 annual called ACTIONGIRL as pictured. There's no mention of Century 21 anywhere else except on the cover. The front and rear inside covers are a collage of photos from the Avengers TV series but there's no link to them anaywhere else in the book. There's a section, which looks like Look and Learn or World of Wonder (suggesting further links with those publications). My favourites bits though are the cooking pages. Bearing in mind this annual is for teenagers I think the meals are really complicated - could today's teenagers knock these up? I've photographed the mixed grill with kidneys! and apricot creme - below. My kinda yummy Seventies grub! If I was ever to do 'Come dine with me' this is what you'd get!
Contrary to popular opinion, Century 21 Publishing could not exist as a commercial entity on the output from the series/films themselves. The same was true of Century 21 Toys, which is why the output expanded and diversified. This book, along with latterday C21 titles such as 'Alphabeat: Who's Who In Pop', 'All About Cars' (In effect, a Corgi Toys Club Annual) and 'Football Mania' are scarcer as they were printed as the company was closed, and did not receive as comprehensive distribution as other titles. It was even rumoured they were pulped, though it seems more likely they trickled into the market as liquidated stock in following years.
ReplyDeleteFascinating Shaqui. I have Football Mania as well. A C21 Monkees annual too. I've seen Alphabeat on Ebay - it has the same spine typeface as Project SWORD (not sure what the typeface is called). I have only come across very few of these more obscure C21 annuals fitting your theory that they 'trickled out'. Wonder if any sales figures for C21toys exist?
ReplyDeleteI very much doubt figures exist on written record but art editor Roger Perry stated the popularity of the group meant the first 'Monkees' annual (of 3) went to reprint before going on sale, clocking up a run of 192,000. There was also a Dutch version of this title, and also the first 'Captain Scarlet' annual.
ReplyDeleteThese books were not technically annuals, although the fact they were printed in May/June 1969 suggests they were intended for the Christmas market that year. There were also storybooks and activity books, some licensed (Topo Gigio, The New Adventures of Huck Finn, etc).
The SWORD/Alphabeat spine font is Compacta, by the way.
ReplyDeleteCheers Shaqui, Compacta! you've got me thinking about graphic artists now. See my post today 'Calling all Graphic Artists'.
ReplyDeletespeak of the devil - "all about cars" just popped up on ebay!
ReplyDeletehttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220580629447&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123
Worth a look. Art editor Roger Perry took most of the photos for this - there's even one of his house in there, I think! Plus, unusually for C21, a few full colour strips by Ron Turner and Malcolm Stokes. On page 42, you can see sub-editors Howard Elson and Linda Wheeway (who contributed a lot of material for 'Action Girl') outside the TV21 offices in May's Court. The guy being chased by the van on page 43 is one of the TV21 layout artists!
ReplyDeleteMore TV21 trivia: The lady doing flower arranging on pages 76-77 of 'Action Girl' is Linda Wheeway again, in (I think) the reception area of the May's Court offices!
ReplyDelete