Last year I wrote to the publisher of the TV21 strip re-print books asking the question whether they might consider re-printing the SWORD strips? The answer was essentially no, quoting insurmountable copyright issues as the likely barrier. Undeterred I then asked another popular outlet if they might consider publishing the collected SWORD strips but again it wasn't a successful idea.
So, as it would appear that they are unlikely to be re-printed any time soon, would it be right and proper to consider posting them here as we did with the earlier SOLO strips? Readers' views would be welcomed especially regarding copyright, access to scanned strips [I only have a few!] and any other comments.
PS. The SWORD TV21 strip began on the 6th April!
gets my vote - blog away!
ReplyDeleteI for one would love to see them all. I've got a couple of original TV21's . I not sure how we'd stand on the copyright thing though. The insurmountable bit sounds like more than one party own the Sword rights : (
ReplyDelete(begins making a cake with a file in it ...)
ReplyDeleteThat bad eh, Toad? Do you think we need some expert advice?
ReplyDeleteNot sure about this. Project Sword was an off shoot product of Century 21 Merchandising, which began when they acquired a line of science fiction based plastic toys, centred round the 1960s Space program and manufactured in Hong Kong, under the product name "Project SWORD". Project Sword was featured in two to separate comic strips "Solo and later TV21 in written formate and with one captivating illustration to set the scene.
ReplyDeleteThe only Anderson craft made by the company was a model of Zero-X, which was featured in the 1966 film Thunderbirds are Go. By 1970 Century 21 Was liquidated. So technically, with the company gone who actually owns the copyright?
John
Interesting John. I think since this was written we've established that the Project SWORD Brand and the strips is still owned by Century 21 Toys and as such Jamie Anderson now.
DeleteHi Woodsy, Thanks for reply. I'm still unsure who created Project Sword.It had previously been featured in Solo comic as a comic strip. Neither Solo or TV21 makes any mention of Gerry Anderson as the creator. So,I would like to see some definitive proof, to lay this "ghost to rest"..
ReplyDeleteRegards John
Hi John, the creators in SOLO are a mystery but GACCH may interest you. Its an old site now only on the Wayback machine alas. It covers all the strips. https://web.archive.org/web/20160306100749/http://www.technodelic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk:80/Upload02/ProjectSWORD01.htm the Tv21 strips are covered in a seperate page there https://web.archive.org/web/20160306083002/http://www.technodelic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk:80/Upload03/ProjectSWORD02.htm
DeleteFrom my own research many of the vehicle designs were Eric Eden's, NASA's and a few other artists in TV21.
The owners appear to have always been Century 21 Toys as that appears below all the strips in the comics and on the toy boxes themselves. Even the new SWORD stories in the last two 'new' TV21 style mags have had Century 21 Toys below them I think.