UFO -TOO OLD AT 32

Gerry Anderson's UFO is certainly a favourite of mine and when I first saw television adverts during the early part of 1971 advertising a new weekly comic called Countdown I was over the Moon. Not least because the ads for it showed Shado Interceptors blasting a Ufo, the first time I'd seen action from the series as UFO was yet to be broadcast in my TV region, Granada.

The first issue featured a slightly disappointing complete story drawn in black and white by Jon Davis, but a centre spread showing SHADO's defences more than made up for it.

However it was the full colour  UFO story strips that appeared in the followiing weeks drawn by Gerry Haylock that I have the fondest memories of.

I've chosen the second colour strip, 'Too Old At 32',  in which Interceptor pilot, Frank Harris' future is in doubt due to his age.  I like the way Gerry Haylock  did the odd splash panel showing a sense of  isolation on the Lunar surface and  imaginary which is obviously reminiscent of the UFO episode, 'Survival'.
 

The final instalment shows an alien missile which Gerry Haylock appears to have based  on Dan Dare's spaceship, Anastasia!