Throw Down Your SWORD

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!

Top Trumps Redux

Just to illustrate the mechanics of the Top Trumps game for the uninitiated! Heres a mocked up TT card for the Scramble Bug. For those who have never played it, TT is basically a card game based on different score values for each vehicle. Every set of cards has a series of different values on the face, in this case ive gone for the obvious attributes like 'rank', 'speed' and 'firepower'.

Players randomly select a card and call out a specific value - eg: 'Speed' if the callers card has a higher value than his opponents, then the player wins that card. Devilishly simple!

Top Trump: SWORD

Pondering Top Trumps with the Ponderous Frog that is the Philosophic Toad the other day, I thought I'd have a go at some SWORD Trump cards. And eh voila! Above we have the Hover Tank and below Probe Force Three.

Mucho fun to do but two difficult decisions face the SWORD top trump card maker: where to get the vehicle data from and how to value the various features on the cards? Having consulted the Official Manual, which proved to be relatively uninformative and tame, I opted to use the grittier vehicle descriptions contained within the TV21 1969 Annual [which I've put on the card backs]. I then converted these details into features on the cards and gave them values based on statements in the annual like 'most lethal' and 'almost invincible', which as you'd expect, got high marks. Admittedly this was very subjective and you might give them different features and values. A common list of features on each card is obviously helpful though apart from any special powers, which are unique. A study of the SWORD Annual and the comic strips might also reveal valuable descriptions of the different vehicles.

Any ideas/new cards/new designs would be gratefully recieved and posted on the blog.

And a Bath to Sail Her In

In the wake of my blog about Hydro Jets recently, Woodstock flagged up an auction by a seller in Argentina - Monte-Firu. The auction was for a 'Space Laser Powerboat' made by Antex. This gorgeous example of plastic goodness was a little out of my league to obtain, as it was overseas, but I did manage to pinch a few pictures in the meanwhile! While I was drooling over it, it occurred to me that I had seen this beast before and in this country. I had a recollection of spotting a blue and chrome silver version, in slightly  different packaging - the one I saw was in a bubblepack. Unfortunately, it was one of those instances where I spotted it in a shop window and for whatever reason I was unable to buy it. Still, a least I know there must be one around the UK somewhere.. patience is a virtue...

High T : the T in a Circle Air Force

Deploying my ropey photoshopping skills again, I've here pasted together a family portrait of all the T in a Circle [Tai Hing] planes and helicopters that I know of, enough to fill any busy Toytown airport!

At the bottom left I've featured the fantastic Tai Hing Military Chopper, which is completely new to the blog and shown with kind permission from Jordan collector Raed Ammari. More pictures from Raed to follow.

Against the Grain

Here's an unusual group shot. All of these models are made of wood! A regular splinter cell of the SWORD fleet and all available in cyberspace.

Top Trumps

Thinking about James Bond chatting up Lady Penelope I've got to summising whether 007's Aston Martin would out-run and out-gun the good Lady's pink FAB1? This lead me to consider having Top Trumps cards for them both. Sadly I couldn't find a single example online for either vehicle. Are there Top Trumps card sets for 007 and Thunderbirds?

Pulp Gyptian

Continuing a thread from earlier posts on Sci-Fi and Ancient Egypt, reader Andy B has flagged up this cool cover by Ron Turner 1954. The story is by the aptly named Steve Future! I suppose the Sci-Fi/Ancient Egypt amalgum had it's most recent re-incarnation in the movie Stargate, when Kurt Russell could still cut it as a leading man.