SPACE 1999 MEMORIES

When Space 1999 first aired in 1975, I, along with many other Gerry Anderson fans already had some insight into this new show.

In a pre – internet world the dedicated fan could still catch the odd bit of info . One way I used was checking that year’s new television  annuals in Mum’s Grattan catalogue.

The 1975 annual probably appeared just prior to the first screening, and was a good introduction to the series. 

I remember picking up the paperbacks at  ‘Dickie’  Lewis’s department store in Liverpool, on the days I attended the polytechnic. Like the annual, the first ones appeared before I’d seen the first episode.

Once the show started I still continued to pick up the paperbacks and annuals, although with the exception of the Eagle Airfix kit and Dinky die-cast I didn’t really bother with any of the spin off toys, preferring to concentrate on the ephemera that appeared in magazines and comics at the time.

These two dedicated poster magazines came out during 1975.  

Bearing in mind these were the days before Star Wars made science fiction trendy, sci-fi mags were thin on the ground.

I remember picking up this intriguing publication from the corner shop, which obviously used Star Trek as its selling point.

Coming out in 1976 just prior to the release of Space 1999’s second season, Sci-Fi Monthly was full of little articles about the upcoming new production, with the odd poster or pin up thrown in for good measure.

Looking back at the articles now, it’s interesting to read how readers were looking forward the new series, which was to address the short comings of the previous series with much more emphasis on characters rather than special effects, and more action rather than metaphysical ideas.

Personally, despite its faults, I still preferred the first series which took a lot of inspiration from my favourite sci-fi film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The second series just came across as a watered down Star Trek to me.

As the years have passed I don’t think my opinion has changed. Space 1999 isn't my favourite G A series, but nowadays I do admit I've grown much more fond of the series, and I do get quite nostalgic remembering a time just prior to and during the show’s initial screening.  

ROTA-MATIC LOVER: KNOCKOFF THUNDERBIRDS WATER PISTOL

 

In the mid-1960's JR21 Toys released their popular toy pistols based on those seen in Thunderbirds. They came in red or blue, cap firing or water firing, each in a nice header carded bag as shown above. I've often seen knockoffs of the Stingray and Captain Scarlet pistols but not these bad boys. Until now that is!

 

 

Cruising the interways I chanced on this lovely thing, a modern Thunderbirds water pistol clone called Space Water Gun. The label on the header appears to say the company name of GIESSE but I can't read their address.

 

 

Looking closer at the pistol, the word ROTA-MATIC appears where THUNDERBIRDS would have appeared on the original. The word below it is SPECIAL. Can't read anything else. Unusually the toy is browny gold, which I don't think JR21 used. I could be wrong. Anyone seen this knockoff before?

 

Brain in a Jar

Growing up in a time when space and horror B movies were all around, I saw a lot of monsters and aliens on tv and in books. One concept that always fascinated and scared me, was the disembodied brain! Films such as Fiend without a Face, The Trollenberg Terror and the Green Slime, all showed weird tentacled monsters with one eye or exposed brain. The Metaluna mutant from This Island Earth was another favourite, as this sported crab claws too! Over time films have produced some really strange creatures, Star Wars was especially good for introducing new ideas and one classic for me had a brief walk on part in Return of the Jedi. In the first half hour, Threepio and Artoo arrive at Jabbas palace and after entering, the huge storm door lowers behind them. As it does, a spidery mechanical being stalks by - the Bo'marr Monk! Ralph McQuarries book about the Star Wars universe says that the humanoid monks reach a state of ultimate enlightenment after years of meditation and elect to have their brain removed and installed into a mechanical body - essentially a walking life support frame. The monk then wanders in a state of disembodied nirvana, protected by the spider like form. Hasbro released a mail away figure of the monk back when the Star Wars Special Edition was being prepared, although not technically 100% accurate to the film version, its still a nice figure, even down to the inverted brain in its nutrient bath!

SPANDERSON: Vintage Gerry Anderson from Spain, Argentina and Brazil

On a recent trawl round the hispanic cyberverse I found a few Anderson goodies new to me that I thought I'd blog. It always amazes me just how popular Gerry's shows were across the globe.

El Capitan Escarlata comic book

OVNI UFO TV series poster

[large drilling machine courtesy of the New York World's Fair Futurama expo methinks!]

Did other countries have posters advertising this TV series? The UK too?

La Ciudad En Tinieblas hardback novel

[The City Of Darkness]

CONSOLE YOURSELF: DIY SPACESHIP DASHBOARD

Recalling the recent computer consoles theme, check out this amazing home-made space console someone's Dad made them in the Seventies. Everything works! Courtesy of dougshreevebass on You Tube. Respect!

ZEROID ZINTAR

Continuing  my flirtation with those mighty robots from the planet Zero,  here's another short film featuring the silver explorer, Zintar.

Hope you like it.

SPLITTING INFINITY: OF FISSION, FUSION AND NUCLEAR FERRIES

It's been a funny old Summer. We're just back back from North Wales and the school holidays are once more nearly over here in the UK. After record-breaking sunshine, Autumn is faintly whispering through the warm trees once again.

 

 

The summer was a milestone too. Unbelievably NASA's Curiosity Rover has its first year under its belt as it trundles across Mars. It seems like only yesterday when it retro-rocketed to the surface. For some reason I find it comforting to know it's up there toiling away on our behalf WALL-E style. It's only covered a mile but Mount Sharp beckons now. Although it's not programmed to reach the summit I don't think, I chuckle at the thought that it'll do it anyway, climbing the three miles to the peak, where it greets it's aerial pal MAVEN due to fly out in Winter.

 

 

Renewed interest in space has shot up apparently. I'm not so sure, but one British kid in the Newspaper has passed his Astronomy GCSE at age 11 or 12, 5 years before he normally would. Blimey! He says he wants to work for NASA or be the next Prof. Cox, the current rock star of the British space scene. Its what childhood dreams are made of!

 

 

Science took another leap forward as the ITER project got underway in France, the biggest nuclear-fusion plant in the world. One particular quote caught my eye: "It is the largest scientific collaboration in the world. In fact, the project is so complex we even had to invent our own currency – known as the Iter Unit of Account – to decide how each country pays its share,” says Carlos Alejaldre, Iter’s deputy director responsible for safety.

 

 

Despite my passion for burgeoning space travel, it seems counter-intuitive that we continually bombard our own planet with ever more difficult energy. Fracking is causing social ructions in the UK and Fukushima is leaking like a fissile sieve. All of this reminds me of the ominous Eighties eco-drama with Bob Peck, The Edge of Darkness, especially when regarding ITER I read "Nothing is left to chance in a project that has defied potential Babel-like misunderstandings between the collaborating nations." Well that's alright then. As we drove past the square hulk of Trawsfynydd Magnox Fission Power Station in North Wales I brooded on the year 2027 when "Iter “goes nuclear” with the injection of tritium" and can't help thinking of Pandora's own curiosity and a certain box.

 

 

Which brings me to perhaps the Summer's nuclear high point, its own atomic core - the auction of another Century 21 Project SWORD Nuclear Ferry! Blogged about already, it began and ended before I went on holiday and like many of you, I saw it all, including the final seconds when the price went critical and brushed passed £1,000. That's One Thousand Pounds, which is an incredible amount not just for Project SWORD but for a vintage toy in general. It's surely a record amount for a SWORD toy and may even be for a Century 21/ JR21 toy?

 

 

So why such a fabulously high price? A bidding frenzy? an investment? collectors' passion or what has already been mentioned, Bill's so-called 'blog effect'? For me personally, rarity is the key. The Moonbase Playset aside, the Nuclear Ferry is the rarest Project SWORD toy of all and as such will always engender high emotions and command even high prices. If the 'blog effect' has got something to do with it then I suppose its the high price we ourselves pay for sharing our knowledge and passion online with fellow toy fans and although I am unlikely ever to own a Nuclear Ferry myself, I think it is a price worth paying - in both senses! Good luck to the new Nuclear Ferry owner and enjoy!

 

 

To the best of my knowledge this particular Ferry is the fourth one known to exist, the other three surfacing in the last five years, two from Hong Kong and one from Japan. Their oriental origins are intriguing and we will all have our own theories about this: warehouse finds, dead stock, retained shipments or the marooned remains of Century 21 Toys' Hong Kong operation.

 

 

I asked the seller Nassau San, who kindly told me that: "This ferry is my own collection & got it from old Hong Kong toys manfacture factory a warehouse about 20 years ago.I think that place was help 21st toys company to additional some assembly in that space series & other HKG toys co., between 50's - 70's. This old factory district was change to living estate & develope by Hong Kong Goverment. Now when I go to visit again here just building a modern shopping centre.;-(" [sic]

 

 

So, as the nuclear Summer remains hot here in Europe and I sip my cold Becks, try to keep a cool head and don't have a meltdown!

SLIME TIME: THE MIDORI LUNAR TRANSPORTER

 

I'm back from a week in sunny North Wales and relaxing surfing the net after 7 days abstinence. Just found this new cool image of the model Luna Transporter inspired by the film The Green Slime; it was made as a kit by Midori. We know it better as the glorious Tri-ang SpaceX LT10. For some reason it always reminds me of a lipstick on wheels! [picture: Retro Plastic Model Gallery]

 

You can check out this image and many more fabulous Japanese kits at The Retro Plastic Model Gallery, illustrating catalogues at the Bunkyo Yayio Museum in Japan. It also includes the Midori and Paramount Beetle aka Lunar Climber. Yummy!