SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT PART 5: ART & CRAFT

I've got to say the display of original comic artwork at this year's event was exceptional. 

Artwork had been on display at previous events, however boards were usually lent up behind models, which generally prevented folk from getting a close look. Artist and comic fan, Graham Bleathman persuaded the organisers to allow a dedicated room for the display, and boy, it  was certainly worth it.

Most of the original TV21 artists were represented, as was some examples from Lady Penelope, Joe 90: Top Secret and Countdown.

A fine example of Frank Bellamy's Thunderbird strip for TV21.

Don Harley art for the TV21 Thunderbirds strip. Thunderbirds on Venus! What were they thinking! Don, of course worked on Dan Dare in Eagle comic, along side artist Frank Hampson.

Don Lawrence art for Fireball XL5. Don, as comic fans will know is best known for the Trigan Empire strip in Ranger and later Look & Learn. I'm not really sure he got the shape of Fireball quite right, though.

An example of Jim Watson's Zero X artwork from TV21 comic. Many will recognise his loose style from some of the annuals. 

I reckon most will recognise the style of one of my favourite TV21 artists - Mike Noble.

Another favourite, Ron Embleton on Stingray. I remember reading this in TV21 as a kid.

The story of Marina in Lady Penelope comic drawn by Rab Hamilton. I was more familiar with Rab Hamilton's art on Agent 21 in TV21. I never had sisters so I never got to read that at the time.

The great style of Frank Langford for Lady Penelope. Looks like XL5's Robert the Robot makes a guest appearance in this. 

I love this piece of art, used for the TV21 'Saturn Probe' feature, and sadly done by an artist I can't identify. I recognise the style, as I'm sure something similar turns up in the Project SWORD annual, and this front cover from Joe 90: Top Secret comic.

Gerry Haylock art on the UFO strip in Countdown. I remember talking to Don Harley one time at an Eagle comic event,  about Countdown and this strip, and he reckoned it was originally planned for himself to do the UFO strip.

A couple of examples of the Space: 1999 strip for Look -In. The first being in the unique style of John M Burns, another favourite of mine.

Black and white art from Mike Noble for the Look -In Space:1999 strip. It's fairly well known that when Mike started on the strip he drew three rear engine bells rather than four, which was simply down to a lack of good reference material for the show. Mike didn't watch much TV as he was always far too busy painting.

Finally, there was also quite a few original examples of concept art on display from Mike Trim and Derek Meddings.

A big thanks to Graham and all those owners who contributed to make this an absolutely superb display.

kp outer spacers: for bill

One of Bill's faves!

The toys are great too.

He found one at York car boot sale for me last year! Its missing something.

Have you got any KP Outer Spacers?

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT PART 4: ARTISTS, TECHNICIANS & STUNTMEN

Sunday morning at Special Assignment started for me with an interview with veteran TV21 artist Mike Noble, on stage with Gerry Anderson comics fan and contemporary cutaway artist, Graham Bleathman.

Graham, like myself enjoyed TV21 as a youngster, and freely admits he takes most of the inspiration for his super Anderson cutaways from the legendary comic and its associated publications.

Mike Noble talked about the continuity that TV21 maintained for readers during the times when the shows weren't on TV.

At the end of the interview, an impromptu auction was held in aid of the event's chosen charities. Mike had brought  along an interesting item. A page showing two photos - one of a U2 spy plane, and the other showing the U2 pilot, Jon Huggins, aerodynamic scientist Ian Moule, TV21 editor Alan Fennell, script writer Angus Allen, an un-named test pilot, and Mike himself by the side of the aircraft. If I remember rightly, the photo, which Mike signed raised over £160.

The next interview was titled The A.P. Films Years, and featured Peter Hitchcock and Brian Johnson together.

Peter recounted those early days, admitting to making a few faux pas, one involving an over use of dry ice, but not unsurprisingly enjoying his time at Stirling Road.

Brian Johnson chatted about his times prior to working at the studio, and working with matte artist Les Bowie. Les who, once the C21 team had moved to Stirling Road, worked at APF's former studio in Ipswich Road on Moon Zero Two for Hammer.

The next guest was a real scoop. Richard Cully was managing director of Associated Television Licensing which controlled the commercial rights for not only Gerry Anderson's TV series, but other well known intellectual properties from the sixties. He also worked with Century 21 puppeteer, Mary Turner, when Richard was involved with licensing the TV series Rupert The Bear.

As well as Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, Richard licensed the Corgi James Bond Aston Martin DB5 die cast toy. Although he primarily worked for ATV, he did take over the Century 21 merchandising operation when former Century 21 merchandise manager Keith Shackleton left towards the end of the sixties.

Richard left ATV in 1974 and went on to licence the Mr Men, My Little Pony and the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. He also approved the licence for Blue Peter to produce the phenomenally successful instruction sheet  for viewers to make their own Tracy Island.

Following Richard Culley's interview a break was called for and I needed to check out the original artwork display. 

The final interview was Stuntman Paul Weston again, but this time he took time to talk about his time on Bond. Here's a ten minute video to give you all a taster.

Next time - Special Assignment: Original Artwork.

discovery one: licca probe force three

The first item new to the blog comes courtesy of a tip-off from blog pal Paul Kaiju, which I very nearly won on Yahoo Japan.

Its a really cool Japanese cocoa powder box - Licca Chan Meiji Seika - with a superb difference!

Its got this beautiful illustration of the Project SWORD Probe Force 3 on its side!

The other side features a Japanese doll called Licca [above]

The listing described it as over 50 years old, which would place it neatly around 1967' ish, the year of our SWORD.

The Japanese doll Licca is described on many websites and here's a detailed history of her 

http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/products/licca/history/index.html.

It would appear from this that this Licca cocoa is from the first generation of Licca dolls starting in 1967!

The gorgeous Probe Force 3 box art reminds me of a similarly zooming ship on the lid of the Japanese Spacebird version of Probe Force 3

Have you ever come across Licca cocoa powder or any similar box art?

Why did they feature Licca with a Probe Force 3?

of peanuts and octonauts

Whilst on my way to visiting my four Godchildren [is there such a word?] yesterday I stopped off to get them some sweeties. and chocs for my nephew.

I noticed in the comic rack an Octonauts Cbeebies magazine and was blown away by the free gift, a green flat car reminiscent of a Star Wars Hover Speeder. 

I've been impressed with this magazine's free gifts for the last few years to be honest but at nearly five pounds an issue I've not taken the plunge.

Alas I can't find an image of this green Octonauts car but I think we'd all like it on Moonbase.

It puts me in mind of another toy I keep seeing online on Ebay, a similarly flat and lovely white Piano car driven by Schroeder of the Peanuts gang.

I've heard of Charlie Brown and Linus but don't recall Schroeder. I love this Aviva  toy though. Its like an Aviva Snoopy in the Bath car I once found at a boot sale like this one pictured on picclick.

They all seem to be dated 1951 but that's clearly the comic strip date. 

Wonder if they were a Sixties or Seventies toy line?

an autumn of discovery

This month has seen a number of new discoveries in the types of toys we like here at Moonbase Central. 

Toys and things that are new to me and I'm pretty sure will be new to the blog.

Watch this space!

seed of memory by terry reid

I caught the end if Rob Zombie's 2005 Devils Rejects on TV late last night.

I was mesmerised by the closing music and looked up the song. I'd not heard of it and never heard of the artist either, who I was amazed to find was a famous rock musician during the Seventies, MY decade! He even turned down being Zep's singer it says on Wiki! Zep!

Anyways, have a listen to yourself: Seed of Memory by Terry Reid, the most beautiful male singing voice I've heard in decades and I can't believe I've never heard it before! The lyrics are wonderful as well!

Hope you enjoy it too.

illco's randy rider

On Thursday I blogged about Randy Rayder.

Today its Randy Rider's turn.

Randy Rider was a toy doll who came with a battery operated bicycle, which rode along the floor.

I found a few Randy Riders boxed and complete at boot sales over the years. The toy was released by a company called Illco in 1977 and as such is a decently vintage toy to find boxed and complete.

There's a short Randy gallery on You Tube.

Illco produced another nice old toy I found several times at sales, the Mickey Mouse Rocket Ride, which was great to set up and see in action.

They also released a very early computer-type tennis toy in 1965 called Magic Electronic Tennis, which is also on You Tube. It reminds me of the old TV game Pong, which some of you may have had?

Disney-based plastic toys became Illco's main output at some point but they did have other licenses in the Seventies such as Starsky and Hutch. Consulting a Starsky and Hutch collectables site I saw that  they'd released a Radio Command Center in Randy Rider's same year of 1977.

This appears to be a re-issue of their 1976 Space 1999 Chest Pack Radio, which you can see on the excellent site Catacombs.

A splendid looking thing, has anyone got one?

You got any Illco toys?