Rob's Prehistoric!

Woodsy,

In keeping with your dinosaur theme recently, here's a little gouache painting I did last summer. Inspired as usual from a Hong Kong dime store toy header.

Rob C

USA

Speed and Power Stripped Down

I managed to find some issues of Speed and Power magazine in an online archive and had a trawl through to remind myself of any space articles. I was surprised to find there are comparatively few, with the majority of the magazines being given over to cars and airplanes. There is some beautiful artwork in there from aviation illustrator Ian Kennedy and other colour plates of classic aircraft. 

Before it merged with Look and Learn, it featured a brief run of an action and adventure comic strip illustrated by Oliver Frey of Trigan Empire fame. It was a black and white strip which involved a group called SOS International, who seemed to be a team of trouble shooters who delighted in basically knocking seven bells out of anyone attempting to stand in the way of technological progress. 

My favourit strip was 'Space Race' which features a space glider like craft bearing a remotely detonated nuke. Apparently russian in origin, SOS bravely step in to get winched on to the runaway craft and save the day.

Frey's artwork is dynamic and powerful, with some great paintings of the drone craft and various other vehicles which featured in the magazine, such as the Twister ATV and Osprey Tiltrotor.

 

SQUID GAME

 All youngsters are talking about is a new Netflix sensation called Squid Game.

A Battle Royale-esque Korean 9 part series, Squid Game has taken over their young minds it would seem.

I've seen red figures with a circle on the face made of Fimo. I've seen lots of drawings of a triangle, a square and a circle.

I can see toys appearing the shops at this rate.

Not sure I can personally invest 9 hours into it. Can you readers?

HUNGARY FOR SPACE POLICE

 

There's something very Space Precinct about this Hungarian Space Police toy car. I've see it online in different colours.

Was Space precinct originally conceived as Space Police?

2 EXTREMES

I've watched a lot of Netflix of late as I'm starting to hibernate. Loads of films and a series called Midnight Mass... maybe more on this later.

What I want to mention are 2 films, which have both excelled and disappointed.

Thor Ragnorak was simply ace. I loved every minute of it. The fire demon was a stand-out and the first born daughter was equally impressive [was it Kate Blanchett?]. Jeff Goldblum was a hoot as the boss of the trash planet and Hemsworth Thor'd it up good and proper. The Hulk was the green icing with Loki specks. All very very good and a credit to Marvel Studios.

Do you agree?

Shazam was the opposite. I was so excited and so very disappointed by this DC mess that I could hardly contain myself. In fact I fell asleep half way through when the titular boy-man-hero tapdanced on a large keyboard in a toyshop. This was clearly a nod to Tom Hank's Big, where he does the same with Karl Marlden I think. Shazam is Big with muscles and a cape. I loved Big but Shazam is something else. Now I usually adore DC films, I like the longevity of their old roster of characters and I have always been attracted to Shazam after seeing one of those glorious Alex Ross paintings of the thunderbolted red-suited figure. The film so far is dire and I'm only half way through. To be honest I'm unsure if I can cope with any more Billy Batson and his annoying 'manager', not to mention the unconvincing Mark Strong [he looked daft in Green Lantern].

Am I being harsh or have I missed the Shazam bus?

HALLOWEEN BRIAN'S PREPARATIONS AT MONSTER BASE

Hi Woodsy.

Halloween is taking shape here at Monster Base, so here's some pics. The Mad Monster Castle display has returned, with some new monsters!

BrianF 

NJ USA

NANCY DREW BOARD GAME UPDATE

Hi

The recent post on the Nancy Drew board game was most interesting. One thing I noticed was that the locations on the gameboard are mainly based on various book titles.

The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1931)

The Message in the Hollow Oak (1935)

The Mystery of the Tolling Bell (1946)

The Mystery at the Moss Covered Mansion (1941)

The Haunted Bridge (1937) - see picture

The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948)

The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1933)

The Secret in the Old Attic (1944)

The exceptions appear to be Moon Lake, the Spider Web, and the Drew Home.

The game was made by Parker Brothers Inc. The copyright date is 1957. This box has different artwork; and a later date, 1959, on the green star on the box top. The actual gameboard is the same as in the 1957 version. The rules are printed inside the box lid. Playing pieces include the usual round plastic counters, and four small plastic motor cars. For 2, 3, or 4 Players. Nancy is still carrying a torch.

VINTAGE NANCY DREW MYSTERY BOARD GAME ~ PARKER BROTHERS ~1957 | #2075452034 (worthpoint.com)

Much later, there were also Nancy Drew computer games.

Photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SPEED AND POWER ANNUAL 1

 I picked up a nice hardback annual at the weekend second-hand.

Its called Speed and Power number 1 from 1975.

Its based on a magazine of the same name.

Lots of great artwork.

I think we looked at little at the mags years ago.

Did you get Speed and Power?