YVETTE MIMIEUX: R.I.P.

 Sorry to read that actress, Yvette Mimieux has sadly passed away at aged 80.

Yvette was a prolific actress, and writer, but is probably best known to sci-fi film fans for her breakout  role opposite Rod Taylor, in the 1960 film, The Time Machine, and later in 1979, she starred in the Disney cult sci-fi flick, The Black Hole, a film I've blogged about several times.

Our sincere condolences to her family.

ON THIS DAY....TV CENTURY 21

Fifty- seven years ago the first issue of TV Century 21  went on sale in  newsagents around the country.

The striking masthead logo, and colour photo of Stingray being pursued by a mechanical fish was certainly a big pull for me! Here are the high points of the issue.

Inside there was a Burke's Law comic strip (drawn by Pat Williiams) I was, and still am a fan of the suave Police Captain. I did do a fairly extensive article on the series several years ago on the blog.

A colour comic-strip of Fireball XL5 (drawn by Graham Coton)   Even pre-Mike Noble I preferred the more 'grown up' look of tv21's Fireball, and it was good to see the World Space Patrol's finest in colour! 

My Favourite Martian (drawn by Bill Titcombe) 

Stingray, the 'star' vehicle of the comic (drawn by Ron Embleton) and my favourite Supermarionation series.

Supercar (drawn by Toledano) I liked Supercar on TV, and in TV Comic. I can't say I was that keen on  the cartoony look of Mercury and co. in the TV21 strip.

An introduction to 'Nosey' Parker in the Lady Penelope comic-strip, drawn by Eric Eden, twelve months before Thunderbirds would take star-billing!

Finally, The Daleks drawn by Richard Jennings, and the issue 1 free gift, an Identicode - a combined code breaker and I.D. card.

ACTION MAN TV

 Yesterday saw a lot of Action man action on TV.

First there was an Ebay advert which features a vintage figure being sent in the post. Is this the Action Sailor?

Later on, much later came Xtro.

This 80's alien gorefest features an Action Man throughout. I can't find a piccy of it but it eventually grows to full size to terrorise some poor victim.

What is that? Action Soldier?

SPECTRUM ADVENTURE 2000

Seeing Electricwave's amazingly mint Adventure 2000 die-casts toys the other day it reminded me of something Japanese.

Look at this Japanese SPV concoction and you'll see what I mean!

Its called something like the Tiger Captain and is one of a fleet of SPV hybrids from Japan.

Has this design got any roots in the real world?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJENqVNZYIY&t=7s

IN ARM'S WAY: THE MASTER CARD

 Looking at the crazy Arm's Master car art again I've been wondering about those two running space figures bottom left.

Here they a little closer.

They rang a bell.

They made me think of another toy's box art, Alien Attack by Toyco.

There's a couple of running - or at least moving - spacemen bottom left.

Looking at them close-up they're not the same but it was fun checking!

So, all the components of the Arm's Master card art remain a mystery still.

The strange metal orb with arms, the spaceship below the Enterprise, the runners and the circular portraits.

Any ideas or are they original ideas from the artist?

DINKY DAVIS

 Some Dinky adverts drawn by artist Jon Davis. 

CENTURY 21 PUBLISHING 2007 FAB MAGAZINE UPDATE

Collector Bernard Dunne has informed me that number 56 of Fanderson's FAB magazine in 2007 [cover pictured] ran a major article on Century 21 and ITC licensing. Some of the more unusual licenses included The Saint, Man in a Suitcase, The Prisoner, the Champions and Department S. 

It certainly seems like an article to get hold of. Anyone got this FAB?

Publications stemming from these may be credited as Century 21, although as Bernard has pointed out to me, some maybe uncredited. The Man in a Suitcase Sleeping Cupid paperback was published by the Daily Mail for instance.

Have you any C21 books?

THE FORCE AND THE ARM'S MASTER: STUNNING KNOCKOFFS FROM SPACE 1999

 Tuning into Scoop's 1999 vibe here's something weird I spotted.

This is the Remco Space 1999 Stun Gun toy. Nice. Nothing strange here.

But am I seeing things! Check out this The Force water pistol. Is that similar? The maker, Barton Magic Toy, seems to have reversed the stun gun for their deep-space effort.

What do you think readers? 

Here's another bit of Barton magic, the Mean Machine, aimed straight at a bewildered caveman!

Barton weren't alone in the stun gun knockoffery department. Here's the more well-known fake, the Arm's Master seen on Worthpoint! What on Earth is that on the header art? And why Arm's Master? Is that a Space 1999 reference?

As it happens there of loads of Space 1999 toy gun knockoffs, which I would love to see in the flesh. Check out the Catacomb's excellent merchandise guide for  a run-down. Have you got any readers?

https://catacombs.space1999.net/main/merc/vmmcomlock.html