The mid-1960s. With the ongoing success of the digest sized Battle Picture Libraries and similar comics, Fleetway ventured into a new title in January 1967 with the launch of the Fleetway SUPER Library. These books carried twice as many pages as the standard Picture Library for just 50% more money. At 132 pages for 1/6d (7 and a half pence) The Fleetway SUPER Library looked great value for money.
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| Ad from VALIANT dated 14th January 1967 |
Those latter two characters were of course very familiar to readers of Valiant and Lion weeklies as serial strips, but the Super Libraries gave Fleetway the opportunity to present them in long, complete stories. Fantastic Series No.1 kicked off with The Steel Claw in The Raiders of F.E.A.R. illustrated by Carlos Cruz...
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| Carlos Cruz doing a good job of ghosting Jesus Blasco |
With the second batch of releases, a month later in February 1967, something strange happened. With no explanation, Fantastic Series was suddenly renamed Stupendous Series, a title it would retain for the rest of its run.
The decision was made so quickly that the cover mock ups shown on the advert for the books on the back of Buster Adventure Library for February just had a blank space where the series category should have been...
The reason for the change? I strongly suspect that it was due to Odhams launching Fantastic weekly in February 1967 and Fleetway didn't want to cause any confusion amongst retailers and readers. (Both Odhams and Fleetway were subsidiaries of IPC.) A pity, as Stupendous wasn't anywhere near as good a title.
As it turned out, it seems the Super Library line wasn't too successful. The books ran for just a year, ending in January 1968, all at issue 26. A great shame, as they represented a good attempt to break away from the traditional British comics format. With each book carrying complete 122 page stories (plus reprint features as back-up) they could be considered to be the first UK graphic novels.
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| Art by Aldo Marcuzzi for STUPENDOUS No.8 |
Why did they ultimately fail when the 1/- war digests still proved popular? Perhaps at 1/6d they were simply too expensive for the time, or perhaps the older reader they were aimed at felt the characters were too juvenile for them? Perhaps the market for digest comics was just too crowded to support any more titles?
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| Art by Francisco Cueto for STUPENDOUS No.20 |
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| Lively artwork by Giorgio Trevisan |
Similarly, although regular Steel Claw artist Jesus Blasco only drew two of the digests (Nos.5 and 13), other artists such as Carlos Cruz and Massimo Bellardinelli attempted to "ghost" his style.
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| STUPENDOUS No.5 Art by Jesus Blasco |
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| STUPENDOUS No.3 Art by Massimo Bellardinelli |
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| Reg Wooton's SPORTY was the back up in SECRET AGENT Series |
40 comments:
That Melody Of Crime page would appear to be Gene Colan's long lost British twin.
Yes, there's definitely a similarity. Also a bit of an influence from Frank Robbins I think.
I think 'Melody of Crime' was the work of Giorgio Trevisan who also drew no.4's 'Crime Unlimited'.
- Phil Rushton
Many thanks, Phil. Yes I think you're right. I've just Googled Giorgio Trevisan and there's quite a bit of his work on the 'net. Looks like he used a slightly looser and more exaggerated style for The Spider, presumably because he felt it was a more lighthearted story.
Hi Lew,
The other two Spider artists you illustrate are Aldo Marcuzzi (#8) and Francisco Cueto (#20).
Kindest regards, Steve
Excellent. Thanks Steve. I thought you might know. :)
Hi Lew ,
Great article. Have a few Johnny Nero books myself. As I mentioned on ComicsUk , I think perhaps a series along these lines, maybe even featuring new characters might be the way to go instead of trying to go the old weekly comics route. Adults would definitely indulge in an impulse purchase particularly at busy airport shops and railway terminals. Sit them next to Commando with lovely painted covers and striking mastheads and we could have a winner.Sort of our version of Manga. The future is bright , the future is Digest!
The Cap ( slightly salivating )
If only it was that simple, Cap. Getting retailers to take them is the big hurdle. As we know, Commando's distribution isn't great and that's a long established title so convincing retailers to take something new would be difficult (and to a 30 year old shop manager, reprints of 1960s comics would be "new" as he/she would never have heard of them).
Bear in mind that reprints of the War/Battle/Air Ace/Rick Random libraries were tried a few years ago in book form but as they've now fizzled out I don't think they sold the numbers required to continue.
Truth is, comics just aren't seen as the big attraction for retailers in the UK that they used to be. One newsagent told me he makes more money selling greetings cards so why should he take comics?
Actually manga is first published in weekly anthologies, and then reprinted in book form if it's popular enough. The stuff lucky enough to find it's way abroad only does so because millions of people bought it in a weekly!
Very true Mike, although I think Cap was just comparing the format. You're right though. Manga built up a fanbase from the weeklies. Putting out a UK digest cold would be very difficult to attract readers. Heck, even some of the Picture Libraries in the heyday of such comics didn't last long, so what chance would they have today?
Dear friends we too have read all these books in tamil......a comic lover from tamilnadu india
I had heard they were reprinted in India. Thanks for letting me know.
give link to this books
any give the links for this story
please any one have download link for this story. please post it
anyone give the download links to this story
No download link. I don't support piracy.
In Chile, the editorial Zig-Zag carries a series named "Coleccion Super Fantastica" for about 12 titles, with exactly the same format (never before or again in Chile). Characters were the same: Garra de Acero (Steel Claw), El Arana (The Spider), Barracuda, and Johny Nero. This happens in 1967. In 1968 the selected Steel Claw and Johny Nero and published as Comic-Book format for many issues. I will try to post and entry on my Blog soon. Thanks for your information here.
Moises / Bibliotecajuntoalmar
Thank you for your information too. It's interesting to hear of UK strips being reprinted in other countries. Let me know when you post about them on your blog.
Lew:
Now the post is ready. You can see at:
http://bibliotecajuntoalmar.blogspot.com/2012/08/coleccion-super-fantastica-de-zig-zag.html
All the best, Moises
Thank you, Moises. It's very interesting to compare the covers.
Lew, do you know who painted any of the Spider covers?
its interesting to read this article about Fleetway. I am from India - and in the Seventies many of Fleetway characters were featured in Indian publications. Steel Claw became "Irumbukai Mayavi"- while Barracuda and Frollo were rechristened Lawrence and David. The works were published in Tamil, Telugu and in Malayalam and ran into numerous prints. Unfortunately only Tamil issues are still being reprinted. FLIGHT 731 is the Tamil/ Malayalam/Telugu version of PAYMENT IN DEATH: A BARRACUDA FROLLO ADVENTURE. Then there was another comic- the title of which eludes me of steel rodents attacking a city with the rats even devouring buildings. It was titled IRUMBELIKAL in Malayalam.There was another comic with four skeletons as the villains. They emit some kind of gas on seeing people and the gas will create some kind of rashes or bubbles all over the body and the skin becomes ugly and eventually they die. Yet another comic was with some dangerous crabs creating havoc. Some of the famous Steelclaw adaptations include SARPADWEEP and MANJUKATTA RAHASYAM (both in Malayalam)
Very interesting! I'd heard that a lot of Fleetway material was published in India but it's good to hear more about it. Thanks Narayan.
hi- thank you Mr. Lew Stringer for posting my comments and for replying to the same. Do you remember the original English titles of the 3 works I mention- one with steel rodents attacking a city with the rats even devouring buildings and the second comic with four skeletons as the villains. They emit some kind of gas creating skin blemishes and finally succumb to the same- and the last one with dangerous crabs as the villains. if so please do reply
They don't sound familiar to me so I'm not sure I saw them, sorry.
I have got with me the Tamil translation of PAYMENT IN DEATH (Barracuda and Frollo published as FLIGHT 731), the Tamil version of STEEL CLAW (The first image in this page) and a Spider comic.
Who were the actual authors/ creators of Barracuda and Frollo and Johnny Nero. i dont think they themselves realise the huge popularity the comics had in India.
and i would be happy to send across tamil version of PAYMENT IN DEATH- if interested. drop a line at advnarayan at gmail.com
Now the old Fleetway books are being reprinted in Tamil by lion and muthu comics in Tamilnadu, India even after 40 years they first published. For details
http://lion-muthucomics.blogspot.in/
http://lion-muthucomics.com/
Now the old Fleetway books are being reprinted in Tamil by lion and muthu comics in Tamilnadu, India even after 40 years they first published. For details
http://lion-muthucomics.blogspot.in/
http://lion-muthucomics.com/
Thanks for the information!
I'm Kaarigan (named myself after Phil Corrigan of some comics)
We grew up reading all these comics in Tamil (I'm from Tamilnbadu, India). Those were the diamond days. My knowledge about so many things with regard to science, history, geography came straight from these stories I read when I was a school boy. Delighted to know more about my childhood heroes.Thanks.
just reiterating a query- who was the author of BARRACUDA AND FROLLO. we know that Ken Bulmer and Blasco were associated with Steel Claw....but would like to know whose brainchild are Barracuda- Frollo.
I've no idea, sorry. It might be worth you asking Steve Holland over on the Bear Alley blog, as he knows more about this period of Fleetway comics than I do.
Hi Lew,
I don't think that is Giorgio Trevisan's work, as having looked at all his other work on the internet, he has a very stiff style, not the same as the fluid looking pages you have here.
The mystery continues, as we try to discover the artist's true identity.
Awesome post thanks for rekindling my memories. As Narayan mentioned this was huge hits in India and even reprinted now. Due to the success of steel claw there were number clones created with different names done by the local creators in Tamilnadu India, but none tasted the success as fleetway books. Thanks again for the Post.
krishna
Interesting. Thanks for the info!
finally Mr. Kannadi Viswanathan (who translated to Malayalam language Steel Claw and Barracuda-Frollo) works got hold of a comic that he thought was long lost. "Manjukatta Rahasyam" the translation of "The Cold Trail" a Steel Claw Adventure. Efforts are now on to trace out the lost works and if possible republish them for a whole new generation to enjoy and for a generation to relive the nostalgia
Question I have two pieces of Original artwork - one is the back side (rear) artwork for 1968 SECRET AGENT PICTURE LIBRARY HOLIDAY SPECIAL.... the other I am unable to find any books with the artwork has a man on the wheel-well of a plane in flight with a machine gun in his hand and a mouse insignia on the planes body (the man has a orange jacket, orange with white doted scarf around his neck, jeans)- its a close-up drawing - but this is not my area of knowledge - so I need help! I am looking to find the artist name and which publications the artwork has been used for.
I've no idea, sorry, but hopefully others might be able to help.
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