Saturday, February 10, 2007

40 year Flashback: Announcing FANTASTIC


40 years ago today the Daily Mirror ran this ad for Fantastic, the new weekly from Odhams. British kids were about to be introduced to the X-Men for the first time (assuming they hadn't already seen the imported Marvel Comics which some newsagents stocked in limited quantities). Not only that, but Fantastic was about to set a template for US reprints that Marvel UK would follow years later. More on the comic tomorrow; the 40th anniversary of Fantastic!

Click here and scroll down Shaqui's excellent web page to see the trade ad for Fantastic, plus find out what else was happening in the UK comics industry around that time.

(Click on the ad to see it larger.)
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousSaturday, 10 February 2007 at 20:32:00 GMT

    Interesting that you say Odhams published it. Is that the same Odhams that were H.G. Wells main UK publisher in the 1920s and 30s? If so it is somehow appropriate that they moved from one type of fantastic fiction to another.
    I have their 12 volume 1928 collection of Wells;s works on my shelves that I am working through at the moment. NB they are not that valuable - so common in fact that you pick up each volume for 3 or 4 pounds each in a decent 2nd hand book shop.
    I think Odhams eventually merged with Fleetway to form IPC.

    Peter

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  2. Lew StringerSaturday, 10 February 2007 at 20:58:00 GMT

    Hi Peter,
    Yes it'd be the same publisher. They also took over Eagle in the sixties, and of course published the other "Power Comics" Wham!, Smash!, Pow! and Terrific.

    Interesting that the HG Wells collections are so cheap. I have a bound volume of The Strand Magazine from 1902 (first Hound of the Baskervilles serialization) and last time I checked that wasn't worth a great deal either.

    Lew

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  3. AnonymousSunday, 11 February 2007 at 10:56:00 GMT

    I have one problem with your post Lew.....I bought that comic when first publsihed (in Malta where a penny was added to the price!) and that means I'm older than 40!!! When did THAT happen?
    But even though I'm that ancient, I still remember the smell of that plastic "multi-purpose pennant" they gave away free. We had to cut up the comic to fill it! Ah, heady days!

    Looking forward to you stirring the grey matter over the coming days :-)
    Norman

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