Four Just Men comic strip

A review of the Network DVD release of Sapphire and Steel and more goodies should be up on the main site in a few days, but following on from the Dixon Of Dock Green comic strip here is another rarity plucked from the pages of the 1962 TV Crimebusters Annual again.

Four Just Men was a 1959 Sapphire Films production for ITC starring Jack Hawkins. Hawkins played Ben Manfred, A British MP, one of four men who first met whilst fighting in Italy during World War II. The men later reassemble and decide to fight for justice and against tyranny, using money set aside for the purpose by their late commanding officer. The series ran for one season comprising of 39 episodes.

Again I never knew the series had a spin-off comic strip, so it was a delight to discover this explosive adventure!

Dixon of Dock Green Part Two

Here are the final four pages of the Dock Green comic strip. Note the use of real photographs as part of the strip, something the annual uses in its other comic strips as well including Danger Man and the even more obscure Four Just Men.

Dixon Of Dock Green - The Comic Strip

Well I never! Goold old George Dixon was once a comic hero! Early British detective series Dixon Of Dock Green was a legend during it's record breaking run, but never had a crack at the ultimate accolade bestowed on hit series of bygone times could have. Something that truly said the programme had made it's mark on popular culture. Being immortalised in ink for entertainment to the playground masses. It's own comic.

Or at least I though until I came across a copy of the TV Crimebusters Annual 1962. So here to help kick off the blog and act as a prelude to the return of our Dixon Of Dock Green episode guide in the main site archives is the first few pages of that very strip, The Chicago Gunman written by S J Marler.

Click on the images for bigger, readable scans.


Will Dixon arrest the villian? Find out in our next thrilling episode...

New Issue Of Action TV

Our latest issue is now out! Action TV Volume 2, Issue 3 is certainly one of our issues that we feel most proud of due to the detailed articles and fantastic cover photo!

Following from our previous article detailing the making of season one of Space 1999 we now present an equally in-depth and informative look at the trials and tribulations of the making of season two of Gerry Anderson's live action sci-fi series. The article runs through the episodes as they where produced complete with dates of shooting scripts, revisions and all the on set drama.

To prove we can also do equally detailed features on American TV series next we have a retrospective on the making of The Girl From UNCLE. This has to be the most detailed article ever printed on the programme complete with shooting dates, MGM Studio backlot locations and the input of the series associate producer George Lehr.

Finally something we've been hoping to do an article on ever since the magazine was launched, but didn't have enough information to do the programme justice until now. Public Eye series 1 and 2 will be fully explored complete with production dates and information on episodes long since wiped. Assembled with access to original ABC Television documentation and with assistance from co-creator Roger Marshall.

Visit the main site for more details or to order. Link on your right...

Vintage Doctor Who Merchandise Ads

Ok here is another clutch of vintage comic ads for your perusal. This time we have a Doctor Who theme.

First up is an ad for Kellog's Sugar Smacks badge promotion from the Pertwee era. A rather dapper looking Doctor appeared on the actual product packaging, but I really have no idea why they decided to with the eye popping caricature featured in the promotional ads. Is that Pertwee or Happy Monday's Bez with a wig on?

Next dating from the mid-Sixties and in glorious black and white we have a fab ad for the Herts Plastic Moulders push along Daleks. These gigantic looking (in the ad at least) bargain toys were only available from Woolworths. Highly collectable now I imagine, but very primitive compared to todays remote control pepperpot Nazis.

Forward to the Tom Baker era and an obscure peice of cross promotion featuring Crosse and Blackwell soup.

This exercise encouraged kids to save the labels from the special promotional tins and send off for one of three exciting gifts including a cut out Tardis and coloured pens.

Finally back to the height of Sixties Dalekmania and a splash of colour for this ad annoucing the Dalek invasion of toy shops.

Four Louis Marx products are featured. The battery powered Dalek, the friction drive Dalek with flashing eyes, Dalek Rolykins and the Dalek Bagatelle.

Interesting to note that Marx used to operate from Wales, where the new series is now based.

As usual click on the images for fuller versions. More adverts in the next few days.

Vintage adverts

Sorry for the lack of updates - basically the whole of August has gone past without a post!

Anyway back with a bang as I have a couple of lovely vintage merchandise adds culled from the pages of Countdown.

First we have The Persuaders secret pen something I've never heard of or seen before. Brett Sinclair himself says don't be caught with out one!

The next ad is for something I certainly do recall, and indeed owned at
one point. Hunt down and destroy your own aliens with the UFO Interceptor from Dinky Toys.

More vintage merchandise ads next update.

New DVD reviews

The main Action TV website has been updated today with new material including DVD reviews for Forbidden Planet, Things To Come, Ace of Wands and Danger Man...a butch of very good releases here for some classic productions.