Friday Fun ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH IN "Five Year Plan for the Moon" & "...as Used by Our Astronaughts in Space!"

Though largely-forgotten today...

Wraparound cover of #12

Artist Unknown

...this 1960s comedy-variety TV series was ground-breaking in a number of ways.

Besides the show's anti-Establishment content, which was always a source of contention with NBC network censors, it had an amazing amount of tie-in merchandise...including a MAD-style magazine!
In 1969, with the first Moon landing about to occur, the mag took a couple of looks at the space program...

...and...

By the time these features appeared in the final issue of Laufer Publishing's Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (#12 in 1969), the use of images of the actual performers from the show had been reduced to the cover and a couple of one-pagers based on long-running gags like the "Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award".
Laufer Publishing was best-known for the legendary 1960s-70s teen magazine Tiger Beat!

Here's a Kool video about the magazine, which Baby Boomers remember fondly!

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My Groovy Life with Tiger Beat's Teen Idols!
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Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Dance!"

While there are many similarities between Space Patrol and Star Trek...

...the one big difference I've seen commented upon over and over again is...

...the dance numbers that occur in almost every episode.

The closest thing I've ever seen on American sci-fi tv was in the pilots for Battlestar Galactica (1978) and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979).

However, Raumpatrouille had their own ongoing choreographer, William Milié, to compose the funky dance numbers that appeared in the background of each episode!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Invasion" (It's the same in English and German!)

These guys are smiling right now...

...but not for long, as we reach the apocalyptic series finale (yes, finale)!

The energy-based aliens known as "Frogs" make their move against Earth, using traitors from within to disable Space Command!
It's all-out war, and you, space cadets have a ringside seat!
Enjoy!

Note: We've tried to embed the English subtitles, but if they don't come up automatically, go to the "gear" icon on the lower right of the video screen, and set them manually.)
We'll be back next week with a detailed look at some of the unique aspects of the series.

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Die Raumfalle" (Space Trap)

 Welcome to the penultimate episode of 1960s' Germany's counterpoint to Star Trek...

...as the crew of the Orion is assigned to attempt to prove the theory that life on Earth originated in outer space.

Sounds sedate, eh?

Mix in a passenger who happens to be a science-fiction writer seeking inspiration for his next novel, a stopover at a penal colony, plus a mad scientist who tries to hijack the ship, and you get a space opera episode jam-packed with thrills, including a climactic fight scene involving the whole crew vs hijackers (with the women kicking ass)!

Note: We've tried to embed the English subtitles, but if they don't come up automatically, go to the "gear" icon on the lower right of the video screen, and set them manually.)

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Kampf um die Sonne" (Battle for the Sun)

We've seen sci-fi tropes like evil aliens, psycho robots, and wandering planets...

...now we confront two topics once considerered sci-fi, but are now part of daily life in the 21st century: global warming (bad) and feminism/women's rights (good), but told from a 1960s perspective!
Plus, you get to see how "James T Kirk-ish" Commander MacLaine is with a hot alien woman!

Note: We've tried to embed the English subtitles, but if they don't come up automatically, go to the "gear" icon on the lower right, and set them manually.)
More 60s sci-fi next Wednesday!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Deserteure" (Deserters)

Buckle up, space cadets, as we rejoin the reckless crew of the SpaceShip Orion!

McLane is given a super-weapon called "OverKill" that he's to install on Earth outposts, but the Frogs can now mind-control humans...including the Orion's crew.

Will the space fleet have to destroy the Orion to keep OverKill out of the Frogs' possession?

Note: We've tried to embed the English subtitles, but if they don't come up automtaically, go to the "gear" icon on the lower right, and set them manually.)
Be here next Wednesday for another astounding adventure!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Hüter des Gesetzes" (Guardians of the Law)

After twice defeating energy-based aliens known as "Frogs"...

...the crew of the Orion 7 encounter rebellious robots on an Earth colony!

(Note the story makes use of Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics!

 Kool!)

OK, let the comparisons to how Kirk and Spock would've handled it begin...

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Planet ausser Kurs" (Planet Off Course)

We Have Already Seen...

After being demoted from front-line combat to local space patroling, Cliff McLane and his crew discover previously-unknown beings composed of pure energy have overrun a distant outpost.

(SPOILERS: the sharp-eyed among viewers may have noticed that certain members of the star fleet showed great reluctance to deal with the invaders.

Wonder why?)

Now, the aliens return with a plan to send a rogue planet hurtling on a collision course with Earth!

(Note: It's German with English subtitles.

I've tried to set them up before creating the link, but you may have to click on the "gear" icon to implement them manually.)

Be back next Wednesday for another retro-kool adventure!

Friday Fun YAK YAK "TV for All!"

Those of you who grew up with a smart phone in your hand...

...will probably not understand a single thing (either in terms of technology or pop culture) in this feature about living in a household with only one screen and a limited selection of programming!

Ironically, cross-genre programming has become something of a staple in our media-dominated world!

Dell gave MAD mainstay Jack Davis his own title, to do with as he pleased.

The series, Yak Yak (subtitled "A Pathology of Humor") only ran two issues, but they were pure Davis, who wrote, penciled, inked, and colored the whole project as well as providing painted covers for both issues!

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Wednesday Worlds of Wonder RAUMPATROUILLE "Angriff aus dem All" (Attack from Outer Space)

Let's kick the tires and light the fires...

...as we present the first episode of Space Patrol (technically, "Space Patrol Orion"!)
(BTW, it's the third tv series to use the name, after the 1950s American broadcast-live show and the early 1960s British puppet series.)

Meet Commander McLane and his rowdy "gang" (as their commanding officer refers to them), learn why they're being disciplined (again), and see why, despite various infractions against both civilian and military authorities, they're not doing life sentences in an interplanetary brig.

Also witness the introduction of the series' main villains, "Frogs", sentient energy beings who want to conquer the universe.

There's a lot to cover, so click on the screen and dive in...

(Note: It's German with English subtitles.

I've tried to set them up before creating the link, but you may have to click on the "gear" icon to implement them manually.)

Coming December 31st...Raumpatrouille Orion, 1960s Europe's STAR TREK!

What if Captain Kirk and his crew were a bunch of rule-breaking, hard-partying jerks...

...who still managed to save the universe on a weekly basis?

Meet Major Cliff Alistair McLaine and his international crew on this blog every Wednesday from December 31st onward!

Here's a trailer from a theatrical feature film compiled from several episodes to give you a taste...

And here's the title sequence with its variation of the "Space: the final frontier.." narration...

The 1966 seven-episode series was never broadcast in the US, but matches its' contemporary, Star Trek, for high adventure, drama, and innovative special effects, plus a really kool jazz soundtrack!

NOTE: It's in German with English subtitles.

It's the 50th Anniversary of Space: 1999

Along with the undeniably-kool Halloween horror stuff our various RetroBlogs are running this October...

...we're also presenting the various graphic versions of the pilot episode, "Breakaway", that launched the series half-a-century ago in 1975 on Secret Sanctum of Captain Video!
Power Records/Peter Pan Read-Along Album

"Breakaway"

A 20-page comic book story accompanied by a 45rpm record featuring a full cast presentation in the style of old time radio dramas along with music and SFX!

Note: It's not the actual TV cast, music and SFX, but Power Records' in-house ensemble!

Scripter is unknown, and the art is by Neal Adams' Continuity Associates, who "packaged" the graphics for almost all the Power Records albums.

In this case, the artists included Rich Buckler, Dick Giordano, Russ Heath, and Terry Austin!

Charlton Magazines

"Last Moonrise"

Five-page b/w magazine adaptation by writer Nick Cuti and artist Gray Morrow, who apparently served as Lead Artist/Art Director for Space: 1999 licensing, since his art was used on other products like t-shirts, lunchboxes, etc.
In particular, the cover art for #1 (above) was also used for print ads in magazines (including TV Guide) to promote the show's debut!
Trivia: For an unknown reason, though most actors' likenesses were used in the American comics, actor Prentis (mustachioed Main Mission Controller Paul Morrow) Hancock's likeness couldn't be used, so all the American stories featuring Paul used artist Gray Morrow's face as the character's visage!

Charlton Comics

"Moonless Night"

Another 5-pager, also written by Nick Cuti, and illustrated by Joe Staton, this time for the color comic book.

This Wednesday:
The Never-Seen-in-America Illustrated Short Story Adaptation of "Breakaway" from the 1975 British Space: 1999 Annual!

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Space: 1999
The Complete Series

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Twice-Told Tale of Terror INVASION!

One of the best-known Mars invasion tales is Orson Welles' War of the Worlds radio show...

Edited version

...which this twice-told tale "updates" to the television era!

But, it's radically-altered from it's first appearance, and the original version had never been reprinted!

First the toned-down version, then the original, scarier version...

Original version

 Note in the original version, both the wife and singer on tv show a lot more cleavage!

Edited version

Original version

Again, more cleavage in the original version...

Edited version

Original version

Oddly enough, the wife's cleavage is unchanged, but the look of terror in the last panel is toned down!

Edited version

Original version

Panel four in the original version is much more gruesome than the edited version. 
Note the dialogue balloon is unchanged, even though there's no actual weapons fire in the edited version!

Edited version

 This last page is radically-different! Prepare yourself!

Ready?

Proceed...but remember, I warned you...

Original version

Wow!

The edited pages were from Harvey's Race for the Moon #1 (1958), which was reprinted in Harvey's Shocking Tales Digest #1 (1981)

The original, never-reprinted, story was from Harvey's Witches' Tales #21 (1953)

As you can see, the Comics Code Authority insisted on some major redos, including most of the last page!

What do you think, fans?

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The Chilling Archives of Horror Comics: Volume 2

Bob Powell's

Terror
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Monday Monster Madness MONSTERS TO LAUGH WITH / MONSTERS UNLIMITED & MONSTER MADNESS

Besides comic books, Marvel made occasional forays into the b/w magazine market...

..with this seven-issue 1965-66 title being their longest-lasting Silver Age series!
(Note: with the second issue, Stan Lee's name was added to the cover as a selling point!)

Other mags had used the gimmick of captioning old movie and tv photos for a feature in a magazine...but never an entire magazine!

At this point, the book changed it's title...

...nobody's really sure why, but it seemed to work!

One of the koolest aspects was that Stan Lee wrote the captions...

...bringing the same kitchy vaudville-level humor that he used for decades in Marvel's humor comics!

I'm not sure if declining sales or Stan Lee's increasing workload caused the cancellation!
(Besides his writing/editing duties, he was now the public face of Marvel, giving interviews, making appearances on tv, even touring college campuses where Marvel Comics were the "in" thing!)
In 1973, when Marvel unleashed an entire line of b/w magazines, ranging from horror to kung fu to Planet of the Apes...

...they revived the concept, still written by Stan Lee!

...but this time, the book was the least-successful of the b/w line!
It was re-tooled into a Famous Monsters of Filmland/Castle of Frankenstein format, adding features about both old and current films and tv shows...

...but the alteration didn't help and the book was cancelled.

Marvel tried again, later that year with a Famous Monsters of Filmland/Castle of Frankenstein clone called Monsters of the Movies, which lasted for eight regular issues and an Annual.

Starting next Monday, through the rest of October, you'll be seeing the best (IMHO) of Monsters to Laugh With and Monsters Unlimited!

Don't Miss It!

Friday "Fun" HEE-HAW "Cornfield Chatter"

With Don da Con now Dictating Receivers of the Kennedy Center Awards...

...we are sincerely-surprised the cast of this surprisingly long-running rural "humor" anthology TV series isn't included in the first batch!

Both these two-page spreads are from Charlton's Hee Haw comics derived from the syndicated TV series.

These examples of the show's "humor" were written and illustrated by Frank Roberge and based on an ongoing skit featuring the entire cast (plus guest stars) in a cornfield popping up and doing jokes and one-liners!
The series ran a surprising twenty-six seasons from 1969 to 1995, though the comic only lasted for seven (never-reprinted) issues!

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Hee-Haw

The Complete Collection

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