Planet Of The Apes Revisited

Another entry on the apes, this time from Starlog issue #105, published April 1986. The cover blurb read "Untold Tales of Planet Of The Apes: The sequels you didn't see - and why!" It is indeed interesting to read about some of the ideas presented for the next movie, and one wonders if some of them might have turned out better than the one that was filmed.

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Since the movie was successful enough to warrent another sequel, the producers found that they had painted themselves into a corner with the destruction of the world. Having the trio of chimps go back in time to then-present day Earth was a great idea, but it would have been better if they had anticipated another film while writing the second, and set up the third one all through it. It would have been great seeing the efforts of Milo, Cornelius and Zira as they try to retrieve and repair the original ship, and the tension of their escape as the world is about to end. Just my way of thinking, and it would have made people even more excited for the next movie when the start of it was teased after the ape planet was blown up; and made the ending less depressing.

COF #23 Apes Article

When I was 15 years old in 1974, I was living near Macon, GA at the time, and one weekend as usual I was spending the night at my Grandma's house. These trips were like a taste of freedom given to a prisoner, in that I was allowed to be myself there, and buy what I wanted. I made my trip to Chi-Chesters Pharmacy on Vineville Ave, to see what magazines, comics or paperback I could find... and this time I hit the goldmine: the following issue, #23, of the awesome magazine "Castle of Frankenstein." The issue was electrifying to me as I snatched it from the magazine rack in an instant and feasted my eyes on the Apes cover art! I was a rabid Apes fan by then (an interest that was second only to my fever for Star Trek), and this was just before the first issue of the Marvel Apes magazine had come out. Below is the art for the wraparound cover, and the main Apes article inside. I still remember reading the article as I walked back home to Grandma's house, and how excited I was.

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Zaius: "I'm tickling her underarm! Tickle, tickle, tickle!"

Bonus: the cover art without the text! Found online.

Space: 1999 Premiere Article

Clipped from the TV Preview section of the Miami Herald on Sunday, August 17th, 1975, comes this big article on the upcoming series Space: 1999. Featuring the show's stars Martin Landau and wife/co-star Barbara Bain, the interview was conducted when they were in Miami on a tour to promote the show. As in every single article and interview about the new show,"Star Trek" is of course brought up, which is significant in that the series had been seen only in re-runs for seven years by that time. Landau, in drawing a distinction between the shows, goofs when he claims that Star Trek had been set "a thousand years later" than their series.

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Bonus: Below, a clipping from one of the tabloids, possibly the Globe (I didn't include the paper name or date when clipping it) featuring Joan Collins in a role on Space:1999. Once again, "Trek" is brought up, but the writer completely misses the connection that Joan had a guest-starring role in that show as well. Claiming the shows to be "similar" also reveals how little the writer knew about either one.

Batman Magic Photo Kit

From one of the late 1960's comics in my collection, comes this ad for a mysterious "something" that makes photos. For years I wondered what it could be... it surely wasn't a camera.

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Some of the mystery may now finally be dispelled, at least for me, as in researching this item I found this comment on another blog that featured the same ad...

Andy Vaughn on August 23rd, 2007
I had the Batman Photo kit in the younger days. It consisted of 6 negatives with scenes from various Batman stories of the day (I remember a couple of them were Batman fighting the Bouncer). Several pieces of photo paper, and a hard plastic sheath were also included. You would take the photo paper, and place a negative over it, then place both in the plastic sheath which you would then hold up to a light source for 5 minutes. After that, a picture would appear from the negative onto the paper. It was really neat, and I remember playing with it for hours. However it was lost somewhere in time. Sure which I would have kept up with it!

And there you have it.

1978 "Incredible Hulk" TV Series Article

From July 1978 comes this "Us" magazine cover article on "The Incredible Hulk" TV series. After it is a small feature on Stan Lee. Enjoy!

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1967 Promotional Art for Jonny Quest

From the 1967 Castle of Frankenstein yearbook (or "Fearbook" as it was called) comes this full-page image of some promotional artwork for the then-new animated series "Jonny Quest." The inset review, although somewhat negative, did manage to deliver some backhanded compliments. Today, we recognize just how groundbreaking the show was. I have great memories of summer evenings at my Grandma's house hurrying inside to catch the show.

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Starchaser: The Legend Of Orin poster

This time we feature a full-page magazine ad for the 3D "Starchaser: The Legend Of Orin," released in 1985. I missed the theatrical release, but enjoyed it a lot when it came out on video a few years later.

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Featuring a good score, nice animation and designs, it was the first time I remember ever seeing computer animation in an animated film, used mostly when depicting the hero's ship. Although obviously a Star Wars rip-off, it is interesting to watch, and sets itself apart enough to warrant repeated viewings. Although the 'Space Arabs" might be objectionable nowadays to some for their stereotypical bad-guy status...

The personality of the ship's computer, a complaining put-upon AI named Arthur that reminded one of C3PO, was amusing; as well as the fembot that had a crush on the Han Solo analog, Dagg Dabrini, after he forcibly reprogrammed her through a panel on her behind. Making someone love you through no choice of their own is not a good basis for a real relationship, though.

The spaceship designs were excellent, particularly the one flown by Dagg, with its swiveling engines that changed positions according to the direction one wanted to go in. This design was really efficient for sharp course changes and vertical takeoffs. This ability was used to great effect as some of the most exciting space battle scenes involved the rapid reversals and spins as the ship out-manuevered their enemies.