Thursday 10 December 2020

Super-Spies & Secret Agents #0



























From the publishers of Comics Unlimited comes Super-Spies and Secret Agents a magazine which specialises in classic characters from comics, film and TV.  I picked this up out of curiosity as it sounded fun.

This is a #0 issue which gives both the publisher and reader a chance to see what is on offer and there's a good mix of features inside starting with Agent 21 who I vaguely recall from the pages of TV 21 which when it began was mainly a vehicle for Gerry Anderson strip though plenty of other material including a well received (if non-canonical) solo Daleks feature appeared.

Can't say I have any particular memories of Agent 21 which ran from 1965 to 1969 which means he will have his fans. The second feature is about Gemini Man about whom I knew nothing never having heard of let alone seen the programme skipped this which brings to M-Appeal as the author calls it.


























Photo: Fair use

It's third time lucky with a feature about Emma Peel from The Avengers played by the beautiful Diana Rigg who sadly passed away this year. Mrs Peel was certainly the partner that most of us will associate with John Steed. I admit to having a childhood crush on Diana Rigg which stayed with me all my life. I'm sure I was not alone in this.


























Nick Fury of Marvel Comics fame appears next and despite having fought in WWII and being head of SHIELD since the sixties doesn't seem to have aged a day. of course film buffs will be more familiar with the "Ultimate" version as played by Samuel L Jackson but for me it will always be hard hitting Nazi bashing sergeant with his commandos! 

Both as a child and still as a child in my sixties I always loved Secret Squirrel so it was fun seeing him and his sidekick Morocco Mole make an appearance and an excuse to play the theme tune!


Of course Gerry Anderson's output gets a couple of mentions including Joe 90 but there's also that creepy but eccentric Agent X20 who lived on that rock in sea from Stingray. A nuisance but an ultimately useless lickspittle of the underwater despot Titan!

The more modern Johnny English appears. Not a fan myself and there's an article about The man from O.R.G.Y. another character I've not heard of and preferred to skip.

















Photo: By Source, Fair use

Still There's always The Man from U.N.C.L.E. now that was a programme I'd happily sit and watch some repeats of! Oh and for Bond fans there's Karl Stromberg. Great villain played in the movies by the wonderful Curt Jurgens.

Overall an interesting outing with plenty that interested me even if I skipped a couple of pieces. Apparently this is their second attempt at launching this magazine which lasted just two issues last time when it was a companion to the British comics fanzine Crikey. I did pick up some issues of that but don't recall Super-Spies. at all.

As a one off it was a fun read though I doubt I'd be a regular reader myself I'm sure there is a fan base that this will appeal to. 

Rating: 4 Stars. A fun read.

Available from Amazon.

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