Starblazer: #43 & #58 (DC Thomson/1981)

Pocket picture libraries were just the thing for British schoolboys (and those who refused to grow up) as these comics were designed to fit into a blazer pocket and be read on the way to or back from school. Or in my case work.

There were quite a few of these "picture libraries" the one's I remember were war stories like Commando the only one still going and occasionally pick up if I get anywhere near WH Smiths which is not very often these days...

However there was one that bucked the war trend and that was Starblazer, a brave move by DC Thomson publishers of Commando and of course the ever present The Beano comic! Launched on the back of the popularity of Star Wars this quickly went from one a month to two and was to last from 1979 until 1991. A total of 281 issues.

These two editions are typical of the fare on offer. Nowhere World (Starblazer #43) chronicles the arrival of a dead world in the solar system that is on it's way to crash into Earth. Clearly it isn't a random event and when Earth's defence forces are attacked commando's are sent to land on this errant world and destroy the enemy before it is too late.

The inhabitants of the Planet Mongros intend to collide with Earth using their planetary force shield to knock our world out of orbit and replace it with their world in orbit around the sun.

Bug eyed aliens, robots, spaceships. It's all there and worth picking up.

Meanwhile in the slightly later Starblazer #58 sees peace and stability in the known galaxy threatened by the theft of an ancient diamond, the Pyramid of Punagaria being sent to the Concordat confirming an alliance. for the future.

This theft is part of a conspiracy to create the most powerful weapon ever made. One that could destroy anything anywhere at the whim of it's creators. Can these villains be stopped in time. Read Pyramid Power for the answer.

I will be picking more of these great little comics from time to time in the future. They are not expensive and I'm told that later issues include "fantasy adventures" which I might try out next!