I SPY--------- THE SECOND EPIC SERIES

[alanultron5]

Who are the Plagirism cats? I `Must` know!!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

well, one was meant to be KORKY, Alan...but most folk got it! The cats in this signature are my 'own stuff'.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

SPARKY COMIC issue 337: 3 July, 1971.

I SPY and the SEVEN-STONE SUPERMEN: fifth, conclusive chapter.

Doctor Q's plans are foiled......BY A BOTTLE OF INK!!


synopsis: the sadistic Q bottles the liquified I SPY into storage, then telephones the Prime Minister, disguising his voice to that of the shhh!-guy: when the PM arrives at the manor 'near Glumbury', I SPY shakes around inside his bottle, trying to warn the cabinet leader of the impending danger. TOO LATE!; the PM is liquified via Q's machine and bottled, and the sum-total parts of I SPY/SAM SUNN/ JOHN SWIFT/ INE STEIN and the PM are poured into a glass jug....BOSS, however [who was added mistakenly] has no real 'superpowers', and is reconstructed to his former 'glory'.

Q takes Boss-----at gunpoint-----next door to greet the 5 7-stone weaklings earmarked for superpowers, and I SPY launches into an eleventh-hour plan. The jugged liquid is shared out into 5 equal measures, with the motley brew being hastily downed by the motley crew of undesirables........Q anticipates world superiority soon, but the dodgy lackeys are dismayed that there is no immediate signs of superiority; this scene ends with I SPY and the other victims emerging triumphant from behind the curtain where the machine is housed, and Q and his yes-men are swiftly apprehended by SUNN & CO.....

Q demands an explanation as to how the escape was pulled off, and a flashback sequence details the events achieved whilst Q was out of the room: the liquidized victims were able to shake the jug over to a nearby sponge, tip onto it, and get absorbed up..........next, they flip-flopped over to the hinged teapot device which activates the machine, switching it on. Finally, the sponge is manouvered into the range of the machines' regenerating rays, and the victims are returned to normal.


The jugged black liquid was simply substituted with black ink, and this is what the 7-stone weaklings drank!




above: one of the most novel endings to any I SPY story: very atypical and unusual.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

cont: a darn tootin', suavely satisfactory climax to this very unusual I SPY tale, minted at a time in which the series was still very much an ongoing creative concern, with every story tearing up the rulebook and starting from scratch again, to create a very novel and intruiging premise. Unlike many comic-tales of the day, there was no way I could have second-guessed the outcome, given the complex twists and turns of the plotting.

More great artwork from Brian Walker in this one, all moody, eerie gothic ambience that creates sinister, sometimes nightmare-like scenarios, although typical I SPY touches -----like our hero thinking; 'aha!' from the jug as he witnesses how Q's machine is activated---are thrown into the mix, for reassuring readership indentification purposes. The closing sequence [well, near the end, anyway] which depicts close-up shots of domestic objects being manipulated is possibly the most unique climax to any I SPY story, and this is what made this strip so great in it's 'golden era': forever throwing up unexpected surprizes, and avoiding stale formula-driven elements at all cost, to our eternal gratitude.

Great stuff, and a credit to WALKER and CLARK. The series was still very much delivering top-quality goods in this period.


I SPY'S DEVICES; well, this one is more plot-driven, really, so just the shell-blaster, used to contain Q.


NEXT WEEK.....MR X ESCAPES FROM JAIL!





I SPY will return in 'I SPY and the AMAZING MR X'.

[alanultron5]

Its a very spooky story with Brians use of shade at a peak I reckon. The `jumping sponge` bit is really way out-but its the only way they could escape!

A horrible thought has occurred! As all five `victims` were in one large blob-they might have `returned` as a five headed-ten armed, legged, abomination!! Thank goodness Sparky comic Clark/Walker didn't come up with that thought back then!! Ooooh!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

yes, a groteque mutation of that sort could well have disturbed sensitive SPARKY readers, Alan, and thankfully such mutations were rare in Thomson comics of this era.......however, a colour-spread MR BUBBLES once inflicted a very nightmarish-looking story in which a schoolboy wishes he was a housefly, and this resulted in bizarre and squirm-inducing close-ups of a fly with a kid's head grafted on.....very strange and unsavoury.....thankfully, I DON'T have this copy of SPARKY!



COMING UP: the 6-part I SPY and the AMAZING MR X:

SERIAL SIX: A MUSICAL INTERLEWD:

A thrilling spy-symphony in six chortlingly-good chapters.


The title of this story is uncharacteristically less inspired than was usual, and lacks the charged expectations of the splendidly-named BARTON debut I SPY versus the Incredible MR X........it kicks off on here very soon...see you then, readers.

[alanultron5]

I have that `Mr Bubbles` episode Rab! yes! very bizzarre! Perhaps the strangest `Bubbles` ep is where a boy wishes that Shadows could come to life! He later wishes them solid! Creepy! Ooooh!!

Your'e correct about the `lack` of truly inspiring Mr X story titles Rab! The one with the fleas doesn't even have a official title at all! Only "The Ghost of Mr X" is a pure title as `Incredible` or `Amazing` Mr X titles are flashly-but not informative!

Never mind, it didn't prevent the stories bieng superb!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

three stories to go in this series, which includes one each by top villains MR X and MR MASTERMIND, which sandwich a delightfully eccentric tale by those lovable scamps, the SKYWAYMEN.

From this point on, the format changes from 3 pages down to a more modest doublespread, though the 3-page format would return when required...was the strip finally losing ground in popularity? I like to think this decision was based more on practicalities: the artwork was often painstakingly detailed, neccessitating, perhaps ,the hiatus by BRIAN a scant few weeks earlier: whether he had other artistic commitments I'm not too sure, but the sheer work in this strip,---- with it's complex layouts and rich detail---must have been task enough even if the goal was two pages of artwork a week.



above: first-rate artwork from our BRIAN, on the lavish scale you seldom see these days...at least, in the 'funnies'.


SPARKY COMIC issue 338: 10 July, 1971.


I SPY and the AMAZING MR. X part one of six.


I SPY gets a tow-----FROM AN 80 m.p.h. EXPRESS TRAIN!!


synopsis: I SPY and BOSS head round to the local jail to check up on MR X who is acting strangely 'well-behaved', to the point of him taking up music seriously: with his band of loyal fellow-prisoners, he holds the attendent guards quite literally 'spellbound', due to the hypnotic effects of his demonic piano-symphony! Guards at the central prison gates grimace inanely as if in a drugged stupor, allowing the fiend and his prison henchmen to exit the premises, and take control of a vintage car situated outside.

I SPY and BOSS arrive at the scene, and are almost mown down by the careering jallopy [the old down-the-manhole routine comes into play yet AGAIN!] :Our hero despatches a very impressive jet-propelled homing grapnel, which is attached to a rooted-to-the-spot power winch. Mr X's car is hooked, but a quick gulp-down of the old super-strength pills [see first BARTON serial] enables the VICTORIAN ONE to pull in some slack, and to divert the hook to a passing express train!


Poor old I SPY is wrenched clean from his concrete moorings, and is last seen in a very precarious position: that of being forcibly yanked along the tracks by a thundering train at full throttle!!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

cont: A glossily-sheened, lush, lavish-n-lustrous, magnificently polished double-spreader by our BRIAN: and the Peter Clark tightly-realized opening episode is no slouch, either! Great economy in the writing here: the taut scripting sees MR X'S usual sinister motives, his subsequent jail escape and outwitting of the shhh! guy-----all on page one! MR X has clearly been using his 'leisure time' in jail to hone his 'musical talent' which sees all victims in it's path reduced to a quivering wreck!

The reappearence of a vintage motor comandeered by the VILE VICTORIAN was seen first in the UNITED NATIONS setting of GHOST of MR X, but it works well enough here, leading into a thrilling car-getaway, the re-emergence of those natty 'super-strength pills' [see BARTON debut serial] and an especially memorable cliffhanger with I SPY being dragged along perilously by a thundering train; and if all that's not enough to impress you, there is an absolutely winning, on-the-nose closing sardonic quip ----very drily delivered by MR X-----as he relaxes aloofishly, commenting on poor I SPY 'not paying his rail fare'.


Especially accomplished artwork in this one singles the opener out as a gem, an eccentric opening volley to much anarchic and comedic mayhem.


I SPY'S DEVICES: rocket-propelled grapnel-hook, with unbreakable ripe, super-power-winch and concrete-peircing stabilizers.........with hat-exhaust. ----------phew!



I this the end of the line for I SPY ? Don't miss next week's story!!

[alanultron5]

We don't find out `how` Mr X devised the hypnotic tones, which is a bit of a `lapse` in my view!

To my eyes, it seems Brians portrayal of `X` was starting to lose definition with many of his facial portraits comparing poorly to how he drew the fiend in "Ghost of..." This is a story I only caught up with a year ago -thanks to Rab- it does fare poorly against said "Ghost" but you can't have `winners` all the time!

Agree with Rab-great dialogue from Mr X in last panel! A very good `cliff-hanger` as well.

[alanultron5]

Oh! I come across a bit `harsh` on this story-apologies! No! its still a very good one-but not in "Ghost of Mr X" class! Much of Brians art is still superb, but-yes! I do see some deterioration in many of his portrayals of Mr X; to my eyes certainly!

This story does, sadly, contain an awful plot `hiatus /Flaw` one that was obviously not thought through at all! I will mention it later!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

the 'look' of MR X has changed quite a bit from the original incarnation by this point Alan.....it's still clearly the same character, but he looks more demonic and even devil-like at times.


SPARKY COMIC issue 339: 17 July, 1971.

I SPY and the AMAZING MR X, part 2 0f 4.

Maestro X's rhythmical robbery!


synopsis: MR X and co. departs the scene in his vintage jallopy as our hero is dragged along the tracks by a hurtling express....and his own 'unbreakable rope' compounds the problem! This calls for urgent radio-controlled rocket measures, which speeds on, entering a carriage of unsuspecting city gents, and pulling at that all-important communication-cord. Finally the train slows down, and the shhhh! guy manages to unscrew the accursed winch that has plagued him thus.......

a relaxing, therapeutic quick hosing down of the tortured spy-tootsies is followed up by BOSS, who has discovered a vital clue [dropped by MR X at the scene of their near-crash last week] : this is a newspaper clipping detailing that the UK's first manned space team are to attend an open-air musical concert in their honour at Bugsley park, the sort of event that could easily be exploited by MR X: our intrepid duo speed off to tis location. MR X and his convict cohorts are at the park, and have tied up the 'proper' brass band, with their togs donned by MR X's cronies.....I SPY speeds to the scene, gun-a-blazin', as MR X'S demonic brass band starts up: the hypnotic musical notes put all present into a state of suspended animation, and all victims are robbed.... the top-hatted one even commits an act of sabotage on the frozen-in-time I SPY! [thanks to his super-strength pills].

MR X has also robbed the boffin PROF FLYTE, who has been relieved of his safe-key which holds his secret rocket files. With a clash of cymbals, normality is returned, and all realize they have been robbed: and, as I SPY views MR X speeding off in his motor, he realizes too late that his shell-blaster has an unwanted knot in it.......BOOM!



above: more thrilling scenes of speed, action and drama in this week's serving.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

cont: maybe MR X learned his demonic musical ability from an ageing spy-druid he shared a cell with, Alan! Great dynamic speeding drama at the kick-off of this episode, with a nicely kinetic shot of I SPY releasing his mini-rocket, followed by the light relief of the flabbergasted train carriage occupants, and that 'spraying of the blistering feet' scenario was an unforgettable visual gag, topped by the comical sight of our hero's abandoned ripped-up shoes! This episode also contains the very unusual sight of I SPY tinkering with his secret devices......normally, his inner-workings ran smoothly without need of maintenance, ---no BATMAN-MAN-like scenes of the inventor at work on his gadgetry at home, apart from this one-off.

The shots in the park of the victims succumbing to the effects of MR X's mesmeric music......which leaves everyone looking like a rabbit with mexymatosis-----are eccentricly-realized and a bit jarring to be honest, but central to this particular plot. MR X finally succeeds in 'getting one over' on I SPY in this outing, doing nasty things to hm at closeup range. Untypically, the victorian vagabond takes time to gleefully loot attendant victims, though here he claims to use this as a 'confusing' tactic.


Much lavish and multi-layered detailed work from our BRIAN once again, and that closing closeup of MR X leering at the wheel of his vintage motor is the stuff of legend.


I SPY'S DEVICES: mini-radio-rocket/ portable shower-spray/ motor wheels x 4/ shell-blaster [sabotaged].


WHO CAN SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF MR X'S MAGIC MUSIC? I SPY TRIES TO PICK UP THE PIECES NEXT WEEK!

[alanultron5]

There is the plot flaw! Mr X has I. Spy totally nuetralised...and what does he do? Just ties a knot in his gun! I'm sorry, but really!!? Mr X has tried for `soooo...long! To eliminate I. Spy. Surely a gun to the head-BANG!! and it's over!

I am afraid this loses the story credibility for me as Mr X has another easy chance (the next ep ) to kill I. Spy and does nothing! He finally then puts an utterly convoluted plan using a `hypnotised` Boss to do this via the special record! Mr X has gone soft!! Two cast iron chances to get rid of I. Spy and....Nowt! Very poor scripting! Sorry" But it really jars with me!!

Still some very nice artwork from Brian re the Train and the Bandstand!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I suppose that comic-writers have to come up with imaginitive variations instead of just 'doing the obvious', Alan...

SPARKY number 340: July 23, 1971.

I SPY and the AMAZING MR. X: part 3 of 6.

Boss Spy gets a gun----TO KILL I SPY!

synopsis: I SPY is clearly disoriented, having survived last week's sabotaged shell-blaster which has backfired on him.....trying to pursue MR X, ---who himself is in pursuit of space-launch secrets-------our hero's inner workings have taken their toll due to the shock, so along with the doc, the pair opt to 'career' down the road in a vintage banger; top speed, 25 mph! At Rocket HQ, the safe containing the desired rocket data is cut open by I SPY, who retrieves the secret plans.....MR X and his musical cohorts are assembled outside, however, and they blast out further harmonious mayhem, which once more mesmerises I SPY and BOSS into a suspended-animation stupor.

MR X snaffles the plans out of their box, then a cymbal clash sees the pair returned to normal, as if nothing has ever happened in-between......as a back-up policy, the Victorian wrong-'un issues a demonic recording, to be delivered to SPY HQ immediately. Back at base, I SPY unwittingly places the [missing] plans into HQ safe, as BOSS gleefully unwraps a vinyl recording 'from an admirer'. I SPY relaxes------installing earplugs as BOSS lines up MR X'S recording: the record grooves release further demonic, hypnotic powers, this time in the form of a chilling command by MR X which issues instructions for BOSS to 'KILL' I SPY!! He retrieves a mortar-shell-launcher from Spy Armoury, and aims it at our hero [who initially thinks it's a joke]......... and the chair I SPY is sitting on is basted to smithereens......

next: great clarity in this layout which offers up an intruiging premise; cool composition throughout by our BRIAN.