I SPY--------- THE FIRST EPIC SERIAL

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

'SPARKY' Mcissue 241; August 30, 1969:

'I SPY versus AYE Mc SPY.....the TARTAN TERROR'. [part one of six]

'I-jinks in the I-slands with I. Spy!'

SYNOPSIS: with no skullduggery to deal with for months, BOSS is reduced to playing tiddlywinks at SPY HQ. I SPY whisks a reluctant BOSS off for a Scottish holiday, where ,out in the sparsely-populated wilds, the bizarre HERMIT-SPY 'AYE Mc SPY' character spots the pair, and this agressive, impulsive agitator instantly launches into offensive attack, on his motorized 'SUPER-CABER'.

I SPY offers his English hand in friendship, but is debilitated by a violently responsive 'haggis-basher' [club], whilst poor BOSS flees into the distance, pursued by the demented CALEDONIAN of ill manners. However, I SPY'S 'automatic-homing-rocket-powered-axe' comes into useful effect, 'McChoppering' Mc SPY'S lethal club. Scotland's premier SPY responds by releasing a brace of compact 'spy-eating haggises', so I SPY consults the handy 'all about haggises' handbook, which reveals that JAM BUTTIES are the creature's menu of choice.....

-------a clockwork jam butty [mobile variety'] is rapidly despatched, enticing the unwitting haggises, who fall prey to the BUTTY'S explosive properties. Mc SPY concedes defeat in this first round, and he is last seen speeding into the distance [on his mobile caber], threatening to return and 'Mc SOSSAFRIZE' our heroes. I SPY elicits to 'get after that tartan twit.....before he hurts someone!'






THIS TALE refreshingly wipes the slate clean once more, and instead of simply re-heating the old winning formula, launches off into uncharted territory, which I always find preferable. This debut episode is basically a series of hyper-stereotypical SCOTTISH comedy-cliches, of the sort that make GRAN'PAW BROON bathing in a bath of cold porridge appear sedate and restrained. Following the similarly-menacing figures of MR. X and MAHAIREE YOGI, AYE Mc SPY has a totally different visual persona; essentially, he is a muscle-bound menace with 'POPEYE' fists, his body encased in an ankle-length tube of stainless steel tartan.

Much Scottish fantasy dialogue comes to the fore in this one,: 'I'm gonna Mc Marmalize ye!', and the stereotypical gags reach a crescendo as Mc SPY releases a batch of lethal mini-haggises from his sporran pouch. The creatures in question are very unlike the definitive VIC NEILL 'BEANO' haggises of 'WEE BEN NEVIS', and much of this overall setpiece [particularly the aforementioned haggises] is more akin to 1967 'WHAM!' than 1969 'SPARKY'. Nothing wrong with that, of course!

Mc SPY'S motorized caber is, perhaps, inspired by contemporary 'WACKY RACES' [also a product of 1969].

This overall episode may be essentially 'plot-free' [this would come over the following weeks] but is a highly entertaining, dynamic opener that is quite possibly the finest [and certainly funniest] debut instalment.

I SPY'S DEVICES: tank-tracks,'automatic-homing-rocket-powered-axe', and 'clockwork jam butty' [complete with Scottish 'jeely piece' subtext]: EXPLODING VARIETY.....





NEXT WEEK- the SINISTER SECRET in AYE Mc SPY'S LAIR!

[Peter Gray]

bring post back up to top..

goes very well with the Sparky thread..

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I'll definately be returning to these writings, shortly, PETER: this is about halfway through the LES BARTON era.......I've just been re-reading some of 'wot I've wrote' here, and it's OTT in bits, but very much from the heart.

MORE 'I SPY' soon!

[alanultron5]

Rab! What can i say---FANTASTIC!! I was going to do my own "I Spy" feature! But I don't have many of the issues now-mostly my memory! Can I just mention two "I Spy" adventures that I thought were representive of the series at it's peak (for me!)

"Operation `I.Spy`" I think this began in mid April 1970! It was an involved plot that was put into operation by a team-up of past "I Spy" foes (Not! Mr X) who set out to firstly discredit "I Spy" and then eliminate him while he is at his lowest!

A flower which contains a homing device is cleverly planted (using I Spy himself) on the Boss! Out of the blue a seemingly indestructible robot called a `Matic Man` attacks the Spy headquarters; knocks out "I Spy" and captures the Boss! After recovering "I Spy" sets off to track the robot down and catches up with it at night time on a Cliff edge! He is just too late to prevent the `Matic Man` hurling Boss into the sea! I Spy is knocked out again!

He later returns to Spy HQ vowing to avenge Boss's death. To "I Spy's" amazement the Boss is there to meet him and non the wiser about his `seeming` demise!

What a ciffhanger! no pun intended) This story had an incredible script! The main villian behind the plot was perhaps the only "I Spy" villian to rival Mr X in enmity to "I Spy"....."Mr Mastermind"!!

The `downbeat` ending was just incredible and the childrens television series "Ace Of Wands" borrowed the resolution almost to a T! "I Spy" has broken into "Masterminds" mansion house where the army of `Matic Men` are standing `dormant`. He reasons the only way to finally destroy them is by getting explosive charges inside their casings! Finally managing this on each Robot, "I Spy" sets a fuse to detonate all -but he has erred with the timing! As he makes for the exit window the whole shebang goes up in an almighty detonation!!

And that, seemingly, was that for the "I Spy" series! No word of any return in the comic at all! I wrote to the editorial office bemoaning this! They kindly replied; a Mr Chisolm (I think he was the Editor) thanked me for my letter and said that though he did not want to give away too much; if i stayed with the comic, I just might get my wish! Hooray!

I will let ye all know my other fave! "I Spy" script on the morrow! (Typing finger worn right out!)

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Your memory has served you extremely well, Alan, cosidering it's almost 40 years since the final official LES BARTON serial: 'OPERATION I SPY' was published. This final tale is intensely bleak, forboding, and in fact contains almost no humour throughout....it's played as an almost straight mystery. Not quite my very favourite, but the final tale is possibly the most memorable of the entire early run, it's dark tone is a good example of how the entire 'I SPY' run constantly evolved, and 'changed gear' throughout.

You're right; 'MR. MASTERMIND was one of the all-time formidable foes within the strip; one of the most memorable, not far behind the enigmatic MR.X himself: his assistants in this closing tale [controlled from MASTERMIND'S now crumbling mansion] included reappearences from MAHAIREE YOGI and CAMMY FLAGE [the disguise expert].

The final instalment extended to an unprecedented 4 pages [unheard of in those days] and I remember the Saturday well when the final instalment appeared, culminating in I SPY himself apparantly getting blown up along with the baddies after booby-trapping the MATIC-MEN.

I would love to cover this final serial on here in detail; and intend doing so......MASTERMIND first appeared earlier in his own starring adventure, in which his automated coffee dispensers/fruit machines were intended to enable him to rule the world...........




---you mentioned in your e-mail, Alan, of an oriental MARTIAL ARTS expert who appeared in the strip; an early villian was called 'KARATE CHIP', and he's featured in this early one-pager:







-------however, by early 1972, the strip [helmed by BRIAN WALKER at that time] featured a seperate 'KUNG FU-like villian, entitled 'CHOW MING', who looked quite different: this was from the centrespread full-colour entries. More on these later......


There was a pretty empty few months during 1970 when I SPY was absent from the 'SPARKY', but I persevered with the comic, but clues slowly appeared in the comic that the premier SECRET AGENT was due to return: when he did, I was pretty disappointed that a wholly new artist was employed: what were your own views on the 'new improved' 'I SPY', Alan?

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I always felt that the 'MATIC-MEN' from 'I SPY' were loosely based on characters from 60s SPY series the 'AVENGERS', these metal menaces were known in the show as the 'CYBERNAUTS'::




-----ah, well, this is as good a place as any to feature pics of the delighful DIANA:











above; a 'MATIC-MEN' reference from 'SPARKY', around the time of the final LES BARTON continued story.


-----ah, well, it's all 60s-SPY related, and this show definately seems to have been some sort of influence on 'I SPY'.........

[alanultron5]

Rab! When "I Spy" returned I must admit that I did not know the artist had changed! I am sorry to admit this-but i must be truthfull I thought the artwork much better in the new series! (really sorry Les fans,-but i truly did). I recall the intracasy of detail in the "Copycat" story. The multi-helicoptors and intricate machinary at `Masterminds` HQ were superbly drawn in my view!

I will be starting a "I Spy" villians thread in the Discussion forum on Thursday, Hope all "I Spy" fans will join me there! Alan.

[alanultron5]

Ah! Almost forgot my other `Fave` "I Spy" story! This was (I think) the second of the new series and commenced the first week of December 1970 (If I recall correctly)

"The Ghost of Mr X" was in my view the best `Mr X` saga of all! Mr X who was seemingly killed in his last challenge to "I Spy" suddenly returned and claimed he was a ghost with special powers!! He could disappear (and re-appear) seemingly at will and had the power to `vanish` objects!

X declared that he would `vanish` the UK bit..by..bit unless certain terms were met! He actually did `remove` most of the UK, starting with the Isle of Man!

His plan expanded to actually pushing the Earth towards the Sun. He `appearred` at the United Nations HQ to state unless rule of the Earth were handed to him, the Earth would be pushed towards the Sun. To back this up, reports came in of this very catastrophe actually happening!

Mr X was `NOT` a ghost! He had kidnapped a Professor Fixit who had devised a new `Super-Fuel` which could propell objects at incredible speed! Using this and a Collosal Saw! Mr X had put his plans into operation!

The best `cliffhanger` for me was at Christmas 1970 when I Spy, Boss, The Professor and `Aye McSpy` were all held securel in the path of Mr X's Gigantic Land cutting Saw! Even I Spys `Everything Proof Shield` was shrivvened by the massive saw! (He managed to unleash his `Metal Softening spray` in the nick of time!).

A truly great story, perhaps Mr X' greatest plan of all time! I recall chatting with my cousin Steve who was a big I Spy fan too! We both agreed the series was FANTASTIC!!

On Thursday, I will begin my "I Spy...Villians" thread in Discussions. I will be using my memory on this, so if anyone has the actual Sparky issues to correct any mistakes of mine! Please do! Alan.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

yeah, I remember ALL of the above, Alan! MR X actually attaches rockets with cables onto vast sections of UK land-masses, causing them to disappear......this tale gets my vote for the most outlandish-ever 'I SPY' tale.

BRIAN WALKER done a brilliant job on the artwork, the b/w earlier episodes he done were richly atmospheric, with ink washes used to great effect......the first tale, 'FATMAN!' wasn't that great, neither was another early entry involving a crooked 'voice artist' who could shatter concrete, but 'GHOST OF MR.X' and MASTERMIND'S reappearance in the 'COPYCAT' was a definate return to form...........funny enough, these days I find myself going back over the second WALKER incarnation more than the original BARTON pages....



------by all means start an entirely seperate 'I SPY' villians thread........remember MR EE from the 1972 colour episodes?


.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

okay......back to the chronological coverage of the strip, and first things first;

.......since my last episode summary, of course, the sad news broke that 'I SPY' original artist LES BARTON passed away on OCTOBER 20TH, last year, as he was well into his 80s and working as a professional cartoonist for so long, we can be grateful he left such an impressive body of work [of which 'I SPY' was simply one facet].

Happily, on COMICS UK there has been a fair interest in his comics/cartoon legacy, and my own appreciation of LES' work is a result of both the originality of the I SPY character, as well as the sheer spirit and originality he imbued in his work.

I'm not exagerating when I state that LES' work on this character is my favourite body of work by ANY cartoonist, not so much from a technical viewpoint, but more from the inherent, dynamic vitality he invested in his work.

Technical perfection has it's place and position, but it's unlikely that this quality alone would have produced something so personal and original as 'I SPY'......




---------now, then............



'SPARKY' Mc Issue 242, Sep 6, 1969.

'I SPY versus AYE Mc SPY, the TARTAN TERROR': part 2 of 6.

'surprise, surprise........a whole gang of SPIES!'





SYNOPSIS; Mc SPY sharpens up the tipped point of his MOTORIZED CABER, in anticipation of a repeat showdown with the 'invading sassenach' I SPY, whose usually reliable SHELL- FIRE ARTILLERY proves useless against the advancing mobile's armour-plated properties. PLAN B involving our heroe's backsprung bomb-lobber proves equally ineffectual, so I SPY and BOSS understandably leg it, or to be more accurate: 'wheel it'.

Cannily using BOSS as an unwitting, unwilling decoy [to be chased up a mountain by the motorized maniac], I SPY deploys the old 'motorized-circular-saw' routine, cutting out a lengthy 3-point rectangular shape out of the ground-level SCOTTISH turf. Mc SPY retreats from his too-easy BOSS quarry, responding to I SPY'S distant taunts down below.

RRRREVVVVING into motorized-caber action, Mc SPY careers ahead, anticipating I SPY will 'Mc DIE'. At the last sec, I SPY manually elevates his pre-cut turf 'ramp', which sends the CALEDONIAN CLOT hurtling into a distant heather knoll. With Mc SPY temporarily out of the picture, I SPY and BOSS enter the foe's curious croft-house, and in the darkness within, they strike a match, to reveal......

---------the leering, lit-up faces of arch-foes SLINKY SNITCHOVITCH, MR X, MAHAIREE YOGI and KARATE CHIP surrounding our heroes at point-blank range in the eerie nightlight.........





THIS EPISODE keeps up the relentless slapstick pace of the previous instalment, with much jovial wacky action injected into the mix. Some plot interest is required by this stage, however, and it finally arrives in the final 3 frames, in which suspense comes to the fore in some brilliantly atmospheric closing images; namely the unexpected 'visages' of no less than FOUR previous 'I SPY' foes suddenly appearing out of nowhere, to menacing, 'house-of-horrors' effect. The plot---and the 'porridge'------would thicken considerably, during the following episode......



I SPY'S DEVICES: medium-caliber shell-blaster, motorized wheel [with exhaust], back-spring rear bomb-lobber, circular motorized saw-wheel. Ho, yes........and a standard lighter.


TRAPPED! what now? find out NEXT WEEK!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

'SPARKY' Mc Issue 243, SEP 13, 1969.

'I SPY versus the TARTAN TERROR', [part III of VI]:







above top; the striking opening frame from this episode;

below that: 20 years later, I tried to recreate the original scene totally from memory: I sorta succeeded, and I didn't.............oh, well: in 1989, I had merely a further 18 years more to wait before being able to revisit the real thing..........


'THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! I Spy's SUNK!'

I SPY and BOSS are repulsed by the GHASTLY GALLERY of four fiendish top spies, looming from the darkness...........however, the sinister quartet are revealed to be, in fact, 'mounted specimens', framed BIG-GAME-like who are suspended on the wall. A quick butchers by I SPY in the next room reveals the remainder of the gruesome gallery's bodies, and a handy hatpin results in SLINKY emitting a grimaced ''YOWCH!!'----the four suspect specimens have been somehow frozen solid, though still alive.........


T he resilient AYE Mc SPY reappears, rather unsportingly wielding a fullsized sharpened caber. I SPY quells this hostile act with a tin of carnivorous WOODWORM, and as a result, Mc SPY becomes a charming host, offering up traditional local PORRIDGE 'delicacy' to the pair, as he responds to I SPY'S demands of exactly HOW the Scottish scoundrel has amassed a collection of the world's most prominent spies........



the following is retold in FLASHBACK format:

Mc SPY tries out his 'special herbal recipe' PORRIDGE on a local kilted POSTMAN, who instantly stiffens up like a frozen board. The poor victim is hidden in Mc SPY'S cupboard, but the severe clogging up of undelivered mail [the POST OFFICE is overflowing] attracts the attention of one MR. X, who demands the secrets of the PARALYZING PORRIDGE. A quick spurt of said porridge from Mc SPY'S trusty bagpipes results im MR X seizing up in a frozen state also, and before long MAHAIREE YOGI, SLINKY and KARATE CHIP all end up in the same frozen state, in their quest to locate the deadly PORRIDGE. Soon, Mc SPY is the proud purveyor of his own personal gallery of TOP SPIES........

[END FLASHBACK].

Now, Mc SPY reveals a trophy-space for I SPY and BOSS, the latter of whom has succumbed to the stoney side-effects of the notorious porridge. I SPY, however, is adverse to Scottish cuisine, tipping the deadly goo out of his hat in protest. M c SPY retorts that porridge is good for you, and makes you 'VERRA VERRA STRRRONG,' and indicates this by mangling I SPY'S shell-blaster with his muscled fist, then proceeding to pummel poor I SPY, jack-hammer-like, into the floor like a tent-peg.........

[alanultron5]

Ah! The memories this brings back! I think Mr X was first to escape (when the effects of the Porrige wore off) Then the other three broke free and "Aye McSpy" saw the error of his ways!

I think there were another two Mr X stories in this section of the season (The longer stories) One (Which introduced I Spys Grannie) concerned a "Fantasmagorian" machine...the other which I think was the penultimate story of the season was the strange plot where X teams up with `Gypsy Joe` and some boffin to use his `Super Strength Pills` on performing fleas that are radio controlled! A very bizzare story which I can't recall in depth (sadly) what with two appearances (If I'm correct) in the earlier shorter stories, this gave Mr X five appearances in that first season!

There was a GREAT!! one off story featuring a "Mr Tempest" who could control the weather and (briefly) turned off the Sun!

Of course, late on in the season we met the one villian was was as deadly (if not more!) a threat to I Spy in 1970/71: "Mr Mastermind". His debut was the story with the deadly beverage dispensing machines-only they dispensed with people instead!

"Mr Mastermind" was such a hit (I for one wrote in asking to see him return) that he headed the incredible season `finale` "Operation I Spy". For me this had the finest ever "I Spy" story script. I remember thinking how good the art work was (example bieng the `night-time` panels where the `Matic-Man` throws Boss of a cliff).

Yes! the 1969-70 run got better and better(in my view) ending in a stunningly good story.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

It's all coming up on this very thread, sooner or later, Alan: MR. TEMPEST is next up, with his 'weather-control' extravaganza, which is---like all other tales of the early era-----completely different to what has gone before....


I can't fault your powerful memory, by the way; assuming you haven't revisited these stories since the late 60s/very early 70s........

I guarantee that the series' [arguably] most memorable achievement, the final 'OPERATION I SPY' will be getting the lavish, de-luxe treatment it deserves on here; I dug it out 2 days ago:------------


---------- it's dynamite! [in MORE ways than one!]

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

'SPARKY' Mc Issue 244: Sep. 20, 1969.

' I SPY and the TARTAN TERROR'; [part 4 of 6]:

'MR. X has the last laugh- ---NOT HALF!'

This edition sports a rather fetching, BAXENDALE-like rectangular title-heading:



-------the resultant first page graphics are slightly compressed as a result, but a nicely 'groovified' layout experiment that is much appreciated.......


SYNOPSIS: Mc SPY is still driving poor I SPY into the ground with his non-Sassenach fist, and our secret agent responds by releasing his PET MOUSE into the 'inner sanctum' of Mc SPY'S STAINLESS-STEEL ARMOUR-PLATING. Mc SPY counter-releases 'JOCK' [another of his ravenous pet haggises], who sees off the irritating rodent. As Mc SPY resumes his 'McHammering', the captive MR X realizes the effects of the STUPEFYING PORRIDGE is finally wearing off, enabling him to break free from his wall-mounted bonds.

Fleeing Mc Spy's crofthouse abode [complete with SECRET RECIPE and PORRIDGE SAMPLE in a natty saucepan], MR X hijacks Mc SPY'S motorized caber, and flees with his booty into the distant Scottish hills. An unlikely truce is bonded between I SPY and Mc SPY, who both have seperate incentives for retaining the RECIPE.

The motorized MR X reckons he has got clean away, but reckons without I SPY'S speedy drilling capabilities, which enable himself and Mc SPY to overtake their quarry by drilling ahead, clean through a hill. About to CIRCULAR-SAW the rapidly-advancing MR X in his CABER-JACKED craft, I SPY is thwarted by his Scottish counterpart [who doesn't take too kindly to the notion of his caber about to be sawn in two] and BOPPED into the distance by Mc SPY'S lethal balled hammer.

An obliging Mr X tips his hat in approval, and he sails into distant freedom, with his desired means of 'conquering tomorrow'. A furious I SPY vents his fury on the narrow-minded Mc SPY'S short-sighted actions, and the pair soar into the Scottish sky, determined to stem the disastrous chain of events.




Hot on the heels of last week's plot-heavy shenanigans, this episode is split between the absurdist events in Mc SPY'S cramped quarters, which give way to the speedy high-jinks of another fun-filled 'chase-and-action' sequence that was so beloved of the series. All interior shots of Mc SPY'S modest dwelling are nicely-rendered with elaborate, moody cross-hatching and an almost VICTORIAN ambience [a trademark of much of LES BARTON'S work].

This overall tale is, perhaps, the extreme example of the very silly storylines that laced early-period ' I SPY', and the remaining stories would employ a more serious tone, but some of the deliberately silly dialogue in this escapade is worth detailing:

MR. X [keeping a persuing Mc SPY at bay as he straddles his hijacked caber]:

'STOP----or I'll fill you full of PARALYZING PORRIDGE!'


-----also, later, as I SPY asserts his authority over a dejected Mc SPY:

Now listen, you haggis-bashin' noodle-brain---if MR X gets loose on the world with that porridge, we'll ALL be sunk!'



--------spirited, dynamic dialogue that transcends mere parody, and the stuff of which made this comic strip so enjoyable all these years ago, and indeed today.


I SPY'S DEVICES: 'pet mouse' release-hatch, motorized unicycle, powerdrill [high-caliber], front-mounted CIRCULAR SAW, and internal ROCKET-ENGINE.


'NEXT WEEK; 'the SHOWDOWN with MR. X'.



This issue of 'SPARKY' is notable in that it saw the first colour appearance of battling cat-and-dog duo 'PUSS and BOOTS', who shared, along with 'I SPY' a rapid appreciation with the comic's readership, and the pair had secured the coveted BACK COVER a mere 3 months or so after their debut appearance:





note how the title-image depicted full-bodied figures of the agressive pair; this image was later permanently altered to feature their 'canine-n-feline' mugs only.

[alanultron5]

Rab! I assure you I only have a bare handfull of Sparky's 1969-to71 Nos 227, 240, 274, 307, 311, 313 through 316! That's all! Most of what I put here is from memory! My copy of 274 did help me to summarise Pt1 of "Operation I Spy" all other posts-memory only! I'm truly enjoying your episode breakdowns! Cheers! Alan.