Century 21 Strip Collection Details Revealed!

By John Freeman on November 2, 2009

Trailed here back in July, publishers Reynolds & Hearn have kindly given downthetubes the lowdown on the strips that will feature in their third volume of Gerry Anderson comic strips, most taken from the brilliant 1960s comic TV Century 21, due for release in a few short weeks.

Launched in 1965 to capitalise on the success of Gerry Anderson’s television series Fireball XL5 and Stingray, TV Century 21 offered a colourful mix of space age stories that later included Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet alongside other Supermarionation favourites from the Anderson studios.

Sub-titled Escape from Aquatraz, this third collection, featuring many pages reproduced from original artwork unseen for over 40 years, includes strips by artists such as Frank Bellamy, Ron Embleton, Frank Hampson, Mike Noble and Ron Turner. Each story has been meticulously restored and the book features an introduction by Chris Bentley and the volume includes a fine UFO strip from the pages of 1970s comic, Countdown, published by Polystyle who also produced TV Comic.

The strip list is as follows (most story titles are newly created as the original comic did not feature them):

• Stingray – Escape from Aquatraz (Script: Alan Fennell Art: Ron Embleton, originally published in TV Century 21 issues 31-44, August-November 2065)

Snowmen attack in TV Century 21 Issue 35! Art by Mike Noble

• Fireball XL5 – The Abominable Snowmen (Script: Alan Fennell Art: Mike Noble, originally published in TV Century 21 issues 34-39, September-October 2065)

(This is a hugely popular story with Fireball XL5 fans featuring aliens that literally turn their foes into snowmen!)

• Thunderbirds – Atomic Runaway (Script: Scott Goodall Art: Frank Bellamy, originally published in TV21 and TV Tornado issues 192-196, September-October 2068)

• Captain Scarlet – The Deadly Sea (Script: Howard Elson Art: Ron Turner, originally published in the TV Century 21 annual, September 1968)

• Zero X – The Hollow Men (Script: Angus P Allan Art: Mike Noble, originally published in TV21 and TV Tornado issues 197-202, October-November 2068)

• Stingray – Icebreaker (Script: Alan Fennell Art: Ron Embleton, originally published in TV Century 21 issues 45-51, November 2065-January 2066)

Frank Bellamy’s Thunderbirds, from TV21 and TV Tornado Issue 198

• Thunderbirds – Atoll of Doom (Script: Scott Goodall Art: Frank Bellamy, originally published in TV21 and TV Tornado issues 197-202, October-November 2068)

• Zero-X- WaxWorld (Script: Angus P Allan Art: Mike Noble, originally published in TV21 and TV Tornado issues 210-217, January-March 2069)

• Fireball XL5 – Mystery of the Magnetoid (Script: Alan Fennell Art: Mike Noble, originally published in TV Cenrury 21 issues 40-43, October-November 2065)

• Captain Scarlet – The Banner Vine (Script: Scott Goodall Art: Mike Noble, originally published in TV21 issues 176-177, June 2068)

• Thunderbirds – The Manafu Trench (Script: Scott Goodall Art: Frank Bellamy, originally published in TV21 and TV Tornado issues 239-242, August-September 2069)

• UFO – The Colour is Green (Script: Dennis Hooper Art: Brian Lewis, originally published in Countdown issue 43, December 1971)

• Gerry Anderson’s Century 21: v. 3: Escape from Aquatraz is on sale 30 November: buy it from amazon.co.uk

Also Available from Reynolds & Hearn:

• Buy Century 21: Classic Comic Strips from the Worlds of Gerry Anderson Volume 1 from Amazon.co.uk

• Buy Century 21: Classic Comic Strips from the Worlds of Gerry Andserson Volume 2 from amazon.co.uk

• Buy Gerry Anderson’s UFO: The Technical Manual from amazon.co.uk

• Reynolds & Hearn web site

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.