Spanish publisher Applehead Team Creaciones is seeking information and help in the compilation of further books on science fiction comics, following up on the launch of a new series in Spanish last year.
It’s undeniable that popular culture of the second half of the twentieth century was marked by a fascination with space and extraterrestrial visitors to Earth – an interest that continues into this century, celebrated in a new Spanish language series of books from Applehead Team Creaciones.
Published last year, Alienígenas Carpetovetónicos Ilustrados Volume 1: Platillos y Marcianos studies how our interest in things alien has been reflected in comics and graphic magazines for adults, focusing mainly on the years 1947, the birth of the UFO phenomenon as we know it, through to 1987, which marked the end of Spanish publishing house, Bruguera, although precedents and some later works are also featured.
Written by Luis R. González, Alienígenas Carpetovetónicos Ilustrados Volume 1: Platillos y Marcianos, a whopping tome coming in at just shy of 500 pages, is the result of the study of tens of thousands of Spanish comics, plus a similar amount of comics from the rest of the world, especially North America, Britain and Italy, without forgetting Latin America, divided into two generous volumes that will satiate the curiosity of both ufology fans and scholars of the Ninth Art.
Future Publishing – Can You Help?
The series editor, Reinaldo Manso, is currently seeking to expand the project, further expanding on British comic stories, seeking, for example, information on alien visitors to Earth, to build a chronological listing of such alien characters.
“The oldest British one would be Jack Flash, in The Beano,” he suggests, first published in 1949, although we strongly suspect there may be earlier examples in story papers, “and The Mekon from Eagle. Any other suggestions from the 1950s?” Can Dan Dare fans help?
While he has compiled a long list of SF stories in British girls comics there are a few he cannot locate and is asking for help, with further information on stories such as “Serena from Space”, a strip that made its debut in June and Schoolfriend in September 1968.
“Apparently the story was continued after she returned to her home planet, at least according to the covers I have seen. I would appreciate a synopsis of the whole story and to know in which issue it ended,” he has asked.
By coincidence, a recently published issue of INFINITY, Issue 91, still on sale in select TG Jones and available to buy here online both in print and as a digital edition, includes an enjoyable article by Michael Macey on SciFi in British girls comics.
Can you help? Please post responses below. (Comments are moderated, but we endeavour to approve genuine responses quickly) | Contact Reinaldo Manso via Facebook
• Alienígenas Carpetovetónicos Ilustrados Volume 1: Platillos y Marcianos by Luis R. González | 498 Pages | ISBN 978-8412789577 | Available here from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link) – NB in Spanish!
• Applehead Team Creaciones are online at appleheadteam.com
• Infinity 91: The Spies Who Copied Me!
Leads with a feature on the Superspy movie imitations that flourished in Europe in the 1960s, as enterprising producers tried to climb aboard the Bond-wagon. Plus, a feature on Barbarella starring Jane Fonda, and a chat with the director of the new Predator movie, and a vintage interview with the First Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott, who back in 1964 hit Muscle Beach with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello. TV favourites Sharpe and Sherlock Holmes also come into the spotlight, as does Rowan Atkinson’s comedy classic, Blackadder. Plus, features on TV’s Object Z, tragic star Michael Gothard and sci-fi in girls’ comics
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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