THUNDERBIRDS ARE HERE...

Images copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

Picked up this new comic in my local WHS today.  Only got

two feet out the door before I was rugby-tackled by security, but

I managed to kick the schecht out of her.  Only kidding of course,

so what has the new THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO monthly

mag published by D.C. THOMSON got going for it?

It's a neatly presented mag comprising 36 pages, 12 of which

are comic strip format utilizing screen grabs from the TV show.

A bit too much padding with pin-ups, puzzle, info & activity pages

for my tastes, but it is a 'magazine' rather than an outright 'comic'

and fits the format that most kids are used to nowadays.  (Must

say I don't care too much for the 'dutch tilt' lettering balloons

in some panels - doesn't quite work in my view.)

At £3.99, the price seems a bit steep, even allowing for the

Thunderbirds-related toy which accompanies every issue, as the

toy is declared as 'free' on the cover.  £3.99 for a mag and a toy

is not bad, especially as the toy appears to be of good quality,

but as it's supposed to be free, then the mag is overpriced.

This isn't really aimed at older children of my age, but it'd

make a nice treat for your kids, or nieces and nephews, and you

could always play with the toy when they're reading the magazine.

The last licensed title I recall DCT doing was 'BUCKY O'HARE',

so I suppose they deserve a pat on the back for having another go,

and trying to rekindle the embers of what was once a mighty

comics publishing industry in this country in days gone by.

I'll buy the first few issues until I've got all the craft, but

whether I purchase any more depends on the toy.  When you

think about it, that's rather a poor reflection on the mag itself -

whether or not that attitude that will be shared by the target

audience remains to be seen.  Let's hope it's not a case of

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1...Thunderbirds are gone!

Posted in: Cartoons