FANTASTIC FREE GIFT SCAR(E)S PARENTS...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

The first issue of FANTASTIC I ever purchased was #7,

but the first one I saw was #3.  That was on a trip into Glasgow

with my parents and brother one Saturday, but as its free gift was a

disgusting piece of 'confectionery' of which I never partake, I wasn't

much interested in the comic.  The first I recall being aware of the

new title however, was with #2, mainly because of the stooshie

caused by the free gift.  It perhaps seems ridiculous nowadays,

but it certainly made a fuss back in the dark ages of 1967.

Whether it was a genuine story or one cobbled up by bored

journalists on a slow news week, I remember Scottish presenter

BILL TENNENT doing a 'piece' on the STV news about parents

being worried that children who couldn't get the comic and free gift

of 'scar' stickers might take to disfiguring themselves with knives in

order to create their own set of scars.  Are kids really that stupid?

Some might be, certainly, but I rather think they'd be more likely

to draw their own scars and stick them onto their skin than

reach for the penknife dad gave them for Christmas.

Bill Tennent was a well-known Scottish TV presenter, and I'm

surprised to see that he retired from TV in the late '70s to run the

MARIE STUART Hotel in Glasgow.  I was even more surprised

to learn that he died in 1993 at the too young age of only 59.  He was

such a fixture of television in Scotland that most people around my age

will be saddened to learn of his passing if they weren't already aware of

it.  Remember the programme TIMESLIP?  For years I was sure that

it was Bill who did the introductory piece at the beginning of the first

episode, until I watched it on video in the mid-'90s. and saw it was

PETER FAIRLEY.  Perhaps Bill did the intro shown in Scot-

land as he was better-known here?  Anyone know?

Anyway, that's two subjects covered under one banner.

You sure get your money's worth on this blog.  Take a look

at the controversial stickers below.  Do they make you want to

cut yourself, or merely print out a copy and stick them all

over your face and wrists?  Either way, you're a nutter!

Posted in: Cartoons