Space Patrol: Super Mag Issue 12

The first appearance of Space Patrol in comic strip form was as part of a series called initially Super Mag, which was published on a fortnightly basis (or two a month) from the start of 1964. Each issue featured a single story, some of which were adaptations of films such as The Absent Minded Professor or Disney's Lady And The Tramp, or television series like Champion The Wonder Horse or the Australian The Terrible Ten. Virtually all were reprints of titles from other countries, notably the Disney Gold Key comics, with the British Space Patrol being an exception.

A gimmick of the comic was a 'Gold Token', usually printed at the bottom of the first page, which could be cut out and collected to send off for free gifts. This was used in a number of the Young World publications, both in comic and some hardback formats.

Super Mag Issue 12

Published by Young World in June 1964. Printed in Belgium.
Price: One Shilling (12 Old Pence)
Artist: R. Paul Hoye
40 page issue (‘Space Patrol’ strip runs to just over 31 pages, plus a half page featurette)

Synopsis:
Adaptation of the television episode The Water Bomb, although the issue is simply called ‘Space Patrol’.

Continuity:
• Visual continuity is well maintained, based for the most part directly from the series and episode in question, and the adaptation follows the television script closely.

Astro Viewer Working:
• ‘Space City’ is depicted as buildings from the series amidst a green landscape, making it seem more picturesque than the version we see on television, and the sky has other craft flying past.
• Raeburn has a bowl of fruit by his bed.
• Haggerty’s clothes are coloured quite differently from the accepted blue cardigan and yellow checked trousers.
• Galasphere 347 is never refered to by its number, just 'the Gallasphere'.
• Dart personally handles the oxygen pumping machine from the Galasphere vacuum door, rather than just from the control room.
• There is at least one extra man at Marog’s headquarters, clad in a space or radiation suit and guarding the H-Bomb, who Husky knocks out prior to sabotaging it.
• In the televised episode, when Raeburn tells Marla that Dart and his men may die, it is unclear whether Marla is crying as her back is to us. Here, we are treated to a picture of her sobbing.
• The Venusian is present in the chamber when the launch mechanism explodes - along with a possible fifth member - but survives, albeit with an injured arm and torn costume. He breaks the news to Marog instead of Brig.
• At the end, Dart makes his report in Raeburn’s office back on Earth, rather than from the Galasphere.
• R. Paul Hoye is best known for his illustrations for books and stories by children’s author Enid Blyton.

It is interesting to speculate whether ‘Super Mag’ had access to an original script and were following it closely, while the differences in the televised episode, such as the smaller number of Marog’s gang, was due to puppet and cost constraints.

We are also treated to a brief article, by the editor of the issue, about the production of ‘Space Patrol’:

SPACE PATROL under control!

We thought you would like to know something about the technical side of the making of SPACE PATROL.
Miss Roberta Leigh, who created the idea and who writes all the stories and makes the films for T.V. in her own studios, is very careful to ensure that all details of her work are technically accurate.
A tremendous amount of work is put into research before an idea is developed. Therefore the SUPER-MAG story you are about to read is based on possibility.
The robot pictured here which appears in some of the films, cost £350 to make. It operates by electricity, with the motor inside the body. It walks mechanically, and its leg movements are exactly like the leg movements of a human being, bending correctly at the knees. The hands, which grip objects, are operated by puppeteers.
The other puppets, such as Colonel Raeburn and Husky, also work by electricity. The motor is situated in the head of each, operating the movement of the eyes and mouth. It is not difficult to understand that these puppets cost £200 each, for your enjoyment!

Hoorah!:
• Artist R. Paul Hoye’s renditions, while somewhat simplistic and less dynamic than the TV Comic version, are very faithful to what is seen in the episode - even down to the characters of Marog, Brig and their Venusian colleague.

Boo!:
• New York, in the opening frame and several other points in the comic, is refered to as ‘Space City, Earth’.
• Dart’s uniform has a star like Husky or Slim, rather than a sunburst.
• The stars on the uniforms are sometimes missing altogether (see left).
• One picture of Raeburn shows the UGO HQ as a building in the background.
• Some scenes on Mars (the Martian President’s office and the launch of the missiles) show a miniscule Earth in the sky.
• ‘Galactic’ and ‘Galasphere’ are spelt with two ‘l’s throughout.
• Phobos is refered to as a planet rather than a moon of Mars.

Ready To Lift ?:
Straightforward but true to the episode both in story and visuals, even though it doesn’t really expand on anything we know. The short feature about the production is an added bonus. A nice piece of rare merchandise. (8)