I SPY--------- THE SECOND EPIC SERIES

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

a note to new readers: the early LES BARTON stories are covered in a seperate thread: I SPY: the first epic serial'.





firstly, apologies for myself not contributing to this theme for a month or three......basically, I've been drifting around various jobs [including a stint away from home] as well as spending a fair bit of time on my own comic-strips.

I SPY is most definately back on track now, however, and seeing that virtually all the LES BARTON work has now been covered on here [discounting the 1971/72 SPARKY annual appearences: coming up on here eventually], it is time at last to cover:

I SPY: the BRIAN WALKER era.


the 'new' ISPY phase of evolution began in SPARKY issue 300 [17 Oct 1970] and is markedly different in tone and style from all that had gone before......some commentators have summized that the transformation was seamless between the two artists: I never found this at all, and to be be perfectly honest, I was alarmed and disappointed [after waiting a few months for my comic-hero to return] when I finally clapped eyes on this 'new' departure that Friday morning on the way home from the newsagents in Autumn 1970 [which I still remember very well].



Throughout the WALKER tenure on the strip, [which I still followed zealously] I kept comparing it ---unfavourably---- to the dynamic BARTON original, which was a bit unfair, for time has been quite kind to the second incarnation of I SPY, : it's clearly very different in style, but revisiting these strips almost 40 years on has revealed that it was in essence a [still] very inventive, imaginitive strip, and if the quality control did lapse on occassion, there were still plenty of surprizes and twists-and-turns to sustain the old interest.


Of special note is the atmospheric, ink-wash technique favoured by BRIAN during his work on the b/w period: this portrayed an often sinister world that added much dimension to the central character's outlandish exploits, and this added ingredient is perhaps his finest single achievement in the history of the strip.



The scripts in this period were as imaginitive as ever, and appear likely to have been penned by PETER CLARK.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Coming up in this second chapter of the I SPY saga, we will encounter:


I SPY vs. the FATMAN

a 'superhero' satire in a very conveluted story;

I SPY and the GHOST of MR X

easily the most outlandish, far-fetched exploits of the entire spy-saga;


I SPY and THE VOICE!


an unusal oddity, involving hyper-shrieking in the vocals department from new villian FINGERS;


I SPY and the COPYCAT

a real highlight from this period: super-advanced scientific goings-on grafted onto much imaginitive mayhem......great stuff!

I SPY and the SEVEN STONE SUPERMEN

Much sinister deviancy, courtesy of the chilling DOCTOR Q: the zenith of the film-noir-style graphics that prevailed during this period.




I SPY and the AMAZING MR. X

the top-hatted Victorian vagabond returns to unleash further unbridled mayhem is this musical extravaganza....



I SPY and the SKYWAYMEN:



I SPY encounters a bizarre society of medievel throwbacks, who have discovered the secret of anti-gravity. This tale is a real oddity, but nevertheless contains much of the finest fantasy graphics and situations of the entire saga------essential!



I SPY and the Return of the MATIC-MEN:



Not quite as formulaic as it sounds: great atmosphere early on, with much comic shenanigans later on as MR MASTERMIND runs the UK from Buckingham Palace! Great swansong for the b/w BRIAN WALKER period.


It's all coming up on here very shortly, in the same usual episode-by-episode basis so beloved of my previous posts......see y'all shortly.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

the aim of this theme is also to include various assorted I SPY sweetmeats that also cropped up during the strip's tenure. Here's a real cracker courtesy of issue 299, in which L CARS stalwart BILL HILL served up a real dollop of SPARKY inter-character satire:





I actually think that BILL would have done a great job as regular I SPY artist.....his lively comedic style would have brought great vitality-n-vigour to the comic cavortings.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

the following image is of course the debut inking on the series by BRIAN WALKER. In those days, I was so 'into' comics I always impatiently read my favourite stories first -------- while still walking home from the newsagents!------ah, the impatience of youth......


-----imagine my surprize, then ----in light of that this strip was my favourite-ever----that within a second or two, I realized something was very wrong: this wasn't the I SPY I knew and loved!! It just didn't look right: I was appalled and aghast!




It was still I SPY, but clearly by another artist.....I had assumed that the strip would have continued under the same artist of the earlier stories. To me, it just never seemed the same, but nevertheless I stuck with the character ---and indeed SPARKY COMIC until 1975. In retrospect, my judgement in 1970 was a bit too harsh, for seen today, the BRIAN WALKER stories stand up on their own terms: the BRIAN version is a very different beast to the BARTON original, but nevertheless has much to reccomend it.

[Peter Gray]

I love L Cars just sooo good...works even better as an adult..

Brian Walker is great at the detailed work..check out Scream Inn..

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

as you obviously are aware, Peter, BRIAN WALKER had a lot more to offer than just I SPY, and I intend covering much of his other work on here as well as it deserves coverage.....

[Digifiend]

His more recent work also included Smasher, Go Granny Go, and Pop, Dick and Harry. I think he stopped working for DCT when the Beezer Annual stopped, bringing PD&H to an end.

[alanultron5]

It was great to have the strip back, even though the comic had given umpteen clues that it would return! At the time, I don't recall realising it was drawn by a different artist though-which probably says more about me!

The only thing that didn't seem right was the Blase` attitude of Boss upon I. Spy's return! He had been distraught at his best agents `seeming` demise-now he hardly bats an eye!

[alanultron5]

Looking at respective artwork now I judge that Les Barton was able to portray facial features better than Brian, but Brian could draw intricate machinery and structural details very ably! He also gave his panels a more 3D look too!

[alanultron5]

Before Rab gets onto the first Brian Walker drawn series in depth I would like to give my general thoughts on this 1970-71 series of four "I. Spy" adventures!

Firstly, unlike Rab, I wasn't `put-out` by the change of artist, in fact I don't think I realised there `was` a new artist on the strip-that does say something about me at the time I daresay!

Of the four stories (and I am careful not to pre-empt Rab here) for me, two of them, the second and fourth stories, were really superb!! Virtually as good as last seasons finale "Operation I. Spy" I only just give the nod to the 4th story for seasons best. One story, the first, I reckon to be fairly good! Not a outstanding effort-but a solid season opener with some good plotting in there!

Sadly, the third offering, is to me, quite execrable! A sad signpost to things to come a year or so down the line! for me, story three is the worst effort of all stories of the first three seasons!! A STINKER! Mercifully, it is the shortest story in the season. If not for that one, this season would be a real winner, though two outstanding stories (the 2nd & 4th) make it very worthwhile indeed!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

the WALKER series is less consistent than the BARTON original, Alan: it does, however, give every indication of being penned by the same sciptwriter PETER CLARK.

SERIES 2 is definately a creative concern however, with each story wholly seperate from others in the run.

Sorry about the delay in starting off: I'm in the process of finishing off piles of inkings, amongst other stuff....


I SPY will kickstart on here very soon.

[Jonny Whizz]

I know he's not quite reached it yet, but I'd like to congratulate I SPY for reaching 1000 posts on this forum. I am the first to mention this...aren't I?

Great achievement by the way, and thanks for the cartooning tips in the thread I did a while ago too.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

many thanks, Jonny: you are a fairly prolific poster yourself, and I'm sure you'll hit the big triple zero before we know it......

okay, then:

SPARKY COMIC, issue 300: [October 17, 1970];

'I SPY versus FATMAN'; part one of six.

FATMAN........big-as-a-barn, armour-plated-----AND HE RUNS RINGS ROUND I SPY!

synopsis: I SPY, believed to be dead following a massive explosion in MASTERMIND'S lair 5 months previously, turns up again at SPY HQ, where he explains to BOSS he was blown clear into a tree, and has spent the past few months repairing his devices. He is informed that one of the SPY organization boffins....FROGHOPPIT----is finishing work on a new scientific development, when the alarm sounds. In bounds a bulky HULK-like character, whose pneumatic properties rebond I SPY'S shellfire. [his 'everything-proof brolly' rebounds the shell on poor BOSS].

I SPY'S electronic sensors pursue the villain----who has absconded with a secret file----to Froghoppit's house, and the fat fiend is spottted fleeing. I SPY unleashes his 'homing lassoo', but seems to snare the professor instead. The stolen plans are retreived by I SPY, but they turn round to see FATMAN looming over them: this time the villain makes off with the plans, after severely squashing the hapless duo.



above: great 'splash' imagery from new artist BRIAN, it has to be said.


The formatting of the new series is the same 3-page layout as previously. The main changes are in the artwork, which though often dynamic, is looser in parts in some frames. The explanation of I SPY'S return is less than earth-shattering to tell the truth, but possibly this was the only real option under the circumstances, Initially I was disappointed with the 'new-look' version of the character, and I felt this new villain was a real oddball that lacked the dynamism of previous adventures......this story would improve, however.......

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

devices from instalment one: shell-blaster/everything-proof brolly [it looks more metallic, with visible rivets, than was usual in the BARTON version]/homing-lassoo with cable.

'NEXT WEEK- I SPY catches FATMAN BUT---WELL, READ ABOUT IT NEXT WEEK!'

Not a rip-roaring kickstart to the new series, but inventive thrills were on the horizon......

[Digifiend]

Congratuations on your 1000th post ISPY, although since I'm sure you was on 999 yesterday, I don't know why it's not already 1001!

Sparky 300 you say? That's a milestone issue, was anything mentioned in there about that? Bit of a coincidence that it was I Spy's return issue.