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

[alanultron5]

Autohound could always be re-built, though he never did appear again! In `Champ` comic I. Spy actually had a `Mastermind` detector!

I too noticed that Brians artwork was starting to falter on finer detailed area that he usually was so good at! It seems the sheer toll of the strip was wearing him out! This was a `fun` strip that had veered as close to becoming an `adventure` strip-as could be possible! It must have been a strain to maintain the quality.

As I mentioned before-this story is pretty unique in as there is no single major villian opposing I. Spy. This time it is (what would be revealed to be) a renegade collective who have plans for world conquest! That alone-gives the story a unique quality all of its own.

[alanultron5]

Autohound could always be re-built, though he never did appear again! In `Champ` comic I. Spy actually had a `Mastermind` detector!

I too noticed that Brians artwork was starting to falter on finer detailed area that he usually was so good at! It seems the sheer toll of the strip was wearing him out! This was a `fun` strip that had veered as close to becoming an `adventure` strip-as could be possible! It must have been a strain to maintain the quality.

As I mentioned before-this story is pretty unique in as there is no single major villian opposing I. Spy. This time it is (what would be revealed to be) a renegade collective who have plans for world conquest! That alone-gives the story a unique quality all of its own.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

SPARKY issue 347; Sep 11, 1971

I SPY and the SKYWAYMEN: part 4 of 6.

The amazing disappearing trick!

synopsis: aboard the scuppered CREST, poor BOSS is held at gunpoint by the mysterious, sinister SKYWAYMEN, who order I SPY to access the gold bullion onboard, by way of his hi-tech devices: this entails sawing down to the strongroom, where he places high-exposives sticks onto the safe. As the Skywaymen cover anticipating the blast, our shhh!-guy knocks four of them out with an extendable hammer: at the same time, the 'dinamite' sticks he has placed are revealed to be powerful mini-rockets, which elevates the heavy safe upwards, through the ship deck, and into the clear blue skies!

The ruthless bandits aloft prepare to keep good their word and finish Boss off, but he is saved in the nick of time by another circular trapdoor power-sawed by our hero: the resultant hole also provides a handy outlet for a pair of power-boxing gloves to disable the two remaining skywaymen. The bandits are tied up as BOSS, ISPY and the ship Captain inspect the strange cloud that is enveloping the CREST: unseen, the SKYWAYMEN unleash their strange anti-gravity power, and levitate up into the mist.

I Spy takes off in pursuit, flying through the eerie, shrouded mist created by the villians, and comes accross the strange sight of a medievel portcullis creaking open in mid-air......

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

fine typical 'knockabout' gags are instilled into this fine atmospheric setpiece:

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

cont: another fine outing, notable for the eerie, mysterious ambience created within the cloud-shrouded backdrop, that seems ethereally cut off from the outside world. The Skywaymen appear deadly serious in their intentions to 'knock off' hostages ---BOSS, in this case-------at the drop of a three-cornered hat, which makes them out as very steely-cold villains indeed. Some fine japery and invention throughout in this one, however: that trick 'rocket-powered-sticks of dinamite' is an out-and-out winner, which brings the strip 'back-to-basics' admidst the untypical, MARIE CELESTE- -like aura.

The Skywaymen are amongst the most unusual foes our hero ever encountered, and they seem to have stepped out of SPARKY pages of a Medievel drama from 1966, and not 1971! This overall tale----for all it's anachronistic menace and jarring elements-----is pretty good stuff, though, and that final image, that of the airborne I SPY approaching the otherwordly quarters of the eerie Skywaymen, is the stuff of potent dreams.


I SPY'S DEVICES: tungsten circular power-drill/ trick 'dinamite': in reality, mini-power-rockets,/ all-purpose extendable sledgehammer/ powersaw/ internal rocket-engine.[/]
NEXT WEEK------THE SINISTER SECRET IN THE CLOUDS!

[alanultron5]

The final panel of this episode sets up possibly the most bizzare cliffhanger in the strips history! If readers had thought this story `way-out` it was going to go much further! I wonder if the Skywaymen's city was called "Armenia"?

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

SPARKY issue 348: September 18, 1971.

I SPY and the Skywaymen: part 5 of 6.

The Amazing Anti-Gravity Machine!

synopsis: Our hero is trapped inside a mysterious 'otherworld' concealed high in the clouds, as the portcullis clangs behind him, and he is dumbfounded by the sight of a fully-functioning Medievel town: presently, he is ordered to surrender by the ruthless Skywaymen, who surround him. I Spy laughs off the threat of these ancient 'peashooters', but the joke is on him, as his secret devices are rendered incapactated, thanks to the power radiated by a vast REACTOR that is keeping the entire town afloat......

A flashback sequence details a trip back in time to medievel alchemists---at ground level-----who discover the secrets of 'anti-gravity' when chemicals were applied to Gold.......these ahead-of-their-time scientists were derided as 'witches' by the Luddite villagers , and hunted down as black magicians. In desperation, the scientists enabled their entire village to lift off skywards, where they have lived for over 200 years in a state of suspended animation. The younger upstarts of these 'throwbacks' were corrupted by the world-beating potential of the technology, however, and using the reactor, they plan to dominate the world.


They lack 2 tons of gold bullion needed to fire the reactor----and, as it is I SPY who has thwarted their ambitions--------he is prepared for summary 'justice', and he is ordered into an ancient open-topped arena, where, all his devices disabled-----he is set upon by two great hulking, salvitating bears......

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

this highly unusual episode is topped and tailed by some of the most untypical imagery ever witnessed within the series:

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

cont: an extremely unusual outing, the overall tone of this set is rendered nearer to that of illustration than comic-book high-jinks, and the approach of both the story and artwork is more demanding of the typical I SPY reader, as there is a fair bit to absorb within this very plot-heavy instalment.

Some cracking sinister imagery early on, as I SPY is surrounded by the lawless Skywaymen within their own territory, in a pretty cool 'splash' panel that is closer to 2000 AD than SPARKY. Although the more storybook-like presentation of this episode is pretty heavy-going and 'against-the-grain' in many ways [I wasn't especially struck on it in '71] today I reckon it is a brave attempt to break away from standard fare, and as such is much preferable to simply another re-run of previous high-points, also the stark, bleak artwork puts forward much memorable comic imagery that still looks great.

Pretty chilling stuff in the frame that depicts the foolish villagers tracking down the more advanced- intellectually scientists: a damning summary of the faults of human nature, which still rears it's ugly head today.

I agree with Alan that the cliffhanger in this chapter is, in all possibility, the most unusual and intruiging in the strip's entire history: the sight of those onslaughting bruins is an image that is not easily forgotten for fans of this spyseries.

I SPYS' DEVICES; only the internal rocket-engine, seeing his devices are rendered out-of-action.


b]

NEXT WEEK------THE FINAL BATTLE!

[Peter Gray]

Just shows Brian Walker did some amazing stuff for I Spy as well..

love the skywaymen...a great idea

[alanultron5]

Hello Peter! Nice to have you back on this thread! The `Skywaymen` story is a real classic! I put it as the seventh of my personal "Superlative Seven" I. Spy stories! These are, in order of appearance "I. Spy V the Incredible Mr X" (the first long story), "V Mr Tempest", "The Mastermind Machines", "Operation I. Spy / Grab" (My No 1 pick) "The Ghost of Mr X" "The Copycat" and "The Skywaymen" A true SUPER SEVEN!!

[alanultron5]

I do wonder if the Skywaymans City might nhave been called "Armenia" Only those owning the `Who's` "Sell Out" L.P will know what I mean by this!

[alanultron5]

Hopefully, I will be contributing again on this thread-if Rab can continue! Been a bit unwell, but `on the up` now!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Glad to have you back on here again, Alan: so we will commence once more;

SPARKY COMIC issue 349: SEP 25, 1971.


I SPY and the SKYWAYMEN; part 6 of 6.

I Spy goes fishing in the sky-----and catches the flying crooks1

cont;Imperiled in a medievel pit occupied by two hulking great bruins-----and, crucially---with his inner devices out-of action courtesy of the powerful local reactor----our shhh! guy has his work cut out as he swiftly downs two anti-diziness pills, leading the salvitating grizzlies on a merry chase, where they are biffed and bopped into submission, after I SPY gulps down some of MR X'S consficated super-strength pills.

I SPY is thrown a rope to freedom by the elder Sky-people who have been bullied into submission by the younger SKYWAYMEN, who rule the roost in this throwback society. As we speak, the bandits have relocated to Earth-level, where they hijack a bullion truck, escaping with a heavy safe of gold bars, elevating back to the sky-sanctuary. I SPY meanwhile is siding with the innocent Medievel people, where he convinces them to switch the reactor for a few seconds, so his devices can work again...a perilous plan that could see the whole anti-gravity society plummet to Earth in destruction.


The Skywaymen return to the portcullis entrance, and the signal is given to switch off the reactor temporarily: very swiftly, our hero converts into 'rocket-mode', catching the falling villains, the plummeting bullion safe smashes clean into the lorry below, and the entire anti-gravity lost society reswitches-on the reactor, allowing the Medievel people to continue living in peace, in secret from those on Earth...minus the plotting Skywaymen, who aimed to dominate the world with this technilogy.


Back at SPY HQ, I SPY feigns tiredness, as a curious BOSS questions him on the mysterious anti-gravity cavortings.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

below; quite possibly the most bizarre opening page in the spy-saga, a remarkable blend of stirring melodrama and high slapstick.