Lion and Thunder 24th June 1972

Thanks to the wonder of eBay, i'm ten years old again - postie's just delivered issues of 24 june and 8th/15th july.

So, what's the 24th June like then?

Well, covers pretty crappy. Dunno why they always insisted on a factual front page. Its not as if its like Look and Learn on the inside. Surely they would have upped sales with shots of their heroes plastered there?

First strip inside is Spellbinder. Never read thsi as a nipper, but thought i'd have a go today. Very suprised at the premise - an early 70's tale of a boy's secret friend - a wizard from centuries before. Catweazle anyone?

Skipping over Carsons Cubs we come to a pretty much forgotten tale - "The White Eyes Strike Again!". Coming across with strong echoes of Invaders Of The Body Snatchers and The Midwich Cuckoos, its a tale of a town whose inhabitants and wildlife, after inhaling a gas, turn them into "White Eyes", ferociously strong killers. And led by a typically British Boys Comic named arch crook "Ezra Creech". Not a lot happens in these two pages, and the art is basic at best, but love the cliffhanger shown here - the hero is about to be tipped off the bridge into the river. A British River. Where a Great White Shark awaits. Hmmm...

After another non-read strip, we're into "The Black Max". Chuffed to be able to fill in the gaps on this later tale of Max Kloor. He's junked his Giant Bats and now has an smallish army of Bat People. Once again, Wilson is tracking him down and, once again, no-one believes him. Until this issue that is, as the Bat People attack a British unit in broad daylight. Nice cliffhanger with Wilsons plane ramming into Max's in mid-air. As usual, lovely art.

"The Spider". A classic tale - Return Of The Spider - but i've got it in King Of Crooks so gave it a miss.

Last strip is "Adam Eterno" - and its a classic. Beautifully moody art and one of those bampot bad luck situations the big guy's always finding himself in. He's in 18th century London and on the trail of a criminal leader known as the Black Hood. He tracks him down to a barbers shop where lurks a hooded figure. The figure turns and... its a blummin' great bear wearing a soild gold spiked collar.

GENIUS!