JET-A-REENO!

As noted last time, i spent years thinking that Jet Dream And Her Stunt-Girl Counterspies #1 was the only appearance of Jet and her team. Also noted: I was wrong.

I had long given up on seeing more of Jet's team. Another decade and more passed until, one day while digging through old UK Annuals, i ran into this story -

My brain melted. How did this come to be?
The hunt was on!

My first mistake in looking for more of Jet Dream was looking to the future after her comic - much of her stories took place before her comic was released. The second mistake was not digging through old back-up strips.

Jet Dream and her team had another 15 adventures beyond the two we've seen. They ran as a break between acts in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. comic from Gold Key. (The tale above was found in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'s  1970 UK Annual - pointing us to the original source. It was actually the team's 9th adventure.)

The first tale appeared in TMFU #7 and she appeared every issue through #22, the final issue. Oddly enough, she never seems to have shown up in The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. despite seeming to be a natural companion piece. A pity, because that would have meant more stories.
Here's her introductory tale, scripted by Dick Wood, with art by Mike Sekowsky & Mike Peppe -

For balance, here's the final Jet Dream story from TMFU #22. Like The Set-Up Sultan that opened this post, artwork is by Joe Certa; the writer is unknown on both -

These days those short little tales would each be decompressed into a 3 issue mini-series, but i enjoy those old stories that packed all they could into just a few pages.

Want more Jet Dream?
Join us this weekend when we'll be revisiting old friends including Jet, Joe, Koppy and Ulysses.

Jet Dream pages by Dick Wood, Mike Sekowsky, Mike Peppe, and Joe Certa for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. #s 7 & 22 and 1970 Annual (UK) (1966, 1969, 1970)

Jet Dreaming

One of the zootiest of the Groovy Age was the super spy babe, Jet Dream and her Stunt-Girl Counterspies -

Acrobeauts! Was that term coined by Dick Wood, writer of the book? No clue, but i do know that the cover is painted by George Wilson, and interior art was provided by Joe Certa.

When i ran across this comic, years after release, i was surprised i'd never seen or heard of it - it was certainly the sort of thing i would have grabbed if it had crossed my path, based on the cover alone. Inside the front cover gave us a quick introduction to a couple of the crew, and only deepened my interest...

Reading through we find that they've got the requisite comicbook headquarters...

...and we get role reversed  call-to-action sequences...

The ladies are pure action when the job calls for it. When they take off on a mission, they Take Off ...

...they deliver savage butt-kickings when required...

...fight hard and make bold sacrifices for the sake of the mission...

...and, of course, there's the expected explosions...

...but despite all obstacles, the team keeps their target alive and delivers him safely - only to find a last minute complication in the plan...

...but nothing stops our hero from winning through and collecting a hero's kiss for her team.
Y'know - it would work better visually if she was taller...

A groovy first issue found in a quarter bin a decade after publication. I looked around, but this seemed to be all there was.
Bummer.

I was so wrong...

Jet Dream pages written by Dick Wood and drawn by Joe Certa for Jet Dream #1 (1968)

Spaced Monkees II: The Visitors

We've seen recently how naturally The Monkees are Spaced out (so to speak).
It should come as no surprise that they attract others from space as well...

Yeah, the Monkees were no strangers to science fiction. They even added a robot to the band at one point...

...not that it worked out quite as they intended...

(Spoiler: The contract isn't for the boys.)

pages by Jose Delbo from The Monkees #7 (Dell) and by ?? for The Monkees Annuals #s 1 & 2   (UK) (1967, 1968)

Monkee Beat

From the very beginning there have been comparisons and competition between the Fab Four and the Pre-Fab Four, in both the eyes of many fans and the media -

For many of us, though, it's like arguing Star Trek vs. Star Wars - while similarities and overlaps abound, they're separate things, comparing Science Fiction and Space Opera.
In truth, there's #1 spots for both.

When it comes to The Monkees and The Beatles, the boys themselves didn't seem to be bothered by the perceptions and expectations of others. Whether it's The Monkees checking out the latest release from The Beatles...

...boys from the bands hanging out together...

Micky & Paul hanging out at the time of the Sgt. Pepper sessions.

That's Paul's dear Martha, folks.

Cynthia Lennon, Phyllis Nesmith, Mike Nesmith, and Ringo Star. (Francoise Hardy in back)

 

 

Oh, hey! Let's not forget working together, even. Here are Mike Nesmith and John Lennon from the legendary A Day In The Life recording session - Monkee on Beatle action! (Sorry, Snell)

And remember that Peter Tork played guitar on George Harrison's solo album , Wonderwall...

George Harrison tries to convince Ringo Starr to let Mickey Dolenz use his drum kit while Peter Tork checks out his guitar. (It doesn't weep)

And when Monkees weren't hanging out with Beatles, the situation reversed. You can look in Monkees' Annual to see Ringo...

...and years later you can still find Ringo hanging out for Pizza...

Heck, by the time all was said and done, The Monkees were even signed with Beatles' manager Brian Epstein -

John Lennon considered The Monkees to be “the funniest comedy team since the Marx brothers,” and George Harrison contemplated  “When they get it all sorted out, they might turn out to be the best.”
The music is littered with references, no surprise. Whether Mickey commenting "I was going to buy a raccoon, but John's already got one" on Gonna Buy Me A Dog or referring to the "Four Kings Of EMI" on Randy Scouse Git, or Paul singing "Hey, Hey! We're The Monkees!" in his Back In The US concert film.

Of course, The Monkees tv show was inspired by the Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night. And it all comes full circle...

...and so it went...

(Sorry, Davy - I couldn't find my pics of your recording session)

A Hard Day's Knight from The Monkees Annual #3 (UK) (1969)