News: THE INVISIBLE MAN (1975) Coming To U.S. DVD/Blu-ray in 2012

According to an article a couple weeks ago (sorry it's taken me so long to report it here) at the TV Shows On DVD website, VEI of Canada will be releasing both DVD and Blu-ray editions of the complete 1975 The Invisible Man television series, starring David McCallum, Melinda Fee and Craig Stevens, in the U.S. on May 1st, 2012.

The 12-episode series was originally scheduled to be available in Canada on DVD & Blu-ray in October, but that release has been delayed until February, 2012.

The show, which was a variation on the Six Million Dollar Man formula by way of H.G. Wells (co-produced by the bionic franchise's own Harve Bennett), cast McCallum as Dr. Daniel Westin, a researcher who is permanently rendered invisible in a lab accident. This makes him an ideal covert agent, and he's soon going off on secret missions with his supportive wife, Kate (Melinda Fee) for a private think tank called KLAE.

As a kid, I really enjoyed the show, and am looking forward to revisiting it on disc.

Pre-Order The Invisible Man - The Complete Series DVD

Pre-Order The Invisible Man - The Complete Series Blu-ray

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1979-80) Marvel Comics Cover Gallery - Part 3

Walt Simonson

Walt Simonson

Walt Simonson

Bill Sienkiewicz/Klaus Janson

Michael Golden

Walt Simonson

Walt Simonson

Brent Anderson/Klaus Janson

Walt Simonson

Walt Simonson

Here's the final batch of cover scans from Marvel Comics' terrific Battlestar Galactica monthly comic book series. As I stated in previous installments, I think Marvel did a great job with the property, especially any story that involved artist/writer Walt Simonson. It's a shame that it didn't continue on, like other Marvel licensed comics that outlived the properties they were based on, like ROM and The Micronauts...

Additional Battlestar Galactica comics would be published in the 90s by Rob Liefield's Maximum Press and Realm Press, and again recently by Dynamite Comics, which released comics based on the SciFi/SyFy Channel revival show, as well as the original ABC incarnation - and even Galactica: 1980! I hated the Maximum books, liked some of the Realm issues, and have never laid eyes on any of the Dynamite comics. 

Still trying to catch up with overdue assignments (like my DVD Late Show reviews), and get back in a blogging mood. With luck, regular posting will resume shortly. I still need to select December's "Space Babe!"

BUCK ROGERS (1979) TV GUIDE Preview

While I try and get myself back into a blogging mode, here's a look at the snarky original TV Guide preview for Buck Rogers In The 25th Century, which dutifully name-checks both Galactica and Salvage 1 (!), and appeared in the September 8, 1979 issue of that esteemed periodical.

Captain's bLog: 1129.11

My apologies for the lack of posts here over the last couple of weeks. Right about the time that I was able to clear up the technical issues that were affecting the site, my wife and I suffered a personal loss that really knocked me down, emotionally. I simply haven't felt up to doing much of anything for weeks, including blogging about old sci-fi TV shows and movies.

I am starting to get myself together now, and hope to resume regular posting here shortly. Thank you for your patience.

Behind-The-Scenes Pix #11: THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL (1978)

Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew reprise their Star Wars characters Han Solo & Chewbacca on a cheap mock-up of the Millennium Falcon cockpit (notice that it has no floor!) for the infamous 1978 television spectacular, The Star Wars Holiday Special - which aired on CBS 33 years ago today.

MAN FROM ATLANTIS (1977) Promo Art

Here's an unusual bit of promotional art for the Man from Atlantis television series. I'm not sure where it was used (although I'm guessing it was a magazine cover or interior illustration), nor can I quite make out the signature. Still, it's pretty cool!

If anyone has more information on this piece, please post it in the comments - I always like to know where this stuff comes from!

FLASH GORDON (1980) International Posters

Click for larger view

Here are a few foreign theatrical posters for Mike Hodges' 1980 Flash Gordon that I haven't shown here before. The two variations above are (I believe) from Thailand, and each feature somewhat different artwork from the U.S. and U.K. posters... while the Japanese variant below features a unique collage of painted art and publicity photographs.

As I've said many times, Flash Gordon is one of my favorite movies from the Space: 1970 era, and I love discovering new "artifacts" like these from the film.

Oh, and by the way - when I was replacing missing photos here on the site the other night, I added a new pic of Ornelia Muti's Princess Aura to her "Space Babes" post. Check it out!

Coming Attractions: THE BLACK HOLE (1979) TV Spot

Here's a fun, 30 second TV spot for Disney's 1979 space epic, The Black Hole. Enjoy!

SPACE: 1999 (1977) Original Comic Art By Pat Boyette

Here's the very nice cover painting by veteran comics artist Pat Boyette for the 7th - and final - issue of Charlton Comics' Space: 1999 color comic book, obviously based on the Second Season premiere, "The Metamorph."

Boyette was a Charlton workhorse, drawing countless pages for the Derby, CT publisher for over twenty years. He created the Peacemaker character for the company, and also drew several adventures of the Phantom and Flash Gordon - among dozens of other characters/titles. In addition to being a fine cartoonist, Boyette was also an actor, writer and filmmaker. He passed away in 2000.

LOGAN'S RUN (1977) UK TV Show Tie-Ins

This hardcover Logan's Run "Annual" was released in 1978 by UK publisher Brown Watson, and contained - as these uniquely British publications usually did (Do? Do they still publish these things?) - articles and photographs from the short-lived 1977 television series, as well as a handful of newly-created comic book-styled adventures. I have a couple of these "annual" books from other shows, but I don't have this one.

Another British Logan's Run tie-in from '78 was this issue of Look-In, which sported this attractive cover painting of Gregory Harrison and Heather Menzies as Logan & Jessica, and also contained a two-page Logan's Run comic story. This is yet another treasure from across the Pond that has eluded me, but on the rare occasions that I actually get to attend comic book conventions, I always keep an eye out for it - especially as the cover copy promises "picture strips" for the Man From Atlantis, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Bionic Woman, as well!

New Poll!

I've posted a new poll question in the right-hand sidebar. This Space: 1970 Poll is a little different from previous ones: instead of asking you to choose a favorite program, character, etc., I'm giving you an opportunity to help shape the direction of the blog.

"Should Space: 1970 cover the superhero shows/films of the 1970s, as well as sci-fi?"

For the last year or so, I've been considering this question. There's no doubt that television shows like Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Isis, The Incredible Hulk, and feature films like Superman: The Movie, were big parts of my 70s sci-fi childhood. But I'm also not sure that I want to open up the blog to discussing these titles on a regular basis. It seems like it might be straying a bit too far off topic (or opening a Pandora's Box!). Admittedly, shows like The Six Million Dollar Man and Man From Atlantis are on the cusp anyway; essentially superheroes without capes. And something like The Incredible Hulk was, in its TV incarnation, more sci-fi than superhero. So, I'm looking for some input.

As always, feel free to discuss your your choice - or make your arguments, pro or con - in the comments!

STAR WARS (1977) Italian Poster

I can't believe I never saw this gorgeous Italian Star Wars one-sheet before today. I truly love this comic book-styled artwork by Michelangelo Papuzza. It reminds me somewhat of Russ Manning's work on the early Star Wars newspaper strips... and that's a very good thing. Enjoy!