COMICS WEEK: R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.

Spy Vibe Comics Week: R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. Spend the week in our secret lair as we share images and stories from the Spy Vibe collection and research. Today we present a sample of spy-related covers Life With Archie! Details below. Related posts: Cold War Archie, Comics Week: Archie. Spy Vibe's archive of vintage photos of people reading comics here.

Spy Vibe's Comics Week continues today with a brief look at the impact of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. on Archie Comics. I enjoyed photographing my copy of Life With Archie # 57 so much yesterday! Having never been an Archie reader, it was fun to discover the graphic quality of the panels and to see the overt influence of the Spy Boom. In fact, spy satire was an integral part of Life With Archie between 1966-1967. Most of the issues published during that period contained short stories based on spy conventions around Archie as "The Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E." In this alternate universe, Archie and his pals were cast as agents of P.O.P. (an acronym for Protect Our Planet), who fought against the costumed baddies from C.R.U.S.H. (sure sounds like Thrush!). In addition to various spy gadgetry and adventure, all of the P.O.P. agents were referred to as secret acronyms (A.R.C.H.I.E., B.E.T.T.Y., etc). The stories were predictably innocent, but thoroughly charming. Who doesn't love a lipstick gun? The secret agent impact even continued into the modern era with new R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. stories in Archie Comics. I do not have copies of early issues to photograph (yet!), but here are a few low-res scans of vintage Life With Archie spy covers. Look for panel images in the future. Enjoy! 

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: TV Avengers & Batman 75th, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Diana Rigg at 76, Gerry Anderson Box Set, Gerry Anderson Doc, Mr. Hulot's Box Set, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Batman News, Monty Python Fathom Spies, Monty Python Returns!, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, The Spotnicks, Model Secret Agents, Remo Williams Blu-ray, Bunny Yeager and Ursula Andress, Danger Mouse, Lost Avengers Episodes, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mother's Day (Avengers), Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, New Avengers Comic, Ipcress File Blu-ray, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

COMICS WEEK: ARCHIE

Spy Vibe Comics Week: ARCHIE. Spend the week in our secret lair as we share images and stories from the Spy Vibe collection and research. Today we present a 1967 spy issue of Life With Archie! Details below. Related posts: Cold War Archie. Spy Vibe's archive of vintage photos of people reading comics here.

Spy Vibe is extending Comics Week! During the excitement of Comic-Con over the weekend, I was on a mission to hunt for pop-culture artifacts at my local comic shops. One of the most surprising finds was an original Smash Comics issue with Bozo the Robot from the 1940s (see our post about Robot comics here). I also uncovered a 1967 Archie story inspired by the Spy Boom of the mid-1960s. Made during the single season of The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Life With Archie #57 featured a story called Flight of the Fiend starring B.E.T.T.Y. as "The Girl From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E.". The plot revolved around The Birdman, enemy agent for C.R.U.S.H., who took control of Betty via a transistorized thought-control device (hidden inside a tiny bird!). The comic included many fun spy conventions, like a charm bracelet that shot sleeping gas and white Go Go boots that could open electronic locks. Despite the dynamic cover showing Archie as a secret agent wielding a gadget-pen, he was only an ancillary character. What was the story about? Under hypnotic control of The Birdman, Betty is sent to infiltrate "Lodge Enterprises" to steal secret plans for the Model-3X jet plane. Adventure ensues as she betrays all of her friends one by one to get the plans. Oh, that Betty! But things are not what they seem and The Birdman faces dire consequences when he delivers the specs for a jet-powered malted milk machine to C.R.U.S.H.. His chief brandishes a gun on the last page, saying, "You big beaked bird-brain, you've had it!" What, no piranha tank? C.R.U.S.H. isn't too inventive when it comes to dealing with failure in their organization. Below are some of my photos of favorite panels from the issue, including a popular ad for a signed David McCallum pin-up. In related news, the current Life With Archie series has just culminated in Archie's death (by handgun!) and his funeral. You can find issues at your local comic store. There is also a popular Afterlife With Archie comic with zombie versions of the characters. And though The Birdman was unique to issue #57, readers may also enjoy our post about Hanna Barbera's Birdman cartoon here. Enjoy!  

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: TV Avengers & Batman 75th, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Diana Rigg at 76, Gerry Anderson Box Set, Gerry Anderson Doc, Mr. Hulot's Box Set, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Batman News, Monty Python Fathom Spies, Monty Python Returns!, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, The Spotnicks, Model Secret Agents, Remo Williams Blu-ray, Bunny Yeager and Ursula Andress, Danger Mouse, Lost Avengers Episodes, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mother's Day (Avengers), Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, New Avengers Comic, Ipcress File Blu-ray, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

U.N.C.L.E. JAPANESE EDITIONS

Open channel D! Continuing our look at unusual book designs this week, we turn the spotlight on Japanese editions of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. My first introduction to book collecting in Japan was when I first moved there as a college student. Continuing the Saturday routine of treasure-hunting, I stumbled across a pile of spy paperbacks at a used bookshop. Inside the stack of classic Bonds were a few U.N.C.L.E. titles- and a new fascination with Japanese editions was born!

As you may have read yesterday, the main publisher for 1960s mystery and Sci-Fi in Japan was Hayakawa (see James Bond: Japanese Editions). The company was founded by Kiyoshi Hayakawa in 1945. As I posted, Hayakawa printed paperback editions of genre books, using a variety of designs over the years that included illustrations and production stills. Their main design concept for all of their books and series, however, was to place mystery and Sci-Fi in the world of modern expressionism through the use of abstract paintings. One of the coolest features of the early releases was the addition of slipcases! Hayakawa's attention to spy-boom era titles included many Man From U.N.C.L.E. books, as well as a handful of Girl From U.N.C.L.E. titles. Most of the editions in Spy Vibe's collection used photo-cover designs with Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, but an internet search has revealed many abstract-painting covers as well. And just like the U.N.C.L.E. books made for the UK and US markets, each volume in the set was numbered. The Hayakawa U.N.C.L.E. series (called Napoleon Solo) included at least sixteen novels. There was also a manga by Takao Saito (Golgo 13), which makes me curious to learn more about U.N.C.L.E.'s broadcast history in Japan! Stay tuned tomorrow for an exciting return to The 10th Victim.

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Bond Japanese Editions, Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, new poster announced, 007 Audio Books Update, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters Mystery, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs,  Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.

Recent Spy Vibe posts: The 10th Victim German Edition, UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Spy exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton, DC Fontana Prisoner Video, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Fu Manchu history panel, Mod Tales Interview, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.

RECORD STORE DAY: SPY SOUNDTRACKS

Deal Alert: Some of your favorite music from cult spy TV shows of the 1960s is making a rare comeback this weekend! The classic album featuring music from The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. has been re-pressed as a limited release for Record Store Day. Spy Vibers should check in with their local dealers about claiming a copy. Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 20th. RSD releases are available only as in-store purchases and cannot be ordered via on-line venders like Amazon. Spy Vibers in the UK will also have a chance to pick up Themes For Action, a compilation of music from The Prisoner, The Saint, Danger Man, and Man in a Suitcase. This is a cute 10" record and serves as an appetizer for Network's upcoming fall releases of many spy soundtracks on mono vinyl! US shops can sometimes get the UK releases after RSD, so check with your local dealer about Themes For Action. And for classic TV fans, there is also a 7" single edition featuring themes from Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Munsters. Record Store Day info here.

Ian Fleming on Spy Vibe: recent posts include Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward,Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, and our Ian Fleming image archive link here.

Check Spy Vibe for recent posts about Op Art, Thomas Allen pulp art, The Shadow, Operation Kid Brother (MST3K), PG Tips Brooke Bond, 1960s espionage writers, my review of SKYFALL, 007 at the Intnl Spy Museum, Syd Cain's comic strip, and more. Spy Vibe is now on Pinterest! Check out our image archives and follow us here.

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NEW 1960s SPY DVDS

Spy Vibers have waited years for the official release of the last remaining, major cult spy series from the 1960s. With these titles finally hitting the shelves, Amazon is offering low prices to sweeten the feast. The complete Girl From U.N.C.L.E. sets, as well as the Man From U.N.C.L.E. 8 Movies Set, are now $30.49. Amazon has also continued to maintain a 50% sale price for pre-orders of the complete It Takes a Thief series with Robert Wagner. Details below:


Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Release date: November 2nd)
To Trap a Spy (1965) Expanded version of the U.N.C.L.E. pilot (Solo aka The Vulcan Affair), includes the famous "too hot for TV" scenes shot with future Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi.
The Spy With My Face (1965) Expanded version of The Double Affair, in which a fake Solo wreaks havoc on an U.N.C.L.E. secret mission.
One Spy Too Many (1966) Expansion of season two's Alexander the Greater Affair, in which an ambitious industrialist (Rip Torn) sets out to conquer the world. With Yvonne (Batgirl) Craig.
The Spy in the Green Hat (1966) The Concrete Overcoat Affair gets the feature treatment, in which Thrush agent Louis Strago (Jack Palance) attempts to unleash climate change upon the world.
One of Our Spies is Missing (1967) Vera Miles, Yvonne Craig and James Doohan guest as Solo and Kuryakin head to London and Paris to foil a plot hatched by the nefarious fashion industry.
The Karate Killers (1967) The Five Daughters Affair feature version, with heavyweight heavies Telly Savalas and Herbert Lom providing the menace while Joan Crawford, Jill Ireland and Kim Darby make up the distaff side.
The Helicopter Spies (1968) Carol Lynley and Bradford Dillman lend their talent to the film version of The Prince of Darkness Affair.
How to Steal the World (1968) Leslie Nielsen joins Robert Vaughn and David McCallum for the film version of the U.N.C.L.E. series closer, The Seven Wonders of the World Affair.


Girl From U.N.C.L.E. (Release date: October 19th)
The United Network Command for Law and Enforcement has a new agent in its struggle with THRUSH: The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. The girl is April Dancer (Stefanie Powers) who, assisted by partner Mark Slate (Noel Harrison) and guided by chief Alexander Waverly (Leo G. Carroll), travels the globe on assignments, using her martial-arts and espionage prowess to combat foes. This spoofy 15-Episode Part One of the spy series in a 4-disc set includes a dossier of top-level guest stars. April Dancer (with Mary Ann Mobley playing the role) was first introduced to fans in the Moonglow Affair episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

It Takes a Thief (Release date: November 15th)
International locales, beautiful women, guest stars galore... It Takes a Thief: The Complete Series is now available for the first time ever on DVD featuring all three seasons of the hit show that Cinema Retro called "the coolest espionage series of the late sixties."

Smooth, suave and sophisticated, Alexander Mundy (Robert Wagner) is the world's greatest cat burglar. Now, he's plying his trade as the SIA's most debonair spy - traipsing the globe, seducing beautiful women and embezzling fortunes, all on behalf of Uncle Sam and the U.S. government.

18-DISC COLLECTOR'S SET INCLUDES:
All 66 Episodes Digitally Re-Mastered
Extended Feature-Length Version of the Pilot Episode "Magnificent Thief"
The King of Thieves: Interview with Robert Wagner
A Matter of Larceny: Interview with Glen A. Larson
Limited Edition Senitype (reproduced 35mm film frame)
It Takes a Thief Exclusive 4-Piece Coaster Set
Collectible Booklet with retrospective essay.

THE AVENGERS SOUNDTRACK CD

Screen Archives Entertainment is now taking pre-orders for their 2 CD set of soundtrack music from The Avengers! From SAE: "The double album includes an attractive 16 page booklet with full colour stills and extensive notes on music and episodes from the TV programme.

Alongside Johnny Dankworth and Laurie Johnson, Howard Blake is the third, none-the-less important, but often forgotten, contributor to The Avengers TV series music. Dankworth’s laid-back jazzy theme was the signature tune of the first three series, while Johnson penned the flamboyant rousing up-tempo theme to the three series shot on 35mm film.

Brought into the job late in the series in 1967 by Laurie Johnson, and on the recommendation of Bernard Herrmann, Howard Blake scored ten episodes in the sixth and final series starring Linda Thorson as Tara King alongside the stalwart Macnee. From big-band sound with modern jazz inflections and spooky trombone choir, flutes and vibraphones, to bass clarinets, solo piano, timpanis, amplified harpsichord, 'wah-wah' guitar and Fender-Rhodes electric piano, Blake created a rich and relevant score that remains a classic to this day"

While you are on their website, be sure to check out other CD collections of spy soundtracks from I Spy, The New Avengers, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. They also carry the fabulous Network CD collection of The Prisoner.