Century 21: Menace from Space line-up revealed

Earlier this year, we revealed Signum Books was continuing the terrific TV Century 21 and Countdown strip collections initiated by Reynolds & Hearn.

Their first Century 21 book, Menace from Space, is on course for release next month and we can now reveal the strip line up for this title is as follows (all TV21 story titles are new) ...

Thunderbirds - The Eye of Jupiter
Script: Scott Goodall Art: Frank Bellamy
(Originally published in TV Century 21 issues 147 - 154 , November-December 2067)
 
Zero X - Lost on Mars
Script: Angus P Allan Art: Mike Noble
(Originally published in TV Century 21 issues 105 - 109, January-February 2067)
 
Captain Scarlet - Foothold
Script: Angus P Allan Art: Mike Noble
(Originally published in TV21 issues 164 - 166, March 2068)
 
UFO - Too Old at 32
Script: Dennis Hooper Art: Gerry Haylock
(Originally published in Countdown issues 7 - 11, April-May 1971)
 
Thunderbirds - The Space Mirror
Script: Scott Goodall Art: Frank Bellamy
(Originally published in TV Century 21 issues 137 - 140, September 2067)
 
Zero X - A World of Deadly Particles
Script: Angus P Allan Art: Jim Watson Prologue art: Mike Noble
(Originally published in TV21 issues 155 - 160, January-February 2068)
 
Captain Scarlet - Robot Challenge
Script: Angus P Allan Art: Mike Noble
(Originally published in TV21 issues 182 - 184, July 2068)
 
UFO - Ghost Ship
Script: Dennis Hooper Art: Brian Lewis
(Originally published in Countdown issue 53, February 1972)
 
Fireball XL5 - Space Membrane
Script: Tad Sullivan Art: Mike Noble
(Originally published in TV Century 21 issues 64 - 70, April-May 2066)
 
Thunderbirds - The Crexus Creature
Script: Dennis Hooper Art: Don Harley
(Originally published in Countdown/TV Action issues 59 - 60, February-April 1972)
 
Zero X - The End of the World
Script: Scott Goodall Art: Jim Watson
(Originally published in TV21 issues 161 - 168, February-April 2068)
 
Captain Scarlet - Return of the Rock Snakes
Script: Dennis Hooper Art: Keith Watson
(Originally published in Countdown issue 32, September 1971)
 
Thunderbirds - The Barracuda Awaits
Script: Scott Goodall Art: Frank Bellamy
(Originally published in TV Century 21 issues 179-183, June-July 2068)

Edited by Chris Bentley, the book features a cover by Doctor Who and Thunderbirds artist Lee Sullivan.

Publisher Marcus Hearn also tells us: "We've just uncovered an amazing batch of original Frank Bellamy artboards, so if and when we do another volume we'll be including them."

• Signum are offering signed copies from www.signumbooks.com

• Pre-order Century 21: Menace from Space from amazon.co.uk

Sneek Peek: Century 21 books return

Courtesy of Signum Books, here's the front cover of their first Century 21 book, Menace from Space, featuring strips from classic Gerry Anderson-inspired comics such as TV Century 21.

Edited by Chris Bentley, the book is in the same format as previous publisher Reynolds and Hearn's four Century 21 titles and features a cover by Doctor Who and Thunderbirds artist Lee Sullivan. (Signum was set up by Marcus Hearn, formerly a founding partner of Reynolds & Hearn). 

Menace from Space, which will include 12 complete space-inspired stories, will go on sale 10th October 2011, hardback, price £24.99, but Amazon are currently doing a nice discount on it.

Signum tell us that in August or September they'll be offering signed copies from www.signumbooks.com, and a more detailed breakdown of the contents will be available then.

Titan Books acquired the worldwide distribution rights to Signum Books last October. Signum plan to publish approximately six books a year, selected and commissioned by Marcus Hearn, primarily in the areas of classic film, television and music. The books will be edited by Hearn but will come from a number of different authors.

• Pre-order Century 21: Menace from Space from amazon.co.uk

Century 21 Reprint Books To Continue

With the folding of the British book publisher Reynolds and Hearn earlier this year, the continuation of the series of books reprinting comic strips from the 1960s TV Century 21 comic looked to be in severe doubt. Reynolds and Hearne had published four volumes of the series before the company was put into voluntary liquidation and had two further titles scheduled before the end of 2010 - Volume 5: They Walk Among Us and a Gerry Anderson Century 21 annual for 2011 (which was expected to be similar to the main volumes but reprinting annual strips).

Despite Amazon still listing them, these will not now be published - at least not by Reynolds and Hearn.

Marcus Hearn has set up his own publishing company named Signum Books and is planning to continue the Century 21 books at Signum. The first Signum book to be published is an autobiography entitled From Thunderbirds To Pterodactyls by actor Shane Rimmer who was the voice of Thunderbird 1 pilot Scott Tracy in the Thunderbirds TV series as well as appearing in many films over the years including The Spy Who Loved Me and Batman Begins. This book will be launched next weekend, 23-24 October 2010, at the Fanderson convention TV21 being held in Bristol.

As for the Century 21 volumes, the Signum Books website indicates that the series will be relaunched with the full support of Gerry Anderson by Signum in 2011. The website also includes a history of the comic by author Chris Bentley.

There are more details on Signum Books at their website.