Discover the History of Thunderbirds' Classic Comic Adventures!

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Discover the History of Thunderbirds' Classic Comic Adventures! - The Gerry Anderson Store

Thunderbirds' classic TV Century 21 adventures are blasting off back into action with the launch of Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Vol. 1. The first of two classic comic anthologies that we'll be releasing this year is available to pre-order and contains the first 13 storylines of Thunderbirds from TV Century 21, ranging from Lady Penelope's Mr Steelman to Thunderbirds' The Trapped Spy.

As well as featuring these spectacular comics drawn by legendary artists Eric Eden, Frank Bellamy and Don Harley, restored to breath-taking clarity by Rob Hammond, Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Vol. 1 contains a wealth of additional material for you to savour. Included in Volume 1 is a far-reaching range of essays written by Fred McNamara that explore the fascinating history of Thunderbirds across its classic spin-off media. 

Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Volume One [HARDCOVER] - The Gerry Anderson Store

Throughout these essays, you'll discover how Thunderbirds became an integral part of TV Century 21's metamorphic line-up of characters, how Frank Bellamy came to be the strip's resident artist, and how the adventures of Lady Penelope and Parker were tailor-made to act as a prequel to Thunderbirds' launch in September 1965. These essays also provide critical insights into each story included in this anthology, examining how these stories stretch Thunderbirds' worldbuilding and advance International Rescue's line-up of fantastic machinery. Further essays explore Thunderbirds' lesser-known adventures throughout the sprawling array of annuals and storybooks throughout the 1960s, with story analysis, artist credits and examinations of how these extra stories were produced alongside Thunderbirds' ongoing adventures in TV Century 21.

Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Vol. 1 also comes with creator biographies of artist Eric Eden and writer/editor Alan Fennell. Eden illustrated the entirety of TV Century 21's Lady Penelope strip, as well as a variety of vehicle schematics of classic Anderson craft across comics, annuals and more. Fennell's extensive background in publishing and comics scriptwriting, combined with his growing familiarity in writing for Gerry Anderson's pre-Thunderbirds puppet shows, made him the perfect candidate to become TV Century 21's first editor in chief. Discover their fascinating creative journeys with their biographies in the first Thunderbirds comic anthology!

Following on from the extensive essays featured in our two Stingray Comic Anthologies, the essays included in the Thunderbirds Comic Anthologies continue to capture the definitive story of TV Century 21 and its spectacular Gerry Anderson comic strips. Further features and biographies about Thunderbirds' history in the pages of TV Century 21 will also be included in Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Vol. 2, to be released later in 2025.

Pre-order Thunderbirds Comic Anthology Vol. 1 and stand by to discover the secrets of Thunderbirds' classic comic strip adventures!

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