British Battlestar Galactica Annuals

[Bijou88]

Can anyone provide a synopsis of the comic and text stories that appeared in British annuals back in the 70s? I know that some of the Marvel stories were reprinted but that new material was printed as well. There was also a British comic weekly that printed new Galactica strips for a year or so. I am increadibly curious about these "lost" adventures.

[Ian_W359]

Hello Bijou, I have both the Battlestar Galactica and the Mission Galactica annuals, both published by Grandreams between 1978 & 1980. I can give you a synopsis of the stories contained in these, but it may take a while. Also, how would you want these synopses - over the boards or via another method?

As for the weekly comic, the title you may be referring to is 'Look-in', the long-running (although sadly no longer with us :() junior version of the Independent Television TV-listings magazine 'TV Times' (still going strong!). The comic carried various comic strips related to popular TV shows of the various eras (Knight Rider, A-Team, Fall Guy, CHiPs, Bionic Woman, Six Million Dollar Man, plus various other British & American shows) plus features on music, movies & sports etc. I will need to do some research on the period that Galactica featured in (I only have a few issues) but I'll let you know what I find out.

All the best,
Ian_W359

[Bijou88]

Thanks Ian! I think your research should be on the boards so that everyone can enjoy your findings!

[Ian_W359]

Okay, lemme see.....

I have 2 issues of 'Look-in' from the era that covered Battlestar Galactica (beginning 1979 - around the UK cinema release).

The first (issue 16/17 - weeks ending 14/21 April 1979 [Easter!] - cost 10p) features a cover (by Arnaldo Putzu) combining a Cylon Centurion, the Galactica & Worzel Gummidge (!). The article refers to an earlier issue (which I'm yet to purchase - coming soon!) but contains a brief synopsis of the opening scenes of the film (released in London and the surrounding suburbs on 15 April 1979) and features brief quotes from with Glen A. Larson, Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch & Dirk Benedict. There's also a color montage poster (approx A3 size) featuring Starbuck, Adama & Athena, Apollo, some Cylons and...... Muffit!:muffit:

The second (issue 43 - week ending 20 October 1979 - cost 11p) features a nice painted cover (again by Putzu) of Apollo, Starbuck, Athena & Adama with the Galactica and a Cylon Raider in the background. Inside, there's a competition to win some Galactica jigsaw puzzles (woo!), another article - this time only with quotes from Lorne Greene, a color picture of the people from the cover (It's one of the photos with Athena at a console with the others standing behind the desk - Apollo has an unusual smile in this one [?]), and the first part of the comic strip (artwork by Martin Astbury) which starts of with one of the fleet ships developing engine trouble, Starbuck and Boomer are sent to assist, but with the ship rapidly slowing down, a Cylon patrol soon detects them... (To be continued!)

What do you think? Would you like a transcript of the articles or scans of the pictures? (on the boards or elsewhere). Please let me know.

All the best,
Ian_W359

[BSG_Sci_FiPulse]

Wow Ian,

Look - In hey,

Even I remember that little gem. Mum used to buy it for me, my brother and sister every week. Sadly they all got thrown out.

As to the Annual I used to have the first one as well as the Galactica figures. Now only remnants of my Galactica days are four of the realm press comics issue one with the personal signitures of Dirk Benedict and Herb Jefferson Jr. And the trading cards set. Along with a few videos and what not. Thats about the extent of my collection lol.

Most the other stuff I have is Star Trek related.

[Oscar]

I have this in a box somewhere, the story involves the fleet's water supply being poisoned by sopme shape-shifting aliens who are in league with the Cylons.

[Bijou88]

Thanks for the replies. I find the British approach to publishing comics in a weekly rather than a monthly format interesting. Weeklys were breifly published by DC in the mid 80s, but it did not catch on. I think I may have a list of the U.K. Battlestar Galactica stories. I will try to post them soon.

[shiningstar]

I use to have all of those. I had a pen pal in England who
sent those to me. I liked them as much as I did the ones
published by DC in the mid 80's. But lost all of them when
my apt was burglerized. I never found them again. :mad: :rage: :mad: :rage:

[BSG_Sci_FiPulse]

Don't threat mate,

I did something which was tantamount to blasphamy when I was 14. I had everything the lot. The whole collection of BG figured cerca 1978, and every single Star Wars Figure produced throughout the 70s and 80s including the Falcon and all the ships, as well as the degobah system and the death star. What we didn't have as family was money. So I was backed into a corner and forced to make a choice.

I ended up selling the lot to save money to go toward my first ever personal computer. My collection only raised half of what was needed.:(

Since I got interested in Sci Fi again when I was like 16 or 17 have been trying to gradually build it all back up again. But with newer products and whatever am able to afford now and then.

[Bijou88]

Here are a list of the stories that appeared in the annuals published by Grandreams:

1978 Grandreams Annual: Battlestar Galactica

(The first comic strip story is a summary of Saga of a Star World.)

Comic Story #2) Chess-Players of Space

Comic Story #3) Bane of Baal Farr

Comic Story #4) Amazons of Space

The annual short text pieces:

Short text #1) Doomsday Rock

Short text #2) Swamp World

Short text #3) Hijack in Space

1980 Grandreams Annual: Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack

Comic Story #1) Part One: Switch in Space

Comic Story #2) Part Two: Planet of the Cyclops

Comic Story #3) Part Three: Skirmish Beyond Skafrax

Comic Story #4) Part Four: Final Showdown

The annual also contained the following short text stories:

Short text #1) Dice With Death

Short text #2) Enemy Within

These stories sound like they are on the juvenile side but I still would love to discover what they were about or view some sample art work.

[Bijou88]

I have discovered the Look-In strips on line at

www.lookinarchive.com...

It is not a complete run of the series but it seems that they plan to make them all available in due time.

There is a complete set of strips based on the Buck Rogers TV show. I think the art is realy good.

It's like discovering a secret stash of original episodes!

:D