*TV & Film Related Comics: Free Gift Farrago! 1971’s launch of Countdown was a spiritual successor to TV Century 21, featuring strip adaptations Doctor Who and the Gerry Anderson oeuvre – Stingray, Captain Scarlet, Thunderbirds, UFO et al. Though some of the Anderson features were outright reprints of TV 21’s earlier efforts, the new material was of a high standard, including the eponymous ‘Countdown’ strip, superbly illustrated by John Burns. Sadly, the hard-core SF audience didn’t sustain, and by the mid-#30’s, Countdown broadened its remit to TV adventure, with the addition of The Persuaders and Hawaii-Five-O to the lineup, followed by its conversion, with issue #59, to TV Action, with Dr. Who and UFO holding the fort against an invasion of other detective/adventure series. We have many issues of this excellent series back in stock. The first eight are high grade, among the nicest we’ve ever seen, with issue #1 possessing its original Free Gift – a giant Space Chart with Stick-On Stamps (not stuck). The comic is VF- and the Free Gift (an unused and sparkling VF/NM); the price for the #1 plus gift is £140. We also have a selection of lesser-seen issues from the 40’s and 50’s, the first few of the TV Action iteration, and the Countdown Holiday Special from 1971 – the latter admittedly only in Fair condition, but complete!