MY FAVORITE MARTIAN: THE BRITISH VERSION

In 1965, Gerry Anderson, whose company was responsible for the popular British supermarionation series "Thunderbirds" and "Fireball XL-5", began to publish a weekly newspaper for children which featured stories and comics based on both British and American tv science fiction and spy programs that appealed to kids. The newspaper was titled "TV Century 21" and, at least in its "Extra" editions, "My Favorite Martian" was included among the chosen programs. But based on the limited number of samples seen for this article, the one-page black and white MFM comic stories had problems in its trans-Atlantic incarnation. Not particularly clever or well-drawn (in fairness, none of the other TV series, including "Get Smart" or "The Munsters" fared well creatively either, in this publication) the MFM comic stories may have initially paralleled the spirit of the TV series, but all too soon, something got lost in the translation across the pond, and the characterizations deteriorated into shambles.

At first, the stories are pleasant enough. One in summer 1965 dealt with Martin using fruit seeds from Mars to grow a beanstalk-sized plant to combat an L.A. heat wave. Another story had Martin and Tim finding a candy antidote for the Martian's malady of putting people to sleep through eye-contact. (It is interesting to note how British vocabulary is substituted for American terms in some of the dialogue). Other one-page comic storeis include the Martian's 2-Dimensional dreams, a museum trip, and the Martian's efforts to find a job. Some of these comics appeared in color in the hardcover TV CENTURY 21 Annuals.

In fact, MFM is represented on the cover of the first TV 21 hardcover Annual, but inside are not comics but two short stories based on the show! The first one deals with the Martian unable to reappear and being mistaken for a poltergeist. The other story had Tim being forced into sparring with a boxing champ, with Martin's assurance that he will invisibly help Tim. The stories are nicely illustrated and, though a bit too formal in tone and style, are acceptably written.

But while scores of other TV series got their very own hardcover Annuals in England during the 60s, "My Favorite Martian" did not seem to be one of them.

If other good examples of MFM TV Century 21 stoies and comics are out there, let them be known.

JH Harrison



TV Century 21 edition w/ My Favorite Martian sttories in them...
    TV 21 Century 1-89 + Extras (pdf)
    TV 21 Century 90-104 (pdf)