On Target: The Avengers fanzine

[MikeR]

I know that you people out there will remember Dave Rogers’ various factual books on The Avengers and The New Avengers, but was anyone else a part of the fan club?

Originally, it was called On Target: The Avengers and I first heard about it when I was talking to old friend called Steve Curry on the telephone and he told me about a friend of his called Dave Rogers who was having a book published about The Avengers, but he was also starting a society to appreciate The Avengers. This was back in 1982, with Dave’s book simply titled The Avengers, appearing in March 1983. I found a solitary copy in my local WH Smiths, one Friday after work and bought it and although other TV reference books have come along that are more informative and better designed, this really furthered my interest in the series.

However, getting back to the club side of things, Dave designed and had photocopied an A3 fanzine produced under the title of On Target: The Avengers, though later this was litho printed on glossy paper and later still it progressed into colour. Later again, it became slightly larger in size and then adopted an A4 format. Unfortunately, I don’t think Dave ever made a penny from this and only his enthusiasm and love for The Avengers kept him producing it and this assisted in keeping the name of the series alive. Along the way there had been a change in name to Stay Tuned: The Avengers, but publication ceased in 1999. I remember the date clearly because I had just started publishing my own A4 cult TV magazine called Action TV.

[bhdaviesuk]

I still have my On Target membership card. I was Mem 104. Sold all my On Targets/Stay Tuneds etc years ago, though, to another Avengers fan.
--
Barbara

[MikeR]

Barbara

I don't remember what number I was, but Dave once told me that there was only ever a maximum of about 350 members subscribed to the zine.

[hatpeg]

Yes I was a member and still have my copies.
I became a member after reading an article in Starburst about the Avengers, written by Richard Hollis.
I wrote to Richard who put me in touch with Dave Rogers, who then wrote to me personally, and I enrolled as a member.
One day, by chance I was browsing in the shop Forbidden Planet, in London, when the guy behind the counter answered the phone and used the name Richard Hollis.
I spoke to him and indeed it was the person who had written the article in Stardust.

I was also tipped of by Stephen Curry (and Joy) when Pat and Linda were doing a video launch at Forbidden Planet, and was lucky enough to meet both Avengers and get their autographs.
So I have happy memories of the fan club and appreciate all the hard work Dave Rogers put in.

[MikeR]

Hatpeg

Thanks for the response.

I believe Steve and Joy Curry acted as Patrick Macnee's agent in the UK for a time and I remember them importing copies of an American tabloid size fanzine about The Avengers and The New Avengers called With Umbrella, Charm and Bowler.

I never met Richard Hollis, but didn't he take over writing the TV Zone column in Starburst from my mate Tise Vahimagi?

Along the way most of my copies of On Target: The Avengers and Stay Tuned: The Avengers went, although I still have some copies. In fact when writing Bowler Hats and Kinky boots, I wished that I had kept more of them for reference purposes.

[bhdaviesuk]

I'm fairly sure it was to one of these fanzines that I contributed an article. The editor was repeatedly trying to get articles from subscribers, so in the end I sent him one about the use of telephones in The Avengers. (I called it something like The Curious Case of the Countless Telephones).

When it appeared, it had been severely edited and added to and had the editor's byline on it too. If he'd asked me before doing that I'd probably have said yes (after all, his breadth of knowledge was far more extensive than mine) but I felt so cheesed off with the way he want about it, I never considered contributing again.
--
Barbara

[MikeR]

Barbara

I had the same experience when I submitted a short article about the then proposed Avengers film, where I speculated who would play Steed and Mrs Peel. For some unknown reason Dave added a piece in the middle of it that was about as long as my original piece, where he voiced his own opinions of this situation. I have to admit that I had never seen this done in a fanzine/magazine before and it put me off ever contributing any further material.

The article was called, 'Whose Face Beneath the Bowler' and it appeared in Stay Tuned to The Avengers Vol 2 Issue 1. My choices at the time to play Steed and Mrs Peel in a feature film version of the series were Pierce Brosnan (before he became 007) and because I'd seen her playing a vicious character in Never Say Never Again, Barbara Carrera. Good or bad choices, I don't really know?

[hatpeg]

Yes, I think Stephen Curry also told me about Patrick's book signing also at Forbidden Planet, to which I went along.
I think that was the occasion he was accompanied by Nosher Powell, the stunt man.
Stephen and Joy Curry also wrote a column in On Target called Curry a la Carte.
I have had a flick through some copies and was interested in the results of a survey held with the members.
Favourite Story - (Rigg seasons)
1 The House That Jack Built
2 The Cybernauts
3 The Joker

Worst story
1 Homicide and Old Lace
2 Thingumajig
3 Who's Who.

Favourite Guest Star
1 Roy Kinnear
2 Liz Frazer

[MikeR]

Hatpeg

Yes, I remember Steve and Joy contributing their regular column of news to the various zines and like yourself, the only time I met Patrick Macnee was at a book signing, but this was in Manchester. Though I did talk briefly with Linda Thorson on a couple of occasions at Memorabilia, at the National Exhibition Centre, near Birmingham.

I liked Roy Kinnear very much and I think I'm right in saying that Roger Marshall rated him very highly in The Hour That Never Was.

[Frankymole]

I was a member of Dave's club in the 80s though I don't know what number I was, the card is long submerged or lost although I do still have all but one issue of all the magazines he did (many of them bought years later after I'd left - too heavily involved in other fandoms to my membership/subscription keep up).