The Comic Strip Adaptations - series discussion

[denis rigg]

Cheers, managed to make a comparison of the comic strips from magazine Diana.

The small difference.

For example, original:



Big Finish (only missed inscriptions "A Black Day for Vikings!", "ABC Television's" and "Published by arrangement with A B C Television Limited." - rest of design are identical):

[mrs_emma_peel]

Great comparison pictures Denis

I've just received the comic-strip book - and I'm impressed with the reproduction, colours and lay-out, plus the extras and interviews at the back.
Although perhaps the colours are not quite as vibrant as the originals.

On the separate accompanying booklet advertising new Big Finish productions - there's an interesting piece on the box-sets entitled
They Keep Thrilling Steed in which writers Robert Khan and Tom Sakinsky say that:
'the basic plot points of the comic strip had to be respected, but within that framework we were given quite a free hand.
It had to sound like an episode from the colour Diana Rigg series.'

My problem with that is I wish they had used colour episodes like Death's Door, The Joker, You Have Just Been Murdered, Escape in Time, Epic and Murdersville
as their script tone and template -
where the thriller element takes precedence and the humour is limited, spontaneous, clever and subtle and all the more entertaining because of that.
A good parallel is the Connery/Lazenby/Dalton/Craig James Bond films.

[Alan]

Cheers, managed to make a comparison of the comic strips from magazine Diana.

The small difference.

For example, original:

Big Finish (only missed inscriptions "A Black Day for Vikings!", "ABC Television's" and "Published by arrangement with A B C Television Limited." - rest of design are identical):

I suspect that these elements may not have been on the original artwork submitted by the artist, which is what the book has used as source.

[Avengerholic]

My comic book arrived today, I was a little disappointed, the reprints don't seem to be anywhere as beautiful as the original strips I once had in the Diana comics. They seem to lack the colour and lustre of the originals.

[denis rigg]

Great comparison pictures Denis

I've just received the comic-strip book - and I'm impressed with the reproduction, colours and lay-out, plus the extras and interviews at the back.
Although perhaps the colours are not quite as vibrant as the originals.

On the separate accompanying booklet advertising new Big Finish productions - there's an interesting piece on the box-sets entitled
They Keep Thrilling Steed in which writers Robert Khan and Tom Sakinsky say that:
'the basic plot points of the comic strip had to be respected, but within that framework we were given quite a free hand.
It had to sound like an episode from the colour Diana Rigg series.'

My problem with that is I wish they had used colour episodes like Death's Door, The Joker, You Have Just Been Murdered, Escape in Time, Epic and Murdersville
as their script tone and template -
where the thriller element takes precedence and the humour is limited, spontaneous, clever and subtle and all the more entertaining because of that.
A good parallel is the Connery/Lazenby/Dalton/Craig James Bond films.

Thanks, James. Well, it's little bit, to hear your review and other fans much more interesting for it.
Indeed, "paints" in comic Diana collection book are a cold and dark in comparison with originals, although here is rather a matter of taste, that is preferable.
Well, can delve into it a little, it will interesting consider the pros and cons of the original color and the new version, so to speak.

Originals
In my opinion the advantges of these paints are that the reader perceives the images and the story as a whole in more positive key on subconscious level, the choice of bright soft colors more attractive, eyes less tire and in the end the most important thing is that these colors contribute to such expansion, that the plot it seems to be more dynamic.

Also:
Well, the reader will seem at reading what these colors make the work on very infantile perception. That is, all those nice soft tone while pleasing to the eye, yet it is very different Avengers, sort of books for kids or even toddlers. The reader does not experience any particular feelings of anxiety at the development of the plot, emotions soar mainly in a positive way, so he enjoys a good picture, but subconsciously not very happy that his emotions are not working in the right way. These are The Avengers.

New version
Cold and dark colors give this atmosphere and emotions that are absent in the originals, the reader is more delved by the story, despite the fact that visually it may cause someone "depressed". Thanks these colors, the reader even is able to delve into some detailed thinking, perceiving it more seriously.

Also:
Cold and dark colors give a certain aloofness. This affects the mood, a different perception of the characters. Some locations may seem very stringy.

Personally, I still prefer the originals, because I'm like to perceive the Avengers stories in a positive way with a smile on my face - bit in of childish way, as in 1990s.


I would prefer to hear adapting of Avengers episodes, too, rather than other comics strips or even the official Avengers books with fiction. With this material easier to work in any case, because there is a representation of how it looks visually, it helps to recreate the desired structure for adaptation.
Back to above, however have to admit there are a lot of interesting fanfics that I would be happy to hear as audiobooks.

Oh, time is already too late. Continue to be... tomorrow.

[denis rigg]

James, you mentioned that impressed with the lay-out of new comic book, what did you mean? Just a word "lay-out" to the Russian has several concepts.

You have interesting looks that would be enjoy to listen as audiobooks, I'm curious how, for example, episodes The Joker, Death's Door and Murdersville could be part of Big Finish set. I imagine an episode The Joker maybe as stringy creepy thriller, if use the idea of regular sounding of Emma Peel thoughts, like the House that Jack Built, and suspense music.

I suspect that these elements may not have been on the original artwork submitted by the artist, which is what the book has used as source.

I suspect you're right, Alan. I also thought that if they would even used, for example, the elements "ABC television" on each sheet, this would have caught the eye, creating bit a little strange impression for this comic strip book in whole (well, at least for me).

My comic book arrived today, I was a little disappointed, the reprints don't seem to be anywhere as beautiful as the original strips I once had in the Diana comics. They seem to lack the colour and lustre of the originals.

After a good point of Alan, I asked a new question to himself: Maybe colors in version from Big Finish are in fact closer to the real original source than material in Diana magazines? Nevertheless, I like more those colors used in the magazine Diana, too.

[mrs_emma_peel]

Hi Denis, I’ve only skimmed through the book so far and was impressed with the general presentation –
with page size replicating that of the Diana magazine and some interesting articles from Strip to Script and interviews following on, at the back of the book.

I enthusiastically agree - I would love to see Big Finish adapt actual Avengers scripts whilst keeping close to the captivating thriller spirit of the Macnee/Rigg monochrome series
and the more serious scripts from the Macnee/Rigg colour season.

The House That Jack Built, The Joker and Murdersville would need, as you rightly said, internal thought and theorizing dialogue, similar to the internalization of a chess player,
maybe flashback thoughts too. Sound effects would be crucial. And we definitely need a complete radio adaptation of Escape in Time.
The second half of the South African radio version is tantalizingly missing.

I was listening to a Jarvis/Ayres BBC Radio 4 90 minute adaptation of the Ian Fleming’s James Bond novel, Thunderball, this afternoon, and thought the spirit of this adaptation
(and others) would be absolutely perfect for classic Avengers episodes. Some select one-liner diamond gems of humour, yet played principally as a straight thriller
Janet Montgomery, who played Domino, has a lovely smooth, confident broadcast voice which could translate easily to Emma Peel.

[denis rigg]

Hi James. I just listened to "From Russia with Love" of Jarvis/Ayres, you're right, although I almost did not understand English by ear, it is a fascinating style. Very good selection of performers and sound effects. This is excellent James Bond adaptaion, no doubt.
At the times when I have listened to some of the Avengers episodes in Russian soundtrack as audiobooks, this gave an idea as some episodes could be very enjoy in certain way, and, should to say that, in some respects even better than the originals. You can, for example, not love such an episode as Homicide and Old Lace, but on audio tape, suddenly you find that this is one of the best.
Similar way is: though I don't like the episode Escape in Time, but as African radio adaptaion, it is quite entertaining (as I realized by style the "play").
And vice versa, I did not like radio adaptation of The Joker, it has little thriller elements and I was disappointed with the music accompaniment.
But of course it all personally, many sees the episodes under different aspects.

[mrspeel01]

I personally am not keen on existing TV episodes being adapted for future Steed & mrs Peel audio. To me, you could just release the TV soundtrack, so why bother? Plus, the south African Radio series has covered this ground.

It would make more sense to me, to adapt unused TV scripts, such as those that have been recently released as script books. The rights issue might be a problem, but if this can be overcome. Michael Richardson's book "Bowler Hats and Kinky Boots" lists a number of these, some of which sound very appealing. If there are others that exist, or even just synopsis, these might be worth considering too.

There is also the option of using original scripts that were greatly changed for the TV version. The South African radio series did do this on some of their versions, particularly those from the Tara King season. (This includes using the script of "Invitation to a Killing", which eventually reached the screen as "Have Guns will Haggle"). So if it is possible to use original scripts for some Emma Peel stories that underwent changes this could be good. For example, "The Disappearance of Admiral Nelson" which became "Mission...Highy Improbable". I don't know how much was changed but if there is a lot, and if it still exists in full, it may be worth doing. Again, rights permitting.

The unused scripts and greatly changed ones would at least be covering new ground, as with the comic-strip adaptations. They could perhaps be released as "The Avengers-The Lost Stories: Steed & Mrs Peel". This, for me, would be the preferred option.

[Spaceship Dispatcher]

Some very good ideas there, mrspeel01. I would certainly be interested to hear them!