COMIC BOOKS

Steed and Ms. King in TV Comic Holiday Special 1972

Detail...

One issue only, strip is four pages.

Part One - Summer 1972:
One fine summer's day, John Steed and Tara take a holiday and drive out into the country for a picnic. They have almost reached the picturesque little village of Wallingstone-on-Mole when....

Written by unknown, drawn by unknown.

A milkfloat hurtles across the path of Steed's Bentley - TV Comic Holiday Special 1972 One summer’s day, Steed and Tara take a drive out into the country for a picnic. As they near the village of Wallingstone-on-Mole a milk float cuts across their path without signalling. It is heading for Wallingtone Castle. The suspicious-looking milkman seems to have recognised Steed and Tara. They reach the village, which is deathly quiet. On investigating further, the duo find the villagers asleep where they stand or sit. They cannot be woken and Steed assumes that they have been drugged in some way.

The only thing awake is a cat which Tara takes pity on and feeds with a bowl of milk. No sooner has it had a few sips then the animal falls asleep. The milk must have been drugged so that when everybody had their morning tea or coffee they were affected. Steed remembers something and heads out with Ms. King. He heads off towards Wallingstone Castle and tells Ms. King that it is the home of Lord and Lady Wallingstone, owners of the Wallingstone Diamonds. Tara sees that the milkman was on his way to steal the diamonds after having drugged the villagers.

They reach the castle and see the milkfloat. When they enter the building, the milkman steps out of a bush with a handful of jewellery. He lets down the tyres on Steed’s car and runs off. Inside, Steed and Tara find everybody is asleep, the safe is open and the diamonds are gone. Tara looks out of the window and sees the milkman getting away cross country. The duo go to Steed’s car to follow him and find the tyres are flat. The villain has left the milk float, though, and charge across the countryside in it after him. As they get near to him, Steed climbs on the roof of the milk float and throws a tray of eggs at the thief, knocking him over. They discover that it is International Jewel Thief, Jasper Groat.

Comment...

For the benefit of our world-wide readers the Summer Specials were generally larger (in both width and height) versions of the comics which Britain's swinging pop kids would buy every week. They were designed as the ideal child-pacifier for those frustrating car or train journeys to the seaside.

Villain Jasper Groat features in an earlier story.

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