BEACH BUM COMICS : MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH -- GET SMART !!!

Dell Comics published eight issues of a Get Smart comic book, based on the popular television series, showcased great photo covers. Even though they were funny, the comics had no relationship to the show in terms of content or continuity. Such was the case with many of the comic book tie-ins in the day.

Maxwell Smart, code number Agent 86, is the central character. Despite being a top secret government agent, he is absurdly clumsy, very naive and has occasional lapses of attention. Due to his frequent verbal gaffes and physical miscues, most of the people Smart encounters believe he is grossly incompetent. Despite these faults, Smart is also resourceful, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, a proficient marksman, and incredibly lucky. These assets have led to him having a phenomenal record of success in times of crisis in which he has often averted disaster, often on a national or global scale. This performance record means his only punishment in CONTROL for his mistakes is that he is the only agent without three weeks annual vacation time.

Smart uses multiple cover identities, but the one used most often is as a greeting card salesman/executive. Owing to multiple assassination attempts, he tells his landlord he is in the insurance business, and on one occasion, that he works for the "Bureau of Internal Revenue". Smart served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and is an ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

CONTROL is a spy agency founded in the beginning of the 20th century by Harold Harmon Hargrade, a career officer in the United States Navy's N-2 (Intelligence) Branch. Hargrade served as the first Chief of CONTROL. "CONTROL" is not an acronym, but it is always shown in all capital letters as if it were.

KAOS is an "international organization of evil" formed in Bucharest, Romania, in 1904. Like "CONTROL", "KAOS" is not an acronym. In an episode of the series, after making a series of demands in a recording, the speaker mentions the demands are from "KAOS, a Delaware Corporation". When Smart asks the chief about this, he mentions they did it for tax reasons.

Get Smart #1 Maxwell Smart, The World's Greatest Spy!
"The Hairless Hound Caper"
Max and Agent 99 go to a bald headed man convention in Atlantic City to find a secret code.
"It's A Gas"
"The Bare Facts"
Cover photo of Don Adams and Fang.

Get Smart #2 Beware! Maxwell Smart Is On Your Trail!
"Self Defeat"
Inside front cover.

"The Dumb Dummy"
"Dungeon of Doom"
"Double Trouble"
First four features reprinted in Big Book 'O Ditko.
"Hot Wire"
Inside back cover.
All features written by Joe Gill with art by Steve (Nukla) Ditko & Sal (Hogan's Heroes) Trapani.

Get Smart #3 Would You Believe Anything?
"The Raid"
Printed in black-and-white on inside front cover.

"The Nuclear Gumball Caper"
Kaos develops an experimental bomb in the shape and size of a gumball.
Both features with art by Steve (Hogan's Heroes) Ditko & Sal (Nukla) Trapani.

Get Smart #4 And Loving It!
"The Billion Dollar Baseball Caper"
"The Spirit of '86"
Both Features illustrated by Tony (Werewolf) Tollarico.

I don't know where this was used, but had to add it for the novelity!

Get Smart #5 Would You Believe Out Of This World?
"The Great Fly Caper"
"Quit While Ahead"
"The Double Purpose Porpoise Caper"
All three features written by Joe Gill with art by Tony Tallarico.
Cover photo of Agent 86 Maxwell Smart (as played as Don Adams) & Agent 99 (as played by Barbara Feldon.)

Get Smart #6 Yes! And You'd Better Believe It!
"The Kookie Kanine Caper"
"The Captured Copter Caper"
"The Screwball Scooter Caper"
All three features with art by Tony (Son of Vulcan) Tallarico

Get Smart #7 "Sorry About That Chief!"
"The 4000 Year Old Man Caper"
"The Airborne Bathysphere Caper"
"The Infiltration Caper"
All three features with Henry Scarpelli artwork.

Get Smart #8

Reprint of issue #1.

The first four features in Get Smart #2 were reprinted in Big Book 'O Ditko. Going to have to find this book! A terrific book also showcased stories from Strange Suspense Stories, Space Adventures, Konga, Gorgo and Nukla (which also featured Sal Trapani & Dick Giordano art!)

Tempo Books published a fine series of nine Get Smart novels, all written by William (Then Came Bronson) Johnston. A good way to enjoy the characters beyond the television series. William Johnston was a favorite with the tie-in novels, he also did some a couple of Mod Squad and three Then Came Bronson original paperbacks as well.