One of the best spy shows from TV was Sheldon Leonard's I Spy. The episodes were so good, it was like watching a movie with every week. You probably can still find the 3 season DVD collection, as I would highly recommend them.
To the world at large, even to their friends, Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott are a tennis bum and his trainer. But Kelly and Scotty also travel in a secret world -- a world of intrigue, of suspicion, of deadly peril! For Kelly and Scotty are secret agents! Their base is the turbulent Far East where danger closes in from all sides. At any time they must be ready to lay their lives on the line to keep the Free World free!
I Spy #1
"The Stolen Secret"
Scotty and Kelly slug it out with enemy agents to recapture an American defector.
Written by prolific Paul S. Newman with art by Al (Star Trek, Girl from U.N.C.L.E.) McWilliams
"Hong Kong"
Art by Joe (Jet Dream) Certa.
Based upon the television series. Bill Cosby, playing Alexander Scott, was the first African-American to be cast in a co-starring role in an action-adventure series. As such he was likewise one of the first (alongside Greg Morris of Mission: Impossible) to be depicted in such a way on American comic book covers via this Gold Key series.
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| This was the concept for the Hermes haedcover. |
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| This was the more recent advertised cover for the Hermes collectino. |
Unfortunately, Hermes Proess has never released the I Spy collection they advertised a few years back. A darned shame.
In addition to the comic book series, Whitman Books came out with one I Spy hardcover I remember fondly. Brandon Keith wrote both the I Spy and Man from U.N.C.L.E. novels.
Popular Library followed up with a paperback series of seven original books written by noted author Walter (Telefon) Wager, under the pen name of John Tiger. Wager was given no materials or scripts and created his own versions of Kelly & Scotty. I believe I read he only saw one show, before his first I Spy novel was due. Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott were much more part of team effort in their adventures, not quite like the lone wolves we are familiar with as portrayed on the TV episodes and given the code name Domino. There were often glaring differences with his versions of them. but on the whole, you could identify with his characters and visualize Kelly and Scotty quite easily in his stories.
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| TV Guide cover painting that knocked my socks off when it was published. There were also paintings done along this line for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. & Star Trek. The Star Trek painting was done by James (Doc Savage) Bama. |
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| Logo from the TV series! |
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| Al McWilliams on Star Trek! |
Live Large My Friends!
Thank You!
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| The cover of the second issue, loved the Gold Key pin-ups on the back cover! |
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| For those so inclined, the Earle (Mod Squad) Hagen soundtrack album is fantastic! Very international flair! |
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