LAND
OF THE GIANTS chronology
IN THE BEGINNING-by William
Welch-contains the name the giants call Earth--Sun Planet 111. The
giant planet is Polarus Planet V but the giants here do not even come
from the planet---they are from another planet themselves and have
colonized the planet for 20 years! An alternate universe this one has
Major Steve Warren and Alex Bryan as the ship's occupants, Tyce,
Elser, Pell, Hode, and others as the little people who live on the
planet where giant invaders have already been for 20 years! Very
different and worth only a brief look at. Not at all the enthralling
LAND OF THE GIANTS we would know and love.
THE BIRTHDAY
GIFT-fan fiction story by Jon Perrin which must be set in an
alternate universe since here, Barry's mother Evelyn died first and
his father Paul died second. Paul had married a woman called
Stephanie. Charlotte Bannerman was Paul's housekeeper. In THE CRASH,
Barry's mother was already widowed and she died just before the
takeoff of Spindrift. The relatives in England were on Barry's
mother's side. Barry turns 10.
THE CRASH-June 12,
1983----Barry's age is 10, Betty (middle name is Ann) is 22, Val
(middle name is Ames) and Dan are 25, Barry's already widowed mother
died two weeks ago, he is going to live with 3rd cousins he's never
seen, Mark is 32, Steve may be 26. We will assume Fitzhugh is 50.
Kurt was closer to 55 but we can assume the character was 50 (can't
we?). Steve, 7 years out of Princeton, six foot, just transferred
from the Chicago-Buenos Aries run. Dan built close to the ground at
5'10", 185 pounds, sidekick for the past 3 years. Betty holds
top honors in stewardess rating, even disposition, a year in the
states, three months on the Panama City run, she is geared for VIP
flights. Slightly nervous newcomer but happy under any circumstances.
Fitzhugh stole a million dollars. London had police waiting for him.
He says he was a top secret courier for many years. Mark fought his
way from tramp steamers through wildcat wells and high iron
construction to the status of millionaire at the age of 32. Betty
passes out chewing gum. Valerie Ames Scott's luggage has places she
has been: Monte Carlo, Nice, Sun Valley, Acapulco, Rio De Janeiro,
Tokyo, New Delhi, London. She has mags, candy. Val has landed a
private jet on the Champs Elysees, water skied through Venice at
midnight, and parachuted from a plane. The Happening, a magazine, has
interviewed her and put her on their cover. She has a chauffeur who
picks her up on airstrips. Dan is an ex decathlon star. Mark has
learned a long time ago not to argue with a gun. Strange gas room
appears in the Spindrift (Jupiter 2 flight deck rear). Spindrift has
solar batteries that need recharging.
THE FIRST NIGHT-fan
fiction short story by Jean Flack about Steve's pondering after the
first night of landing on the giant planet--just after THE CRASH.
THE CRASH-There are other universes that have had the same
occurrences on the same date--June 12, 1983 and sometimes
earlier--but with slightly different changes--these include IN THE
BEGINNING-a very different universe with only two astronauts trapped
on a land of same sized humans who have been invaded by the giants
from another planet; THE EIGHT MINUTE PRESENTATION REEL universe
where Steve's name is Tim Burton and there is no Valerie, only a Joan
Templeton-a scientist--a geneticist and a medical doctor, a DSC and
MD--travelling to London to attend a scientific convention, Flight is
703, Fitzhugh used many aliases among them Peter Lingelhopper, Dan
has been with Tim (Steve) since 1978, Betty wears a strange outfit
with a dome on her head, Barry has sharp sarcastic wit, a giant
goldfish attacks the little people; the UNAIRED CRASH PILOT universe
which then runs almost the same to the main universe (except there is
no dog attack in the junkyard and Fitzhugh finds their way back to
the spaceship using his lost money), we see the Spindrift seat belt
lights work; in another the CRASH occurred on September 25th, 1983
(the date of the final script and used in WILD JOURNEY). In another
Steve Burton was played by Sam Elliot!
THE LEINSTER NOVEL
NUMBER ONE-THE TRAP--June 12th through to June 15th---(preferred to
take place in an alternate universe, one of many infinite numbers of
alternate universes)----here the giant planet has two moons. Added
character of Marjorie in this parallel universe. She was from a ship
called the Anne. Planet of giants is 11 light years from Earth.
Spindrift has baggage compartments and rooms as well as exits from
the rear of the ship. A fire exit is beneath the passenger
compartment window storage area. Bubble roof exit. The Spindrift here
is called Flight 703. Spindrift can land and take off using a rocket
procedure--with its nose facing the sky and it can be raised or
lowered onto its belly), the encounter with the space warp, and the
landing on a giant road. Mark is called Wilson throughout the book
and is much calmer, less at odds with Steve, if at all. Mark also
wears glasses and is an astronomer who is taking a telescope-radar
tracking device to London. Fitzhugh is seemingly a coward, overcoming
a great fear. We find out he had a nervous breakdown after
dismantling an atomic power plant which threatened to blow up. It
wasn't his fault but he did manage to shut down the atomic
pile--after two hours. Steve tells all this to Wilson. Barry is 14
not ten years old as he was in THE CRASH. He also smuggled Chipper
aboard, another change from the TV show. Betty worries much too much
and Steve is usually depressed. Leinster argues that skyscrapers
could not hold a race of giants--the metal and wood would only hold
so much weight and he explains that planes are impossible for a race
of giants. He also gives an explanation as how the giants control
their movements---their bodies have that reserve of adrenalin that
Earth humans have in emergencies---but the giants' adrenalin is
always on. There is beauty of this world as well as its horror. Also
there are many social comparisons: Earth had everything so
technically perfect, moving in unstoppable machines and mechanical
routines that this time space accident never even occurred to Steve
or Dan, in fact, no accident seemed possible. Other problems present
themselves: hopelessness at never being able to find the warp, of
finding a far out, changed future Earth if centuries have passed due
to the 11 light year flight and passage of time, of killing for food,
and extreme pessimism. Steve figures that a return to Earth so
changed by future time would be a more difficult adjustment than life
in the land of the giants. Leinster also notes that real experiences
often have long, tedious stretches between them. The imagery of Dan
holding up a torch while a menagerie of insects and animals parades
around him, trying to find a way out of the shed, is stunning. So is
the idea of Steve shoving a torch into a snake's
out-of-the-darkness-looming face. Steve also conjectures a bit about
the giant government and that they may deny the little people exist,
may leave them alone, or even actually want to make deals with the
little people. Steve says, "I plan to trust individual giants
about as far as I can throw them."
ENDINGS TO THE
CRASH-June 12--June 13, 1983--There are many different endings to THE
CRASH: among them: a comic strip version where Steve tells Betty that
a burger will last them a long time; a viewmaster version that has
Dan, Mark, and Steve working on equipment while Steve believes they
will make it since insects make it on Earth; a similar ending in the
script followed by Barry and Chipper finding Kagan's lost tape
recorder leading into THE WEIRD WORLD opening; the unaired filmed
pilot where everyone follows Fitzhugh back to the ship using his
money as a trail. Consider each one an alternate universe. A few may
be able to fit into just after the aired THE CRASH ending--it is
night and the seven travelers are looking for a way back to the
ship--they could find the money trail than the next day, Betty and
Steve could talk about survival--then Steve, Dan, and Mark could work
on the equipment, Barry and Chipper could find the tape recorder...
RON LORDI'S LAND OF THE GIANTS-This is a home movie version
of the crash of Spindrift, beginning with all the scenes at the
airport with Collier, who is a man here with a secretary. The flu is
mentioned, the Shamrock is put on hold and Spindrift is taken by Mark
Wilson, Alexander Fitzhugh, brunette Valerie Scott, and a FOUR YEAR
OLD Barry Lockridge. There is no Chipper, Dan is white, and Betty has
long brunette hair. All of the unaired pilot scenes are included
here. Mark and Fitzhugh leave the ship, not Barry and Fitzhugh.
Valerie is taken by a giant man-ape named Bobo, rescued by Steve, and
both are captured by a long haired Jodar--who is much older than he
was in GENIUS AT WORK and taken to Dr. Arno, who plans to dissect
Valerie. Bobo breaks out and saves her. Mark joins up with Dan to
rescue the other two. Bobo gets Val again. Using parts from the ship,
Mark makes a laser sound type gun to get Bobo to release Val. A snake
attacks Steve and Val but Bobo stops it. Spiders also attack first
Steve and then Dan. Betty and Barry are captured by Kobick who wears
a t-shirt. Fitzhugh aides in the rescue of the boy and Betty--and
Mark who was also captured by Kobick. They all get away. A strange
but fun endeavor.
THE WEIRD WORLD-June 20, 1983---Major Kagen
first appearance and apparent death. The National Air Research Team
was lost in a space orbiting lab and thought dead. Giants captured
most of them. Only Kagen survived the capture and escape. His men
were killed by a giant spider. First mention and look at Science
Center.
THE BRITISH COLORING BOOK-June 12th-through to June
21, 1983--features unrelated drawings from THE CRASH and Kagan from
THE WEIRD WORLD as well as the little people scouting around their
new land, spotting various objects such as water glasses and
spectacles. Val encounters a giant spider. (This could be short
unrelated adventures and as such could also be part of an alternate
or parallel universe in which these events took place only there, but
not in the main universe).
THE TRAP-June 30, 1983-Giant
mentions other spaceships from Earth have landed here. Mention of a
reward for capturing little people. Giants have tents, radar, trucks.
THUMBNAIL SKETCH-fan fiction by Lindar--possibly July 1,
1983--A cat attack wounds Steve and he is nursed back to health,
unable to be moved, by Dan. One time four years ago, they had beaten
airbase security and snuck aboard the JX17, a top secret spacecraft.
A very different alternate universe--the relationship between Dan and
Steve is a lot...uhmm, different.
THE BOUNTY HUNTER-July 2,
1983 to July 4, 1983-Reward posters seen. Mark was the chairman of
the board of 17 corporations before the age of 30 (and Val wonders if
it was the other way around).
ALTERNATE WORLD BOUNTY
HUNTER-July 2, 1983--Steve is named Tim in this alternate universe,
the reward postings are dropped by plane, and giant flying insects
attack the little people and the spaceship in this alternate
universe. Also--the bounty hunter is the giant entomologist from THE
CRASH. Giant language, written and spoken, is very alien, yet they
speak some English.
THE LEINSTER NOVEL NUMBER TWO--THE HOT
SPOT--July 12, 1983-July 27, 1983--(preferred to be thought of as
taking place in an alternate universe-but the same universe as
Leinster's other novels)-
THE BRITISH ANNUALS-Crash Into the
Unknown (another alternate world version of THE CRASH--in which the
giants brought the spaceship, here called only 703, to their planet
using a giant man made Time Warp, Fitzhugh is rougher and meaner);
THE HAPPY RETURN (703 is in an ornamental pool of the scientist who
made the Time Warp, Fitzhugh smokes a cigar and Mark acts somewhat
cowardly but figures they are in another dimension--another universe,
the ship lands on a tall building's roof in a city of skyscrapers);
THE TOY TRAP---Val, Fitz, and Steve hunt for a battery but find
dangers at a farm; escaping in a toy tank in a box, they discover
this tank is a bomb to destroy the Law Palace and they stop it, Steve
wanted to spank Valerie (!); BARRY AND THE BANK ROBBERS--Barry and
Chipper who get away from 703 which is perched atop a larger
skyscraper--the pair become involved with bank robbers, a vault, a
lift, and a helicopter; giants here use pound notes, Steve wants to
spank Barry(!); THE LOST ONE--Betty and Valerie (who wonders what her
Riviera pals would say if they could see her humping water
containers!!?!) meet Tuftian Spicer--the angry, mad, only survivor of
explorer team who set out from Earth in 1954 (when Val claims that
was 32 years ago, we learn that the year here in this alternate
universe is 1986), Val and Betty use a balloon to get away from him;
THE BARGAIN---a drought takes place while Val, Steve, and Fitzhugh
are away, a brush fire and the water shot by firemen spell
trouble--washing 703 (with Dan, Mark, and Betty inside) near a
drain--Barry offers to get a giant boy's baseball if the boy will
pull 703 up out of the drain, Barry was a knot tying Boy Scout back
on Earth; NIGHTMARE IN GIANT LAND-the giants' moon is 12 times the
size of our moon and the stars appear larger, a giant carnival spells
big trouble for all seven Earth people; MINI-SPIES--Steve and Mark
stop Anti Earth group giants Kram and Arrof from killing a kindly
Prof. Apage--a man who wants to make peace with the little people;
TWO IN A TRAP-Betty and Valerie escape Dr. Kroom--we find out the
giants have the same internal bone structure as Earthlings; PYGMIES
AT PLAY--703 flies through a ventilator fan into a building--a
department store and escapes again through a mesh of an air
conditioner using its metal beryllium steel ram; MIDGET SAFARI--703
lay in the crotch of a giant flower tree, Steve, Mark, Fitzhugh, and
Val are followed to a super market by Barry, Mark had a gun, 703 goes
out of control; ESCAPE TO THE DEEPS continues the story begun in
MIDGET SAFARI--we move faster than the giants do--Steve figures that
time slows down for the giants so that on Earth--a man would live a
lifetime in only a few years of a giant's life, the garden of the
scientist who put the 703 through the Time Warp proves still
dangerous, 703 is captured and gets away--but later lands in a giant
pool; RAID FOR SURVIVAL---a rain flood nearly drowns Barry and
Chipper but 703 swoops in to save them, the ship leaves the city and
encounters yet another farm, lands in a haystack, Betty uses a
medical chest from the ship; IN A NUTSHELL--a pool, a giant boy named
Prak who puts Barry through some tests against his beetle, another
boy named Arix, and a Steve rescue of Barry from an empty fish tank;
THE BIG RISK---Dan and Barry play chess; Mark once worked for the
FBI, building homing devices; Dan meets a scientist who is kind to
the little people and will convince his people to trust them, when
the meeting goes wrong--the kindly scientist--Burrock stops Dr. Olf
from harming and capturing Dan, Mark hot wired the lift to help Dan
get away; GRIFL MUST DIE--the gang try to steal a battery from a
beggar's hearing aide, from which Mark and Steve overhear a plot to
assassinate the President--Grifl who is arriving at the Praesidium,
the beggar is a spy, Fitzhugh doesn't want to get involved since they
have enough troubles of their own, they do get involved and save
Grifl.
STEVE'S BLACK EYE-fan fiction by Maria Anne Bennett-July
28, 1983---Valerie gives Steve a split lip and a black eye over some
argument they have. Steve is tired of fighting with Mark, Fitzhugh,
and Val. Mark goes after Val, convinces her to return so they can
work together to get off the planet, and is grabbed up by a giant
little boy-Robbie. Val makes him drop Mark and the two get caught in
an avalanche and fall into a gully. Val nurses Mark and calls the
others in to rescue them. Somewhat silly fan fiction but has it
moments. Should really be considered an alternate universe--as Val
would not hit Steve--she was hardly a very physical fighter.
THE
GOLDEN CAGE-July 29, 1983-Marna's first appearance--she and her
parents Mr. Charles and Mrs. Whalen were on a trip to Paris, France
and the crashed in the land of the giants. Spindrift galley. Mention
made of other Earth ships and people here.
THE HORNET-fan
story by Josette Barlett-July 29, 1983--another version of THE GOLDEN
CAGE--consider most fan fiction to be yet more alternate universes.
THE LOST ONES-August 7, 1983-Nick, Dolph, Hopper, and Joey
appear, the others of their gang are supposed to be all dead except
for Pete and Robbie--who are somewhere, captured by other giants.
WINGS OF FREEDOM-a sequel to THE GOLDEN CAGE by Jean
Flack-August 8, 1983---this could be considered an alternate
universe--Marna, after about a week and few days (a week and a few
days after THE GOLDEN CAGE), leaves her giant captors and seeks out
Mark and the Spindrift, realizing they were correct about her. En
route, a giant rodent attacks her, she flees into a hole but it
wounds her terribly and she dies in Mark's arms, re-meeting him,
Betty, and Steve.
him, Betty, and Steve.
THE GOLD KEY
COMIC BOOK ISSUES ONE TO FIVE-August 9---through to September 9,
1983----THE MINI CRIMINALS (The Power Seekers, The Torch is Lit);
COUNTDOWN TO ESCAPE (The Wings of an Eagle, The Little Buccaneers);
GIANT DAMSEL IN DISTRESS (Mirror Power, The Charge of the Light
Brigade); SAFARI IN GIANTLAND (Assault and Battery, Babes in
Toyland); CRISIS ! (The Doctor's Dilemma, A Life in Their Hands)-in
this last one, Barry contracts a lung condition due to a virus caused
by the space warp and it is mentioned Dan was a medic in service.
These should also be considered as part of an alternate, parallel
universe. There is also an Eastern Country which is at odds with the
country the Spindrift is located in.
GOLD KEY COMIC NUMBER
ONE---THE MINI-CRIMINALS-August 9, 1983
STORY: PART ONE-THE POWER
SEEKERS-Steve, Barry, Betty, and a jacket and tie wearing Mark hear a
giant alarm. They spot a criminal being chased by police. Mark points
out he is carrying a transistor radio which they can use to get 703
functioning again. The group borrow a child's roller skate and
follow. Next, Betty, Mark and Steve fly balloons across the street to
follow the crook. Steve sent Barry to camp to tell the others. Steve
lets the gas out and soon the trio climb through a mail slot. They
climb up a fishing pole to a table, then use a nail file to open the
radio carrying case. Steve accidentally falls onto the "ON"
switch and music brings the criminal from his bedroom. Hiding in a
cigarette pack, Betty sneezes. Carlo Krog captures all three and
threatens to squeeze them. He gets an idea to use them as crooks.
Val, Dan, and Fitz ride on a lady's shopping wagon across the street
and avoid pedestrians. Val looks into the letter drop slot and sees
Krog holding Betty in a cigar wrapper. He tells Mark and Steve they
will rob the Kalindor diamond or he will kill Betty! PART TWO-THE
TORCH IS LIT-Carlo Krog leaves for the jewelry store. As he slams the
door, Val, Dan, and Fitz just make it inside. They roll the battery
off the table and haul it through the slot using Steve's rope. Using
Krog's tools, Steve and Mark cut the glass case containing the
diamonds and drop the gem off the table. They blast their way through
the vent grill and carry the gem out. Krog carries them in his
pocket. Steve uses Krog's butane lighter to set him on fire. He
falls, dropping Betty's tube. Betty is freed. Dan rigs up a traffic
light to hold on "RED". As Dan, Val, and Fitz cross the
street under a paper bag, the other three join them. Krog follows
them to the park. The six hide in a gopher hole. Mark sets his radio
to the battery and calls the police, who arrive quickly. Steve shoots
Krog's ankle and the police spot the crook. Krog aims his gun at the
police but they shoot him dead. The battery is also dead. The others
agree to try to find another power source. Fitzhugh as in the annuals
is in full Navy dress, Mark wears his jacket and tie, and all are in
early first season clothing. The battery search is repeated in
"similar fashion in GRIFL MUST DIE" in the 1970 Annual
story. In part two of this tale, 703 is oddly shaped and has a hatch
on the roof. The inside does not match the TV version. The Annual
illustrations also have a vague and different interior. For this
issue of the comic, no door is seen
in part two.
LAND OF
THE GIANTS GOLD KEY COMIC #2--COUNTDOWN TO ESCAPE-August 13-August
15, 1983---
STORY: PART ONE-THE WINGS OF AN EAGLE--Barry misses a
ball thrown by Dan and hears a monster at the zoo. Steve, Mark, Dan
and the wise cracking, annoying Val go there and see a lion. They run
from a caretaker into a giant aviary--a bird house. Val's friend
Renato Brindisi used to train eagles. Steve gets Val to train the
eagle which she through was a male. The others at white 703 (terribly
drawn here and looking nothing like Spindrift from TV) use a harness
to wrap around the ship. Finally the eagle flies 703 past a giant
helicopter to the sloped side of a water tower on top a skyscraper.
There is not enough fuel for a takeoff but this will do. They undo
the harness and slide down but they hit the corner of a
building--heading straight toward another building. The eagle grabs
703, saving it. Val and Steve go onto his leg which Steve has to burn
slightly. He lets the ship go now and it flies toward the park. The
eagle flies toward the aviary threatening capture of Valerie and
Steve. PART TWO-THE LITTLE BUCCANEERS-Concealing themselves in the
feathers, the two are not seen. Val finds out the eagle is a girl.
Hawks attack them. They escape through another cage but a gorilla
nearly smashes them. A boy drops his ice cream cone and grabs them.
Val hits him and he drops them into water. A giant white polar bear
surfaces. They barely get away from it and a zoo keeper who has a
net. Using a lily pad, the pair go out onto a lake to a toy model
boat. They take the ship away from an old man Slaghorn. It is a
freighter which is nearly crushed by a giant oar from a couple in a
rowboat. Steve calls the others who meet them by the beach. They plan
to haul out the motor but a rainstorm hits. Everyone escapes but the
freighter sinks with the motor on it. The giant rages but he will
never know that a group of tiny people are more upset over the loss
of his ship. Steve gives them hope and encouragement as the rain
stops and the sun comes up through the clouds in a truly touching and
beautiful scene. Val calls Steve, "Steve, boy," a lot.
Steve says nonsense like, "Great howling comets!"
Similarly, Barry says things like, "Golly gee, whee" and
more--this is more akin to Will Robinson on LOST IN SPACE than to
Barry. The first part seems really stupid--to have an eagle fly 703
up off a water tower does not seem plausible. A zoo and the toy
freighter. There is no door seen on the 703 and a different interior.
LAND OF THE GIANTS COMIC BOOK ISSUE #3-GIANT DAMSEL IN
DISTRESS--August 16-August 18, 1983---
STORY: PART ONE-MIRROR
POWER-Val after having nightmares (of 703 entering the green mass and
later of monsters attacking her--rats, dogs, a giant foot, and a
massive car)--goes to cut fruit. She tells Steve and Betty she can no
longer work off her miseries playing at Miami or Monte Carlo. Val
sees a young girl sitting on a park bench and decides to try to get
her mirror--it may be good as a solar lens. To save her from an
attacking man, Val hatchets open a hornet's nest and the hornets
chase him away. Val tries to get the mirror but the girl, Linda, sees
Val fall. They become good friends. Steve hugs Val when Linda brings
the mirror and Val to camp. Bank robbers had jumped into Linda's car
so the police think Linda is a gun moll and the crooks know she is a
witness. Linda is visiting the city from a small town. The little
people make a straw hat for her and use extra port windows for
glasses for her. These will disguise Linda so she can get out of the
park. But when a gust of wind takes her hat, a crook spots her while
she is carrying 703 under her arm. PART TWO-THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT
BRIGADE-Two thugs tail Linda to her hotel. They use a false letter to
find out Linda Cruther's apartment number 15. The thugs force their
way in. Steve uses 703 in flight to frighten the crooks. He lands the
ship on a shelf and as the crooks try to gas Linda at a stove, he
sprays ammonia at them. Val and Steve drop butter under the crooks,
then the others haul light bulbs into 703's rocket engine tubes to
fire them at the crooks. Next, Steve settles the ship onto a
chandelier and burns it so that it will fall onto the crooks. 703,
drained, flies toward the window but Linda grabs it to save them from
spiraling out into traffic. On her window-balcony ledge the little
people await the solar power to re-energize 703. Linda calls the
police to come get the two robbers. 703, later, flies up past kites.
One hits an updraft and 703 tears through the kid's kite--losing the
solar mirror in the process. The mirror had been attached to the
ship. The tracking kids and their father are lost by 703 which
re-lands in the park. Val cooks a meal as the "heart weary crew
and passengers return to their isle of loneliness in the land of the
giants." Spindrift is somewhat but it is white again as in the
first two issue of this Gold Key comic series. Some of the imagery is
interesting though (Val's nightmare was wild and the waiting on the
window ledge a nice quiet calm before the storm). Now Spindrift's
door is on the correct side but it is odd shaped and white.
LAND
OF THE GIANTS GOLD KEY COMIC #4-SAFARI IN GIANTLAND-August 22-August
24, 1983---
STORY: PART ONE-ASSAULT AND BATTERY-Steve brings a
newspaper ad about a sale of batteries. Using a giant map of the city
they plot a safari toward the dept. store. Inside the ship (which
looks like the Spindrift now--passenger compartment and all) Steve
plans to go to Dacy Dept. Store at nine AM. For one hour they trek
past grass, pavement, and cars. To cross a street they all tie each
other together and climb up a bridge. Val falls, pulling Dan down
also just as a truck approaches. Its diesel engine stack threatens
with fire. The others pull them up and then hug the bridge for
protection from the flames. Betty screamed but apologizes to Steve.
They cross the footbridge and go due south. On a square metal surface
the six (minus Barry) are lifted up on a cellar garbage lift while a
janitor picks up the cans from below. Val continues her awful rhymes
and quips as they go on after the lift lowers back down to the street
level. The six pass a sleeping cat, a street cleaning truck, and a
car which runs over them. Steve cuts a hole in a giant woman's
shopping bag and the adults from 703 ride in it to the store. In the
store, Steve climbs a wicker basket to see a list that tells the
batteries are on the second floor. They decide to go up the
backstairs instead of chancing the elevator. As they try, an
escalator grabs them up and thrusts them upward. Betty almost got her
foot caught. Steve tells Valerie to pray. PART TWO-BABES IN
TOYLAND-Mark and Steve ride a tube up to the third floor, causing a
giant lady worker to faint. They take a toy truck, ride down past the
floor manager and down the escalator to the others. The others load a
battery onto it and ride up the skis from the sports dept. They go to
a parcel chute basket. They drive it past the man who wraps gifts and
to a conveyor belt. Then, impossibly, ride across a package to get
off the belt. Outside they startle the truck loaders and the horse of
a mounted policeman. They hide the truck in an excavation pipe to
eat, rest, and plan. The moon comes up full. Toward the dawn, they
start the truck out again. A sewer rat attacks them. Dan props a
stick in its mouth. Then Steve drives to a giant traffic light toward
the park. A giant milkman jumps the red light and runs right over
them. In the park, the truck brakes give out on a slope, forcing
everyone to leap out. The truck overturns, dumping the battery into a
sewer drain--into water. Steve tries to get their hopes up again.
Mark asks Betty if she will "make us the best meal in giant
park." She answers, "Uh huh, Mark." Spindrift's door
is on the wrong side. Barry is not in this story at all. There is a
toy truck escape on the basket and conveyor belt. In a department
store but FLIGHT OF FEAR handled that concept a bit better. I also do
not understand the logic of going in the morning.
LAND OF THE
GIANTS GOLD KEY COMICS #5-September 7-Sept. 9, 1983
PART ONE-THE
DOCTOR'S DILEMMA-Spindrift's color is correct and the shape is almost
right. The door is again on the wrong side. Steve and Mark dangle
from a tree to avoid a giant who is sleeping on a park bench. They do
this to get his glasses which can rev up the solar batteries. The man
sneezes and nearly sends Steve flying. The pair get the glasses back
to camp. They cannot blast off because Barry has a lung condition.
Dan, once a medic in service (shades of DEADLY LODESTONE's reference
to his having served a term in a war in Asia) says it is most likely
a giant virus and the 703 cabin pressure could kill him in flight.
Mark in tie and jacket and Steve use a sling, carrying Barry over the
footbridge. An assassin bombs the Eastern Premier's limousine which
the two hide Barry under. Ultimately the sneak into a doctor's
medical bag. Dr. Rains stops the operation of Premier Klosson and Dr.
Clemments agrees with him. A sliver of glass embedded in Klosson's
heart endangers the rest of the operation. An official from Klosson's
country complains only to be told by an official that the East had a
dozen assassinations in the last few years. At Rains' home, Steve and
Mark open the bag with the medical tools, poise a makeshift bow and
arrow at him (in case he is not friendly) and pour a glass of water
on him to wake him from sleep. The bow was a window blind, the arrow
a scalpel. They explain to Rains but the doctor grabs a pillow,
blocking their scalpel weapon. Steve and Mark, who would never leave
Barry, are trapped. PART TWO-A LIFE IN THEIR HANDS-Rains grabs the
pair but wants to help them. He tells them Barry has space warp flu.
Rains makes an injection needle out of one of the human's radio
wires. He administers an anti biotic serum because it would have
killed one as tiny as Barry. Rains explains that Klosson's death may
start a war. He carries the three in his medical bag, back to 703
where Fitzhugh, startled, warns the girls. Fitz tells them a nature
lover giant stepped on and smashed the glasses. Rains offers to get
them a power source, then suddenly gets an idea. Steve and Mark can,
guided by him, remove the glass from Klosson's heart. After only a
few hours rest and longer hours of preparation, the three go to the
operating room. The pair remove it and save Klosson. Rains hurries
the two back to the park with a battery. As he does enemies of peace
follow and shoot him dead. They also kick the battery sky high.
Rain's bag falls and opens. Steve and Mark get out. Steve, angry,
runs at the killer, "I'll avenge his death somehow." Mark
tries to pull him back but Steve stabs the killer with a scalpel.
This causes him to yell, drawing the attention of a woman who
witnessed the murder--and a pair of cops. Steve and Mark flee as a
shootout occurs. Apparently the killers are shot and killed
themselves-by the police. Steve cheers everyone up again telling them
Barry is well and that "some of the giant people like us--and
somewhere out in giantland is another Dr. Rains who will help us."
With a political leader in jeopardy from spies and needing an
operation. Mark and Steve have to step on Klosson's heart! One good
point: we never find out if the assassins are from Klosson's own
Eastern country or from the country the little people are in. 703
looks most like Spindrift here, the color is red and in shape it
looks fine. Only the door persists to be on the wrong side as in
issue 4. Issue 2 had a badly rendered 703 both inside and out. It had
a white color and red shutters with a rooftop exit hatch. Issue 3 had
it still white but somewhat better illustrated. The Annuals bounced
from a bad star shaped version to an excellent Spindrift.
THE
GOLIATH GUN-September 10-11, 1983-Un-filmed episode, unmade-can be
considered in an alternate universe. Not much known about this. A two
man rocketship from the US crashes and a man called Davis gets out.
MANHUNT-September 13, 1983-Beta control system mentioned.
Spindrift, carried off by a giant convict, is moved several times:
near a farm house, into a quicksand bog, just outside of the bog, and
finally to the same spot. Spindrift is air tight and has a
ventilation system and viewport shutters-shields. Mark converts an
astrogater into a radio range finder.
FRAMED-September 19,
1983-Barry is still 10 years old. First trip by little people inside
a camera.
THE WHITMAN COLORING BOOK-NAMED BY ME "THE
REUNION"--September 20-September 24th--The little people face a
forest fire, being stranded on an island, and returning a giant dog
to its owner across a sea left by a rainfall. (This fun but
improbable story can be considered part of another parallel universe
for purists). There is a campsite fire.
There
is a campsite fire.
THE CREED-September 26, 1983-Barry turns
11 years old; Dr. Brule--first appearance, is captured and imprisoned
in solitary for life due to his helping the little people during an
operation on Barry--the removal of his appendix. Brule also mentions
an Earth ship had crashed here and all its occupants died--he found a
German medical textbook--and it is all in German, leading one to
believe it may have been a German spaceship. Fitzhugh can read German
and the others cannot. Mark uses the ship's compressor to make ice
packs for Barry.
THE FLIGHT PLAN-October 15th through October
17th, 1983-Joe's first appearance and apparent death. His real name
is not Joe--it is Logia. Moluk is one of his giant aides.
THE
JOE 90 STORIES-THE LAND OF THE GIANTS--ALTERNATE UNIVERSE--Oct. 18th,
1983--Dan, Mark, Steve, and Barry encounter a boy and his dog--and
toys, Barry teases Steve about being much older, Barry is a teenager
in this alternate universe; AIRFORCED-Steve and Mark seek uranium
fuel and reach an airforce base--after being captured by a giant who
is captured, deciding to enlist the help of an imprisoned giant,
fight off a spider, they also take a wild ride in a helicopter, NOTE:
There were 34 weekly issues of Joe 90 that had LAND OF THE GIANTS
tales in them and there were also some Joe 90 Yearbook Annuals with
GIANT tales in them. The little people (in the weekly series of Joe
90s) battled through snowdrifts, thunderstorms, and are caught by
every conceivable type of giant from the friendly to the not so
friendly. Soldiers, fishermen, gangsters, farmhands, and the police
all feature prominently as adversaries, and giant animals also
appear: a bull, a weasel, dogs, rats, and others.
THE TV 21
STORIES-Oct. 22th, 1983--DANGEROUS LINE--a reward is out for their
capture; in this parallel universe, Dan's last name is Bailey; an old
man, a former conductor for the trains, captures Barry, Dan, Mark,
and Steve for his grandson's train sets; the real train leaves with
the little people in a shoe box--and they must get away from the
train, Dan always wanted to be a railroad driver, Val tells Barry,
"You should go on a train ride everyday--then perhaps, we
wouldn't have our usual trouble in getting you to bed." Betty
uses a toy tea cup they found on their second day on the land of the
giants; SOLDIERS OF DOOM---Mark rides a giant bumper of a car when
Steve, Barry, and Dan are carried away in the trunk--put there by a
family of picnicking giant; the son takes them for his battle games;
GIANT MAKER---Magnus Karsh is a professor nearing the spaceship
Spendthirft (?!?--a parallel universe don't forget), others made a
laughing stock of this genius but he can make things grow to "normal"
size--attempting to make the little people into giants. NOTE: there
were 54 issues of TV 21 with LAND OF THE GIANTS serials in them and
there were also TV 21 Annuals with GIANTS tales in them.
UNDERGROUND-November 5, 1983-Gorak appears, apparent
death-news of another spacecraft from Earth-a Capt. Hartmann. There
is a campsite fire. Steve keeps his code designation book in a closet
in the hall of Spindrift.
BRITISH NOVEL NUMBER ONE-SLINGSHOT
FOR A DAVID-November 6, 1983-(the British novels by James Bradwell
could be its own parallel or alternate universe). Spindrift has jets,
motor, and battery housings. Some information about the giants'
security police. The giants have no names and their motives are
obscure--sometimes too vague and muddled. Direct references are made
to THE CRASH, UNDERGROUND (about most of Gorak's gang being killed
off), MANHUNT (near where they almost lost the ship), THE BOUNTY
HUNTER, and THE TRAP. Their watch hunt being more successful this
time. Steve worries about Barry finding a good home once they get
back to Earth and he is also drawn to Fitzhugh. He also has a problem
putting things to a vote again---with Barry and girls joining up with
Fitzhugh this time in saying no to a fire in the forest--which the
giant killer later starts anyway. The very last page is interesting
in that it suggests an almost sexual tension from Steve for Betty.
One sore point is having Betty mess up so badly in the first spy
mission on the HQ. I don't think Betty would do that badly--although
it is a possibility. The main plot of assassination was a rather good
one enhanced by the sub plot of the ship's near implosion. Irony also
came into play when travellers voted down the fire and then the
killer started it anyway. They had slaved to effect that alternate
plan--shooting the killer! This is where the characterization falls
down--it was Steve's idea to shoot the sniper even though in BOUNTY
HUNTER he is against using guns and in other episodes abhors violence
and murder. I feel the travellers would risk death by the fire to
avoid killing and they could have been killed by the gun plan just as
much as by the fire plan. Steve's first plan was the fire and even
that could have killed the sniper. To have him and the others carry
out this gun plan seems to make them murderers also. Dan is almost
totally ignored. Mark sticks up for Steve and gives him some
comfort!? The story is a good read though and is recommended to fans.
Bradwell's two novels call the spaceliner only Flight 703 as does
FLIGHT OF FEAR, the three Leinster novels (but he also calls it
Spindrift, the Bradwell novels do not), the viewmaster booklet, and
the early references to the show before it aired also do. Mark tells
Steve he will have to repair the housing on the hydrogen cells and if
radium is not refilled into them--the ship will implode. In the
meantime, the gang get caught up in the affairs of a giant killer who
stabs an accomplice. They try to get a watch off the dead man and a
rock snags it off for them. Overhearing the giants, Steve and Dan
deduce the giants are planning a sniper attack from a platform high
in the tree---a sniper attack on Security HQ. Betty and Steve mount a
mission to the HQ but Betty messes up, trips, and sets off alarms.
Dan and Steve return, facing a rat on a chain, a gun sticking into
the vents, and the heat turned up on them. They find out the killer
has a poster of them and is one of the higher ranking men in the
place--and his victim will be either the head of security or the
leader of the country they are in-the dictator. The group outvote
Mark, Dan, and Steve in setting fire to the platform but Steve gets
another idea--use a gun that was lost in the quicksand area to shoot
the sniper out of the platform. But before they can, the killer sets
fire to the ship after getting Steve, who cuts his way out of the
giant's pant's pocket. The ship takes off, repaired and distracts the
giant sniper and he shoots the killer by mistake. Drained, the ship
has to land back in the park--far from the city. Steve elects Barry
to close the door on one more adventure.
BRITISH NOVEL NUMBER
TWO-November 10, 1983-THE MEAN CITY-by James Bradwell-November 10,
1983-(see above for considering these two books in their own
universe)--Out gathering berries, Betty and Steve encounter a giant
caterpillar which falls asleep. Dan and Mark are near a highway where
they see giant Roderick Keller bury a painting of a young girl in
view of his wife Helen. The painting belongs to his political
opponent--scientist Dr. Edwin Fowler. Both are running for mayor.
Mark stupidly takes a puff off of Fowler's fallen cigarette. Mark has
a plan: unbury the painting, hide it, and go find Fowler. If he will
help them return to Earth, they will give it back to him. The two
find all the others fast asleep--they ate the berries that make one
fall asleep. Gooseberry juice. They rouse Betty who ate only a
little. They hide the painting, go to a cafe to steal food and tie
themselves to a car to go 30 Earth miles to Fowler's town. They avoid
giants, use a phone book, call a taxi at a pay phone, hop in it and
ride to Fowler's home! At Tower Heights, Fowler turns out to be a
creep: he puts them in a toy doll house in a playpen--after drugging
them, treats them (along with his wife Melinda) like pets and babies,
and talks to his silly press relations advisor named John
Donaldson--Happy for short. Happy wants him to put them on TV,
dumping out of a gladstone bag. He also suggest that they be bred
like rabbits to form a colony. He calls them dwarfs and warns Fowler
to handle them carefully--he doesn't want too much public sympathy
for them to build if they are killed by mistake! Fortunately, Angela,
the daughter of Fowler, frees them, hiding them in her bathrobe. They
start a long perilous voyage back to the ship. In the meantime, the
others recover, find Mark's note, and use the berry juice (Steve and
Fitzhugh exiting through a rear exit of the ship) to ward off more
attacking caterpillars. But that isn't the worst: heavy rains come
and put the ship in the center of a lake. They exit through a roof
exit (the bubble?) and get in a raft which Val (proving to be a good
swimmer) helps anchor to an oak tree. Eventually they have to climb
its branches. The other three travel on a milk float and a train and
then jump off into the waters beneath. They make it to a farm and a
cow house, later spotting a familiar church to guide their way back
to the ship. 24 Giant hours are five Earth days--or 120 hours. The
space warp is called a Time Warp, a 4th dimensional barrier, a
dimension lock hole, a space time warp. Mark mentions they want to
get back to their own dimension lock sphere. Mark assumes a leader
type role and Dan is reverted to a secondary position. Steve and
Fitzhugh get scuba gear. Names of the towns of the giants--Hawkhurst,
Grafton, Seaford, Harrington, Tower Heights. A homeless man.
Politics, theft, rain and flooding, trains, cafes, motor travelling
(a drunk almost drove but his wife took over), paranoia over the
little people, the drug inducing gooseberries, the doll house and the
humiliation (a very well done part at the Fowlers), the bus terminal,
the TV show plot, and on and on. In A SLINSHOT FOR A DAVID, the
giants were nameless and ruled by a dictator. In THE MEAN CITY, the
giants have common Earth type names (Briggs, Jack, Melinda, and oh
yes, did we really need a giantess called Helen Keller?) and are in
some form of democratic type government---running for mayor and
politics. In the first novel by Bradwell the park was close to the
Security Headquarters and the city. Beyond that there were vast
uninterrupted woodlands but 703 (called 703 in both novels by
Bradwell, the comics, and FLIGHT OF FEAR) is in a small park by giant
standards.
DOUBLE CROSS-December 1, 1983-Hook and Lobo
appear, they wear Halloween like masks, there is a party of local
rich people nearby, a museum appears, firemen and policemen appear.
FLAMES OF FEAR-December 3, 1983--a fan fiction comic book
story by Steve King in 8 parts-it is just after a raid for ion
propellant. Steve's older brother Chris lands. Poachers and giant
animals such as a bloodhound create problems. Then there is a murder
between the poachers-Zurak accidentally kills Klaus. Finally, a giant
forest fire which badly injures Chris and he eventually dies. Chris
saved Steve from a falling fiery branch.
DEADLY
ILLUSIONS-December 5, 1983-fan fiction comic by Steve King-details
the burial of Steve's older brother Chris and picks up right after
FLAMES OF FEAR. Steve may have an older sister named Jean. Illusions
from a blue gas, the creation of a giant in the science center spells
trouble. The younger giant who is using it on the little people
kills, by mistake, the older giant who invented it.
THE
DRAWING BOOK-December 17, 1983--Fan fiction by Janis Sherringham-can
almost be placed at the end of the TV series except for the fact that
Mark and Fitzhugh are really fighting with each other in an almost
hateful way AND Barry is calling all the men, "Sir," and
using the "Miss" when he talks to Valerie and Betty.
Purists can consider all fan fiction part of one or more alternate
universes. Alien trader Joval wants to keep a magic pad that brings
to life anything one can draw on it. His superior Krondar ejects it.
It ends up on the land of the giants and Barry draws on it. A giant
girl gets it.
ON A CLEAR NIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE EARTH-December
28, 1983-Optometrist Murtrah appears with infra red binocular
glasses, he mentions his enemy-a Professor Kalar. He also tells them
he knows Kalar has access to captured Earthmen through friends in the
government and that the Academy of Sciences laughed him out.
GHOST
TOWN-January 4, 1984-Toy model maker Akman reveals that he designed
his toy town based on the measurements of the dead little people who
crashed here in another spaceship (coming into "our dimension
lock") before the Spindrift did.
BRAINWASH-January 12,
1984-Security Police-first brainwash technique tried on little
people. Yet another past space shipwrecked crew was mentioned as
having been here before Steve and the others: a flight from Shepard
Space Center in Brookside, Kentucky---Flight 275 Expedition Team.
They created a communications base under a street of the giants which
was destroyed by Steve so it wouldn't fall into the hands of Capt.
Ashem and Dr. Kraal. Barry's age is still 11. The girls wear new
clothes. Val wears her hair pinned up.
TERROR-GO-ROUND-Jan.
21, 1984-Pepe and Carlos appear, a balloon ride. Val's hair is tied
back.
SABOTAGE-January 22, 1984-First signs of help from
organized government official--Senator Obeck. First appearance of
Security Chief Boulgar and his aide Zarken. Obeck's comments seem to
indicate that the giants may know something about the space warp
phenomena.
SABOTAGE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE(S)---January 22,
1984---NOTE: In an alternate universe, Zarkin shot and killed Obeck
and then Boulgar shot and killed Zarkin and became the chief enemy of
the little people, hunting them down, framing them for every
conceivable crime he could. In yet other universes, this enemy was
different altogether. In the main universe, Boulgar and Zarken went
to prison; Obeck revealed the innocence of the Earthlings.
GENIUS
AT WORK-February 9, 1984--Jodar first appears, Inspector Kobick of
the SID (Special Investigations Department) appears. He has a
surveillance photo of the little people-Mark, Betty, and Steve. Jodar
reveals his home country is Elacks. The giants have baseball. SID HQ
and a jail appear. Judge Modack and lawyer Rebo mentioned. Fitzhugh
calls himself BS, Phd, MD, DC, in line for knighthood by Her Majesty.
DEADLY LODESTONE-February 13, 1984--Kobick returns--in his
second appearance. Supreme Council mentioned and appear to rule as a
dictatorship-oligarchy-communistic-police-state-like government. One
of the Supreme Council appear--a fat "Mr. Secretary." He
chastises Kobick for not getting the little people. Dan mentions he
was in the Olympics--Steve read about it in the papers, Val tells
about a brooch she bought herself and therefore it was not expensive.
SID HQ appears. An evil minded Warden Barmak appears and is in charge
of the prison Brule is in. Kobick's Sergeant is named Karf. Dan did a
short term of duty in a Southeast Asia country (during a war?). Nurse
Helg, Dr. Zale used as a cover.
NIGHT OF THE
THROMBELLTINBAR-February 28, 1984--Parteg, Garner, Tobek, and Okun
and his monkey Monk appear for the first time. Giantland has
orphanages.
THE HIKE TO DANGER-March 4, 1984--Fan fiction
written and illustrated story by Tony Crnkovich, age 12---the little
people spot a spaceship in a giant's house. Steve and Fitzhugh steal
the ship and fly it to Spindrift. Everyone gets in and they fly to an
island to refuel and make camp. A giant scientist was here and he had
radar, eventually he gets Dan and Barry and deposits them in a cage
with a remote controlled door. Mark and Val are also captured. With
Betty and Fitzhugh's help, Steve rescues everyone else. The giant
throws dynamite at the new ship, which crashes into the water.
Everyone gets out and it blows up. They swim back to their forest
land.
SO COLD THE NIGHT-March 8, 1984--Fan fiction by Josette
Bartlett-Definitely an alternate-parallel universe since the little
people are startled that the two giants who use a dog also have
infrared binoculars that allow them to see in the dark. There is no
mention of Murtrah so in this parallel universe Murtrah and the whole
ON A CLEAR NIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE EARTH didn't seem to have happened.
Valerie's dress sounds like the dress she wore in this point in the
TV series so I have placed it here. Mark is also antagonistic to
Steve in a slight way. Story also involved an electrical storm, cold
nights, murder, one of the scientists defecting to the little people
side, and rain.
SEVEN LITTLE INDIANS-March 16, 1984-Kobick's
third appearance. Giants have zoos. Barry is still 11 years old. SID
appears, Supreme Council talked about--money for rewards must come
from their approval. Kobick has a new Sergeant named Arnak. First
appearance of Grotius. Mention is made of moving the campsite.
TARGET: EARTH-April 1, 1984-Kobick's fourth appearance,
Supreme Council discussed a great deal, the giants have a space
program and designs on visiting Earth, Venus, and Mercury. Mr.
Franzen and his wife Altha appear. Logar appears to die.
RESCUE-April 17, 1984-Kobick's fifth appearance. Sergeant
Geido appears. The Bera family first appears: Talph Bera, Mrs. Bera,
Tedar and Leeda. Little people go underground for the first time.
Little people and giants work together to save children in the well.
RETURN OF INDIDU-May 13 through to May 14, 1984--Magic seems
to be a bit more wild on the land of the giants. Inidu and Enog, Grot
and Torg-first appearances.
SHELL GAME-May 30, 1984-seaside
town-The little people give a hearing aide to the family of a deaf
boy. Spindrift is moved by the boy to a new location in the forest
after spending almost a whole day in a closet in the home of the
family at the seaside docks. Spindrift Utility room.
THE
CHASE-June 12, 1984--Kobick's sixth appearance, June 12, 1984-Barry
is still 11 years old. Valerie, Betty, and Fitzhugh, captured by
Kobick and followed by Mark, were taken to the Supreme Council faces
to faces but we don't see this confrontation. The little people team
up with counterfeiters. SID HQ appears--Kobick is using an elaborate
and lethal forcefield.
SMALL PREY-June 13 into June 14th,
1984--fan fiction by Lindar-well written tale--Steve mentions they
were running and fighting for survival from Kobick for six months.
However, he also mentions Kobick and it seems as if they have had
many Kobick experiences so I have placed this here. This is
definitely an alternate universe story as the relationship between
Steve and Dan is different. There is also a more than a hint that
Valerie and Mark are lovers.
WHITMAN NOVEL BY CARL HENRY
RATHJEN--FLIGHT OF FEAR-June 15-through September 1. (This could for
all intents and purposes be a part of the series since the characters
and situations are most like LAND OF THE GIANTS the TV show; however
the Spindrift in the episodes following THE CHASE is back in the
forest so they must have returned to it or some forest area near
Kobick's Headquarters and that same giant city; purists can consider
this as part of yet another universe that parallels our own as in the
SLIDERS TV show and comics). Barry is at the end of being 11 years
old. Fitzhugh once used the alias of Silver Fox. Dan, Mark, and Steve
figure that lost un-manned probes in space could have landed on the
planet of the giants and caused disease, explosions, and resentment
to Earthers.
THE INSIDE RAIL-September 26, 1984--Barry is
just 12 years old, giants have race tracks. First appearance of Moley
and Chief Rivers of the racetrack security patrol. Val mentions she
used to braid horsehair lariats for her grandfather. Giant money
looks the same as our money. Fitzhugh likes horse racing, obviously.
CHAMBER OF FEAR-October 13, 1984--First appearance of Jolo,
Deenar, and Mara. Fitzhugh, captured, was the model for one of
Deenar's statue, maybe more.
THE MECHANICAL MAN-October 18,
1984--First appearance of Prof. Altoph Gorn and his aide Zoral, not
to mention their hydraulic man-a giant robot shaped like a giant
giant. Secretary Mek from the Supreme Council appears. Little people
blamed for murder of night watchman but hopefully Mek and an SID man
will clear this up. Gorn appears to die. There is a campsite fire.
First appearance of the long range telescope device. First appearance
of the torch electric gun. Cockpit crossbeams in Spindrift Control
Room cockpit. Well lit. Mark tells Gorn he went to Cal Tech and MIT,
was a designer and consultant of Space Technology. Gorn tells him he
went to Polk Institute. Mark tells Gorn about the adrenalin factor
but Gorn has never heard of it. Giants may always be using their
adrenalin.
Gorn has never heard of it. Giants may always be using
their adrenalin.
DEADLY DREAMS-Oct. 20, 1984--Fan fiction
story written by Cindy Black, taking place in an alternate universe.
A passing reference as to Val braiding horse hair at one point--so it
must be after THE INSIDE RAIL and possibly after the end of the show
and before Cindy's THE JOURNEY HOME. I also don't think that Dan
would allow and then order Barry to shout at the top of his lungs
just to let Betty and Mark know they were in the area and saw the two
giants that caught them--it would put them at risk for capture also.
The story, without giving too much away concerns a spray that is used
on Mark and Betty by two scientist giants--one a deadly spy, the
other a cold, ambivalent type. The spray has a toxin which will
eventually kill Mark and Betty through the use of dreams and
nightmares. The effects of the toxin are played out in interesting
ways--living dreams for example and living them while
sleepwalking--as well as other ways. The others gather around and try
to find out all they can to get an antidote.
COLLECTOR'S
ITEM-October 29, 1984--Garak and his wife and Uncle Tojar appear, SID
appear. Giants have goldsmiths. Garak and his uncle appear to die.
Mark rigged a tracking device from the ship's auto radar control.
GIANTS AND ALL THAT JAZZ-November 12, 1984--Biff Bower, Nell
Herpie, PG Hanley, and Loach appear. Giants have TV and boxing. They
also have clubs like the High C club but they do not have a mute for
their trumpets. They have trumpets but do not have jazz. First time a
black giant appears. Steve fakes that he is Agent Hawkins of the SID.
Fitzhugh fakes he is Alexander the Great, a mob type operator; PG
Hanley has a friend Fred in the TV business.
THE
RETALIATOR-November 14, 1984--Fan fiction story by Steve Cook--While
trying to find Barry and Fitzhugh, who stole off to a giant carnival
fair--followed by Valerie, the others encounter robots of their
friends--fake copies. Steve also had to be saved from a fire one of
the robots set. The carnival moves off to another city leading the
others to mount a rescue expedition via bus! The villain behind this
is Logia-Joe's former accomplice--Moluk, with a scarred face. He
wants to hand them over to Kobick and it was he who built the
robots---he used Prof. Gorn's design. Fitzhugh tells Barry he used to
work for either the CIA or the FBI.
SIX HOURS TO
LIVE-November 22, 1984-Martha and Harry Cass appear, a Warden Sloan
of a prison appears, News reporter Joe Simmons appears, first time
Martin Reed appears, giants have the death penalty for the crime of
murder, they have governors who can issue reprieves. Giants have
radios. Julian Ankers killed.
THE UNSUSPECTED-December 3,
1984--Toadstools produce hallucinations and cause major paranoia.
Kobick appears for the 7th time with a new Sergeant named Eson. Steve
attacks every member of the crew and threatens to hand them over to
Kobick. Chipper is affected by the toadstools for a brief time as are
Mark and Dan. A radio room or a converted utility room in Spindrift.
Ikarica Solentus is the toadstool dust and toadstool.
A PLACE
CALLED EARTH-December 15, 1984--Evil Olos and Fieldar appear, the
much nicer Messenger appears--all three are time travelers from the
Earth year 5477; Bron and Mezron appear to die. Steve has known Dan
"a long time." Cockpit seen. The time Olos and Fieldar are
from is 5477 to Dan and Steve; to the future time travelers Olos,
Fieldar, and the Messenger---it is 5032 of the atomic age---they
measure time differently. Coordinates of the giant planet are Time:
Minus 5000 years (does this mean it is 477 AD or even 32 AD to the
Spindrifters?), 120 days, Distance: D to the 50th power over the
square root of R. Huh ?
BIRDS IN A GILDED CAGE-December 18,
1984--Almost two years on the planet-fan fiction by Cindy Baker-Betty
bonds with two giants-a man and a woman and she and the woman get
drunk. Betty laments Steve's indecision regarding their so called
romance. Cindy Baker alternate universe.
DEADLY PAWN-December
30, 1984--Barry is still 12 years old. Dr. Lalor, an ally appears.
Kronig appears to die. The giants have chess. Radio room in
Spindrift--converted again.
LAND OF THE LOST-January 1,
1985--Titus, Andros appear. Giants have fireworks and seas. Airplanes
appear and an airport. Little people travel to another continent (all
except Betty go there) across the Sea of Storms. They travel by
balloon in an unplanned flight. Cockpit appears. (in another version
of this story, Betty was with Val and Barry when the firecrackers
went off near them while they hid under a mailbox).
DANGEROUS
SOLUTION-Jan. 5, 1985----fan fiction by Michelle Ruggles--just after
the journey back home from the land of the lost ruled by Titus across
the Sea of Storms. This short tale involves how the others took the
gold slave collar off of Mark's neck-with a dangerous acid.
BLOODSUCKER-January 7, 1985--fan fiction story by Paul
Mount--Kolsek a giant vampire or a man who thinks he is a vampire is
encountered by the little people. Fitzhugh believes in real monsters.
Kobick and his men kill the "vampire".
THE
OUTCAST-January 9-January 22, 1985----Fan fiction by Carole
Lewin--although Carole claims it is only nine months since THE CRASH,
the accompanying art shows clothing from this time in the TV series.
Also--nine months would place the month as May--which was when the
summer hit the land of the giants according to Carole's other story
THE REFUGEES. Here, we have a bad winter snow storm and Steve decides
to cast out Chipper--the dog is just too getting them all almost
killed too often. In the end, Chipper returns. Consider it early
January and/or another alternate fan fiction universe.
EVERY
DOG NEEDS A BOY-February 22, 1985--kindly Ben and his friendly movie
dog King appear. Dr. Howard appears. Malicious minded Carl Howard and
his hungry and mean dog Krona appears. Store man Clinton appears. A
black giant is seen in the crowd that watched King run off after he
was nicked by a car.
THE CLONES-March 2, 1985-March 4,
1985---Dr. Arno, and Dr. Greta Gault (the giants have female
scientists) appear and appear to die in the end but...also many
clones of Dan, Valerie, Barry, and Fitzhugh appear. Chipper can tell
the clones apart from the real people--but with difficulty after the
process is perfected. The wind tunnel trap appears. Steve and Dan met
at the Academy--they pulled KP duty the first night. Mark knows about
cloning on Earth--done with frogs. Spindrift radio room gets bombed
by one of Val's clones. It looks bigger and is converted again.
FATHOMS: NIGHTMARE-March 7, 1985--fan fiction story--Mark,
working on the engines, is recipient of a strange gas coming from the
engines. It affects him badly and he has nightmares over and over--of
a giant Steve, of other giants, of the others dead in their seats.
Betty and Dan gamble that raising the oxygen in the engine room would
clear Mark's lungs--and nearly blow up the ship. But it works.
COMEBACK--March 12, 1985--Egor Krull, Max Manfred, the
gorilla Baby, and Quigg appear. Giants have movies and movie studios.
Giants have bridges. The doors Max directs Valerie to open are called
French doors! Fitzhugh nearly slips and says he played Othello in
prison by calling the chap who played Ophelia a prisoner--he changes
it to college.
NIGHTMARE--March 25, 1985--March 26, 1985--The
Delta Device goes haywire--a device given to the Spindrifters by
friendly Andre of the Science Center, Dr. Berger appears. Inspector
Dobbs Kobick appears for the 8th time. Spindrift's camp is seen by
Berger. A weird dimension occurs and Steve hallucinates--the
radiation causes the little people and giants to vanish before each
other's eyes. The others must have had similar nightmares to Steve.
Even Chipper vanished. We see a large engine room with a reactor in
it.
THE DELTA EFFECT: THE OTHER NIGHTMARES-March 25,
1985--March 26, 1985--fan fiction by me, Charles Mento-details the
other nightmares of the Spindrift crew, even Chipper, and also
Inspector Kobick. Some background for Fitzhugh is demonstrated--he
was part of the IMF Impossible Missions task Force. Betty was the
first to vanish after Barry and Chipper vanished. We see her
nightmare which is to perform on operation on Barry which fails,
having Steve and Val plot against her, having Kobick be her unborn
baby's father; Barry saw giant monsters made of light and shadow, a
giant Chipper, his operation performed by an evil, pain causing Steve
and Betty and Brule, his parents returned to him, then leave him
again to be hit by a car and Barry was a tiny person among tiny
people, much smaller than the giants and the Earth people; Val sees
being crushed, maggots, and animals, lots of reptiles, and being
raped; Chipper;s nightmare is being left by Barry and attacked by
giant cats; Fitzhugh's nightmare consists of being tried for his
crimes by his former employees on Earth--the Impossible Missions
Force, dealing with uncover work and Fitzhugh feels his
punishment-only one left on the planet has come true; Dan's nightmare
is of everyone being in trouble and he can't help them, black giants
are also as mean and as evil as white giants, he crashes the
Spindrift and everyone dies, he gets to the lab from THE CRASH and
sees Val and Steve already dissected, sinking Spindrift in the
quicksand; Mark's nightmare includes being responsible for the ship
blowing up and the capture or death of all the others, Val and Steve
want to kill him in his nightmare, Kobick has a nightmare also--that
the little people were all murdering him in his sleep, that he shrank
and became a little person.
SNAKE EYES-April 9,
1985-un-filmed episode about a casino and a gambling giant in a Las
Vegas type setting; consider it a part of the main universe if you
want or make it a parallel universe story.
THE PRIZE WE
SOUGHT-April 11, 1985--fan fiction by Foo Meyer--Val claims that her
group haven't been lost in the land of the giants for over three
years. However, Krista, the wife of the now dead Edmund Hamilton,
Betty's marine biologist brother, tells them that the space warp was
also a time warp--so the year in this story is relative. Steve and
Krista aka Storm have had a relationship in the past. The group
including Krista, find out she is from another parallel Earth
universe, a mirror reflection of our Earth universe. Krista and her
two surviving friends die since they cannot be in this universe.
HOME SWEET HOME-April 15, 1985--Ranger Wilson, Ranger Jack,
first time Steve and Fitzhugh go back in time to 1900s and return to
earth passing through the space warp--in the time space machine of
Olos and Fieldar. The engine room looks very converted and changed
with computer terminals.
OUR MAN O'REILLY--May 1,
1985--O'Reilly and his myths about leprechauns appear, also he talks
about saints, giants have alcohol and con-men, beer, lollipops, and
bars. Store Protection Man Krenko, a crook in truth, appears. His
aide the barman Harry seems to get away clean. The poor jeweler is
named FJ Cunningham. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THIS EPISODE IS THAT
WHEN A PIECE OF JEWELRY FALLS--IT IS A GOLD CRESTED, RUBY-DIAMOND
EMBEDDED CROSS ! O'Reilly calls it a reminder on the floor and seems
to pray, fearing damnation. Fitzhugh nearly slips about a con job he
did on a farmer in Dunningham, Ireland--correcting it by stating it
was a real estate deal.
PANIC--May 15, 1985--First
appearances of Prof. Kirmus, evil minded SID megalomaniac Dr. Murad,
Mrs. Evers-an undercover spy, the teleporter TV device which gives
Betty and Fitzhugh a sighting of Earth as well as a planetary system
with only four planets and other star systems, SID guards are Willis
and Rogers. SID using electrified vent grills. Murad appears to die.
Murad uses flame torch from a bunsen burner and a freezer-box-like
device to torture Dan and Betty.
PAY THE PIPER--May 27,
1985-Barry is still 12. Barry mentions the spaceship got caught in a
time warp. Fitzhugh claims they have been on the land of the giants
for over a year now (well, two years is over a year). Alien entity
the Piper-who takes the corporeal form of whatever the indigenous
life forms of that particular planet, galaxy, and solar system are.
First appearance of Senator and his son Timmy. Piper's base is inside
a tree-a dimensional office of some sort. Piper uses his flute to do
magic--can control animals and Timmy but seems tied into only being
able to do this if his contracts and deals are violated or gone
against. He is a con artist and seems to have lived a very long
time--he was the Pied Piper of Hamlin in 1673 and gives Fitzhugh and
the others the impression that his trip to Earth will arrive in 2743
AD. He must first stop at Andromeda, the Crab Nebula, and Alpha
Centauri! He wears red, green and blue, a cape and a pointed bell
fringed hat! He claims he is an intergalactic entity, not a giant, a
man, or even humanoid. He has been doing business since the beginning
of recorded history. His flute or pipe can be called other things.
Music on the radio sounds like Dan and Biff's jazz music playing (and
Dan says, "that's no good, turn it off!" !!!!). Piper also
tells Barry about a planet on the edge of the universe where he took
the children of Hamlin and wants to take Timmy and offers it to
Barry: it has fields, streams, toys, and ice creams and claims the
planet is also overrun with bones and biscuits (Val says, "More
likely overrun with dog catchers." Piper tells Valerie he
doesn't have feelings and emotions. He can turn himself giant size or
Earth size and can do the same with his flute. Spindrift contains a
strange converted room which is shaped like the Passenger
Compartment.
THE REGUGEES-May 28, 1985-Fan fiction by Carole
Lewin--although Carole states it is only 15 months since THE CRASH,
the clothing indicate Second Season clothes--unless we figure that
they broke out the clothing in May of 1984 but then Carole also tells
us that it is only 15 months since THE CRASH. Hot weather, a
horsefly, a stag, a forest fire and a resulting flood from the
putting out of the fire, spell trouble. A very hot summer begins.
July--encounters with SID man Swann.
Mid August
1985--the hot summer seems to let up a bit.
CHIPPER'S TALE-BY
LITTLE CHIP-August 28, 1985--tongue in cheek fan short story by
Chipper, lamenting the loss the dog has of a normal doggie life. Very
cute. Chipper refers to some of the events in the early to mid second
season.
THE SECRET CITY OF LIMBO--September 26, 1985--Barry
turns 13. First appearance of Taru and the underground city--which
was supposed to house mole men-monsters living in the dark caves.
First appearance of above ground archaeologists Dr. Krane and Mylo.
General Aza, the war monger Head of Security, appears to die.
Teleport grids (electro chemical matter transference device) enable
little people to go to the underground city. The ancestors of the
above ground giants nearly killed off the ancestors of Limbo. The
ancestors of Limbo took refuge in a cave which became the City over
time. A medicine they have takes away pain of the injury but not the
injury. They have Periscope Observatory where Aza had an accomplice.
They have political struggles and elections for Chief Magistrate and
they drink traditional wine. Barry calls Steve Captain. Taru uses
green smoke to mobilize a rock's crystal planes so Val can put her
arm into it and this is how Limbo people are able to walk through
rock. Fitzhugh dreams of what he could do with that on Earth. It is
illegal for any of the Limbo people to be above ground. Limbo has a
super hard layer of rock above it but blasting could break through.
The Limbo people also have a laser type pistol that can immobilize
anyone or thing and unfreeze them later with a green light, fire a
poison red ray into it, and act as a blaster with deadly beams.
Giants above ground have an Institute of Archeology. Giants measure
time as we do (o'clock). There is a warehouse at the digging sight.
Omicron 4 in the ground would cause an underground fire and prove
useless to the above ground archaeologists. Aza was planning to use
new gases and chemical warfare. Election returns are tallied and come
in on an electric grid. The Limbo people use books much as we and the
above ground giants do. Taru destroys one of the grids.
DOOMSDAY--October 2, 1985--Barry is still 13. Kobick appears
for the 9th and final time. Steve bids him a farewell at the end of
this episode. Evil Dr. North aka real name is Dr. Greer appears. She
kills off two of her cronies--Warkin and Kamber (an electrician for
15 years in a town over 200 miles away--a town called Cedarsville and
he had a family). Giants' phone numbers have six digits. North uses a
gun, mini-bombs, and a monkey named Pedro which turns against her in
the end. She has had the entire city wired to blow up. Kobick has a
new Sergeant. He had his medics work on healing Fitzhugh's leg.
Acramycline is a drug used here as an anti-biotic--it gives the
appearance of death, slowing down the heart and pulse rate, then
allowing the person to come around again. It also gives the feeling
of a fever and burning up before a person passes out. An SID
Inspector called Turner was in the credits for Kevin Hagen's name!
Airlines, apartments, banks, and a dove appear. SID take credit for
stopping North. Dan and Steve posed as SID man Sergeant Mills on the
phone.
Oct. 13, 1985--Mark has encounters with Swann.
WILD
JOURNEY--October 14, 1985--Thorg and Berna-first appearance of these
strange beings, we never really find out if they are from the future
of Earth, some other planet in the universe or another universe, or
what. We do know they are time travelers, cannot change time in any
way, and use an STM (Space Time Manipulator). This device can show
anyone any time, any place projecting it onto a rock, can allow one
to travel to that time and place, can shrink men into smaller men,
can fire blasts that can kill, freeze and unfreeze time between one
second and the next, and probably other things like trace targets. It
can also, with smoke bomb effects, move a person or object from one
spot to another on the same planet in the same time. These two feel
something terrible will happen to them if they don't stop the time
mess up they caused and warn Steve and Dan that a mess up in time
could cause untold damage to the universe and that they would have to
send Dan and Steve back to 1985 from 1983 by making them re-fly the
spaceship into the space warp. They also use a pill on Steve and Dan
that makes them forget the whole incident--thus the fly the ship,
crash-land, and relive through to the present time. Steve put a note
in his pocket to make him remember. Val's woman Friday Miss Smith
(Smitty) appears. Miss Collier (a woman here but in the script a man)
appears-she sends Steve and Dan out on their flights. Betty meets
Steve and Dan for the first time as do Val, Mark, and Fitzhugh.
Fitzhugh meets Chipper for the first time. Apparently LA Airport has
other, larger, more roomy spacecraft for 45 passengers. There is a
Calcutta run. A 10-6 form is a formal refusal to take out a flight.
There is a ship called the Shamrock. Spindrift is in Hanger C-the
repair hanger. There is a fuel induction line and a fuel room. There
is a VIP room. There was a flu epidemic, limiting the pilot
availability and the passenger count just before the flight. The date
was given as September 25, 1983 for the ill fated flight. Steve and
Dan have the same dream--they think--but it was a vague memory of
their encounter with Thorg and Berna, two quirky strangers. We see a
great deal of Intra Space Airlines. The Spindrift has a fuel
induction room and was in Hanger H. This adventure may not have
happened the second time around! Steve finds the note he wrote
himself in the first time track.
Oct. 14-Oct 29, 1985---Swann
steps up efforts to get the little people. He gets Mark at least one
more time.
THE DEADLY DART--October 30, 1985--First TV
appearance of SID man Swann, mention of a carnival operator who once
held the little people captive dying, Swann appears to die, Swann
used traps on them--including a bow and arrow on Mark (which he tied
Mark to later) and a magnetic cave trap among what may have been many
other traps, mention is made that Kobick is away on Special
Assignment, First appearance of SID doctor--Doc Jelko, reappearance
and apparent death of Zoral, badly bandaged up, First appearance of
LT. Greyson and evil killer Sergeant Barker. First appearance of
Bertha Frye. Mention is made of moving the campsite. Mark uses a rear
fire exit to leave Spindrift without anyone seeing him.
THE
KIDNAPPING-October 31, 1985--fan fiction story by Steve Cook-It is
mentioned that the spaceship Spindrift has been here for some two and
a half years. A giant boy named Tarn, malicious, gets the spaceship.
His brother, the kindly Erik helps them get away--after much
confusion since the two boys look very much alike. Spindrift flies.
GRAVEYARD OF FOOLS--November 13, 1985-Barry is still 13.
First appearance of the Servo Actuator which can manipulate time and
space and other dimensions--the 4th dimension, cause hallucinations,
move matter around, and do generally odd things. It came from the
stars, from a long lost galactic civilization. It can control time
and space and evil Melzac and his twin brother Bryk want to use it to
control the giant planet and eventually the universe. They use a
forcefield similar to Kobick's from THE CHASE. The little people are
flown in a toy airplane. The twin giants' accomplice is called Tagon,
who wanted to kill Mark right away. The other side of the planet is
odd--almost like a Graveyard with all its trappings--no one had ever
returned from the Graveyard. The little people also found themselves
trapped in a land that looked like Earth one hundred million years
ago, reckoning they may have gone through a time warp.
Dinosaur-lizard appears, pirate giant Fitzhugh, falling boulder, and
Dan faces his fear--of not being able to help the others.
A
SMALL WAR--December 1, 1985--First appearance of Alek Erdap and his
father Mr. Erdap. Alek makes note of a boy named Valco who had wild,
lifelike toys but this giant doesn't appear. The toys of Alek are
very well made. Mark reveals a friend of his was shot and killed by a
boy with a gun. Steve flies a toy plane. Mention is made of not
staying at the spaceship during the middle of this adventure since
Alek knows of it. Steve uses a flame thrower.
THE
MARIONETTES--December 23, 1985--First appearance of kindly puppeteer
Goalby, Lisa, Brady, and the Knife Thrower Carlos, also Bobo the
Gorilla.
THE
MARIONETTES--December 23, 1985--First appearance of kindly puppeteer
Goalby, Lisa, Brady, and the Knife Thrower Carlos, also Bobo the
Gorilla.
THE JOURNEY HOME-December 23-27, 1985--Fan fiction
story by Cindy Black--think alternate world again--alternate
universe--the same alternate as DEADLY DREAMS. It begins as Betty has
a problem worrying her and ends up being friends with a giant who
works for Kobick. This enables her to get materials for the eventual
return to Earth. This happens. There are a lot of great scenes
dealing with their reorientation into Earth life and their "story"
being told. For example, they all haven't had sugar in so long that
Val's cake for a celebration was devoid of sugar since it would have
given them diabetic shock. Also, they all cough when taking a slight
drink. Fitzhugh is also put on trial and Val and Mark get married.
These are just subplots but there is a much more moving one detailing
Betty's problem and her relationship to Steve. And for once...Steve
admits his love for her and she for him. And they get home.
THE
SLAVE MAKERS--January 1, 1986--Barry is still 13. First appearance of
giant aliens from another giant world. First appearance of kinder SID
Inspector Bidor, giant space aliens Torg and Mora who use candy to
control giants and Earthers alike, candy can be lethal if the dosage
is wrong. Zygo elements in the candy do this. There is an alien giant
fleet awaiting the tests of Mora and Torg for conquering the giant
planet. The giant space aliens use invisibility and have a
forcefield.
TIME FOR CHANGE-January 5, 1986---fan fiction
story by Carole Lewin--date given at the story's end for the present
time from which Steve comes from, frozen in a lab in the country of
Elax--frozen in a state of suspended animation from 1986 to fifteen
years into the future--the year 2001. Kobick, Dr. Arno, Greta Gault
appear. Kobick takes Steve to Arno and Gault in Elax. They still want
to perfect their clone device to make an army. Set this in an
alternate universe as it makes for a depressing ending.
TEN
PART SERIALIZATION-CHAPTER ONE BY CAROLE LEWIN-Mark was taking a tour
of the giant city to map out previously untraveled spots for the
entire group. He found out that SID officials, helicopters, and
Kobick discreetly giving orders to his minions (some of these orders
were in code) were the order of the day. Mark informed Steve about
the SID search via walkie talkie. Mark encountered a very small
spider. Then he froze as he saw a flash of bright red...which only
Steve wore. But Steve was back at camp...
THE VISITORS-June
1, 1986-fan fiction story by Trevor Douglas--Kagan was killed three
years ago; Alan Virdon, Pete Burke (originally from the year 1972,
and Galen--a chimpanzee arrive from the PLANET OF THE APES tv series
circa 3974 to the land of the giants; a strange giant named Korak
captured Alan, Steve, and Dan. Korak takes them to North of the city
and to an undersea entrance way to Sea City. Taru appears and helps
against war monger Zalizar of Sea City. Galen, Mark, and Betty
attempt a transporter and end up in the Planet of the Apes' time.
Mark meets another mutant group on the planet of the apes from
another planet--a renegade group who have hidden in the destroyed
cities of the planet of the apes--which is, of course, Earth in the
far future of 3974. The mutants help them escape. One female is named
Nila. Dr. Zaius and Urko appear. Taru makes Spindrift flight worthy.
HOMECOMING-June 7, 1986--Fan fiction alternate universe story
in which Captain Lee Crane and Seaman Kowalski journey through the
space-time warp in a new improved Flying Sub and land on the planet
of giants. Takes place three years after the crash of Spindrift.
Crane and Ski take everyone back to the right planet--Earth. Steve
had to blow up Spindrift so it wouldn't fall into the hands of the
giants. Chip Morton on Seaview appears.
THE GIANT
FISH--September 12, 1986-Fish swallows the Spindrifters.
ARRIVAL
TO DANGER-September 14, 1986-fan fiction by me, Charles Mento-the
little people land in a desert after an encounter with a flock of
geese. They have to deal with varying wildlife (as this desert
contains a wide variety of wildlife found on Earth but not always in
the same locations as it is on the giant planet--here they are all in
one area), Native American type indians who prove out to be friendly
and run this preserve and have a giant city dome, Inspector Kobick
and a new giant enemy--Hunter aka Olland both arrive in a helicopter.
Barry is still 13.
September 26th, 1986-Barry turns 14.
A
MARRIAGE MADE IN (also known as MARRIED)--October 9, 1986--Valerie
and Mark get married. Barry is already 14.
THE HAND THAT
ROCKS THE ROBINSONS-October 11, 1986--fan fiction by Trevor
Douglas-the Robinson family still hopelessly lost in space has just
come from an adventure with Doug and Tony while the time tunnel tried
to set them right; the Robinsons went off course due to an electrical
disturbance and ended up on the land of the giants where John was
caught by Inspector Kobick. Before the giants could use Dr. Roban's
truth serum on John, the others from Spindrift and the Jupiter Two
effect a rescue. Then, the Jupiter flies into the green space-time
warp and ends up on Earth in 1978 where the Robinsons meet the crew
of the submarine Seaview. The Spindrift, for some reason, couldn't
escape the pull of the giant world and landed back on it.
January
of 1987-Barry is still 14.
THE DANGER OF SCHOOL-April 12,
1987--fan fiction story by Charles Mento, me!---Barry is mentioned as
being 14. Mark, Barry, Val, and Fitzhugh have a dangerous encounter
with a train. Barry falls onto a tin foil wrapper and nearly gets
burned by the sun. Barry is taken by a teen into a school. The others
gather round and find ways in and search the place, with many perils
about. Rats are in the drainpipes and vent systems, exterminators gas
them. A handball game, in between periods, all sports at the gym
field, a grass spider, a locker room where Fitzhugh was put after
being caught, Kobick, Greyson, police informing teenagers, drug
dealers, drug addicts, and other dangers await them!
LIMBO'S
TREASURE-June 3, 1987-fan fiction story by Thomas C. Bailey--Biff
Bower returns, Limbo returns, there is also a parallel land of the
giants and parallel Limbo people and a parallel Kobick--a Dr. Anton
Kobick. Giants tell the little people the name of this planet is
Terra V.
INVASION---September 14th, 1987--fan fiction comic
story by John Delves. Aliens call the giant planet Planet K7 and make
themselves giant sized to start a scout for attacking and colonizing
the planet. Steve tries to free Dan and Mark from the green aliens.
Fitzhugh is sent by Steve to Kobick to join forces against the
aliens. Spindrift, piloted by Betty and co-piloted by Valerie, now
has a new nose laser and a forcefield which kills one alien. The
girls fly the ship out into space, away from the aliens but can't
abandon the four men. Spindrift repels the attackers and for once,
Kobick feels hunted and trapped himself so lets the little people all
go!
THE LONG WAY HOME-Sept. 26, 1987-Barry turns 15-fan
fiction by Charles Mento---Just turned 15 that day, Barry, taken by
hot rodders is helped out of their car by a girl he knew from THE
BOUNTY HUNTER. But he has to make a long pilgrimage back to the
Spindrift folk. Mark builds a parajet type jump belt to help find
Barry, who has to face a terrible accident on the highway caused by
boys throwing rocks at cars, meets a friendly bag lady who shares
food with him. Mark finds Barry and returns him. Barry had to face
many of his own personal thoughts and fears on the way as he walked
toward the forest.
Jan. 1988-Barry is still 15.
Sept.
1988-Barry turns 16
Jan. 1989
Sept. 1989-Barry turns 17
Jan.
1990
Sept. 1990-Barry turns 18
Jan. 1991
Sept. 1991-Barry
turns 19
Jan. 1992
Sept. 1992-Barry turns 20
Jan.
1993-Fitzhugh is 60 years old.
May 30, 1993-VALERIE IN
GIANTLAND--VALERIE AMES SCOTT'S DIARY-May 30, 1993--fan fiction novel
by Deanna Lund and Fred Eichelman--alternate universe of what happens
to the Spindrifters and their new found Earthling allies. Nick (who
tries to rape Valerie but is stopped by Barry) and his gang reappear,
a space time warp link to Earth has been going on between the giant
planet and Earth for a very long time. There is an old city of relics
found which makes the little people from believe the giants had a war
a long time ago. Egor, Titus, Inidu, Biff Bower, Andros, other
returning characters appear. Betty and Kobick help each other and
Kobick helps all the little people stop the bad giants and Titus.
Tedar and Leeda appear. Several colonies of little people appear,
some that have come after the Spindrift crew and passengers, some
that have come before and some that have had their great, great
ancestors arrive via the space warp. Marna appeared. They make an
attempt to return to Earth. Some do, some don't. There are also
pirate giants. The last of this takes place on August 6, 1993. (NOTE:
Consider this an alternate, parallel universe).
BEYOND HOPE
OF ESCAPE-August 10--?---Summer of 1993-fan fiction by comic by
Phillip Heath--Mark's plan to raid a hospital to get a new giant
formula called Zargon 7 which on Earth is Deutronium, goes awry. They
do get some. Kobick gets Barry and Dan; Dr. Vargas gets Val and
almost dissects her. All get rescued in time.
Sept.
1993-Barry turns 21
October 1993-Betty cannot wait any
longer--she and Steve sleep together for the first time. Talk about
patience!
Dec. 1993-Mark and Valerie's twins are
born-Alec and Marty. Barry, their guardian is 21.
Jan.
1994-
THE CAPTURE OF VALERIE SCOTT-June 12, 1994-fan fiction
story by Philip Heath--Dr. Vareda Zanar is the female scientific
director of SID; this female giant puts Val threw a maze of monsters
and traps: a water trap, a tilting room which became very hot, and a
crushing room; detectors are in the air vents, Sergeant Gravek is
Kobick's new sergeant; Steve uses a power drain to rescue Dan and
Mark from Kobick and then Val from the maze of monsters.
Sept.
1994-Barry turns 22
Jan. 1995-
WOMEN IN BATTLE-April
1995-fan fiction by Philip Heath-Val and Betty have new outfits. The
girls go out and remeet Marna. Val feels threatened by Marna's past
relationship with Mark. Val and Mark have a close relationship now.
Sept. 1995-Barry turns 23
Jan. 1996-
Sept. 1996-Barry
turns 24
Jan. 1997-
Feb. 1997-Inspector Kobick is put on
trial by the Supreme Council who are trying to make it look like
Kobick planted evidence of the little people and the entire little
people menace is just a big hoax. The little people, faced with a
more deadly adversary than Kobick named Walken (Christopher Walken)
are forced to team up with Kobick to stop this plot and conspiracy.
The Supreme Council is nearly overthrown. (THIS IS FROM AN IDEA BY
DOUGLAS DIAMOND)
Sept. 1998-Barry turns 25
Jan. 1999-
According to fan fiction story FLIGHT OF THE RUBICON by Paul
Mount, on Earth, sometime in 1999, there was a war with Hong Kong
called the Hong Kong war.
April-1999-Steve and Betty
officially marry.
Sept. 1999-Barry turns 26
Jan. 2000
DIMENSION 2000: SEED FROM ANOTHER PLANET-fan fiction-script
written by Deanna Lund and Fred Eichelman-concerns a dimensional
other universe Earth that has giants on it, ruled by evil Titus.
There are also other stranded Earth people but from many different
alternate Earths including a reptilian-people planet Earth. Hagan is
the ruthless superintendent of the city security. One of the little
people women is pregnant.
Sept. 2000-Barry turns 27
Jan.
2001
TIME FOR CHANGE-the year is 2001--fan fiction story
continued-by Carole Lewin--Steve, awakens in the year 2001 after
Arno's lab went on fire. In 1986 he was put into suspended animation
by Dr. Arno and Greta Gault in a lab in the country of Elax, brought
to them by Inspector Kobick. Steve finds things have changed in the
year 2001. Kobick was killed by a worse replacement--named General
Edelman-the whole of SID turned over to the military. Edelman was
using the same labs that Franzen once did. Val and Mark (now 50) have
a daughter who is five years old--a blond named Megan. Eight years
ago, a family of three survived a crash and joined Dan and Mark's
group: Hal Sheldon, his daughter Beth and her twin brother Wayne. The
mother of the 12 year olds and Hal's wife died in the wreck as did
the two pilots. They had been traveling from London to their home in
Washington. Beth and Wayne were now in their early 20s. Betty and Hal
had a child--a daughter named Sammy who was nearly two years old.
Steve saved Megan from a snake. Dan had looked for Steve for years,
relinquishing command to Mark. Hal has betrayed all of them to
Edelman, told him about the space camp, and he and the giant have
built a time machine transporter using parts of the wrecked space
time machine used by Olos and Fieldar. Hal wants to take his two
older children with him back to Earth in any time he wants, leaving
Edelman in charge of Earth's future and the little people here!
Instead, Steve is sent back in time to 1986 in the hopes that his
body will vanish from the lab. But he goes too far back and Edelman
seems to win out. A surprising but depressing ending...consider this
yet another parallel story.
Sept. 2001-Barry turns 28
Jan. 2002
Sept. 2002-Barry turns 29
Jan. 2003-Fitzhugh
turns 70
Sept. 2003-Barry turns 30
Jan. 2004
FLIGHT
OF THE RUBICON-depressing fan fiction story set in an alternate
universe (as far as I am concerned it is)-by Paul Mount-set in the
year 2004--in this alternate universe, Barry is a bit older--here he
is 32 years old. Steve and Betty already have a son named Matthew,
who appears to be about 15 with brown hair and blue eyes. There are
giant ants in this story. Fitzhugh, Dan, and Spindrift are all
gone-dead and buried. Giant cowboys appear. In this adventure, first
Val and Mark die, destroying the War General. An Earth exile from the
24th century is a crippled War General controlling the planet of
giants and in his mostly machine-body. Barry dies, falling from the
Rubicon over a mob of angry giant soldiers.
RUBICON:
SEASCAPE-fan fiction by Paul Mount-set in the year 2004--two full
days after the Rubicon saw the space warp implode in FLIGHT OF THE
RUBICON. The Rubicon crew, Betty, Steve, and their son Matthew come
into conflict aboard a cruiser the Rubicon lands on in the sea. There
was a triple murder involved--a giant woman's cry for help. That
woman, they realized was the killer (a jealous woman in a crime of
passion)--she is killed when they attack her with their lasers when
she makes a move to kill them.
RUBICON: PARADISE-Fan fiction
by Paul Mount-set in the year 2004-several weeks after SEASCAPE.
Rubicon sets down on an island. Thurak, a giant native, washes ashore
and gets Maureen, one of the Rubicon's crew. He believes she will
appease the lizard gods. On the other side of a mountain is a
prehistoric jungle. And an erupting volcano--and the dinosaurs--giant
dinosaurs! A rex steps on and kills Thurak and Maureen who was in his
hands. Another depressing entry in the RUBICON saga.
Sept.
2004-Barry turns 31
Jan. 2005
Sept. 2005-Barry turns 32
Jan.
2006-
Sept. 2006-Barry turns 33
Jan. 2007
Sept.
2007-Barry turns 34
Jan. 2008
Sept. 2008-Barry turns 35
Jan.
2009
Sept. 2009-Barry turns 36
Jan. 2010
Sept. 2010-Barry
turns 37
Jan. 2011
Sept. 2011-Barry turns 38
Jan. 2012
Sept. 2012-Barry turns 39
Jan. 2013-Fitzhugh turns 80-
Sept.
2013-Barry turns 40
Jan. 2014
Sept. 2014-Barry turns 41
Jan.
2015
Sept. 2015-Barry turns 42
Jan. 2016
Sept. 2016-Barry
turns 43
Jan. 2017
Sept. 2017-Barry turns 44
Jan. 2018
Sept. 2018-Barry turns 45
Jan. 2019-RETURN TO
EARTH-The Spindrifters finally make it back to Earth but find the
Earth is in trouble itself--it is no longer liveable.
Jan.--August
2019--MASS EXODUS--The Spindrifters help in the project to move the
entire population of the Earth to the land of the giants in giant
space stations. First, they must survive the journey through the
dangerous space time warp, a landing, and contact with the giants, if
they cannot avoid it.
Sept. 2019-Barry turns 46
Jan.
2020
Sept. 2020-Barry turns 47
Jan. 2021
Sept. 2021-Barry
turns 48
Jan. 2022
Sept. 2022-Barry turns 49
Jan.
2023-Fitzhugh turns 90
Sept. 2023-Barry turns 50
Jan. 2024
Sept. 2024-Barry turns 51
Jan. 2025
Sept. 2025--Barry
turns 52
Jan. 2026
Sept. 2026-Barry turns 53
Jan. 2027
Sept. 2027-Barry turns 54
Jan. 2028
Sept. 2028-Barry
turns 55
Jan. 2029
Sept. 2029-Barry turns 56
Jan. 2030
Sept. 2030-Barry turns 57
Jan. 2031
Sept. 2031-Barry
turns 58
Jan. 2032
Sept. 2032-Barry turns 59-
Jan.
2033-Fitzhugh turns 100
Feb. 2033-Fitzhugh dies in his sleep.
Sept. 2033-Barry turns 60-
THE YEAR 4927--Some of the
Earthlings return to the planet Earth and find it still exists and
they manage to make it to the old Tic Toc labs in Arizona's desert.
Eventually they establish a colony around the time tunnels and it
grows into a full service so that in 5477; 5032 of the atomic age, we
have the Messenger's Time Machine device in control of these people.
It seems to rule over the Messenger and all time researchers (of
which there are many) peacefully but treats criminals (such as Olos)
harshly.
THE EARTH YEAR-5477
in
control of these people. It seems to rule over the Messenger and all
time researchers (of which there are many) peacefully but treats
criminals (such as Olos) harshly.
THE EARTH YEAR-5477--Olos
and Fieldar go back in time to the giant planet (A PLACE CALLED
EARTH) and their attack on the Spindrift group occurs sometime in the
past (there is some conflict about the date as measured by Olos, the
Messenger's Boss machine, and the Spindrifters as it could be Dec.
15, 1984 or some time in the year 477 AD or 32 AD). Some claim it may
even be late 1983 or early 1984.