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Unlike the five Gerry Anderson series that preceded it, Joe 90 was not incorporated into the famous TV Century 21 comic - at least, not to begin with. The series had its own weekly comic, Joe 90 Top Secret, which lasted for 34 issues.
The comic's regular strips were Joe 90, Ninepence + Tenpence = Sport, Star Trek (colour), The Champions, and Land Of The Giants (colour).
| Jump straight to an issue of Joe 90 Top Secret |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 1) Features are Joe Facts, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No.1.), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Mac's Jet-Air Car, a competition to win 50 Corgi Chipperfield's Menagerie Transporters, information on Nemesis and The Champions, World Intelligence Network (an observation test and jokes), and Top Ten Racing Cars No1 - Lotus-Ford. Curiously, according to the quiz and the Star Trek strip, the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise is Captain Kurt. Hmmm... 20 pages, 8d. Free gift No.1: a cardboard Mac's Jet Car Kit (it really works!). |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 2) Features are Joe's Case, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 2.), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Camp Century - Ice Town, a competition to win 25 Corgi American La France Aerial Rescue Trucks, Champions Of Sport - Billy Bremner, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), and Top Ten No.2 - Matra/Cosworth V8. Also a full-page advertisement for Joe's Car from Dinky. 20 pages, 8d. Free gift No.2: W.I.N. Coderpass (with the vital JOE 90 codes!). |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 3) Features are Joe's House, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 3.), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The World's First Superjet, Champions Of Sport - Alan Ball, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), a competition to win 50 Corgi Racing Sets, and Top Ten No.3 - Cooper. Also a half-page advertisement for Century 21 Joe 90 toys. 20 pages, 8d. Free gift No.3: W.I.N. Agent's Badge. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 4) Features are Inside The Lab, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel As Told In Stamps No. 4.), Football Champions Of Europe - Manchester United, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The Space Mapper, World Intelligence Network (information and jokes), a competition to win 50 Corgi "Holmes Wreckers", and Top Ten No.4 - Honda V12. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 5) Features are Quiz 90, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 5), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of X-15, Champions Of Sport - David Hemery, World Intelligence Network (information and jokes), a competition to win 100 Corgi Ghia Mangustas, and Top Ten Racing Cars No.5 - Ferrari. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 6) Features on W.I.N. Agents In Action (readers sending in pictures of themselves on "missions"), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 6), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The Sea Searchers, B.I.G. R.A.T. Examines Your Reactions To Joe 90 Top Secret (letters page, including three that totally pan the comic), Champions Of Sport - Roger Taylor, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), a competition to win 100 Corgi Monkeemobiles, and Top Ten Racing Cars No.6 - The Eagle. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 7) Features on W.I.N. Agents In Action (readers sending in pictures of themselves on "missions"), Champions Of Sport - George Best, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Water Factories, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 7.), a competition to win 50 Corgi Lincoln Limousines, and Top Ten Racing Cars No.7 - Repco-Brabham. Also a full-page advertisement for the Joe 90 Dossier from Sutherlands Spreads. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 8) Features on W.I.N. Agents In Action (readers sending in pictures of themselves on "missions"), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 8.), Isle of Man TT, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Luxury Lifeboats, World Intelligence Network (information and jokes), a competition to win 100 Corgi "E" Type Jaguars, and Top Ten Racing Cars No.8 - McLaren. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 9) Features are Agents' Fotofile (readers' photographs), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel As Told In Stamps No. 9.), a competition to win 100 Corgi 'Safari' VW's, World Intelligence Network (information and jokes), Champions Of Sport - Harvey Smith, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Controlling The Weather, and Top Ten No.9 - BRM V12. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 10) Features are Agents' Profile (readers' photographs), a competition to win 50 Corgi The Beatles Yellow Submarines, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel As Told In Stamps No. 10), Champions Of Sport - Graham Hill, World Intelligence Network (information and jokes), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Bridge-Tunnel, and Top Ten No.10 - Matra MS11 - V12. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 11) Features are Agents' Fotofile (readers' photographs), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The Busiest Airport In The World, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 11.), a competition to win 50 Corgi 1912 Rolls-Royce "Silver Ghosts", World Intelligence Network (information and jokes), Champions Of Sport - Jack Nicklaus, and Great Britain Eleven No. 1 Goalkeeper - Gordon Banks. Also a full-page advertisement for Mac's Car from Kellogg's Sugar Smacks. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 12) Features are Agents' Fotofile (readers' photographs), a competition to win 50 Corgi Gift Sets (Oldsmobile Tornado with Glastron Sportsman Speedboat), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 12), World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), Champions Of Sport - Diane Towler and Bernard Ford, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Putting The Atom To Work, and Great Britain Eleven No. 2 Full Back - Eddie McCreadie. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 13) Features are W.I.N. Field Agents Foto-File (readers' photographs), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Earthquakes, a competition to win 100 Corgi Commer Mobile Camera Vans, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), Champions Of Sport - Henry Cooper, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 13), and Great Britain Eleven No. 3 Centre Back - Mike England. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 14) Features are Agents' Fotofile (readers' photographs), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 14), a competition to win 100 Corgi Chevrolet SS 350 Camaro models, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), Champions Of Sport - Lester Piggot, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Helicopters, and Great Britain Eleven No. 4 Defender - Bobby Moore. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 15) Features are Fotofile (readers' photographs), Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel... Told In Stamps No. 15), a competition to win 100 Corgi Daktari Gift Sets, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and jokes), Champions Of Sport - Colin Cowdrey and Colin Milburn, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The Tallest Building In The World, and Great Britain Eleven No. 5 Sweeper - Nobby Stiles. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 16) Features are a teaser for the Joe 90 competition in the next issue, a competition to win 100 Corgi Renault R 16 models, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel As Told In Stamps No. 16), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The First Nuclear Merchant Ship, World Intelligence Network ("missions" and a crossword), Champions Of Sport - Sky Diving, and Great Britain Eleven No. 6 Mid-Field Player - Billy Bremner. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 17) No Joe 90 strip this week - instead, part one of a competition offering the chance to become The Most Special Agent for 5 days. Features are Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 17), a competition to win 100 Corgi European Volkswagen Police Cars, World Intelligence Network (quizzes), Champions Of Sport - Surfing, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The International Ice Patrol, and Great Britain Eleven No. 7 Link-Man - Bobby Charlton. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 18) Again, no Joe 90 strip in this issue - part two of the competition for "A Week Of Action!", which included a trip to the MGM Studios in Borehamwood to see filming on an episode of UFO. Features are The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Transcontinental Train, Joe's Hobbies (The Story Of Space Travel Told In Stamps No. 18), a competition to win 100 Corgi 007 Aston Martins, World Intelligence Network (a crossword and a query), Champions Of Sport - Skiing, and Great Britain Eleven No. 8 Mid-field Player - Denis Law. Also a half-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Zoom badge, featuring Joe 90. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 19) Features are Fotofile (readers' photographs), Joe Facts (Number one - Polymorph Variable Wingspan), a competition to win 100 Corgi Mini Cooper Manifique models, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Two Months Under The Sea, World Intelligence Network (quizzes and letters), Champions Of Sport - Champions of the Ashfelt Track... Speedsters!, and Great Britain Eleven No. 9 Striker - Jimmy Johnstone. Also a half-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Zoom badge, featuring Joe 90. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 20) Features are Fotofile (readers' photographs), Joe Facts (Number 2 - Laser), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Parachutes, a competition to win 100 Corgi Dodge 'Kew Fargo' Trucks, World Intelligence Network (W.I.N. Agents' Aptitude Test 1), Champions Of Sport - Wrestling, and Great Britain Eleven No. 10 Centre Forward - Geoff Hurst. Also a half-page advertisement for Lyons Maid Orbiton badges, featuring Captain Scarlet. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 21) Features are Action Fotofile (readers sending in pictures of themselves on "missions"), Joe Facts (Number three - The Underwater Camera), The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Under The North Pole... By Submarine!, a competition to win 50 Corgi Massey Ferguson Combine Harvesters, World Intelligence Network (quizzes), Champions Of Sport - Champion Horses, and Great Britain Eleven No. 11 Striker - George Best. Also a half-page advertisement for Lyons Maid Orbiton badges, featuring Captain Scarlet. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 22) Features are Agents' Fotofile (readers' photographs), a competition to win 100 Corgi Porsche Carrera 6s, Joe Facts (Number 4 - The Levapad), World Intelligence Network (a crossword, jokes and Agents In Action), Champions Of Sport - F.A. Cup Champions - Manchester City, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Wingless Aircraft, and The R.A.F. Today No.1. - The Harrier. Also a full-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Orbit European Adventure Chart featuring Captain Scarlet. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 23) Features are W.I.N. Agents' Action File (readers' photographs), a competition to win 100 Corgi Massey Ferguson Tractors with shovel, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Super Trucks, Joe Facts (Number four [sic] - Traffic TV), World Intelligence Network (quizzes and photographs of Agents In Action), Champions Of Sport - West Indian Touring Team, and The R.A.F. Today No. 2 - Hercules. Also a half-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Zoom badge, featuring Joe 90. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 24) Features are Action Fotofile (readers' photographs), a competition to win 50 Corgi Gift Set No. 15s, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The World's Longest Suspension Bridge, World Intelligence Network (a crossword and Agents In Action), Champions Of Sport - Ten Pin Bowling, Joe Facts (Number Six - The Hydrofoil Boat), and The R.A.F. Today No. 3 - Wessex. This was the last issue to actually feature an image from Joe 90 on the cover - it was all Land Of The Giants and Star Trek from here. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 25) Features are W.I.N. Fotofile - PPK/4 (readers' photographs), Joe Facts (Number Seven - The Small Rocket Lift Device), a competition to win 100 Corgi Green Hornet's Black Beauty models, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Submarine Rescue, World Intelligence Network (a crossword and Agents In Action), Champions Of Sport - The Charlton Brothers, and The R.A.F. Today No. 4 - Nimrod. Also a full-page advertisement for Joe's Car from Dinky and a half-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Zoom badge, featuring Joe 90. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 26) Features are Fotofile (readers' photographs), a competition to win 100 Corgi Lancia Fulvia Sports Zagato models, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of 'The Little Green Men', World Intelligence Network (quizzes), Champions Of Sport - The Fantastic Four!, Joe Facts (Number 8 - The Ice-Breaker), and The R.A.F. Today No. 5 - The Spey Phantom. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 27) Features are readers' photographs, a competition to win 100 Corgi Citroen 'Le Dandy' Coupes, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Drifting Continents, World Intelligence Network (missions and a crossword), Champions Of Sport - Lynn Davies, Joe Facts (Number 8 [sic]- The Sightseeing Submarine), and The R.A.F. Today No. 6 - Lightning. The winner of the competition in issues 17 and 18 was announced - take a bow, Paul Grainger from Shuttlewood, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. There was also a full-page advertisement for "Space-Age Models" from Kellogg's Sugar Smacks, featuring box artwork with Joe on the front. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 28) Features are Agents' Fotofile (readers' photographs), a competition to win 100 Corgi Bedford Tipper Trucks, Joe Facts (Number Ten - The Cap-Chur Rifle), World Intelligence Network Club Page Report, Champions Of Sport - Jimmy Greaves, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of The Gulf Stream, and The R.A.F. Today No. 7 - The Avro Vulcan. Also a full-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Orbit European Adventure Chart featuring Captain Scarlet. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 29) Features are a competition to win 100 Corgi Cooper-Maserati Formula 1 Racing Cars, The B.I.G. R.A.T. Tells The Story Of Looking At The Moon, They've Transferred! (expensive football transfers), World Intelligence Network (quizzes and readers' photographs), And They All Escaped! (car crashes), and The R.A.F. Today No. 8 - VC10. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 30) Another nice Star Trek cover, but sadly this issue marks a serious downturn in the quality of the comic, with fewer features and a blander layout. Features are In Top Gear (motorcycle racing), New Science News (car developments), The Sky Divers, and The Fighting Whirly-Bird (the Huey-Cobra helicopter). Also a half-page advertisement for Lyons Maid Orbiton badges, featuring Captain Scarlet. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 31) Features are New Science News (the moon-clock), Kings Of The Palace (Crystal Palace football club), How Did They Start? (Sir Neville Barnes Wallis), How It Works - The Hollow Charge, a competition to win 100 Corgi "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" models, Danger Unlimited! - Fire Fighter! and The Mighty and the Mite (the Gnat advanced trainer). Someone at City Magazines forgot which comic they were working on, as the introduction to the How Did They Start? feature begins "TV21 looks at..." Or maybe they jumped the gun on what was coming a few weeks later... Also a half-page advertisement for the 1969 TV21 Annual and Joe 90 Top Secret Comic Annual. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 32) Features are FIDO saves you pricked fingers! (how to make an electromagnet), New SCIENCE News (General Electric's prototype 'Mr. Copycat'), Danger Unlimited - The Cresta Run, How They Started... (Sir Frank Whittle), How It Works - The Absorption Type Refrigerator, a competition to win 50 Corgi Scammell Carrimore Car Transporters, and The R.A.F. Today No. 11 - Victor (what happened to 9 and 10?) Also a half-page advertisement for the 1969 TV21 Annual and Joe 90 Top Secret Comic Annual. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 33) Features are Great Flying 'Firsts', New SCIENCE News - Invisible Beams, How did they start? - Doctor Wernher von Braun, Danger Unlimited - Unexploded Bomb!, a competition to win 100 Corgi Mini-Marcos GT 850 models, How It Works - The Carburettor, and The R.A.F. Today No. 10. - Belvedere (What? Last week was number 11!) Also a half-page advertisement for the 1969 TV21 Annual & Joe 90 Top Secret Comic Annual, and a half-page advertisement for the Lyons Maid Orbit European Adventure Chart featuring Captain Scarlet. 20 pages, 8d. |
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JOE 90 TOP SECRET (No. 34) Features are Great Sea 'Firsts', New SCIENCE News - Breathing water, under water, The R.A.F. Today No. 12. - Argosy, Calling All Readers (information on the comic's merger with TV21), Space Stoppers!, a competition to win 100 Corgi Concorde models, and How It Works - The Altimeter . Also a half-page advertisement for the 1969 TV21 Annual & Joe 90 Top Secret Comic Annual. 20 pages, 8d. |
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After no. 34, the comic merged with TV21 as TV21 & Joe 90 (and started again from issue 1). Issue 37 saw the name Joe 90 vanish from the title: by issue 40 all of the Anderson-related strips had vanished, and TV21 itself merged with Valiant comic after issue 105. A sad end to a unique publishing venture. |
| Anderson-related strips made a reappearance in 1971 in a new comic - Countdown. Joe 90 appeared sporadically, along with Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, UFO, and even The Secret Service. |
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The Gerry Anderson Complete Comic History web site has a lengthy article on the Joe 90 Top Secret and TV21 & Joe 90 comics, as well as comics featuring many other Anderson shows. It's highly recommended and is well worth a visit.
