
And I forgot the Comics. When I went to train as a Drama Teacher in 1955 my mother gave away all my copies of The Wizard. Ouch.
So for 40 years everytime my wife and I went to London we searched the Soho secon hand shops for copies which contained the story 'Four Challenges From Z Island.' 8 episodes were written.A great ex pro illusionist threw out challenges to the World's magicians to perform for a huge sum if he couldn't tell them 'how they did it'. Of course he could and I learned the Indian Basket, a levitation( projected onto smoke) the sword through body amongst other tricks. All this mixed with murder & mystery.When as Head of Drama I had my own Theatre I'd hope to stage it as a Magic Musical but couldn't find the story anywhere & couldn't remember the details of all the plot. Then:
Just before my birthday in 2004, I'd just gone onto the Internet, a young man e mailed me with details of Rover/Wizard reprints from May 1965 onwards, of the story. He had 3 episodes which he copied and sent, free to me. What a birthday present.
Last year again just before my birthday, I found 7 of the Rover'Wizard reprints in a Leicester second hand comic shop. They'd sold the FIRST episode 2 weeks before. ouch again! So I still have to find that illusive first episode, published 10th. April 1965.
The comics were a bit fragile but copied well onto the PC and printed off clearly. Whew!
In The Adventure Comic there was also Mysto The Mighty a world travelled illusionist & in another ( could have been The Wizard) was travelling magician with a portable stage which moved down from his 'caravan'. he was called either Nostro or even Nostradamus.
Great days, Great magic stories which fed & fired my magic ambitions a good deal.
Allen Tipton
Began magic at 9 in 1942. Joined Staffs M.S at 13. Nottm.Guild of M. (8 times President. Prog Director 20years)IBM. Awarded Magician of Month 1980 By Intern. Pres. IBM for reproducing Dante's Sim Sala Bim. Writes Dear Magician column for Abra. Mag.