Annuals
Page created Friday 19th February 2010
Last update Friday 19th February 2010
(For international readers who may not be familiar with the term, 'annual' in the U.K. is a yearly publication, generally (but not always) aimed at younger fans, containing stories, features, etc.)
Back in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, EVERYTHING had an annual. Films, pop stars, and particularly television. Even shows that had a short run (such as 'Tales of the Gold Monkey' and 'Street Hawk') had an annual. 'The A-Team', being one of the most popular imported shows of the 1980s, had a run of annuals that spanned a number of years. Below is a brief run-through of them.
MORE DETAILED CONTENTS AND SCANS COMING SOON!!
World Publishing (one of the leading annual publishers, who also published a number of 'A-Team' colouring and activity books) printed four 'A-Team' annuals between 1984 and 1987 (each to cover the following year). Each one consisted of text stories with illustrations, comic strip stories, full page photos, and (occasionally) quizzes and games...
FIRST ANNUAL (1984 FOR 1985)
Spot the difference! Yes, there were two versions of the first A-Team annual - one read 'The A-Team annual', and the other read simply 'The A-Team'. Whether this was a printing mistake or what, I don't know. Other than the 'annual' on the cover, 'annual' being added to the inside opening page is the only difference between the two.
This publication is also notable regarding Amy - there is a photo of Melinda Culea on the cover, but all of the stories refer to a 'Zoe' or a 'Sue' (even though in the illustrations she looks just like Amy!). Maybe this was changed at the last minute when Culea left the series (Amy, Zoe and Sue all have three letters, so maybe was a simple print change), even though the book was printed in 1984, by which time Amy had left and Tawnia had already been introduced. The biggest curiosity is a dice-rolling game on the back inside pages - you have to reach each of the team members (with relevant photo used for each character), and there is a 'Sue', complete with photo of a mystery, curly blonde haired woman. Goodness knows who she is - actually, she looks a bit like General Stockwell's assistant Carla (Judith Ledford) from the fifth season! Anyway, those curiosities aside, this is my personal favourite of the 'A-Team' annuals.
The cover uses a selection of first season publicity shots, and Hannibal is taken from a shot from the Pilot. By the way, while both can be found second hand, the 'annual' version seems more common in my personal experience.
1986 ANNUAL
The second annual, for 1986, covered the third season, which was still airing in the U.K. when the annual was published. The cover uses a third season publicity photo of the team, with a smaller shot of the A-Team van in the corner.
Artwork-wise, this is probably my least favourite of the 'A-Team' annuals, as many of the illustrations are poorer than in the other annuals, in my opinion.
Very common to find on the second hand market.
1987 ANNUAL
After the poor artwork for the 1986 annual, the 1987 annual (which had a third / fourth season feel to it) was a noticeable improvement. Drawn by one Walt Howarth, the artwork was quite impressive, almost having a photographic airbrushed look to it.
The shots on the bottom of the cover are: a publicity shot of Face from the second season's feature-length / two-part "When You Comin' Back, Range Rider?" (note that part of the shot is repeated to the left), a shot of Murdock and Face (reversed) from the first season's 'West Coast Turnaround', and a shot of Hannibal and B.A. (again reversed) from the first season's 'The Beast from the Belly of a Boeing'.
Fairly common to find second hand.
1988 ANNUAL
The 1988 annual is notable for being one of the few fifth season related pieces of merchandise (the fifth season had just finished, or was in it's last stages, of it's ITV run depending which region you were in).
However, it should be noted that some of the stories are set before the fifth season revamp, and make reference to the team being on the run from the Military Police - several stories mention Decker.
Although it is possible to find the 1988 annual second hand, presumably fewer were printed as the show's popularity started to fade, and this is harder to find on the second hand market.
MARVEL 1991 ANNUAL
The World Publishing annuals finished with the 1988 publication (which coincided with the end of the original broadcasts of the series in the U.K.), but that wasn't quite the end for 'A-Team' annuals. In 1990, Marvel publishing offered up an 'A-Team' annual. Although it only says annual on the cover, the text inside reads annual 1991. Breaking with the text story, comic strip and features format of the World versions, this Marvel publication reprinted two stories from the short-lived A-Team comic, with a few brief bios and puzzles in the middle pages.
The cover uses a third season publicity shot of Hannibal (reversed), a first season shot of B.A. (reversed), a third season shot of Murdock, and a first season shot of Face. By the way. the design of this cover has always reminded me of Spiderman!
Although it can be found second hand, this annual is much rarer than the others.
BHS STORYBOOK (1983)
Although not annuals, BHS (British Home Stores) printed two story books which are very similar. The first one is dated 1983, although this may just be from the standard copyright date of merchandise.
It contains illustrated text stories, very similar to the text stories found in the annuals.
The cover uses first season publicity shots of B.A., Hannibal, Murdock and Face.
Less common second hand.
BHS STORYBOOK (1985)
The second BHS storybook is dated 1985. It uses artwork by Walt Howarth, who also illustrated the 1987 and 1988 World Publications annuals.
As with the previous storybook, it uses illustrated text stories very similar to those of the World Publishing annuals.
Less common second hand.
To note is that, along with some of the (earlier) World annuals content being republished in several paperback storybooks and holiday specials (one used the original annual cover artwork and much of it's content), some of these also featured stories from the first BHS storybook, suggesting that production of the two was linked.
More detailed contents and scans coming soon.
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'The A-Team' was created by Frank Lupo & Stephen J. Cannell,
Copyright 1982-86, Universal / Stephen J. Cannell Productions
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