Spectrum Role Call

[shaqui]

Can we compile a list of ranks and colours seen in:

a/ the original series
b/ the annuals
c/ the comics

I'm curious to see if any crossed over and/or caused any clashes!

One incident I can think of is Lieutenant Purple, who is one of the Cloudbase Control pilots (as seen in the first 'TV21' strip), but we are late introduced to Captain Purple, who dies trying to save the underwater city of Indestructible.

I'll make a start on the comics, as I've completed most of the 'TV21' guides.

[shaqui]

©1967 Captain Scarlet annual:
Lieutenants Sepia and Gold (President Juma Will Die)

©1968 Captain Scarlet annual:
Lieutenant Cobalt (Spectrum Research Features)
Major Viridian (Spectrum Research Features)
Lieutenant Yellow (Destroy the New Houston Oil Depot)

©1969 Captain Scarlet & Thunderbirds annual:
Major Sepia (Destroy Alabama)

So we have two Sepias as well...

[chrisbishop]

Shaqui, you probably saw the colour code compilation we made a little while back and that can be found in the Archives? We have listed colours officers used in TV series and fanfic - and a few of them from the comics, for the purpose of fanfic writers. Obviously, we missed A LOT of the comics characters... Can we add this list you are preparing? It would be useful - and interesting...

[shaqui]

No, I actually think I missed your listing. Is there a link for it?

And by all means, feel free to add these ones. Be nice if any list on the site is comprehensive...

I should add the storybooks and novels too, if anyone has them.

[chrisbishop]

The link is in the menu at the top of this page. It's 'Forum Archives'. It will bring you to the old MSN Group forum that preceded this forum, and that I kept for storage purpose. You have to be a member to access the documents folder in which is stored the colours list, though. Just register, and I'll accept your application as soon as I'm able to. Then you'll be able to access the documents folder.

[shaqui]

The link is in the menu at the top of this page. It's 'Forum Archives'. It will bring you to the old MSN Group forum that preceded this forum, and that I kept for storage purpose.

Ah frig... I hate MSN Groups almost as much as I hate having to use Yahoo for Technodelic... they junk my passport on a frequent and irregular basis, meaning I have to keep re-registering...

[shaqui]

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons: TV21, 1967-68
(Abridged from the Captain Scarlet strip guides - parts one & two)

Story One (aka We Will Destroy Unity City)
• Lieutenants Peach and Purple are the pilots for Cloudbase.

Story Two (aka We Will Destroy The Observatory Network)
• Lieutenant Tan is killed by Captain Black to obtain the SPV.

Story Five (aka Blue Mysteronised!)
• The coloured 1993 reprint shows a purple, and another reddish, uniformed officer assisting in the shootout in part 2.

Story Eight
• Captain Buff is a Spectrum officer based in India.

Story Nine (aka Blue For Firing Squad!)
• It is never made clear which other two Captains go with Scarlet and Blue on the underwater mission, but the colourist for the 1994 reprint makes one uniform Ochre, and another Magenta. However, Black knocks out a Spectrum officer in purple.

Story Ten
• The colourist for the 1994 reprint gives Magenta a fellow officer in a reddish uniform.

Story Thirteen (aka "We The Mysterons Will Destroy The Indestructible")
• Captain Purple gives his life to try and save the undersea city of Indestructible. This raises an issue - there was already a Lieutenant Purple piloting Cloudbase. Could this be the same person, promoted to field duty?

Liquid Dynamite! (Story Fifteen)
• The colourist for the strips also include orange, purple and rust coloured uniforms seen among the evacuated Spectrum personnel, as well as Ochre and Grey.

Story Seventeen (aka World Airforce Alerted!)
• Captains Yellow and Emerald are sent to investigate UFO activity in the Amazon basin and are killed.
• Also in the reprints, the Spectrum officers who find the wreckage wear deep red, brown and orange uniforms.

Story Twenty One
• Several officers are present to investigate the spheroid but none are identifiable by rank or colour, except Colonel White and Captain Blue.

Holiday Of Terror! (Story Twenty Three)
• Someone with a strong sense of continuity was paying attention to colouring the 1990s reprint - it looks very much like Lieutenants Peach and Purple could still be the pilots for Cloudbase (see We Will Destroy Unity City).

[shaqui]

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons: TV21 and TV Tornado, 1969
(And from the unpublished and still-being-researched Captain Scarlet strip guide - part three)

Story Twenty Five
• It looks as if Doctor Fawn is with Colonel White on the monotrain on page 2 of part 2, but we do not see him eject to safety. (Oops - bye, bye Fawn!)

Story Twenty Seven
• With the strip in black and white, it becomes increasing difficult to tell which Spectrum officer is which unless named now. An unnamed officer at the Spectrum office in Cairo goes unidentified, as do several more on Cloudbase.

Story Twenty Eight
• One of the Spectrum officers is colour-coded Cream, but we never learn his rank.

[shaqui]

Flicking through the 'Countdown & TV Action' strip guide, I think only the series Captains appeared. But when I get a chance, I'll doublecheck...

Anyone up for the 1990s comics? I don't recall any new colours there...

[chrisbishop]

That is an exhaustive list! Could be the basics for a feature on the regular site, aside from the colours list, if you agree to this, Shaqui. Credits will be given where they're due of course.

I can send you the colour list to you from home, later. Either on html or doc format, to your convenience. It is not part of the regular site, because it's actually meant as a tool for fanfic writers more than anything else.

[shaqui]

That is an exhaustive list! Could be the basics for a feature on the regular site, aside from the colours list, if you agree to this, Shaqui. Credits will be given where they're due of course.

Yeah sure - it would be nice to see a comprehensive list from official merchandise of all the ranks/colours.

Now... has anyone got the novels?

[hazel]

From The Angels and the Creeping Enemy:
Lts. Emerald and Crimson, near Cape Kennedy, Florida
Lt. Viridian, Lima

From Captain Scarlet and the Silent Saboteur:
Lt. Sepia, Bombay
Lt. Umber, Nanking
Capt. Cherry, Utah

From Captain Scarlet (first novel)
Lt. Maroon, somewhere in Mexico

[shaqui]

I forgot the Spectrum Shade regions, each one led by a Spectrum Captain:

With Captain Scarlet now the strip in TV Century 21, 'Twenty-One' let Colonel White share editorship as Spectrum had a recruitment drive for 'Shades' - junior agents who could report Mysteron activities or anything else unusual. The United Kingdom was divided into twelve colour-coded 'Operational Areas', each reporting to a Spectrum Captain:

1. Captain Ochre - North Scotland
2. Captain Blue - South Scotland
3. Captain Orange - Northern Ireland
4. Captain Saffron - Northern England
5. Captain Magenta - Ireland (naturally!)
6. Captain Purple - Mid/Northern England
7. Captain Grey - North Wales
8. Captain Pink - Midlands
9. Captain Khaki - Anglia
10. Captain Navy - South Wales
11. Captain Umber - South West England
12. Captain Cream - South East England

[shaqui]

Lt. Peach, Captain Cream...

From Captain Scarlet and the Silent Saboteur:
Capt. Cherry, Utah

You're on dessert duty!

"Yessir, Colonel!"

[shaqui]

No new officers in either of the storybooks.