Renowned Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson's lesser-known comic strip has found an unexpected revival, thanks to author and historian Alan Dein. In the early 1980s, Dein stumbled upon the peculiar comic in a charity shop priced at 10p. The once-forgotten comic strip has transformed into an uncanny family photo album, creating a unique blend of the bizarre and the nostalgic.

Gerry Anderson's Almost Forgotten Comic Book

Originally conceived in 1967 as a weekly comic book called "Candy," the series features an eccentric family setup with life-sized mannequin children and humanoid pandas as parents. Unlike its celebrated counterparts like "Thunderbirds" and "Captain Scarlet," which successfully transitioned from comics to TV series, "Candy" never made it to the screen and was shelved after just a year.

The comic, set in an English village, showcases model children and humanoid pandas living above a toy shop. The family engages in wholesome activities, creating a unique blend of the peculiar and the familiar. The anomaly lies in using photography instead of illustrations, giving the comic a surreal touch.

The use of photographs by Doug Luke and later Roger Perry added a surreal sensibility to the comic, creating a captivating aesthetic. Embray sees the images as a unique satire on idealized families prevalent in 1960s children's entertainment. The juxtaposition of curious dummies in familiar settings, sometimes alongside real children, enhances the surreal charm.

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Jamie Anderson, the son of Gerry Anderson, shared that his father did not mention "Candy" at all despite being familiar with most of his father's work. Anderson found out about the comic through an eBay listing that someone sent to him, happening after his father's passing. 

New Photobook Resurrects 'Candy'

A new photo book from Four Corners showcases the vibrant strips from the original transparencies, offering a colorful glimpse into this unconventional project. The book includes Jamie Anderson's foreword and historian Dein's introduction, bringing the history of "Candy" to light.

Publisher Richard Embray describes it as a 'family photo album from another dimension,' offering a glimpse into an alternate reality. Dein introduced Embray to the series, sparking a fascination that led to the creation of the latest book, "Candy, Andy, and the Bearandas."

Dein's decades-long research project culminated in the new book, which serves as a time capsule of this peculiar moment. While "Candy and Andy" may not be your average comic, its unintentional satire on idealized families from the 1960s makes it a captivating and surprising discovery.

The new book showcases the series' unique protagonists, offering readers a journey into a barely surviving moment. Embray emphasizes that while not purely nostalgic, the book serves as a subversion of mid-century happy families and the English idyll. Access to original transparencies allowed the team to present the images in a new light, creating a high-quality photo book that accentuates the surrealism of the photographs.

"Candy, Andy and the Bearandas" by Dein is a must-read for those intrigued by the unexpected and the surreal, offering a fascinating exploration of a forgotten gem from the past.

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