The Merchandise GuidePanini
Compiled by Martin Willey
The Merchandise GuideThe first (1976) stickers and albums were available in several countries. The second (1979) was only available in Italy.
In 1979, RAI in Italy began showing the second series. The year 2 set was not available in other countries, which showed the series at other times (France in 1987, Germany in 1978, Portugal in 1977).
All editions except the Portuguese have the title logo in English: "Space 1999", (German, French and Greek have a subtitle with the local title). The Italian edition does not have the Italian title, and is identical to the English edition.
All albums were 48 pages (numbered, excluding covers) and 24cm x 27cm. All editions were printed in Modena, Italy.
The front cover has the logo in English, and does not refer to the RAI title, Spazio 1999.
The back cover has a date, April 1976, and the price, 100 Italian lira.
There are two different versions of the inside cover. One has a full-page photo, with just the introduction and table of contents. The second compresses the photo to one side and has information boxes on how to "request missing stickers" (25 lira per sticker with a maximum of 40), or via stamps or post office order. The 1976 copyright date is the same on both versions of the album.
The introduction is headlined "I naufraghi dello spazio" (The castaways of space).
All the episode titles match the RAI episode translations.
| Title | Translation | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| Separazione | Separation | Breakaway |
| Destinazione obbligata: Terra | Obligatory Destination: Earth | Earthbound |
| Sole nero | Black Sun | Black Sun |
| Questione di vita o di morte | Matter Of Life Or Death | Matter Of Life Or Death |
| Un altro tempo, un altro luogo | Another Time, Another Place | Another Time, Another Place |
| Forza vitale | Life Force | Force Of Life |
| Gli occhi di Tritone | The Eyes Of Triton | Ring Around The Moon |
| Gli amanti dello spazio | The Space Lovers | Missing Link |
| Il Pianeta Incantato | The Enchanted Planet | Guardian Of Piri |
| Fiocco azzuro su Alpha | Blue Band On Alpha | Alpha Child |
| Il ritorno del Voyager | The Return Of Voyager | Voyager's Return |
| L'ultimo tramonto | The Last Sunset | The Last Sunset |
I naufraghi dello spazio
La superficie lunare usata prima base terrestre per lo studio dello spazio. Un idea da fantaseienza? Non tanto: da quando il primo uomo sbarco sulla Luna i progressi della scienza ci hanno abituati a considerare il nostro satellite con maggiore familiarita e non ci meraviqlieremmo troppo di saperlo, tra un quarto di secolo "abitato" in permanenza da tecnici, scienziati, astronauti.
Ouesta e appunto l'idea di partenza di una nuova serie di films televisivi: un area denominata "Base Alpha" e composta da una serie di edifici costruiti in una zona della parte buia della Luna. Oui abitano e lavorano 311 persone, uomini e donne, provenienti dai centri spaziali di tutto il mondo. Da qui e possible organizzare missioni esplorative verso altri pianeti e contemporaneamente tenere sotto controllo, in crateri lunari attrezzati allo scopo, il materiale radioactivo costituito da scorie atomiche continuamente inviate dalla Terra.
Questa, dicevamo, e l'idea-base. In realta i contatti Terra-Luna si interrompono fin dal primo dei telefilm e l'intera serie descrive le pereqrinazioni nello spazio della Luna che, per un imprevedible incidente, e uscita dalla sua orbita. Per il personale di Base Alpha e un allucinante viaggio, in un universo sconosciuto e pauroso, alla continua ricerca di un posto in cui ricominciare a vivere.
In questo album potrete seguire i primi dodici telefilms attraverso un splendida serie di immagini a colori.
The year 2 has a date of June 1979. This album was only published in Italian, although the words "new series" appear on the cover in several languages including Italian, French and German.
| Title | Translation | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| Psycon | The Metamorph | |
| Magus | New Adam, New Eve | |
| Le crisalidi | The Chrysalids | The A B Chrysalis |
| I naufraghi | The Castaways | Space Warp |
| La Meravigliosa Illusione | The Wonderful Illusion | The Bringers Of Wonder |
| Vindrus | A Matter Of Balance | |
| Il Pianeta del Diavolo | The Planet Of The Devil | Devil's Planet |
| Dorzak | Dorzak | |
| Il Lampo che Uccide | The Lightning Bolt That Kills | The Immunity Syndrome |
| I Dorconiani | The Dorcons |
In the early 1980s, both Italian albums and full sets of the stickers were available through dealers in the UK (see English section for details).
, Belgium 
, Switzerland 
)
Subtitled D'aprés le feuilleton Cosmos 1999 ("from the series Space 1999"). Album is dated 1977; the series was shown from 1975-1977.
The French edition was distributed in 3 French speaking countries- France, Belgium and Switzerland.
The cost per country:
The episodes include Missing Link (here titled "Les amants de l'espace", "the space lovers"), which was not shown on French television in the initial run, as it was thought too horrifying. One episode has a different title to the broadcast title: Guardian Of Piri was shown as "Le gardien du Piri" but here is "La planète enchantée" ("The enchanted planet")
| Title | Translation | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A la dérive | Adrift | Breakaway | |
| Direction: Terre | Direction: Earth | Earthbound | |
| Le soleil noir | The Black Sun | Black Sun | |
| Question de vie ou de mort | Matter Of Life Or Death | Matter Of Life And Death | |
| Autre temps, autre lieu | Another Time, Another Place | Another Time, Another Place | |
| Puissance de la vie | Force Of Life | Force Of Life | |
| L'anneau de la Lune | The Ring Of The Moon | Ring Around The Moon | |
| Les amants de l'espace | The Space Lovers | Missing Link | Not shown in France |
| La planète enchantée | The enchanted planet | Guardian Of Piri | Titled "Le gardien du Piri" on TF1 |
| L'enfant d'Alpha | The Child Of Alpha | Alpha Child | |
| Le retour du Voyageur | The return of Voyager | Voyager's Return | |
| Le dernier crépuscule | The Last Twilight | The Last Sunset |
Les naufragés de l'espace
La surface de la Lune utilisée comme premiére base terrestre pour l'étude de l'espace. Une idée de science-fiction? Pas vraiment: depuis que le premier homme à débarqué sur la Lune, les progres de la science nous ont accoutumés à considérer notre satellite plus familiérement, et nous ne serions pas tres étonnés, dans un quart de siécle, de le savoir "habité" en permanence par des techniciens, savants, astronautes.
C'est là l'idée de départ d'une nouvelle série de films de télévision. Une aire nommée "Base Alpha" comporte un ensemble de bàtiments construits dans une région de la face cachée de la Lune. Là, vivent et travaillent 311 hommes et femmes, venus des centres spatiaux du monde entier. De là, on peut organiser des missions d'exploration vers d'autres planétes et garder en méme temps sous controle, dans des crateres lunaires amenagés à cet effet, les déchets atomiques radioactifs envoyés sans cesse de la Terre.
Telle est, disions-nous, l'idée de départ. En réalité, les contacts Terre-Lune sont rompus à la fin du premier film, et toute la série décrit les pérégrinations à travers l'espace de la Lune qui, à la suite d'un accident imprévisible, a quitté son orbite. C'est, pour le personnel de la Base Alpha, un hallucinant périple dans un univers inconnu et effrayant, à la recherche continuelle d'un lieu où la vie pourrait recommencer.
Gräce cet album vous pourrez suivre les 12 premiers films travers une splendide série d'images en couleurs.
The castaways of space
The surface of the Moon used as the first terrestrial base for the study of space. A science fiction idea? Not really: since the first man landed on the Moon, progress in science has accustomed us to consider our satellite more familiarly, and we would not be very surprised, in a quarter of a century, to know it was "inhabited" in permanently by technicians, scientists, astronauts.
This is the initial idea for a new series of television films. An area called "Alpha Base" includes a set of buildings built in a region on the far side of the Moon. There, 311 men and women live and work, coming from space centres around the world. From there, we can organize exploration missions to other planets and at the same time keep under control, in lunar craters designed for this purpose, the radioactive atomic waste constantly sent from Earth.
This, we said, is the initial idea. In reality, Earth-Moon contacts are broken at the end of the first film, and the entire series describes the wanderings through space of the Moon which, following an unforeseeable accident, left its orbit. For the staff of Alpha Base, it is a mind-blowing journey into an unknown and frightening universe, in constant search of a place where life could begin again.
Thanks to this album you will be able to follow the first 12 films through a splendid series of colour images.
, Austria 
, Switzerland )
Subtitled "nach der Fernseh - Serie Mondbasis Alpha 1" ("from the TV series Moonbase Alpha 1", the name of the series on Germany's ZDF which showed the series from August 1977).
The German edition was distributed in 3 German speaking countries- Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Germany's ZDF channel was seen in Austria and the German speaking regions of Switzerland.
The cost per country:
There were two versions of the album (both dated 1977); one had an insert page between the cover and interior pages advertising Zack comic. The comic started carrying Space: 1999 in September 1977, so possibly the insert was added to albums published towards the end of the year.
Several episode titles are different to the broadcast titles; one episode, Alpha Child, was never shown on German television.
| Title | Translation | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Die katastrophe | "The catastrophe" | Breakaway | |
| Vorgegebenes ziel: die Erde | "Specified target: the Earth" | Earthbound | ZDF used the title "Captain Zantor" |
| Schwarze Sonne | "Black Sun" | Black Sun | ZDF used "Die schwarze Sonne" |
| Auf leben und tod | "To life and death" | Matter of Life and Death | ZDF used "Rückkehr der Toten", Return of the Dead |
| Fast weider daheim | "Almost Back Again" | Another Time, Another Place | |
| Das blaue Licht | "The blue light" | Force Of Life | |
| Die augen von Triton | "The eyes of Triton" | Ring Around The Moon | ZDF used "Ein Ring von Licht", The ring of light |
| König: 2 | "King: 2" | Missing Link | Apart from this title, the album uses the spelling "Koenig"; the ZDF episode is "Koenig: 2" |
| Das Glück der Träumenden | "The Happiness Of Dreaming" | Guardian Of Piri | |
| Freudiges ereignis in Alpha | "Joyful event on Alpha" | Alpha Child | not shown on ZDF |
| Der Mann, der seinen Namen änderte | "The Man Who Changed His Name" | Voyager's Return | |
| Die Verwandlung | "The Change" | The Last Sunset |
Titled "Espaço: 1999", the only edition with a local language logo.
Distributed by Agencia Portuguesa de Revistas, Lisbon, the price was 20 escudos. The same publisher was behind the TV Junior comic, which featured Space: 1999.
Unlike the Italian, French and German editions, there was no introduction or table of contents- the inside cover was blank.
Episode titles seem to be translations from the Italian; only one episode is exactly the same as the RTP title.
| Title | Translation | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separação | "Separation" | Breakaway | RTP in 1977 used the title "A Ruptura", The Rupture |
| Destino obrigatório: Terra | "Mandatory Destination: Earth" | Earthbound | RTP used the title "Rumo à Terra", Course To Earth |
| Sol Negro | "Black Sun" | Black Sun | RTP used "O Sol negro", The Black Sun |
| Questão de vida ou de morte | "Question of life and death" | Matter of Life and Death | RTP used "Questão de Vida ou Morte" |
| Noutro Tempo, Noutro Lugar | "In Another Time, In Another Place" | Another Time, Another Place | RTP used "Outro Tempo, Outro Local", Another Time, Another Place |
| Força Vital | "The vital force" | Force Of Life | RTP used "A Força Vital", The Vital Force |
| Os Olhos de Tristão | "The eyes of Trstan" | Ring Around The Moon | RTP used "Os Cativos", The captives |
| Os Amantes do Espaço | "The Space Lovers" | Missing Link | RTP used "O Elo Necessário", The Necessary Link |
| O Planeta Encantado | "The Enchanted Planet" | Guardian Of Piri | RTP used "O Guardião de Piri", The Guardian Of Piri |
| Floco Azul Sobre Alfa | "Blue light over Alpha" | Alpha Child | RTP used "A Criança de Alfa", Alpha Child |
| O Regresso do "Viajante" | "The Return of the 'Traveller'" | Voyager's Return | |
| O Último Ocaso | "The Last Sunset" | The Last Sunset | RTP used "O Último Pôr-do-Sol" |
Subtitled ΔΙΑΣΤΗΜΑ 1999. The back states it was imported by N.K.Angelakis of Thessalonica. It cost 10 drachma. The interior date is 1978.
| Title | Translation | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| ΑΠΟΣΠΑΣΗ | Detachment | Breakaway |
| ΤΑΞΙΔΙ ΣΤΗ ΓΗ | Journey To Earth | Earthbound |
| Ο ΜΑΥΡΟΣ ΗΛΙΟΣ | The Black Sun | Black Sun |
| ΖΗΤΗΜΑ ΖΩΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΑΝΑΤΟΥ | Matter Of Life And Death | Matter of Life and Death |
| ΣΕ ΑΛΛΟ ΚΑΙΡΟ, ΣΕ ΑΛΛΟ ΤΟΠΟ | In Another Time, In Another Place | Another Time, Another Place |
| Η ΔΥΝΑΜΗ ΤΗΣ ΖΩΗΣ | The Force Of Life | Force Of Life |
| ΚΥΚΛΟΣ ΓΥΡΩ ΤΟ ΦΕΓΓΑΡΙ | Circle Around The Moon | Ring Around The Moon |
| ΟΙ ΛΑΤΡΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΔΙΑΣΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ | The Space Lovers | Missing Link |
| Ο ΠΡΟΣΤΑΤΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΙΡΙ | The Protector Of Piri | Guardian Of Piri |
| ΤΟ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΤΟΥ ΑΛΦΑ | The Alpha Child | Alpha Child |
| Η ΕΠΙΣΤΡΟΦΗ ΤΟΥ ΤΑΞΙΔΙΩΤΗ | The Traveller's Return | Voyager's Return |
| ΤΟ ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΟ ΛΥΚΟΜΥΚΟ | The Last Twilight | The Last Sunset |
, Canada 
, South Africa 
)
In 1978, Panini printed an English edition. It was available (with very limited distribution) in 3 English speaking countries
Panini had some presence in Canada in 1976 (releasing a set for the Montreal Olympics). Panini had published a 1970 album for the Mexico World Cup in the UK, and their 1977 Euro football album was also marketed in the UK, but a Spanish company, FKS, dominated the UK market. 1978 was the year they fully broke into the UK market, securing deals with the English and Scottish football leagues for a British football album, and giving the album away free with the top-selling football magazine, Shoot!. For the rest of the 1970s they operated through a UK distributor, Minicards Ltd of London, which in 1986 would become Panini UK Ltd.
Space: 1999 was still being shown in some UK regions in 1978, but most episodes were repeats and many regions did not show the series. This album and the stickers were poorly marketed. This is by far the rarest of the different editions, to the extent that most UK fans only knew about the Italian edition (sold via dealers in the UK in the 1980s). The UK has a long history of collectible cigarette cards, and the London Cigarette Card Company was the leading dealer of sets to collectors. In the early 1980s, Panini was hugely popular in the UK, and the London Cigarette Card Company started to list Panini albums with the full set of stickers, including both Italian Year 1 and Year 2 sets. No other languages were available. These were unsold stock from Panini (the stickers were not in packets). Some other dealers, including science fiction dealers, began to list them too, probably via LCCC. They also sold the Bassett sweet cigarette cards. Thanks to this dealer, many UK fans obtained the Italian edition without realising an English version existed.
THE SPACE WANDERERS
Earth scientists using the surface of the Moon as their first base for the exploration of space. Does it sound like an idea taken straight from science fiction book? Perhaps not. Since the time when the first human being set foot on the Moon, the formidable advance of science has led us all to look upon our satellite as a much more familiar object. And it would not particularly surprise us, either, to know that in twenty-five years' time scientists, technicians and astronauts will be permanently living on it.
This is, in fact, the original idea behind an exciting new adventure series produced for television: we find ourselves on the dark side of the Moon where a remarkable number of buildings form a round shaped establishment known as "Moonbase Alpha". A total of 311 people live and work there. They are men and women from all major space centres on Earth. From the base exploratory missions to other planets can be launched. Another important task of the personnel is that of keeping under tight security and control the various lunar craters filled with radioactive nuclear waste which is continuously flown in from Earth.
This, as mentioned, is the starting point. The story takes a sudden turn, though, right at the outset of the first episode. So, throughout the entire series we follow the Moon's adventurous wanderings in after an incredible accident causes it to go off its orbit. For personnel on Moonbase Alpha this is the start of an agonizing journey into a mysterious and frightening universe.
Contents copyright Martin Willey.