FREEWHEELERS

Full Name:	Freewheelers
Nationality:	British
Organization:	Freewheelers
Occupation	Agency

Creator:	Chris McMaster
Time Span:	1968 - 1973

ABOUT THE SERIES

The Freewheelers are an unofficial group affiliated with MI-6.

The genesis of the group, one which usually consisted of three teenagers, two male and one female, came about when the first three to become the team found themselves involuntarily mixed up with trouble by a former Nazi named Von Gelb who wants very much to undo the terrible calamity (his opinion) that was the downfall of the Third Reich.

The three young people, Bill Cowan, Gregory Phillips, and Mary Maude, were having considerable trouble staying alive against Von Gelb and his rather extensive enterprise when they got unexpected but much needed help by Colonel Buchan (or Buchanan, I've seen it both ways but the former is most prevalent). The Colonel was an experience agent with MI-6 and well aware of the danger posed by Von Gelb. He was also smart enough to know that those these young adults were not trained operatives with years of experience, they were undoubtedly resourceful and, due to their predicament, already deep in it.

So, without planning but also with considerable incentive, the group which would come to be called the Freewheelers came into being. The idea of using non-professionals for particular missions was not new to MI-6 or Buchan but to employ such young people was and with the new alliance would come a lot of learning problems for both the trio and their unofficial leader.

The make-up of the Freewheelers would change occasionally as eventually each member would move on with his or her life. Cowan would hang around for some time while Phillips would be replaced with Nick Carter and soon after Maude would make room for Olga Yevchenko. That young woman would soon step aside for Fiona and so on.

Mike Hobbs and Sue Craig and Steve Walker would show up after a bit and stay for a good time but even they would move on. Even their boss, the Colonel, would leave, getting a promotion placing Major Colin Wade in his stead.

No matter the make-up, or the adult leadership, the Freewheelers would prove over and again that they were a very valuable, and entertaining, part of the British Secret Service.

BOOKS

Number of Books:	2
First Appearance:	1971
Last Appearance:	1972

The television series on which the two books were based had been around already for three years (4 seasons) by the time the first of the two books appeared on the shelves. As mentioned above, the membership in the Freewheelers would change a fair amount over time but at the point the books were released, the membership consisted of Mike Hobbs, Sue Craig, and Steve Walker and it is these three who make up the Freewheelers in the books.


1			The Sign of the Beaver Written by Alan Fennell Copyright: 1971 Diplomats all of the world are disappearing, kidnapped. It is the job of the Freewheelers and their colleagues in MI6 to find what is going on, a mission that will take them from England to the Persian Gulf and back. A few very unhappy tigers in a circus play a part.

2			The Spy Game Written by Alan Fennell Copyright: 1972 The murder of a British agent in Sweden looked like the work of the other side. Then one of their agents is also killed. The Freewheelers are called in to find who is doing the killing and why.

NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES

Number of Stories:	1
First Appearance:	1971
Last Appearance:	1971

As mentioned below in the Comic Book section, IPC Magazines' Look-In weekly publication had for a while in each issue two page serialization of stories. The third such adventure lasted four issues but unlike the other four stories were in text form instead of graphic, so the story is shown below.


1			Story #3 Written by Unknown Copyright: 1971 From Look-In v1 #16 to v1 #19 - 8 pages - [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

TELEVISION


Number of Episodes:	104
First Appearance:	1968
Last Appearance:	1973
Network:	ITV

REGULAR CAST
Ronald Leigh-Hunt	Colonel Buchan [ 1-4,6 ]
Tom Owen	Bill Cowan [ 1-4 ]
Adrian Wright	Mike Hobbs [ 4-7 ]
Leonard Gregory	Steve Walker [ 6-7 ]
Wendy Padbury	Sue Craig [ 5-6,8 ]

When I first saw information about the Freewheelers, I made the erroneous conclusion that it was a Mod Squad rip-off being about three teenagers who went to work unofficially for the government, albeit British instead of American and in the spy business versus crime-fighting. Then I looked at the dates and saw that though they were both in 1968, Freewheelers saw its premiere in April of that year while Mod Squad did not come out until September. Could there still have been a connection? Sure, but the possible link became a whole lot more tenuous.

More likely is what was written in Wikipedia: "Chris McMaster [saw] the popularity of adult action series such as The Avengers and Department S amongst teenagers and saw the potential of a version aimed at a younger audience." The fact that the show lasted as long as it did, staying around for 8 seasons of usually 13 episodes each, showed he was correct.

The action drama was only a 30-minute one which is probably why the first season combined several episodes into one adventure. In later seasons, the storyline was extended to encompass the entire season.

Sadly, "The first five series were all wiped by Southern, but telerecordings of series 1 and a single episode from series 2 survive." so we do not have the opportunity to revisit the missions.


1	Menace! The Sleepers Episode 1-1, first aired 04/04/1968

2	Menace! No Smoke Episode 1-2, first aired 04/11/1968

3	Menace! The Camp Episode 1-3, first aired 04/18/1968

4	Menace! The Ultimatum Episode 1-4, first aired 04/25/1968

5	Menace! Face to Face Episode 1-5, first aired 05/02/1968

6	Recipe for Danger: Too Many Cooks Episode 1-6, first aired 05/09/1968

7	Recipe for Danger: One Man's Meat Episode 1-7, first aired 05/16/1968

8	Recipe for Danger: Trouble Brewing Episode 1-8, first aired 05/23/1968

9	Recipe for Danger: Bring to the Boil Episode 1-9, first aired 05/30/1968

10	The Big Freeze: Icarus Episode 1-10, first aired 06/06/1968

11	The Big Freeze: Valkyrie Episode 1-11, first aired 06/13/1968

12	The Big Freeze: Anvil Episode 1-12, first aired 06/20/1968

13	The Big Freeze: Gotterdammerung Episode 1-13, first aired 06/27/1968

14	The Zander Plot: Breakout Episode 2-1, first aired 11/20/1968

15	The Zander Plot: Treasure Episode 2-2, first aired 11/27/1968

16	The Zander Plot: Master Plan Episode 2-3, first aired 12/04/1968

17	The Zander Plot: The Code Episode 2-4, first aired 12/11/1968

18	The Zander Plot: The Lighthouse Episode 2-5, first aired 12/18/1968

19	The Zander Plot: The Stones Episode 2-6, first aired 12/25/1968

20	The Zander Plot: Time Bomb! Episode 2-7, first aired 01/01/1969

21	The Zander Plot: Doomsday! Episode 2-8, first aired 01/08/1969

22	The Secret Base: The Key Episode 2-9, first aired 01/15/1969

23	The Secret Base: Black Knight Episode 2-10, first aired 01/22/1969

24	The Secret Base: Vulcan Episode 2-11, first aired 01/29/1969

25	The Secret Base: Double Trouble Episode 2-12, first aired 02/05/1969

26	The Secret Base: Damocles! Episode 2-13, first aired 02/12/1969

27	Rammed! Episode 3-1, first aired 07/09/1969

28	The Banshee Episode 3-2, first aired 07/16/1969

29	Mined Episode 3-3, first aired 07/23/1969

30	Trapped Episode 3-4, first aired 07/30/1969

31	Tanks! Episode 3-5, first aired 08/06/1969

32	Caged! Episode 3-6, first aired 08/13/1969

33	The Tower Episode 3-7, first aired 08/20/1969

34	Triton Episode 3-8, first aired 08/27/1969

35	Kidnapped Episode 3-9, first aired 09/03/1969

36	The Voyage Episode 3-10, first aired 09/10/1969

37	The Island Episode 3-11, first aired 09/17/1969

38	Blockade Episode 3-12, first aired 09/24/1969

39	Thunderbolt! Episode 3-13, first aired 10/01/1969

40	Not in Jest Episode 4-1, first aired 04/29/1970

41	A Thing Like Death Episode 4-2, first aired 05/06/1970

42	Package Deal Episode 4-3, first aired 05/13/1970

43	Spartika Episode 4-4, first aired 05/20/1970

44	Merely Players Episode 4-5, first aired 05/27/1970

45	Agincourt Episode 4-6, first aired 06/03/1970

46	Microdot Episode 4-7, first aired 06/10/1970

47	Kythera! Episode 4-8, first aired 06/17/1970

48	The Dictator Episode 4-9, first aired 06/24/1970

49	Petrov Episode 4-10, first aired 07/01/1970

50	Decoy Episode 4-11, first aired 07/08/1970

51	Firing Squad Episode 4-12, first aired 07/15/1970

52	Explosion Episode 4-13, first aired 07/22/1970

53	Sniper! Episode 5-1, first aired 01/20/1971

54	Spin Off Episode 5-2, first aired 01/27/1971

55	The Mill Episode 5-3, first aired 02/03/1971

56	Blackmail Episode 5-4, first aired 02/10/1971

57	Zukov Episode 5-5, first aired 02/17/1971

58	Russian Roulette Episode 5-6, first aired 02/24/1971

59	Destruct Episode 5-7, first aired 03/03/1971

60	Zyton! Episode 5-8, first aired 03/10/1971

61	Entombed Episode 5-9, first aired 03/17/1971

62	Roll Up Episode 5-10, first aired 03/24/1971

63	Booby Trap Episode 5-11, first aired 03/31/1971

64	Pipeline Episode 5-12, first aired 04/07/1971

65	The Answer Episode 5-13, first aired 04/14/1971

66	Nero Episode 6-1, first aired 09/27/1971

67	Operation Seagull Episode 6-2, first aired 10/04/1971

68	Medusa Episode 6-3, first aired 10/11/1971

69	Mayday Episode 6-4, first aired 10/18/1971

70	Pirates Episode 6-5, first aired 10/25/1971

71	The Threat Episode 6-6, first aired 11/01/1971

72	Doomsday! Episode 6-7, first aired 11/08/1971

73	Black Box Episode 6-8, first aired 11/15/1971

74	Cypher Episode 6-9, first aired 11/22/1971

75	The Parcel Episode 6-10, first aired 11/29/1971

76	The Race Episode 6-11, first aired 12/06/1971

77	Red Herring Episode 6-12, first aired 12/13/1971

78	Pay Off! Episode 6-13, first aired 12/20/1971

79	Traitor! Episode 7-1, first aired 09/04/1972

80	The Race Episode 7-2, first aired 09/11/1972

81	Framed! Episode 7-3, first aired 09/18/1972

82	Vertigo! Episode 7-4, first aired 09/25/1972

83	The Knot Episode 7-5, first aired 10/02/1972

84	The War Game Episode 7-6, first aired 10/09/1972

85	Helga! (1) Episode 7-7, first aired 10/16/1972

86	Helga! (2) Episode 7-8, first aired 10/23/1972

87	Midsummer Episode 7-9, first aired 10/30/1972

88	The Mine Episode 7-10, first aired 11/06/1972

89	Tricked! Episode 7-11, first aired 11/13/1972

90	Ares! Episode 7-12, first aired 11/20/1972

91	Archimedes Episode 7-13, first aired 11/27/1972

92	Contact Episode 8-1, first aired 08/06/1973

93	Libra Episode 8-2, first aired 08/13/1973

94	The Auction Episode 8-3, first aired 08/20/1973

95	The Third Man Episode 8-4, first aired 09/03/1973

96	Rapids! Episode 8-5, first aired 09/10/1973

97	Darkness at Noon Episode 8-6, first aired 09/17/1973

98	Double-Cross! Episode 8-7, first aired 09/24/1973

99	Impasse! Episode 8-8, first aired 10/01/1973

100	The Crypt! Episode 8-9, first aired 10/08/1973

101	Switched! Episode 8-10, first aired 10/15/1973

102	Break-Up Episode 8-11, first aired 10/22/1973

103	The Think Bank Episode 8-12, first aired 10/29/1973

104	The Hoist Episode 8-13, first aired 11/05/1973

COMIC BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, AND MANGA

Number of Stories:	5
First Appearance:	1971
Last Appearance:	1971

IPC Magazines was a very prolific entertainment publisher in Britain from the 60s until the present. Quite a few different titles showed up under its umbrella through the years and many were popular enough to last several decades.

Look-In was one of those successful titles. It came into existence in the year 70s and hung around for twenty-plus years. Each weekly issue of 25-30 pages was filled with all sorts of topics about the television industry, all geared to the teenage market. Many articles of the popular shows (American and English) and some movies would be written, often talking about the stars and their likes and dislikes. There would be quite a few comic strips in each as well with most of the serialized adventures having one or two pages of the story in each issue.

The Freewheelers would be one of those strips. In fact, they would be in the inaugural issue along with Wreckers at Dead Eye, Crowther in Trouble, Please, Sir!, and Timeslip. Some of these, like the Freewheelers, would eventually be replaced by others.

The first 26 issues of Look-In would each have two pages in a storyline. The first tale would last 7 issues, the second would go 8, the third 4, and the fourth 7. Then the Freewheelers would take a hiatus until the end of the year when it would come back for one final, longer story. Then it would disappear for good.

Of these 5 adventures, 4 were graphic tales and are represented below. The other one, the 3rd story of the 5, was a 4-page text adventure and can be found in Novellas.

Note: the titles for each of these stories is my own.


1			'The Escaped Spy' Published by ITV Copyright: 1971 From Look-In v1 #1 to v1 #7 - 14 pages - The trio in the Freewheelers group for this adventure are Max Prentiss, Mike Hobbs, and Sue Craig, working under the temporary direction of Major Tom Graham. The three are offered a good chunk of money to drive a lorry carrying a large crate to a spot in Cornwall. Needing the money to paint their boat, they take it but soon learn, once the box is stolen from them, that it was being used to smuggle an escaped traitor. Click here to read the story.

2			'Rebellion in Rabat' Published by ITV Copyright: 1971 From Look-In v1 #8 to v1 #15 - 16 pages - Carlos Franger is a enemy of Major Graham, leader of the Freewheelers, and the man behind the backing of rebels in the oil rich country of Rabat. He is about to gain control of the nation and that is something Graham does not want to happen. He sends Max, Mike, and Sue of the Freewheelers to that country to be on hand to help stop the rebels. Click here to read the story.

3			'Stranger in the Castle Ruins' Published by ITV Copyright: 1971 From Look-In v1 #20 to v1 #26 - 14 pages - Heading on a vacation to the northeast of England, the Freewheelers, Max, Mike, and Sue, are surprised to be stopped by a policeman who gives them a directive from Major Graham to head to a castle ruin but what they are to do and who they are to meet remains a secret. Click here to read the story.

4			'Rescuing Is Our Business' Published by ITV Copyright: 1971 From Look-In v1 #50 to v2 #11 -26 pages - A top nuclear scientist in an Eastern European country wants to defect and Colonel Buchan needs the help of the Freewheelers, Mike, Sue, and Steve, to head to that nation and assist in smuggling the man out. Click here to read the story.

MY COMMENTS

The age I was when this series came out, mid-teens, I would have loved this half-hour action spy drama a lot. Unfortunately, wrong country, wrong continent, so I never knew about it. Looking on YouTube, I do not see much of it other than snippets but those do give a good idea of what was there. The changing of the characters would have gotten annoying, though.

The books are pretty good young adult reading and do a good job of capturing what I believe was the feel of the television show. So do the comic books/strips. Worth the time spent reading them.

GRADE

My Grade: B

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