Stingray W.A.S.P. Technical Operations Manual by Chris Thompson & Andrew Clements (book review).
Now, read instructions: Read alone and be very suspicious of anyone sounding like actor Peter Lorre at your door telling you that your security clearance isn’t high enough to read this book, ‘Stingray W.A.S.P. Technical Operations Manual’ by Chris Thompson & Andrew Clements.
Actually, it’s more than a WASP book, as it covers the technology and the ten undersea races as well. Seeing the world map shows how close Titanica is to the west coast and Marineville. If depicted as a true globe, Marina’s home, Pacifica, would be in close proximity to Titanica.
Looking at Marineville and bearing in mind I’m probably more than familiar with the series when I first saw it back in 1965, I can raise questions now or see if the writers recognised any key points. Marineville is ten miles from the coast, so why, as a submarine base, does it have a control tower so high and targetable before the ‘rebuild’ when under attack? However, when you realise how many aircraft and missile functions it has, Marineville could also be considered as an airbase, which makes the control tower’s position understandable. Speaking of the ‘rebuild’, the authors don’t account for what happens to the injector tube length when it happens. Come to that, Marina’s seat position is directly behind the two crew but moves back on the way down to land in her position at the back of the submarine. There is also no indication that the Orca, Stingray’s eventual replacement, and a crew of six will be using injector tubes to get its crew down to the submarine.
I appreciate how they detail the development of Stingray as the W.A.S.P.’s flagship submarine. It’s always a shame in the original series and rarely in the comic book strip that we ever saw the others in their fleet. They don’t explain why the ratemaster rotor at the back doesn’t cause Stingray to rotate in a circle but gives an account of the wing thrusters and a secondary propulsion system for additional thrust, classified in the 1965 annual.
I hadn’t realised George Sheridan was a mercenary before joining W.A.S.P. I checked the original 1965 ‘Stingray Annual’ again, where he is called a ‘soldier-of-fortune’, and realised they were matching their source material, which is good because it’s consistent.
Then again, considering Sam Shore was an aquanaut and often away, how could he raise his daughter, Atlanta? Equally, you would have thought that they might have taught Marina sign language, although it is noted they taught her how to write.
I would question the depth of Titanica at 5000 fathoms, as it’s deeper than the Mariana Trench and has even bigger problems with visibility underwater.
Amphibians and air-breathers divide the undersea races. Although there is some attempt to match species connections and evolution, I doubt if W.A.S.P. has been able to do enough research to find the connections. Certainly the despot Titan’s own species has never been found. I found it slightly amusing that the Prismans reliance on a terrestrial lighthouse to feed light to awaken anemones to provide electrical power was a bit freeloading, or how did they do that prior to the lighthouse?
Much of this book’s information comes from the TV series re-enacting events with only the Sea-Leopard from the comic TV21’s depiction. Although Aquatraz is mentioned on TV, it isn’t here.
I don’t usually draw attention to the art in these books simply because it would draw curiosity and comparison to the original blueprints in the original TV21 and its annuals, which haven’t really been beaten. Unlike the classified information then, which didn’t reveal everything, the extra information about Stingray’s propulsion system is covered here. The bigger paintings of Stingray and other crafts in action here are quite impressive. There are also a lot of photographs, making it a useful volume to own.
Is there anything missed? How about ‘P.W.O.R.’? I am following the instructions that I have received. Not a mention or any other code words or abbreviations that W.A.S.P. personnel use. I’m just paying attention. Get it while it’s in its first printing.
GF Willmetts
June 2026
(pub: Anderson Entertainment/ITV Studios, 2025. 160 page illustrated oblong standard edition hardback. Price: £37.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-914522-70-3)
check out websites: www.gerryanderson.com and https://gerryanderson.com/products/stingray-wasp-technical-operations-manual-standard-edition-hardcover-book
