Thursday 1 September 2016

September 1st, 1976 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

Get down the disco and cover yourself in glitter - because, in this week in 1976, Dancing Queen by ABBA hit the Number One slot on the British singles chart and cemented their position as the late 1970s' supreme musical force. Was there anyone not excited by this development?

Of course there wasn't!

But could the output of Marvel UK match it for epoch-making excitement?

Marvel UK, The Titans #46, Fantastic Four vs Sub-Mariner

I wonder what the Red Skull's trap of doom was?

Did it involve the Cosmic Cube? It always seemed to feature in his plans in this era of Marvel history.

Given its all-powerfulness, you do wonder why he never seemed to be able to win, even when he had it.

Marvel UK, Planet of the Apes #98

I spot a cover by Happy Herb Trimpe.

Having your eyeballs on stalks may do wonders for your image if you're trying to look disturbing but I can't help feeling it's a serious disadvantage if you're planning to get into a fist fight. It does make it very easy for your foe to do you a mischief.

And you're going to impress no one down the disco, dancing to ABBA, with your eyeballs tied in knots.

Mighty World of Marvel #205, The Avengers and Triton

It's another classic issue, as the Inhumans get involved in the Kree/Skrull War.

I remember being very impressed by the sequence in which Triton emerges from the sewers.

In fact, I was so impressed by it that, ever since, I've made it  my policy to always arrive everywhere via the sewers.

Is the Wolf-Woman in the Conan story the woman who introduced Conan to the ways of physical naughtiness? Or was that another wolf-woman I'm thinking of?

Super Spider-Man  with the Super-Heroes #186, the Green Goblin

I believe the Thor story is the senses-shattering climax of the Infinity storyline.

I have a soft spot for any story that features Hela. I do feel it's impossible to insert a seven foot tall death goddess into a tale without improving it.

Speaking of things that could be improved upon, this appears to be the issue in which the Invaders invade the comic. I remember not welcoming this development with open arms at the time.

They definitely needed a seven foot tall death goddess to be let loose on them.

4 comments:

dangermash aka The Artistic Actuary said...

I don't remember being thrilled by the Invaders either. And that was years before I was able to tell the difference between good and awful artwork. So I,m guessing they must have replaced Thing Team-Up (Marvel Two In One in US speak) in the SSMatT lineup. If they'd replaced Doctor Strange I'd have been doing cartwheels.

dangermash aka The Artistic Actuary said...

Aarghhh! No sooner had I posted that than I had a sudden memory flash. At the same time as Invaders joined the lineup, I think another strip joined. The memory flashback is a page in the previous week's comic advertising that two new strips would be starting the following week. The other one may have been Spider-Man Teamup (Marvel Teamup in US speak) with both Thing and Doctor Strange dropping out.

Steve W. said...

Sadly, I can't remember what the Invaders replaced, nor whether another strip was added as well. I do know, from looking ahead a few issues, that The Thing's strip wasn't dropped to make way for it.

dangermash aka The Artistic Actuary said...

Well, I'm 99% sure that Thor and Iron Man weren't dropped, so Doctor Strange must have been. And if I'm right and Spider-Man Teamup started at the same time as Invaders, then we must have gone from five strips to six (I've looked ahead just now and you're right about the Thing). But it's all a big mystery. All we have to rely on are hazy memories and banners along the top of covers. Which is what this website is all about.