Thursday 16 November 2017

November 16th, 1977 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

It's time to get your white suit on and strut your way down your local high street because forty years ago this week saw the release of Saturday Night Fever, that Disco classic that went on to become the biggest-selling album of all time - at least until Michael Jackson's Thriller came along and proved that, if anything, he was somehow even groovier than the Bee Gees.

But if we were all getting down and burning it up that week, what of the stars of our favourite comics company?

Were they tripping the light fantastic?

Or were they merely dancing with tears in their eyes?

Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain #249, Dr Faustus

That dastardly psychiatrist Doctor Faustus tries to defeat our hero by convincing him he's going mad.

Admittedly, it's not the most original ploy of all time. As far as I can remember, by this point, Mysterio had already tried exactly the same plan on at least three separate occasions.

And one of them wasn't even the real Mysterio!

Rampage #5, the Defenders vs the Executioner

Hooray! The Defenders find themselves fighting the Executioner.

Given that he's just a thug with an axe, that might not seem all that exciting but, where stalks the Executioner, surely the Enchantress can't be far away.

And where stalks the Enchantress, surely a certain sword-wielding, horse-bothering heroine can't be far away.

Mighty World of Marvel #268, the Hulk and Dr Druid

The Hulk is a mere pawn in Doctor Druid and the Maha Yogi's game.

I must confess I don't have a clue what the Maha Yogi's game is but I suspect it's not Subbuteo.

Complete Fantastic Four #8, Annihilus

Annihilus is back!

Isn't this the one where Reed Richards does something or other to his son to stop him being dangerous or something?

As you can see, I'm fully clued up about it all.

But I've always wanted to read this tale, ever since a panel from it was featured in the book of Monsters I was given one Christmas.

And you can read my ramblings about that book by clicking on this very link right here.

14 comments:

Timothy Field said...

Always be a little curious about the Executioner's 'head markings' (I should possibly get out more) up until very recently I'd always it was how he styled his hair, a sort of Asgardian alternative to the combover but seeing it represented as a sort of Tattoo in the new Thor movie has shaken some fundamental beliefs.

Steve W. said...

I must confess I've always seen it as hair as well.

Darren Clayton said...

I think given that he was introduced with that style in the early 60s, there's no way it would have been anything other than hair.

Steve W. said...

It's starting to look like it's unanimous that it's hair.

Timothy Field said...

Hair it is then. Though I applaud the artistic choice to change it for the movie. As a haircut on celluloid it is probably second only to Wolverine's 'do' in the impossible to make look cool stakes.

Anonymous said...

Also 40 years ago this week - the final episode of 'Dad's Army', broadcast on November 13th 1977. The series lasted three years longer than World War II itself. I've heard no mention of the 40th anniversary of the final episode - perhaps because next year is the 50th anniversary of the FIRST episode. Apparently, when the Queen dies the BBC intends to broadcast Dad's Army in order to calm this grief-stricken land. I fear I will be too distressed to watch the antics of Captain Mainwaring and co.

It's next week that Reed does something or other to his son to stop him being dangerous.

Michael Jackson groovier than the Bee Gees ? Never !!!

Steve W. said...

Thanks for the Reed Richards clarification, Colin.

As for the Michael Jackson v Bee Gees argument. I sense a poll coming on...

Steve W. said...

Poll now added. Don't forget to vote, everyone. Remember, it might be the only chance you ever get to have a say on such a vital matter.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

I grew up a few miles down the road from MJ in Gary, Indiana, in the 1960s and early 70s. The whole family lived in a very blue collar part of town (i.e., in the city limits, lol, like all of us) in a house as big as a1 car garage with like 9 people. The city now is a complete and total wreck whose population fell from 150,000 to 50,000. Anyhow my vote goes for MJ!

Steve W. said...

Charlie, don't forget to vote in the sensational poll at the top of the page.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Sir Charlie has voted with pride!

Anonymous said...

A few years ago I heard Barry Gibb interviewed on the radio and he insisted that the Bee Gees sang "white soul" not disco in the late '70s.

Charlie, I wonder if the citizens of Gary believe Trump's promise that he'll restore manufacturing to its' heyday in the '50s and '60s ?

I've also just voted in the sensational poll :)

Charlie Horse 47 said...

There's no one left in Gary, Colin, lol. E.g., I had a summer job in 1983 at Inland Steel during college and we had 33,000 people on site and I made the equivalent of $25 hour as unskilled labor. That's where america's huge middle class came from. But the jobs started leaving in the 1970s due to Japanese and European steel and auto imports. Inland Steel now employs about 4000 workers at $15 hour and no benefits. So only a naive or foolish person thinks the ship that sailed 45! years ago is due back in port.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

The reason for Chicago's gang and murder problem is that the unskilled labor jobs paying $50,000 year left with the steel mills. So the high school drop outs of which Chicago has 50-75% among minorities took to drug trafficking. Very simple.