The Marvel Lucky Bag - October 1985.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Wait!

What's that?

It's a cinema!

And, if I enter it, what shall I find within?

Assuming it's a sizeable one - and it's in the habit of only showing films released in October 1985 - I shall find such delights as Commando, Dreamchild, Jagged Edge, A Zed & Two Noughts, Re-Animator and I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later.

Of those, I shall, of course, name Re-Animator as my Film of the Month, as it's the only one I've ever seen, although I have heard A Zed & Two Noughts being spoken of in hushed whispers. Mostly on Channel Four which I seem to remember being quite keen on showing it, during the station's more pretentious era.

For a long time, some of us have wondered how come all of America's super-powered people seem to live in New York City.

Now, at last, that's about to change, as the West Coast Avengers gain their very own monthly and prepare to fight whatever villains turn up in that part of the world.

And it seems some seriously serious villains do turn up, because this 39-page monster sees our heroes' HQ being attacked by both Ultron and the Lethal Legion!

Far away from that, everyone's favourite married couple also receive a new mag of their own. One destined to run for twelve issues and, in which, the pair appear to be having trouble with Nekra, Black Talon and the Grim Reaper!

Secret Wars II is almost halfway through its run and it's time for the Beyonder to explore the human concept of desire. For this purpose, he selects the Dazzler who, I assume, he must have decided is the most desirable woman on Earth.

However, all his attempts to win her over fail and he quickly gives up on that idea.

Fans of barbarian and jungle action will be pleased to learn that Savage Tales is back from the grave!

Or perhaps they won't, as there's no sign of the book's previous stalwarts Conan and Ka-Zar.

Instead we get tales which bear such titles as The Nam 1967, Marla, Avenger, A Pizza and Across the Rio Grande from such talents as Michael Golden, Herb Trimpe, John Severin, Will Jungkuntz and Gray Morrow.

Despite some venerable names being on that list, it would appear that none of these tales are reprints.

Yes, I have included this one purely for a very odd Michael Golden cover that looks almost like a parody.

Inside, the mag's mostly dominated by a 50-page adventure in which an ageing Queen sends Conan in search of magical springs that can restore her lost youth.

It also delivers a 10-pager in which the barbarian refuses to abandon an arm-wrestling match, even though soldiers are out to get him.

Their original book didn't last for an eternity but, now, those determined dwellers of isolated peaks and out-of-the-way places are back for a limited series, starting with a thriller called A Mirror for Mortality!

After that, we encounter a four-page yarn which I do believe relates the origins of the Eternals, Humans and Deviants, for any who may have missed the explanation the last time round.

The East Coast Avengers receive their fourteenth annual and do so with a 40-page epic that I'm assuming ties in with their monthly book, as that is also currently featuring plenty of outer space Skrull action.

Chris Warner produces a cover I think we'll never forget - no matter how hard we try - while, inside the book, our favourite legion from the cosmos enters a story called Desperate Measures. Of which, I know nothing.

That's followed by a short adventure called Disaster Signal. Of which, I also know nothing.

Forty years ago today - October 1985.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Let us see just what the mid-1980s has to offer us.

I'm struggling to recall much about this one but am aware that, now all the recent unpleasantness in Asgard is resolved, Thor assembles an army of his mates to invade Hel and liberate anyone being unjustly held there.

Also attempting an invasion are the Fantastic Four who've uninvitedly entered the realm of Psycho-Man...

...only to be captured and tormented!

As far as I can recall, Barry Smith and Chris Claremont bring us a tale in which, having earlier been shot in the head, Storm makes her recovery in an African village and, thanks to her interactions with the locals, learns valuable life lessons that I'm sure will stand her in good stead when she finally regains her powers and stops being useless to everybody.

I'm not saying Spider-Man's a jinx but yet another member of his social circle dies when Jean DeWolff is shot in her apartment.

Needless to say, the webby wonder sets out to apprehend her killer.

But he may have bigger problems on his plate because, thanks to his super-senses, Matt Murdock comes to realise Peter Parker is, in fact, Spider-Man!

Bruce Banner's hanging around a limbo-like crossroads while taking a look back at his life and unhappy childhood.

Needless to say, that includes a re-telling of the origin of the Hulk.

But all this introspection attracts the attention of the Beyonder.

And who can know what that might lead to?

It looks like pressing times ahead for Cap when Sidewinder creates a team of super-villains the world can only know as The Serpent Society.

But is the Constrictor as keen on the idea as the rest of the gang?

And is that going to cause him to betray them to the star-spangled Avenger?

Deep in the depths of deepest space, the Avengers quickly realise they must work with what's left of the Skrull Empire, in order to bring a halt to the piratical activities of Nebula and her shipmates.

Bruce Banner isn't the only one having a brush with the Beyonder, because Daredevil's also found him interfering in his life.

In this instance, the all-powerful alien says he'll restore Matt Murdock's eyesight if the lawyer agrees to represent him in court as he bids to legally gain ownership of Planet Earth.

Will our hero be tempted?

Or will his principles hold sway?

I do believe that, on his way to somewhere or other, Conan takes a boat trip on the river of death.

But, needless to say, even Death itself can't survive an encounter with Conan's broadsword.

All I recall of this one is that Firelord's angry about something and it's up to Spidey to try and stop his latest rampage. Which is going to take some doing, bearing in mind the fiery alien's power-set.

That bounder Obadiah Stane's abducted a whole bunch of Tony Stark's closest friends, in a bid to lure the former arms tycoon into a fight.

But is it really wise to arouse the wrath of the original Iron Man?

October 18th, 1975 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

This week in 1975 saw great news for those who aren't keen on deadly diseases, thanks to the planet's last naturally-occurring case of smallpox being diagnosed and cured. The patient was two-year-old Rahima Banu who, Wikipedia informs me, is still with us.

Meanwhile, prehistory is also made because I do believe this is the week that finally brings an end to Conan's Living Tarim story line, thanks to that character being ruthlessly slaughtered by his own guards.

Not that that affects his career trajectory because it turns out a lifeless corpse can carry out the functions of a living Tarim perfectly comfortably.

Elsewhere, the Invaders foolishly take on a trio of Avengers in war-torn Paris.

Not they know that they're Avengers, or what they're doing in Paris. But it does mean the Vision gets to fight himself without knowing it.

Even more dramatically, I do believe we reach the finale of the Kang/Grandmaster melodrama, with the Kangster blowing his chance of revenge upon the team, thanks to him forgetting the Black Knight isn't actually an Avenger!

And I do believe Shang-Chi and Groucho Marx now enter the sewers of New York, as they pursue someone or other for some reason or other.

The cover blurb implies Dracula's inside the room.

The picture implies he's outside the room.

Which is the deadly truth?

I can't remember but I'm fairly sure we're still in the midst of the tale in which he and a young lady must survive a night in a house haunted by the ghost of an Aleister Crowley type figure.

Following that, the Living Mummy proves to be more alive than the Living Tarim but, no doubt, will struggle to keep it that way when he finds himself in The Asp's Big Score.

And the Werewolf by Night's battling to rescue his sister from the clutches of Ma Mayhem and Baron Thunder.

But, this time, he has an advantage!

He has a ring which allows him to retain his normal intelligence, no matter how furry he gets!

Our primate protagonists have escaped the Planet of the Apes but it looks like escaping the forearm of a fellow simian's going to be a far greater challenge.

Beyond the death of poor old Dr Milo, this issue contains the dramatic moment when Zira reveals, to her human hosts, that she and Cornelius can speak!

Elsewhere, Warlock's battle with the Brute continues. A battle that I think climaxes with the death of Counter-Earth's Dr Doom.

And I do believe it may also witness the demise of the strip, as I suspect Adam will not be appearing in the comic again.

Also making his last appearance in the mag is Captain Marvel who aims to go out in style by battling the Sub-Mariner for reasons I don't recall.

It's a classic tale for Spidey who travels to Curt Connors' not-at-all nightmarish beach house, looking to develop a cure for his current condition of having too many arms...

...only to encounter not only the Lizard but, also, Morbius the living vampire!

The Living Tarim? The Living Mummy? The Living Vampire? You can't move, this week, for living people.

But what I remember most about this issue, from when I first read it, is me suddenly realising that the colours on its cover consisted of tiny dots - and me, therefore, subsequently trying to colour in a picture by using tiny, hand-drawn dots.

I soon realised that such an act was more trouble than it was worth, and I never again dared repeat such a dread experiment.

Iron Man, meanwhile, has a scrap on his hands when he must thwart a deadly robot built by the mad scientist father of Tony Stark's latest love interest Janice Cord. This tale is, of course, brought to us by the plucky pencil of Johnny Craig, an artist whose quaint and tidy simplicity I've always had a soft spot for.

And I do believe Thor sees off his love rival Him but, in doing so, succumbs to Warrior Madness.

And Odin hasn't given him permission to become insane.

And that means Thor's in trouble with his dad.

Again.

Its the return of Tiger Shark - and the return of that cover from just five issues ago.

This time, however, the cover's appropriate, as the jade juggernaut does indeed find himself in watery conflict with Prince Namor's old foe.

And it all happens because Bruce Banner decides to gatecrash Glenn and Betty's Niagara Falls honeymoon.

Back in New York, the man without fear's still striving to introduce the knuckles of democracy to the chin of the Stilt-Man who's out to kill Foggy Nelson, in his bid to sink the lawyer's quest to become District Attorney.

And the Silver Surfer's determined to be a threat to all mankind, in a bid to get mankind to grow up. Needless to say, thanks to the Fantastic Four, that bid fails and, seeing the error his of ways, the pewter pontificator agrees not to get up to that sort of thing again.

It's an exciting week for me, as the Human Top makes his debut in the pages of Giant-Man's strip.

I, of course, hold that tale in high regard, simply because I first read it in the pages of an Alan Class comic. Astounding Stories #93, to be precise. A fact which, of course, lent a whole other kind of magic to it.

Following that, the Cat has plenty to worry about, as she must deal with the overwhelming menace of the villain the world knows as the Owl!

And the X-Men must survive their first encounter with the Mimic who seeks to join their ranks but is a bit short-tempered.

And, as we all know, no short-tempered character could ever be accommodated within an X-Men lineup.

Atlas/Seaboard October 1975.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Atlas/Seaboard; the company launched with a mission.

A mission to sink Marvel Comics and take over the American market.

With Marvel's former publisher Martin Goodman at the helm and a huge pile of cash in its bank account, it couldn't possibly fail.

And yet it did. A victim of the clumsiness of its comics and the randomness of its editorial decisions.

But did it at least go out in style?

It goes out with the Phoenix, in his fourth issue, having a dramatic change of direction when he tries to kill himself by friction - but is instead rescued by Teutonic aliens who employ nurses in space bikinis and give him a new costume, a new name, new powers and a new mission.

Surely, from now on, he'll be unstoppable.

Or would be if he hadn't already stopped.

Regardless, in some ways I'm glad the Phoenix is the last Atlas character to bite the bullet, as I always felt he was one of the company's more potential-packed super-doers. As such, it seems only right that he should outlive their lesser lights. Even if it is by just one month.

But this shall not be the end of the story.

Because, from nowhere, he and several other Atlas heroes will return, thanks to 2011's three-part Atlas Unified mini-series.

During 1974 & 1975, Atlas/Seaboard published 28 titles, all of which failed to survive past their fourth issue, and introduced a whole slew of new characters to the world, many of whom had a fondness for cannibalism and near-plagiarism. It would be easy to say they it was not a popular company but some of us have a respect for plucky underdogs and have fond memories of buying their books. In my case, during a two-week buying frenzy in the summer of 1975 when they seemed to be everywhere and really did look like they were here to stay.

Will we ever see their likes again?

We can only stare at any empty spinner racks we come across in our journey through life, and wonder...

The Marvel Lucky Bag - October 1975.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

What amazing movies were unleashed, released, escaped, paroled or let out for good behaviour, this month in 1975?

These amazing movies were: The Giant Spider Invasion, Rooster Cogburn, Lies My Father Told Me, Shivers, Royal Flash, Lisztomania, Mahogany, Hard Times and Conduct Unbecoming.

And I have a feeling I've never seen any of them.

I do recall The Giant Spider Invasion being on the telly, the other night. However, I didn't watch it, having assumed it to be the one that stars William Shatner, which I've already seen.

But, apparently, it's not the one that stars William Shatner.

I am shocked to discover there's a film called Mahogany, having never before realised that Diana Ross's Theme From Mahogany was from an actual film, rather than it just being a song with a weird title.

My recollections of this one are more than fuzzy but I have a feeling the whole tale might be told in flashback.

And the GCD tells me it's directly narrated, in person, by Steve Gerber who appears throughout the issue.

Conan rides into action, once again, when he occupies a tale called The Forever Phial which sees an immortal sorcerer conspire to get the barbarian to end his life for him.

That's followed by The Gods Of The Hyborian Age, Part III: The Elder Gods then Death Song of Conan the Cimmerian and then Sorcerer's Summit.

But we complete the issue with The Hyborian Age, Chapter 2: The Rise of the Hyborians and, finally, Corsairs Against Stygia!

As you might guess, this issue sees the first full appearance of Starhawk!

And there's plenty more action where that came from, as Nighthawk, Charlie and Martinex get captured by the Badoon, Starhawk helps Vance and Valkyrie return to Earth, and the Hulk and Yondu find themselves engaged in a thing called the Super-Death Sweepstakes!

Warlock's previous attempt to sustain a mag of his own failed after just eight issues but, following his triumphant run in Strange Tales, he's got his old book back, and picks up the numbering where he left off!

Needless to say, Adam's still trying to thwart the Magus and his church and I do believe this issue sees the first appearance of the In-Betweener.

Not to mention the return of Thanos.

At last, after all this time, the Incredible Hulk gets a Giant-Size comic of his very own!

And astute readers will have guessed, from that cover, that it centres around a reprint of 1968's Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1.

That's the tale in which our superstar encounters the Evil Inhumans who try to recruit him in their latest plot to overthrow Black Bolt.

Marvel Presents #1 introduces us to a contemporary of Conan that the world will, no doubt, take to its heart, as Ulysses Bloodstone arrives to battle a whole array of fiends with names you can't pronounce.

This month, he must tackle none other than Ullux'yl Kwan T'ae 'Sny. It's hard to understand why he's not become one of Marvel's most popular villains.

Needless to say, we also encounter Bloodstone's origin and discover just how someone from the Hyborian Age happens to be around in the 20th Century.

Who needs Dr Strange?

Not us. Thanks to Marvel Chillers #1, we have Modred the Mystic to save us whenever supernatural peril abounds.

And it seems we get his origin. And it seems he's been asleep since the days of King Arthur and is awakened by something or other to do with that pesky Darkhold they're always fighting for in Werewolf by Night.

But hold on. Isn't Modred supposed to be a bad guy?

Regardless, that's followed by the three-page short It Happened in the Attic!, reprinted from the pages of 1957's Mystical Tales #7.

Yet another crack team of super-doers smashes its way into our lives, as the Champions go flying out of the starting blocks.

And how can a comic that features such fan favourites as Hercules, the Black Widow, Ghost-Rider, Angel and Iceman fail?

Come to think of it, I don't have a clue what happens in this issue or just how this disparate group manage to come together.

I do note that various anti-social Greek gods show up, this month. I shall, therefore, assume that it's activity by them which forces the heroes to assemble.

For those of us who never got to read the Doug Moench and George Tuska adaptation of the movie of the talking apes, we get another chance to read it, thanks to a brand new comic.

But what can be the shocking secret of the Planet of the Apes?

What?

October 11th, 1975 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

On October 11th, 1975, Model World made its first appearance on BBC television. In it, man of the people, Robert Alexander Baron Schutzmann von Schutzmansdorff showed us all how to make a model railway from bits of paper and cardboard.

Believe it or not, this was the most interesting thing that happened in the world on that day.

There was only one thing for it! We were going to have to take refuge in the thrills and spills of Marvel UK, as never before!

But, before that, what of those vital UK charts?

When it came to the singles listings, David Essex was still ruling the roost with Hold Me Close.

While, on the LP rankings, Rod Stewart stood supreme with Atlantic Crossing.

Hold Me Close is, of course, a classic but there were other tracks that gained my approval on that week's Hit Parade. Among them were:

Sailing - Rod Stewart

SOS - ABBA

Moonlighting - Leo Sayer

The Last Farewell - Roger Whittaker

Space Oddity - David Bowie

and

Love Is the Drug - Roxy Music.

Should one wish to study the matter in further depth, that week's UK singles chart can be discovered here.

While the accompanying album chart dwells within.

The Avengers tackle the team who'll become the Invaders, in what my razor-sharp senses tell me can only be Blackpool.

But, first, I do believe Conan finally discovers the truth about the Living Tarim whose existence has been the main cause of all the unpleasantness of the past few months.

Then, the Black Knight finds himself drawn into the Grandmaster and Kang's chess match, even as Yellowjacket, Cap and the Vision find themselves confronting a trio of 1940s super-doers.

And Shang-Chi's still having an adventure in the back of Groucho Marx's taxi.

Despite what that cover might imply, the king of vampires hasn't decided to enter the world of show business.

Instead, he's spending the night in a haunted house possessed by the spirit of an Aleister Crowley like character.

Elsewhere, I do believe Jack Russell gets his hands on a ring which enables him to keep his human mind, even while he's in the form of a werewolf.

And that's good news because he's going to need all the smarts he can summon when he comes up against the bludgeoning bulk of Baron Thunder.

And I do believe the Living Mummy's hanging around in a desert, for reasons I'm not sure of.

We're still escaping from the Planet of the Apes.

Although "escape" may be the wrong word because our chimpanzee adventurers find themselves in a cage at the zoo and having to pretend they can't speak, in order to preserve their safety.

Next, I do believe Captain Marvel must confront the Sub-Mariner, for reasons I can't recall. AND he has to put up with the malevolent Yon-Rogg watching his every move for signs of treason!

And it would appear Adam Warlock's still having trouble with Counter-Earth's version of Reed Richards - also known as The Brute!

Drama can't get more dramatic than this because not only does Spider-Man wake from a dream, to discover he now has six arms, we also get our first encounter with Morbius the living vampire!

Well, Spider-Man may have six arms but AIM have three Iron Mans.

It's true. Those badly behaved beekeepers have managed to make three duplicates of Tony Stark's armour!

And I think we can assume they're not going to use them for the betterment of mankind.

Elsewhere, I think Thor's still looking to beat up Him for trying to steal his girl.

If we don't count that cover from the other week, Tiger Shark makes what I believe to be his Marvel UK debut.

And it all happens when Bruce Banner heads to Niagara Falls after discovering Betty and Glenn are honeymooning there.

Quite what he expects to do when he gets there, I don't know but what he actually does get to do is launch into a scrap with the fin-foreheaded fiend who thinks the Sub-Mariner must have sent him.

Following that, Daredevil's fists engage in vigorous political debate with the Stilt-Man's face when the telescopic terror is hired to kill Foggy Nelson, in the mob's ruthless attempt to prevent him from becoming District Attorney.

And the FF have problems when the Silver Surfer decides the best way to unite mankind is for him to become its deadly enemy!

It's terrible news for Giant-Man fans, as the crane-sized crime-clobberer gets literally rubbed out by the Living Eraser!

That's followed by the senses-shattering conclusion of the Cat's origin.

And I do suspect the X-Men have to prevent Magneto from making clones of the Worthington family!

But an oddity does strike me.

Which is that all the heroes on this cover will go on to be replaced, in their roles, by someone else.

The original X-Men will be replaced by the New X-Men, Greer Nelson's Cat will be superseded by Patsy Walker's Hellcat, and Hank Pym will be replaced, as Ant-Man, by Scott Lang and, as Goliath, by Clint Barton and Bill Foster.