Speak Your Brain! Part 132. Fads and crazes of the 1970s & '80s.

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

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Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

Can it be true?

Can there really be a human left on the planet Earth who doesn't know what the purpose of Speak Your Brain is?

It seems unlikely but, just in case there is, I can exposit that it is the red hot and legendary feature in which only the reader and nobody else can decide just what is to be the day's subject for debate.

That being the case, make sure to register that subject in the comments section below, before it's too late and all is lost.

The DC Lucky Bag - August 1976.

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

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It is time for me to spin my Steve-Does-Destiny Wheel of Fortune marked "August 1976" and see what random DC comics appear on it when I do so.

As is worthy of the only war comic I have ever liked, Weird War Tales is still going strong.

And, this month, it goes strong with such knuckle-whitening nightmares as Bloodbath of the Toy Soldiers, Justice for All Includes Children 5, The Day after Doomsday and The Warrior.

Maybe it's just me but I'm convinced that every other issue of Weird War Tales featured a story called The Warrior.

The Secret Society of Super-Villains hits its second issue and, from that Dick Giordano cover, it seems that Captain Comet hits the Green Lantern!

As for the book's juicy innards, that selfsame Captain returns to Earth where he mistakes Hal Jordan for a villain and launches into a punch-up with him.

Clearly impressed by such smarts, Gorilla Grodd and Hi-Jack invite him to join the Society.

And it's a society that's about to become a little more transparent, as this is the month in which we also discover the identity of the gang's mysterious funder!

I may or may not detect an Ernie Chan cover tribute to Neal Adams' frontage for Detective Comics #413. The similarity is vague enough to be pure coincidence or to be seen as merely subtle, depending on how you look at it.

Regardless, we've reached the series' penultimate issue, in which the Joker commits a robbery while dressed as the Scarecrow.

Needless to say, the real Scarecrow isn't having that sort of thing and decides to hunt down the clown prince of crime, in search of vengeance.

I could never resist an issue of House of Mystery and in this, no doubt, irresistible offering, we encounter tales with such nightmare-inducing titles as Kronos -- Zagros -- Eborak!, Justice for All Includes Children 6 and Your Epitaph Is Only a Birthday Card.

According to the GCD, Qwardian youths turn Arthur Sommar into Skragg the super sniper.

I've no idea what any of that means but I can only conclude that it's bad news for the Freedom Fighters - and for everyone else.

The site also informs me that this issue's inks are credited to Juan Canale who seems to be Vince Colletta but no one seems to know why he's so pseudonymously credited.

It would appear it's not just the Green Lantern who has to worry about a team of super-villains. So does the Flash when a bunch of them learn the Top has died.

However, before he went, he forced them to go in search of six pieces of a bomb that will destroy Central City if they don't stop it.

And there's more because, in our second adventure, the Ravagers of Olys devolve Green Lantern into an ape.

The unmitigated bounders.

August 18th, 1976 - 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. 

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Let us tarry not... ...and leap straight into the action.

I detect the tale in which the Fantastic Four find themselves up against the Maggia - and having more trouble with them than you'd expect.

I shall declare that the whole idea of those villains turning up in the FF's book seems like near-heresy. Surely, the people who took on Galactus, Annihilus and Dr Doom shouldn't be lumbered with fighting a bunch of small-time gangsters who can't even beat Daredevil.

And, speaking of FF foes, the Sub-Mariner clashes with the Thing in New York City, for possession of the Helmet of Power. Clashes, that is, until Betty Dean shows up to talk some sort of sense into Namor's head.

Meanwhile, Nick Fury's trapped aboard SHIELD's Helicarrier, by a Hydra infiltrator who's been going by the name of Professor Trojak.

Elsewhere, Johnny Blaze again becomes the Ghost Rider and sets off after evil biker Big Daddy Dawson who's kidnapped Roxanne Simpson!

And Captain America and Agent 13 seek to stop the Red Skull’s Fourth Sleeper from destroying large chunks of the United States.

Zzzax is back!

And I still don't have a clue how many times the letter Z should feature in his name.

Neither does he, I suspect.

And neither does the Hulk, I suspect.

Then again, the Hulk probably doesn't know how many times the letter Z should feature in his own name.

Sadly, the voltage-packed villain isn't here to stay, because the scientists who inadvertently recreated him soon discover a way to stop him.

Following that, the Super-Skrull takes the captured Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to the Skrull homeworld, only to be greeted by hostility from the locals.

Next, Conan finds himself tied to the ground and left to the tender mercies of the rats of Ravengard.

And Brother Brimstone's stalking the streets of Hollywood!

But he won't be for long if Daredevil has his way.

It's a tale of pulse-pounding drama, as the Tarantula continues his reign of terror.

Perhaps more importantly, Harry discovers Peter Parker's secret identity!

In Thor's strip, Infinity's finally thwarted when our hero and his allies manage to prevent Odin from merging with the menace.

But this means Hela will now be after the thunder god's blood.

Iron Man finds himself captured by a fabulously wealthy man called Midas. Not to mention that man's mysterious sidekick Madame Masque!

As far as I can make out, the Thing and Morbius return to Earth, after their recent banishment, where they defeat the Living Eraser by using his own technology against him. 

And Doctor Strange's physical form has fallen victim to Dracula.

However, what the fang-flaunting fiend doesn't know is that his victim's mind has astrally fled his body and is looking for a solution to his problems.

Happy Herb Trimpe gives us the cover to a story we can only know as Society of the Psychedrome.

If only I could remember anything about that tale, other than that Jason and Alexander are in it.

Following that, we - and Ka-Zar - encounter a place called Tordon-Na, the Golden City! And I can't say that one's ringing any bells for me either.

But I do recall the next section because it's SFX on the Planet of the Apes Part II: Simian Illusions in which we discover more about the magic of the effects men and women who worked on the movies.

Next, things are set to go conquistador on us when the Man-Thing stumbles across a hidden community in the swamp. One that possesses the legendary Fountain of Youth.

And we end the issue with yet more of Marvel's adaptation of the original movie. In this week's exciting episode, we've reached the bit where our intrepid astronauts have their first encounter with the cheeky simians.

Speak Your Brain! Part 131. Musical duets!

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

***

Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

A wise woman once sang, "Surprise surprise. The unexpected hits you between the eyes."

But what could possibly surprise a man of my sagacity?

There's only one thing.

And that's the feature in which it is not I but you The Reader who gets to decide just what is to be the topic of the day's debate.

Multifold are the subjects that could be covered, running the gamut of A-Z and back again.

Therefore, hesitate ye not to launch that topic via the comments section below and we shall discover just how surprised a man can be.

2000 AD - July 1988.

ThanKs to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for Their Sponsorship of This Post, via The Magic of Patreon. 

***

Who remembers Glenn Medeiros?

I certainly do.

And July 1988 was doing its best to make sure it stayed that way, as he spent almost the entire month at Number One on the UK singles chart, thanks to his smash hit Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You, before being dislodged by Yazz and the Plastic Population's The Only Way Is Up.

Over on the accompanying album chart, July launched with Tracy Chapman holding sway, via her self-titled album, before that was usurped by Now That's What I Call Music! 12.

Change was afoot in politics because the Soviet government voted to end the CPSU's monopoly on economic and other non-political power and to further economic changes towards a less rigidly Marxist-Leninist economy.

While, in engineering, Istanbul's Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge was completed, providing the second connection between the continents of Europe and Asia via the Bosporus.

But what of cinema?

Just what was on offer to us when we handed over our money for that ticket?

It was a month that saw the release of such never-to-be-forgotten masterpieces as Short Circuit 2, Arthur 2, It Couldn't Happen Here, Phantasm II, The Dead Pool, Die Hard, A Fish Called Wanda, Big Top Pee-wee, Caddyshack II, Cocktail and Monkey Shines.

Upon consideration; of that lot, I think Die Hard was the film most likely to get me to hand over my money, bearing, as it does, a remarkable resemblance to how I live my own life.

And of the galaxy's greatest comic?

What news?

It was, as so often before, producing a diet of Bad Company, Strontium Dog, Judge Dredd, A.B.C. Warriors and Sláine. Not to mention the return of Tyranny Rex.

But there was novelty too, with the arrival of an intriguing-sounding strip called Tribal Memories in which writer Peter Milligan and artist Tony Wright present the story of Mohammed “Mo” Robinson, a cynical memory trader in a future where personalities are assembled from memories that have been bought.

The internet informs me that he visits our world, seeking a Maasai warrior whose memories are completely authentic, and what begins as a satirical sci-fi tale of cultural commodification develops into an exploration of colonialism, exploitation and prejudice.

August 11th, 1976 - 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. 

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It seems like I can't stop talking about Mars, of late.

And that may be because we've reached the 50th anniversary of the week in which Viking 2 entered orbit around the Red Planet.

Back on Earth, the Great Clock of Westminster - often erroneously referred to as Big Ben - suffered internal damage that would cause it to stop running for over nine months!

Also not running - mostly because he'd been caught - was John Stonehouse who, I'm sure you're aware, was the last person to serve as Britain's Postmaster General. More to the point, this was the week in which he was sentenced to seven years in jail for fraud.

And the charts?

Number One on the UK's singles listings was, as previously, Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee. While the Beach Boys' 20 Golden Greats retained its position atop the accompanying LP rankings.

Don't Go Breaking My Heart is an amiable enough song but there were other tracks I approved of on that week's Hit Parade.

Among them being:

You Should Be Dancing - the Bee Gees

Back in the USSR - the Beatles

You're My Best Friend - Queen

The Boston Tea Party - the Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Leader of the Pack {1976} - the Shangri-Las

and

Good Vibrations {1976} - the Beach Boys.

Should you wish to investigate, you can encounter that singles chart here.

While its parallel album chart dwells within.

Hooray! It's that one in which the Fantastic Four come up against robot duplicates of all their greatest foes - and of the Mole Man!

To be honest, despite being a non-stop cavalcade of action intended to celebrate the gang's 100th issue, it's not a great tale, as the robots can't fight their way out of a carrier bag and the Mad Thinker and Red Ghost - who are behind it all - somehow manage to blow themselves up!

I suspect the Sub-Mariner tale is the one in which he and the Thing tussle over the Serpent Crown while Betty Dean shows up and bemoans the fact that she's now the horrifically old age of, erm, fortyish.

Not only do we get that mighty drama but Nick Fury's trapped by Hydra when he investigates their boss.

Having been rescued from Hell by the Son of Satan, the Ghost Rider gains a temporary motorbike made from Hellfire but has the problem that, when he reverts to Johnny Blaze, at daybreak, the injuries he's acquired, of late, are likely to kill him.

And Captain America tries to stop the Red Skull's Fourth Sleeper robot as it rampages around America! 

As we can all tell from that cover, Jason, Alexander and friends continue to have a troubling experience in their encounter with the Demons of the Psychedrome.

And I do believe we've reached the end of the yarn in which the Man-Thing and his supporting cast are roped in to act out the life of a dead clown.

Manny, of course, must fight a trio of supernatural beings to protect that clown's soul.

Ka-Zar's entangled in an adventure called Beyond the Vale of Savage Time. An epic of which I have no knowledge, other than that he may have to fight a gorilla - to the death!

And we wrap up the issue with the continued reprinting of Marvel's adaptation of the original Planet of the Apes movie.

It's good news for all fans of twinkle-toed action, because the Tarantula makes his stabby debut.

And does so by hijacking a boat trip our hero and his chums are riding on!

I've always had a soft spot for the Tarantula but this does raise the question of whether there's ever been a good super-villain whose talent is jumping around? The Kangaroo was rubbish. Batroc was rubbish. Leapfrog was rubbish. The Toad was rubbish. Much as I love the Tarantula, he clearly is rubbish. I am starting to spot a pattern here.

Not doing much jumping around is the god of thunder who finally uncovers the secret of Infinity. And it means Odin is going to have to do battle with Odin!

For what feels like the millionth week running, Iron Man's facing the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes.

Then, in a tale I remember well, Morbius and the Thing are removed from this reality, by the Living Eraser. Banished to another dimension, they must help a man called Supremor regain his throne. Presumably because it's a bit duff being called Supremor if you're not supreme.

And Dr Strange is still in big trouble in his struggles with Dracula.

It's a nightmare come true!

It's the week when The Mighty World of Marvel increases its price to 9p!

No wonder the government had to go to the IMF for more money in 1976. They clearly wanted to be able to carry on buying all four of Marvel UK's weeklies!

Meanwhile, it's the fight we all wanted to see; the Vision vs the Super-Skrull.

Although, admittedly, they never quite get round to fighting, because the Vision acts like a big sad quitter and departs the scene but it's all beautifully drawn, Carol Danvers turns out to be the Super-Skrull and Goliath loses his growing powers.

However, before we reach that epic, there's the Hulk to be dealt with when the fist-brained thumper of thugs and monsters has a return bout with Zzzax after Bruce Banner is hired as a janitor, by a lab whose latest experiment accidentally revives the creature!

Conan's strip, meanwhile, gives us a flashback to the barbarian's youthful encounter with a mysterious priestess called Ursla!

And, in Daredevil's strip, Karen Page launches her acting career while Daredevil investigates a troubled TV production. I suspect it can only mean Brother Brimstone is about to put in his first appearance!

The Marvel Lucky Bag - August 1986.

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

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We all love a good film. And some of us love a bad film. But how many August 1986 releases fit into either of those categories?

Here's where we find out.

That month oversaw the unleashing of such joys as Flight of the Navigator, Friday the 13th Part VI, Howard the Duck, She's Gotta Have It, The Transformers, The Fly, Manhunter, Night of the Creeps, Stand by Me, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Shanghai Surprise.

I'm going to put my critics hat on and suggest Manhunter may be the best of those.

But, then again, I've never seen Shanghai Surprise.

I have been wondering why Spidey's gone missing from his other books, this month.

And now I have my answer.

It turns out it's all down to this issue and his battle with Magma! 

I'm going to assume our hero's blown up, presumed dead, at the end of this one.

I'm also going to assume he hasn't really been blown up and will be back.

I've no doubt maternal feelings are running high, as Alpha Flight take Snowbird to a place of power so she can deliver her baby.

Unfortunately, the spot they've chosen is the burial place of someone called Pestilence and, needless to say, the whole birth-giving thing revives him!

Issue #2 of Marvel's latest publishing sensation arrives when, in order to protect an experimental nerve gas sample hidden inside a pen, a retired spy lets Dakota's brother win the implement from him during a poker game.

I don't have a clue what's going on in this one but the GCD kindly informs me that things get tricky for the team when people start protesting outside their mutant-hunting headquarters.

And it all comes to a head when a pair of mutants call them out, meaning the gang must split their forces and adopt disguises, in order to hunt the duo while, at the same time, secretly helping them.

That all sounds too convoluted for my liking.

I liked it when everyone knew who the good guys were.

Speaking of moral ambiguity. All that red and that big gun can only mean one thing.

And that's that, despite having died ages ago, Elektra's back and in a tale I know little of, other than that it's delivered to us by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz.

It would appear the good doctor's acquired a new ally and that ally is none other than Cloak.

Where Dagger is when all this is going on, I have no idea.

But it seems that this issue introduces us to a possessed drug-dealer called Ecstasy.

With villain names like that, you can tell we're entering the late 1980s.