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. 

***

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.

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. 

***

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. 

***

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.

Forty years ago today - August 1986.

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

***

Here we go.

There's mixed news for our battling barbarian, this month.

The possibly bad news is that the demon inhabiting the body of Tetra is out to win the heart of our hero.

The good - presumably - is that Keiv is restored to his human form, after having been in monstrous guise since the days of Conan the Barbarian #173.

Come to think of it, that was only twelve issues ago. Why does it feel like an eternity?

Hard as it may be to believe, Subby isn't the American public's favourite Avenger and, so, protests break out over his membership of the team.

Protests that Moonstone decides turn into riots!

On top of that, Subby's sued for billions by a group of insurance investors.

But isn't he supposed to be infinitely rich because all the gold, diamonds and treasure from all the shipwrecks in the world are his to claim?

It's grave news for New York City, with Spider-Man having gone missing.

That sounds like the cue for Silver Sable to step in and replace him.

But, surely, that can only lead to a clash with one of his numerous foes?

It does.

And, in this instance, that foe would be Jack O' Lantern!

Conflict hits the X-Men when they're not pleased with Wolverine for using his claws on Rachel just as she was trying to kill Selene.

Still, Rachel knows how to deal with that - because, when he gets in her way again, she throws him in front of a subway train!

When Captain America intervenes in Daredevil's battle with nut-job nationalist Nuke, America's greatest hero discovers his government's still been conducting its Super Soldier Program!

The Black Cat's not in a good mood.

She heads for Dr Strange's house to confront him over the loss of her powers.

But, first, she has to work out how to get into it, given that it's magically protected.

But there's more everyday drama to be dealt with too, as Robbie tries to come to terms with the fact that his son Randy's suddenly got a white wife!

To be honest, Robbie's never struck me as being the kind of man who'd have a problem with that.

It's bad news for greengrocers everywhere because Loki's stolen the Apples of Idunn and hidden them in the Old West!

I am assuming that means Thor's now going to visit the Old West.

And I can only assume that means he's going to be meeting up with at least one of Marvel's cowboy heroes.

Inside this thrill-packed book, when Tony Stark and Clytemnestra visit a fair, they run into Jack and Lissa Russell.

And, needless to say, things quickly head south, with Lissa becoming possessed by Morgan Le Fay, and Jack transforming into the Werewolf!

Can it be?

The end for both Bruce Banner and the Hulk?

It's starting to look that way because, physically separated from his green alter-ego, the scientist continues to weaken and his doctors announce he must again merge with the Hulk if he's to survive.

Still, with the Hulk also weakening, the Avengers finally manage to defeat the brute.

But what's this?

The Hulk may not live long enough to reintegrate with Banner, because Hercules is all set to kill his fallen opponent?

It looks like we're in for a trip on the Nostalgia Train, as the Fantastic Four are back in Central City where, unless I'm totally misremembering, is where it all began for them,

And they're there to investigate a black dome that's surrounding the town.

Apparently, Central City's in California, which is a bit odd, as I'd always assumed it to be more... ...you know... ...central.

With a bar full of villains dead - and all other minor bad guys in a panic - Cap disguises himself as Mirage, in a bid to lure Scourge into his trap.

But, just as it seems he's about to acquire the answers he seeks, a mystery character appears and kills Cap's foe!

August 4th, 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. 

***

Has there ever been life on Mars?

This week in 1976 may have given people reason to ponder, as it was the week in which NASA released its now infamous Face on Mars photo, taken during the Viking 1 mission.

Rather more terrestrially, Trinidad and Tobago became a republic with President Ellis Clarke replacing Elizabeth II as its head of state.

And, in the world of sport, reigning Formula One Champion Niki Lauda suffered serious burns in the German Grand Prix, thanks to a crash that came close to killing him.

You couldn't accuse this of not being a landmark issue. Not only are Hammer and Anvil causing trouble but we're likely to see the death of Crackajack Jackson, shortly after he teaches the Hulk to read and write!

More important than even that, I'm pretty sure this is the adventure in which the Hulk first discovers he likes baked beans.

When it comes to the Avengers; Captain Marvel and Carol Danvers are captives of the Skrulls, and Goliath, the Vision, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are quickly totalled by those selfsame aliens disguised as the FF.

Conan, meanwhile, escorts the supposedly dead sorcerer Zoqquanor and his companion Stefanya across lands that bring them into conflict with goblins!

But feel sympathy for the Stunt-Master who's been convinced to steal a film canister - only to discover he's been framed in an insurance scam!

Fortunately for him, Daredevil's around to help clear his name.

I do suspect this is the epic in which the Human Torch goes on the rampage in the Great Refuge, in an attempt to win back Crystal.

And, whisper it loudly but I think he may encounter a talking yeti along the way!

Elsewhere, while SHIELD investigates Hydra, Nick Fury has a perilous run-in with that organisation's homicidal Dreadnought robot - on board the Helicarrier!

In the world of politics, the Sub-Mariner confronts the diabolical Destiny who's aiming to become President of the United States. Inevitably, such arrogance and delusion leads to the villain's downfall.

The Ghost Rider discovers yet more of how Linda Littletrees became the Witch-Woman

And Captain America tracks a Nazi war criminal to the Red Skull's secret island where the crimson craniumed cornball is getting ready to activate his Fourth and deadliest Sleeper!

What a striking and memorable cover by larking Bob Larkin. Anyone who doesn't want to buy the mag after seeing that must have something wrong with them or possess an unnatural aversion to apes, skulls and demons.

And you can click here to find out if it made the legendary list of my favourite Planet of the Apes covers, way back when I blogged about that very subject.

But, hold. I detect a 9p price tag, meaning The Mighty World of Marvel is now the only Marvel UK publication that's still available for 8p.

According to the Bank of England's inflation calculator, 9p in 1976 equates to 63p in current prices, while 8p equals 56p.

All that aside, I do believe that Jason and Alexander find themselves heading towards danger when they find themselves on The Way to the Psychedrome!

But in the overall scheme of things, that's small potatoes because the Son of Satan's only gone and found his way to Hell!

From wherewithin, he manages to thwart his father and run off with his trident, his flying chariot and his horsie things. Thus concludes the Marvel exorcist's second adventure and, I suspect, his final adventure within the pages of this comic.

Next, the Man-Thing's still caught up in the plans of a dead clown who insists everyone should know his life story.

In the pages of Ka-Zar, a man called Tomas gets both angry and even when his father proclaims his brother to be the new tribal leader. Thus, he kills his brother but is, in turn, bumped off by the mate of a dinosaur he slew earlier.

And we conclude the issue with Part Two of Marvel's reprint of its own adaptation of the first Planet of the Apes movie.

Spidey's still having trouble with the Molten Man.

Although, in truth, Moltie's having far more trouble than Spider-Man is, as, if untreated, his condition will lead to his death!

Thor's still having major problems with the enigmatic Infinity who's taken possession of Odin and set him on the Thunder God!

Moon Knight continues to battle the Conquer-Lord, on a giant chessboard.

But, then, hold everything - because we have what has to be the clash of the week when Dr Strange must come face to face with none other than Dracula himself!

And it's a battle the vampire somehow wins - in a drama drawn by those masters of depicting both characters; Gene Colan and Tom Palmer!