Wednesday 16 July 2014

Random comics I have owned. Part Three.

Suffering shads! It's the return of the feature that's left the internet in tatters, as I once more drone on randomly about comics I've owned.

Just what'll be turned up by this veritable Pick and Mix?

Only a rifle through Steve's Lucky Bag of Confusion can tell us...

Justice League of America #109

Superman's definitely in need of a good slap on this cover.

Inside, Hawkman quits the Justice League, and Eclipso might be involved.

Other than that I can recall little of the contents.

It's always nice to see a Nick Cardy cover though.
X-Men #85, Factor 3

It's one of the few Original X-Men stories I ever liked, as the merry Marvel mutants find themselves on trial in the court of Factor 3.

I seem to remember that Ross Andru drew this issue, which could explain why it appealed to me more than their tales usually did.
Thor #268

Some bloke builds a big gun to commit crimes with and Thor has to stop him, in a tale of squabbling siblings.
Phantom Stranger #28

The issue that introduced me to DC's man of mystery.

From what I can recall of this tale, the Phantom Stranger's called in to try and help establish whether a defendant's plea of insanity is genuine or not. Needless to say, there's a twist at the end.
Conan the Barbarian #68, Kull

It's the story we all wanted to see, as Conan takes on Kull.

Red Sonja and Belit, meanwhile, continue their bickering.
Where Monsters Dwell #27, Grogg

It's one of my fave Marvel monster tales, as Grogg causes no end of bother.

Sadly, we still get no answer to the enduring mystery of where Marvel's giant monsters buy those underpants from.
Swamp-Thing #23, Nestor Redondo

It's the only issue of Swamp-Thing I ever owned. It's from after Bernie Wrightson left the strip but that doesn't mean it lets us down on the pictorial front, thanks to some lovely interior work by Nestor Redondo.
Marvel Premiere #32, Monark Starstalker

It had stylish artwork by Howard Chaykin but I always remember this as being one of the few American comics I had as a child that I could never get on with.

11 comments:

Simayl said...

I love the Justice League issue you highlight and when I had time to blog I wrote about it here: http://silverandbronzeagesubjects.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/hawkman-leaves-justice-league.html

Hawkman leaves the JLA!

Steve W. said...

Ooh yes. I remember reading that post at the time, Simayl. Thanks for reminding me of it.

Anonymous said...

I love that there's a monster called Grogg - I suppose he has two brothers called Booze and Moonshine.

Anonymous said...

And a cousin named "Hooch".

Superman heard? Damn superhearing!!! Do you think Supes monitors all JL communications or he just hits on key phrases?


The Prowler (once hit on a nurse and now has a funny shaped scar).

Anonymous said...

Nestor Redondo - now theres a name you don't hear much these days. Those Phillipino artists back then were generally very good, but don't seem to get the recognition they deserve - nice one, Steve.

Been enjoying this series of posts; the random mix of well known titles and obscure oddness reminded me of how I first started reading US comics. You know, back before comic shops (let alone the internet), when haphazard distribution made it all a bit of a lucky dip....

-sean

Steve W. said...

Thanks, Sean. It is strangely pleasurable to just drone on about comics at random.

Anonymous said...

The picture of Monark Starstalker on the cover of Marvel Premiere is identical to the picture in the corner box (apart from his cloak). I don't think I've ever seen that done before - couldn't they even be bothered to draw a different picture for the corner-box ? And who is Monark Starstalker anyway ? Honestly, I thought I knew everything about '70s Marvel by now but there's still more to learn.

Steve W. said...

Colin, I wish I could tell you who Monark Starstalker is but I can barely remember him. I have a feeling he might have been an outer space equivalent of Howard Chaykin's Atlas character The Scorpion but don't quote me on that.

Anonymous said...

Monark Starstalker was some sort of space bounty hunter in the distant future. I think he was supposed to have been a spaceship pilot who was badly injured in a crash or something, and who was rebuilt with bionic parts.

Previously, he was supposedly in an alternate timeline ("Earth 7643") but Marvel later incorporated him into the mainstream ("Earth 616") Marvel Universe.

Anonymous said...

For those who wish to read more of Starstalker's exploits, zip over to Diversions of a Groovy Kind, search Starstalker and read to your heart's content.

The Prowler (contented with no bake cheesecake).

Anonymous said...

Monark Starstalker is my all-time favorite Howard Chaykin comic. A few years ago I had Howard autograph a copy of it for me. He rolled his eyes -- guess he doesn't think very highly of it either -- but he DID sign it.