This time, that creature's a giant squid of malevolent intent. You can't help feeling Peter Benchley has done more damage to the good name of sea creatures than any other man in history.
But I must take a break from all this underwater adventure, in order to submerge myself instead in a far drier medium; the arid wasteland that is my attempt each month to think of something to say about what the galaxy's greatest comic was up to thirty eight years and one month ago.
Sadly, I can't tell you what it was up to thirty eight years and one month ago because that month's covers furnish me with even fewer clues than normal. Seriously, would it have killed Tharg to have put some captions on the front of them for me talk about? I'm starting to think he's got it in for me.
Therefore, all I can say is that it's nice to see the comic getting not one but two prestigious Eagle Awards; one for Top British Comic and one for Top British Character. As far as I can make out, these were the first Eagle Awards the book had ever won, which, given that it was launched a full two years earlier and was, right from the start, clearly a cut above the typical British comic, seems astonishing.
Then again, the Awards up until that point seem to have been completely dominated by American publications and creators - with even Favourite British Comics Writer having been previously won by Chris Claremont. With that flexible a definition of Britishness, it's a miracle John Byrne didn't win Favourite British Artist, to boot.
On other matters, that creature on the cover of Prog 136 looks very Lovecraftian. There's more than a hint of the creatures from At the Mountains of Madness about it.
And that is all I have to say on the subject of this month's issues.
That in mind, I shall return to my television's life and death struggle with a giant squid and ponder upon just how long it'll be before Peter Benchley gives us a nightmare tale of seamen battling to rid a town at last from the menace of a giant fishcake.
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteI've never read these nor do I know anything about them. But it just hurt my heart to see one of Steve's blogs go two days with no comments.
Thanks, Charlie. :)
ReplyDelete2000AD must rival MWOM for having failed titles folded into it. I have a few vague recollections of the Tornado comic title featured on these covers.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I remember Tornado or not. I look at old covers from it and it sort of looks familiar and sort of doesn't look familiar.
ReplyDeleteIt's gimmick was the 'Big E' as editor, basically Dave Gibbons doing a sort of proto-cosplay superhero thing.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, I've never read 2000AD either. Shouldn't it be re-named 2000CE ;)
ReplyDeleteI'd have commented earlier Steve, but we've batted the Tornado thing about a few times already.
ReplyDeleteThe merger didn't reinvigorate 2000AD the way Starlord did - Black Hawk and The Mind of Wolfie Smith, the series that carried over, weren't exactly Strontium Dog or Ro-Busters.
Speaking of which, the ABC Warriors cover of prog 135 takes me back. Robots fighting dinosaurs on Mars - thats what its all about!
-sean
Steve - you would know best. Is there blogspace available to post pictures of comics you've never read and/or never remembered and opine on that? Sounds like a niche waiting to be pursued?
ReplyDelete"Crazy Horses" indeed! I remember my brother, me, and two friends, (we were like around 8 years old) heard that song one evening driving back from a Chicago Bulls game. We kept singing it over and over until finally our two dads, in the front seat, hit the breaks, turned around, and started into a "Shut up now or else!" sort of monologue, LOL.
I do believe I have a copy of, "Crazy Horses," not a million feet away from where I'm sat right now. It's one of those exciting singles that has that fancy plastic thing in the middle that can be removed so the single can be played on a juke box instead of a record player. Truly the 1970s were a wondrous place.
ReplyDeleteAs for the rest, I'm pretty sure that this entire site has been seven years of me opining on comics I've never read and can't remember. I like to feel that total ignorance is the site's unique selling point.
Speaking of which, Timothy, I can't remember if I encountered Dave Gibbons' super-hero stint at the time or if it's something I've only become aware of since I've had the internet.
Sean, The Tornado strips were definitely not as memorable as the Starlord ones had been.
Steve, et al.
ReplyDeleteYou need to youtube "Crazy Horses Osmonds Ohio State Fair." It is a short song, like 2 minutes. The last 30 seconds are truly entertaining.
Tell me if Donny doesn't look like Ferris Bueller?
With that crazy squealing sound it's not wonder my dad and the other dad threatened the 4 of us in the back seat to "Knock it off and stop singing that song or else!"
Charlie, I shall inspect that video, forthwith.
ReplyDelete