January 4th, 1978 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

A whole new year has begun and we're heading remorselessly into the future.

But it's not just us. There's something else that's heading into the future.

And that's The Past.

Because, on this day of forty years ago, a new year had also just begun.

But what was happening in that brave new era in which the internet was undreamed of and we couldn't even speculate that, one day, we'd be looking back upon it via household computers more powerful than those which had landed a man on the moon?

When it came to music, bagpipes and wellingtons were still dominating the UK singles chart. Elsewhere, there was nothing happening in the world of News and Current Affairs that was of any interest to me.

But what about television? Was it fulfilling my need for entertainment?

On BBC One, Flash Gordon was still conquering the universe. It had taken him a dozen episodes but I do believe this was the one in which he finally did it.

Later that day, we were treated to the Germano/Yugoslavian splendour of White Horses, while, a little later, Michael Rodd's Screen Test featured clips from Star Wars and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.

Meanwhile, on BBC Two, the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures were being presented by Carl Sagan who was talking about Mars, and ruining my childhood by claiming there was a no life on it. What a party pooper. Couldn't he have lied?

Three issues of the mag published, and three consecutive Boris Vallejo covers used. Marvel UK clearly saw the Peruvian paintmeister as their prime weapon in the quest to gain readers.

As for the issue's main story, it's not one I could claim to have read. I suspect, however, that we can all guess what elements it's likely to have included.

The Squadron Sinister make their rip-roaring return. This time - in league with Nebulon - they're out to destroy the world.

Unfortunately for them, they have a traitor within. Nighthawk isn't sold on the idea of annihilating his home planet and decides to recruit the Defenders to the cause of stopping them. As a result, Defenders history will never be the same again.

The Sub-Mariner's busy this week. He's taking on both the Squadron Sinister and the Fantastic Four.

I take it, from the cover, that Sue's still not made her mind up about whether she wants Subby or Reed, despite being a married woman.

Then again, weren't she and Reed separated by this point? Maybe Namor had reason to be optimistic.

The world trembles as we get the multi-faceted unveiling of the Quintronic Man.

In all honesty, I'm not sure that a robot with each body part controlled by a different pilot was the brightest of ideas, especially as, from what I can recall, they weren't the most disciplined, well organised or cooperative of people.

Given such administrative chaos, it's needless to say that the Hulk makes short work of them.

Morbius is still under the telepathic control of the malevolent Empathoid.

It does seem somewhat odd that there was a villain called, "The Empathoid." If his power was empathy, shouldn't that have made him nice? Look at Deanna Troi. She had empathy and she was nice.

Admittedly, she was totally useless in a crisis but at least she was nice.