Tuesday 12 March 2019

The Marvel Lucky Bag - March 1979.

As I type these words, there is a heavy scent of failure in the air - and not just because Parliament is trying to sort out Brexit yet again.

Forty years ago, Marvel Comics seemed to be going through a crisis of its own. The company had produced 44 books which bore the cover date of February 1979 but, the following month, it published just 39 books. Three months after that, it produced a mere 30 books. At this rate of decline, it was going to have to move back into that tiny back office Stan Lee was sharing with just Flo Steinberg and Sol Brodsky in the early 1960s.

But what of my randomish collection of lower profile Marvel mags which bore the cover date of March of that year? Were they among those sentenced to die?

Captain Marvel #61

The current Captain Marvel may be cleaning up at the box office right now but it was a different story four decades ago, with Marvel's original holder of that title having just one more issue to go before cancellation.

I have very little idea what happens in this tale but I believe that Mentor's computer's turned evil and only the Captain and an eclectic gathering of Titans and Eternals are available to do anything about it.

Godzilla #20, the Fantastic Four

It's the clash that had to happen, as Godzilla meets the Fantastic Four.

Admittedly, it didn't really have to happen. In fact, I would have bet good money on it not happening ever. Somehow, the two franchises don't feel like they should exist in the same world.

But it turns out they do and it means we get to see blue-eyed Benjy get to have a punch-up with Japan's greatest menace.

Sadly, even bringing in Marvel's Number One family fails to produce a sales boost sufficient to prevent the rampaging reptile being cancelled just four issues after this.

Human Fly #19, last issue

"Is this the end of the death-defying daredevil?" asks the cover blurb?

Yes it is. The Human Fly helps the dwellers of a reservation see off a bunch of bad guys but he can't stave off the curse of poor circulation and this is, thus, his final issue.

Marvel Team-Up #79, Spider-Man and Red Sonja

Good grief! I've finally found a comic that isn't staring death in the face!

If I remember rightly, Kulan Gath is up to no good in a museum and it all leads to Mary Jane turning into Red Sonja - presumably because they both have red hair - which is one of the best ideas ever in the history of comics.

Battlestar Galactica #1

Hooray! Marvel gives us its adaptation of the pilot episode of everyone's favourite Star Wars rip-off.

Granted, it's already given us it before. In fact, I think this is the third Marvel comic to feature that adaptation, so far. The company clearly has high hopes Battlestar will do for its fortunes what Star Wars did a couple of years earlier.

I suspect such optimism will prove to be misplaced.

Nova #24

This is a very odd story story, in which the Sphinx steals a spaceship and, after recruiting Nova, the Comet, Crime-Buster, Powerhouse and Doctor Sun, sets off in search of death, or something.

The only problem is Diamondhead has stowed away on board and is looking for a scrap.

Given how many people there are available to fight him, if I were Diamondhead, I'd keep a low profile instead.

Those who like to sit by guillotines, doing their knitting, while awaiting the fall of the blade, will be interested to know this is the second-to-last issue of the book.

15 comments:

Killdumpster said...

The last few issues of Mar-Vell were mediocre, at best. I still bought'em though, being a true fan of the "real" Kree captain.

The day I saw & bought the Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel at a bookstore is etched in my mind forever. After I read it I was in such grief that I walked around in a dazed zombie-like state for three days.

The FF should of been able to tank a shrunken Godzilla. I was slightly perturbed about that issue.

Any book with Red Sonya, even Mary Jane Sonya, was a grab off the rack for me.

Good riddance to the Human Fly. What a waste of change.

NOVA lost me with the introduction of the goofy robot Sherlock Holmes character.

Couldn't stand Battlestar. Lorne Green was a big turn-off. Bonanza was my dad's favorite show in the 60's.We had one tv, and when he was home that's what we watched. Ugh. Just couldn't shake the feeling Little Joe & Hoss were going to come busting in. Come to think about it now, that might've been damn entertaining!

Anonymous said...

Yes, that was a surprisingly good issue of MTU, Steve. Marvel really missed a trick by not keeping Sonja in the modern world - at a time when their second tier titles were biting the dust quicker than Theresa May's brexit deal, MJ Watson She-Devil With a Sword surely had definite potential.

Back then, had any character been through more reboots than Captain? And he still hadn't even died, became a black woman, his own genetically engineered son or Ms.Marvel yet.

-sean

Killdumpster said...

Then the Cylons could capture Little Joe (Michael Landon) experiment on him and turn him into the monster from his film "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" (highly recommend)!

Hoss could've wrestled a squad of Cylons! Execpt I think the actor was dead by the time Battlestar was on the air.

Killdumpster said...

Sean-

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Red Sonya is owned by The Robert E. Howard estate?

Killdumpster said...

Oh, and Marv didn't "turn into" a black woman. The Avenger in the comics was just named that to keep the copyright.
Think she later was named Photon, or something. Her character is in the new movie.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Charlie said...

Let's be serious chaps! Cap Marvel was doomed to failure once he switched from his green uniform. Not only was he discontinued once, but twice.

Not even worth thinking about...

(KD - don't EVEN say "Charlie said 'Love my good n plenty!'")

Anonymous said...

I think you might be taking my Captain Marvel remark a little over-literally there Kd.

That is actually incorrect about Red Sonja - she's owned by Red Sonja LLC - but pretty sure back in '79 the licence came from the Howard estate, yes.

-sean

Anonymous said...

Apparently Rick Jones isn't in the Captain Marvel film...?
I don't have a problem with Captain Marvel being a woman - seems odd that anyone would in this day and age - but to have her not turn into Rick Jones does seem like a missed cinematic opportunity.

-sean

Charlie Horse 47 said...

UK Gents - how you holding on???

Our radio waves and papers sound like you are just a few seconds shy of Armageddon over the Brexit??? I'd be stocking up on food for sure!!! And If you fill up your bathtubs with water, make sure you wash them out first... Nuff said on that!!!

pete doree said...

In my universe, MJ & Red Sonja absolutely had their own book, and shared bodies like Mar-Vell & Rick. Missed opportunity or what?
Meanwhile, is it ok for me to say that I found the Captain Marvel flick.... ok at best.
I'm allowed to say that, right?
However, and without attempting to spoil anything, the bits with Stan completely choked me up and brought a tear to the eye.

Steve W. said...

KD, I must share your lack of enthusiasm for Battlestar Galactica. Despite having spaceships and robots in it, it never held any appeal at all for me. It wasn't even fun like Buck Rogers was.

Pete, I was under the impression that, "It's OK," is the most common opinion about the Captain Marvel movie. I could be wrong though. I haven't seen any actual reviews yet, just people expressing opinions in comments sections.

Don't worry, Charlie, I've recently taken a course on how to survive on a diet of nothing but rats and am confident of surviving the chaos.

Sean, the Captain Marvel movies have managed to do what no one else in history have ever done and managed to work out how to keep Rick Jones out of a place? They deserve some sort of award for ingenuity if nothing else.

As for the Red Sonja/MJ thing. It does interest me that, the previous month, we got Conan in 20th Century New York in What If? It would have been nice if Sonja and Conan had bumped into each other while they were visiting the present.

dangermash said...

Oh yes Pete - the Stan bits were the highlight. The look on Brie Larson's face in Stan's cameo.

dbutler16 said...

The only one of these I had was Gozilla #20 (I was mostly into team books at this point) and I agree that the FF should be able to mop the floor with a Godzilla of this size.

Pete Doree’s idea of MJ & Red Sonja sharing a body is pure genius. Let’s get a creative team together for that!

As far as Rick Jones not being in the new movie, good riddance. I say.

And I will have to admit that I like Battlestar Galactic, though yes, it’s certainly possible that Buck Rogers was more fun.

There’s a Stan Lee cameo in the Cap Marvel movie? Well, maybe I will have to check that out.

pete doree said...

Hey, I'll write MJ / Red Sonja!!!
dbutler, take a handkerchief for Stan's cameo so you can pretend you have something in your eye...

Redartz said...

Love, love, love that issue of Marvel Team-up! Fantastic cover, exciting story, beautiful art. And MJ/Sonja? This issue truly had it all.