Tuesday 9 July 2019

The Marvel Lucky Bag - July 1979.

Fear!

Fear!

FEAR!

It was everywhere you looked, in July of 1979.

If it wasn't in your cinema, it was on your TV.

That's because it was the month which saw the terror of The Amityville Horror unleashed in our picture houses, that tale of a nightmarish house, made all the more terrifying because everything that happened in the film was true. Or at least that's what we were told. And, surely, no one would lie to us about such a thing.

But our cinemas didn't just have to survive that horror because it was also the month in which they once more played host to the prince of darkness, as Dracula returned to them, this time portrayed by Frank Langella, the man who later played Skeletor in Masters of the Universe. You have to hand it to Frank, there aren't many people who've played both Dracula and Skeletor in one lifetime.

But, even on the small screen, there was no escape from dread because it was the month which saw the debut of Sapphire & Steel, that serialised saga of transuranic lightweight elements battling evil, thanks to David McCallum and Joanna Lumley. Who were they? Where did they come from? What was going on?

I've no idea but it kept us entertained for three years, so it must have been doing something right.

Micronauts #7, Man-Thing

The Micronauts find themselves up against the swampy savagery of the Man-Thing and end up having to be saved by a child with more gumption than all of them put together.

Baron Karza, meanwhile, has plans to invade the Earth.
Warriors of the Shadow Realm, Marvel Super Special #12

It's some sort of Lord of the Rings type thing that I know nothing of.

If they ever make a movie of it, they can put that on the poster; "'It's some sort of Lord of the Rings type thing that I know nothing of! Three Stars!' - Steve Does Comics."

Marvel Preview #19, Kull the Destroyer

Not to be outdone by Conan, Kull gets the big, fat magazine treatment.

I can still never remember which one's Thulsa Doom and which ones Thoth-Amon but, whichever is whichever, one of them's causing trouble this issue.

Tarzan #26

Tarzan gets captured by an evil carnival owner who intends to put him on display in New York City. Can our hero escape or will he have to be saved by Korak and/or Jane?

And what are the chances he ends up climbing the Empire State Building?

What If? #15, Nova

The Watcher asks, "What if four other people had become Nova, including a wheelchair-bound Peter Parker, a vengeance-obsessed woman, some bloke and a criminal?"

Those may not be the exact words the Watcher uses.

And, of course, the answer is it would have turned out unhappily for all of them.

Then again, the youth who did become Nova in our continuity had his comic cancelled after just two dozen issues, so perhaps we have to accept that being Nova has never done anyone any good in any world.

Spidey Super Stories #41, Nova and Dr Octopus

Speaking of Nova.

Marvel's clearly determined to keep him going, in the absence of his own comic, because, hot on the heels of his What If appearance, he's now teaming up with Spider-Man to tackle Doc Ock in a tale written for very young children deemed unable to handle too much tension in their lives.

Godzilla #24, last, final issue

And Nova's not the only one having to face up to the loss of a comic because, after just two years, Godzilla's book finally bites the dust, as the behemoth literally walks off into the sunset, after seeing off a joint attack by the Avengers, FF and SHIELD.

To be honest, two years is about eighteen months longer than I ever expected the venture to last.

Marvel Spotlight on Captain Marvel #1

Marvel Spotlight returns, and so does Captain Marvel.

I can pass no judgement on the contents of this comic because I don't know what they are.

I gather, though, from the internet, that various familiar faces, like Dax, Mentor and Eros, put in appearances.

12 comments:

Killdumpster said...

The original AMITYVILLE HORROR film is one of my "cheesy" favorites. James Brolin can make anything watchable, and I am a HUGE fan of Margot Kidder. Felt so bad when I heard she went crazy, and living behind a pile of someone's firewood.
What do you think, guys? Another victim of "Superman's Curse"?

Langella's DRACULA, as far as I remember, was watchable. A bit too elegant for a punker that grew up with Hammer films. It might be worth a re-watch.

Even the appearance of Man-Thing couldn't get this "monster-kid" to buy a comic based on toys.

Warriors of the Shadow Realm was a pass. Like Sean, I believe, I'm not a big fan of elves.

I got one issue of KING KULL, and thought he was a shadow of Conan.

While a fan of the WHAT IF...? series, as far as Nova goes, it should have been called "WHO CARES?"

SPIDEY SUPER STORIES were for very small children. Always hated when I'd get it as a gift by well-meaning relatives during the holidays. I perfected it when they'd buy me DC, Charlton or even Gold Key books.

GODZILLA was the only book I had on this post. I knew it sucked, but I kept hoping it would get better. Kinda like hoping INVADERS would get better. Though I'm a Herb Trimpe, he was just wrong for that book. He virtually could not get 'Zilla's physique correct. I know I've mentioned that before.

If I would've saw the Mar-Vell MARVEL SPOTLIGHT on a rack, that would've been a pick. After his series was cancelled, the next time I saw him was THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL graphic novel in a bookstore. My tramatization began as I solemnly walked to the counter to purchase it.

As I walked home, I thought to myself.."Why..why...why...?"

Took me a week to shake that story off.

Killdumpster said...

Meant "preferred it" and "Herb Trimpe FAN". Been a long day, and wasn't up to battling spellchecker after a few brews, lol!

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm not keen on stories about elves and dwarves - and Warriors of the Shadow Realm was a third-rate imitation of Lord of the Rings (which was bad enough itself) - but John Buscema and Rudy Nebres were fantastic together, and Peer Ledger's full colour made them look even better.
So I made an exception, as I suspect Killdumpster would for the Mike Ploog Weirdworld. They were a terrible read though.

Yeah, that Kull wasn't up to much, but his next Preview outing - the magnificent John Bolton epic - is up here with Baz Smith's Red Nails.

Its a shame that Marvel's experiment to find an adult newstand market around the turn of the 70s into the 80s with colour magazines, Epic Illustrated and whatnot didn't work out. By the time comic book writing improved to match the better artwork and production values in the mid 80s boom, we were stuck with the traditional flimsy comic book format and dopey superheroes.
I remember reading Howard Chaykin's American Flagg in a French mag (Zoulou I think?), much better at the larger size than the US comic...

-sean

Anonymous said...

*Peter Ledger (sorry about the typo)

-sean

Killdumpster said...

I haven't seen the last two Avengers movies yet, and I am glad. The last few experiences I've had in enclosed theaters have been less than pleasurable. I'll wait till a Christmastime box set comes out on DVD, with all the bells & whistles.

The Captain Marvel movie will eventually end up in Wal-Mart dump bins for $5 or less. I can wait.

Hokey Smokes, Bullwinkle!!

I'm actually waxing nostalgic for the green/white finheaded, bulky belt uniform! Old age, oh my brothers!

Killdumpster said...

Sean, I picked up copy of EPIC, after becoming a regular reader of HEAVY METAL. Marvel's attempt, was pale in comparison.

As much as I love Ploog, WEIRDWORLD was a one-and-done for me. Didn't follow it after its initiation. Maybe I just can't dig cutesy characters.

I remember someone gave me a copy of ELFQUEST to read. My first response was,"Errrgh,,,"

After 1/2 into reading it, my response was, " Gllaaauuurgh! I only have so much time on this planet!! Why I am I wasting it by reading this, just because a pretty girl told me to?!!"

Next day she asked me how I liked it.

I was polite and said, "It was nothing like I've read before".

Aced and shagged that night. Rock n Roll.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Sean - I am a Flagg fan though at times Chaykin's art seems unintelligible? What is Zoulou? I get to France often enough...

KD - I am nostalgic for green / white Gene the Dean Colan's Captain Marvel as well. He defined the man (as he defined Daredevil). But if you are no more sophisticated than CM's primary-colors outfit, by let's-look-up-the-nose Gil Kane, God Bless you. You won!

Steve - I have not read any of these. I do thank you for shaking things up and posting in non-alpha order!

Sean / KD - I think if Marvel wanted to have reached adults 40 years ago, they only needed someone with Chaykin's artistic imagination have a "free hand" as he did with Flagg.

Time to go eat some fluffernutter...

Killdumpster said...

Charlie, oh my brother.

In my attempt to be trimmed & proper, I'll think about your anti-Gil Kane post as I plow down my nose-weeds with my Noreco. Heck, maybe Gil came up with that perspective while tidying up?

GIL KANE! GIL KANE! GIL KANE!

I LOVE... GIL KANE!!!

Killdumpster said...

We should feel happy that Kane didn't draw boogers. Especially the thin crusty kind inside the sidewalls, that many are aching to pick at, lol.

Anonymous said...

I much preferred Heavy Metal to Epic too.

Charlie, Zoulou was a French comic magazine in the early 80s that I don't think was around for long.
Agree that Marvel should have given someone like Chaykin a free hand. Thats exactly what their magazines lacked - someone who capable of writing for a broader audience.

-sean

Anonymous said...

Thulsa Doom was a King Kull villain but he was also the villain in the 1982 Conan movie.

Steve W. said...

Thanks, Colin. I suspect Doom's presence in that movie is what has led to my confusion.