April 2nd, 1980 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

There's nothing this site appreciates more than failure.

And, on this night in 1980, it had plenty to appreciate because it was the night on which BBC Two's arts show Arena looked at Stephen Pile's The Book of Heroic Failures, a tome dedicated to true-life tales of those who've faltered.

Ironically, despite its subject matter, the book was a massive success, even spawning a sequel, thus defeating the whole point of its existence.

But you know who never fails?

Tarzan.

And, on that very evening, he was, no doubt, triumphing once more, as BBC One served up his movie Tarzan and the Spider People.

I've no doubt at all that I've seen this movie, as I've always found ancient Tarzan films irresistible but that doesn't mean I've any actual recollection of it.

Still, it features giant spiders and that means it must be good.

Also succeeding but in a very different way, were Genesis who, that week, hit the peak of the UK album chart, with their LP Duke.

Meanwhile, on the singles chart, the Jam were still supreme with Going Underground.

As for Marvel UK, they were going completely mad. Not satisfied with the million and one books they were already publishing; this month, they launched even more. At this rate, they were going to end up producing more books than their parent company.

But what were they? And how am I going to tackle them all in one post?

It's issue #2 of the company's first pocket book, as Chiller dispenses more action from the lord of the undead.

This month, we're blessed with continuing drama from the later issues of Tomb of Dracula but we also get a Ghost Rider tale that includes the Phantom Eagle. How this meeting happens, I could not even speculate.

It's the second issue of the book which promises to bring endless mirth and merriment into our lives, as we get the Muppet/Star Trek crossover we all demanded.

I really don't know what Fun Funerals is. I assume it's not based on a TV show?

It's yet more of Conan's daily struggles with the paranormal, as our hero must confront The Moon of Blood.

That's not a title which rings any bells for me, so I'll assume it's not a Robert E Howard adaptation.

The Hulk's still battling Sasquatch, thanks to the artistic pairing of Sal Buscema and Alfredo Alcala, which is not a team-up I can remember ever seeing outside of this Hulk tale.

The Surfer's still battling that big mutant bloke who's taken over the universe in the far-flung future.

The Beast's trying to make amends with Iron Man for having tried to strangle him to death.

From The Defenders, we finally get my most fondly remembered storyline of theirs, as the Valkyrie enrolls at college.

Granted, that means the introduction of Lunatik can't be far away - which isn't such good news.

Elsewhere, Iron Man's still battling the Mandarin's robot Hulk.

For those who, even after all that, haven't had enough of the gamma-powered brute, there's good news because he's in Africa and the target of hunters who're out to kill him.

The New X-Men have their first encounter with Magneto - and don't do very well, from what I remember.

Dr Strange is on the hunt for someone called Xander in some place called the Quadriverse.

It would appear Doc Ock's trying to steal a nuclear submarine.

Bearing in mind that the last time he got involved with nuclear reactors, he managed to blow up an entire island and end up being haunted by the, "ghost," of Hammerhead, you'd have thought he'd have learnt his lesson by now.

Then again, maybe the nuclear submarine belongs to Aunt May and he's only picking it up for her? Who can know?

Of the main Star Wars tale, I know nothing.

But I do know this issue features the staggering conclusion of whatever tale it is Star-Lord's involved in, as he annihilates a load of lizard people and walks off into the sunset with some old bloke.

Next week, he'll be replaced by Howard Chaykin's Monark Starstalker.

The Avengers haven't been faring too well against Count Nefaria - but now Thor's showed up and it's game on.

The Original X-Men find themselves up against Magneto and Lorna Dane.

The Champions are battling Pluto who's trying to force Hercules to marry Hippolyta.

Hooray! Leela - the woman after whom they named a character in Futurama - makes the cover of the UK's top sci-fi mag,

Then again, so do Princess Leia, that woman from Forbidden Planet and Caroline Munro.

And it would appear we get a comparison between the first Star Trek movie and The Black Hole, neither of which I remember setting my mind on fire.

But what's this? The FF's Thing in his own TV series? When did this happen? Did it happen at all? And, if it didn't happen, why didn't it happen?

The nation celebrates as Doctor Who's most Discotastic villains the Movellans make the front cover.

That's right, the magazine's still looking at the robot foes of the Doctor.

Other than that, my knowledge of this week's contents is limited.

Therefore, I shall assume the strips which were present last week are still in situ.

If Marvel UK's Chiller pocket book was feeling lonely, it need feel so no more because, hot on its heels, the company's launched another one, as Star Heroes hits the newsstands.

Battlestar Galactica and The Micronauts? In one comic? Who wouldn't want to buy that?

Probably me but I'm sure it's a good fun read, regardless.

And we get yet another pocket book as the Fantastic Four version of that genre is unleashed.

And it hits us with a classic, as Dr Doom decides to wreck Reed and Sue's wedding, leading to all kinds of Kirby-drawn chaos.

I've no idea what's in this, the first issue of Spidey's pocket book but I gather it's a title which, generally, makes heavy use of Marvel Team-Up tales.