April 9th, 1980 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

How the twisted mind of Fate works.

Just the other day, this site's comments section was alive with talk of how the band the United States knows as The English Beat are, in Britain, known purely as The Beat and had to be renamed for their US releases, to avoid confusion with an American band of the same nomenclature.

And, what do you know? Today, I find myself having to address the reverse process, as, in this week of 40 years ago, the top of the UK singles chart was claimed by the Detroit Spinners and their huge big smash hit Working My Way Back to You.

The band in question are, of course, just known as The Spinners in the States but have to be referred to by a more geographical title in the UK to avoid confusion with the British folk band of the same name.

The music business is, as we all know, a metaphorical roller coaster. But some folks don't like their roller coasters to be metaphors. They like them literal.

And, so it was that, in that week, Staffordshire's Alton Towers Resort was opened by Madame Tussauds, and the world of British theme parks would never be the same again.

This issue, Luke and Leia team up with someone called Grau who I suspect may be an Imperial stormtrooper and, together, they try to survive the automated defences of whatever world it is they're on.

Howard Chaykin's Monark Starstalker makes his Marvel UK debut, though I must confess his first appearance was one of the few comics my younger self didn't like.

Meanwhile, Deathlok's confronting a clone that contains the mind of the scientist who created our hero.

In this week's Tales of the Watcher, a space expedition encounters a race of seeming primitives and departs without ever discovering they're actually an advanced race of psychics who simply don't need technology.

I recall an episode of Star Trek being built around a similar concept.

In that one, the Federation and Klingons are trying to gain control of a planet, totally oblivious to the fact its inhabitants are by far their mental superiors and could destroy both factions with just a thought.

Information about this issue's harder to come by than usual.

However, from the cover's boast, it would appear the book has a great new look.

What that look is, I've no idea, as, to me, it looks pretty much the same as it always did.

But, of course, what we're all really interested in is the chance to win a trip to the Doctor Who Exhibition in Blackpool; an exhibition I myself had already visited.

How I recall its robot Daleks, its Sea-Devil and its stills from The Talons of Weng-Chiang, including one of Leela being attacked by a hamster.

In truth, it was a not-massively overwhelming experience, being in the modest basement of a building facing the Promenade.

But it was enterable via a replica of the TARDIS, and that had to be worth something.

I also once visited a Space: 1999 exhibition which resided no more than a hundred yards from it.

If the Doctor Who Exhibition seemed modest, that was nothing compared to the modesty of the Space: 1999 Exhibition.

My Spider-Sense tells me the Punisher's back - and firing three guns at once!

Either that, or he's just got a very shaky aim.

It would appear the Kingpin's also back.

And you know who else is back?

No. Me neither because, as is so often the case with this book, I don't have a clue what's in it beyond what's displayed on the cover.

Having suddenly remembered she existed, the Hulk goes to Gamma Base or Hulkbuster Base or whatever it's called this week, to retrieve the body of Jarella.

However, I suspect Glenn Talbot and his Mandroid suit are likely to get in his way.

Elsewhere, the Black Knight and Captain Britain find themselves fighting rocky giants at the stone circle where, I believe, the captain first got his powers.

It's all action for that duo. It's a wonder they're not nervous wrecks by now.

The Silver Surfer's still out to stop the indestructible mutant who's taken over the universe.

I'm not totally sure what the Beast's up to in his strip but I do know that, in The Defenders, Valkyrie's facing her greatest foe yet; the New York college enrollment process.

And I assume Iron Man's still battling the Mandarin's Hulkbot.