Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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This week in 1980 was startingly dull, with even the top of the British singles and album charts remaining unchanged from the week before.
Therefore, I shall launch straight into my look at what Marvel UK's weeklies were up to in that seven-day period.
This is it! The
Hulk's much-anticipated punch-up with It! The Living Colossus is well underway!
Not that it lasts very long.
But I do love the cover blurb; "The Hulk battles the owner of this giant foot!"
Elsewhere,
Spider-Man's hanging around his local museum, hoping the Black Cat'll show up and try to steal something.
Meanwhile,
Spider-Woman's still on the trail of the man who killed her father, unaware that a SHIELD agent's on the trail of
her.
The Hangman's also somehow mixed up in all this.
Just what the
She-Hulk's up to is anyone's guess but I'm sure it'll involve her dealings with a world that doesn't understand her.
I genuinely have no idea what happens in this week's issue.
I do know that cover's from 1974's War is Hell #9, a series whose existence I've previously been unaware of.
It seems to involve Allied soldier John Kowalski who gets killed but doesn't let that put him off fighting the forces of fascism.
He seems to have a hint of DC's
Deadman about him, as he operates by possessing the bodies of the living, in order to achieve his aims.
Whether the cover means he turns up in this week's issue, or whether Marvel UK just chose to use the picture as a generic war image, I could not say.
We're still in Lando Calrissian's floating house and C-3PO's literally going to pieces.
Gullivar Jones is still on Mars and his beloved is still endangered by the big red lobster man whose name I've completely forgotten.
We get yet more from The Destiny of the Dinosaurs.
And this week's tale of the Watcher is The Worst Man on Earth in which a criminal cunningly manages to break free from his prison cell...
...only to discover, upon flinging the door open, that that cell is floating in Space!
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44 comments:
I read one or two issues of WAR IS HELL, back when I would buy ANYTHING that Marvel put out. Yeah, I think Kowalski was kinda like Deadman, he’d somehow be reincarnated as a different soldier every issue or his restless spirit would suddenly inhabit or possess some soldier on the battlefield, something like that. Maybe some kind of curse or ‘redemption/atonement for past sins’ kinda deal, I dunno. It was an early Claremont book, pretty melodramatic and ‘emo’ , as you can probably imagine. I remember an issue drawn by Don Perlin and Dave Hunt. It wasn’t a pretty sight.
- b.t.
The only issue of War Is Hell I remember seeing as a kid was a reprint of old Fury/Howling Commandos stories, so obviously I didn't bother with it.
I did however check out the revival late last year, curious to see what a modern Marvel war comic was like; and of course because the lead story was written and drawn by the mighty Howard Victor Chaykin.
But I wish I hadn't bothered. Obviously I'm getting soft in the head with age.
No info about the Defenders in that Spider-Man & Hulk Weekly, Steve?
Are they up against Vera Gemini and the Agents of Fortune yet? Your readers will want to know (well, M.P. and Killdumpster might).
-sean
Sean, I don't have a clue if the Defenders are present this week or who they're up against. Come to think if it, I don't know who Vera Gemini is. I shall Google her.
Bt, thanks for the Kowalksi info. It's nice to know my perception of him wasn't too far off the mark.
Hmmm... I have a definite recall of buying "War is Hell." But as I look at the covers I can't recall which. Now I wonder if I am confusing with a similar titled comic, most likely from Charleton?
War comics were still quite numerous until the mid-70s in the USA so I could easily be mixing things up. After I compared what I thought I recalled from Sgt. Fury 100 to what the google said (inspired by SDC's last blog), I realize maybe half my memories are mucked up regarding comics I read 50 years ago.
Sean, as merciless agents of the Cult of the Harvester of Eyes, K.D. and I tirelessly seek to re-steal the Eye of Agamotto in order to bring about Xegenesis on Earth for our demon lords. Tyranny and Mutation!
...unless it looks like the NFL might have a decent season this year, in which case we'll hold off for a while.
M.P.
Don't forget your meds M.P.
Charlie, perhaps you were thinking of Charlton's imaginatively titled war comic War?
I didn't realize US publishers still did war comics either - well, not unless they're written by Garth Ennis - so it was surprising to see a new War Is Hell from Marvel.
They were never any good at that kind of thing though, and decades of not doing war comics hasn't helped them get any better at it.
-sean
Is Garth Ennis still writing war comics?
Does Etrigan or Hitman show up? Or the Punisher?
That guy, I tell ya...
M.P.
In yesterday's Sal Buscema debate, we forgot Sal & Joe Staton. Sorry - I'll get my coat!
On a more serious note, Sean & Steve are wondering what the Defenders story in Spider-man & Hulk weekly # 390 is about - or even if it's in the comic at all.
I can confirm the Defenders is in it! A measly 4 pages, but every panel is action packed! (I'm sounding like Stan Lee, now.) Ms.Marvel, helping the Defenders, defeats the Warbot (a robot designed as the ultimate soldier) which, in last week's issue, defeated the Hulk by imprisoning Jade jaws in a giant ice cube! Sounds a bit implausible. Meanwhile, the other Defenders defeat Shaman, a villain with hypnotic powers, & some goons from A.I.M.
I suppose if the Warbot is an evil robot super-soldier, he's like a robot villain & a 'flip side of Captain America' character ( Ted Sallis, Tarantula, Deathlok, U.S. Agent, Red Guardian, etc) all rolled into one.
The Comic starts with Spidey, who is unable to beat the Black Cat in a physical fight, despite her having no super strength, whilst Spider-man can overturn a truck & pull up lamp posts. The story ends with Spidey trying to push a falling steam organ upright, which Black Cat's jinx has caused to fall. - 7 pages
The She-Hulk story provides a handy little synopsis: "Jen's father has sworn to kill She-Hulk in revenge for killing Jen! The criminal, Nick Trask hopes to stop She-Hulk but for other reasons! So he's offered the vengeful sheriff his help..." - 5 pages
She-Hulk's side-kick in this story is Zapper, not Richard Rory.
Hulk has a synopsis, too: "Hulk has interrupted a party at Delazny tv studios...where Bob O'Bryan is...He is able to transfer his mind to and take control of the stone colossus...rather to Hulk's surprise..." - 4 pages
Spider-woman's synopsis: "Jessica Drew, alias Spider-woman, and her friend, Magnus, while investigating her father's murder, discover through their landlady's son, William, there's some connection with a company called Pyro-technics. Meanwhile Brother Grimm goes his evil way and the Hangman continues his twisted path of 'justice' ! - 5 pages
The rest of the comic's just the letters page, ads for Empire Strikes Back (obviously), Spidey toys, and Starburst magazine.
Whew!
Phillip
The Defenders are still on that Ms Marvel issue then? Thanks Phillip; sounds like maybe Marvel UK aren't burning through the source material quite so fast anymore with SezDez gone.
M.P., Garth Ennis isn't always to my taste, but you've got be impressed by his ability to carve out an A-list career in US comics despite having zero interest in superheroes. Anyone who can get a mainstream publisher like DC to put out a book like Operation Bollock - about British commandos searching for Hitler's missing testicle - definitely deserves a bit of respect (even if it is rubbish).
His recent war comic - yep, he still does 'em - Sara, about Red Army women on the eastern front, is one of his better ones.
-sean
Thank, Phillip. You've performed far and beyond the call of duty.
Charlie, I had it in my head that Weird War Tales covers bore the slogan, "War is hell," but a quick check on the internet shows me that they didn't.
Charlton probably had the largest output of war comics in the 50s - 70s. They had a title for seemingly every location or branch of the military: ships, submarines, tanks, fighters, infantry, commandos... I want to say they even had one for PT Boats (again, my memory may be blending that in with Marvel's Cpt Savage who I think was on a PT Boat?)
The art was so-so. The paper was newsprint. But, on those days when you would stroll in to the News Agency / Drug Store and you were looking at the same titles from a few weeks earlier, I'd occasionally get a War, or War is Hell, or Charlton's "Battlefied Action!"
At least the characters in DC and Charlton comics looked like people and it seemed like you could relate to them, unlike Marvel's.
But when I do my monthly LCBS visit, there are occasional war titles from smaller publishers. My fav was Peter Panzerfaust but that series ended a few years ago.
Steve - I thought I'd hadn't got it, but I've found 'Forces in Combat' No.16, in the garage! The WW2 character whose spirit lives on to possess others' bodies at the moment of their death isn't Kowalski - his name is Frank Charlesworth! The story's title is 'Second Chance.'
In this issue of 'Forces in Combat', the stories are: Fury of the Commandos, Kull, Rom, Rawhide Kid, Machine Man, Master of Kung Fu (no credits, but clearly Nebres inks), & finally 'Second Chance.'
On top of that, you've got Sergeant Mike's Combat File, the letters page, a colour ROM poster, & the obligatory Starburst ad on the back cover.
Phillip
That's strange. The Grand Comics Database repeatedly refers to him as John Kowalski. I wonder if Marvel UK renamed him? This is the GCD page for his first appearance: https://www.comics.org/issue/27859/
Steve - it looks the same story, as the setting is Poland, and there's definitely a character called the Scavenger. Like you say, maybe Marvel UK renamed Kowalski as Charlesworth. I wonder why?
Phillip
Wulf the Briton not in Forces In Combat anymore then Phillip?
Poor old Wulf, his Brexit from the Roman empire over already...
-sean
Sean - You mean Wulf the Briton - IN FULL COLOUR! Unfortunately, Wulf ended abruptly in issue # 13 -unlucky for some! The next issue's front cover doesn't promise stories with 'Barbarians' anymore. Maybe Kull doesn't count as a barbarian, being a prince of Lemuria, or something! Some Kull expert can correct me!
Phillip
I bet they DID change Kowalski’s name for thé UK reprint. ‘Charlesworth‘ is a VERY uncommon family name here in the States — I don’t think I’ve EVER heard it before. Hate to think they changed it because ‘Kowalski’ sounded too ‘ethnic’ or they thought their AUDIENCE would think so, like the TV people thinking their audience would think ‘DAVID Banner’ sounded less ‘gay’ than ‘BRUCE’ Banner’ (the dumb-asses). But it wouldn’t surprise me.
Phillip: I liked Staton embellishing Sal’s pencils on AVENGERS too, and on HULK a little while after that. AVENGERS was Staton’s first work for ‘The Majors’, I think, after years of ‘apprenticing’ at Charlton.
- b.t.
b.t. - interesting! I suppose the reverse is true, too. Dez Skinn might have thought kids over here couldn't read/pronounce Kowalski, as it wasn't a common name here (outside of Tennessee Williams plays.)
Totally agree about Joe Staton. Also, Staton's inks look equally good whether in colour, or in black & white - something which isn't always true for my other favourite inkers.
b.t. - I think you made some good choices with Marvel team ups 21 & 22 - I read both these in Marvel Digest pocket books. For some reason I remembered # 20 as being Sal & Pablo Marcos, but it's my memory playing tricks on me!
Phillip
Yeah, I reckon you're right about the Kowalski name change b.t.
Phillip, at a guess, I expect Wulf the Briton - IN FULL COLOUR - ended abruptly because sales didn't justify the continued added expense of FULL COLOUR printing. Or for the reprint licence.
Still, you have to give it to Marvel UK for trying to bring Ron Embleton's artwork to a new, younger audience in the first place (I seem to recall they just went ahead with b&w for the old FULL COLOUR Dalek stories in Dr Who Weekly).
Conan became a king did he not? So I don't see how it stops Kull being a barbarian.
-sean
Gents - I meant to ask this in the previous blog. My library finally opened and I go the one Dredd book they had called "Apocalypse War." Is it worth a read? Let me know, if you don't mind?
O/wise I shall commence into Au Revioir Tristesse... lol.
Sean, I admit I very much enjoyed Ennis' Hitman. The first issue I picked up was the one in which Tommy Monaghan breaks into Arkham because he has a contract to kill the Joker. After that I was hooked.
I really loved that arc in which an S.A.S. squad is sent into Gotham.
I will leave you all with an ancient proverb:
"Confucious say, elevator smell different to midget."
M.P.
Haven't read Hitman, M.P., but Ennis has done some entertaining mainstream comics, although as you suggested he does tend to be a bit one track.
And he doesn't rein in his inner 14 year old enough for my liking (yeah, I know - the words "pot", "kettle" and "black" are probably springing to your mind...)
Charlie, the Apocalypse War is not a good one imo.
-sean
Sean - I value your feedback! Hence that Dredd will go to the library drop box tomorrow, lol. I know they have other Dredd but I have to get through the xfer system.
M.P. - the only proverb I learned was "Go to bed with itchy b... Wake up with smelly fingers."
As usual, I have failed to rein in my 4 and 14-year-old self again. Most sorry. But hey, it's Friday night, about 90 degrees outside, and I'm watching Jessica Jones on Netflix. It can't get better, can it?
I apologize, my brother told me that joke tonight over the phone, and I laughed hysterically.
So his and my inner adolescence are alive and well, apparently.
When I was a kid I dug war comics, when I could get 'em.
Weird War Stories and the Haunted Tank were my favorites.
Funny how there's a supernatural element in both of those. I dunno what's wrong with me.
Reading comics like Sgt. Rock, for example, a kid could get the impression the war in Europe lasted a lot longer than it actually did. The invasion of northern Africa happened, what, late '42? Southern Italy the following year and Normandy the year after that.
A short time, compared to today's wars which are far more limited and apparently interminable.
And with no foreseeable resolution.
M.P.
Kull was a refugee from Atlantis who became king of the mainland country Valusia. So, to the Valusians, he would have been a barbarian. The word originally meant "stranger" or "foreigner."
Similarly, Conan was a soldier of fortune from Cimmeria who became king of Aquilonia.
MP - no need to apologize. Let's be honest, kids like gorillas and that's why comics with gorillas sold more.
Marvel's Captain Savage was commander of the submarine USS Sea Wolf. He first appeared in half a dozen issues of Sgt. Fury, whenever the Howlers were transported by sub en route to their missions. He later starred in his own self-titled comic book, Captain Savage and His Leatherneck Raiders (later retitled "...and his Battlefield Raiders").
The spin-off series had Savage assigned to lead a Marine Raider (i.e., guerrilla warfare) squad. Which made no sense. A submarine officer would not have the training or experience for that job, and a Navy captain (equivalent to a colonel in the Army or Marines) would not be assigned to lead such a small unit (about a dozen guys, or fewer). It might have been plausible if he had been a young lieutenant (that is, a junior officer), and, more important, if his background had been in something like Underwater Demolition Teams (the forerunner of Navy SEALs).
The Savage comic was basically a pale imitation of Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos. It was not popular, and was cancelled after about two dozen issues.
DC's Captain Storm-PT Boat Skipper was the first DC Silver Age (1960s) action hero to debut in his own self-titled comic book (1964-67), without first having a try-out in Showcase or The Brave & the Bold. He later ended up in Our Fighting Forces as a member of The Losers, along with other DC war heroes (Johnny Cloud, Gunner & Sarge) whose solo strips had been cancelled.
PT boat officers were probably a hot topic in 1964, thanks to our then-recently martyred President Kennedy (who had been officer-in-charge of Patrol Torpedo Boat #109 in WWII). That could explain DC's initial confidence in the character. The later relegation of Storm and the others to an ensemble strip in an anthology comic was a sign of how war comics were declining in popularity in the 1970s.
My favorite dumb joke:
What’s brown and sticky?
A stick!
:)
- b.t.
Lmao!
A stick! LOL!
The Kennedy connection to Captain Storm: Patrol Boat skipper makes sense. I guess thats why war comics aren't really a thing these days - Citizen Storm: Billionaire Draft Dodger doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?
(Not that I think theres anything wrong with draft dodging, just hypocrisy)
-sean
Thanks for all the Captain Savage and Storm info, TC.
Sean - I offer you this for your consideration...
A draft dodger during Vietnam went to Canada with the understanding that he would never set foot in the USA again... never come home to see family, friends, the homeland lest the FBI arrest him. I find this to be a huge sacrifice. And in my older age I commend this moral decision.
Bill Clinton used a legal means to possibly (!) avoid the draft by extending his time in the university. (He may have done this anyhow regardless of the draft as he was quite well educated.) I don't find his particularly honorable or ethical in the context of the million who served and those who had to go to Canada. But, it was legal.
Bonespur could not even be bothered with the law. He simply payed off a doctor to find non-existent bonespurs. This was not legal, moral, or ethical. It was simply using money to buy your way in life. That's why most of us find this POTUS to simply be a POS.
Charlie:
Well, if his niece is telling the truth, Whiny McRagetweet also paid someone to take his SAT exams for him. The fact that it doesn’t even surprise anyone speaks volumes.
Lord, don’t even get me started....
So, um — how about that John ‘Charlesworth’ Kowalski, eh? Heck of a guy, just a heck of a guy.
- b.t.
Yes... we do need to stay focused on pop culture mostly comics instead of someone with the brains of a pop tart.
How about Kids having a fixation with gorillas in the 50s and 60s? What was that about?
Also, I am still trying to find data on UK kids buying Sten guns from comics. I mean, it was written up in some UK boo on how comics were damaging youth, a la Dr. Wertham. Man, all I can say is that, though I had no interest in those spring-loaded Daisy BB guns, I would have plunked down some $ for a Sten gun!
The sten gun thing sounds plausible to me Charlie, as there would have been a LOT of military surplus around in the early 50s (and the govt had to make money to start paying back the war debt and meet the looming costs of decolonisation).
But you'd probably have been disappointed with what you got for your bucks, as they'd certainly have been thoroughly decommissioned. The Brits don't have anything like your beautiful second amendment rights you know.
-sean
Man, I know alot of machinists/gun-enthusiasts that coulda made those sten guns work. From what I read of them, probably better than factory.
So a mushroom walks into a bar and the bartender yells at him, "get out, we don't serve your kind here."
The mushroom replies, "Why not? I'm a fungi."
(sound of crickets)
...And I'm outta here. Goodnight everybody! You've been great!
M.P.
Maybe don't give up the day job just yet M.P.
-sean
There's another joke I know about a pig with three legs, but, no. I think not. Perhaps this is not quite the right venue.
M.P.
A horse walks into a bar and jumps over it.
A white horse walks into a bar and the barman says "There's a drink named after you" and the white horse says "There's a drink named Fred?"
This dyslexic guy walks into a bra...
(Dodges shoes and tomatoes)
-b.t.
There's also a good one about Superman, Wonder Woman and the Invisible Man, but despite the appearance of comic book characters, again, this is definitely the wrong venue.
M.P.
Killdumpster already did that one here a while back anyway M.P.
(Hopefully he isn't relying on the stand-up gig to eat either)
-sean
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