Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Do you remember the Austin Metro?
Everyone remembers the Austin Metro.
And this day in 1980 was when they started being able to remember it.
That's because it was then that British Leyland launched its successor to the iconic Mini. According to Wikipedia, the small three-door hatchback made use of much of the Mini's drivetrain and suspension, including its engines. Despite ending up being outlived by the car it was meant to replace, the Metro continued to be in production for 18 years, with over 1.5 million sold in the UK.
Elsewhere, it was good news for the Police. In an arresting feat of commercial supremacy, their LP Zenyatta Mondatta crashed straight in at Number One on the UK album chart, while their track Don't Stand So Close to Me maintained the dominance of the singles chart it had first achieved several weeks earlier.
I could be wrong but I suspect this week's Spider-Man tale may be the one that involves the Vulture's attempts to take over the mobs of New York.
I do know for a near-fact that Iron Man's about to come into conflict with the She-Hulk, in his search for a missing employee of Tony Stark's.
I can say nothing of this issue's other strips but I'm sure the He-Hulk and Spider-Woman are also up to all kinds of mischief.
As far as I can make out, both Princess Leia and Darth Vader are still having trouble getting through customs.
According to this week's cover, Kull's opponent this week is both crawling and dead. Personally, I'd say it doesn't have a lot going for it.
Meanwhile, Killraven's still having trouble trying to survive the latest attack from Skar.
Only one of them can survive - and Skar isn't the star of the strip, so I think we can guess which one it'll be.
Elsewhere, we get more from the reprint of Marvel's adaptation of the first Star Wars movie.
And, in our tale of the Watcher, a megalomaniac sets out to destroy an entire galaxy, in order to demonstrate his awesome power, unaware that he and his universe are tiny and are being observed through the lens of a child's microscope.
Still, I'm sure the Valusian king will make a suitable meal of defeating it.
In the 20th Century, Izzy Cohen's been captured by the Japanese, and Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos are invading a remote island in an attempt to get him back.
This is all I know of this epic issue.
The observant reader will have noticed the absence of Team-Up from this week's summary.
That's because it would appear there is no issue this week.
Why it's vanished from the shops of Britain, I've no idea but I do know it'll reappear in the nation's shops, next week.
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52 comments:
One thing I noticed was the blurb about "four great comic strips" on the front of Spider-Man and Hulk. Does this mean the FF have been dropped from the comic? Or that Hulk has been dropped? Or are they just admitting that Spider-Woman is just pants?
A year or so earlier it might have made sense to guess a missing comic like Team-Up was the result of industrial action of some sort, but even by late 1980 that was unlikely - theres nothing like mass unemployment for keeping the workers in line.
As I recall (from watching way too much Weekend World on Sunday afternoons in the 70s) the workers were well on the defensive by this point.
The Austin Metro was something of a symbol of this as it had a heavily automated assembly line, which couldn't be introduced without greater industrial discipline because it meant a lot of lay-offs, particularly among - coincidentally enough - union organisers (like tabloid bogeyman "Red Robbo", who got the sack in late '79).
Well, that was interesting, wasn't it?
-sean
PS He-Hulk? Nice one Steve.
-sean
dangermash - there's no FF - the Hulk's still in it - so, numerically, Spider-woman must be great! Who says numbers never lie?
Let's start with 'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly' # 396. Well, in Spidey, since the Kingpin's retirement, a mysterious criminal overlord wants to become 'boss of bosses' & starts killing other crimelords (wasn't Baron Brimstone doing that, last week, in 'Forces in Combat'?) We aren't told the identity of the mysterious criminal overlord, but the other crime bosses must demonstrate their loyalty, by procuring certain items to 'decorate his new ROOST'. Likewise, the criminal overlord is described as an 'old BIRD'. These clues are too hard for the reader to solve - can't they give us easier ones? Anyway, Peter Parker sets his camera on automatic and, whilst web-slinging over Chinatown, unwittingly gets some photos of a crime boss being bumped off! But what about Belladonna escaping last week? Has that story been put on the backburner? Peter mentions he's having a date with that girl who was grateful for being stood up twice - is she Belladonna?
The Hulk's page count is highest, this week - just as well! Doc Samson is about to have a fight with Woodgod! Also, the 3-D Man has possibly the silliest origin story of any superhero. The trailer at the end of the story says, "Hulk is cornered by the 3-D Man!!" I bet the Hulk is really scared! Oh, and something to make Sean physically sick - Rick Jones is in the story - he's calling his old gang together on a short wave radio!
In the She-Hulk, Jen Walters starts poking Iron Man in the chest(plate), just like Wanda did in Jim Shooter's Avengers. Come to think of it, did Bethany Cabe do something like that, too? Iron Man has less luck than Tony Stark! At the end of the page count, Iron Man & the She-Hulk start their battle, which concludes next week. I seem to remember Iron Man beat her, and he didn't even have to overload his armour to do it, like he did with the Hulk or Nefaria. Come to think of it, Iron Man also knocked out the She-Hulk in Marvel's 'Contest of Champions'. Maybe that's why none of the ladies like him!
In Spider-woman, Jack Russell is narrating the story, in retrospect, so the narrative style is a bit like a Raymond Chandler film noire! Morgan le Fay overpowers Magnus (her old flame) and Spider-woman; then she sends Spider-woman to find an occult book, which for some strange reason is at Jack Russell's apartment. Jack transforms to Werewolf by Night, ready for a fight with Spider-woman. Oh, and Magnus sends a telepathic message to the cops (what good would they be? But when has Spider-woman ever made sense?)
Phillip
What about 'Forces in Combat' # 22? What do we learn? Well, Kull's definitely a barbarian - the front cover's 'screamer' at the top tells you he is: 'Science Fiction! Robots! Barbarians!' But, then again, the Rawhide Kid, the Golem, and Frank Charlesworth don't fall into any of these 3 categories. Anyway, Kull is also referred to as a barbarian in his story, too - so he must be one!
In Kull, that mysterious woman, who's actually a monster, has ingested Lorkar the beastman into her incorporate, oozing mass. Kull is about to go the same way, having lost his sword, but - in the nick of time - the minstrel, Ridondo, offers Kull an axe!
What else do we learn? Well, ROM and the Golem have something in common - they can both go into hibernation mode! ROM, however, can recharge himself from a domestic lightbulb, too, which the Golem can't. The title of this ROM story is 'DOG DAY AFTERNOON'.So maybe, finally - finally - next week we'll see the Dogs of the Dire Wraiths. The Golem must suddenly wake up from his hibernation, as whilst his niece & nephew are transporting him home, they are suspected of smuggling antiquities!
What do we learn in Machine-Man? Well, we discover Machine-Man has some powers he hasn't nicked from Iron Man! He can detach his arm from his body & make it fly up & catch Aaron Stack/Machine-Man's girl-friend, after Baron Brimstone threw her out of a helicopter! Would it have worked on the George Washington bridge, against the Green Goblin? The trouble is, at the end of the tale, Machine-Man can't find his missing limb - you could say he's...- I can't go through with that appalling pun!
The Rawhide Kid meets Spade Desmond, a man who can hypnotize saloon bar flies into doing whatever he wants. Has Chris Claremont been scripting the title, on the sly? Also, we had hypnotism before in Morbius, last week (Team-up).
In Second Chance, Keith Mannering finally learns the horror of war, seeing a German soldier burn up.
Oh, I didn't mention Fury. Well, it's full of Japanese stereotypes, and the Australian spotter isn't referred to as Rolfe Harrison. So, maybe Paul Neary's finally realized a joke gets tired after too long.
Phillip
Sean - I know Iron Man didn't beat Nefaria (he just momentarily exceeded his strength) - it was the Vision, at maximum density, dropping on him!
Funnily enough Phillip, I have no idea of whatever it was that happened between Iron Man and Count Nefaria.
Actually, I recognize that main Forces In Combat image from a US Kull the Destroyer cover, and fwiw I'm pretty sure the crawling dead story inside was drawn by Ernie Chan.
Do Forces... or He-Hulk & Spidey have credits at all?
-sean
For some reason Team up cover dates jumped from the previous issue 4 being dated 2 October and issue 5 showing the cover date 15 October. Not sure why that was but could explain why you can't see an issue for this week for that title (I seem to recall there was a Team Up special printed perhaps that replaced the weekly ?). My first car was an MG Metro it was agreat wee car but a bit of a rust bucket but it had character and was a good runner.
Sean - 'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly' has credits - 'Forces in Combat' doesn't. Kull does look like Ernie Chan. Many artists are instantly recognizable - but some aren't - the Golem, for example. Spidey - Leialoha, He-Hulk - Sal Buscema, She-Hulk Vosburg, Spider-woman - Carmine Infantino.
Kull - Chan, ROM - Sal Buscema, Machine-Man - Ditko, Rawhide Kid - Lieber, 2nd Chance - Trimpe, Golem (?), Fury - Lieber (?)
Phillip
Phillip, thanks for yet another sterling summary. :)
McScotty, I don't have a clue what was going on with Team-Up. Clearly, some strangeness was occurring.
Dangermash, I'm sure Marvel UK were as proud of Spider-Woman as they were of all their heroes.
Sean, from now on, in my head, I'm always going to know him as He-Hulk.
Didn't the MG Metro have some sort of hydropneumatic (?) suspension (obviously not as good as the Citroen one, though)?
Phillip
Hi Philip, yes the Metro had hydrogas suspension which made it a fun car to drive as it was quit responsive. It was indeed similar but not superior , to the Citroen
I like Machine man, but maybe they shoulda called him "Swiss Army Knife Man."
...say, there's something...
It's my idea! I came up with it first! I call creator royalties!
This could put me on easy street.
M.P.
Sorry to burst your bubble M.P., but I think the owners of the Swiss Army Knife trademark will have a pretty good claim on most of those royalties.
-sean
My main memory of the Austin Metro was it being advertised as wholly designed, built and targeted towards the British. And so they named it after the French underground system...
DW
RE Sean:
Really? That's an existing trademark?
...Well, I dunno if that would apply here, given, uh, existing trade treaties...and then there's free...use...uh...
Dammit!
M.P.
That Citroen with the gas suspension, moving headlights, sloped roof... That was one sleek looking car. I'd give my left... um... ear lobe... to have one of those things!
If yer into rust and a small sun roof I have a 2001 Chevy I'd be willing to put on the market, Charlie.
New ignition, no recent power steering fluid leaks that have not been addressed, relatively new starter, somewhat less recent drive belt, acceptable tires and brakes, and a battery which has truly earned a place in Valhalla...
M.P.
M.P., seems the owners of the Swiss Army Knife trademark won a legal action defending their intellectual property in the US a few years ago. But google tells me that more recently they were taken to court themselves, by the Swiss army.
What you really need is to be able to register your IP in a territory with legislation specifically exempting itself from agreements with the EU (and more to the point the EEA, covering Switzerland).
I could handle this for you, in return for a small fee...
-sean
Hey UK Gents - Have you guys brexited or are you still brexiting? I get my news from the UK's venerable "Talk Sports" and Sky News.
I don't really pay sufficient attention and am now thoroughly confused.
It sounds dum perhaps to you UK guys, but as a Yank I get a rush when I hear the UK announcers say something like "Mersey Side is in total lockdown now" because my only exposure to the term Mersey Side for the last 59 years is via The Beatles, a rock band from Liverpool I really, really like (as does my family). So that word, for example, makes my heart go pit-a-pat.
It is with a heavy heart that I must report the UK's International Conker Championships for 2020 have been cancelled.
I really don't know why they just can't have meter-long strings on the conkers to maintain social distancing while jousting.
Anyhow you guys, Steve in particular, should probably cancel your travel plans and reservations to the match ASAP and get refunds if possible.
Charlie we are still Brexiting. We're currently in a transitional phase that ends on January 1st, at which point, we will be totally Brexited.
Charlie - Tonight, BBC4's showing 'A Hard Day's Night' at 8pm, our time, followed by various John Lennon shows/stuff, to celebrate his 80th. I don't know if, in America, you can tune into any of that stuff.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/guide/bbcfour
Does Gerry & the Pacemakers' 'Ferry Across the Mersey' do anything for you?
Phillip
I meant commemorate!
Phillip
The government claims the UK isn't in the EU Charlie, but as Steve says the country is er... transitioning, so Brexit is due at the end of the year.
But at this point I'll believe it when I see it.
The Brits are so rubbish at leaving the EU its now over four years since the referendum and they're still arguing about it, blaming other people for all the delays (mostly the Irish - apparently British rule in the north of Ireland is a cunning plot of ours to keep them in Europe).
-sean
Phillip, I remember that story when Rick Jones and the Teen Brigade had their reunion.
In Steve's last post, we talked a great deal about Marvel's split-books. I made a joke about a Galactus/Patsy Walker title. I definitely would've bought a Galactus/Rick Jones & The Teen Brigade shared comic. Just imagine the guest-stars!
I post this while wearing my Chameleon-grade Rick mask. Thinking about spirit-gumming fake hair on it, as if he'd have made an appearance in Werewolf By Night. Halloween has a full moon this year.
What do you think of werewolf comics/films being a topic towards the end of this month, Steve?
I shall see what I can do, KD.
UK Gents - thanks for the feedback!
Phillip - Ferry Cross the Mersey is indeed one of those "trigger" songs b/c of the word Mersey! I still listen to a radio station called MeFM which focuses on 50s, 60s, and 70s and heard it driving to work a few months back (One can't listen to TalkSport from the UK live every day...)
Sean - I have no doubt the Irish are delaying the brexiting. In Chicago they were heavily involved in politics and government entities (police, fire, teaching) through the 1980s. They controlled all that b/c they spoke English whereas the other immigrants didn't. So I am sure they wake up every morning trying to figure how to muck with brexiting.
Phillip - I was only aware today that it was Lennon's 80th b/c some stories (probably more like info-mercials) popped up wherein Sean Lennon is talking about his dad's 10 most meaningful post-Beatles hits (in his opinion) and how he and mumsy are releasing them digitally remastered.
But no, I do not have acccess to BBC 4
However, I will be able to watch live UK Women's soccer games tomorrow morning! There is a new network called Peacock (partially owned by NBC) showing it. Nothing like watching women running and breathing really hard chasing a ball and then kicking it with all their might!
Steve - if you are taking requests how about a feature in honor of Orson Welles "War of the worlds" broadcast that rattled the eastern seaboard of the USA in 1938?
You could just do an "existential threat" summary which would probably reap some synergy from the Killraven discussions!
Maybe a nice phot of Skar to start if off, with that big ole bung hole in the middle of his head front and center?
MP- thanks for the offer of your car. But I have a rule of thumb that I never consider buying a car, unless a classic Citroen, that is older that the lint in my belly button. So, basically nothing before 2010.
Steve, like K.D., I wouldn't mind seeing you cover some more of Werewolf by Night this Halloween season. Other interesting posts might be team-ups or other interactions between between Marvel horror characters and your basic superheroes. Those could get pretty weird. Iron Man has had run-ins with Wolfie and the Frankenstein Monster, and Frankie showed up in Marvel Team-Up and the Avengers, of all places.
I believe the Mummy showed up in Marvel Two-in-One, didn't he?
MTIO was an interesting comic. Ben Grimm teamed up with just about everybody except Yoko Ono.
Now that might be interesting...
M.P.
Charlie and MP, I shall see what I can do.
Werewolves and Killraven... talk about "the backyard of nostalgia" lol!
M.P. I'm glad Yoko didn't get to guest-star in Marvel Two-In-One.
She may have permanently broken-up the Fantastic Four!
Charlie, there was a really good made-for-tv docudrama made in the early 70's about Orson's War Of the Worlds radio broadcast. I can't remember the title.
Supposively people took arms, barricaded themselves, and many were going commit suicide!
Oh, the power of media.
One of the best Halloween's I ever had was when I was 6yrs old. The weather was nice, so my mom didn't mind driving us to extra houses. Got a boatload of candy, and some folks gave out handfuls of change. Comic book money!!!
That night Chiller Theater ran 3 features instead of just two:
Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, Horror Of Dracula, and George Pal's War Of The Worlds. I was in monster kid heaven!
My dad stayed up & watched them with me, but I think he only did that to eat all the Snickers & Reese's peanut butter cups out of my trick-or-treat bag.
KD wins the internet for the Yoko quip!
No he doesn't, because the Beatles split themselves up.
And as anyone familiar with her own records will know, Yoko Ono is cool.
-sean
Philip- "Ferry Cross the Mersey " is a big favorite of mine! Like Charlie I've a great fondness for that whole era, and really anything "British Invasion ". Even though I was just a tyke at the time. By the way, how do you folks in the UK refer to the "British Invasion " of the US? Wish you could arrange for another one...
Uh.. hmmm... whatever you say... I guess...
I like that song too!
M.P.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood were ok, but Ferry Cross The Mersey is nowhere near the best thing they did.
-sean
Huh?!
What does Frankie have to do with it?! I thought we were talking about Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Actually, "pacemakers" might be a good name for a bunch of old musicians who record or tour together, like the Wilburys or the Highwaymen. Instead of Ringo And His All Starr Band it could be Ringo and a Bunch of Guys with Pacemakers.
M.P.
The "Lennon NYC" special shown last nite had a lot of interview time with Yoko. I must say it was the first time I thought of her beyond the usual stereotypes. THe documentary is on youtube. per below. Highly recommended if you want to understand Lennon and Yoko.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHlfYVJkUsA
What can you say... at the end of the day he loved her and she loved him. That's that.
I like Gerry's version of Ferry Across the Mersey best.
The tribute done by McCartney, et al. for the Sheffield Soccer game disaster (below) second. Steve were you living in Sheffield at the time?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpUI70VlhF4
And I only discovered the McCartney version to check out Sean's reference to Frankie Goes to Hollywood's version which falls in 3rd place.
Okay, I think I understand. Frankie Goes to Hollywood did a version? I was unaware of that.
"Ferry cross the Mersey". That's some serious irony, right there.
I agree that Yoko got a bad rap. All she did was marry the guy and have a kid with him. I don't think she had anything to do with the Beatles breaking up; all those guys were sick of it and they all wanted out. Who can blame 'em? Everything runs it's course. It was a pressure cooker at the end.
Sometimes it's better to quit while you're ahead! There are a lotta bands who shoulda done just that.
M.P.
MP - I agree. It's best to leave the party when you're having fun.
Redartz - I think it's referred to as the "British Invasion" over here, too. I always think of that Simon & Garfunkel song with the lyrics "It was the year of the Beatles - it was the year of the Stones - it was a year after JFK - We were staying up all night & giving the days away." It's 'The Late Great Johnny Ace'. That song places the "British invasion" firmly in 1964 - if anybody should ever forget.
Killdumpster - the werewolf stories I'd nominate are Lupinar in Moonknight (a classier lycanthrope) & the 2nd part? (Ron Wilson & Pablo Marcos) of the Captain Britain story, 'The Terror on Tower Bridge', in which Captain Britain fights a werewolf that looks 3 or 4 times the size of Jack Russell! Part of this story had bad art, then it was followed by good art. So some extracts/panels with the good bits!
Phillip
Charlie, I was indeed living in Sheffield at the time.
Red, sadly, the days of spontaneous youth movements appear to be long gone, with the music scene on both sides of the Atlantic too strongly controlled by the record companies and broadcasters for any kind of new musical wave to happen again.
Phil, you obviously are familiar with the Werewolf by Night comic. I myself have only four or five issues, including one in which Moonknight shows up.
Man, that was a weird comic. A lotta bizarre antagonists. I dunno what they were trying to do. How many storylines can a writer come up with about a werewolf who's a good guy?
The art was not all that great, but if sheer weirdness is a virtue (and I think it is) then it is a comic worthy of discussion.
M.P.
M.P. - Only 1 or 2 of Werewolf by Night. But Lupinar was in a British Monthly called Savage Action (enigmatic characters & soldiers of fortune was how it liked to sell itself - but later a bit of horror.) Captain Britain's werewolf was in Super Spider-man & Captain Britain. Werewolf by Night kept turning up in other characters' books (e.g. Spider-woman, last week). This suggests he wasn't selling well!
Phillip
Captain America actually became a werewolf, although as that was in the early 90s its unlikely to be reviewed in Steve Does Comics. But theres always the early 70s Cap issue with the first appearance of Nightshade, Queen of the Werewolves.
You should consider it Steve, as reviewing the issue would keep two of your reader demographics happy - werewolf enthusiasts, and those that appreciate a character in thighboots.
I worry about a Werewolf By Night review - how ever will you be able to remember enough to write about it?
-sean
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