Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
This week in 1981 was a bad time for people who don't exist.
That's because it was the week in which all the people who do exist got to do the UK census, leaving the nonexistent people feeling well and truly left out.
Still, they could at least take comfort in watching Bucks Fizz win that year's Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, thanks to that band's imperishable tune Making Your Mind Up.
The Fizz went on to make better records - and I'll fight to the death anyone who says they didn't - but nothing would ever embed them in the consciousness of the peoples of Europe in quite the way that track did.
I'm somewhat confused, though. Wasn't Sporr originally created by a Frankenstein-like scientist on Earth? Just how did it get into space, in order that it could pick a fight with Thor?
Back on Earth, the Fantastic Four are still having to deal with the space parasites that revert their hosts back to a prehistoric but super-powered state.
I cannot comment on what Dr Strange is up to. Not because I'm sworn to secrecy but because I don't know.
But I do know we get a free super-hero sticker!
As far as I can make out, the one you get is either going to feature the thunder god or the sorcerer supreme.
On a slightly smaller scale, Spider-Man's out to get Mace and his gang, following their multiple puncturing of the White Tiger.
Apparently, Wonder Man's in solo action but I know nothing of that.
And Spidey's teaming up with The Shroud. Does that mean it's the story where they tackle Tatterdemalion or whatever he's called?
Captain America's still up against The Guy Named Joe who's still out for revenge on the system, following the death of his son.
Firebrand's kidnapped Tony Stark in an attempt to lure Iron Man into a trap. This is an old George Tuska drawn story which long predates the stories Marvel UK's been running lately. I'm sure that won't lead to reader confusion.
In the Dazzler's strip, just about every super-hero in town's tackling the Enchantress' army of disco-wrecking wrongdoers, meaning the Dazzler can probably just go home and leave them to it.
The Micronauts blunder into SHIELD's war with Hydra.
I can give no information as to what's happening in the worlds of Conan, ROM or Star Trek.
I can't help feeling this post's somewhat petered out.
Still, never mind. I feel petering out is a unique feature of this blog. One that helps it stay ahead of the pack and maintain its legendary status.
Posts
41 comments:
'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly' # 422 & 'Captain America' # 7
Common Themes?
Common themes, last week, were few & far between. You had giant robots in both ROM, & the Herc & Spidey team up. Also, in Thor ('Marvel Action') & Iron Man ('Captain America'), you had the theme of vague directions. Mimir told Thor that Odin was at the Doomsday Star, but wouldn't say where it is. Likewise, Whiplash explained that Justin Hammer was in Monaco, but didn't know exactly where.
This week, it's totally different - we've got common themes all over the place!
1.) Jazz clubs
In an outstanding 'Savage Action', this month, Sean remembered that Blade's home from home is 'Slow Boy's', the coolest jazz club in town. Well, guess what? Blade isn't the only jazz fan - Spidey finds the Shroud at 'Cat's Jazz Club', in Los Angeles - but it isn't as cool as Slow Boy's. In the immortal words of the Fast Show's Louis Balfour: "Nice...!"
2.) Darkness/blackness
Last week was all about whiteness, with the White Tiger. This week's all about darkness/ blackness. In Hulk, Darkstar uses her dark force to protect her team mates from Sergei's radiation. She also uses the dark force to contain the Hulk - not a good idea! Likewise, the Shroud envelopes Spidey in darkness, but this too fails, as Spidey uses his spider sense to find the Shroud amidst the darkness, and punch his lights out! All this blackness would cause the Fast Show's Johnny to have one of his infamous meltdowns - "Black, black, black!"
3.) Shadowy, hooded figures
In Sergei's lair, the Soviet Super Soldiers are stalked by a shadowy, hooded figure. The Shroud is also a shadowy, caped figure (a bit tenuous?)
4.) Evil brothers
Evil brothers - everybody's got them. Thor has Loki; Osiris has Set (or Seth, in Marvel); Nick Fury has Scorpio; Hawkeye has one; and Marc Spector's brother - don't get me started.
How does this relate to this week? Well, in Iron Man, Roxanne Gilbert's evil brother is Firebrand. Also, in Micronauts, Acroyear's evil brother brings Baron Karza back to life (okay, I forgot to mention it, last week.)
5.) Mystery ladies
Dansen Macabre (apologies to Saint Saens), & Audrey the "masseuse" in the Punisher, 'Savage Action' (okay, I'm cheating by adding Audrey on!)
6.) Fighting your mentor
Vanguard discovers the shadowy figure is his mentor. I'd provide you with two more mentor fights, but they're from 'Savage Action'!
7.) Editorial incompetence - these two issues must be the most slap dash issues ever produced - more later!
'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly' # 422
The cover. Ursa Major's got the Hulk in a bear hug (sorry, I couldn't resist it!), whilst Crimson Dynamo duffs Hulk up. At my high school, this is exactly what the bullies did, in sports lessons, when the P.E. teacher left his class unattended. Ursa Major's spitting down the back of the Hulk's neck, too. High school bullies did that, too! Ah...the happiest days of your life! Worse still, Vanguard has the Enchantress's leggings on - this is worse than Killraven's boots! Let's open the comic, quick - before I throw up my dinner!
Spidey's trailing Gideon Mace, via a spider tracer he threw on a car fender. Web head's followed the tracer to a car being crushed in a compactor, in a Brooklyn auto salvage yard, run by soldiers. The soldiers send a mayday to Gideon Mace, whereupon Spidey grabs the 'phone & talks to Mace himself. At one point, Mace tells Spidey: "As to the state of my sanity, that is for history to decide." Now, in this comic, Spidey never questioned Mace's sanity. This story has panels missing, that have been left on the cutting room floor (more on this, in Hulk!) Anyway, Mace gives Spidey his location(Eastside National Guard Armoury) and dares him to turn up! At the armoury, Spidey's spider sense alerts him to a mine (why can't it stop him colliding with superheroes?), which he detonates with a rock. Mace has all his soldiers ready, guns facing outwards. But Spidey comes up from beneath the floor, right in the middle, behind the soldiers!
Hulk
The reader's told that, in the Forbidden Zone, Sergei's "communing" with the Red Guardian, in the radiation. Is that what you kids call it, these days?
Vanguard fights a shadowy, hooded figure, who knows his every move - turns out it's his old mentor. Darkstar contains the Hulk with her darkforce, but the Hulk breaks it. This has a nasty feedback effect on Darkstar, knocking her out - Crimson Dynamo & Ursa Major want to avenge their fallen team mate. Meanwhile, at Avengers mansion, Cap says he can't help Rick Jones find the Hulk, as Russia is now off limits to the Avengers. However, once Hulk's back in the USA, Cap'll help Rick. Back to the fight. Ursa Major tells the reader the Hulk has defeated the Crimson Dynamo, and Vanguard's missing, so it's up to him. At this point I thought, "Have the panels with Crimson Dynamo vs the Hulk been left on the cutting room floor, as I haven't seen this fight?" Anyway... Ursa Major gets Hulk in a full nelson (voice of Kent Walton), which Hulk easily breaks. Ursa Major comments that the Hulk's half his size, but ten times stronger. That doesn't say much for Crimson Dynamo as, last week, Ursa Major crushed his transistorized gauntlet. Then again, I remember once, Peter Parker threw Crimson Dynamo down the steps of a brownstone. But, I digress...
Next, the Crimson Dynamo appears, whereupon Ursa Major says: "Let me be the first to strike, Dynamo!" These are the earlier panels, containing the battle between Hulk & Crimson Dynamo, which appeared to be missing. Now it's clear - the editor's stuck the panels together in the wrong order! Suddenly, Sergei the Presence & Red Guardian appear. Sergei transforms Hulk & Ursa Major back to their human forms (the Silver Surfer's beaten the Hulk like this, too!)
Spider-man & the Shroud
This story's entitled, "Darkness, darkness."
In the wreckage of 'Cat's Jazz Club', Spidey demands the Shroud's female friend, Mouse, reveal his whereabouts. She attacks Spidey, who hangs her on a web. The Shroud appears, enveloping Spidey in darkness; but Spidey's spider sense allows him to connect, and knock the Shroud out. Incidentally, Sean once saw similarities between Moon Knight & Batman (in a Matthew Kelly show, kind of way.) If you really want a Batman rip-off, look at the Shroud's origin story. Next, Spidey carries Shroud to Dansen Macabre - a woman who wears nothing but snakes, and hypnotizes people into doing her bidding.
Showcase: Wonderman
Wonderman looks up the vice president of his old company, who's now unshaven(like Tony Stark), down & out, and running a failing novelty store. Together they launch a commando style raid on Wondy's old industrial complex.
'Captain America' # 7
The cover. Why are the Defenders on the cover? Well, the Captain America story's virtually over. Why not Iron Man, then? Well, due to a SNAFU, the Justin Hammer story isn't a runner - you're having an old George Tuska Iron Man story, instead! I don't think the modern young bloods would like that, on the cover, shoved in their faces! The cover also has blotched colours on the price, and on the banner at the top. Plus, Valhalla is printed as two separate words. Slap dash, Mr.Editor!
Captain America
In a mere 4 pages, during a train fight (no, not like'From Russia with Love'!), Cap defeats Joe - more through his words, than through a knock-out. At the end, Joe just emotionally collapses, and is taken away on a stretcher. Next issue: "The breathtaking origin of Captain America!" For heaven's sake, no - not again!
Iron Man
Before the story starts, the editor makes a confession:
" - We confess!...Due to deadline problems, THE HAMMER STRIKES will be shown in two issues time. - Meanwhile, enjoy this tale from Iron Man's past!
Myself, I love a bit of George Tuska (the good stuff.) This story's title is "A Madness in Motown!" Only last week, Steve was saying 'Motown Chartbusters' was roaring up the charts! I had one of those albums, myself...
Tony Stark's upset because Marianne Rodgers went off the deep end. Tony smashes up his room, throws Iron Man's helmet - you know the routine. Firebrand finds his sister, Roxanne Gilbert, telling her he's out for revenge. Her 'flower power' attitude contrasts with his firebrand radicalism. Let's explore big social issues - like the counterculture. As a kid, I never understood 'Firebrand' was a pun; nor did I get the significance of the clenched fist symbol on Firebrand's chest. Tony gets held hostage, until Iron Man will give Firebrand his vengeance.
Dazzler
Not much progress, really. All the superheroes are still fighting the Enchantress's goons. Dazzler is still speaking jive, saying things like: "Enchantress! I want you, mama!" The Enchantress summons a big monster, and Dazzler does her largest dazzle - page count ends!
The Defenders
The real Valkyrie's forces are losing. However, the fake Valkyrie starts laughing, maniacally, and the Defenders realize she's the phony, and switch sides. The Hulk smashes Shark Mountain, the source of Ollerus's power. Hela appears & banishes herself & Ollerus to Niffleheim. The Defenders deaths are undone. Fake Val is sent to Niffleheim, fulfilling the prophecy. Real Val & Harokin embrace. The end.
Phillip
Thanks for the latest summary, Phillip.
I remember reading that Hulk/Sergei tale and being convinced the mystery figure was Dr Doom. I have a sneaking suspicion that was what they wanted me to think.
Steve - Yes - until Vanguard's face erupts in a smile! To me, Sergei & the Red Guardian are a power couple, like Korvac & Carina Walters. This concept owes something to Star Trek's 'Where No Man Has Gone Before', in which Gary Mitchell gains god-like powers, and grants his girlfriend them too - but who later has a change of heart, breaking his. I can't remember if Red Guardian disavows Sergei - I imagine she does.
Phillip
Making us think the mystery figure is someone else was tried out at least twice in ASM, making Dr Faustus look like Kingpin and making Mr Hyde look like Juggernaut. The first was an anticlimax, the second a pleasant surprise.
This week in 1981 also saw the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle - Columbia was due to launch on Friday, April 10th but it was delayed until Sunday 12th which also happened to be the 20th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight into space.
The corner boxes are making a slow comeback on the Marvel weeklies, with the exception of 'Future Tense'. And why does Thor have a red face in the 'Marvel Action' corner box?
Phil, when I bought my first CD player in 1989 I obviously needed a CD to play in it so I bought two Motown Chartbusters albums.
Steve, when I was a young lad with bright eyes, scabby knees and a cheek of tan, before my spirit was crushed by the world, I lived in Iowa.
I HAD to, that's where my family was. Anyhoo, in the late '70's the Des Moines Register, the main newspaper, carried the Conan comic strip for a while. It was drawn Buscema and later, I think Ernie Chan.
Naturally, this made me go ape$#!t. (They were also carrying Spider-Man, by Lee and Romita!)
The Conan strip had a story almost exactly the same as the Spoor story in Thor.
Same deal. A large tentacled monster is putting the grab on people, so the hero goes after it and destroys it. Turns out, in a Twilight Zone type twist, the "monster" is actually a highly evolved alien who is offering humans a choice to live in paradise, free from care.
They recycled that whole story. The hero leaves, ashamed.
Heck, they mighta even got it from Star Trek, I dunno.
M.P.
UK Folks -
Was the cover important to you, when you bought these? Or was it more the innards? I'm thinking that with 4 - 5 different story lines going on, you were probably on auto-pilot independent of the cover? And with not all the story lines starting / concluding at the same time, you may have been perpetually hooked?
I do admit that back in the day a cover could sway me, once a story line ran out, to try a new character.
Charlie, the covers of the UK mags never mattered. You bought them every week, regardless, which was a good thing, as Marvel UK mags in the 1970s often had terrible covers. With the US mags, where distribution felt more random, you would buy them based on the covers.
MP, that storyline also turned up in the main Conan the Barbarian comic. I think Conan killed the main creature's mate before discovering the truth.
Colin, I remember that shuttle launch. I also remember the weather being bad and people blaming it on the shuttle launch, on the grounds that something like that had to be damaging the sky.
Dangermash, at the time, I thought the Dr Faustus twist was a stroke of genius.
Colin - I think 1989 was the year I got my 'Motown Chartbusters' CD, too. Did yours have 'Tracks of Your Tears' on it?
M.P. - Yes, that anti-utopia story was a Star Trek staple. Just a critique of communism, I suppose.
Charlie - Like Steve says, with British comics, you bought them, regardless. With US comics, you had your core comic, to which you were loyal(maybe 2, if you were feeling flush), then you might buy others, attracted by an amazing cover. Marvel Team up, and Marvel Two in One, in particular, largely got bought based on the cover. Of course, your brother had his core comic, too - and other ones he bought, based on the cover - so double the options!
Dangermash - Facially, Dr. Faustus is clearly Freud - yet Freud was a very small man. When he fainted once, I think Jung (who was a much bigger man), picked him up. Thus, there's no reason for Faustus to be such a fat b....blighter.
Phillip
Phil, I never noticed that the story of Sergei and the Red Guardian was similar to that Star Trek episode. It seems obvious now.
It's unclear, but I think Red Guardian decided to follow Sergei into either godhood or oblivion.
In Star Trek Gary Mitchell is simply followed by Dr. Dehner into death.
It was an early episode, and pretty harsh. Spock was telling Kirk, "kill this guy before he gets too powerful."
That was the deal with Sergei in the Defenders. He became so powerful that his humanity, what there was left of it, wasn't a consideration anymore. He had the power to kill just about everybody.
He had to go, one way or another.
M.P.
Phil, the only song I can recall from my Motown Chartbusters CDs is "It Should Have Been Me" by Yvonne Fair. I love the bit at the end when the song is fading out and she cries "Somebody call the po-leece, that woman down there is a doggone thief!"
Colin - Different album. Yvonne's song - inspiration for Elton John's "I Wanna Kiss the Bride", perhaps?
Phillip
No, it was definitely on Motown Chartbusters, Phil!
NEWSFLASH - Prince Phillip has died and the BBC has cancelled today's entire schedule on BBC One (which I don't care about because BBC 1 is crap anyway) and Radio 4 (WHICH I DO CARE ABOUT) ggrrrr!!!
But Colin, he was so hard-working!
Anyone would think you don't appreciate what Philip Battenberg of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg did for his country...
-sean
At least we've been spared the sycophantic celebrations for Prince Phillip's 100th birthday!
Phil, I think I may have misunderstood your last comment :D
Colin - Yes - Motown Chartbusters is a series of albums, mine being a different one to yours. I suppose, to a lesser extent, Yvonne's song's also slightly reminiscent of "I knew the bride when she used to rock & roll."
Phillip
Are you sure thats not "Someone call the po-leece, that woman down there is a dog thief!" on your cd, Colin?
That kind of accusation might not go down well in Yorkshire, which could explain why Phillip has a different one...
I have an old Motown Chartbusters lp - vol 6, just after the one Steve mentioned in his last post - and the front cover is a far out pic by Roger Dean.
Which isn't what you'd expect on a Motown comp, even from the early 70s...
-sean
Sean - You may remember that 'Brandy', by the O'Jays, was a song about a dog (Motown Chartbusters Vol 10). Soft-hearted Yorkshiremen, hearing such Motown classics, find a little smoke gets in their eye.
Phillip
Love the love for Motown!
I still have the 5 record "Motown Certified 50 # 1 Hits" from like 1970? Not much variation in the groups" Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Dianna Ross... only 1 Jackson Five (ABC) but they probably got off the Motown label. That 5-record set sold out fast! Really fast!
My old man would stop by the library on the way home from work and bring us the Jackson 5 and Diana Ross records to listen on a mono record player our aunt had given us (the aunt who saw the Beatles 3 times!).
I guess it was to be expected growing up in Gary, Indiana, before it became the murder capital of the USA, lol.
Funnily enough Charlie, Motown Chartbusters vol 6 includes Indiana Wants Me by one hit wonder Dean Taylor (originally on their Rare Earth subsidiary rock label).
Indiana wants me,
Lord I can't go back there...
-sean
Sean - I'll trade you the entire state of Indiana for a copy of next week's Beano.
That state has some bad mo jo. Trump country.
How come the Prince who died wasn't a King if he was married to a Queen.
I'm so confused....!
Sean, I'm trying to imagine a Roger Dean cover on a Motown album!
Don't get me wrong, I love Motown as much as anybody and I love Dean's stuff too. I find myself almost transported when I look at it (it would probably help if I smoked some dope, first), but I associate him with bands like Yes or Uriah Heap.
He also did some nice paperback book covers too, back when sci-fi or fantasy paperbacks were a thing.
M.P.
Charlie, that's a good question but the Queen is the daughter of the previous king (George VI who died in 1952) so she was heir to the throne and only SHE can be Head of State - if the Queen's husband was called King he would seem to be her equal (or even more important than her given that he was male) but being only a prince meant that he was officially her inferior. The whole thing is absurd anyway - princes and Queens in this day and age! Just be glad you live in a republic with a president.
Thats just how it works Charlie.
Lets suppose the US had successfully stopped the steal, and instead of elections moved to a similar system, installing Donald Trump as your King.
Eventually Jnr would be the next one, Donald 11, and his missus - I don't think he currently has one, but lets say he has - she'd be Queen. BUT if something had happened to him and his brothers and their male offspring, then as next in line Ivanka would have inherited the position and she'd be Queen. But Kushner would only be a Prince.
Hope that helps.
-sean
M.P., yeah, except for the title, Motown Chartbusters vol 6 does look like it should be a concept album by musically suspect hairy white boys.
Having said that, I like Roger Dean's stuff, and was disappointed to find out he didn't succeed at getting any money out of James Cameron, as Avatar was so obviously based on his work (with a bit of Richard Corben thrown in).
-sean
Dammit. I had every issue on Steve's last post, except Millie The Model. I would've probably read that if my sister's bought it, but usually when they got mags when I did it was Charlton romance books or Tiger Beat, Sweet 16, etc.
I can't remember the artist that did the first appearance of Tatterdemalion in WEREWOLF BY Night, but I recall I dug his rendition of the Werewolf. If I recall correctly, Tatterdemalion has ultra-nasty B.O. After the Shroud, who is blind with heighted senses, had Tatterdemalion as a part of his Night Shift, is unbelievable. Plus having Jack Russell's werewolf having to smell him too. Not even mentioning the rest of the team.
Forgive my absence, oh my brothers, but I've been preoccupied with getting my little Green Hell back on the road. Finally found a fender in CA, and other parts on the way. Hope to have her screaming by the end of this month. To those who may care.
KD, Tom Sutton was the first artist to draw Tatterdemalion.
Sean, Colin -
It's weird in the USA but generally we (just me?) think of King and Queen co-ruling perhaps b/c we only study King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella from "Spain" and Columbus.
That said, the King George does get referenced in our Revolutionary War studies as a tyrant. (Was it truly a revolution? I don't think so. The French had a revolution. Russia and China had revolutions. I think we just improved on things.)
And then we know about Henry the 8th and his 8 wives from Herman Hermits.
So... that's it. 3 situations.
So, to have a Queen married to a Prince seemed unusual from a limited knowledge base.
Charlie, Henry VIII had SIX wives!
The only co-monarchs in British history were King William III and Queen Mary II who reigned from 1688-95 (Mary died in 1695 and William reigned alone till his death in 1702).
Charlie, the Herman's Hermits song implies that "hes" Henry the VIII, cuz the woman whom he married had previous husbands named Henry,"seven times before".
Colin, William and Mary probably got a special deal on the monarchy as neither was an outsider - they were from the same family, both being grandchildren of Charles 1.
Yep, William of Orange married his first cousin. When she was 14.
And yes, I do realize having a go at King Billy is a bit predictable of me...(;
-sean
Over the past couple days I've heard a lot of good things about Phillip. (Not you, Phil, you scoundrel).
He is described as a remarkable man.
When Queen Elizabeth passes, does Charles become king? (Not you, Charlie, you old reprobate).
He had a certain dry wit, apparently. On NPR, one Englishman who knew him said that Phillip once remarked, "If you see a man opening a car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife."
M.P.
MP, there was nothing "remarkable" about Prince Phillip - he was the Queen's husband if you consider that remarkable. And his "dry wit" was often just rude and offensive - for example in 1986 the Queen and Prince Phillip made a State Visit to China and Phillip told a group of British students that they'd end up with "slitty eyes" if they stayed for too long in China. And during a visit to Australia he asked a group of Aborigines if they still threw spears at each other. But Prince Phillip couldn't be fired and he knew he could say whatever he wanted. He was also apparently "passionate about wildlife conservation" but he regularly shot birds out of the sky as a hobby! Prince Phillip was often an embarrassment but now that he's dead we have to endure an avalanche of sycophantic crap.
And yes, when the Queen dies Charles will become king...unfortunately.
Okay, so maybe what I heard on NPR mighta been a lotta bull. Praising a dead guy, I can't judge.
You would know much better than I, Colin.
I know he wasn't a Windsor, per se, but that family has produced it's share of screwballs.
There's a lotta low cards in that hand.
M.P.
Well all you royalty watchers... my only knowledge (this may sound conceited or stupid or both) came from listening to French radio driving home from work on Friday. (Station: BFM)
I would swear they said that he was actually not a Prince in terms of British Royalty but that it was a title he had from wherever. And then people just took to referring to him as "Prince" though he technically was not a prince like Harry and William and their dad Charlie is.
And then they said he really didn't do much but just enjoyed the trappings of royalty and going here / there "in style."
OK gents... back to watching The Jesse Lingard show courtesy of West Ham United, lol!
KD - glad you are able to piece together that glorious looking car of yours again!
That has to be a royal pain in the rump shopping for parts all over the country.
I have to assume the car, being 45 (?) years old means you just can't go to a junk yard and cannibalize?
Will it be painted the same color?
Yes thats right about Philip Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg, Charlie - he was already a Prince of Denmark, and also Greece, before he married the British Queen. Getting hitched made him a Scottish Duke.
Obviously Brexit hasn't completely put a stop to unelected Europeans having influence on the UK...
-sean
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