Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
Singer Jim Croce once opined that he wanted to save time in a bottle.
And it seems he wasn't alone because, in June 1971, the presenters of immortal children's TV show Blue Peter set out to save time in a capsule.
Sort of.
It was the month in which they buried a time capsule in the grounds of BBC Television Centre, to be opened in the far-distant future of the year 2000.
And there were others who proved to be equally motivated, for I remember our primary school getting us to do the same thing. Except, we buried ours in the school grounds, rather than BBC Television Centre, what with us not having access to that.
Regardless, I'm assuming this move was inspired by the actions of the Blue Peter team.
Is our time capsule still there?
Was the Blue Peter capsule opened in the year 2000?
I can furnish no answers to either of those questions.
Also in the field of Politics, it was the month in which Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher ended the distribution of free school milk in state schools, earning herself the nickname, "Margaret Thatcher: Milk Snatcher."
My memory of free school milk is it was always left in crates, outside the school's front doors, meaning that, in summer, it was always rancid from the heat and, in winter, it was frozen solid. To be honest, drinking it was not one of the great joys of childhood.
It's a landmark month in the life of Conan, as he first encounters the not-so-trustworthy Jenna.
With her gift for making friends, it's not long before she's kidnapped to be sacrificed to a giant bat.
Conan saves her.
Believe it or not, she also saves Conan!
Still, she does steal his gold.
That's the Jenna we all know and love.
Spidey must battle a resurgent Green Goblin while flatmate Harry Osborn battles (not very hard) against drugs.
How can our hero defeat his arch-enemy without the dastardly villain revealing his true identity?
Personally, I'd just break his neck and incinerate the body but that's why I'm not a super-hero.
And, also, why no one knows my secret identity.
Once Spidey, Cap and the Falcon all stop fighting each other, they team up to thwart Stone-Face's evil plans which seem to involve the building Glory Grant lives in.
Once Spidey, Cap and the Falcon all stop fighting each other, they team up to thwart Stone-Face's evil plans which seem to involve the building Glory Grant lives in.
It does strike me that cover's far too jam-packed, with the red and blue of Spider-Man and Captain America's costumes blending into each other, and the Falcon's outfit suffering the even worse indignity of blending in with girders.
I really don't have a clue what's going on in this one but, if that cover's to be believed, it's clearly not short on incident.
Once again, a Reed Richards attempt to return Ben Grimm to his natural form has led to disaster, as the now-evil Thing goes on the rampage and turns against his teammates.
Not to worry. I've no doubt it can all be sorted out by a quick fight with the Hulk.
Speaking of whom, the Hulk has his first-ever encounter with Jarella - and wedding bells are beckoning.
But will it bring ever-lasting happiness for our green-skinned love lummox?
I think we all know the answer to that one.
And so does Psyklop.
Iron Man with his arm in a sling and about to be killed by mere hoods with mere bullets?
Iron Man with his arm in a sling and about to be killed by mere hoods with mere bullets?
Has our metal-clad mangler ever seemed more weak, feeble and useless than he does on this cover?
Not pleased with Thor's interference in her recent plans, Hela decides it's time for him to die, and sets off in search of him.
I think this issue is the first time we ever see her without her mask.
And, of course, she looks lovely because she's drawn by John Buscema who gives her little skulls where her pupils should be.
Still in bad shape, after their battle with the Sentinels, the X-Men now have to contend with the power of Magneto.
Still in bad shape, after their battle with the Sentinels, the X-Men now have to contend with the power of Magneto.
Or, at least, Iceman does, as he's the only team member who's still standing.
Fortunately, the Stranger's on hand to thwart Magneto's dastardly plans.
The Kree/Skrull war gets its overture, as Sal Buscema gives us a classic cover which, thankfully, completely misrepresents what happens inside.
The Kree/Skrull war gets its overture, as Sal Buscema gives us a classic cover which, thankfully, completely misrepresents what happens inside.
Come to think of it, what does happen inside? I have memories of excess energy having to be siphoned from Mar-Vell, in order for him to survive but I struggle to recall just where that energy came from.
Neal Adams gives us a striking cover but, inevitably, doesn't draw any of the interior.
However, we do get tales of terror pencilled by Jim Aparo, Gray Morrow and Don Heck, with scripts by John Albano, Robert Kanigher and Mary Skrenes, in that order.
This one would appear to be both written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky.
It's a momentous moment in the history of comics, as Ra's Al Ghul discovers Batman's secret identity.
You have to say he's a fast worker. As far as I can make out, this is his first-ever appearance.
Then again, how hard is it, really, to work out that Bruce Wayne's Batman? It's a miracle half of Gotham City doesn't know who he is.
It seems to also be the second-ever appearance of the villain's daughter Talia.
I'm assuming it involves Batman tangling with a knight on a horse, in a tale written by Frank Robbins and drawn by Bob Brown.
I don't think I've ever seen Bob Brown draw Batman. I'm assuming he portrays him in a similar vein to the way Carmine Infantino did.
Believe it or not, I've actually read this one.
It involves some sort of sand replica of Superman that keeps showing up - and I'm fairly sure it's not just this issue it shows up in but that it keeps reappearing, for issue after issue, gradually draining all of Superman's powers into itself, as the waning hero tries to solve the mystery of its origin.
Sadly, I can't recall what that origin is or why the creature keeps showing up.
I'm fairly certain it ends up dying, though.
Possibly sacrificing itself to save our hero.
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28 comments:
Steve - Astonishing! Your memory of school milk is exactly the same as mine! Ours was left out in crates, in the sun, and went rancid, too. Aged 6, I refused to drink mine, whereupon my teacher shouted at me, "Don't you dare clench your fist at me, Phillip Beadham!" - 6yr old me wasn't even aware I was clenching my fist - and I burst into tears! Ah, school days - the best days of your life! Rancid milk - yummy!
Phillip
Yes. Hated the milk. We all celebrated when it was snatched away.
I can,t see them ever bringing back school milk but school fruit might be a decent idea.
Dangermash - Exactly! Who'd think we'd be praising Maggie for anything?
Phillip
That Batman story, with Talia, was in 'Superman & Batman Annual 1974', I seem to remember:
https://www.comics.org/issue/873882/cover/4/
Phillip
Oh - and a sandy Superman replica came out of a volcano, in the same annual!
Phillip
Y'all' can talk about Maggie Snatchers Thatch...
Ole Charlie is gonna talk about comics (for a change, lol)!
Tell me that Buscema's Thor 189 ain't the inspiration for his FF 120 cover with Gabriel walking in the air? Have to admit it looks great!
I wonder if John B used the concept on any other covers?
Steve - I remember buying that Cap 139 off the spinner as a mere kid and thinking the exact thing... what a dense, busy cover!
And I also recall thinking the same with Cap 140, 141, 142 (Grey Gargoyle).
For some reason, it seemed more serious and inviting to me... more realistic maybe?
And it got me to fork over the money! Mission accomplished!
Conan was beginning to make an impact artwise on me which is ironic as Roy Thomas stated that Conan was cancelled for 1 day by Stan around #7 or #8.
Concerning that issue of Avengers #89, that cover is 100% accurate!
Captain Marv-ell had a time-share agreement at the time with Rick Jones, where one got to be on Earth while one drifted in the Negative Zone. While languishing in that inexplicable dimension, Marv-ell absorbed dangerous levels of dark radiation. That chair was designed to siphon off the radiation and leave everything once again right with the world.
Except for looming alien intergalactic war...
I thought Bob Brown did a pretty good job drawing Batman. When I started reading comics, the first ones I read were Detective Comics and his Batman closely resembled the one I watched on Saturday morning cartoons, so that was cool for me. I enjoyed his later renditions of Batman in the early 70's as well. I preferred his version to Infantino's for sure.
Phillip and Dangermash, I remember that, in winter, when the milk froze, it separated into two elements; a large icicle made entirely of water, and a pool of cream that lay at the bottom of the bottle. It was a sight that didn't exactly fill one with enthusiasm.
Phillip, thanks for the Superman & Batman annual link.
Charlie, there is indeed a similarity. I wonder if he was inspired by the cover of X-Men #11 with The Stranger walking through the air, towards our heroes?
FFf, we can only thank the fates that Stan relented.
Bill, thanks for the Mar-Vell clarification.
Graham, I remember liking Infantino's version of Batman when I was a kid. I'd have to re-read some of those stories to see what I think of them now.
All the Batman artists looked good back then, if only because Dick Giordano was the regular inker; Neal Adams obviously stood out, but otherwise you'd be hard pressed to identify what made Bob Brown different to, say, Irv Novick imo.
Detective #214 is one of those Scooby Doo-type Batman stories Steve, with Bruce going to his elderly English relative Lord Wayne's mansion - yeah, the Waynes are British ruling class old money - where he has to deal with a ghost from the middle ages. Who turns out to be *SPOILER ALERT* the butler.
Oh dear, the butler did it.
Hey, at least Fr*nk R*bb*ns only wrote the story and didn't draw it too!
To be fair, he did a better job with the Batgirl back-up - drawn by that other Steve Does Comics fave, dashing Don Heck - about a fiendish plot against rich Gotham socialites and fashionistas using deadly wigs that split heads.
-sean
Boy howdy, this is an interesting contingent of comics you've given us to ponder, Steve. It seems June '71 was a wild month at Marvel and D.C.
I may be mistaken, but wasn't "The Brute that Shouted Love at the Heart of the Atom" written by Harlan Ellison, based very loosely on a story he wrote? I'm somewhat familiar with his stuff, and it sounds like him. Your basic 60's-70's sci-fi where all the stops were pulled out, and the wilder the better.
What made me smile was the Captain America comic where Cap and the Falcon are going up against Spider-Man. I think this was a two-issue arc and I've got copies but I can't consult 'em because they're in my mom's basement. They are there because I can't fit a corn liquor still and my comic collection in the same apartment. What if a fire broke out?
What struck me about that arc was that that was the first time Cap and Falc encountered the wall-crawler, right? Weren't they trying to apprehend him, or something? Back then he was a dubious character. An outlaw really.
See, that's how I thought of Spider-Man when I first became aware of him as a little kid. He didn't really seem to be a superhero to me. I wasn't sure what he was up to, other than getting in fights with even scarier character. And, spiders have always scared me.
That's what made him interesting!
I was more than a bit disappointed to find out Peter Parker was a bit of a self-righteous, whiny, guilt-ridden neurotic self-obsessed mess.
Kinda took the mystery outta the character.
But in this comic at least, he's still mysterious and the fight between Cap, the Falcon and Spidey doesn't seem that contrived, as these fights between super-heroes almost always are. Back then every character didn't know every other one; they didn't have each other on speed-dial, like now. So it's plausible there could be a misunderstanding leading to a conflict.
And the art is fantastic! Covers too.
Great post, Steve! Excelsior!
M.P.
M.P.
Whups! Signed out twice again. It's a bit mortifying.
Fine group of books this week, Steve! A group in which Spider-Man seems very frequently represented. Busy month for the ol' web spinner, dealing with drugs, Goblins and numerous superheroic friends...
That's a good solid Conan issue, Barry's art really progressing.
On the subject of school milk- I think waaaaay back to kindergarten, when we'd get a carton of milk and a cookie at snack time. There was a huge (well, it looked huge to a five year old) metal cooler into which you would reach and grab your milk. The real treat was the rare occasion when they had chocolate milk...
MP - That Cap story started last month.
Falcon got all ballsy and figured he'd bag a Spidey to enhance his street credentials.
Redwing follows Spidey home to the crib where Pete and Harry live. Falcon ends up bagging Harry instead, thinking he's got Spidey.
Spidey comes and beats Falcon's butt.
The story is nicely done by Colan and Everett.
My only quibble is that Spidey swings down from on high, a la Tarzan, and plants both feet into Falcon's face. Since the primary source of Falcon's strength was the organic coconut oil he ingested on that Caribbean Island where he met Cap (exactly 20 issues earlier) I would suspect a hit like that would have split Falcon's head wide open.
Now -I'm going to head to the long box to read the Cap issue above,
Hey Comic Fans - I have a question...
20 issues ago, Cap (in the Red Skull's body thanks to Red and his masterful use of the Cube Cosmic) meets Falcon on a Caribbean Island.
Mercifully, Falcon, and a bunch of coconut chucking islanders, rescue Cap from the Exiles, notably the dude whose only weapon is a 6' scarf.
Anyhow - did Stan / Roy think this out 20 issues earlier? Let's exile Cap to an island where he meets this athletic guy with a pet Falcon. Then we'll bring Falcon to NYC where he can be Cap's partner?
I'm just curious if the Editors would think that far ahead (20 issues) or did it just play out this way?
Nobody thinks that far ahead, Charlie!
...well, maybe the Red Skull with his sleeper robots. That was planned out, I guess.
But how did that work out? Not so good.
M.P.
Steve, the Blue Peter time capsule was indeed opened in the Year 2000 but the big event turned out to be literally a damp squib as water had gotten inside and reduced much of the contents to a smelly rotten mess.
Wasn't free milk stopped only for those over the age of seven? I was five at the time and my milk wasn't stopped. But it caused a huge political row and Ted Heath could have fired Thatcher but he chose not to - how he must have regretted his decision a few years later!
Well, to contribute to Maggie Snatcher's Thatch Patch...
We could buy milk in school too in the 1960s (at least in Gary Indiana). It was $.03 / half pint. Then it crept up to like $.04.
All us kids would stand dutifully in line to buy our cold milk, lol. It was great for washing down the bologna sandwiches. We did have a cafeteria too and I think they charged around $.30 for a hot lunch.
I do specifically recall that if there were leftovers they would sell the cinnammon buns for $.07. One time I got in line to buy one and only had $.06 and the old cow would not sell me the bun. She probably took them all home afterwards...
And for what it's worth - The price of Milk was apparently regulated in the USA and was based upon your state's distance from Wisconsin, the so-called "dairy state." It may still be for all I know.
All I know is the USA loves to talk a big game about free markets and open competition, lol, but the truth falls far short.
For instance all our sugar is grown in Florida, we allow no imports. All the politicians kiss the feet of the various groups in Florida, from sugar growers to Cuban immigrants wanting to still oust Castro, b/c of their electoral votes for presidential elections and the "winner take all" system that FLorida uses to allocate those electoral votes..
Oh brother, Charlie had too much caffeine this morning!
When I was in grade school in L.A. (‘67, ‘68), ‘cold’ milk was a nickel (more like ‘kinda/sorta cool’), orange juice was a dime. We had to wait until Jr. High for the glories of cinnamon buns and coffee cake.
IRON MAN #38 was the only one of these I bought off the spinner rack. We’re still a few years away from my hardcore buying habit — I was only buying one or two comics a year at this point. So it begs the question : why did I choose THIS one? Were none of these other gems actually on the spinner to tempt me? Was I simply overcome with pity for poor hapless Iron Man, one arm already in a cloth sling, his patented Gene Colan Sad Facial Expression cranked up to Eleven, getting blasted by a handful of goons with .45s (which my little 10 year old brain knew shouldn’t be such a big deal to a guy called IRON Man)? Whatever it was, it worked. I don’t remember a single panel from inside the actual comic but that cover is burned into my brain.
b.t.
Charlie and Bt, I remember Jammie Dodgers costing 1 pence each at our primary school. In retrospect, I'm suspecting that was a rip-off, once inflation's taken into account. The Bank of England's inflation calculator tells me that's 16p in today's prices. You can currently get them, at the shops, for just 6 pence each.
Colin, thanks for revealing the fate of the Blue Peter time capsule. I'm now starting to wonder whether Magpie had one as well.
Charlie, I agree with MP. I refuse to believe Stan ever planned anything out.
Redartz, I'd say the Spidey, Hulk and Thor tales are my favourites of this month's selections.
MP, The Brute that Shouted Love at the Heart of the Atom was indeed credited to Harlan Ellison but how much involvement he really had is extremely questionable.
Sean, thanks for the Batman/haunted house info.
Steve, apparently there have been THREE time capsules buried by Blue Peter over the years - the first one in 1971, a second one in 1998 buried under the Millennium Dome, which was intended to be opened in 2050 but got dug up accidentally by construction workers in 2017, and a third one placed in the National Archives in 2018 to celebrate Blue Peter's 60th anniversary.
I've got a few old used Batman's I picked up in comic stores years ago. I was three years old in '71 so I had to experience this era in comics after the fact. A few of those were written by Robbins and I seem to remember him as writing some pretty solid detective stories.
Remember when D.C. comics were like puzzles, or a mysteries the reader was challenged to solve before the end of the comic? Like for example, "Reader, why are there three Batmans?" or Why is the Flash on trial for bank robbery?" or something like that.
Seems quaint now.
Y'know, I never tried to solve the mystery before the end. I had a lazy brain, I guess.
M.P.
Colin
You're correct about the milk as I remember getting it throughout infant school (first three years, 72-75ish ). I mainly remember pretending the third of a pint bottles, and bent straw, was a Dalek. Our daily Dalek wars generating the traditional response from my elderly teacher (a combination of chastise and bewilderment).
I only had FF this month (purchased a decade later, having first been encountered in CB), but the Spiderman and Avengers covers are fantastic. Didn't both of these end up as T-shirts and posters?
DW
Steve - I think there is just too much good stuff here! You could have made this into 3 separate postings!
The DC's... I've read the Bats and Super one. DC's were strange to me at this time being 10 years old. IF I had no other choice e.g. at a doctor's office or in a barbershop, I read them and seemingly enjoyed them.
But if you glanced at them on the spinner rack, they just seemed to damned dull. I did eventually start buying some about 49 years ago today, probably as my mind matured and I could see the virtue in reading through a story. Plus the 100 page giants reprinted stories from the 40s and 50s with more action than the current ones... seems like DC devolved into boring as the decades wore on?
Charlie, even I remember a time when they had comic books in barbershops and doctor's offices!
For a little kid, it eased the pain of being there. They might even have had a Spider-Man or Fantastic Four comic laying around.
These were the days when your mom took you to some barbershop where the barber was an old dude who was at least eighty and had shaky hands. He mighta been in W.W.1. He'd witnessed the death of Vaudeville and hoop skirts.
And you would come outta there with a haircut worthy of some sod-buster in a late 19th century grainy photograph from Bumf@$% Nebraska.
Prospectors in 1849 got better haircuts than you got!
And this was the Seventies. Hair was a big deal back then. That's what made John Travolta famous.
M.P.
Some stunning covers this month- if I was forced to choose a favourite, I'd probably go for the Thor one.
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