Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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As you may have noticed, this week's given us Britain's final bank holiday of the spring. And how can you always tell it's a bank holiday?
Because Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory's on TV.
Except, in 1970, no bank holidays were enlivened by that oddly sinister film.
And that's because it didn't come out until 1971.
June 1971.
And it wasn't alone. Other memorable movies to debut, that month, were Willard, Klute, A Town Called Hell, and The Million Dollar Duck.
I can tell, even without checking on Wikipedia, that that final film is going to turn out to be a Disney one.
But one thing that does shock me, upon perusing Wikipedia, is that neither Willard nor its equally rat-happy sequel Ben features Roddy McDowall.
So, how come I remember them both starring him? What new and strange madness is this?
Over on the UK singles chart, a special kind of madness had also descended, as just two tracks claimed the Number One spot that June.
They were Knock Three Times by Dawn and Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep by Middle of the Road, neither of which, I would venture to suggest, is a masterpiece.
But what, then, of the British album chart?
That month's top spot was held by Paul and Linda McCartney's Ram, the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers, Tarkus by Emerson Lake and Palmer, and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water, in that order.
I can't help feeling that all seems classier than the stuff that was dominating the singles chart.
And there is no doubt at all, given the success of Conan's book, that this will go on to celebrate years of triumph.
Then again, perhaps not. As far as I can make out, this series lasted for just ten issues before folding.
Perhaps there was only room for one sorcerer-slaying hero in the Marvel universe. Perhaps the lack of Barry Smith and John Buscema reduced its appeal to readers. Perhaps there's something about Kull that makes him less market-friendly than Conan.
Whatever the truth of the matter, it's clearly a question of, "Enjoy him while you can."
Only time - and the next issue - will tell.
Admittedly, I've never heard of Gunhawk before but that seems to be him on the cover - and, by the looks of it, he's shot Ghost Rider dead.
Now he really is a ghost rider.
Just without the riding bit.
In fact, right now, he's more a ghost rug.
The Adventures of Ghost Rug.
Surely, even Shakespeare never wrote a finer tragedy.
We get a reprint of the very first appearance of The Hulk, even if he's now been renamed Xemnu the Titan and is forcing humanity to build him a spaceship upon which he can flee before destroying the Earth.
If that's not enough pulse-pounding drama for any human, we're also given Escape! in which a man flees prison but bumps into a former member of Juan Ponce de León's expedition to find the fountain of youth.
Does this bring him into conflict with Tyrannus?
No, it doesn't, which leaves that escapee free to drink himself some immortality juice.
But then finds he can't leave the swamp that houses it, without ageing dramatically.
I can shed no light upon what happens in this month's stories but, with titles like Miss Cola of 1971, The Rent Riot, The Doll is a Moll, and Museum Madness, I have no doubt we'll be getting our 15 cents' worth.
This month, we get A Boy a Girl and My Broken Heart, Waiting at the Church, My Teen-Age Crush, and Office Romance.
I doubt a single one of them'll end happily.
When it comes to Ka-Zar, Barry Smith's still on the pencils, as he and Gerry Conway serve up a tale of a returning and vengeful man-god. A tale which introduces Bobbi Morse to the Ka-Zarniverse.
Come to think of it, the previous Ka-Zar adventure told the story of a returning and vengeful man-god. A slight bit of repetition going on, there.
Meanwhile, many thousands of miles away, the Black Panther has to contend with Dr Doom when the masked monarch shows up in Wakanda, looking to gets his hands on a great big heap of Vibranium.
Posts
43 comments:
Having just re-listened to Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep on YouTube, I've come to the conclusion that entire doctorates could probably be earned by writing in-depth analyses of the lyrics.
Well, my parents made sure I saw "Willy Wonka" and "Million Dollar Duck"; it was some time before I saw any of the others. And yes, there was a somewhat macabre undercurrent to WW.
It was also some time before I read any of those comics. Sadly none really stuck in my memory.
Ah, but "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep"? When I first heard of that song a couple years ago, I had to look it up; it just sounded too far fetched. YouTube educated me. I still occasionally pull it up for another look...
I think I've become obsessed with Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep. It's like one of those old nursery rhymes that sounds totally innocent and then you find out it's about people being eaten by rats.
Not that Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep is about being eaten by rats.
I think.
But something sinister's clearly going on.
Hmmm…
Why does Kull look like he robbed a “professional” wrestler for an outfit?
Why is that such an awesome perspective Subby cover but it implies he’s swimming for the surface? The dude was always an impetuous sod. But the next few dozen issues are really top shelf.
Did that Xemnu the Titan on Monsters on the Prowl appear in an early issue of Defenders or is Charlie crazy? In truth I really only bought a handful of the first 10 Defenders issues and never bought another.
I have a print of Ghost Rider signed by Darlin’ Dick Ayers. I think I bought it at the same show he had a bunch of suggestive prints of Sue Storm on sale as well. He was on a horse, she was on a bed.
Thinking about those Sue Storm prints by Darlin Dick (above) I’m feeling I might just ask one of the lady cops across the street from my condo to rough me up.
Speaking of Lady Cop, I watch Dick Cavett reruns and he had a nice interview with Angie Dickenson in 1986.
Angie said the secret to youth is “stay curious.” She’s still alive at 89 years old and is from North Dakota. Sorry MP. I said North Dakota not South Dakota though I doubt there is no difference between the two other than a statistically insignificant number of sheep per capita?
There are some photos of a young Angie and something in her reminds me of Brigette Bardot.
"Willy Wonka" - Was an uncomfortable book and movie for old Charlie 50 years ago. I think its because it deals cruelty to those who don't abide by the Wonka's rules and thus may suffer some form of physical mutilation or death.
Now mind you, in America, many / most are in favor retribution not rehabilitation. So, having someone get sliced to death or explode, for sneaking a piece of candy, is probably seen as fair and virtuous like the old testament "eye for an eye" proposition. I mean, we've had black kids here doing years in prison for stealing a candy bar or ice cream.
But Charlie ain't like that and so he found WW was disturbing.
Wow! I never knew that song was called Chirpy CHirpy CHeep Cheep!
Thanks for that your lordship!!!
Isn't Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep all about child abandonment? That seems sinister to me Steve.
More disturbing than even Emerson, Lake & Palmer. And possibly more annoying than McCartney.
Kull lasted longer than 10 issues - the title changed to Kull The Destroyer with #11 - but all the same thats an interesting question about why the character didn't do as well as Conan. One barbarian in an anthropologically challenged fantasy world is basically the same as another, right?
Fwiw my theory is that Conan was a success for the same reason as Tomb Of Dracula and Master Of Kung Fu ie it was a non-superhero comic well done enough to appeal to older - I hesitate to say "mature" or "adult"(; - readers, without boring the younger kids who were needed to keep sales at a viable level in the newstand era.
So it no more follows that Kull - or Thongor, Claw or gawd 'elp us Iron Jaw - would be a hit than, say, Iron Fist would be as popular as Shang-Chi.
-sean
Charlie, I'm pretty sure thats right about Xemnu being in an early Defenders story.
Iirc correctly, the Headmen were from old pre-Marvel sci-fi/monster stories too. It must be the Defenders writer method - dig out an old comic (or Blue Oyster Cult record) and you're off...
-sean
I was only five when 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' was released and I remember singing it in school - we'd sit cross-legged on the floor and sing 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' and 'Yellow Submarine'. I assume we sang other songs as well but I particularly remember those two.
Middle Of The Road's next song 'Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum' was about two Scottish clans fighting each other. Not as big a hit but it still reached #2.
That is indeed an interesting question as to why Conan outlived Kull by hundreds (?) of issues (mags and comics).
Hypothetically, if Marvel had simply copied the Conan stories and called them Kull could Kull have lasted hundreds of issues? My guess is the answer is no b/c there were probably not that many Conan readers and they would recognize the charade.
But let's suppose there are multiple earths and on Earth 2 Kull was substituted for Conan. Even go so far as to assume that Howard called his character in the books Kull back in the 30s. Could it be that due to Kull's name or his uniform (diaper vs. beaver loin cloth) he would not sell as well?
Hey Chaps!
Charlie is the proud owner of RAM 50th anniversary re-mastered album! Just got it like last week!
Sir Paul sent Charlie an email telling that it was remastered at half speed. He sent me a free copy. Charlie only had to pay $38 for shipping it. (Thanks Paul!)
Let me tell you this: The quality is mind boggling! Seriously! Charlie is listening to "Heart of the Country" through his Klipsch II speakers and it's like Paul is sitting right there in his living room! Truly incredible!
And of course there is Uncle Albert, Too Many People, etc. And Charlie's fav of "Ram On" which he likes to play on his Ukulele along with Paul.
I thought Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep was about a young chick (bird) being left in the nest by the parents. The abandonment is, therefore, somewhat less sinister. This is one of those songs that seemed constantly on the radio at the time. Knock Three Times and Tie a Yellow Ribbon similarly so.
DW
Charlie - As regards your ukulele, can you play "When I'm Cleaning Windows", by George Formby?
DW - So, basically, "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" is a song about separation anxiety?
Phillip
Charlie and Sean, Xemnu the Titan did indeed appear in The Defenders. I think he was up to no good with a television channel
Sean, thanks for the Kull klarification.
That's always been my reading of Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep. I've always seen it as a kind of Pied Piper in reverse where it's the adults who go missing because of the power of a mysterious tune.
Colin, they used to make us sing Yellow Submarine in primary school too. And also Lily the Pink.
Charlie, that Ram re-release sounds like a mighty package. Monkberry Moon Delight is my favourite track on the album.
DW, I suspect you're right about Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep's intended meaning.
Phillip, it's certainly about something disturbing.
It’s something I’ve wondered about too: since the Conan comic was such an enormous hit (seriously, the color comic was one of Marvel’s top-selling books throughout the 70s, and the SAVAGE SWORD spin-off was Marvel’s one true mega-success in the b/w magazine realm) you’d think it would have created an appetite for more of the same among comics fans, right? But none of the knock-offs — not Kull nor Claw nor Beowulf nor Thongor nor Arak et al — ever gained much traction. Mike Grell’s Warlord was the only Barbarian comic to go past the 100-issue mark. And why THAT book caught fandom’s fancy when all the other half-naked swordslingers couldn’t keep it up, who knows?
With Kull, specifically, i think part of the problem may be that the set-up isn’t all that appealing as the basis for an on-going series. ‘Barbarian King ruling the most civilized country of the Pre-Cataclysm World’ is somewhat limiting as a template for exciting adventures. Too many of the stories tend to be about snooty Nobles and evil Sorcerers conspiring to de-throne him, even in REH’s original stories. Whereas ‘Barbarian Adventurer roaming the Hyborian Age, wenching and fighting monsters and wizards’ automatically gives Conan a broader variety of storytelling options. Sometimes he’s a thief, sometimes he’s a mercenary, or a pirate, or a soldier, or a leader of a band of Desert Bandits, etc.
And as much as I adore The Severin Siblings’ art on those early issues of KULL THE CONQUEROR, it may just have looked too restrained, old-fashioned and Prince Valiant-ish for the Swingin’ Seventies. Certainly it wasn’t as ‘sexy’ as what Barry Smith and John Buscema were serving up in tasty monthly installments. But then, even when Roy tried to shake things up by deposing Kull, replacing the Severins with Mike Ploog and re-titling the book KULL THE DESTROYER, it still didn’t catch fire. Marvel would trot the old boy out every couple years for another shot, but he never did have any long-term success.
It may also be that Conan got the recipe ‘Just Right’ and fandom at large simply weren’t all that interested in something that was merely ‘kinda / sorta’ like the original.
b.t.
For the first time in ages I have most of the comics listed here (except Mille and the romance comics) everyone is a cracker. I have a soft spot for Middle of the Road (although maybe it was more their lead singer Sally Carr) and “Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep” . I always thought the song was about an boy called Don being abandoned but I have also heard that it could have been about a wee bird. My abiding memory of that sonq was the song’s lyrics being swapped about to relate a grim sectarian lyric (by both Catholic and Protestants kids in Glasgow and no doubt in some other cities) “inspired” by the bombings by the IRA and UDA in Ireland. Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep was actually recorded the year before by its writer Harold "Lally" Stott. I also like the songs by MoTR liked Solely Solely and Samson and Delilah.
Also, I think fans have a tendency to root for underdogs and outsiders. Although Conan was certainly the alpha-est of Alpha Males, he was usually at his best as a lone wolf taking what he could from the Establishment. In counter-culture terms, ‘Fighting The Man’. By comparison, Kull WAS The Man.
b.t.
Also, I’d never in my life heard the words ‘Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep’ before yesterday.
b,t.
Paul & Steve - Not in 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep', but in some of the other songs (e.g. 'Yellow boomerang'), Sally Carr sounds a bit like Agnetha from ABBA.
b.t. - Elric is the quintessential outcast/renegade, yet everyone in the mythos is either a Lord, a Count, a Duke or an Earl! Being against authority/the Man, methinks he doth protest too much!
Phillip
b.t. - 'he' = Michael M, not Elric.
Phillip
Philip:
As someone-or-other once said, a big part of Elric’s appeal is that his intended audience so closely identifies with him — he’s the Ultimate Idealized Angsty Teenager. ‘I’m scrawny and weak, i look weird, nobody understands me, everything I touch turns to crap, I hate my family, boo hoo’, etc etc. And yet, every single hot female he meets finds him irresistibly sexy, there are always groups of rugged manly men willing to be ordered around by him (though he usually ends up leading them to their own destruction, on account of his morbidly poor judgement), and with the aid of drugs and his trusty demonic run-blade he gets to chop up wizards, monsters and demi-gods. How could he NOT have resonated with generations of disaffected adolescents?
b.t.
^ Make that ‘RUNE-blade’ not ‘RUN-blade’
b.t.
b.t. - Don't forget that Elric's also not responsible for anything that happens, as it's all preordained, in a deterministic universe!
Phillip
Bt, I suspect you're right that Conan's lack of "baggage" may be the root of his popularity. He appeals to our desire for an uncomplicated life.
McScotty, I don't remember anyone giving the song sectarian lyrics round our way but I'm sure we must have given it suggestive ones because all Number One records seemed to be given them.
Phillip, I was thinking, last night, that if you mash-up Middle of the Road and Wizzard, you've pretty much got early ABBA.
Steve:
You just said the correct sequence of words to get me to check out ‘Chirpy Cheapy Bang Bang’ on YouTube. And I kinda wish you hadn’t ;) The singer is awfully cute tho, I must admit.
Phillip:
Yes. But the Eternal Emo cry of ‘IT’S NOT MY FAULT’ rings pretty hollow at times in Elricville. ‘How was I to know that when I left my openly psychotic, rapacious and monomaniacal cousin on the throne (because reasons), he’d be such a crappy king I’d be forced to return with an army of looters and fire-breathing dragons to burn the entire kingdom to the ground?’
Also, Elric gets every self-pitting teenager’s Ultimate Fantasy Demise : when he goes, he takes the ENTIRE UNIVERSE WITH HIM. ‘You’ll be sorry when I’m dead’ takes on a whole new meaning. Seriously, Moorcock was a flipping genius.
b.t.
^ ‘self-pitying’
(stupid auto-correct)
b.t.
b.t. - I was agreeing with your perspective, in that angst ridden teenagers relate to the 'not being responsible for anything that happens' ethos as, to them, teachers, parents, etc seem to be in control, and all the angst ridden kid can do is kick against it.
As regards the 'It's not my fault' thing, a close reading of 'The Sailor on the Seas of Fate', has multiple instances when Elric's decisions are meant to be predetermined. The specifics of this are done rather well, considering how young Moorcock was when he wrote the book. To me, none of the other books have crafting like this.
As regards, leaving Yyrkoon on the throne - it's inexplicable, except in terms of determinism. Elric sacking Imrryr, the Dreaming City, & becoming a renegade - well, in 'The Sailor on the Seas of Fate' Arioch warns Elric that if he orders him to inhabit the Giant Arioch statue, in R'Linn K'renn A'a, and take it out of the ancient city, Elric will precipitate a chain of events (leading to the end of the world?) which can't be stopped. The sacking of Imrryr falls under this chain of events, and precipitates still further events.
It's not just Yyrkoon was a crappy king - Elric leaving the girl he loves - Cymoril - with that gentleman, seems somewhat questionable, to say the least!
Elric may take the entire universe with him - except Stormbringer - who reverts from a sword back to his demonic/humanoid form, but at least the Cosmic Balance appears in the sky, tipping in the right direction, for future generations, yet to be born! - i.e. us!
I agree, at his best, Moorcock is a flipping genius!
Phillip
Phillip - Our Uke club has indeed played George Forsnby "I'm Leaning on a Lamppost" several times at our Saturday morning jam session, lol.
But -it's been a good year + since it's been played. I suspect that the lyrics are simply to suggestive of him being a sexual predator and folks complained. (I was a bit uneasy at times singing it.)
But I find the song itself great and think it would be a simple thing to change some of the words to make it playable for all ages!
Conan had BWS going for it out of the box, which had to reel in an audience that became dedicated, IMHO.
And, the notion of him being a wenching, free spirit on either side of the law was cool, as it did not box him in.
That said, as has been said here many times, there are only so many monsters and wizards one can battle before it becomes predictable. It would be interesting to see Conan's sales figures and if they just slowly declined or fell off a cliff and he just hung in there for some years.
Kull sounds like Kill and there is something in a name, IMHO. Also did it have BWS or an equivalent drawing him>
One could presumably run a parallel hypothesis about Sgt Fury vs. Commander Kelly and The Deadly Dozen, no? Why did Fury run 100+ issues with annuals and crossing of characters like Cap, and Kelly died by issue 20 (I think literally, lol)?
Phillip
I suppose so although my reasoning with it being about a bird, it solely based upon 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' sounding a bit like the noise of a young chick might make.
DW
Kull was generally well served by artists Charlie - Wrightson drew his first appearance, #1 here was inked by Wally Wood, then you've got runs by the Severins, Mike Ploog, and Filipinos like Alfredo Alcala. And in the early 80s John Bolton's work on the character stands comparison with, say, Red Nails.
On sales of Conan, its worth mentioning the comic was very nearly cancelled early on, and while circulation improved later in Smith's run it wasn't a big hit til Buscema (which makes sense, as he was obviously the best man for the job).
Basically, as the first of a new genre it took a while to find its audience. Which I think is a big part of why other sword & sorcery comics didn't last, as they were perceived as derivative. The exception, DC's Warlord, was quite different to Conan and clearly its own thing.
-sean
Songs we had to sing in school? Never did "Chirpy", or "Yellow Submarine " (which would have been cool, actually). But we did sing "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head ", and "What the World Needs Now is Love ". When we weren't singing "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree"...
On the Conan/Kull Kontroversy- I followed Conan for years, and still enjoy those tales today. But Kull never appealed to me. Why not? A good question. Maybe it was the art. Maybe it was the appearances of Red Sonja and Belit. Or maybe Conan was simply more interesting...
Charlie- the song "Uncle Albert" always brings back fond memories of the local swimming pool. The snack bar played a local radio station all summer long, and that particular song just seemed to float "across the water". Oh yeah, a pool, a warm sun, a Kool-Pop and McCartney. What a summer!
Red - For the love of pete...
You just invoked a whole bucket load of memories for Ole Charlie!
Charlie sang "Raindrops," "What the world need now is love," "I'd like to teach the world to sing (the coca cola song)," "Kookabura" in school too! A lot!
And also two others rather frequently sang were "Marching to Praetoria" and also "Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan. (Go figure... maybe our music teacher was a Donovan fan? Can't say I heard that song ever but for on his greatest hits album, lol).
And in regards to Uncle Albert it's like the only time my dad ever bought a 45 RPM! We were in a department store and he said, "I want to buy a record!" And we convinced him of the merits of Paul's "Uncle Albert!"
Charlie- "Hurdy Gurdy Man"? Wow, pretty psychedelic for grade schoolers! Did they follow up with a chorus of "White Rabbit"?
Yes, we sang "Marching to Praetoria " also. Of course I thought it was "Marching to Peoria"; would have been a much shorter march.
Aaaand, one more forgotten kids song- anyone else remember singing a song about "Senor Don Gato"? Years later, in middle school Spanish class, it was revealed we'd been singing Senor Don Cat"...
Like Steve, my school had us singing 'Lily the Pink' (the saviour of the human race, who invented medicinal compound) & 'Yellow Submarine', too. I also remember 'Rocking, rolling riding, out along the bay, all bound for morning town, many miles away.' Was that Judith Durham? Plus, '...Round Nassau town we did roam etc - we got in a fight - I feel so break up, I want to go home, etc." - All your memory leaves you is lyric fragments (not song titles) to look up on the internet!
Phillip
Red: Sadly B J Thomas the original singer of "Raindrops keep falling on my head" passed away a few weeks ago.
Philip: Lilly the Pink was the first single I ever bought (along with my brother we chipped in for this and the Marmalades version of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
Steve: Although minor comparted to Belfast, Glasgow has its issue re sectarianism so perhaps it was just here those lyrics were changed (although adults were quick to stop kids singing it) - I remember the lyrics to Jesus Christ Superstar being change and sang at Scotland V England games in the erly 70s in front of 80- 100,000 fans - we sang about Bobby Moore and the English fans sang about Kenny Dalgleish - "Bobby Moore superstar walks like a woman and he wears a bra" - we were so sophisticated back then.
Phillip- your "...rocking, rolling" song was " Morningtown Ride" by the Seekers. My parents bought me that 45 rpm single when I was about 7. First pop record I ever had. Kinda charming song, check out the Seekers' nice video on YouTube...
Phillip- still waking up so I'm a bit slow. Forgot that Judith Durham was in the Seekers. What a voice...
Paul - I think my brother & my first single was "Waterfalls", by Paul McCartney. We could have saved this as a topic for "Speak Your Brain" !
Redartz - I wrote Judith Durham, to cover myself, because I didn't know if it was the Seekers or the New Seekers! ; D
Maybe a topic - best female singer of the early 70s - Judith Durham, Sally Carr?
Phillip
Phil, the last song you mentioned is 'Sloop John B' by the Beach Boys - my mother loved that song!
And another of her favourites was 'I'll Never Find Another You' by the Seekers. It was their only UK #1 hit (in 1965).
Colin - Thanks for refreshing my memory! Now you've told me, I'm starting to remember a bit more.
Phillip
You lot are lucky. I went to a Lutheran parochial school, so the closest thing to pop songs we ever got to sing were ‘O Happy Day’ by the Edwin Hawkins Singers and ‘Put Your Hand in the Hand’ by Ocean. But we were happy to have those — made a nice break from all those hymns...
b.t.
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