Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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In the absence of anything better to do, let us, without hesitation, rush, face-first, into the past and see what awaits us there.
Well, here's an oddity, a summer special for none other than the king of wizards himself.
I don't know if this has been published to cash in on the recent release of John Boorman's Excalibur but I do know its contents have nothing at all to do with that movie, containing, as it does, material reprinted from Doug Moench and John Buscema's American strip based on the character.
Admittedly, I don't even know who the Ringer is but I'm sure he's a massively deadly opponent our hero's going to need all his famed luck to defeat.
On a less dramatic note, Peter Parker meets a new student called Greg Salinger.
Then again, for all I know, Greg Salinger might be the Ringer, in which case, it's not a less dramatic note at all.
But, speaking of drama, the Hulk's still up against a Dire Wraith that's been raised as a human child but has now discovered what it really is and is determined to more than live up to its heritage.
The book's star makes the cover and is up against the fiery felony of Blockbuster who, if memory serves me, is working for various dodgy landlords, to destroy their properties, for insurance fiddling purposes.
Elsewhere, the Fantastic Four find themselves in a battle with Ego.
And Thor's still up against Blastaar.
I can't say what The Dazzler's up to but I've a suspicion Iron Man may still be fighting the Hulk, just as he has been for several issues now.
...well, that's not going to work, is it? I think they've picked the wrong hero to be trying a mirror-based stunt on.
Elsewhere, it would appear the Black Panther's up against the Vibranium Beast.
I cannot even speculate as to whether mirrors could fool the Vibranium Beast.
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38 comments:
Steve - The Ringer lost against Nighthawk, in the Kraft/Giffen Defenders, in Hulk Comic # 58. That being so, Spidey's up easy street!
Phillip
He sounds like a genuinely awesome adversary.
Steve, The Unexplained did indeed come out every week but each issue had only 20 pages.
Steve, you won't be upset if Charlie prefers France's Knight Roland and his Durendal to Arthur and his Excalibur?
Given Roland did exist, was Charlemagne's favorite knight (or thereabouts), and died around 750 at the Battle of Roncevaux protecting Charlemagne's Army in the rear as it withdrew from Spain, Charlie is inclined to think that Excalibur is really based on the French Durendal.
It makes sense since Lancelot ran away with Arthur's wife Guinevere to France. "Going home" as it were.
Personally I don't much care for aristocrats wherever they come from Charlie, and tend to sympathize with the Basques against Frankish imperialism at Roncevaux. But at least the French didn't nick anyone else's stone circles, which is more than you can say for some heroes of chivalric romances...
Btw, if anyone's interested earlier this month the plans for the tunnel under Stonehenge were found to be unlawful. But its not clear yet whether Boris Johnson's government are giving up on it.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/04/stonehenge-tunnel-plans-continue-despite-high-court-ruling
Steve, its quite possible the timing of that Excalibur & Merlin mag was connected to a certain film, as Marvel also published an official tie-in, Starburst Poster Magazine #1: Excalibur.
A quick look online doesn't show when it was published, other than like #2: Escape From New York it was some time in '81 (#3: Dragonslayer came out in '82). So I'm not sure how you're going to include the mag in this feature. Er... sorry for bringing it up.
-sean
Sean, does Boris intend to tunnel underneath Stonehenge personally, with his hands and nose like a sort of mole-man type creature?
Perhaps, under those narrow conditions he should be allowed to.
I don't know much about Roncevaux, other than the story of Roland, and I had no idea the Basques were involved. So they made an alliance with the Arab/Moor armies against the Franks/Visigoths, I take it?
Sounds like, for the Basques, a case of allying with whom they considered to be the lesser evil.
And considering what happened in Spain after the Moors were finally driven out, maybe they were right.
M.P.
Well, regarding Roland, they don't know the details of the actual battle other than it was basically a massacre of the french.
It does seem that the Saracens / Moslems probably did not assault Roland's rear guard but rather the Basques.
But... the latest thinking seems to be that these Basque folks living in the Pyrenees near Roncevaux made a living by marauding. So, as night came, the marauders did what they did best and marauded, killing Roland and his troops. I.e., they were not bearing any particular grudge against the French; rather it was a target of opportunity.
Well, at least they bastards didn't get their hands on Durendal. It's actually lodged in a cliff in Rocamadour just outside the Chapel of Our Lady. I've seen it. Roland threw it right before his death and it embedded into the cliff wall. It was a long throw for sure... about 500 km.
It's my understanding, (limited as that is) that the Basques speak a language unrelated to the Indo-European language family, which suggests they are the remnants of an older culture in Europe, before the Celts and the Germanic tribes rolled in, and were absorbed by it. An indigenous people, so to speak, "all new to art."
As far as that campaign, it seems that Charlemagne had already cut a deal with Husayn of Zaragoza, for tribute and exchange of prisoners. The Basques took advantage of the Franks withdrawal by raiding and harassing them as they went.
It sounds almost like the Sioux. Actually it sounds a lot like them.
Mot that I don't find the legend of Roland romantic, as you do, Charlie.
"Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came."
M.P.
Arthur might have had a sword called Excalibur but he also had a lance called Ron.
I learn things like this on Richard Osman's House Of Games.
Charlie - Elric meets Roland in 'Stormbringer', and kills him for a second time. Durendal's a sister sword of Stormbringer, Mournblade, etc. So, it's pretty tough! In French literature, the 12 Peers/Charlemagne's paladins, are similar to the Knights of the Round Table (which also started in France, I suppose). Archbishop Turpin is like Friar Tuck, etc.
According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's 'History of the Kings of Britain', the giants nicked Stonehenge from Africa (a bit like Greece's Elgin marbles!) and brought them to Ireland:
Merlin replied, "I entreat your majesty to forbear vain laughter, for what I say is without vanity. They are mystical stones, and of a medicinal virtue. The giants of old brought them from the farthest coast of Africa, and placed them in Ireland, while they inhabited that country. Their design was to make baths in them, when they should be taken for any illness.
Dangermash - 'Ron' is from Geoffrey's book, too!
Phillip
Come to think of it, maybe Durendal was Mournblade (?)- my memory's hazy!
Phillip
Also interesting is that in Geoffrey's book, Arthur's sword isn't Excalibur, but 'Caliburn'. Admittedly, the name sounds similar. Also, the Knights of the Round Table aren't mentioned. I suppose that began with Thomas Malory.
Phillip
Nobody has mentioned the poem "The Song Of Roland". I vaguely remember studying it for A-Level French (or at least part of it because it's very long).
The giants came from Africa, Phillip - it was the English who nicked Stonehenge (like the Parthenon marbles).
-sean
Colin - in Juniors, I read 'The Song of Roland', by Clifton Fadiman (or someone similar), one of those guys who simplified legends for 1970s kids. I've got the real 'Song of Roland' - under a pile of books, but have never finished it - annoying! Roland's horn is called 'Olyfant' - or something - makes a noise like an elephant's trunk!
I chickened out of 'A'-level French, as I only got a 'C' at '0'-Level!
Sean - I never said the giants were Irish. It isn't made clear where they are from. In fact, Geoffrey (an incredibly accurate historian)says Ireland was uninhabited, until some other guys stopped off at the Orkneys, before heading there. As regards nicking Stonehenge, Arthur's boys couldn't have pulled it off without Merlin - and he was Welsh! So do they get blamed, too? Also, don't forget 'the English' (a phrase which implicates all England's powerless poor people, along with its rulers, who did all the damage) also stole the Benin bronzes!
Phillip
Phil, I chickened out of A-Level Biology as I only got a C at O-Level.
Roland's sword is Durendal and his horn the might "Elephant" so called, IIRC, that is it made from Elephant's tusk.
His sword has a tooth from St. Peter, a piece of clothing from the Virgin, and relics from two other saints. It was also indestructible. Hence it stuck into the cliff at Rocamadour when he threw it 300 miles so that the Moslems and/or their Basque allies and/or the Basque marauders would not get it.
FWIW, Rocamadour is the 2nd most visited site in France, after Mont St. Michel, by the French (per the SNCF). I'm telling you... it's the real deal and the french come in droves! Also, if they ascend the 215 steps on their knees, reciting the rosary on each step, they get a favor.
You know... Ole Charlie has been reading ahead in an attempt to say something relevant for the next 50-years ago.
As I'm reading Cap 141, do you chaps recall the full-page ad where a guy has a box fall on his head at the job. This inspires him to graduate high school via correspondence!
There's also a full-page ad for leather wrist bracelets (Arnold's posing). They can help you have better looking arms!
I don't know about you guys... but I think the advertisers under-estimated the intellect of the average comic book reader? Or did they?
Charlie, Marvel's British comics featured ads for Charles Atlas's body-building course which seems rather strange considering those comics were aimed at kids.
Related to the subject of King Arthur: BBC Radio 4 is currently broadcasting an interesting series called 'The Ghost Kingdoms Of England' about the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex. In legend King Arthur was trying to prevent the Angles and Saxons from invading Britain.
Is there a decent comic that captures English history realistically not mythically? Like a read a great comic on Sir Thomas Beckett.
Following this blog is truly an education, Steve! Local Community Colleges should offer credit for anyone who visits!
Thought I knew my history. Don't know so much after all, but the fun's in the learning...
"A tooth from St. Peter, a piece of clothing from the Virgin, and relics from two other saints." Hah!
If Christianity ain't warmed-over paganism, I dunno what it is.
Red, I'm with ya there. the Dark Age period of the British Isles holds an endless fascination, because they are so...dark. We know some things, can maybe guess at other things, but there's still so much we don't know. And maybe never will.
It's endlessly compelling!
M.P.
I'm going completely off-topic (feel free to ignore!)
Tomorrow morning, the chimney stacks of Ferrybridge power station (a UK landmark, marking the junction of the major north-south road - A1 - & east-west road - M62 ) are being demolished!
Phillip
Phillip, you can see them from Sheffield. First Tinsley, now Ferrybridge. Am I doomed to never see cooling towers again?
Redartz, the twists and turns of the comments section are indeed a sight to behold.
Charlie, the work-related ad I remember is the man who tells his boss where to stick it because he's signed up for a draughtmanship correspondence course and, therefore, won't need his crummy job anymore.
The British Isles M.P...?
Haven't we already been through that here?
-sean
The older I get, the more I'm like a broken record, Sean.
GOD HELP those patient caregivers who are fated to attend me in my final hours.
They're probably gonna have to listen to a whole lotta bullshit.
Especially if I've got some morphine in me.
M.P.
Obviously MP meant to say the North-West European Archipeligo...
MP - if you are still awake, lol...
I was talking to my neighbor who was from South Dakota the last 72 years (but for a stint in Vietnam where he literally spent 365 days in the bush fighting VC and never went back to a base camp, lol)
He said there is good evidence that the Vikings made it too the Dakotas or Minnesota via the Great Lakes.
Also that the Ojibwa (Chippewa) indians actually have Viking DNA (they got pushed into Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc. via the inward movement of europeans.
Any thoughts?
(Sorry to stray from comics but
Steve - would you take pictures of the smoke stacks going down and put them here? It sounds fascinating!
Also, UK gents, did they ever tear down that facility that was featured on the cover of Pink FLoyd's "Animals"?
Steve - that Cap issue and so many from 50 years ago is chock full of stuff to talk about!
Any chance moving that feature to a Thursday post so we can have 4 days to suck the marrow from the bones?
E.g., in that issue they talk about Spidey 100 and how John Buscema rescued it???
And for all you political observers... one of the solid Trump states, North Carolina, is taking the steps of raising the minimum legal marriage age to 16, from 14 (or at least trying to)!
If they do it there will only be 13 more states with a minimum 14 marriage age!
Charlie - Not long to go! Here's a live link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/facebook-live/ferrybridge-power-station-blowdown-live-stream/1269418616826054/
There'll be lots of better footage, posted on the web, after the event!
Phillip
Charlie, my friend, I gotta tell ya, I put no stock in any legends of the Vikings reaching Minnesota, much less the Dakotas. It's my understanding there was a brief colony in Newfoundland, but nothing more than that.
On the other hand, there was something of a Viking invasion of the upper-midwest.
In the late 1800's this region was inundated with scores of of Scandinavian immigrants.
They were a strong and sturdy folk, but completely lacking in personality and humor, unlike my forbears, the Prussians and the Dutch, who were and are a real laugh riot.
Scandinavians in Minnesota are sometimes referred to as "square-heads."
I don't know the origin of the term, but some of those guys do have large heads. I think it's rather counter-intuitive.
M.P.
Well, the Ferrybridge chimneys are gone now! More history erased forever.
As regards US Scandinavian settlers, I read a novel about them - 'Giants in the Earth' - 30 years ago. A fellow named 'Per Hansa' was the protagonist.
Phillip
Charlie - there's lots of footage, now, from various angles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDPU8FL1rSg
Phillip
Sadly, Charlie, Ferrybridge is over 30 miles away. I fear any footage I tried to capture on my phone would be of limited quality. Fortunately, Phillip's ridden to the rescue with his links. I'm glad to see it was only chimneys that were demolished and not the cooling towers.
The building on the cover of Animals is Battersea power station which is still standing, although no longer in use as a power station.
I shall endeavour to move the 50 years post to a Thursday, as long as no one objects to it.
Steve - Ferrybridge had 8 cooling towers - now, there's only 3 left! They've been demolishing them a few at a time. I think the 3 remaining cooling towers are slated for demolition next year!
I'm okay with Charlie's reshuffle. I've already made some preliminary notes for next month's 'Savage Action' & 'Blockbuster' - so am currently well ahead of the game!
Charlie's very enthusiastic about Cap # 141 - is it in Essential Cap # 2, Charlie? (I'd have to find my copy & check!) If it isn't, the discussion is all down to yourself!
Phillip
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