Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
How many times can a caveman say the word, "Fire," in the space of twenty-five minutes?
On this night in 1981, we were about to find out because BBC Two was repeating the very first Doctor Who serial, from way back in 1963, in which our prehistoric ancestors squabbled endlessly over the tribal politics of fire-starting.
Thank God the Daleks came along in the next story. You didn't see Daleks arguing about whose turn it was to light the fire.
Half an hour after that was over, the same channel repeated Part One of Life on Earth, as David Attenborough taught us all about Charles Darwin and his theory of Natural Selection.
However, the cost of watching such things was about to rise dramatically, as it was the week in which the TV licence jumped from £34 to £46 for colour viewing, and from £12 to £15 for black and white.
Seismic disruption to our wallets, no doubt, ensued.
But on the UK album chart, a whole lot of seismic was going on too. Or, at least, shaking - because Shaky by Shakin' Stevens hit the top spot, holding off Queen's Greatest Hits to do so.
Over on the British singles chart, Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin's It's My Party held on to the Number One slot by beating off the challenge of Altered Images' Happy Birthday.
And, very very far away from these shores, it was the week in which Antigua and Barbuda gained independence from the United Kingdom.
And, just to excite us even further, eight pages of it are in living colour!
Not to be overshadowed by even that, I'm sure, is Jet Lagg who has his very latest adventure.
But that's OK because it's merged with Captain America weekly.
And just look how happy the titular shield-flinger looks about it!
Thus it is that we get not just Cap but, also, thrilling action from Thor and Daredevil
Plus, a free Captain America mask!
And eight pages of colour!
As for the man himself, he's still in California, trying to promote the movie based on him. And the Nihilist Order are still trying to bump him off. And the new Nomad is still trying to steal all his glory. How he can still smile with all that going on is anybody's guess.
Elsewhere, a film crew's arrived on Asgard, just in time to catch Thor's latest scrap with Loki.
And Daredevil wraps up his epic encounter with the Tribune.
That's the villain, not the newspaper.
Captain Britain battles a monster made of rubbish. After the monster's incapacitated, Cap heads for the nearest junkyard, seeking out the source of its power, travels down a big pipe and encounters a talking rodent.
I know. We've all been there.
Meanwhile, the Avengers are still battling the Absorbing Man who's still, presumably, trying to flee the country.
And, in a thriller reprinted from the 1960s, Diablo's battling that self-same team, with the help of Dragon Man.
Luckily, Iron Fist's there to tackle him - only to discover the villain's none other than Radion in disguise.
And, also, to discover Misty Knight has a bionic arm.
From what I can make out, in the Inhumans' strip, Black Bolt goes on the rampage and gives the hidden city of Attilan a good trashing.
Elsewhere, Omega's still battling Electro.
There's also a look back at The Krotons, The Carnival of Monsters, Logopolis, An Unearthly Child and The Three Doctors.
Not content with all that, this issue also gives us another picture strip, called Skywatch, featuring those pesky shape-shifting Zygons, which is set to conclude in the magazine's winter special.
One is To Forgive Dephine! while the other is When the Sea Gives Up Its Dead!
Tragically, I cannot say what either of these tales involves.
But I do know we also get a Paul Neary interview in which he talks about the Timesmasher series that's being produced for Marvel UK.
Granted, off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you just what the Timeshmasher series involves.
Still, at least the title goes out with some style, as the green goliath must defeat the alien menace of the Space Parasite who's scoured the universe, looking for people to fight and has finally stumbled upon the Hulk.
I must confess that, for a long time, in my youth, I got the Space Parasite mixed up with the Space Phantom and couldn't understand why he'd changed appearance so dramatically between his debut in the Hulk's strip and his, "return," in the Avengers'.
Whether those devil beasts are any relation to the Hands of Nergal, I cannot say.
Apparently, what happens in this tale is Conan fights for the Turanian army, against the forces of Munthassem Khan and then rides off with someone called Hildico.
But it turns out there's one foe even Conan can't defeat.
And that's cancellation, because this, as far as I can make out, is the book's last-ever appearance.
And, like the Hulk's pocket book, it bows out after 13 issues.
Or does it?
The attentive observer will have noticed that issue #7 of this book would appear to have never have been published, as we went straight from issue #6 to #8 with nothing in between. Meaning this is, in fact, the 12th issue, despite its claim to be the 13th.
How very curious.
Instead, it's a hundred pages of FF goodness when the team finds itself in a Latverian copy of The Prisoner and it all ends with an anti-climax, as Dr Doom decides he doesn't want his lovely art collection damaged in a punch-up.
This time, we get his epic clash with Doctor Octopus, AKA the Master-Planner, which famously climaxes with our hero lifting a huge heap of machinery from himself, driven on by thoughts of Aunt May.
Regardless, it seems that, besides various articles and features, we get a colour pin-up and the chance to win a plane transporter.
I'm guessing that's a toy one and not a real one, as a real one would likely be of little use to most readers.
We also get a comic strip called Autona... Planet of Lies! but I don't know what that involves, other than a planet of lies.
I know nothing of what happens in the Star Trek strip but it looks like the Micronauts are fighting a glowing polar bear with a mysterious symbol on its chest.
It would seem, also, that we're being treated to the origin of the Inhumans. Whether it's the story Jack Kirby drew, or another one, I cannot say.
Or has he? The cover's reprinted from the US Savage Sword of Conan #6 but the story within is taken from the US Savage Sword of Conan #51.
That tale's called Satyr's Blood and I'm unfamiliar with it, though I do know it's adapted from L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter's Conan the Liberator.
More merry Marvel mirth hits our eyeballs.
This time, drawn from the pages of 1968's Not Brand Echh #6.
Elsewhere, Kilraven's having a battle with Skar's tripod.
And it's not going very well.
But that's not all, as the mighty mutants also come up against the Blob and Unus the Untouchable who've taken to robbing banks while dressed up as our heroes.
That's because they have to survive the annoying menace of Arcade and his daft games of death.
Can even the help of Spider-Man save them from pinball horror?
All I know is we get 100 pages of action, and the count of cunning's hiding out in the village of Littlepool.
Where is Littlepool?
Is it anything like Liverpool?
Or Littlehampton?
Why he's there?
Who can possibly say?
Apparently, we get 40 pages of fun, games and the chance to win an album featuring Worzel Gummidge singing.
I think we've all always dreamt of such a thing.
And, as if that wasn't enough, we could even win an Aunt Sally doll!
At least, that's what the BBC wants us to think, thanks to its brand, spanking new adaptation of the legendary book.
And Starburst is right on hand to give us all the hot goss on it.
There's also an interview with the special effects genius behind Blake's 7 and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as well as features on monster movie posters, Disney's Sleeping Beauty and The Thief of Baghdad.
Tragedy hits Steve Does Comics as the most obscure book Marvel UK's ever created hits its final issue, with #13.
As so often, I've been totally incapable of finding any copies of this month's cover online nor any information about its contents but, as always, I'm willing to go out on a limb and wager that copious tears are shed within it.
Goodbye, Young Romance pocket book, we barely knew ye.
Literally.
Posts
55 comments:
My final Blockbuster!
Iron Fist's page count drops. Omega's increases (but that's not saying much). The Inhumans is about the same - or maybe a bit less.
Blockbuster # 6
Iron Fist - Claremont & Byrne
'The City's Not For Burning!' (pun on Byrne?)
For Claremont, pacing's everything. His stories often start with action - thus avoiding a linear plot. A very exciting scene opens this story, as it hits the ground running - quite literally! Just as a 747 airliner's touching down, at Heathrow airport, its landing gear's severed by a blue-white beam, causing the Jumbo to collapse in flames. In the airliner's cockpit, Claremont's pilot & co-pilot are characterized - briefly - as anonymous characters elicit no empathy.
More pertinent still, the 747's passenger manifest includes Danny & Misty! Claremont's scenes of cataclysmic airliner disasters have great dramatic impact. He's used this dramatic device before, when an airliner was destroyed by Sasquatch, prior to Alpha Flight vs the X-Men - and also when Captain Britain battled the Hurricane.
Aboard the 747 chaos reigns, amongst the screaming passengers. The igniting fuel means the emergency door must be opened - fast! Danny watches - in wonder - as Misty punches open the supposedly 'unbreakable' emergency door. Misty's strength is something the reader saw before, last issue, when she crushed a brick ledge, with her hand, after a heated exchange with lieutenant Scarfe - but Misty's strength is certainly a revelation to Iron Fist! Moreover, neither the reader - nor Danny - know bionics are the explanation for Misty's power - not quite yet!
The rapid pace of events, however, means wonderment can wait. The fuel ignites, and a little girl suffers burns. Misty goes to the girl's aid, whilst Danny - changing to Iron Fist - follows them, jumping through the flame-engulfed emergency door.
As Iron Fist alights from the 747, his path's blocked by a giant man, wearing a battle suit, calling himself "The Ravager". Lying at Ravager's feet, are Misty & the injured girl - seemingly dead.
Next, Ravager turns his beam on Iron Fist, who dodges, whilst hurling a spear-like piece of wreckage, back at the villain. This attack, which Ravager accepts at face-value, is actually a piece of misdirection, by Iron Fist, all to spoil Ravager's distance advantage (his wrist beam), whilst setting up a series of martial arts strikes.
As Iron Fist absorbs Ravager's counter attack, Misty gets up, & - from behind - pins Ravager's arms behind his back, giving Danny time to get back into the fight. Once again, Misty's extraordinary strength astonishes Iron Fist. Nevertheless, Ravager slams Misty backwards, against a wall, breaking her pin - and then his beam cuts her down! Iron Fist, seconds too late to save Misty, uses a reverse shoulder throw - a dangerous move - to put Ravager down.
Soon, however, Ravager's beam allows him to regain the advantage of distance - striking Iron Fist at will. We now learn the villain's demands. From the British government, Ravager expects nuclear materials - or he'll turn London into an atomic wasteland. After this ultimatum, Ravager escapes, with a nuclear fuel canister - of some sort - under his arm.
Finding the little girl, alongside Misty's body, Iron Fist removes the wreckage. She tells Danny that Misty's arm 'exploded'. Danny's eyes pop out of his head, as he sees the exposed circuitry of Misty's bionic arm, laid bare by Ravager's blasts.
As whistle-blowing police arrive, Iron Fist's ninja skills (never mind ninjas are Japanese) blend him into his surroundings, so he can withdraw.
Next, a hospital scene follows. For Iron Fist, hospitals are familiar territory - Colleen's father having been in one, last issue. The little girl whom Iron Fist & Misty rescued is gurnied into the operating theatre. As Danny reassures the little girl, she recognizes his voice as that of Iron Fist, despite Danny being in civvies. Soon afterwards, Danny visits Misty, who's sitting up in her hospital bed - minus one bionic arm.
Misty expects Iron Fist to immediately search for Colleen - that's why London was their destination, in the first place. Danny, however, intends to pursue Ravager instead, as the destruction of London outweighs the fate of one friend.
Hearing this, Misty proceeds to tear a strip off Danny. After all, as Kirk said, in 'The Search For Spock', "The needs of the one, sometimes outweigh the needs of the many." Besides, did all of Danny's K'un Lun recriminations, last issue, about Miranda's death, and vowing never to fail a (female?) friend again, amount to a hill of beans? - Don't answer that!
Misty continues her line of attack, pointing out to Danny his debt to the Wings: "A debt, man. And you pay your debts -- in full!" Maybe a better partner for Misty, would be Blade. Policewoman Kate Fraser (in another Claremont tale) was reassured that Blade always settles his debts. Blade told Kate: "I guess that means I owe you -- an' Blade always pays what he owes." ('Savage Action' # 7). And Blade's not a Rand-Meachum owning billionaire, either! For Misty, Dr.Doom wouldn't be a good fit, as a partner, though - as Doom doesn't honour his debts. Dr.Doom stiffed Luke Cage, for the price of a job!
As Danny's 'Colleen or London?' dilemma continues, he learns the little girl (whom Misty saved) has died on the operating table. Enraged, Danny strides out of the hospital, vowing vengeance on the Ravager.
Leaving the hospital, Danny fails to notice that Iron Fist's Scotland Yard's public enemy number 1. It suspects Iron Fist of running with the Ravager! I think Claremont missed a trick, here - Dai Thomas could have been Scotland Yard's man on the scene, at the hospital. Dai loathes superheroes.
Iron Fist's K'un Lun ninja skills enable him to trace Ravager's radioactive boot-prints from Heathrow to the Post Office Tower ( what if Ravager had a car?) Deathlok once did something similar, but he tracked footprints invisible to the human eye. If this radioactive residue's visible to Danny, why can't other humans see it, too? (Never mind tracker dogs, or Geiger counters!)
At the Post Office Tower, a Dick Van Dyke-voiced London policeman (eating Fish & Chips) spots Iron Fist, and calls in reinforcements. Iron Fist's ninja stealth fails, once again (like last issue, when Miranda crept up on him). At least this policeman radioed for reinforcements, rather than blowing his whistle - a whistle's too Victorian London/Jack the Ripper!
Anyway, Iron Fist ascends the Post Office Tower via the stairs - not the lift - and surprises Ravager, who wildly flails punches. Danny smashes Ravager's wrist blasters, with two hammer blows. Normally, with wrist blasters, superheroes pin a villain's wrists. In 'The Inhumans', it happens all the time (Blastaar, Shatterstar, etc.) Also, the White Tiger pinned Jack of Heart's wrists (DHOKF #22?) Well, never mind.
Turns out, smashing Ravager's wrist blasters overloads his battle-suit. Shoddy workmanship. When Shatterstar's wrists blasters overloaded, it was Black Bolt who came off worse, not Shatterstar! Anyway, Iron Fist takes advantage of this overload to hit Ravager with the iron fist's full force! This smashes Ravager's chest-plate, transforming the villain into an entity of pure atomic energy - "Radion". Unfortunately, for Radion's street cred, a UK washing powder - with the same name - would later hit the supermarket shelves!
To both Radion & Misty (watching TV news in hospital), Danny's an idiot for playing the hero. Moments later, the Post Office Tower's top floor explodes, bring a cataclysmic end to this month's story! (Also you get that old line about "Sowing the wind, but reaping the whirlwind" - wasn't that line in that X-Men story with Garokk, too?) Shock, horror! Has Iron Fist survived? Find out next month!
I've compared this Blockbuster printing of this Iron Fist story to the original, in Essential Iron Fist # 1. Atop the Post Office Tower, 9 panels were removed (admittedly very thin ones). Mostly, it was Iron Fist dodging Ravager's blasts. One scene, however, had Iron Fist sitting on Ravager's shoulders, jabbing him in the neck, with spear-fingers! This weird scene is, perhaps, better left on the cutting room floor!
A few weeks ago, Charlie speculated about French villains, other than Batroc, and the Grey Gargoyle. Well, Ravager's a French villain too - a Dr.Sorel - despite not having a twiddly mustache, or any stereotypical French speech patterns. I suppose Cyclone's another French villain.
'The Inhumans' - A King of Ruins - Moench & Kane
Black Bolt, after 9 days of being strung up, screams in despair - reducing Attilan to rubble. The tragedy of the situation is, Black Bolt's scream wasn't necessary, as - unknown to Black Bolt - Triton had already defeated Shatterstar, by then.
In such circumstances, one Inhuman will always say, "I told you so", and/or rub salt into the wound. Who? Why, Gorgon, of course! Medusa, hearing Gorgon's jibes, angrily defends Black Bolt, and gives Gorgon a piece of her mind. Black Bolt, recriminating over what he's done, staggers away, into the ruins of the Palace Royal. The ordinary Inhumans, who aren't members of the royal family, are aghast at Black Bolt's deed.
As time passes, Gorgon & Triton complain that Black Bolt's been in the palace, for hours, at a time when Maximus might reappear, and exploit the people's confusion. Once again, Medusa gets really angry, saying they can't have it both ways. They complain about Black Bolt's leadership - then complain he isn't around to lead them, either! Why not take some responsibility themselves, instead of constantly whining & complaining? Gorgon - that was a at you, mate!
Crystal tells Medusa to calm herself, whereupon Medusa starts on her, too! At least she's got Pietro to lean on - Medusa's got nobody. And what about poor Black Bolt? It's lonely at the top, you know!
At this point, Black Bolt emerges from the palace, proffering a scroll, towards Medusa, before collapsing in exhaustion. Medusa blames them all, realizing Black Bolt's been starved for 9 days, and no one offered him food. Wasn't a freezer installed in the palace?
After Black Bolt's had food & rest, the people of Attilan are summoned to hear his proclamation. That's what the scroll is - he's spent hours inside the palace, writing a kind of "Dear John letter". And Medusa has the dubious privilege of reading it out.
The gist is, Black Bolt's renouncing his kingship - due to his shortcomings as a leader. The plebs can rebuild Attilan - if they want to - but the royal family is relocating to the planet Malador, using Shatterstar's spaceship to get there.
'Malador' - along with 'Prince of Ruins' (it's almost the same) - is another Moorcock borrowing. Earl Aubec of Malador was a legendary hero, whose sword Elric used, before Stormbringer. Also, Aubec & Myshella were an item, before her entanglement with Elric.
As Medusa finishes reading the proclamation, cheers for Black Bolt resound through Attilan! Why? Black Bolt's leaving the common people to sort out his own mess.
Suddenly, Maximus & his goons appear, having recaptured his cannon. Maximus sardonically compliments Black Bolt on his touching speech, then fires the cannon! Maximus's obsession with cannons is getting quite unhealthy. Black Bolt saves Medusa from the cannon's beam, then Gorgon stamps his foot!
A wall collapses, destroying Maxmius's cannon, whilst Karnak covers Gorgon's back, when Maximus's goons try to creep up on him. Finally, Black Bolt claps his hands - like the Hulk - causing a massive shock wave, incapacitating Leonus, and Maximus's other goons.
Everyone cheers, once more! But Black Bolt walks off, in silence. He's moody enough to be in 'Marvel Super Adventure'. The next job's to repair Shatterstar's space ark, to fly to Malador. The story ends with Black Bolt's contemplating the cosmos's immensity, wondering what'll they find out there?
Next issue - "A trip to the Doom!" (Sounds like Moon!)
'Omega the Unknown' - Gerber, Skrenes & Mooney
A bully's waiting for James Michael Starling, at the school gates. His new friends, Dian & John, advise James Michael discretion's the better part of valour - but James Michael refuses to use another gate. For him, this isn't pride - it's just incomprehensible to him why a bully would attack him. Dian & John speculate as to the bully's opening gambit. John correctly guesses it'll be the "toll-gate routine".
The bully demands a dime from James Michael, for the privilege of passing through the school gate. James Michael refuses, and the "toll" goes up to 50 cents - or else! At this point, the arrival of Amber at the school gate, to pick James Michael up, prompts the bully to hit James in the face, and scarper! An incredulous James Michael asks Amber's advice. She suggests hitting the bully back.
When James Michael & Amber arrive home, he won't let the issue drop, so Amber suggests watching a TV telethon, raising money for a disabled boy. The telethon's interrupted by Electro, who demands the audience hands over its cash, whilst the mysterious robot (who wants Omega dead) has the disabled boy with crutches in its clutches.
Suddenly, Omega smashes onto the set! The robot sees Omega, and charges at him, whereupon Omeega lifts it up, and hurls it against one of the TV cameras, putting the robot out of action! Considering the enmity between Omega & the mysterious robot has been trailed for the past few issues, the battle ending so quickly is a bit of a waste.
Next, Electro threatens the disabled boy - but the threat isn't carried out. Omega fires energy blasts from his palms, at Electro - despite this causing pain to himself. Electro fires his own electrical bolts back, blocking Omega's. This results in a deadlock, as Omega & Electro's energies are evenly matched. At this point, the disabled boy uses one of his crutches to hit Electro on the shin, breaking his concentration, resulting in a victory for Omega, and defeat for Electro.
The disabled boy's the hero of the telethon - a nice change from being patronized, and being the object of pity. The Master of Ceremonies approaches Omega, hoping for a sound bite, but Omega remains silent.
Back at home, Amber's indignant that Omega didn't call her - for a photo opportunity - before going into action. After all, it was her photos that put him on the Bugle's front page, in the first place. James Michael Starling doesn't hear Amber, as seeing Omega on screen's triggered an internal reaction, whereby he's hearing thousands of voices.
Next issue: 'El Gato!'
There's going to be typos aplenty, but I need a break!
Phillip
"reader's seen before" - and it begins!
Phillip
Steve, I think it’s quite presumptuous of you to assume — without a SHRED of direct evidence — that YOUNG ROMANCE would be full of sobbing and carrying-on, as if any comic targeted at an audience of young ladies and featuring female lead characters would AUTOMATICALLY be slanted toward scenes of exaggerated emotional outbursts, that’s very Judgemental Patriarchal Cis-White Male of y—
NAAAAHHH, just fooling! I would be VERY much surprised if there weren’t quite a few shed shed tears within. Tears of sadness, tears of happiness, doesn’t matter. Tears, tears, tears, lots and lots of tears. The Romance Comic genre positively thrived on such waterworks.
The only cogent comment I can make on any of this week’s comics is that the SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN cover is drawn by the legendary Alex Nino, painted by a guy named Frank Magsino in a way that pretty much buries Nino’s contribution, and that it looks to me like Dan Adkins was called in at some point to ‘Westernize’ the Conan figure even more.
b.t.
Dave's Cover of the Week: it has to be the nice piece of Buscema goodness that adorns Marvel Super-Heroes. The Spider-Man cover makes second place, and the Empire Strikes Back wins Most Baffling Cover. What is happening on there? Who knows.
Steve - I quick quiz of ebay.uk only finds Young Romance Pocket Book #1 and 2 for sale. Entry price looks to be about $20.
Did any of you chaps actually carry a pocket book in your pocket? Which one?
So Worzel is a Marvel UK?
I don't know why but I get a Cat Weazle vibe? (Not to be confused with Beano's Billy the Cat.)
It kind of makes me wonder if Marvel every contemplated buying DC Thomson?
You reviewed the original US monthly version of that Iron Fist story a while back didn't you, Steve? Anyone else would have linked to it, but its good to see you're more interested in putting together your latest post than just piling up the clicks on the older stuff.
And you noted the phenomenal Mike McMahon's work on 'Junkyard Demon', which surprised me a bit so well done, and apologies for underestimating your appreciation of thrill power.
Although to be fair, you didn't mention that 'The Pandora Effect' in this months issue of Star The Empire Strikes Back Wars was written by Affable Al Moore. Indeed, you seemed unaware of it - did names like Vor Childermoss not tip you off?
As I have read that issue of Blakes 7, I can let you know that 'Autona... Planet of Lies!' is a world inhabited only by a federation scientist called Wogan (no, really) and his assistant, who build android replicas of people. Its a rubbish story of course, but nicely drawn by reliably excellent old skool Scottish comic artist Ian Kennedy.
The only other thing I can (vaguely) recall from the mag is an article about Blakes 7 stuntmen. Which, as jobs go, sounds almost as laughable as Blakes 7 special effects er... genius.
-sean
PS Apologies in advance to Colin for dissing Blakes 7. Again (;
Charlie - the same actor who played Catweazle, also played the Crow man (Worzel's mentor), in 'Worzel Gummidge'.
Phillip
Btw, to my eye that Captain America cover looks like the work of Alan Davis. Any thoughts?
And iirc from its earlier appearance in the US monthly posts, Spidey's arse on his TV comic cover was drawn by Fearless Frank Miller. Its not one of his better efforts really.
-sean
Charlie, Marvel's Blakes 7 artist Ian Kennedy worked for DC Thompson for years (I think he's actually from Dundee).
Nothing should be inferred from this, other than that he was an available freelancer, and good at likenesses.
I expect Marvel UK were more concerned with staying in business than buying out anyone else. In the late 70s IPC nearly bought them, but the asking price was too high (apparently they only really wanted the Star Wars license).
-sean
Sean, I'm afraid I can shed no light upon who did the Captain America cover.
After putting together this post, I simply couldn't be bothered to put any links in it. Otherwise, I would have done. The truth is internal links are good for a site because the search engines like them and it, therefore, makes the site easier to find by Googling.
I must confess I was unaware of Alan Moore's contribution to this month's Star Wars.
Thanks for the Blake's 7 info.
Charlie, I never carried a pocket book in my pocket. I never carried a pocket calculator in one, either.
Dave, my nomination for Cover of the Month has to be The Savage Sword of Conan.
Bt, thanks for the SSOC cover info. I have always wondered why it looks nothing like the work of Alex Nino despite being credited to him.
Phillip, thanks for the mountainous summary. It really is hard to see why the people of Attilan put up with the antics of their royal family, especially Maximus's constant power grabs.
Steve, thanks for your link to the UK's 60 best-selling albums but what a bizarre list! The Beatles get just two entries ('Sgt. Pepper' and '1') while Take That get three! And there are no entries at all for the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Elvis, Prince, Whitney Houston, David Bowie and loads of others you'd expect to be there!
Phil, one consolation of you stopping reading Marvel comics is that 40 years later you won't have to write any more mammoth reviews!
Sean:
I didn’t give that CAPTAIN AMERICA cover much thought initially (because I didn’t think it was all that great, nor particularly terrible either) but I think there’s a distinct possibility that you’re right about it being drawn by Alan Davis. His style was constantly changing and evolving in those early years of his career, but there are certain stylistic “tells” that do feel ‘Davis-ish’. So, good eye.
Not a fan of Spidey’s tight, super-defined glutes? It’s not one of Frank’s better covers, no. I was very much into his work on Daredevil, the Wolverine mini-series, those Spider-man Annuals etc. but was often disappointed by his covers. I thought (A) his work usually looked better when inked by someone else and (B) the covers almost always looked like he blasted them out in an hour or two, start to finish.
b.t.
Oh, and Phillip:
You’re amazing.
b.t.
I've enjoyed reading the comment section tonight, as always, but I'm a little too scattered and tired to add anything of worth. (not that that ever stopped me before)
The phrases "Junkyard Demon" and "Planet of Lies" made me laugh, though.
Steve, I remember when the Sandman and Hydroman got merged together (what are the odds) and their eventual separation was traumatic to them both.
Talk about invasion of one's privacy. That's even worse than sharing a jail cell with a guy, and that itself is bad enough. (uh, so I've heard...ahem)
But Cain Marko did the right thing, he swore off crime and headed to the nearest bar, (maybe not the best idea in most cases but the guy's made outta sand) where he knocked a couple back with Ben Grimm as shown in Marvel Two-In-One #86.
I liked that issue.
M.P.
Steve, Colin & b.t. - Thanks! Much appreciated. Having a rest from Thursday night typing, will be good. For Redartz, Tuesday nights will be easier, too - I know how he feels!
40 years ago, my brother got this week's 'Captain America', as a one-off - and I've found it. The cover is definitely Alan Davis.
Phillip
Sean, I forgive your latest derogatory remarks about Blake's 7 but I can't speak for Phillip - he might be furious!
But Blake's 7 was about a bunch of rebels fighting against an evil fascist empire so I'll assume you approve of the concept even if you don't like the show itself ;)
Colin - No fury from me. Blake was fighting for people's individual freedom to totally hate the show. Avon - in contrast - would have just made some sardonic remark.
Recently (season 3?), Blake's 7 has been having humorous incidents. For example, briefly teaming up Vila & Servalan. Last night Tarrant's twin brother (?) - it was Steven Pacey playing the part - got killed, fighting an android gunfighter. Not that this was humorous for Tarrant.
Colin & Charlie - Did you notice 'The Song of Roland' (previously discussed on SDC ) was featured on 'In Our Time', this week? It was a good episode.
Still on Radio 4, Sheffield Council's Saruman-like tree-felling campaign was featured, too:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00066yq
According to my local social media, Sheffield is fielding an award winning new cheese, called 'Sheffield Forge'. There's not much about it on the internet, though.
Phillip
Thats the London-centric southern Remoaner liberal elite running everything for you, Philip.
Its just like Blakes 7.
-sean
Although to be fair, listening to the news just now I'm reminded theres quite a bit of coverage in even the lamestream media about Yorkshire making cricket great again...
-sean
-
Phil, I doubt that Charlie listens to Radio 4 (him being American) but I did indeed hear the Song Of Roland edition of 'In Our Time' - is Melvyn Bragg stealing his ideas from Steve Does Comics????
ABBA's new album 'Voyage' is out today but all the songs are on YouTube already!
Colin - As regards unreleased ABBA songs, 'Dream World' is my favourite - particularly the chorus, which is catchy. I wonder if 'Voyage' includes 'Dream World' - I'll have to check!
Phillip
Matthew, I'm pretty sure I must have watched the BBC's version of Day of the Triffids but I can't remember much about it.
Inside Blockbuster, I found its original, faded WHSmith receipt, dated Oct 10th. Does this mean everything needs backdating 1 month - who knows?
Phillip
Daredevils with Captain Brexit, yay! And around the same time Warrior of course, Matthew.
Steve possibly its worth adding SezDez' mag to the Marvel UK posts ?(Although somehow I suspect you may well take the same view as you did to DW suggestions a while back about including it in the 2000AD feature)
Anyhow, further on Mike McMahon's contribution to the Dr Who mag:
The 'Junkyard Demon' of the title was a Cyberman, and especially striking because not only was it drawn in his inimitable style but it looked like it came straight out of 'The Tenth Planet'. I had a quick look online and it seems this may well be the first example of a 'retro' aesthetic applied to Dr Who.
You can see a great splash of McMahon's old - or as apparently Whovies say, Mondasian (did I get that right?) - Cyberman at
www.herocollector.com/en-gb/Article/doctor-who-for-the-love-of-mondas
-sean
Btw, that reminds me - did you enjoy the new Who last Sunday, Steve?
What is the official Steve Does Comics line on the first episode?
-sean
I'll be watching the new Who on iplayer this afternoon so I'll return after I've watched it...
In the meantime, The Guardian's review of ABBA's 'Voyage' album isn't very kind ("No Thank You For The Music" says the headline) but I've listened to all the tracks on YouTube and they seem fine to me but I wasn't expecting a masterpiece anyway.
ABBA Gold recently became the first album to spend 1,000 weeks on the UK albums chart but a second album has now joined this exclusive club - 'Legend' by Bob Marley & The Wailers has clocked up 1,002 weeks on the chart (compared to 1,018 for ABBA Gold). And Queen's Greatest Hits is currently standing at 950 weeks so that should be third across the line in the not too distant future. These are all greatest hits albums but I don't know what the longest-running proper studio album is.
OK, I've just finished watching the first episode of Doctor Who: Flux and as ever it looks spectacular but as ever with modern Who it wasn't the slightest bit scary and the characters' reactions were totally unrealistic - John Bishop is kidnapped and taken into outer space by a wannabee Chewbacca but he acts like it's an everyday event. Everything in modern Who is treated like a big lark with a constant stream of smart-arse remarks - by contrast I remember '70s Who being genuinely scary with an ever-present atmosphere of dread and menace which only increased as the cliffhanger ending approached. But yes, I'll keep watching the new series :D
Colin and Sean, I enjoyed Doctor Who: Flux - The Halloween Apocalypse.
It was, basically, just Chris Chibnall flinging everything he could think of at the screen to prevent us getting bored but it's a sensible approach, as, whenever he allows things to slow down in a story, he has to rely on sparkling dialogue, and he can't do sparkling dialogue. The visual effects were great. Dan was great. Yaz finally got the chance to do things. Mystery and intrigue abounded and I fear for the future of the TARDIS.
I notice that, in the brief trailer released the other night, Swarm drops a reference to Paradise Lost, with a line about, "Reigning in Hell," which is nice and fancy.
Colin, I notice that Rumours has now been on the UK album chart for 913 weeks. So, there has to be a good chance of it being the longest-charting proper studio album.
Sean, "SezDez" mag? I'm not sure what this is.
Phillip, I feel it's best to just go by the cover dates, as that involves me having to do less thinking.
Sean, it's good to see those Mondasian Cybermen going out well-prepared for Covid-19.
Along the lines of pop culture... b/c Charlie abhors blogs that go astray, lol...
My GF said I was "cray cray" today, which I and she assumed meant "Crazy."
So we pondered the origin of cray cray assuming it to be a relatively recent movie or pop song line.
In fact it was a line in a rap song about the schizophrenic Kray Brothers who ran the London maggia in the 50s and 60s.
Just curious if the Kray Bros are well known in the UK like Capone, et al. in the USA?
The Kray Twins were probably the most famous gangsters in Britain, Charlie. They even had a movie made about them, starring Martin and Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet.
Steve! NO WAY! Was it a good movie?
Would could be more appealing to Chicago Charlie than a movie about mobsters being acted by New Wavers. Any chance the Kemp's were from Sheffield?
Sounding like FF, Dazzler and Iron Man have all been dropped from Captain America over the last couple of months, so with Daredevil coming on board it's down from five strips to three: Cap, Thor and Daredevil. Still waiting for FF to find a new home but expecting Iron Man to join them. And is Hulk on a break to give the US strip the chance build up a lead over the U.K.?
Regrettably Spandau Ballet were norf London lads Charlie.
The Kemps' Krays flick is almost as good as their storyline in Roy of the Rovers. But I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest you might possibly prefer the later Krays film with the bruvs played by Tom Hardy and Tom Hardy.
-sean
Dangermash - I might post a few brief observations about Captain America (& its supposed 'glorious colour'), tomorrow.
Phillip
Charlie - a dominant character trait of all cockney gangsters is an abiding affection for their 'old mum' (so I've been led to believe!)
Phillip
Charlie, one of the Kray twins was gay but I forget which one. They killed another gangster for making a homo-phobic remark.
Ha! I love gangster movies from the U.K.! Whether it's Michael Caine or Richard Burton, or Guy Ritchie's films. Even Trainspotting was a crime movie, if you think about it.
Ever since I saw Gangster No. 1. I love that movie. Sexy Beast, the list goes on.
I think what I enjoy about them is they can be absolutely brutal one minute and hysterically funny the next. And they raise verbal insults and sarcasm to an art form. We Americans have much to learn. We're clumsy when it comes to irony.
Well, Get Carter, that wasn't funny. That was dark.
Except when Michael Caine walks out the front door bare-assed naked with a shotgun, that was pretty funny.
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels had me laughing so hard my belly hurt.
These guys are gonna rip off this gang of thieves and one guy says the gang is probably going to be armed.
Another guy says "Armed!! Armed with what!?"
"Oh, I dunno--bad breath, colorful language...GUNS, YOU TIT!!!"
M.P.
"We're clumsy when it comes to irony"...
MP, we Brits believe that Americans don't understand irony at all.
There's at least five or six over here who do, Colin, and I'm not even counting myself for the sake of humility.
Perhaps more. But I suspect that you could fit all the Americans who appreciate irony in one car.
It would have to a big car, though, and right now I have an image of this ironical car rolling down an interstate highway. At high speeds.
Lotta bumper stickers on the back, I bet.
M.P.
Are you sure about that M.P.? The Brits seem to believe a lot of things about Americans that don't really stand up to much scrutiny imo.
Like, Americans are supposed to be very rude. But in my experience they are pretty much always very polite - no-one else has ever called me "sir".
Not that I particularly want anyone to call me sir, but it is a welcome change from the kind of attitude I often seem to get from the English in the street (don't ask).
I wasn't so keen on 'Lock, Stock...' but I was entertained much more than I expected to be by 'Snatch'.
-sean
In my experience, when someone uses the term "sir", it's to put things on a formal setting.
Basically, it means "let's be polite." It is not a title of honor bestowed upon anybody.
For example, when a waitress or a bartender (or a cop) addresses a man as "sir", what it really means is "don't f*** up in here, this is your first warning."
In fact, if a cop calls you sir something has already gone wrong.
M.P.
Captain America # 37
Brief Observations:
1.) The comic's giving the readers a glossy cover, which they've been demanding for years. This pic doesn't work for me, though.
2.) In Captain America, over the past year, the young reader's spent time with Cap & Bernie Rosenthal, at their swish apartment complex - feeling like a real grown-up.
A sudden offer of a babyish free Captain America mask, on the front cover, makes the reader chelp back: "I'm not a kid, anymore Dad!" Or, something similar! Definitely a false note/mistep.
3.) The comic feels very thin, in the hand - like not much for your money. I've checked the page count, and you get a mere 23 pages - compared to 30 pages in the old Cap weekly. Less for more.
4.) On the inside cover, you'd expect the editor to be plugging the new look Cap comic with gusto. But he isn't. The story starts right from the inside cover. The Editor's page is hidden somewhere in the middle of the comic. Daft.
5.) How do you share 8 pages of colour fairly between 3 titles? Why didn't they make it 9 pages of colour - or 6?
Cap - 1 page of colour - the inside cover - and it's not even a full page, as there's a black & white border!
Thor - The entire story's in colour - all 4 measly pages.
Daredevil - 2 pages of colour - including the back cover.
Wait a minute! 1 + 4 + 2 = 7! The cheats - they're including the front cover to make 8!
6.) Daredevil must be feeling neglected, as he's the only superhero who isn't having a film made about him.
Captain America - the story swirls around one specific detail - a cigarette holder! The Mr.Big who's running Nomad (who's making Cap look like a fool) & the Ameridroid/Lyle Dekker,
is a mysterious masked man, named "Teacher".
"Teacher" always has a cigarette holder sticking out of his mask. This specific detail is a cheap trick to make readers think "Teacher" might be the Red Skull. Probably a red herring.
Thor - In Thor's measly 4 pages (the first of which is compromised by a black & white border) - you get at least 2 plots at the same time.
In Asgard blind Hoder's been tricked into shooting his arrow at Balder - last issue, it seems. Lots of recriminations. Loki has also lured Thor to Jotunheim, where he's attacking Thor with a super-axe, whilst Thor's strength has been halved. Somebody's filming it all.
Daredevil - not much to add beyond what Steve said. It's not brilliant, I'm afraid.
Overall, what Marvel UK did to Captain America reminds me of Blake's7's ending, on Friday night. And let me tell you what happened there - the writers blew up the Liberator!
Phillip
N.B. - Both the Liberator & Captain America are symbols of freedom! (I thought of this after I wrote it! Hee, hee!)
Phillip
Phil, the Liberator's destruction was where Blake's 7 should have ended in my opinion instead of an unnecessary 4th series.
Sean, I've never thought that Americans were rude!
Ah, the old cigarette holder trick. I was reading about the Mr Kline saga on Attack O& The 50 Year Old Comic Books this week and fell for it. Thought it was going to be the Red Skull. Turned out to be an Android from the future.
And there was that story somewhere around ASM #150-170 where we were all supposed to think it was the kingpin and it turned out to be Doctor Faustus.
Mind you, they did do this well at one point. Somewhere around ASM 220-240. Spider-Man vs Cobra and there's some shadowy brick s**thouse following them around plotting revenge on him. We're supposed to think it's Juggernaut stalking Spider-Man but it turns out to be Mr Hyde stalking Cobra. Hyde hates Cobra even more than I do.
Colin, your comment about the seemingly widely held British view on Americans and irony just sparked a line of thought.
I wasn't trying to suggest you said something that you clearly didn't.
-sean
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