Thursday 16 December 2021

December 16th 1981 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon
***

It was a case of no change on the UK singles chart, forty years ago this week, as the Human League again survived the challenge of Cliff, to retain the Number One spot, with Don't You Want Me?

But of course we wanted them.

And you know who else we wanted?

ABBA.

And that was beyond all doubt because, on the British album chart, their LP The Visitors had just smashed straight in at the very top. The sensational Swedes may have reached the twilight of their career, having run out of bandmates to marry and divorce but that wasn't going to stop them.

Yet.

Marvel Classics Comics #7, UK

Gasp, as the UK version of Marvel Classics Comics #7 hits the newsagents of Britain.

Though just what it is we're gasping at, I've no idea, as I can't unearth a single bit of information about it on the whole of the internet.

I'm sure it's magnificent, though.

Super Spider-Man TV Comic #458

Things get sci-fi when Spidey teams up with the Guardians of the Galaxy in a tale written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Bob McLeod.

I can say little of what happens in it, other than it involves Spidey chasing after Nikki who's in a taxi.

Elsewhere, we get a full-colour pin-up featuring Iron Man (as drawn by George Tuska) and Spider-Man (as drawn by John Romita).

And, in an example of how times have changed, the back cover gives us the chance to buy some bullets as lucky talismans, for £1.95 each. Somehow, I can't see them letting children buy bullets these days.

But, for those who don't want to festoon themselves with ammo, there is, apparently, the chance to win a copy of Heroes of the Spaceways.

I don't have a clue what that is.

I shall use the power of Googlé to see if I can find out.

I have now Googled.

It seems there was a 1981 book of that name by a man called Bill Harry which covered such characters as Barbarella, Quatermass, Flash Gordon, Doctor Who and a whole slew of others.

I shall assume that's what we're being given the opportunity to win.

Captain America #43, Thor vs Hela

Speaking of me being clueless, what Daredevil's up to, this week, is anyone's guess.

As are the activities of Captain America.

From the cover, however, it's obvious we've reached that point where Thor's still mithering about the creation of the New Thor, and Loki's sentenced to the Place of Punishment for his role in launching Ragnarok. 

Meanwhile, the aforementioned New Thor takes Sif to a distant land, to make her his queen.

And, if that doesn't sound like action enough, it also turns out Hela and her horde of Trolls are preparing to storm the rainbow bridge.

Blimey. Thor's going to need a holiday after all that lot.

36 comments:

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Steve -

It seems perfectly obvious to this yank that bullets might be offered as good luck charms on the back of Spidey. I mean, given your comics offered Sten guns for sale in the 1950s, we have to assume some number of kids got to play with them in the 70s/ 80s?

Totally kray kray, huh???

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Red - I am duly impressed with your committment to our life's blood! Spending a fair hunk of time to scan the comics is commendable!

Just curious - did you buy a special scanner? I have a printer / scanner. But somehow I just envision bending the comics, breaking them free of the binding staple... some type of collateral damage! Do you experience any coda in this process?

Charlie Horse 47 said...
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Charlie Horse 47 said...
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Charlie Horse 47 said...

bt - you inspired old Charlie to hit the long boxes and gaze upon the Golden Agers. There is really some type of magic in those books, much like the early Marvels, particularly Spidey, FF, and Avengers with their trademark artists.

And I immediately fell in love again with Blackhawk #18 from 1948. Gorgeous Crandall cover entitled "One for all and all for one." The gang just chilling around that Grumman fighter...

Redartz said...

Charlie- no special scanner. Just an HP printer/scanner. And yes, there is the situation of stressing the binding and/ or cover at the staples. But as these comics are generally kaput anyway, no big deal.
Oh, sorry Steve, don't mean to hijack your thread! To address at least something you mentioned: loved that Human League lp. And also the ABBA. Fascinating how ti.e cycled back to them now (they hit #2 on the US album chart with Voyage). Don't suppose there's a new Human League recording in the offing...

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Red - Human League was to be in Chicago this year. So was Pet Shop Boys (warmed up by New Order). All this is postponed til 2022 now due to Covid. Bummer dude...

Colin Jones said...

The cover of ABBA's new Voyage album makes me think of the famous sunrise scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the strains of Also Sprach Zarathustra - and the first time I ever saw 2001 was on TV on New Year's Day 1982 while The Visitors was at No.1 in the albums chart.

Colin Jones said...

Charlie, what makes you think you'll see Human League and Pet Shop Boys in 2022? A few hours ago I had my vaccine booster jab which is the third vaccine injection I've had this year - we were told that two was enough but now three is vital and how long till a fourth is needed? The next Covid mutation could be immune to all the vaccines and we'd be back to square one. So don't bet on seeing the Human League in 2022...

McSCOTTY said...

I think they have said that we (in UK) will need boosters next year as well Colin so you may well be correct. Let's hope this isn't going to be as bad as the numbers are suggesting.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, the Covid hoax is really dragging on, isn't it? I was looking forward to seeing the Residents next month but its just been put back a whole year to January 2023.

Steve, I googled 'Heroes Of The Spaceways' too - from the cover it looks terrible.
Bill Harry started up the music paper Mersey Beat in the 60s and was a mate of the Beatles; I thought the name was probably a coincidence, but according to his wiki entry he also put together an early British science fiction fanzine so I'm going to assume its the same fella.
Weird, eh? Why would somebody waste their time with the Beatles when they could have been been writing more about Dr Who, Quatermass, Dan Dare and all that?

-sean

Anonymous said...

I love that Philip Oakey considered ‘Don’t You Want Me’ to be kinda rubbish, just filler, and argued with the record company about releasing it as a single, and it became The Human League’s biggest hit. According to Wikipedia anyway, so it must be FACT.

b.t.

Anonymous said...

Apparently back in 1981 there was only one cocktail bar in Sheffield. FACT (well, according to the Grauniad recently).
I was surprised to read they had any. How was that kind of bourgeois decadence allowed to happen, Steve?

www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/dec/13/the-human-league-how-we-made-dont-you-want-me

-sean

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Steve- any chance you can post a picture of the bullet ad? I have a weird curiosity. Cheers!

Colin Jones said...

I've been perusing the Radio Times Christmas double-issue and on Christmas Day on Radio 2 there's a programme called 'Human League: Don't You Want Me At 40' in which The League chat with DJ Gary Davies who was apparently their biggest champion in the early days (which is news to me). Gaz may have been right about the Human League but he also predicted that Sister Sledge's 'Frankie' wouldn't be a hit and then it went on to be No.1 for four weeks!

And on the evening of Boxing Day the Pet Shop Boys "take over" Radio 2. If only Charlie was in the UK he could listen to this show as a consolation in case the Pets have to cancel their Chicago dates in 2022.

It's glaringly obvious that this Christmas issue of Radio Times was prepared several weeks ago, as all the articles feature celebrities looking forward to a normal Christmas again with their families...oops.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Colin, I am running a test case! I have used Tune In radio to connect to BBC 2. It is 8:44 AM Chicago, so 14:44 in London, this Friday. Are you guys hearing "Steve Wright in the Afternoon" on BBC2?

I just want to try and here the Pet Shop Boys (assuming I remember, lol!) but sometimes these stations do funky things like slip in different programming for overseas addresses.

I can't plan for Covid. But I can keep my fingers crossed. The thing I wonder is that, if the concert season returns, are we going to suffer an embarassment of riches?

I mean, would Human League, ABC, Heaven 17, Cabaret Voltaire (Sean!), and Pet Shop Boys suddenly be on tour the same summer???


Colin Jones said...

Charlie, 'Steve Wright In The Afternoon' is on BBC Radio 2 not BBC 2 (which is a TV station) but if you can hear Steve Wright you have CORRECTLY connected to BBC Radio 2.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Oh bother.... Charlie got that on mixed up LOL. There is indeed a difference between a TV and a Radio.

That said, can you recommend any BBC Radio programs wherein Ole Charlie may enjoy the Sheffield beat of the 80s or other New Wave stuff?

Steve W. said...

Charlie, I can't think of any radio stations that specialise in 1980s Sheffield or New Wave music.

There is Absolute 80s (a commercial station) which may play some of that stuff but also plays more general-purpose music from that decade, as well.

Colin, I too have no memory of Gary Davies being a champion of the Human League. He always seemed more of a Pepsi and Shirlie kind of man.

Charlie, this eBay listing contains a photo of the lucky charm bullet ad: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324391698020?hash=item4b87407e64:g:MxMAAOSw5EFfv6bP

Sean, the only reason that cocktail bar was allowed was because the council thought it sold Molotov cocktails to be used in the Trotskyite overthrow of the evil Thatcher Junta.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Steve - I knew there had to be a sensible explanation!

-sean

Steve W. said...

Charlie, at one o'clock tomorrow (UK time), Paul Gambaccini will be running down the UK singles chart from this week in 1981, on BBC2.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0012pdv

Colin Jones said...

You mean BBC Radio 2, Steve - we mustn't confuse poor Charlie.

Killdumpster said...

There was an interview on MTV back-in-the-day on MTV where the male lead singer of HUMAN LEAGUE said that synthesizers & keyboards will replace guitars.

Sounds to me just like how some folks think electric cars will eliminate combustion engine vehicles.

Steve W. said...

Colin, you are indeed correct. I think Charlie got me confused too. :)

KD, I think we should remember that the A&R man at Decca turned down the Beatles because he reckoned guitar bands were finished. Prophesy is always a risky business.

Killdumpster said...

Yep. You're exactly right, Oh My Brother.

If all the predictions of the future came true, there would be a lot of folks either with egg on their face, or millions in the bank.

Killdumpster said...

Lord. That wasn't actually very profound. That happens everyday. Glugh.

Anonymous said...

Charlie - My bro bought the 1985 Phil Oakey & Georgio Moroder album:

https://www.discogs.com/master/25873-Philip-Oakey-Giorgio-Moroder-Philip-Oakey-Giorgio-Moroder

It was pretty good (although no 'Don't You Want Me' on it).

Phillip

Colin Jones said...

Phil, was 'Together In Electric Dreams' on that album?

Anonymous said...

Colin - Yes!

Phillip

Colin Jones said...

I've just discovered that Ladbaby is going for a 4th Christmas No.1 - he's teamed up with Elton John and Ed Sheeran to do a spoof version of their current #1 'Merry Christmas' called 'Sausage Rolls For Everyone'. I know this is being done in aid of the Trussel Trust but I do wonder how many people who buy this song really give a f*ck about food banks. In my local Tesco there's a box where you can donate food for distribution to food banks and I put food in that box regularly throughout the year but the people who buy a Ladbaby song probably think they've "done their bit" for food banks. Bah! OK, that's my Christmas rant over.

Colin Jones said...

KD, it's not just "some folks" who think electric cars will replace the internal combustion engine!!

Anonymous said...

The internal combustion engine...?
Whats wrong with horses?

Synths might not have replaced guitars, but the way records were made certainly changed back then.
Consider these three, released in 1981 -

Scientist - 'Scientist Rids the World of the Curse of the Evil Vampires'
Brian Eno & David Byrne - 'My Life In the Bush of Ghosts'
Grandmaster Flash - 'Adventures On the Wheels of Steel' 12"

At the time, they didn't necessarily get a lot of attention from a broad audience - only one of them made the NME's end of the year list* for instance - and a lot of people wouldn't even have considered they were "proper" music.
But the way they were made (cut & paste, remixing etc) anticipated technological change, and became the standard method for producing popular music. Including guitar music - Brian Eno even ended up producing U2 and Coldplay (sad, eh?)
So I think Phil Oakey wasn't completely wrong.

*Its actually not a bad list -
www.nme.com/features/1981-2-1045398
At the risk of sounding like a boring old fart, I have to say '81 was a pretty good year for records...

-sean

Anonymous said...

Hate to interrupt this conversation about Synths Vs Guitars and the difference between BBC 2 and BBC Radio 2 and whether that Ed Sheran / Elton John Christmas song is any good or not (I just heard it yesterday for the first time ; the jury is still out) —

(not to mention the conversation we’re NOT having about any of this week’s ‘Marvel UK 40 Years Ago’ offerings )

— BUT —

For anyone who doesn’t mind reading comics on a screen, Amazon has dropped the price on just about EVERY Kindle edition Marvel Masterworks collection, for a limited time. Golden Age and Atlas era Masterworks too — 99 cents to $1.99 per volume. It may just be for Amazon US, I don’t know. At that price point, I couldn’t resist giving ‘em a try, grabbed about five. I may go back for more — I’ve got my eye on the MENACE one, and the Buscema SUB- MARINERS….

b.t.

Anonymous said...

And yes, Sean, there were PLENTY of ‘pretty good’ records in 1981 :)

b.t.

Anonymous said...

Just checked Amazon Uk — Kindle Masterworks are on sale there too.

b.t.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Kill Dumpster! Welcome back!

Now tell us! Is Dawn of the Mummy from 1981, which was confiscated in the uk for presumably obscenity reasons, obscene?