Thursday 16 June 2022

June 16th 1982 - 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 all excitement on this night in 1982 because BBC One was showing England vs France in the early stages of that year's World Cup in Spain. And, if I remember correctly, England set a new record by scoring the then-fastest-ever goal in a World Cup game.

Off the top of my head, I don't recall the exact amount of time it took for Bryan Robson to score but I think it was somewhere in the region of just thirty seconds into the game. England went on to win that match 3-1, leaving no one in any doubt they were bound to win the whole tournament.

Except they didn't.

Super Spider-Man TV Comic #484, Wolverine

It's the team-up that had to happen, as the web-spinner and the claw-waver combine to tackle modern-day Roman soldiers working for the mysterious Professor Power.

I do believe this one's reprinted from the pages of Marvel Team-Up #117.

Not only that but we get a poster featuring the two heroes and we find out if our drawing is inside.

I am fairly certain my drawing isn't inside. However, I do, at least, have the chance to win a Spidey lunch box, and that should be compensation enough for any man.

The Empire Strikes Back Monthly #158

Can it be? Can Star The Empire Strikes Back Monthly have hit its final issue?

Yes, it can be.

But not to fear. It's merely the last issue before the mag reverts to its previous title of Star Wars.

However, something strange is afoot, as, even though this is a monthly mag, this is the second issue published this month.

As well as a look behind the Star Wars scenes, Rom is in this issue.

And, if the cover's to be believed, a hot, blazing death awaits Leia.

Blimey.

The Incredible Hulk #12

Sadly, I can unearth no information about this week's issue of The Incredible Hulk - not even a cover.

However, given that he was battling the Earth-shattering might of Umbu last week, I shall assume that, this week, he's on a strange planet and facing the mouthtacular menace of the Galaxy Master, scourge of a zillion worlds.

Scooby Doo And His TV Friends # 17

Once again, Onboarder, AKA Mark, has come to the rescue and supplied me with a cover for Scooby-Doo and His TV Friends.

Not only that but he's made the entire issue available online where it can be found by clicking on this link here.

In it, Yogi Bear encounters The Lonely Ranger, we get the Big Top Flop, Scooby-Doo's Dictionary, a guide to making a paper fish swim, Scrappy's Tales, and a chance to win a Kodak camera.

And there's a guide to bending water with your comb!

27 comments:

dangermash aka The Artistic Actuary said...

Quiet here, isn't it?

Ok. I'll go first. I'm sure it's been pointed out before but that oversized Wolverine claw just looks wrong. Like Captain America's fist on the cover of Daredevil #43 but cranked up to 11.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, the lesson for artists being: don't play around with perspective unless you actually understand it.

Steve, publishing schedules could be a bit er... flexible back in the day - in March '82 Marvel didn't put out an issue of Empire Strikes Back at all, so I guess you could think of two this month as just compensating for that.
Shouldn't they both have been in the Marvel UK post a couple of weeks ago though?

Not that I'm too bothered about it, but I have wondered why don't spread the monthlies out in this feature - do, say, Rampage, Marvel Super-Heroes and SSOC one week, the tv and film stuff like Dr Who, Blakes 7 etc the next, then pocketbooks, and so on.
That would seem to allow more room for comments, so theres not a load of stuff to discuss one week, and then just Spidey and the Hulk after that.

-sean

Steve W. said...

Sean, if I did that, I'd have to keep track of what I've already covered and what I haven't, and I get confused enough as it is.

Dangermash, yes, that is a seriously perspective-abusing cover.

Anonymous said...

Fair enough Steve, and of course the link to Scooby Doo does offer more scope than usual with the weeklies.

Whats with the single comic page without a title though, the one that starts with the caption "Soon, back on the only planet we've got..."?
I think there are some pages missing from the scans - or Marvel screwed up the printing, or maybe I'm a bit thick - because I just didn't get it at all.

Mind you, its probably for the best I didn't try to fill in the blanks myself about why one of the Teen Angels is on all fours with Huckleberry Hound and Scooby Doo in that last panel...

-sean

Colin Jones said...

Today (17th June) is exactly 20 years since I moved into my house so happy anniversary to me :D

The '82 World Cup cover of RADIO TIMES asked "Who'll Reign In Spain?" which is a great line.

And this week in 1982 saw the end of the Falklands conflict and it was also the second week of my O Levels so there was lots going on at this time!

Anonymous said...

I'm not much of a Star Wars fan, but what was the purpose of the stormtroopers' armor?
It wasn't laser-proof or even Ewok-proof.
I mean, if a muppet can kill you, your armor sucks.

M.P.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Test

McSCOTTY said...

Sad news that Tim Sale has passed away at the relatively young age of 66. He drew some lovely Batman, Superman and Spider-Man comics.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Harkening back to SEANs thoughts on Tuesday which got me a thinking...

"Now to be fair to Stan, the late 60s/early 70s newstand market was not ideal for comics aiming at greater artistic/literary coherence and for a more 'mature' audience, but even so..."

I often wonder if the news-stand distribution of comics, until the early 80s, was that cumbersome to folks who could drive a car?

Granted us kids on bikes had limitations LOL. But as I read the actual comics and letters pages to prep for "50 years ago" there are numerous letters written by college-age and older guys.

I mean, I never read a letter saying, "I could not find Avengers 60! Did the Ringmaster and his Circus beat the collective might of the Avengers? The suspense is killing me!"



Charlie Horse 47 said...

SEAN, BT -

I think you guys are onto something that Stan's desire to write profound Silver Surfer stories was perhaps beyond his grasp whether ability wise or otherwise.

As a practical matter Stan Lee was 50 in 1972 and 60 in 1982...

I noticed that as I turned 50 I was not going to become the next billionaire and kind of, sort of, started chilling. I settled for being the next millionaire. That hasn't worked either... I'm settling for social security in a few years, lol.

Colin Jones said...

I've just heard that Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' has reached #1 in the UK singles chart and it's broken three records:

1) Oldest woman to reach #1 (Kate Bush will be 64 next month)

2) Longest time for a song to reach #1 (37 years)

3) Biggest gap between #1 hits by the same artist (44 years)

Anonymous said...

Theres no accounting for public taste...

Charlie, yeah, there was an older audience for comics in the 60s and 70s - thats where writers like Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway came from - but back then newstand economics meant that a title had to sell in six figures just to avoid cancellation.

Whereas by the mid-80s the direct market made it easier to target that audience, and - because of higher cover prices and near 100% sell through - a series could survive on lower sales.
For example, around '82/'83 rather Marvel turned Ka-Zar and Moon Knight - which both had a 'fan following' - into direct titles rather than cancelling them (which is what they'd have done in the 70s).

Not that any of that makes much difference to the original Silver Surfer series. Really, it was just an aside so I didn't sound completely down on Stan, making the point that cancellation in itself didn't indicate a lack of quality (the writing did that).

And I may be in my 50s but I haven't given up on world domination yet! I'm playing the long game...

-sean

Anonymous said...

Not if I get there first, Sean!!

My schemes and plots have been percolating for decades. My nets are cast far and wide.
Woe betide ye, when I finally make the last mortage payment on my dormant volcano.

M.P.

Redartz said...

Fascinating, watching Kate Bush advance on the music charts after so long. Or, in the case of the U.S., for the first time. Heard she hit #4 on Billboard, hope she goes a bit further! After all, I supported ABBA and Tears for Fears recent offerings. Let's hear it for the Senior Singers!

Sean and M.P.- you both are welcome to contest world dominance. I'm satisfied to sit back and watch the ongoing collapse of civilization. Or if an asteroid approaches, I've got my lawn chair ready to watch the fireworks!

Colin Jones said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Colin Jones said...

Last night on BBC iplayer I watched 'El Cid' starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, a film which was nearly three hours long but never boring and it was typical of those lush, sweeping historical or biblical dramas beloved of the '50s and '60s. They'd never be made nowadays!

Anonymous said...

If you are into playing Ukulele, Katie Denure had just released a super nice instructional video for playing “Running up that Hill!” this morning. Coincidence???

Anonymous said...

MP- I think the Mole Man is actually on to something for world dominance. Every year I dig a little deeper in my garden…

Colin Jones said...

Charlie, I don't think it's a coincidence.

Anonymous said...

Redartz, its no contest - how can anyone expect to take over the world from South Dakota?
I bet M.P. isn't even close to solving the anti-life equation.

-sean

Anonymous said...

I'm inclined to think the artist was trying to use the Jack Kirby forced-prospective style on Wolvy's claws.

-Killdumpster

Anonymous said...

Agree on your comment about perspective, Sean. Mostly.

Don't want you too get an over- perspective big head. Heh.

-Killdumpster

Anonymous said...

Charlie, oh my brother, after the beatings that the Circus Of Crime took from various power level heroes, you'd think they would've learned a few lessons.

Now...what could've happened if the Ringmaster got a hold of the Cosmic Cube? Hmmmm.

-Killdumpster

onboarder said...

To the person who asked about the scooby-doo comic I put up on archive.org. I scanned the whole comic but about 5 pages were missing when I went to organise them for upload. Also it put the cover at the back (even though it was numbered xxxxx_01.png

I upload comics and computer books and railway magazines to archive.org but you have to be careful for little glitches that can occur.

I plan to re-upload the corrected comic at some point. Hopefully upload some more comics as well.

onboarder said...

I have just re-found Scooby-Doo issue No. 18 and Issue No.21 and will scan the covers on Tuesday. When we have a thunder storm I will sit down and scan another complete issue and fingers crossed all pages will appear and in the correct order.

onboarder said...

off-topic but I have some old Pippin comics from 1982 and Buttons comics that I also plan to scan at least one of each in the next month or so.

Steve W. said...

Thanks, Onboarder. :)