September 29th 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. 

***

Ten years after the imprint's launch, we find Marvel UK publishing three titles a week, compared to the single title it was publishing a decade earlier. I suppose a threefold increase in output constitutes a triumph. So, hooray for Marvel UK!

Therefore, as nothing interesting was happening in the world on this week in 1982, and there was no change at the top of either the British singles or album charts, I shall fling myself straight into the company's tenth-anniversary awesomeness.

What's this? Spider-Man and the Gargoyle?

Together?

Marvel's flagship hero and the Hulk's oldest foe?

Can it be true?

Yes, it can be, though I've no idea how, as I've never read this tale. I'm assuming, however, that it's reprinted from the pages of Marvel Team-Up.

Regardless, we also get a free Jack Kirby Fantastic Four poster that depicts the Thing struggling to retain his balance on one of Reed Richards' less practical flying devices.

But, of course, what really matters is we can win one of those fancy new Dungeons and Dragons games that all the hip kids are talking about!

The Hulk's final issue goes out in style by giving us a painted cover by Bob Larkin.

Sadly, I'm uncertain as to just which tale's contained within. Given the provenance of recent tales, it's possible we're being served up a reprint of the US Incredible Hulk #131 in which the green grappler first encounters Jim Wilson and chocolate bars - and then has to fight Iron Man.

We also have a tale dedicated to everyone's favourite stunt cyclist Ghost Rider but I've no idea at all as to just what he's up to, this issue.

Speaking of having no idea, it's Hanna Barbera's Scooby-Doo and His TV Friends #32.

And what are he and his TV friends up to, this week?

In the immortal words of Toyah Wilcox, it's a mystery.

But, then, mystery is the whole point of Scooby-Doo. So, how can we complain?

Speak Your Brain! Part XXXVIII. We Came. We Saw. But Did We Conker?

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

***

Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

Once again, a Tuesday brings us face-to-face with the internet's hottest feature. The one in which the first person to comment gets to pick the topic of the day!

But what might that topic be?

Could it be art, films, flans, plans, books, bagels, cooks, nooks, crooks, ducks, drakes, pixies, rocks, music, mucous, fairy tales, fairy lights, Fairy Liquid, fairy cakes, Eccles cakes, myth, moths, maths, magic, tragedy, comedy, dromedaries, murder, larders, Ladas, mystery, mayhem, molluscs, Moorcock, May Day, mangoes, bongos, drongoes, bingo, Ringo, Pingu, Ringu, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Doris Day, Marvin Gaye, Marvin the paranoid android, Brookside Close, Ramsay Street, Coronation Street, Albert Square, Scarlet Street, Dead End Street, chickenpox, the Equinox, parallelograms, rhomboids, androids, asteroids, The Good Life, the Next Life, pomegranates, granite, marble, marbles, maples, staples, fables, stables, sofas, eggs, pegs, legs, dregs, moons and supermoons, sodas, sausages, eggs, whisky, broth, Bath, baths, Garth Marenghi, Garth Brooks, Garth Crooks, Bruno Brookes, Bruno Mars, Mars Bars, wine bars, flip-flops, flim-flam, flapjacks, backpacks, see-saws, jigsaws, dominoes, draft excluders, blockheads, blackheads, dunderheads, deadheads, webheads, flowerpots, Bill and Ben, Ben and Jerry, Tom and Jerry, flour pots, bread bins, bin bags, body bags, body horror, shoddy horror, doggy bags, bean bags, coal sacks, cola, cocoa, dodos, Dido, Soho, Solo, silos, windows, day-glo, glue, Gloy, Bostik, pancakes, pizzas, pastas, pastors, baking soda, sci-fi, Wi-Fi, Hi-Fi, sewage, saunas, suet, Tomorrow People, Forever People, Party People, Sheila Steafel, steeples, Silurians, Sontarans, Sea Devils, sins, suns, sans, sense, sludge, slumps, sumps, sunshine, slime, soup, sandwiches, servants, Sultanas, Santana, Sultans, grapes, grappling or sandcastles?

It could be.

But, then again, it might not.

Marvel Spotlight #5. Ghost Rider: A legend is born!

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

***

The Ghost Rider. He was in two terrible movies that starred Nic Cage.

But, then again, he achieved the remarkable feat of single-handedly making TV's Agents of SHIELD actually watchable.

However, he didn't start out life on either the big screen or the small screen.

He started it on the small page.

The comic book page.

And here's where we take a look at that start, as we visit his first-ever adventure, thanks to the pages of Marvel Spotlight #5.

Marvel Spotlight was, of course, the book that first introduced the Son of Satan to the world, and all sane judges know the first Son of Satan tale's one of the comic book highlights of the 1970s. So, how will Gary Friedrich and Mike Ploog's offering compare to that one?

It's night time and a strange figure rides the streets of whatever town it is we're in.

It's the Ghost Rider, a motorcyclist with a flaming skull for a head.

Who is he?

Where's he from?

And doesn't he know it's illegal to ride without a helmet?

But he's not the only one crimeing on the streets tonight. So are two murderers who decide they should try to kill him because he's the only witness to their latest slaying.

Fools! As though the mighty Hell-spawned of Ghost Rider has anything to fear from the likes of them!

Well, it turns out he does because he's completely useless in a fight and has no choice but to flee them.

Finally, trapped by a dead end, our hero must, at last, unleash his full power!

Of jumping off a plank, with his bike, allowing him to escape before they can hurt him.

But now it's dawn and, his pursuers left far behind, the terrifying figure transforms into a more conventional form. That of Johnny Blaze, motorbike stunt rider. And, here, we discover just how he got his amazing, "powers."

He's a man whose adoptive father - motorbike stunt rider Crash Simpson - had only a month to live, due to an unnamed disease. To prevent his death, Johnny struck a deal with the Devil who agreed that Simpson wouldn't die from the unnamed disease if Johnny agreed to become his servant in Hell.

For some reason, Johnny decided this was a great deal and eagerly said yes.

Happy as Larry with his pact with evil, Johnny was then shocked when Crash promptly lived up to his name and died in an attempt to jump over some cars. Thus, as promised, not dying from the disease.

And now that means Johnny must serve Satan!

Forever!

Except he mustn't. Just as Satan's about to take him to Hell, Johnny's girlfriend Roxanne shows up and drives the fiend away with the self-declared goodness of her soul. There's a woman with a high opinion of herself. One that's not necessarily justified by her behaviour at any other point in the book.

Thanks to that, whenever it's nighttime, Johnny Blaze turns into the Ghost Rider and zooms around the streets, on his bike, in order to avoid being seen by anyone. I'm not sure how riding around the streets, at night, with a flaming skull, making big motorbike noises, is a good way to avoid being noticed. Wouldn't it make more sense for him to just stay in his house?

I've already mentioned that the Nic Cage Ghost Rider movies are catastrophically bad but it's depressing to discover the original story's no better, stricken with clunky dialogue, unlikely behaviour and hateful characters.

Johnny's clearly a moron, having a level of trust in the Devil that makes you wonder if he knows who the Devil even is. At one point, he cheerfully reminds himself, "I have the Devil's word on it."

Not one of the characters is remotely likeable. His adoptive mother uses her deathbed as leverage to blackmail him into not riding a bike. His adoptive father keeps calling him a coward and trying to bully him into riding a bike. His girlfriend Roxanne makes it clear she's only willing to love him if he's willing to endanger his life every night.

And yet, somehow, he's willing to do anything for these people.

Then again, he's not noticeably likeable himself. His reaction to the death of Simpson is to instantly climb aboard his bike and attempt to complete the stunt that just killed the man, leaving his body still warm on the floor and making no secret he's doing it purely for his own personal glory.

But perhaps the biggest letdown is just how pathetic the Ghost Rider himself is. There are clear parallels with the early Hulk, in him being a tortured soul who changes into his monstrous form at night but this is a very feeble Hulk who can't even fight off two perfectly normal criminals.

Granted, he does have the ability to fling a modest dollop of Hellfire from his index finger but, this being a 1970s comic, he's clearly not allowed to use it on people, just as the Valkyrie was never allowed to use her sword on them.

All in all, you don't really read this tale and think the character has any great potential. Nor do you feel any urge to read his future adventures.

With its clumsy dialogue, charmless characters and massive lapses in logic, it feels like something Atlas Comics would have produced. The difference being that, at least an Atlas take on the character would have seen him leaving a trail of corpses behind him. Admittedly, they'd be ones who'd been eaten by him.

September 22nd 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. 

***

I've no doubt humanity was feeling pretty pleased with itself, this week in 1982.

After all, it was the week in which the first International Day of Peace was proclaimed by the United Nations. After that announcement, surely, an end to all war and conflict was now mere days away.

Sadly, there wasn't much peace to be had in the world of American Football. The truth is the National Football League Players Association downed tools and called the first in-work stoppage in the NFL's 63-year history. The strike would last for 57 days, reduce the regular season from sixteen games to nine and force an expanded 16-team playoff tournament.

Also not working - but for less voluntary reasons - was the British population, with an estimated 14% of the workforce now registered unemployed.

How would Scott Fahlman have reacted to this news?

No doubt with the use of an emoticon. For it was he who, this week, became the first ever person to post one. And, thus, was history created. 😀

Now Spidey's got problems - because Mr Hyde is back and he's out for revenge against his sometime partner the Cobra. Can our hero save the slippery scoundrel before it's too late?

There's also a colour-packed feature about the brand new Ridley Scott epic Blade Runner.

But there's more than that because the cover's still demanding to know whether my drawing's inside. I'm fairly sure it's not. I distinctly remember leaving it somewhere else.

Intriguingly - following the chance to win a Dr Strange record, last week - this time, we have the opportunity to win a Spider-Bag!

The Hulk's looking very miffed on that cover.

As well he might because, sadly, I can unearth no info about just which of his adventures graces the inside of this book.

Given the material the mag's been reprinting lately, it's highly possible it could be sourced from the US Incredible Hulk #130 in which, after yet another disastrous attempt to cure himself, Bruce Banner and his alter ego get split into two totally separate beings.

Now, the conscienceless Hulk's out to track down and kill the hated Banner.

But beyond even that, excitement mounts, as the cover promises us details of a brand new comic!

Granted, it's not that exciting, as it's news of a mag that'll be created by the merger of this book with Spider-Man's, meaning the green galoot will no longer have his own UK title.

But what's this? After a few issues of Ghost Rider being the book's back-up star, it would appear the Son of Satan's suddenly putting in an appearance!

Scooby's back and he tells us how to make paper fish that we can hang from our ceiling.

Elsewhere, a criminal's hiding out in Yogi's cave, waiting for the Statute of Limitations to run out on his crimes.

And he's taken Boo-Boo Bear hostage!

Can Yogi and the Park Ranger possibly rescue the hapless ursus before it's all over?

Speak Your Brain! Part XXXVII. Anthologies.

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

***

Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

The second half of September's upon us but, at least where I am, the weather remains resolutely non-autumnal. Can global warming be to blame?

I lack the level of expertise to answer that question but I do have the expertise to say it's back! The feature the internet's been powerless to prevent the return of for all these months.

It's that one in which the first person to comment gets to pick the topic of the day!

But what could that topic be?

It could be art, films, flans, plans, books, bagels, cooks, nooks, crooks, ducks, drakes, pixies, rocks, music, mucous, fairy tales, fairy lights, Fairy Liquid, fairy cakes, Eccles cakes, myth, moths, maths, magic, tragedy, comedy, dromedaries, murder, larders, Ladas, mystery, mayhem, molluscs, Moorcock, May Day, mangoes, bongos, drongoes, bingo, Ringo, Pingu, Ringu, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Doris Day, Marvin Gaye, Marvin the paranoid android, Brookside Close, Ramsay Street, Coronation Street, Albert Square, Scarlet Street, Dead End Street, chickenpox, the Equinox, parallelograms, rhomboids, androids, asteroids, The Good Life, the Next Life, pomegranates, granite, marble, marbles, maples, staples, fables, stables, sofas, eggs, pegs, legs, dregs, sodas, sausages, eggs, whisky, broth, Bath, baths, Garth Marenghi, Garth Brooks, Garth Crooks, Bruno Brookes, Bruno Mars, Mars Bars, wine bars, flip-flops, flim-flam, flapjacks, backpacks, see-saws, jigsaws, dominoes, draft excluders, blockheads, blackheads, dunderheads, deadheads, webheads, flowerpots, Bill and Ben, Ben and Jerry, Tom and Jerry, flour pots, bread bins, bin bags, body bags, body horror, shoddy horror, doggy bags, bean bags, coal sacks, cola, cocoa, dodos, Dido, Soho, Solo, silos, windows, pancakes, pizzas, pastas, pastors, baking soda, sci-fi, Wi-Fi, Hi-Fi, sewage, saunas, suet, Tomorrow People, Forever People, Party People, Sheila Steafel, steeples, Silurians, Sontarans, Sea Devils, sins, suns, sans, sense, sludge, slumps, sumps, sunshine, slime, soup, sandwiches, servants, Sultanas, Santana, Sultans, grapes, grappling or sandcastles.

But will it be?

I cannot say.

In the immortal words of the band Fox, "Only you can."

2000 AD - August 1984.

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

***

August 1984 was clearly not the best month to take your grandmother to the cinema because that cinema was showing a thing called The Joy of Sex which seems to have, somehow, been based upon the book of the same name.

Elsewhere, perhaps better-remembered films were hitting theatres.

For instance, it was the month in which we first encountered The Philadelphia Experiment, The Woman in Red, Sheena, Clint Eastwood's Tightrope, and Red Dawn.

We also encountered a film called Cloak & Dagger but it seems to have had nothing to do with the Marvel characters of the same name.

It was, too, the month in which Fritz Lang's Metropolis got a re-release with a brand new score by Giorgio Moroder.

But perhaps the movie bearing the most intriguing title had to be The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, a film I've heard mention of over the years but have never seen and have never got any sense of what it's actually about.

In the real world, the 1984 Olympics were underway and, after much hype, we saw barefoot South African Zola Budd and America's Mary Decker collide in the 3,000 metres final, with neither of them managing to finish as medallists.

Also that month, John DeLorean was acquitted of all eight charges of possessing and distributing cocaine.

Elsewhere, people were getting high by more technological means, as the Space Shuttle Discovery took off on its maiden voyage.

Also flying high were Frankie Goes to Hollywood who started the month at Number One on the UK singles chart, with Two Tribes. In the second half of August, however, it was George Michael who held sway, thanks to his track Careless Whisper.

The British album chart found itself becalmed, with just one LP holding the top spot in that period. That LP was Now That's What I Call Music 3, featuring hits from all our favourite musicians, and Nik Kershaw.

But what of the galaxy's greatest comic? What is there to report of its activities during that month?

Nothing at all new. It was still giving us a diet of Strontium Dog, The Ballad of Halo Jones, Judge Dredd, Ace Trucking Co, Rogue Trooper and Tharg's Future-Shocks. I've no doubt it was all great but I was probably crying out for Flesh to make a comeback.

The exciting news is that lovers of Skips could still revel in the excitement of the KP Skips Free Comics offer.

September 15th 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. 

***

Not a lot was happening in the world, on this week in 1982. Nor was there any change at the top of either the UK singles or album charts. Therefore, I shall spring mightily into my look at what was going on at Marvel UK, back then.

The Cobra's on the loose again. Although I struggle to recall just what his plans are, they probably involve burglary and a life well away from super-heroes.

However, it's not long before he's in a conflict with Spider-Man. One that can only end in failure for the serpentine super-villain.

Bizarrely, if the cover's to be believed, we also get the chance to win a Dr Strange pop record. Heaven alone knows what that sounds like.

The Hulk finds himself relegated to second slot on this front of his own comic!

And by the Ghost Rider, of all characters!

Will our hero survive this indignity?

Not really. His comic's just a couple of issues away from cancellation.

I wish I could tell you what happens in his strip, this week but I'm not too sure. However, as last issue featured his epic battle with the Avengers, there has to be a fair chance that, this time, he's enduring the return of the Glob, as originally presented in 1970's Incredible Hulk #129.

Once again, we're indebted to Onboarder, AKA Mark, who's supplied me with the cover to an issue of Scooby-Doo and His TV Friends.

As you can see, this time, it's issue #30 that's in the spotlight.

This week, Scooby shows us how to make a cardboard chicken, Scrappy gets to tell us another tale, Huckleberry Hound's in Tin Can Town, and there's the freshest news from Scooby's Cover Competition.

For all who wish to pursue the matter further, Mark's uploaded the whole issue to the Internet Archive and it can be found right here.

Meanwhile, as we know, many of the Marvel UK covers featured on this site, of late, have borne cover blurbs demanding to know if we know the Fruit Gums secret.

Frankly, I don't but Mark's drawn my attention to a thread on the Do You Remember forum, dedicated to that very question. And that thread can be found by clicking here.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - September 1982.

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

***

How am I feeling right now?

I'm feeling comfortably numb.

But, exactly forty years ago, I was probably feeling even more like that because it was the month which saw the release of Pink Floyd's cinematic venture The Wall, starring Bob Geldof as Pink.

I like the album but do I like the film?

I don't know. I've never seen it.

I have, however, seen Amityville II: The Possession which also came out that September.

Whatever that film's merits, I still can't believe they spurned the chance to call it Amityville II: The Repossession.

Clearly, those people had no class.

I've not visited the Defenders for a long time in this slot but what's that on the cover? Hellcat vs Satan? How could anyone not want to buy such a thing?

Apparently, the Over-Mind also puts in an appearance. How that comes about, one can only wonder.

Thor's had his own book for ages and, now, his rival and friend gets one as well.

In a chilling echo of Thor's strip, Zeus exiles Hercules from Olympus until he learns humility.

I suspect that means he may be exiled for quite some time.

But at least the prince of power has company in the form of a Recorder robot to accompany him on his travels.

Bill Sienkiewicz gives us another striking cover, as Moon Knight must battle Morpheus. An event that leads to the villain being drained of his dream powers.

Blade Runner gets a 46-page adaptation. Plus, a cover that's drawn by Jim Steranko!

Everyone's favourite space knight must team up with everyone's favourite prince of Atlantis when the Dire Wraiths awaken a terrible sea monster.

Hercules isn't the only Marvel hero to be getting a new mag because Wolverine receives similar treatment, although I predict his comic will be the more successful of the two.

Calm-headed as always, our hero arrives in Japan to confront Mariko about her marriage to another man but ends up duelling with her father.

What's this? The Thing? Menaced by Batman?

Well, no. It turns out it's the Sphinx who's out to reconstruct his power source the Ka Stone, even though, the last time we saw him, all he wanted to do was die.

These villains. Can they never make up their minds?

Forty years ago today - September 1982.

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

***

Momentous events are occurring in the place we humans call the real world. But what of forty years ago, in that alternate realm where people have super-powers and there's always an evil-doer to be squashed?

It's the team-up we've all been demanding, as Hawkeye and Ant-Man unite to battle the might of Taskmaster.

"But, given his abilities, how can the two weakest Avengers possibly defeat such a foe?" I hear you cry.

Sadly, I can't tell you, as I don't recall how they do it.

But I'm totally sure that they do do it.

It's just like World War II all over again, as the Howling Commandos return to help Cap face the maddening menace of a mystery villain who, to nobody's surprise but theirs, turns out to be Baron Strucker.

Not only is the monocled menace back but he's kidnapped Happy Sam Sawyer and stolen a bomber packed solid with nuclear weapons!

People often complain there's too much doom and gloom around but, this time, there's definitely too much Doom around when Marvel's first family finds itself up against a horde of Doombots determined to restore their comatose creator to perfect health.

And that's when we get our twist because, as the tale reaches its denouement, it turns out Doom's successor as leader of Latveria's made a right old Horlicks of running the place and it looks like, for the good of the kingdom, the FF are going to have to help their deadly nemesis reclaim his throne.

With Rick Jones' life still endangered by the radiation he's been exposed to, the Hulk heads for Gamma Base where his sometime sidekick's being treated by Betty Ross and Bereet.

But he's not the only visitor there because thief-for-hire Jackdaw's also skulking around and decides to stop him with the abandoned robot known as Megalith. I can't help feeling Megalith does seem a bit of an It! The Living Colossus knock-off.

I've read this one but have genuinely no idea what happens in it.

Whatever it is, it looks like it's curtains for Shellhead.

Cloak and Dagger are back!

And so is Silvermane who, in his habitual state of being close to death, decides to have his head attached to an unstoppable robot body.

Needless to say, that body gets stopped.

But, perhaps more significantly, while all this is going on, Debbie Whitman's being tormented by her fears that Peter Parker is really Spider-Man.

Ed Hannigan channels his inner Kirby for this month's cover.

But, inside, Steven Grant and Greg LaRocque give us a tale from Thor's youth, in which the thunder god must tackle an enigmatic villain who turns out to be the living embodiment of our hero's own fear.

Conan must rescue a young woman's father from a prison cell somewhere.

A task which requires him to slaughter various monsters along the way.

Baron Strucker's having a busy month. Not only is he inside the pages of Captain America, he shows up in The X-Men, as well.

In a tale from Professor X's past, Xavier and Magneto meet for the first time, discover how much they have in common, what separates them, and that they must thwart the Baron's attempts at staging a kidnapping and gold theft.

It's trouble for Daredevil when his super-senses start to become too sensitive for him to control.

But there are other concerns for him.

For instance, a minor crook manages to steal Stilt-Man's armour and decides he can use its awesome power to get himself hired by the Kingpin.

Meanwhile, Matt Murdock begins gathering criminal evidence to sink Glenn Industries whilst simultaneously proposing to the company's owner Heather.

Mr Hyde's back!

And it's bad news for the Cobra who the vial-fuelled villain's out to kill for deserting him during their last fight with Captain America.

But never fear, Spider-Man's on hand to protect the herpetological heel.

September 8th 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. 

***

Little change was in evidence at the top of the UK singles chart, this week in 1982 and, because of that, the top slot was still held by Survivor's Eye of The Tiger.

Meanwhile, on the British album chart, the Kids from Fame continued to maintain dominion, thanks to their self-titled album.

I must confess to not being the world's biggest fan of Eye of the Tiger but tracks I did approve of on that week's singles chart include:

Save a Prayer - Duran Duran

Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Private Investigations - Dire Straits

What? - Soft Cell

All of My Heart - ABC

Wot! - Captain Sensible

Don't Go - Yazoo

Windpower - Thomas Dolby

Summertime - the Fun Boy Three

Strange Little Girl - the Stranglers

Stool Pigeon - Kid Creole and The Coconuts

and

The Only Way Out - Cliff Richard.

If you wish to investigate the subject further, that week's UK singles chart can be found here.

While the associated album chart resides right here.

Judging by that cover, and the design of Goliath's costume, I'm going to assume that, this week, we're seeing a reprint of Incredible Hulk #128 in which the Avengers blunder around, trying to prevent the Hulk from beating up the San Andreas Fault.

As the United States' west coast is still with us, I shall assume they succeed in their aim, although I can't recall exactly how they do it. Given the Hulk's history, I wouldn't be surprised if gas is involved.

The Ghost Rider would appear to still be having adventures and there's a feature about the brand new Conan movie that's wowing them in the cinemas of the world.

But, for those who demand even more excitement from their comics, we're given the chance to win ten Doctor Who games!

It seems the webbed wonder and the X-Men unite to face a Hellpit, which sounds dramatic.

Equally dramatically, the tale involves them fighting a group of high and mighty immortals named after Indian gods.

Yet again, Onboarder, AKA Mark, has come to the rescue and supplied me with a cover to Scooby-Doo's mag.

And, thanks to his efforts, I know that, this issue, we get instructions on how to make a cardboard robot, the Scooby Gang investigate a ghostly clock tower, Dynomutt encounters the Astounding Mr Mastermind, and all our dreams come true as we get to see Scrappy-Doo in action.

Thanks to Mark, the whole issue can be found by clicking this very link, in order to visit it at The Internet Archive.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - September 1972.

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

***

It's time to put on your mirrored top hat and stamp your feet because September 1972 saw the UK singles chart dominated by Slade, thanks to their monster smash hit Mama Weer All Crazee Now.

Could nothing stop the world's least glamorous glam rockers?

Yes. One man could.

And that man was David Cassidy because, at the month's very death, his latest platter How Can I Be Sure? finally dislodged them from the top spot.

Over on the British album chart, the month began with Various Artists' 20 Fantastic Hits on top before Rod Stewart's Never a Dull Moment dethroned it. But then, just as the month came to a halt, even he had to make way, as 20 Fantastic Hits reclaimed the top spot.

Not too many memorable films came out that month but it did see the release of Solaris and Dracula AD 1972. Critics will tell you Solaris is the better of those two movies but, personally, I'd rather sit through Dracula AD 1972.

Other than someone called Megaton turning up, I don't have a clue what happens in this one.

I do know, though, that it's brought to us by Gerry Conway and Wayne Boring.

The Sorcerer Supreme pays a visit to the seaside. But it's no donkey ride he discovers there.

Instead, he finds himself surrounded by the distinctly Lovecraftian cult of Sligguth!

If Strange's luck is out, we can at least view ourselves as blessed, as this month's tale's brought to us by both Barry Smith and Frank Brunner.

Subby teams up with Sunfire in a bid to save the world from the menace of Dragon-Lord.

Have you ever wanted to see a comic cover created by both Neal Adams and John Romita?

If so, your dreams have come true, as that's exactly what we've got. Granted, I'm not sure it's what could be called a seamless fit.

Regardless, inside the book, Dracula kills Ilsa and makes her a vampire but she's shocked to discover the transformation doesn't restore her lost youth.

I'll be honest, I don't know who Ilsa is.

Look out, Drac, because, as of this month, Jack Russell has his own comic too!

It would seem that he and Buck make off with The Darkhold but are pursued by Miles and Marlene Blackger who are determined to get it back.

In this month's sensational issue, we get tales which flaunt such dreaded titles as I Opened the Door to... Nowhere!, If the Coat Fits, The World Beyond and The Hidden Vampires. All of them reprints from the 1950s and 1960s.

Werewolf by Night's not the only character to get his own new book, this month, because it would appear Wereduck by Day does as well.

This thrilling debut issue reprints a whole host of no-doubt hilarious tales from the 1950s. Most of them the product of writer/artist Howie Post.