Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
This week in 1973 brought a mix of violence and peace to the world.
The former was delivered when George Foreman took on Joe Frazier and won the heavyweight world boxing championship. A triumph that led to a lengthy career as a grill salesman.
The latter came with the end of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, thanks to the signing of the Paris Peace Accords. Granted, it wasn't much of a peace, seeing as the war continued for a further two years without American involvement.
I can pass no judgement on who did or didn't win that war but I do know that, elsewhere, there was triumph for the Sweet who kicked Little Jimmy Osmond off the top of the UK singles chart, thanks to their blockbuster hit Blockbuster.
While, on the British album chart, victory arrived for their fellow Glam Rockers Slade whose album Slayed? reclaimed the top spot from the neither glamorous nor rocky Gilbert O'Sullivan.
Back in New York, Spider-Man's in the heat of battle with the Vulture who's invaded the Daily Bugle's printing presses.
And the Puppet Master continues his quest to infiltrate the Fantastic Four by getting his stepdaughter to dress up as Sue Storm.
As far as I can recall, the FF manage to completely fail to notice that not only is she not Sue but that she also happens to be blind.
Even more mysteriously, we also get a one-page promo for FOOM.
But what can this mysterious FOOM even be?
And will MWOM try to milk the mystery for as long as it did with the early issues' multi-part poster?
Are George Foreman grills ubiquitous in the UK? They can be found in many an American house, that’s fer shur!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if they're ubiquitous but they're certainly commonplace. Or at least they were at one point.
ReplyDeleteAlicia's remarkable similarity to Sue Storm was never ever mentioned again!
ReplyDeleteThe crazy thing about the Paris Accords is that Henry Kissinger of all people got the Nobel Peace Prize!
ReplyDeleteIt was actually a joint award, but the head of the north Vietnamese delegation, Le Duc Tho - nicknamed 'the Hammer' (although I bet Ho Chi Minh was an Arsenal man) - refused to accept it, on the grounds that the terms weren't properly respected so peace wasn't actually established.
Not sure about that MWOM cover... A closer look at the Vulture figure suggests its yet another early Judo Jim Starlin effort. But maybe an inker he didn't usually work with was involved, or another hand made corrections?
-sean
This month is the 50th anniversary of 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads' - the first episode was shown on BBC1 on January 9th 1973 which I probably should have mentioned around three weeks ago :)
ReplyDeleteThat has nostalgia value even for me: I was 2 when that was broadcast, but me & my mate caught up with it in the late 90s when we were in our 20s and it was perfect.
DeleteNot long now until MWOM tells us about some wonderful news!
ReplyDeleteAh FOOM, I sent off my 50p postal order to join FOOM not long after this issue and after about 8 weeks they returned my postal order saying it was sold out. Pretty sure I've mention this before on SDC, but t scarred me and I'm still gutted!
MCSCOTTY did you ever get a chance to see some FOOMs??? Or have you suffered these past 50 years???
ReplyDeleteI woulda have liked to have had some FOOMs.
ReplyDeleteBut no, I grew up in a backwater, dammit.
Yet somehow, I'm still sentimental about the old days of the spinner rack, even when the pickin's were slim.
M.P.
Anon, I managed to pick up 3 issues of FOOM many many years later, but i still suffer and the pain of being rejected by them still lingers 😉.
ReplyDeleteI blame the English, Paul - obviously that kind of thing would never have happened in an independent Scotland.
ReplyDelete-sean
I don't think independence will quell the pain I still feel Sean...... but it might help a bit 😆
ReplyDeleteMCSCOTTY - It was me, Charlie, asking about your FOOM angst. Truth be told, I never signed up b/c I thought the word was kind of dumb. But my buddy who read comics too (the one with a constant whiff of cigs and sweat) did subscribe and I got to read them soon enough.
ReplyDeleteIIRC, though, I don't think I felt they offered more than a well written BULLPEN PAGE from a 1960s or very-early 1970s Marvel comic. I think I held on to one issue in particular which had much STERANKO art, but likewise, his work on CAP in those few issues and Nick FURY topped FOOM.
SEAN - based on your input I finally read OMAC this past week. (Free at the library, natch!)
ReplyDeleteIt was entertaining, I must say.
SO is BIG BROTHER EYE still floating around the earth encrusted in "lava / metal?"
Also, following up on the BIG HEAD debate a week ago, whose head would be bigger: BROTHER EYE or EGO the LIVING PLANET? Tuff call, for sure.
MP - I know you are struggling out there in the great white north of the Dakotas.
ReplyDeleteI might recommend the show LILYHAMMER on Netflix since it is set in Norway!
Matthew, I was nearly seven when 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads' began and I didn't actually watch the series at the time but, like you, I caught it many years later. The final episode was a festive special shown on Christmas Eve 1974 and it's on YouTube so I watch it every year at Christmastime (though the 1976 film could be considered the final "episode" too).
ReplyDeleteA few thoughts from a former FOOMer...
ReplyDeleteI joined up shortly after getting bit by the comics bug in early 1974. It did come with some cool goodies; a bunch of stickers and a great Steranko poster. The magazines were informative, although often a bit 'old news' as my collecting buddy had a subscription to "The Comic Reader". That was a monthly mini-fanzine which contained loads of previews to upcoming comics. FOOM did, however, have some interesting articles about Marvel titles, characters and creators; and plenty of art never seen elsewhere.
Sadly I kept none of this bonanza, save for the gold membership card. Perhaps I can use that for an impressive ID at airport security...
Sean, I’d say that’s definitely another Judo Jim Starlin cover. The inks look like Frank Giacoia’s handiwork to me.
ReplyDeleteI have four or five issues of FOOM, which I acquired years later. One of ‘em is still in its original mailing envelope, with a big Hulk face drawn by Steranko and a cool little bonus: the mailing label is addressed to Mike Zeck. Wish I had a copy of Steranko’s FOOM poster, they seem pretty expensive these days.
b.t.
Charlie-
ReplyDeleteRight now we got more snow than we know what to do with, and, apparently, this next week it's gonna get colder than Ymir's asshole.
We shall endeavor to persevere.
But, spring is inevitable. It requires no pagan or Christian rituals to reappear.
Five months and this place is gonna be a green inferno.
...actually, it does seem almost supernatural.
M.P.
As fun as FOOM was, from the few (2) issue I have "The Amazing World of DC comics" fanzine was a more enjoyable package. And better than both was the "Charlton Bullseye" great comic strips by Toth, Staton, Ditko etc albeit 95% of the comic info on the likes of Kung Fu Phooey etc weren't of much interest to me
ReplyDeleteI've finally finished a 'George & Mildred' marathon I'd started at Christmas. In total there were 38 episodes broadcast from September 6th 1976 to Christmas Day 1979 and I've watched all 38 of them on YouTube (do I get a Steve Does Comics No-Prize for effort?) - those classic '70s sitcoms seem increasingly like period-pieces evoking a distant age when the Second World War was only 30-odd years ago.
ReplyDeleteActually it's rather unusual to find all the episodes of a TV series on YouTube - in my experience only a few scattered episodes are usually available, maybe half of them at best.
ReplyDeleteCOLIN - Charlie was born in 1961 and tends to think of his cultural context as “the post world war 2 generation.” A fair few tv shows and movies set during the war with Hogans Heroes still showing several times a day on the retro channels.
ReplyDeletePOP QUIZ courtesy of today’s New York Times cross word: which band sang FOREVER YOUNG?
ReplyDeleteColin - What strikes me as odd is that George & Mildred's logo (?), when the show goes to an interval, looks like Pac Man (or Ms.Pac Man?), even though the show predated Pac Man. Unless this was for later episodes, when the game became known in the UK.
ReplyDeleteAlso, that tall guy, who played the snobby bank manager, was a very versatile actor. He was in many 1970s ITV shows - from playing tough guys, like Bodie's former SAS buddy, in the Professionals, to cops who had lost their nerve, in the Sweeney. I think he even played a vicar in some show, or other.
Phillip
Phillip, by "snobby bank manager" do you mean the Ropers' neighbour Geoffrey Fourmille? The same actor played Robin Tripp's brother who married Chrissy in the final episode of 'Man About The House'. At the time I thought it rather strange that he popped up again as the Ropers' new neighbour only a few months later.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Geoffrey Fourmille was an estate agent not a bank manager :)
ReplyDeleteWasn't 'Forever Young' by Bob Dylan? I suppose a lot of bands did covers of his stuff though...
ReplyDeleteAnyway Charlie - assuming thats you - nice to hear you enjoyed OMAC.
Brother Eye was decrusted (if thats a word) when the series was briefly revived as a back up feature by Jim Starlin around the time of the DC Implosion, first in Kamandi and then Warlord. Not that keen on it myself, or the revisionist early 80s OMAC by John Byrne (and don't get me started on Brother Eye being something to do with Batman).
If its not Kirby it doesn't count imo, so I suppose I'd have to say yes to your question. Although I do have a soft spot for the OMAC #9 (Last Issue Special) fan comic.
https://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2012/11/omac-9.html
-sean
Colin - That's him. Yes, estate agent, not bank manager - but still a snob! I've remembered his vicar was in Minder, when Arthur had some ex-prisoners gardening (also stealing!)
ReplyDeletePhillip
Here, Charlie, a bit off topic, but you might find this amusing.
ReplyDeleteIt seems Associated Press recently recommended its journos not use general labels that are demeaning to people, like 'the poor', 'the mentally ill', and er... 'the French' -
www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jan/28/ap-issues-clarification-over-its-advice-not-to-use-term-the-french
-sean
Alphaville = Forever Young
ReplyDeleteSean – that was a funny article!
ReplyDeleteThe Charlie in The Age of Arsenal
A few years ago I was listening to PM on Radio 4 and the presenter Carolyn Quinn referred to "The Gays" but nobody on Radio 4 has mentioned "The Blacks" yet as far as I know. And don't forget "The Germans" - that term always seems to be used in a snide and derogatory manner by the British media.
ReplyDeleteDo Arsenal fans cry "Up The Arsenal"? (Sorry, couldn't resist).
ReplyDeleteArsenal starting with 'Arse' is an old one, Colin.
ReplyDelete-sean