Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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If you've ever felt an urgent need to trade with the rest of Europe, this week in 1973 was your kind of week, as the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Denmark all entered the European Economic Community, to usher in a new era of peaceful cooperation with Europe that would never end.
The Hulk would appear to still be battling that spy-controlled robot he was battling last week.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man's enduring his first-ever encounter with Dr Doom.
If I remember correctly, Doom kidnaps Flash Thompson, assuming him to be Spider-Man - meaning the real Spidey must go and rescue his high school nemesis.
Even more elsewhere, the Fantastic Four discover themselves becoming instantly unpopular with the populace. What can be behind this shocking turn of events?
Kurrgo can - and his giant robot, as the quartet are about to find themselves whisked away to a planet facing imminent asteroid doom in a scenario not at all reminiscent of This Island Earth.
But what's this, upon the very toppermost of the uppermost of the cover? Reference to a thing called FOOM? Whatever can that be?
And just how is it going to affect our lives?
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31 comments:
The original 1972 accession treaty to the EEC included the Kingdom of Norway as well as the Kingdom of Denmark, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 'Northern Ireland', and the republic of Ireland, Steve. A bit embarrassing for the Irish to be associated with a load of backward monarchies, but there you go - my understanding is that economic links between the countries made joint accession the easiest way to do things after de Gaulle stopped saying 'NON' to the Brits.
But the Norweigians didn't ratify the treaty after holding a referendum that voted against membership. Like the Danes and the Irish they had enough sense to hold theirs BEFORE joining.
Another MWOM Judo Jim Starlin cover there. Has he done all of them so far? I think so...
At least he's finally got the hang of drawing the Hulk (er, more or less).
-sean
Sean, apart from the first issue of MWOM which was drawn by John Buscema, I think Starlin has drawn all the preceding issues..
The 50th anniversary of Britain joining the Common Market was totally ignored by the BBC, not a documentary on Radio 4 or anything but it's par for the course nowadays from the spineless Beeb. Musn't upset their Tory overlords!
'Northern Ireland'...anyone would think you don't approve, Sean ;)
Guys, guys, guys...
Enough of the politics! We need to be discussing My Ding a Ling and its position in the pop charts!
Perhaps, My Ding a Ling was inspired by the politics?
I remember the fifty pence pieces with the nine hands, issued in 1973 to symbolise the then nine member countries. DeGaulle really didn't care for the Perfidious Albion did he? I'm surprised he stayed in London during the second world war, although recamping to the US (his only realistic option?) probably wouldn't have been a good look.
So when's the vote to go back in?
DW
Folks... what is with the collectible nature of pence-denominated comics? I just picked up the latest Overstreet Guide (it sure it thick!) brand new for $10 at my local comic store. There is a huuuge ad buying pence denominated comics.
Charlie
Back in the day, pence copies were often considered less desirable than cents copies, however it has long been confirmed that they were in no way a 2nd or re-print. I guess fringe markets always exists and some collectors may feel nostalgia for the editions their younger-selves purchased.
DW
Pence covers were a much smaller part of the print run, Charlie, so presumably rarer. Although not here where most of them ended up, obviously. Maybe some British dealer shipped a load over to the US, made a bit of money out of some idiots, and started a craze?
DW, now that Labour are a pro-Brexit party, I expect any rejoin vote will be after the tories become the pro-Europe one again. Seriously. You watch, it'll take an electoral cycle or two, but it'll happen.
Although after the last few years I'm not sure theres much appetite in the rest of Europe for having the Brits back in.
-sean
DW, it'll be a long, long wait for any vote to rejoin the EU. Brexit is a miserable failure but the Tories daren't admit it and neither will Labour in case they upset the "Red Wall" seats (traditional Labour seats which voted for Boris Johnson in 2019 because he promised Brexit would be the greatest thing since sliced bread) and they need those seats back next time. But I doubt the EU would take us back anyway - it would need the unanimous agreement of all 27 EU countries and some would surely veto any UK return. The EU is finally rid of all those arrogant Westminster politicians constantly demanding special treatment and opt-outs from EU treaties, and they're in no hurry to make the same mistake again.
Agree the EU (well, the French and Irish) may well block any future application but they'll likely trojan a more palatable applicant. Ukraine? The suits will want Europe's 2nd biggest economy, solely for the annual contribution. Perhaps in a post Russia/Ukraine world they may all realise its better to be friends. I actually reckon Labour will take the UK back into the single market, with some face-saving (very minor) concessions around movement of people. Norway light.
Sorry for the EU tangent Steve. I'll try and stick to football.
Guess who got up at 5.30am to watch West Ham draw with the mighty Leeds?
;-)
DW
Brexit isn't a miserable failure, Colin - the people are their country back.
Admittedly those people are Irish rather than British, but whats wrong with that?
-sean
*The people are GETTING their country back.
Duh. That would have worked a lot better if I'd actually got it right...
-sean
Given Ireland back to the Irish! There! Let’s morph into music if not comics lol!
DW, it's not in Labour's gift to give "very minor concessions" Norway-lite to get back into the Single Market. If the UK wants to rejoin the Single Market we must follow the same rules on freedom of movement as every other country. The days of the UK government getting special treatment are over!
I'm not about to get into an argument about politics in the U.K. First, it's none of my business and second, I wouldn't know what I was talking about.
But the phrase "people getting their country back" reminds me of a very often used phrase in the U.S., something like "people getting their government back."
I dunno about the U.K., but in the U.S. when you hear a politician say something like that, it's absolute bullshit. To wit, the circus that's going on in the House of Representatives.
It's got nothing to do with "the people".
M.P.
...then again, maybe I shouldn't be too disappointed.
What was it that Churchill said about democracy?
M.P.
Not sure where Britain went, but apparently they needed to get it back M.P.
I saw some of that House of Representatives stuff on the news here, holding the same vote over and over again. It was like watching West Ham trying to score.
Except they did get a result in the end.
-sean
I remember sending away (50p?) for my FOOM pack around this time but after about 6 weeks I got a letter with my postal order ( remember them) back and a small photocopied note informing me that FOOM was sold out. I was gutted.
Re politics, recent events in the UK regarding Unions ( regardles of your feelings about them) are very worrying for democracy, apart from that the UK system is a mess.
Unions? So long as its plural, Paul, and not the Union...
Up the workers!
Btw, you can still get postal orders.
-sean
On the subject of postal orders - I give a monthly donation to Great Ormond Street via direct debit but I also donate to their Christmas appeal every year by sending a postal order. So in November I went to the Post Office intent on buying a postal order only to be told by the cashier that I couldn't buy a postal order with a card, I had to use cash. I was totally flabbergasted as I'd used my card to buy a postal order in the two previous years but the cashier was insistent that I could only pay by cash. I don't use cash anymore so I had to leave empty-handed and I paid my donation online instead.
A bit of W.H.Auden springs to mind...
This is the night mail crossing the Border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,
Phillip
All this talk of get back, and getting back, makes me think of the Beatles “God back “! Any of you dudes see it?
Charlie, I haven't seen 'God Back' or even 'Get Back' which, according to Wikipedia, is a documentary about the making of the Beatles' album 'Let It Be'. I probably bought hundreds of CDs over the last 35 years but I've only got two left - The Beatles' Let It Be (2021 re-issue) and ABBA's final album 'Voyage' (also from 2021).
I've just been watching the Christmas Specials of 'Robin's Nest' from 1979 and 1980 on YouTube (any UK readers remember Robin's Nest?) but I wouldn't advise Sean to watch either of these episodes as he probably wouldn't appreciate David Kelly playing up to the "stupid Irishman" stereotype!
Sean, I knew you could still get Postal orders I just didn't think many adults still used them, obviously I'm wrong on that one lol.
I remember Robins Nest ( the follow up to "Man about the house") I think I also recall the ridiculous Irish stereotype character, didn't he just have one arm?
Old Charlie is having a chuckle in Chicago, lol. My favorite sports writer is Rory Smith and he Chronicles soccer for the New York Times. However he lives in Yorkshire England. He said it is now time to examine the World Cup in the cold, dark light of hindsight. And he then states that nowhere is that light colder and darker than Yorkshire in January, lol. Any comments from you gents who know York which is where I assume Yorkshire is?
On the subject of Yorkshire, I see its The Awakening in Leeds today, the start of a year long cultural festival set up after Brexit tanked their chances of being the European City of Culture this year.
See - they don't need Europe to celebrate the plucky spirit of west Yorkie northerness. Or it seems daylight and warmth.
https://leeds2023.co.uk
Phillip, aren't you from the general vicinity? Any thoughts?
-sean
Robin's Nest was more 'sitcom by the numbers' than Man About the House. For O'Sullivan, I preferred Dick Turpin (early Sunday evenings.) Charlie, it was dark, miserable and rainy, for this morning's shopping - then, later, it was bright sunshine, for a couple of hours. Check 'Look North' and/or 'Calendar', for vague/scattergun local weather reports.
Phillip
Sean - Our mails have crossed! For meteorology, see my reply to Charlie. As regards stuff in Leeds, if the £2 bus fare thing continues long enough (March?), I might visit the place - I haven't been in ages. It's bus or nothing, as a car trip's not on the radar, what with my car having trouble starting, recently - and my usual garage not able to help. I've never really associated Leeds with culture. Were the Kaiser Chiefs from Leeds? I'm not really up on modern pop.
Phillip
Charlie (I assume), I've not seen the whole of the Get Back documentary but I've seen large chunks of it. It's amazing how different a mood it has from the 1970 Let it Be documentary. That was all dark and lifeless but this was (apart from George) far more enthusiastic.
Phillip, the Kaiser Chiefs were indeed from Leeds. As were Soft Cell. I was struggling to think of any other bands from Leeds but, according to Wikipedia, the Utah Saints were from there too. The only other Leeds band it lists that I recognise are the Grumbleweeds. I don't think people can accuse Leeds of lacking culture if it produced the Grumbleweeds.
Charlie, I don't know about the rest of Yorkshire but, other than a few cold days before Christmas, the weather's been very mild round here, this winter.
Colin, I remember Robin's Nest - and George and Mildred. Is Man About the House the only British sitcom ever to have two spin-offs?
In a related tangent to the question of Marvel pence comics and their value, I remember seeing a thread on an American forum, about 15 years ago, about Alan Class comics. It seemed someone was trying to sell them in America for huge sums, claiming them to be some sort of exotic rarity.
Paul, in 'Robin's Nest' Albert (played by David Kelly) did indeed have only one arm.
Some Brexit voters had the brass neck to complain when the EU announced that only cities in the EU could apply for European City Of Culture status. It's amazing how many Brexit supporters assumed they could leave the EU but continue to enjoy all the benefits of membership!
Steve, I can't think of any other British sitcom which had two spin-offs. Most British sitcoms didn't even have ONE spin-off, let alone two.
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