Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Plenty of famous films hit our eyes when we entered our local cinema in July 1983. Amongst other treats, we were blessed with such gems as Staying Alive, Zelig, Jaws 3-D, Krull and National Lampoon's Vacation.
I must confess the only one of those I've seen is Krull. Therefore I can pass no judgement upon which is best but, somehow, I have the suspicion it's probably not Krull.
Frankly, I found all that out from the internet. I don't have a clue what any of it means. It's just a string of near-random words, to me.
I do know that, in some way, it involves The Amulet of Ka.
And, obviously, it involves Kull.
But we're doubly blessed because we also get an adventure called Mowgli's Brothers, adapted, as you might suspect, from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.
I'm assuming he's not the Frog-Man who used to fight Daredevil?
Anyway, the White Rabbit's also involved.
Not that I have a clue who she is either.
I'm going to assume she's the villain of the piece.
And so it is that the Thing gets his very own book in which he returns to Yancy Street to reminisce over his early years, including the death of his brother and the formation of the Fantastic Four.
To be honest, sitting around reminiscing doesn't sound like the most thrilling way to start a new series.
Then again, it's by John Byrne. So, I'm, sure he knows what he's doing.
And that means we get a whole string of one-page profiles of various super-doers whose names begin with that very character.
Then again, I know nothing of the story within, other than that it's called Fugitive and is brought to us by the team of Frank Springer and Vince Colletta.
To do this, he sends his daughter into the Prism-Crystal, so that she, herself, can undergo the transformation.
I do suspect CB radio's involved.
Granted, I only know that because it says so on the front cover.
We also get Rock and Rule but I don't have a clue what that means.
We also get Other Stuff.
That is good. It's always good to get other stuff.
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33 comments:
I’m semi-embarrassed to admit that I occasionally bought US-1 back in the day. “Semi” because I only bought them for the Mike Golden covers. I seperated the covers from the interiors which I promptly threw away. Thus I know almost nothing about the actual comic to this day. I could always just look on GCD for that info — but nah. I’m good.
b.t.
Frog-man from Marvel Team-Up was the son of Leap-Frog the old Daredevil baddie Steve.
What an unpleasant shock to see after the preceding groovy-as-hell covers from 50 and 40 years ago! Surely DC was doing better than that mud slide above?
I think Steve might have been thinking of Frog Man there, Paul, who was one of the Ani-Men, the one who wasn't in the Unholy Three.
Er, not that I'm trying to put words in your mouth Steve. Btw, are you sure you've seen Krull? I hear it's easy to get it mixed up with Hawk the Slayer - what with Bernard Bresslaw being in both - or possibly even Beastmaster.
-sean
Sean and McScotty, I was indeed thinking of Frog Man.
Sean, I'm confident that I've seen all three of those movies. Or, at least, bits of them. I'm not sure I've ever managed to make it all the way through any of them.
Anon, I like the Dazzler cover. I also have respect for the Crystar and US-1 covers, as they would have intrigued me enough to make me want to buy them, had I been 11 at the time.
Bt, it looks like US-1 is doomed to be one the great mysteries of the 1980s comic world.
Yeah, that Dazzler is cover of the month, Steve. Although I suspect you might well be correct about it not being an accurate representation of the contents.
The best work inside is probably Marvel Fanfare #9. Not the Man-Thing story, which is a bit rubbish iirc, but the Jungle Book back up. Gil Kane inked by Craig Russell - nice.
Although admittedly I am not at all familiar with The Saga of Crystar, Crystal Warrior or US 1, and for all I know they may be sleeper classics, awaiting rediscovery (seems unlikely though).
Rock & Rule was an animated film that seemed like it should have been made by Ralph Bakshi, but wasn't. Now I think about it, a Marvel Super Special adaptation rings a bell.
-sean
I assume everyone knows that Staying Alive was the sequel to Saturday Night Fever but did you know that the Bee Gees later described Saturday Night Fever as "a pile of steaming crap" which seems a touch ungrateful considering all the money they made from the mega-selling soundtrack album.
The ROCK AND RULE adaptation used still frames from the actual movie (“Fotonovel” style) — not comic book line art — and was standard comic size, not magazine sized like most other issues of MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL, for some reason. The BLADE RUNNER adaptation was the only other issue that was standard comic book sized, that I know of.
I couldn’t get into it. Never did see the actual film. Wikipedia says it made $30,000 against a cost of $8,000,000 (ouch.)
b.t.
That Dazzler cover makes me long for one of those ‘Marvel Universe’ collections they currently do, one by Bill Sienkiewicz. Collecting all the minor odds and ends and covers etc.
BT - the Dune adaptation got a 4-issue standard size release as well as the Super Special.
Matthew :
Marvel did standard size comic reprints (on newsprint) of several of their MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL movie adaptations. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, TEMPLE OF DOOM, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, RETURN OF THE JEDI, the two CONAN movies, SHEENA , etc. Some were 2-issue adaptations, some were 3, a few were 4.
The EMPIRE adaptation was reprinted as 5 issues of the on-going STAR WARS monthly (issues #39-44). JEDI was reprinted as its own seperate 4-issue “Limited Series”.
A few of the movie adaptations were reprinted again in mass-market paperback format (EMPIRE, DUNE, the first CONAN etc). EMPIRE was also reprinted in the tabloid-sized “Treasury” format.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA actually debuted in the tabloid format and the SUPER SPECIAL magazine simultaneously.
THE DEEP is unique, as it was only ever printed as a one-off newsprint ‘MARVEL MOVIE SPECIAL’, never as an issue of MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL. So, anyone who longed to see that Infantino/Trinidad art printed on better paper is just out of luck.
b.t.
Oh! And MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL #7 (an adaptation of the SGT. PEPPER movie by David Kraft and George Perez) was never printed ANYWHERE in an English language edition, only in France, French-speaking territories of Canada and the Netherlands. I’m sure it’s terrible but I kinda wish I had a copy.
b.t.
Charlie has never seen a Sgt Pepper movie, novel, etc. just listened to the album. I have trouble grasping what an author would conceive as a plot?
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgt._Pepper%27s_Lonely_Hearts_Club_Band_(film)#Plot
You're welcome, Charlie.
Pedant alert!
b.t., The Land That Time Forgot came out as a one-off newsprint (b&w format) 'Marvel Movie Premiere'.
Unusually for a Marvel publication - possibly uniquely (but I don't know for sure) - it has a cover by Nick Cardy.
-sean
Kirby's 2001 - best film adaptation ever - hasn't been reprinted, has it? That was a one-off 'Marvel Treasury Special' on newsprint.
-sean
Sean:
I would go as far as saying Kirby’s 2001 adaptation was Marvel’s best movie adaptation ever — easily — no I don’t think it’s ever been reprinted.
I remember that LAND THAT TIME FORGOT adaptation well. The cover stock was a bit heavier than usual (not quite “card stock”) and I’m pretty sure it didn’t have any ads. The comic itself was …okay. The Nick Cardy cover was pretty good.
Oh, and Cardy painted at least one other cover for Marvel, a DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU Summer Special with Iron Fist and Shang-Chi kicking karateka ass.
b.t.
Sean! As usual, if you recommend something i start googling my library lol.
Though they have a slew of comics In compilations, not 2001!
it appears that the marvel treasury edition was re-printed in a series of 10 comics I think that retail for around $10-$20 each on Amazon or eBay. Or you can go buy the treasury edition itself for around $75 on eBay.
Charlie cant be spending $75 for a one-time read?
Sean:
I read your comment too quickly — yes, I would actually say Kirby’s 2001 is the best movie adaptation ever (not just Marvel’s best adaptation). Better than Steranko’s OUTLAND and Goodwin and Simonson’s ALIEN? Yes. At least it’s least my favorite.
b.t.
Speaking of France, anyone read “Spirou?” Im getting serious suggestions to read his “L’Espoir Malgre Tout.”
Charlie Cheval 47
Yeah, Outland and Alien were pretty good too, b.t.
Unlike a lot of film adaptations that came after they really are adaptations, in the sense that the artists turn them into readable comics rather than just souvenir merchandising, if you see what I mean. 2001 and Outland in particular are very much Kirby and Steranko comics.
I double checked, and 2001 wasn't even reprinted in other territories at the time. I think Marvel didn't have the licence for long - some people at MGM weren't happy it had been given for a comic book in the first place. Presumably Kubrick was pissed off his film had been shown up by the much better Kirby version...
Charlie, Kirby's 2001 was posted at Diversions of the Groovy Kind, so check if it's still there - it might not cost you anything to read. Groove also posted issues of the short-lived sequel series Kirby did too. I love the two part story in #s5 and 6, and the follow up in #7 (Steve reviewed that last one a while back).
-sean
Btw Charlie, I had a look on Amazon and those ten 2001 comics you were on about are the series Kirby did just after his adaptation, not reprints. Some joker is after £55 just for #10!
-sean
Sean- Thoughts on Spirou or not familiar? Charlez
My favourite film adaptation is Marvel's 'Planet Of The Apes' by Doug Moench & George Tuska.
Apparently we might be living in a new geological period called the Anthropocene which began in 1950 (no firm decision has been taken yet on whether the Anthropocene exists). I say keep the Holocene otherwise it means my parents were born in a different geological era from me which is just weird.
I've read some of the series that originally appeared in Spirou, Charlie, but not the mag itself or the title feature.
My impression is that the Spirou character reflects the earlier era, when it was aimed more at a younger audience, more say, the Smurfs than XIII. But I could be completely wrong about that. Who knows, with those crazy Belgians?
-sean
Any UK readers stunned by the Huw Edwards revelation? I assumed the mystery presenter would be somebody I'd never heard of as I rarely watch TV nowadays and only listen to Radio 4. I didn't think it would be BBC royalty like Huw "Mr Establishment" Edwards.
Who cares, Colin? I couldn't understand why it was getting so much attention in the news in the first place - it was a story in the Sun ffs! The fuss about that Schofield fella baffled me too. What did he even do that was so out of order?
As I understand it, neither case involved anyone under the age of consent, or claiming they'd been assaulted.
The Edwards thing is obviously a media diversion to distract the sheeple from the story that really should be shaking Britain to its foundations at the moment, the deep state conspiracy to rob a working class hero like Nadine Dorries of her peerage.
-sean
Sean, I only meant I was surprised at the mystery presenter's identity. And I agree that the Schofield story was a ridiculous fuss over nothing but the channel GB News went on and on about it like it was the scandal of the century.
Sean and Charlie:
I checked the Diversions site and yes, Kirby’s 2001 Treasury is still there. I started flipping thru it and was amazed to find that it actually packs quite the punch on my phone. I thought the impact of it would be severely lessened by not being in those mammoth Treasury proportions, but it actually looks great in a compact size. Marie Severin’s colors look great too. So check it out, Charlie.
b.t.
Thanks bt, will do! Heading on vacation, driving to Boston, lots of reading time lol!
Kirby developed a style that could withstand the low standards of the comic book industry and still make an impact, so it works in any format no matter how poor the reproduction.
-sean
U.S. One is a very, VERY strange, yet also quite fun, rabbit hole to go down which I recommend. There was a good review done years ago of the entire (10 issues, I think?) series that starts here:
http://www.i-mockery.com/comics/longbox25/default.php
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