Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Before we begin today's breathless look at what Tharg and his gang were once up to, I have to make a pulse-pounding pronouncement that's bound to rock the world.
I'm sure you're not oblivious to the fact we've reached the 50th anniversary of the launch of Atlas/Seaboard Comics, the company that dared to take on the big boys and fail. Because of that and the fact I get the feeling we've entered an era of 2000 AD which none of us were actually reading, I'm planning for this to be the last time I look at the monthly doings of 2000 AD and that I'll replace the feature with one in which I'll, instead, look back at what Atlas/Seaboard was up to 50 years ago each month.
If people would rather I continue with the 2000 AD summaries instead, then I shall persist with them but, otherwise, I shall switch to doing the Atlas roundups.
That's what you're likely to find on this site, next month, but what was on in your local cinema in October 1986?
Children of a Lesser God, The Color of Money, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Peggy Sue Got Married, Soul Man and The Mission were what was on in your local cinema.
I must confess to never having seen any of them and can, therefore, pass no judgement upon their relative merits.
When it came to the UK singles chart, however, the month launched with Madonna's True Blue holding sway before being rudely toppled by the musical legend that was Nick Berry and his perma-popular dirge Every Loser Wins.
The associated album chart, however, saw no change at all in that spell, with Paul Simon's Graceland sitting prettiest of them all for the entire duration of October.
And what of that aforementioned comic?
I'm assuming that's a woman who's fifty foot tall. Not a woman who possesses fifty feet. I'm not sure anyone needs to possess fifty feet. Especially if they've only got two legs to attach them to.
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17 comments:
I've seen 'Children of A Lesser God', 'The Color of Money', & 'The Mission'. Maybe Peggy Sue, too (?) In the 80s, Barry Norman gave Ex Cathedra film reviews (Film '86, here), like he was speaking the word of God. At the time, I remember Barry raving on, as if 'The Mission' were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Nowadays, 'The Mission' seems largely forgotten. 'Witness' was another Bazzer fave - at least that's been repeated a lot over the years. Not so, 'The Mission' !
Phillip
Consider this a vote in favor of your Atlas plan, Steve! It was a very short-lived enterprise, but quite an interesting one. At our local comic shop, there was great excitement at the time that a new comic company was starting up, and many of us tried out the Atlas offerings.
Like Phillip I've seen "Children" and "Color of Money", but haven't seen "Mission". However I very much enjoyed "Peggy Sue Got Married". That may have been the first movie my wife and I saw after we got married, actuallly...
Well, I didn’t see any of those movies at the time. But in the years since I’ve enjoyed The Color Of Money on home video; but I like it significantly less since I read the wonderful Walter Tevis book it was not really based on.
And I quite liked Peggy Sue in the VHS days but I haven’t watched it since, and life is honestly too short to rectify that.
I saw Soul Man on VHS, but from what little I remember it would absolutely not fly these days.
Was ‘Every Loser Wins’ perma-popular? Has it had any airplay at all since? I remember the Eastenders storyline it was derived from quite clearly. I always sided with the smarmy bloke with the latest Yamaha music tech. I really wanted that wedge-shaped sequencer.
As regards 2000AD vs Atlas: I don’t even know what Atlas is, so 2000AD all the way. Please. Pretty please.
And speaking of…
Lovely Metalzoic cover. Is it new or adapted from a spread in the graphic novel? If I weren’t on a train writing this, I could check.
The rest of them are by some of my least favourite 2000AD artists: Collins & Farmer, Cliff Robinson and Robin Smith. Oof.
Actually, if the covers carry on like this, I might rescind my vote for 2000AD.
Steve! You stud! Atlas Comics is an excellent idea for Charlie given he has never, ever read a 2000 A.D. and, as far as that goes did not see any of the movies listed above, lol.
That said, the US contingency is clearly a minority of the “Steve does Comics “ posse so…
But, for you UK guys who have not experienced Atlas Comics, I can tell you young Charlie’s head exploded when they hit the spinner rack and seemingly were going to challenge the two big boys in the room to a fistfight!
I saw CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, THE COLOR OF MONEY and PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED at the theatre, and remember having a positive reaction to each at the time but have only vague memories of them now.
I’m all for more Atlas coverage — great idea!
b.t.
Also — I have to say the idea of a woman with fifty feet and only two legs is like something Clive Barker and David Cronenberg might have dreamed up while sky-high on LSD. Good one, Steve.
b.t.
I'd never heard of Atlas until a few years ago but I've never read a single issue of 2000AD either.
I was still reading 2000AD past late '86, Steve. Admittedly with some pauses, but there's still stuff to come that the regular Squaxx dek Thargo round these parts may be interested in discussing: Grant Morrison/Zenith, Simon Bisley, Garth Ennis and so on.
In fact, a Future Shock in one of the progs covered in this very post - 'Change of Scenery' (490) - is an early piece written by John Smith featuring the first appearance of Indigo Prime, which...
Ok, fair enough. I guess most people here other than me, Matthew and DW won't be that interested. And tbh I think you would be more entertaining writing about Atlas Comics than 2000AD anyway.
Don't take that the wrong way - no criticism of this feature is intended. I actually think its impressive that you've managed to blog about nearly 500 progs over nine and a half years... and yet you'll still probably ask me what 'Squaxx dek Thargo' means! Well done.
Already looking forward to the Atlas posts.
Until Iron Jaw goes metrosexual, make mine Steve Does Comics!
-sean
Sláine drawn by Collins and Farmer is indeed a sad note to end the feature on, Matthew.
But hey, we can always bring up stuff from the progs in Speak Your Brain anytime...
-sean
On a positive note, I think the Fifty Foot Woman story was drawn by Gary Leach in his absolute prime, wasn’t it? It was one of a couple of stories he drew around this time where editors seemed to say ‘hey, that Leach draws amazing beautiful women: got any scripts to cater to that?’. There was that Zirk and the Amazons story in one of the final issues of Warrior as well.
I still enjoy the 2000AD posts, but agree there’s really only three of us that appear to have read toothy at the time. I don’t know anything about Atlas comics, but that rarely prevents my commenting. It’s your blog Steve, and so go with what appeals to you.
I remember reading all of these progs, but scarcely any details (without looking online). Collins/Farmer Slaine would have been ok had it not followed some excellent Glenn Fabry work.
DW
Matthew
You’re correct about that Garry Leach Dredd. I’d forgotten about it but having just looked it up, it was a cracker (and referenced the 50’s movie poster). In many ways this is what made 2000AD so great. With zero expectation, you pick up an odd issue, on some otherwise dreary Wednesday afternoon, and are treated to 5 or 6 pages of perfect Garry Leach art. Better than a cream egg, any day.
DW
*Garry.
Atlas it is then. It's good - I'll learn something new!
Belisha Beacon was the 50ft woman's name IIRC....a play on words that would have escaped me at the time, had I been reading 2000AD - I started late, like around #600, and worked my way backwards, via buying back issues.
So whether 2000AD or Atlas, I'll read it just the same...though, to quote the ad slogan, "Why not both?"
Steve is switching to Atlas because YOU demanded it!
50 Foot Woman...AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! That terrifies me!
I have an older sister who's 6 foot (I'm not) and she was horrible...
M.P.
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