January 1985 - Marvel UK monthlies, 40 years ago this month.

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There's an awful lot of talk of electric cars, these days but that's nothing new. Back in January 1985, the whole world was about to rush out and buy such a vehicle, thanks to that month's launch of the Sinclair C5, a battery-assisted car designed by the British inventor Clive Sinclair. It was, in very many ways, the Tesla Cybertruck of its day and it's no surprise that every single UK home has one in its garage.

Almost as successful and iconic are, of course, Britain's red telephone boxes but, in January 1985, they were about to become an endangered species. For, that was the very time British Telecom announced it was going to phase them out. However, forty years later, there are still plenty to be found if one knows the magic places in which to look for them.

But what of human suffering? It seemed the levels of it were about to be reduced - at least physically if not musically - because in the United States, the charity single We Are the World was busy being recorded by USA for Africa.

And speaking of music, that single's British forebear Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid kicked off January atop the UK singles chart before being deposed by Foreigner's I Want to Know What Love Is.

While, on the associated album chart, the month arrived with Various Artists' The Hits Album dominant before that was displaced by Alison Moyet's Alf which then had to make way for Foreigner's fancily titled Agent Provocateur.

The nation's favourite sci-fi mag is back to give us all the latest goss on the worlds of speculative fiction.

And that means Joe Dante's here to talk about his new film Gremlins. 

We also gain an insight into Giorgio Moroder's take on Metropolis, a look at Aussie pig horror Razorback and a retrospective of the film the world can only refer to as Psycho.

It's a rare honour indeed for Colin Baker, as he's actually allowed to appear on the front cover of the magazine dedicated to the show he's the star of.

And so is Peri actress Nicola Bryant.

And, speaking of which, Bryant's the subject of an interview contained within. I suspect this is still during the period in which she's under orders to pretend to be an American. A pretence which I'm sure, has fooled us all.

Elsewhere, Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner gives us his report on America's Panopticon West Convention. And there's a look back at anniversary special The Five Doctors.

Arnie is before us again, as the company's adaptation of his film Conan the Destroyer continues unassuaged.

And there's a fabulous role-playing competition!

Other than that, all I can say is this book is also still incorporating strips from The Mighty World of Marvel but I could not, for the life of me, say which ones.

But what's this? Just when it seemed Marvel UK was in terminal decline, a brand new publication hits the shops of this fair land?

And starring none other than Captain Britain?

With chutzpah like that, how could it possibly fail?

In our main story, it could be trouble for the good captain when his old nemesis Chief Inspector Dai Thomas tells his superiors he has suspicions Captain Britain and Brian Braddock may be none other than the same person!

Then we have Abslom Daak in The Making of a Dalek Killer, as reprinted from the pages of Doctor Who Weekly #17.

Then we get what appears to be a reprint of Night-Raven's first ever appearance, from way back in 1979's Hulk comic #1.

Next, there's a four-page outing for something called Paragon of Painthorpe Street. I have no idea what it is but it's the handiwork of John Tomlinson and Jeff Anderson.

And, just to send us home happy, we finish off with The Freefall Warriors from Steve Parkhouse and Jerry Paris.