The Marvel Lucky Bag - April 1985.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

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The only films I've heard of that came out in April 1984 all contain, within their titles, the names of animals.

Can this be coincidence?

Or is it all part of a Cosmic plan I can't even begin to comprehend?

And just what are those films?

They are: Cat's Eye, Ladyhawke and The Company of Wolves.

I suspect The Company of Wolves is the classiest of those. Although, not having seen it in decades, I'm currently struggling to recall much of it beyond the fact it stars Angela Lansbury and contains lycanthropic larks.

It looks like it's curtains for our heroes.

However, they've still got another nine issues before cancellation. So, it probably isn't.

As for what happens in this one, I have no idea, other than it would appear to be a little chilly.

I suspect Iron Fist's glowing knuckles of justice will be able to keep them warm for long enough to escape their predicament.

I'm somewhat surprised to see this book's still going, bearing in mind the Thing is now back in the Fantastic Four's mag and resolutely back on Earth.

But perhaps this issue is the reason for his return to that locale, as I do believe it's the one in which he defeats his double but Tarianna pops her clogs.

I know little of the contents of this one but that's an appealing cover. Therefore, I'm motivated to be interested in it.

Inside, we discover stories with titles like A Boy and His Dinosaur, The Crystal Skull, Deathdaze and Pirate Love.

Each of those has the same writer but not the same artist. Therefore, I'm not sure if they all add up to one long story or are completely unrelated.

I think we've all always wanted an official index to The Amazing Spider-Man. And now we've got one.

I'm not totally sure what that involves but I'm going to guess at cover reproductions and plot synopses for all our favourite early Spider-Tales.

But perhaps a more significant Spider-Man comic makes its debut.

And it's one that seemingly resolves the saga of Spidey's alien symbiote costume for good when, having reunited itself with him, it helps the crime-fighter defeat a gang of Vulture wannabes and then sacrifices itself to save him from some bells.

But it does raise the question. Does the world really need another Spider-Man book and just what distinguishes it from its predecessors and stablemates?

It seems that only time will tell.

The planet may or may not need another Spider-Man book but if there's one thing it definitely needs, it's one dedicated to Top Dog!

I admit it, I don't have a clue who Top Dog is. I'm assuming he's no relation to Top Cat, what with him being a dog.

It seems that, in the first of this month's tales, the canny canine and Joey reminisce about how they met and how it came to live with the Jordan family by pretending to be a regular, non-speaking, dog. So, quite similar to the plot of John Carpenter's The Thing.

We also have a yarn in which Mervin Megabucks kidnaps Top Dog.

What does he think he is? A Yorkshireman?

This would appear to be part of a whole new imprint called Star, which is, it seems, the new world in the Marvel Universe.

I think this book will run for around 14 issues.

And it's another new venture when Wally the Wizard sets our spinner tacks in a spin.

It would appear that, after accidentally freeing Gorg the demon, Wally's sent to deliver medicine to King Kodger. On the way there, he rescues a baby dragon.

But, while that's going on, Vastar the Vile creates a giant metal locust to attack the Royal Castle.

A pedant might point out that a single locust is not a locust. It's just a grasshopper.

This book will survive for 12 issues.

And it's another new mag, as Strawberry Shortcake #1 arrives to replenish our lives.

I know little of this issue's contents, other than the story within is titled The Great Pie-Baking Contest and features such characters as Strawberry Shortcake, Huckleberry Pie, Blueberry Muffin, Raspberry Tart, Custard, Sour Grapes, Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak, Raisin Cane and Apricot.

Looking at that title and that cast list, does this mean the entire cast gets baked in a pie?

It looks like this book might be a lot darker than it looks.

Regardless it'll survive for just six issues.

Which looks to be longer than the cast will.

At last, Marvel's biggest saga yet comes to its universe-shattering conclusion.

In 43 power-packed pages, the company's heroes must come back from the dead, Dr Doom must learn to control the power of the Beyonder, the Beyonder must reclaim that power from Doom and, of course, everyone has to figure out how to get home.

Apart from the Thing who has no desire to return home.

And, therefore, he doesn't.

The Star new world strikes again.

But, this time, it does so with the aid of a character I've actually heard of.

But what's this? Heathcliff gets catnapped and, also, pays a visit to Hollywood?

I can exclusively reveal that, unlike some others, this mag will flourish and it'll survive for 56 issues.

Will the new comics ever stop coming?

Seemingly not.

In this one, as all lovers of the TV show will no doubt testify, fun-loving creatures dwell below ground, while, in the house above, lives a human inventor and his dog.

Sadly, however, this comic will only survive for eight issues.

But wait. What dread news assails my mind? 

I've just discovered the TV version of Fraggle Rock had different central characters in different countries.

As all sensible people remember; in Britain, the resident human was played by Fulton McKay.

However, in North America, Gerry Parkes filled that role and, in France, he was played by Michel Robin.

What kind of madness is this?

Very similar, in many ways, to Fraggle Rock was Dune.

And so it is that it receives its own Marvel mini-series.

This is, of course, reprinted from 1984's Marvel Super Special #36 and is the handiwork of Ralph "Karate Kid" Macchio and Battling Bill Sienkiewicz.

And because one movie adaptation's not enough for us, we get another, as the sequel to 2001 receives its own limited series. This time, reprinted from the pages of Marvel Super Special #37.