November 1st, 1975 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

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

***

I'll admit I've never been a huge fan of circuses but, on November 1st, 1975, BBC Two did, at least, broadcast the activities of a circus I can approve of.

And that was The Circus of Horrors, the nightmare cinematic tale of a mad cosmetic surgeon causing chaos amidst the carnival folk of Europe.

The highlight of that film was, undeniably, a drunken Donald Pleasence being killed by the least convincing-looking bear that I've ever seen succeed in killing a man.

But there was a greater horror awaiting me. For, little did I realise, as I sat down to read that week's comics, that minds immeasurably superior to mine were failing to re-order most of my favourite Marvel UK mags and that I was soon to be robbed of those titles for months on end, by their sudden disappearance from my local newsagents.

But enough of that! I can win £150 for drawing cartoons!

With that, I'll be able to buy 1,666 copies of The Titans #3!

Not that I've ever owned a copy of The Titans #2.

I do, however, know the Inhumans show up at the Baxter Building and attack the Fantastic Four, believing the quartet to be responsible for a missile attack on the Great Refuge.

After that, Captain America and Bucky have problems with a duo called Sando and Omar in a re-imagining of a tale originally published in the 1940s.

Following that, while the Sub-Mariner's on a quest to find a magic trident, Warlord Krang's taken over Atlantis and quickly turned it into the despotism he's always wanted it to be!

And that's not all - because Subby has to fight a giant seaweed monster!

Nick Fury's still in the process of saving SHIELD's Helicarrier from Hydra's exploding chair. An act of leadership that will see him be given the job of SHIELD director.

Captain Marvel, meanwhile, finds himself in the path of Solam, a monstrous creature accidentally created by a man messing about with a solar light cannon.

Now the nightmare begins for me because this issue marks the start of the spell in which The Avengers will all but disappear from my local newsagents, meaning an equally long spell of not reading it.

But it is clear to me that Conan's heavily involved in an adaptation of Bob Howard's The Blood of Belshazzar.

And it's clear to me the Avengers - and, more precisely, the Black Panther - are up against the Sons of the Serpent who I have no doubt are out to tear American society apart, as they always are.

And Shang-Chi's still having fun with Groucho Marx, as The Si-Fan Strikes!

Meanwhile, despite what the front cover insists, Dr Strange is not only not up against the tentacular terror of Shuma-Gorath, he appears to be completely absent from this issue!

I can only assume Shuma-Gorath has bumped him off.

In these dread pages, several things occur.

Blade fights Dracula on the streets of London, even trying to use a ski-pole as a stake!

Three werewolves fight each other in the streets of Los Angeles. One of them dies, another is cured of his lycanthropy and the third is Jack Russell who has to remain both alive and a werewolf, in order for his strip to survive.

And the Elementals are loose on the streets of Cairo, while in search of a scarlet scarab.

But that can only be bad news for the Living Mummy - especially when they place a huge dome over the city, to prevent anyone entering or leaving it!

"Bonus!" declares the cover. "The people who are The Planet of the Apes!"

What on Earth could such a strange statement mean?

It means more of that interview with Paula Crist and William Blake who've played Zira and Cornelius, for promotional purposes, during conventions, talk shows and other such incidents.

But, first, the real thing because, in Escape From the Planet of the Apes, Cornelius and Zira appear before a Presidential commission and reveal to the world that they can speak!

And then, a pivotal moment in human history arrives - in more senses than one - as Moench, Thomas and Niño's Erich Von Däniken inspired Man-Gods From Beyond the Stars begins a brief but beautiful run that shall, I'm sure, never be forgotten by anyone who was there.

Especially not the primitive cave people who suddenly have a bunch of advanced aliens landing in their midst.

But it's not just The Avengers that's about to vanish from my life, as, from next week, this publication will also go AWOL from my nearest newsagents for several months.

Before it goes, I do, at least, get to discover the origin of Morbius the Living Vampire and get to wonder if Spidey will ever rid himself of his extra arms.

Then, Iron Man finds himself having to, once more, face the murderous Freak.

Is the Freak still Happy Hogan in this tale? Or has someone else inherited the mantle? I struggle to recall.

Strangely, on the cover, Shellhead seems to be battling the Destroyer, which is a little odd.

Thor, meanwhile, is depicted fighting Ulik but, as far as I'm aware, he's actually fighting Loki who's trying to prevent Don Blake from operating on the injured Balder, before his alter-ego Thor is exiled in space for going insane without his father's permission. A serious crime indeed.

And guess what?

The Mighty World of Marvel is also about to vanish from my local newsagents for several months on end.

I've no idea what's going on at that newsagents!

Anyway, it does go out on a high, with the Hulk caught up in a tragedy revolving around the foolishness of eating tourists.

Then, I think Daredevil's up against Starr Saxon's deadly kidnappo-bot.

And, in the Fantastic Four's strip, Hornhead finally resolves his dispute with the first family of Marvel, by convincing them he's not Dr Doom in disguise.

A fact which is, I'm sure, a relief to his allies in the conflict; Thor and Spider-Man.

Fortunately, The Super-Heroes, isn't about to vanish from my local newsagents.

Because it was never anywhere to be seen in my local newsagents.

Also struggling to get his hands on things is Giant-Man who's now in his third week of trying to intercept the Human Top. And all the training in the world isn't making our hero any faster.

The Cat's up to something but I'm not sure what. From that cover, it seems to involve Sub-Mariner foe Commander Kraken who the cover blurb writer seems to think is called Commander Kraven.

But just what's happening with the X-Men?

It would appear the Blob and Unus are in the habit of robbing banks by pretending to be our mutant do-gooders - but the true villain of the piece is that dastardly fiend Lucifer!

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

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

***

Sadly, the need to cram in an extra post dedicated to Atlas Comics - plus the way the days have aligned themselves, relative to the month as a whole - means there's no space available for Speak Your Brain, this month. Instead, I'm having to squeeze in our look at what Marvel UK was up to, exactly 40 years ago.

But before that, the charts must be tackled.

In a world filled with super-powers, there was only one power that mattered in October 1985.

And that was the power of love, as the song of that title held the pinnacle of the UK singles chart for the entire month, thanks to the somewhat punishing voice of Jennifer Rush.

There was, however, far more churn occurring on the UK album chart, with Madonna's Like a Virgin, Kate Bush's Hounds of Love, George Benson's Love Songs and Simple Minds' Once Upon a Time all briefly seizing the summit, at some point.

Colin Baker invites us in for a look at the latest activities of the publication dedicated to the universe's greatest saviour!

And, within its hallowed pages, we encounter a look back at the Doctor Who Fanaid Convention, followed by an interview with Jacqueline Hill, best known as 1960s companion Barbara Wright.

Then, we discover the second instalment of the magazine's exploration of the history of comedy in the show, and an interview with Raymond Cusick, designer of the Daleks.

But we should never overlook the fact that we also encounter the comic strips Abel's Story and Enlightenment.

And we should definitely not overlook the fact that, if we buy this issue, we'll get a free Doctor Who bookmark! An event so momentous that it gets a major mention on the front cover!

As we can guess from that cover, Britain's greatest hero's in for an African adventure. 

What might not be so obvious is he's gone there in a bid to uncover the truth about his brother Jamie.

And that brings him into conflict with Dr Crocodile!

That's followed by Abslom Daak having encounters with things that are both Mercuriuser and Curiouser.

Next, Night-Raven finds himself at the End of the Line.

Then, he finds himself in Midsummer Madness, Episode 1.

And the Space Thieves  are still mixed up in the oddly titled serial mankind can only know as PARTS vs. the Universe.

Everybody's favourite periodical devoted to the worlds of the larger-than-life is back and is taking a look at the upcoming resurrections of such old shows as The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, among many others.

After that, John Boorman tells us of his latest project The Emerald Forest.

Following that, Clint Eastwood tells us about his career as both an actor and director, seemingly in relation to his latest fillum Pale Rider.

And there are also  interviews with Douglas Adams and Gary Busey. Not to mention the magazine's latest news, reviews and viewpoints on the genres of Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Horror.

2000 AD - September 1987.

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

***

Cinemas are, as we all know, dark places.

But does that make them scary places?

Perhaps September 1987 could furnish an answer.

A quick glance at the cinema listings of a newspaper that exists only in my head, tells me it was a month which saw the unfurling of such delights as A Return to Salem's Lot, Amazon Women on the Moon, Fatal Attraction, Hellraiser and Mandela.

Having studied that list, I have come to the conclusion that some of those films are noticeably less frightening than others.

As for my Film of the Month, I am, inevitably, going to go for Hellraiser because I never get tired of it.

I'm sure I'd also never get tired of Amazon Women on the Moon, had I ever seen it.

But what of the real world? The one that needs no script?

In Moscow, that month, the trial commenced of 19-year-old Mathias Rust who'd, earlier, surprised Russian authorities - and, presumably, tourists - by landing his Cessna light aircraft in Red Square. He would be sentenced to four years in a labour camp; for violation of border and air traffic regulations, as well as provoking an emergency situation. However, he would go on to serve just fourteen months before being pardoned.

Elsewhere, the world's first conference on artificial life was held at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States. I can shed no light upon just what conclusions it came to.

And what of the galaxy's greatest comic?

It was providing us with more Space-Age thrills from strips such as Zenith, Universal Soldier, Judge Dredd, Mean Team, Tharg's Future-Shocks, Tales from Mega-City One and Strontium Dog.

And it would appear that, judging by the cover of Prog 541, that Judge Dredd was encountering more trouble from that Mega-City master-fiend Stan Lee!

October 25th, 1975 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

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

***

Who was Number One, this week in 1975?

If you were in the UK, and only had eyes for the singles chart, it was none other than Art Garfunkel, thanks to his mega-soothing version of I Only Have Eyes For You.

Equally as relaxing, no doubt, to the British public, was Jim Reeves who was top of the nation's LP chart, courtesy of his 40 Golden Greats.

When it came to television, highlight of the week was, indubitably, that the mummy-packed Doctor Who serial The Pyramids of Mars made its debut.

And it wasn't the only thing entering our lives for the first time. For, in the world of comics, we were about to meet a brand new publication.

One totally unlike anything we'd ever seen before...

And this is it! The mag we've been waiting all our lives for, as The Titans hits both the newsagents' shelves and my eyeballs!

A comic printed on its side, with two pages of artwork occupying each physical page, meaning that twice as much action could be packed into it as in a normal book.

Admittedly, with two pages occupying the space normally reserved for one, you needed a magnifying glass to read it but that never bothered me. All I cared about was that we got twice as much for our money, even if it was from a bunch of B-list adventurers.

And so it is that, this issue, we find action from the Inhumans who are about to declare war on the Fantastic Four, Captain America whose origin is retold here, Nick Fury who becomes head of SHIELD after saving its Helicarrier from an attack by Hydra, the Sub-Mariner who fights an octopus before setting off in search of a magic trident, and Captain Marvel who battles a hapless creature called the Metazoid.

I do recall that some of the pages of that last strip are printed in the wrong order, making the tale partially incomprehensible. Clearly, landscape comics were too mind-blowing a concept for the printers to be able to get their heads around.

And, of course, with this issue, we get a big, full-colour John Buscema poster, originally created for a mid-1970s comics convention and featuring more heroes than we can shake a stick at!

Tragedy hits your tormented blogger, as I never had this issue and, in fact, have now entered a protracted spell during which the Avengers' weekly disappeared without trace from my local newsagents.

However, I do know Conan the Barbarian finds himself having something or other to do with The Blood of Bel-Hissar.

Then, we find the return of the Sons of the Serpent who, I believe, set about framing the Black Panther for murder!

And I think Shang-Chi's still running around New York, with Groucho Marx, and now having flashbacks to his own childhood!

Poor Dr Milo. On last week's cover, he got strangled to death by a gorilla and, on this week's, he's being shot to death by pursuing authorities!

But perhaps he's the lucky one because, unlike Zira and Cornelius, at least he's not about to be grilled by a commission.

Following that, we're treated to an Interview with Paula Crist and William Blake, actors who've played Zira and Cornelius in a touring company dispatched to promote the Planet of the Apes movie franchise. What a strange thing.

And we complete the issue with the Bruce Jones short Kick the Can which is one of those back-up strips I remember not really being able to make sense of, as an 11-year-old.

If the blurb's to be believed, it would seem Dracula's causing terror over the towers of London. That's the last time I ever go anywhere near the Shard.

As for what he's actually doing inside the book, I'm not totally sure but I'll bet there are people looking to stop him.

The Living Mummy has plenty to worry about When Strikes the Asp, as he endures yet more interference from those pesky Elementals who keep trying to gain control of him.

And I do believe this week's Werewolf by Night features not one but three werewolves, as Jack Russell, Ray Coker and Lou Hackett all get into a scrap with each other.

But, at the end of the yarn, Russell is the only one who's still a lycanthrope.

Now I'm confused. That cover screams, "Jim Starlin," at me but the signature beneath Daredevil's leg insists it's by someone called Gemini.

Then again, the Grand Comics Database confirms it is indeed by Starlin. What is this madness?

Speaking of madness, the Hulk rampages around Canada, in search of the newly married Betty but finds, instead, a man-eating monster the locals know by just the solitary word in its vocabulary.

Wendigo!

Daredevil, in his strip, decides its time to quit being Daredevil.

Unfortunately, the deadly robot that's lurking in his closet isn't in the mood to give him the opportunity to do so!

And, in their strip, the Fantastic Four are also out to bash up the man without fear when they go to war with him, Spider-Man and an under-powered Thor, convinced DD is, in fact, Dr Doom!

Now I'm even more confusederer. That cover also screams, "Jim Starlin," at me but the signature says it's by Keith Pollard and Duffy Vohland.

Inside, Spidey still has to contend with both the Lizard and Morbius but the good news is that, as far as I can recall, the Lizard now has the mind of Curt Connors, meaning he can assist the wall-crawler in his bid to shed any excess arms he may possess.

Iron Man's still fighting the Demolisher, a homicidal robot created by the mad father of Tony Stark's latest love interest Janice Cord.

And Thor's about to be sent into exile for going mad. But, first, he must turn back into Don Blake, in order to perform vital surgery on the gravely injured Balder.

A situation that naughty old Loki's determined to take advantage of. Mostly by stealing Blake's stick.

As we can see, Marvel's largest hero's making a right old Horlicks of his attempts to stop the Human Top, quickly discovering he's too slow and lumbering for the task.

I do believe the Cat manages to chase away the Owl, foiling whatever dastardly scheme he was planning to carry out.

And the X-Men conclude their first ever encounter with the Mimic who finishes the story powerless.

Or does he?

The observant reader will have noticed that, continuity-wise, this week's Mighty World of Marvel should feature the Hulk's first encounter with the Mimic and the Beast but, of that tale, there is no sign.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - October 1985.

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

***

Wait!

What's that?

It's a cinema!

And, if I enter it, what shall I find within?

Assuming it's a sizeable one - and it's in the habit of only showing films released in October 1985 - I shall find such delights as Commando, Dreamchild, Jagged Edge, A Zed & Two Noughts, Re-Animator and I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later.

Of those, I shall, of course, name Re-Animator as my Film of the Month, as it's the only one I've ever seen, although I have heard A Zed & Two Noughts being spoken of in hushed whispers. Mostly on Channel Four which I seem to remember being quite keen on showing it, during the station's more pretentious era.

For a long time, some of us have wondered how come all of America's super-powered people seem to live in New York City.

Now, at last, that's about to change, as the West Coast Avengers gain their very own monthly and prepare to fight whatever villains turn up in that part of the world.

And it seems some seriously serious villains do turn up, because this 39-page monster sees our heroes' HQ being attacked by both Ultron and the Lethal Legion!

Far away from that, everyone's favourite married couple also receive a new mag of their own. One destined to run for twelve issues and, in which, the pair appear to be having trouble with Nekra, Black Talon and the Grim Reaper!

Secret Wars II is almost halfway through its run and it's time for the Beyonder to explore the human concept of desire. For this purpose, he selects the Dazzler who, I assume, he must have decided is the most desirable woman on Earth.

However, all his attempts to win her over fail and he quickly gives up on that idea.

Fans of barbarian and jungle action will be pleased to learn that Savage Tales is back from the grave!

Or perhaps they won't, as there's no sign of the book's previous stalwarts Conan and Ka-Zar.

Instead we get tales which bear such titles as The Nam 1967, Marla, Avenger, A Pizza and Across the Rio Grande from such talents as Michael Golden, Herb Trimpe, John Severin, Will Jungkuntz and Gray Morrow.

Despite some venerable names being on that list, it would appear that none of these tales are reprints.

Yes, I have included this one purely for a very odd Michael Golden cover that looks almost like a parody.

Inside, the mag's mostly dominated by a 50-page adventure in which an ageing Queen sends Conan in search of magical springs that can restore her lost youth.

It also delivers a 10-pager in which the barbarian refuses to abandon an arm-wrestling match, even though soldiers are out to get him.

Their original book didn't last for an eternity but, now, those determined dwellers of isolated peaks and out-of-the-way places are back for a limited series, starting with a thriller called A Mirror for Mortality!

After that, we encounter a four-page yarn which I do believe relates the origins of the Eternals, Humans and Deviants, for any who may have missed the explanation the last time round.

The East Coast Avengers receive their fourteenth annual and do so with a 40-page epic that I'm assuming ties in with their monthly book, as that is also currently featuring plenty of outer space Skrull action.

Chris Warner produces a cover I think we'll never forget - no matter how hard we try - while, inside the book, our favourite legion from the cosmos enters a story called Desperate Measures. Of which, I know nothing.

That's followed by a short adventure called Disaster Signal. Of which, I also know nothing.

Forty years ago today - October 1985.

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

***

Let us see just what the mid-1980s has to offer us.

I'm struggling to recall much about this one but am aware that, now all the recent unpleasantness in Asgard is resolved, Thor assembles an army of his mates to invade Hel and liberate anyone being unjustly held there.

Also attempting an invasion are the Fantastic Four who've uninvitedly entered the realm of Psycho-Man...

...only to be captured and tormented!

As far as I can recall, Barry Smith and Chris Claremont bring us a tale in which, having earlier been shot in the head, Storm makes her recovery in an African village and, thanks to her interactions with the locals, learns valuable life lessons that I'm sure will stand her in good stead when she finally regains her powers and stops being useless to everybody.

I'm not saying Spider-Man's a jinx but yet another member of his social circle dies when Jean DeWolff is shot in her apartment.

Needless to say, the webby wonder sets out to apprehend her killer.

But he may have bigger problems on his plate because, thanks to his super-senses, Matt Murdock comes to realise Peter Parker is, in fact, Spider-Man!

Bruce Banner's hanging around a limbo-like crossroads while taking a look back at his life and unhappy childhood.

Needless to say, that includes a re-telling of the origin of the Hulk.

But all this introspection attracts the attention of the Beyonder.

And who can know what that might lead to?

It looks like pressing times ahead for Cap when Sidewinder creates a team of super-villains the world can only know as The Serpent Society.

But is the Constrictor as keen on the idea as the rest of the gang?

And is that going to cause him to betray them to the star-spangled Avenger?

Deep in the depths of deepest space, the Avengers quickly realise they must work with what's left of the Skrull Empire, in order to bring a halt to the piratical activities of Nebula and her shipmates.

Bruce Banner isn't the only one having a brush with the Beyonder, because Daredevil's also found him interfering in his life.

In this instance, the all-powerful alien says he'll restore Matt Murdock's eyesight if the lawyer agrees to represent him in court as he bids to legally gain ownership of Planet Earth.

Will our hero be tempted?

Or will his principles hold sway?

I do believe that, on his way to somewhere or other, Conan takes a boat trip on the river of death.

But, needless to say, even Death itself can't survive an encounter with Conan's broadsword.

All I recall of this one is that Firelord's angry about something and it's up to Spidey to try and stop his latest rampage. Which is going to take some doing, bearing in mind the fiery alien's power-set.

That bounder Obadiah Stane's abducted a whole bunch of Tony Stark's closest friends, in a bid to lure the former arms tycoon into a fight.

But is it really wise to arouse the wrath of the original Iron Man?