Atlas/Seaboard April 1975.

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

***

It's another month for us and a bumper one for Atlas, as yet more of its magic arrives to fuel our imaginations.

But just what will that seemingly unstoppable juggernaut of a minnow throw at us, this time, to convince us to dump Marvel Comics and pledge our allegiance to the new kid on the block?

Wulf the Barbarian hits his sensational second issue and does so by getting up to something or other.

Frankly, I've no idea what that something or other is, even though I've read it. But I do know it involves various people returning from the dead and is brought to us by the suitably sorcerous team of Larry Hama and Klaus Janson.

Oh. And there may be a water monster involved.

Probably one with tentacles.

Wulf's not the only one getting a second issue, because the Tarantula is back and up against no lesser menace than the Spider Priestess herself!

My memories of this are also vague but I shall assume she's the one who turned him into an arachnid nightmare in the first place.

Also, I think her name is Nora.

You have to give Atlas credit. You don't get many American comic book characters called Nora.

And the Brute also lands his second yarn.

In this one, mad doctor Karlheinz Speer kidnaps the scientists who rejected him, then turns them into reptile men who can survive a nuclear holocaust.

I think I'm starting to see why they rejected him.

But hold on. What's Plastic Man doing in a comic from Atlas?

Despite first appearances, it seems the hero of this comic isn't Plastic Man at all - but a man called the Cougar who seems to facing the menacing menace of Baron Krolok the vampire.

I assume he's no relation of Count Orlok.

Those not paying full attention to that cover may think the Destructor's battling that Nazi fiend Baron Strucker.

But, no. It would seem he's contending with a man called Deathgrip who I can say little about but I think we can all guess just what his power is.

And Morlock is also back.

For some reason, I'm struggling to recall the plot of this one.

Is this the issue in which our hero kills and eats a small girl and then encounters what are clearly the Droogs from A Clockwork Orange, on a train, before eating them?

More vampiric vexations greet us when our favourite astronauts encounter a troublemaker who may bear a noticeable resemblance to Dracula but who isn't really Dracula.

This month reminds us that you can't keep Lomax and Luke Malone down.

I know nothing of the stories within this issue, other than its first tale is called ...Taxi 2147 is Missing! while the second is Whatever Happened To Luke Malone?!

And what fresh new Hell awaits Sgt Stryker?

It would seem we get more of an origin that involves General Wright promoting him to sergeant before pardoning four arrested soldiers and naming them the Death Squad.

But there's more because we also find a back-up strip called Chennault Must Die!! which stars good old Warhawk.

The Bog Beast is here and I'm sure that can mean nothing but trouble for everyone.

That's followed by a chiller called The Last Train and then one titled Requiem for a Werewolf! These are tales which give Tom Sutton and Jerry Grandenetti the chance to show off their horror skills.

A major change comes over John Targitt, as he suddenly gains a costume and is re-dubbed Man-Stalker.

My memories of this one are fuzzy but, beyond our hero's acquisition of a new wardrobe, I do feel I recall his boss not being altogether trustworthy.

I would claim a sensational new hero makes his debut but I do believe he's already appeared in one of Atlas's other books.

Plus, let's be honest, he's not exactly sensational.

Regardless, when Lanny Hill's sister is killed by wrongdoers, the dashing doctor decides it's time to put on a costume presented to him by an African chieftain and use his unique skill-set - gained from injecting himself with tiger hormones - to track down and slaughter the scoundrels.

And, finally, this month, Vicki is also back, with a string of fun short stories reprinted from the 1960s.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - April 1985.

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

***

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.

April 12th, 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. 

***

As we move through April, the winter recedes behind us and the days grow warmer.

But they were really getting warmer in BBC Two's Midnight Movie of April 12th, 1975.

That's because it was Night of the Big Heat. The film in which Peter Cushing and Christoper Lee are stuck on an a island that keeps getting hotter and hotter and it's all the fault of aliens!

But what of the UK's singles chart? Was that too hotting up?

I shall leave that judgement to the minds of others but what I can say is its Number One slot was still being held by the Bay City Rollers' Bye Bye Baby.

Meanwhile, the pinnacle of the accompanying LP chart was retained by Tom Jones with his 20 Greatest Hits.

Those not familiar with the UK music scene often ask me if it's rare for Tom to top the charts and I, of course, assure them that it's not unusual.

Bye Bye Baby possessed, I'm sure, its charms but songs I approved of more on that week's Hit Parade were:

Fox on The Run - the Sweet

Love Me Love My Dog - Peter Shelley

I Can Do It - Rubettes

Honey - Bobby Goldsboro

Only You Can - Fox

Hurt So Good - Susan Cadogan

Dreamer - Supertramp

and

Lovin' You - Minnie Riperton.

Interesting to see two foxes and a dog on that list. Clearly, it was a time of high canine activity.

Should you wish to scrutinise, in more detail, the issues raised by this post, that week's UK singles chart can be found right here.

While its adjoining album chart dwells within.

Do New York skyscrapers still have those water towers on top of them? They should stick one on top of the Shard. It'd add a certain something to it.

That aside, I think we can assume this issue sees the return of Dr Octopus and I do believe it's the one in which the tentacular terror decides to hijack a plane containing a bunch of Chinese diplomats.

Nowhere near an airport, Subby and Iron Man are still battling each other but Namor abandons the scrap when he realises that punching Warlord Krang should be more of a priority in his life.

And it's serious trouble for Thor - because Loki's stolen his hammer.

And we all knows what that means.

It means we're going to have to read the adventures of Don Blake, from now on!

And his first adventure is that Sif is injured and only his surgical skills can save her!

I do detect we're about to be treated to the climax of the Hulk's encounter with Havok and Polaris!

Daredevil's still battling the Beetle at the Montreal Expo.

And Reed Richards continues to be trapped in the Negative Zone, in danger of having an encounter with Blastaar, while Triton endeavours to get the pliable physicist back to Earth.

An historic moment hits us in the face, as the Vision makes his Marvel UK debut, meaning the company will no longer have to redraw him as Thor on their front covers.

I don't know much about this week's Iron Fist but I do know he's up against the Daughters of the Death-Goddess.

I suspect that involves worshippers of Kali.

And I do believe the ever-mysterious Ninja's present and starting to lose his rag with our hero. It can surely only be a matter of time before blows are struck.

Lastly, Dr Strange has entered the Dream Dimension, in a bid to rescue Eternity from Nightmare but the crafty villain only goes and turns the Eye of Agamotto against the Sorcerer Supreme.

Earl Norem supplies a cover that somewhat clashes with the book's masthead and our main tale concerns an actor who's played Dracula in so many films that he starts to think he is Dracula.

Unfortunately for him, that's when the real lord of the vampires turns up.

Elsewhere, Jack Russell decides its a good idea to hide out in a cave - but then discovers he's not the first to have had that idea, upon discovering the skeleton of a warlock who summoned a demon to that place many years ago.

I have a feeling that means that demon is going to show up at any moment.

Frankenstein's Monster, meanwhile, is about to find himself confronted by a multi-faceted clone created in a lab accident.

Apeslayer's still slapping those monkeys around and, against all odds, he's done such a good job of surviving an encounter with a group of mutant sirens that he and Mala have decided it's time to hijack a boat.

That's followed by a Ron Goulart/Win Mortimer adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Conan turns up in Shadizar and promptly meets a woman called Jenna who's then abducted by religious fanatics and taken to be sacrificed to a giant bat!

But here's an oddity. The front cover insists this week's backup strip involves Kull vs Thulsa Doom but the Grand Comics Database insists it involves Ka-Zar and Zabu and tells their origin story.

That's a rather unhappy-looking monster the Surfer's tangling with there.

Then again, I'd be unhappy if I had to live in Mephisto's Hellish realm.

Needless to say, that diabolical fiend's still trying to get the Surfer to submit to his will.

And the X-Men are still trying to get the Blob to submit to their will by getting him to join their merry band.

Forty years ago today - April 1985.

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

***

These days, it often feels like the world is trapped in an endless cycle of turmoil.

So, let us look at the activities of a bunch of people who could, if they existed, make it even worse.

It would seem Odin's been killed in the epic battle with Surtur but Loki's not so sure he's dead.

And neither is Thor.

Hela, on the other hand, is convinced he's as brown bread as a sack of Hovis and has showed up, all ready and eager to claim his soul.

To be honest, if I were her, I wouldn't want him anywhere near my kingdom; what with his tantrums. I'd go out of my way to make sure his soul never got within a billion miles of it.

Needless to say, Thor's not having any of that kind of thing and decides to have a fight with her.

Meanwhile, the hordes of Asgard are stranded on Earth, thanks to the Rainbow Bridge having been shattered.

Speaking of such things, because of a half-wit exorcist, Reed and Sue are now trapped in Hell and prisoners of Mephisto who wastes no opportunity to torture them.

Fortunately, Dr Strange is on hand to help the duo.

And so is their son who turns out to be the key to defeating the diabolical dolt.

Meanwhile, the ever-loving Thing is back on Earth.

And is brought well and truly down to to Earth when he discovers Alicia's now dating the quite-a-lot-loving Human Torch!

Will Ben strike back by revenge-dating Dorrie Evans?

Only future episodes will tell.

Can it be?

The X-Men having to battle for their lives against the normally friendly Warlock?

No. It can't. 

In fact, they're having to battle his dad, the not-at-all-friendly Magus.

Meanwhile, Prof X gets beaten up by a gang of mutant-hating protesters.

I still don't have a clue what the relationship is between Adam Warlock and the Magus and the X-Men's Warlock and Magus. I'm assuming there's some sort of link but just what it is escapes me.

But what madness awaits us?

Spider-Man, back in the alien symbiote costume that can only mean he and humanity nought but ill will?

No. It turns out he's wearing a replica of it, made by the Black Cat, due to his regular outfit being too wet to wear with comfort.

That aside, our hero spends the issue being tormented by memories of Gwen Stacy.

The sharp-eyed will recognise, from the cover, that we're encountering the return of Xeron the star-slayer.

And not only that. Klaatu and Captain Cybor are also back.

It turns out that not one of them died in the story in which we first encountered them, which does somewhat rob that tale of its almost poetic beauty and renders it fairly toothless.

Anyway, Cybor and Xeron are once more in pursuit of Klaatu and, yet again, they recruit the Hulk to their cause.

At least the Abomination hasn't showed up or I might be forced to suspect this is just a lazy re-tread of the original tale.

Now there's trouble. Not only has Cap's shield been stolen, an analysis of it has been used to create a suit of armour from the same metal.

This is due to the abduction of the scientist who created that shield and was also the man who invented adamantium.

With a suit made of that, stopping the villain inside it will be surely impossible.

Not at all. In fact, it'll be super-easy. Barely an inconvenience.

Ring the alarm bells. The Vision's taken over all the world's computers. Which, presumably, includes the one I'm writing this post with!

I'm struggling to remember what happens after that but I think the Avengers turn up and ask him to stop being in control of all the world's computers.

And so he does.

The Black Widow's back - and so is Barry Smith.

At least, on the front cover.

Inside, Bazzer's nowhere to be seen.

But, then, nothing much is to be seen, as a villain called the Cossack's blinded the whole of New York, including the Black Widow and even the Gael!

Needless to say, this isn't going to stop Daredevil but it is amazing how many times villains in his stories have had devices for sending people blind.

Not for the first time, Conan stumbles across a magic sword.

But, for once, it's not an evil one and it guides him to a trapped wizard who needs his help.

Remember that kid who wanted to be Dr Octopus and built himself a set of metal arms?

Well, now he's decided he wants to be Spider-Man and still has a set of metal arms.

Needless to say, this gets him into all kinds of trouble.

And it's trouble only the real Spider-Man can get him out of.

Elsewhere, Liz Allan gives birth.

It's conundrum central. Tony Stark's vowed never to become Iron Man again - due to that role having played a large part in him becoming an alcoholic - but when Hawkeye, Tigra and the woman who's definitely not a Black Canary knock-off have to fight Dr Demonicus's giant monster, how can he refuse to don the suit again in order to stop a foe they lack the brute force to thwart?

The internet informs me the monster in this story is actually Godzilla but Marvel had to change his appearance, due to no longer having the licence to use him.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - April 1975.

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

***

Films of distinction were, perhaps, notable by their absence from the cinemas of the world in April 1975 but there were at least three movies I've heard of that were unleashed that month.

Those movies were Death Race 2000, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Russ Meyer's Supervixens.

I must confess to only having seen the first two of those and can declare that I enjoy them both equally. If I'd ever seen Supervixens, I'm sure I'd have enjoyed that one, as well.

But it's the start of a saga I'm sure we'll never forget, when the Sons of the Serpent return to launch chaos and spite upon the streets of New York.

But not before the Valkyrie gets to wander those streets and see for herself the living conditions of that city's poor.

And it's another comic some of us will never forget, as Moses Magnum makes his first appearance and prompts Spider-Man and the Punisher to team up in response to his habit of abducting people from the back alleys of America and conducting illegal gas experiments on them.

In addition to that, we encounter a reprint of Doctor Strange #179 in which the spidester and the surgeon combine to bring down Xandu and his Wand of Watoomb.

A dramatic Jim Starlin cover heralds an issue in which something or other happens along the way to our hero encountering the Magus.

I do believe this month sees the introduction of Pip the troll.

A classic cover by John Buscema and Boris Vallejo tells us we're about to open an adaptation of Robert E Howard's A Witch Shall Be Born.

That's thrilling enough but even more exciting than that, I'm sure, is a three-page look at trade routes in the Hyborian Age followed by five pages of drawings of our hero by Bob Kline.

I've no idea who Billy Jack is but it seems he was the subject of a 1971 movie and, thus, he makes the cover, despite only having nine pages devoted to him inside the mag.

I am, of course, assuming he's the same Billy Jack as the one in the movie.

Shang-Chi, meanwhile, stars in A Different Lesson In Blood Unchanged!

And the Sons of the Tiger headline Gladiators in the Crypt of Tomorrow.

History is made, as Marvel launches its adaptation of the second apes movie, as brought to us by Doug Moench and Alfredo Alcala.

And there's an interview with a director of the TV series, a profile of Natalie Trundy and a review of a paperback adaptation of two episodes of that TV show.

It's Morbin' Time, as the living vampire tries to survive a tale called A Taste of Crimson Life.

We also encounter chillers with such names as A House of Pleasure, The House of Death and Blindspot!

Regular fire meets Hellfire - not to mention Soul-Fire - when the Human Torch bumps into the Son of Satan.

Apparently, it all leads to Daimon Hellstrom helping Johnny exorcise a demon that's possessed Wyatt Wingfoot's almost super-humanly unlucky tribe.