tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post8018337596121806358..comments2024-03-28T16:50:31.666+00:00Comments on Steve Does Comics: December 5th, 1979 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.Steve W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09191442559702617745noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-28931710809891966282019-12-08T17:38:05.470+00:002019-12-08T17:38:05.470+00:00KD, other than Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor, I...KD, other than Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor, I'm not sure I have any favourite action heroes who don't have super-powers.<br /><br />MP, I once did a review of that Guardians of the Galaxy "New York" adventure, which can be found right here: https://stevedoescomics.blogspot.com/2014/07/marvel-presents-guardians-of-galaxy-5.html<br /><br />Sean, I have confidence that Starhawk will turn up in a Marvel movie at some point, mostly because I suspect every Marvel character will turn up in a movie at some point.<br /><br />TC, thanks for the <i>X The Unknown</i> info. Its debt to the adventures of Quatermass is indeed huge.Steve W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09191442559702617745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-84419744047037262822019-12-08T11:48:21.648+00:002019-12-08T11:48:21.648+00:00Well, I tend to think quite a few of Gerber's ...Well, I tend to think quite a few of Gerber's ideas got away from him M.P. (not really his fault - he was obviously the best writer they had at Marvel in the 70s, but the editorial standards of the time and the amount of stuff he had to churn out in the newstand era worked against him).<br />Starhawk was one of his better ones though - being male and female the character was political correctness gone mad that you'd think would be ideal for a revival now; its odd the SJWs at Marvel haven't put him/her in one of their films yet.<br /><br />-seanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-20220626111532080842019-12-08T01:54:41.124+00:002019-12-08T01:54:41.124+00:00Steve, you mentioned Starhawk and the Guardians.
S...Steve, you mentioned Starhawk and the Guardians.<br />Starhawk's origin was extremely confusing and convoluted, with the result that you had, essentially, two different people who hadda take turns existing, like Billy Batson and the original Captain Marvel.<br />It was Marvel Presents over here, and it was a weird little comic. It was Gerber, right? I think he was doing science fiction to make broad observations about human nature, which, now that I think about it, is what most science fiction actually is. Human nature, whether it's Who Goes There or pod people or an alien running amuck in a space ship.<br />He was kinda all over the place, but I dug it. There was one issue where the Guardians land on this planet where everybody is a different kind of alien. And apart from that, it's exactly like New York City circa the early '70's. Turns out, they're all inmates of an intergalactic insane asylum who were free to set up their own society with it's own rules. And it just happened to turn out like NYC. Whoa. Like an old star Trek episode with the irony and such.<br />I dunno what Gerber was goin' for with Starhawk, though. I think that one got away from him.<br /><br />M.P.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-40689694412309084762019-12-08T01:13:27.966+00:002019-12-08T01:13:27.966+00:00Now I'm curious as to who everybodies' fav...Now I'm curious as to who everybodies' favorite non-superpowered action heroes/ actors are.<br /><br />I'm sure there are a few differences between each side-of-the-pond.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-46310212956522571402019-12-08T01:06:52.172+00:002019-12-08T01:06:52.172+00:00Nowadays it's mostly all guns-a-blazin',Ma...Nowadays it's mostly all guns-a-blazin',Matrix-esque acrobatic anti-heroes. Very little "style". Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-42804773867998475092019-12-08T00:57:23.389+00:002019-12-08T00:57:23.389+00:00Yeah, then it was in vogue to have adventurers wit...Yeah, then it was in vogue to have adventurers with suave style. Bond has been able to keep a portion of that over the years.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-46656902486186770752019-12-07T17:10:52.989+00:002019-12-07T17:10:52.989+00:00Yes Steve, its not hard to see how the early 70s D...Yes Steve, its not hard to see how the early 70s Dr Who could be seen as a bit of a riff on Quatermass. <br />I recall reading somewhere that it was also accused of turning the show into something of a kids version of the Avengers, and you can see definite parallels there too (eg Pertwee's Doctor being not unlike Steed, right down to his taste in vintage cars).<br />Mind you, the boffin dealing with bureaucrats, and the anachronistic "gentleman-adventurer" were pretty standard archetypes in British culture at the time...<br /><br />-sean<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-79947258773947332392019-12-07T01:46:24.644+00:002019-12-07T01:46:24.644+00:00The Black Hole was a pretty funky movie (not to me...The Black Hole was a pretty funky movie (not to mention totally scientifically inaccurate) but it does have this extremely creepy scene at the end where the villain gets merged with his killer robot in what is apparently Hell.<br />Brrr. That scene gave me the willies when I was a kid. <br />Actually there are several somewhat disturbing scenes, which was weird to see in a Disney movie at the time.<br /><br />M.P.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-67997336458723591862019-12-06T04:57:13.651+00:002019-12-06T04:57:13.651+00:00Hah! Lady Gaga getting a Sigourney Weaver on with ...Hah! Lady Gaga getting a Sigourney Weaver on with a laser rifle! Lol!!<br /><br />Ok, I'm done.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-90575607500090485012019-12-06T04:53:32.264+00:002019-12-06T04:53:32.264+00:00Now that I think about it, if they started a Quart...Now that I think about it, if they started a Quartermass series with pop-stars co-starring, they could continue the theme if it was successful.<br /><br />Unlike in a Stars Wars film, where it was leaked that Lucas was going to have N-Sync be a team of Jedi. Lol.<br /><br />It would be great to see Justin or Taylor being destroyed/eaten by some alien force/creature.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-65165090715834914362019-12-06T04:35:16.352+00:002019-12-06T04:35:16.352+00:00I could see Anthony Hopkins as Quartermass. Whoeve...I could see Anthony Hopkins as Quartermass. Whoever would play the lead would Definetly have to be a powerful older actor, American or British.<br /><br />Of course, in this day & age, he'd have to have a youthful group of "Scooby-Doo kids" as interns/assistants.<br /><br />Hah!! Quartermass facing alien invasion with Taylor Swift & Justin Beiber!!! Lmao!!!!Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-79954218774237944972019-12-06T04:20:54.570+00:002019-12-06T04:20:54.570+00:00They would be a lot better than the psycho-killer/...They would be a lot better than the psycho-killer/vampire/ghost stories they've been putting out.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-10363023304514238782019-12-06T04:16:14.940+00:002019-12-06T04:16:14.940+00:00All the Quartermass films were released in America...All the Quartermass films were released in America under different titles. <br />The name Quartermass was virtually Unknown over here.<br /><br />It would be wonderful if ,since Hammer is more or less in production again, they'd remake updated versions of Quartermass.<br /><br />There's a making of a franchise there.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-36624257812947871242019-12-06T04:01:27.777+00:002019-12-06T04:01:27.777+00:00From what I read, X & the Quartermass films ba...From what I read, X & the Quartermass films basically put Hammer on the sci-fi/horror map.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-8846114566999811742019-12-06T03:54:42.684+00:002019-12-06T03:54:42.684+00:00Thanks, TC, oh my brother, for the info & triv...Thanks, TC, oh my brother, for the info & trivia.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-17082794821811343832019-12-06T03:44:21.085+00:002019-12-06T03:44:21.085+00:00Clint Barton, IIUC, was not trapped at giant-size ...Clint Barton, IIUC, was not trapped at giant-size (as Hank Pym had been in the mid-1960s), although, offhand, I don't recall ever seeing him at normal size during his Goliath phase. Clint had to take doses of Pym's formula on a regular basis to remain a giant. I think it was during the Kree-Skrull War serial that he forgot to take a dose, and so he shrank to normal size in the middle of a battle and had to be rescued by Thor. After that, he tossed the growth serum and went back to being Hawkeye the 6'3" archer. <br /><br />Fun fact: Hammer wanted to use Dr. Quatermass as the protagonist in X the Unknown, but Nigel Kneale (who, presumably, owned the trademark) would not allow it.TChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13686814973788356726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-467287692846395672019-12-06T03:17:50.371+00:002019-12-06T03:17:50.371+00:00Wow. I truly believe that the British were the fir...Wow. I truly believe that the British were the first to make a film featuring a liquid, shapeless "blob-monster".<br /><br />X The Unknown pre-dates The Blob starring Steve McQueen, Mario Bava's Caltiki The Immortal Monster & Toho's H-Man. I'm surprised Hammer didn't sue those motion picture companies.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-21252978411804448242019-12-06T01:51:27.584+00:002019-12-06T01:51:27.584+00:00Here's a question for you guys. In the issues ...Here's a question for you guys. In the issues of Avengers I had, I don't think I ever saw Clint Barton shrink to normal size. Was he size-trapped as Goliath, like Hank was?<br /><br />Speaking of Hammer films, I also found that I had all their mummy films. Of course the 1st with Chris Lee is the best, Mummy's Shroud & Curse Of The Mummy's Tomb are highly enjoyable.<br /><br />Blood From The Mummy's Tomb not so much. Though I guess it was based on a Bram Stoker story, a bandaged monster shambling & killing would have been a plus.<br /><br />Floyd's Wall came out when I worked at the record store. We couldn't keep it in stock. Dark Side of the Moon re-entered Billboard's top 100 soon after.<br /><br />Watching Hammer's X The Unknown right now, first time for me.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-64492476787846563002019-12-06T01:17:16.998+00:002019-12-06T01:17:16.998+00:00Ha ha! Throbbing Gristle!! Lol!!!
On the comics f...Ha ha! Throbbing Gristle!! Lol!!!<br /><br />On the comics front, Hank Pym would have saved himself from a lot of problems if he just stayed away from robots.<br /><br />He had enough trouble with his shrinking/growing pills/gasses. If there's one hero that's actually his worst enemy, it's him.<br /><br />Maybe that's why he was one of my favorites. Lol.<br /><br />During a sorting of my DVD collection I realized I had all 3 of the Hammer Quartermass features.<br /><br />I watched them in order, and though I had seen Quartermass And The Pit a number of times as a kid, I appreciate it more now.Killdumpsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-495489071955259142019-12-05T23:51:27.186+00:002019-12-05T23:51:27.186+00:00Sadly, Charlie, I still have no clear answer as to...Sadly, Charlie, I still have no clear answer as to how, "Trigan," is pronounced. I suspect it's, "Try-Gan," but must confess it could be any one of a number of pronunciations.Steve W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09191442559702617745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-46277714191124812442019-12-05T23:49:14.367+00:002019-12-05T23:49:14.367+00:00Charlie, the Hulk had his own TV show and Marvel U...Charlie, the Hulk had his own TV show and Marvel UK clearly felt they should capitalise on it at every opportunity.<br /><br />Nigel Kneale was a legendary TV writer. He created and wrote a bunch of acclaimed sci-fi/horror shows and dramas, including the Quatermass serials, <i>The Stone Tape</i> and <i>The Year of the Sex Olympics</i> which are all worth a watch. He also wrote the first TV adaptation of <i>1984</i> and the scripts for the Ray Harryhausen version of <i>The First Men in the Moon</i> and Hammer's <i>The Witches</i>.<br /><br />He was asked to write for both <i>Doctor Who</i> and <i>The X-Files</i> but turned them down. He wrote the script for <i>Halloween III</i> but had his name removed from the credits when the studio insisted on inserting more gore and violence into it.Steve W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09191442559702617745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-10177990997128522632019-12-05T23:29:44.366+00:002019-12-05T23:29:44.366+00:00B.t.w. Steve - do you have a definitive decision o...B.t.w. Steve - do you have a definitive decision on pronouncing Trigan as in Trigan Empire from Look and Learn?<br /><br />I'm having a hard time sleeping with that running through my head. <br /><br />I used to have that trouble when I was around 7 or 8 with Sub Mariner as in being pronounced like the word submarine or is the "i" a short "i". Once that cleared up I was good for several decades of sound sleep.Charlie Horse 47https://www.blogger.com/profile/00906538705798228800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-61983800364479127312019-12-05T22:54:27.225+00:002019-12-05T22:54:27.225+00:00You guys liked the Hulk, huh? That’s cool. Just ...You guys liked the Hulk, huh? That’s cool. Just surprised how relatively popular he was in the UK?<br /><br />Is the Nigel Kneale you reference the one from “Making Plans for Nigel” by XTC? I mean, this all came out in latter half of 1979 so… just wondering. Or purely coincidental, like your non-alpha display of book titles? <br /><br /> <br />Harpo looks much younger... more vibrant... as a brunette with a fedora.Charlie Horse 47https://www.blogger.com/profile/00906538705798228800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-68067396091524842982019-12-05T22:30:26.585+00:002019-12-05T22:30:26.585+00:00Well done, Red. I do feel that 1979-1981 was the p...Well done, Red. I do feel that 1979-1981 was the peak year for British music but that might just be a reflection of my age.<br /><br />Sean, I suspect they were talking about <i>Planet of the Apes</i> in 1979 because they had a load of pages to fill every month and there weren't enough new sci-fi shows on TV to fill those pages.<br /><br />I vaguely remember that Nigel Kneale's objection to <i>Doctor Who</i> was that he thought it was wrong to scare children and that he reckoned the show was always stealing his ideas. Clearly, he must have tuned in during the Jon Pertwee era.Steve W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09191442559702617745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263300365798803459.post-76938010647201421302019-12-05T20:38:15.045+00:002019-12-05T20:38:15.045+00:00PS A quick shout for the Starburst cover copy, as ...PS A quick shout for the Starburst cover copy, as I like the claim that TV made a monkey out of the Planet of the Apes films.<br />Why were they going on about it at the end of '79 though?<br /><br />-seanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com