The Marvel Lucky Bag - August 1986.

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

***

We all love a good film. And some of us love a bad film. But how many August 1986 releases fit into either of those categories?

Here's where we find out.

That month oversaw the unleashing of such joys as Flight of the Navigator, Friday the 13th Part VI, Howard the Duck, She's Gotta Have It, The Transformers, The Fly, Manhunter, Night of the Creeps, Stand by Me, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Shanghai Surprise.

I'm going to put my critics hat on and suggest Manhunter may be the best of those.

But, then again, I've never seen Shanghai Surprise.

I have been wondering why Spidey's gone missing from his other books, this month.

And now I have my answer.

It turns out it's all down to this issue and his battle with Magma! 

I'm going to assume our hero's blown up, presumed dead, at the end of this one.

I'm also going to assume he hasn't really been blown up and will be back.

I've no doubt maternal feelings are running high, as Alpha Flight take Snowbird to a place of power so she can deliver her baby.

Unfortunately, the spot they've chosen is the burial place of someone called Pestilence and, needless to say, the whole birth-giving thing revives him!

Issue #2 of Marvel's latest publishing sensation arrives when, in order to protect an experimental nerve gas sample hidden inside a pen, a retired spy lets Dakota's brother win the implement from him during a poker game.

I don't have a clue what's going on in this one but the GCD kindly informs me that things get tricky for the team when people start protesting outside their mutant-hunting headquarters.

And it all comes to a head when a pair of mutants call them out, meaning the gang must split their forces and adopt disguises, in order to hunt the duo while, at the same time, secretly helping them.

That all sounds too convoluted for my liking.

I liked it when everyone knew who the good guys were.

Speaking of moral ambiguity. All that red and that big gun can only mean one thing.

And that's that, despite having died ages ago, Elektra's back and in a tale I know little of, other than that it's delivered to us by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz.

It would appear the good doctor's acquired a new ally and that ally is none other than Cloak.

Where Dagger is when all this is going on, I have no idea.

But it seems that this issue introduces us to a possessed drug-dealer called Ecstasy.

With villain names like that, you can tell we're entering the late 1980s.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - July 1986.

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

***

Anyone entering a cinema, this month in 1986, had very little to complain about, as a whole slew of famous, notorious and unforgettable movies were unleashed, right then.

Among the gâteries Cinématographique one would have encountered were such things as About Last Night, Big Trouble in Little China, The Great Mouse Detective, Psycho III, Under the Cherry Moon, Howling II, Aliens, Haunted Honeymoon and The Patriot.

I am, of course, going to shock the world by nominating Aliens as my Steve Does Comics Film of the Month. They can't accuse me of not being controversial.

As for comics...

Judging by that cover, it looks like things are taking a turn for the worse for Ike Harris.

And it all happens in a tale titled A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste! as brought to us by none other than Walt Simonson and Keith Pollard.

My knowledge of the New Mutants is always limited but I do know that Dani Moonstar goes home for her holiday where she reunites with her former friend Pat Roberts who then pops his clogs, thanks to an inconvenient car accident.

I suspect that valuable life lessons are thus learnt.

But what's this?

An Avenger betrays the other Avengers?

How can such a thing be true?

Then again, can we guess which Avenger it's most likely to be?

Judging by his personality and track record, I'm going to guess it's most likely to be Quicksilver.

And, guess what? It seems I'm right!

Now, the Avengers must battle his lackeys the Zodiac Life Model Decoys!

Maybe it's just me but I'm not feeling this is going to be the greatest Avengers story ever told.

"...And the All-Purpose Power Tool!" declares the cover, clearly knowing what a man of my age likes.

All I know about the contents of this brand-new series is that, when danger strikes, Steelgrip Starkey relies on his engineering skills and blue-collar know-how to get things done.

Strap yourself in as we encounter a place called Were-Town!

That's right.

Man-Town.

Sounds spooky.

Again, it's one I know little of but it's got a Bret Blevins cover that's hard to ignore and the adventure within is delivered by the typewriter/pencil combo of David Michelinie and John Ridgway.

But what of the third book belonging to Marvel's flagship hero?

As far as I can make out, Peter Parker and fellow reporter Joy Mercado investigate mysterious disappearances in Appalachia - only to unearth a secret underground operation exploiting gifted captives.

Needless to say, Spider-Man's not going to put up with that sort of thing, and infiltrates the operation.

But can even the amazing arachnid adventurer stop the villain of the piece?

The man called Magma?

The Marvel Lucky Bag - June 1986.

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

***

I often profess ignorance of most of the movies I mention in my posts but, June 1986 was replete with films of which even I've heard.

It was, when all's said and done, a month that unfurled such cinematic delights as Invaders from Mars, My Little Pony, SpaceCamp, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Belizaire the Cajun, The Manhattan Project, Mona Lisa, Legal Eagles, The Karate Kid Part II, Labyrinth and Ruthless People.

The problem is I don't remember liking any of them. Therefore, it's a struggle to nominate my Steve Does Comics Film of the Month but, if pressed, I shall go for Ruthless People.

The Enchantress turns up in the book dedicated to Marvel's least likely married couple but, not having read this one, I cannot say what she's up to.

I'm going to assume, though, that she will try and make the Vision do her bidding, as that is her usual modus operandi when dealing with men.

But will her powers work on an android?

And, also, will the Executioner show up in his usual huff?

The star-spangled superstar lands himself his eighth annual.

But can he manage to survive it, seeing as he must endure an encounter with Wolverine?

It would appear that someone called the Overrider gains control of a robot created, by the American government, to eliminate super-soldiers.

Given their back-stories, this does sound like the sort of thing that both Captain America and Wolverine would take an interest in.

And the New Mutants too have an annual of their very own.

In this one, a legend is born when Mojo kidnaps Betsy Braddock. A circumstance that leads to her gaining new eyes and the name Psylocke!

In other news, the New Mutants meet Captain Britain, while someone called Cypher merges with Warlock.

That's the robot Warlock. Not Adam Warlock.

Not to be outdone by Cap and the New Mutants, the one and only Spider-Man gets another annual and I have no idea what happens in it, other than that it's forty pages long, is called Ace II and is the brainchild of Peter David and Mark Beachum.

But forget about annuals. Who needs those when a brand new comic hits our lives and features a brand new heroine in the form of Dakota North?

With a name and a front cover like that, I was assuming she'd be a Howard Chaykin creation but it seems she's brought to us - in a tale called Design for Dying - by Martha Thomases and Tony Salmons

All I know beyond that is she is, allegedly, based on Emma Peel and that her comic will survive for just five issues.

Moonshadow hits its eighth issue, with a cover by Jon J Muth and interiors by Jon J Muth.

Not to mention it possessing a J M DeMatteis script titled Candles.

Of course, if he'd had any class, he'd have called it Four Candles.

Regardless, do I know what it involves?

No, I don't.

And let us end with the Avengers' 15th annual. One in which the eastern and western teams take each other on in a baseball game!

Unfortunately for them - but, possibly fortunately for anyone who doesn't like baseball - they're attacked by Freedom Force who intend to arrest them - just as they've also attempted to arrest the X-Men, this month.

Freedom Force are victorious and take their captives to a place called the Vault where they're to be tried for treason, thanks to the testimony of one of their own former members!

The Marvel Lucky Bag - May 1986.

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

***

Cinemas.

What places of magic they be.

Why, within them, you can experience a veritable smorgasbord of experiences you couldn't possibly get at home.

And the non-domestic smorgasbord presented to us in May 1986 included the release of such morsels as Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, No Retreat, No Surrender, Short Circuit, Top Gun, Crawlspace, Poltergeist II, Saving Grace and Blue City.

I must confess I've not heard of most of those films and have only seen Short Circuit and Poltergeist II. I shall, therefore, feel compelled to vote for Poltergeist II as my Movie of the Month.

I suspect others may disagree with me.

A brand new graphic novel enters our life when Marada the She-Wolf experiences the Chris Claremont and John Bolton created thriller in which something or other happens.

But wait.

What's this?

This is made up of stories that originally appeared in 1982's Epic Illustrated?

But, surely, that makes this a trade paperback? Not a graphic novel?

Regardless, the Grand Comics Database informs me the Marada series was conceived as a bunch of Red Sonja tales but had to be modified when Marvel lost the license to use the character.

However, no one's going to care about that.

We're all too busy reading the sensational new comic that's hit our local spinner racks, as He-Man and the Masters of the Universe get their very own comic and Prince Adam demonstrates he does indeed have the power!

However, I know nothing of this opening issue, other than that its contents are titled The Coming of Hordak!

I shall, therefore, assume it deals with Hordak, and his arrival.

Shockingly, as far as I can ascertain, this book will only last for thirteen issues.

And He-Man's not the only one making a Marvel debut, this month.

So is the all-new Ms Marvel when Sharon Ventura's transformed into the second incarnation of the heroine.

Alpha Flight have had their own monthly mag and, now, they bag their first annual, only to find their mansion possessed by the spirit of someone called Gilded Lily who, with the help of Diablo, is after a physical body to inhabit.

And that can only mean one thing.

That she kidnaps Aurora, for exactly that purpose!

But what drama greets us now?

After 20 issues, the latest Micronauts comic hits its final issue!

Does this mean we must abandon all hope of ever getting the Micronauts/He-Man crossover for which we were all so desperately longing?

That would appear to be the case.

As for what happens in this one, I have few clues, other than that it's called Worldhome! and delivered by the minds and fingers of Peter Gillis and Kelley Jones.

Arthur Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz produce a striking cover when Wolfsbane, Cypher, Magik, Karma, Cannonball and Magma join the Hellions.

Meanwhile, Magneto learns about Empath's attack on Tom and Sharon and decides to bring the team home.

A decision that causes Emma Frost to call the police on him.

Which seems a strange decision. Are the police really likely to be able to stop Magneto doing anything?

Also, she's never really struck me as being a, "Calling the police," kind of woman.

I know little of Balder's latest adventure, other than that he rescues Karnilla - and discovers he's been chosen as ruler of Asgard, as seen in Thor's comic, this month.

And, as our hero gets killed in that book, it's perhaps no shock that this proves to be the last appearance of his own mini-series.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - April 1986.

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

***

Cinemas!

What films were making their debuts within them, during this month in 1986?

These films were: Critters, A Room With a View, Absolute Beginners, Wise Guys and 8 Million Ways to Die.

Of those, I've seen the whole of Critters and some of Absolute Beginners and, Reader, I can declare Critters to be the better of those two features.

I pass no judgement upon the other films.

The Eternals revival is still going and I've no idea what happens in this issue.

However, I do know the Arctic may be a location.

We all love to see a brand new comic send our local spinner racks into a spin, and that means we'll, no doubt, be thrilled to find Droids appearing there.

My razor-sharp senses tells me it's some sort of spin-off from Star Wars and that, this issue, on the planet Dodz, our beloved robots help unseat a greedy governor.

Despite the popularity of Star Wars, I do believe this mag will last for just eight issues.

Having already lasted three times that long, Dreadstar hits its 24th edition - and does so with someone called Monalo defeating someone called Willow and taking her prisoner.

However, this series only has two more issues left in it.

Displaying far more staying power is Dr Strange who hits the 76th issue of his current book - and does so by talking on Iuriale who's a siren, despite looking suspiciously like a gorgon on that cover.

Assuming, of course, that that's her and not someone else entirely.

But it would appear this mag has just five more issues left in it.

Clearly, the death of the Sphinx was nothing but a mere inconvenience to the villain, as he's back again!

I know little of this adventure but I do know Evil Hyperion is killed by Good Hyperion!

I anticipate plenty of action, as the Punisher tries to put a stop to the Trust and their army of Punisher clones!

Holy Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, Batman! Shades of DC's early 1970s Manhunter revival!

I couldn't claim it's a sight we've never seen before when an article in the Daily Bugle sends Spider-Man over the edge and he sets off on a revenge mission against its publisher.

And I know nothing of events in this one. Other than that the tale within is titled Counterpane and brought to us by J. M. DeMatteis and Jon J. Muth

The Marvel Lucky Bag - March 1986.

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

***

Thrills, spills and life-changing shocks. That's what I expect when I enter a cinema.

And that's just from eating a choc ice.

But what of the films that were awaiting us as we entered the place of which Elvis Costello once remarked that stars are only painted on the ceiling above?

March 1986 was a month which saw the unleashing of such gems as The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation, Highlander, Crossroads, Police Academy 3: Back in Training and The Money Pit.

I must confess I don't think I've seen any of those - not even The Care Bears Movie II - but I'm going to have a guess that Highlander is the best of the bunch, as I've actually heard people talking about it, unlike the others.

However, there is always the possibility that I could be wrong in my assessment.

In other news, seeing that list has made me realise that - whenever I see the words, "Care Bears," - inside my head, I'm seeing Ewoks.

The fight-happy puritan continues to sustain his own comic and, in this issue, he's, somehow, among a shipful of slaves delivered to the Caliph Abu-Ben Ar.

It sounds bad for our hero... ...but, perhaps all is not lost, as Caliph Abu-Ben Ar's son is a man who wants to do away with slavery!

Marvel's sprawlingest-ever epic reaches its, no doubt, senses-shattering conclusion, with the Beyonder in a quandary because he's vowed to destroy all of existence but fears he might miss it when it's gone.

That in mind, he, for some reason, sets out to create a machine which will recreate him as a mortal - but with a portion of his power intact.

Now what are our heroes supposed to do?

And how does the Molecule Man fit into it all?

I don't know if the world was ever crying out for a Wonder Man comic but it's got one anyway, and one that's destined to last for a whole single issue!

In that one single issue, Simon acquires and - loses - employment as a security guard for Cordco Delta Lab 3.

And, as if that wasn't enough to keep us enthralled, we also get a reminder of his origin story!

I've not looked at Web of Spider-Man for a while on this feature but the Grand Comics Database tells me the brother of one of the punks from the previous issue is out to murder Peter Parker!

Sadly, as I've not read that previous issue, I can shed no light upon who those punks might be. Possibly, the Sex Pistols but I feel the UK Subs are also acting mightily suspiciously.

And, now, Firestar outdoes Wonder Man by getting her own mini-series.

One in which her powers show themselves for the first time, triggered by the demise of her grandmother.

Needless to say, it's not long before she gets noticed  - and is recruited by the White Queen!

And it's all thanks to Tom DeFalco and Mary Wilshire.

I've no idea at all what happens in this one but I do know it's the last issue, that the tale within it is called Eyeteeth Part III: Army In the Pocket and is brought to us by the mighty talents of Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy.

And, finally, for this month, as far as I can make out, more of the expected fun occurs when Sage becomes a king - only for Groo to turn up.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - February 1986.

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

***

Movies?

I know where to find them.

In the paragraph below.

One which lists the more famous ones released in February 1986.

And those movies are F/X, Hannah and Her Sisters, 9½ Weeks, The Hitcher, House and Pretty in Pink.

I think F/X, 9½ Weeks and House are the only ones of those that I've seen and I think House was the one I enjoyed the most. That is, therefore, the official Steve Does Comics Movie of the Month.

But can it be?

After 75 issues, has Rom reached the end of his space road?

He truly has because this is his very last issue and, to be fair, as his mag was launched purely to promote a toy, the lad's done well for himself.

In fact, he's done exceptionally well, as I can sensationally reveal that this is the issue in which he regains his humanity!

Mike Kaluta gives us a typically stylish cover when Starstruck hits its sixth and final instalment. Doing so with a tale called Kiss Daddy Goodnight.

And I haven't a clue what it's about.

But you know what I've been demanding?

If that cover's to be believed, I've been demanding the dramatic return of the original X-Men!

Granted, I have no recall of ever demanding such a thing, having always found them almost as uncompelling as Nick Fury's Agents of SHIELD. However, the gang discovers Jean's still alive, and this calls for a reunion that leads them to re-brand themselves as, "X-Factor!"

That's a very striking cover from Al Milgrom but didn't an issue of Moon Knight once have a cover very like it?

I don't know much of what goes on in this one but I do know the gang's fangy foe is none other than Jack Russell himself who it's hard to see giving an offshoot of the mighty Avengers much trouble.

Rather more menacingly, however, it would seem that Ultron's also involved...

Here's a thing you don't see every day; Benjamin J Grimm in wrestling action with Vance Astro.

Mostly, you don't see it because one of them lives on Earth and the other lives in space, and one lives in the present and the other in the future.

I suspect such minor obstacles will not be enough to get in the way of a tale called Home.

Secret Wars II rumbles on, as, frustrated by his experiences on our world, the Beyonder consults the Molecule Man.

Somehow, this leads to the all-powerful alien losing his temper and deciding to destroy the multiverse!

But can the Molecule's Man's unique skill-set thwart that drastic plan?

No sooner does Rom leave our lives than a new mag based on toys hits our spinner racks.

I know little of this but can reveal it's written and drawn by Herb Trimpe and, after crash-landing on the planet Skalorr, the crew of a spaceship team up with a band of nice robots to fight a band of nasty robots.

Sadly, despite providing us with all the robot-on-robot violence we could ask for, this appears to be the only issue ever published.

Longshot's mini-series draws to a double-length conclusion when its protagonist, Dr Strange and Quark discover that someone called Rita's been turned into a mere husk, by Mojo who then sets up a church on Earth and begins to brainwash its followers.