The Marvel Lucky Bag - June 1985.

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

***

A wise man once said, "Hooray for Hollywood!"

But was that location giving us much to cheer about as 1985 hit its summer months?

It would be impertinent of me to pass judgement but I do know June saw the unleashing of such memorable fare as The Goonies, Prizzi's Honor, D.A.R.Y.L., Cocoon, Return to Oz, Pale Rider and St Elmo's Fire.

I will, of course, do my customary job of rushing to the defence of Return to Oz and nominate that as my Film of the Month. I am aware that others may have other ideas.

I assumed the Vulture was dead but it seems he's still alive and out to wreak vengeance upon the criminal gang known as the Vulturions, for stealing his costume design.

Has it really taken this long for the Thing to come up against the Rhino?

If it has, I'm sure our rocky hero will make short work of the thick-skinned thug.

Especially as that thick-skinned thug is being mind-controlled by the Miracle Man.

It's a comic whose title I keep misreading as The Secateurs but I am equally clueless when it comes to the contents of this, its first issue, other than knowing the story within is titled Upheaval! and brought to us by Bill Mantlo and Mark Texeira.

And it's another book whose contents I know nothing of. Is that the Scorpion on the cover? If so, he seems to have been raiding the steroid cupboard.

Apparently, Rick Jones is also in this issue.

It's a sensational first issue for the man who's had a few of those in his time.

From what I can make out, Marc Spector's out to end his career as Moon Knight but is forced, by Egyptian priests, to abandon his plan and de-abandon the role.

And, while they're at it, they give him some magic weapons and a new costume.

And another nocturnally-active thwarter of evil gets his own book when the Gargoyle gargoyles his way into our hearts.

I could thrill you with news of what he gets up to, this issue but I don't know what he gets up to.

I do know, though, that we're treated to his origin. Not that I know what his origin is.

The fourth issue of the comic which shares a title with everyone's favourite Disney movie arrives to deliver an adventure in which a plot is hatched to overthrow someone who claims to be Dr Doom, and seize control of Latveria.

 As far as I can make out, nothing comes of that and it all ends with the Dazzler and the Beast breaking off their relationship.

Chris Claremont and John Bolton bring us a tale of which I know nothing.

I am quite struck by Bolton's cover for it, though.

And it's another one about whose contents I remain profoundly ignorant.

I can, however, reveal the story within is called Hostages and is the handiwork of Alan Zelenetz and Chris Warner.

Forty years ago today - June 1985.

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

***

Once more shall I shall gaze into the waters of my magic pool and see just what activities are occurring in the place that mortals know as The Past.

Remember that really old Thor story in which he tells a group of boys about a recent fight he's had with the Hulk, in order to answer their question as to which of them's the stronger?

Now we get a re-run. Except, this time, it's Hercules who's telling a group of youths about his epic fights with Thor, in order to answer their queries as to who's the stronger.

Needless to say, the crown prince of braggadocio opts to tell them he's easily defeated Thor every single time they've ever met.

Until Jarvis the butler points out to him that the nature of his young audience means there may be good cause for him to take a metaphorical dive...

Not for the first time, that clanking clod Doom has launched the Baxter Building - and its occupants - into space.

But - as Reed Richards starts to suspect - is it really Doom who's done it?

Or is there an impostor at large?

And might that impostor need rescuing even more than they do?

It seems that only a full-on attack on Doom's castle might yield answers.

It's bad news for the X-Men - and the Juggernaut - when Nimrod shows up, from what I assume to be the future, looking to bump off mutants wherever he finds them.

Fortunately, Rogue's on hand to batter him with every single power she can absorb from every available X-Man.

Storm, conversely, is still devoid of her powers.

And that leads her back to her former haunts in Africa...

But it looks like trouble with a very small T, for our hero, when a group of precocious college kids decide to fabricate the existence of a super-villain, in order to vex and bewilder the web-slinger.

Fortunately, he's far too smart to fall victim to that kind of japery.

The Hulk's mag pulls a stunt I shall never recover from, as it reveals the lovable Puffball Collective, that's befriended the brute for all these months, is actually evil and out to lead him to his doom on a world that's been decimated by the N'Garai.

And the Collective wants to unleash them on the whole universe!

Modred is back and out to trash London - unless Marvel's greatest captains of the British and American varieties can stop him.

It's tense times for the Avengers.

And for Ka-Zar.

That's because Terminus - who I think was the giant alien who showed up in The Fantastic Four, a fair bit back - has arrived in the Savage Land and is out to lay waste to the entire area.

Meanwhile, as far as I can remember, Captain Marvel's still trapped on a spaceship in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of unprincipled space-pirates.

It's a very odd tale, as Frank Miller returns to the strip and creates an adventure in which a mysterious man in dark glasses arrives in a small New Jersey town and sets about bringing to justice the murderers who control it.

I don't think I've ever read this, but the Grand Comics Database informs me a girl with a magic jewel foretells Conan's impending entombment in a Nemedian sarcophagus.

Exactly what he does about it, I have no idea.

He probably sets about stabbing someone or something. That usually works for him.

It seems like every time we see him, the Fox is planning one last job before retiring.

And he's doing it again.

But this time, Silver Sable and her men are out to bring him to justice, and Spidey must decide just whose side he's on.

Rhodey needs to find out just why he keeps having devastating headaches.

And we all know there's only one way to do that.

And that's to visit a shaman and do spiritual quest-type stuff on an astral plane.

June 7th, 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. 

***

This week in 1975 was a great one for people who wanted to go on a narrowboating holiday in Egypt, because it was the week in which the Suez Canal reopened, following its closure for the Six-Day War.

But it wasn't such good news for people who like summer to be summer.

It was, after all, the week in which snow showers struck across the UK. And they struck to such an extent that even London experienced the phenomenon. The first time that had happened in June since the long-gone days of 1761.

But there was great news for lovers of European integrations, as the week saw 67% of British voters choose to remain in the EEC, thanks to a referendum that would put the matter to bed forever.

And what of the charts?

The nation gained a brand new Number One when Windsor Davies and Don Estelle's evergreen cover of Whispering Grass hit the top of the UK Hit Parade.

While, on the accompanying LP listings, The Best of the Stylistics maintained the dominance it had first achieved several weeks earlier.

"Thor vs Mangog!" boasts the cover! "Iron Man battles Moleman!"

I think I know which of those two contests is more likely to get my pulse racing.

But the main attraction is, as we can see, a clash between Iceman and Spider-Man when the world's greatest boyfriend decides it'll be a great idea to terrorise Gwen Stacy, so she'll never suspect he's really Peter Parker.

Fortunately, the Popsicle powerhouse is on hand to put a stop to that sort of thing.

His life of danger takes Shang-Chi and friends to Egypt where Fu Manchu's daughter is out to get her hands on a golden beetle whose power she could potentially use against her father.

Needless to say, daddy dearest isn't going to take that sort of thing  lying down.

The Avengers, meanwhile, find themselves in Wakanda and captives of the Man-Ape who wants to take over the kingdom.

And he doesn't care who he has to squish to do it.

And Dr Strange is taking a noticeable backseat, as a combination of the Hulk's obduracy and Barbara Norris's self-sacrifice sees the master of the mystic arts liberated from the clutches of the Undying Ones, meaning he can return to Earth and resume his life as a normal, everyday citizen.

The FF vs the Sentry? The Hulk vs the Silver Surfer? How could anyone not want to read this comic?

The Surfer is, of course, trying to knock some sense into the Hulk's thick head and convince him he can't transport him to another planet where men will leave him alone.

The Sentry is, on the other hand, trying to rid his island of the Fantastic Four, on behalf of an alien race called the Kree.

And I do believe Daredevil's still struggling with the Ani-Men who've been recruited by the Exterminator to do whatever it is he's recruited them to do.

Mostly, robbing people at parties, I think.

Mark Twain's still ruling the roost, as, upon landing on an island, Derek is confronted by an ape in shining armour.

It's Sir Gawain, who then takes him to a medieval castle inhabited by apes and talking humans where Derek must kill a dragon!

I'm still not totally sure this is an improvement on Apeslayer.

After that, we're treated to a 10-page article populated with facts about Pierre Boulle, his ideas and consequences.

Following that, Adam Warlock's up against it, as we have to question whether even his power can prevail against the might of Pih-Junn.

Who, I think, turns out to be a pigeon.

Things are looking up for the newly-deceased Dracula because a preacher's out to impress his followers by reviving him, in order to prove that God can resurrect the dead.

I can't help feeling he might have chosen a better subject for the demonstration.

Elsewhere, Jack Russell's furry alter-ego, finishes off his scrap with the Hangman.

And Brother Voodoo has plenty on his plate when he's kidnapped by AIM. It turns out the renegade gang of boffins are creating an army of mind-controlled zombies and can't wait to inflict the same treatment on him!

From the looks of it, Conan's going to be having spider trouble!

But, first, he has to put up with being delirious in a desert.

Elsewhere, Thongor's imprisoned by the Demon of Zangabal.

This, somehow, leads to him breaking a mirror and freeing someone who's lumbered with the name Aqquoonkagua.

As is instantly apparent, it's yet more Mephisto mayhem for Norrin Radd.

And it's an odd tale that sees the dread lord of all sinners free our hero from the limitations of Galactus' space barrier - only to kidnap Shalla-Bal in order to blackmail him into attacking SHIELD.

Quite what Mephisto has against SHIELD, I have no idea.

As for the X-Men, they're fighting the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in an abandoned industrial building and it all leads to the Blob getting fed up of both teams - again - and - again - returning to his preferred career as a carnival entertainer.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - June 1975.

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

***

There's nothing as moving as a movie. So, what cinematic treasures were waiting to enchant, delight and thrill us, as we entered a picture house in June 1975?

These cinematic treasures were awaiting us: Nashville, Night Moves, Jaws, Rollerball and Race With the Devil.

Classic films all. But, of course, all of them paled into significance besides one blockbuster movie that was awaiting us.

And that was Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.

How we thrilled as Ron Ely and his friends foiled an evil villain with a beard and reformed him with the aid of well-judged brain surgery.

And how we looked forward to the sequel we were promised by the film's closing credits.

It looks like curtains for the Defenders, with all of them but the Hulk captured by the Sons of the Serpent!

Fortunately, help is at hand, thanks to the Son of Satan, Daredevil, Yellowjacket, Clea and Luke Cage!

It's another masterpiece, made memorable by such gems as The Sleeper Beneath the Sands, a look at The Gods of the Hyborian Age, an article called Can Any Good Thing Come Out of Cimmeria? and, as the cover makes clear, an Alex Niño drawn adaptation of Robert E Howard's People of the Dark.

I'm struggling to recall just what happens in this one but I think it might involve our hero being subjected to hallucinations by the lackeys of the Magus.

And I suspect this issue sees the introduction of no lesser talent than Gamora!

It's taken a surprisingly long time but Thor finally catches up with many other Marvel heroes by landing his own Giant-Size book.

In this mighty tome, the mighty god's in mighty reprint action when Loki revives the Destroyer, in a bid to wreck the Asgardian Olympics while Odin has one of his epic power naps.

Following that, we're treated to a reprint of Thor's first encounter with Hercules, within the very boundaries of Olympus itself.

And then Lee and Kirby remind us of that time When Heimdall Failed!

Thor may have landed himself a Giant-Size comic but Spider-Man's only gone and nabbed himself a Special Edition.

What the difference is between a Treasury Edition and a Special Edition, I have no idea but, from that cover, I think we can guess our hero's having his first-ever tussle with the Sinister Six.

Come to think of it, has he ever had a second tussle with them? I'm struggling to think of one.

Following that, he has his first-ever tussle with the Lizard.

And then he has what I think is his second tussle with the Molten Man who's been newly released from jail and, like anyone who's been through the Marvel Comics prison rehabilitation process, is determined to go straight...

...back to his life of crime.

Brace yourself because the Invaders are here to liberate your heart and gain your everlasting admiration, thanks to the efforts of Rascally Roy Thomas and Fabulous Frank Robbins.

I'm seriously struggling to recall just what happens in this one but I'm sure it's bad news for Nazis and lovers of anatomically correct pencilling everywhere!

There's no shortage of Giant-Size action, this month. And so it is that we see the Scarlet Witch marry the Vision while Mantis weds the Swordsman's corpse in order to finally, I think, bring the Celestial Madonna saga to a halt.

And that's followed by Betrayed by the Ants!! a Lee/Kirby tale in which a scientist is hired by crooks to defeat Ant-Man. I think that scientist might be Egghead but don't quote me on that.

But forget all that stuff. This is the one we all came here for, when not only does the world's greatest barbarian get his own Treasury Edition, he does so in style by encountering those Rogues in the House before having a run-in with a bunch of Red Nails. All delivered, of course, by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith.

And I think we even get a map thrown in for good measure!

Monsters Unleashed may have met its demise and is, thus, very much Monsters Disunleashed but that's not preventing it from having an annual!

Sadly, apart from the not-great cover, it consists entirely of reprints from that defunct publication.

Fifty years ago today - June 1975.

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

***

Once more, my past catches up with me. And that can only mean it's time for me to catch up with my past.

I do believe this is the one which features the Avengers vs the X-Men on Magneto's island hideaway.

But, of far more importance, this is the last issue to feature the all-old, all-samey team before the all-new and all-different team takes over.

I suspect it'll be quite a shock for some readers when they pick up the next issue to discover a totally different bunch of characters have appeared, from nowhere, and taken over their favourite book.

Judging by the cover, I've a feeling we're encountering a reprint of that Beast solo tale in which he goes insane and thinks he's murdered Iron Man.

From that, I can only assume there must have been Deadline Doom problems with the planned Avengers tale.

I am struck, though, by just how totally unbothered by Iron Man's demise Cap, Thor and the Vision appear to be, on that cover.

It would seem that everyone's favourite barbarian's confronting the menace of Unos the Man-Witch who, I would assume, is not to be confused with Unus the Untouchable.

That aside, I know little of this tale but am aware that, whoever he is, Unos kills someone called Lupalina, that someone called Thalkalides is turned into a toad and that someone called Stefanya is installed as monarch of somewhere called Alkarion.

The Red Skull's still causing trouble for our heroes.

And what trouble it is!

Because the villain's unveiled the shocking revelation that Sam Wilson is, in truth, the criminal Snap Wilson, given a new personality, memories and a small bird of prey, via the use of the Cosmic Cube. 

And now he's out to kill Cap!

Drama piles upon drama, as Daredevil, the Black Widow and SHIELD search for a Foggy who's been kidnapped by Hydra.

And, to achieve his aims, Daredevil must overcome Blackwing, while the Widow must get the better of El Jaguar!

I possess no knowledge, at all, as to what happens in this one but, given that it's set in the Great Refuge and guest stars the Inhumans, I shall assume Maximus the Mad is up to no good again.

Strangeness piles upon strangeness when an attempt to rescue Glenn Talbot delivers the Hulk into the clutches of the Gremlin, meaning the man-brute must endure the arrival of the world's only poetry-spouting triceratops.

Not that I'm completely useless but I've only just noticed that it's, "the Black Lama," and not, "the Black Llama." To be honest, I think I prefer the thought of a villain being called the Black Llama. It has a certain uniqueness to it.

None of this disguises the fact I have little idea what occurs in this one, other than it seems to feature MODOK and the Yellow Claw!

Amazingly, this is the first time the Scorpion's appeared in this book since the days of Steve Ditko. It does seem astonishing that it took Marvel so long to bring him back.

However, Spidey's mostly fretting over an even more startling comeback.

And that's the seeming return, from the grave, of Gwen Stacy!

Meanwhile, the Absorbing Man makes his million-and-oneth appearance in the pages of Thor.

I don't think I've ever read this tale but that won't prevent me from trying to guess just what Thor turns the copycat criminal into, this time, in order to defeat him. He's already turned him into helium and water, in the past. What dread transformation can be next for the hapless Crusher Creel?

Thus are Marvel's big-hitters accounted for.

But what of that company's biggest rival? That other venture we've grown to love and revere? Just what does a random sample of DC's comics bearing the same cover date look like?

It seems it's a month for new launches. And, so, Tales of Ghost Castle arrives to smash us between the eyeballs, with untrammelled terror!

In this 1st sensational issue, we encounter A Child's Garden of Graves, A Soul a Day Keeps the Devil Away and The Mushroom Man. All narrated by none other than Lucien himself.

And we encounter a page of Ghost Cackles, as provided by the almost inevitable Sergio Aragonés.

Who needs Tarzan? Who needs Ka-Zar? Who needs Raquel Welch in a fur-lined bikini?

Not us!

We've got Tor around to save us from any deadly beasts that nature might fling at us.

It's true, a sensational new savage arrives in our lives to clobber caveman, brain dinosaurs and thump pterosaurs. And, as any good palaeontologist would expect, it all happens exactly one million years ago!

But what actually occurs within it?

Well, it seems that, while out hunting, one day, Tor remembers a valuable lesson he once learned during childhood. I'm sure the story itself is far more thrilling than that plot description makes it sound.

Elsewhere, we find a single-page article called Dinosaurs for Reel which would appear to be about movies dedicated to the terrible lizards.

Sadly, Tor will only last for six issues before becoming extinct.

How well I recall the house ads announcing the arrival of this comic.

And how happy I would've been to have bought it.

Sadly, I never did buy this issue and I never have read it but I do know we're treated to the origin of the Avenger. Not to mention that of his support organisation Justice, Inc.

It seems he's Richard Benson and, due to the traumatic kidnapping of his wife and child, the muscles in his face have frozen, enabling him to mould his features into any shape.

Tragically, only four issues of this mag will ever be published.

You might think that, in this, the year of our Lord, 1975, the world doesn't need another comic dedicated to barbarians.

But it seems DC disagrees with you.

And with me, as well, because the latest antediluvian smiter of evil arrives to deal with the case of The Sword and the Silent Scream.

Beyond that, I can shed no light upon the contents of this one. I'm not sure if Claw even is antediluvian in nature. For all I know, he could be from the future, or another planet completely. But I do know his book will go on to last for 15 issues.

However, not everything in this world has to be new. And so it is the Spectre's series continues. This time, with a yarn in which Jim Corrigan wakes to discover his wish to be alive again has been granted.

But not until after he's been shot in the chest, on behalf of a bad guy with a rubber duck.

Or is it a real duck? I've never been too sure.

Not only that but we find Chapter 3 of The Seven Soldiers of Victory, during which the Green Arrow and Speedy find themselves in Father Time's Inn!

Joe Kubert brings us an eye-catching cover for an issue which hosts such tales as Born to Die, The Renegade Dogface! The Return and The Man Who Would Be God.