Monday 31 August 2015

KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS - FANTASTIC #54


Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

This was the third merged issue of FANTASTIC & TERRIFIC, and the reason it stands out in my memory is because I remember seeing it lying on a newsagent's counter in the local shopping area of the neighbourhood next to mine.  I don't think I bought it then, but acquired it later, probably in a bunch of Fantastics that a friend gave to me.

Whenever I look at this cover today, I'm back in that dingy, old-fashioned newsagent's where I bought many a comic in the days of my youth, way back in the swinging '60s.  I visit there often, but only in memory, alas.  What memories, if any, does this particular cover summon forth for you?  Reveal all in the comments section.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Although I am a big fan of the Odhams 1960s books (Wham , Smash and Pow) I only have a hazy memory of "Fantastic" and "Terrific" as we didn't get those 2 comics regularly (my brother or myself) although friends did so I probably saw them when we all met up to swap comics etc (as you did back then). However the only covers I recall from that time from Fantastic are issues 1 and 2 which we did get as they had the free gifts and I vividly recall my dad buying us (well my brother) these 2 issues( he wasn't to happy at the free gift in issue 2 of transfers/ tattoos of "scars" etc (of course we loved this) issue 1 had a free "Fantastic" pennant (not so cool). I think Terrific had a t shirt transfer of Iron Man but that was sold out at the time.

Kid said...

I remember Bill Tennent on STV reporting about the stushie those scars (stickers) caused with parents at the time, McS. My first issue of Fantastic was #7, 'though I acquired earlier issues later on and must have had practically a full set at one time. (As I have today.) I've also got a full set of Terrific - with that iron-on Iron Man transfer. Iron-on Iron Man - quite apt when you think about it. Now go and say something nice about my art a few posts back.

Unknown said...

I forgot about Bill Tennent - haven't been online for a few days so will check out previous posts after my tea

Kid said...

Tea first, insincere flattery later. You have to get your priorities right.

Dave S said...

This one's a little bit before my time, but I do love the fact that the Scarlet Witch has kept her mask-thing on inside her fishbowl helmet.

I'm also wondering what a 'quick change emblem' was...?

Kid said...

That's easy, DD - an adhesive label for sticking over the badge.

Dougie said...

There's an example of exactly the kind of newsagent you describe still trading in Cullen: it's a time warp. I miss those chance discoveries a lot.

I had no recollection of that Attuma story when the Avengers Weekly reprinted it but I know I read issues 50,53 and 55-57: they're amongst my earliest memories of Marvel characters.

I remember thinking the Super-Adaptoid was the Blob for a while (?). None of the covers I've seen on Comicvine really stir many memories again until 60 and then 85, although I found 62 in my dad's garage in the early 70s and was mad about it as a time capsule of my past ( three or so years is an eternity at that age!)

I don't think it was on order like the later UK Marvels but clearly in the early spring of '68, it was bought for me for a while.

John Pitt said...

Most of the covers of my Power Comics had been defaced by the newsagent's writing my Grandparents' name in the corner.
So, if you, or anybody out there, have one with " LAWRENCE" pencilled in the corner, chances are, it used to be one of mine!

Kid said...

Dougie, there's a newsagent's in The Village of my town that had remained unchanged for decades. However, I knew it would eventually be refurbished (as was the trend), so I went in with my camera a few years back and captured it as it then was. Sure enough, a year or three later, someone else took it over from the original owner and changed the interiors to a more 'modern' look. Occasionally, I'll dig out the photos and just - remember.

******

I remember giving a pal a pile of comics (Valiant & Smash!, etc) back in the early '70s, JP. He in turn gave them to his neighbour (so he said). I had stamped them with my name in the top right-hand corner of the cover (using one of those John Bull printing sets that were once so popular), so imagine my surprise when I was going through a box of uncollected ordered comics in the newsagent's across from my house, only to find that loads of them had my name stamped in the corner. Either my pal or his neighbour had dumped them at the newsagent's.

Dave S said...

Belated thanks for the info about quick-change emblems, Kid!

Kid said...

Nae bother, DD.



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