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Returning yet again to the theme of memory, The AVENGERS #89 is a comic which I associate with two places: the first being the seaside town of Largs, which is where I purchased this esteemed publication in June or July of 1971, and the second being my living-room back in my home town, in which I sat by the fireside and re-read the comic and soaked up SAL BUSCEMA's art.
What's surprising is that the issue is dated for June 1971 (though in the States, it would've come out around March), so for me to have actually obtained the mag when I did is quite amazing. Usually, U.S. comics didn't show up in Britain until many months, sometimes years later, so this seems to be one of those seemingly rare occasions when distribution here wasn't so far behind as was frequently the case. Not quite sure why, but it occasionally happened with other issues too.
My family were holidaying in Largs that year, and my father had gone into a newsagent's to buy some tobacco for his pipe. Also inside was a spinner-rack of U.S. comicbooks from which I chose this collectors' item issue. Apparently, it was the first episode of what would later become known as the KREE/SKRULL WAR, but I was ignorant of that fact at the time. I didn't get to see subsequent issues until they were reprinted in a weekly British MARVEL comic several years later. By then, I was living in another house and that holiday in Largs seemed like an inordinately long time in the past.
What I find curious is that the cover instantly transports me back to the newsagent's and surrounding environs, but the splash page (and others) summons up images of my living-room, with me sat beside a big brass log box next to our fireplace back home. Isn't it funny how one comic can carry associations with two different places, eh? As far as I know, I've not been back to Largs since. I wonder if that newsagent's still exists? If so, it's most likely had a refit by now and looks nothing like it once did. Wouldn't it be nice though, if it remained the same? That way, if ever I should return, crossing its threshold for the first time in over 40 years would be like stepping back into yesteryear.
Although, funnily enough, whenever I hold this comic in my hands and pore over its four-colour pages for the umpteenth time, the exact same experience is achieved. Spooky, huh?
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UPDATE: On June 26th 2014, I returned to Largs on a day trip, but could see no sign of the newsagent's/tobacconists from 1971. It was an odd experience because, although having last been there 43 years before, it seemed to me like I'd been only yesterday, making the changes that had occurred in the intervening period all the more difficult to accept. Strange indeed.
6 comments:
I had that experience going into the only shop in the village of Sandhead two years ago- for the first time in nearly forty years. It sent me reeling for a second. I could taste Lyons Maid Jelly Terror and Captain Cody ice lollies.
That's happened to me before when revisiting childhood haunts. The thing is, when you step outside again, you're surprised for a split-second to find you're not still back in 1972, or whenever. Strange.
This issue of The Avengers seems to crop up quite often in people's "Best Of..." lists. I know that Steve of "...Does Comics" fame has mentioned it before and it's definitely in my all-time Top Ten.
I was intrigued by Captain Marvel and the Kree and loved the spooky quality of the opening scenes as our "heroes" seemed to be ruthlessly pursuing Mar-Vell. And those panels depicting Cap ripping that lift door open really impressed me as a kid. But then I'm easily impressed :-)
Of course, I had to wait years to read the rest of the story in the UK reprint. But it was worth it...
Cerebus, I think this issue demonstrates that Sal Buscema was capable of giving his big brother John a good run for his money every now and again.
Turns out you had quite a rare comic in Avengers #89 from Largs, Kid. Or at least a comic in the forefront of improved Marvel comics distribution in the UK. Two things were happening in the period March-April 1971:
(1) April 1st 1971 was the month that product codes appeared on the covers of Marvel comics, which enabled them to be shipped via Ocean containers within a managed supply chain for the first time, and made the appearance of Marvels much more dependable in the UK.
(2) Marvel changed their UK distributors of Marvel comics from T&P to World Distributors, but there was an overlap. Which meant that for a few months both T&P and World were distributing Marvel comics in the UK.
The comics sent to World Distributors had a UK price physically printed on the comic at the end of the US print run, and sent from Sparta, IL for distribution in the UK for the cover month to co-incide with the actual month.
The comics which ended up with T&P were generally US returns (they had US prices) and arrived in the UK perhaps a month or two later.
I bet you ended up with the UK price variant copy of Avengers #89 (US published April 6th 1971) , not the T&P version that you showed in your blog.
If you did actually have one with a T&P stamp it would be amazing to have made it across the pond in the timeframe.
(All credit for the research on Marvel distribution goes to @Malacoda)
Fascinating stuff, B, and thanks for taking the time to share it with me. I'm afraid I can't remember (probably 'cos I never noticed at the time) which price variant of Avengers #89 I bought back in 1971, but I'm glad to have the copy I own now. Thanks also to @Malacoda.
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