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| Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
"SO MUCH OF LIFE IS LIKE A GOOD DINNER!... You sit down at a table bearing your favourite food. You feel sure you could eat for ever! But no! You can't! Not forever! Either you work your way down doggedly to the last crumb, or you reach the stage when, even with the best will in the world, you just CAN'T EAT ANY MORE!
Same as a sunny day! A holiday, a picnic! Same as a good book or an exciting film! It all has to come to an end SOME time! That's life!
And that's the way it has to be, some time or other, in the comics biz. The way it has to be right now... with FANTASTIC COVER GALLERY! With all my now infamous modesty I declare that FANTASTIC COVER GALLERY has been a welcome feast of delight for nostalgia fans, a veritable banquet of honest-to-goodness, unabashed entertainments! But just like that dinner of favourite food, there ain't no more left! The dishy covers I'm serving you up this post... are the last course!
Sad?? Of course! Who wants ANYTHING good to come to an end? AAAAA-HHHHHH, BUT...! The end of one good meal doesn't at all mean YOU CAN'T ENJOY THE NEXT ONE! Just as much! Or even MORE!
In fact, the end of ONE great meal merely paves the way for the NEXT and even BETTER one! AND THAT, TOO, IS WHAT LIFE'S ALL ABOUT!"
******
Yup, forty-four years ago this week, with issue #89, cover-dated October 26th 1968, FANTASTIC shuffled off this mortal coil as a weekly periodical - it's name appended to a sister title called SMASH! & POW! for another six months or so, before that comic was relaunched (as simply SMASH!) without MARVEL reprints. I was only nine years old, coming up for ten, and when I read the NEWS From The FLOOR Of 64 page (which, with a few tweaks, starts off this post) I was bereft at the thought of no more issues of my favourite comic.
However, four years later, I got to sit at the table for another banquet - when The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL went on sale. (But that's another cover gallery for another time. Keep your peepers peeled for it.)
It was great to see all these covers, particularly the Annuals. The Iron-Man cover, copied from Heck images, is nicely designed.
ReplyDeleteVery nicely designed indeed, Nick. And even predating Tony's silver and crimson armour of later years. Incidentally, I'm sure you knew, but the image of Iron Man on the lower left is copied (or even traced) from a Kirby figure. (Tales of Suspense #59, which deputed the Captain America series.)
ReplyDeleteIt's just occurred to me - since Steve of Steve Does Comics is calling it a day, recreate the good old days, and have his blog merge with yours....that way you can start your next entry with "Great News inside, pals!" and tell us how "Kid Robson's Comicbooks, Cartoons & Collectables incorporating Steve Does Comics" will be an ever bigger, better blog than ever before. You could even throw in a free gift (remembering to point out that it's only available to UK readers).
ReplyDeletecheers
B smith
Ah, but Steve isn't really calling it a day - he's just taking a break for a while. He's sure to be back at some stage. Besides, he may get irked if I was to start every blog post with "As I roam the streets of Sheffield..."
ReplyDeleteIt's been brilliant seeing all these again, I used to have 'em all bar #4&5 and the last 2 annuals (wish I still did!) Hey you havn't got Super DC as well have you,as I only ever had the first issue?
ReplyDeleteSuper DC covers are on my blog somewhere - under a Mick Anglo tribute in several parts.
ReplyDelete