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| Images copyright MARVEL COMICS |
As I gad about the streets of Glasgow, friendly passers-by often say to me, "Hi Kid, how's things?" Overlooking their bad grammar, I hilariously reply "Not what they used to be!", which is, after all, just the sort of response you'd expect from a professional nostalgist. And 'Marvel' at how cleverly I steered the topic round to 'Things' in an effortless link that would be the envy of many a TV presenter. (Two word puns for the price of one there, as it's MARVEL's THING I'm talking about. No need to applaud - it's a gift.)
As it's Friday the 13th today, I thought it appropriate that we start with #13 of the Thing's own magazine (which is a complete lie, of course - it a total coincidence). To be honest, I don't recall being too keen on the ROCKY GRIMM - SPACE RANGER theme that ran over several issues, but I plan on re-reading them soon and perhaps I may revise my opinion.
Anyway, enjoy this pulsating plethora of covers and splash pages from a titanic time when The FANTASTIC FOUR's most popular member had his very own monthly comic mag. It may only have lasted 36 issues, but that's better than The INCREDIBLE HULK managed on his first outing.
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Many greatful thanks for two things from me - first, the FF cd you sent a couple of weeks back. Ive heard it twice now and the sound quality is brilliant. My old 45rpm record of this has practically scratched itself apart with overuse so hearing the full clear version of this was an absolute treat. Thank you once again from a true blue FF fan, and please join me on Facebook [Karl L. Disley] for my page has been completely dedicated to this most beloved of comics.
ReplyDeleteNow...the Thing comic! Again, thanks for reprinting these covers and pics. For me they didn't quite reach the heights of having him back in the FF book full-time but it sure was entertaining. After the initial arc aboard the Beyonders world wore off the book never reached any real highs but the art carried it off - I don't think the Thing had ever looked so fearsome in all his life as he did here. It was a real comic with real ambition after its initial premise but then Ben returned to the FF and it just sort of suddenly ended [if I recall it correctly - 1987 was a long time ago] so that was that.
Great stuff at the time now though.
Karl, I don't have a Facebook account and don't really want one (Used to have it to see photos on friends' accounts, but never used it myself), so I don't think I'll be allowed access to your page. However. hopefully other Criv-ites will visit it now that they know of it.
ReplyDeleteGlad the CD arrived safely and that you enjoyed it, and nice to hear you like seeing the Thing pages again, too. More to follow.
I've never used Facebook either, Kid - I don't understand what it's for and I try to avoid anything that needs a password if possible including those blogs where you need a password. I also feel safer staying inside the Google universe and using Google services exclusively which all need just the same single password. As for the Thing - these come from my wilderness years when I wasn't buying any comics so these covers are new to me. How is the Thing able to change back to Ben Grimm at will ? Did he lose this ability before he returned to the FF ?
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your posts. But don't think this is picking on you a little bit. Well maybe it is just a little bit. It's not fair to compare this to the Hulks first outing . First the Things, first outing was in the FF a very popular comic. But his second outing was in Strange Tales, when he teamed with the Torch. Iin it's way that was a precursor to the Things third outing, Marvel Two In One that I think ran 100 issues. So the thing has been very successful throughout time.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember rightly, Col (having re-read just the first few issues so far), Ben Grimm only had the ability to change back and forth to the Thing on the planet of the Beyonder - so he lost it when he returned to Earth.
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Indeed, Barry, but I was talking only in terms of his own mag named after him, not a starring (or co-starring) role in a mag of another name. I'd have thought that such a popular character who'd starred in 100 issues of Marvel Two-In-One would've lasted longer in his own mag. Always a pleasure to hear from you. And everybody should check out Barry's blog in my blog list.