PART TWO Of The ORIGINAL X-MEN COVER GALLERY...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here are the final eight issues of '80s U.K. comic, The ORIGINAL X-MEN, which, the week after #17 was published, was merged with The MIGHTY THOR, becoming (unsurprisingly) THOR & The X-MEN.

There!  Who says I can't be concise?

COMING SOON: Cover Gallery for The MIGHTY THOR!

WERE YOU BORN TO BE BLUE?

For all those who appreciate good music by great singers, here's another song from the velvety vocal chords of MEL TORME, one of the smoothest and most relaxed singers you're ever likely to hear.  This particular number is called BORN TO BE BLUE, so sit back, put your feet up, and allow mellow Mel to soothe all your troubles away.  You'll feel much better for it - honest.

STARBURST COVER GALLERY - PART ONE...

Images copyright respective owners

It was November or December of 1978, and I was sitting in the local CO-OP cafeteria with some pals, sipping a Coke and shooting the breeze.  During my occasional moments of inactivity in the conversation, I perused the newly-purchased magazine laying on the table before me, my eyes continually returning to study the cover which so transfixed my attention.  I hadn't yet seen STAR WARS at that time, and didn't get around to doing so until my local cinema screened it as one half of a double-bill with its sequel a couple of years later.  The movie didn't impress me, but I sure liked that cover.

Well, the Co-op and its cafe have been gone for quite some time now, but I still possess that self-same copy of Starburst that I bought just over 36 years ago, in the exact same condition as on the day of purchase.  Starburst was the brain-child of DEZ SKINN, whose own company published the first three issues before MARVEL UK acquired the title when Dez started working for them in 1978 or thereabouts.  Dez 'officially' left the magazine (and Marvel) with #20, but ALAN McKENZIE had being doing most of the editorial chores on his lonesome for the previous few issues anyway.

The final Marvel UK number was #87, with #88 being the first one published by VISUAL IMAGINATION in 1985.  The company went out of business in 2009, with #365 being the last in-print issue.  The mag then became an online only-presence in 2011 (366-373), before being revived in 2012 as a published magazine once again, starting with issue #374.  The latest issue is doubtless sitting on the shelves of WH SMITH's at this very moment, waiting for you to pick up a copy.  Why not do so at the earliest opportunity?

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy a taste of the '70s by viewing the first 12 covers of the original publication.  Each cover has its own personal memory for me, especially #6, which I associate with the furniture department of the local BAIRDS store where I worked at the time.  Ah, Bairds - yet another place from the past that vanished from my local shopping centre some time back in the '80s.  However, one look at these covers and my home town is once again as it was, when I was just a youngster with the future in front of me.  I'm sure it's the same for you, too, so feel free to share your reminiscences in the Criv-ites comments section.

      

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the cover image was vertically 'squashed' before
printing (to avoid Darth Vader's head obscuring the logo maybe).  It sure looks that way