2000 A.D. TV AD FROM 1977...

Now here's a blast from the past - 2000 A.D.'s very first

television advert.  Just think - only another three years or so

and the comic will be 40 years old.  Wow!  Hands up who's

still got the first issue?  "Me, sir, me, sir, me, sir!"

OMEGA The UNKNOWN - WHO KNEW...?

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

OMEGA The UNKNOWN it was called, which was an apt title considering that nobody seemed to know what in blazes it was all about.  There was certainly a nod to elements of FAWCETT's/DC's CAPTAIN MARVEL in the mix, but the mag failed to capture my interest and I bailed out not too far into the run.  I should have held on because it lasted only ten issues before being cancelled due to poor sales, so it seems I wasn't the only one to jump from a plummeting 'plane.  (Not that I had much choice come to think of it, seeing as how the title disappeared from UK shops after issue #5.)

However, it was good to see veteran artist JIM MOONEY as the main man on a regular monthly mag again - even if it was only for a short time.  This superhero saga sings of the '70s to me in a way that's hard to explain, but if you were around back in the day and bought the comic, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.  If not, you'll just have to take my word for it and settle for the pulsating piccies presented in this palpitating post.  Ain't you lucky?!

If I ever manage to track down the remaining five issues, you can expect part two to finish things up.  If not, then you're on your own, Charlie.

Click for Part Two.  And click here for related Omega post.

  

LEE & KIRBY'S FINAL FLING - The SILVER SURFER GRAPHIC NOVEL...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

It was the last-ever collaboration between STAN LEE & JACK KIRBY for MARVEL COMICS, and was published in 1978 - the year Jack's Marvel contract ended and he entered the TV animation industry, drawing storyboards for cartoons and pitching various concepts for new shows.  He'd been back at the company he helped build for only three years, but was not a happy chappie and was eager to move on.  First though, he had to fulfil his contractual obligations before he could wipe the dust of Marvel from his feet forever. 

Isolated from its FANTASTIC FOUR context, the SILVER SURFER graphic novel is a not entirely successful 're-imagining' of GALACTUS' first visitation to Earth with the intention of devouring the planet's energy in order to sustain his existence.  It's clear that Kirby is following his original premise of the Surfer as a created being with no history before Galactus brought him forth, but Lee superimposes his own vision of the character (NORRIN RADD, SHALLA BAL, ZENN-LA, etc.,) onto the story by means of his expository dialogue and captions.  It actually comes across more as a self-contained, illustrated idea for a movie treatment than a 'canonical' fragment of the wider Mighty Marvel tapestry.

As great as MIKE ROYER had been in faithfully reproducing Kirby's pencils in some of his other Marvel mags of the period, it was refreshing to see JOE SINNOTT assume his rightful place as inker on Jack's Surfer pages for what would be the final time.  However, something still doesn't seem quite right in many places throughout the book.  True, there are occasional welcome reminders of past glories, but Jack's figure-work had deteriorated beyond the point of even Sinnott being able to completely disguise, despite his potency with a pen and a brush.

However, it's certainly a noble effort, and not quite as bereft of worthiness as I've perhaps made it sound.  Diehard Kirby fans are sure to love it, as are fans of Lee's mastery of the written word.  It's not quite up there with the original 'Galactus Trilogy', but as the last outing of the co-creators of the Marvel Universe, it deserves to be on every true Marvel fan's bookshelf.  Seek out a copy on eBay now!  In the meantime, enjoy this brief glimpse of some of the contents below.

Below is Jack's original cover idea, on which EARL NOREM's

1978 published version was based.  Which one do you prefer?

CONSIDER YOURSELF A CHAMPION? THEN WHY NOT ENTER OUR CONTEST?

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Right, now that I've got your attention by means of a cunning subterfuge, what can I tell you about MARVEL SUPER HERO CONTEST Of CHAMPIONS?  Not much as it happens, 'cos I don't recall reading them in the 30-plus years that I've owned them - which means that I probably didn't.  I plan to get around to doing so one of these days though.

All you really need to know is that it was an excuse to get all the Marvel heroes together in order to part you from your cash.  If you've got these issues then it obviously worked.  I think I bought them as back-numbers in the early 1980s, and there was a gap between me getting #1 and 2 & 3, if I remember rightly.  I understand that it was the relative success of this title that lead to the later SECRET WARS comics, so if those two MATTEL toy tie-in series didn't ring your bell, you have Contest to blame for it.

Looking at the three splash pages on offer here, the story looks pretty underwhelming.  At least, they hardly fire me up with enthusiasm to get stuck into them, but let's hope I'm wrong in my first impressions and that they're a cracking good read.  Anybody know for sure?

I'll give you my verdict when I've read them.