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| Images copyright MARVEL COMICS |
February 10th 1973 was the day SPIDER-MAN COMICS WEEKLY went on sale (and the secret of FOOM was revealed to the waiting world). After sharing the first 19 issues of The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL, the web-spinner was awarded his own mag, backed up by The MIGHTY THOR, with ol' Shell-head, The INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, joining them in issue #50.
Today, Friday, is the 44th anniversary of this collectors' item classic, so I thought I'd treat you to a selection of covers and images from SM's very first pulsating periodical in the U.K. He'd previously appeared in POW! back in the '60s and then TV21 at the start of the '70s, but this was the first British weekly that presented full, uncut adventures in a publication with him as the title star.
So feast your eyes on the pics that follow, and indulge yourself in warm recollections of when you first laid eyes on them 44 years ago. (And dig that dynamic JIM STARLIN illo on the back page. Terrific stuff, eh?) Okay, ready for your trip back in time?
Then let's go!
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| It was exactly one day short of six years since this story had appeared in FANTASTIC #1. Nowadays, six years seems like only a fart in the wind to me, but back then it felt like half a lifetime away. In fact, considering I'd not long turned 14 when SMCW #1 appeared, it practically was. |
And below is the paper bag mask given away with this first issue. Were any readers happy with this free gift I wonder?
(This is a slightly revised post of one that was first published on Tuesday, February 5th 2013.)
I still remember the excitement at hearing Marvel in the UK was bringing out a new weekly featuring Spider-man and Thor and couldn't wait to rush and get it. However, despite this being one of the pivotal comics in my "geeky" life I can't actually recall where I bought it (unlike MWOM and the Avengers weekly for which I have almost total recollection) Strangely my free gift was not in my copy (not a big loss, as you say it was basically a paper bag) and similarly the free gifts were also missing in 2 other Marvel UK books I purchased :the free gifts in my MWOM 1 (although I got a another issue with the gift) and the Savage Sword of Conan monthly Magazine 1 were also not included - as Conan was put aside for me I asked the newsagent about it and he checked his other 4 editions he had and they were also all mising the "free" poster.
ReplyDeleteOne of the few comic regrets I have is giving almost all my early SMCW away to a charity shop back in the early 90s (I still have the first 5) still I am eyeing up purchasing the Ditko Epic collection of those early Spider-man tales (will take up less space as well) oh I forgot to add , 44 years ago.... Aaaaaargh!
Talking about posters, PM, when we moved from this house to another in 1983, I couldn't take my 1975 The Super-Heroes and Savage Sword of Conan posters with me because they were glued to the wall. A year or two later, I was in AKA in the Virginia Galleries and saw a back issue of the weekly SSOC #1 with the poster still inside, so I bought it. When I got home, I discovered it also had The Super-Heroes poster as well, so I was well-pleased. They had obviously never been removed (I could tell by the staples), so the comic must have left the printers like that in 1975. (The posters are up in their original positions on the wall of the very room of the house we moved from in 1983 and returned to in '87.) The point of that story being that some comics had posters, some had none - and some had two. Of course, there's always the possibility that someone stole the posters from the issues in your newsagent's.
ReplyDeleteThe two Epic volumes of Ditko's Spidey are well-worth having - I know 'cos I've got 'em. (Along with the Omnibus volume, the Masterworks editions, the Marvel Tales reprints, etc.)
Yeah, 44 years ago. Astounding, eh?
I miss AKA and the Virginia Galleries ("A1" is now almost entirely a toy shop) - I suspected my free gift in MWOM issue 1 was probably pilfered ( an iron on transfer was pretty good back then) strangely no one ever nicked those free plastic planes they gave away in the late 70s early 80s!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been in A1 since last year or the year before. The area doesn't seem so busy these days, what with some other shops (like the model shop) closing. I've got Terrific's Iron Man transfer, plus the MWOM Hulk and Spidey ones.
ReplyDeleteI so remember this. I also joined FOOM and a few years ago Steranko signed my envelope, he designed the Hulk cover.
ReplyDeleteBy the time I could afford the 50p, #s 1 & 2 were gone, so #3 was the first (and only) issue I received. I now have a full set - as well as the membership card, poster, and Hulk envelope. (Not signed by Steranko 'though.) You'll no doubt have seen them on the blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Kid,Could you help me solve a mystery from my past.I remember having the Ironman tee shirt transfer and I thought that in the next issue
ReplyDeletethe free gift was a a Spider-Man iron on transfer but I can't find any information about.I hope it wasn't just a dream because I remember it so clearly.
Easy-peasy! There was a Spider-Man iron-on transfer given away with Pow! #2 in 1967, and also in The Mighty World Of Marvel #2 in 1972. (They weren't the same transfer obviously.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kid,it would have been the 67 Pow one I had , great free gifts, I wore them with pride on my white 60,s tee shirts.
ReplyDeleteGlad to be of assistance, S.
ReplyDeleteWell, shame on me! I was having a bit of a rest from comics when this came out and was blissfully unaware that Marvel had come to the UK and released a couple of titles!
ReplyDeleteRound about this time, I was buying loads of music papers - Disc, Sounds, Record Mirror, NME & Melody Maker. I wish I had kept all of those too!
I was still buying comics for my brother, e.g. Look-In and Whizzer & Chips, so I don't know how I never spotted them!
Did you start buying them once you knew about them, JP?
ReplyDeleteWell, once I spotted POTA #4, I HAD to get that "for my bother" ( cough! ) and put in a regular order with my music papers. And, of course, this led to Drac Lives, which led to....well, you know how it is! In the latter part of the 70's I would have to try at least one copy of every title and picked up quite a.few from second-hand comic shops in Darlington. I used to really LOVE those shops! I would have gladly worked in one shop in particular for free!! But, alas, we need money to live with!
DeleteAnyway, this reignited my passion and throughout the 80's I would collect avidly, both UK and US comics.
But, had to let most of them go in the mid 90's for a mere "Pitt-ance" of their true worth, (sob, sob!) The house was getting overrun, the floorboards were groaning.
But, better to have loved and lost and all that!....
At least you can re-experience them on blogs like this one, JP.
ReplyDelete...Which is exactly why I love them so much!
Delete:-)
I'm biased - I particularly love THIS one.
ReplyDelete