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| Image copyright MARVEL COMICS |
Ah, the memories associated with this impressive comic cover come flooding back to me on sight of it. I actually purchased two copies (still got them) from, I think, the VIRGIN MEGASTORE in Glasgow. Then I bought two JIM REEVES LPs from the HMV store just along from it. (Or maybe I got them in the reverse order to how I've just described.) Then I leapt on the train home, examining my new acquisitions all the way. I still have one of the Jim Reeves LPs, the other I later gave to a record shop as I already had the U.K. version, having bought the second copy simply because it was the U.S. release and had a different sleeve.
Y'know, it really only seems like a very short time ago rather than the 35 years it actually is. I find it hard to get my head around that sometimes. Anyway, I know none of you are bothered with all that, but what memories, if any, does this cosmic cover conjure up in your mind when you look at it? Relive them in our comments section and compare notes with your Criv-ite chums.
11 comments:
I don't remember Virgin in Glasgow selling comics, I'm assuming they'd stopped before I became a regular reader of American comics around 1986, although I do remember Stateside Comics in the basement of Virgin in Union Street. I got my comics either from AKA in the much-missed Virginia Galleries, or from WH Smiths or John Menzies in Argyle Street, both of whom had a huge stack of American Marvels shoved on the shelf in no particular order, meaning you had to search through the whole pile to see what titles they had - somehow that just made it more exciting than having them all on individual display.
There used to be a comic department on one of the upper floors in Virgin, DD - first or second perhaps, can't quite remember. Might have been a concession 'though, and perhaps someone (like Stateside) ran the thing. I well-remember AKA, and Bob Shaw's Second Foundation shop not too far away, across from where Goldberg's used to be. You used to be able to get a nice selection of U.S. mags in R.S. McColl's as well. Happy days, eh? As for Stateside in Virgin's basement, that's where I got my Conan Classic #1 in 1994, the same night I met Bob Hope (for the second time) at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. (First met him at The Edinburgh Playhouse in - er, where was that situated again?)
You make me feel old because I got this off the shelf new. By the way, Mike Allred's run on the new Silver Surfer comic is quite good. It's the closest I've seen to a silver age comic.
Yup, so did I - 35 years ago and it seems like only last week. The Allred run of Silver Surfer is being reprinted in The Mighty World Of Marvel at the moment - I'm quite enjoying it.
I'm afraid the comic brings back limited memories for me but I do remember the Virgin mega store and th efloor that sold comics very well indeed (I think it was on the 2nd, possibly the 3rd floor) I used to get a good selection of fanzines there like The Comic Buyers Guide, Fantasy Advertiser etc as well as a good selection of comics including some indies (Eclipse comics etc) and undergrounds (Fabulous Freak Brothers, Marvels "Comic Book" etc). I think that’s where I bought “Superman V Muhamad Ali”. I remember the ealry Virgin store in Glasgow had a cloakroom to discourage shop lifting but there was always the chance your coat got nick so I never used it. I also remember that Silver Surfer cover but for some reason I never bought the comic, which is strange as SS is a big favourite of mine (and it does not feel like 35 years ago either - who drew the interior art was in Ron Lim or Marshall Rogers?. I haven’t read a lot of the Mike Allard SS comic but hear its very good. Where was “Bob Shaw's Second Foundation” store as I don’t recognise that name (was that Futureshock? I seem to recall he had some input into that store as well). R S McColls (and Birrells) used to be great for US comics - their spinner racks were positively heaving with US titles at one point (especially in the mid - late 70s). There used to be so many great record stores in Glasgow and surrounding areas (and in other UK cities and towns) most seem to be closed now like Listen,Bruces. Bloggs, Whiplash, Lost in Music, Casa, Impulse. John Smiths, Missing, Avalanche (think the last 2 are still going) etc a good few also sold comics as well like "Listen".
The interior pencils are by John Byrne (as is the cover), inked by Tom Palmer. Byrne plotted the story and Stan Lee scripted it, PM, so straight onto eBay with you and track down a copy. The Second Foundation shop that I used to visit was at 44 Candleriggs, but it might have been somewhere else before and after. Yeah, Bob and Neil Craig were business partners for a while and had a shop called Photon Books; when they fell out, Neil changed the name to Futureshock. I suppose so many record shops have closed because it's only old farts like us who buy actual records or CDs; most of today's youngsters just download what they want to listen to now. Shame, 'cos nothing beats an actual physical item I think.
Here's a thought. Perhaps the Surfer would have worked if Stan had put him into a split book like a new Tales to Astonish? Alongside Captain Marvel, another comic that suffered low sales on its own book?
Okay, I'll let these two pass, but real name next time please. Yeah, that might've worked, but I still think Buscema was, by that time in Kirby's career, the better artist for the job.
DD & PM, I think it was the Science Fiction Bookshop in Edinburgh that supplied Virgin with their comics at this time. Stateside didn't move into the basement 'til later.
Great cover, but somehow the tale inside didn't do it for me. Maybe it was the artwork. Although I consider Palmer and Sinnott Marvel's best ever inkers, neither were particularly suited to Byrne. Maybe if Terry Austin had inked.....
There are some great almost forgotten Buscema Surfer masterpieces out there. One was a short tale in EPIC 1, and another (with Engelhart, not Lee) in Marvel fanfare 51.
Yeah, the story didn't really do it for me either. I think perhaps it was just a bit too long and, plot-wise, trying too hard to be a classic. I'll have to check to see if I've got the two tales you mention. Not sure about Epic #1, but I believe I've got MF #51.
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