MARVEL PRESENTS: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY FACSIMILE EDITION... (Updated)

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS (and respective owners)

When I bought MARVEL PRESENTS: #3 back in the '70s, I did so only because I liked the look of the cover.  I bought a few of the subsequent issues, but have to say that I was never really a great fan of the group.  I've thought about tracking down a replacement ish for a number of years now, but a while back someone gave me the collected edition which included the covers, and that assuaged my compulsion to acquire the individual comic.

However, let's be honest here; there's something about the black border around the covers in those reprint books that slightly lessens their impact (you really have to see them 'unframed'), so when I saw that Marvel were releasing a page-by-page facsimile edition of MP #3, I ordered one right away.  Well, it arrived today and is truly stunning, and had Marvel published their comics on high-quality paper back in the '70s, this is surely what they would've looked like.

I won't bother showing you any of the story pages because it's the ads which place the comic in context and capture the spirit of the times, so here's a couple of internal pages, plus the back cover.  Don't you feel as if you're back in the '70s (assuming you were around then), and don't your memories of that particular period come rushing back on sight of these images?

Do yourselves a favour and buy this comic today!  It's a veritable time machine. 

Update: I just couldn't help myself and decided to track down an original issue of the mag, which I managed to do for a very reasonable sum.  As you can see, there are some very minor colour changes on the facsimile's cover (the little planetoid next to CHARLIE 27's right shoulder for example, and the shape of the colour around some of the 'cosmic crackle'), but that apart, it's pretty faithful.  Two internal differences are that the 'continued after next page' lines, plus the page numbers below the art (the corner numbers had been discontinued by this time) are absent, but I'm sure that most MARVELITES can live with that.

I think the original copy I had back in the '70s had the 'MARVEL ALL-COLOUR COMICS' banner and a UK price, but the US edition will do.  I've scanned the original and facsimile issues together so that you can compare them side-by-side, below.    

CONAN COUNTDOWN COVER GALLERY...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS and CPI

As far as I know, there are ten CONAN issues in the TRUE BELIEVERS series, which, if correct, means I now have every one.  So for all Conan fans, I thought I'd show the covers in this run, counting down from the order in which I have them stored in their little clear bags.  Don't they look great?!  Why not buy them yourselves if you haven't already?  Now all I'm waiting for is my CONAN The BARBARIAN OMNIBUS edition (BARRY SMITH cover of course), which should be arriving any day now.  Isn't life great?

BEANO #3971...

Copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

The above complimentary copy of BEANO #3971 popped through my letterbox this morning, so thanks very much to DCT for their kindness.  I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but when I do, I'll let you know my thoughts on it.  In the meantime, why wait for what I have to say?  Why not rush out to your local newsagent's right now and buy your own copy?  Then you can let me know what you think of it!

STARBURST ANNUALS COVER GALLERY...

Images copyright respective owners

The first MARVEL UK Annuals were published by IPC/FLEETWAY on Marvel's behalf, before WORLD DISTRIBUTORS took on the task for most of the rest of the '70s.  Then GRANDREAMS stepped in up until the early '80s, which brings us neatly to the two Annuals you see in this post - STARBURST - for, I believe, 1982 and '83, and issued in the last few months of the preceding year in each case.

The one above is a replacement for my original copy, some of which yet survives because I cut out a few of the film posters and a couple of articles before dispensing with the rest of it when it became damaged in some way back in 1982 or '83.  The one below is not one I had at the time, and I'm unsure as to whether I'd even seen it before spotting and buying it (along with its companion) on eBay recently.  As far as I know (and I could be wrong) they were the only two Starburst Annuals produced - if you know of any more, feel free to enlighten me.

JOHN BOLTON is the artist of the second cover, which is very striking.  Other movie magazines doubtless had Special yearly issues (I've sure I've got a STARLOG yearbook somewhere, purchased in Southsea in 1981), but I don't think they were ever called Annuals, nor did they ever have hardback covers, being but 'double-sized' glossy-covered magazines.  (Though the Starlog Special was square-bound and had a cardboard cover.)

Anyway, just thought I'd show you them as a sort of tie-in to the Starburst magazine cover gallery I posted around five years ago (doesn't time fly).  Go on, feel free to remind yourselves by clicking here, here, and here.