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| Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
Back in 2017 Marvel published a one-shot issue of FOOM magazine, mainly to promote their Legacy storyline, but it also contained some articles about the original 22 ish series of their fan periodical which ran from 1973 to '78. I have a complete set of the original run (you'll have seen the cover gallery and membership pack on this blog a few years back if you're a regular), so I was glad to add the one-shot to my collection.
I thought I'd shown this mag at the time, but I can't find it on the blog, so here it is a mere four years later to whet your appetite. I'll add it to the cover gallery at some stage, but it deserves a little post of its own so here it is. Any Crivvies buy the original FOOM back in the day? If so, what are your memories of it? Speak now, or forever hold your piece (to quote Roger Moore as he took aim at a baddie's groin in The Man With The Golden Gun).
FOOM was launched on Febuary 10th '73, the same day that Spider-Man Comics Weekly #1 (cover-dated 17th) came out in the UK, but by the time I had a spare 50p to join, issues 1 & 2 were sold out and the first one I received was issue 3. I think that was the only copy I had at the time, but I acquired the full set (bit-by-bit) over the years, though I don't think I started 'til sometime in the late '80s or early '90s.
So if you were a FOOMER, feel free to share your memories in our ever-lovin' comments section. After you've enjoyed these images of course.
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Incidentally, I just looked at the asking prices of original FOOM issues on eBay, and the prices are sky-high! And when I say sky-high, someone is asking nearly £11,000 for #10 because it contains a preview (and therefore first appearance) of the new X-Men. Unbelievable!
I sent away for FOOM when it was advertised early on in UK Marvel. I recall posting out my postal order ( think it was only 50p or £1). About five weeks later I got my PO back as they had sold out - I was gutted. I picked up around three issues of FOOM over the the years which I think I still have, sadly issue 10 wasn't one of them or I'd sell it asap. From the few issues I have I actually preffered DCs fanzine. Wasn't aware of the 2017 FOOM
ReplyDeleteIt would've been 50p to start with, McS, though I think it went up to 75p at some stage later on. To think it only lasted five and a half years in all, eh? At the time it seemed to go on forever, though that was probably because I didn't know it had folded until years afterwards. Don't think I ever had an ish of DC's mag, though I wouldn't have minded.
ReplyDeleteI remember the envelope the first one came in, just a full size Hulk head, it terrorised the family. And that superb Steranko poster you got as well. 17 was a deluxe cover with Stan the Man morphing into various characters. I didn't get them all, but I have 1, 9-11 and the last eight.
ReplyDeleteHave to be honest and say that I wasn't as impressed with the envelope and poster as I perhaps should've been. The Hulk didn't look like the Hulk to me, and some of the figures on the poster seemed a little 'off'. If you type 'FOOM' into my blog's search box, you'll see the cover and envelope on one of the posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Kid,
ReplyDeleteI subscribed to FOOM back in the late 70s and remember being disappointed only to receive 3 issues when I had paid for 4, but of course an issue 23 was never issued.
I’ve since collected all these issues many years ago with the exception of the final issue 22, which has proven to be extremely difficult to obtain to complete my set. Issue 22 is very rarely offered for sale on e-bay and like the majority of other FOOM issues goes for a considerable price well beyond my bid limits.
Cheers,
Duncan
Don't give up, D, 'cos one may yet pop up at a reasonable price. I remember being disappointed when I was one of 10 runners-up in a Marvel UK competition, but my prize of a Treasury Edition never turned up. Did it go missing in the post, or was it never sent? I'll never know, but I still feel cheated, just like you must feel over that fourth issue of FOOM.
ReplyDeleteI also had no idea there was a more recent version of FOOM! I think Jim Steranko was the editor of the original run- it certainly had some striking covers.
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly (without checking), DS, Steranko was the editor for the first three or four issues, then there were a few editors, before DAK took over up to the last issue.
ReplyDeleteI looked at an earlier post and found the list of editors, who were:
ReplyDelete1-4 - Jim Steranko
5-7 - Tony Isabella
8-11 - Scott Edelman
12 - Duffy Vohland
13-14 - Chris Claremont
15-22 - David Anthony Kraft
Six editors in all.
I can only remember getting issue #1 of FOOM, in the Hulk envelope and the Steranko Hulk on the magazine cover. I kept it pristine for years, but must have sold it somewhere in the mists of time. I was so impressed with the free FOOM stickers that I photographed them as black & white images which I then developed and printed myself using my Dad's photographic equipment, and then sold the B&W photos to friends at school.
ReplyDeleteNowadays you'd be able to scan and print them in full colour and probably sell a lot more, B - if you were a schoolboy of course. I'm surprised to see what some issues of FOOM are selling for these days - when I bought mine they weren't all that expensive as far as I recall. I took another look at the FOOM poster - Steranko has drawn The Hulk too small in relation to the other characters, and he just isn't bulky enough. And it just doesn't look like Hulkie on the envelope.
ReplyDelete