SPIDER-MAN TREASURY EDITION 1974...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Ah, the innocence of youth!  I recall buying this SPIDER-MAN TREASURY EDITION on a sunny Saturday in 1974 and locking myself in the cubicle of a public toilet not far from the newsagent's where I'd obtained it.  Safely ensconced within, I perused the pulsating pages of the very first Treasury Edition that MARVEL had released to rabid readers everywhere, unaware of the dodgy reputation that many such places are prone to. 

However, it was daytime, and a female attendant resided in an office between the ladies and the gents (being a council-run toilet), so I was probably safe from any predatory persons who might frequent such establishments for purposes other than what they were designed for - taking a dump or a pee, or poring over a comic or three because the buyer couldn't wait until he got them home.

Even today, whenever I glance at this mag, I seem to smell disinfectant and hear the sound of running water in the cisterns, such was the impression made on me by my surroundings 41 years ago.  Funny that, eh?  And you'll be relieved to hear that I don't rush off to the nearest public lavvy whenever I buy a comic today - I wait until I get home and then sit and read it perched on the porcelain of my own loo.  It's cleaner for a start, and has a completely blameless reputation.  (Though I'd give it 10 minutes if I were you.) 

BABE Of The DAY - BRIGITTE BARDOT...

Blonde bombshell BRIGITTE

BARDOT is today's Babe of the Day.

Who'll it be tomorrow?   Don't know

 yet.  Come back then and find out.

PART FOUR Of CAPTAIN BRITAIN COVER, SPLASH PAGE & IMAGE GALLERY...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Presenting highlights from yet another thrilling three MARVEL U.K. CAPTAIN BRITAIN comics from the sizzlin' 1970s.  CB, FF and NICK FURY - this mag should've lasted longer than it did, but sad to say, somehow failed to grab the loyalty (and dosh) of enough readers to keep it going!  However, not much point now in beating yourselves up over your failure to support this Mighty Marvel Mag (if you were around at the time) - just enjoy the incredible images that lie before you.  And check out those great KIRBY and STERANKO pin-ups!

GRACE LEE WHITNEY PASSES AWAY...

GRACE LEE WHITNEY, who was Yeoman

JANICE RAND in STAR TREK, passed away on

Friday May 1st, aged 85.  She featured in only eight

episodes of series one, but reprised her role in four

 of the movies in the '70s & '80s.  R.I.P. Grace.

PART TWO OF KEN REID'S THE NERVS...

From SMASH! & POW! #138, cover-dated September

21st 1968, comes this two page strip of The NERVS, drawn by

the legendary KEN REID.  I once owned the first page of this strip,

and was wise enough to make a copy of it before later parting with

it.  When I dig it out, I'll feature it in one of my 'panel-by-panel'

posts, so that's something for you all to look forward to.

Incidentally, this may've been the first Nervs strip that Ken drew,

because if I recall correctly, the masthead was hand-drawn straight

onto the page.  It would've been too much work to draw the same mast-

head every week, so obviously this one was the 'master' from which the

others were mechanically copied (PMT - Photo-Mechanical Transfer)

and then stuck onto the page.  Ken would already have drawn several

of the strips before the first published one saw print, so they didn't

necessarily appear in the sequence that Ken drew them.

   

Anyway, in the meantime, have a few laughs on me.

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - CATERINA MURINO...

CATERINA MURINO is

elegant, charming, beautiful - and

also forgetful.  Why do I say that?  I

sent her my contact details and asked

her to call, but has she?  Not on your

nelly!  See what I mean about her

being forgetful?  Huh!

INDIANA JONES COVER GALLERY...

Images copyright LUCASFILM/DISNEY

Likely spurred on by the success of their STAR WARS comic series, MARVEL decided to go down the same route with INDIANA JONES.  In 1981, they released a three issue adaptation of RAIDERS Of The LOST ARK, and there were also adaptations of The TEMPLE Of DOOM and The LAST CRUSADE, published in 1984 and '89, respectively.

However, never one to do things by halves, Marvel gave Indy his own monthly title at the end of '82 (first issue cover-dated January '83) called The FURTHER ADVENTURES Of INDIANA JONES, which lasted until #34, cover-dated for March '86 (which means it probably went on sale around December '85).  Got all that?  Good - now forget it.

What we're here to look at today is the British Marvel Monthly called simply INDIANA JONES, which ran for eleven issues and a Christmas Special between the cover dates of October 1984 and August '85.  (They were probably dated a month in advance, at the very least.)

So that's all you really need to know as you sit back and prepare to peruse the dozen covers that await your attention.  To be honest, some of them are pretty lacklustre, which probably accounts for the monthly mag lasting for less than a year.  Nevertheless, a trip back in time is usually worth the journey, so strap yourselves in and let's go!

BABE Of The DAY - GRACE LEE WHITNEY...

GRACE LEE WHITNEY being

'goosed' by GEORGE TAKEI - before he

decided women just weren't for him.  Well,

his loss is our gain - "Beam him up Scotty."

I mean "Beam him up, Scotty."  (Amazing

 the difference a comma can make.)

INDIANA JONES & The MISSING ISSUE...

Copyright relevant owner

Got it at last!  A whole 30 years after I failed to find this ish in my local shops back in 1985, I finally managed to track down a copy on eBay last night and am currently awaiting delivery.  It wasn't a particularly great series, but the collector's mentality insists on filling the gaps so I had to have it.  There were only 11 issues of this monthly, and having just pulled out my collection of them from a cupboard, I see that #11 is also missing.  Drat!!!  I was sure I had it, so has it simply become separated from the others, or is it yet another one I also missed?  I thought my mission to complete the set was finally at an end, but it looks like the journey isn't over yet.  Back to eBay then - one final stage of the task yet remains.

(Update: And you'll all no doubt be thrilled to learn that I've now managed to obtain that elusive #11, as well as the Christmas Special mentioned in the comments section.) 

BABE Of The DAY - CATRIONA SHEARER...

Today's weather will see

temperatures rising, and there'll

be several warm spells along with

an invigorating atmosphere.  At

least, there will be whilst bonnie

babe CATRIONA SHEARER

is here.  Things are looking

much brighter already.

QUEEN Of The SEAS By KEN REID...

Copyright REBELLION

More KEN REID you said, Crivs, so more Ken Reid you get.  Revisiting old territory for Ken (the seafaring theme first witnessed in JONAH), we now turn our attention to the very first appearance of QUEEN Of The SEAS, as published in SMASH! #1, cover-dated February 5th, 1966.  For those who only know Ken's art from his much later, and, it has to be said, more stiff and sedate work in the '80s, it may come as a revelation to see that his earlier pages were more alive, vital, spontaneous, manic, crowded and teeming with detail.

But why take my word for it?  The pleasure of discovery (or rediscovery for older readers) now lies before you.

PART FOUR Of The TITANS CENTRE-SPREAD POSTER GALLERY...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Waheyyy, another six centre-spread posters from MARVEL U.K.'s weekly periodical, The TITANS, from the faraway-but-not-forgotten days of the 1970s, when life seemed cleaner, keener, lighter and brighter than it so often does today.  (At least, it does in my mind 'cos I was there.)

As far as I know, these posters were never reprinted in any Marvel mag, either here in Britain or over in America, so our Stateside readers have probably never seen them before.  Whether you have or not though, take the time to luxuriate in the awesome aura of Marvel at its mightiest - in ambition if not in actuality - as you cast your gaze upon these panoramic pictures.

Got a favourite?  Feel free to share.