KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS: GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #1...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Any excuse for a bit of JOHN ROMITA art, and the cover of Giant-Size AVENGERS #1 provides just that.  Romita was probably the only artist (at the time) who could follow STEVE DITKO on SPIDER-MAN, and lift the mag to new heights of glory.  (He was also great at pinch-hitting on The FANTASTIC FOUR after JACK KIRBY defected to DC, 'til Big JOHN BUSCEMA picked up the reins.)

John Romita - an artist's artist.  'Nuff said! 

BABE Of The DAY - ROMOLA GARAI...

Lithe, sinuous, sexy body; Sultry,

sensuous eyes and inviting, luscious lips.

All those attributes (and more) are just how

ROMOLA GARAI describes me, but let's

focus on her charms instead.  After all, I

 already know how wonderful I am.

PART SIX Of KIRBY 'KOCK-UPS' - The GLOVES ARE ON...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

There are actually two boo-boos in this dynamic splash page - see if you can spot 'em.  Firstly, The BEAST's arms are too long (even for him) - and he's wearing gloves.  As you can see in the first two panels (below) of the following page, the gloves soon disappear, but ol' JK really shouldn't have drawn them to begin with.

Conclusion: Another Kirby 'Kock-Up'.  (But I'm sure we all forgive him, don't we?)  Another one soon, comicbook fans!

The INCREDIBLE TRI-MAN - PART NINE...

Copyright relevant owner

Another thrilling episode of the titanic TRI-MAN, Criv-ite chums!  Hopefully, more of you are enjoying this series than is indicated by the number of comments, but we'll see it through to the end regardless.  ("I've started, so I'll finish!")  Okay, let's see what's happening to teenager JOHNNY SMALL's awesome alias.  Feel free to leave a comment if you so desire!

ANOTHER BABE Of The DAY - ELKE SOMMER...

The lovely ELKE SOMMER sits

transfixed in astonishment at my manly-

man physique, as she watches me clamber

out of my ol' YOGI BEAR costume after a

fancy-dress party.  (If you think it's easy

 writing these captions, you try it!)

SHE'S GOT YOU - PATSY CLINE...

Here's PATSY CLINE with a real sad song to make you

blue.  However, if you're like me, you'll soon cheer up when

you realize that someone else is feeling more miserable than

you are.  Always look on the bright side is what I say.

KIRBY 'KOCK-UPS' PART FIVE - The RETURN Of 'LEFTY' RICHARDS...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

Nice pic by JACK KIRBY - and it looks as if JK used a live model or a photograph as reference when he drew that baby.  What I want to know, though, is why he could never give some characters the correct number of right and left hands or feet.  Here's another example of him having made that boob.  Of course, REED being made of rubber (essentially), I suppose it could be argued that he can bend (and shape) his fingers any which way he likes.

PART FOUR Of KIRBY 'KOCK-UPS' - A MAN CALLED 'LEFTY'...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Here's REED RICHARDS (aka MISTER FANTASTIC) in FF #1, making a lasso out of his arm - and turning his right hand into another left one.  Yup, artist JACK KIRBY 'kocked-up' again, but hey - didn't he do it nicely?

BABE Of The DAY - ROMOLA GARAI...

Don't know who she is (aside from being

an actress), but ROMOLA GARAI is certainly

a 'Babe'.  That's quite a big tear in the side of her

skirt, you'd think she'd mend it.  (Though don't

hurry on my account, Romola.)

The CRUNCH COVER GALLERY - PART THIRTEEN...

Images copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

"Unlucky for some" goes the old saying in relation to the number thirteen, and such is the case with this thirteenth part of The CRUNCH Cover Gallery.  That's because it marks the finish of this series as, with issue #54, the comic reached the end of the line as a separate title, being merged with The HOTSPUR the following week.  It had been DCT's bold attempt to rival the popularity of rival IPC's 2000 A.D., but such a fate was not to be and it ended with a whimper, not a bang!

Look at that 'The MIGHTY THOR!' cover above.  A bit cheeky, but the comic was in its death throes, so why not?  I occasionally have a strange dream where I'm in a newsagent's and see British MARVEL comics on sale which look as if they've been published by DCT - same paper, same glued spines, the lot.  I'm pretty sure I first had the dream before the above title saw print, but I'd certainly not have minded in the slightest if Thomson's had been tasked with producing Marvel U.K.'s output.

And so The Crunch faded into history - gone, but never quite forgotten by those who bought and read it at the time.  Were you one of them?  Tell your fellow Criv-ites what this weekly comic meant to you in the comments section.

   

KIRBY 'KOCK-UPS' PART THREE - TWO LEFT HANDS? NOPE, TWO LEFT FEET...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Great panel, great page - but how did JACK KIRBY manage to miss the fact that he'd given The THING two left feet?  And how come no one else spotted it before the issue (FF #55) went to press?  Anyway, it's drawn so nicely (mistake and all) that I've generously decided to share the complete page with you.  Good of me, eh?

Another Kirby 'Kock-Up' soon!

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - SHIRLEY EATON...

Call me, SHIRLEY, call me.

But don't ever call me Shirley.

 (Confused?  Don't blame me.)

CRAIG 'ZODIAC' FERGUSON MIMES The FIREBALL XL5 THEME...

Once known as BING HITLER, he ditched the

name, lost some weight, and did well for himself in

America.  So here's CRAIG FERGUSON in a clip

from the chat show he once hosted - enjoy.

PART TWO Of KIRBY 'KOCK-UPS' - TWO LEFT FEET? NAH, TWO LEFT HANDS...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

JACK KIRBY, at the top of his game, was a superb artist and storyteller, but sometimes even he made a boo-boo.  No doubt such slip-ups transpired because of the relentless production schedule he (and others) worked under, but some of the mistakes were so obvious that they should've been caught and corrected well-before publication.  As you can see in the above cover, The HUMAN TORCH has two left hands, which can hardly be regarded as any kind of a super-power.

Jack wasn't the only artist who did this sort of thing however.  I recall once being given a lettering job for IPC's DICEMAN mag, and a character hanging from a washing line (or cable of some sort) had his left and right hands transposed.  I pointed it out to the 2000 A.D. crew (I was in the office at the time), and they all said "No, it's fine - nothing wrong with it!"  I imitated the position of the guy in the panel so they could see how the hands should look, and they reluctantly conceded I was right.  See?  Not just a letterer, nor only someone blessed with devastating good looks.

More Kirby 'Kock-Ups' soon!

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - MADELINE SMITH...

Magnificent MADELINE SMITH

provides today's glamour, Crivs.  In fact,

she's got so much 'glamour' she finds it

hard to keep it all under wraps - as you

can very clearly see.

PART EIGHT Of The INCREDIBLE TRI-MAN...

Copyright relevant owner

"Where's TRI-MAN?" you've doubtless all been asking (irony), so in answer to absolutely no requests, here's the latest double instalment of the incredible one's adventures.  Y'know, as I gad about the streets of Glasgow, I'm often lost in deep contemplation of how to satisfy the strident demands of all you eager Criv-ites.  However, sorry to disappoint anyone, but there's no way I'm tying some bricks to my ankles and jumping into the River Clyde - so you'll just have to come up with a less drastic demand for your usually accommodating host.

Only four more posts to go before Tri-Man reaches the end of the road, frantic ones.  Whatever will you do then?  (Okay, so which wiseguy said buy some bricks for my ankles?)

BABE Of The DAY - LYNDA CARTER...

Seeing as we've been looking

at her recent comicbook adventures,

let's take a long, lingering look at the

lovely lady herself.  I give you - the

stunning LYNDA CARTER.

MORE RECOMMENDED READING: WONDER WOMAN '77...

Images copyright DC COMICS

I missed the first ish of WONDER WOMAN '77, though I managed to get my grubby hands on #s 2 & 3.  However, the softcover collection containing the first two issues has just been released, meaning that I can ogle the great debut cover to my heart's content.  If you're a fan of the TV show and/or LYNDA CARTER you'll love these stories, and let's face it - the book's worth having for the cover alone!

And, just for good measure, here are the covers for #s 2 & 3.

RECOMMENDED READING: MARVEL EPIC COLLECTION - THE INCREDIBLE HULK VOLUME ONE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

All you HULK fans out there will love this new release in MARVEL's EPIC COLLECTION series.  It contains not only all six issues of his own mag, but also every one of his guest appearances in other titles before securing a second stab at super-stardom in TALES To ASTONISH.  The TOA strips will doubtless appear in their own volume in the future, but for the moment, this is the book on which to shell-out your hard-earned shekels.  Get yourself straight 'round to your local purveyor of comics and books today!

(And don'tcha just love that front cover?)

 

KING Of The ROAD...

My all-time favourite male vocalist is JIM

REEVES, but there are others I hold in almost

equal esteem.  DEAN MARTIN is one of them, so

here he is with a hit song more usually associated

with ROGER MILLER.  Dean does a great job

of it though, don'tcha think?

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - SHIRLEY EATON...

Here's sensational SHIRLEY EATON

to kick-start your pulses and make you all

 glad you're not GRAHAM NORTON.

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - SHIRLEY EATON...

"SHIRLEY, you don't need the gun -

you can do anything you like to me!"

IN THE MISTY MOONLIGHT...

JIM REEVES demonstrates how a song

should be sung.  Aspiring singers take note.

Ready?  Okay, take it away, Jimbo!

BOB HOPE & BING CROSBY CAMEOS...

Does exactly what it says on the tin - enjoy!

(BOND) BABE Of The DAY - MADELINE SMITH...

Magnificent MADELINE SMITH tries

to stare me out and make me blink first.  Won't

work, 'cos I'm not even looking at her eyes.