THOR & X-MEN COVER GALLERY - PART ONE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

I have a feeling that the X-MEN segment of the above cover was used before somewhere, but I know that the art on #22 was originally a cover on an issue of the mid-1970s weekly, The SUPER-HEROES.  MARVEL UK certainly believed in re-cycling, that's for sure.  Anyway, presented for your personal perusal, are the first ten issues of the merged The MIGHTY THOR And The X-MEN comic from the early '80s.

We'll be looking at the final ten issues in an upcoming post, but, in the meantime, if you have any recollections of these comics, feel free to share them with your fellow Criv-ites in the ever-lovin' comments section.

The VOLUPTUOUS VALERIE...

Remember HAI KARATE aftershave

back in the 1970s?  The voluptuous goddess

in the TV adverts was VALERIE LEON, who

appeared in quite a few movies and TV shows. 

We're not interested in her acting CV though,

we only want to admire her stunning and

 intoxicating looks - so admire away.

PART TWO Of TV TORNADO #1...

All characters copyright their respective owners

When you think about it, TV TORNADO had quite a line-up within its pages - SUPERMAN, BATMAN, The MAN From U.N.C.L.E., etc.  Trouble was, the real biggies were text stories rather than comic strips, which is perhaps not the best way to present superhero adventures.  It's interesting to speculate on whether the mag might've enjoyed a far longer run had the artwork been of the same high-quality as in TV CENTURY 21.  Can you imagine Superman and Batman being illustrated by ace artists like MIKE NOBLE or RON EMBLETON?!  Wow!  Of course, whether NATIONAL PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS would've allowed anyone else to produce brand-new tales of their top superheroes is open to question, as is whether CITY MAGAZINES could've afforded the licensing rights to do so.

Anyway, enough of 'what-ifs?', let's just enjoy the second half of the first issue of TV Tornado together.  Just think, you lucky collectors - now you have the complete comic to add to your collection.

Click here for Part One.

(FAR AWAY FEELING) The SPELL Of The YUKON...

ROBERT WILLIAM SERVICE was born in England, educated

in Scotland (at the school my mother attended, but before her time),

lived in Canada and died in France.  In between, he wrote some impres-

sive poetry, including the one you're about to listen to, performed by

the hypnotic Mr. VELVET - otherwise known as JIM REEVES.

Unless your computer is linked to a spectacular sound-system,

I'd suggest plugging in your headphones to enjoy this performance

at its finest.  There's a chance this reading may relax you to the point

of unconsciousness, so it might be a good idea to sit or lie down while

listening to it - you wouldn't want to fall and injure yourself.  Trust

me, I'm only half-joking.  Take it away, Jim.

PART TWO Of The MIGHTY THOR COVER GALLERY...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

"NOW WITH CAPTAIN AMERICA!" said the banner on the cover of The MIGHTY THOR #11.  Big deal!  Big mistake!  Not that I've got anything against Cap, mind you.  Had it been the KIRBY adventures, I wouldn't have minded, but the tales reprinted were nothing special - IRON MAN would have been a far better fit.  Anyway, Cap disappeared when Thor and its companion mag, The ORIGINAL X-MEN, were merged together nine issues later.

And guess what, you lucky peeps?  We'll be looking at the covers from that combined title in an upcoming post, so keep your eyes peeled!

  

FIRST ISSUE Of TV TORNADO - PART ONE...

All characters copyright their respective owners

I don't remember ever actually buying TV TORNADO, but the occasional issue came my way through the auspices of various friends or relatives.  The first issue, published by CITY MAGAZINES Ltd., went on sale on January 7th (dated 14th) 1967, and lasted 88 issues before being merged with TV CENTURY 21.  MICK ANGLO was the mag's editor and also the artist on the VOYAGE To The BOTTOM Of The SEA and The GREEN HORNET strips, as well as other bits and pieces.  That's all you really need to know, pilgrims - now sit back and enjoy the first ish of this fondly-remembered British comic from yesteryear.

Click here for Part Two.

The MIGHTY THOR COVER GALLERY - PART ONE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

I've always liked THOR.  Or, to be more precise, I liked the "star-kissed" DON BLAKE concept of Thor, as opposed to the "casual creation" of an all-wise ODIN version. When ODHAMS PRESS reprinted the early Thor tales in FANTASTIC in the 1960s, I was hooked; when MARVEL reprinted them in SPIDER-MAN COMICS WEEKLY in the '70s, I was hooked again.  So, in the '80s, I was ripe for a publication devoted solely to reprinting tales of the titanically-talented Thunder god in his own weekly title.  After all, how could it fail?

Well, for a start, how about messing up the colour every issue so that it's almost never in alignment with the line-art, resulting in a kaleidoscope of visual chaos and confusion?  Then why not cut the Thor content by half and add a strip that doesn't really fit the mood of the mag, like CAPTAIN AMERICA?  Yeah, that ought to do it!  It was almost a relief to see Thor and the X-MEN titles merge around four months later, because it resulted in a mag akin to the late, lamented Fantastic from 16 years before.  It's just a shame they didn't add IRON MAN to the mix and revive Fantastic's name and logo - I'd have been as happy as a pig in - well, I'm sure you catch my drift.

But you can't fault Marvel's intentions - it was a good idea, even if it never quite caught on.  So, here's the first part of a look-back at the covers from a time when Britain had its very own Thor mag.  Will we ever see such a thing again?  You never can tell, but let's hope they do it right next time - if there is one.  (Are you listening, PANINI?)

Anyway, feel entirely free to record your readers' reminiscences in the comments section, and don't forget to come back for part two.  You'd kick yourself if you missed it, so see you soon (hopefully).  Excelsior!