ARE HEROES ALL LOOSE CANNONS...?

Copyright relevant owner

If you're in a certain age group, you'll know that back in the '60s (and before), US comics were transported to this country as ballast on ships.  You probably didn't know that fact back then as there was no need to, but most older collectors are aware of it now, and probably have been since the '70s and '80s.  Again, if you're of a certain age, you'll remember some US comics turning up again in shops months or years after they'd first been on sale, presumably because there'd been copies lying forgotten in the hold of a ship or in a warehouse somewhere.

I recall buying my second copy of a 1966 issue of WORLD'S FINEST in Blackpool in '73 or '74, as well as several KIRBY FANTASTIC FOURS and BUSCEMA SILVER SURFERS.  Plus, numerous copies of JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY Annual #1 from 1965 turned up in various newsagents in my home town, again in '73/'74.  It was quite a common occurrence back then, but when the whole distribution setup changed, finding pristine copies of '60s comics years after the fact (and at cover price too) became a thing of the past.

With one exception that I know of - HEROES, INC. Presents CANNON, a 1969 self-published mag by WALLY WOOD, aimed at US military servicemen serving abroad.  Apparently, back in 2005, HERITAGE AUCTIONS auctioned off a lot of 70,000 issues from a warehouse find.  Some years ago, I saw several on a shelf in a Glasgow comics shop, going for the same price as new US comics alongside them, so I guess they came from that stash of 70,000 copies.  I bought a couple (though not both on the same day) and still have them now.  Surprisingly, great condition copies are still not that expensive today, so if you've ever thought about adding this comic to your collection, now might be a good time.

There was a second issue in 1976, this time published by CPL GANG PUBLICATIONS, but that's one I don't have.  As it seems to have been an afterthought, I probably won't bother tracking it down, but if I ever see one for a reasonable price, I may succumb.  I thought I'd featured the first issue on the blog before, but I can't find the post, so I've decided just to treat this occasion as the first time.  There's some nice art in the mag and it simply sings of the '60s, so I'm sure all you oldies out there will enjoy seeing it.

So here's a question for you all.  Have you ever bought any 'old' comics years after the fact in brand-new condition from a newsagent's spinner-rack (for the same price as then-contemporary comics), and if so, which ones were they and do you still have them?  Regardless of whether you do or not, what memories are conjured up in your mind on sight or thought of them, and do you still remember the thrill of exhilaration when you saw them looking up at you from that pile of other mags?    

'YESTERDAY' ONCE MORE...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Yesterday, August 1st, was a Saturday.  33 years ago, August 1st was also a Saturday, and that was the day my family moved back to the house we'd previously lived in just over 4 years before for 11 years.  That means I've now lived here three times longer the second time than I did the first, but, curiously, it doesn't feel like that.  I wonder if anyone else has lived somewhere, moved away, then moved back again, and if so, what it feels like to them.  Does their time away seem like a dream that never really happened, or do they just never think about it?  If such a thing has ever happened to you, feel free to share your thoughts.

21 years ago, August 2nd was a Monday, and that was when I was introduced (via nearby neighbours) to a young woman called... well, her name isn't really relevant so no need to identify her.  We had a brief fling, which meant more to me than to her, but I still look back on that time with a certain degree of fondness.  I doubt she'd even remember me now as she led a full life, always travelling and seeking out new places and meeting new people.  I remember her, though, and probably always will, but the longing dissipated a long time ago.  It's a safe bet that she never had any real longing for me, so there wouldn't have been anything on her part to get over.

As I sit typing this post, the realisation that so much time has gone by from each of those events is a sobering thought.  (Not that I've ever been drunk, being a lifelong teetotaller.)  How can they still seem so recent when the first is over half my life away, and the second is more than a third of it?  I've never been able to reconcile the mysteries, paradoxes, and complexities of time, and don't think I'll ever be able to. In one way, I'm glad that I have a pretty good memory when it comes to past events (though don't ask me what I did yesterday), but on the other, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to simply live for the day (or the morrow) and leave the past where it is - even forget it.

As you can tell, I'm in a reflective mood - if you feel you'd like to join in, please feel perfectly free. 

RIP-ROARIN' REPOST - The SILVER SURFER COVER GALLERY OMNIBUS... (With SURPRISE BONUS!)

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

I'm afraid it's another repost, Crivvies.  I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth the effort of producing new posts when hardly anyone responds to them.  That could be my fault of course, but when I see the kind of dreary, clueless pish that commenters respond to in droves on other sites, I'm not convinced that my writing style or subject matter is the chief reason as to why my posts are seemingly sometimes ignored.  Why not tell me where you think I'm going wrong, and what I should do that would encourage a better response?  I had over 5,000 hits one night last week, so maybe I should be satisfied with that, but comments give a bit of life to a blog and make it more entertaining to the readers as well.

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Yes, I know - I've shown these covers before, but it was over several posts and I thought it would be handy to have them all in one place for all you pantin' panelologists to slobber over.  The first seven issues were double-sized, 25 cents publications, and #8 was prepared that way as well. However, it was split over two issues when it was decided to make the mag a regular-sized, 15 cents monthly.  The series lasted for only 18 issues, so assuming the change was made because it was thought the pricier format was scaring off readers, it wasn't soon enough to make a difference in sales, alas.

JACK KIRBY drew what became the last issue, but the mag's cancellation proved that not even the 'King' could save it.  Sure, it was cancelled before the sales figures came in, but they must've been pretty underwhelming, as the mag would've been revived PDQ had it seemed to MARVEL that they suddenly had a sure-fire runaway hit on their hands.  In fact, it has to be said that Jack's issue is the weakest of the run and proves that STAN LEE was right in having big JOHN BUSCEMA illustrate the previous 17 tales.  I doubt the magazine would've lasted as long as it did had Jack drawn it from the very start , as his art had taken a decidedly cartoonish turn.

Got a favourite?  What memories are stirred in the cavernous confines of your mind as you peruse these powerful images from yesteryear?  Take a moment to savour those recollections, and then share them with the rest of us in the comments section.

Believe it or not, I bought pristine copies of #s 10-14 from a spinner-rack
 in a shop in Blackpool in 1973 or '74 - for the cover price of 5 pence each 

I hadn't noticed before that #18 came out a whole 3 months after #17

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Bashful BARRY PEARL has reminded me that he had a letter published in #14 - it's on the page below.  Barry's a mere youngster, so obviously he must've been only around 6 months old when he wrote it.

AND NOW, A NON-POLITICAL PARTY BROADCAST ON THE STATE OF THINGS...

Not long ago, I read some idiot say something like "No one who has a heart or conscience likes the Tories."  What a cretin.  Only fools judge people solely by their political beliefs or how they vote (or by what newspaper they read).  I'm sure there are many NHS workers, charity volunteers, and kind, caring folk who vote Conservative, and there'll be many privileged, well-to-do people - even millionaires - who vote Labour.  (Tony Blair, anyone?)  To state that only non-Tories can be considerate, caring, decent people is one of the stupidest things I've ever read or heard anyone say.  And I have no political allegiance - I think they're all as useless as each other on a party level, but when it comes to the voters, there's the same mix of good and bad in one party as in others.

There are some people who complain that the government has made a mess of dealing with the pandemic, and that their response has been chaotic.  Even if that's true, I doubt that any other political party would have dealt with it any better, and anybody who doesn't see that obviously can't see past their own political bias.  All political parties are ruled by people who don't have a clue about much of anything, and in the case of Covid-19, nobody really knew the best way to handle the situation.  They were thrown a curve-ball.  The government's response was made up on the hoof, and it's a pretty safe bet that, whatever party was in power, there would likely have been little or no difference in the way it was dealt with.  Might even have been worse, despite what various party spokesmen are saying now.  (Hindsight is a wonderful thing.)

Let's just hope we all get through it unscathed  And it would be good if we could do it without exploiting the situation to make biased political points just because we want to bash those we traditionally disagree with over the head.  (I say 'we', but I'm not included, remember, being non-partisan.)  That would be the caring, decent, considerate thing to do.  It's a shame there seems to be a lack of those qualities around these days.

So - agree, disagree, don't know what to think?  Then that's what the comments section is there for.  (Seems readers have forgotten it exists these days.)

BABE Of The DAY - BIG BARDA...

Okay, so it might be just an illustration, but

this pic of BIG BARDA sure rings my bell!  Any-

body else brave enough to admit to being a 'paper

pin-up perv'?  Relax, it's not a crime (yet).

JACK KIRBY'S FOURTH WORLD COVER GALLERY OMNIBUS...

Copyright DC COMICS

Seeing as how we were talking about JACK KIRBY's FOURTH WORLD mags for DC COMICS in a recent post, I figured now would be a good time to show the cover to every single issue of the series in one giant big 'omnibus' post.  I've shown them before under their individual titles, but this will allow you readers to view all of them in the same place without having to go hunting through the archives.  Yes, yes, I know - I'm consideration personified.  However, enough chat - let's get to the covers, every one of which comes from my own personal collection. 

Got a favourite?  Then let loose in the comments section, Crivs!

(For a consideration of the relative failure of Jack's DC mags, click this link.)