Marvel Annual 1972

There's a whole bunch of annuals/comics that I've treasured ever since I read them, either one's I've kept since they first came out:






Or that I've still to track down for my collection:




And occasionally, VERY occasionally, I come across something that i'd loved dearly, but had totally forgotten about.
And that's the case with this here annual:



I was at a friends second-hand bookshop in Margate, having a natter while leafing through a bunch of british annuals, when I came across the cover above.
Time stopped.
Suddenly I was 10 years-old again, staring and staring at the Hulk lifting up that cannon against a vivid red background.
"I know this" I sort of stammered.
"Yeah, that's a great one" says my friend.
I turn the first page and, like Mr Ben in, er, Mr Ben i'm transported back in time, to be discovering the book for the first time, again.
HOW THE HECK DID I FORGET THIS?????
SO many stand=out images that used to entrall and fascinate me, its untrue.
On page 3, we have this classic view of the Hulk that I remember well:



But its the depiction in the first story that I recall being fascinated and a bit horrified by. At this point, the classic Universal horror films were becoming known to me, but don't know if I made the Karloff connection by then:



That shot, and this, I still remember as being subject of much scrutiny:



And this shot of the Toad Mens underground escape I know I focussed on a great deal:



Reading again the Conan strip, the masked bad guy sent me some echoes from the past:



And Conan himself, with his natty spiked helmet and medallion, I thought cooler than cool:



On to Spider-Man now and, like all the characters here, i'm guessing was my first exposure to Marvel characters, being a tad before the Mighty World Of Marvel first issue.
The strange, red only colour palette I didn't find too jarring as I was used to that in British annuals alreay, and The Tinkerer's look was straight out of anything in Lion, Thunder, etc:



Spider-man I was fascinated by. I was already used to Batman, Superman the JLA and the Flash through the American imports in my local newsagents, but the way this guy was handled was VERY different.
The split-face affair was a very new device to me:



As i'd never seen anything like it before and I loved it, especially when we got a full-length shot:



And his nifty under the arm webbing I found especially intriguing:



Out of the other tales, the Fantastic Four one I remember responding to, not for our heroes or anything they did, but the final sad fate of the bad guy:



Lastly, an image of a character I knew nothing about at this point, but the image had me wanting to know more:



To sum up, a true classic of an annual, one i'm totally mystified as to why I forgot all about it. Won't make that mistake again.

The Tinderbox

Words can't ever get across here the effect this tale by Hans Christian Anderson had on me.
The story of a soldier tempted into descending into the bowels of a tree to retrieve a tinderbox resonates to this day.
The story is pretty standard, but the elements of it had a marked effect on me, so much so that, even now, it envokes a deep, emotional pull thats hard to describe.
Whether its the notion of descending underground into another world - something i'm sure made me respond the same way to "The Secret Garden" and "The Pied Piper" - or the idea of the bizarre creature that is the dog with saucer-sized eyes, i can't get across how much this story affected me.
Out of everything from my childhood, this is the one thing that strikes a deep, visceral chord whenever i think about it.
And i wonder what my children are experiencing now might have the same effect.

Ghost Train

Coming in at number four in my "Top Five Holy Grail Childhood Toys", i've finally nabbed one off the 'Bay for a VERY good price, considering it was near mint. As it was on its way, i wondered if i'd be let down as my memory cheated. My memory of it is of a set of turntable's with some nifty artwork and cardboard ghosties trying to knock the plastic kids on train carriages off the tracks. And, upon getting the package, that's exactly what i got. But, the art is still fantastic and the box is fab and the memories didn't fail and its brilliant to play it 40ish years later and to play it with my Sprogs, who get the same amount of fun i did all those years ago, well... Typing out any amount of words can't do what i feel justice.

Scaring the crap out of a Sprog - part 6

I've just watched the Doctor Who tale "The Deadly Assassin" for the first time since its transmission back in '76. I remember two things about it from back then: (1) Not liking it because there were no spaceships or aliens in it, just a bunch of old Thesp's wandering round in dodgy makeup, (2) Being very disturbed by the Master in it. Not only by his hideous visage, but that it wasn't (and couldn't be) Roger Delgado. Looking at it now, its a terrific story and that makeup is just as horrendous as i remember it. I mean, really, thats pushing it for a kids show now, let alone back then:

Watching it now, its quite striking how elements in the tale would appear elsewhere later> Biggest of course being "The Matrix" - a cyber reality that a person can be put under and enter, a cut-down Mauser pistol as a blaster - coincedece surely as Han Solo's must've been made and filmed at the same time, and the make-up for the Master's rotten face had a sort of American cousin shortly after with "The Incredible Melting Man":

Top 5 TV Openings - #2

Oh, how i wanted to be Steve Austin. Didn't matter that the show was pretty naff and dull, with hardly any action. When it did, i WAS him, when i read the Look-In comic strip, i WAS him. I wanted that busted nose, i wanted that natty red tracksuit, i wanted that hair-do. When i was growed up, i wanted to BE him. And that was reinforced every single time i watched these incredibly evocotive openings:

Georges Melies

This is one of those odd occasions where i was massively affected by something when a child - but never actually saw it until and adult. Back in the 70's, one of the constant staples in the huge amount of books put out of the subject of horror or Sf films (usually by Denis Gifford)were stills from the films of Georges Melies. I'd already been growing up on a diet of Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin films and part of the appeal, other than the comedy, was the rather disturbing feel to the silent one's - the B&W photography, the sets, the very scratched prints and the strange, strange support casts (typified by Eric Campbell in the Chaplin films) went towards giving the shorts an unsettling feeling of menace throughout. So i was used to that. But these still? Well, i'd never seen anything like them. Far, far more distburing than anything i'd seen up to that point, with incredible ideas making for incredible, iconic imagery. Boy, i was fascinated. When i finally got round to seeing them, they still had that sense of menace wrapped up into the fantasy and they hold up brilliantly well today - something you can't say for CGI films made only a few yaers ago. Georges Melies is rightly acknowldged now as not only a pioneer of special effects, he was the first to use so many of the techniques still in use today, but also for pushing the boundries of film making - realising before many others that scenes could be edited together to create a story. Was so pleased to finally see him and his films up there on the Big Screen in the excellent "Hugo" but, if you're a fan, i urge you to track down the compliation DVD of his works on the Arte Video label, which is just stunning.

Marwood coffe shop

Bit of an aside here, but we were in Brighton yesterday and popped into Marwoods, a cafe my Sister has been on at me for ages to visit as "its right up your street". Boy is it - great food, great staff and great atmos, brought about by the tons of retro goodies strewn all over the place. Real fun to eat my Ken Dodd fry-up while reiminiscing over this toy, that toy, that phone, that picture etc etc. And a nice bunch of comic art too. Highly recommended if you're down that way.

Crystal Tips and Alaistar

Just watched a bunch of these this evening with our daughters and, blimey, can't think of any other show for kids that better stands as a snapshot of the late 60's/early 70's. Mad, surreal, odd and utterly genius.

Catweazle

Catweazle was one of those shows, like Children Of The Stones and UFO and Randall & Hopkirk that were JUST THERE. No way of knowing the background to the series, no announcement that they were on, no idea of just where that episode was in the scheme of things. And that mystery helped with the unique feeling each series had - different and unsettling and strange. Sure, Catweazle was appearing at the same time in Look In, but this series was far, far different from the rest. The fantastic premise was one thing, but had in the wonderful characters, brilliant performances, haunting music and truely touching tales, and what the nipper me was witnessing was something very special. And, boy, did i respond to it. I'm introducing the first series to our Sprogs right now and its bringing back all those feelings i had when i was nine. I SO wanted a friend like Catweazle, and still do, and so wanted Carrot to understand this strange, eccentric person who'd entered his life was telling the truth about what had happened to him and what he needed. Kind of dreading the final episode where Catweazle does indeed go back to Norman times as i can still feel the pain i felt for Carrot when, at that last moment when his friend vanishes, he realises his friend was genuine. And he'd never see him again. Powerfull, mature, non-patronising stuff, the like of which we'll never see again on childrens telly.

Top 5 TV Openings - #3

Doctor Who HAD to feature in here, as its a true classic of TV imagery and sound (at least, up to 1980). But which era to choose from? All had fantastic, etherial, strangely unearthly and haunting music but all had different visuals. I've gone then for my favourite of all eras - Tom Bakers first few years.

RIP Harry Harrison

So, another link to my past goes. Harry's "Stainless Steel Rat" series of novies were a HUGE influence on me growing up, along with a myraid of his other novels, mixing pulp SF, epic SF and a massive amount of humour in there too. His imagination was unlimited and i was glad to get a peek in to his worlds when i did.

Mary Tamm RIP

Very, very shocked to hear today of the passing of Mary Tamm. Its a bit churlish to say now, but i was planning on featuring her in my "Crushes" list. Seems silly and pointless now. Mary WAS Romana and it seems a lovely person as well. Feel sure, if she'd been given better scenes and more respect, she would've gone on to be one of the Doctor's most beloved and most respected companions - up there with Elizabeth Sladen.

My Bat-project

Can i point you in the direction of my Bat-Blog, where i've started a project of asking to come up with their take on THE American comic cover from my childhood - Batman 186. http://outofthebatcave.blogspot.co.uk/

Scaring the crap out of a Sprog - part 5

A TWO YEAR gap between posts?????? REAL sorry to anyone who's been popping back in that time looking for an update. Must say, i've got so many Blogs now that this one has moved over on to page 2 of the list of them - and i didn't know there was a page 2, so quite forgot all about this one. So i'm indebted to artist Staz Johnson, who's reminded me that it actually exists, and also gave me a good topic to come back with - public service films. Odd little mini-info slots, usually on just before the programme you've been sat there waiting for, often bizarre, often surreal, and many times quite horrifiying in a "they put this on in kids hour?????" kind of way. Just about the best example of "scare the crap out of the little buggers so they won't do it" was provided by Staz - and it still is creepy as heck isn't it?

Randall & Hopkirk

Sorry i've been away for such a long time but life, work, hobbies and me other Blogs have kept me away from you.
Anyway, been thinking what should i feature this time round and decided to go with something that made a HUGE impact on me back when i were a nipper.
Like so many things on telly back around the turn of the 60's into the 70's, they were just THERE for me. We never had a newspaper nor the Radio Times, so it was a case of chanel hopping (easy when there was only three) until you found something.
And seem to remember this was on a lot. Now, my Mum loved the ITC output - but only as long as it was a spy series. Anything with a wiff of fantasy she's turn off. So i must owe it to my big sisters having it on while my Mum was work.
As i say, like so many TV programmes, they were just there, with no idea of the background to the show, nor who made it, nor often what the heck was going on.
So i'd just watch it and let it wash over me. But this show affected me more than any other of that time or since and the thing i remember most of all about it is such a strong sense of sadness.
And i watch it now and its just the same. The plot might be serious, action packed, funny or just plain silly, things might be going right for Jeff(for once) or Marty's happy with Jeanie's life, it still doesn't detract from the fact the guy's desperately in love with his wife and just wants her to know he's there. But never can.
I found that incredibly moving even as a 9-year old and, now married with children, i feel it even more.
Of course, full credit goes to Kenneth Cope, who created a wonderfully funny, quirky character who, even when larking about, could give off an air of pathos without having to resort to clumsy dramatics.
The genius idea of the white suit helps immeasurably - but not as much as the opening titles. Forget Twin Peaks, or any other pretenders to the throne, these are still THE most haunting credits ever.

Happy Birthday Tony Curtis.

85 today.
Right after Captain Scarlet, he was who i wanted to be when i grew up. So much that it hurt. Especially if i had a dueling scar too.
Can't remember what order i saw his films in - it could've been "The Vikings", could have been "Spartacus". But i'm thinking it might've been "The Great Race" - a hugely over-looked gem of a film with Tony sending up the hero role something rotten. Can see that now but, like the Batman TV series of the same time, to a child its dead serious and thrilling and excitement and, boy, i SO wanted his all white suit.
Only as an adult can i appreciate what he was doing there.
Or that he took on the sidekick role in "Spartacus" 'cause he was mates with Kirk Douglas.
Or his brilliant Cary Grant take in "Some Like It Hot"
Or how he tore up the rule book by insisting his co-star in "The Defiant One's" by non-white.
Or his hint at greatness in "The Boston Strangler"
He's one of the very few Hollywood stars from back when they were true stars and, while i'm delighted he's still going, i fear the mark he made won't be recognised until he's gone. Tarantino - revitilize him quick.
I'm putting up a clip of "The Great Race" but the thing i now always think of when i think of him is being asked if he's worried that being married to a woman so many, many years younger than him would be bad for the heart, replied: "hey, if she dies, she dies".
Tony, you're a true giant.

Clackers

One of many examples of "grown-ups" letting us kids back then be trusted with toys that wouldn't even get beyond the drawing board today.
Now, folk'd be up in arms that two VERY solid plastic bolas could be put to all sorts of mischief but can't rememeber a single instance of anyone i knew being hurt by them - and they were EVERYWHERE for a while.

Was Benny Hill the cameraman?

Gordon Bennett, i know its the 60's and sexism was still rampant, but couldn't someone up in the Gallery tell the cameraman to point his lens (so to speak) elswhere?

A Pictorial History Of Science Fiction

Guessing if you're a SF fan from childhood and were born in the early-mid 60's, you'd have been buying up the same books as me.
This is one i've kept on various bookshelves since getting it back in '76.
It's, oddly, not one of the endless tomes that were released on the back of Star Wars, as the most up to date thing in it is Space: 1999.
So its dated badly.
But still view it fondly. And that's because, as you most probably will recall, back in those pre videio, pre Star Wars days, SF was pretty hard to come by.
So to have a book with all these fabulous images in was pretty darn special.
I've included here my favourites that i can remember from back then: Garth and Jeff Hawk on one page, an excellent, clear shot of the Enterprise alog with some brilliant paperback covers, still the best shot of a Zygon i've ever come across - and stunningly atmospheric b/w images from Jules Verne.
How i poured over all of them.

Action Transfers

One of those things that seems kinda simple and dull now - you put the figures on the scene and then, er, what? - but they were GREAT. How you'd pine for the whole set, and how many times would you get the same scene over and over, especially, for me, this here one 'cause it has sharks in.
Fantastic site here, devoted to the whole range:

http://www.seven-wonders.co.uk/atranges.html