The truth about Trimpe.

Herb Trimpe sadly passed just only a week ago on the 13th April 2015 in his 75th year. He was born in Peekskill in NewYork on 26th of May 1939. An artist legend best remembered for an incredible run on Marvel's Hulk. Perhaps not celebrated in the same way as his artist peers. 

Telling the truth about Trimpe, I haven't always favoured his style of artwork. Which I think comes from my British point of view among other things. So I'll look mainly at his British published work to get to know why that is. You say to any MarvelUK fan the name of Herb Trimpe the reply is The Mighty World of Marvel. Trimpe's Hulk run, which is incredibly long, comes right at heart of MWOM strongest period, where the Hulk was the titles headline week in week out. The second thought would be he was the artist involved in the creation of Britains own Super hero, Captain Britain. Trimpe also became known for another green giant who appeared in Marvel Comic, Dez Skinn' action/adventure comic that came from his Marvel Revolution transformation of MWOM, as Godzilla came to the Marvel universe.

    Although Trimpe did have his British fans not all Brits sang his praises. MWOM letter pages where filled with reader comments about how he'd lost his pencil sharpener, with his line work getting thicker and thicker the more artwork he drew. Although it mainly was meant as a joke, I couldn't help but agree with it. A blunt pencil may have been the cause, or possibly the choice of inker may be to blame, who can say. Many readers preferred "hipper" artists like Jim Steranko, Neal Adams, Jim Starlin, Paul Gulacy Frank Brunner & a young John Byrne. Artists like Kirby, Dikto and Trimpe were seen to much as the past generation. I have to add as a kid I always loved Spider-man over the Hulk. Cause I was skinny as a child I felt I more incommon with the teenage Peter Parker than the power house Hulk or his scientist alter ego Banner. So when I read those stories back in the 70's all I saw was a precession of meaningless monster battles and meaningless dialogue, "Hulk Smash!" But was that Herb's fault? The writers of that time, Roy Thomas and Len Wein are some of my favourite writers. But Marvel give comic readers what they wanted, big battles. These days I see a lot more than that. Trimpe's work had detail and emotion. 

  

Could you ever imagine the Hulk fishing, or sitting around a camp fire with a friend like CrackaJack Johnson like this in a modern Hulk Comic?

Trimpe was a strange choice for Britains first flagship hero. Chris Claremont handled the writting mainly 'cause he had lived in the UK and also he was free to write it. Trimpe was also free to produce the artwork needed to fill Captain Britains weekly demands. So he was handed the job after a publicity trip to the UK with Stan Lee in 1976. 

Trimpe was also criticised over his portrayal of English life with strange looking police bobbies and unusual architecture. But to be fair London isn't New York, I can imagine many American artist would be able to capture the English look, with the exception of Byrne. Although I must admit I love his version of British Airways Concorde. Trimpe English characters in many ways could have been French, German or Italian. I still have a soft spot for these stories and Trimpe's CB work. 

It should be noted that not only did Herb create the look for Captain Britain, but also he also brought us Elizabeth Braddock (the Captains sister who would become Psylock), Courtney Ross and Chief Inspector Dai Thomas among others characters. One of the criticism of Chris and Herbs run was that Brian Braddocks life mirrored Peter Parker, with Courtney the love interest, Dai Thomas as a hero hater similar to Jonah Jameson and even a early Flash Thomson style bully in the form of Jacko Tanner. Agents of SHIELD fans should note that Claremont/Trimpe also created a British STRIKE (the British version of SHIELD) agent called Lance Hunter. Although their version had a Bobby Charlton comb over, looking nothing like Nick Blood's version. 

Another another character said to have been created by Trimpe was Wolverine. This is a bit of an urban myth. John Romita Sr created the concept artwork for Wolverine, while Len Wein, the Hulk scripter formed the character. Trimpe recalls in a 2009 interview how he "distinctly remembers" Romita's sketch, and that, "The way I see it, Romita and writer Len Wein sewed the monster together and I shocked it to life!" But that's what Trimpe did best, he give life to the stories we wanted. His work was always filled action, adventure and a big helping of humanity even with the biggest of monsters. 

These days my opinion of the Hulk has changed, mainly because my opinion  of Herb Trimpe has changed. I read these stories with nostalgia and without my childish habit of trying to be cooler than I was by acting older. Smashing tales from happy days, "Hulk Smash!"

Herb Trimpe, rest in peace.

Make Mine Marvel.

 

British Spider-can!

These days Spider-Man changes his costume design all the time, but back in 1984 Peter Parker only wore one set of long johns. At least to British eyes. In America Spidey had took a trip to the stars with the Marvel Heroes, to the Beyonder planet in Marvel Superheroes, Secret Wars and came back with a black and white outfit. At first American fans hated it, but soon grew to love it. It was thought that British fans would also share their cousins dislike of it. We're not supposed to like change! I loved Spider-Man British weeky that had been running since 1972, but as a reader of the U.S. additions I knew what was coming and had no fear that the changes wouldn't spoil this love. MarvelUK wasn't to sure that the rest of the UK could handle it, so it was decided to carry on with the red and blue version of the web slingers adventures but written and drawn by Brits for a British readership. 

So on the 27th of October 1984 in issue 607 MarvelUK published Britished made Spider-Man adventures. This wasn't the first time MarvelUK had used American charactors as leads for strips, back in 1979 Dez Skinn created The Hulk Comic with Nick Fury, the Black Knight and the emerald giant starring in British created strips. Captain Britain, who had started in a MarvelUK comic, originally written and drawn by American creators, was also in a lengthy critically acclaimed British produced run, at that time Mighty World of Marvel monthly. To publicise Spidey's first British foray the plot used the creative idea that Spider-Man was asked to appear on ITV's Saturday morning kids TV show, Saturday Starship. A costumed Spider-Man look-a-like also appeared for real on the show that same day as the published comic. 

Mike Collins who's early work had appeared in a Marvel Showcase in MWOM monthly not to long ago was handed script duties. Barry Kitson handled the artwork, his first professional work. Mark Farmer finished it off with inks. Collins would go on to work successfully for publishers on both sides of the Atlantic as well as a story boarder for BBCs Doctor Who and sometimes artist on Doctor Who Magazine. Kitson went on to draw Transformers for MarvelUK which lead on to success for US and UK companies. Farmer became an inker well known for inking Alan Davis artwork. 

Collins took over the artwork from Kitson in issue 608 for part two. Possibly to keep up to the weekly deadline. This didn't damage the story in anyway, in fact his artwork looked very similar, possibly their style was intended to be the in house Spider--Man style. This style worked really well and was a very enjoyable read.

Kitson returned to pencil the third issue 609. In keeping with the UK Spider-Man style, which was helped by Mark Farmers classic inking.

For the final British instalment Collin scripted and penciled again. On the whole it was a successful experiment, but one that sadly wouldn't be continued. The product was great but it was seen impossible to maintain new continuity with the original US version and produce a strip weekly. Ironically MarvelUK would choose not to use American or British continuity to solve the question of black and white or red and blue. Instead when the time came they turned the comic into an infant rag comic much like Ultimate Spider-Man produced by Panini, a three weekly comic aimed at very young children. which ignores all and any continuity. This move did nothing but leaving many loyal readers to abandon the weekly for the original American imports. 

The 1984 tale finishes off with some modern pop culture references and then dovetails into the next issue, an American produced story written by the legend that is Stan Lee. The web slinger still wearing his original red and blue togs, but the black costume was on the way whether MarvelUK liked it or not. Sadly not soon enough. But that's a tale for another day. 

Make Mine Marvel.

 

Cover story.

Now Christmas is long gone and the decorations have been boxed up for another year it's time to look at a modern tradition I've started these last three years. As long as I've been on twitter I've enjoyed sharing classic covers that set my fan senses tingling. So much so that for the previous two years I've posted a gallery of classic covers with a seasonal slant as an advent calendar, pictures of British annuals, winter specials or any magazine that was published around that time of year with any Christmasy trappings. Father Christmas, a Christmas tree or even snow. For my third year I tried something different. I picked twelve original American covers and compaired them to their British cousins, making up the 24 days of advent.

  

I started off with an absolute classic from the "King" himself, Jack Kirby's cover from The Fantastic Four #45. It pictures the Fab Foursome searching for the mysterious Inhumans in Stan Lee and Kirby's fabulous "Among us hide the Inhumans!" The bright cover of the original must have caught the eye of many a young comic fan as it sat on comic racks, but to me it was too brightly lit. The moon although full is behind all the characters, the FF should be in shadows as they search the dismal ruins. The lnhumans look lit from in front, but the moon is behind them too. MarvelUKs somber, moody version from Fantastic Four Pocket Book #2 suits the scene perfectly, as I imagine Jack originally intended. 

   

This is one of the most creative uses of a character interacting with a comic book title and a story title as Jim Steranko's straining Hulk is crushed between the two, with the green goliath raging, veins bulging and sweat pouring from his stressed body and face. The editor or the powers that be suggested that Steranko's savage version of the Hulk was "too fierce" for the cover of Hulk King Size Special #1, so Marie Serverin, the Hulks regular artist at the time was asked to re-draw the Hulks face, to which Steranko as now referred to as "the teddy bear Hulk." Strangely enough the savage version did see the light of day over six years later, with face intact on MarvelUKs The Mighty World of Marvel #129, the only difference being Steranko's lettering, the Hulks foot crushing the word "Inheritor" instead of the "Inhumans", as this comic featured a different story "The Inheritor" originally from the Incredible Hulk #149. 

 

Days five and six advent covers come from John Romita JR and Bob Layton as they modestly show you how the crimson and golden Avenger gets dressed. I like the use of light shining off the armour, plus the simple panel layout to tell a story. There's not much difference between the two versions but in the UK Iron Man never starred in his own comic, but made it loads of time as back up feature in many comics, this time he backs up Captain America as any good Avenger would. 

  

This cover shows how subtle changes can improve on an already perfect John Buscema cover. The main difference from the American Avengers #58 and the British #84 was the Visions ghostly presents. Yes in many ways the white Vision is the correct colour choice, but in the classic story- "Even an android can cry!" the tale features the Vision. He's the linchpin of the story so in my mind the blue version highlights this, his appearance behind the Avengers could be seen as a menace or teammate. In this part of his history we've yet to find out full which. Notice how the Visions collar/cloak are more defined in the second cover, I can't give any reason for this. 

John Romita SRs dramatic cover for the Amazing Spider-Man #151 shows our hero holding back a torrent of water in a confined drain sewer. In the original he shouts "Flooding this sewer won't help you mister!" to an unseen hostile, which would probably be the Shocker. MarvelUK cranks up the suspense and tension by laying the cover on a landscape format crushing down the web slinger in Super Spider-Man and the Titans #203. The danger is most certainly from the waves of water, pitting Spidey against the most cruelest of elements in a claustrophobic image. Truly amazing! 

 

Wolverine takes centre stage on the cover for the Uncanny X-Men #133. John Byrne's style is near perfect for action intense covers. But again MarvelUK make one slight change that increases the action packed frenzy as Wolverine lashing out. The black box frame cuts out some of Byrne's detailed back ground, boxes in a warehouse. In Rampage Magazine #51 the fighting mad mutant slashes Hellfire Club goons out of the page. It's almost a 3D cover now! 

 

John Byrne is the artist for my next classic cover. As always Byrne is pencil perfect with this foreboding image of Dragon Man chewing on the star spangled Avengers shield like a dog with a bone. Johns colours are moody for Captain America #248, while British comics generally are darker in presentation MarvelUK ops for a brighter colour palette with #2 of their take on the Captain's comic. Not a bad decision when British racks are filled with grim and broody war and sci fi comics at the time. 

 

John Buscema this time renders splendid work for this clash of God verses Cosmic Hero! The colour from Silver Surfer #4 and the Super-Heroes #8 changes slightly, but doesn't effect the scene, however what I find interesting is the Surfer seems to be the antagonist while Thor stands ready to defend himself. In the second version Thor's hammer whirling movement signal equal battle frenzy as the titans prepare to clash. Was it removed from the original or added in the later? 

 

Wolverine and the Hulk clash this time in what has become the ultimate hero battle. This Herb Trimpe classic cover has been re-draw many times by different artists. If you look on-line for it there are different versions of the original. All basicly the same, some have more of a red background, some have the Hulks face turned slightly. I think this is the correct version of The Incredible Hulk #181 that I've shown. I imagine the confusion comes from the millions of copies that cover t-shirts, mugs, bags and other merchandise which use this cover. Some even use the Mighty World of Marvel #198 version with the Hulks face in full view and the subtle changes of position for Wendigo and Wolverine. John Romita SR is said to have made changes to the original cover, this may be why these variants appear. I dare say the the Canadian Rockies will have seem a red sky at sunset but was it for artist reasons. White skies have a more real feel. 

  

MarvelUK knows how to re-use a classic, in this case they take Jack Kirby's soaring Surfer cover from the Fantastic Four #72 and re-use it for a different story, this time the Silver Surfer's first solo story in The Super-Heroes #1. Minus the onlooking Watcher. The enigmatic red background is also changed for an ecliptic colour scheme.  if I'm honest it makes no difference to which one I prefer, they're both equally cosmic!

  

We reach days twenty one and twenty two of my advent calendar, this pop culture/Salvardor Deli inspired Captain America cover from #111 by Jim Steranko ticks all boxes. As the centre issue of a sensational three issue run by the artistic genius it's no wonder it was chosen as the cover of the 1980 MarvelUK/Grandreams hard backed annual. If truth be told I saw the annual first and spent many hours reading and re-reading this classic tale which included the Hulk, Rick Jones, Hydra, Madame Hydra, Nick Fury and the Avengers, so it's no wonder that I adore this yellow framed version with it nostalgic memories. 

 

My Christmas advent calendar is completed with another tension filled John Romita SR cover of Spider-Man and torrents of water. This time our hero is unconscious and shackled as the water level raises, from the Amazing Spider-Man #52. Jameson looks on in stark horror as he too is minutes away from death in the Kingpin's sub basement. It a desperate and dark scene to finish off with you may think, but MarvelUK, possibly with tongue in cheek added "A happy Christmas to all Marvelites" across the top of Spider-Man Comics Weekly #46, an issue that was published the Christmas week in 1973. A fitting sentiment to post on Christmas Eve. 

Make Mine Marvel. 

Is he a good man?

It's been over a week since Peter Capaldi first full series of Doctor Who finished. Giving everyone time to catch up on the full series and us to talk about it without fear of spoilers. The Doctor asks Clara "Is he a good man?" But that was just one question of many series 8 asks. Before it aired on BBC1 fandom was a buzz with questions, which continued and multiplied right through the series. "Was Capaldi going to be a good Doctor?" "Was he too old?" "Was he too frightening for children?"  "What's Danny Pinks story?" "Who is Missy?" 

Well after twelve action packed episodes all those questions have been answered, so let's ask one more question, "Was series 8 any good?" I don't think anyone really doubted that Capaldi would be anything but great. His first full episode "Deep Breath" showcased his talent, as a Doctor in the making for over fifty years. With a little bit of Hartnell, a splash of Troughton, buckets full of Pertwee and a TARDIS full of Baker. In the "Caretaker" he channeled Pertwee from the "Green Death", in "Kill the Moon" it felt like he cherry picked bits from "Frontier in Space" and "Planet of the Spiders", while "Robot of Sherwood" was his homage to "The Time Warrior". Capaldi did his best Baker in "Mummy on the Orient Express" but with each performance it became less of an impression and more just the same old Doctor we all love. The same but always different. 

Through the early epsiodes I wished we could see the Doctor interact with some kids, to reassure young viewers that this was their same fun loving hero, the sword fight with a spoon helped, but my wish came true quite late on with "Kill the Moon" and "In the Forest of the Night" with their young cast members. But in "Listen" we got the best sign that this Doctor was great with kids, as kids of all ages learned that fear is our super power. 

"Was he too old and grumpy?" No not for a two thousand year old alien, Capaldi was as youthful as Matt Smith with his wit, mannerisms, falling out of planes, he even runs like a camp giraffe. The grumpy old man routine was brilliant, kids love it when adults are cheeky to other adults. Anyway Clara is his career, so he doesn't have to care.

I thought "Listen" was the scariest, "Kill the Moon", "Mummy on the Orient Express" and "Flatline" where also scary too, but I would imagine that the terror didn't put many kids off. Even "Dark Water" and "Death in Heaven" with themes about death, the afterlife, losing our humanity, dark tales representing mans deepest fears, even Clara's imagined betrayal of the Doctor can be seen as horror element. But with the Moff's writing the action breaks in to reassure the watcher. 

Danny Pinks story never really got going to tell you the truth, but it all made sense when you watched the last episode. I imagine that with second viewing of this series it will feel more fulfilling. It's not Samuel Anderson fault, he filled the roll with impeccable skill. The shortness of his appearances where crafted to create the impression that there was more to come from Danny. So when his sudden death came it was seen as a major shock as intended.

As for the Missy question, that got me in a good way. I didn't go looking for the answer on the internet. Better to find out as I watched, but I loved the clues and the red herrings. When the Doctor goes into the Nethersphere you see the tanks on top of tanks I thought that looks like "The Tomb of the Cybermen". I thought the skeletons in those tanks where Cybermen before their armoured shell was grafted on, Dark Water is a more sci fi cooler answer. I missed the Random Access Neural Interface Rani joke. Missy wasn't going to be the Rani anyway. St. Paul's - bigger on the inside- of course Missy was going to be a Time Lord and when she said the Doctor left her I quickly imagined she was Romana, Susan or Jenny. Even some new villianess from Gallifrey. Missy short for Mistress just like K9 would call Romana, it's got to be her gone bad. No wait a minute, she can't call herself Master anymore? Oh! She's the Master! Totally brilliant! She's the same old Master but totally different. People are creating havoc about it, but that's just over reacting to sex change Time Lords. Michelle Gomez is proper crazy in every way, making the Doctor look in every way the hero we know and love.

Was the series any good? Well some of the stories weren't spectacular by any imagination, but all were very watchable and had their moments. "In the Forest of the Night" was possibly the weakest, but still clever. "Flatline" felt like a remake of "Fear Her" with the Doctor missing from most of the action, the companion taking the lead, but with better effects and an improved sci fi central script.  The "Caretaker" seemed like a CBBC Sarah Jane Adventures idea with a cheep monster, but it became an enjoyable romp full of brilliant character interaction. "Into the Dalek" may have been a classic concept (Fantastic Voyage/ The Invisible Enermy) but it felt very fresh, Capaldi was having so much fun. I've already mentioned "Robots of Sherwood" being like "The Time Warrior", it could have been a disaster of an idea, but for a fantastic cast playing with a witty and creative script. Strong scripts and fantastic acting from the regulars and guests have been a constant. Supporting actors like Dan Starkey, Neve McIntosh, Cartin Stewart, Jemma Redgrave, Ingrid Oliver where brilliant as ever, guest stars Chris Addison, Joivan Wade, Frank Skinner, David Bamber, Hermione Norris, Tom Riley, Ben Miller and of course "Missy" Gomaz played their parts beautifully. Samuel Anderson, Jenna Coleman and Peter all give amazing performances. My favourite episodes have to be "Listen" and "Mummy on the Orient Express" they're just incredible. So it's been a Doctor debut series to remember, better than Matt Smiths first, maybe better than David Tenants first. A fitting salute to the Brigadier. It's been great! 

I can't wait for Christmas now! Could Nick Frost really be Father Christmas? Probably not, maybe an alien, or a leader of a base under siege who just happens to be dressing up for Christmas, or something else, but I can't wait to find out, so don't tell me any spoilers till after I've watched it on Christmas Day. 

The answer to the Doctors question, of course he's a good man, I never had any doubts. He's Peter Capaldi, he's the Doctor and he's a good man.

Doctor? Doctor Who?

Of Monsters and Apes.

 

           

Forty years ago on the 26th of October 1974 MarvelUK launched two very different comics, just in time for Halloween. Different that is from its super-hero output, 1972 saw the release of The Mighty World of Marvel, followed by Spider-man Comics Weekly in early 1973 and The Avengers later that same year. All those title heavily relied on American Super-Hero reprints from the 1960's. These two new titles mainly took their material from new horror and sci fi work freshly published in the US. Britain may have seen creepy and the futuristic comics before, but not with this mature style. If the truth be told in 1974 I was way too young to really appreciate their suffocated story telling. Spider-man was more my thing, but every now and then I would peak into my older brothers wardrobe to feel the thrill and terror from his stack of comics, Apes and Dracula Lives among them. 

Both comics feed off movie magic to fill their pages. Vampire and horror films were massive at the time on both sides of the Atlantic. Hammer horror films made house hold names out of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Even though the Planet of the Apes film was made in 1968 its four sequels and TV serial also made it popular, especially in the UK. Of their time, these two mags where made to succeed. 

Dracula Lives lead with the Evil Count, his stories were taken from the US Tomb of Dracula, mainly by Marv Wolfman as the writer and Gene Colan supplying the artwork aided by Tom Palmer. With back up strips from Werewolf by Night and The Monster of Frankenstein, DL covered all classic horror bases, as well as later additions like Brother Voodoo, the Living Mummy, Man-Thing, Ghost Rider and the Son of Satan. Some cracking story telling and artwork from many a talented creator, far too many to list. 

Planet of the Apes started with the comic strip of the film from the US publication of the same name, which had only just been released in August 1974, under three month old. This would become a problem later as the weekly version used the material quicker, more on that later. The movie strip was written by Doug Moench and drawn by George Tuska. Moench would write all the comic versions of the sequels from the original scripts rather than watching the film as video wasn't around in 1974 for popular use. Alfredo Alcala drew "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" and Rico Rival supplied the artwork for the remaining sequels which suited them and pleased this reader no end. To lengthen the Apes run other versions of tales from the primate planet were printed, again taken from its US magazine. The most popular and longest running was "Terror on the Planet of the Apes", a fresh take on the cinema version written by Moench and Gerry Conway with artwork by Mike Ploog. Other ape tales came and went, but the constant need for strip lead to a problem with the weekly demand. This was solved by reprinting the original film version again, a small stock gap at best, but not before a very creative idea from MarvelUK was applied. The sci fi strip "killraven" was printed with the heads of some of the aliens re-drawn as apes, the dialogue was re-written and the strip re-titled "Apeslayer". Strangely enough it was quite readable and enjoyable too! An incredible variety of back up strips followed Ka Zar, Captain Marvel, Black Panther (the classic Jungle Action stories that are sometimes called "The Panther Rage"), as well as adaptations of "Day of the Triffids", "Killdoser" and other sci fi shorts. 

As the issues went on it became harder to for the stars of both these comics to maintain their presents as lead stories, as the weekly need for Ape and Vampire action eat away at the possible back catalogue, ever it was destiny that they would have to merge, if only to cut down the number of pages per week. So after 88 weeks two became one. The best of both joined a packed line up. Later the Prince of darkness would take leave from his own strip to narrate older tales from classic horror and suspense stories from Marvel 1960s back catalogue. Even these creative use of material couldn't stop the next merger. After 123 weeks of monkey and monster mayhem Planet of the Apes and Dracula Lives joined The Mighty World of Marvel, number 231 on the 2rd March 1977, but only Planet of the Apes appeared in the comic and on the front cover with the Hulk in the title. Dracula had to wait 16 weeks later to star with the Green Goliath, in issue 247 on the 22rd June. Sadly the blood sucker only lasted 11 week. He did make a return to the comic during Dez Skinn's Marvel Revolution of MWOM that became Marvel Comic, but that's a tale for another day.

My younger self may not have fully appreciated the muture, imaginative worlds of horror or sci fi classic but I do now. On dark winter nights there's always a place in my heart where a spine chilling tale or a story of a thought provoking world where the apes rule supreme is longed to be read.

Make Mine Marvel.

 

Taking a deep breath.

         

I've waited all summer for something brilliant to happen, something to look forward to week in week out. I've lived the excitement, followed by the slight disappointment. My football team, Liverpool FC came so close, only to miss winning the Premiership by two points, England fell out of the World Cup and on TV Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ended spectacularly for a summer break leaving the summer of 2014 long and hot. Some things made it worth while, Marvel's X-Men:Days of Future Past and Guardians of the Galaxy, pre-season football matchs and a holiday in the sun helped move the time along. So soon the football season started again and the internet buzzed with tales of a Time Lord we've yet to see, as he toured around the globe. But finally this weekend as the world waited with baited breathe the twelfth Doctor arrived. His timing was great as my Liverpool where to play their biggest rivals City, on Monday, I could give the Doctor my full, undivided attention. 

It's been eight months since we last saw any tales from the TARDIS. But tales from the press were there aplenty, with leaks on the internet spoiling the suspense. He's dark, too dark. Scary, far to scary! I stuck my head in the sand rather than an internet ice water bucket. Let's wait and see. He did come and boy did we see. Deep Breath everyone. 

Before we all get to clever and analyse every second of the feature length feast to death, lets just stop and think with our seven year old self. I want the Doctor to be dangerous, exciting and a little bit silly. Let me go off subject ever so slightly here, as a kid I used to skate board. I wasn't good at it, but I had my moments. One day I rode down the path across from my house where stretch across it lay a plank of wood on to a skip, with two builders rolling a wheel barrow filled with rubble aiming for the skip. How stick with this I'll get quickly to the point. Instead of stopping or crossing over to the other path like all my friends I decided to lay down flat on the skate board and coast under the plank. It was amazing and dangerous at the same time. My young friends cheered, my Mum give me the telling off of a life time. But that's what kids want, danger, excitement, to be seen as cool, even if it's very silly. So was Peter Capaldi's Doctor dangerous, exciting, cool and silly? Let's see.

Doctor Who started with a giant Tyrannosaurus Rex, my seven year old self jumped for joy, the Patanoster Gang appeared on the scene, my seven year old selfs favourite characters. The T. Rex coughs out the TARDIS where we find inside there's a mad man in a box. All is well in my seven year old selfs world. Let's for the minute stop there, it's Doctor Who, my seven year self is going to love it anyway, cause there's silly jokes, action and clockwork monsters. My forty-four year old self was worried about the darkness of the Doctor. Yes I would have liked to see Calpaldi's Doctor with some kids, like Matt Smith did in with Amelila, to show he's alright, a Doctor you can trust. But do we need to be that coy? 

I heard a lot of people saying that no one could replace David Tennant, but Matt Smith did! I heard people say that Matt was un-replaceable. No one likes an old grumpy, angry Doctor. I did have flashes of no one can replace Tom Baker, but Peter Davison did. Flashes of an un-replaceable Davidson being replaced by a grumpy dark Colin Baker. But all the Doctors had a darker side, Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, Davison, Baker, McCoy, McGann, Ecclestion, Tennant and Smith all had their dark sides. One of the best Doctors of modern times, Captain Grumpy himself the War Doctor, John Hurt was dark, but he also made me laugh loudly. Did Capaldi's Doctor make me laugh? Yes of course he did, he's the Doctor! Did he steal (or borrow) the old tramps coat? Did the Doctor leave Clara in danger to save himself?  Did he push the Clockwork man out of the escape pod? Questions we all asked as if we doubted our hero. He needed the coat which he over payed for with a priceless watch, he could have gotten a new coat for that, which wouldn't have smelled either. He had a plan knowing he could get himself and Clara out while finding out more about the Clockwork people, trusting that the Patanoster Gang wouldn't be far behind. Was the Clockwork man pushed or did he fall, or did the Doctor send him on his way to his heaven, his paradise. Did the Doctor leave Clara in Victorian London? Or sort his TARDIS, wardrobe and frame of mind out. 

Is this Doctor a good man? Clara knew even before she left London. Before the eleventh Doctor called her up. She knew while she was held captive by the villain, the Doctor would be right behind her to hold her hand. The question is do we think he is? The title is Doctor Who, it's a question, "Doctor? Doctor who?" Let's find out just how good he is together. 

Is Peter Calpaldi a good Doctor? No, he's more than good, he was brilliant and I can't wait for next week! 

Doctor? Doctor who?

Teenage kicks.

This month 30 years ago Spider-man #582 was published by MarvelUK, on the 2rd of May 1984 to be exact. There's nothing overly important about this issue really, Spider-man reveals his secret identity to the Black Cat, the Hulk takes on a mind controlled (by the Leader,) US Army, both very readable stories. A news filled Bullpen Bulletin and the weekly letter page, simply titled "Spider-mail." While re-reading this issue I took great interest in the "Star Letter", the writer of the "Star Letter" would win a Marvel Annual, a yearly produced hard back book normally released in Autumn ready for the Christmas market, quite a good prize. Some winners letters were basicly childlike drivel, along the lines of "I love Spider-man can he send me a costume like his?", "who's stronger, Spider-man or the Hulk?", "bring back the Hulk, he'll beat Spidey every day." You get the idea we've all asked those questions at different times in different ways. But Marvel is a broad-church, so there's also letters from older fans, who wanted to give a mature point of view. This weeks crop of letters were all quite mature, this weeks Star Letter winner was from Gavin Palmer, QNS, from Weymonth in Dorset. I don't know who he is or even if he still reads comics these days, but his points still are valid 30 years on. 

 He made a good point about how attitudes have changes at MarvelUK, with those comics being directed a young readers and how the right combination was being reached, this was true however a year later the Spider-man title would be rebranded "The Spider-man comic" to attract an even younger readership and by August 1984 it would be dumb down even more as it became "Spidey comic", this  would kill the comic, but I tell you all this with hindsight. 

He also commented on how the rest of society took comics to lightly, how the public view of comics were set by the TV versions they saw, the Bat-man TV series, Super-man films, Cartoons of the time, like Spider-woman, Spider-man and his Amazing Friends, the Bat-man Cartoon and the Incredible Hulk, which in his view were all directed at a young audience. I'm not to sure if my fourteen year old self fell into that category, but I would watch all of those with different appeal, the live action Spider-man and Hulk TV series relied on the human side of the charactor, as super powers were hard to recreate on the small screen. Spider-woman and Spider-man Cartoons were simple but watchable, with SM&HAF guest starring a whole host of super heroes, which made it fit into the Marvel Universe well. The Incredible Hulk cartoon mated the best of super human with Banners hard luck human side. The DC fair seemed to have created the problem of credibility to the general public. I've always believed that, then and now. Gavin Palmer wrote how he believed that "People tend to take these as typical of the whole comics field. The supposition is also contributing to the lack of extension in the comics industry." I've got to believe that too, I think comic in the mid 80's in general were failing the older readership. Yes there was always some great comic at that time, Des Skinn's Warriors, MarvelUK monthly output, that cherry picked the best from Marvel, 2000AD showcased the best in British, but I think in America there was a dip in really great graphic prose. So much so that DC's Vertigo line would plunder the UK talent pool later that decade.

Has people's view of the comic industry changed today? Is it cool to be a comic geek? I think today the general views from the outside has changed. Stan Lee view of the human being the centre of the super-human story from the early Marvel era is as strong today as it ever was. Maybe even stronger. Just look at Marvel films, they're all charactor driven. My brother-in-law questioned why in the Avengers Assemble movie all the main charactors would lose their masks towards the end of the film, was it so all the Hollywood stars would get their fair share of face time? But for me I wouldn't expect anything less of a modern Marvel film. Hawkeye is still Hawkeye, the Black Widow is still the Black Widow, but it feels more realistic when they are called Barton and Romanoff. A CGI version of Iron Man feels more real if we see the desperation of Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, behind the mask. The Amazing Spider-man films, X-men films, Marvel Studio movies and the fantastic Marvels Agents of SHIELD TV series all give credibility to the comic book universe. The way the charactors cross over resonates a true to life feel but mated with incredible action. The prime example is "Captain America, the Winter Soldier", absolutely sensational! I imagine Gavin Palmer would be loving the current outcrop of comic book inspired movies/TV. 

The last major point that Gavin made in his letter was he wouldn't be surprised that 75% of 11 year old  or younger readers would stop reading comic by the time they were 16, by either parent or peer pressure. He wrote how this experience was starting to affect him. I too had experience of this, even today I get that kind of pressure. This reminds me of an article in a magazine, I can't remember which, it may have been Comic Collector or maybe Deadline, but it illustrated a comic readers path though the graphic medium. A child would start with the Beano or the Dandy type of comic, before moving on to the MarvelUK range, while as the reader became a teenager 2000AD became the suggested pleasure and later on, into adulthood Deadline, Heavy Metal or DC's Vertigo line became the norm. I can really see that being the case for many comic fans, but once you get passed a certain age, let's say mid life/40's you start to look back to a younger nostalgic time. I miss the Beano/Dandy period out completely, oh yes I did read them while waiting for haircuts, picking up anything from the barbers coffee table to pass the time away, together with Battle, Hotspur, Wizard and the like. But they never really made me want to buy them. My brothers collection of Dracula Lives, Plant of the Apes and his two single copies of The Mighty World of Marvel #200 and Super Spider-man #203 fuelled my love of MarvelUK for many years.

I recall going to a local newsagent with my best friend in February 1981, Simon was always the brainiest  in my class, his parents were very well educated and he was amazingly bright. He choose an issue of the Beano while I picked up the more stylish Captain Amercia #5 from MarvelUK with its heroic lead, sophisticated Iron Man, a very modern Dazzler, a charactor who wanted to be a super star not a super hero and the dynamic Defenders. I didn't scorn him for it, I just expected him to pick some more highbrow. But that's part of my point, we all like different things for different reasons. 

I hid my love of comic all the way though my teenage life and adult life from many people, it's just easier that way, but it never stopped my continued reading of comics. Like when I would every month take a walk to the nearest newsagents during my school dinner break to pick up a copy of Captain Britain  Monthly, secreting it in my school bag and making an excuse for my absence. That the buzz of collecting, the long walks to the newsagents just to see what he's got in store, the train journeys to Manchester to visit comic stores or second-hand book shops to raid the pulp filled shelves. Happy days indeed. 

I was one of Gavin Palmers 25% who continued to read comics well passed their 16th birthday. Even when the content of those comics changed towards a younger readership, I clung to them, changing ship from MarvelUK to Marvel US monthlies, to all that Fleetway could produce and the finer side of DC Vertigo. Eventually returning to MarvelUK in the form of Panini comic and their Marvel Collection editions, until life and kids caught up with me. Now I enjoy my old collection and the power of eBay to reach new, but old classic comics from the past.

Gavin's letter made me think of so many things, it's one of the reason why I loved those MarvelUK reprints as much as the American originals. I wonder what he would think about of it today if he read it with maturer eyes. I kind of hope he still reads or collects comics and cherish those golden days too. 

Make Mine Marvel.