Starlord 8th July 1978

Thought i'd have a look at an issue at the very end of my 68-78 remit for this here Blog, an issue with a cover date of just a day after my 16th birthday and about the time i left school and became an adult (whatever that is).
So here we go then:
Absolutely no idea who did this rather abstract cover but, with the many artists from the Spanish studios prevalant at this time, i wouldn't be suprised if it came from those stables.
MIND WARS - A strip that really never went anywhere and took a long time doing so. And its strange - here we have 5 pages of the dreaded Jugla arriving at Earth, attacking it, then total war above the capital. The invasion is depicted in just 2 panels, while the war is, incredibly, just one.
The rest of the strip is devoted to endless whittering,pondering, and spouting of some really naff dialogue.
Still, Redondo's art, as usual, is top-notch.
RO-BUSTERS - A true classic of a strip, worthy of the praise heaped upon it for some of the tales.
Easy to overlook though that some were rather duff and just plain silly. Good example here, what with Ro-Jaws and Hammerstien finding out the leader of the robot band is human by discovering his y-fronts (really) and them crashing a song and dance number and no-one noticing. I'm hoping Pat Mills actually intended it to be just a bit of fun.
A trait of Pat Mills's writing is how he uses modern technology and current media prevalants. Which is all well and good - but don't 'arf date the strip. A while back we had the ABC Warriors bickering which was the best rock band, here we have references to Max Bygraves and Julie Andrews. Anyone under the age of 30 who picks up the graphic novel might have to Google.
Art here is pretty duff, but in keeping with the duff tale.
Lovethe next bit - Starlord gving out tips for his soldiers hardware. Grenade holders made out of egg boxes, "mini-nuke" grenades from sewing reels, and a "sub-space communicator" from two matchboxes stuck together.
How i miss those times.
STRONTIUM DOG - Still early on, so out and out SF strips, before focussing on Johnny and his past. And a true classic it is, with Ezquerra firing on all cylinders and a lovely colour spread.
PLANET OF THE DAMNED - I really like this strip. Think it was the sheer nastiness of it, the way characters are disposed of so quickly and easily, and how the art (by Azpiri) so suited the tale.
Bit like Zombo now.
TIMEQUAKE - A strip that always seems to be overlooked. Get past the Dredger clone spouting the crappest, cliche lines and its not half bad. Here Martin Bormann esacaping from the end of Nazi Germany by killing and replacing a Time Control operative taking a stroll back in time. Nice easy SF for a newly 16 year old with nice art by Salinas.
"AIEEEE!" WATCH:
An almost-there "Aieee!" from some sap blasted by Johnny Alpha.