Vulcan - 4 Oct 1975

Lets have another dip into this title shall we? Have said it before, but Vulcan was way ahead of its time in being a weekly anthology of reprints. Sure, Marvel UK had been doing it for a while, but that was American reprints and here we have UK originated titles. A great idea, which i'd love to see being produced right now - but minus the dodgy colouring.
Okay, lets dip inside:
First up, its that big lunk and big hunk of metal that is "Mytek The Mighty". Just two pages here with a shadowy, unseen shape that may or may not be the fella sinking a ship and going after the professor. Ah yes, the professor. What do we make here in the 21st century of an Egyptian scientist called "Professor Fez" who - wouldn't you just know it - wears a fez. At all times. Even when climbing into bed. Hmmmmm... Still, FANTASTIC art by Eric Bradbury, especially these terrific eyes. The awful colouring here has lessened the impact somewhat though - will have to try and track down the original B&W version.

Next up, "The Spider", which is the usual terrific stuff. Here not only do we have The Spider, but also The Executioner (a musclebound baddie with a "punishing heat ray" stiched onto the top of his balacava) and The Silohouette, the mysterous leader of the bad guys, who acts just like The Hood did back in the 40's Batman serial. Brilliant artwork, which goes to show how the oft-cited Lenoard Nimoy comparison to The Spider is quite a superficial one. There's something not quite right about his face that i can't quite put my finger on. The proportions are right but i think that its the eyes being a tad too small and the nose a tad longer than normal that's doing it here.
"Saber, King Of The Jungle" comes across as a Tarzan rip-off, especially as he ends up in quicksand - something everyone seemd to fall into at some point in every Tarzan film and episode of the TV show that i can think of.

Back on track with "The Trigan Empire", with absolutely beautiful art from Don Lawrence. I can remember very well this episode, with the strangely boggled eye octopus-like robot appearing for the first time.
"Steel Claw" was a bit dull, being mainly exposistion as Crandell tries to figure out who the web-handed foes are all about.

By far the best is "Kelly's "Eye", a strip i've not mentioned that much here as i've always considered him to be a bit of a drip. But this art is just stunning and hugely elevates the tale. Very, very atmospheric as Tim goes up against Count Varga, a "human vampire". Lopez was firing on all cylinders here and i can't think of anyone who'd have been better suited for it.
Last up, "Robot Archie". Oh dear.
"AIEEEE!" WATCH:
Nuffink.

Vulcan 13th March 1976

Two strips of note in this issue.

First, a Spider tale i've not read before. And a silly one it is too. A shape changing alien comes to Earth because he enjoys imitating criminals of the past (!). When the Spider tries to stop him, the alien fires "Peril-Bubbles" (!!) which turn the Spider into a giant and his slave (!!!). The Spider disposes of his friends by chucking them and the Helicar into the sea, where they're captured by Mermen Warriors (!!!!). And this issue has the Spider regaining his will, defeating the alien by turning him into a handsome prince charming lookalike (!!!!!). And then goes down to the sea bed to take on the Sea God (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

As i say, silly.

The other strip is Mytek the Mighty. Not a character or strip i really care for, especially with this awful colouring. But thought this idea here is really neat - to round up and detain hostages, he picks up sheds, ties them upside-down round his waist and drops the people in. Brilliant idea.

Lion and Thunder 24th June 1972

Thanks to the wonder of eBay, i'm ten years old again - postie's just delivered issues of 24 june and 8th/15th july.

So, what's the 24th June like then?

Well, covers pretty crappy. Dunno why they always insisted on a factual front page. Its not as if its like Look and Learn on the inside. Surely they would have upped sales with shots of their heroes plastered there?

First strip inside is Spellbinder. Never read thsi as a nipper, but thought i'd have a go today. Very suprised at the premise - an early 70's tale of a boy's secret friend - a wizard from centuries before. Catweazle anyone?

Skipping over Carsons Cubs we come to a pretty much forgotten tale - "The White Eyes Strike Again!". Coming across with strong echoes of Invaders Of The Body Snatchers and The Midwich Cuckoos, its a tale of a town whose inhabitants and wildlife, after inhaling a gas, turn them into "White Eyes", ferociously strong killers. And led by a typically British Boys Comic named arch crook "Ezra Creech". Not a lot happens in these two pages, and the art is basic at best, but love the cliffhanger shown here - the hero is about to be tipped off the bridge into the river. A British River. Where a Great White Shark awaits. Hmmm...

After another non-read strip, we're into "The Black Max". Chuffed to be able to fill in the gaps on this later tale of Max Kloor. He's junked his Giant Bats and now has an smallish army of Bat People. Once again, Wilson is tracking him down and, once again, no-one believes him. Until this issue that is, as the Bat People attack a British unit in broad daylight. Nice cliffhanger with Wilsons plane ramming into Max's in mid-air. As usual, lovely art.

"The Spider". A classic tale - Return Of The Spider - but i've got it in King Of Crooks so gave it a miss.

Last strip is "Adam Eterno" - and its a classic. Beautifully moody art and one of those bampot bad luck situations the big guy's always finding himself in. He's in 18th century London and on the trail of a criminal leader known as the Black Hood. He tracks him down to a barbers shop where lurks a hooded figure. The figure turns and... its a blummin' great bear wearing a soild gold spiked collar.

GENIUS!

Vulcan issue 1

As i say, its great to have some classic characters all collected in one comic, even though the colouring is pretty crass.

Looking at the first issue, its kinda odd that they didn't start with the origins of the folk, and in some cases kicked off mid tale:

Mytek The Mighty - The big chap has already been created, run wild and fallen into the ocean before it starts here. And, running at only two pages, the only glimpses you get of the main cover star is a shadow and 3 shots of his hand. Odd.

The Spider - This is more like it - 4 pages of excellent Reg Bunn art, having the Spider grassing up fellow crooks so he can be king of crime.

Saber - King Of The Jungle - wasn't a fan then and not a fan now, so giving it a miss.

The Trigan Empire - Stunning stuff. Don Lawrence needs far, far, FAR more recognition than he's garned so far. Used to have the Hamilyn collection that i stupidly sold years back. While waiting for affordable, easily available collections (which MUST happen sometime surely?), i'll have to settle for snippets like this.

The Steel Claw - Here, Crandell has given up his criminal ways and works for the British Secret Service. Boy, a comic for children where the hero has to strip back the plastic on the cables to fruit machines to get the jolt of electricity needed to make him invisible - that'll never, ever be seen again.

Kelly's Eye - Loved the premise of Kelly's Eye, but thought the character a bit wet. Love the art though. Very Black Max here.

Robot Archie - Again, not a fan. Only liked him in Zenith.

The Spider - where the new versions started

The idea of getting the new generation of artists came from nattering to Jock at a Dreddcon sketch session.

I'd gone there with the intention of asking different artists to have a go at some of my favourite characters and Jock was a natch for the Spider as he's tops with the ol' black and white.

So this is the start, and what a great start it was

The Spider - 21st century incarnations

He's # 3 in my list of fave characters. But he's figuring more in my life than #1 and #2 right now as i've a goal to get as many artists as i can to do their interpretations of him.

So here you go with two from the recent Bristol Comic Con - a lovely Alfred from Paul Grist and a wickedly funny version from D'Israelli.

Vulcan - how i loved this comic

I mean, The Steel Claw, Mytek The Mighty, The Spider, Trigan Empire and Kelly Eye all in one comic?

Brilliance!

Ok, the colouring was a bit off but it was still an amazing collection.