Chew the Fat: Giant-Size Marvels!

 

 

Redartz:  Back in the Bronze age, specifically two memorable years in the mid 1970's, Marvel Comics engaged in a noble experiment in four color entertainment. 1974 and 1975 saw the publication of the Giant-Size Marvels! Extra-sized editions of many of Marvel's most popular titles, each appearing on a quarterly basis. Granted, Marvel had published bonus-sized Annuals in the past, and DC had been doing giants for some time; but this was still a leap of faith for Marvel. 

Although that 'leap of faith' lasted only about two years, it produced quite a few great stories, and one truly monumental one. Marvel's 'Giant Size' era began with "Giant Size Super Stars", a 35 cent gem featuring the Fantastic Four. This was immediately followed by "Giant Size Super Heroes" with Spider-man; both of these books hold fond memories for me. I'd just started collecting, and these two seemed like a reward for taking that 'leap' of my own! 

Marvel had originally planned to release books at the 35 cent level as well as a series of "Super Giant" titles, but apparently that all got too confusing; starting the next month the Giant Size titles all cost 50 cents for 68 pages. The format was a new 'novel length' lead story, followed by a reprint of a classic Marvel tale appropriate to the particular title. All the 'big guns' had Giant-Size editions: Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers, Defenders. Additionally, numerous other Marvel books got the Giant treatment: Master of Kung Fu, Dracula, Man-Thing. Even an attempt was made at another horror anthology with new stories: Giant-Size Chillers! 

As the  months went on, Marvel made the Giant format a means to debut new features: Super-Villian Team Up, with Dr. Doom and the Sub-Mariner; and Invaders- telling WWII stories of Marvel's Golden Age Captain America, Sub-Mariner and Human Torch. Then of course, the most monumental of all was the return and reboot of the X-Men by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum; a book that launched one of the most successful franchises in comic book history. 

But as 1975 wore on, it looked like the days of the Giants were numbered. The last round of Giants were all reprints, adding such titles as "Giant Size Thor" and "Giant Size Dr. Strange" in a sort of revival of the old Annuals. Those Annuals, incidentally, would return the next year in 1976, which helped offset the sting of losing those monthly Giants. 

My personal favorites? I mentioned the Spidey and FF issues above, another huge favorite was Giant Size Avengers 2: with the "Celestial Madonna" and Kang, it was one of the best Bronze age Avengers tales ever. Then there was Giant Size Defenders 3, with Daredevil guest starring; a cool story with the Grand Master. Yet another that I loved was Giant Size Man-Thing (you knew I'd fit that in somewhere, didn't you?) 4: a particularly intense Manny story by Steve Gerber, and the first solo story for Howard the Duck. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. It was a huge treat to see these big editions supplementing the regular four color fun we got in the 32 pagers. 

In conclusion, here's a selection of covers to prompt your memory and excite your eyeballs. What Giants were your favorites? How did they compare to DC's giants? What other characters should have had Gant sized books? For our UK contingent, did those stories ever see print across the pond? Were you ever fortunate enough to encounter any of the US Giants? This week, we're all Giants...

 

 

    

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Adventures in Comics: Pandemic Edition, or How I Spent My Quarantine...

Redartz: Greetings to one and all. Strange and uncertain times find us 'hunkering down', rabidly following news updates, and facing challenges physical, financial and psychological. And all of us, globally, are in this boat together. My story- laid off work for the duration, and engaging in the 'treasure hunt' of finding grocery staples. Case study: it took six stores over three days, but I finally scored a package of toilet tissue. Proof that it is possible...

But seriously folks, I'm feeling fine. And that's a blessing, during such a period of upheaval. Which leads to the topic of discussion: finding some positives among the negatives. 

Many of the things we share interest in here can be considered diversions. Reading comics and books, watching films and tv; listening to music: all these are great ways to take your mind off the world for a bit. Like many of you, I'm going to have quite a bit of extra time available for awhile. Time spent at home, as travel is  currently discouraged. And while I'll be tackling some neglected  household tasks, I'll definitely be spending some time with the above-mentioned diversions.

Specifically:  there are several tpb collections collecting dust on a shelf that I'll be tackling. Avengers by Stern/Buscema; DC Showcase edition of Brave and the Bold. Might return to Y: the Last Man.

As for video: will be binging on Amazon Prime's "Hunters". "Lost in Space" on Netflix. Aaaand, probably do some Jonny Quest episodes, just for fun.

Music: you folks have put many great suggestions out there in recent posts, which I'll be investigating. That, and sorting through the rest of the cd collection I bought last month.

 
So, for those among you who also will be spending some quality time at home over the days and weeks to come- how shall you occupy yourself? Share, and maybe you'll give the rest of us some more ideas.

And most certainly, be safe, be well, and take care of each other. 

Rank and File: My Favorite Year...

Redartz:  Greetings all! For this week's discussion; we're going to update / expand upon a post I did several years ago at Doug and Karen's fondly remembered Bronze Age Babies. That post was dedicated to choosing a favorite summer, and sharing the reasons why. Here's a link to that original post (with thanks again to Doug and Karen):  http://bronzeagebabies.blogspot.com/2016/06/open-forum-your-favorite-summer.html#links

As our title above indicates, today we are tweaking that subject to select a favorite year. The characteristics of your favorite year will, of course, be subjective; it's your year, you pick the reasons why. Maybe it was the comics, maybe the television, perhaps it was something more personal. Whatever your reasons, what year do you look back upon with the most warmth?

In that previous BAB post, I named 1975 as my favorite summer. For favorite year, I'm sliding back a year to 1974. My reasons: 

Primarily, that was the year I 'returned' to comics.  I say 'returned' because in one sense, I never left- but 1974 was when my junior high pal convinced me to pick up some Marvel (and later DC) books after several years of Archie and Charlton reading. And that reunion with comics lasted, in one form or another, to this very day. 

But 1974 has more to offer than just that personal milestone. Man, what a year to start reading:

 


Marvel brought out the Giant-Size books, and the Treasury Editions,DC had the 100 page giants.  Gerry Conway and Ross Andru had Spidey fighting Molten Man, Jackal and Mysterio. Thomas and Buckler had the Fantastic Four tackling Sub-Mariner, Dr. Doom, Frightful Four and the Silver Surfer. The Avengers were dealing with the Celestial Madonna and Kang (repeatedly). Steve Gerber and Mike Ploog were doing Man-Thing. There were Marvel Value Stamps (yes, I was one of those who clipped them out; mea culpa). Just so much comics fun; it was mind-shattering. 










Ah, but 1974 also knocked me out musically. That was also the year I started following pop music, specifically Casey Kasem and American Top 40; and learned there was something called a "Billboard Hot 100". Some of my all-time favorite singles emanated from that halcyon year. Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown". 

Hues Corporation's "Rock the Boat". Wings' "Band on the Run". MFSB's "TSOP".

 Ray Steven's "The Streak". Steely Dan's "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". Carole King's "Jazzman". 

And that merely scratches the surface. Every week tuning in to AT40 was like magic that year.

So there it is, my testament to 1974. What year gets your vote?

Riding the Retro Metro: Saturday October 3, 1970!

Redartz:  Greetings; welcome once again to that ever friendly ferry to the past- the Retro Metro. Today we go all the way back to the beginnings of the Bronze age, to the year 1970 (and yes, I know we're off by a day, but such distinctions matter little in time travel, eh?). Most of us were pretty young then, or even only potential humans. Nonetheless, there was much to be enjoyed back then. Being kids, those of us around then were perhaps less caught up in the social turmoils of the time. I was certainly aware of the Big Issues of the day, but my personal world was more centered on entertainment (and dinosaurs, but that's another story).

So, as we begin our excursion, we note the mammoth hit song on top on the US Billboard Pop Chart: Diana Ross, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

Number one for three weeks now, it is Diana's first chart topper since leaving the Supremes. And it proves the Motown hit machine just keeps on rolling.

Rounding out the top five:

2,  Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Lookin' Out My Back Door"
3.  Dawn, "Candida"
4.  Neil Diamond, "Cracklin' Rosie"
5.  Bobby Sherman, "Julie, Do Ya Love Me"

Neil Diamond, "Cracklin' Rosie"

All these songs are common accompaniment to the daily school bus rides. In particular, I like CCR's hit , with the line "...dinosaur patrolling, listening to Buck Owens...". What a mental picture. And that Neil Diamond song is very catchy.

Others of note:  Jackson Five, "I'll Be There", I know that song primarily due to watching their cartoon show.  The Carpenters, "We've Only Just Begun", a big hit for this breakout brother and sister act. The Spinners, "It's a Shame", some great soul sounds. Eric Burdon and War, "Spill the Wine", some very odd sounds. Ernie (Jim Henson), "Rubber Duckie"- my parents bought my brother, sister and me the Sesame Street LP. This song is on it, and here it is; actually on the radio too!

Tops in the UK:  Freda Payne, "Band of Gold"


But hey, this is Saturday, and you just know where all of us kids will be found this morning; parked in front of the television with a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. Here's some Saturday morning highlights:

ABC:  Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp; Here Come the Double Deckers, Hot Wheels, The Hardy Boys, American Bandstand

I've watched all these shows. Lancelot Link- how can you not like chimps as spies? And the Hardy Boys show features familiar characters from the book series ; my library of those Hardy Boys mysteries is growing. Then there's Hot Wheels: the toy cars are the best; they're all over my room. So naturally watching the show would follow. I made it a point to pick up two of the featured cars from the cartoon- the Demon and the Jackrabbit Special...

Hot Wheels Opening

CBS:  Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies, Josie and the Pussycats, Archie's Funhouse, The Harlem Globetrotters, Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

There's no better way to start a Saturday morning than with Bugs Bunny and friends! Classic Warner Bros. toons; and an hour of them. Then there's the Groovie Goolies; fun, music, monsters and merriment. It becomes tough to pick  a channel; you want to watch everything. Josie and  the Pussycats are great, too; I actually prefer them to Scooby Doo. Plus two more winners in Archie and the Harlem Globetrotters; CBS has a potent lineup.

The Harlem Globetrotters

Groovie Goolies intro

NBC:  Heckle and Jeckle, The Bugaloos, The Pink Panther, H.R. Pufnstuf, Hot Dog

Ah, then you have NBC. As I don't care for the live-action shows (give me animation every time), the only thing I ever watch here is, occasionally, the Pink Panther. 

Speaking of watching, here's what awaits on the evening tv schedule:



ABC:  Let's Make a Deal, The Newlywed Game, The Lawrence Welk Show, The Most Deadly Game



My parents, grandmother, aunts and uncles all gather around the set for Lawrence Welk each week. It seems to define Saturday nights. But to be honest, it doesn't really excite me much. 









CBS:  Mission: Impossible, My Three Sons, Arnie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mannix

Now Mission: Impossible, that's cool viewing. On those occasions when I'm allowed to watch it,  I make sure to catch it from the start- don't want to miss the great opening sequence. And what a cast; Peter Graves, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Greg Morris make quite a team. 
Much attention is being given to the new show featuring Mary Tyler Moore; no longer teamed with Dick van Dyke. I'd bet this show will be around awhile. Oh, and my Dad still loves to watch Mannix...

NBC:  The Andy Williams Show, Adam-12, NBC Saturday Night at the Movies

 


Another family favorite is the Andy Williams variety show. That's one program I enjoy along with  Mom and Dad, especially the Cookie Bear. Then , Adam-12 carries on the tradition of grounded cop shows, in the tradition of (and by the creator of) Dragnet. 












BBC1:  Here's Lucy, Show of the North, High Adventure Prince Valiant, The Harry Secombe Show, Ben Travers Farces: Turkey Time, Match of the Day

BBC2:  Disco 2, Rugby Special, We Were Caesars, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In


And now, we take our weekly trip to the spinner racks for some comic goodness. My spinner rack of choice is at a nearby drug store, and they actually have two racks full!  Here's some of what we find today...

From the viewpoint of later years, there is loads to pick from. O'neil and Adams's Green Lantern/Green Arrow jumps off the rack. That Hulk has a great cover, and Kang! The Avengers face off against the women, and what a lineup!Then there's Marvel's new title, Conan the Barbarian- sporting great artwork and a whole new direction in comic adventure. And a late issue of Sugar and Spike, to boot! Of course ten-year old redartz was, at this point, buying Archies, and probably the Hardy Boys and Hot Wheels comics too. Amazing what a variety awaits on the comics stand in 1970. 

Alas, the 1970's are history now, and so is this trip aboard the Retro Metro. Thanks for riding along!