January’s Podcasts

Episode 11 of The Progzilla Files and Episode 6 of To Infinity and Beyond are now available to listen or download. They’re quite good.

The Progzilla Files covers the career of the wonderful Kate Bush, and To Infinity and Beyond looks at the number six, with tracks from John Williams, ZZ Top, Project X, Ringo Starr, Dire Straits, Little Feat, Ash, The New Basement Tapes, Mudcrutch, Lemon Jelly, Of Monsters and Men, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Bob Dylan, Sneaker Pimps and Iron Maiden.

Follow  the ‘previous episodes’ links in the menu above.

Two New Postcasts Now Available

Episode 9 of The Progzilla Files and Episode 4 of To Infinity and Beyond are now available to listen or download.

Follow  the ‘previous episodes’ links in the menu above.

Comic Book Review: Captain Britain #1 (October 1976)

Marvel UK was established in 1972 to reprint US-produced stories for the UK market. Their small line of weekly comics specialised in chopped up, black-and-white reprints of the US monthlies, usually a year or behind the established continuity.

CB0010001editThe two key publications were Mighty World of Marvel[1] and Spider-Man Weekly[2]. Other titles came and went, but these two leading comics were published each week from 1972-1984 and 1973-1985 respectively.

With the Queen’s Silver Jubilee just around the corner, Marvel UK saw the opportunity to capitalise on rising British patriotism and publish a home-grown hero.

The origin story is fun, but ridiculous. Brian Braddock is a pipe-smoking student, working at Darkmoor Nuclear Research Facility. The facility is attacked by a the Reaver, intent on kidnapping scientists to sell to various dictatorships (“Gas the scientists! Put them aboard the hovercraft!”). Brian escapes on his motorcycle but crashes over a cliff.

He wakes to see the image of Merlyn and his daughter, Roma. They offer him the choice between the Amulet of Right and the Sword of Might. Braddock selects the amulet and is transformed into Captain Britain.

Captain Britain was created by British-born anglophile writer Chris Claremont, whose view of Britain and the British varies from quaint to hilarious. Herb Trimpe drew the early stories in a very Kirbyesque style. Notably Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen, undoubtedly the best comic book series ever, cut his teeth on Captain Britain between 1982 and 1984.

This first run of Captain Britain comics lasted for 39 issues. The character then bounced around several other UK titles before being re-invented in 1981 and gaining a second, short-lived solo series in 1985-1986[3]. The character was eventually to become part of the mainstream Marvel universe and be a key element of the Excaliber series in 1988.


[1] Initally reprinting Spider-Man, the Hulk and Fantastic Four, and later Daredevil, X-Men and Avengers.

[2] Alongside reprinted Spider-Man stories, readers were also treated to (at various times) Thor, Iron Man, X-Men, Dr. Strange, Moon Knight, Invaders, Captain America, Avengers and Fantastic Four.

[3] Fans of Captain Britain would need to pay attention during several moves from title to title. Following cancellation of Captain Britain in 1977, the stories would move to Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain #231-253 (July-December 1977), Hulk Comic #1-63 (March 1979-May 1980), Marvel Super-Heroes #377-388 (September 1981-August 1982), The Daredevils #1-11 (January-November 1983) and Mighty World of Marvel v2 #7-16 (December 1983-September 1984).

Comic Book Review: The Dark Phoenix Saga

Uncanny X-Men #129-138 (January-October 1980)

Is the Dark Phoenix Saga the most rewarding storyline in the entire Marvel Universe? Quite possibly: Jean Grey’s descends into madness and villainy as the forces within her transform her into an all-powerful adversary, not just for the X-Men but for all of mankind.

Chris Claremont’s script is beyond criticism as he juggles multiple characters and interweaves plotlines into a cohesive and compelling story. John Bryne brings dynamism, vibrancy and emotion to his fabulous artwork.

The protagonist is Mastermind, one of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants introduced in X-Men #4. Mastermind wants to to join the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club and, under the identity of Jason Wyngarde, he begins to seduce Jean Grey. With the help of Emma Frost, the White Queen of the Hellfire Club, Wyngarde projects illusions into Phoenix’ mind, and she believes that she is reliving the memories of an ancestor, Lady Grey. She helps the Hellfire Club capture the X-Men and in the battle her conflicted psyche unleashes her latent power, turning her into Dark Phoenix, a source of ultimate and divine power. She strikes down the X-Men and breaks Wyngarde’s spell, driving him insane.

Dark Phoenix departs for a distant galaxy where she assimilates the energy of a nearby star causing a supernova that kills the entire population of a nearby planet. Unbelievably, one of Marvel’s super-heroes had committed an act of genocide. A Shi’ar vessel prevents her from destroying other stars, and Dark Phoenix returns to Earth in conflict between her feelings for her loved ones and her destructive impulses. Professor X is temporarily able to restore her to her original Marvel Girl powers.

Meanwhile, the Shi’ar declare that Dark Phoenix must stand trial for her crimes. This leads to the tragic final showdown on the Moon as Xavier negotiates a “duel of honour” between the Shi’ar and the X-Men. The Shi’ar defeat most of the X-Men, leaving Cyclops and Phoenix to make a final stand together. When Cyclops is seemingly killed, Jean becomes Dark Phoenix once more. The X-Men fight her until she regains her senses. But the force of the Dark Phoenix is never far away: “I’m scared, Scott. I’m hanging on by my fingernails. I can feel the Phoenix within me taking over. Part of me welcomes it.”

After an emotional good-bye to Cyclops, she steps into the path of a Kree weapon and is disintegrated.

The story ends with Uatu the Watcher commenting that “Jean Grey could have lived to become a god. But it was more important to her that she die…a human.” [1]

Parallel to the main story, two new mutants are introduced: Kitty Pryde and Dazzler. Kitty Pryde would join the X-Men in issue #139, where she was codenamed Sprite and would be the main character in issues #141-142, the Days of Future Past storyline. Dazzler could convert sound vibrations into light and energy beams and later starred in a successful self-titled solo series in the early 1980s which lasted for forty-two issues.

Emma Frost, who makes her first appearance in this story, evolves from an adversary to becoming a one of the X-Men’s most important members in the 2000s.

There is often a tragic element to the best stories. The Dark Phoenix Saga is a true classic of the genre. Despite being a mutant, the tragedy of Jean Grey is all too human: she knows exactly what is happening to her but is powerless to resist. Jean Grey’s suicidal sacrifice is the only solution she has, destroying herself to save those she loves. Comic books, indeed, art itself, doesn’t get any better than this[2].


 

[1] In Phoenix: The Untold Story (April 1984), an unused alternative conclusion has Jean surviving the events of the Dark Phoenix Saga.

[2] As with the cyclic nature of comic books, Jean Grey doesn’t stay dead for long. Her return as Marvel Girl, and the revelation that that Phoenix wasn’t Jean Grey at all is the central concept of the cross-over story in Avengers #263 (January 1986), Fantastic Four #286 (January 1986) and X-Factor #1 (February 1986). Some us choose to prefer that Phoenix was, indeed, Jean Grey, and that she died forever at the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga.

As You Like It, Butterfly Theatre Company, Poole Cavern, Buxton, 24 July 2015

Fringe Festivals should present challenging, experimental and risky productions for forward-thinking audiences seeking less conventional dance, drama, music, poetry, comedy and film. Buxton Festival Fringe, established now for 35 years, runs concurrently with the Buxton Festival, each year hosting 600 varied performances over two weeks across many venues in the town.
So, take a severe adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s lesser comedies, add an energetic young cast, a live band, some flower power and modern songs and mix an audience expected to promenade from scene to scene. And then set the production in the chilly chambers of a limestone cave far from the centre of the town… a textbook mix for a diverting fringe production.
With a cast of only seven, As You Like It was necessarily cut to the bare nub: running time was just over an hour and major characters such as Touchstone, Duke Frederick and Oliver were notably absent. Act I scenes i and ii were cut completely. But, this tight adaptation took us straight to the heart of the story: Rosalind disguising herself as Ganymede to pursue Orlando at the “Forest of Arden Festival”.  The small but engaged audience was immersed immediately into the story. The tight acting spaces allowed for close contact with the action.
A confident Rosalind contrasted well with the brooding Jaques; “All the world’s a stage” was perfectly delivered and I wanted to see more of this terrific actor. The proud and sassy Phebe made a fine match for the light-headed Silvius and she offered much bawdy humour.
Each scene took us deeper into the cave system until a magnificent reading of Act IV, scene i in which Rosalind berates Jaques for being melancholy and Orlando learns how to woo Rosalind.
The performance was delivered freely in a dynamic, conversational style with much movement. The “cave rave” theme was, however, disappointingly underplayed—only than the fixed cave lighting used for tours was employed resulting in a mostly gloomy aspect to this most pastoral of Shakespeare’s plays.
But, with surprises, songs, humour and a finale which had cast and audience dancing underground to Arctic Monkeys, As You Like It was a warmly received production with much to enjoy.

Comic Book Review: Avengers vs Defenders

Avengers #109 (March 1973) □ Avengers #110 (April 1973) □ Daredevil and Black Widow #99 (May 1973) □ Avengers #111 (May 1973) □ Incredible Hulk #166 (August 1973) □ Defenders #7 (August 1973) □ Avengers #115 (September 1973) □ Defenders #8 (September 1973) □ Avengers #116 (October 1973) □ Defenders #9 (October 1973) □ Avengers #117 (November 1973) □ Defenders #10 (November 1973) □ Avengers #118 (December 1973) □ Defenders #11 (December 1973)

Marvel’s first, true cross-over event, linking several issues of The Avengers and The Defenders.

In the months leading up to Defenders #8 we have seven issues across four titles that outline the background of the Avengers vs Defenders cross-over, principally to allow Hawkeye to move from one team to the other and enable the Defenders’ roster to increase to six.

Hawkeye’s difficulties accepting the relationship between Vision and Scarlet Witch dominates the story in Avengers #109, culminating in him being employed by a giant called The Champion who has plans to trigger the San Andreas fault. The Avengers come to his aid but Hawkeye resigns from the team in the final panel.

The Avengers take on Magneto in Avengers #110 as Hawkeye seeks Natasha, the Black Widow, who is currently teamed up with Daredevil. The story continues in Daredevil #99 (“The Mark of Hawkeye”) where Hawkeye expresses his feelings for Natasha and fights Daredevil until the Avengers arrive to ask Hawkeye to rejoin. He rejects their offer and leaves, and both Daredevil and Black Widow temporarily join The Avengers in his stead.

Back to Avengers #111 as the Magneto story concludes with Black Widow signing on as a full member and Daredevil returning to San Francisco alone. Hawkeye, meanwhile, muses on his actions over the previous few days.

Hawkeye next makes an appearance in Incredible Hulk #166 as he rallies to help Hulk battle a creature called Zzzax, with the story moving into that month’s Defenders #7 where Hawkeye allies with the non-team[1] against The Ghost and agrees to join them.

Meanwhile, in Avengers #115, a three-page epilogue sees Loki summoned to Dormammu, the recurring nemesis of Dr. Strange. Dormammu seeks a device called “the evil eye” which would enable him to hold dominion over the Earth. The eye has been shattered into six parts and Dormammu plans to trick The Defenders into finding them.

The cross-over proper begins in Defenders #8 with each issue written by Steve Englehart and drawn by either Bob Brown and Mike Esposito, or John Romita and Sal Buscema.

In Defenders #8, Dr. Strange tries to rescue the Black Knight from a spell cast by the Enchantress and receives a message from Dormammu instructing them to relocate the six pieces of the Evil Eye. The six heroes split up and head for locations across the globe, as Loki warns the Avengers[2] of Dormammu’s plans in Avengers #116.

In the same issue, the Silver Surfer battles Vision and Scarlet Witch.

Old foes Hawkeye and Iron Man meet in Defenders #9, and Dr. Strange fights Black Panther and Mantis in the same issue. Namor fights Captain America[3] and Valkyrie battles the Swordsman in Avengers #117, and Thor takes on Hulk in Defenders #10 reaching stalemate before both teams unite against their common enemy.

The teams finally work together in Avengers #118, taking and defeating Dormammu with assistance from the Watcher[4].

The story concludes in Defenders #11 as the team travels to the 12th century to free the Black Knight’s spirit.

This ambitious cross-over with its extended prologue wasn’t wholly successful, but it did make excellent use of Marvel’s shared universe concept which foreshadowed Secret Wars ten years later, and used many of the same characters.


[1] The Defenders, at this stage, consisted of Dr. Strange. Silver Surfer, Hulk, Namor and Valkyrie.

[2] Their roster had changed between Avengers #111 and #116, and by now comprised Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Panther, Mantis, Swordsman, Vision and Scarlet Witch.

[3] With a surprise appearance by the Japanese X-Men alumnus Sunfire.

[4] The events impact just about every Marvel character. Witness single panel appearances by the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the Inhumans, Luke Cage, Ka-Zar, Ghost Rider, Swamp Thing, Dr. Doom, Dracula and Captain Marvel in Avengers #117. Nick Fury also pops in to little effect.

New blog and podcast!

Latest blog and podcast of The Progzilla Files, this month featuring an exclusive full-album remix of Galahad’s Empires Never Last!

 

 

Comic Review: Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961)

ff1coverIt seems remarkable now that the Fantastic Four began as a “me too” comic book, designed to steal some sales from DC’s new super-hero team title Justice League of America who had first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28, published in March 1960.

Marvel’s editor Stan Lee was tasked by publisher Martin Goodman to create a new team of super-heroes. In his book Origins of Marvel Comics, published in 1974, Lee wrote, “For just this once, I would do the type of story I myself would enjoy reading… And the characters would be the kind of characters I could personally relate to: they’d be flesh and blood, they’d have their faults and foibles, they’d be fallible and feisty, and — most important of all —they’d still have feet of clay.”

Here, succinctly put, is the modus operandi of Marvel’s success: relatable characters. In comparison, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman look staid and dull compared to Marvel’s new inventions.

Importantly, Marvel characters’ powers were more often triggered by science, not mysticism or as part of a remote “super-race”. Spider-Man, Daredevil, Hulk and Fantastic Four gained their powers through exposure to radio-activity in some form. Iron Man built his own armour using scientific knowledge and a limitless budget. Ant-Man and The Wasp transform through Henry Pym’s biochemical inventions. Other important developments would follow: the genetic mutation and social ostracising of the X-Men; the myth culture and cosmic settings of Thor; the sorcery of Dr. Strange.

On page 1 of Fantastic Four we meet Reed Richards, scientific genius; Susan Storm, Richards’ girlfriend; Johnny Storm, Susan’s younger brother; and gruff Ben Grimm, Richards’ best friend. Each character responds to a flare signal from Richards—Grimm abandons his shopping spree, Johnny is having his car serviced, and Sue interrupts her tea party. We then flash back to the protagonists taking part in a test flight in an experimental rocket ship built by Richards. They are bombarded by cosmic rays and return to Earth where they find themselves transformed, with bizarre new abilities. Reed Richards becomes Mister Fantastic and re-shape his body to inhuman proportions. Susan Storm is the Invisible Girl who can make herself invisible. Johnny Storm is a modern reinvention of Timely’s The Human Torch. Ben Grimm is transformed into a monstrous humanoid with rock-like skin and super-strength.

Significantly, the Fantastic Four do not have secret identities, but maintain a high public profile and enjoy celebrity status. They often argue and fight with each another but remain a solid and effective team. In this same issue they fight The Mole Man in the first of their super-hero adventures, but after the drama and invention of their origin story, this first outing falls flat. More and better was to come.

All good music welcome here!

howardTake That, Genting Arena, Birmingham, 22 June 2015

  1. “I Like It”
  2. Love Love
  3. “Greatest Day”
  4. “Get Ready For It”
  5. “Hold Up A Light”
  6. “Patience”
  7. “The Garden”
  8. “Up All Night”
  9. “Said It All”
  10. “Could It Be Magic”
  11. “Let In The Sun”
  12. “Affirmation”
  13. “The Flood”
  14. “Flaws”
  15. “Relight My Fire”
  16. “Back For Good”
  17. “Pray”
  18. “Portrait”
  19. “These Days”
  20. “Rule The World”
Encore
  1. “Shine”
  2. “Never Forget”

Review: Marvel Comics in the 1960s by Pierre Comtois (TwoMorrows Publishing)

Comtois is not the most inspiring writer: he is over-fond of fond of exclamation points and can be very informal in his style.

But, ignoring those quibbles, as this is not high art we’re discussing here, this book is simply fabulous. Well-researched, knowledgeable, “Marvel Comics in the 1960s” selects the very best Marvel comics from 1961 to 1969, arguably Marvel’s most inspiring period, and reviews each with regard to plot content, scripting, art quality and its place in the wider pantheon.

Comtois is particularly adept at picking out the strengths of the various artists who worked with writer Stan Lee, and later Roy Thomas and others and is on-the-money with due praise to Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Don Heck and John Buscema.

The real key to Marvel’s initial success was the development of “the Marvel Method” allowing dynamic story-telling with many elements of either fantasy (in Thor and Fantastic Four) or human interest (in Spider-Man, Daredevil and X-Men). Each comic’s part of wider Marvel universe was also crucial as it was all one world, one story. Comtois is able to see this bigger picture and how the various comic titles, and even individual comics, contribute to this.

This is sterling stuff which makes you want to revisit the original comics, which is surely the point.

Link to review on Amazon.com