Marvel’s Cosmic Comics: Star Wars, John Carter, RO

Ben returns to the world of LOGAN’S RUN with a comic story that is TOTALLY NOT Logan’s Run, but TOTALLY IS Logan’s Run. What do you do when you have a Logan’s Run comic book issue, but don’t have the Logan’s Run license? You strip it of every specific detail that might link it to the movie it was based on and you put it in an anthology magazine as an original sci-fi dystopia story! You call it HUNTSMAN!

“Wait. What?” ~ Ben’s exact words when he was looking at comic book soliciations for last month. But The Human Fly is back! It’s a new series! A new continuity! A new creative team! A new publisher! A new millennium! But the same concept: he’s the wildest superhero every . . . because he’s real! And he’s starting with two new stories in a #0 issue. So, what does Ben think about it? Find out here!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. It’s the end of an era. Ben reads the final two issues of John Carter, Warlord of Mars from Marvel Comics, wrapping up another of Marvel’s Cosmic Comic Series. John Carter, the Marvel comic title, began before Star Wars and surely gained a slight boost because of Star Wars, but it did not last nearly as long as the Star Wars comic series did. Like The Human Fly, 2001, Man from Atlantis, and many other licensed titles, John Carter was canceled and faded into obscurity. But Star Wars DID give it some new life . . . in 1981. And Ben ALSO picks up two Star Wars comics from 1981 that connect to the John Carter comic series.

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. For this episode, Ben reads the FINAL three chapters in the 12-issue epic “Master Assassin of Mars” from JOHN CARTER issues 25-27, cover dated July 1979, August 1979, and September 1979! Coincidentally, there was a hiatus between issues 24 and 25 . . . just like there was a hiatus between the episodes covering those issues! For Marvel, it was like two months. For Ben . . . much longer. NOTE: For Marvel’s Cosmic Comics, Ben is choosing a BOLD NEW way of doing things that he’s going to try out with John Carter. Multiple issues per episode, and not month by month. This means he might jump around a bit between series and not go chronologically through the calendar, month by month.

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. For this episode, Ben reads the next three chapters in the 12 issue epic “Master Assassin of Mars” from JOHN CARTER issues 21-23, December 1978, January 1979, and February 1979! John Carter? That’s not what was SUPPOSED to show up here! Ben is choosing a BOLD NEW way of doing things that he’s going to try out with John Carter. Multiple issues per episode, and not month by month.

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Ben returns to 1979 to read the toy-line tie-in SHOGUN WARRIORS! Last issue introduced three pilots and one robot . . . but this issue brings two more robots and demonstrates how to play with them . . . I mean, what their capabilities are!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. THE HUMAN FLY . . . ends here! This episode covers the FINAL issue of The Human Fly! Did they even know it was the final episode? Maybe yes, maybe no. But it didn’t matter. This issue just wraps up last issue’s cliffhanger, and merely continues the storytelling style of the series: episodic, done in one (or two) issues. In that way, it’s the perfect end to the series.

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. And we’re beginning the journey to find a lonely plant . . . known as . . . EARTH! So excited! Battlestar Galactica was absolutely the product of a bunch of people trying to cash in on Star Wars, which if I’m honest, that’s what this podcast is about! Not that I’m cashing in on anything, but the comics we’re covering — or many of them at least — came about because of the success of Star Wars. Because let’s face it, Man from Atlantis and Logan’s Run didn’t cause anyone to think, “Hey, money in them there pages!” But Star Wars? But even if it was a cash in, it was a high quality cash in that captured kids’ imaginations. And I was one of those kids and so we present the first issue of the Battlestar Galactica comic book series!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Star Wars continues! Luke faces Vader . . . in a hallucination! Han Solo faces Chewy . . . in a zero-G arena! Leia faces stormtroopers . . . in an escape!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Star Wars continues! Luke faces Vader . . . in a hallucination! Han Solo faces Chewy . . . in a zero-G arena! Leia faces stormtroopers . . . in an escape!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. The Master Assassin of Mars continues . . . with gladiatorial combat in an arena against a very big lion with a large number of legs. And teeth. But just when escape from death seems to be in sight, another cliffhanger arises!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. The Master Assassin of Mars continues . . . with gladiatorial combat in an arena against a very big lion with a large number of legs. And teeth. But just when escape from death seems to be in sight, another cliffhanger arises!

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. The Micronauts move from inner space to yard space as they take on one of the great dangers of the back yard – a lawn mower! Also, Ben makes a morbid discovery midway through talking about the issue… You can listen to all The Micronauts episodes here: The Micronauts list of episodes

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. The Micronauts move from inner space to yard space as they take on one of the great dangers of the back yard – a lawn mower! Also, Ben makes a morbid discovery midway through talking about the issue… You can listen to all The Micronauts episodes here: The Micronauts list of episodes

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. The Human Fly travels to his next stunt location and find some real world issues that need to be taken care of, REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO STYLE! Also, he emulates the classic “dramatically holding a dead companion” cover trope! You can listen to all the Human Fly episodes here: The Human Fly List of Episodes

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. The Human Fly travels to his next stunt location and find some real world issues that need to be taken care of, REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO STYLE! Also, he emulates the classic “dramatically holding a dead companion” cover trope! You can listen to all the Human Fly episodes here: The Human Fly List of Episodes

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Godzilla, now man-sized, sneaks through the city . . . until he comes to a face-off with Dum Dum Dugan. A face-off that finally allows Dum Dum and Big-G to come face to face and go mano-a-mano! You can listen to the rest of the series here: Godzilla King of the Monsters List of Episodes

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Godzilla, now man-sized, sneaks through the city . . . until he comes to a face-off with Dum Dum Dugan. A face-off that finally allows Dum Dum and Big-G to come face to face and go mano-a-mano! You can listen to the rest of the series here: Godzilla King of the Monsters List of Episodes

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Shogun Warriors, a Doug Moench and Herb Trimpe work based on the Mattel toyline that merged a number of Japanese properties into one, gets its origin in this “1st ISSUE COLLECTOR’S ITEM”! And the license seems to be in good hands! Earth Destruction Directive, the podcast promo from the end of the episode, can be found here.

Using Star Wars as a guideline,  we’re exploring comic books based on licensed properties that Marvel Comics published from 1977 to 1986. Shogun Warriors, a Doug Moench and Herb Trimpe work based on the Mattel toyline that merged a number of Japanese properties into one, gets its origin in this “1st ISSUE COLLECTOR’S ITEM”! And the license seems to be in good hands! Earth Destruction Directive, the podcast promo from the end of the episode, can be found here.