STAR TREK (1979-80) Marvel Comics Cover Gallery - Part 3

James Sherman/Larry Hama

Ed Hannigan/James Sherman

Unknown

Luke McDonnell/Al Milgrom

Walt Simonson

Joe Brozowski/Terry Austin

And here are the final batch of covers from the 1979-80 Marvel Comics Star Trek monthly comic book series, featuring issues #13 through #18 of the company's first attempt with the Trek franchise, which was a continuation from Star Trek - The Motion Picture (hence, the pastel pajama uniforms). It was an interesting - if ultimately unsatisfying - run, as the company tried their damnedest to apply the Marvel-style of super-hero storytelling to the Trek universe, but they were limited both by their own approach, and licensing restrictions from Paramount.

A few years later, DC would land the license, and have a longer, more successful run with it. As mentioned in previous posts, Marvel would get the license back for a while in the 90s - but that incarnation is beyond the Space: 1970 timeframe. Scans and artist credits courtesy of The Grand Comics Database.

Behind-The-Scenes Pix #4: BUCK ROGERS

FX expert David Stipes, working  at the Universal Hartland special effects facility, checks the lighting (I'm guessing) on one of the starfighter models from the 1979-1980 television series, Buck Rogers In The 25th Century.

For more on the Universal Hartland effects house, check out THIS SITE, established by former Hartland model-maker Ken Larson. Lots of cool photos there of the original effects miniatures that were built for Buck Rogers & Battlestar Galactica/Galactica: 1980!

Thanks to Peter Noble for the ID.

Virgil Sings!

Okay, this is cool 70s TV novelty. Singer-songwriter Paul Williams performs on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in 1973 - wearing his full make-up and costume from Battle For The Planet of The Apes, wherein he played the orangutan Virgil. Gotta love the nervous laughter from the obviously confused studio audience! Enjoy.

August's Space Babe: Susan Pratt

By popular demand, August's Space Babe is pretty Susan Pratt as Captain Nicole Davidoff of the 70s Saturday Morning space opera, Jason Of Star Command. Competent, courageous and cute-as-a-button, the plucky Captain Davidoff served under Commander Canarvin from a secret section of the Space Academy and aided the interstellar soldier-of-fortune known as Jason in his neverending battle against the evil galactic warlord, Dragos... during the serialized first season of the Filmation sci-fi series.

Then-billed as Susan O'Hanlon, the attractive young actress portrayed a strong, intelligent Star Command officer, and - to the credit of Filmation's writers - was never shown as a helpless damsel-in-distress nor in any way inferior to her male colleagues.

Before Jason, Susan had bit parts on a number of television series, including Filmation's Shazam! Upon completing her tour of duty with Star Command, she moved into soap operas, with long runs on General Hospital, Guiding Light and All My Children.

News: THE BIONIC WOMAN (1976) Season 3 DVDs in October

According to TV Shows On DVD, Universal Studios has announced that the third - and final - season of The Bionic Woman, starring Lindsay Wagner, will be in stores on October 4, 2011. It will be a 5-disc set priced at $39.98 SRP. The final 22 episodes are presented in full screen video, with English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Sound and English subtitles. No word as yet on any supplemental features or commentaries, although the previous volumes contained both.

This was the year that the series moved from ABC to NBC, so there were no more cross-over episodes with Lee Majors' character from The Six Million Dollar Man. Jaime was instead given a new regular love interest (played by Christopher Stone) and a bionic German Shepherd named Max. Of course, Richard Anderson as Oscar Goldman and Martin Brooks as Rudy Wells both returned (playing the same characters on two different networks simultaneously - has that ever happened again?)

I recall that the episodes got a little more fantastic this season, as well; along with the return of the Fembots (as Las Vegas showgirls!), we had Helen Hunt as an alien princess, and stories revolving around some very 70s subjects like Erich von Däniken-styled "ancient astronauts" and "Pyramid power." Of course, there's all the usual undercover stuff and spy plots, too.

I've really enjoyed re-watching the first two seasons on DVD, and am looking forward to completing the series. Now if only Time-Life would release the rest of The Six Million Dollar Man in affordable, individual season sets, I'd be a very happy man.

Captain's bLog: 0728.11

• Obviously, the big event since my last "Captain's bLog" entry was the arrival (at last) of Shout! Factory's Battle Beyond The Stars and Damnation Alley Blu-ray Special Editions. I reviewed both discs for my DVD Late Show website; if you missed them when I announced them here a few days ago, you can find the complete reviews linked below:

Battle Beyond The Stars Blu-ray Review


Damnation Alley Blu-Ray Review

I've been really looking forward to the HD upgrade of Battle Beyond The Stars since Shout! Factory first announced that they'd acquired it almost two years ago. I'm pleased to say that the new edition doesn't disappoint, and makes a great companion piece not only to the other Roger Corman sci-fi Blu-rays (Galaxy Of Terror, et al), but their Starcrash disc, as well.

• Bionic Woman update: I received my replacement disc from Universal today, replacing the defective Disc Four from the Second Season set. The audio problem has been corrected, and the exchange was easy, painless, and prompt. Kudos to Universal for correcting the problem so quickly.

•  I'm determined that my reviews of Strange New World (the conclusion of Warners' "PAX Trilogy"), the complete Thundarr the Barbarian cartoon series, and the 1978 TV movie, The Bermuda Depths, will be posted in August. I can guarantee that there will be reviews of the Man From Atlantis DVDs, too. I will try and get at least one new essay up. There will also be a new Reader's Poll and - barring unforeseen complications - a second Space: 1970 Podcast, as well.

•  Stats: The site now has over 300(!) "followers" here on Blogger, and the Facebook fan page is up to 636 "likes." Thanks to everyone for your support and loyalty! I also want to thank everyone who have used the Amazon links on this site to make purchases (and the few who've made Paypal donations). Every little bit helps.

•  I've "disapproved" a few comments lately. I don't like doing that, but I want to keep this site a positive place, and free of snobbery and snark. If you think one of the movies or TV shows we celebrate here is crap, well, keep your opinion to yourself, or post it somewhere else. I love this stuff, and this is my blog. You're not welcome here if you're going to insult my tastes, plain and simple. That doesn't mean I don't have a sense of humor or can't appreciate some light-hearted goofing on this stuff, but mean-spirited derision is not going to be tolerated.

•  This keeps coming up, so for newer readers: I was born and raised in Maine, in the United States, and this blog is about the sci-fi flicks and television that I grew up with - roughly covering the years between 1969 and 1983 (the original Star Trek slips in because it was really more of a success - and more prevalent - in syndication in the 70s than it ever was when it originally aired in the 60s) . Aside from UFO and Space: 1999, I am woefully unfamiliar with pretty much all other 70s British sci-fi. I've never so much as seen an episode of Blake's 7, Star Maidens, etc., so I cannot write about them with any authority - and I have no personal nostalgia for them. I'm sure it's my loss. (Of course, if anyone wants to send me R1 NTSC videos of those shows...)

As for Doctor Who - I am a fan of the classic series as well as the new, but I didn't see an episode until well into my 20s, so it's not part of my childhood, either. That does not mean that I'll never mention Who or the other shows, but it's why they don't get the same attention as the U.S. programs (or foreign material that was distributed here).

•  People seem to be digging the "Behind the Scenes Pix" - if anyone stumbles across one they think I should showcase here on the blog, please send it along. I'm also open to suggestions for Space Babes (I haven't picked August's babe yet, for example), "Fave Fives," and Poll questions. I always appreciate reader feedback and suggestions.

Thanks for stopping by!

MESSAGE FROM SPACE (1978) Theatrical Posters

 

Here's a colorful selection of international one-sheets issued to promote one of my favorite Star Wars imitations, the 1978 Toei space epic, Message From Space. I've always loved the U.S. poster (top), ever since I saw the art in a newspaper ad back in '78. I'd love to find a better scan of the one directly below it; the art is magnificent! My favorite, though, has to be the Egyptian (?) one at the bottom; isn't that Marvel Comics' Starlord?

MAN FROM ATLANTIS (1977) DVD Preview Clips

For those who were wondering what the new Man From Atlantis DVDs from Warner Archive looked like, the company has just posted a couple of preview clips (from the Pilot) which demonstrate the remastered video quality. Looks great to me! Can't wait to get my copies!

Now, bring on Logan's Run!

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978) Fan Magazine Poster

I'd never seen this atmospheric Battlestar Galactica artwork before this morning, but I really dig it. From the scan, it appears to have been a pull-out poster originally published in an unknown (to me) fan magazine. There's a signature, but I can't make it out. Can any Space: 1970 visitors identify the artist for me and/or say where this appeared?

ADDENDUM: You guys are good! As many folks have now informed me here and on this blog's Facebook page, the art is by British comics artist Don Lawrence, and the art appeared in a Dutch magazine called Eppo (hence, the "Epposter" logo in the lower, right-hand corner. I had no idea what Eppo was!)

Fave Five: 70s SCI-FI SIDEARMS

Welcome to the first Space: 1970 "Fave Five" - wherein your humble blogger becomes even more self-indulgent (if that's even possible) and counts down his own top five favorite whatevers from the S:70 era; i.e. favorite spaceships, favorite captains, favorite novelizations, favorite cartoons, favorite Space Babes, etc. Most bloggers do Top Ten lists, but honestly folks, that just seemed like too much work!

This time out, I've picked my favorite sci-fi sidearms, taking into account the design of the weapon, how effective it appeared on the show, and, well, simply just how "cool" I think it is. With that, let's begin at...

NUMBER FIVE: Colonial Laser

Battlestar Galactica

The Colonial Laser is not an elegant weapon. It's large, bulky, heavy and intimidating. Its purpose is to blow Cylons apart in close combat, and it certainly seems very efficient at doing so. The actual prop seems to have some weight to it (unlike the clearly lightweight plastic blasters of Buck Rogers), and I very much like the fact that in the original series, there was no animated ray blast added in when our heroes fired their lasers, just a blinding (and practically-created) muzzle flash, accompanied by a very cool sound effect - and an appropriately explosive pyrotechnic charge where the weapon found its target. Unfortunately, when they made Galactica: 1980, they failed to keep it consistent and cartoon beams were used.

NUMBER FOUR: Sentry Laser

The Black Hole

I've always liked the production design of The Black Hole a great deal, and in particular, I've always thought that the Sentry robots' ray guns, with their unique, over-and-under barrels and sleek, black finish, were especially cool looking. Of course, I'm not a bonafide genius like Dr. Reinhardt, but if I were designing robots specifically for duty as security troops, I'd probably have their weapons built right into them instead of having them carry around pistols -- but then our heroes wouldn't have been able to appropriate the lasers for use in their escape from the Cygnus, would they?

NUMBER THREE: Han Solo's Blaster

Star Wars

Almost all of the "blasters" seen in the original Star Wars trilogy are very convincing weapons, and that's because almost all of the props used were built on the frames of real, Earthly handguns and rifles. The most famous of these energy blasters is no doubt the pistol carried by Captain Han Solo of the Millennium Falcon - a modified "Broomhandle" Mauser C96. Because it's a real metal gun underneath the scope and muzzle extension, it has a convincing heft, and Harrison Ford certainly handled it with aplomb.

NUMBER TWO: Sandman DS Gun

Logan's Run

Some fans call it the "flame gun" for it's unique jet-flame muzzle flash, but most fans call it by the name given to the Sandman sidearms in George Clayton Johnson and William F. Nolan's original Logan's Run novel: the DS (or Deep Sleep) Gun. Of course, the movie weapon doesn't really resemble the revolver-like firearm of the books, but is a decidedly cool sci-fi sidearm all its own. Its sleek silhouette and matte black finish make it particularly intimidating, and the practical effects used on the set to dramatize its firing are great. As with the Colonial Laser above, there were no ray beams added in optically, just a blue jet of flame that emitted from the front and sides of the muzzle, accompanied by an appropriate sound effect. Sweet.

NUMBER ONE: Moonbase Alpha Laser

Space: 1999

My favorite sci-fi sidearm of the 1970s though, has to be the Space: 1999 laser/stun gun. I love that the designers eschewed the standard pistol configuration, and appear to have used a staple gun as their inspiration. Compact, unique, and stylish, the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha relied heavily on these weapons to defend themselves against a seemingly endless parade of malevolent aliens bent on their destruction. As the gun was only shown to have two settings  ("stun" and "kill," determined by a large thumb switch at the top of the weapon), I've occasionally wondered why it appears to have four barrels/emitters. But what the hell, it's a truly cool gun.

The only weapon that I wish I had been able to fit in was the Star Trek Type II phaser pistol, but ultimately, it didn't quite make the cut. Feel free to berate me for that decision - or any of my choices - in the comments.

Coming Attractions: BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES (1970) Original Theatrical Trailer

Here's the trailer for the first Planet Of The Apes sequel, Beneath The Planet Of The Apes. When I first saw this movie as a kid, it really freaked me out. The mutants flat-out terrified me, and the explosive ending simply blew my little mind and disturbed the hell out of me. Then, for a long time, this was actually my favorite of the films, probably because of the apocalyptic ending and the film's overall nihilistic tone. I also dug the effects of the underground ruins and James Franciscus' more action-driven hero.

Nowadays, I like Conquest best among the sequels, but I'm still very fond of this one (all of them, actually). Enjoy.

In the Beginning: The Enterprise

It is the end of an era, as NASA's final space shuttle mission has been completed. To commemorate, let's look back at the very first shuttle in the program - the Enterprise - and it's official unveiling on September 17th, 1976. Originally intended to be christened the Constitution, a write-in campaign to President Gerald Ford by Star Trek fans requested that the new orbiter be named after the television starship. Although Ford did not acknowledge the fan campaign officially, the president - who, during World War II, had served on the naval aircraft carrier USS Monterey, sister ship to the Navy's USS Enterprise - overrode NASA officials. Most of Star Trek's main cast, and creator Gene Roddenberry (pictured above), attended the public debut of the vessel.

Although the shuttle Enterprise was not actually equipped for spaceflight (a fact which rather irked Roddenberry, as he had hoped that the Enterprise name would be tagged to America's first genuine spaceship), having no engines nor heat shield, and was built solely as an atmospheric test vehicle, the craft was an important step forward in space exploration during a decade when that still seemed important to our future. I remember clearly the event above and took great pride at the time in being a Star Trek fan. It's a shame that as a country, we've seemed to lost our passion for exploring the final frontier....