Monster Wrestlers In My Pocket Issue 3

 

Monster In My Pocket Comics UK

Monster In My Pocket's popularity was short lived in America but had an after life in the UK where it seemed to be more popular, expanding into gimmick lines like Monster Sport Stars, Monster Ninjas and the most successful, Monster Wrestlers In My Pocket. This led to the UK receiving more comics than the US did for the franchise. 

First there was the Marvel UK Summer and Holiday Specials in 1991, reprinting the US Harvey Comics Monster In My Pocket title that lasted four issues in America. Marvel UK also printed a hard back Annual to finish reprinting all the Harvey Comic issues. 

Keesing comics then released the Monster Wrestlers In My Pocket comic in 1995 featuring original UK comic strips. This comic lasted only three issues

This comic too had a hard back annual to finish it off. The annuals are a bit easier to get hold of but all five of the UK Monster in my Pocket comics are very rare and difficult to find. 

Back to the Future EC Inspiration

Like many films, books and TV shows in pop culture in the 1980s, Back to the Future was in part inspired by EC comic books from the 1950s. In particular the science fiction titles such as Weird Science and Weird fantasy. The first movie in the Back to the Future series gives homage to this by featuring a mock EC comic in one scene where Marty first arrives in 1955 and is discovered by a farmer and his family. The farmers son tells his dad Marty must be an alien and shows him the cover of a comic book styled like a classic EC comic. 

The comic titled Tales From Space even has the EC logo in the top corner, though Tales From Space wasn't actually a real EC comic title. But the layout of the cover is pure EC. A fun little nod. 

Robert Zemeckis who directed Back to the Future would go on to be a executive producer on the HBO Tales From The Crypt TV series beginning in 1989 which would adapt stories from across the EC titles of the 50s. Yet another creative in Hollywood at the time who was inspired by EC while growing up. 

The Howling EC Inspiration

 Many classic horror movies and creators have told of their love of EC comics in childhood and how it influenced and inspired them in their writing and directing of horror in adulthood. Steven King, George Romero and John Carpenter in particular. However EC's influence can be seen in many other films of the 80s era. The Howling for instance features a blink and you'll miss it reference to EC on the wall of Eddie Quists apartment. Amongst the art and magazine covers he has stuck to his wall is a comic cover with art work homaging issue 29 of Tales From The Crypt. Though strangely they chose to make the cover a vampire hunter staking a Vampire rather than using or homaging one of the many Werewolf covers EC published. 

Shiver Suspenstories 2 Oni Press EC

 Oni Press have been going full throttle with their EC revival titles over the last two years publishing constant new titles and issues. In December 2024 we had a one shot Christmas special titled Shiver Suspenstories, following from the legacy of EC's classic Shock Suspenstories and Crime Suspenstories. Now for Christmas 2025 Oni Press have published a second issue with one cover in particular homaging the classic Vault of Horror issue 35. Possibly the most well know issue of Vault as it has been adapted to the big and small screen. First in 1972 when Britains Amicus films adapted it along with four other EC stories for their Tales From The Crypt movie then again in 1989 for the first season of the HBO Tales From The Crypt TV series in one of it's most beloved episodes. 

History of Toxic Avenger Comics

 The Toxic Avenger began in 1984, released by Troma Entertainment and went on to become it's most popular and well know franchise. In no small part because of the Toxic Crusaders cartoon released in 1990 in an attempt to replicate the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with a toyline and cartoon created by the same companies who worked on TMNT Playmates and Fred Wolf Productions). Though Crusaders never really took off, only lasting one season and one wave of toys it did still help spread awareness of the character of Toxie who many kids had no idea was from an R rated 80s movie. The original film also spawned three sequels and a 2025 reboot. Though outside of the screen it has a history of comic books that is still going today.

In 1991 Marvel Comics released the first issue of The Toxic Avenger, with Toxie sporting his green skin from the Toxic Crusaders cartoon rather then the brown from the movies. The comic reimagines the story of the first movie, creating it's own continuity. The series lasted 11 issues and was then replaced with the Toxic Crusaders comic in 1992 which lasted 8 issues. Marvels Toxic Crusaders reimagines the origin story from the first few episodes of the cartoon whilst also being more violent than the cartoon would allow. 

1992 saw a second Toxic Crusaders comic published but in the UK by Fleetway Publishing. Like the American comic this only lasted 8 issues, reprinting the US comics while also featuring original UK strips. 

In 2024 Ahoy Comics released a Toxic Avenger mini series, once again reimaging the story of the original movie in a modern setting. Initially a four issue mini series, it proved popular enough to spawn an ongoing series. In 2025 it was joined by a new Toxic Crusaders comic set in continuity with the Toxic Avenger series. 

Aliens Magazine Volume 3 (UK)

The UK Aliens magazine had run from 1991-1994 spanning 32 issues as well as a three issue mini series printing the comics adaptation of Alien 3 to tie in with the release of that movie. Initially it was published by Trident for volume 1, then when Trident went out of business Dark Horse International picked up the license for volume 2. Sadly Dark Horse International didn't last many years before also going under and Titan comics picked up most of their licenses such as Jurassic Park, Terminator and Aliens.

Titan started Volume 3 of the Aliens magazine in December 1997 to tie in with the release of Alien Resurrection. The first two issues printed the comic adaptation of the film as well as Earth Angel. Both stories concluded in issue 2 with issue 3 beginning two new stories, Aliens: Berserker and Aliens: Mondo Pest. 

Sales proved poor though and issue 3 became the final issue, abruptly ceasing publication with no announcement or official final issue released. It is unclear if the comic was intended to be an ongoing or just a mini series for five or six issues. Aliens Berserker would have been a four issue story which indicates Titan had planned at least three more issues after issue 3. 

Titan didn't have much better luck with the other titles they picked up from Dark Horse. Only releasing four issue mini series of The Lost World Jurassic Park and Terminator Salvation to tie in with the release of those films. 

Batman Guardian of the Night Panini Comic

Panini Comics UK began publishing Batman comics in 2003 with Batman Legends which would feature three US issues in one, bound in a cardboard cover like Paninis Marvel Collectors Editions. They eventually lost the license to Titan Comics but in 2020 regained it and released the one and only issue of Batman: Tales of the Dark Knight. Unfortunately the global pandemic quickly put an end to what was to be a new series. This one issue still had the cardboard cover but now only included two US comic issues rather than three to reduce costs, coming in at £4.50

 Panini made a second attempt to return Batman to UK comic stands with Batman Guardian of the Night. Featuring two US comic issues but without the cardboard cover the Collectors Editions are known for. This change knocked the cover price down to £2.99. It was sad to see the cardboard covers go but £4.50+ per issue was getting a little high for many readers. Especially if they bought multiple titles from Paninis Marvel and now DC range every month.

Unfortunately Batman Guardian of the Night was cancelled after issue 22 in 2023. Not quite lasting two years. It's sad to be without a UK Batman comic on shelves again like the late 1990s. 

Jurassic Park Comics UK

 Dark Horse International published 16 issues of Jurassic Park in the early 90s, reprinting Topps comics movie adaptation, prequel and sequel stories. Much like their Alien and Terminator comics which would feature supporting strips from relevant franchises such as Predator for Alien and Robocop for Terminator, Dark Horse International included Xenozoic Tales and Age of Reptiles in their Jurassic Park comic.

After 13 issues however, the title rights changed to Manga who sold the comic direct to consumers rather than it appearing in newsagents. This only lasted three issues and the comic was cancelled at issue 16. The comic rights then changed hands to Titan Publishing who also acquired the rights to Alien and Terminator from Dark Horse International. Titan would release their own Jurassic Park comic to tie in with Lost World. This was a four issue series reprinting the Topps Lost World comic adaptation from the US. As with Titans Alien Resurrection and Terminator Salvation movie tie in comics, after four issues it was cancelled,