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. 

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. 

Skeleton Warriors

Gary Goddard, director of the Masters of the Universe movie conceived of the Skeleton Warriors in the hope it would be to the 90s what Masters of the Universe had been for the 80s. A phenomenon of toys and cartoons. Unfortunately like many other cartoon and toylines of the 90s it failed to catch on, with comic book properties being the flavor of the decade. Much like Masters of theUniverse, Skeleton Warriors was influenced by Conan the Barbarian when Goddard took his godson to a Conan attraction and saw how much the child enjoyed it.

A 13 episode cartoon series was produced with an ongoing story arc and dark, apocalyptic tone. A reasonably mature series and maybe ahead of it's time. It failed to get a second season but did end with a finale that made the series feel complete. 

Marvel comics produced a four issue mini series that tied into the cartoon and an annual was also published in the UK featuring some UK exclusive comic strips inside.

A toyline consisting of 8 figures was released by Playmates who were riding high on the success of their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line but looking for a replacement after the failure of the Toxic Crusaders line and with the Turtles popularity starting to decline. All five of the main Skeleton Warriors were produced but only three of the four heroic human leads were made into toys. Talyn the token female however was left out, much like female characters in other cartoon toylines such as Visionaries and Bucky O'Hare. A second wave of Skeleton Warriors figures were revealed as prototypes along with a giant skeleton dragon but unfortunately never saw the light of day.

The toy boxes featured beautiful artwork very reminiscent of the 80s Masters of the Universe packaging. An obvious inspiration after Gary Goddard worked on the Masters movie.

Death's Head

Death's Head returns to Marvel comics with his own title again, returning to his original design. After his introduction in the 80s Marvel UK comic his design was updated for his own series. He then underwent a radical make over with an EXTREME 90s look in the Death's Head II series. It's good to see him back in his original design. The over the top muscular 90s cyborg look is so out.

The Real Ghostbusters UK Comics

 The 80s saw multiple titles for The Real Ghostbusters, extending all the way into the early 90s.
In 1988 the main weekly The Real Ghostbusters title launched. The title lasted until 1992 with 193 issues

 Various issues were reprinted in bumper sized Collected Comics for 13 issues ending in 1994

 Slimer also had his own short lived comic starting in 1989 to tie in with the changes to the animated series which had by this time become Slimer and The Real Ghostbusters. Slimers solo outing lasted an unlucky 13 issues.

 1989 saw another Slimer-centric title. It's Wicked was a Beano and Dandy style comedy comic but dedicated to supernatural and horror themed characters with Slimer being the face of the series much like Dennis the Menace was to Beano and Desperate Dan was to Dandy. This lasted 11 issues.

A fun spin off from the main Ghostbusters comic was Puzzlebuster. A puzzle magazine themed around the Ghostbusters and included short comic strips featuring the characters.

Conan the Barbarian UK Comics

Conans UK comic career started in 1975 with the weekly released Savage Sword of Conan. This title only lasted 18 issues however and was at the time considered a failure.
In 1977 the title was rebooted with a larger, magazine format on a monthly basis and would eventually become Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian to tie in with the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. This run proved more popular, lasting 93 issues till it's end in 1985.

Conan would continue to appear in other titles such as Mighty World of Marvel, Avengers, Valour and Planet of the Apes among others. Almost 20 years after the first release of a UK Conan comic, the character returned in 1994 with Conan the Adventurer. Released to tie in with the then current cartoon series of the same name. This title only lasted a mere 3 issues though before being cancelled without warning.

Weird Science Transforms to Mars Attacks

Spider-man Children in Danger

 At around 1990 Marvel UK produced a short PSA comic strip in the UK that was handed out for free around some primary schools to help make children aware of stranger danger. The story features Spider-man on a trip to the UK helping to stop a criminal kidnapping a young boy before giving some advice to children about not talking ot strangers or accepting gifts from them. The mini comic was written by Simon Furman, best known for his work on Transformers.

Spider-man Annual 1994

The Marvel UK Spider-man annual 1994 features a christmassy cover and feature story 'The Big X-mas Blackout' where we see Spider-man save christmas from Electro!

The Astonishing Spider-man 35

Marvel UK/Panini's Collectors Edition Astonishing Spider-man issue 35 features a christmassy cover. not only reprinting the cover and story from the Marvel US Spider-man/Deadpool issue 12 but also featuring Spider-man sprting a Santa hat and snow covering the title. A common sight on comic book covers of the 80s but rare now, especially in the UK.

The Real Ghostbusters Frightful Four

When people think of the Frightful Four, they tend to think of the supervillain group who would oppose the Fantastic Four in Marvel comics. Howeverthere is another Frightful Four from Marvel. Marvel UK's The Real Ghostbusters issue 118 introduced readers to a group of ghosts based on the classic universal monsters but wearing uniforms similar to the Ghostbusters. This quartet were sent to capture and punish the Ghostbusters for their crimes against the spirit world. Basically, Ghostbuster Busters. The team consisted of Frank (the Frankenstein monster), Arnold the Werewolf, Wilbur the Mummy and Vigor the Vampire the leader of the group. Their first appearance was in a text only story but in their second outing in issue 136 they would get a full comic strip story.

Combat Colin

 

Combat Colin was created by Lew Stringer and originally featured as a half page comedy strip in Marvel UK's Action Force comic, the UK version of G.I Joe, starting from issue 5. Once that title was cancelled at issue 50, Colin moved along with G.I Joe to the successful Transformers comic with issue 153 and stayed with that title till it ended with issue 332. Now Colin and his side kick Semi-automatic Steve return with their own title. Available from Lew Stringer's site the series will last six issue until every story from the Action Force and Transformers era have been collected and published together.

He-man and the Masters of the Universe UK Comics

 

 Published in the UK by London Edition Magazines, the fortnightly comic series lasted for 72 issues with an additional monthly comic (Masters of the Universe Adventure) running for 28 issues and featured The New Adventures of He-Man for the last part of it's run before reprinting classic MOTU strips from the fortnightly comic. The 'Secret Files of Scrollos' strip featured origin stories for many characters including Sy-Klone, Rio Blast and Snout Spout, and the series included the characters Horde Prime and Scrollos. There was also a short-lived She-Ra comic title, that lasted for 14 issues.

In late 2003 to tie in with the then new Master of the Universe cartoon (now known as 200X) a comic was published by Toontastic Publications reprinting the US MVC MOTU comic which lasted 18 issues.

 

Marvel UK also publsihed two Master of the Universe specials for summer 1985 and winter 1988. The first reprinted the US DC mini series. This was a strange occurance as London Editions had the license to publish DC comics in the UK and published the UK original MOTU comic series so it seems odd that Marvel UK would then reprint the DC MOTU series.  The second special published reprinted the Marvel/Star US adaptation of the 1987 Master of the Universe motion picture but using the traditional cartoon designs for the characters rather than the movie outfits. All except Beast Man who for some reason still sported his movie design.

Transformers UK 100

Issue 100 of the Marvel UK Transformers comic marked the start of a tradition that would be carried on every 50th issue of having a wrap around cover poster.

Transformers UK 300

Marvel UK's Transformers issue 300 was the last time we would see a wrap around cover poster as the comic was unfortunately cancelled 32 issues later before it could reach 350.

Transformers UK 200

Marvel UK continues it's tradition of a wrap around cover poster every 50 issues of Transformers with issue 200, containing one of the final parts of the epic Time Wars storyline. Inside we see the Autobot Wreckers and Decepticon Mayhem Attack Squad combine forces to combat Megatron and his future incarnation, Galvatron. Meanwhile Rodimus Prime with the help of Optimus tries to unite the rest of the Autobots and Decepticons past and present to take on the threat Galvatron poses to the universe.

Transformers UK 150

From issue 100 onwards it was a tradition with Marvels UK Transformers comic that every 50 issues there would be a wrap around poster cover. For issue 150 we see Rodimus Prime unleashing the power of the Matrix as Unicron attacks Cybertron.

Transformers UK 171

Marvel UK's Transformers issue 171 caused somewhat of a stir with it's cover featuring a poster announcing ''Tonight only! From the planet Mil-Wal....Hooligan vs Ultra Magnus''. Fans of Millwall football club took exception to the insinuation that football hooliganism was rife on the terraces at the Den, thought it's track record in this regard was hardley spotless and the club had a reputation for trouble at the time.

Transformers The Definitive G1 Collection

Transformers: The Definitive G1 Collection is a fortnightly partwork collection of hardback books published by Hachette Partworks in the UK. The series is made up of 80 volumes which will reprint the entire history of G1 Comics, from the 80s Marvel Uk and US series right through Dreamwave and on to the current IDW series.
Transformers comics have never reached the height in quality the Marvel UK series of the 80s and early 90s did with nothing but short lived (Generation 2) or lackluster (Titan and RID) attempts. This hard back book collection fills the void and finally offers the UK a great ongoing series of Transformers comics strips, many for the first time. 

Alas, poor Bludgeon

 Poor Bludgeon doesn't seem to have much luck. His time to shine finally came at the end of the Marvel Transformers comic when he gained leadership of the Decepticons after Scorponoks death only to have it ripped away by a returning Megatron in the first few issues of Generation 2. As illustrated here on the cover of issue 5 of the Marvel Transformers Generation 2 comic. In the alternate continuation of Marvels original series, Bludgeon didn't fair far better at the hands of Rodimus Prime as we can see with this homage cover to issue 96 of IDWs Transformers Regeneration One.
Below is the UK varient cover of issue 4 featuring far more vibrant colours than it's US counterpart.