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.

Batman 465

 Batman issue 465 from July 1991 featured the first outing of Tim Drake as the new Boy Wonder sporting an updated, more modern Robin costume. The cover was later used for the 1993 UK Batman annual though the story from issue 465 was not featured.

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.