Thursday 15 March 2012

MARVEL UK IN THE USA: PART ONE - FROM A-TO-DIE

Between 1988 and 1994, London-based Marvel UK stopped being just a low-cost reprint house and attempted to conquer the US comic market with new titles and characters.  It all ended in ignominious retreat in 1994 but it was a wild ride.  Read on...

ACTION FORCE

ONGOING SERIES
15 ISSUES
1988-89
Published in the UK as ACTION FORCE MONTHLY and in the USA as G.I.JOE EUROPEAN MISSIONS (the covers were changed but the interiors remained the same).
Successor to ACTION FORCE weekly.

BATTLETIDE
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
1993

BATTLETIDE II
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
1993

BLACK AXE
ONGOING SERIES
7 ISSUES
Issues 8-9 were solicited in MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE but not published.

BLOODRUSH
Unpublished.  Solicited in MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE 130 (November 1994) but cancelled.

BLOODSEED
2-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
Part of the FRONTIER COMICS IMPRINT

BODYCOUNT
Free promotional one-shot
Dated November 1993
Artist profiles

CHILDREN OF THE VOYAGER
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
Part of the FRONTIER COMICS IMPRINT

CLANDESTINE, THE

Initially announced as an M-UK title, publication transferred to Marvel New York when Marvel London closed the US line.

CYBERSPACE 3000
ONGOING SERIES
8 ISSUES

DANCES WITH DEMONS
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
Part of the FRONTIER COMICS IMPRINT

DARK GUARD
ONGOING SERIES
4-ISSUES
Issue 5 was solicited in MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE but never published.

DARK GUARD GOLD: OLD FRIENDS
Announced in COMICS INTERNATIONAL 38 for publication in April 1994 but subsequently cancelled.  This may have included material originally planned for DARK GUARD 5-6.

DEATH3
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
First announced as PROMETHEUS FIRE

DEATH DUTY
Unpublished.  Solicited in MARVEL AGE issue 130 (November 1993) but subsequently delayed (as reported in COMIC WORLD magazine issue 22, December 1993) and then cancelled.

DEATH METAL
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

DEATH METAL VS GENETIX
2-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES


DEATH'S HEAD
ONGOING SERIES
10 ISSUES
1988-89

THE INCOMPLETE DEATH'S HEAD
12-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
Selected DEATH'S HEAD reprints (excluding THE TRANSFORMERS for licensing reasons) with new framing sequence featuring Death's Head II.
Issue 1 had a die-cut card cover.

DEATH'S HEAD: QUORUM
Planned continuation of the original Death's Head character.  Abandoned in favour of launching DEATH'S HEAD II.

DEATH'S HEAD II (VOLUME 1)
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
1992
Promoted as part of the MARVEL BIG GUNS promotion.
The first of the truly US-format M-UK titles.

DEATH'S HEAD II (VOLUME 2)
ONGOING SERIES
16 ISSUES
Issues 17-18 were solicited in MARVEL AGE but never published.
Issue 1 included a gatefold cover and sold 365,000 copies (COMIC WORLD 13, March 1993)
Issue 5 was a MYS-TECH WARS tie-in.

DEATH'S HEAD II & DIE CUT
2-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

DEATH'S HEAD GOLD

ONGOING
2-ISSUES
Announced as a quarterly companion to the main title but cancelled after the first issue and free preview special (number zero).  Issue one had a gold foil cover.

DEATH'S HEAD II/ KILLPOWER: BATTLETIDE III
Sequel to the two previous BATTLETIDE limited series.  Issue one was solicited in MARVEL AGE 132 (December 1993) but subsequently cancelled.

DEATH'S HEAD II: THE WILD HUNT
TRADE PAPERBACK
Planned collection of DEATH'S HEAD II VOLUME 1.  Announced in MARVEL AGE but cancelled before publication.

DEATH WRECK
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

DIE CUT
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES
Issue one featured a special die-cut cover enhancement.

DIE CUT VS G-FORCE
2-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

DIGITEK
4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

DOCTOR WHO: THE AGE OF CHAOS
Initially announced as a four-issue limited series.  It was delayed and then cancelled but finally issued as a one-shot magazine-format special.
Written by actor Colin Baker.

DRAGON'S CLAWS
ONGOING SERIES
10 ISSUES
1988-89
The first M-UK title printed in a US format.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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