Marvel Super Special #4
Tom Palmer cover, from a George Perez design. The screaming women look a little too contemporary. Yoko insinuates herself on the back cover.
Creative Team: David Anthony Kraft-writer/editor, George Perez-pencils, Klaus Janson-inks, Tom Orzechowski-letters, Petra Goldberg-colors.
Credited as a "Mad Genius Associates Production) Not sure who that is. When I try to research it, i get multiple companies using the name. It also credits a D. Jon Zimmerman, as assistant to the producer. Additional thanks to most of the production department.
This is titled "The Beatles Story, an unauthorized biography of the Beatles." It was not done with the consent of the band or Apple Corps. The notation is significant, which I will address in my comments.
Synopsis: DAK does a text piece about the band that adds nothing new, other than his enthusiasm for the project and the band. The story of the band is told in two parts, separated by text pieces on their discography and filmography, as well as a poster.
Part I-In Liverpool, John Lennon and Pete Schotten have a band, the Quarrymen, and meet a young guitar enthusiast, Paul McCartny. John and Paul quickly bond and Pete moves on. The pair play some gigs and talent shows, then fall in with a young guitarist, George Harrison, who invites them to jam, since he is tired of playing alone. They start to play club dates and take the name The Silver Beatles, playing in a club, owned by the mother of a drummer, named Best. Pete Best would sit in with thr trio and ends up accompanying them to play in Hamburg, Germany. They are also joined by an artist friend of John's, Stuart Sutcliffe. They become a big hit at the Kaiserkellar, in Hamburg, where they meet Rory Storm & the Hurricanes, and have a friendly wager about who can destroy the rickety stage at the Kaiserkellar. The Hurricanes win and their drummer, Richard Starkey, aka Ringo Starr, sits in a bit, with the Silver Beatles. Stu fals in love with a photojournalist, named Astrid Kirchherr. They return to Liverpool, to increased skill and aspirations.
They become a sensation at the Cavern Club and come to the attention of Brian Epstein, a record dealer who soon becomes their manager. They end up signing with EMI, just as Stu dies at age 21, of a brain tumor. meanwhile, the band seems to be held back by drummer Pete Best and he is dropped, in favor of Ringo Starr. They go into the studio, where they work wit engineer George Martin and record the song, "Love Me Do." Then, the nations goes crazy...
They play major gigs and even a Royal Command Performance. They come to America to even greater hysteria, and appear on the Ed Sullivan Show ("Rightchere on ahrr stage......"). That leads to a movie (A Hard Days Night) and more hysteria. The band are awarded the MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), something not generally awarded to rock bands. More movies follow, a massive concert in Shea Stadium, hanging out with Elvis and then receiving their MBEs from the Queen. (We understand you are some sort of music combo. Jolly good!) George marries Patti Boyd (John had married Cynthia Powell, just before they went into the studio, for the first time). They go on a tour, then John angers American christians with remarks comparing the band to Jesus and soon there are record burnings. They play Shea, but it isn't sold out this time.
The band spend time on their own things, as John appears in the film, How I Won the War, and Paul studies classical music. George is chafing under public scrutiny and starts learning sitar with Ravi Shankar and spends time in India, where he gains a bit of peace.
Test features follow, plus an ad for Creem magazine. The Story picks up again.
Part II-the Beatles release Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, setting the stage for a horrible movie that will embarrass the BeeGees and Peter Frampton, and didn't do much for George Burns! Patti Boyd introduces George to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a con artist....spiritualist...and the album is released, ushering in the psychedelic era...
Pressures mount, the hippies embrace Sgt Pepper, the critics attack them for promoting drugs, the Maharishi fleeces them, Brian Epstein dies of an overdose of a barbiturate sleeping pill. John has an affair with Japanese "conceptual artist" Yoko Ono and his marriage breaks up. Paul becomes engaged to Jane Asher. They put out a tv special and album...
The Beatles dump the Marahirshi and form Apple Corps, promising artistic freedom to budding recording artists. They are besieged by wannabes. Yellow Submarine, an animated film is released. The Beatles are voiced by actors, including the future Onslow (in Keeping Up Appearances), Geoffrey Hughes, as Paul.
The non-record Apple businesses face trouble and failure. tensions rise in the band. John is arrested for drug possession. Paul has new legal representation, the father and brother of his new fiance, Linda Eastman. George's home is raided. John and Yoko marry, as do Paul and Linda. The band records Abbey Road...
Paul dies and a fake replaces him. More arguments. John returns his MBE in protest of Britain's backing Nigeria in the Nigeria/Biafra civil war (as well as in protest of the Vietnam War). Paul announces he is quitting the band. Let It Be is released, showing the band playing on a rooftop, as a sort of eulogy...
The B-Sharps pick up where the Beatles left off.
Thoughts: Now, granted the Beatles were a massive cultural influence and changed rock and pop music forever. But why a comic book bio? Well, in a word, Beatlemania. Rather, a stage musical title "Beatlemania. The show featured actors re-enacting Beatles musical performances, ina timeline of their career. it opened on Broadway in Oct 1977 and played 1006 dates. This issue was published in 1978. You do the math. The "unauthorized" bit is necessary, to indicate there is no involvement from Apple Corp and to keep from getting sued; but, they also had no involvement with the producers of Beatlemania. I suspect they wanted to license the name; but, couldn't make a deal. Just as well, as Apple sued the producers of the show in 1979 and won $5.6 million, plus 7% interest in court from the producers and a further $2 million and 7% interest for the film version. Marvel didn't have that kind of money.
As a bio goes, it's all rather cursory, using quotations and official interviews for source material. Most of it was public record and it added little new detail. It avoids the subject of Brian Epstein's homosexuality and the acrimony of the split with Pete Best, as well as the fact that Stu Sutcliffe only mimed playing an instrument, not to mention allegations about the nature of his relationship with John. It downplays the drug use and even avoids noting that "Hey Jude,"was written for Julian Lennon, during the breakup of his parent's marriage. As a magazine, it is not subject to Code approval; but, Marvel editorial was still rather conservative about such things. Drugs are mentioned, as is infidelity; but, it's fluff.
Still, aside from the Western Yellow Submarine comic, there wasn't much in the way of Beatles comic book material, though Marvel was way late to the game.
There is nothing particularly "special" about this and it is pretty much a cash grab. Still, DAK gives a decent cursory history and does convey the attachment people have to the music and the time. The art looks very Klaus, as it appears that he tightens up the likenesses. Staging and the cramming of material is pure Perez; but, you don't really feel his line here; just Klaus'.
I have no idea how well this sold; but, there was a resurgence in Beatles popularity and merchandising with Beatlemania, so it probably did pretty well. There were far worse rock and roll bios, later, in the late 8s and early 90s, from Rock & Roll Comics. This isn't a patch on the later The Fifth Beatle.
The Beatles would (sort of) crop up again, in this magazine, though no one in the US got to see it. More to come. Next, its back to KISS.
