MARVEL UK IN THE USA: PART TWO

Part two of Slow Robot's romp through Marvel UK's short-lived excursion into the US comic book market.

FRONTIER COMICS SPECIAL

Initially announced as the quarterly FRONTIER COMICS UNLIMITED. The series was cancelled before publication and the planned first issue printed as a stand-alone special. The new strips Evil Eye and The Fallen never graduated to solo titles and the Frontier imprint closed after the initial four limited series.

G FORCE

Announced but subsequently delayed and then cancelled. The team did appear in other M-UK titles.

GENE DOGS

4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

1993

GENESIS '92

Working title for OVERKILL and the initial five US stand-alone editions: HELL'S ANGEL, THE KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON, MOTORMOUTH, WARHEADS and DIGITEK.

GENETIX

ONGOING SERIES

6 ISSUES

1993

GUN RUNNER

5-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

1993

HEAVY WEAPONS 911

UNPUBLISHED

Announced for 1993 but unpublished. Described by Michael Bennent (Frontier Group Editor) as “humour-orientated title about a big robot with big guns” (Interview in COMICS WORLD 17, July 1993). AKA HEAVY WEAPON (in cancellation announcement in COMIC WORLD 22, December 1993).

HELL'S ANGEL

(aka DARK ANGEL)

ONGOING SERIES

16-ISSUES

The title changed to Dark Angel from issue 6 following a threat of a lawsuit from the Hell's Angel biker organisation.

Hell's Angel was one of the founding OVERKILL strips.

HEROSWARM

Marketing iniative for the launch of BLACK AXE, SUPER SOLDIERS and WILD THING (All April 1993). Referenced in COMIC WORLD 14 (April 1993).

IMMORTALIS

FOUR-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

Published under the Frontier Comics imprint.

Sporadically published: Issues dated September 93, October 93, January 94, March 94.

KILLFRENZY

UNPUBLISHED

Announced as a four-issue limited series.

An assassin of mixed parentage (alien, animal and human) is doomed to perpetually wander the galaxy in search of potential victims. Announced as a four issue limited series, by Bambos Georgiou (W) and Henry Flint (A), beginning February 1994 but subsequently cancelled.

KILLPOWER: THE EARLY YEARS

FOUR-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

Published as part of the PUMPING IRON sub-line.

Spin-off from MOTORMOUTH AND KILLPOWER. Issue 1 had a foil-enhanced cover.

KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON, THE

(VOLUME 1)

ONGOING SERIES

18-ISSUES

1990-91

Relaunched as THE KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON volume 2.

KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON, THE

(VOLUME 2)

ONGOING SERIES

15-ISSUES

Abbreviated reprints (removing the majority of Marvel US characters) of the early issues appeared in OVERKILL.

Issue 12 was a MYS-TECH WARS crossover.

KNUCKLEDOWN

UNPUBLISHED

4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

Announced as a four-issue fully-painted limited series “featuring a genetic romp through Earth's pre-history” by Carl Critchlow (COMICS INTERNATIONAL 38, December 1993). Subsequently cancelled.

LOOSE CANNONS

UNPUBLISHED

This fully-painted WARHEADS spin-off was almost completed when M-UK closed the US line leaving the work unpublished. It's subsequently been made available online (although not by Marvel/ Panini).

MOTORMOUTH

ONGOING SERIES

12 ISSUES

Becomes MOTORMOUTH AND KILLPOWER from 4. The MYS-TECH WARS storyline begins in 9. An edited version of the strip (removing US heroes) appeared in OVERKILL. The complete versions appeared in THE EXPLOITS OF SPIDER-MAN. Several other Motormouth projects (see seperate entries) were planned but abandoned). MOTORMOUTH also appears in THE INCREDIBLE HULK 408-409.

MOTORMOUTH AND KILLPOWER (VOLUME 2)

UNPUBLISHED

The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1993) and then cancelled when M-UK pulled the US line completely. Issue 1 solicited in MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE 129 (October 1993).

MOTORMOUTH REMIX

UNPUBLISHED

An alternative take on the Marvel Universe: Spider-man is a Vietnam Vet, The Punisher is an evangelist and Captain America as a sadistic villain. Part of M-UK's US line. Creators: Rafael Marin (W) and Carlos Pacheco (A). Announced as beginning March 1994 but canceled (COMICS INTERNATIONAL 38, December 1993).

MYS-TECH WARS

4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

Line-spanning mini-series with cross-overs. Issue 1 has gatefold cover.

OFFICIAL CROSSOVERS: MOTORMOUTH & KILLPOWER 9, DARK ANGEL 10 & 11 (May/ June 1993), DEATH'S HEAD II volume 2 issue 5, WARHEADS 11, KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON volume 2 issue 12.

NOCTURINE

UNPUBLISHED

An updated version of NIGHT RAVEN. Planned US format comic. The project was abandoned when Marvel UK was taken over by (fellow Marvel subsidery) Panini in 1995.

OFFICER OUTBODY

UNPUBLISHED

Creative team (announced in COMIC WORLD 20, October 1993): Glenn Dakin (W) and Ross Dearsley (A). The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1993) and then cancelled when M-UK pulled the US line completely.

OVERKILL

FORTNIGHTLY (1-42)

MONTHLY (43-52)

1992-94

UK anthology outlet for selected US format M-UK strips, initially the GENESIS '92 line-up (KNIGHTS OF PENDRAGON, DIGITEK, WARHEADS, MOTORMOUTH, HELL'S ANGEL/ DARK ANGEL). Later strips included BLACK AXE, DEATH'S HEAD II (from 12) and SUPER SOLDIERS. Strip pages featuring (sales-boosting) appearences by US characters were initially omitted from Overkill. Initially developed as FAST FORWARD. M-UK trading cards cover-mounted to 12-14. New look and logo from 30. Monthly from 43 (cover-dated 15 December 1993). Relaunch accompanied by 3D glasses and M-UK character trading cards (not available elsewhere). Further sets of cards in 44-45. The decision to cancel was clearly hasty, albeit announced, as reprints of BATTLETIDE II started in issue 52 and were never concluded.

OVERKILL SPECIAL: BATTLETIDE

UK edition. Collects the four-issue BATTLETIDE limited-series. The only OVERKILL spin-off.

PLASMER

4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

1993

PROMETHEUS FIRE

See: DEATH3

PUMPING IRON

Umbrella brand for Marvel UK summer 1993 launches BATTLETIDE II, KILLPOWER: THE EARLY YEARS and DEATH'S HEAD II & DIE CUT, all edited by Jacqui Papp. Supported by a cover feature in COMIC WORLD 16, June 1993.

PUNISHER VS DEATH'S HEAD II

UNPUBLISHED

Four issue limited series by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning (W) and Bryn Hitch (A). Announced for first-quarter 1994 (COMICS INTERNATIONAL 38, December 1993) but subsequently cancelled.

RE-MIX

See: MOTORMOUTH: REMIX

REDMIST 2020

Alternatively written 20/20. A six-part crossover planned for selected M-UK October and November 1993 titles. The participating titles were all cancelled and the crossover abandoned. The promoted reading order was as follows:

1. DEATH DUTY1 (10/93)

2. ROIDRAGE 1(10/93)

3. BLOODRUSH 1 (10/93)

4. DEATH DUTY 2 (11/93)

5. ROIDRAGE 2 (11/93)

6. BLOODRUSH 2 (11/93)

SUPERSOLDIERS 8 (published) was a tie-in.

REMOVAL MAN VS MOTORMOUTH

UNPUBLISHED

Creative team (announced in COMIC WORLD 20, October 1993): Glenn Dakin (W) and Pedro Espinosa (A). The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1993) and then cancelled.

RIPWIRE

UNPUBLISHED

Creative team (announced in COMIC WORLD 20, October 1993): Craig Houston (W) and Stuart Jennett (A). The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1993) and then cancelled.

'ROIDRAGE

UNPUBLISHED

The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1992) and the title was cancelled when M-UK pulled the US line completely. Issue one solicited in MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE 130, November 1993.

SHADOW RIDERS

4-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

1993

SISTERS OF GRACE

UNPUBLISHED

Announced for 1993 but unpublished. Described by Michael Bennent (Frontier Group Editor) as “humour-based title about six hot babes in space” (Interview in COMICS WORLD 17, July 1993).

SPIDER-MAN, THE EXPLOITS OF

24-ISSUES

Contained full reprints of MOTORMOUTH.

SUPER SOLDIERS

ONGOING SERIES

8-ISSUES

Issue one's (with foil-enhanced cover) sales: 200,000+ (source: COMIC WORLD 13, March 1993). Issues 9-10 were solicited in MARVEL AGE MAGAZINE but never published. The exterior of the Super Soldiers base closely resembled Marvel UK's Arundel House.

TIMESTRYKE

UNPUBLISHED

The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1993) and then cancelled.

WARHEADS

ONGOING SERIES

14-ISSUES

Abbreviated versions appeared in OVERKILL. Issue 11 is a MYS-TECH WARS crossover.

WARHEADS: BLACK DAWN

2-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES

1993

WARHEADS: LOOSE CANNONS

See: LOOSE CANNONS

WARHIDE

UNPUBLISHED

Creative team (announced COMIC WORLD 20, October 1993): David Leach, Jeremy Banx (W) and Carlos de Miguel (A). The announcement of delayed publication appeared in COMIC WORLD 22 (December 1993) and then cancelled when M-UK pulled the US line completely. Issue 1 was complete and issue 2 in progress when cancelled.

WILD THING, NIKKI DOYLE