January 17th, 1979 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

There can't have been many occasions in the history of Marvel UK when every comic published that week was a landmark issue but that was certainly the case in this week of January 1979.

But just what were those landmarks?

And were they good ones or bad ones?

Landmark No.1.

Not only does our favourite space saga reach its 50th issue but the old Kirbyesque corner box is replaced by a segment of the Brothers Hildebrandt movie poster.

We also get out our first ever photo cover - something that'll become a common practice for a brief spell.

When it comes to the insides, we get an article confirming there'll be a second Star Wars movie and that all our favourite stars'll be back for it.

The comic's Illustrated History of Science Fiction has reached the subsection, "Heroes." I've no info on who's covered by it but, bearing in mind his influence on Star Wars, I'll be amazed if Flash Gordon doesn't get a mention.

In the backup strips, the astronaut who's been mistaken for a demon, by a bunch of old-style witch hunters, gets his revenge when his mates show up.

Meanwhile, Adam Warlock's fighting a man called Autolycus, in his attempts to get to the heart of the Universal Church of Truth, and the comic announces the Micronauts' strip will be beginning next issue, mere weeks after it was first launched in the States.

Landmark No. 2.

It's time for tears as this week brings us the last ever issue of the original Mighty World of Marvel.

Admittedly, it'll be revived at a later date, as a monthly title and, as far as I'm aware, it's still going now but the weekly incarnation, which had launched Marvel UK, all the way back in 1972, breathes its last with this issue.

Bearing in mind its significance, I wish I could reveal details of its historic contents but, other than the Hulk tale, I'm in the dark.

Having said that, I don't know much about the Hulk tale either. He seems to be up against some sort of robot parrot from outer space. I'm assuming this issue reprints the December 1978 dated Incredible Hulk #230 and involves farming and crops and other things a city slicker like me would never understand.

Landmark No. 3.

It's time for even more tears because this is the last issue of the comic that began life as Spider-Man Comics Weekly in 1973.

Granted, it'll be relaunched next week, as Spider-Man Comic but, somehow, despite the strips within continuing seamlessly from this issue, it never felt like it was the same book.

At least the old title goes out in style with a rather appealing Keith Pollard cover.

I do believe the Scorpion's still out to get J Jonah Jameson.

Meanwhile, the Avengers are tackling the Black Talon, the man I can't resist calling, "The Human Chicken," - or at least the Scarlet Witch is, as he's already taken the other Avengers out of the fight.

Elsewhere, the comic trumpets the imminent arrival of the New X-Men in the pages of Rampage Monthly.