(Continued from The Heroic Age, Part Three)

 

THE HEROIC AGE, PART FOUR (A.D. 1971 - A.D. 1980)

A.D. 1971: 

Character Debuts:

  • The Aquavenger (Bob Shane)
  • Archie Bunker
  • Arsene Lupin III
  • Captain Speed (Harry Christos)
  • “Dirty” Harry Callahan
  • Frank Cannon
  • Go-Go Girl (Janet)
  • Hedorah
  • The Huntress (Bobbi Morse)
  • John Shaft
  • Kamen Rider (Takeshi Hongo)
  • Kamen Rider 2 (Ichimonji Hayato)
  • Magno (Sandy Laker)
  • The Man-Thing (Ted Sallis)
  • Den Maskerade Proggaren (Jarl Sandberg)
  • New Ultraman (Goh Hideki)
  • Spectreman
  • Stewart McMillan
  • Willy Wonka
  • Zigra
  • Zippy the Pinhead

 

Team Debuts:

  • The Defenders (64)
  • The Squadron Supreme (65)

 

Events:

  • Linda Lee marries Steve Rogers.
  • Peter Parker marries Mary Jane Watson. (66)
  • Wally West becomes the Flash III. He marries Gail Manners.
  • Arthur Curry Junior marries Namora.
  • Katar and Shayera Hol’s daughter,  Janet Hall (Hol) is born.
  • Scott and Jean Summers’ son, Raymond "Ray" Summers is born
  • The Forever People first come to Earth.
  • The Third Doctor, Jo Grant and U.N.I.T. battle the Master and a second Auton invasion. 
  • Godzilla defeats the monster Hedorah.
  • Gamera defeats the alien monster Zigra.
  • The Third Doctor and UNIT defeat the Master’s plot to use the Keller Machine.
  • The Axon invasion of Earth is defeated by the JLA.
  • The Third Doctor and UNIT defeat the Master and the Daemons.
  • The ghost of Jonathan Muddlemore begins solving mysteries with three teenagers.

 

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A.D. 1972: 

Character Debuts:

  • Belle Air (Gail Milgrim)
  • Bob Hartley
  • Chet Kelly
  • Devilman (Fudo Akira)
  • Dixie McCall
  • Ed Ryker
  • Electro the Power Man (Eddie Edwards)
  • Fat Albert
  • Fred Sanford
  • Funky Winkerbean
  • The Ghost Rider II (Johnny Blaze)
  • Gigan
  • The Green Lantern III (John Stewart)
  • Hank Stanley
  • Iron Fist (Daniel Rand-K'ai)
  • Iron King (Kirishima Goro)
  • Jill Danko
  • Joe Early
  • John Gage
  • Kelly Brackett
  • Kid Pharaoh (Prince Zethi)
  • Lamont Sanford
  • Lift-Off (Earl Lumley)
  • Marco Lopez
  • Mike Danko
  • Mike Stoker
  • Mike Stone
  • Power Man (Luke Cage)
  • Roy DeSoto
  • Shizuka Gentaro
  • Son Goku (Kakarrot)
  • The Swamp Thing (Alec Holland)
  • Terry Webster
  • Ultraman Ace
  • Willie Gillis

 

Team Debuts

  • The League of Super-Groovy Crimefighters (67)
  • Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (68)

 

Events:

  • Arthur Junior  and Namora Curry’s son, Arthur Curry III is born.
  • Scott and Jean Summers’  daughter, Beatrice Summers is born.
  • The Saiyan known as "Kakarrot" is sent to Earth, where he is adopted by Son Gohan, who names him "Son Goku".
  • Alien cockroaches from Nebula M Spacehunter use King Ghidorah and Gigan to attempt to conquer the Earth but are stopped by Godzilla and Anguirus.
  • Meiou Setsuna is born in Tokyo, Japan.
  • Tabitha and Adam Stephens are ensnared by the Celestial Toymaker. It takes them ten years to free themselves but when they return to the "real world" they discover that no time has passed there at all. Due to a lingering aftereffect of the Toymaker's power, none of the witches they know are able to restore them to the proper ages. (69)
  • Josie and the Pussycats, along with  members of their staff, are accidentally launched into space aboard an experimental rocket.
  • The mecha Mazinger Z is constructed.
  • The Banzai Institute For Biomedical Engineering and Strategic Information is founded.
  • A group of rabbits from Sandleford Warren establish a new warren on Watership Down.

 

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A.D. 1973:   

Character Debuts:

  • Barnaby Jones
  • Black Jack II (Hazama Kuro'o)
  • Cutie Honey
  • George Jefferson
  • Howard the Duck
  • Inch High
  • Jet Jaguar
  • Kamen Rider V3 (Kazami Shiro)
  • Megalon
  • Shang-Chi
  • Steve Austin
  • Theo Kojak
  • Ultraman Taro (Higashi Kotaro)
  • Velta (Katia Lins)

 

Events:

  • Clark Junior and Lana Kent’s son,  Clark Kent III is born
  • Peter and Mary Jane Parker’s daughter, May Parker is born.
  • Scott and Jean Summers’ daughter, Jean Summers the Younger is born.
  • The First, Second and Third Doctors, Jo Grant and UNIT battle Omega.
  • The members of Mysteries, Inc. go their separate ways. Freddie Jones becomes a male model, Daphne Blake becomes an FBI agent, Velma Dinkley becomes a research chemist and "Shaggy" Rogers becomes a night watchman. (70)
  • Colonel Steve Austin is converted into a cyborg after an accident, afterwards becoming an agent for the Office of Scientific Investigation.
  • Nuclear tests disrupt the undersea kingdom of Seatopia. The Seatopians send Megalon and Gigan to attack Japan. They are defeated by Godzilla and the robot Jet Jaguar.
  • Miles Monroe is cryogenically frozen.
  • The Third Doctor and UNIT battle the evil computer BOSS.
  • Aasu Nanase is born.
  • Adolf Kamil kills Adolf Kaufmann.
  • Author Yosuke Misura meets the mysterious woman he knows only as "Barbara".

 

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 A.D. 1974: 

Character Debuts:

  • Barney Miller
  • The Blue Knight
  • Carl Kolchak
  • Carrie White
  • Chico Rodriguez
  • Chris Owens
  • Ed Brown
  • Hong Kong Phooey (Penrod Pooch)
  • Jim Rockford
  • Kamen Rider Amazon (Yamamoto Daisuke)
  • Kamen Rider X (Jin Keisuke)
  • King Seesar
  • Leatherface
  • OMAC (Buddy Blank)
  • The Punisher (Frank Castle)
  • Riderman (Yuki Joji)
  • Tank McNamara
  • Ultraman Leo (Gen Otori)

 

Events

  • Bobby Drake’s  daughter, Tora Drake is born. (71)
  • Scott and Barda Free’s daughter, Crystal Free is born.
  • The Third Doctor, UNIT and Sarah Jane Smith battle the so-called “Golden Age” conspiracy. Later, they battle intelligent spiders on Earth and Metebelis III.
  • The Fourth Doctor, his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan, and U.N.I.T. foil an attempt to start World War Three using a giant robot.
  • Alien Simians attack Japan with the robot Mechagodzilla, but are defeated by Godzilla and the Okinawan guardian monster, King Seesar.
  • While on a routine expedition, Rick Marshall, his son Will and his daughter Holly, are swept into the Land of the Lost. After spending some time there, they return shortly after they left.
  • Chiba Mamoru is born in Tokyo, Japan.
  • The Partridge Family are placed into suspended animation by persons unknown.
  • Fire breaks out at the opening of the Glass Tower in San Francisco. Local super-heroes pitch in to help put out the fire and rescue people trapped in the tower.
  • Philip J. Fry is born in the Bronx, NY.
  • College student Gil Grissom is inspired to pursue a career in law enforcement after he attends a lecture by guest speaker Barry Allen at his school. (72)
  • The Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald help rescue time-traveler Hila Tukurian from a collapsing pocket universe.
  • Galactic Patrolman Jaco Teirimentenpibosshi comes to Earth, where he meets the scientist Tokunishin Omori and would-be science fiction writer Tights.

 

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 A.D. 1975: 

Character Debuts:

  • Ann Romano
  • Barbara Cooper
  • Basil Fawlty
  • Black Goliath (Bill Foster)
  • The Bronze Gladiator (Mike Logan)
  • Captain Canuck (Tom Evans)
  • Captain Quint
  • Colossus (Piotr Rasputin)
  • Dan "Hondo" Harrelson
  • David "Deacon" Kay
  • Dominic Luca
  • Frank N.Furter
  • Gabe Kotter
  • Inframan (Rayma)
  • Jaime Sommers
  • Jim Street
  • Julie Cooper
  • Kamen Rider Stronger (Jou Shigeru)
  • The Manhunter III (Mark Shaw)
  • Martin Brody
  • Matt Hooper
  • Merrill Stubing
  • Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner) )
  • Sabraman (Dan Bar-On)
  • Storm (Ororo Munroe)
  • Sunfire (Shiro Yashida)
  • Superdupont
  • Sybil Fawlty
  • Thunderbird (John Proudstar)
  • Titanosaurus
  • T. J.  McCabe
  • The White Tiger (Hector Ayala)
  • Wolverine (James “Logan” Howlett)

 

Team Debuts:

  • The Astro City Irregulars (73)
  • The Champions (74)
  • The Ghost Busters (75)
  • The Misfits (76)
  • Secret Task Force Goranger (77)

 

Events:

  • Hank and Jan Pym’s  daughter, Janet Pym the Younger is born.
  • A new team of heroes from around the world join the X-Patrol.
  • The Fourth Doctor,  Sarah Jane Smith,  Harry Sullivan and U.N.I.T. defeat a Zygon invasion of Earth.
  • The Simians send the dinosaur Titanosaurus and a rebuilt Mechagodzilla to attack Japan, but they are defeated by Godzilla and the JSDF.
  • Recently-divorced Ann Romano moves to Indianapolis with her teenaged daughters, Julie and Barbara Cooper.
  • A great white shark begins devouring bathers off the coast of Amity, MA. Green Lantern John Stewart captures it before it can do any further harm.
  • Two NASA maintenance workers Junior and Barney are accidentally launched into space.
  • The Fourth Doctor and his companion Sarah Jane Smith battle a Kraal invasion of Earth.
  • The androids Fi and Fum arrive on Earth, accidentally taking two Chicago children named Alice  and Jerry on board their saucer.
  • The Land Shark consumes his first victim.
  • Moonbase Alpha is founded as a joint US/UK venture.


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A.D. 1976:

Character Debuts:

  • Alice Hyatt
  • Apollo Creed
  • The Blue Falcon (Radley Crown)
  • Captain Britain (Brian Braddock)
  • Dyna Girl
  • Electra Woman
  • The Gymnoid (Nova Soares)
  • Isis (Andrea Thomas)
  • King Cobra (Bill King)
  • Power Girl (Karen Kent) (78)
  • Rocky Balboa
  • The Unknown Man in Black.

 

Team Debut:

  • Charlie’s Angels (79)

 

Events:

  • Steve and Linda Rogers’ son , Clark Rogers is born.
  • An infant duplicate of Ororo Munroe, created as part of an abortive plot by Felix Faust against the X-Patrol, is believed lost at sea. However, the clone is washed ashore on Themiscyra, where she is raised by Queen Hippolyta - who does not know the child's origins -  as Princess Ororo. (80)
  • Arthur Junior and Namora Curry’s  daughter, Namorita Curry is born.
  • Tintin has one final adventure in South America with General Alcazar.
  • The Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and U.N.I.T. wipe out a Krynoid infestation in England.
  • Guy Caballero founds Second City Television in Melonville.
  • Rocky Balboa fights Apollo Creed for the first time.
  • Ten’ou Haruka and Kaiou Michiru are born in Tokyo, Japan.
  • The Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith return Eldrad to Kastria.
  • Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart retires from UNIT.
  • The Celestials visit Earth.
  • Michio Yuki  begins his murderous quest to gain control of MW, the chemical weapon that scarred him psychologically when he was a child.

 

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 A.D. 1977: 

Character Debuts:

  • Agatha Crumm
  • Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce)
  • Black Vulcan
  • Blackwatch (James McLain)
  • Bob McKenzie
  • Celsius (Arani Caulder)
  • Doug McKenzie
  • The Huntress II (Helena Wayne)
  • Jack Tripper
  • Jon Baker
  • Machine Man (Aaron "X-51" Stack)
  • Martin Valiente
  • Mister Roarke
  • Negative Woman (Valentina Vostok)
  • Ponch Poncherello
  • Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
  • Tempest (Joshua Clay)

 

Team Debut:

  • The JAKQ Blitzkrieg Force (81)

 

Events:

  • Taffy Dare, Brenda Chance and Dee Dee Sykes free Captain Caveman from the glacier which had trapped him for eons. The foursome travel together, fighting crime.
  • A scientist builds robotic versions of the Three Stooges called the Robonic Stooges.
  • The Great White North debuts on Second City Television.
  • Fantasy Island opens for business.
  • Clovia Wallet marries “Slim” Skinner.
    Jack Tripper shares an apartment with Janet Wood and Christmas “Chrissy” Snow.
  • Roy Neary has a close encounter with some aliens that visit Earth.
  • The Fourth Doctor and  Leela battle the Fendahl on Earth.
  • Barth Gimble begins hosting Fernwood 2-Night.
  • Kandorians Van-Zee and Ak-Var become Nightwing Ii and Flamebird II.

 

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A.D. 1978: 

Character Debuts:

  • The Air Wave II (Harold Jordan)
  • Arthur Dent
  • Ataru Moroboshi
  • The Atom IV (Adam Thompson Senior),
  • The Big E (Percy Pilbeam)
  • B.J. McKay
  • Fauladi Singh
  • Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein)
  • Kittycat (Lea Anne Lyster)
  • Lilith (Darkstalkers)
  • Louie DePalma
  • Michael Myers
  • Mork
  • The Odd Man (Clay Stoner)
  • Princess Lum
  • Reid Fleming
  • Shinobu Miyake
  • Shutaro Mendou
  • Spider-Man II (Yamashiro Takuya)

 

Events:

  • Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield, IL, stalking Laurie Strode, who does not know she is his sister, and is in turn pursued by Doctor Sam Loomis.
  • Andy Travis takes over as program director of radio station WKRP in Cincinnati, OH.
  • “Slim” and Clovia Skinner have a daughter, Gretchen.
  • Louie DePalma operates the Sunshine Cab Company in New York City.
  • The living dead again attack western Pennsylvania, cornering several civilians in a mall. This time they are dealt with by the X-Patrol
  • .Tsukino Usagi, Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, Kino Makoto and Aino Minako are born in Tokyo, Japan.
  • The Fourth Doctor and Leela encounter a shipload of Minyans.
  • The Fourth Doctor, Romana and K-9 battle the Captain of Zanak and Queen Xanxia and later battle Cessair of Diplos on Earth.
  • Killer tomatoes attack America.
  • The Red Ronin is constructed to protect the U.S. from Godzilla.
  • Jesse Duke promises to stop making illegal whiskey in order to get his nephews Bo and Luke released from prison.
  • Mysterious aliens known only as "Space Invaders" attack Earth, but are driven off.
  • Phillip Drummond adopts Arnold and Willis Jackson.
  • Doug Phillips and Tony Newman expose a saboteur on a space-flight to Mars. Subsequently, in Cliffport, Maine, they battle alien invaders from Andros.
  • Karen Travers and Lynn Warner are imprisoned in Wentworth Detention Centre.

 

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A.D. 1979

Character Debuts:

  • Acroyear
  • The Ant-Man II (Scott Lang)
  • Arcturus Rann
  • Baron Karza
  • Benson DuBois
  • Biotron
  • Blair Warner
  • Bo Duke
  • Bug
  • Captain Sunshine
  • Elly Patterson
  • John Patterson
  • Jo Polniaczek
  • Liz Patterson
  • Luke Duke
  • Marionette (Princess Mari)
  • Michael Patterson
  • Microtron
  • Natalie Green
  • Skyrider (Tsukuba Hiroshi)
  • Supersonic Man (Kronos)
  • Tootie Ramsey
  • Ultraman Jonias (Hikari Coichiro)

 

Team Debuts:

  • Alpha Flight (82)
  • The Amazing Three (83)
  • Battle Fever (84)
  • The Shogun Warriors (85)

 

Events:

  • When Battle Cossack and Miss America III are killed in battle, they are replaced by Battle Cossack II (Jin Makoto) and Miss America IV (Maria Nagisa).
  • Black Goliath changes his codename to Giant-Man II.
  • Hank and Jan Pym’s daughter, Cassandra  "Cassie" Pym is born.
  • In the Microverse, the Micronauts lead a revolt that overthrows the evil Baron Karza.
  • Rocky Balboa fights Apollo Creed again, this time defeating him.
  • The Fourth Doctor and Romana battle Scaroth in Paris.
  • Harry Broderick, Melanie Slozar and Skip Carmichael build the Vulture, a spaceship they use for commercial purposes.
  • Edna Garrett goes to work at the Eastland School.
  • Aasu Mutsumi is born. 
  • Helena Wayne marries Harry Sims.

 

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A.D. 1980: 

Character Debuts:

  • Bananaman (Eric Wimp)
  • Cyborg (Victor Stone)
  • The Disco Dazzler (Alison Blaire)
  • DoctorSlump (Norimaki Senbei)
  • Elwood Blues
  • Jason Voorhees
  • Joliet Jake Blues
  • Kamen RIder Super 1 (Oki Kazuya)
  • Mister Game & Watch
  • Norimaki Arale
  • Pac-Man
  • Raven
  • The She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters)
  • Starfire (Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran)
  • Thomas Magnum
  • Ultraman 80

 

Team Debuts:

  • The Denjimen (86)
  • The Titans (87)

 

Events:

  • Dick Grayson Junior now calls himself  "Nightwing III".
  • Steve and Linda Rogers’ son, Frederick “Freddy” Rogers is born.
  • Peter and Mary Jane Parker’s son, Peter Parker Junior,  and  daughter, Mary Jane Parker the Younger are born. (88)
  • Beast Boy now calls himself "the Changeling".
  • Scott and Jean Summers take over the running of the Westchester School when the Chief retires and Professor X leaves to study sorcery.
  • The Kobolite fleet arrives at Earth, pursued by the Cylons. Earth’s super-heroes help them defeat the Cylons, and then begin the process of integrating the Kobolites into Earth society.
  • Pamela Voorhees kills several people at Crystal Lake, before being killed herself by Alice Hardy. Alice is then killed by Jason Voorhees.
  • The Blues Brothers help an orphanage pay its taxes, at the cost of their own freedom.
  • Mary Corleone is killed.
  • Jennifer Morgan travels to Skartaris.
  • The Fourth Doctor, Romana and K-9 battle Meglos on the planet Tigella.
  • Norimaki Senbei builds a robot in the shape of a 13 year-old girl, which he names "Arale" and passes off as his kid sister. She attends the local school where she befriends Soramame Taro, Kimidori Akane, and Soramame Peasuke.
  • Former Air Force pilot Ted Striker helps save a commercial airliner from crashing.
  • Enos Strate joins a special branch of the LAPD.
  • Harry Potter is born.
  • The Twelfth Doctor, Bennett and O'Donnell battle the Fisher King.
  • Helena and Harry Sims' daughter, Helena Sims yhe Younger, is born.

 

(Continued in The Heroic Age, Part Five)

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  • The ghost of Jonathan Muddlemore begins solving mysteries with three teenagers.

    Don't forget his cat!

  • Also the original Swamp Thing made (as far as I know) his only appearance.

  • That cat was extremely annoying. And I say that as a cat lover.
     
    Philip Portelli said:

    The ghost of Jonathan Muddlemore begins solving mysteries with three teenagers.

    Don't forget his cat!

  • Yes but the story was set much earlier in the late 19th century.
     
    Ron M. said:

    Also the original Swamp Thing made (as far as I know) his only appearance.

  • Boo couldn't have been more annoying than Sebastian!

    Ron M. said:

    That cat was extremely annoying. And I say that as a cat lover.
     
    Philip Portelli said:

    The ghost of Jonathan Muddlemore begins solving mysteries with three teenagers.

    Don't forget his cat!

  • Sebastian wasn't as annoying as Alexandra.

    Liked the mystery show, absolutely hated them in outer space. Gilligan also ended up in outer space. Scooby Doo escaped that fad, but then they got Scrappy. That's like getting a Gazoo or a Herbie.

  • It seemed like every cartoon show had annoying animals even The Jackson 5, The Osmonds and The Brady Kids!

  • And the dog in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids that kept sneaking into headquarters to make the computer sneeze. Why would anyone build a computer with allergies?

    Ever seen the Flintstones episode where Dino talks and keeps making bad puns? Luckily they didn't keep that version of the character.



  • Philip Portelli said:

    It seemed like every cartoon show had annoying animals even The Jackson 5, The Osmonds and The Brady Kids!

     

    Yeah, there were alot of "kids cartoon" versions of prime time shows back then.  they should do a kids cartoon version of Hannibal.

  • When they did Hulk Hogan's Rock and Wrestling cartoon, the wrestlers couldn't be shown actually wrestling as it was deemed too violent.

    I recall reading that technically they could have done a Saturday morning cartoon about porn stars as long they didn't....y'know!

This reply was deleted.