Ricky Rotten sent me an article celebrating the 35th anniversary of Radio Shack’s personal home computer the TRS-80 also less-than-affectionately known as the TRaSh-80.
TRS-80 image by Flominator
TRS-80 was a desktop computer sold through Tandy Corporation’s chain of Radio Shack stores in the late’70s/early 80s. I remember seeing them in the stores, but I never had one and never remember playing with one. The Commodore 64 was more my speed.
Radio Shack teamed up with DC Comics and published giveaway comic books to promote their marvelous mound of microchips. I never turned down a free comic.
Superman: The Computers That Saved Metropolis was published in 1980 and given away at Radio Shack stores. I had not looked at this comic in years, and from the cover I assumed it was knocked off by steadfast and reliable Ross Andru. I was wrong. Surprisingly, it was drawn by Jim Starlin whose work I loved in Marvel Comics’ Captain Marvel, and it was inked by Dick Giordano. I always loved Starlin’s style, but sadly, it looks like it was reigned in by the inker so it would look like DC’s house style and maintain the look of a typical Superman comic. Don’t mess with the brand!
