Eternity's end!

 Week Ending 11th May 1974

The Mighty World of Marvel #84

From "And now the Absorbing Man!" to "The Power of the Absorbing Man!" one of the three significant changes to this cover that was used both on the original US comic and the UK version. The second being a speech bubble from Creel declaring that "Only one of us can land safely, Hulk! And it's going to be--ME!" Which is strange as I imagine that the rocket is in space, or the very edge of it at least, so if there's no air, there can't be sound. But let's be honest UK comics love covers with word balloons. While the third change is the position of Creel's wrecking ball. It probably would have covered "H" of the "Hulk" or the "sta" part of "starring". The ball and chain must have been redrawn by an art bodger as the chain is straight in the US version, put curved in the UK one. Herb Trimpe drew this cover, how do I know? Well he signed it. 

The Incredible Hulk “Death match!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Herb Trimpe

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #125

Cover date March 1970

(Published in December 1969)

This week's opening splash page uses Herb Trimpe's imposing Absorbing Man close up as seen in the final panel from last week with only the edges of the artwork extended slightly. A quick re-cap of the story next to the new title. That how to start part two of this story. The three other text boxes are left the same, just like an old episode of Doctor Who, or Flash Gordon if you like. The finest Marvel action...here we go!

A quick flash back of where Thor readers last saw Creel after Odin had exiled him to the cold vastness of space, as seen in SMCW#51, he hitches a ride on a comet, absorbs it's essences, so through will power, plus a little Marvel magic steers it towards Earth and his encounter with Banner's rocket as seen last week. Great now we can get on with some incredible battle scenes with the two titans thrashing it out on the crashing rocket, followed by the biggest tussle that Trimpe's pencil can put to paper. It's not War and Peace, it's just a big brawl and like every kid of a certain age I love it.

The problem with big battles is there's got to be an outright winner, but if you do that it becomes pointless to have a re-match no matter how popular that would be with readers. Always leave them wanting more and they'll come back again and again. That's what Stan, Jack and Steve build the house of Marvel on. How does Roy Thomas make a story like this seem unique and steer the plot away from a forgone conclusion? How does the Hulk defeat a villain who can absorb his strength no matter how angrier and stronger he becomes? Well have him absorb Bruce Banners strength while he's holding a mountain over his head, then have him absorb the properties of rock, leaving him to crumble under the strain. It's a clever and unusual twist ending, one of my favourite resolutions to a Hulk story. I absolutely love it. The final panel is a beauty, as a group of silent onlookers observe Banner collapsing with exhaustion and the end box reads "Next: Comes the Night-Crawler!" More mystery to come, but it won't be the blue furry X-Man kind.  

Marvel Bullpen Bulletins

No Daredevil strip again this week, possibly because the Man without fear features in the Fantastic Four story instead. But there was room for a Bullpen Bulletin page, although that needn't have been as it was exactly the same as the one printed in last week's Mighty World of Marvel. I'll not go through it again, you've probably read it already. But if you haven't check it out here.
 

The Fantastic Four “A blind man shall lead them!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Frank Giacoia and Wally Wood 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #39

Cover date June 1965

(Published in March 1965)

A US Navy submarine crew pulls the unconscious Fantastic Four from the Pacific after having barely survived the Frightful Four's deadly Q-Bomb explosion. There's no joy or relief to be safe and alive from our gloomy heroes as it becomes obvious that things aren't alright with them. The radiation from the Q-Bomb has removed the glum quartet's powers.

Once returned to the Baxter Building Reed sets about to find a solution for their loss of powers, in Kirby's usual mad scientist kind of way. But instead of drawing some colossal machine Kirby takes a more labour saving option by having the powerless quartet discuss their predicament as Reed calculates something on a clipboard, all in front of a "B-movie" photo back drop. I say that this technique would save labour and possibly time, but I imagine that Kirby may have spent time searching for that image. Unless he saved images for later use. There's hints that their future holds a grim foreboding spectre that they could be under threat from one of their deadliest enemies. I did at first think that the whole word or the spelling of "foreboding" had been changed for the UK version. But the correction in the US version was also plain to be seen. I guess someone had spotted it back in the 60's and corrected it there.

With no solution to recover their loss of powers Reed funnels his time into creating temporary solutions to the team's problem by creating artificial powers that they can use. We get Richards perfecting a "flame-suit" for Johnny, an "invisibility-suit" for Sue (very Harry Potter,) and a robotic version of the Thing for Ben to control. Reed later has extendable arms. The speed in which these devices are thrown together makes their reliability questionable. This won't be the last time that Reed has to create enhancements for loss of powers. He would later build a "Thing-suit" for Ben to wear and telescopic arms for himself. 

Reed sends for their lawyer, Matt Murdock, to discuss with him power of attorney over Richards scientific notes, that should be given over to the government and that the work of their charitable foundation would be continued if anything happened to them. Daredevil's inclusion in this week's episode as well as next week's makes more sense of his own strips disappearance from last week's mag and this one too. It wouldn't have made sense starting a multi-part DD adventure in issue 80 and 81 of MWOM, then holding it off while DD guess stars in the FF story. So the Daredevil vs Ox story was brought forward and printed in #80 and #81. Wally Wood inked all images of Matt Murdock or Daredevil this issue, as at the time he would be the artist on Daredevil. There seems to be no documented reason for him to do this, may be he had finished his monthly work and was looking for some extra work while he was hanging around the Marvel offices. 

Reed's intuitive thinking is has ever correct as Doctor Doom regains his memories of his last encounter with the FF (seen in MWOM#66) where Reed hypnotised him into thinking that he had defeated the FF. I always thought that story ending was very suspect, Doom was lead to believe that he had destroyed and defeated Richards in a mind battle, wouldn't news coverage of Richards and the FF tell him different? Any way Doom sets out to enact his revenge on his enemy by taking over the Baxter Building and their equipment. There was a fail safe that renders the FF's equipment useless, as seen in their battle against the Mad Thinker from MWOM#31, both Stan and Jack seem to have forgotten that little plot fixer. Daredevil aids the powerless Fantastic Four but against the Ruler of Latveria with the FF weapons do they have a chance? Find out next week in what promises to be a sensation conclusion.

After revealing Andrew Upcraft's BLITZRIEG as the Artist competition over-all winner last week the next inline for the age 13 category receives a radio. Step forward Milan Kratochvil from Wiltshire, aged 13, whose creation is a gun welding assassin called Gun-Hand! I guess he has a gun for a hand. Fifteen runners-ups also receive a surprise bonus runners-up "surprize". No idea what that was, if you were a runner up let me know. I do have to admit that some of these runner-ups are more creative than the actual winners. He's a quick run through. Purple Plotso by Paul Mylum from Reading, (age 8) shoots thunder and lightning from his hands, although he doesn't have any hands, he looks more like an  amoeba. Electro the Elusive by Karen Smallwood (age 8), travels through the telephone wires, no good now, we're all on mobile phones. Power Brain by Jatinder Guijal from London (age 8), turns red and green when angry. Flashman the Menace byAlan Lithgoe from Sunderland (age 8) who has X-ray eyes. Magno-man from Jim Shaw who comes from Glasgow (age 9), creates magnetic fields. The Venom Villain by Jason Mednick from Essex (age 10), he strangles, bites and poisons victims. Looks a little like Venom, may be Randy Schueller, Jim Shooter or Mike Zeck read this comic before they created the Spider-man villain. Dr. Lichen controls fungi and was created by Michael Nicholson from Westmorland (age11). Phytor makes time stand still and he came from the mind of Rory McLeish from Glasgow (age 11). Stanimir Mutacheiv (age 12) created The Inferno, he has sticks of matter and anti-matter. I think he might have used them to blow his own head off. The Dimension Master can teleport to any part of the Galaxy, created by Russell Wong of London (age 12). The Dissolver by Paul Smith from Essex (age 13) looks a little like Captain Mar-vell, he has the power to dissolve anything he envelopes. Jack Kirby would be proud of The Prime One by Derrick Johnson from Bristol (age 15), can fly and has a Cosmic blast. The Crimson Death by Michael Marks of Southgate (age 15) who can destroy body cells. I like how David Sell of Nottingham (over 16) has used Captain America in his artwork to give scale and drama to his super villain, who is Anthracite the Living Coal. Finally for MWOM, Michael Finnigen from Leicester (over 16) created Nebula who can drew power from any planet. He really looks great, my favourite from this batch. Look out for thirty more runner-ups in SMCW and the Avengers.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #65

This is the second week in a row that Spider-man has been flat out on his back on a cover. This time he can rest on a cushion of webbing as the Vulture gloats above him. Drawn by Ron Wilson with Mike Esposito adding the inks. 

Spider-man “Doom on a rooftop!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr and Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #64

Cover date September 1968

(Published in June 1968)

This week's opening splash page uses the last panel of last week's Spider-man strip and the image of the Vulture taken from the third panel of page 9 in this week's comic. It's a great use of existing panels but doesn't the Vulture look too small? Jameson is blaming the Web-slinger for causing the masonry to fall on Joe Robertson, when we all know it was the Vultures fault. 

The battle is set to rage on as the Vulture looks to allow the chaos of the situation to aid his attack. While the Vulture distracts Spider-Man, Jameson grabs Spidey from behind. OK he doesn't have the strength to hold our hero but he causes enough of a distraction to allow the Vulture renew his attack.  Spider-man has no alternative but to webs up the aggressive editor in webbing to stop his interference. This week would be pretty much all out action, but any Spider-man comic wouldn't be complete without some of Peter Parker's civilian life and especially the females in his life.

 Let's check in on the main lady in Peter's life, Aunt May. Who's up to her normal pass-time, worrying about Peter, who she says she hasn't seen for days. Bad Nephew, but at least she's got Anna Watson to keep her company. Plus another visitor, sporting a new hair cut. It's Mary Jane with a short and curly trim. I have to say John Romita Sr draws her extremely well, she gives that added "wow" factor to this strip, although I have to say I don't like the hair cut. Grow that hair back soon MJ.

The beautiful blonde in Peter's life also makes an appearance, Gwen together with her father Captain Stacy, who has recovered his memory of his time under the brain-washing of the Kingpin. The one piece of memory that is important to Peter and Gwen is that Peter didn't really attack Captain Stacy, as seen in SMCW#59, but he was trying to help him. A good omen for Gwen and Peter's future, but like life the future in Marvel comics may well look rosier but there's always some-one to spoil it.

That some-one this week is the Vulture, so back to the dynamic Romita action as the high flying exploits takes Spider-man through a helter skelter ride as the web-slinger takes a hell of a beating and a fall from such a height that no-one could possibly survive. And so wouldn't Spidey if not for a quickly weaved web cushion to break his fall rather than his neck. The Vulture lands to finish him off, but Spidey was half playing possum and breaks the villains power pack. So the story ends with the Vulture flying off on weary wings and a dizzy hero at the mercy of a crowd. More action, more problems, more Spider-man next week, you bet there will be.

Iron Man “A trap is set!”

Writer: Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #47

Cover date November 1963

(Published in August 1963)

 

This week's splash page is taken from the cover of Tales of Suspense #47 by Jack Kirby. I regularly stick up for Kirby's artwork, There are those who don't enjoy it, but I have to say this piece is nowhere near his best. I sometimes think he took too much on and had to have various inkers finishing the work. During his prime at Marvel he was doing loads of strips and numerous covers, I think less would have been better for more great stuff instead of the mediocre output he did produce.

Continued from last week Iron Man has to find a way to defeat the saboteur the Melter and his iron melting ray. The way he does this is by secretly making a suit of armour out of aluminium, that the Melters weapon can't melt. The strange thing about that is Aluminium actually has a significantly lower melting point than iron. So we have to suspend out disbelief and accept that the Melters ray only works on iron as the energy beam works at a specific frequency that's required to loosen the binding forces between iron atoms. If we think too long about it we'll spoil the story in our heads. Best move on to...

...another fifteen runners-up from the Artist Competition that was started in February 1974. First up the young ones, starting with Feary Fingers by David MacDonald from Northampton (under 8), It's a hand that can close to become a ball??? Professor Solar Kevin Ingram from Denarth who uses machine to alter "heartbeats". The inventor by Nicholas Mulcahy of Nottingham (age 8) who can transfer his thoughts into robots. The Devil by Ian Cullen, he's basically a devil who can jump, fly and disappear. The Gunslinger was drawn by Jim Gaffney (age 9) from Cumberland. Dr. Shocker was from the pencil of Steven Newbury (age 9) who's from Middlesex, his character can damage creatures minds with his power. 

E-Man can transform into pure energy and was created by Mark Renny (age 10) from Dulwich, it looks remarkably like the E-Man of the same name from  Chartlon comics. In fact the artwork looks like it was directly copied from the cover of E Man #1, October 1973. Naughty, naughty Mark I think you should hand back your prize. Brett Coates from Yorkshire (age 11) used the name and pretty much the same powers as Spider-man's villain Electro. Magma Man has equipment that can dissolve rocks and was the creation of Andrew Long of Notts (age11). Two for one is Geminy by Michael Nicholson from the West Midlands (age 11). I quite like the character Ben Addison from Blackheath (age 11) created, Elemento who can control all elements. Menthor looks great too, he was drawn by Paul Smith from Essex (age 13), he can control air currents. Space Rider does look like a cross between the Silver Surfer and Adam Warlock, but it's still a very good effort by Lamidi Ekburnwan from Leeds (age13), he can change the atomic structure of elements. I also like Atmos Master of Atoms, can you see what he did withe the name there. Garry Selma from Luton  (Age 15), brilliantly drew Atmos who can generate and hurl electricity. So finally for this selection of runner-ups comes David Kiely from Dublin (over 16) who has drawn a mini strip that features Omega a character whose "Time Stasis" stops everything! A nice one to end on. Fifteen more in the Avengers. 

The Mighty Thor “All hell breaks loose!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #130

Cover date July 1966

(Published in May 1966)

As the second part of this Thor tale, this week's opening splash page uses a panel that should have been positioned above the two bottom panels on the next page, while that page had panels three, four and five from the end page of last week's Thor adventure replacing that already used panel, although not in the same order. It reads OK as long as you're not paying too much attention to it. 

Well Thor causes so much damage in Hades that Pluto releases Hercules from his Pact in order to preserve the kingdom that the evil Greek God had built. It has been a great epic tale but Hercules could have easily gotten out of the Pact if he had messed up the underworld like a troublesome teenager. I'm not sure I would want to see Kirby's version of that, I'll stick with this Lee/Kirby classic. Hercules and Thor leave as good friends and we're promised that next week we'll discover "the strange secret of Tana Nile!" Which should be a great place to start another thrilling epic as the mysterious woman has banished Jane Foster from Thor's life this week. He won't be happy. 

 

Avengers Weekly #34

Now this will come as a controversial decision to some but I'm going to make this Master of Kung Fu cover by Ron Wilson (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks) my Cover of the Week. I can see why there will be a large majority who prefer the Herb Trimpe cover from this week's MWOM, but bear with me.

I have a very personal connection to this artwork. I first discovered a black and white version of it back in 1978, when as a treat my mother bought a Fantastic Four Colouring Book, produced by World Distributors for 30 pence, from Chorley Market in Lancashire, where I grew up. I spent many wet school holidays colouring in those pages as well as any eight year old kid would. 

I thought that image was amazing, I would try to imagine what the story was about. Years later I bought Avengers weekly #33 and finally found out. I sadly don't own that original colouring book, but my older brother got one too at the same time and he never used it, so he gifted it to me. I have coloured in some pages since but only when I was much older and by far a better colourist. 

Master of Kung Fu “Attack!”

Writer: Steve Englehart 

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Al Milgrom

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #18

Cover date June 1974

(Published in March 1974)

As much as I was impressed with the artwork for the cover when I finally saw the opening splash page for this story I was completely blown away. Sadly Jim Starlin's last Master of Kung Fu work was last week but his replacement was sensational. Paul Gulacy brought the high action and the creative dynamism of Jim Steranko mixed with the modern design concepts and psychological themes that Jim Starlin had been using to make a cinematic comic that jumped right off the page, with a high kick right at you. It was a Kung Fu movie mixed with a James Bond film with added sci-fi adventure. In a word it was brilliant!

After an exquisitely choreographed fight between Shang-Chi and Satma, a dacoit assassin in the employment of Fu Manchu the young China man leaves a message, "First Move!" in the opening round of his mission to destroy his father's evil empire. Upon exiting Sir Denis Nayland Smith with his assistant Black Jack Tarr seek Shang-Chi with an offer that they could join forces in their war against Fu Manchu, as Sir Denis fully believes that Shang-Chi's intensions are noble as he had been duped into the murder of Doctor Petrie. He probably has more reasons to trust Shang-Chi. but we'll only learn of them much later.

At first Shang-Chi has reservations with Sir Denis's proposed alliance, why finish becoming one man's puppet to become another man's pawn. A open hearted confession from Sir Denis leads Shang-Chi to except the offer of help, but only so far, by taking information on Fu Manchu's Florida smuggling operations but refusing transport to the area, Shang-Chi makes his own way there. The dialogue makes reference to the "Yellow Peril when Fu Manchu swept out of China", a term which at the time would have been openly accepted. However in 2024 it does feel a little racist. When I first read this I felt that its intensions to be well meant, as I still feel they are intended to be now. Fu Manchu and many of his followers are Chinese but that wasn't exclusively a simile for evil as our hero, Shang-Chi was the most heroic and noblest of characters in these stories. Even Sir Denis and Black Jack Tarr had shades of grey to their characters. 

Shang-Chi sets off on a mission to disrupt one of his father's latest schemes. On a cargo ship off the coast of Florida waits a freighter, with Fu Manchu and his pet marmoset Peko onboard, together with a motley crew of cut throats. hints are given that not just drugs like marijuana and hashish are being smuggled into America but the presence of Fu Manchu on board make you think that drugs aren't all that is contained in the illegal cargo. Pretty heavy stuff for a kids comic. but I've always said that British Marvel comics and the Avengers weekly in particular offer a more mature level of comic strip than others of the time. Shang-Chi sneaks on board, so we'll have to wait till next week to find out what secret cargo is exactly on board.

Avengers Readers Assemble!
  

First up is a letter from Spider-man, or possibly not, who writes he wants full colour in the weeklies and justifies it by saying that American comics are full colour and still only the cost six pence. The next mystery letter writer comes from Maidstone in Kent, says they are a big fan of Thor and would like to see the Thunder God together with Iron Man return to the Avengers line-up so that they can have a tussle with the Sinister Six. At last a real name for the next letter writer, Francis Perez from Scunthorpe, would prefer to see the X-Men replace Doctor Strange. And the Final letter comes from James Carric from Herts, he wants to see the return of Thor, Iron Man and Giant Man to the Avengers ranks. He also says that he used to read two American comics, Fantastic and Terrific, when he couldn't get hold of them he went "spare!" The editor doesn't inform him that those two comics were actually British comics published by Odhams Press under the Power Comics name which ran from February 1967 and April 1967 respectively. May be they were keeping the unwritten rule that in Britain there wasn't any Marvel comics before 1972, or at least we don't talk about them that is.   

The Avengers “The Living Laser!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in The Avengers #34

Cover date November 1966

(Published in September 1966)

I'm not truly a big fan of Don Heck, he's quick and reliable but his artwork doesn't have the same pull as his contemporaries, but I'll always give him credit were credit is due, he was a prolific designer of characters and costumes, however with his output not all where of high quality. From the characters in this story alone he was responsible for Hawkeye, Goliath and the Wasps current outfits. 

But for every great creation there was always a stinker. Perhaps I'm being a little hard, the Living Laser's outfit isn't the worst I've seen, the Melter's costume in this week's Iron Man story in SMCW has to take the award for that. May be the chunkiness of the Laser's outfit is symbolic of the characters real identity mental issues. 

Arthur Parks, the Laser's alter-ego, is a little unhinged after being rejected by his ex-girlfriend Lucy Barton, then he grows an unhealthy infatuation with the Wasp. He's probably a borderline incel with misogynist tendencies, well before those terms were commonly used. How many men who are rejected by women become super-villains? Who knows, nowadays they just go on twitter and whine about it. The Living Laser decides that to win over the Wasp he's going to destroy Goliath. Well that will work? I like it when Bill Foster says "Someone in a crazy costume!" Was that Stan Lee commenting on Heck's design? The exit box also reads "Next: Lazer trap!" A common miss-spelling of Laser that must have been added by a UK comic bodger. 
 

The final fifteen runner-up winners to the artist competition. Here we go... Super Frog by Matthew Beardon from London (age 8), it seems to be a robotic frog. Creepy Crawley who scares people silly is by Paul King from Essex (age 8). Funny Girl makes people laugh so that they forget their evil schemes, was drawn by Kate Cowan of Cheshire (age 9). Missile Master by Neil Harries of Port Talbot (age 9), he controls remote rockets and has telescopic sight. Christopher Shepherd of Buckinghamshire (age 11) created Zygodactyl who flies and drops atomic eggs. Captain Incredible has atomic breath and paralysis vision, was created by David Laukee from Camberley (age 9). Mohammed Tansies from Birmingham, created Whip Ray who has a cat-of-nine-tails which can produce different rays from each strand. Doctor Doom and his Cloak Mysterious can create demons by opening his cloak, kind of like a demonic flasher. I think the character name might have already been copyrighted, but either way he was drawn by Robert Szczeaba from York (age 8). Clive Soord (age 14) created Diamond, who can cut through any material. Now Paul Johnson's creation Whirlpool, looks a little like the Rocketeer or Adam Strange or a version of a Kree solders, I feel this one might be traced from some other comic, If you can spot which one let me know. Anyway Whirlpool flys with a jetpack and has throwing discs. Valdar the Evil is really well drawn by W. Sanford from Leytonstone (age 13) and possesses hypnotic powers and the ability to control bats. Next up is one that I think could have been a contender for the winner, Mirra by Guy Lawley from Bucks (age 15). Mirra uses a parabolic reflector to melt guns. The detail and style is really good. The name Guy Lawley rings a bell, wasn't there an artist by the same name who drew posters for Marvel UK back in the early 80's? I've tried to Google his name and it comes up with a writer who worked on Fanzine in the 80's and 90's. Could be the same person, let me know if it's you. Richard Skipworth from Worcester (over 16) created a really impressive piece of art with his Corrosive Man. Looks like a great book cover. The extremely detailed Scorpion comes from the pencil of Howard Miller from Herts (age 15), Scorpion has a human brain in a mechanical body. Finally Nicholas Hersant from Notts (over16) creates Space Drifter who can see light years ahead and possesses an atomic blast ray. If one of those runner-ups was yours let me know how you felt about it then and now. 

Doctor Strange “The End..at last!”

Writer: Dennis O'Neil

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko 

Originally published in Strange Tales #146

Cover date July 1966

(Published in April 1966)

The title sums up this story in more ways than one. This Doctor Strange story and "Just a guy named Joe!" from the Amazing Spider-Man #38, (which UK readers may have read in SMCW#32.) marked the end of Steve Ditko's initial tenure at Marvel Comics. It feels like all the sub-plots are being resolved at the same time, what with the apparent demise of Dormammu, the "end" of Eternity, the rescue of Clea and Baron Mordo's return from exile. 

The sudden reappearance of Eternity, who last appeared in the Avengers weekly #26, does seem rushed and slightly chaotic, but also it feels very fitting as the actions of the megalomaniac Dormammu are chaotic in nature. First he subdues Eternity, then captures Doctor Strange to challenge him to a duel, only to have the all-powerful Eternity, who springs from his confinement to decree the violence must end. The headstrong villain leaps to attack the abstract entity which embodies the universe. Strange seems just a passive viewer in this cosmic battle. Steve Ditko may have left his best artwork for his final strip as a couple of splash pages are breathtakingly wonderful.

The cataclysmic impact seems to be enough force to destroy them both leaving Doctor Strange in the tsunami of a cosmic shockwave. Thankfully another magical force from another dimension grabs the sorcerer and pulls him to safety, just as the cosmos around the fatal battle erupts into annihilation. Doctor Strange finds that his saviour was the Ancient One who tells Strange that Dormammu exists no more as his physical form was reduced to nothingness as the planetary spheres exploded and all that might remain is the disembodied spirit, shorn of mind and will. Well I'm not completely sure of that, it is Marvel after all, nothing dies forever.

Doctor Strange lifts the spells that held the enemies of Dormammu, liberating banished ones including Baron Mordo and the girl who helped Strange in his fight against the Dark Dimension's lord. The return of the Baron is the least important thing we needed. I could have done without him for a while, but oh well you can't have everything. What we do finally get is the reveal of the silver-haired girl's name so I can call her by her proper name, rather than "the girl who helped Doctor Strange", Clea. But Strange and Clea have little time left as the Ancient One instructs the freed people of the Dark Dimension to choose a leader, but not Baron Mordo, who will remain his prisoner. 

Strange bids farewell to Clea and returns to Earth, very drained and numb with fatigue as he walks off into a white empty panel, which could be interpreted as a reflection of Ditko's own departure from Marvel and the characters he so loved. 

There's only one in-house advert in any of this week's three mags and it's in the Avengers weekly. The other two mags must have had no space for it or even a letter page. You are asked to "pick a pair of winners" from mighty Marvel. The pair starts with the Mighty World of Marvel, that gets the full cover treatment and Spider-man Comics Weekly, where we are given two action packed panels from this week's Spider-man story as teasers. 

So like Doctor Strange I'm walking off into another empty screen to write next week's bizarre blog detailing the history of British Marvel comics. So as they say...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.