The Power of the Serpent Crown!

 Week Ending 25th August 1976

In the comments from last week's blog Paul B pointed out that in POTA #96 on page 31 the astronauts are all naked, however when the story was first published in issue #1 they were wearing shorts. They were also wearing shorts in the original American Marvel/Curtis magazine issue as well. Paul suggests that the art shown in last week's issue was the original artwork which was altered shortly before publication in America to make the story suitable for a family audience. A great spot by Paul which deserves a Marvel No-Prize and a Power of the Beesting No-Prize (PotBNoP) too. More clothing malfunctions later in the POTA later in this blog.

The Mighty World of Marvel #204

This cover by Jeff Aclin is a homage to Herb Trimpe's cover from the Incredible Hulk issue 184. The inker for Jeff's artwork was Dan Adkins. 

The Incredible Hulk “Shadow on the land!”

Writer: Len Wein

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #184

Cover date February 1975

(Published in November 1974)

It feels like I've missed an issue when this week's story opens with a convoy of soldiers hauling toxic waste out of Chicago and heading southwest towards Tulsa, even more so when they have to stop to investigate a rattling noise coming from the tanker. They get a shock when they find out that they had an un-welcomed hitchhiker ion board. How the Hulk got there to take a nap isn't answered for the benefit of the soldiers or the readers, but that doesn't matter, he just is and everybody needs to deal with it. The readers deal with it by enjoying the Hulk rampaging against the soldiers. As he smashes the truck he gets toxic waste spilled on him. He flees into the wilderness completely unaware that he is being spied by a UFO flying in the sky. 

Aboard the ship, the Hulk is being watched by an alien piloting the craft who hopes to take control of the Hulk and use him to conquer the Earth. Meanwhile as preparations for the presidential visit are being made at the Hulkbuster Base. Lab worker Harold Conrad works late to get the results of a cellular scan taken from Glenn Talbot. Going over the startling results, as he rushes off to tell Armbruster. However a mysterious gun man opens the lab door and kills him, then drags off Harold's body to a storage room before burning the computer print out on Talbot. As the sun rises in Oklahoma the Hulk laments over his lack of friends, he expresses how he is alone with nobody for company except for his shadow. Suddenly he is shocked when his shadow comes to life and strikes him from behind. The shadow creature gets the best of the Hulk and explains that he is called the Warlord Kraa. Many years ago he and his people came to invade the Earth by taking over peoples shadows. That story originally appeared in Strange Tales #79, cover dated December 1960, published July 1960. That invasion was halted and the invaders were captured except for Kraa who managed to escape to plot revenge. He explains that the combination of the Hulk's gamma spawned nature and his recent dousing with toxic chemicals allowed for Kraa to take control of the Hulk's shadow. Elsewhere in the New Mexico desert General Ross, Betty and Major Talbot take a relaxing ride before the important visit from the President. The story continues next week.

Here's a half page in-house advert for this week's issue of The Titans.

The Avengers “Prisoners of the Super Skrull!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in The Avengers #94

Cover date December 1971

(Published in September 1971)

This second part opening page is drawn by an unnamed artist who uses two panels from last week's issue as inspiration. While their fellow Avengers on Earth seek a way to rescue them, Captain Marvel, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch hurtle through space to a far-flung Galaxy as prisoners of the Super-Skrull, who plans to offer them as collateral for his return to favour. Upon arriving there, he is greeted with hostility. He smashes his way through the palace guards, while the Emperor watches on from the safety of the throne room with his daughter, Anelle. She asks him to cease the blood letting. The Emperor seeks to govern with a strong hand and so captures the Super-Skrull with an energy-sphere.

The Super-Skrull tries to smash his way out with his Thing like fists but the sphere holds. So next he blasts away at it with a near-nova bursts of the Human Torch, but the flame fills the sphere with smoke that suffocates the alien so much that he can't breathe and collapses. The Emperor transports the Super-Skrulls three hostages to the throne room. The Emperor demands that Mar-Vell build him an Omni-Wave device or else there will be consequences. Mar-Vell replies that the Super-Skrull had already tried to trick him into betraying that secret but failed. He doesn't't think that the Skrull torturers will have much chance of breaking the will of a man of the Kree. The Scarlet Witch adds that Avengers won't be broken either. The Emperor tells Mar-Vell as a Prisoner of War under the Convention of Fornax he is safe from any acts of violence, but the two Avengers come from Earth and the most stringent star-race never intended that civilised convention to apply to the ignorant savages of Earth. He sends the sibling Avengers into a giant energy-sphere wherein an alien monstrosity attacks them. Mar-Vell is forced to watch, initially he refuses to give in to the Emperor, but when the two mutants defeat the monster but appear to face overwhelming numbers of furry alien creatures that fill the sphere the and begin to crush them to death Mar-Vell agrees to build the Omni-Wave device for him. The drama continues next week.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

John Beardsmore from London was compelled to write after reading Ivor Davis' letter in MWOM #186, he agrees with his points on the Silver Surfer, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and John Buscema situation, but entirely disagrees with his statements concerning which is the better writer, Lee or Gerber. He doesn't doubt Gerber's ability and sure Ivor's admiration for him is justified, John doesn't like his style. He says that Gerber could never write the Silver Surfer strip as well as Lee. As far as he's concerned after Lee, Roy Thomas is the only one suitable for writing the Silver Surfer. On the art side of the Surfer strip, a great deal of credit must go to John Buscema, who, as Ivor stated is a superb penciller, whose only rival in comic art is Gene Colan. John agrees that issue SH #16 was spoilt by Kirby/Trimpe artwork. Unsigned from Cumbernauld asked for their letter to be printed to disprove the nasty rumours concerning you writing the letters yourselves. May be he should have signed his letter. Matthew McCafferty RFO, QNS, KOF from Ayrshire writes that there's nothing  like a bit of maturity and philosophy in mags, only Doe Strange can give us both. N Moss from Staffordshire criticises Kevin Hopgood who in his letter from MWOM #186 when he wrote "I've got nothing against the Black Panther and Ka-Zar, but I've got nothing in favour of them, either." N writes "It is blatantly obvious that Mr. Hopgood. another immature reader, has little knowledge of true literary talent. To insult so fine an epic as 'Panther's Rage' is to blaspheme Marvel Comics itself, for Don McGregor's and Billy Graham's masterpiece is the finest series ever published." The rest of the letter really slags off Kev. I wonder if they later meet him at a comic convention and apologise to the artist for being harsh?

Graham Day from Essex explains Marvel's policy of the readers being the true editors. Their influence is effected primarily by a) the items they buy. Even the silent, who never venture an opinion or suggestion make themselves heard by force of sales, we, the editors and supporters of Marvel have said in an entirely democratic manner "Conan does not rate his own British comic due to lack of interest. A borderline case was, "Avengers does not quite merit its own book, even with Master of Kung-Fu". This, again, is due to sales. Secondly b) by giving a voice when readers can't find copies of their favourite comics. And thirdly c) the story content, this is when readers give a writer an item of what appeals to them. TAFFY from Rotherham pens a poem, "I write not to criticise, or to grumble and groan, Not to insult you, degrade you, complain or to moan, I'm not begging a 'No-Prize'. That's not why I'm writing. I'm not complaining that Iron-Man is not so exciting. I'm not asking for Aunt Petunia to team-up with The Thing, Or demanding that parliament makes Forbush the King. I'm not grovelling for more mags and more stories too, Or asking for Greenskin to take up Kung-Fu, I'm not asking for colour, I just love Black and White, In fact, in my opinion your mags are just right. I'm not asking for an FFF or any other ranks, No, the reason I'm writing is just to say "Thanks!"

Conan the Barbarian “Wolf-Woman!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Dick Giordano

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #49

Cover date April 1975

(Published in January 1975)

This story continues the adaptation of the original material from the Belmont novel Kothar and the Conjurer's Curse by Gardner F Fox. Since time out of mind rats have been the loathsome grim harbingers of pestilence and disease, now they gather masse in the arid wastelands of the border kingdom around the tethered down young Cimmerian. The vermin move in on Conan who after falling to the robber baron Torkal Moh and his men has been staked out to become the rat's next dinner.

One bold rat takes a nibble out of his toe, causing a deep-throated bellow that frightens the rats away if only for a moment. Within seconds they swarm over him again. Another out-burst causes a sulking rat to leap away, upsetting an earthen jar filled with water that Torkal Moh had cruelly left just out of reach, but now rolls closer to Conan's tethered hand. Desperately with iron fingers the barbarian grabs the jar and shatters it on the ground. With a shard of the pot's jagged edge Conan cuts through his bindings that holds one hand. With a free hand he flings away the rats then combines his strength to pull his other tethered hand free from the pegged arm. Once freed he begins to gauge his bearing and the direction that Torkal Moh and his men left with the girl Stefanya. Grimly he walks in the direction where vanished robber's horde took. As he does he recalls how this adventure had started when he met Merdoramon, the cherubic magician who tasked him with a mission to deliver a blue-fire amulet to Themas Nerklar, the regent of the Province of Phalkar. On the way he had rescued Stefanya, then he fought the horror called Shokkoth, saving the girl once more. Following Stefanya's wishes Conan has been dragging her master's corpse behind his horse in an insane quest to reanimate Zoqquanor's body. Until that is they crossed paths with Torkal Moh. As Conan follows the fiends trail he hears the howls of hunting wolves that grow closer. Weaponless he knows that flight is his only chance. The chase continues next week.

Daredevil “Fire and Brimstone!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Syd Shores

Originally published in Daredevil #65

Cover date June 1970

(Published in April 1970)

This third part opening splash page was pencilled by Jeff Aclin and inked by Bruce Patterson. The man called Brother Brimstone has attacked Karen Page while she walked home in the fog. Luckily Daredevil leaps in to defend her until Brimstone gets in a sucker punch. The villain runs off into the fog. Daredevil and Karen check in on Brimstone's victim, Jerry Jason, the actor who stands in for Brother Brimstone on the TV show. He was still alive but badly injured. 

The next day in the studio the actor Ross Archer, who plays Brother Brimstone can't be found. Daredevil is keeping an eye on the situation becomes a regular who-done-it, with many of the cast and crew becoming suspect. When Brother Brimstone appears above in the light rigging holding a lifeless body above his head. He hurls the body down onto the stage. Daredevil fights Brimstone, but the villain flees. When they check to see who Brimstone's latest victim was they are shocked to discover that it's Ross Archer, the actor who plays Brother Brimstone. The mystery deepens in next week's exciting episode of Daredevil.

Last week's "Week Ending..." blog title, "1976: A Comic Odyssey!", which was used because it was a play on the second Avenger's strip title "1976: A Space Odyssey!", would have also been great for this week's blog due to this in-house advert for the Marvel Treasury Special 2001: A space odyssey, which was released in the summer of 1976. Jack Kirby's return to Marvel meant that he was busy in 1976 with The Eternals, Captain America, the Black Panther, Captain America's Bicentennial Battles and now this comic strip adaptation of the original 1951 novel "The Sentinel" by Arthur C Clarke and its 1968 movie adaptation "2001: A Space Odyssey" by Stanley Kubrick. This cosmic adventure in living colour could be bought for the princely sum of 75 pence. A  comic book series by Jack Kirby would follow, that lasted for ten issues.

Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes #185

This cover by Larry Lieber takes its inspiration from John Romita Sr. The landscape re-draw actually works really well and the white background really enhances the artwork. Frank Giacoia inked Larry Lieber's artwork. I really like this "Battling enemies, fighting friends" cover, there's lots of symmetry to it. It's going to be my Coverr of the Week.

Spider-man “The Green Goblin lives again!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Ross Andru

Inker: Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #136

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

This landscape splash page was adapted from Ross Andru's original portrait opening splash page. After an afternoon out on the town, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson decide to return to Peter's apartment to listen to Ella Fitzgerald. Not a very current choice of music for Peter, but I imagine that it was chosen to show him as not being the run of the mill teenager and also being a bit quirky.

When they arrive at the apartment Mary Jane insists on unlocking the door but as the key turns Peter's spider-sense warns him of danger. The door explodes but Peter shields MJ with his body. The blast renders her injured and unconscious. After checking to see if Mary Jane is okay, he  hears sirens from police cars. The inside the apartment is completely demolished. Quickly Peter webs up his Spider-man gear into a web-ball and tosses it out on to the neighbouring roof. Just as he checks Mary Jane again the police arrive. Sometime later, Peter is at the hospital where he's told by the Doctor that Mary Jane is expected to recover. He's allowed to wait by her bed side when she wakes up. She asks Peter what happened, but he promises to tell her later. This whole situation reminds Peter of how the Green Goblin killed his girlfriend Gwen Stacy. Although he is convinced that Norman Osborn is dead, he suspects that the Green Goblin could be back. He changes into Spider-man and goes to investigate Norman Osborn's old lab. 

Looking around initially he finds that nothing appears to be disturbed, but after tasting the dust on the floor he discovers that it is merely dry soap used to disguise the fact that someone had been there recently. Suspecting that the person responsible will return, Spidey webs up a hammock to lay in wait. Sure enough, hours later the Green Goblin flies into the secret lab on his goblin glider. But can this be the original Goblin? He tells Spider-man that he'll have his revenge for killing him. 

Although he claims to be the real Green Goblin, Spider-man has already deduced that his opponent is actually Harry Osborn, so he tries to talk sense into his roommate and friend. The two fight it out and the new Green Goblin begins to gain the edge in combat because Spidey is pulling his punches. Then the Goblin uses a special gas mixed into the exhaust fumes of his goblin glider to knock Spider-man out. With the wall-crawler at his mercy, the Green Goblin attempts to give Spider-Man a fatal jolt from his electro-blasts. However the power source to his gloves have already been used up. As Spidey recovers from the gas, the Goblin decides to flee, promising that if it's the last act he does he will destroy Spider-man utterly, whether by physically killing him or spiritually by revealing his secret identity to all. Later Peter Parker goes to the Daily Bugle. There he asks J Jonah Jameson for time off but is denied unless he wants to be fired. Furious, Peter quits and storms out of the office. Betty Brant asks Peter what's wrong. Peter snaps at her and tells her to butt out of his business. Peter gets more angry next week in "Spider-man: Renegade!'

After Peter Parker's earlier admission that he's got an Ella Fitzgerald record he wants to listen to, there is a timely placed advert for a Spider-man album. Not only was it possible to thrill to his superlative Superhero adventures, but you could also listen to his amazing adventures. Lifesong Records have captured Spidey in the studios of Sound Ideas Studios in New York, to lay down tracks for the album, "Spider-Man: Rock Reflections of a Superhero". Where you can swoon to such tunes as "Gwendolyn", "The Green Goblin" and "Time Will Show Me The Way" as Peter Parker bares his soul to the beat of the street by Cashman and West, hitmakers extraordinaire! The twelve titanic titles are lovingly linked with a neat narration by none other than Stan Lee! And the album sports a classic cover by John Romita Sr. The Sci-Fi and Comic Book Shop offers "Spider-man: Reflections of a Superhero" to UK fans at the price of £3.95 plus 25p postage and packaging. for an extra 20 pence they will also send you a gigantic list of the American Marvel monthlies currently available. 

Iron Man “Mayhem is the man called Midas!”

Writer: Archie Goodwin

Artist: George Tuska

Inker: Johnny Craig

Originally published in Iron Man #17

Cover date September 1969

(Published in June 1969)

These two panels on the opening second part page was drawn by an unnamed artist. The first panel is a symbolic one showing Iron Man flying through the air, while in another scene Tony Stark's coward of a cousin, Morgan Stark, faces Midas, the man who wants Tony Stark dead!

Morgan Stark has been supplying information to Midas' agent, Madame Masque, that will result in them destroying Tony Stark and taking over Stark International. But when Madame Masque sabotages Stark's Long Island plant the Life Model Decoy that Stark used to trick the Mandarin back in SSMwtSH #167, comes back to life, making it look like the mission was a failure due to the information Morgan Stark give them. When Morgan pleads it wasn't his fault and begs at his feet Midas shocks him with an electrical charge from his hover seat. Morgan flees and the over-sized criminal races after him in his hover throne forcing him off the side of the cliff only to catch him with hydraulic arms to teach him a lesson in loyalty. Meanwhile in the Nevada desert predatory birds circle the fallen form of Iron Man who awakes from having been struck by man-made lightning. Recovering from the experience he returns to Stark Industries as Tony Stark to find the LMD Stark waiting for him in his office. It explains that it has gone through all of his electronic memory banks and that humanity will benefit from his knowledge when he fully takes over. Tony Stark tries to grab a gun from a hidden locker but the LMD has already donned the Iron Man armour and blasts the real Stark. The charade continues next week.

Dracula presents this in-house advert for the weekly that he's not really featured in, the Planet of the Apes. "Not really" will be explained later in this blog. Note how in this promotion picture the price is shown as eight pence, not the price of nine pence, which appeared on the actual comic. 

I'm not sure who drew this Adam Warlock centre-spread, it does look like Jim Starlin's work, but I wonder if someone else has pencilled this smart looking piece? 

The Thing and Ka-Zar..together! “Into the Savage Land!”

Writer: Bill Mantlo

Artist: Ron Wilson

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Marvel Two-in-One #16

Cover date June 1976

(Published in March 1976)

This week's story starts off with the Thing parachuting into the Savage Land. His reason for doing so is that earlier in the day Reed Richards picked up strange volcanic activity in the Antarctic region. The Fantastic Four's leader is worried that the possibility of a whole chain of volcanos going off all at once along the Earth's magnetic axis. The series of eruptions from the North Pole to the Antarctic could trigger a chain reaction that could conceivably shift the Earth off its present axial rotation, setting off a series of hurricanes, tidal waves and earthquakes that would rival the creation in magnitude. Engulfing civilisation in an aftershock of total destruction.

So while Reed sets up equipment around the world to monitor it all he sends the Thing to the South Pole to investigate what's going on there in a solo mission. Before his parachute opens a pterosaur swoops down to attack him. Quick thinking Ben pulls his parachutes cord and rises out of the flying dinosaur's reach. When it returned for a second attempt the Thing shows him what "clobberin' time" means. His landing takes him perfectly down into the hidden Savage Land, but also into the territory of a hungry Allosaurus, who sees Ben Grimm as he's next meal. As he defends himself from the giant reptile Ka-Zar and Zabu appear and leap in to action to help him. This savage tales continues next week.

Spidey's Super Mail

Geoffrey Suter from Hants reckons Marvel is spoiling the glorious art and stories in the weeklies. Firstly in the stories words are Anglicised and are noticeable by a heavier type. Also the scripts are left out or have been altered in parts. The shading on the art is atrocious. This really spoils the art as it often obliterates the original outlines. He knows the shading is in lieu of colour, but instead of enhancing the picture it detracts and hides part of it. Fortunately this only applies to a few strips. Another thing, which, thankfully, does not happen often, is that the artwork has been altered for some reason or other. This has been noticeable mainly in the Conan strip, usually where scantily-clad ladies are about, or rather 'were' in the original panels. Geoffrey asks for British Marvel to stop it. Geoffrey also points out that splash panels used in the two or three part stories that are not the original for the piece have a rushed and inferior quality and would be better without or with the repeat of the original art. He also has a similar point with the newly commissioned covers he asks why they don't alternate the original covers for each issue. thus the cover of the Avengers would be week 1, The Avengers cover, week 2, The Conan cover, week 3, Iron Fist cover, week 4, the Avengers cover and so on.

Colin Simpson from County Durham is pleased that SMCE has been rearranged into the same format as The Titans with five features. Patrick Hanlon from Bradford cannot belief that Marvelites struggle to get American or British Marvel comics. His local newsagents is well stocked with both of them and even when his newsagent came up with the excuse that there was a strike on of some sort and that was why the comics were not there, he found other newsagents in his city centre well stocked. He also found out that to get old Marvels and American Marvels you have to go to Comic stalls in town and hunt around in old bookshops. Patrick considers himself lucky because his brother's girl-friend works at WH Smith's wholesale and so she gets him all the weeklies and all the monthlies. Ian Grey-Starling from Essex is indebted to the painstaking efforts put into the stock of Marveldom. He will continue to reap a rich harvest in story and art as long as he can draw my leisure-pleasure from your highly-entertaining comic. He is looking forward to the return of the Defenders, the latest stages of this group in the capable hands of Steve Gerber who has enthralled him. What with Nighthawk losing his brain, Valkyrie in prison and the Hulk quitting, Steve Gerber must be hard up for an encore. The X-Men at the moment are in the middle period, with boring stories about Grotesk and the death of Professor Xavier. He wonders who has "died" most, Xavier, the Ancient One or the Red Skull. He also see in the all-colour comics that Doctor Octopus and Hammerhead are after the coveted title of "Most often dead of Marvel Characters." The Skrull-Kree war in The Avengers knocks him out. He looks forward to Neal Adams art. Especially the scene where the Vision tries to kill the Skrull Fleet Commander, To be printed soon in MWOM.

The Mighty Thor “The icy touch of death!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #189

Cover date June 1971

(Published in April 1971)

Infinity has been defeated and Odin has returned to the Asgardian throne but the victory has come with a cost. Hela seeks a price for her defeat. That price is the life of Thor, much to the shock and dismay of everyone gathered. The Thunder God is dejected, demoralised and resigned to his fate. His father appeals to his better nature, although death must conquer all in the end, life must resist, while breath endures. He continues Man and life are one, hope does nourish all. He orders Thor to return to Earth to continue his existence in the mortal guise of Donald Blake, a being that Hela has no claim on. Furious that he must abandon his godly form in order so that in time Odin can find a fitting solution.

In Niffleheim the far northern region of icy fogs and mists, darkness and cold, the lowest level of the universe, lies the realm of death, known as Hel. Where in Hela questions why people fear her touch when it brings so much peace. Her thoughts are interrupted by Loki, who trespassed into her realm with news of Thor's whereabouts. Meanwhile in the kingdom of the Norns, Balder seeks an audience with Karnilla to plead for her help in saving Thor's life. She refuses to help unless Balder swears all loyalty to her. Initially he refuses and has to fight Karnilla's minions, who he defeats. Karnilla reiterates her ultimatum and Balder finally relents, promising to claim loyalty only to her. Knowing that Loki is betraying Thor to Hela, she has Balder drink a potion that transports him into Hela's castle. There he attacks Loki before he can impart the fact of Thor's mortal guise, as the two battle it out, Hela becomes bored with their presences and teleports them both to Asgard. Loki flees and the wounded Balder goes to inform Odin of what has transpired. Yet the All-Father knows all, praising Balder's loyalty to his friend Odin uses his magical powers to heal him , placing him in a bed to rest. Odin summons the Warriors Three to his side and selects Volstagg, much to everyone's surprise, sending him to Earth to protect Donald Blake from being found by Hela. The story continues in "Death of a Thunder God!" next week.

These days a couple of clicks on a key pad and you can find out how much a vintage comic is worth. Back in 1976 you had to look it up in a book. The book of choice for comic collectors was the Overstreet's Comic Price Guide. The guide began in 1970 by comic enthusiast and collector Robert M Overstreet. The 1976 edition of Bob Overstreet's guide listed over 30,000 comics as well as listing every type of comic art produced in the US since 1903. The sixth edition of the Comic Book Price Guide contained exclusive articles by comic book greats such as J Harmon, Carl Macek, Tom Mix, and Jerry DeFuccio.

Arranged alphabetically for easy reference and sewn bound for lasting value, it was the essential handbook for collectors or interested beginners with over 1500 illustrations, an overview of comparative market values, convention information, top dealers, publishers, series' origins, first and last issue dates, comic book grading, storage and care. Plus the top 100 titles listed. The 1976 edition also featured 56 full colour reproductions of rare covers such as Superman #1, Batman #1, Captain America #1. LSP Books Limited from Surrey offered the 1975 volume to readers for £4.75, plus an additional 25p added to cover the postage and packing.

Doctor Strange “Strange lives!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer 

Originally published in Doctor Strange Vol 2 #15

Cover date May 1976

(Published in February 1976)

This second part opening splash page is very much in the style of Gene Colan but must have been drawn by an unnamed artist. Dracula in his bat form flies after the ghostly Spector of his dead wife Maria. As the chase heads out over the sea the spirit changes into the astral form of Doctor Strange, who reveals to the vampire lord that he has fallen into his trap as the sun rises over the ocean. Desperately Dracula seeks shelter heading back towards land. With luck in his favour he manages to find refuge in an abandoned shack by the ocean.

On the third night since Dracula bite Doctor Strange, Dracula returns to Doctor Sun's lair with a wooden stake ready to drive it into Strange's heart. Strange is now able to return his astral form to his body which has now transformed into a vampire. He fights off Dracula, grabbing the stake, Strange attempts to do unto Dracula what the vampire lord intended to do to him, but the stake is broken in the fight. Dracula is furious that Strange is able to resist his hypnotic commands, Dracula attacks Strange directly, lifting the sorcerer above his head and hurling him to the ground. The two grab each other by the neck in a desperate struggle. The battle ends when Strange uses his mystical powers burns the vampire with his touch, summoning an image of a crucifix which horribly burns Dracula, seemingly kills him. With Dracula dead, Strange summons Wong to his side so that the Sorcerer Supreme can cure both himself and his manservant of the vampire curse. With that Strange and Wong depart leaving the burnt cadaver of Dracula on the floor of Doctor Sun's lair. That marks the end of Doctor Strange's strips and Dracula's too for a while. The Sorcerer will return in the Marvel UK monthly Rampage Magazine #7, cover dated January 1979. The Lord of the Undead will be resurrected sooner in MWOM #247 on the week ending the 22rd June 1977. Next week the World War Two adventures of the Invaders takes over. 

Planet of the Apes and Dracula Lives #97

Jeff Aclin's second British Marvel comics cover this week, Lightsmith is caught between the gorilla Brutus and the winged monkey-demons in this busy cover. Tom Palmer inked Jeff's artwork. 

Planet of the Apes “Death on the Planet of the Apes”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Tom Sutton

Inker: Tom Sutton

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #20

Cover date May 1976

(Published in March 1976)

This third part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Brutus surveys the destruction he has caused and the limp bodies of Malagueña and the gibbon named Gilbert, in his quest to destroy his enemies Jason and Alexander. A quest that he hopes will end with the annihilation of all of mankind. Brutus's ally the gorilla known as Maguanus, who lead Brutus to the peaceful city, is angry that he had been lied to. He had said that he would only kill the young human and not Lightsmith, who Maguanus had his own plans for. Brutus violently strikes the ape for challenging his leadership. Unknown to all, Lightsmith, Jason and Alexander aren't dead, not yet at least.

Jason and Alex are searching the labyrinths of crystal pathways deep inside the chaotic Psychedrome for their friend Lightsmith. In a chamber they discover a cloaked figure. Padding stealthily towards the mysterious individual Jason tries to capture him, at the last minute shouting at him with orders not to move. Calmly the figure tells Jason that there is no need to speak so loudly as he as already forfeited the element of surprise. The creature's eyes, at least six of them, turn to gaze at the two intruders, animated individually on optic nerves that move into position to see while his head remains "looking" toward the console he was working on. He explains that he is the Keeper of the Light and as he is their captive he will take them to their friend. Boarding a ship the Keeper pilots them through the Psychedrome. Meanwhile at the Ape City the Lawgiver suddenly becomes dizzy, but the reason why will have to wait because at the mountain-dwelling Brutus has discovered that Malagueña and Gilbert have survived. Examining Gilbert's bag they find documents for a top secret US project, titled "Last Ditch". Meanwhile the conditioned Lightsmith repeats what his captors have programmed him to say to the population of the world. Long before the holocaust had laid waste to the planet the Future Rulers of Earth had arrived in a chariot of fire from the skies, burning into a mountain. A few leaders of a great nation accepted them as the future rulers when they received the great gift the strangers brought. The humans did not need the Future Rulers at that time as they were destroyed in the holocaust, while the Ruler survived beneath the Earth. Now they will rise up and be born again. Whosoever should not obey the Rulers shall suffer another holocaust. Just then Jason, Alex and the Keeper arrive in the ship and rescue Lightsmith. As they fly off they are chased by the winged monkey-demons, but the keeper flies them to a weird machine he calls the "Snaker-railer!" This bizarre adventure gets even more bizarre next week, in a great way, so don't miss it.

Ka-Zar “To slay a Savage Lord!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Fred Kida

Originally published in Ka-Zar Vol 2 #10

Cover date August 1975

(Published in April 1975)

This third part opening splash page artwork was drawn by an unnamed artist, but judging from the style I think it was Jeff Aclin who drew it. As Ka-Zar rests in his room in the city of Tordon-Na four masked assassins enter with intensions of spilling the Savage Lord's blood. Ka-Zar and Zabu fights off the unwanted intruders just as Sylitha, a priest of Ilar-Aron enters and calls the temple guards, claiming that Ka-Zar has broken the city's peace law. 

More guards rush in to battle with Ka-Zar but the High Priest Sanda demands that they cease fighting. To get to the bottom of events Sanda orders them all to face the judgement of Ilak-Aron. In the Temple Sanda performs a ritual that allows the Idol of Ilak-Aron to speak. It decrees that the stranger is ignorant to the ways of Tordon-Na and therefore cannot be judged in guilt. However a wrong has been committed to allow a stranger into the valley is to invite violence and death. A punishment must be meted out in the present matter. Ilak-Aron demands that the punishment come in the form of a blood sacrifice and so he decrees that the High Priest's son Durban must die! The judgement is carried out next week in "The Demon-God!"

Man-Thing “He is trapped!”

Writer: Steve Gerber

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Mike Ploog

Originally published in Man-Thing #7

Cover date July 1974

(Published in April 1974)

This opening second part page was drawn by an unnamed artist. After having witnessed the angry departure of F A Schist and his construction crew the Man-Thing had turned back towards the most remote reaches of the swamp, when suddenly from the tree tops a silken mesh is dropped over his limbering form. Then strangely garbed men pull down on the net to entrap the swamp creature. The Man-Thing's only impulse is to escape.

The men, who on closer inspection look like a group of Conquistadores, 16th-century Spanish and Portuguese soldier-explorers who sailed to the Americas during the "Age of Discovery," then overthrew native empires in search of gold, land, and glory. But like many trapped animals the Man-Thing can senses that his efforts are futile so in time his efforts to escape cease and he chooses to wait instead until he can fully "read" his captor's feelings more clearly. That would imply that he could reason or strategise, but we know that to be untrue so maybe the creature was just curious. The soldier tighten the net around in with ropes to drag it through the swamp back to their encampment. As they pull the Man-Thing along nature takes hold and his swampy frame oozes through the netting, slowly at first but then all of a sudden he slips through all at once sending his captors reeling, like the old cheat in a tug-of-war contest when one side lets go. Picking themselves up from the fall they scramble to their feet and race blindly off into the glade. Only allowing themselves the briefest glances back in horror. The Man-Thing slowly. awkwardly pursues them as he senses their fear the only emotion he loathes as next week the "Captive turns hunter!"

Dracula Presents: “Grottu, King of the Insects!”

Writer: Larry Lieber and Stan Lee (plot)

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Bill Everett 

Originally published in Strange Tales #73

Cover date February 1960

(Published in October 1959)

The last Dracula story in POTA was in #92, while following on from that story the next Tomb of Dracula story was printed as a Doctor Strange strip in SSMwtSH #182 and #183, but for five weeks the Lord of Darkness hasn't featured in his own (all be it shared) comic. So this compromised strip in which the Dracula presents a classic monster tale from Marvel's vast archive. Frank gets a telegram from his friend the curator of a Natural history museum who had received news from Africa about a giant army ant who has human intelligence. After journeying to Africa the natives retell the tale of men who came from the "Iron Curtain country" and tested an atomic bomb that release toxic radiation that mutates a common ant, increasing its size and strength a thousand fold, becoming bigger than a bull elephant. It also grow to have human-level intelligence and could communicate through telepathy. It calls himself Grottu, he declares himself King of all insects, with plans to conquer the world. His plan was foiled by Frank, who succeeds in turning Grotto's ant followers against him, by covering Grottu in sticky sweet sugar causing the giant's army of ants to smother Grotto to death. One strange little note is that the adventurer Frank was retconned by writer Roger Stern to be the immortal adventurer known as Ulysses Bloodstone in "Monsters On The Loose!" story from The Marvel Universe #4, cover dated September 1998, published July 1998.

Planet of the Apes “World of captive humans”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: George Tuska

Inker: Mike Esposito 

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #2

Cover date October 1974

(Published in August 1974)

The astronaut Taylor had been captures by a hunting party of horse riding gorillas together with the surviving mute humans including a dark haired woman. His crew mates dead and his voice gone due to a wound on his throat, from the bullet of a gorilla's rifle, Taylor is unable to protest. The hunters have their pictures taken with the bodies of their kills, Taylor tries to make sense of the insane world his ship crashed on to. With the loss of blood he collapses.

Taylor wakes up in a crude hospital with an ape doctor stitching up his wound. On the bed next to him laid the dark haired girl, who was used as a living blood transfusion. A female chimpanzee called Zira enters and asks which human was wearing the strange clothes? Paul B mentioned in last week's comments about the clothing of the astronauts, also mentioned in this week's introduction earlier, but here Zira asks Doctor Galen about the human with the strange clothing. Is it me or was this a quick plot device to get Zira interested in Taylor while the film used a more natural solution to reach the same conclusion. The next day Doctor Zira returns to check up on the "patient". Julius and Zira study Taylor, with the young chimpanzee suggesting that he is trying to communicate with them. He tries to grab Zira's pen and note book but is hit back. Next week Zira makes more efforts "to observe the species!"

The Titans #45

Steven Stiles re-draws John Romita Sr.'s cover from the Fantastic Four issue 102 beautifully for this landscape comic. Duffy Vohland inked Steven's artwork. 

The Fantastic Four “The strength of the Sub-Mariner”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #102

Cover date September 1970

(Published in June 1970)

This is a reproduction of Jack Kirby's opening splash page, possibly re-drawn by Larry Lieber to fit the landscape page. The image of Crystal looks similar but you can tell that Johnny has been redrawn. Ben's pose is very different from Jack's original. 

Mark Evanier, Jack Kirby's biography writes that he was fairly certain that the last four comics Jack drew for Marvel before leaving for DC were the Silver Surfer story "To Smash the Inhumans!" from Silver Surfer #18, that was printed in the Super-Heroes #16, then "The Monstrous Mystery of the Nega-Man!" first seen in the Fantastic Four #108 with heavy alterations by others. That story will appear in The Titans #51, week ending 6th October 1976. Then "No More the Thunder God!" from Thor #179 and also printed in SSMwtSH #165, then this story. Mark tells that Jack put that last one in the mail to Marvel and then phoned Stan Lee to tell him that the issue of FF that was arriving momentarily was his last job for Marvel! Which of course it was for several years. I wonder what broke the camels back? For more on the reason why check out Mark Evanier's take on events in his News From Me blog. Ben Grimm is suffering with the flu, which makes everyone suffer as he resists Crystal and Johnny's efforts to try and feed him cough medicine. His sneezes causing the room to shake. Reed enters to find out what the commotion is all about. He scolds them for making noise that might wake baby Franklin. As soon as the weather clears, he and Sue are going to take Franklin to see the baby's nanny Agatha Harkness.

Meanwhile deep at sea an Atlantean vessel detects an earthquake. The Sub-Mariner leaves the ship to investigate it. He flies to an island filled with dinosaurs as well as the unconscious body of the mutant terrorist known as Magneto. In New York the storm has clears, leading to Johnny pranking the Thing, which subsequently ends in them fighting until it quickly ends when the Thing spots a number of metal objects rising into the sky. Unknown to all Magneto is secretly causing trouble with his powers. The mutant stops to take an audience with the Sub-Mariner to convince him to go to war with the surface world. Namor does not budge on the situation. Meanwhile Reed uses a device to track the source of the magnetic energies, tracing them back to Atlantis. Suddenly the Fantastic Four are attacked by various devices within the Baxter Building under Magneto's control. Upset by this sudden attack, the Thing unthinkingly unleashes some sonic wave missiles at Atlantis in retaliation. Namor saves as many of his people as he can, later he is informed by Magneto that the attack came from the surface world. The Master of Magnetism then convinces Namor to lead his people into war. Reed scolds Ben for his rash act. Crystal points out  that the "Radarscope" has detected a fleet of Atlantean ships heading towards the US coast just as the "vibro-alarm" begins to signal a fleet of warships heading their way.

This in-house advert promotes this week's Mighty World of Marvel with the text, "From outer space it came! The menace...the horror of...the Living Shadow!" expanded and moved for dramatic reasons. The price tag is also incorrect, reading 8p when the price on the actual mag was nine pence. 

Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD “The Tribunal!”

Writer: Jim Steranko

Artist: Jim Steranko

Inker: Jim Steranko

Originally published in Strange Tales #156

Cover date May 1967

(Published in February 1967)

Agent John Bronson, unknown to all as the Supreme Hydra, is set to take Laura Brown to a SHIELD medical facility due to the sickbay on board the Heli-Carrier being damaged in last week attack by Hydra. They will fly there in the "Dyna-Soar", a brand-new aircraft whose design is based and improved upon from the captured HYDRA saucer. Meanwhile Jasper Sitwell calls Gabe and DumDum away from Nick Fury's room as he's been ordered by the President to remain restricted to quarters for the time being. Sitwell demonstrate some new spying devices to them. Meanwhile Bronson with Laura Brown blast off in the "Dyna-Soar".

No sooner does the ship depart than Fury's quarters are blown to smithereens, apparently killing him! Bronson changes direction and sets a course towards a secret hidden artificial atoll somewhere in the Pacific which is the futuristic, hi-tech fortress called "Hydra Island". When Bronson lands he is greeted he resumes his guise as Supreme Hydra. Unknown to him Nick Fury has stored away on board the "Dyna-Soar." Fury had been suspicious of Bronson for quite some time, it was the way he called the Dreadnought by name when no-one knew what  it was called, as not seen in the missing second part that wasn't printed in The Titans #43, click the link and nearly all will be explained. Fury stealthily makes his way to the through Hydra Island to rescue Laura Brown and discover who the Supreme Hydra really is. On the way he has to knock out a few Hydra goons. Meanwhile the Supreme Hydra, still wearing Bronson's face announces to the listening Hydra agents that 30 minutes ago a bomb exploded and killed Nick Fury. Today falls SHIELD and tomorrow so does the world. Come back next week to witness "Death of a planet!"

Titanic Transcripts

Dougal Laughlin, Mike Church and John Hogg all from Morayshire in Scotland discuss between each other what would make British Marvel better. Their letter eventually leads to a massive plug for their comic fans club, which they imaginatively call "The Comics Club." Another letter writer, Richard, has complied an extensive list of actors who could brilliantly play various Marvel characters in a film. Here's his full list:-

Roddy McDowall - Spiderman

William Shatner - Nick Fury

Leonard Nimoy - The Vision

John Philipp Law - Silver Surfer

Ron Ely - Captain America

Sean Connery - Conan

Roger Moore - Iron-Man

Paul Newman - Yellowjacket

Barbara Bain - Sue Richards

Black Widow - Kate O'Mara

Alexandra Bastedo - Scarlet Witch

Raquel Welch - Madame Medusa

Gary Bond - Daredevil

Dave Prowse - Thor

James Brolin - Doctor Strange

Steve Reeves - Hercules

Michael York - Human Torch

Lee Majors - The Thing

Jack Lord - The Sub-mariner

Dominic English from Essex wonders where he can buy food for the Sea Monkeys he got from the Marvel offer. The editor writes that The Sea Monkey food supplied with the kit should last for a very long time, but if he did find you do need more supplies they suggest that he write to the USA address given in the Sea Monkey Instruction Leaflet. Lawrence Doyle from London  questions why in the first issue of The Titans was the origin of Captain America, course. but in issue 2 on the front it said Inside, "the Origin of Captain America". He also asks will there be any competitions for members of Foom? The editor adds whenever the lists of FOOM can be re-opened we'll be publishing enrolment forms in the mags.

David Hipkiss RFO, KOF, QNS from London thinks Marvel Comics would be as famous a name as Walt Disney if it had had as big a 'break' as Walt Disney had. He thinks Marvel will not be as large and well-known an enterprise as the studios of Walt Disney is that the cinema and later the television. If only he could see into the future. This 'break' that Walt Disney had, Stan Lee has not had and almost certainly won't have, if Marvel have not been in the right place at the right time. In David's eyes, Stan Lee has done surprisingly well, even though he could have done a lot better if he had been born at a different time like Shakespeare, Dickens and Walt Disney. Francis Keegan from London thinks that the new Titanic layout is a great improvement except for the way the artwork has to be miniaturised, plus the fact that the artists have to adapt to the new shape of the paper. Andrew Hyam from Surrey complains about features being moved to other comics. The Fantastic Four were doing well in MWOM until they were moved them to The Titans. He used to buy just MWOM and Super-Spider-man every week, but now he has to buy The Titans to follow their continuing adventures. Captain Marvel was moved from The Titans to POTA and then replaced with the Ghost Rider, but Andrew doesn't like him very much.

This Marvel Masterwork Centre-spread was drawn by John M Fuller (pencils,) and Bruce Patterson (inks,). I have to say it looks a little amateur. But being totally honest I can't draw for peanuts myself. 

Ghost Rider “Death stalks demolition Derby”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: Jim Mooney

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Ghost Rider #4

Cover date February 1974

(Published in November 1973)

Ghost Rider is chased by the Arizona Highway Patrol along the highway until the road is blocked by a police and a truck. Without stopping the Ghost Rider drives over the pavement and into the desert. The police follow in an off-road buggy that was hidden in the truck that chases him until he makes his way to a canyon peak. Then he disintegrate his hell fire chopper and as the sun rises he transforms back into Johnny Blaze. With the injuries to his mortal body Johnny has no choice but to turn himself over to the police. 

Meanwhile Roxanne in Carson City appealing to the Attorney General to drop charges against Johnny. He agrees on the condition that she help out with a job in Las Vegas. Johnny wakes up in a Las Vegas hospital were he is confronted by an combative Las Vagus Police Department Sergeant by the name of Decker who informs Johnny that if he were the one who did the arrest he wouldn't still be breathing. The uniformed officers tell Johnny they are just going to humour Decker and try to excuse away his attitude. As Decker leaves he bumps into Dude Jensen who has come to see Blaze to offer Johnny a spot in his demolition derby in exchange for making all of Johnny's charges disappear. Johnny quickly accepts the offer. Sometime later Roxanne joins him in his hospital room where he shares the good news. Roxanne knows her deal with the Attorney General concerns the arrest of Dude Jensen, so she doesn't tell Johnny about the deal she made until she can speak with the  Attorney General about the situation. As the two young lovers kiss Linda Littletrees sees them. She has plans to bide her time and win Johnny over. The soap opera and supernatural action continues next week.

Captain America “The Sleeper and the super-hero!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Syd Shores

Originally published in Captain America #103

Cover date June 1968

(Published in February 1968)

This second part opening splash page is drawn by an unnamed artist. The deadly Sleeper has been awoken by the Red Skull and set on a path of destruction. Its next target is to demolish a coastal smelting factory that is important to the US military. Captain America has recovered the crystal key that is the only thing that can stop the Sleeper. Now Captain America and Agent 13 must track down the super weapon and stop it. 

Red Skull sends his troops to try and stop the heroes from destroying the robot as Sharon Carter pilots Cap to the next predicted site of the Sleeper's attack. Using hover jetpacks the soldiers follow their masters orders, the mysterious "Exiles" and blast the SHEILD helicopter out of the sky. Agent 13 parachutes to safety while Cap battles the nazi soldiers in a freewill battle. Using all his combat skills he defeats them and makes it to the ground safely too. Captain America and Agent 13 locate the sleeper and with the sonic key manage which coaxes it above ground where Cap can battle it. The Avenger gives Agent 13 the crystal key while he takes on the super robot. It's a losing fight because Cap is unable to cause the powerful robot any harm. However Agent 13's powerful feelings for Cap have an effect on the sonic key causing it to vibrate like a thing alive. In a maddening cacophony of sound  and fury the Sleeper staggers like a wounded beast. With a shrill ear-splitting noise the fourth Sleeper stops and disintegrates, fading away into nothing. As the weary couple embrace the Red Skull watch from afar. A group of men sit behind him in the shadows planning to find "the weakest link" to which they can exploit to destroy Captain America in next week's issue.  

The Sub-Mariner “The Spell of the Serpent!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema 

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Sub-Mariner Vol 2 #9

Cover date January 1969

(Published in October 1968)

Prince Namor and Lady Dorma streak onwards in an Atlantean craft towards Atlantis, with the Helmet of Power that once belonged to Paul Destine the madman called Destiny. As Namor thinks over the past events Lady Dorma is enchanted by the power that seems to pulse from the helmet. She tries it on her head to see if it fits, almost compelled by a silent voice. When she does Namor reacts angrily striking the helmet from her head. Almost instantly he begs forgiveness from the Lady as he acted sensing danger if she had worn the helmet. 

The pair return to Atlantis which has been re-built in all its splendour. They are greeted by Lord Vashti and Lord Seth. Seth still feels the shame of having been defeated by the villain known as Tiger Shark as seen in The Titans #40.  Namor instructs the Supreme Scientist, Ikthon to carefully examine the Helmet of Power to find its secrets. Later Lady Dorma asks Namor to talk to Lord Seth, as she has sensed Seth's troubled mind. Namor does so. They talk and Namor asks Seth to join him on a mission to discover the Herb of Healing, that will hopefully help restore Tiger Shark to human form. Meanwhile the Helmet of Power sheds its crude outer shell like a snake to reveal a seven headed serpent beneath, its true form, the Serpent Crown. While Namor battles a deadly lethe-beast. Seth is knocked unconscious as Namor continues to fight the beast. As he defeats the creature a strange wave of energy causes Namor to forget his friend and swim away. Meanwhile in Atlantis Ikthon discovers the Serpent Crown in its new form. and offers it to the Lady Dorma as he senses that it has been summoning her. Seth awakes to find Namor gone, thinking that his liege had died. Prince Namor is lost at sea forgetting what and where he should be as he swims with swordfish and dolphins. Suddenly the realisation returns, he must get back to Atlantis at once. 

With that I must leave too, there are other things to do, including preparing next week's Power of the Beesting "Week Ending..." blog. So till next week...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.