Week Ending 21st February 1976
This week the blog looks at six super weeklies instead of seven sensational ones, which means a reduction in stories, which makes my life easier. Well it would, if not for the extra strip in this week's Dracula Lives, that makes it twenty-three strips, just like last week! Just to let you know now that the Spider-man comic has changed it's title from Spider-man Comics Weekly (SMCW,) to Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes, so I will use the abbreviation of SSMwtSH (or may be SSMSH,) for any Spider-man comic from issues 158 to 198, SSMatT (or maybe SSMT,) from issues 199 to 230, SSMaCB from issues 231 to 253. and then SSM from issue 254 onwards until Dez Skinn's Marvel Revolution comes, when under Dez's editorial control it becomes Spider-man Comic then I'll see what sticks. These abbreviations are to symbolise title changes from Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes, to Super-Spider-man and the Titans, then Super Spider-man and Captain Britain and finally Super Spider-man, unless I feel it more appropriate to use just SSM as SSMwtSH, SSMatT and SSMaCB, may become a bit of a mouth full, or unless I forget. The Spider-man comic changed its name numerous times in its 666 issue history. I would be interested to hear readers opinions on the abbreviations and naming used in the blog and the letter pages of the comics. Anyway onto the super six.
The Mighty World of Marvel #177
Ron Wilson drew this week's Mighty World of Marvel cover, at first sight it looks like Betty and the Hulk have been captured by one of the alien creatures from the island that they found themselves marooned on in this week's story. But the text box at the bottom reads "Death on an island in the sky!" I do wonder if it was intended to be for the Bi-Beast story from two week's ago, but the blue skinned monster only has one face, not two. Or did it? Well I can't see any signs of adjustments, so I wonder was the text added thinking that it was intended for that story when it wasn't. John Tartaglione possibly inked Ron's pencils.
The Incredible Hulk “Stranded!”
Writer: Chris Claremont and Steve Englehart (plot)
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Inker: Jack Abel
Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #170
Cover date December 1973
(Published in August 1973)
"Swing into Spring with Super Spider-man." It's a little early for spring, but any way it's a season full of surprises. The promotion shows the new look first issue of the Spider-man comic. Notice that the "with the Super-Heroes" line is removed from both the horizontal and vertical title logos and the top tagline reads "Extra: More thrills with Thor, Iron Man and the Thing!" May be at the point of putting together this in-house advert the full title wasn't decided on. The actual printed cover features a top tagline that reads "Free Full Colour Spider-man Poster Inside!" The text does nearly get the line-up right for the trail blazing issue, longer Spider-man stories are joined by the mighty Thor, Iron Man and Doctor Strange, plus the Human Torch and the Hulk together in one adventure.
The Mighty Marvel Mailbag
Daredevil “Fear at the zoo!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: George Klein
Originally published in Daredevil #54
Cover date July 1969
(Published in May 1969)
This week's third part opening splash page uses page 16 of the original Daredevil comic featuring Daredevil in mid battle with Mister Fear, with all the dialogue removed. What's noticeable is page 15 of the original US comic meaning that the page order printed in the Mighty World of Marvel is 16, 15 then page 17. It does seem a waste of a story page just to save on commissioning a new piece of artwork.
Inside the Baxter Building. New York's most famous skyscraper tower, the headquarters of the most colourful super-hero combo the civilised world has ever known. This schematic diagram of the Fantastic Four's base first appeared in the Fantastic Four Annual issue 3, cover dated October 1965, published July 1965. It was designed and drawn by Jack Kirby with Vince Colletta applying the inks. Stan Lee takes credit for the page's text.
The Fantastic Four “The threat of the borers!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Originally published in The Fantastic Four Annual #6
Cover date November 1968
(Published in August 1968)
The artwork from the front cover of the Fantastic Four Annual issue 6 by Jack Kirby (pencils,) and Joe Sinnott (inks,) is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page with a catch-up text box, a new story title and credits added. Reed, Johnny and Ben have travelled into the Negative Zone to locate Element X, the only solution to stop the deadly Cosmic radiation that is threatening Sue Richards and her unborn child.
It's only the back page of the Mighty World of Marvel that features this Dinky Die Cast Toys advert from Meccano. Cruising in at top speed at the top of the advert is the Triumph TR7 sports car, new to the Dinky range. A first for Dinky is it has impact absorbing bumpers and doors that really open. Next blasting off is from the Gerry Anderson hit TV series, Space 1999, the Eagle space craft. Which comes in two versions, the Eagle Transporter, Model No.359 and the Eagle Freighter, Model No.360, both are 222 mm in length. The Transporter carries a habitat pod and the Freighter can carry a cargo of nuclear waste. When it comes to defence from attack from the skies any army needs the Leopard Anti-aircraft tank, Model 696, which is 152 mm long. It runs on flexible tracks, it has a radar scanner which folds down when not in use. Both gun barrels can elevated and fire plastic shells independently of one another.
Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes #158
Spider-man's new look format features a brand new cover artwork. The X-Men's costumes are more in keeping with their look from the X-Men stories that were appearing in the Titans than how they appeared inside this issue. The Beast in the Spider-man/X-Men didn't appear as part of the team due to being a little bit blue and hairy at that time. With no solid evidence about the identity of the artist I can only go off what the Grand Comics Database say, with either or both Keith Pollard and Arvell Jones being the pencilers with possibly Mike Esposito as the inker. I like the new logo with the web slinger webbing up the "Super" part of the logo. The landscape format has brought a price increase to 9 pence. Technically it still has the same number of pages as the portrait format, which makes the increase a little strange. The top tagline offers the reader a "Free Full Colour Spider-man Poster Inside!" My second hand copy of SSM #158 didn't come with the poster, which must have got lost after it decorated some Marvel fan's wall. But thanks to Dave King from the Facebook Group UK Marvel in the Seventies, I get to show you his copy of the poster. There's a Power of the Beesting No-Prize going to Dave for this image of it. The poster was 16 inches by 23 inches and designed by John Romita Sr.
Spider-man “And then..the X-Men!”
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Gil Kane
Inker: Steve Mitchell
Originally published in the Marvel Team-Up #4
Cover date September 1972
(Published in June 1972)
With the new look Super Spider-man the web slinger gets a full adventure printed every week, which would and did course the British stories to catch up with the Americans editions, on a ratio of four to five stories a month in the UK to the one a month in the US. A solution was to print stories from the Marvel Team-Up comic that started at the beginning of 1972. This would help but not slow it down enough to relieve the problem. A clever choice was this Spider-man/X-Men team-up as it also featured Morbius the living Vampire who had become very popular. The X-Men had started to star in the Titans and more stories would help raise their profile. One strange thing about this choice is that this story follows straight on from Marvel Team-Up issue 3, which featured the Human Torch teaming up with Spidey to fight Morbius. Surely it would've been better to start with that tale first! Bizarrely that tale, "The Power to Purge!" actually gets printed in SSMwtSH #191, cover dated 6th October 1976 and continues the week after in #192. Just to rub salt in the continuity wound and make long term reader red with anger this week's Spider-man/X-Men Team-up tale is repeated in SSMwtSH #193 and #194.
Peter Parker is plagued by dreams of Morbius, so even though he's ill he decides to resume his hunt for Michael Morbius by seeking out Hans Jorgenson once more. That all makes more sense if you read Marvel Team-Up (US edition,) issue 3 or SSMwtSH #191. Just before he arrives Jorgenson is kidnapped by Morbius himself. Spotting Spider-man the landlady blames him for the scientist's kidnapping. News of Jorgenson's kidnapping reaches his old colleague Charles Xavier, who summons the X-Men. Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel and Iceman all answer his summons, however, the Beast refuses to join for his own personal reasons, as readers of the Marvel UK comic, the Incredible Hulk weekly #47 from the week ending 23rd January 1980 no doubt know. The young mutants are sent out to track down Spider-man. A battle ensues when they find him, ending with Spider-man being over-powered by the X-Men and restrained by Marvel Girl. Learning via a psychic-probe that Morbius kidnapped Jorgenson, Xavier orders the X-Men to bring the now comatose Spider-man back to the X-Mansion for further study. They learn that Spider-man will soon die due to a toxin used to cure him of four additional arms that he gained during a previous encounter with Morbius, as seen in SMCW #143. They also learn that Jorgenson was working on a cure, which could be utilised with Morbius' blood. In order to rescue his friend and save Spidey the Professor sends the X-Men out to capture Morbius. After a lengthy battle, the mutant team manages to defeat Morbius and rescue Jorgenson. Jorgenson is able to cure Spider-man. The X-Men admit they couldn't have saved him without Marvel Girl's help. The web-slinger leaves but not before giving Jean Grey a quick snog. Well it is Saint Valentine's week!
The Mighty Thor “The reign of Loki!”
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Bill Everett
Originally published in The Mighty Thor #175
Cover date April 1970
(Published in February 1970)
This second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Thor has returned to Asgard with the Lady Sif after news of his father entering his rest period, Odinsleep, had been seen as an opportunity for Loki to amass an army of trolls to storm the golden realm and take power. The Thunder God sends Sif to guard Odin while he joins the other Asgardian warriors in defending the realm.
When Thor attempts to rally the people of Asgard to overthrow Loki, they cannot bring themselves to disobey Asgardian law that dictates that whomsoever wears the Imperial Ring rules the land. Thor himself decides to take on Loki on his own, however he is forced to back down and claim loyalty to Loki as the Trickster God holds Sif prisoner. Finally at victory, Loki decrees that evil will flourish over the land. Next week "Inferno!"
The Web and the Hammer
The second page of letters starts with David Ireland from Livingston who asks how the editors choose which letters to print? He also wants to know what is the biggest amount of MWOM comics held by one person? He has 150 issues out of 163. The editor replies that every letter received is read and the contents are noted for those containing information, literary merit and points that would be of interest to other Marvelites, these are put on one side and chosen.
Devious Dennis from London never gets his letters printed, but this week one does get printed in which he thinks he qualifies for an FFF on three counts, 1st for going to Oxford Street in the rush-hour to buy twenty-five Marvel American comics, 2nd he buys them in "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed..." who amongst other crimes, think 20 cents is 20 pence and the 3rd is he went out in the pouring rain in the rush hour to buy Stan Lee's Origin of Marvel Comics. Ian Gran RFO from Dublin goes through letter giving a full and clearest picture of the Norse Gods from two collections of tales called Eddas. He gives a mature and interesting look at the myths and legends. Worth a read if you love Norse legends.
Clea interrupts Stephen's meditation to show him the most awesome of the forbidden rituals she has recently learned by summoning a rabbit from a top hat. His heavy mood lightened by her trick, Strange and Clea enjoy some intimate time together before Strange asks Wong to prepare the Mists of Morpheus so that he can sleep. Once the two men have left the room, Clea talks to the rabbit, unaware that Silver Dagger, who believes Strange to be a demon in need of destruction, is lurking just outside the window. In order to gain entry to the Sanctum Sanctorum without triggering its mystic defences, he casts an enchantment that causes the rabbit to grow to giant size. Terrified the rabbit smashes through the window to escape. Clea believes her spell was responsible and so is off guard when the Dagger enters to mesmerises her. Alerted to the sound of breaking glass Wong arrives and attacks the intruder but he is defeated with a single blow. The Silver Dagger turns his attention to the Eye of Agamotto. The unfamiliar touch causes the amulet to emits a mystical bolt in an attempt to warn its master but the intruder conjures the Fangs of Farallah to stop it. Undetected, Silver Dagger sneaks up behind the sleeping Strange and hurls his mystical dagger at his back, inflicting a mortal wound. Silver Dagger takes both the amulet and Clea as he leaves, just as Wong regains consciousness to find his master dead, or more accurately "Barely alive!" as you'll discover next week.
While Wyatt sweeps the drivers to safety, the Torch envelops the burning tanker in a flame barrier to lessen the force of the resulting explosion. Suddenly a device on Wyatt's sky-cycle alerts them that one of the Fantastic Four's most powerful foes is active once again.
A packet full of fun! Sea-Monkeys, the hobby that was sweeping America and had featured on the BBC news magazine programme Nationwide. Usually they were £1.50, but starting in next week's Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes readers could have them for 75 pence and six coupons from the following issues with the great Marvel Sea-Monkey offer! Sea-Monkeys, or Artemis Salina as the promotion calls them are a breed of brine shrimp sold in packets of dust in aquarium shops. When the "lifeless dust" is put into a tank of purified water, the Sea-Monkeys gradually emerge, growing steadily over a few weeks by feeding on a diet of yeast and spirulina.
Ronnie Scrivener KOF, QNS from Ayrshire writes about that the "nutter" Mark Day, who thinks that Conan should be taken out of The Avengers. Ronnie thinks he's talking through a hole in his head, but it ain't his mouth, as Conan makes the mag great, along with Shang-Chi. SH writes to congratulate Marvel on the Doctor Strange Treasury Edition which he bought quite recently. He supposes that soon Marvel will start receiving letters protesting about the idea of including the Shuma Gorath master-epic. He notes that the Doctor Strange epic, also appeared in Avengers weekly #117. Stuart Watson from Hartlepool writes "CROM!" Conan is far the best thing Marvel has brought out, because it has the best writer/editor with Roy Thomas, the best artists with Barry Smith, John Buscema, Ernie Chan and the best original story creators Robert E Howard and L Sprague de Camp. The third best story of all British Marvels he has read is "The Tower of the Elephant". The second best, "The Keepers of the Crypt." the highlight was Barry Smith's art. While the first and best ever is " The Son of Red Sonia." He wants to know if the heavily praised "Red Nails" will be printed in the UK as he has yet to see the "big dollar" black and white magazine from the US that it featured in.
Extraneous exercises in especially ethnic esoterica.
Last week's cover artwork, which was originally used as the cover on Tomb of Dracula issue 32, by Gil Kane (pencils,) with Tom Palmer (inks,) is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page. Even though Dracula is weakened by the many traps sprung on the Vampire Lord's pursuit of his wheel chair bound nemesis is relentless. Harker fires poison tipped darts from his wheelchair yet again Dracula continues to pursue his mortal foe.
Part two of this week's Bullpen Bulletin continues with an Item that mentions of one of Marvel's celebrity fans. Former Beatle and lead singer of Wings, Paul McCartney, has been especially interested in Marvel Comics lately. Actually, Paul's a regular dyed-in-the-wool Marvelite which everyone who's heard his 1975 hit song "Magneto and Titanium Man" knows. The Crimson Dynamo also gets a mention in the same album, but he doesn't get billing. The Item discusses a leaked rumour that Paul and Stan the Man have been conducting a series of negotiations for a whole batch of special joint projects. They don't mention what they are so just keep your eyes and ears open. The final Item is about Capital Radio's Kenny Everett who treats his listeners every week to radio's only stereo space serial, Captain Kremmen and the Krells! And guess what! Talking to lovely Maggie Morden on Capital's Marvel-conscious "Hullaballoo" programme Kenny admitted that he got the idea for the serial from reading our own merry Marvel mags. Every week on Capital Radio Captain Kremmen battles the entire Everett sound effects library in adventures that have the Bullpen falling about!
In a brief interlude Jack Russell's once apartment-mate and once fellow werewolf, Raymond Coker, has travelled to Haiti to seek out the help of the witch Jeesala of de Thousand Years. His reasoning will be revealed in a future Werewolf by Night adventure in Dracula Lives #77, cover dated the week ending 10th April 1976. So back with the madness at the castle, the Lissa/demon-werewolf fires demonic flames from her eyes at her brother, then flees away. After rolling around to smother the flames on his back the Werewolf races after the Were-demon. Buck grapples with Glitternight, forcing the sorcerer to bang his head, knocking the fiend out cold. As this happens Taboo falls into a coma. The Werewolf battles his sister through the maze-like castle, with the conclusion drawing to a struggle on a castle parapet. The two were-siblings fall with the Were-demon taking the brunt of the landing, knocking her unconscious. The Werewolf flees into the countryside. The next morning Jack returns to find Taboo still in a coma, Glitternight restrained and his friends looking after his now human sister, who although very weary has no memory of the night before, so much so she believes it was a bad dream and she never succumb to the curse. Next week Lissa's second night, "Red slash across midnight!"
Dakimh explains to them that he used the Mists of Maalock to transport them to the realm of Sandt, because he needs to recover the Tome of Zhered-Na, a mystical artefact that was once in the possession of Joshua Kale. Seemingly unknown to him Andy Kale had to set fire to the book in order to banish the demon Nether-Spawn, as seen in Dracula Lives #64. Dakimh is aware of the pending demonic invasion of Earth and tells Jennifer that the Man-Thing is the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities. Since the Tome is no longer there, Dakinh has more weightier matters to consider like destroying like how to destroy his two captives, as with the Man-Thing's very being threatens the demon invasion, therefore the sorcerer organises a trial by combat. Dakimh transports Jennifer and the Man-Thing to a gladiatorial arena. The Man-Thing is ushered into the centre of the arena where he is forced to fight a barbarian named Mongu. This gladiator looks very similar to "Mongu the Gladiator from Outer Space", who was in fact a robot operated by Russians to battle the Hulk, way-way back in MWOM #8 , is it a cosmic coincidence or just a creators in-joke? Mongu's battle-axe is ineffective against the Man-Thing, and the swamp monster fights back with his burning touch, winning the fight. As per a pre-arranged promise, Dakimh returns the Man-Thing and Jennifer to Earth, to reunite her with her grateful grandfather. Joshua Kale warns that the final battle against the forces of evil is still yet to come.
Elsewhere clues are falling into place, Chief Inspector Kolp and Inspector Hoskyns, from Governor Breck's security forces, have found a discrepancy in the computer logs for the shipment of captured African apes 507I from Borneo, Indonesia, which comprised of three orangoutangs and one chimpanzee. Kolp points out that there are no chimpanzees naturally in Borneo! Urgently they try to contact Ape Management. However the reception area of Ape Management headquarters is extremely busy with their conditioning cages being filled to capacity due to the implementing of Governor Beck's "Achilles List" protocol. Finally when Kolp does get through he asks the controller where the chimpanzee from shipment 705 Borneo was sold to. The answer is to Governor Beck! Kolp and Hoskyns report the news directly to Beck who orders the termination of Caesar. Hoskyns points out that they need him alive to confirm that his can talk and is the one then the case can be official shut. Beck rings MacDonald and orders him to hand over Caesar to the Chief Inspector. MacDonald lies about the ape's whereabouts and silently has Caesar follow him. Another phone call and another lie, MacDonald wishes that Caesar could talk and understand him so he could explain it to him. To MacDonald's shock he answers him that he understands him and he is the ape they are looking for! Next week an "Army of slaves!"
Bobbi attempts to bargain with the Plunderer, but realising how valuable the serum is to any army in the world he refuses to enter into any negotiations. Agent Morse recalls how the original Super-Soldier serum had transformed the runty Steve Rogers into the awesome Captain America and when Ted Sallis had tried to duplicate the lost serum he had mysteriously disappeared with the appearance of the Man-Thing, readers of POTA #59 will recall Sallis was transformed into the Man-Thing. The pursuit of Doctor Sallis and Doctor Calvin's duplicate has been relentless with agents of the criminal organisation AIM making numerous attempts to steal it or kidnap the scientists who developed it, which have lead to Gemini's successful theft.
The Plunderer orders Gog to teleport them all to AIM's English Headquarters, but instead he teleports everyone to Liberty Island and doubles in size in the process. Plunderer realises that he's lost mental control of Gog who tears the torch-bearing arm off the Statue of Liberty. As the Plunderer is distracted Bobbi steals the serum back. After a brief fight with Ka-Zar Gemini and the Plunderer escape and miss seeing Gog, who is now big enough to straddle the roofs of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, before he teleports away. Meanwhile in a hidden AIM lab at Land's End, after a failed attempt to take Professor Conrad's version of original super-soldier formula by a SHIELD agent an explosive force has destroy everything in the lab save for Professor Conrad who emerges from the flames as the sole survivor after taking the serum. Next week "the Super-Soldier strikes!"
Killmonger however seeks out the Resurrection Altar and its keeper Sombre to complete a ceremony that enacts change on one of his followers, King Cadaver, who had already gone through the process prior. Sombre, wearing a ceremonial robe and horror panther-like mask that hides his features save for his soul-less eyes greets Killmonger. The ceremony starts with King Cadaver being strapped to an alter and lowered into a well, heated and lite by a radioactive piece of a star which fell to the Earth millennium ago. The process is delayed when the Black Panther confronts Killmonger. The two warriors savagely fight each other, with Killmonger pushing the Panther over the edge of the pit, towards incineration! To be continued next week I hope!
No one is certain of who drew this week's cover. Although the Grand Comics Database does list Mike Esposito as the inker.
This landscape second part opening splash page, possibly by Dave Hunt or maybe Dave Wenzel or one of the many other artists who drew fill-in pages for the British Marvel weeklies, features Captain America and Spider-man having been teleported on board of the SHIELD Helicarrier and then being shot at by eager SHIELD agents who believe that Spidey is still wanted for murder. The shooting doesn't happen in the original comic as the situation is quickly defused when Nick Fury orders his men to stand down.
Iron Man “Blades of Disaster!”
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: Johnny Craig
Originally published in Iron Man #8
Cover date December 1968
(Published in September 1968)
Not sure who drew this second part opening splash page, but the artist has done a very good job, the details are in many ways better than George Tuska's work on the strip. Whitney Frost recalls how she found out that her real father was former head of the Maggia family, Count Nefaria, after her adopted father's death. She flees to her fiancé, Roger Vane, who had a bright future ahead of him in his father's law firm. Once Whitney revealed to him that she was actually Count Nefaria's daughter he disappeared from her life leaving her in shock.
With nowhere to go Whitney was forced to return to Nefaria. Welcoming her with open arms he offered her his expert tutelage to channel her bitterness into a ruthlessness in fighting and weaponry, working hard to eventually become the natural successor the Count had wanted, until she was installed as Maggia's leader Big M. Her mind returns to the present as she leads a group of criminals into a raid on Stark International's Long Island factory to steal newly developed weaponry. But where is Iron Man? Well he's preoccupied in battling Maggia's hired hard man, the Gladiator, who has kidnapped Janice Cord and her lawyer Vincent Sandhurst. Although the golden Avenger's repulser rays are damaged he still manages to distract the buzz blade wielding villain for long enough to free the two hostages before he returns for round two.
Doctor Strange “Through an orb darkly”
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Frank Brunner
Inker: Dick Giordano
Originally published in Doctor Strange Vol 2 #1
Cover date June 1974
(Published in March 1974)
"The Cosmos: forever forbidding, dark. Man builds things to shelter himself from its mysteries. One of these things is his reality...the conversational wisdom of the masses. But one man lives a different reality...a true reality. He does not shrink from the unknown. He is, therefore, his own shelter..and the shelter for all his fellows. He is Stephen Strange, a Doctor...and a Sorcerer Supreme." I've always said that Roy Thomas was Marvel's best writer, which I believe to be true. Doug Moench and Steve Gerber are up there with him, creating stories that are more than just super-hero shenanigans. Marv Wolfman and Chris Claremont also stand tall with their catalogue of fantastic tales. Somehow Steve Englehart gets overlooked, but not by me! His work is incredible, taking the far out and real, then making it real and far out. In Master of Kung Fu, Captain America and the Avengers he holds a magnifying glass up to those genres to show how to make the unbelievable, believable. He shows society's problems and man's greatest strengths. Calling out the worst and praising the best. I guess that's the hippy in him. If there was anyone who was born to write Doctor Strange his name would be Steve Englehart, writer...and Scribe Supreme.
The Human Torch and the Hulk..together! “Where bursts the bomb!”
Writer: Len Wein
Artist: Gil Kane
Inker: Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito
Originally published in Marvel Team-Up #18
Cover date February 1974
(Published in November 1973)
For weeks the editors of British Marvel mags have been promising that the Thing team-up tales from the Super-Heroes would continue in the Spider-man comic, so fans might be a little disappointed when it didn't, but instead to ease the transition a Human Torch/Hulk team-up took old blue eye's place. Following the dissolution of the Fantastic Four, no you haven't missed an issue, this is reference to a Fantastic Four story that will eventually get told in the Complete Fantastic Four issue 10, from the week ending the 30th November 1977. The Human Torch is spending time with his friend Wyatt Wingfoot. While travelling along the Catskills, they spot a crashed fuel truck.
Elsewhere Doctor Paxton Pentecost is labouring to resurrect a powerful being. After blasting a massive cylinder holding the entity with energy it suddenly breaks free, revealing himself to be the Negative Zone villain Blastaar. While threatening to destroy Pentecost, he discovers that the scientist has implanted an obedience device in his brain that causes him pain unless he surrenders. Paxton explains that he learned about Blastaar from his battles with the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. Paxton goes on to explain that he invented an autonomous factory called FAUST that had been stolen from him by his financial backer Ferguson Blaine. He now wants Blastaar to destroy the factory before Blaine can profit from it. Blastaar accepts the challenge, using his blasts to destroy a scale model of the factory. Elsewhere, the Hulk lands on a nearby construction site creating wide spread panic. One of the construction workers attempts to strike him with a wrecking ball, which barely slows the Hulk's rampage. Suddenly the Hulk feels a stabbing pain in his head and leaps off to find the source. At that moment, Blastaar starts attacking the FAUST facility, only to be suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the Human Torch. The Torch engulfs Blastaar with a flame blast, but the creature shrugs it off with a retaliative blast. Next week "Enter the Hulk!"
Avengers Weekly #127
Micheal Netzer penciled this week's Avengers weekly cover with possibly Dan Adkins inking it. In late 1975, Arvell Jones and Keith Pollard offered Netzer accommodation in New York City, where the two artists shared an apartment, while he tried to gain work in comics. Netzer went on to work for both Marvel and DC comics.
Conan the Barbarian “The city of the dead!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Inker: Ernie Chan
Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #35
Cover date February 1974
(Published in November 1973)
Gil Kane (pencils,) and Ernie Chan's (inks,) cover artwork from Conan the Barbarian issue 35 is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page. It does spoil the plot a little by giving away the appearance of a giant bat demon, but let's be honest if you bought the US comic you would have seen that anyway. Another oddity is the appearance of the generic standard Gil Kane scantly clad damsel who never appears in the adventure at all. 
Conan and Bourtai had discovered the lost city of Kara Shehr after fleeing from a desert band of brigands. Within the derelict city walls the two companions enter the legendary Temple of Kara-Shehr, where upon a throne sat a skeleton holding the Azure Eye of Kara-Shehr. Bourtai had taken the gem but feeling a danger Conan makes him put it back. As he does the skeletal hand closes on the gem. Was it a trick or just their imagination? Conan reaches to remove it himself but before he does, the bandits appear, having tracked them to the city. A fight breaks out with Conan taking many of them down. He recognises their scar faced leader, Kai Shaah, whom Conan met some months ago in the fortress of Bab-El-Shaithan, as seen in Avengers weekly #110 and #111. Conan is overpowered by the brigands sheer numbers and is held at bay while Kai Shaah takes the gem. A mysterious creature of mists and fangs bursts from the wall and kills Kai Shaah, as Conan battles with the bandits mists fill the temple. In the melee, Bourtai also grabs the jewel and the creature turns on him. Conan calls to his monkey-like friend as the looming demon recedes without a sound into the sand-swirling mists. All the screams cease as the huge phantom passes back through the passage way in the wall where it came from leaving only the memory of a ghost or a dream. The only physical evidence are three skeletons, the original one on the throne, one of dwarf-like size and another that looked no more uncommon than any other skeleton save a scar across the man's left eye socket. Conan, turns and walks away to face in next week's issue "Beware the Hyrkanians bearing gifts...!"
Avengers Mailbag
The Avengers “Doom in the desert!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Inker: Tom Palmer
Originally published in The Avengers #81
Cover date October 1970
(Published in August 1970)
There is no record of who drew this second part opening splash page, but they use the final panel from last week's Avengers strip and the first of page thirteen as inspiration to create this week's opener. One of the richest men in the world, Cornelius Van Lunt has sent a robot controlled aircraft to destroy any craft that gets near to his latest sinister project in Montana. The surviving Avengers of the crashed QuinJet, the Vision and the Scarlet Witch are taken by his hired hoodlums to Van Lunt's hacienda under threat of shooting the still weak Wanda.
Arriving at the hacienda the Vision and the Witch are greeted by Van Lunt as guests. The Vision questions the term guests when they are escorted at gunpoint by hoodlums and a robot driven attack craft shoots them down without any provocation. Van Lunt says the craft was a gift from some skilled friends. He adds his earlier dealings were legal, if not ethical, but his current stakes are larger enough to take more risks. He wants the Vision to fight for him against the Indians his operation has uprooted and any of the surviving Avengers and if he doesn't his men have orders to kill the Scarlet Witch. Elsewhere Goliath and Red Wolf have survived the crash and have returned to Red Wolf's village to rally the support of his people. However, they too are attacked by Van Lunt's armed goons, but the two heroes easily defeat them and from them learn the location of Van Lunt's base. Soon Goliath and Red Wolf arrive with a posse of Indians, where they are forced to battle the Vision. During the battle, the Scarlet Witch regains her strength enough to use her Hex powers and turn the tide of battle. With the Witch free the Vision joins forces with Red Wolf and Goliath to make short work of Van Lunt's men. A dam that Van Lunt built to steal water from the Indian's land is damaged by a crashing helicopter and floods catching both Red Wolf and Van Lunt as they battle. Both are presumed to have died in the following rock slide. The Vision recovers Red Wolf's mask, returning it to his people. The Avengers soon find that Red Wolf survived when he returns in his civilian guise of Will Talltrees. With his people avenged, he has no reason to be the Red Wolf anymore as he and his people set off to reclaim their land. Next week we'll find out "the secret of Cornelius Van Lunt!"
Bullpen Bulletin
Four Items in this week's Bullpen Bulletins, the first up is about how the Titans have become popular and it is only natural that another comic in that format is introduced. The new title is gonna combine Spider-Man Comics Weekly and the Super-Heroes into one giant offering called Super Spider-Man, the article fails to mention the addition of "with the Super-Heroes" on the end. The mag will feature the adventures of the Amazing Spider-Man, the Thing, the Invincible Iron Man, the Mighty Thor, and Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. The Doctor's place in Avengers weekly with be taken up by tales of the mysterious Iron Fist! The second Item discusses the rather wild Marvel time paradox that happens! Readers first read these immortal words, perhaps near the end of February, however the American editors where typing them about a week before Christmas as they where admiring the beautiful Christmas trees that are popping up around the city. The final two Items will be reviewed in the Dracula Lives version of the Bullpen Bulletin, as you'll see later in this blog.
Scarfe sees the car steering wheel turn into a dragon, wrestling with it the car flips and crashes. Still delirious Iron Fist pulls his friend from the car, seconds before it explodes. A voice from outside of the illusion taunts him, the world fades around him into a kaleidoscope of shapes and lights which sends him falling into the Himalayas, where he comes face to face with his dead father, who kicks out at his son. Sensing that it isn't his father he over turns the attacker. Then the crazy nightmare starts again as Danny comes face to face with a decaying mirror image of himself. Falling into madness his tormentor reveals himself to Iron Fist as Anger the Screamer. The illusion caster forms an image of a dragon, forming a fist and concentrating all his chi into it until it becomes a thing of iron, then he strikes, hitting a car. Then the wall comes alive and grabs Danny from behind in a bear grip, then he transforms into Lei Kung, the Thunderer, who brags about there being no man who can break his grip of death. Knowing that Lei Kung has never used a grip of death against any opponent Iron Fist strikes his attackers arms freeing himself from Khumbala Bey's grip and throwing him backwards into Anger the Screamer. Iron Fist demands that Anger tells him where they have taken Colleen. Scarfe shows Iron Fist that he has found a clue on Angar's body, a Stark International identification card. Next week it will be "Iron Fist verses Iron Man!"
Iron Fist “Anger's Anger!”
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: John Byrne
Inker: Al McWilliams
Originally published in Marvel Premiere #25
Cover date October 1975
(Published in July 1975)
Another Gil Kane cover, this one from Marvel Premiere issue 25 is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page, with credits, catch-up text boxes and a new story title added. Dan Adkins inked Kane's pencils. After Colleen Wing has been kidnapped by imposters in police uniforms, Iron Fist and Lieutenant Scarfe race after them. Suddenly both Danny and Scarfe start to hallucinate when they chase the kidnapper's car into a blind alley.
The inside back page features two promotions for the new Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes comic. The first is for this week's issue on sale with a free colour poster of Spider-man, showing the cover of issue 158. This cover sports the correct top tagline and the complete logo is shown, when in other promotions shown the "with the Super-Heroes" text is missing. What is wrong with this cover is shown on the right of the logo, there is a picture of the Thing and text that reads "Co-starring the ever loving' Thing!" which doesn't appear on the actual printed cover nor does old blue eyes feature inside the comic. Under that in-house advert a half page promotion for next week's Sea-Monkeys offer is presented.
Dracula Lives #70
This British commissioned cover was drawn by Pablo Marcos.
Dracula “Showdown of darkness!”
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Tom Palmer
Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #32
Cover date May 1975
(Published in February 1975)
Harker makes his way into his study with Dracula weakly following him, cloves of garlic rain down on the vampire from a trap door in the ceiling, forcing him to transform into his mist form which weaves its way under the door and into the study. Returning to his natural form he attacks Harker, knocking off his sun glasses. This turned out to be a vulnerability for Harker, as years of near-death experiences from vampire bites had made his eyes sensitive to light. Even though Dracula had the upper hand, Quincy manages to set off one last trap, which fired wooden spears into Dracula’s chest, fatally wounding the vampire. As Dracula started to fade away, Harker cursed Dracula to hell for all the years of torment he had inflicted on Harker’s family, for the murder of his wife and daughter. However, just as Quincy was about to claim victory, the phone rang. When his automated system answered, he was told by Rachel that she had been ambushed by two female vampires who would kill her, but she urged him to go through with killing Dracula once and for all. One of the female vampires then takes the phone from her and gives Quincy a final choice, free her master, or Van Helsing will die. Next week "Taj, Frank Drake and the deadly decision!"
Bullpen Bulletin
Werewolf by Night “Sibling rivalry plus terror!”
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Don Perlin
Inker: Don Perlin
Originally published in Werewolf by Night #29
Cover date May 1975
(Published in February 1975)
This second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Jack Russell has problems , not only does he become a Werewolf every full moon, but on the second night of this full moon he with his friends Buck, Topez and is younger sister Lissa have travelled to his father's relocated ancestral castle to meet the resurrected spirit body of one of his former tormentors, Taboo, to form an uneasy alliance with Taboo to oppose the evil sorcerer known as Docter Glitternight who plans to exterminate humanity by turning their souls into a demonic legion under his command. To make matters even worse as Jack transforms into the Werewolf, so does is sister who has reach her eighteenth birthday that very day and she succumbs to the curse and to compound the tragedy even further under Glitternight’s influence she becomes a more demonic form of a werewolf and battles her older brother.
Cryptic Correspondence
Peter Wilkinson from Nottingham is a very astounded Marvel fan because of the fab art-work from the likes Gil Kane and Jack Kirby is brilliant. Jim McCallum from Glasgow Knows that Man-Thing has just started, yet it looks good but much like another of the many sad stories in your mags. He knows tragedy makes the story lifelike, but he asks Marvel to cut it down a little. Jim found the recent article about Lon Chaney to be very interesting, he is one of his favourite horror actors. D Stubbs from Cheshire writes that the stories seen in Marvel Treasury Edition featuring Conan was really great especially the stupendous art, even on the back page. Barry Windsor-Smith is truly the only person able to capture the fierceness, the bold savagery and the courage of the young barbarian. Dracula Lives gives a great range for more characters but as both Dracula and the Werewolf by Night are catching up with their American counterparts. So too is Spider-man, if you give him more pages he will catch up with the American issues far too quickly and will have to be stopped.
Man-Thing “Mongu the gladiator!”
Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Val Mayerik
Inker: Frank Bolle
Originally published in Adventure into Fear #14
Cover date June 1973
(Published in March 1973)
Yet another second part opening splash page drawn by an unnamed artist. I do try to find out who drew these but sometimes time means that hours of research come up with nothing. Last week Jennifer Kale and her brother Andy sat watching the spectacle of their grandfather, Joshua Kale, performing with his cult of sorcerers a spell that will prevent demon spirits from another dimension from possessing humans in a demon plague of violent acts. The nearby Man-Thing and Jennifer suddenly disappear, only to re-appear in chains in an other-worldly dimension. There they are meet by Dakimh the Enchanter.
Creature Classic! “Juggernaut”
Writer: Paul S Newman
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Gene Colan
Originally published in Adventures into Terror #24
Cover date October 1953
(Published in July 1953 )
Originally from the Atlas Comic, Adventures into Terror #24 this tale was reprinted by Marvel Comics in Tomb of Darkness #9, cover dated July 1974, published in April 1974. A brief summery of this tale that is set in Puri, India, in the year 1606, is during the "Feast of Vishnu," a priest manipulates the local population by demanding their "trifling possessions" in exchange for "eternal salvation" through a torturous death beneath the wheels of a "mighty wagon". He gets his comeuppance when one rainy night he stumbles and trips in front of the wagon and is crushed under the juggernaut's weight. The twist in the tale is the spirits of his victims had pushed it towards him.
Planet of the Apes #70
This beautiful cover has nothing to do with the Planet of the Apes strip in this issue. Painted by Malcolm McNeill it originally appeared as the front cover of the Marvel/Curtis Magazine Planet of the Apes (US edition,) issue 14, cover dated November 1975, published September 1975. A horse riding gorilla shooting a rifle matches with the Terror on the Planet of the Apes strip from that issue. It's breath taking, it's beautiful and most definitely worth being a Cover of the Week, so it's my choice for this week's award.
Planet of the Apes “Conspiracy in the ranks!”
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Alfredo Alcala
Inker: Alfredo Alcala
Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #19
Cover date April 1976
(Published in February 1976)
This simple opening splash page by an unnamed artist starts of a train of events that showcases Caesar's silent rallying of the servant apes into a rebellion, by adding useful objects to various apes shopping lists from their masters that humans wouldn't necessarily notice. Like one gallon of kerosene, a repaired colt 45 and one hundred rounds of ammo. He instructs apes to steal kitchen knifes from their washing up tasks to store for later.
Ka-Zar “Three against the Jungle Lord!”
Writer: Mike Friedrich
Artist: Dan Adkins
Inker: Frank Chiaramonte
Originally published in Astonishing Tales #18
Cover date June 1973
(Published in March 1973)
A new opening splash page based on the first part opening splash page from last week, by an unnamed artist, opens this week's second part. Bobbi Morse and Zabu arrive in a SHIELD helicopter to the site where Ka-Zar has confronted his brother the Plunderer, who holds the stolen Super-Soldier serum which was taken from the SHIELD Helicarrier by Plunderer's partner in crime Gemini. As Gog, under Lord Plunder's command, holds onto Ka-Zar, Zabu fights Gemini and Gog to save his master.
Black Panther “Blood stains on virgin Snow!”
Writer: Don McGregor
Artist: Billy Graham
Inker: Klaus Janson
Originally published in Jungle Action Vol 2 #12
Cover date November 1974
(Published in August 1974)
After the Black Panther had lead an army of Wakandan troops to defeat Killmonger's forces, T'Challa had taken Tayete and Kazibe as prisoners and was forcing them to guide him to Killmonger, who in a desperate attempt to pull victory for his current set back has taken Kind Cadaver to the mythical Land of the Chilling Mist. The Black Panther follows with the cowardly Tayete and Kazibe leading the way in order to find and stop Killmonger once and for all.
The Titans #18
No one is certain of who drew this week's cover. Although the Grand Comics Database does list Mike Esposito as the inker.
The X-Men “The menace of Merlin!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Jack Sparling
Inker: John Tartaglione
Originally published in The X-Men #30
Cover date March 1967
(Published in January 1967)
This week's X-Men adventure was the only time Jack Sparling worked for Marvel in the 60's, although I don't know why, his line work was nice and very detailed, but as the credits say Sparling was the designer with Tartaglione the delineator so maybe the crispness came from Tartaglione. Sparling did return to Marvel in 1976-77 to work on humour strips in the Crazy magazine and again in 1981 to work on Ghost Rider for a short while. Suddenly a menacing gigantic hand pulls the X-Men from the Danger Room. Dividing the group in two with Marvel Girl and the Professor being greeted by an immortal who calls himself Merlin the Magician, but now prefers to go under the name of Warlock. This fake Merlin was last seen pitted against Thor in SMCW #14. The Professor notes that the Warlock has somehow nullified his mental powers.
The Warlock invites them back to his home, summoning three flying steeds to transport them. He reveals they are mutants he created. Flying over the New England Hills. The Angel joins them, having scouted ahead and notices Marvel Girl under the Warlock’s control. Xavier instructs him to observe and follow. Arriving at a hidden castle Warlock reveals his origin that he is a mutant who was revived in modern times to battle Thor, who convinced Warlock to hibernate for another millennium, but he broke free when Thor was away. Jean agrees to tour the castle, but when Warren tries to stop him, Warlock uses suggestion to make Angel think his wings are on fire, he extinguishes them in a stream. The Professor admits that the flames were just suggestion from Warlock. When Cyclops, Beast, and Iceman arrive the Professor reveals he has been stalling for time. As they attack Warlock roots them to the ground. The Professor challenges him to a fair fight. Warlock agrees to an arena battle between the X-Men and his minions. The X-Men easily defeat Warlock’s warriors, but Warlock escapes with Jean. The young mutants follow him, breaking through Warlock’s traps and defences. They catch up with him and are almost crushed by a force bolt that destroys a castle parapet. However, Marvel Girl breaks free of Warlock’s mind control and saves them with her telekinesis. The Beast covers the evil mutant's head with his cape. The Professor mentally coax's the fiend back into a coma. Swiftly the X-Men subdue the Warlock's minions. Next week the menace of the Cobalt Man!
Captain America “The Shield and the web!”
Writer: Len Wein
Artist: Gil Kane
Inker: Frank Giacoia
Originally published in Marvel Team-Up #13
Cover date September 1973
(Published in June 1973)
The wall-crawler is invited to sit in on Captain America's debriefing. Cap's mission was to stop AIM from getting ahold of a new telemetry system, which comes in three parts. AIM has managed to snatch two of them while Cap went after the third. Having anticipated problems Fury had planted homing devices on them, which allows them to track the AIM agents to a secret facility in Queens. Spider-man is hesitant to take part in the mission, but Fury convinces him for the sake of national security. Meanwhile, at the AIM facility below the site of the old World's Fair, the Grey Gargoyle is plotting to get revenge against Captain America for stranding him in space, as readers will eventually discover in Super Spider-man #305 from the week ending 13th December 1978. He had been trapped in space until contact with AIM had arranged shooting down his vessel so that he could crash-land in New York. Before they can launch their own missiles, Captain America, and Spider-man attack, but during the battle, both heroes are turned into stone by the Grey Gargoyle. He then chains their stone bodies to a rocket that contains a weapon as part of a scheme to blackmail the world or he'll turn entire cities into stone. Something unique to the two heroes allows them to break free from the Gargoyle's spell and free themselves. A loose chain wraps itself around the Grey Gargoyle's leg as the rocket takes off, pulling the villain into space once more. Spidey decides to head home, leaving Cap to clean up the mess.
The octopodial horror meets the flashing blade of Conan the Barbarian! This Marvel Masterwork Centre-spread was titled "The Dweller in the Dark" by Heritage Auctions, when it was sold for $1,920 back on the 10th of April 2022. That price in British sterling is around £1,409. The artists that masterfully drew it were Steve Stiles (pencils,) and Mike Esposito (inks).
While Fury holds out, Tony Stark operates his "Neutraliser" to dissolve the H-Bomb. Mentallo and the Fixer fight to escape, but are quickly captured, with the help of SHIELD's "Metronome Unit" lead by DumDum. It's revealed that the ESP attack has destroyed Mentallos' powers and that Fury was wearing a "Mental Transmitter" that enabled him to contact the ESP Division. With one victory won a jet takes off from the Helicarrier, only to be quickly shot down by a flying golden egg. Find out more next week in "The Druid!"
The unnamed artists this week have had a busy week with yet another landscape second part opening page. Rick Jones has transformed into Captain Marvel to help an old man who was being mugged near his apartment.
Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD “Extra Sensory Peril!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby and Howard Purcell
Inker: Mike Esposito
Originally published in Strange Tales #143
Cover date April 1966
(Published in January 1966)
This second part opening landscape splash page is by an unnamed artist. Mentello and the Fixer have attached Nick Fury's wrists to a miniature H-Bomb, but free of the fixer's mind-control mask Fury was able to signal SHIELD's ESP Division to attack the two villains, first by forcing them to remove their own protective helmets by firing chemical bullets at the helmets causing them to burn, then have the ESP Division attack all the minds in the room, including Fury's.
Captain Marvel “And now the rat pack!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gil Kane
Inker: Dan Adkins
Originally published in Captain Marvel #20
Cover date June 1970
(Published in February 1970)
After scaring off the attackers and summoning an ambulance for the old man Captain Marvel returns to Rick's room, where the pair of linked friends discuss who they can live out separate lives. Their conclusion is to get help from Rick's old friend, Bruce Banner. Their starting point of tracking down Banner is by searching his old laboratory hidden in the Nevada desert. Mar-Vell takes off, but along the way they pass through a disaster zone, where the Kree Captain is compelled to stop and help people out, save a little girl, and stop a group of looters known as the Rat Pack from capitalising on the chaos. Mar-Vell manages to put an end the gangs looting but he reaches the three hour time limit in which he can spend in the positive matter universe, before returning to the Negative Zone. Weakened by staying too long over his limit he changes back into Rick Jones in mid-flight, sending the teenager crashing into a lake near Bruce Banner's hidden lab. A monitoring system alerts Banner to Rick's presence, Initially Banner is fearful that Rick had been Captain America's partner and was associated with the Avengers and he might be leading them against him. The uncontrollable sense of betrayal causes Bruce to transform into the Hulk who bounds over to Rick, with intentions of hurting the lad. Next week "Kill or be killed!"
The Sub-Mariner “A stranger strikes for space!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Bill Everett
Originally published in Tales to Astonish #88
Cover date February 1967
(Published in November 1966)
This week's story starts with Attuma leading an army of barbarians to attack Atlantis, with the Sub-Mariner standing in the realm's defence. Lord Vashti orders the Atlantean army to hold back as Namor easily defeats Attuma in battle sending the barbarian and his minions fleeing back to their base. Fuming at another failed attempt to take over Atlantis, Attuma believes that he should rule by his right of conquest and no matter the cost Namor must be destroyed.
It seems destiny has other plans! An alien ship on its way to the 36th Nebula flys past Earth, but a routine check of its Servo-Robot causes a malfunction and the robot is released by accident and sent tumbling into Earth’s orbit and crashing into the sea. Attuma’s equipment spots the robot so he and his minions head out to check out the oddity, attacking it to test its strength. Lord Vashti, who has been watching events on a remote viewer, advises Namor against another fight with Attuma especially so soon after the last one. Namor worries that this robot could be a danger to Atlantis. Attuma's men use a "Nutro-ray" at repeated full force to capture the robot, then later his scientists reprogram the alien robot with fresh orders to conquer Atlantis and destroy the Sub-Mariner as we'll see in next week's "The prince and the power!"
Find out what happens to all the heroes and villains in next week's Power of the Beesting blog, or should that be "The Beesting and the Power!" Till then...
See you in seven.
Make Mine Marvel.
