Ghost Riders and Biker gangs from hell!

 Week Ending 22rd May 1976

There's lots to love about these superb six. Another week with an epic and historical Spider-man tale. Two Ghost Rider strips in two comics that are six stories apart. The Panther's Rage finally comes to an end in style. Kung Fu meets James Bond that's a cracker, but don't look too hard or you'll see the tracing lines. John Buscema shows why he's one of Marvel's greatest artists in three brilliant strips. And then his younger brother starts off an epic that has become known as the Kree-Skrull War. What a wonderful time to read Marvel mags as you're about to find out.

The Mighty World of Marvel #190

This cover artwork by Herb Trimpe originally appeared on the front of the Incredible Hulk issue 177. The inker was Frank Giacoia. 

The Incredible Hulk “Peril of the plural planet!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Jack Abel

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #177

Cover date July 1974

(Published in April 1974)

As readers of these classic British weeklies know the American strips would in most cases get split in half and printed over two, sometimes three, weeks with the second parts getting a quickly made second part opining splash page if the cover art or some other artwork wasn't available. You could nearly always spot it as the quality wasn't always that good compared to the original strip artist. This opening splash page is the original work from the first part by Herb Trimpe and I have to say the quality of it is poor, so is the rest of the strip. I wonder will next week's opening second part splash page be an improvement on the original for a change? I thinks Herb has hit a slump in his massive Hulk run, lets hope he improves.

The Hulk has been exiled to Counter-Earth by the Inhumans, a world where there are certain differences between that world and our own. A powerful monster rules America from the White House, as he watches his lackeys the evil New Men carry an unconscious Hulk to their master. In truth there are many similarities to that world and our own world in 2026. That monster is the Man-Beast, who has been secretly operating as the President of the United States, who is angered when news from his minion Lizhardus, informs him that his other captive Adam Warlock, has escaped. Furious, the Man-Beast decides that Warlock must be destroyed and intends to use the Hulk to get the job done. The New Men are surprised when their captive reverts to the human form of Bruce Banner. Implanting a device into Banner 's neck the Man-Beast hopes to force his alter-ego into becoming a slave. However, the Hulk proves to be too powerful and easily breaks free from their control and restraints. Smashing his way to freedom through the sewers under the White House, where he coincidentally runs into his one-time ally the New Man rebel Porcupinus, who he first encountered in MWOM #154. He leads the Hulk away to safety. 

Meanwhile at the Justice Department, Ben Vincent and June Volper continue their investigation into the past history of President Rex Carpenter, noting that since he was elected president his personality had changed drastically, becoming practically a recluse. Ben and June walk past a vehicle with the license plate that reads "THX-1138". A reference to the 1971 George Lucas film THX-1138. Could this be the first Easter-Egg of a George Lucas film in comics? Most likely. The US Hulk comic predates the first Star Wars movie by three years, here the UK edition would be a year away from Lucas's big break movie. I know Roy Thomas was a Lucas fan. maybe Gerry and Herb were fans too. Several dozen meters underground in the secret hideout of the New Men rebels a strange meeting is in progress, between the Hulk and the being known as Adam Warlock, who welcomes the Hulk to their side with open arms. The green goliath finds solace and begins to consider Warlock and his followers his friends as they show him around. Next week the Hulk will face a "tour of fear!" 

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Chris Gallen from Redditch has been a Marvel fan for as long as he can remember. At nineteen he still collects the American monthlies as well as the weeklies, but being 6ft 3ins tall he gets funny looks from those who don't understand what Marvel is all about, when he buys his mags, but he's not dissuaded by it. Michael Welch RFO from London got his first Marvel comics back in the summer of 1970 with the Amazing Spider-man issues 76 and 77. He started collecting MWOM when it came out in 1972. Andrew Butcher RFO, KOF from Kent is after artists, writers and colourers for a new project. Colin Lagan from London writes after reading Robert Hassall's letter about the Roundhouse Theatre and all the goodies that were there, wonders if they have another event like that planned as he was unfortunately unable to attend even though he wanted to. Richard Thomas from Cheshire asks when will the Marvel Mego dolls, the "Colour-a-Comic-Character", the giant-size Spider-man puzzle, the Spidey web-shooter and the "Hear-a-Hero" records as advertised in US mags be on sale in the UK? Sadly there were no plans to bring them into Britain.

Daredevil “To face...the Torpedo!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Syd Shores

Originally published in Daredevil #59

Cover date September 1969

(Published in October 1969)

Page eleven of the original US comic makes a perfect second part opening splash page with a little more text added to an original text box to help readers catch up, while a new story title and credit box are added. Blind ex-cop and ex-GI Willie Lincoln recalls to DA Foggy Nelson and his assistant DA Matt Murdock a time when he went to a notorious bar to pick up information about the Underworld crime boss known as Crime-Wave. While there, he accidentally leans on a door that leads to a tunnel and the secret base of Crime-Wave, which is heavily guarded by his ruthless armed gang.

Quick thinking Willie plays on his blindness by pretending to be a blind homeless man, who would not be a threat to their security. When Crime-Wave shines a powerful light into Willie's eyes and he doesn't flinch the criminal mastermind is convinced and allows him to leave unharmed. Willie Lincoln is placed into protective custody by the time the story hits the front page of the Daily Bugle with the headline, "Blind cop says I met Crime-Wave!" A raid on the club turns up nothing but Willie is determined to testify at a hearing. When the news reaches Crime-Wave, he sends a costumed assassin from Los Angeles named the Torpedo to kill Lincoln. As night falls Lincoln is escorted to a safe house by his protection officers, but security mustn't have been water tight as Willie's dog smells an interloper. The Torpedo had been hiding in the hotel room closet and fires a his weapon that fills the room with knock out gas. The assassin intends to drop Mister Lincoln out of the sixth story window. Daredevil has also been keeping his super senses focused on Willie's progress, interrupting the assassination attempt just in time. The two costumed beings fight each other through the hotel. Their fight taking them to the roof where Daredevil is knocked over the edge, but manages to hold on for dear life. Willie is forced to push Torpedo off the building to his death in order to save Daredevil's life. Next week "Judgement day's coming" for Crime-Wave.

Bullpen Bulletin

Announcing a certain Je ne sais quoi in the Battling British Bullpen!

Carring on with the French sayings the first Item leads with La plume de ma tante, or rather la plume de Gerry Conway has written another epic episode in the life of Peter Parker. Following the death of the lovely Gwen Stacey, a heartbroken Spidey confronts the super-villain responsible, namely the Green Goblin, in "The Goblin's Last Stand". Zut alors, it's a tragedy worthy of Jean Racine, not to be missed. The second Item has news on the second bunch of Marvel Classics, with the truly "magnifique" Marvel adaptations of "Black Beauty", "Moby Dick", 'Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer" which went on sale on the 13th May. The next Item notes that also on sale on that day is the latest Marvel Treasury Edition starring the Avengers! It's been a long time in coming, but boy, was it worth the wait. Pages and pages of full colour Avengers adventures for only 50p! This version of this Bullpen Bulletin page also features in the Avengers weekly and Dracula Lives. Other versions appear in Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes and Planet of the Apes, so the remaining Items will be looked at later.

The X-Men “Enter Frankenstein!”

Writer: Roy Thomas 

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: George Tuska

Originally published in The X-Men #40

Cover date January 1968

(Published in November 1967)

For British readers other than reading the imported American X-Men comic, they could have read this story in the Fantastic Annual 1970, produced by Hamlyn Publishing Group for Oldham's Books in 1969. The artist who drew this second part opening splash page is unknown. The X-Men have traced an ancient android that bears an uncanny resemblance to the Monster from Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein to a ship in New York Harbour, after it had been discovered frozen in a block of ice. While searching for the Monster the creature finds them and attacks. The young mutants fare no better against the monster than they did in their previous encounter with it last week.

However, the creature is convinced to break off its attack when the Professor mentally contacts the creature and tells it that he is the one that commanded the X-Men to attack. Attacking the Professor, the android is distracted long enough for Iceman, under the Professor's orders to cover the monster in ice, in the hope that he will enter a state of suspended animation again. While attempting to break free, the android strains itself so much and suddenly explodes. In the aftermath, the Professor explains that he learned of the android’s origin while probing its mind. It was the creation of an alien race from a tropical world that sent it to Earth to act as an ambassador some 150 years ago. When the robot malfunctioned its creators were forced to trap it in the Arctic regions of Earth, as its only weakness being the extreme cold temperatures. Next issue "the coming of...Grotesk!"

Origins of the Uncanny X-Men “The first evil mutant!”

Writer: Roy Thomas 

Artist: Werner Roth

Inker: John Verpoorten

Originally published in The X-Men #40

Cover date January 1968

(Published in November 1967)

This short fill in strip that appeared in the US X-Men comic makes its return, a perfect size to fill in the remaining pages. This fourth strip format, even though it had been tried in the past, seems to be getting more popular with the readers and the editors. Was this a sign of where the weeklies were going. Shorter story lengths spreading stories over multiple weeks that slowed down the inevitable British comics catch up with their American counterparts. Young Scott Summers has been lured to a cabin by Jack Winters, a mutant with incredible mental powers, who intends to rule over mankind. When the police arrive looking for Scott, Winters teleports them away.

Professor X's prototype mutant detector Cyberno loses their signal as they teleport to a nearby nuclear plant where Jack intends to use nuclear energy in the plant to boost his powers. He explains to Scott that not long ago he broke into a chemical lab to steal something of value so that he can pay off his gambling debts, but while grabbing a beaker of radioactive material it exploded in his hands. Jack, lucky to be alive, was later released from hospital when he found that the explosion activated his latent mutant abilities endowing him with mental powers and his damaged hands had been turned into living diamonds. Now rechristening himself Jack O'Diamonds, Jack theorises that greater exposure to radiation would turn the rest of his body into a diamond as well. Before he could carry out his theory they are approached by Charles Xavier who warns them to cease their criminal activities with his mental powers. Jack orders Scott to kill the Professor with his optic blast, but the frightened boy cannot bring himself to kill another with his mutant powers. Calling the boy a coward, Winters decides to tackle Xavier on his own, pitting his mental powers against that of Xavier. Find out next week if the next part "If I should die!" is printed. 

Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes #171

This landscape cover is based on the John Romita Sr. cover from the Amazing Spider-man issue 122. The artist Dave Hunt signed the piece along the edge to the left of the word "with" in the comic's title. The figures of Spider-man, Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin look exactly like John Romita Sr.'s figures, so I wonder did Hunt cut, repositioned and then pasted them onto his own drawn back ground or did he made a pretty accurate copy? The original artwork was auctioned by Heritage Auctions from the personal collection of Dave Hunt on the 17th November 2017 for $16,730 with is around £12,552. 

Spider-man “The Goblin's last stand!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Gil Kane

Inker: John Romita Sr. and Tony Mortellaro

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #122

Cover date July 1973

(Published in April 1973)

This opening splash page was drawn and inked by Dave Hunt, who base this landscape image on Gil Kane's original page. The original artwork which was ink over graphite on Marvel Bristol board with an image area of 15" x 10", was sold by Heritage Auctions on 19th November 2017 for $6,572.50, which is about £4,931. After last week's cataclysmic conclusion Spider-man cradles the lifeless body of Gwen Stacy in his arms as the Goblin gloats that soon join the woman he loves in death.

Spider-man, furious over the tragic loss of Gwen, swears that if anyone is going to die this day, it's going to be the Goblin. With tender gentleness Spider-man swings down to the foot of the George Washington Bridge to lay her down on the ground to then return to make the goblin. Chasing after his mortal foe, he manages to leap on the Goblin's back and rain punches down on him to try and force him down to the ground. However, the Goblin manages to get away when he slams Spider-man into the side of the Bridge, his spider-sense blocked out by his anger. Stunned Spidey falls only to save himself with a trusty web-line. When he swings back up the Goblin has gone. 

Returning to Gwen's body he finds a crowd has gathered around, only held back by two police officers. Spider-man shouts at the cops to back off, pushing off those who have gathered around her. Bystanders call him a maniac, but he doesn't care as he cradles her in his arms. The rookie cop wants to arrest him for murder, while his senior partner holds him back as all he sees is a man in pain. As Spider-man holds on to Gwen he reflects on their relationship together. He remembers the first time he met her on his first day of college, unsure and awkward but miraculously they found themselves in love. He recalls the happiness and the tragedy, the death of her father Captain Stacy. 

He remembers the sorrow, the light-heartedness, the self-pity, the joy, the fear and through it all the most important part he remembers Gwen. She had been as much a victim of Spider-man's lifestyle as Peter Parker. When the police try to get an ambulance to give her medical attention, Spider-man tells them she doesn't need an ambulance as she's dead and that Spider-man killed her. When the police try to take him in for questioning, he fights them off, telling them that he's too busy as there's a man in the city who owes him plenty. He's going to find him and when he does he promises that the city of New York is going to be minus one green garbed monster! With that he swings away as the two police men shoot to wound him. 

Not knowing where the Green Goblin or Norman Osborn was hiding Spidey changes back to his civilian identity of Peter Parker and heads to Osborn's townhouse. As he enters the building no danger alerts his spider-sense, which means that Norman Osborn wasn't there. He ponders just what to tell his best friend Harry Osborn. When he opens his door Harry calls out to his father. When he sees Peter he at first doesn't recognise him, still tripping from the acid he dropped over a day ago. Through the haze he realises that it's his friend Peter. With no use to Peter in finding his father he turns and leaves to the sound of Harry begging for his help. This is a turning point, does he stay and help his friend or go and find revenge. Harry begs him even more but Peter leaves, not looking back in anger.

With no leads on Norman Osborn Spider-man drops in on Joe Robertson at the Daily Bugle to find out if he's got any information on the crazed millionaire's whereabouts. Robertson has just got news about Gwen's death. Joe wants to know if the rumours are true about his involvement in her death, but Spidey pleads with him to find out if Norman Osborn has been seen in the last few hours or if he owns any unusual properties, warehouses, or theatres. When Joe gets word that Osborn has been seen near one of the old warehouses that he owns, Spider-man is about to leave when J Jonah Jameson bursts in calling him a murderer. This angers him so he webs the publisher's mouth closed as he heads out to follow up Robertson's lead. Inside the warehouse in a room full of shadows sits the Green Goblin who in fits of schizophrenia senses that Spider-man will arrive soon and once he does he will kill him and be free to conquer the world.

The world thinks that they can crush Norman Osborn with their petty finances, but to him a few business rivals are nothing to a man of Osborn's powers. He rushes outside when he hears a noise, but Spider-man takes him by surprise, knocking him off his Goblin glider and crushing it into the ground. Buckling and shattering the bat shaped jet flyer under his feet. With anger the two exchange blows, but Spider-man's anger gives him an advantage, as he nearly pulverises the crazed villain. The Goblin so beaten stops fighting back. Spider-man stops himself, in another moment he might have killed him and become a murderer. Even if it means revealing his secret identity he will take him in to face justice. But the Green Goblin won't permit that, so under remote control he flys his battered Goblin glider with its broken horns pointing like daggers aimed for the Web-slinger's back. His spider-sense and reflexes saves him as he ducks under it, but continues and impales itself in the Goblin's chest killing him. 

With the death of the Goblin Spider-man feels a hollow victory and decides to leave, unaware that a mysterious figure is watching in the shadows.

This epic story, with last week's shocking opener was collected in the Spider-man Annual 1984 that was published by Marvel/Grandreams in the winter of 1983. I loved that annual and it has always been my favourite version, but it did miss out the final page which is another heartbreaker and cements Peter and Mary Jane's relationship for years to come. 

Mary Jane waits at Harry and Peter's apartment for hours for Peter to return home, but she is startled when she hears the sound of a key in the lock. When a haunted Peter enters she tries to console him by telling him that's she's really torn up after hearing about Gwen. Peter, who lashes out at her condolences, mocking her usual carefree nature and tells her to get out. With a tear in her eyes she hesitates at the door. Slowly she closes it to stay and comfort Peter regardless.

The Web and the Hammer

M N Altrincham from Cheshire hates the new logo for Spider-man Comics Weekly. I presume he means the Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes logo as they mention the comic's new shape, which they don't like. They want the covers each week to alternate with the US ones. They purchased the masterpiece "Sons of Marvel Comics " but in the future they ask could those type of books have less features to keep the price down. John Fortune from Dundee bought and read the Superman vs Spider-man Book, after about six weeks of trying to get hold of a copy. He's really impressed by Ross Andru's artwork. The opening page shows how it's going to be, with Superman flying towards that huge Robot. Tremendous! He's almost-Steranko-like use of angles for his drawings, the way he uses smaller panels inside the larger ones, and then reverts to the 'normal' type of panel layout, all mark him as an artist much underrated. John likes Gerry Conway's writing and hopes that there could be follow-ups like Batman and Captain America, the Fantastic Four and Green Lantern, the Avengers and the Justice League. Howard the Duck and Krypto.

Doctor Strange “...The one called Mother Nature!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Doctor Strange Vol 2 #8

Cover date June 1975

(Published in March 1975)

This landscape second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Doctor Strange and Clea find themselves in the domain of the Dread Dormammu.

The good Doctor had his powers weakened by the G'uranthic Guardian. Now unable to wield his full mystic powers and Clea lacks the power that they need to defeat Dormammu. They have to resort to use pagan magic to call forth the spirit of the Earth. Using a combined spell between Strange and Clea, the G'uranthic Guardian itself and the Mindless ones, the two heroes succeed, causing the power, the G'uranthic Guardian stolen, to be transferred into Clea. Meanwhile on the Earthly plain, Dormammu with the help of his sister Umar continues to absorb the power he needs from the Earth's core to quicken his rebirth. Back in the Dark Dimension, Clea uses her enhanced power to fight back her father's army, giving herself and Doctor Strange time to escape. She then gives Strange back his stolen powers allowing them to return to Earth. Meanwhile in the Arizona desert sands Dormammu has completed his healing and has burst forth from the Earth. Next issue the "consummation!"

This Luke Cage, Hero for Hire centre-spread was drawn by an unknown artist. A bold choice for a hero who hadn't yet appeared in a British Marvel comic. But on the other hand it was timely as he would make his debut in next week's Spider-man strip, so I suppose that this will wet the readers appetite.

Iron Man “Menace of the mind!”

Writer: Archie Goodwin

Artist: George Tuska

Inker: Johnny Craig

Originally published in Iron Man #12

Cover date April 1969

(Published in January 1969)

There is no information on who drew this landscape splash page for this second part opener. In New England, Vincent Sandhurst visits his brother Basil at his automated house. Basil had been paralysed in a lab accident while working at Cord Industries months earlier.

As a research scientist Basil used his mechanical know-how and research into mental energy to become the Controller. He enslaved his servants in a device that could drain the energy from their minds to empower his exoskeleton suit. With the aid of his latest invention, a small disc that once attached to the victims skull would perform the same absorption but over a greater area, leaving the subject in a zombie state. Proving that his invention works he adds his own brother, Vincent to his army of the mindless. before enslaving a nearby town. Tony Stark and Janice Cord arrive days later, searching for Janice's accountant and lawyer, Vincent Sandhurst, whom Stark has realised is deliberately mismanaging Miss Cord's affairs. As Stark enters a local restaurant and find it full of mind controlled townsfolk. The Controller abducts Janice, who has been waiting outside in the car. Quickly Tony Stark changes into his Iron Man armour and follows him. However the Controller defeats by attaching a control disc on his head and abducts him as well. "For them it's an end, but for the Controller it's only the beginning!"

The Mighty Thor “The prisoner..the power..and Dr. Doom!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #182

Cover date November 1970

(Published in September 1970)

John Buscema takes over the art chores on the mighty Thor and even though Neal Adams had done a great job for the two stories he worked on and Jack Kirby is the grandfather of the God of Thunder, you can tell by the opening splash page John Buscema was born to draw this strip as he gives Thor the power and the presence of Earth's mightiest hero. Thor is patrolling the city when he happens upon a protest outside the Latverian embassy. A young girl who was protesting against Latverian oppression, ends up inciting a riot between those who are for and against her opinion.  When things get violence the girl gets injured. 

Thinking that this is more of a job for Donald Blake, Thor transforms into his mortal identity to give the girl medical aid. In the confusion he is overpowered with the frenzy and changes back into Thor once more, scaring the angry mob away. Flying off he takes the unconscious girl to the office of Don Blake, where once he more resumes his alter-ego before the girl comes around. When she does, Blake learns that the girl had been protesting for a very personal reason. She is Cosette LaFarge, a French girl whose father is a great inventor named Professor LaFarge, had been kidnapped from their home and taken to Latveria. The Professor was brought before Doctor Doom, who using his daughter's safety to force LaFarge into building new missile silos for Doom's kingdom. Her father would break down and agree to Doom's terms. Many years later Cosette was smuggled out of Latveria and eventually end up in the United States where she began taking up her protests. Blake agrees to help her he decides to play into Doom's vanity, by contacting Harris Hobbs who runs a story in the paper. Thor is summoned to Asgard by Odin to tell him about a place called "The World Beyond." Thor asks that his father grant him time to deal with matters on Earth first. Odin agrees so Thor returns to Earth, Doctor Doom reads the false story that Blake planted in the paper, how Blake had developed a new method of plastic surgery that could potentially heal Doom's horribly scarred face.

The Thing and the Black Widow..together! “To battle Agamemnon!”

Writer: Chris Claremont

Artist: Bob Brown

Inker: Klaus Janson

Originally published in Marvel Two-in-One #10

Cover date July 1975

(Published in April 1975)

Another landscape splash page by an unnamed artist opens this week's second part which sees the Black Widow and the Thing captured by the terrorist group known as the Sword of Judgement, lead by Agamemnon. 

Agamemnon had told them that he planned to detonate a giant nuclear bomb in the Atlantic ocean that would cause radioactive tidal waves to wipe out both North America and Europe. With the cell electrified and the heroes unable to escape until the Widow starts to take off her catsuit to reveal that she has concealed a specially constructed package from SHIELD that when assembled became a field disruptor rifle. With that she uses it to escape. Then they face the members of the Sword of Judgement in a battle against time to stop them from detonating their bomb. After a final battle between Black Widow and Agamemnon, the villain knocks her down and readies himself to deliver the killing blow, but the Thing knocks out Agamemnon with a steel cable. Once the villains are defeated and the bomb deactivated the Black Widow calls in SHIELD to clean up all the loose ends. The Widow and the Thing decide to celebrate their victory in the style of Steed and Mrs Peel by opening a bottle of Champagne as they wait for SHIELD to arrive.

Bullpen Bulletin

Only half a landscape page is used for the Bullpen page in Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes, so the two Hulk images go and in his place is the Green Goblin. The fourth Item focus on Dracula Lives and the Lord of the undead himself, who is bravely battling Doctor Sun as he is about to face his final defeat in a tale entitled "The death of Dracula"? Read Dracula Lives, featuring the Legion of Monsters issue 83 to find out if he does survive. There's a plug for the Mighty World of Marvel in the next Item when they ask you do you remember Willie Lincoln? He was the blind GI who was helped back to a normal life by Matt Murdock and Daredevil a few months ago. (As told in MWOM #155 and #156.) Well in this week's Daredevil strip he's recounting an encounter with the leader of the criminal underworld, the villain called Crime-Wave. Find out more in the pages of the Mighty World of Marvel. More Items in the Planet of the Apes weekly.

The inside back page features a comic strip style advert for Corgi toys that offers seven reasons why you can't get closer than a Corgi. Panels show different features for seven models, such as the authentic rooftop cluster on a Jaguar XJ12C, Model No. C414. opening doors and fantastic interiors on a Lotus Elite, Model No. C315, the canopy on a touring caravan, Model No. C490, the Mazda motorway maintenance truck rotating platform , Model No. C413, the Mini 1000 wheels, Model No. C200, a police Mercedes 240D with its authentic markings on Model No. C412 or the Mercedes 240D taxi with its opening doors and boot on Model No. C411. I have to be honest this advert doesn't inspire me to spend my pennies on these toys like the Airfix or Dinky adverts do.

Avengers Weekly #140

I love this classic cover from Sal Buscema that was originally the Avengers issue 89 (US edition). The British version seems brighter than the American issue with more reds than the yellow and orange seen in the original. One thing that is unique to the British weekly is Quicksilver's speech bubble where he says "We're too late! All our powers combined can't save him now!" It catches the eye, it catches the imagination and it catches my Cover of the Week award because it's absolutely electric. 

Conan the Barbarian “Night of the Gargoyle”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Ernie Chan

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #42

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

Roy Thomas based this Conan adventure on "The Purple Heart of Erik!" by Robert E Howard. That story was set against a backdrop of 1930's Shanghai’s seedy underbelly. The protagonist a woman called Arline Ellis, is blackmailed by Duke Tremayne into stealing a precious ruby, the Heart of Erlik, from a sinister Chinese merchant named Woon Yuen. Originally published in Spicy Adventure Stories Volume 5 Number 2, by Culture Publications in November 1936, where Howard wrote under the pseudonym, Sam Walser. I hadn't heard of the Spicy Adventure Stories series before but apparently it was a pulp magazine that dealt in stories that were considered borderline soft-core pornography at the time but are now similar to romance novels. But here Thomas plays heavily on the adventure side of things to suit a plot for the Cimmerian adventurer. 

Conan has finally made his way to Arenjun, the City of Thieves by a better descriptive name. Conan had last walked its streets in the classic tale "The Tower of the Elephant!" as seen in the Savage Sword of Conan #4. Our barbarian hero sits in the market place trying to drink his memories of the journey away, A young woman in a window across from his seat turns his head, the stark fear mirrored in her eyes catches his gaze. With Curiosity he follows her then assists her in escaping a small group of thieves. Their leader, Armand a dwarf and his two dimwitted thugs, Womar of the Single Eye and Brutos of the Weak Mind, who Conan beats leaving Armand hanging on a prop. The woman, Arlinna, had been blackmailed by Baron Takkim into stealing a treasure from the Khitan merchant Lun-Faar. She allows Conan to escort her safely to his quarters. She knocks Conan out and makes her way to Lun-Faar, who believes she is Lady Asqueth, there to view his artefacts. Find out what startles Arlinna when she turns in "Statues of Terror, Gargoyle of Doom!" in next week's issue.

Avengers Mailbag

Linda J Parke from London wants Marvel to clear up points about the Valkyrie's origin, as described in Avengers weekly #130 which clashes with an appearance of Valkyrie in the Hulk from MWOM #111 in which the Enchantress empowered of Samantha Harrington, a spoiled rich girl. One was transformed by the Enchantress and the other was a made up identity that the Enchantress used to masquerade as the Valkyrie. Stephen Mould from Northampton supported and enjoyed the merging of Conan and the Avengers comics. One thing Stephen didn't like was the showing in of the "Revolution's Fine" Avengers weekly #130 and #131, when it was in last year's annual. Paul Sullivan RFO, KOF, QNS, FOOMer from Cheshire writes that Avengers weekly #130 really grabbed him as soon as he saw the cover. I have always liked your female characters tremendously, but have never believed them to have enough major parts in the British weeklies. The Liberators were fantastic and one of Marvel's strongest teams as they proved it when they beat the Masters of Evil. Michael Walker from Sussex complains about the letters pages as they have reached a low level. On average there are about two per week from newcomers wanting to know the meaning of RFO, QNS, and KOF.

The Avengers “The only good alien...”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Sal Buscema

Inker: Sam Grainger

Originally published in The Avengers #89

Cover date June 1971

(Published in April 1971)

This week's Avengers adventure jumps over the classic "The Summons of Psyklop" story from the Avengers (US edition,) #88, as it had already been printed in MWOM #123 as a cross over with the Hulk. Although it is never overtly said this issue begins the classic Kree-Skrull War, which in British Marvel comics will be spread over an epic twenty three weeks in three different mags. It's worth noting that this story takes place between event seen in the Captain Marvel strip from The Titans #18 and #19. A delirious Captain Marvel is being pursued by Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, who are unsuccessfully trying to convince him that their only intention is to help him. After a brief skirmish, Captain Marvel flies away to a rooftop only to be stunned by a shot fired by Rick Jones. The Avengers rush Mar-Vell to a Cape Kennedy hospital where Doctor Donaldson has set up a decontamination chair in readiness to remove a strange form of radiation from the Captain. Soon the Kree Captain's unconscious body is plugged into it. As the machine is switched on Rick hopes for the best, while fearing that he may have doomed his longtime friend.

Rick recalls the events leading up to this moment, he was performing his music live on stage at a gig when Mar-Vell mentally contacted him. Mar-Vell had discovered a way to escape from the Negative Zone, where he is exiled whenever Rick was present on Earth, explaining that he saw Mister Fantastic escaping from that dimension. Those events would take place in a Fantastic Four adventure that British readers will eventually read in The Titans #52 from the week ending the 13th October 1976. Mar-Vell theorised that this could be a way to free both himself and Rick from their shared existence. Traveling to the Baxter Building, Rick changed places with Mar-Vell so that the Captain could break into the Fantastic Four's headquarters and use the Negative Zone portal to free Rick. However his break-in doesn't go un-noticed as he triggers an alarm which alerts the Avengers. The Vision alerts the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver so soon the three Avengers take a Quinjet to Baxter Building. Inside Captain Marvel sets about freeing Rick "Through the Gateway!" in next week's issue.

I hope that the readers of this edition of the Avengers weekly are enjoying Captain Marvel's guest appearance in this week's Avengers adventure, because he doesn't appear in his usual slot in The Titans comic. As of issue 31 the Ghost Rider takes his place among the line-up. To promote Marvel's newest super-hero he gets a star appearance on the cover of that mag and a full page in-house advert here to let everyone know that it's "on sale now!" 

Master of Kung Fu “Cyclone at the centre of a madman's crown!”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #34

Cover date November 1975

(Published in August 1975)

It's another beautiful movie poster style splash page from Paul Gulacy that is worth buying this comic for alone. Simon Bretnor, an agent of MI-6 who had seemingly been killed by a mysterious assassin known as Mordillo, when in fact he had been Mordillo all the time and had used his position to steal a secret weapon from MI-6 called the Solar Chute, which was part of a government programme called Project: Ultra-Violet. The truth of Bretnor's double identity was only revealed when Mordillo kidnapped his lover the British secret agent, Leiko Wu, because her mind held information about Project: Ultra-Violet. 

Clive Reston pilots a rocket plane, with Shang-Chi aboard, to Mordillo's island in the East China Sea. Reston has personal issues with the mission as he had been Leiko Wu's lover before Simon Bretnor had won her heart. Reston wants to avenge his wounded pride, so now that Bretnor was revealed to be Mordillo and his intensions towards Leiko have been proven to be not of an honourable nature he plans to kill two birds with one stone, stop Morillo and win the girl back. As Reston plots a way to land the plane on the island below, Mordillo unties the wrists of his captive, Leiko Wu. She knocks him down, but he orders his men to leave her to him. He puts up a good fight but when Leiko gets the better of him again a lasso ties her up. The culprit is Brynocki, a strong looking midget with cartoon features and hands, wearing a cowboy outfit. Meanwhile without enough room for a landing strip, Reston crashes the plane into a tree, miraculously he and Shang-Chi reach the ground where a train meets them. Finding an invitation they climb aboard. In London, Black Jack Tarr confronts Sir Denis Nayland Smith and Doctor Petrie to complain that Reston, once the lover of Leiko, has a "personal involvement" in the case and that he should have gone instead. Smith dismisses him with, "there is far more at stake in this matter than the mere lives of three agents." This all looks like the plot from the 1974 James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun" with the serial numbers filed off. In truth it might have heavily inspired Doug Moench's writing on this story, especially the weird backdrop on Mordillo's island and Scaramanga's own funhouse within his secret base. Was this story just plagiarism as the film was released a year before the original US comic? Or just Moench fulfilling the Zeitgeist with the things he loved. To be fair Bond had jumped on the Kung Fu bandwagon with the "Golden Gun"anyway, so isn't the "spirit of the times" up for fair game? I absolutely love that film and I absolutely love this strip. More of it next week.

Dracula Lives #83

This cover was originally from Tomb of Dracula issue 39, by Gene Colan (pencils,) and Tom Palmer (inks,). What's different from the American cover is two fold, Juno's flesh is more Caucasian coloured in the British mag, while he seems yellow in a very un-PC way and also the American version features blades sticking out of Juno's shoes, which do feature in the actual story but not on the UK cover. I love the top banner line that reads "Featuring: Ghost Rider and his cycle of fear!" I might be wrong but I don't think his motor bike has ever been referred to as his "Cycle of Fear!" in the comics.

Dracula “The death of Dracula!”

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #39

Cover date December 1975

(Published in September 1975)

Doctor Sun has Quincy Harker, Frank Drake, and Rachel van Helsing as his prisoners, while his minion Juno has brought Dracula to his hidden base in Boston Massachusetts. The manic Doctor Sun, a brain in a box wired to a super computer, boasts that he will finally destroy Dracula and take his place as king of the vampires. He orders Juno to prepare to battle on his behalf. The bald giant replies "It will only take a moment Doctor!"

Dracula tenses in preparation for the upcoming battle, even though knowing that Harker had destroyed the computer bank that was draining his vampire powers he still failed to possess the strength to survive the on-coming onslaught. While on the street not far away pulp horror writer Harold H Harold and secretary Aurora Rabinowitz try to followed Juno and Dracula to Doctor Sun's lair, but Harold's ancient car, that looks like a reject from a circus clown's car sales, breaks down. The two characters bring a distraction from the tense danger that the vampire hunters and Dracula himself face. Whether it is needed is questionable to some, but I like the silliness and the reality it brings, setting the horror fiction in a real world. During the slapstick and laughs Aurora notices that the "bald guy's" car who they had been following is parked not just down the road. The odd couple investigate the house it is parked out side. While inside, Juno has prepared for combat, removing his top and replacing his footwear with boots that have a silver spike on each foot similar to the one on his left hand. Juno then attacks Dracula, slicing the vampires arm and drawing first blood. Dracula returns blows that just barely stagger his opponent, whose superior fighting skills and silver stakes give him the upper hand. Although in a weakened condition, Dracula manages to trick Juno into thinking he was defeated and as he delivers the killing blow the Vampire Lord turns the tables to beat him into submission. His victory proves short lived as Harold and Aurora burst in.

Letter to the House of Dracula

Andrew Aldridge RFO, KOF, TTB, QNS, PMM, FOOMer from Essex gives his reviews on five "Dracula" novels from "New English Library" label, "Dracula returns," "Hands of Dracula," "Dracula's brothers," Dracula's gold" and "The drums of Dracula," all written by Robert Lory, where quick and enjoyable reads. Tommy McDermid from Strathclyde thinks that Dracula Lives is his favourite of the three British weeklies he gets. He defines his first mag, POTA as a journey between the heights of brilliance and the really urbane. The Apeslayer story being an example of the latter, the "City of Nomads" an example of the former. The Titans has a format that he's not too keen on even though it is definitely good value. He's never been a great SHIELD fan. Although the remainder is excellent as he's read them all before and the best is yet to come. He can't say anything bad about Dracula Lives, the art and scripting has sustained a very high standard. The Living Mummy, great to start with but was a bit drawn-out. He's not really a fan of Brother Voodoo, but to him Dracula, Werewolf and Man-Thing are all winners.

Bullpen Bulletin

A quick look at the last two news Items from this week's Bullpen Bulletin page that feature in all this week's Bulletins other than the version from the Planet of the Apes, the reason why will be revealed later. This Item brings more details of Larry Lieber's assuming the awesome authority of the editor's position on these six weekly wonders. Larry previous achievements in comics include classic comics endeavours, such as scripting the very first stories of Thor, Iron Man and Ant Man, over brother Stan Lee's power-packed plots, not to mention spending shoot-'em-up years as the writer/penciller of Marvel's Rawhide Kid comics as well as finding the time to put pencil-point to a couple of Spider-man annuals. Larry has had experience as an editor when he edited the late-lamented Atlas Comics Group, the forerunner of Marvel Comics. In another Item the previous UK editor Duffy Vohland is said to be hard at work on the upcoming American editions of  Marvel comics, beginning with this summer's Master of Kung Fu Annual. The Bullpen Bulletins continues in Planet of the Apes.

Ghost Rider “Shake hands with Satan!”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: Tom Sutton

Inker: Syd Shores

Originally published in Ghost Rider Vol 2 #2

Cover date October 1973

(Published in July 1973)

Ghost Rider and Roxanne Simpson drive away from a police pursuit in a pick-up truck through a heavy storm. Johnny Blaze mind wonders, having great difficulty maintaining control over the Ghost Rider when he decides to pull over and surrender himself to Satan. Standing in the downpour he shouts, beckoning Satan to come and claim him. Roxanne tries to calm him down, but the Ghost Rider pushes her away. Suddenly, a portal opens in the sky above. Stepping through it is Linda Littletrees, also known as the Witch-Woman. Ghost Rider believes that Satan has sent her as his emissary to claim the soul of Johnny Blaze.

Meanwhile, at Linda Littletrees's Apache reservation, an occult investigator named Daimon Hellstrom visits the home of Sam Silvercloud and Linda's father, Snake Dance. Sam wants Daimon to exorcise the satanic influence from the body of his fiancee Linda Littletrees. Hellstrom hands Sam a chain of Ankhs to tie his wrists together. He instructs him to lock him inside of a secure room and not let him out until sunrise while he performs a mystic ritual. Daimon gets down on his knees and begins praying as Sam locks him inside the room. Elsewhere the Witch-Woman as come to claim Johnny Blaze's soul for her master, but she also wishes to claim Roxanne's soul as well as a gift for Satan. Ghost Rider refuses to sacrifice Roxanne and lays down a strip of Hellfire separating the two women. The Witch-Woman turns her eyes on Ghost Rider and attempts to wrest control of his mind. As she does the sound of motorcycle engines roar in the distance. Back at the reservation, Daimon Hellstrom rises and begins banging on the door, demanding to be let out. He must speak to Snake Dance or else his daughter will die. In the desert, like hell-spawned demons the motorcycles come into view. Riding them a cycle gang called Big Daddy Dawson's Ruthless Riders.

Man-Thing “Nowhere to go but down!”

Writer: Steve Gerber

Artist: Val Mayerik

Inker: Sal Trapani 

Originally published in Man-Thing #2

Cover date February 1974

(Published in November 1973)

There are winners and there are losers. And then there are real losers, Richard Rory is one of those. Luckless in love and life Rory has taken himself away to the isolation of the Florida swamp to work through his problems. While minding his own business he makes a pot of coffee on a campfire, little knowing a hungry alligator sees him as a campfire meal. He accidentally spills the boiling coffee on his hand and out of pain he flings the pot over his head and hits the gator. The scolding coffee causes the scaly reptile to wildly attack, which prompts the Man-Thing, who has been silently watching Rory, to pull the reptilian attacker from its meal. 

When the alligator takes a bite out of the Man-Thing's arm the monster quickly kills it. Richard calls out that he's bleeding badly from his injuries but blacks out due to the blood loss. When he comes to he finds that the Man-Thing is gone, but in its place is a beautiful girl with a scar on her cheek named Ruth Hart, who had once been a nurse begins to patch Richard up. He asks her about the muck-monster, but she tells him that she found him there alone and wonders had he just had a bum trip. She offers him some coffee but he warns her that last time he poured some he got into a fight with an alligator. As they share the drink she tells him that she needs his help because someone is going to kill her. Meanwhile, at the office of F A Schist, Schist is having a board meeting to figure out a way he can destroyed the Man-Thing who has been halting the progress of in new airport site. After he explains the events seen in Dracula Lives #73 and #74 the board disagree with his methods and all leave save an uninvited interloper, Hargood Wickham, an MIT graduate, known for his radical theories which earned him the nickname Professor Slaughter. Wickham offers to deal with the Man-Thing. Schist quickly hires him for the job. Back at the swamp, Ruth and Richard get to know each other, Richard explains to her his hard luck in life, watch silently by the Man-Thing, who eventually wanders deep into the swamp to give the young couple some privacy. In its travels it runs into the Skull-Crushers, the biker gang which Ruth used to be a part of. Faced with the creature they attack, their leader, Snake strikes the creature with a chain which imbeds itself in the Man-Thing's chest. Continued next week.

There are a million and one drawings of the Man-Thing that looks like this Marvel Masterwork Pin-up and none of them match or give me a clue to the artists identity. Which is a pity as I've got to say I quite like this pin-up that appeared on the inside back page of this week's Dracula Lives, but I can't name them. Any guesses? 

Planet of the Apes #83

The artwork from this cover was used in an in-house advert for the Planet of the Apes that appeared in last week's Dracula Lives. I never named the artists because I couldn't be certain who they were. A week later I still don't know, even after a good bit of cyber-digging. The Grand Comics Database lists that it could possibly be drawn by Ron Wilson with inks also possibly by Al Milgrom. I'm not completely convinced that it was Ron and Al, unless they were told to ape Tom Sutton's art style.  

The inside front page of this week's Planet of the Apes features this photo of Roddy McDowall as chimpanzee Galen from the Twentieth Century Fox TV series Planet of the Apes. It was part of a Planet of the Apes TV show Press Kit given away to promote the series. 

Planet of the Apes “Graveyard of Lost Cities”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Tom Sutton

Inker: Tom Sutton

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #17

Cover date February 1976

(Published in December 1975)

The third part of the "Future History Chronicles" series of strips sees the crew of the Freedom Reaver discover a dozen or so city-ships moored together like a graveyard of lost cities.

Since the last adventure most of the ape passengers have been transported to the mainland, save for a mere handful who had decided to remain on board the Freedom Reaver out of loyalty to their leader the gorilla named Graymalkyn. But there still remains an underlying conflict that to free humans apes must be slaughtered as they cannot be civilised like humans in the eyes of some. Others refuse to that doctrine, as to do so would consign as it makes them no better than animals. Alaric has known both sides, but he did so to free the imprisonment of his fellow men, chained as slaves to the oars of a giant city-ship. When they spy a graveyard of city-ships at sea Alaric with Graymalkyn and the human Starkor, form a boarding party to investigate. Once aboard they are attacked by a group of gorillas, but the fight is halted the their leader, Garshan, recognises Graymalkyn. Garshan tels them that they didn't attack them because two of their party was human, he had thought them to be members of a Thieves Guild that had been raiding their settlement. Meanwhile mutiny had grown on the Freedom Reaver as to humans plan to get rid of Alaric and sink the ape city-ships in one go. With Starkor injured in the earlier fight Alaric and Graymalkyn take their friend to Grim-Stark a physician who lives in the tall tower that is supposedly the home of the Thieves Guild. As they head there the three friends are followed, find out next week by who?

Planet of the Apes Mastermind 1976

Following the success of the Marvel Mastermind 1975 from the end of last year they decided with the POTA Fan Club to make a Planet of the Apes version. The first price for the winner is with a friend to be a guests of the Planet of the Apes showcase, as well as a Planet of the Apes T-shirt, a 1976 POTA Annual, autographed photographs and to have their picture taken with the characters plus a free membership of the POTA Fan Club for 1977. Three runners-up will receive a T-shirt each and autographed photographs. The questions are:-

GENERAL - Category A

1. From where did the Planet of the Apes Series and Films originate -a) Poem; b) Song: c) Book.

2. Who wrote it?

3. What role did orangutangs play in the Simian culture?

4. Which two actors played the part of Cornelius?

5. Which two actors played the part of Dr. Zaius?

6. Who designed the complete make-up for the Apes?

FILMS - Category B

1. How many films were there?

a. What were the names of the films - in order of release?

b. What certification did each film get i.e. U.A.AA.X. (in order or release)?

c. Which Film Co. released the films?

2. In "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" - who played Milo?

3. On the "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" Cinema Poster there was a large circle - what was in it?

a. In "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" Astronaut Brent encounters Nova and realises she has met Tavlor - how?

b. What was the first word mute Nova uttered?

c. In "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" Astronaut Brent encounters Nova and realises she has met Taylor but how?

4. "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" give the character names of:

b. The Governor's Chief Aide

5. On the cinema poster advertising "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" Aldo is holding something above his head - what is it?

TELEVISION - Category C

1. How many episodes of the T.V. series were screened in this country?

b. Does Alan Virdon have dark hair or light hair?

a. Who played the Astronauts in the T.V. Series?

2. What year did the Astronauts land on the Planet of the Apes (in the T.V. series)?

a. Who was the first on the scene when the space craft crashed?

b. Who is forbidden to ride horses on this planet?

3. What is the name of the chief of police?

a. What colour is his horse?

4. What is the main difference between the Humans in the T.V. Series and the Humans in the first film?

Ka-Zar “A Man-God unleashed!”

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Artist: Don Heck 

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in Ka-Zar Vol 2 #5

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

The Man-Ape known as Maa-Gor has been exposed to strange mists that transformed him into the Man-God, granting him telepathic and telekinetic powers. Seeking revenge on Ka-Zar he enlisted the South American villain called El Tigre and reanimated his old tribe of Man-apes to attack and kill Ka-Zar while he gloats to his other captive Bobbi Morse, who he intends to make his queen. Bobbi isn't so keen which angers him. He throws her into the pit with Ka-Zar and the Man-Apes before leaving them to their fate. Back in the Fall People's village, Zabu, who was guarding El Tigre, senses Ka-Zar's need for help and leaves to find him. El Tigre sees his chance to escape by taking a female member of the Fall People hostage. But Tongah silently circles behind him and frees the woman, leaving El Tigre to face the vengeful Fall People. Continued next week.

This feature originally appeared in the American comic Ka-Zar volume 2 issue 3. Mike Friedrich with Roy Thomas wrote this double page feature, while Mike Royer drew it. Ka-Zar, Zabu, Sheena and Bobbi Morse point out all the landmarks that make up the Savage Land. Whether it makes any sense, outwards from the centre of the Lost Lake there are five areas circling outwards starting with human civilisation (a), then large carnivores area (b), followed by the Cretaceous period (c), then the Jurassic period (d) and finally the Triassic period (e). 

This is a weird feature, I not sure that Ka-Zar is the kind of person who would have his own lair. But the writer of this page, Mike Friedrich, or the editor of the original comic book, Roy Thomas, must have thought it would make a good feature when it appeared in the American issue of Ka-Zar volume 2 issue 4. Mike Royer pencilled and inked this page. Apparently "Ka-Zar's lair" is deep in the heart of a mountain where there stands the regal remains of an ancient imperial Sumer palace that existed before the Savage Land sank during the cataclysm. Even Ka-Zar doesn't fully know what strange mysteries lie in the dark corners or the bottom of the jade rimmed pool that is heated by a hot spring.

 

Bullpen Bulletin

Spider-man cradles Gwen Stacy in this version of the Bullpen Bulletin, which looks more balanced than the page featured in Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes. They are taken from this week's Spider-man opening splash page by Dave Hunt. But the inclusion of that image means that the last two Items, (seen in the Dracula Lives Bullpen Bulletin review,) are removed. The last part of the Bullpen Bulletin page is a Mail Order Memo advising that this summer the Bullpen will be having fun with our new super Spider-man Frisbees, that will soon be put on offer. Expect to see details of the fab Frisbees offer any week now. 

Here is a full page in-house advert for the Mighty World of Marvel which suggests that in this week's Hulk adventure British readers will see "The death of a superhero!" The Herb Trimpe artwork from the this week's cover is repeated here. 

Black Panther “And can estop the Tiger Woman?”

Writer: Don McGregor

Artist: Billy Graham

Inker: Bob McLeod

Originally published in Jungle Action Vol 2 #18

Cover date November 1975

(Published in August 1975)

This second part opening splash page was created by an unnamed artist. After the year long war against Killmonger Wakanda has started to rebuild itself. But there are still troubles to be seen too. T'Challa has been alert to a mysterious death of a Shepard in the land surrounding the Centre of Wakanda. He with W'Kabi go and investigate. While examining the corpse deep in the jungle W'Kabi and the Black Panther are set upon by a mute giant who renders them both unconscious.  

When the Panther awakens he finds W'Kabi and himself greeted by a beautiful woman who is surrounded by leopards. Two of which have been tied by rope to the Panther's wrists. There's a sick feeling in his stomach like the pounding of a tribal drum. The look on the woman's face is passionate with hatred directed towards him.

T'Challa asks her who she is and was she responsible for the deaths he had been investigating? She tells him her name is Madam Slay and she killed those "killers" as she slayed them to find the man responsible for the death of her lover, Erik Killmonger. She plans to kill the Panther. After she stretches out the torment she tells him of her love for Erik. She never sought out love and might have been content to be without it if it had never happened, but it did. The Panther had taken that love away and she cannot ever forgive him. With that she commands the two leopards tired to T'Challa to haul him through the rocky vistas outside their camp. The lunge from the beasts nearly tears his arms out of their sockets as his body is dragged across the hot rocky terrain as the leopards gain speed. Hyenas watch the as the Panthers costume and flesh is ripped apart leaving blood on the ground. Seconds before he faces a sharp rocky out crop the Black Panther gains some footing, with powerful legs he leaps above it and lands on the giant cats, riding them like a bareback rider in a circus, back towards Madam Slay. Breaking his bonds he takes down her giant bodyguard, but in doing so turns his back on Madam Slay who stabs him in the back with the ornate horns on her costume. In the confusion W'Kabi frees his bionic arm and uses the hidden laser to shoot at Madam Slay who leaps away only to fall banging her head and knocking herself unconscious. With victory that has been won by pain W'Kabi and T'Challa lead the mute giant away as he carries his mistress in his arms. That is the end of the Black Panther for a while until his strip returns in the Marvel UK comic Marvel Super Adventure issue 1 on the week ending the 6th of May 1981. Next week the return of Captain Marvel, the most cosmic super-hero of all!

The Titans #31

Now this cover was definitely drawn by Ron Wilson and inked by Al Milgrom. Ghost Rider jumps his bike through a circus style paper disc stretched across a hula hoop, held by the Thing and Namor the Sub-Mariner. This was a homage to the cover of MWOM #20, that had Daredevil acrobatically leaping throw a paper hoop, which in itself was a homage to the 1937 cover of Detective Comics issue 38 from DC comics. That featured Robin the boy wonder jumping through a similar hula hoop paper disc to make his debut, drawn by Bob Kane with inks from Jerry Robinson. I really like this one and it came close to my Comic of the Week, but I can't have two CotW for two week's running.

The Fantastic Four “A house there was!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #88

Cover date July 1969

(Published in April 1969)

This landscape splash page that opens this week's Fantastic Four tale has been drawn by an unnamed artist who copied the design of Jack Kirby's original portrait sized page. Here the Thing is moved to the left of Alicia as we view it, Reed's arm is lowered and Alicia's eyes "look" "blindly" forward in to the distance on the UK version. 

Returning home from Latveria, the team, now five in number look in on Reed and Sue's newly born baby, who had been placed in the care of Alicia. Talk turns to the baby's name but still none has been chosen. Meanwhile out of the city a man stumbles into oncoming traffic, complaining that he has lost his sight after taking his dog for a walk in the woods. Other people had reported similar bouts of blindness. The man wonders what it all means, with that tormented question the answer lies deep within the woods where a strange half hidden structure starts to glow with an eerie flicking light. Later Sue takes the rest of the Fantastic Four, with Crystal, to see the house that she purchased for herself, Reed, and the baby. 

The house certainly had possibilities that could be useful to them, it can withstand the Human Torch's flame and appears to be made from strong materials. Plus the remote location, half buried under ground can keep them hidden from their enemies. Unbeknownst to everyone, there is somebody in the house monitoring their every move. While moving items to the house, each member of the FF begins to notice their vision is starting to get strained. When they start to move in Reed triggers a defence device, he manages to escape it and keeps the ruckus a secret so not to frighten Sue, who has set her heart on the house. When the unseen watcher reveals himself as the Mole Man, who activates a diabolical machine which makes everyone in the house go blind. Next week "They walk in the darkness!"

Captain America “The last defeat!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gil Kane

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #91

Cover date July 1967

(Published in April 1967)

Last week Captain America was forced to pledge his allegiance to the Red Skull live on national television in order to prevent New York City from being destroyed, the country branded him a traitor. New York is spared as the star-spangled Avenger keeps his promise serving 23 of the 24 promised hours of servitude before  the Skull asks him at the last minute to divulge the location of the XPT-1, the newest atomic sub built by the US Navy. I know the Skull probably wanted Cap to suffer the tension of what he wanted him to do, but if it was me I'd have him doing something from minute one and not wait till the last hour. 

Captain America has to tells him its location as promised, anyway the Skull uses a lie-detector to learn that Cap was telling the truth and then ejects him from the ship when his usefulness has ended. The Red Skull then uses a hypnotic device to put the crew of the XPT-1 under his control and orders them to surface the submarine. Captain America boards it to warn the crew but finds that they are under the Skulls control when they attack him. Fighting them off and escaping to the ships atomic reactor, Cap increases its power output so that the higher radiation blocks the hypnotic rays, but you'd hope not enough to kill them. The crew, free of the Skull's influence, believe that Cap is trying to sabotage the ship, but stop when his claims that the Red Skull is behind it all is validated when the Skull orders the entire crew to abandon ship. Cap disguises himself as a Naval officer with the crew pretending to be still under the Skulls control, all abandon ship. The Skull boards and enters the control room to be shocked when he finds that the ship has been set to self destruct. Seemingly the Red Skull is destroyed in the resulting nuclear explosion, although I wouldn't bet on it. Apparently the sub was only a prototype that was designed to be destroyed after its voyage. That seems a waste of money to me.  This story looks great but much of it makes little sense and the explanations are extremely far fetched.

An Unnamed artist drew this landscape centre-spread poster of the Man-Thing. 

Titanic Transcripts

Martin Tudor RFO, KOF, QNS from Birmingham hadn't had the time to write about The Titans due to  him breaking his leg and being laid up in hospital. But here's his thoughts on it. The covers had a spectacular start at first, but he's not so keen on the "split-scene" ones. The format is at times a little difficult to read as it's too small. However it means that people can get something virtually unheard of, "value for money". It's fine for The Titans, but he wouldn't like to see the other six magazines with the same shape. The centre-spreads are an excellent idea, out of the ten there have been four good ones. Flint from York thinks that The Titans are brilliant mag especially the Inhumans strip. Flint recommends "Fantasy Unlimited" to the readers. He's sure there isn't a Marvelite who would regret joining their club. Clive Randel RFO, KOF from Leeds won’t complain about The Titans as it’s excellent. In reply to John Burton’s letter from issue 16  the source of your Inhumans strip. I think I can answer it with a Terrigan Mist encrusted No-Prize, that series originally appeared in Amazing Adventures in 1970/71. He asks that the short series on the Origin of the Inhumans that ran in Thor #146 to #152 be reprinted.

Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD “The end of A.I.M.!”

Writer: Dennis O'Neil

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Ogden Whitney

Originally published in Strange Tales #149

Cover date October 1966

(Published in July 1966)

AIM has gotten past the air tight security system at the heart of SHIELD headquarters and managed to steal a Life Model Decoy of Nick Fury himself. DumDum Duncan holds back a squad of SHIELD agents who are in readiness to stop them, because Fury hadn't given them the signal yet. DumDum has the agents get into a SHIELD hovercraft in preparation for it. As the AIM agents prepare to load their prize into their aircraft suddenly the Fury LMD sits up and pulls out a gun hidden underneath it. It's not an LMD, but in fact Nick Fury himself who has sprung the trap that captures AIM red-handed with the help of DumDum and his SHIELD troops.

Meanwhile on board the SHIELD Heli-carrier the members of Fury's tribunal are still astonish that he leapt out of the window. Count Royale sees his chance to make an exit, knowing that the AIM agents should have taken the LMD android by now. Sitwell uses a blow pipe to plant a tiny radio transmitter on Royale so they can keep an eye on him in the future. Sitwell then tells the tribunal of Fury's plan. At that moment in a wooded area near SHIELD's headquarters two AIM soldiers prepare to further their escape when they are picked up on the road by "Number Nine" of "The Secret Empire" who has been monitoring the failure of their mission, he tells them he will take them to a place of refuge. One of the AIM agents reveals that he can trust him as both AIM and the Secret Empire are branches of THEM! More secrets revealed next week.

The Sub-Mariner “Cry...Triton!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema 

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Sub-Mariner Vol 2 #2

Cover date June 1968

(Published in February 1968)

In a long dead city beneath the icebound Antarctic Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner vents his wrath after his mortal nemesis, the villain called Destiny had escaped, leaving only the machines that charged the fiends accursed Helmet of Power behind to weather the Atlantean's rage. Once his anger had faded to a manageable level a clear head ponders that maybe Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four might help him find Destiny.

Namor's journey will take him many miles to the north to America, some hours later at a point directly in the sub-sea path of the cruising Sub-Mariner rests a sub-marine. The soul occupier is the super-villain known as the Plant Man, who had journeyed countless leagues to find a coral reef where he could work without being disturbed. Witnessing Namor flying overhead he contemplates firing his sub's missiles at Namor or if he comes any closer he would feed the Atlantean to his hybrid carnivopods. The Planet Man had "borrowed" the sub from Count Nefaria when he was a partner of sorts with him as seen in the X-Men tale from The Super-Heroes #39 to #42. Meanwhile the Inhuman Triton is sent on a mission by Black Bolt to investigate a mysterious sub-marine. Gorgon gives him a lift to the coordinates near the last spotting. Another super-powered being near the Plant Man's sub. The Plant Man sees an opportunity to use them both as pawns against each other by sending a message to Namor to annihilate the Inhuman Triton. Once Triton hears that message he believes that Namor is working for the pilot of the sub and the two amphibian heroes battle it out. More under water action next week.

Ghost Rider “Angels from Hell!”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Monte

Originally published in Marvel Spotlight #6

Cover date October 1972

(Published in July 1972)

Now this is going to confuse British readers, this story follows directly on from the Ghost Rider story seen in Dracula Lives #80. The following issue 81 jumped forward to the first issue of the Ghost Rider's own series missing out six issues of Marvel Spotlight that the Ghost Rider had appeared in. At the time of this weekly the Ghost Rider was appearing in Dracula Lives with a story from the second issue of his US comic. British Marvel seemed to be very keen on the Ghost Rider strip with appearances in Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes (in the Thing team-up slot,), Dracula Lives and now here. Where they building up a following, or was his move here an early signal that a strip needed to disappear from Dracula Lives as soon that title would merge with the Planet of the Apes and all the strips couldn't fit in one mag. Unless you made it a landscape comic.

While roaming the streets at night, Ghost Rider is confronted and chased by a group of bikers called Satan's Saints, who corner him so he has to fight them. Encircling them with hellfire he defeats them easily. Their leader a man named Curly offers Ghost Rider membership in the bike club, needing a place to stay for the night, he agrees. At the Satan's Saints' hideout, Ghost Rider is mesmerised into telling Curly how he became the Ghost Rider. After recounting the events that led to his demonic predicament, Ghost Rider passes out. Curly prepares to sacrifice the Ghost Rider to Satan by summoning the Lord of Hell. Satan lifts the spell that reveals Curly to be the reincarnation of Crash Simpson, who had been promised to be restored to life if he brought him the soul of Johnny Blaze.

This is an ironic in-house advert for Dracula Lives as it promotes the Ghost Rider in it. Two strips in one week separated by some six stories. The cover shown is next week's issue, the bike jumping Ghost Rider is taken from the cover of this week's The Titans by Ron Wilson and Al Milgrom, while creator of the beautifully drawn Dracula artwork remain a mystery to me, although I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before. 

Well that's enough for this week, but before you know it there'll be more spine-chilling strips and action packed adventure to pick the bones out off. So till then...   

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.