Swamp spawned might and deadly duos!

 The Mighty World of Marvel #12

Week Ending 23th December 1972

Twas the week before Christmas and all was quiet in the house, as kids back in 1972 were engrossed in the latest issue of the Mighty World of Marvel. The twelfth issue didn't feel any more Christmasy than the previous 11 issues but it was jam packed full of Marvel goodness. Spider-man take up the majority of this Jim Starlin/Joe Sinnott cover with his first encounter with the Lizard. After 12 covers this is only the third time that the web-slinger has got top billing, the second that it shows him with a super villain encounter. In my opinion Spider-man makes an excellent cover star and would definitely encourage young fans to part with their five pence pocket money in exchange for this treasure trove of Marvel goodness. A sign of good things to come may be...in February may be...

 I said that there was no sign of Christmas on this weeks cover, but if you squint at Spider-man the white and red "Spider-sense" halo does look a little like a "Santa hat"! Or is that just me?

Hulk continues his battle against the mighty of the Metal Master this issue with a splash page which is a recycled cover of The Incredible Hulk volume 1 issue 6 by Steve Ditko, the issue that this story is taken from. All that's changed is an added text box at the lower right hand side.

The Metal Master rampages across the globe with even the Russians attacking him with missiles and jet fighter planes, but all to no affect. With the help of Rick Jones and his Teen Brigade the Hulk builds a new powerful weapon to defeat the alien fiend. How the Hulk manages to master the task is smoothly (or may be slightly ham-fistedly) covered up with a line straight from the Stan Lee hand book of plot get out lines, given by Rick to the Hulk..."It's a good thing you remember most of Bruce Banner's scientific knowledge." Well that sorted that problem out! The nationwide network of Teen Brigade members locate the metal controlling Master and pass that information on the the Hulk who leaps off to Washington DC to make his grand stand with the alien. When the Metal Master is unable to destroy the weapon the Hulk over powers the would be conquer and sends the fiend back to his own world. The Hulk admits to the local Teen Brigade members that he fooled the Metal Master with a fake weapon made from nothing but wood and plastic that was unaffected by his metal controlling powers. Quite gullible that Metal Master. The story neatly finishes off with the Gamma Ray Projector struggling to turn the Hulk back into Banner until a delayed reaction and Bruce meeting up with Betty Ross for a night time romantic date after he makes his excuses for his disappearance during the conflict.

In this weeks mail Leeds lad, Richard Browne hatches a plan to make Peter Parker rich by acting as Spider-man's agent and sell the secret of the amazing web-fluid to the military or police force for large sums of money. Not a wise idea in my opinion, if it falls into the wrong hands it could be used for evil means. George Arthur from Ramsgate offers a more sensible money making scheme, Peter should claim credit for his amazing action packed photos and gain a reputation as a dynamic photographer to which he could charge magazine editors a higher price. Marianne Marshall from Forest Gate in London offers MWOM editors an inspiring idea for a future mystery gift in the form of a deck of Marvel themed playing cards. Now that might catch on! The final in this weeks mail bag Timothy Tyler from Bath, waxes lyrical about his favourite heroes, the Fantastic Four. 

Doctor Doom gets his own feature in "The Fantastic Four's Hall of Infamy!" with a quick reminder of the Lord of Latvaria background, if you forgotten all about the last three weeks Fantastic Four stories. To be fair there may regularly be new readers joining the Marvel revolution ever week after a visit to their local newsagents so this kind of page is always welcomed, even by a seasoned reader like myself. 

Just under Doctor Doom's re-cap page we find out which Spider-man from last weeks "Will the real Spider-man please stand up?" puzzle page was the genuine web-slinger. Turns out it was Spider-man number 7, I thought so, guess I win a no-prize just in time for Christmas.

This weeks Spider-man adventure is "The coming of...the Lizard!" from the Amazing Spider-man #6 from (cover date) November 1963 (published in August 1963). Which interestingly leads us to a Marvel UK continuity change, last issue's adventure was the final part of "Nothing can stop...the Sandman!" from ASM #4, the next US issue was #5 (cover date of September 1963, published June 1963) with a story titled "Marked for destruction by Doctor Doom!" which told of Spider-man's first encounter with the Lord of Latvaria, it was in fact Doom's sixth appearance in Marvel comics. In that issue the Doctor recounts his defeat at the hands of the Fantastic Four in events that take place in issue 17 of the Fantastic Four. This continuity change probably was made to allow the FF adventures to catch up before that tale is told. Doom had only just made his first UK appearance not three weekly issues ago and I think holding back the Spider-man vs Doctor Doom story was a wise choice. 

I've often criticised 60's Spider-man villains (or possibly Ditko 60's villains) for not really holding up in the modern world, you have to work really hard to make them realistic in a modern comic or when transferring them to the silver screen, take the Green Goblin for example. That opinion doesn't always hold true, in issue 7 I stated that even with Doctor Octopus's strange 60's villain name I kind of liked him as an antagonist. This weeks villain is another of Stan Lee's humanised adversaries, Curt Connors the Lizard. It's a great tale this week and Steve Ditko's opening splash page turns up the thrill factor with the Lizard and his army of alligators confronting the masked teenager. our tale starts when stories of a lizard man in the Everglades reach New York and the Daily Bugle prints a headline challenging Spider-man to defeat the Lizard. Parker tries to persuade Jameson to pay for a trip to Florida, but this method fails. It takes an appearance from the web-slinger in J.J.J's office to change the publisher's mind and give the go ahead for the trip but with one provision, Jameson is going to chaperone Peter.

Once in Florida Peter makes an excuse and hightails it to the Everglades to seek out a local reptile expert Curt Connors. Quickly after a brief encounter with the Lizard Spidey meets Martha Connors who explains how her husband became the reptile fiend after an attempt to regrow his missing arm though his reptile research. It's a great strength of Stan Lee that the reader has so much admiration for the antagonist. Spider-man has to defeat the villain but rescue the man behind the scales and save his family from the outfall of his condition. As she finishes her tale she hears a cry from her son, Tommy, who is terrified by the sight of his father as a reptilian monster, and then to be confronted by a swamp snake. That cliff-hanger must be concluded next week.

Last weeks readers "Ultimate Survey" is reused with a background colour change and the Thing replacing Stan Lee and the Hulk, as he states "I just found out that someone didn't answer the questions we tossed at ya last week! If you're that someone..I'm givin' ya one more chance!" Well Ben I give my views last week so don't clobber me!

The 1970's reader gets a bonus puzzle that relates to the issues Fantastic Four story as the FF must find their way though the a maze to battle deadly duo of Doctor Doom and Namor the Sub-mariner! I've seen this puzzle many times in various Marvel UK comics, of which I can't recall off the top of my head. But if you can remember give yourself a Christmas "No-prize"!

This weeks Fantastic Four adventure starts off with the Human Torch and the Invisible Girl on the look out for Doctor Doom after last issues exit. 

This lull in the action gives Jack Kirby the opportunity to draw a plan view of the fabulous foursomes head quarters, which is named the Baxter Building for the first time. Jack's floor plan shows it to have four floors, in earlier versions by Jack it is shown with five floors. Why, who knows? But later versions its again shown to have five floors as standard. The roof area is also shown to have shrubs growing around the edges, I don't think they last long, which after events that will happen next weeks issue may be why we don't see them again...spoilers! The reason why the FF haven't been able to locate the despot dictator is because he is on a mission to enlist the aid of Namor the Sub-Mariner in his plot to destroy the Fantastic Four. Doom knows which buttons to press with the Atlantean, especially when it comes to the surface worlds careless damage to his undersea kingdom, as well as his fondness for Susan Storm. Doom explains how he can help the under-sea prince get revenge on the surface world and the Fantastic Four with the aid of amazing device he calls "Grabber" which can lift vast weights with the aid of its magnetic power. Namor agrees to conceal the dismantled device in his hallow belt buckle and use it to defeat the FF. There's noway he can conceal anything in those shorts but that's a minor plot hole and lets not forget these comics were for kids. 

 

Namor wasn't the only one with feeling for their enemy, Johnny Storm finds in his sister room a photograph of Namor, hidden behind some books. Sue admits she can't explain to the rest of her teammates something she doesn't understand herself. As a kid you feel for Reed and the other two members of the FF, 'cause Sue may have a crush on the enemy, but as an adult there might be some sympathy towards Sue as matters of the heart never run true. Before you can pick who you feel for, Reed or Sue, the Sub-Mariner make his entrance as we're left to wait till next week to find out how this tale unfolds! 

Till next week, see you in seven!

Make Mine Marvel!