Never the end!

Week Ending 5th May 1973

As the buds of May started to blossom Marvel UK has also blossomed, 31 weeks of the Mighty World of Marvel had cemented itself in the British zeitgeist of comics. Spider-man Comics Weekly has also spread its webs as a companion comic, in many ways its format would prove so successful that MWOM would adopt some of Spideys structure, a misstep some may say, news on that later. 

The Mighty World of Marvel #31

This would be Rick Buckler's first cover for Marvel UK, he had been working on various strips at the time in America, from his first being a back up strip in Where Monsters Dwell #15 released February 1972, many fantastic runs on classic comics quickly followed. He did the Avengers from #101-104 in 1972, Ka-Zar in Astonishing Tales #13 and #16, again in 1972, but very soon his highly acclaim Black Panther work in Jungle Action would soon be released in the summer of 1973, starting with issue 6 released in June 1973, (cover dated September 1973.) all great works that show why he was so rightly in demand. However this cover doesn't quite live up to those works. It's fine and functional, possibly a last minute fill in job,  but I wouldn't describe it as a classic. I've only just realised that the Hulk was leaping into "Anti-Matter Beams" that hold him prisoner and not what I always thought was the blue sky and the rapid fire from the soldiers above. Mike Esposito as ever is on hand to ink Buckler's pencil work.

Also the top header headline teases "Incredible news for Hulk fans! See page 20!"

The Incredible Hulk "The Hulk must die!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby, Bill Everett

Inker: Bill Everett

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #78

Cover date April 1966

(Published in January 1966)

The Hulk returns from the future in a maelstrom of trouble after last week confession from Rick Jones that Bruce Banner is the Hulk. And to lead us through that maelstrom another different artist freshens out Jack Kirby's layouts. Bill Everett a veteran comic book artist, who doesn't follow the style that came before, but offers his own interpretation of a Hulk story. I think Stan Lee missed a trick with this story too, as everyone now knows that Bruce Banner is cursed with being the Hulk but he doesn't appear at all in this issue. It might have been nice to see Betty Ross or Rick Jones or even Major Talbot talk to the Doctor about his predicament. After the Major sets an elaborate trap that contain the Hulk in a patchwork of pits filled with sleeping gas and a  roof of a "Anti-matter beam" grid, the Hulk remains in his brutish green form all the way through this story. 

 Betty, Rick and Talbot do try to reach Bruce's ego but the savage monster reverts to type. It's kind of nice the way Bill Everett draws the gentle Hulk but then we see the change in his personality. One particular kink with Everetts artwork is that he does draw people with most of their facial features lower down their faces.

 It's not just the Hulk and this week antagonist Doctor Zaxon, the other support cast and even the base soldiers are drawn in the same style. Now an artist may well tell me that it's completely accurate, but I'm getting a lot of slap-head vibes. Take a look at these two soldiers to the right, the one in the centre looks like a babyfaced assassin. But hey what do I know, I'm not an artist and even if I was I could never compete with Bill Everetts body of work. Sadly Bill died some two months before this issue hit the British newsstands on the 27th February 1973 aged 55. 

The new base lead scientist Doctor Konrad Zaxon, who's field of expertise is "organic energy, is more interested in science than the Hulk or Banners welfare, even stating that he wants full authority to experiment on the brute to discover the conditions that turned him into the monster and whether or not he has a double identity. All this is a front for the power hungry scientist, who has visions of using the Hulk's limitless organic energy to propel himself to a status of master of mankind.

The mad scientist creates a machine that will store the Hulk's energy, an "Organic Energy Attractor" to siphon the energy from the beast and a special protective armoured suit. Using his standing as the head of scientist of the New Mexico base to relieve the Hulk armed guards from their posts, he switches off the "Anti-matter beams" allowing the Hulk to climb out to face him. But what happens next will have to wait till next week as Doctor Zaxon must face "the fury of the Hulk!"

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Just three letters this week, the first from Peter Cooper from Bangor who asks Marvel to stop glamorising the Hulk as he thinks that every week he gets more and more normal looking. Peter wants the old-style monster look back. I can see some of Peter's point but this week the Hulk does look wonderfully brutish with Bill Everett's artwork. Henry Bowers from Cowes writes our second letter, Henry at 42 years of age must been at the time one of, if not the oldest Marvelites to be reading Marvel comics. He loves the Fantastic Four and collects both MWOM and Spider-man Comics Weekly every week. I wonder if Henry is still reading comics today at the fantastic age of 92. I dearly hope you are sir and I hope that I will too if I achieve that age, because like I always say comics keep you young. Finally Mike Robertson from Rhyll makes a suggestion that is a decade ahead of its time. He would love to see produced one long story with all Marvel super-heroes battling one super menace. If the ultimate story that I spent many hours daydreaming about, but Jim Shooter finally put it down in a comic in the year long limited series Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars from January 1984. 

Next week is the week you've been waiting for! Well some of you have anyways. The answers and winners of the recent Amazing Spider-man LP competition from MWOM #26 and SMCW #7. Where we finally get to find out just what is Peter Parkers best subject at college is? I feel some controversy coming. Don't miss next weeks blog for that!

Daredevil "..But Fear himself!"

  

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Wallace Wood

Inker: Wallace Wood 

Originally published in Daredevil #6

Cover date December 1964

(Published in October 1964)

This weeks opening splash page uses the Wallace Wood drawn cover from Daredevil issue 6 with the original text boxes reused with fresh text up-dating the British reader on last weeks adventure. This weeks story title is a play on words with the headline saying "Beware Daredevil! You have nothing to fear.." but instead of ending it with "..but fear itself" it quite smartly uses "..but Fear himself!" The Grand Comic Database actually lists the title in this issue as "..But Fear itself!" an obvious mistake to make and I'm glad that I'm not making it this time. 

From last week DD rushes an injured Foggy Nelson to the hospital, but suspecting the Fellowship of Fear will try to finish him off the man without fear stays behind to watch over him. Soon the disguised fiends sneak into his room to attempt to make off with his unconscious body only to have DD smash through the window to his rescue. DD scares them off, mainly due to the three criminals relying on the Ox's strength as neither Mister Fear or the Eel have brought their weapons, and the blind hero plunges the room into darkness to give himself an advantage. This bunch of villains are pretty lame.

This week like last week's adventure shows Marvel UK's strange policy of not showing any Marvel character unless they already been introduced to the British reader in either MWOM or SMCW already, so many waxwork dummies in Zalton Drago/Mister Fears waxwork museum are re-drawn as well known characters. For the sake of completeness the Green Goblin replaces the Cobra and Loki replaces the unknown Magneto in one panel. In another panel Spider-man, Electro and Loki replace Giant-man, Cyclops and Cyclops again (it could be the Beast but he's wearing gloves and it's not Angel because he hasn't any wings! Now there's a US No-Prize if I've ever seen one.) Speaking of No-Prizes how come in the British version does Loki move from Thor's left hand side to Thor's right hand side?   

Daredevil plays that old waxwork dummy trick of standing perfectly still in plain sight then gives the antagonist a proper fright by speaking out. Mister Fear's reply and look around are pure comic gold. "Who said that?"

Speaking of comic gold, how Daredevil over comes Mister Fear's Fear gun gas pellets is a classic. Reversing the air conditioning fan direction to give the Eel and the Ox some of Mister Fears fear inducing gas treatment, it's a comic book comedy genius. The Third Doctor and Mister Bean would be proud

The story goes on with other comic turns like Daredevil throwing a bucket of sand at the Eel to counter his slippy coating, then tricking the Ox in charging a Daredevil waxwork dummy only to go crashing through a door and down a flight of stairs. An exhausted Ox falls like a felled oak tree, "TIMM-BER!?!" 

The story ends with a recovered Foggy Nelson returning to work with Karen Page, DD's title of being the "Man without fear" restored and neither Foggy or Karen none the wiser to the hero's true identity. The End. And it is for our blind hero, at least for now. More on that very shortly.

So here's page 20, as hinted at on the front cover which announces "the most exciting news ever about the Incredible Hulk!" Well it would be if you're an absolute Hulk fan. Not so much if you're a Daredevil fan, like Peter Gouldson who still hasn't forgiven the Hulk for dislodging the man without fear from his position in MWOM by having two Hulk stories in each issue, starting from #33 in two weeks time. I think it was an attempt to make MWOM more like Spider-man Comics Weekly by having a full length lead story by the most popular super hero in that comic and a half size back-up strip. As much as I do like the full length Spider-man stories I've always enjoyed the three strip format. The Hulk, Daredevil and the Fantastic Four have always been the best line up. I kind of think that two ten page Hulk strips a week just eats up the Hulk's back catalogue far too quickly. Yes it did mean we would get to the better Hulk stories quicker but not at the expense of having to wait longer to get to the better Daredevil stories. Next weeks Daredevil slot will be taken up with a short Human Torch, the Thing and the Sub-Mariner story. Anyone any idea where this Hulk panel comes from? A Power of the Beesting No-prize (PotBeNoP yeah I'm still calling it that!) to the reader with the correct answer.  

This weeks Mini-posters are two of the Hulk's early villains. The first is a very Johnny Depp looking Leader (now that's an interesting casting choice,) taken from the "Like a beast at bay!" story from Tales to Astonish #71 (US cover dated September 1965, published June 1965), drawn by Jack Kirby and Mike Esposito, which appeared in MWOM #14. The second, Tyrannus "Master of the Underworld" taken from the opening splash page of  "Beauty and the beast" from The Incredible Hulk #5 (US cover dated January 1963, published November 1962.) that also appeared in MWOM #9, is also drawn by Jack Kirby but this time Dick Ayers inks. 

The Fantastic Four "The Mad Thinker's master plan!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #15

Cover date June 1963

(Published in March 1963)

This weeks opening splash page for the second half of "The Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android!" is taken from the cover of Fantastic Four #15 by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers with all of the speech balloons in tact. The Thinker's plan to disband the Fantastic Four as gone perfectly to plan. But a though days later the individual members of the FF are getting cold feet in their career choices. Johnny misses Reed, Sue and Ben. Sue thinks that she's a fool for thinking acting would be fun. Reed realises he's not cut out to work for anyone else. While Ben beats up his opponent -Fatal Finnegan, when he calls Alicia a "Blonde Tootsie." So the foursome return to New York to find the Baxter Building covered in a crystal substance. The Thinker challenges them to defeat him, believing that his superior brain power has worked out the most probable turn of events and with the FF's weaponry against them he believes he cannot fail.

 

At one point Sue comes up with a plan to over come Reed Richards designed gas when the Thinker uses it against them, by getting the Thing to wind up Mr. Fantastic so that he spins like a fan. Fun and creative writing from Stan and Jack.

 

The Thinker unleashes his latest creation the Awesome Android, created from Reed Richards scientific notes. The Android is an unthinking slow moving creature that can analyse a super human's powers and mimic them but with stronger results. making him harder to defeat. Luckily enough Reed knows where the android's "motor nerve terminal" is, so basically Reed instructs Sue how to switch him off!  

The Fantastic Four finally defeat the Thinker by simply rendering all of their equipment inoperable. Reed had instructed Willie Lumpkin to a special downstairs bell at four o'clock which opened a special circuit breaker. Sounds a little too easy that. What if an enemy found out about it? The off switch was probably a Stan Lee solution when Jack had run out of pages in that particular issue.

Only a week ago I posted on Facebook that I had completely completed my Marvel UK comic collection from the 70's after I bought the Mighty World of Marvel issue 129. I had previously thought I already owned that comic, but when I was flicking through my back issues it was missing. Tracking a good copy was a challenge due to the price of that issue on eBay. The reason for the rareness of that issue is because it's cover used the original artwork that would have been used for Incredible Hulk King-sized Special #1 by Jim Steranko without the Marie Severin adjustment to the Hulk's face made at Stan Lee's request due to Steranko drawing a raging Hulk with beads of sweat dripping from his face. Steranko explained on Twitter that he was told that his version was "too fierce." with the Hulk's head beaded with sweat and bulging veins. Steranko calls the Marie Severin version "the teddy bear Hulk!" MWOM #129 is a much sort after comic even though the ground lettering that the Hulk is pinned between reads "Inheritor" and not "Inhumans" like in the original, many love it for it being a published use of the artwork. Nearly two years before #129 came out a black and white Pin-up page featured that classic original appeared in this comic. I have seen MWOM #31 on eBay in America for $109.99 with $30.05 postage, which converts to around £87.51 plus £23.91 in pounds sterling. Crazy money I know but to be fair the cover is autographed by Rich Buckler and the Pin-up page is autographed by Steranko so I guess that helps inflate the price. I'm not sure I'd pay that much even for a double signed copy of this comic, but I do absolutely love the Steranko Hulk artwork. 

The back page features an advert for FOOM magazine's first issue,  boasting that 7000 Marvelites have already found FOOM! Stan Lee was always ready for self publicity, using his face on the cover of FOOM #1 as seen in the advert. You could see what you're missing by filling in a coupon on page 34 of this very issue. Except you won't find it on page 34 because it's not there. All you see is a very sweaty Hulk!

Spider-man Comics Weekly #12

I love this cover by Rick Buckler and Mike Esposito. It's clean, bright and in no way rushed like this weeks MWOM cover was. I think the cover of the Amazing Spider-man #18 by Steve Ditko is great and could easily have been used, but I feel that this cover is unique and special.

Spider-man "The end of Spider-man!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Steve Ditko    

Inker: Steve Ditko 

Originally published in The Amazing Spider-man #18

Cover date November 1964

(Published in August 1964)

I really love this opening splash page, J Jonah Jameson's smile is straight out of a horror movie. It a great way to recap last issue. I originally read "The end of Spider-man!" like last weeks Spider-man tale in Spider-man Pocket Book #13 from May 1981 and together with "The Sinister Six" story from two and three weeks ago (that I also read first in The amazing Spider-man Summer Special from 1980,) these three stories cemented my love of this Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era of Spider-man. Yes some editorial decisions have tainted the last four issues but that aside issues 9 to 12 are still excellent. 

The story starts off with a reaction to Spider-man's perceived cowardliness from the end of last weeks adventure from both foes and friends alike. The Goblin has and will never be captured, Doc Ock is still in jail after the events from "the Sinister Six" story, Kraven the hunter and the Vulture must have escaped jail after the same story line. Although Kraven was never seen captured after his fight with Spider-man, it was only in a panel at the end of that story he was seen in jail. May be Jack forgot how it ended or just wanted to draw those two characters free. The FF and DD having meet Spider-man cannot believe he was in any way a coward. Thor ponders that Spider-man cowardliness puts all other costumed crime fighters in a bad light.

In the original comic the panel which features the super heroes had the Avengers with Thor discussing Spider-man. It shows how good the bodger was, they not only drew Thor perfectly but added some of the dialogue from the original panel seamlessly. Also removed from the British version was a page were Spider-Man goes to a trading card publishing company to try and get them to license a set of Spider-man cards to help pay for Aunt May's medicine. I can only imagine that this was removed to save space and even though the British readership may well collect stamps or cards given away with packets of tea of cereal the craze of trading cards was as big in the UK as it was in America. This page was shown on the 1981 UK pocket book version. Later on a panel with a head shot of Captain America and Iron Man was replaced with Thor and Mister Fantastic. This policy of removing characters from art work who haven't been seen before starts to be phased out, mainly due to the fact that more and more characters will start to take more important rolls in upcoming stories. Spoilers: next weeks Hulk and Fantastic Four stories will feature important guest stars.

Peter wants to concentrate on looking after Aunt Mays health and doesn't want to endanger his life with fighting crimes any more. So when he encounters an escaped Sandman who's looking for revenge Spidey does is best to run, but in the process proving the stories of cowardliness could be right.

Ducking down an alleyway to make a quick change into his civilian clothes he is nearly discovered by the Sandman. Stan and Steve really do make this week story gripping, even without any direct action and lots of Peter's private life padding out the story it still does rattles along in a really interesting way.   

Flash Thompson desperately wants to prove his hero- Spider-man is no coward, so he again foolishly dresses up as the web-slinger to take on a group of car thieves in the hope this will inspire the wall-crawler back into action. Liz Allan tells Peter of his plan, but Peter is too late to intervene as the cops beat him to it and rescue a punch drunk Flash. Next day Peter tries to talk to Flash about what happened but a bruised Thompson lashes out at him and anyone who thinks Spidey is a loser. If things couldn't get any worse for Peter he spots Betty Brant going on a date with an unknown boy, who we'll find out is Ned Leeds next week. 

A dejected Peter decides it's time to quit as Spider-man to concentrate on his school work and take proper care of Aunt May. It's a classic page where he removes his costume, throws them into a bag and throws the bag in the bin. And that would be the end of Spider-man if not for a stubborn old lady who won't let her illness or age get the better of her. Telling Peter that "Even though I'm an old woman, I'm not a quitter! A person needs gumption..the will to live..to fight." Aunt May is the best moral coach anyone could ask for. Later Peter reads an editorial piece in the Daily Bugle by Jonah Jameson in which he calls Spider-man the biggest phoney in some time. This infuriates him, because in his own words "Maybe he's right! Maybe it took Aunt May to teach me something I should have known! Only a weakling quits when the going gets tough!" You know a lot is said about Stan Lee's input into these Spider-man stories, placing the real driver of these tales in Steve Ditko's story telling skills, which to a point may well be true. But Stan Lee knowns when and how to shape a great plot and how to ramp up the dialogue. This story is a masterpiece by both of them!

 

"...And that means Spider-man is going into action again! I'll fight as I've never fought before!! Nothing will  stop me now! For I know at last that a man can't change his destiny...and I was born to be Spider-man!!! Watch out vile villains, he's Back!  

The colour section in this week SMCW presents us an in-house advert for MWOM where Spider-man and Thor inform us that "because you demanded it..every issue of our companion mag, The Mighty World of Marvel will feature.." "2 full length Hulk thriller!" The double Hulk action will start in issue 33. The Hulk image is taken from the cover of the Incredible Hulk #150 US April 1972 by Herb Trimpe and John Severin, but I can't place either Spider-man or Thor's original artwork. Anyone have any idea? The colour pages also advertise this weeks MWOM and membership for FOOM.

The Web and the Hammer

Only two letters in this weeks the Web and the Hammer letter page, the first is from Gary Timbers from London who likes that SMCW is filled to the brim with action but he has seen far to much of Jameson and the Enforcers and would like to see more foes of a stronger class like Doctor Doom and the Hulk take on Spider-man. Liverpools Al Murray pens a long and amusing letter that tongue in cheekily looks at the uniqueness of Spider-man. Suggesting that the "madmen at the laboratories of the Marvel Bullpen" created a successful new element called "Spidermium"!!! "Nuff said Al.

Under the letters page another teaser that next week issue will reveal the answers and winners of the Amazing Spider-man LP competition. 

The Mighty Thor "Thor and Loki attack the human race!"

Writer: Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein 

Artist: Joe Sinnott

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in Journey into Mystery #94

Cover date July 1963

(Published in May 1963)

In this weeks Thor tale Loki causes the Thunder God to become  the God of Mischiefs evil sidekick due to distracting Thor at the second his hammer returns, resulting in a blow to the head. In the opening symbolic splash page Thor topples the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It may be similar to Super-man who turns evil and straightens the tower in Super-man III to cause mischief with the tourist trade but Stan, Robert and Joe got there first in 1963, unless someone can tell me other wise. 

Loki uses his new ally to free himself from his Uru chains in Asgard and threatens to cause havoc on Earth with Thor. Which he does until a group of United Nations committee members surrender and request that the two Norse Gods come to the UN building to accept their surrender officially. This turns out to be a trap set up by a disguised Odin and the other Norse Gods to make Thor receive another blow to the head and recover his senses. Loki is himself  dispatched with a blow to his head and the status quo is resumed. 

 

A marvel masterwork pin-up by Steve Ditko showing Peter Parker and ol' webhead! 

(Update: this Pin-up originally appeared in the Amazing Spider-man #20 cover dated January 1965, published October 1964.) 

Finally for this week the back page of Spider-man Comics Weekly #12 advertising FOOM magazine with a link to page 11 of the comic, which unlike the advert in MWOM it does lead to a membership coupon for FOOM. Unlike MWOM's pack page this advert uses a red background. 

So that's all for this week. Come back next week and we'll get to the bottom of the Amazing Spider-man LP competition controversy and look at more nostalgic Marvel UK goodness. So till then....

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.