The meteoric rise of the X-Men!

Week Ending 8th September 1973

The Mighty World of Marvel #49

A really cracking cover from the pencil of John Buscema and the ink brush of Frank Giacoia originally seen as the cover of the Fantastic Four #112 from July 1971 with an all black background. The top headlines reads "Extra bonus for you! The astonishing X-Men!" Their inclusion was kept quite low-key with only the odd mention in the Bullpen column on the letter pages, almost as an after thought. Will the monster smack down story live up to the glorious cover? Let's have a look inside and see. 

Fantastic Four "The Hulk Vs. the Thing"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: George Roussos

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #25

Cover date April 1964

(Published in January 1964)

"Whose story is this?" is a question that anyone filling out their comic collection spreadsheet might ask. As the lead strip in MWOM and a title declaring "The Hulk Vs. the Thing" you might imagine that it's a Hulk strip but actually it's a Fantastic Four strip, but it doesn't follow on from last weeks FF adventure. In fact it jumps two stories- "The master plan of Doctor Doom!" and "The infant terrible!" Both tales will see print later in issues 51-54 of MWOM so you don't have to wait too long to see them. 

The jump does feel a little strange, the story from the Avengers issue 4 could have been used instead if they wanted to continue printing Avengers adventures before they launched the new Avengers weekly comic. While the Fantastic Four could have remained a MWOM back up strip. But I imagine they wanted the Hulk to lead MWOM's lineup. Avengers #4 would see print as the opening adventure in their new comic in just two weeks time. All that does lead to a slightly crazy Marvel UK continuity error as Captain America is seen taking part in this story before he is rescued from a frozen sleep inside a block of ice, his cold storage prison since the final days of World War Two as seen in "Captain America joins the Avengers!" 

This is the story where Banner refers to himself as "Bob Banner" twice! Luckily Marvel UK readers never spotted this as the name Bob is edited out for the more common Bruce. Right from the start Banner's first name was Bruce, when this error was originally spotted in the letter page of the Fantastic Four #28 Stan cover up this slip by saying that the Doctor's full name is Robert Bruce Banner which stuck. Some friends of mine still call the Hulk's alter-ego David Banner after the 70's TV version but let's not go there today. The bulk of this story is the Hulk looking for the Avengers to vent his anger at Captain America replacing him in their line up, so he heads to New York, missing the Earth's mightiest as they look for him in the New Mexico desert. The only group left in New York capable of stopping the Hulk's rampage are the FF. With Reed contracting a virus, Sue nursing him and the Torch quickly defeated by the Hulk strength it's left up to the Thing to stop the green berserker. It should be every Marvelites' dream fight and to be fair it does land some of the right punches. If only someone other than George Roussos had embellished the King's pencil work. Can the Thing keep the Hulk at bay till the Avengers arrive? Find out next issue.

  We don't get to see much of the Avengers in this story, but as a bonus we do get a full page pin-up of the God of Thunder! I can't place the artist or the original usage of the image. It could be Jack Kirby or John Buscema or even John's brother Sal but in truth I'm guessing. If you know and can prove where it was originally used let me know. A "Power of the Beesting No-Prize"(PotBNop) and a well deserved mention could be yours.

In both MWOM and SMCW this week an advert for Britain's largest comic fan gathering, a Comic Mart at Lyndhurst Hall, Kentish Town, London on Saturday the 8th September. Free entry, which you wouldn't get in today's comic conventions. But to be fair in those days Comic Marts were just full of comics and fans, not American stars and Funko Pop heads toys. These events were nearly non-existent in the north. Did any southern PotB readers go to this one? 

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

N. Barber from Oxford wants to see the return of DareDevil as he thinks that the Hulk is an over-rated pea-brained nit and doesn't deserve two stories a week. The editor does hint that old DD may return someday soon. Andrew McKinney from Belfast used to read some of the imported US Marvel comics and has seen DD in a red costume in them and on at the FOOM poster. We'll get to see DD's return early next year in his red costume. Billy Muirhead from Newark brings the readers of the mailbag an interesting fact related to issue 27 of MWOM in which the Hulk is said to be able to hold his breath for hours, but the longest that anyone held their breath for was Robert Foster from California who in 1959 held their breath for 13 minutes and 42.5 seconds. The 32 year old had to hyperventilate his lungs with oxygen before hand. D. R. Holes from Hull wonders why stories in Marvel comics portray all extra-terrestrial characters as being belligerent, with the exception of the Watcher, while according to many UFO experts if those beings were hostile they would have destroyed the Earth centuries ago! Alien invaders do make for great stories though and Marvel comics are full of great stories.

Colin Wagstaff from Milton Keynes thinks that the Fantastic Four Flare gun gives the FF's foes an unfair advantage as it not only alerts the four heroes but can alert the villains as well. Stephen Battle (great name that, sounds like an action-heroes name!) from Yorks didn't like MWOM at first but it soon left him dazed with the incredible action from within. Richard John from Essex has made up his own super-being called the "Everything!" The Everything has the same powers of every super-hero or super-villain! Which does make him extremely powerful. Something like the Beyonder may be? My childhood creation was a lot more grounded, the Beesting could take a beating but still get up and over come the odds to win the day, bit like Spider-man. George Barber from Sunderland made a great observation when reading the Fantastic Four in MWOM #9 where Johnny was reading an issue of the Mighty World of Marvel, wouldn't the teenage hero discover that Bruce Banner is the Hulk and Peter Parker is Spider-man? May be Johnny isn't one of those people who believe everything they read. 

The X-Men "X-Men"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist; Jack Kirby

Inker: Paul Reinman

Originally published in The X-Men #1

Cover date September 1963

(Published in July 1963)

The X-Men quietly come to Marvel UK after so many readers have mentioned them as possible candidates for a new weekly. It feels like a strip that would do really well in the UK. This quirky group of misfits seem to be the outsiders that would appeal to that British underdog mentality. In the US they struggled to win fans over but eventually became one of Marvel's leading comic books. The first story, simply entitled "X-Men" is after Spider-man's origin the most repeated story in Marvel UK. It will next be reprinted in the Super-heroes #1 on the 8th March 1975, then in Star-heroes pocket book #10 (January 1980) and later in the Original X-Men #1 (27th April 1983). The artwork, even with Paul Reinman adding the inks suits the style of these outcast heroes. I've been critical over the last two or three weeks of Reinman's inking but I'll give credit where credit is due this is some of his best work.

 The group of young mutants are going through their training routine when a beautiful red haired girl arrives at the school for gifted youngsters. Professor X ends their lessons for the days and after they change into their civilian clothes we are introduced to Hank McCoy-the Beast, Bobby Drake-Iceman, Warren Worthington the III-Angel, Slim Summers -Cyclops  and finally Jean Grey- Marvel Girl. In the first story Scott Summers was originally named Slim, which is a really weak name that was quickly dropped. In the Marvel UK version Slim was was edited out so as to not confuse readers however one did slip through. Later Marvel UK prints used the original versions. Notice in the panel above, the original owner of my copy has corrected this mistake.

  That wasn't the only mistake that the original owner of this issue corrected. In the original version Stan Lee scripted that Jean Grey demonstrates her powers and says the line "I must admit it's a pleasure to be able to practice teleportation openly, without fear of being discovered!" The junior editor corrects that too with the word crossed out and an arrow down to "TELEKINESIS"! In later American reprints of that story "TELEKINESIS" is added. I wonder did my copies amateur editor grow up to be an editor or possibly a school teacher?  What I really do love about Stan writing on these early X-Men is a sense that these "youngsters" are outcasts who feel and act differently to everyone else. It's a perfect example that certainly must have connected with young readers.

One thing that was levelled at the early X-Men tales is that they were too "white American", something that Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum changed in Giant Sized X-Men #1 in April 1975 (cover dated May 1975) with the introduction of the all new, all different X-Men. Stan wasn't behind the times, in fact some of his writing promoted equality and diversity, but at a slower pace than todays activists would like. Jean Greys reaction to Hank McCoys kiss is very "MeToo". A certain Spanish footballer and World Cup winner could have done with a little bit of Marvel Girl's powers. At the time of writing this story Stan was writing the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, Marvel Girl needed to be something other than a copy of the Invisible Girl or the Wasp. I feel looking back Marvel Girl got the best characterisation for a female lead, if not the best name. But Claremont would change that too when she was renamed the Phoenix!

Every great team needs a great nemesis and the X-Men have Magneto! He's one of Stan and Jack's greatest creations. Unbelievably powerful but weakened by his drive to be superior to everyone else. As his back story gets filled in the layers to his motivation grows. His a more realistic villain than Doctor Doom, the Green Goblin or Loki in my opinion. I certainly can't wait to read next weeks issue to find out how the young X-Men cope with the Master of Magnetism. 

A Mighty Marvel Pin-up page featuring the Incredible Hulk versus Hercules the God of Strength! This is the cover of Tales to Astonish #79 cover dated May 1966 (released February 1966) by Jack Kirby with as 'am lead to believed Bill Everett's inks. That story was printed in MWOM #32 . 

Spider-man Comics Weekly #30

This weeks cover was originally drawn by Steve Ditko for the cover for the Amazing Spider-man #36, although the UK version has the two characters flipped and the Looter has his costume re-coloured. I guess they must have thought that purple and white wouldn't look right to a British audience, but that's a shame as I really like the original colouring.

Spider-man "When falls the Meteor!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #36

Cover date May 1966

(Published in February 1966)

 I have to admit that this weeks story feels like a filler which is fine, I'm OK with that. Steve Ditko is on cruise control as he offers a typical Ditko plot and artwork. The Looter is a stereotypical Ditko villain. Norton G Fester discovers a fallen Meteorite and wants to make big money on his discovery but no-one is interested, so he takes a hammer and chisel to it to find something that he can sell. There's a simple rule that everybody should follow, it goes something like this, "never poke a creature with a stick, never hit a meteorite with a chisel". In hitting the meteor gas is released that grants him increased strength. So what does any crazed nutter do when gaining meteor gifted strange powers? They start a career as a super-villain. 

Roy Thomas recalled that Carl Hubbell at the request of Stan Lee, redrew the Looter figure in panel five of the thirteenth page, changing him to Spider-Man for the readers point of view. Whether that story is true I don't know, the alleged change does work well but I imagine it might have angered Ditko having his artwork changed at Lee's wishes.

Why call himself the Looter? Well that's anyone's guess. That name would later be changed to the even more lame Meteor Man by Tom DeFalco in Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-man #41 from January 1980 (cover dated April 1980) which Marvel UK readers got to see in Spider-man and Hulk Weekly #386 from 31st July 1980. Goodness Marvel UK was running stories really close to their American cousins in the 80's. Why does the Looter create a "Dazzle Gun" and a "Helium balloon backpack"? That's plainly from the mind of Steve Ditko. I'm not knocking this story, it's quaint and in some ways a classic of its time but nothing more.

(Paul Lynch pointed out that the Looter was renamed Meteor Man by Gerry Conway in Marvel Team-Up #33 cover dated May 1975 (published  February 1975,US) which I should have known because I read that story in Marvel UK's version of Marvel Team-up, issue 7 that was published on the 29th of October 1980.)

The Web and the Hammer

  Douglas Wright from Tottenham just writes in to say MWOM and SMCW are great and issue 9 of SMCW was terrific. William Watson from London wants to see Spider-man and Thor fight each other. Cliston (or should that be Clinton?) Taylor from Manchester gets the two weeklies every week and his family reads them both after him. When he wanted to buy FOOM #1 they all chipped in with twelve and a half pence each so he could send off for it. Peter Crawford from Sussex thinks that issue 15 of SMCW and the issues that contained the Sinister Six two parter are the best ever published by Marvel UK. Nigel Edwards from Stoke-on-Trent thinks that Spider-man is his favourite super-hero because of the amazing artwork. His one complaint is the lack of colour in British comics. He must be an American Marvel fan as he mentions (Irving) Forbush and ends his letter with "Till the Hulk wins 'Miss World', Make Mine Marvel!" which I think is the first time a jokey  make mine Marvel end-line has been used in a Marvel UK comic.

 David Robertson from Coventry asks why is it always the Human Torch who is used as a guess-star in Spider-man, why doesn't Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl or the Thing appear? Lee Banham from Suffolk really likes both MWOM and SMCW but the one hero he would love to see is Doctor Strange. If he takes a look to the right of his letter he'll see an advert for the upcoming new Avengers Weekly that happens to feature as the regular back-up strip. No date given yet but British Marvelites won't have to wait long. The advert does boast what looks like the published cover. Like Lee I'm pretty buzzing about the prospect of the Avengers and Doctor Strange in a weekly.

Tales of Asgard "Odin battles Ymir, King of the Ice Giants!"

3

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Journey into Mystery #98

Cover date November 1963

(Published in September 1963)

Another beautifully drawn Tales of Asgard by Jack Kirby with inks by Don Heck, that follow up to "Home of the mighty Norse Gods!" from SMCW #25. This time focusing more on Ymir the Frost Giant's legend. I've written a lot about Jack Kirby's inkers lately, how some artists don't fulfil the potential of the King's pencil work. Don Heck fulfils every pencil stroke with his own brush or nib stroke. Some people don't like Heck's artwork but you'll be a fool not to admit after seeing this tale that Heck is a master of his craft. These Tales of Asgard are putting Thor's tales to shame. If you've only got a couple of minutes to read a strip from this week's comics read this one. It's only five pages but they're beautiful.

The Mighty Thor "A world gone mad!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Chic Stone

Originally published in Journey into Mystery #113

Cover date February 1965

(Published in December 1964)

This weeks Thor tale does start off with what looks like an opening page from Tales of Asgard. I think it benefits for it, gaining some flavour to what does turn out to be a villain of the week story. This weeks villain sees the return of the Grey Gargoyle who has been recovered by a museum team thinking they've found an ancient artifact from the depths of the sea where he fell in SMCW #26. Looking for revenge on the Thunder God the Gargoyle breaks into Don Blakes office knowing that there is some connection between the Doctor and Thor. Blake delays the Gargoyle so that Nurse Jane Foster can make an escape. Come back next week for the conclusion of "A world gone mad!" 

 

Nice pin-up of Spider-man by who I think may well be John Romita SR judging by the style of artwork. If you know where it was originally from and who did it let me know. A Power of the Beesting No-Prize could be yours.

The final image of this weeks blog is a feature page Spider-man Flashback! This page didn't appear in my digital copy of Spider-man Comics Weekly #30 so I had to take this picture late in the day from my paper copy when I realised it was missing. Not sure were this artwork came from either but it does look like its in Steve Ditko's style.

I think that covers everything this week apart from the unknown artists for three pin-ups but I'm sure PotB readers will fill me in with those details. so till then...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.