Old order changeth!

 Week Ending 15th December 1973

The Mighty World of Marvel #63

This cover is a straight forward lift from the Incredible Hulk #111 in which this week's Hulk story was taken from. Drawn by Herb Trimpe with Dan Adkins supplying the inks. I think Herb Trimpe is at the upward side of his creative trajectory of both his cover and interior artwork. The imagination of this cover is wonderful although the science around it does leave many questions, but those I refuse to answer. It's my cover of the week, but many will disagree and say that the "Spider-man No More" is a more important and classical cover and to be honest I can't argue with that either. There's no out-right winner, they either share the accolade or fight for it between them. What's your choice? There's really no wrong answer.

The Incredible Hulk "Shanghaied in space!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #111

Cover date January 1969

(Published in October 1968)

The alien race, who would only later be named the Sagittarians, have been alerted that their planet destroying machine, from the Savage land, has been deactivated, which will bring down the wrath of their master upon them. The only way to appease their master is to capture and present him the being who engineered its downfall. In the Savage Land Ka-Zar tends to the radiation weakened Bruce Banner by looking for rare herbs and plants that he believes will restore his friend's health. While he's gone a mysterious alien probe locates the unconscious doctor and abducts him. 

Believing that presenting a dead body to their Master will not curry favour, they use an advanced "Resuscitator" to bring live back to the dying doctor. This might not be the greatest of ideas as we'll see later. Presenting Banner to their leader, the magnificently named Galaxy Master, who orders Banner's immediate death in a de-compression chamber. This action sets off the transformation into the incredible Hulk who makes every attempt to escape, even into the cold vacuum of space. Herb Trimpe's artwork is on top form, his imagination is superb, it truly is incredible. However the the stretching of scientific credibility does reach its breaking point. It is one of my problems with Trimpe. It always bugged me when I was younger that it all went too far. As an older and probably less wiser comic fan I've learned to let it slide a little. It's a comic at the end of the day, if I suspend my disbelief a little I get more from it. 

Not only the laws of physics are broken or bent. The reasonable laws of time get stretched a little too as the alien's arrive within pages of a space battle with the Hulk to the home world of the Galaxy Master. Who turns out to be a space warp like giant mass of energy entity with vampire like teeth. Who boasts that he is the indestructible supreme space lord. Trimpe adds so much detail that you've got to love this artwork, I think this era is probably is best. How can the Hulk over come this impossible being? Find out next week.

From the Bullpen to you

Opening the letter page this week is a message "From the Bullpen to you" in the form of a Christmas message in FOOM code. I'll let you try and decode it, if you think you are a code breaker. -

MZGGY PMTAOQBZO QF ZWW

EFFBDTO! SDKZTD FE IFPQFT

IFFBO OGADO. XDDG YFUT PFID

MAIIDV ETFB QMD DYDO FE VFV-

EFFBDTO. XDDG QMD EZAQMEUW

EWZBD SUTVAVR.

D GWUTASUO BZTCDW

'VUEE OZAI

QMD EATOQ QDV EFFB BDBSDTO

QF IDPFID QMAO BOOZRD KAWW

TDPDACD ZV DLPAQAVR

PMTAOQBZO RAEQ ETFB QMD

SZQQY SUWWGFV

NUOQ EAWW YFUT VZBD ZVI

ZITDOO SDWFK ZVI ODVI YFUT

IDPFIDI BDOOZRD, QF

CODE DEPARTMENT

MARVEL COMICS

120 NEWGATE STREET

LONDON ECI

VZBD............

ZIITDOO..................

A little clue if you need it after the address that's written in English there seems to be a form to fill out as part of the message. the coded words "VZBD" and "ZIITDOO" might be common words you find in a postal form. Have fun code breakers. I'll show you my answer next week.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

K Jones from Deven (it's spelt Joynes, but I think that was a typing error.) is another in the growing list of Daredevil supporters who wants to see the blind heroes return. (Miss) Nicola Bently from London, want's to know if there are any other girls regular reading Marvel comics. Nicola also adds her name to the growing mass of Daredevil fans calling on the return of the man without fear. M Johnson uses a whole thesaurus to describe how much they enjoy Marvel Comics.

 Graeme Simmons from Lancashire is the third person to call for the return of Daredevil this week, it's becoming a growing movement. Is Marvel just printing these letters to foreshadow the horned heroes return? Roary Smart has spent the past few weeks decorating his bedroom walls with his own Marvel inspired artwork. John Moran, Timothy Munton, Marino McKenna and Alister Chambers have formed their own sub-group of FOOM. I wonder do they still continue their little group even 50 years later? Ian Lord from Hull, wants the Fantastic Four and Daredevil to have their own weekly comics called The Fantastic Four Comics Weekly and Daredevil Comics Weekly. Now I wonder where he's thought that one up from? A McClelland thinks that the new English Marvel comics are super but can Marvel improve the number of US Marvel comics on British newsagents shelves, as he has to travel six miles to Nuneaton to find them. 

The Fantastic Four "The unknown origin of Doctor Doom!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Chic Stone 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four Annual #2

Cover date September 1964

(Published in July1964)

This is a really nice change to the regular Fantastic Four story, its the origin of Doctor Doom from the second Fantastic Four annual. I have to say that this tale is on point Lee/Kirby, it re-writes some of Doom's back story that makes the characters of both villain as well as Reed and Ben too, feel a lot more connected and realistic. Breathing more life into Doom, filling out his character traits with believable qualities. I never really liked the early Doom but now not only does Victor Von Doom make more sense he's more relatable. Does this make me more like the despot ruler? Well sitting on my throne at Beesting castle possibly only a little, but like I always say, you're only as good as your baddie is bad.

The in-house ads for Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Avengers offer glimpses of some classical moments in these characters history. Using the classic John Romita Sr cover for the amazing "Spider-man no more!" storyline works perfectly. The image of the new Avengers line-up works really well too. Although with hindsight maybe naming Cap's new teammates might have been advisable, for many British Marvel readers Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch may well have been unknown to them. 

Spider-man Comics Weekly 44

This is a classic cover that needs very little saying about it. Drawn by John Romita Sr this cover was originally used for the cover of the Amazing Spider-man issue 50. It's perfect in every way and should be my cover of the week, but I've already picked MWOM #63 cover for that accolade. Damn, I think I'm wrong, if I can't have both I'll change my mind and have this one instead. Why does British Marvel have to have two great covers this week?

Spider-man "Spider-man no more!"

 

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #50

Cover date July 1967

(Published in April 1967)

 This is a classic Spider-man story, one in which Peter Parker gives up his Spider-man identity and walks away from a super-hero lifestyle. A milestone issue in America as the Amazing Spider-man celebrated its 50th issue. Spider-man feels the tension of the general public's distrust, fuelled by Jameson's regular Daily Bugle editorial calling Spider-man a menace. 

Peter's troubles, Aunt May's ill health, university studies suffering due to his super-hero activities and his relationships with the opposite sex suffering just as Gwen Stacy has started to show him more attention. All these factors lead him to think now will be a good time to pack in the web covered long johns. 

So Peter bins his red and blue union suit and walks away from responsibility as shown by this fantastic John Romita Sr full page panel. It's symbolic but it always makes me wonder wouldn't he have been wiser to burn it or dispose of it some where no one can find it, as it is found by a young boy who hands it into the Daily Bugle for a reward. A reward that turns out to be a copy of the paper. I'd have kept the outfit for myself, as a great fancy dress costume when he gets big enough to wear it.

Life does start to look rosier now he's got rid of the pressure of being New York's friendly neighbourhood super-hero. Gwen really starts to get flirty and Mary Jane isn't no slouch either. Peter has more time to study and Aunt May's health improves. 

Things are going great for Peter, but other people are taking advantage of Spider-man's disappearance. Wilson Fisk proclaims himself the new Kingpin of crime, by proceeding with a plan to run the underworld like a business with himself as the chairman of the board. The Kingpin is a great Spider-man villain. John Romita Sr has created the most perfect arch-foe for the Web-slinger. 

The Kingpin's iconic image hasn't changed much over the years, as there's very little reason to change it, it's absolutely perfect. He is very hard to defeat as he manipulates the law so that he never gets sent to prison, which makes him an ideal opponent to square off against our hero without having to find a clumsy way of getting him out of jail every month.

You can take the hero out of the costume, but you can't take the hero out of the man. Peter over hears a cry of help from a watchman as he's attacked by two criminals. Instinctively Peter rushes to help, leaping from his bike and scaling a wall without worry that his identity might be found out, not when there is danger to another's life. The thugs don't get time to see Peter's face as he knocks them out in a panel similar to one from last week when Spider-man KO'd the Vulture and Kraven. Cleverly done by Lee and Romita, the watchman bears an uncanny resemblance to Peter's late Uncle Ben. Making Peter remember the hard lesson he learned shortly after gaining his powers. That is "with great powers comes great responsibility!" Peter performs another Spider-man feat while in civvies, climbing the walls of the Daily Bugle to recover his wall mounted costume from Jameson's office.

Lee and Romita bookend 50 issues of the Amazing Spider-man comic with a wonderful story. Letting everyone know that Spider-man is back in action! And as far as the world, rival comic companies, web-slinger fans or those who belittle him, or Spidey's friends and foes are concerned...they better believe it!

The in-house advert for the Mighty World of Marvel and the Avengers weeklies in this weeks Spider-man Comics Weekly follows the design of the ad featured in MWOM #63. Showing the cover for MWOM instead of SMCW with a big text box arrow highlighting the Hulk's adventure in "Shanghaied in space" where he meets the Galaxy Master! As well as mentioning the Origin of Doctor Doom in the pages of that issue.

The Web and the Hammer

 Pete and Kev jointly write in to propose cutting Spider-man's page count down by half to ten pages which would create room for either Iron Man, the Avengers or Captain America. They seem to be pushing for old shell-head as they inclosed a drawing of the armoured Avenger. The two lads would also like to see small model kits of Marvel characters which they could build. C. Horn from Worcestershire like's SMCW but adds there is one thing wrong with it, "no Iron Man." Did the editors print these letters because they wanted to test the water for things that are coming in 1974. Micheal Nicholson from Westmorland who has recognised two pictures from the Web and the Hammer letter page from SMCW #16, as the work of the "great" John Romita, who he thinks draw Spider-man better than any other artist. I completely agree with that! Pedro Daurat from London reads Spider-man every week and believes that those stories are far from monotonous. 

D. Wilde from Glasgow wants to see more Marvel heroes each week instead of two Hulk stories the adventures from another hero could be printed. D. would also like to see some of Stan Lee's soapbox columns printed in the British weeklies. D. also wonders what's happened to the colour from the inside of the British weeklies? Slovanni Bellusei writes saying that the Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly tops their list of fantastic comics.  Slovanni wants less ads inside the weeklies and more pin-up pages so that he can fill his scrap books with them. 

The Mighty Thor "With my hammer in hand...!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Journey into Mystery #120

Cover date September 1965

(Published in July 1965)

 Thor uses a steel foundry in Pittsburgh to repair his damaged enchanted hammer, returning its magical powers of flight after the Destroyer had sliced one edge off it two issues ago. Thor takes time to demonstrate the power of his hammer to the steel workers, thanking them for the use of their equipment. Thor them stops to take stock of the last few days after losing the "Trial of the Gods" to a cheating Loki. Recounting that the return of Loki's Norn Stones will prove the God of Mischief's deceit. Thor examines the stones before continuing his journey to Asgard, only to drop one of the stones that is destined to unleash future tales for Marvel readers in upcoming comics. Odin decrees that Thor won the "Trial of the Gods" fairly. But I do wonder didn't Odin only give Thor 48 hours to prove Loki's deceptions? I guess Lee and Kirby must have forgot. This is only the start of another great adventure for the Thunder God, more next week.

The Avengers #13

This weeks Avengers cover has been drawn by Ron Wilson with Frank Giaoia or Mike Esposito adding the inks. The lower half, featuring Quicksilver, Captain America, Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch is used in the in-house adverts from MWOM and SMCW this week. A bit of me would have like to have seen the Jack Kirby cover from The Avengers #16 (US edition) used for this comic, but in many ways this cover makes perfect visual sense. I do like it, but not as much as this weeks Spider-man or Hulk covers.

The Avengers "The old order changeth!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The Avengers #16

Cover date May 1965

(Published in March 1965)

It's a landmark title "The old order changeth!" but "changeth" isn't a real word. At least not in any Oxford English Dictionary. Stan takes a word and makes it Shakespearean, so that it gives the whole story more importance. Lee had previous, especially in the pages of Thor tales, where his use of language may not have been accurate. I like it, the English language should always evolve, it always has and it alway will, but I imagine that there are some academics who wince when reading or hearing the title. This adventure continues from last week with Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man and the Wasp defeating the Masters of Evil in New York, all be it the Enchantress and the Executioner do escape.

While in the Amazon jungle Cap buries Baron Zemo's body and fights some nazi stragglers, before making a long journey back to New York. If truth be said it takes a reasonable amount of time to get back to New York when compared to the speed it took Cap to get from New York to the Amazon Jungle last week. Nick Caputo pointed out that some of this week's Avengers artwork had been adjusted by another artist, his blog suggests that the little known artist Karl Hubbell was asked to make the changes. It's an interesting read if you have the time.

In New York the Avengers are contemplating individually a leave of absence, what with Thor of on his "Trial of the Gods" epic, when a smoke arrow alerts them to an intruder. The mislead archer, Hawkeye wants to start his hero career again as he had never intended to be an outcast or an enemy of society, getting mixed up with foreign agents and the Black Widow was a mistake. He hopes to apply for Avengers membership. 

This gives the three Avengers an idea, that if they find replacements for themselves they can have a leave of absence. They foolishly ask Namor if he wants to join them, which brings a flat "No!" Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch read a newspaper report saying that the Avengers are looking for new recruits. Tony Stark greets the two siblings at the train station which leads to one of the weirdest connected panels ever as the two mutants are in civvies one panel and then full costume the next. I know that Pietro is quick but how do you explain his sister?

Cap returns with Rick Jones to find new faces and his old friends leaving. He quickly accepts this and agrees to become the next leader of the Avengers with a group of ex-villains as his charges. Iron Man leaves them with one piece of advise, to bolster their fighting strength find the Hulk and add him to their ranks. So there you have it "the old order changeth!" An historic tale.

Avengers Unite!

The old letter page title returns this week, with James May from Aberdeenshire the first letter writer, who wants to see the Avengers team up with Spider-man. That did kind of happen five weeks ago. Kevin Pratt from Yorkshire (I think it should be Kevin and his name is printed as Kevil, could it be K-Evil? a great super-villain name.) writes saying that the Avengers glossy covers are sensational! But the Avengers need tougher villains to fight.  

Micheal O'Doherty from Portsmouth really digs the three British Marvel weeklies but would like to see more sci-fi tales like "Tales of the Watcher". More of the X-Men and the introduction of Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos. Plus a colour monthly with the Watcher, the X-Men and the Howlers in it. D. J. Mullholland from County Durham thinks the Avengers is perfect, but does list a few ideas to improve it.

Doctor Strange "Mordo must not catch me!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: George Roussos 

Originally published in Strange Tales #125

Cover date October 1964

(Published in July 1964)

For some reason the Doctor Strange story from Strange Tales issue 124 wasn't printed in the UK. It was titled "The Lady From Nowhere!" a story in which the Doctor spots a mysterious spectral woman who is locked in a trance who turns out to be Cleopatra and he has to travel into the past to save the Egyptian Queen from an evil wizard called Zota. Maybe Marvel felt that British readers wouldn't enjoy it, who really knows. Instead we get the next adventure in which Baron Mordo imprisons the Ancient One (again,) to have his revenge on Doctor Strange. The two mystics fight each other across the continents to reach the Himalayas to free the Ancient One from the Crimson Circle of Cyttorak. This is the first time they have been named and seen, although the are more commonly known as the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. It's a short and sweet tale, but in many ways quite cheap. They could have printed the Cleopatra tale instead of this one for me.

The Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly Double Dynamite in-house ad isn't as dynamic as the in-house ads in those two weeklies. Still we get the message.

As promised in last weeks British Marvel weeklies another pocket money competition. You could have won a pound every week for a year if you answered five questions correctly, collected two money coupons and was the first entry out of the draw. They called it the "Final Pocket Money Competition" so in 1973 this was your last chance. Here's the five questions.
 

1) Which Scottish lake is thought to be the home of a sea-monster? 

a) Loch Lomond

b) Loch Ness

c) Loch Tess

2) Where can lions be found in England?

a)Longleat

b) Dartmoor

c) The Cheviot Hills

3) Which island is sometimes called "the Emerald Isle"? 

a) Greenland

b) Ireland

c) Corsica

4) The Hulk's best friend is? 

a) Betty Ross

b) Ben Grimm

c) Rick Jones

5) The largest member of the Avengers is sometimes known as? 

a) the Wasp

b) Ant Man

c) Tony Stark

Your entries had to be in by the 28th December 1973 so I guess that makes my chance of winning it zero, unless I nick a Tardis off one of the Doctors.

Speaking of the Doctor I might just make a blog about the Doctor Who 60th Specials soon so keep an eye open for that, it will be within my regular Week Ending blogs. If not there'll always be next weeks Power of the Beesting look back at British Marvel weeklies from 50 years ago. So until then...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.