The coming of...a magnificent New Year!

Week Ending 5th January 1974

1973 has been quite a successful year for British Marvel Comics with three successful titles cementing Marvel super-heroes becoming play ground names with many kids getting the Fleetway Marvel Annual 1974 as a great present under the Christmas tree, creating more fans who will lap up the adventures of the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Spider-man, the mighty Thor, the Avengers or Doctor Strange. With big changes and loads to look forward too around the corner the new year looks an exciting time to be a Marvel fan.  

The Mighty World of Marvel #66

This week's MWOM uses the cover from the Incredible Hulk #114 by Herb Trimpe and Dan Adkins supplying  the finishing inks, with certain adjustments made for the British version. First obvious adjustment is the Sandman's costume colour change, which has been christened by some the "Christmas decoration" version. A little harsh but still topical and funny. May be they thought that there was too much green already on the cover. The Sandman is lowered on the British version, possibly so that he wouldn't cover up the comic title, although it was big on the US version. The platform and story title are removed to create more space. Betty Ross is also removed. Did the UK editors think that girls on boys comics wouldn't sell on British newsstands?

The Incredible Hulk "At last I will have my revenge!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #114

Cover date April 1969

(Published in January 1969)

I've been quite kind when giving my opinion on Herb Trimpe's artwork, although many in future UK letter pages point out that his pencil has started to get blunter and his fine lines have been getting thicker. I think this point in his career has started to show that flaw, although I'd always believe it to be a style choice rather than an art tools issue, he still creates beautiful panel angles with fantastic use of their positioning to fill a page. My major gripe about the Hulk stories originally from the late 60's and early 70's was the constant use of a big villain or giant monster of the week for the Hulk to battle without any rhyme, reason or plot. That fault may well lay with Stan Lee's plotting and writing, but the showman always gives what the readers wanted.

Yeah, I guess that was what readers wanted, more big battles. I guess I was more of an intelligent plotted story reader, or at least I thought so, than a "bonkers battle" reader, that's why I liked Spider-man more than the Hulk. As I got older I really got the charm of these old Hulk stories and lived my second childhood. This week's plot sees the Mandarin want revenge of the Hulk so while viewing the Hulk encounter with the Sandman he decides to form an alliance with the villain.

Betty Ross has started to become more involved in these stories, after a little while on the sidelines. She seems to have grown up some, becoming a 60's child with miniskirt and 60's hairdo, it's quite a change from her previous appearance. Betty feels quite odd in the Hulk stories as the only woman to make regular appearances. I don't think Herb Trimpe is very good or interested in drawing women.

What Trimpe is really good at drawing is big battles and spectacular looking monsters, so for that his absolutely great on the Hulk strip. Sandman, a Spider-man and sometimes Fantastic Four villain, always felt a little shoehorned into the Hulk strip, but really he works well and matches the power of the Hulk in a fighting sense. The Hulk is still more than a match for the Mandarin and the Sandman as you can well expect. The Sandman's fate is imaginative,  With the conclusion of this week's action as the Mandarin's plans fail as the Hulk overcomes them both so he sacrifices the Sandman by allowing him to fall into a vat of boiling chemicals while he makes his escape. The result is Flint Marko's sand molecules are changed into glass. The image and idea are fantastic and well worth the price of the comic alone.

The Mighty World of Marvel has a full page listing the big changes coming to British Marvel soon in the new year. But more on that later.

The mighty Marvel mailbag

P.J. Swindells writes to ask what has happened to Daredevil? Well the editor reply brings good news but again more on that later. Dr. Stephen (Doug) Strange, possibly a made up name, has collected Marvel comics since 1966 but stopped in 1968 when he believed he was too old to read comics. But since British Marvel released MWOM followed by SMCW and the Avengers he's gotten back on the reading horse, enjoying the very best of Jack Kirby. Martin Delk from Yorkshire, another DD fan who must be excited at the news I'll go through later. The next letter is from the father of the gods, the omnipotent Zeus, from mount Olympus in Greece, who is angered that his son hasn't had more appearances than the "green skinned answer to Joe Frazier." To be honest I'm not sure this letter is from a Greek God and could be another made up name. 

Soon to be regular letter writer Jim Ivers from Dublin writes a letter of length about the decrease in the page count for MWOM and SMCW and the drop in paper quality. He's noticed cuts in the Hulk story but doesn't want to see the letter page length cut. Jim suggests that if the British comics are 32 pages 20 pages could be used for one story while the rest used for pin-ups, letter pages and ads. Another solution would be to have the MWOM return to having 40 pages. He would like to have a readers survey to find out who their favourite characters are and would an increase in price be acceptable if it meant an increase in page count. Jonathan Priddey  from Walsall cannot figure out why Mister Fantastic doesn't snap. Dave Cox from Stroud is a new reader but thinks it would be a good idea to have two pages of swap shop. Alex Price of West Lothian who thinks that taking Daredevil out of MWOM was a good idea. Guess he might not be happy at the up coming news. But as they say you can't please everyone all the time. 

The Fantastic Four "The final victory of Dr. 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)

At last British Marvel uses the original title for this story as part three's closing title on this catch up page. Reed breaks Doom's hypnotic spell over the Human Torch and the Thing allowing the battle is carried over to the Baxter Building where the evil Doctor Doom makes his last attempt at destroying the Fantastic Four. 

Mister Fantastic challenges Doom to a final confrontation with a battle of minds. Reed offers the Doctor a toast of a drink before they use Richard's powerful Encephalo-Gun. Encephalo from the Greek meaning "combining form related to the brain". It's a lovely bit of Kirby tech that is used as a simple metaphor to arrange a battle of minds. Little by little the super villain sees panic fill the face of his opponent until Mister Fantastic very form grows dimmer and dimmer, eventually it completely fades from sight. With victory over his ex-university colleague Doctor Doom leaves the Fantastic Four as he has no further interest in any of them at takes his leave. Sue, Ben and Johnny are stunned that Doom walks away as Reed leans against a wall and allows him too. Reed explains that he had given Doom the same berry drink that Doom had given Sue, Ben and Johnny, allowing the mind with the stronger mentality to create an illusion of victory over the weaker mind. One in which Doom had defeated Richards. Over the last three weeks, this FF story had seemed to have been rushed Understandable as it was originally the last story in an annual which would have tighten up the deadlines for the writer and artist as they completed their regular work. I know how that feels. So I can forgive some of the poor artwork,  but in all honesty it's been quite an enjoyable read with some nice ideas. 

The back page from this issue features the double dynamite of advert for British Marvel's other two weeklies. Exciting covers that would make any young Marvelite want to spend their pennies on these hits. So with that let's get on with looking over their contents.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #47

Another cover that uses the original cover of this weeklies headline strip. From John Romita Sr Doc Ock tackles the amazing Spider-man. Much is the same apart from the colour of Doctor Octopus's tentacles, grey in the US version and green in the UK version. Mike Esposito is said to have inked it. If you're interested I'm going to make this my cover of the week.

Spider-man "Enter: Dr. Octopus"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #53

Cover date October 1967

(Published in July1967)

Like many of the stories in early British Marvel I wouldn't read fully until later in my collecting life, unless I peaked at them if my brother had bought them at the time. "Enter: Dr. Octopus" was one story that I read much later. Well over ten years later in fact, in the pages of the incredible iconic Marvel UK monthly The Daredevils issue 3, from March 1983. I was in my teenage years then and this was the most grown up comic that I bought. It had Alan Moore's and Alan Davis's Captain Britain, Roger McKenzie's and Frank Miller's Daredevil, articles by Alan Moore and tucked away at the back was a Stan Lee and John Romita Sr Spider-man story from the 60's (which had come over from the cancelled Spider-man Pocket Book,)  that pulled its weight and wasn't afraid to rub shoulders with these new kids. Yeah it's run in the monthly wouldn't last long, in truth the magazine wouldn't too, more is the pity, as this comic even with its strange mix was absolutely amazing. 

British Marvel comics from the 70's were pretty darn well cool too. That why inspired by what my brother was reading and becoming a serious collector in the late 70's and early 80's I made it my mission to collect all those early British Marvels and I'm so glad I did because I got to read this gem again. Peter Parker is really becoming a more mature character, with a growing cast like Gwen Stacy who is really becoming attached to our hero. Harry and Flash do sometimes fall into the old rolls of bullies but only so that Gwen can show how much she feels for Peter.   
  

Before I said that Herb Trimpe can't or possibly doesn't want to draw girls, John Romita Sr can and really does want to draw them. He can draw them in any decade from the 60's and 70's to 80's, capturing the feminine look to a tee. It's no wonder Peter falls for Ms Stacy I think as a kid, or a teenager, or as a middle aging man she's always caught my eye. It might be worth noticing that she and Peter might have caught Professor Warren's eye here too, but in a different way, that will play out in later stories.

Professor Warren has invited Peter to a science exposition. The Professor tells Peter that he can also take a guest, so in turn he invites Gwen to come along too. Was this the Professor's intention all along? One uninvited guest at the expo was Doctor Octopus who had escaped a watery death in his last encounter with the web-slinger. As much as Romita can draw the girls he's also a master of action scenes. Just look at the panel to the right as Octavius disposes of the guards to steel the new US missile defence weapon called the Nullifer which is being displayed at the science expo.

In the confusion Peter slips out and changes into our webbed hero to confront his arch-enemy. It's nice to see that Gwen is more concerned about Peter than the danger that is going on around her. And she doesn't connect Peter's quick exit with Spidey's dynamic entrance. Some might say a little "hair-brained", but don't you colour my Gwen in any bad light, she's just showing how much she really loves Peter, alright! Doc Ock does escape but thanks to Spider-man's intervention, without the Nullifier. He does slip away with a gift of a Spider-tracer instead.

Peter returns making up an excuse that he was looking for a camera, into the welcoming arms of Gwen. I think it's safe to say that she wants Peter and herself to become an item. With her being the only girl to never ask for an explanation whenever he rushes of to change into his webbed red and blue long johns Gwen makes perfect girlfriend material. That and she's crazily beautiful too helps.

Doc Ock finds the little Spider-tracer so the fiend sets up a trap for our webbed hero. A dummy of himself in a dark room sitting at a control panel, with the Spider-tracer luring Spidey into the Doctor's devious booby-trapped explosive panel. Betting on the sheer simplicity of his trap that will make it virtually escape proof the Doctor leaves to find somewhere to set up again and plan his next move.

Of course this doesn't fool Spidey or his Spider-sense and he trigger the explosion with a web ball, but where will Doc Ock turn up next? It could be somewhere that Peter won't be happy with. A lot of the early Spider-man stories were more Ditko's work than Lee's, whereas Romita Sr and Lee is possibly more of a partnership with both sharing the plot ideas, Romita smashing the page layout and artwork, all wrapped up with Lee's scripts on top form.

 A Marvel Masterwork Pin-up that features the invisible Iron Man, coming soon to Spider-man Comics Weekly. News on that very, very soon. This artwork is by Jack Kirby.

Another double dynamite from the Magnificent Marvel! This in-house advert is presented on the inside black and white pages, page twenty one to be precise. That nicely leaves the colour back page for something a bit more special.

The Web and the Hammer

Stephen Rounds from Bilston wants to congratulate Marvel on how good Spider-man Comics Weekly issues 38 and 39 were. He adds that Peter Parker seems to have gotten into the same "muddle" with girls as he did before, stating that in college it was Betty Brant and Liz Allen, now it's Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy. The current "muddle" is a really nice "muddle" to be in. Thomas Holloway from London Derry who wants to swap some items with other comic fans. Thomas isn't there a swap shop page for that sort of thing. Paul Brookes from Manchester thinks that Thor deserves a bigger spot than he is currently getting. Sula Jacovicks from London got her older brother to write this letter to say that she is an eight year old girl who draws Marvel pictures and  wants to read comics when she grows older. I suspect he was meant to write in the letter that she wants to write or draw comics when she is older, as she asks how Marvel staff started their comics and where they get their ideas from? Quentin Bradford from Middlesex who wants to see loads of interesting clashes with various heroes and villains. He recently  purchased Marvel Annual 1974 and would highly recommend it. He's not wrong there.

Mark Hampson F.F.F.M, what ever that means, asks a few questions, 1) who is stronger Spidey or Captain America? 2) When will DD be back? 3) In The Avengers #7 John Gleeson asked why don't they bring out a British hero? Mark also would like to know that too. 4) How does the Wasp fly? 5) How does Spidey grip through his Spider-suit? 6) When is he going to receive FOOM #3? Well because it's Christmas I'll try to answer them, 1) Spider-man does, 2) Some time in January, more on that later, 3) It's a great idea, wait till you see the Black Knight and Captain Britain in a couple of years time. 4) With her tiny wings. 5) through the super thin material, it's no problem. 6) The editor says by the time you get to read this letter, but honestly I wouldn't have a clue. Donald Barwick R.F.O. wants to build up a larger collection of American Marvel comics, but he does buy the three British weeklies every week and asks does this make him qualify for a R.F.O. award? In Britain it does so he gets to add Real Frantic One after his name.

The mighty Thor "The final battle!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Journey into Mystery #121

Cover date October 1965

(Published in August 1965)

Another great use of the cover from the original US comic that this story appeared in, as an opening splash page for this week's second-half. Although new text boxes are added to fill the reader in on what happened last week, there are no creator credits. The image ties in very nicely, continuity wise, with Thor's continued battle against the Absorbing Man. Panels after panels of battling titans. 

Yeah it's a great action story but there is one part of this tales sub plot that intrigues me though. Nurse Jane Foster's situation where a mysterious hooded man keeps her in an apartment and asks her to stay away from the windows. Even though I've read this story before and the following Thor tales in SMCW I can't for the life of me think who that turns out to be. Jane says his voice sounds vaguely familiar but that doesn't help me. Why would the man need to keep his identity a secret? Maybe he's just a weirdo! I guess I'll have to keep reading to find out next week.

Big changes from Marvel coming in January 1974. New from the Mighty World of Marvel the return of Daredevil. OK he isn't exactly new to that comic but that's how the advert is pushing it. While in Spider-man Comics Weekly issue 50 joining Spider-man and Thor comes the power of Iron Man. As well as having three 'big" stories each magazine gets an increase in page count up to 36 pages and new glossy full colour covers just like the Avengers.

Some people will love the changes, especially the return of DD and the the introduction of Iron Man in his own strip but some will lament the end of the matt newsprint covers. You can't please everyone all the time. Even 2000AD went on to have glossy covers. The newsprint covers would return, especially in Dez Skinn's Marvel revolution era. Some readers would hate them too, but soon the glossy cover would come back as standard. For me, when I think of British Marvel weeklies I think of three (or four strips,) and glossy covers. Each to their own. Either way we've got them for quite a bit.

The Avengers #16

The original cover the Avengers #19 by Jack Kirby is said to be by many a classic. I can't say I was a big fan of it, much preferring this cover created especially by Ron Wilson and Klaus Janson. It does show that the Swordsman is no push over. Not as good as this weeks Spider-man Comics Weekly cover though. 

The Avengers "The coming of...the Swordsman!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The Avengers #19

Cover date August 1965

(Published in June 1965)

I got some feed back from some people not enjoying last week's Avengers tale, I can't be sure they won't like this tale either. Although personally I do think it's an improvement. Stan and Don introduce a new villain, one of which matches the power levels of the new Avengers. Playing withe the popularity of Hawkeye instead of a bow and arrow hero we get a sword swinging villain. I guess that either or both Stan and Don liked Errol Finn films.

The Swordsman believes that an Avengers I.D. card would allow him to get anywhere and away with anything, so he's off to join the assemblers as his ego believes that "those costumed do-gooders would be fools to reject his membership". He breaks into the Avengers mansion and confronts Cap, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Putting up a reasonable show the Scarlet Witch downs him with a Hex bolt. After Cap checks the Swordsman credentials with European law agencies  they fine out that he is dangerous and wanted in a dozen countries. He escapes before Hawkeye enters. After hearing the name Swordsman Hawkeye recalls his own origin and how the Swordsman had taught him to use the bow and arrow in a circus. The archer also recalled how the Swordsman had stolen from the circus paymaster and had tied to kill his young apprentice when he had confronted him, leaving him for dead.

Remember that letter from Captain America to Nick Fury, asking for a job last issue? Well it got to Fury's office but a group of Hydra agents stole it, thinking it was worth something. Finding it worthless to them, they discarded it. The letter finds its way down the criminal underworld and into the hands of the Swordsman. Replying to it as Nick Fury, Cap is offered a job with the SHIELD, all part of a plan to trap Captain America and force him to grant the Swordsman Avengers membership. Hawkeye stops some criminals who tell him of the Swordsman's plan. The trap works and Cap is captured. It's a vast improvement on last week's adventure, but can the three new Avengers save their leader? Find out next week. 

Avengers Assemble

Edwin Clarke R.F.O. Rotherham unlike me thinks that Doctor Strange battling Baron Mordo is fantastic, I'm getting a little bored of it. David Sharrock from Lancashire who wants to give the Marvel editor some positivity even if other letter writers seem not too, he believes that their comments aren't meant to be overly negative. Frank Lythgoe from Wigan says it's about time his letter was printed as he has written in five times before. How does he know it's going to get printed? He's eagerly awaiting the time when the Defenders meet the Avengers. Well Frank you're going to have to wait nearly four years to see that in British Marvels. Jimmy Kavangh from Kildare reads the Mighty World of Marvel and the Avengers every week, he's prepared to pay more money for more pages and a longer Doctor Strange strip every week. 

I have to say I really like the Iron Man image in the centre of the letter page, it looks really cool. Trever Pickering from Birmingham thinks that the Avengers weekly is brilliant and would like to see another weekly with Daredevil and the X-Men in it. Cameron Smith from Norfolk wants the Silver Surfer in the pages of the Avengers as well as Doctor Strange. Billy Montgomery wants to know if Marvel are producing models of their super-heroes. David Holmes also from Birmingham suggests that they put adverts on the back of the Marvel Masterwork Pin-ups so that when cut out it doesn't spoil the great stories. Stephen Hankinson from Lancashire wants to know why the Melter nearly destroyed Iron Man's armour even though it's made from secretly tempered and hardened lightweight steal? Russell Thompson from Warrington has a few complaints, first up Doctor Strange isn't long enough and he's always facing the same villains. Finally Alex Casey from Staffordshire wonders why Captain America has a shield? Can't he dodge laser beams like all the other Avengers can? Cap without a shield, that doesn't bear thinking about!

Doctor Strange "The Demon's disciple!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: George Roussos 

Originally published in Strange Tales #128

Cover date January 1965

(Published in October 1964)

In this week's mystic tale Doctor Strange is visited by a disciple who tries to warn the Doctor of his master known as the Demon, just before the man disappears. Tracking the Demon to his lair, Strange is trapped by the Demon who uses a spell that casts the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Unable to free himself the Doctor sends his spirit self to learn a way to free himself. 

It's a fairly tame Doctor Strange story but Ditko makes good use of his new Amulet and cloak of levitation to defeat the evil mystic in combat. Ending with Strange casting a spell that makes the Demon renounce the mystic arts for the purposes of evil. I kind of like these quick reads, it fills the page count and wraps up the mag nicely. 

Speaking of a nice treat another Marvel Masterwork Pin-up from Jack Kirby, or was it John Romits Sr? As a new year competition, with absolutely no prize but a Power of the Beesting No-Prize can anyone identify the artist and where this artwork was originally from?

The Avengers glossy full colour back page is fittingly used as an in-house advert for the big changes to the Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly in the new year, showing how good those covers might look in spectacular glossy colour. This version makes great use of the Daredevil and Spider-man images painted by Spanish artist Rafael López Espí. Wow, wouldn't they make great pin-up posters? Maybe in the future, who knows? The only way to find out is to either flick through you're British Marvel collection or stick with the Power of the Beesting each week as we continue our nostalgic trip back in time when life was easier and comics where brilliant! 

All to be continued... next year!

Have a Happy New Year!

Have fun, stay safe and I'll....

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.