Weaving a tangled web!

Week Ending 6th April 1974

Well Shang-Chi certainly got people talking and not all of it bad, a small amount had some good things to say, like Gary Bell via the Mighty World of British Comics Facebook group who really likes Ron Wilson's Avengers cover that featured the kung fu master, Lee Mason via UK Marvel in the Seventies Facebook group, loved the arrival of Shang-Chi adding the stories got better and but not everyone from that group agreed. Derek Eaton felt robbed after a great run of Avengers covers when Shang-Chi arrived, although he does admit issue 28 was a good cover. Alan Russell, also from UK Marvel in the Seventies Facebook group was a bit unhappy with Kung Fu (and later Conan,) intruding on the Avengers. Mike Teague was gutted when Shang-Chi arrived because he wasn't interested in Master of Kung Fu, it also halved the Avengers material per week and lost them the cover spot in their own title. He does admit he loves those stories now though. Mike also wondered was it selling badly? Mark Lotinga commented on last week's blog that "Shang-Chi was more ham-fisted than iron-fisted" adding for him "this is the first clearly identifiable miss-step from Marvel UK". Also in the comments Rod Tough wondered was the Avengers selling poorly in comparison to the other comics and drastic action was needed to rapidly push up sales? Well that's a very good point, Let's have a look.

Well I tried to get some sales figures for the Avengers weekly, I really did, but I came up with zero results for that year. What I did come across was an article from the DownTheTubes.net, a fantastic site for those of you who are interested in old and new British comics, run by one time Marvel UK editor, John Freeman. The article looks at sales figures for various vintage British comics, sadly no data on 70's UK Marvel comics was released but as a comparison it might be interesting to look at the figures for popular 70's "Boys" comic Lion published by  International Publishing Company or IPC Magazines Ltd if you like. In 1974 the average weekly sales would be 144, 908 comics, which sounds pretty impressive but let's take it back to 1970 then it was merged with the Eagle it had figures of 236,714. The next year it did less well with 205,766, but still pretty good. In 1972 Lion merged again but this time with  another IPC "boys" comic, Thunder. Together they pull in an average 237, 354 readers, a jump back to figures seen in 1970. Lion and Thunder figures dropped again in 1973 to 180, 950, so 1974's figures meant that Lion would merge with Valiant to become Valiant and Lion. That's pretty much the way of life for British comics, "Hatch, Match and Dispatch." So how does that relate to the Avengers? Well after half a year or around issue 25, the powers that be may have looked at the sales figures and compared them to MWOM and SMCW and thought that the Avengers weekly needed a soft reboot to keep readers interested. It must have worked or may be the figures stayed pretty constant anyway because the comic lasted till July 1976 when it reached issue 148 before merging with the Mighty World of Marvel, granted the Avengers did merge with the Savage Sword of Conan in July 1975 after Conan's own comic had only lasted 18 issues. While looking for British Marvel sale figures I came across the US sale figures for 1973-1974, which you might say is irrelevant for British figures but it was quite interesting anyway. The Amazing Spider-man averaged 288,232 per issue the second best for that year behind Mad magazine whose average was an incredible 2,132,655 copies. Third was Super-man with 285,634, yeah I don't know who he is neither. The Fantastic Four came in 9th with 218,330, Thor was 11th with 205,838, the Hulk was 14th with 202,592 and the Avengers were 24th with 188,084. I must admit that Britain's Lion comic does seem to have pretty good figures for a country with a smaller population. Maybe the Brits let their kids read more. More on that kind of thing can be found at R S Martin's blog.

I like to thank all of those who expressed an opinion, as ever all are welcome. The final word, at least for this week, on Master of Kung Fu comes from Stephen Roddam from the Make Mine Marvel UK Facebook group, who commented "MOKF became one of my top 3 titles alongside the Byrne X-Men run and Tomb Of Dracula but when it took over The Avengers I was horrified. Issue 29 was even worse, Shang-Chi took over the corner box! Heresy!" Well we'll take a look at issue 29 in a minute or two, but first...

The Mighty World of Marvel #79

This Herb Trimpe cover, originally from the Incredible Hulk #122, is going to be my Cover of the Week. Not because it's the best drawn cover, no this cover is functional and has a reasonable amount of action, suspense and drama but it isn't one of Trimpe's greatest triumphs. It's better than this week's other covers and I'll give you reasons why they don't win the CotW award elsewhere. Anyway I'm a sucker for artwork that see's my favourite heroes in action against each other. There is one alteration on this cover from the original one, Johnny Storm's girlfriend, the Inhuman Crystal has been removed from the window in which Sue Storm and herself viewed the testosterone fuelled battle. I have to be honest maybe Trimpe should have left them both out of the cover, it almost feels like they had to be squeezed in to make them relevant. 

This advert was placed on the inside front page of MWOM and the Avengers weekly amongst the adverts for Airfix construction kits and Charles Atlas's "Dynamic-Tension" book. Its target audience would probably be considerably younger than the general age group of a Marvel comic, which I imagine would fall anywhere between 7 years old and a teenager but maybe this was a tactical placing. If older siblings  became tired of their younger brother or sister reading their cherished Marvel comic they could encourage their parents to buy this toddlers comic. I can't remember reading Tom & Jerry Weekly as a child but I do remember getting TV Comic that featured the two cartoon favourites. I was happy with it at the time but I still desperately wanted to read my older brother's mags. Tom & Jerry Weekly merged with TV Comic on the 10th August 1974 after 43 issues. Another case of "Hatch, Match and Dispatch!" 

The Incredible Hulk "The Hulk's last fight!"

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Herb Trimpe

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #122

Cover date December 1969

(Published in September 1969)

Couple of things worth noting with this story's inclusion in this weekly is that it is mostly a complete story with only panels 4 to 6 from the original page ten deleted together with panels 1 and 2 deleted from the following page, a sub-plot that saw a USAF spotter plane reviewing the train wreckage and General Ross, Major Talbot and Betty Ross discussing events that occurred in last week's issue, so no real loss. What the UK readers did lose was a Fantastic Four story, that was removed to fit the "full length" Hulk tale, as they would be guest starring in the Hulk strip anyway, having a second FF story in the same issue would cause some confusion. 

The second thing worth noting is Artie Simek is given credit as inking this story, which wasn't true, he had lettered the comic. Herb Trimpe had inked his own artwork. The confusion may have come from the original credits that read "with the ink-splattering aid of Artie Simek, letterer." An in-joke that held no malice as Simek's lettering was always neat and tidy. 

At my age I do have a love for Herb Trimpe's artwork but that does have its limits. He must have been having an off week as I think some of this week's work to be at a lower standard than his best. Most obvious in that comes from his rendition of the Fantastic Four. To be fair he can't compete with Kirby's own version of the FF. Another curious anomaly as mentioned in my review of this week's cover, is Johnny Storm's girlfriend Crystal. She does appear but is only given one line to say and is never named by any other character. I did think that her presence had been edited down to the bare minimum by the UK editors as she had yet to make her first chronological appearance in the FF stories but that wasn't the case. Her appearance and input to this story is exactly the same in the original US version.

Reed Richards believes he has discovered a way to cure Bruce Banner of his Hulk infliction. Seeing the breakthrough in a newspaper headline Banner travels to New York with his own notes on a possible cure tied to his waist. At the Baxter Building an overzealous security guard who had been hired to replace a guard whose wife had just given birth and so hadn't been briefed that Bruce Banner should be let in, stops the unshaven Banner. The tension and argument sets off the inevitable transformation, beautifully illustrated in the seven parallel panels by Trimpe showing the man turning into monster bit by bit.

As you would expect we get a clash of super-strong super-heroes as the Thing and the Hulk clash for the first time since they last battled in MWOM #50, which for British readers was five and a half months ago, for US readers they had to wait five years and seven months between the those two adventures in the original US editions. Sue Storm (although this story takes place after the wedding of Reed and Sue which UK readers haven't seen yet, so technically she should be called Sue Richards,) find the fallen notes from Banner with a possible cure, to Reed. While the Thing keeps the Hulk busy Richards loads a "sonic blaster" with both his and Banner's formulas, taking the shot the Hulk falls into unconsciousness. Would the cure work? Find out next week.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Paul Hurt from Surrey spotted that the names of Doctor Strange and the Sub-Mariner on the cover of MWOM #57 but neither featured inside. Ian Rushbury from Birmingham would pay a bit extra for colour inside the weeklies and considers merging all three mags together to a make a giant comic called the Mighty World of Marvel, in full colour and priced at 25 pence. I'm not sure how that would go down with readers. Peter Yallea from Cardiff thinks MWOM is fantastic as the Hulk isn't afraid of anything. Stuart Riley from Oldham thinks that the weeklies are good but could be better if each story was given 20 pages per week. David Woodhouse KOF, RFO, QNS, PMM, FFF, from Notts thinks that the X-Men should get their own comic with Iron Man and another Marvel feature as Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch were first introduced in an early X-Men story and it would save a lot of explaining when they join the Avengers. Yeah it would have, but it's a little too late now. 

Stephen Halliday from Scotland says he heard on TV that Marvel Comics were going to be banned! Goodness knows where he got that from, the editor says not to believe everything you see on television, Marvel is here to stay. Mervyn Down from County Armagh questions why every time Spider-man clenches his fist it doesn't shoot webbing. Johathan James from Carms asks does the Hulk fight on the side of good or evil? Well JJ the Hulk doesn't consciously fight on either side, he just fights. Fredrick Hayes from Swansea wants to know are there really such things as gamma rays and could they transform a person into a being like the Hulk? Yep gamma rays are real but what effect they have on individual people is impossible to say. Tom Proudfoot wants to tell all that Marvel mags are great, adding may we have some more pin-ups in colour? Well if he reads the back page of any of this week's mags he would get a nice surprise. 

 A page full of in-house ads for this week's Avengers weekly and Spider-man Comics Weekly. They might look great when you see them on your computer/tablet/phone screen but on the printed page they looked a little dark. The toner was very heavy with the tones again. Take a closer look at the bottom of the Avengers cover in this advert, you can only just make out the Avengers, compare it to the in-house advert in this weeks Spider-man Comics Weekly shown later. We'll get to that soon.

Daredevil "Among us...a betrayer!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Bob Powell 

Inker: Wally Wood

Originally published in Daredevil #11

Cover date November 1965

(Published in September 1965)

The original title for this story was "A time to unmask!" But that would be used as next issues title instead. Stan Lee returns as writer with a text box that states that "now it's sly ol' Stan to put all the pieces together" which pretty much sums up how writing for Marvel worked. Wally Wood stayed on as inker. The style of the story continues with a recount of the Organizer's real identity potential suspects. Naming Milton Monroe, Abner Jones and Barnerd Harris as your choices. Daredevil frees the kidnapped Deborah Harris knowing full well that she was working for the Organizer all the time so that she will lead him the fiends real identity. Confronting her of the truth he sets up a trap with her aid to capture the Frog-Man and take his place. 

Using the Organization's own equipment DD broadcasts to the nation the live footage of the Organizer berating his men for the bundled explosion at the headquarters of the reform party. It goes a little meta for a second as in one household a man reading a newspaper comments that it's too early for "Agent of SHEILD!" Stan intended in that Marvel Universe there was a TV show about a possible agent of SHEILD based on the Nick Fury agent of Shield strip in Strange Tales. I did reading it again this week think of the Agents of SHEILD series that had been broadcast on Channel 4 and can currently be found on Disney+. May be they had Disney+ in that Universe back in 1965, or 1974 if you were a UK viewer. 

British Marvel had been promising readers for ages that a fistful of posters were soon up for grabs. Teasers for them appeared in all the weeklies dated week ending 2rd March that suggested that more details would be revealed next week. No such details came. The teaser in SMCW listed the Silver Surfer with Spider-man and the Hulk amongst the featured posters, although as you can see there is no poster of Norrin Radd on offer. but for some reason readers had to wait over a month to get the offer. Two weeks before that teaser the image from the Hulk poster had been used to advertise "Marvel" (MWOM,) in SMCW #53. Six posters for 90 pence even by 1974 standards was a bargain as each was 22 x 16.5 inches and in full colour with postage, packing and VAT included. The artwork is by the incredibly talented Spanish artist Rafael Lopez Espi who began his career in 1953 drawing war stories for Spanish company Simbolo. Later on he drew romance strips for Britain's Glamour Magazine and later in the 60's he worked for Fleetway producing Western, War and Romance stories. I have to say his style was a head of its time, decades before Alex Ross became king of the painted comic character cover. The figure and form of each character is beautiful. I wish I had a set. Do any POTB readers still own a copy of them?

Spider-man Comics Weekly #60

This pantomime of a cover by Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito won't be winning any Cover of the Week awards any time soon. Fan's might have been shouting "He's behind you!" at the web-slinger as he asks "But where's the Kingpin?" but that doesn't make the cover anymore engaging. The Kingpin himself looks like someone who the Chuckle Brothers would be hiding from. All in all this cover keeps the comic together and nothing more.

Spider-man "What a tangled web we weave..!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr and Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #61

Cover date June 1968

(Published in March 1968)

The opening splash page would have been better used as the cover, it's a belter by John Romita Sr. It's near perfect, apart from a little bit of Don Heck's influence on Harry Osborn's face. but I can forgive that. Peter has got troubles after confronting the brainwashed Captain Stacy over his part in a Police data theft and then selling the photographic evidence of that crime to the Daily Bugle, he's not in Gwen's good books, or the Kingpin's for that matter. Gwen helps her confused father get to the bottom of it all. The Kingpin's men turn up to silence Stacy but unlucky for them the Stacy's are gone but Spidey turns up to make their visit worthwhile. 

It is a tangled web this week as we find out that the scientist and equipment used to brainwash the Kingpin's victims came from Norman Osborn's research facility. Osborn confronts his chief research man, Doctor Winkler (who we've seen before operating the brainwashing machine under the Kingpin's orders but here named for the first time,) about the delivery of expensive equipment. Osborn has no knowledge of his Green Goblin identity, but if he did what a smart twist of fate if he discovered that the Kingpin was using his company as a cover for his operations and it started a turf war between the two criminals. So much continuity would get changed, it would make a fun What If plot. But this universe's adventure ends with an angry Kingpin calling for Peter Parker to be eliminated, the mind-staggering conclusion next week.

Not a Marvel competition but an advert for Scalecraft model kits in the form of a competition with its star prize a Bush 20 inch colour television worth £230. The next 50 runner ups have a choice of one of three Catajets models prizes and a further 50 Scalecraft model kits for the next 50 runners ups, with 17 models to choose from. All you had to do is find the opposite word to each of the words that they used to spell out SCALECRAFT. The competition was free provided you sent in the word Scalecraft cut out from a Scalecraft kit or flying model with your answers or if you where already a member of the Scalecraft club in which case all you need to do was send in your membership number with your answers. Rules and regs in the small print and the closing date was the 28th June 1974. Damn I've missed another one.

Iron Man "A day in the life!"

Writer: Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #45

Cover date September 1963

(Published in June 1963)

The original splash page that opened this story hasn't been used as I assume it will get used next week together with the original title "The icy fingers of Jack Frost!" Instead the new splash page uses the third panel from the tenth page of Tales of Suspense #46, cover dated October 1963, published July 1963. The blown up panel looks a little strange on the printed page but in fairness together with the new text it does work really well and it makes sense not to show the new villain till next week.

We are introduced to two new characters to fill out Tony Starks civilian life. Both of which will be very familiar to fans of the MCU Iron Man films but they don't come across like Jon Favreau and Gwyneth Paltrow in these comics. So first as you've no doubt already guessed comes Happy Hogan, an ex-boxer with a hart of gold but a grumpy disposition who pulls Tony from a crashed sports car he was driving. At Starks request he takes him to a motel so that he can secretly recharge his chest plate rather than take him to hospital. When Happy refuses any kind of reward Tony offers him a job as his chauffeur. 

Next is Pepper Potts Starks new secretary who looks and acts nothing like Ms Paltrow. Pepper is more like a young but sweet personal assistant. Pepper and Happy don't quite hit it off, like they will do in the future, after Pepper calls Happy a battle scarred ex-pug who looks more like Bela Lugosi than Rock Hudson. Pepper sees herself as the next Mrs. Anthony Stark, but at one point Stark refers to her as Kitty. This was a mistake in the original writing but I like to see it as Stark being uninterested in the names of his secretaries. Also introduced in this tale is Stark Industries, and its  primary location in the Long Island area. The story unfolds next week as a villain breaks into the factory's vault that contains vital materials and Tony's cash reserves. I could say things really hot up next week but it'll definitely get colder.

The Web and the Hammer

Sue Tudor reads his copy of SMCW to her brother every week and she really enjoys it very much. David Van Eyssen from London loves both SMCW and MWOM and asks does the Hulk know Thor's secret identity? As he says they used to be "Defenders" together. I think David meant to write Avengers but the answer is no he doesn't. Adrian Sandback says "Hip Hip Hooray" that Iron Man has joined the line up in SMCW. Pier Galilee from London offers some words of praise for SMCW #43  which he thought was fab especially Spidey triumphing over the Vulture and Kraven the hunter. Next to write is a mysterious writer who titles themselves as "an eternal fan of Marvel" from Sunderland who is very pleased that Iron Man is now in SMCW as he is their favourite super-hero. Next is a letter from Andrew Grandfield from Middlesex asks in SMCW #33 the Green Goblin says about Spider-man that "the gas he just inhaled will weaken all his senses including his Spider Sense." but how does he know he's has a Spider Sense? The editor say the Goblin is a very shrewd character but maybe he just guessed.

The mighty Thor "The Power of Pluto!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #128

Cover date May 1966

(Published in March 1966)

Lee and Kirby are proper reaching their grandiose heights on the Thor adventures, probably driven more so by Kirby's storytelling and crazy imagination. Luckily for Thor fans they would stay at that height for years to come. You can see the lavish artwork straight from the opening page as Thor recoups his powers in a regal bedchamber, guarded by noble warriors and a royal physician tending to his needs. In truth Thor's bed looks like a giant-sized themed bed frame you could get from Toys-R-Us for your children, but this is Kirby artwork, so let's allow his imagination run with it so that readers of all ages can enjoy the splendour. 

 

I must admit on Good Friday I re-read the entire Thor/Hercules/Pluto saga, or the slightly edited highlights of it, in the Marvel Treasury Edition #3, published November 1974. My copy is a pence edition, sorry I couldn't find an image of a UK version. The size of my copy makes it impossible to fit in my scanner, but you get the idea of what it looks like. It cost a mere 50 pence back in 1974, I bought mine over seven years ago at a considerably excellent price through the wonderful world of eBay, more than the original price granted but practically a steal for the giant sized deluxe pages that showed off Kirby's beautiful art in full colour.

 The British weekly version doesn't let any of the artwork down, even with its grey tones the artwork pulls the imagination of a young reader into a world of wonder. Even the film set scene of Hercules entering Stardust studios, makes what Olympus would look like to the imagination of a modern set designer, gives the reader lots to look out for. I love the minor detail of a set builder at the bottom of the page telling his co-workers "Okay you guys--let's knock off! It's time for our coffee break!" The magnificent and the every day in one splash page, that's partly why Kirby was the king of comics.

Hercules meets the actress (more on her next week,) from last week who will play the Amazon Queen and a creature of some strange design who he is told is an expensive robot, but still he doesn't see any connection to his home dimension, even when the head of studio production enters and tells him all about the film project, Hercules still doesn't cotton on that there is danger ahead. Either it's an Olympian spell, Pluto's cunning disguise of a suit and dark sunglasses or Hercules own stupidity, but I won't let any of it get in the way of a enjoyable setting up for a clash of good and evil that is to come.

"The fatal words!"

Writer: Unknown

Artist: Howard O'Donnell

Inker: Howard O'Donnell

Originally published in Mystic #59

Cover date May 1957

(Published in January 1957)

I'm not sure who wrote this short story that first appeared in the pre-Marvel, Atlas Comics series called Mystic. Maybe it was the artist Howard O'Donnell or maybe it was the comic book's editor Stan Lee but I don't get any enjoyment out of it, there's no way that I would call it a classic. Henry Ramsey talks to his dog and cat as he finds them better company than humans. One day his dog talks back and he sees this as a way to make money. When he tries to make the dog talk in front of the TV cameras the canine refuses as Henry's only incentive was his own personal gain. Henry is called a cheat and an imposter and is taken to court by the companies he had signed business contracts with. Now he's penniless and broken is dog leaves him to learn a lesson on the way he treats others. As Henry sits raging, his cat presses up against his legs and says the fatal words "Y'know you're a lucky guy!" Well there's a moral in there somewhere, but I've read better.

The inside back page of this week's Spider-man Comics Weekly features an in-house advert for this week's Double Dynamite from magnificent Marvel. It uses the covers from both this week's Mighty World of Marvel and the Avengers weekly. Notice how the cover of MWOM overlaps the corner box of the Avengers mag, obscuring the Avengers replacement and the cover of that mag shown here uses the full Master of Kung Fu artwork to fill the page, unlike the final cover. More on that next.

The Avengers Weekly #29

Well this cover is probably the final straw that sent Avengers fans screaming and putting their thoughts down on paper to be sent off to 120 Newgate Street London. Not only does the Master of Kung Fu share the mags title and hog the cover artwork but now Shang-Chi has taken the corner box too! That's a strange decision, even if I had chosen Shang-Chi as the cover star I would still keep the Avengers in the corner box. I can easy see why many people believed it was an aggressive take over by the Kung Fu master. To be fair to the main artwork by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom it's a really, really good piece of art, that was originally used as the cover for Special Marvel Edition #15. The Yin and Yang symbol as been removed from that cover and also the "Gemini" signature too, which was how Starlin and Milgrom signed their combined artwork. By rights the artwork alone would have made my choice for the Cover of the Week award if not for the mess that surrounds the art. 

It does have a feel of the Oldhams Press, Power Comics, 60's Fantastic comic issue 1, which may well be a classic but does seem to be a case of throwing everything at it. The four Avengers heads, drawn by Don Heck and inked by Frank Giocoia, on the lower line seems to be an after thought to please Avengers fans, I think it probably did the oppose of what it was intended to do. Personally I would enjoy this cover more if the Avengers had stayed in the corner box as I accept that the new Master of Kung Fu strip would have needed the promotion and the artwork was too good to have not used. I also accept that last week's artwork and this week's are good enough for the covers, but maybe after the Avengers and MOKF should share the covers with alternating weeks. Let's see how that one goes.

Master of Kung Fu "The sins of the father!"

Writer: Steve Englehart 

Artist: Jim Starlin

Inker: Al Milgrom

Originally published in Special Marvel Edition #15

Cover date December 1973

(Published in September 1973)

You know I should leave my feelings about the cover alone now but one last thing, the Avengers could have been used as the cover stars and that Starlin/Milgrom artwork could have been used to fantastic effect as the opening splash page for this week's second half of the MOKF story. The artwork for this splash page comes from panels six and seven from the third page of last week's story.

Well before legendary artist Frank Miller was using silent artwork for fight scenes, Jim Starlin had perfected it. After last week's tale set up and plot driven story, the second part of that story plays out with an all out action extravaganza. Many might not like Shang-Chi but you do have to marvel at the beauty of the artwork as the action flows with an orchestrated dance of body and form. I'm not sure the Chinese symbols around the page mean any thing but they look great too. I did do a Google search and did find that the symbol to the left of the sumo's pony tail in the second panel does translate to the word "you" and the symbol above the sumo's head in the third panel means "world". Maybe Starlin just copied them or it was an accident, but any way it does look great.

After the match with the Tak the sumo, Shang-Chi discovers his father's laboratory is filled with weird apparatus for inhuman experimentation, Englehart uses this scene to expand on the reasons why Shang-Chi had no knowledge of this father's evil ambitions. Shang-Chi next opponent is a rabid gorilla, who the readers find out has been experimented on by Doctor Fu Manchu through psychological torture to induce humanlike schizophrenia in the beast, with the intention of the creature becoming a superlative final guard for his headquarters.

After supreme effort Shang-Chi defeats the beast and is finally confronted by his father, who has been informed that his son has learned of details of his father's work. Fu Manchu states his initial goal was the restoration of China to its former glory before the communist revolution had changed that country's destiny and the intervention of Sir Nayland Smith who fought against the would be Emperor. Fu Manchu offers Shang-Chi a place at his side a Manchu dynasty. To which his son replies "Father...you speak with absolute assurance, completely convinced that your vision is the only proper way...and like all men who speak thus, you are mad." He turns to go. "When next we meet, it will be as implacable enemies." Fu Manchu allows him to go but as the evil Doctor slips into the shadows he warns his son that he has every evil on the planet at is command and he will direct them towards his doom! Stepping into the New York fresh morning air Shang-Chi contemplates that he has become fortunate enough to learn of the deception that had been practiced on him, but which has lead to him divorcing himself from his father's evil empire and a world he once knew. That will the new world have install for him next? Find out next week.

The Avengers "Flames of destruction!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in The Avengers #31

Cover date August 1966

(Published in June 1966)

The opening splash page for this conclusion to this "Never bug a giant!" story line uses the cover of the Avengers issue 31 US edition to good effect, although it doesn't match up with the continued story just yet. Don Heck's artwork does need to be seen so it's a pity that it couldn't be used for the cover of this mag, but I'll leave that bone of contention alone for now. Goliath is making an attempt to stop the crazy Keeper of the Flame's intention to rule or destroy the world by harnessing the power of the flame. 

With the aid of his fellow teammates they unite against the Keeper and his army. The male Avengers are captured by metal tentacles powered by the cobalt flame and controlled by the Keeper, with only the Wasp free to release her teammates. Prince Rey's forces attack the Keeper. Hawkeye uses a arrow to destroy the flame's control panel but the cobalt power reachs a critical mass, becoming almost like a living thing itself, it uses the powerful rays to protect itself. Luckily the Wasp has spotted a weakness in the flames containment  vessel. By carefully aiming an explosive arrow into the giant idol's upper area the explosion smothers the flame, destroying it.

With the Flame destroyed the Avengers leave with the freed Doctor Anton, who when asked by Goliath if his work might help him in anyway to restore him to his normal height the Doctor replies that he is sorry he cannot offer him any cure but the only other person he believes can is a brilliant biochemist by the name of Henry Pym. The Avengers return home in silence. So ends a brilliant Avengers tale and next week brings us another blockbuster where we'll find out what "the sign of the Serpent" means. Can't wait!

Avengers readers assemble

Michael Eastgate admits that he is someone who hasn't been reading Marvel comics for long, but thinks that the Avengers are super. Richard Fenner from London has noticed two mistakes which to be fair have been noticed before. Paul Charles from London congratulates British Marvel on publishing over 100 comics. He wonders what the initials TM stand for. Well Paul as many readers know TM stands for Trade Mark. Finally for this week Kevin Woodhouse from Buckinghamshire asks three questions, 1) How long does it take Jack Kirby to draw a Thor strip? 2) will the Vision join the Avengers and 3) Will Flash Thompson return. The editor says that Kirby can take a whole week to complete the artwork for a Thor strip, the Vision will indeed join the Avengers with a cryptic "Very Soon" reply. As for Flash he'll be back in Spider-man's page before long. Kevin also says in his letter that he thinks that Spider-man is getting along fine with John Romita Sr handling the art and that Steve Ditko is doing a great job on the Doctor Strange art. Paul likes Baron Mordo and thinks that he should be featured more. Personally I would have liked to see less of the evil Baron. 

Another in-house advertisement for the Avengers "newsagent shelf" brothers, the Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly. Both images look a little dark, but to be fair the tones aren't has heavy as they have been.

Doctor Strange "Let there be victory!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko 

Originally published in Strange Tales #141

Cover date February 1966

(Published in November1965)

The dramatic conclusion to this epic saga that Doctor Strange has fought in as Baron Mordo has interfered in the battle between Strange and the Dreaded Dormammu, robbing his master of any chance of a clean victory. Furious with his minion's meddling  Dormammu banishes the Baron to a Dimension of Demons. The duel resumes with the Doctor regaining his second wind and eventually humbling the lord of darkness in their contest with his power pincers. 

Dormammu begrudgingly accepts to make a vow to never direct his power against the Earth again. Once Strange and his mentor the Ancient One return to Earth Dormammu sends them a message that the girl who had tried to aid Strange while he was searching for Eternity, would be punished for her act of treason by banishing her to another dimension. Strange wishes to help her but the Ancient One reminds his disciple that she is merely bait and there are other evils scattered around the world by Mordo that need attending to. Strange returns to his Greenwich Village retreat unaware that three of Mordo's followers have hidden a bomb that can't be detected by mystical means inside his sanctorum. You can bet your amulet that this story comes back with a bang next week.

And so ends another eclectic collection of Marvel masterpieces, that give something for everyone. I'll tuck into my Easter egg now while I start looking for the bonus easter eggs and fun facts that can be found in next week's British Marvel mags. 

See you in seven. 

Make Mine Marvel.

The Yin and the Yang!

 Week Ending 30th March 1974

This week sees the introduction of a new star to British Marvel's line-up that really kicked up a storm back in 1974. Those feelings toward Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu are still felt by some readers of those mags today. I completely understand the negativity felt towards his inclusion. A new kid on the block who kicks the stars off the cover, chops their page count down by half, pushing them into second spot and at the same time squeezing his own logo onto the cover every week under the title header. Marvel had to do something other wise their weeklies would follow the same fate as Power Comics with their Marvel themed mags from the late 60's did when they caught up with their America suppliers. So halving the number of pages per story would slow down the main features from four to five UK stories a month to two or two and a half stories a month, while the US carried on with one story a month. It was a stop gap that the Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly took, now it was time for the Avengers to follow. It probably would have made more sense to have included Captain America or the X-Men, perfectly matching the super-hero theme of the comic and also matching what many letter writers wanted. The Avengers/X-Men combo would have been my choice. One of my favourite titles was Marvel Super-heroes from the 1979-1983, in which early and later issues featured both groups. How that was a fantastic magazine! But instead of starting with those 60's tales British Marvel took the giant step of introducing a very sophisticated 70's action adventure. Which had it own problems as the first strip had only just been published in September 1973, the fourth instalment was published at the end of March 1974, making it very fresh but only giving four months of story head start that would be printed in the UK in eight weeks. The fifth Master of Kung-Fu story, "Retreat!" gots printed in the same month in the UK as it was in the US! So may be this choice of strip wasn't thought through, but that's a problem for another blog.

I was always a Spider-man fan and had his comic delivered regularly from the Super Spider-man days, but when the Incredible Hulk Weekly merged with it in May 1980 I felt similar emotions to those Avengers fans. Even cancelling the comic in disgust as I felt the Hulk was taking over and bought Marvel Team-up instead. Week's later Marvel Team-up merged with Spider-man and Hulk Weekly making the gesture futile. I do look at this period of the Avengers weekly differently, my big brother wasn't a fan of the kung-fu master's take over so he never got the comic, which meant I never got the chance to "look over his shoulder" to read it. In the spring of 1983 I got the opportunity to pick up some classic weeklies through the "Dangerous Visions" mail order service seen in the Marvel UK Spider-man comic. I chose the earliest Avengers weeklies they had on offer to start with. So from issue 28 to I think 38 I got a pile of mags that matched the type of stories my thirteen year old self liked. With kung fu action, spy thrillers and super-hero adventure, with a little magic mayhem thrown in. I didn't feel the weekly grind of a character taking over my favourite comic, it was all there from the start and I could binge read the next issue right away. I loved it. It's a really classy strip, mature and sophisticated. I'll explain later why I like it so much and may be you'll give it a second chance. It's fine if you don't, Marvel is a broad church with different styles and genres allowing fans to have their difference of opinion. Wether you favour a web-slinger or a talking duck,  a living legend or a master of kung fu, a man without fear or a count from Transylvania, a raging green giant or a swamp monster, a noble God or a savage from a forgotten age it's all good. Feel free to disagree with me, or even if you are so inclined agree with my opinions, through the usual ways. I look forward to your fair and friendly opinions. But before we get to the fuss that Shang-Chi kicks up let's take a look at this week's fantastic feasts first.   

The Mighty World of Marvel #78

I really love this Ron Wilson cover, it's kind of got a classic Conan vibe to it, with the Hulk protecting an unconscious damsel in a bikini from a marauding monster. It's not accurate to the story which at no point features a blonde girl in a bikini or her underwear. Yeah it does feature an unconscious Betty Ross  but she has brown hair and is always completely fully dressed. The inker could have been Frank Giacoia or Mike Esposito, the Grand Comic Database isn't sure which. 

The Incredible Hulk "A tale of two monsters!"

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Herb Trimpe

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #121

Cover date November 1969

(Published in August 1969)

It's a nice re-purposing of a classic Dickens title and the reuse of panel from last week's strip also looks smart as a story re-cap. The US army surrounds a weakened Hulk who hasn't recovered from an injury to his legs, but he still sends them packing. Meanwhile the Glob kidnaps Betty Ross as its foggy mind assumes that she is a girl from its previous life. Elsewhere General Ross being an alert military mind decides to dump barrels of a new and untested "anti-radiation fluid" into the putrid waters of the Everglade swamp, with little care for the environment, hoping that it will have an effect on the radiation spawned Hulk. 

The Hulk hears the muffed whimpering voice of Betty as the other radiation created monster the Glob crosses his path. Once alerted to the Hulk shouts the muck monster gently lays down the now unconscious girl to battle, with some kind of primeval honour for the girl. This is what we want, a proper clash of monsters.

But what we want isn't always what's best, it's two pages of fighting in which the Blob bests the green beast as his injured leg gives way. The Glob leaves with the girl through the murky waters of the swamp that start to glow as the "anti-radiation fluid" mixes with the boggy waters and the Globs muddy form, causing its body to dissolve as if in acidic quicksand. Sensing the danger the swamp monster lifts the limp girl above its head preventing the girl from drowning. With some level of intelligence the Hulk helps his opponent by inching along an overhanging branch to reach the girl. 

The final page frames beautifully the incredible partnership of Roy Thomas and Herb Trimpe, ending with the Globs out reached hand dissolving into the toxic waters. Betty is returned to her distressed father and a sombre Hulk lamenting the lost possibility of finding a kindred soul only to lose the chance to call someone friend. The dawn breaks with departing tanks rumbling on like spectres in some already forgotten dream. Trimpe frames the moment perfectly as Thomas rounds off the tale of two monsters with some of the smartest dialogue and text that a super-hero comic had seen. With most of British Marvel's strips coming from the 60's Thomas was taking the Hulk into the 70's. What a journey it will be.

 

 

Daredevil "Against the Organzation!"

Writer: Wally Wood

Artist: Bob Powell and Wally Wood 

Inker: Wally Wood

Originally published in Daredevil #10

Cover date October 1965

(Published in August 1965)

Oops, even with the American spelling the bodger of this opening splash page has made a boob. The "i" is missing from "Organization" in the title. May be they couldn't fit that letter in but even I spotted that one. The Organizer hatch is a plan to incriminate Daredevil, which too easily succeeds. The next part of the plan is to kidnap Deborah Harris, the daughter of Bernard Harris a member of the "Reform Party" and also a potential real identity of the Organizer. The plan works but Cat-Man is captured by DD in the process. Ape-Man is sent to silence Cat-Man but Daredevil stops him first. Later following the fiend back to their headquarters he over hears Deborah tell the gang that "the fool Nelson will do anything for the Boss if he thinks my safety depends on it!" Revealing that she was the inside man on her own kidnapping and her relationship with Foggy was nothing but a ruse to make him a pawn in their game. The strip ends with Daredevil thinking it over as the Bird-Man sneaks up on the spying hero. The plot thickens next week. 

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

D.R. Chew from Preston thinks that MWOM is fab, but is puzzled by the length of time that the Hulk can stay under water for. Well D. that's super-powerful lungs for you. Mrs E. Benson is a lady of a certain age who asks if she is too old for Marvel and too old to join FOOM. Well you're never too old to read Marvel comics but she was too late to join FOOM no matter how old she was. Siobhan Allman (Miss) from Flints complains about the person who complains about the people who complained about the comic, well I hope that makes sense. Her letter is directed at Brian Mathews whose letter was printed in MWOM #57 in which he writes that people who complain about Marvel are "stupid" and "how can anybody improve something that is completely perfect in every respect." Siobhan voices her opinion that the American spelling could ruin the results of children's spelling tests, she suggests that there is a "sameness" about some of the stories and adds that the complaints aren't about "little petty things" as Brian mentioned in his letter. Steven Jones from Essex makes an observation about the artist inconsistencies when it comes to the number of toes on the Hulk's feet!

The Fantastic Four "The war of the super-teams!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Chic Stone 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #36

Cover date March 1965

(Published in December 1964)

First it was a play on a Dickens title and now the very literate editor uses a H.G. Wells title for this week's half of the Fantastic Four story. The cut and paste job features Reed, Sue and Ben taken from page one of the Fantastic Four #52, US edition cover dated July 1966, published April 1966, Johnny was taken from page 15 of the Fantastic Four #54 US edition cover dated September 1966, published June 1966 and the Frightful Four are cut from last week's strip. The Frightful Four plan to eliminate Ben, Reed, Sue and Alicia Masters by attaching the Wizards powerful anti-grav discs to them and have them float into the thin outer atmosphere. Luckily the Torch arrives just in time to mount a rescue. Once the FF are reunited things take a turn for the worse for the frightful fiends as they are left with no other option but to flee. 

Spider-man Comics Weekly #59

This week's cover for Spider-man Comics Weekly by Ron Wilson isn't that good. It tells the story well but there isn't much to thrill a young reader. The inker could be either Mike Esposito or John Tagtarlione, again the Grand Comic Database isn't sure. 

Spider-man "O'bitter victory!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr and Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #60

Cover date May 1968

(Published in February 1968)

The opening splash page uses the John Romita Sr.'s cover from the Amazing Spider-man #112 with the original story title used. "O'bitter victory!" should have been seen on last week's opening page instead of "Slaves of the Kingpin!" title. Peter confronts the brainwashed Captain Stacy but the confused gentleman hits out at the teenager creating a scene that leaves Gwen in a difficult position with a decision to make, but of course she sticks up for her elderly father and says she doesn't want to see Peter again. The Captain informs the Kingpin that the teenager is suspicious, so the crime overlord orders his men to lean on him. Changing into Spider-man Peter follows the elderly Captain to witness him leading the Kingpin's men into the Police headquarters records vault. Unwilling to stop another assault from Stacy, the brainwashed Captain throttles Spider-Man from behind. But at least Peter had got a photo of the ex-police official robbing the department files making the Daily Bugle headline. Next week the web tightens!

The Web and the Hammer

Philips Scott from Belfast points out some errors regarding Iron Man, he was supposed to have appeared in issue 48 of SMCW but only appeared in issue 50 and on that cover of that issue he appeared in his red and gold armour, but inside he would don his old armour. Yusuf Patel from Yorkshire wants to know why SMCW #48 came late, usually it arrives on a Saturday but it came on a Wednesday. Glyn Hayes from Newport wants a Spider-man costume to fit his 8 year old self. Mark Thornton from Essex gets a pretty good supply of US comics in his home town of Colchester, but thinks that Spider-man and Hulk US comics have been removed from sale so that they won't effect the sales of SMCW and MWOM. William Overton also from Essex wants to see a super-team built up from the strongest characters from Marvel. 

Brian Lynch from Glasgow gives his theory on how Spider-man's web-shooters works. His point is that the webbing is released as a liquid (possible a gas in my point of view,) that turns solid after it exits the nozzile. Brian doesn't want to see panels edited out of stories in the future. He also wants to see more US Marvel comics on the newsstands and his third request is to stop those ridiculous headlines on the top of the pages. B. Curzon thinks that Spider-man Comics Weekly is almost faultless, but is slightly disappointed with having the Web-slingers page count cut.  
  

Iron Man "For the life of Cleopatra!"

Writer: Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #44

Cover date August 1963

(Published in May 1963)

Great use of Jack Kirby and Dick Ayer's cover from Tales of Suspense #44 as the opening splash page for this second half of Iron Man's time travel story. Tony Stark stuck in the past but luckily he's brought his suit of armour with him in his briefcase when Hatap, the Mad Pharaoh takes him to ancient times. The armour is put to good use as Iron Man defends an Egyptian palace from a Legion of Roman soldiers and later takes out a Roman Galley that was about to run down Queen Cleopatra's barge. Iron Man meets the Queen in an Anthony and Cleopatra tale that doesn't match up with written history. Hatap amasses his forces against the Queen but Iron Man charmed by her majesty and the desire to capture the Mad Pharaoh's magical charm that will return the Golden Avenger back to his time, leads her troops against their enemy. Extremely quickly Hatap is defeated but slips, dropping the Golden Charm and falls onto an upturned sword. The messy ending is conveniently not shown in panel. I guess that's the 60's Comics Code Authority for you. Iron Man is embraced by Cleopatra but our hero vanishes before her eyes thanks to the Golden Charm he holds in his hand. Strangely Hatap used the Charm to summon his "Chariot of Time" whereas the Chariot shaped Charm just teleports Iron Man back to 1974. The year was a UK edit as the original US version had his own time as 1963. So a weird point is the Charm was never used or mentioned again.

The Mighty Thor "If Asgard should fall!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #127

Cover date April 1966

(Published in February 1966)

Again artwork from another cover is used to start the second half of this story, this time Vince Colletta inks Jack Kirby's cover from the Mighty Thor #127, but even though it's a great cover it doesn't match with the story direction as Odin only carries his son at the very end of the strip. On Earth an actress auditions for a roll in Pluto's master plan to trick Hercules into signing an Olympian pact to become the new ruler of Hades. There's more to that actress in later tales. 

On Asgard Thor wages battle against the power crazed Seidring the Merciless but to little effect as the Norse God has usurped the omnipotent power of Odin and the Thunder Gods still has half his godly powers after displeasing his father. Desperate Thor grabs the hilt of the Odin Sword, threatening to bring about Ragnarok if Seidring refuses to yield his stolen powers to Odin. The gamble pays off, once again the Odin force returns to the rightful God. Seidring is banished from Asgard. As Thor falls into unconscious Odin carries the his son who showed the bravest of actions when faced with over whelming odds.

Spider-man Comics Weekly has a reminder that starting in this week's Avengers is the Master of Kung Fu. The text that says "Iron-fisted first issue!" does sound like this in-house advert is for a brand new comic, which might infuriate regular Avengers fans. But we have one more strip to look at before we get to that Iron-fisted issue.
  

"Six strange words"

Writer: Unknown

Artist: Sid Shores

Originally published in Worlds of Suspense #6

Cover date February 1957

(Published in November 1956)

This three page tale of suspense was first printed in Marvel comics forerunner Atlas Comics, Worlds of Suspense issue 6. I guess the strip must have been hanging around the Marvel US offices as it would also see reprint in Frankenstein Monster issue 13, cover dated November 1974, published August 1974, as a back up strip. A driver, whose car has broken down, seeks refuge from the elements in a weird house, where inside he finds a strange little man. The driver falls asleep after drinking his coffee but wakes to find the little man possesses magical powers. So powerful that if he utters six little words that can send anyone into limbo. The driver threatens him to reveal those words. The thug uses them against the strange man, sending him into limbo. Then he breaks the fourth wall, addressing the reader directly telling them they "know too much". He speaks the incantation once again, but this time he is the one to disappear into limbo, where he finds the sorcerer laughing at him. It's a nice page filler the kind of tale British readers would appreciate in the future when they read similar stories in 2000AD.

Another in-house advert for Marvel's other weekly triumphs. Notice how the damsel in the Mighty World of Marvel cover seems to be wearing a dress and not a bikini like on the actual cover. Was this an other version where they felt they couldn't risk a semi-naked woman on the front cover of a "kids" comic? Who knows?

Any how now it's time to embrace the controversy and take a look at that Master of Kung Fu character that angered many, to see was it really that bad?

The Avengers #28

Of this week's three Ron Wilson covers this one is by far the best. It's dynamic, eye-catching and even though its design is purely symbolic it does capture the direction the mag was taking. Some may have thought that Shang-Chi was either attacking the Avengers or joining them as a new member, but when I first cast eyes on it I just thought "Wow! How cool is that!" There's plenty of text letting the reader know that this "Great new feature!" would make "Britain's greatest--better than ever!" And that this "Iron-fisted origin issue" would showcase "Martial arts action--in the magnificent Marvel manner!" But that text doesn't spoil the over-all look of the cover, it's design frames it by also informing readers that "the fury of Fu Manchu" was inside and Doctor Strange hadn't been left out. It is cool and it did make me want to take up karate, which I did for a short while, As for the Cover of the Week, "fists"-up this has got to be it!

Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu "Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu!"  

  

Writer: Steve Englehart 

Artist: Jim Starlin

Inker: Al Milgrom

Originally published in Special Marvel Edition #15

Cover date December 1973

(Published in September 1973)

This story is really, really good. No, it's better than that, it's really, really great. No, even better it's absolutely fantastic for so many reasons and if you don't believe me read it for yourself and I'm willing to bet you might just agree with me. First up is the writer, Steve Englehart who was creative and talented. Roy Thomas as editor took him on to fill a gap in the writing team when Gary Friedrich wanted a break. Englehart was given a handful of stories like Sgt. Fury, Monster on the Prowl, Two Gun-Kid, My Love and Our Love Story before Thomas as editor handed him Amazing Adventure volume 2 issue 12, cover dated May 1972, published February 1972, taking over from Gerry Conway as writer as a try out. Later Thomas said in an interview for Alter Ego #70 in July 2007, "that worked out pretty well." Englehart was one of a growing group of creators at Marvel in the 70's who lived a maverick lifestyle. In an interview for Dark Horse Comics "Between the panel" in 1998 Englehart said of his time "We'd rampage around New York City. There was one night when a bunch of us, including Jim Starlin, went out on the town. We partied all day, then did some more acid, then roamed around town until dawn and saw all sorts of amazing things (most of which ended up in Master of Kung Fu, which Jim and I were doing at that time)." OK don't do drugs kids, but believe me this run of stories are going to be quite a ride.

Next up is legendary artist Jim Starlin who had grown up loving the silver age of comics. Starlin had sold two stories to DC comics and then drew for some fanzines before being offered regular work at Marvel in 1972. DC's loss was Marvel's gain, he would produce some of the greatest and best loved comic book runs in the 70's. Warlock and Captain Marvel anyone? His friend and long time collaborator Al Milgrom finishes off his artwork with very workman like inks. I don't always mention the letterers but Tom Orzechowshi deserves a mention, his lettering is most definitely  without any doubt the best in all of "comicdom". Also Mike Esposito as tone artist for this UK version renders perfect tones. They enhance the artwork beautifully without the need for colour, giving shadow and lighting effects that are superior to any others. Just take a look at the tones used in the Avengers and Doctor Strange stories to see how too much shading can spoil good artwork. 

But what about the actual story, it starts at the end (like a Quentin Tarantino film,) as we find out that the main character of this strip, Shang-Chi is the son of the most infamous villain of all time, Fu Manchu, the antagonist of British novelist Sax Rohmer's series of novels about Doctor Fu Manchu. Shang-Chi fights his way through a group of deadly guards to reach his father to find out the truth behind the lies he told his son and the events that we'll soon see unfold. Starlin is the master at drawing panel layouts that look cinematic and really cool.  

The flashback shows Fu Manchu telling his son that he has been trained to become a living weapon to safeguard the fruits of his father's genius against those who would thwart him. Men like Doctor Petrie "the most evil man alive." Shang-Chi's first mission is to assassinate Petrie. That act goes against Shang-Chi's studies in philosophies that showed him that killing was an abhorrent act, but his father's indoctrinate has coloured is view of the world, painting himself as a honourable and truthful man. Even when faced with the old and feeble Petrie, Fu Manchu's training in obedience takes over and Shang-Chi delivers the fatal blow. 

Confronted by Sir Denis Nayland Smith, like Doctor Petrie another Sax Rohmer character from the Fu Manchu novels, Shang-Chi disarms him but is surprised at the tearful affection to the loss of his friend, even though Fu Manchu had told him that his friend had murdered his dreams of a better life, his act was sad but just, as he was told Petrie was a foe of world peace.

 Nayland Smith's reply makes Shang-chi question his father's truths. Telling the young China man that his father's goal was to dominate the world through sinister means. Leading a group of evil dacoits, phansigars, thugs and assassins known as the Si-Fan. Fu Manchu's methods were cruel and barbaric.

Shang-Chi flees in anger at the injustice he has delivered, seeking answers he visits his American mother. Who knew that the time would one day  come when her son would search for the truth. A truth that would hurt his very soul. 

The artwork and story telling mimic the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang, a concept that describes the opposite but interconnected, self-perpetuating cycle. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary (rather than opposing) forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts. Both creators play with good versus evil, chaos and calm, light against darkness. Starlin would draw groups of panels that slowly went from Shang-Chi's angry face to Fu Manchu's calm features, or panels showing Nayland Smith's sadness then anger or the naivety of youth as Shang-Chi discovers the truth from his Mother who kept these secrets because of vanity's pride. There's more emotions here in such a short space than your usual comic strip. Marvel was growing up and facing the harsh truths of life. I always considered that the Avengers weekly, now and right through to its final issue, was a mature mag, read by readers whose age group would go right up into their late teens.

Sax Rohmer's novels may have come from a time when there was a form of careless and casual racism towards foreigners, creating a false image of China and London's Chinese immigrants as a crime-ridden community. Englehart and Starlin tried to redress that balance by having the hero of the strip as a Chinese /American. This strip may not be as politically correct as something that is created in 2024, but it's heart meant well and if you take a hard look at it today it's message, to be careful of those in powerful places, their truths may well be lies created to manipulate, is as relevant today as it was in 1974. This is only the start of Master of Kung Fu, there's more to come. 

The Avengers "Never Bug a giant!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in The Avengers #31

Cover date August 1966

(Published in June 1966)

The Wasp having learned of the possible location of the missing Avenger Goliath, asks the sadden Hawkeye, who is still pining for the Black Widow, to join them in their search. He agrees to go with them as they set off to South America without Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch who are in Europe attempting to find a way to recover their weakening powers.  

Meanwhile in a vast cavern deep within the untamed mountainous region in South America, Goliath question Prince Rey, his rescuer, about the Keeper of the Flame and the great power source itself. The Flame is feed cobalt, that if use for insidious reasons can be capable of destroying the world. Goliath realises the Prince Rey is no better than the Keeper, as he too wants the flame for his own purposes. 

I know that some of this story takes place in dark caverns but some of the tones used on this strip obliterates the artwork. Which is a shame as I truly think that this story has some of Don Heck's best art. This homage to Sir Henry Rider Haggard's She novel is really hotting up as all the pieces are moved into place for next week's conclusion. 

It's mail opening time.

I really do wish they'd get a better mailbag title. Anyway first up is Alan Finchee from Surrey who doesn't understand why MWOM and SMCW have three stories in each mag but the Avengers have only two. His choice would be the X-Men. I wonder was he disappointed to see Shang-Chi join the weekly instead of the young mutants? Mark Wade RFO, KOF, points out in Avengers #14 that the action took place at the same time as the Hulk story in MWOM #22 but the Avengers only formed in MWOM #46 and he asks for a No-Prize. Well no-deal Mark, that's British Marvel continuity for you, as some stories race along others come from later times. Ian Ashworth from Greenwouth who agrees with A.J. Coleman's letter from MWOM #69, that the next comic brought out should be a monthly as he too buys all three weeklies and can't afford to buy another mag every week. G. Megson from Bradford missed Issue 18 of the Avengers because his newsagents had a power cut. Was this Electro's doing or the 70's energy crisis? Kevin Malsbury spotted a boob in the Doctor Strange story from Avengers #11 the page topper headline read "Enter the Gurgol" instead of "Gulgol", now that could have been messy. 
 

Paul Donnachie QNS, RFO, KOF, comments on the different artists for various strips and adds that the artist who draws the panels on the letter pages would be better on the Avengers than Don Heck. The majority of them would have been drawn by John Buscema, or his brother Sal or even Neal Adams. I agree they are better artists than Heck, the good news is if we wait Paul will get to see those strips in all their glory. Jed Barton from London has made his own super-hero kit for his Action Man to wear. Paul B. Caldwell also from London likes that Daredevil and Iron Man are really great but there is hardly any room left for the Hulk and Spider-man. I wonder what he thinks of Shang-Chi squeezing the Avengers page count in this mag? John McNulty from Foleshill complains that in the letter page in Avengers #19 his name was spelt "McNutty" and not "McNulty". He wants the Avengers letter page to have a title like "Avengers Assemble" or "Readers Assemble". Hear, hear! I say. Finally the last letter comes from Bradley Robertson from Glasgow who has noticed that most of the mail in the letter pages are about complaints, but Bradley just want's to compliment Marvel, because he thinks their comics are superb!

Doctor Strange "The pincers of power!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko 

Originally published in Strange Tales #140

Cover date January 1966

(Published in October1965)

 

Only Stan Lee and Steve Ditko would title a story "The pincers of power!" It's a crazy title but I weirdly love it. What on Earth, or any other dimension are the pincers of power? You really want to read this story for the fun of finding out. Baron Mordo has battled Doctor Strange to a standstill over many weeks which has frustrated the Dread Dormammu (and possibly some readers as Mordo isn't the greatest of villains and his inept super-villainy does get tiresome if not for Ditko's compelling art,) so the dark lord takes steps to finish it with cataclysmic impact.  

Dormammu pulls Doctor Strange, the Ancient One and Baron Mordo into a distant neutral dimension to challenge Strange to a duel in front of various lords of other mystical realms invited by Dormammu himself. Ditko creates a legion of despots to witness the fight but like the Avengers story the toner is very heavy handed with his shading. In places tones obliterate Ditko's beautiful art. Less of it would definitely been more pleasing.

The duellers are armed with the bizarre "Pincers of Power", they are basically charms that fit to the back of the duellers hands that emit energy pincers that can lock around an opponents wrist or deflect an opponent's challenge. No magical spells or incantations can be used during the fight as it would be impossible to wield the pincers and form the hand gestures needed to cast a spell. Only the mind of Steve Ditko could think of them. It's brilliant!

Doctor Strange uses all his skill, strength and martial arts training to match his opponent. After a hard fight he does pin down Dormammu in what looks like victory. But the evil Baron Mordo who sees a chance to redeem his standing in the eyes of his master casts a spell that cowardly strikes down Strange from behind, leaving Dormammu to stand victorious! More magical action next week!

The heavy toner strikes again with this in-house advert. The Mighty World of Marvel cleverly gets cut in two to fit into the upper half of the page, while a simpler image of Spider-man promotes the Web-slingers mag. The "On sale now!" headline is nearly blanked out with unnecessary shading. It doesn't look good and it definitely isn't clever. It might have looked better on the colour back page but...

...that page was reserved for the Marvel's boat competition on this comic and the other two mags. A reminder of the question and also the second coupon needed to enter the contest. 

Well it's been a big one this week, with more stories than ever to reminisce over. Some I've only briefly covered and some I've taken a deeper dive. That's how it has to be if I want to get this blog done weekly. I hope I've covered the good and the bad. That I've been firm, but fair to all the strips. I get that many will disagree with some of my views and may well agree with other parts. That's fine, it makes for an interesting world. As always I enjoy hearing other people's opinions and memories about this period of British Marvel comics. 

So I'm off to study the Yin and Yang of life. The Chinese thought of them as the two great opposite but complementary forces at work in the cosmos. Apparently Yin is feminine, dark, negative, and passive power, Yang is masculine, bright, positive, and warmth. Earth, rain, soft, evil, black, small, even numbers, are seen as yin, while heaven, sunshine, hard, good, white, large, and odd numbers are yang. Their interaction is thought to maintain the harmony in the universe and to influence everything within it, as two forces interplay to make up chi, or the material principle governing the universe. Well you learn something new everyday. I can see where George Lucas got his ideas from. Think I might read a Star Wars comic too before I start next week's blog. 

 

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.