The Frightful and the Frenzy.

 Week Ending 23rd March 1974

Through the winter months of 1973/74 the Mighty World of Marvel, Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Avengers weekly were using four or five Hulk, Spider-man and Avengers stories to every one US comic story. That kind of consumption couldn't be sustained. The editors knew it, the readers knew it, especially those who remembered the rise and fall of Power Comics in the late 60's that eat up Marvel's stories like a hungry pig. Yeah British Marvel started 10 years after their US parent publisher. Something had to be done about it. The simplest way was to only use half a US story every week, thus halving the speed that British Marvel caught up with the US. So in late January MWOM and SMCW both featured three half length stories each week, with Daredevil rejoining MWOM and Iron Man stepping into SMCW, making what some have called the "Golden age of UK Marvel!" But what about the Avengers? Well that will have to wait till next week, while we take a nostalgic look at this week's iconic mags.

The Mighty World of Marvel #77

Has the green goliath meet his match in this week's Hulk strip? It certainly looks that way on Herb Trimpe's cover, that was originally used for the cover of The Incredible Hulk issue 121. I'm going to make this cover my Cover of the Week, purely because there's real jeopardy for the Hulk. You just want to buy this comic to find out what on earth is the Glob and is he more powerful than the Hulk? Let's find out.

The Incredible Hulk "Within the swamp there stirs a Glob!"

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Herb Trimpe

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #121

Cover date November 1969

(Published in August 1969)

I'll make no secret out of the fact that I believe Roy Thomas to be a far better writer than Stan Lee. Yes, Lee was a great innovator, a showman and did know how to tell a tale, either in a comic book or to the general comic reading public. But Thomas is a complete writer and his body of work from the late 60's and into the 70's still carries the same gravitas today as it did then. Thomas had been constantly producing compelling stories for the X-Men, Sgt. Fury, the Sub-Mariner and the Avengers for a while before he was handed the writing duties on the Hulk. What he did with the comic was carry on the the heavy hitting action of old green-skins battling super strong opponents on a monthly basis but add to it a little heart to it and some intelligence the stories about a simple minded monster who had to fight against the problems of the world. Whether it was the environment or social issues there was always something extra in his tales.

Thomas has always been great at tapping into classical fandom's most iconic characters and making something new and interesting from those ideas. As a devoted comic book fan himself, he knew what was cool and what would sell. As a child Thomas was known to be a huge fan of the original Heap, a swamp monster that first appeared in Hillman Periodicals' Air Fighters Comics #3 (cover dated December 1942). Creating his own version in 1971, with considerable help from co-writer gerry Conway, editor Stan Lee and artist Gray Morrow, Man-Thing was born, first appearing in Savage Tales #1, cover dated May 1971, published January 1971, only just beating DC's "muck monster" Swamp-Thing, a creation of writer and Gerry Conway's roommate, Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, who made it's debut in House of Secrets #92 cover dated July 1971. Both Man-Thing and Swamp-Thing have become highly acclaimed characters for both Marvel and DC, but the Glob was created years before both, oozing out of the quagmire in August 1969.
 

The Glob's creation played with comic book tropes,  a criminal escaped from prison only to find a sticky end in quicksand, in which the Hulk had earlier smashed the contents of a Government toxic waste dump in to. The sickly, tepid waters mixed with the environmental mess, and the desperate soul of a dying human mixed to create something that science could not explain. Like many early UK Marvel strips I read this story first elsewhere, in this case on the 14th April 1982 in Marvel UK's The Incredible Hulk #3. I then thought the Glob was a Man-Thing rip-off, but no it was a homage to the Heap and a Man-Thing dry-run or should that be "wet-run?" A very good one at that, which gets better with every reading.   

A promotional ad for Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, who will make his UK debut appearance in next week's The Avengers., much to many readers disapproval. However the artwork used in this ad might have intrigued many as Shang-Chi kung fu kicks his sumotori opponent in the face, beautifully illustrated by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom from the cover of Special Marvel Edition #15, cover dated December 1973, published September 1973. British Marvel fans would soon be getting artwork from the team who crafted some of the greatest early Mighty World of Marvel covers and that, no matter what some would say, would be a treat, although sadly at the expense of Avengers. 

Daredevil "While the city sleeps!"

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)

Daredevil's US continuity gets back on track with this mystery thriller that artist Wally Wood pens, as noted in the opening text box "Wally Wood always wanted to try his hand at writing a story as well as drawing it and big hearted Stan(who wanted a rest anyway,) said okay!" Wood actually does a really good job of it, creating a gripping mystery story within the super-hero/super-villain tale. The Organizer and his Organization, a group of specialist criminals whose skills and equipment gained them animal-like abilities, lead Daredevil a merry dance.

One critical issue I have with his style is that the story features a lot of text and dialogue, something that artists who first start writing a comic strip tend to do. It's as if they're overcompensating for not having a script and feel the need to write more just to prove they can, Todd McFarlane anyone? Sometimes less is more. But this adventure is really quite good, you get shown who the potential true identities of the Organizer could be. I can't recall from last time I read this story who it is, which gives me something to look forward to when I do find out. Also it refreshed my memory that the members of the Organization needed headsets and body-cams so that their boss could relay orders directly to them. In later appearances, when they were known as the Unholy Three and even later the Ani-men I always thought that equipment looked really strange. Now it makes more sense.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Brett Jolly from London was really glad to see the FF story in which the Puppet Master pitted the X-Men against them. Mark Elmworthy from Kent is tired of people complaining about the Hulk so he turns it around by saying he's sick of the "yellow-hair-yahoo" Thor boasting about his strength. Tommy Getgood from Ayr writes to complain about the repeats in last Christmas's Marvel Annual. As for MWOM he thinks that "the baby faced Hulk" wastes the whole mag. S. Goudge from Sussex want's to know is it possible to get a subscription for Marvel mags? Duncan McLeod from Middlesex asks would the Human Torch be hurt by any flame other than the flame he produces? The editor says yes but only momentarily as he would instinctively flame on and his sensitivity would vanish. Personally I've always considered that Johnny Storm is immune to fire of any kind. Dennis Bartholomew from London asks for three things, Daredevil's return, at least two pin-ups per issue and all Marvel's inventions to be printed in thicker writing. Neither the editor or myself have a clue what Dennis means by the last one.

The Fantastic Four "The Frightful Four!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Chic Stone 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #36

Cover date March 1965

(Published in December 1964)

After last week's marriage proposal comes the public announcement of Reed and Sue engagement. Stan and Jack have some fun with it, treating the couple like Hollywood celebrities, which if super-heroes did live in the real world they would be. Of course things aren't going to go swimmingly for the group, Stan and Jack have plans for them. Those plans involve a simple idea, gather four super-powered villains to match the FF in battle. Rather than a group of villains who had been beaten by the whole FF, Stan and Jack decided to use "third rate fiends" who had individually taken on the Torch in his solo adventures.

So the Sandman, the Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete were all previously defeated at the hands of the Human Torch in Strange Tales #115, Strange Tales #118 and Strange Tales #124 respectively. Individually, they were third rate villains, OK the Sandman could easily be seen as a heavy hitter after the number of times he clashed with Spider-man and the Hulk. Although UK readers might recall his last appearance against the Hulk in MWOM #65 and MWOM #66 would have been set  in the future of this story, in which he wore a costume that the Wizard had designed even though he says in this story he doesn't need one.

The fourth member is a new character called Madame Medusa, who the Wizard discovered on a mediterranean island. We would later discover that she had been suffering from a bout of amnesia and was a member of the Inhuman Royal family, although no mention of that was made in this story. British readers had already meet Black Bolt and Gorgon from the Inhuman Royal family, plus Maximus and his Evil Inhumans before in MWOM #58 but in US Marvel continuity Medusa was the first Inhuman to be seen. 

The happy couples engagement party guests included the Avengers, Rick Jones, the X-Men and Professor X, who at this time no-one knew he was the young mutants leader. It's a shame that more of this super-hero interaction wasn't shown, but future stories would show more of those cross-overs. After the super-hero guests had left the fiendish foursome set about trapping the FF. First to fall was the Thing, setting up nicely next week's War of the Super-teams.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #58

This John Romita Sr cover, originally used for the cover of the Amazing Spider-man #60, won't be getting my vote for the Cover of the Week. Yes it's bright and satisfactorily drawn but there's no jeopardy. It looks to me like the Kingpin and Spider-man are enjoying a game of windmills, you know when a father holds their child by the arms or legs and spins them round and round? Yeah it was a 70's thing and I wouldn't recommend doing it these days. The background is more colourful than the US version that had a black backdrop.

Spider-man "Slaves of the Kingpin!"

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)

While trying to stop the brainwashing of Captain Stacy, Spider-Man is suddenly attacked by the Kingpin, who through sheer strength and the fact that he hurls the web-slinger at an electrical power source control panel that shocks Spidey into a weaken state, leaving him with no other course of action but to get out while he can. The Kingpin's lackey makes repairs to the brainwashing machine so that they can continue with Captain Stacy's treatment. Peter still shaky, goes home to sleep it off, while Captain Stacy returns to his daughter, Harry and a confused Mary Jane to explain there is nothing to worry about.

 

But you can see the problems building up for Peter next week when this story starts to really kick in. As you can see in this teaser for next week's second half of the Spider-man adventure. Peter has to deal with Captain Stacy's brainwashing. Let's just say that doesn't look like it's going to go well. Also the Kingpin wants Peter Parker. Is the whole world against him? All that and more dilemma's for Peter. 
 

  

Like in this weeks Mighty World of Marvel Shang-Chi gets a full page teaser promoting that the Master of Kung Fu is coming your way in issue 28 of the Avengers, whether you like it or not, making "Britain's Greatest--now better than ever!" The cover artwork from that issue by Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia make an impressive scene, but I wonder how many young readers thought that Shang-Chi was actually joining the Avengers and not becoming the third strip in that weekly? 

Iron Man "Faces the menace of the Mad Pharaoh!"

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)

This week's Iron Man strip promises Cleopatra and the Mad Pharaoh and that's just what it delivers. Some British Marvel fans may have thought that the Mad Pharaoh was originally called the Red Pharaoh, as it was practice to change communist villains names from "Red" to "Mad", like the Red Ghost to Mad Ghost, but this Pharaoh is just mad and in no way a communist. The whole story is more than just a little mad. It's plum crazy! An archaeological friend of Tony Stark opens an ancient tomb that contains the sarcophagus of Hatap the Mad Pharaoh, who once awakens from his sleep kidnaps Stark and takes him to ancient times via a "Chariot of Time" to defeat Hatap's mortal enemy Cleopatra! Yeah it's one of those stories that fills pages until the better stuff arrives.

The Web and the Hammer  

Mark Hutchinson from Lancashire thinks that a crossword puzzle in each comic might help sell some more mags. Andrew Fitzmaurice RFO, KOF from Wolverhampton thinks the Iron Man origin story was super. An anonymous letter writer wants SMCW to have 50 pages for just 8 pence, well that's asking a lot. They're are also disappointed to have not received a Marvel Annual for Christmas. May be "anonymous was on the naught list. Paul Murphy from Somerset is concerned that back ground characters like MJ, Gwen, Betty Ross, Betty Brant, Ned Leeds, JJJ, Karen Page, General Ross, Mrs Watson, Harry and Flash are always put in danger. He doesn't mention Aunt May though. Paul also picks out his "Best and Worst" from Marvel and points out a couple of error from the mags. 

Bruce Levitan from Sussex writes that changing American spelling isn't necessary. Finding American Marvel editions has become harder. He asks is there any change to "re-enlist" with FOOM? Bruce is happy to see the return of Daredevil and the introduction of Iron Man, but still wants the X-Men, Captain America, the Silver Surfer and the Sub-Mariner. Another anonymous letter writer pens that even with only a dozen pages of Spider-man a week he is still the greatest. They do like Iron Man and think Thor is steadily improving. M.J. Fieldhouse RFO, TTB, QNS, KOF, PMM, FFF, from Yorkshire says they have written to Swap Shop many times but have never seen their offer printed in the column.They ask is there a steady supply of US comics in the UK? Can old US back issues be bought? Well the editor replies that they don't always have room for every swap shop request, then they dodge the US back issues request by saying write to the US office to find out if they do.

  A map of Manhattan, showing you "Where it's at!" including Peter Parker and Harry Osborn's apartment, The Daily Bugle, Aunt May's house, Empire State University, and the Coffee Bean. It's not very accurate as the text box says "a slightly garbled guide to help you locate some of Spidey's most familiar havens and haunts!" This feature page first appeared in the Amazing Spider-man Annual #5. Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Mike Esposito and John Romita Sr worked together on this feature.

  

The Mighty Thor "The hammer and the holocaust!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #127

Cover date April 1966

(Published in February 1966)

Stan and Jack opens up this week's tale with a very miserable Thor as he wallows in his own self pity with Jane Foster unable to break him out of his dark place. In Hollywood a film studio is preparing for its latest blockbuster movie about Hercules, its producer Pluto seems a frightening boss to technicians of Stardust Studios. They may have reasons to be afraid of him as later, once alone he conjures up a flaming image from the airs molecules to communicate with a demon in his underworld domain of the Netherworld. 

There's no doubt that this Pluto is the ruler of the Olympian version of Hell. Whose plan is to find a replacement, so that he can be free of his odious destiny. That pawn in his game will be the unsuspecting Hercules. 

Pluto isn't the only God whose political machinations are integral to the plot, now that Seidring the Merciless has been granted the Odin-Power by the All-Father himself, he casts his name into infamy by attacking the weakened Odin, dethroning the Norse God and declaring the Reign of Seidring the All-Powerful has now begun!

With no knowledge of the events that have occurred the forlorn Thor returns to Asgard to acquit himself with honour. On the Rainbow Bridge he finds Heimdall imprisoned in a block of ethereal force, who warns the noble Thor to turn back. Inside the golden walls of the celestial city more warriors of the realm are held in bondage by bands of ethereal energy. Moving deeper into the heart of the city he sees a frozen Balder the brave! Finally in the very throne room of Asgard the culprit is revealed. Seidring demands that the Thunder God swears his allegiance to him, as Odin did not deserve his loyalty having humbled Thor in the battle with Hercules by stripping half his power. But Thor remains loyal to his father, thus sealing his doom as Seidring tells him he is no match for the Odin-power and so he will die! This saga is really shaping up. This Easter I might just dig out my copy of Marvel Treasury Edition #3 to read it in all of its giant sized glory.

"The secret of the Universe!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko

Originally published in Amazing Adult Fantasy #11

Cover date April 1962

(Published in January 1962)

This is a sweet three page filler. Scientists build a rocket which can travel faster than light in order to probe the edge of the visible universe. Set to be piloted by a volunteer who's willing to take the risk for mankind as he is suffering from an incurable disease. The twist in the tale isn't what he discovers as when the ship returns he's unable to relate any of that as the process of travelling faster than light has de-aged him to infancy. Curing him of his terminal disease. Giving him a second chance of life and may be revealing that the secret of the universe is "where there is life, there is always hope!'

The inside back page features an in-house advert for this week's other two triumphs from Marvel with cover shots and added open pages that give the impression that these mags are chocked full of contents. In reality 36 pages of great comic action so I'll buy the intent.

Marvel's Boat Competition starts this week in all the weeklies. The readers have a chance to win a Gladding dingy with accessories including a foot pump, oars, flippers, mask and a snorkel as the first. Five runners ups each win a snorkel and mask set with flippers and the next twenty correct entries win consolation prizes of a mask and snorkel sets. You need to just answer five questions correctly and collect the two coupons from this and next week's comic. Closing date will be the 16th April 1974, so that rules my chances out. I'm not sure why the Hulk was use in the promotional artwork, Namor the Sub-Mariner would have been more appropriate. Not sure of the artist but I do think the use of water colours suits the feature. Here's the questions if you want to have a go.

1) Which of these famous knights sailed single-handed around the world?

a) Sir Francis Chichester

b) Sir Francis Drake

c) Sir Edmund Hilary

2) Which of these creatures has it's name given to a swimming style?

a) The spider

b) The butterfly

c) The snail

3) Which of these is a fish well-known to deep-sea anglers? 

a) Yeti

b) Koala

c) Merlin

4) Dr Strange's most formidable enemy is?

a) Loki

b) Mordo

c) The Ancient One

5) Iron Man suffers from...

a) A weakened heart

b) Mental black-outs

c) A rare blood disease

The Avengers  #27

Now this cover originally was used for The Avengers #30 US edition, drawn by Jack Kirby and inked by Don Heck if you believe the Marvel.Fandom.com page. However the Grand Comics Database website says that Frank Giacoia was responsible for the inks and John Romita Sr made alterations to the pencil and ink work. The cover was later re-jigged for Marvel Triple Action #24 cover dated March 1975, published December 1974, so maybe those alterations relate to that cover. Handy text "arrows" inform British readers just who the floating heads belong to.

The Avengers "Frenzy in a far-off land!"

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in The Avengers #30

Cover date July 1966

(Published in May 1966)

This story from the start lays out the direction that the team members are going. Wanda is concerned about her hex power, gradually becoming weaker, as have Pietro's speed powers. Cap grants the two mutants a leave of absence so that they can return to Europe to find answers, now that the Wasp and Goliath have rejoined the team. Although the giant Avenger is wallowing in self pity, which leads the Wasp Hawkeye and Captain America, to continue the search for the Black Widow, Swordsman and Power Man. Goliath readers about his old collage professor, Doctor Anton, who has been researching the artificial growth of body cells. Pym sets of to South America to see if his friend can help him recover from his ten foot tall predicament. 

After finding information on the Black Widows whereabouts Hawkeye requests permission to tackle the villains alone. It's great seeing the archer in action, he's one of my favourite Avengers, I guess he's more relatable. What doesn't make this story relatable it that fact that the Printer or something in the production of this comic has slipped the 12th page of this story into the 5th page of the comic, revealing Hawkeye's encounter with the Black Widow and the Swordsman before they should have.

Meanwhile in South America Goliath finds Doctor Anton's home empty with valuable equipment smashed. As he ventures outside a group of strangely dressed men jump on the Avenger. He quickly overcomes them and forces one of them to take him to the captured Doctor Anton. 

Elsewhere Hawkeye makes a good fist of beating the Swordsman but he's then attacked from behind by Power Man. Unable to break the string man's grip things look bleak until the Black Widow shocks the villain with her "Widow bite." Declaring  her brainwashing has finally worn off. Much to Hawkeye's relief and pleasure.

Events in South America unfold revealing that Doctor Anton as been kidnapped because he was an intruder who discovered the forbidden land of the people who guarded the secret of the Flame of Life. His equipment had detected a source of great power that might aid his reach into body cell research. The Keeper of the Flame declares all intruders dangerous and when news of a giant in their lands reaches him it throws the over zealous suspicious nature of the Keeper into over drive. When Goliath finally arrives he even calls the temple a scene right out of a H. Rider Haggard novel. An English novelist well know for "King Solomon's Mines" and "She" novels, this Avengers tale does bear similarities with the later novel. Well that's Stan Lee for you, If you're going to steal plots, steal from the best. Facing over the odds Goliath is rescued by Prince Rey, the rightful ruler of the forbidden land.

 

It's actually a smashing little adventure that's building nicely, can't wait for next week's episode. I bet lots of Avengers fans will too, but as shown in both this week's the Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly the Avengers get another strip. Which might take some of the shine away from the Avengers strip itself. The fall out from that I'll deal with next week. As well as what I think of the new line-up and my thoughts on the strip itself. But I haven't finished with this week's Avengers weekly just yet.

It's mail opening Time

I do wish they would stick to just one title for the Avengers letter page. Any way first up is Philip Rathe from Longview who was under the impression that British Marvel comics where British versions written by British writers, until he spotted an Avengers comic called "Vengeance is ours" which was the same story as the one from the Avengers weekly #17 but in colour. Paula Loveday from Knaresborough is a big fan of the Avengers and thinks that the Swordsman is a "very nice person" and why did Wonder-man have to die? The editor says that Wonder Man didn't die he was just stunned. That wasn't true at the time but may be the editor could see into the future. Andrew Whitfield thinks that Doctor Strange is OK but would rather see a story with Giant Man starring in it. Stephen Old from Walsall has spotted a boob where Doctor Strange is called Doctor Doom in Avengers #10. Stephen also wants to see Peta Skingley's name printed correctly other wise readers might think she's a man. The female editor doesn't comment on that. How come Stephen knew that?

Hemant Mistry from Dudley pens a long letter mentioning the difference in price and page count between the three weeklies, wanting the X-Men instead of Doctor Strange, suggesting that at the current rate of Hulk stories per week they would run out by issue 130 and preferring that if a new comic was to come out, it should not be called X-Men comics Weekly or Daredevil Comics Weekly but it should be titled Superheroes Comic Weekly. There's more in the letter, it's worth a read. Charles Lowe from Buckinghamshire makes a few suggests too, first is to make a super sized comic that features the Hulk, the FF, Spider-man, Doctor Strange, Daredevil and the X-Men in it. The second is have books with superheroes origins in them. Peter Barrett RFO, KOF from Sussex is a fifteen year old who has collected Marvel comics for four years and is still very thrilled and excited when he buys them today as he was when he purchased his first. 

Doctor Strange "Beware...! Dormammu is watching!"

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko 

Originally published in Strange Tales #139

Cover date December 1965

(Published in September1965)

 

Doctor Strange has to confront Baron Mordo who is backed with the might of the Dreaded Dormammu to save the imprisoned Ancient One. A daunting threat, but not as daunting as trying to read with any pleasure this story as the toner has laid on the tones heavily, spoiling Steve Ditko's detailed artwork. Doctor Strange does match Mordo's attack well but one episode won't be enough to satisfy this Ditko fan. If anything I'm a little board with Baron Mordo and Strange humbles the sorcerer, it's the confrontation with Dormammu that I want to see. And for that I'll have to wait till next week.

The tones on the in-house ad is also very heavy but it still showcases the treats that the Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly have in store for happy readers this week. It was a nice idea to show the opening splash pages for Spider-man and Thor rather than just the cover. 

There's a lot to like about this period of British Marvel. It truly is the "Golden Age of UK Marvel!" But will it continue to be held in such high esteem? Tune in next week and find out.

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.