"Come into my parlour" said the Beesting to the reader.

 Week Ending 8th June 1974

It never ceases to surprise me that so many Marvel fans have an almost encyclopaedic memory of the art and artists work from their favourite comics. In last week's blog, while dissecting the artwork that was used for the Spider-man Comics Weekly issue 67 cover, I struggled to place the image of Spider-man at the very centre of the page. I knew it was by John Romita Sr and was sure I'd seen it before, but due to the pressing deadline I left that detail open for any Friend of the Beesting to answer, with a Power of the Beesting No-Prize to anyone who rose to the challenge. Within minutes of posting the blog and promoting it on the Facebook group UK Marvel in the Seventies, Alan Russell pointed out the Spider-man image was re-purposed from the Amazing Spider-man #135. Alan also pointed out that the MWOM cover was also reused on the US reprint title Marvel Super-heroes #79, cover dated March 1979, published November 1978. A BotBNoP on its way to Alan. A very close second, I mean virtually seconds later, Rod Tough commented on the blog that it was from ASM#135, adding that its cover date was August 1974 so the US and UK version must have been published within weeks of each other. ASM #135 was published on the 7th May 1974, 18 days apart. Romita could well have been creating both version side by side, using the black/white spider silhouette for both. The ASM cover is a classic, but weirdly if I had to pick one of them for a CotW award I might have to pick SMCW, although the Punisher is dead cool. Another BotBNoP goes to Rod too. Alan and Rod are part of the Marvel comics loving community who both regularly comment on the blog. It's great to hear from everyone about the bits I missed or their own opinions and memories. Keep them coming, everyone is welcome to join the Friends of the Beesting. FotB for short, I'm trying to make that catch on.   

  

The Mighty World of Marvel #88

I'm not a big fan of this cover, drawn by Stan Lee's younger brother Larry Lieber and inked by Frank Giacoia, it's a little dull in brightness, Lieber was a jack-of-all-trades, but definitely a master of none, a reliable get you out of a sticky moment artist, but not the most inspiring. The Mole Man's floating head was apparently drawn by Gil Kane. It was taken from panel 1 of page 17  from Marvel Team-Up #17, cover dated January 1974. I found out that it was used as number 95 in the Marvel Value Stamp collection. Tyrannus was drawn possibly by Herb Trimpe. On a side note, this week I was reading Alan McKenzie's dead interesting Marvel in the Silver Age blog about floating heads on Marvel covers, his blog is always a good read. 

The Incredible Hulk “A tale of two tyrants!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Herb Trimpe

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #127

Cover date May 1970

(Published in February 1970)

This week's opening splash page is a blown up panel taken from page 8 of last week story. It's a bit of a cheat but I'm sure my younger self wouldn't have bothered about that. The Hulk quickly becomes a friend to Mogol and helps him in fortifying his one time enemy, Tyrannus's kingdom against the Mole Man and his armies,  which does bother my aging self it feels a little too easy. I think that Roy Thomas is one of Marvel's greatest writers, if not the best ever Marvel writer, but this story does have a little feel of a Stan Lee classic. That may well have been intended by Thomas as part of the transition from Lee to him. 

Don't get me wrong this story isn't completely a Hulk verses some giant monster/creature/super-human/alien opponent in an all out smash down. Roy's stories have a subtle morality play feel to them. The Hulk's man-monster-child's ego makes a new friend who turns out to be something else. We've all had those relationships or moments like that. You meet someone, you become good friends or even start a close relationship with them, you think you know them so well, then things change when you find out they're not who you think they are, when you find out they're a robot. You know that sort of thing! Tyrannus couldn't rely on Mogol to battle the Mole Man because old Moley knew that his "Heat Ray" would destroy him. The Hulk throws a child-like strop and smashes Mogol to pieces, grinding Mogul's central processor to dust.

His temper tantrum doesn't stop there, he follows Tyrannus's last order and levels the Mole Man's city to the ground, then he returns to Tyrannus's city and with two fisted force he shatters the pillars and parapets in a senseless rage driven by his own question of "Why? Why? Why?" The subterranean echo fades as he ponders Mogol may have been a robot but he was the Hulk's only friend, maybe he was wrong to smash him, he asks the questions without answers to why we all do things and later regret our actions. 

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Derek Brown from Fife asks why in Gerald White's letter, seen in MWOM #73, he believes that Rama-Tut and Kang the Conqueror one and the same, the editor replied "the resemblance was purely coincidental, but in the Avengers #5 Kang says "I journeyed to your far past, calling myself Pharaoh Rama-Tut." So the red-faced editor has to give Derek a No-Prize because they messed up. P. Whitlock from London also wins a No-Prize for spotting that in MWOM #70 the letter page was called "The Web and the Hammer" and not the "Mighty Marvel Mailbag". A. D. Gibney from Northants takes umbrage with the "unsigned" letter writer who called the Hulk "a pea-brained, knucklehead, long-nose, big-mouthed green-fingered-nailed nut." in MWOM #72 to sort him out in no uncertain terms. 

The bottom of this letter page has the entry form for this week's "Fishing contest", but more on that much later.

Chris McPhee RFO, KOF, from Lancashire wants to claim a No-Prize for Betty Ross being called Betty Brant from way back in MWOM #65. The editor claims that No-Prizes are in short supply and they don't send them out unless they must, but in this case they'll have to dust one off and send it. He also complains about the loss of colour and demands the return of Daredevil. Paul Whalen from Ireland doesn't like the Human Torch and wants to see the Hulk smash him. Paul Barford from Peterborough asks why doesn't the Hulk's trousers split altogether? The answer is either the Lycra in the denim or may be it's just autistic license. Arfon Morgan David from Port Talbot really "digs" Marvel comics and their Marvel-ous characters. Daredevil is his favourite, he'll love to see a two page poster of the "Man without fear". David Bill from Bewick Upon Tweed thinks that the Hulk is great, even though he sometimes gets carried away a bit. While he only thinks Thor is OK. Angela Turnbull from Fife in Scotland asks "Are girls allowed to read Marvel?" The editor's answer and mine are the same, "They most certainly are!" Comics are for everyone. 

Daredevil “My brother...my enemy!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby and John Romita Sr

Inker: John Romita Sr

Originally published in Daredevil #13

Cover date February 1966

(Published in December 1965)

An unconscious Daredevil is at the mercy of Maa-Gor, the last of the deadly Ape-Man tribe. Just in time DD awakes but finds his super-senses have gone. However even at a disadvantage he manages to fight off the beast, while Ka-Zar and Zabu collect the powerful Ju-Ju Barries to restore Daredevil's strength. Just as Ka-Zar manages to defeat the man-eating plant and returns to find that Daredevil was saved by the Plunderer who explains to him that Ka-Zar is his brother. The Pirates men capture the lord of the jungle and they all set off due north towards England in Plunderers sub-marine. Primitive men, superheroes, pirates and British Lords with a long-lost brother plot tying them together. This can only be a Stan Lee plot. Not a bad thing, it's got its own charm.

The Fantastic Four “To save you, why must I kill you?”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #42

Cover date September 1965

(Published in June 1965)

This week's Fantastic Four suffers no end with Vince Colletta's back-to-basics inks. But if you can look past that, Stan's dialogue and Jack's layouts tell a cracking story as the Thing under the influence of the Wizard leads the Frightful Four in a battle against his old teammates. There's lots of fun Kirby ideas backed up by Lee's witty word play. Like when Ben forces Reed into a metal jar. It finishes at the half way point in the original story, with things looking not great for the Fantastic Four. A text box that promises "Next week: the Frightful Six!" Come back then for the conclusion. 

The back page has part two of the Fishing Contest, with three more questions to answer. Number three is which silhouette is the Royal Yacht? Number four asks which of these three ships did Nelson fall at the Battle of Trafalgar? While the fifth question is from these silhouettes which ship did Captain Scott sail as part of his Antarctic expedition? This week's and last week's questions are pretty hard, unless you've got an encyclopaedic knowledge of the silhouettes of historic ships. I bet most just made educated guesses with their answers. The version on the MWOM back page does, like last week, have horrible shading over the lower half of the ship, making it extremely hard to make out the prizes and rules of the contest. You have to cut out the second coupon and add it to the first one from last week and fill out the form as seen at the bottom of the letter page. 

So with your five guesses, sorry correct answers, the two coupons and your own worst "fishing" pun or joke for a special Marvel prize you had to use this form and send it off to "Whale of a contest" Marvel comics ltd, Room 109, 52 High Holborn London WC1V 6RZ. Which is the same address used for readers letters, but letters go to Room 106. 

Spider-man Comics Weekly #69

I love this John Romita Sr cover, it's crisp and clear, leaving the reader with no doubt they're going to be in for a fun ride. It's a copy of the ASM #66 cover but with the added Mysterio word balloons that play on the words originally from the poem "The Spider and the fly." "Come into my parlor, Spider-man!" The line was originally "Will you walk into my parlour?" in the poem by Mary Howitt (1799–1888), published in 1829, but it has been corrupted over time to "come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly". With Mysterio adding "Come in and die!" British comic covers always do great word balloons, that makes them more fun than the American ones. Notice they used the American version of the word parlor, it must have been an American bodger who lettered it. You might think it's "the madness of the Beesting", but this cover is my Cover of the Week. 

Spider-man “Showdown at studio M!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr and Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #66

Cover date November 1968

(Published in August 1968)

The second part of this story uses a new splash page made up of the image of Mysterio walking through a smoke filled room from the top panel of page 5 from last week's issue, with added extra smoke effects, a new title at the top, re-cap text boxes in the middle and the credits at the bottom. Unlike the panel that was used for this week's Hulk second part this works really well for no obvious reason. 

While visiting his Aunt May, Peter hears her cry out so instinctively he bursts in to find her upset over Mysterio's latest appearance on television. Mysterio issues a challenge to Spider-man to meet him to finish the fight they started at their first encounter or he will start destroying the city. Peter leaves his Aunt in the capable hands of Mrs. Watson as he blurts out an excuse and leaves to change into Spider-man. Arriving at a warehouse Spidey rips open a corrugated door to discover Mysterio waiting for him next to a scale model of a fairground. A fight, starts with the special effects master using smoke to unhinge Spider-man who is knocked out by a blast from a strange gun. Recovering from the guns indirect hit Spidey stumbles through the smoke to the vision of a giant-sized Mysterio looming over him on the set of a miniature amusement park. It appears that the gun has  shrunk him down in size. The villain boasts that no one who is only 6 inches high can save themselves from total annihilation at the hands of Mysterio! Next: To quash a spider!  

Bullpen Bulletins

Much like last week the Bullpen Bulletins are peppered with items about the newly imported US colour comics available to buy on these very shores. The latest US Daredevil mag gets an item informing the readers that it has the beautiful Black Widow as co-star with old horn-head. The next item waxes about Thor's adventures in full colour with regular artist Rich Buckler. Fan's of Master of Kung Fu in the Avengers couldn't fail to notice in the last two issues that a big green character called Man-Thing had made his UK debut. Well he too gets his own full colour mag. For horror lovers Marvel takes Bram Stoker's supernatural creation and places him in between the covers of his own comic, titled The tomb of Dracula. Stan tries to answer the age old question of "Where do you get your ideas from?" Stan doesn't really give a straight answer, not that he has at any time to any question, but points out that the Bullpen are coming up with a zillion new thoughts and angles for stories. The only problem is getting the time to polish them, to refine them and publishing them. He finishes with the line "For an idea is like a guitar, it doesn't mean a thing unless you know how to use it!" This page has also got a Mighty Marvel Checklist and a Special to Spider-man Comics Weekly, which must have been meant for last week's bulletin as it covers the very issue that it was printed in.

Iron Man “The Scarecrow and the spies!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #51

Cover date March 1964

(Published in December 1963)

The second part of  this story starts with an enlarged panel from page 20 of last week's comic as an opening splash page. Having a week to digest the first half of this story hasn't improved it. The Scarecrow tricks Iron Man in to thinking he has escaped, only to sneak back and steal top secret weapon plans that he intends to sell to the Republic of Cuba. Cuban prime minister Fidel Castro isn't mentioned by name, but "the beaded one" who will pay handsomely for the plans was probably a reference to him. As you imagine Iron Man tricks the Scarecrow and saves the plans in this basic tale.

 

The Web and the Hammer

No letter page title this week, they must have run out of space with the entry form for this week's Fishing Contest taking up a quarter of the page. Adrian Maguire from Bailey did have 40 editions of US Marvel mags but his sister through them away. That is a sin! He's not worried as he says he'll start again. I would be terrified that she might strike again. Patrick Lines from Surrey thinks that the Hulk isn't the strongest as surely Thor is stronger as he is a God. Jonathan Mathews from Oxfordshire is going to be an Marvelyte forever after reading a copy of an old POW annual he found. He gets both MWOM and SMCW mags reserved at his local newsagent. Stephen Bright from Leicester has just finished reading SMCW #35 and has compiled a list of sound effects in the Spider-man vs the Rhino story. He has counted that the effect "Stomp" was used 13 times. Well some people count sound effects, some people write blogs, what ever floats your boat.

The Mighty Thor “The Black Galaxy!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #132

Cover date September 1966

(Published in June 1966)

The second part of this Thor tale opens with a splash page that uses the Jack Kirby artwork used for the cover of the Might Thor issue 132. Thor has taken his battle with the Colonizers to them in an attempt to have them release the Earth from their "Space Lock". The destruction the Thunder God brings to their Sky Station brings the attention of their leader the Grand Commissioner, who places the blame on Coloniser Tana Nile, who should have reported that Earth was protected by the Asgardian God. 

The Grand Commissioner agrees to remove the Space Lock from Earth if Thor helps the Colonizers from Rigel deal with the threat from the Black Galaxy. Thor agrees to those terms and is sent into the Black Galaxy with a new companion, a Rigel Recorder, one of Kirby's classical creations. A humanoid monitoring robot who will accompany Thor in this and many other missions in the future. I have a soft spot for the Recorder, he's a harmless robot with little character. I wonder what that says about me?

When Thor and his companion reach the Black Galaxy they pass through a stygian cloud to discover what they believe is an incredible universe composed of living biological matter, only to discover it is an actually a Bio-Verse, a sentient being known as Ego. Kirby is really pushing his creativity while Lee is running with the adrenaline kick he got from keeping up with him. It's great stuff from them both. Even Vince Colletta's inks aren't dampening  the party. The artwork is quite detailed, I guess the deadline wasn't as tight as the earlier Fantastic Four story seen in this week's MWOM. Kirby riffs the 1901 film "Mister Moon" or the 1902 film "A trip to the Moon", both used an actor's face to play the Moon. Special effects pioneer Georges Méliès used innovative camera trickery to fuse the imagination of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne novels in the 1902 movie. Much like the photographic and artistic collage used by Kirby. This story is quietly a classic. 

“Why won't they believe me?”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko

Originally published in Amazing Adult Fantasy #7

Cover date December 1961

(Published in August 1961)

This story comes from a script by Stan Lee that was first drawn by Steve Ditko and appeared in Amazing Adult Fantasy #7, that version is printed in this weekly and later in Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back Monthly issue 146, cover dated June 1981. Gene Colan re-drew it from Stan's original script and it was used as a back up story in Silver Surfer issue 3, cover dated December 1968, published September 1968. That version was reprinted in Star Wars Weekly issue 21, cover dated 28th June 1978. Both are wonderful versions. A lot of people don't give Stan Lee the credit he deserves for his writing and creativity, saying that he took credit for what his artists created. I sometimes too might be a little guilty of perpetuating those stories. But if you look at this tale and his other work you do get a tempo and rhythm that comes straight from the original plot and dialogue. Joe Sinnott once described working with Stan as him having a big pile of scripts on his desk, he used to write most of the stories himself in those days. You'd walk in and he'd be banging away at his typewriter. The way I see it Stan, Steve and Jack created Marvel together, yeah they fell out but that's not the full story, Stan wasn't the evil plagiarist in that tale. Alan McKenzie gets closer to the truth in his blog Marvel in the Silver age blog, "Stan Lee in a post-fact world" and he does it better than I ever could. 

In the story a man discovers a crashed alien spaceship and a log book detailing plans for an invasion being prepared by a shape-shifting alien spy. After attempting to notify the police and the army who both scoffed at him, he turns to the space agency where he shows a professor the log book, only to have the suspicious looking professor pull a gun on him. He thinks of all the millions of people on Earth he could have told, he's gone to the disguised alien spy. But the professor denies he is the alien. The wonderful twist in this tale comes from the professor who says "Only the alien could have read the contents of this book," as he holds out the log book which is written in a non-human language. He adds "You hit your head in the crash landing and temporarily forgot your identity." Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Marvel masters!

The back page of Spider-man Comics weekly with the correctly coloured version of the Fishing Competition. This one makes it so easier to read the rules and prizes at the bottom. The Avengers weekly featured an inside black and white version, but you get the idea.

Avengers Weekly #38

"What! Not another Master of Kung Fu cover", you all say. Well there's more to this than meets the eye. It was drawn by Ron Wilson, with inks by Mike Esposito, and you're probably thinking that it was drawn especially for the Avengers weekly as a filler in cover. Well, not completely, this artwork appeared first on this Avengers weekly but it's also used for the cover of Giant-size Master of Kung Fu issue 1, which was released on 25th June 1974. Making its UK debut some 24 days before the American version. 

Master of Kung Fu “Frozen past, shattered memories”

Writer: Doug Moench 

Artist: P. Craig Russell

Inker: P. Craig Russell

Originally published in Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #1

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

Like this week's cover, this Master of Kung Fu story appears first in this comics well before it makes its US debut. Master of Kung Fu issue 20 was due to be released on the 20th June 1974 in the US, previously MOKF had been a bi-monthly title. May the fallow on story wasn't ready for the British weekly and it's run rate needed slowing down. This short story might have been ready to go to the printers as it was part of a number scripts that loosely fitted into MOKF continuity. This one does fit perfectly as Shang-Chi is still in Miami. 

This story is written by new regular Doug Moench with guest artist P. Craig Russell, who's no where near as good as Jim Starlin or Paul Gulacy, which may make may hate this story, but it's not terrible, just not great. Shang-Chi sees in a Miami newspaper a familiar Buddha figure on display in a museum. Shang-Chi goes to the museum, where he  overhears three thieves planning to steal it. Shang-Chi reports the thieves to a guard, who dismisses his story as crazy by saying a very topical line "Sure..and Nixon's gonna resign." then he calls him a hippie. President Nixon was deeply embroiled in the Watergate scandal at this point. The House Judiciary Committee opened impeachment hearings against the President on the 9th May 1974. Nixon resigned the presidency on the 9th August 1974. This story was set in the here and now.

He waits until the thieves break in, planning to follow them so that he can easily foils the robbery.  He beats them in pretty much silent panels but when he looks for the Buddha he only finds it's broken remains out the museum and we see his father Fu Manchu leaving in a helicopter. Are we expected to believe that there was something  hidden inside the statue or was it merely a case of Fu Manchu destroying something his son loved? Who knows? Either way I can't justify this strip being a great example of a classic Master of Kung Fu strip, It's a five minute filler, nothing more nothing less.

Bullpen Bulletin

In the Avengers version of this week's Bullpen Bulletins we get a Special to the Avengers, in which an item on Ron Wilson notes that he has been drawing a lot of covers for all three British weeklies, including this week's Avengers cover featuring Shang-Chi. Stan Lee was literally knocked off his pins when he saw it. So much so he insisted Ron given was given a Master of Kung Fu story to draw. We'll see the results next week.  

The Mighty Marvel Checklist for this Bullpen Bulletin features previews of this week's Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly as you would expect.

The Avengers “The Ultroids attack!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in The Avengers #36

Cover date January 1967

(Published in November 1966)

A surprised Captain America finds the Scarlet Witch in Avengers Mansion, who relates that the startling story that Quicksilver has been kidnapped by a UFO. Elsewhere, Hawkeye nominates the Black Widow for membership. I personal think she'll make a great addition to the group but it wasn't to be as Cap says new members have to be voted for at the next meeting and Goliath objects to her membership on the grounds that the Avengers is not a "halfway house" for reformed criminals. Cap breaks up a fight between Hawkeye and the Goliath. Avengers (including the Scarlet Witch and the Black Widow) fly to the Balkans to investigate their missing teammate but instead discover a strange looking space ship and a bizarre underground complex. More of the same next week.

Assemble!

Stephen Wahid from Manchester picks out a minor slip up in a reply to a letter by John Swales, printed in the Avengers weekly #23 letter page in which the Silver Surfer was described as "the greatest space-traveller of all time", even though in a Fantastic Four comic album Reed Richards says he has been condemned to remain on earth by Galactus. The next letter is unsigned, but the writer is slightly disappointed that Giant Man had stopped appearing in any strip, they want to see his return. Well unsigned got their wish. Marco Tokarski from Yorkshire thinks that the Avengers weekly is great, but he much prefers the original line up.  

Peter Young from South Wales apologises for writing in pencil as he has lost his pen!!! He asks is the leader of Kang's army the Rhino, seen in the Avengers weekly #20, as he looks like him? Well the answer is no, they just look slightly similar. Peter also wants to see Doctor Strange get a comic of his own. Adrian Kermide RFO, KOF, FFF from Northumberland both praises and criticises the Avengers weekly. First the criticism, in Avengers weekly #10, the Wasp gives away Giant Man's identity when she says "Henry Pym you sound jealous, thank heavens." May be no one was listening. The praise comes from the heart when he calls the artwork fab, the lettering brilliant and the stories out of this world. He asks for a No-Prize for spotting the Wasp's mistake and he wants to see Goliath introduced. George Delacour from Cornwall pleads that Doctor Strange shouldn't be taken away from the Avengers weekly as he is his second favourite super-hero, just behind Quicksilver. He adds that all the Doc's stories are good except the one seen in Avengers weekly #2. That's a bit harsh, that one featured the first appearance of Nightmare, I really liked that one.

Doctor Strange “The conquest of Kaluu!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Bill Everett

Inker: Bill Everett 

Originally published in Strange Tales #150

Cover date November 1966

(Published in August 1966)

A furious Kaluu realising that Doctor Strange and the Ancient One had escaped his attack, soon ascertains that two mystic candles had been used by his opponents to travel into the past to search for the Book of Vishanti. He is unable to snuff out the mystical flames. Traveling through time and space the Doctor and the Ancient One travel to Ancient Babalyonia where they have to battle a Griffin, who is the protector the Book of the Vishanti.

Freeing the book, the Ancient One misquotes Shakespeare (probably intentionally,) when he says "For we will shake him, or endure worst!" Stan as the editor of this story offers a No-Prize for anyone who can recognise the pseudo-Shakespearian gem. Well the quote should have been "For we will shake him, or worse days endure." which Cassius says at the end of the second scene of act one from "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" circa 1599. This is a typical writing trait of Roy Thomas, where he sprinkles quotes or ideas from classical literature in his writing. Lifting comics to a more worthy level. Doctor Strange returns alone with the Book of Vishanti to his Sanctum, through the "Flames of Faltine!" Strange using the book as a shield deflects Kaluu's mystic bolt back towards the evil magician stunning him. Allowing Strange to capture the evil sorcerer. Providing an opportunity for the Ancient One, from his Sanctum in the Himalayas, to cast a spell which once again banishes Kaluu to another realm. 

Meanwhile in the Dark Dimension, Clea fears that since the defeat of the Dreaded Dormammu none other than the Doctor can hold back the Mindless Ones, who have been kept in check by Dormammu during his reign. However, before she can summon Strange, a raven-tressed woman appears before the Mindless Ones, declaring herself to be Umar the unrelenting, Dormammu's sister, returning from her banishment to take control over her brother's former kingdom. Ditko's creativity fuelled the Doctor Strange strip, aided by Lee's merry word play. But with Roy Thomas's vision and Everett's artwork, rocket fuel was added to the mix. Glorious adventures wait ahead for this excited reader. Can't wait!

This double dynamite in-house advert shows this weekly's companion mags that altogether make an exciting time for British Marvel readers. Some great stories, some excellent gems and the odd minor miss, but as I've seen the future I know that some great stuff is on the way. At the time the summer of 1974 had the hottest average temperature on record, with most places registering less than half the usual amount of rainfall, consequently resulting in a drought. But for British Marvel fans there was no drought of fantastic fables, so staying out of the heat and reading these mags was as cool as ever. Til next time... 

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.