In last week's blog I discussed the cover of Spider-man Comics Weekly #72 and how it was adapted slightly from the original artwork taken from the cover of the Spectacular Spider-man magazine issue 2, well regular Power of the Beesting reader Rod Tough pointed out that the cover seen in the UK mag was more similar to the version that appeared on the Amazing Spider-man Annual issue 9, cover dated July 1973, published June 1973, including the Goblin dialogue. It's true the British cover owns more to the 1973 annual version than the Spectacular Spider-man magazine version. The 1973 annual reprinted "The Goblin lives" story because of events in Amazing Spider-Man #121 and #122, which contained the tales of (SPOILERS) the death of Gwen Stacy and the apparent death of Norman Osborn. Thanks Rod, you're a fountain of knowledge.
Herb Trimpe draws this cover, originally for the Incredible Hulk #130, the UK version is slightly re-coloured and the flames behind Banner seem to have grown. I do like this cover may be more than the original US version. It's my Cover of the Week.
Banners trail leads the Hulk to the army base so once again the scientist must flee, with only one place to go he returns to Raoul Stoddard's subterranean lab to try and find a solution to his latest predicament. Stoddard thinks he's found the flaw in the Gammatron and that this time it will work. After strapping Banner in he pulls a gun displaying years of frustration at being the second best to Banner's genius. Killing him, will in his mind anyway, elevate him to the status of the man who rid the world of the monstrous Hulk. The Hulk smashes in stopping Stoddard in his tracks. Strangely the Hulk takes that point to leave adding that he will have his revenge on Banner later. The Army arrive second's later to arrest Stroddard, The freed Banner ponders who if they are to stop the Hulk's rampage he must rejoin the two together.
More ads, one for the FOOM magazine offer over the last two weeks. While under that Airfix models takes up the lower half of a page with "Heroes of World War Two", showing construction kits for a Spitfire model, the Ark Royal, a Churchill tank and the 8th Army Desert Rats figures. Details and history of the models are given but no prices, unlike the only none World War II construction kit, Wasa the Swedish warship from 1628 to 1661, for which the construction kit is priced at one pound and thirty-five pence. A bit of a steal by today's prices.
The Fantastic Four “Bedlam at the Baxter Building!”
Writer: Stan Lee Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Originally published in The Fantastic Four Annual #3
Cover date October 1965
(Published in July 1965)
This story marks a historical point in the history of Marvel comics, the wedding of Reed Richards to Sue Storm. I'm pretty certain that comics never did that sort of thing before 1965. OK it may have happened in some of the Romance comics. It seems very grown up and very real. To me that's what makes Marvel different from its Distinguished Competitors, super-powered characters dealing with super-incredible events in a very grounded real world. To me this made the media of comics more mature than the tag comics have. Plus the fact you get to see heroes and villains duke it out for what ever reason they felt necessary. That's cool too.
Confession time, I first read this adventure in the Marvel UK digest series The Fabulous Fantastic Four Pocket Book issue one from April 1980. Pocket Books were one of Dez Skinn's triumphs at Marvel, this first issue really connected with me, it was a shame that distribution was poor in my area. Anyway when I later got chance to collect the stories original British Marvel appearances in the Might World of Marvel issues I leapt at it. In these MWOM issue the story brought the same amount of thrills as that 80's version.
An angry Doctor Doom reads about the wedding and takes action to spoil the happy event by the skilful use of a "high frequency emotion charger" that will heighten the desire of Marvel's greatest and sometimes lamest super-villains into crashing the wedding. There's a good chance that some would intend to sabotage the day anyway. It's just a great plot devise by Lee and Kirby to get as many villains and heroes in one comic. Arguably Marvel's first multi-character event. I'm not counting the Avengers teaming up with the FF (as seen in
MWOM #50) or the FF with the X-Men (seen in
MWOM #57), this is another level.
It's on only the super-kind of guest stars, Tony Stark appears in top hat and tails, Patsy Walker and Hedy Wolfe, both make their first Silver Age appearances. Both had appeared in different Pre-Marvel Atlas Comics romance stories. Of course Patsy Walker would eventually become the super-heroine Hellcat. Six panels that show Nick Fury and agents of SHIELD spoiling an attack by the Puppet Master on the Thing have been removed from the UK version. Which does jar continuity somewhat when Ben tells Professor X that someone is out to clobber them today. In all honesty it could have been left in and may be drop one of the other features, but that's UK Marvel for you.
Super-villains like the Red Ghost and his Super-apes, (notice it's the Red Ghost not the Mad Ghost, the editors either dropped the ban on communist references or they forgot.) the Mole Man, the Mandarin, the Black Knight, Kang, the Mad Thinker with his Awesome Android, the Grey Gargoyle, the Super Skrull, Cobra, the Executioner, the Enchantress, Mister Hyde and agents of Hydra all appear this week to crash the wedding and cause chaos.
Super-heroes like the X-men, Doctor Strange, Thor, Daredevil, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye and Spider-man rush in to help out the fabulous foursome. Some characters may have already been invited to the wedding. Kirby has fun arranging the confrontations between villains and heroes. It's basically all the characters Jack had a hand in creating, with the exception of Cobra, Mister Hyde, the Mandarin, Doctor Strange and Spider-man. Kirby wasn't great at drawing Spider-man, in fact he didn't draw his appearance in this strip. The image of the web-slinger on the fourth panel of page 26 was taken from the Steve Ditko drawn Amazing Spider-man #19, fourth panel on the thirteenth page, cover dated December 1964, published September of the same year.
Daredevil is missing from this issues strip line up this week, but fans still get to see him as he attempts to foil Hydra's plan to blow up the Baxter Building with a "Vortex Bomb" in this story's cliffhanger climax. One more panel showing Foggy Nelson, Karen Page and a worried Matt Murdock has also been removed, as well the order of the fights between the Avengers and the Masters of Evil and Daredevil taking on Hydra have been swapped so that the bomb threat gets positioned right at the climax, so that next week's episode could tease "Day of wedlock-day of fear!"
The Mighty Marvel Mailbag
Nikka, Sandra and Shaheen write in with that seems to be finding any eligible bachelors in the ranks of Marvel staff, readers or fans. A little strange may be but the girls say they all like writing stories, Sandra goes for long drawn out love stories while Shaheen prefers sci-fi epics. It doesn't say what kind of stories Nikki writes. I wonder what happened to those girls? Richard Moore from Cheshire suggests that the import of American colour comics seems to have dried up, with the characters from the UK weeklies disappearing all together. Richard would buy both UK and US comics. He argues that the UK weeklies seem to be aimed at a younger reader and they might miss out the "serious" stories, like the Spider-man story that deals with drugs, so as to not offend the minds of young readers. So with both version fans like Richard would get to collect both. Andrew Town from Essex has a message for Marvel fans that they can copy and send to the TV companies, like the BBC, requesting that Marvel cartoons get shown in the UK. Bet Andrew just loves Marvel Studio TV and films in 2024.
Namor the Sub-Mariner "The mer-Mutants!"
Writer: Mike FredrichArtist: Alan Weiss
Inker: Alan Weiss
Originally published in Sub-Mariner #54
Cover date July 1972
(Published in October 1972)
Namor encounters a beautiful Mermaid who charms him with her allowing looks. He swims after her but she plays hard to get and seems to lead him into a trap of some awaiting Atlantean Mutants, who attack him out of mistrust. He defeats them only to be set upon by the mermaid who attacks him with a knife, only to be overpowered by Namor. She explains that they are outcasts from Atlantis and Lemuia.
They only want shelter and food. The under-sea Prince tries to convince them that his people aren't prejudice towards them. Unfortunately, Namor's guards show up, assume the mutants are evil, and drive them off with violence, insults and bigotry, leaving Namor wondering are his people as hateful as the surface men. It's a wonderful morality tale that fills a space in the comic and is beautifully drawn.
This is the back inside page that you have to use to design gadgets as an entry into Marvel's Meccano Bonanza competition. The overall first prize is a Meccano Set No.9, while five age groups each get a chance of winning too. The age 14-16 winner gets a Meccano Set No.7, the age 12-14 winner gets a Meccano Set No.6, the age 11-12 winner gets a Meccano Set No.5, then three winners in the 8-10 age group will receive an Army Multikit set each, while 3 under 8 winners get a Mogul truck each. Plus twenty-five runner-ups get prizes of a Dinky car. Inventors have to enter the title of the invention, the inventions specifications together with their name, address and age on the full page form. This competition is in all three weeklies this week.
Spider-man Comics Weekly #73
This specially created for Spider-man Comics Weekly cover was drawn by Ron Wilson and inked by Mike Esposito. It's quite usual for UK cover artwork at this time, both artists have signed their first names on the building behind Spider-man in the bottom left corner.
Spider-man “The Goblin strikes at night!”
Writer: Stan LeeArtist: John Romita Sr
Inker: Jim Mooney
Originally published in the Spectacular Spider-man #2
Cover date November 1968
(Published in August 1968)
The second part of this story begins with a cropped splash page from the original comic with the new title added to the top of the page. Two captions re-capping last week's part one and credits added. It does look a little strange as the next page has a panel which looks like a flipped version of the first page, but this only was used by Romita to show the reveal and then Aunt May's shock when Peter's identity is revealed. This rude awakening from the nightmare urges Peter into action, sending Spider-man into the night in search for the Goblin.
Spidey returns in the morning without locating Norman Osborn or the Goblin. Norman has been busy planning his next move. Returning to his home he is greeted by his worried son Harry. Norman suggests that they should celebrate his good health by inviting Mary Jane, Gwen and Peter to dinner. Harry does this, Peter agrees to go knowing that it's a trap but he still goes as he has little other options. Peter goes to Gwen's to talk to her about it. Romita really draws Gwen beautifully. She's hip and trendy, personally I'd have found an excuse not to take her but as Harry has already spoken to Gwen's father on the phone about it Peter has no choice.
Were as Gwen as the beautiful girl next door look, Mary Jane is a little more, well how can I put it? Some people have called her "looks" "slutty", which is a bit harsh. When I read these old stories I pine for Gwen but after "you know what happens" I've always seen Mary Jane as Peter's "true love", even when she wasn't in those late 70's early 80's adventures. If you were playing "snog, marry, avoid" with Gwen, Mary Jane and the Goblin, it would have to snog Mary Jane, marry Gwen and avoid the Goblin at all costs. If you have it any other way you're just weird.
The artwork showing Norman as a creepy host has been burnt into my mind. Romita nails it. Osborn is more scary in his civilian clothes than he is when he appears as the Green Goblin. Peter plays along with Norman for a while until he formulates a plan to distract everyone by throwing a webbed up roll of camera film into an open fire, causing smoke to fill a near by room. The diversion works giving Peter the chance to change into Spider-man and Norman Osborn into the Goblin.
The above classic image of Spider-man always brings to my mind the cover of Marvel UK's Spider-man #572, cover dated 22rd February 1982, on which a portion of this artwork was used.
So it's the power of Spider-man against the evil of the Green Goblin, as drawn by the graceful pencil of John Romita Sr. Every element is in position for a spectacular battle.
But if Spidey thinks that sneaking up on the Goblin he's going to get screwed as the villain's bat glider converts into a driller killer, that may be foreshadowing the Goblins own future down fall. But there's lots of adventures to go through before we reach that period in Spider-man's life. Lots of great comics to read before then. Next week we get to read the "Final Encounter", but will it be the final for Spider-man or the Goblin? Find out next week.
Bullpen Bulletins
In the first item we get another look behind the scenes of British Marvel as state side Ed Hannigan assists Associate editor Tony Isabella in the production of these British weeklies. Ed pastes up the logos, trademarks and other production type tasks. The next item relates to ACBA, the Academy of Comic Book Arts, an American society whose membership boasts Neal Adams as President, Herb Trimpe as Vice-president, E. Nelson Bridwell (a writer who worked for DC comics, EC comics and Warren Comics.) as Secretary and Marie Severin as Treasurer. Stan Lee uses his Stan's Soapbox column to discuss the issues with characters turning up in other stories causing complaints about continuity problems. Stan answers it with "just let it go" those story could easy take place at different times. The next item answers those question of how these magnificent mags are produced. Well it goes through the process from the writer's plot synopses to the artist page breakdown, then the penciled pages are given to the writer who scripts the story. The letterer adds the dialogue and text in the designated areas then the inker embellishes the artwork. Finally the toner or colourist if it's an American comic adds the necessary tones or colours. Well that's pretty much what the column says but there might be a little more to it, at least you get the idea. In a Special to Spider-man Comics Weekly we hear that British Marvel associate editor, Tony Isabella, has finally gotten his dream job of working with John Romita Sr on the covers of the US mags I presume.
The Web and the Hammer
RRRFO, not sure who that is but he's both angry and hopeful I think, towards those Marvel fanatics who won't pay an extra 5 pence for the best comics on the market. They want Marvel to set up a poll asking if readers want colour mags for a few more pence. The writer is please with the work of Roy Thomas and Herb Trimpe on
the Hulk strip in MWOM #79 and Steve Englehart with Jim Starlin's work on Master of Kung Fu. Stephen Whiteley from Lincolnshire was inspired by the blank panel at the end of the Spider-man strip in
SMCW #19, giving him the idea that they should do it more often giving the reader can finish off the story. It's a bad idea if you ask me. Micheal O'Neill from Glasgow wants to award Stan Lee the "Joker of the Year" if it's him who answers the letters in the letter pages. John Clifford from London wants Spider-man on the TV but after four o'clock because that's when he gets home from school. Simon Johnson who's also from London Thinks that Marvel only prints violent comics, like Spider-man, DD, Iron Man and Thor. He adds that they should print some romantic stories like Love Story, True Love, Millie the model, Our Love and others. not sure what he would think of a modern comic.
Chris Bryan from Liverpool thinks a lot of Marvel is great although he's not a fan of Don Heck, as he says that Don's artwork doesn't agree with the Avengers. Micheal Laurence and Douglas Scott from Kilmarnock in Scotland have spotted the mis-spelling of MWOM in the letter page of
MWOM #53, I'm not sure having a N instead of a M warrants the award of a TTB. Or spotting that the colourist on the cover of
SMCW #48 coloured Spider-man's toe yellow is good enough either. Robert Smith from Cheshire liked Ka-Zar's appearance in
SMCW #52 and has tried to find a solo comic with the savage lord with little effect. The editor suggests he try harder as The US Ka-Zar mags should be on the newsagents shelves.
The Mighty Thor “Wolfspawn in Wundagore!”
Writer: Stan LeeArtist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Originally published in The Mighty Thor #134
Cover date November 1966
(Published in September 1966)
The opening page of this second part works seamlessly as only the story title and two quick re-cap text boxes are needed. Thor having been confronted by the Knights of Wundagore allows them to capture him and take him into the High Evolutionary's citadel. Once inside, Thor is shocked when one of the Knights removes his helmet revealing that it is a highly evolved humanoid animal.
A nice shock for the reader is the appearance of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch who were last seen, chronologically anyway, in
the Avengers weekly #28. Their appearance isn't completely necessary to the story and could have been edited out like Galactus's cameo in last week's Thor strip, but it's nice that these heroes pop in and out of one another strips. This scene is important historically, future writers will connect the hints that Lee and Kirby left about the two mutants origins. Lee and Kirby were in their prime during the time that they created this story, dripping in continuity that connected the Marvel Universe and inspiring other writers and artists to take hold of the reins and run with them.
This in Marvel continuity is the first appearance of the High Evolutionary, however for British Marvel continuity this is the second time he has appeared, the first time was in
MWOM #39 in the Hulk strip. That isn't explained anywhere, which is a pity as I think most readers would respect that this story takes place before the Hulk story.
Thor finally encounters the High Evolutionary who explains that Jane Foster is a welcomed guest who is helping the young New Men with their education. But the distraction has meant that the High Evolutionary has left one of his delicate experiments unattended for too long. Causing an explosion of his "Genetic Accelerator" which was targeting a wolf in hope of evolving the mammal to its full animal evolutionary potential. However the process went further, evolving it beyond the potential of a sentient human, mutating it into a hate filled Man-Beast.
The Man-Beast rises declaring that he lives, he feels and more he hates! Without hesitation the Man-Beast senses life near by, as its evil mind comes to the conclusion that whatever lives must be its enemy so therefore must be destroyed. Thor. sensing the evil beasts, he warns Jane to brace herself for attack. This marvellous masterpiece will continue next week. I'll be here, won't you?
The Meccano competition hold the pack page of this comics so the in-house advert makes do with one of this black and white inner pages. Going back to the tried and tested in-house standard of showing the cover of the weekly with text to one side, dedicated to information the reader of what treats the mag holds. 'The incredible Hulk and the fabulous Fantastic Four in tales of high adventure and dynamic super-action!" it says about this week's Mighty World of Marvel next to an elegant black and white version of the cover that looks very smart. Under that The Avengers weekly another Marvel masterpiece that more than ever contains Britain's greatest Kung Fu, super-hero and magical action. Well that sold it for me, let's have a look.
Avengers Weekly #42
Ron Wilson (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks) create another British weekly cover and another Master of Kung Fu cover for the Avengers. Shang-Chi's opponent looks like a giant super-human villain as he appears to be towering over him. I do kind of like this cover even though you can knock it for the incorrect proportions of the characters, but the Trimpe Hulk cover pips it to the CotW award.
Master of Kung Fu “Death Masque!”
Writer: Doug MoenchArtist: Paul Gulacy
Inker: Dan Adkins
Originally published in Giant Size Master of Kung Fu #1
Cover date September 1974
(Published in June 1974)
I'm guessing that a lot of readers may not have started to appreciate Master of Kung Fu's time in the Avengers weekly. Be even a die hard disapprover must have grown to respect the creators efforts. I really admire the smartness and crispness of the artwork and the story telling. Shang-Chi has returned to New York and while walking the foggy streets he encounters an effigy of himself hanging from a noose off a street lamp. A knife is suddenly thrown, barely missing him with a message tied to its handle.
Chasing the knife thrower he is confronted with not one but two assassins wielding deadly weapons of a dagger and a pair of nunchakus. Defeating them both in combat the pair are unwilling to face the punishment that their master will dish out to them they take their own lives by biting on a capsule of lethal gas lodged between their teeth. Shang-Chi finds out that their master was his Father Fu Manchu who was sending his son a message on his birthday that he wished to observe his death. Fu Manchu greets council of seven to discuss the failure of two of its members in killing his son, adding two more assassins to complete the required number. Seven is considered to be a lucky number in Chinese culture as in Mandarin it sounds like the Mandarin word for "even", which is a good for relationships, however the 7th month is considered the "Ghost Month". So fighting frantic China men in July may not be a great idea.
The Avengers weekly version of this week's Bullpen Bulletin page has a Special to the Avengers in which gives the low down on the Avengers guest star Hercules. Recalling his "first" appearance in the Thor strip in
SMCW #53, of course for British Marvel readers his first appearance would have been fighting the Hulk after the brute had interrupted the God of Powers train journey in
MWOM #32. We are given a potted history of his adventure with Thor, ending with his return to Olympus, which is where we'll next encounter him in the following Avengers story. Just like the Bullpen page in SMCW there's also a Mighty Marvel Checklist but this time it reviews the current issues of MWOM and SMCW instead of the Avengers weekly.
The Avengers “The evil of the Enchantress!”
Writer: Roy ThomasArtist: Don Heck
Inker: George Roussos
Originally published in The Avengers #38
Cover date March 1967
(Published in January 1967)
There's been a lot of mileage out of having the Avengers arguing amongst each other, there has in the past, there will be in the future and Roy Thomas probably does it the best, getting more character out of the less than ordinary characters. This tale starts off with Goliath and Hawkeye locking antlers in an argument over the Black Widow becoming an Avenger. Cap and Pietro have to break them up. The widow is late for a meeting about her possible membership. She's been distracted by a group of agents who we'll later find out work for SHIELD when they deliver her to Nick Fury for a very special meeting.
Meanwhile in the heavenly heights of Olympus the Prince of Power is locked in combat with the God of War. An argument started by Hercules when he called Ares a coward for not aiding him when the Hordes of Pluto threaten to remove him to Hades. During the battle scenes Don Heck draws them both incredibly bulky. It's fine however I think that John Buscema gets Hercules shape just right as we'll see very soon. Before Hercules can finish off his opponent there is a blinding flash and the Enchantress not for the last time arrives in Olympus. For me her second time in Olympus is an absolute classic, as seen in the 100th issue of the Avengers, (US version,) cover dated June 1972, published March 1972. UK readers would also get to feast their eyes on that tale in The Titans #56 cover dated 10th November 1976. It's a real gem.
The Enchantress bewitches Hercules with a love potion from the waters taken from the fountain of Eros. Her plan is to use the Olympian God in her vendetta against the Avengers.
After Cap had been called away on a mission to find his long lost partner from World War Two, but in fact a trick by Power Man and the Swords Man, an adventure that UK readers will see in The Titans #28 covered dated 1st May 1976 (or Tales of Suspense #88 cover dated April 1967, for readers of US mags.). The Black Widow tells the Avengers that she will not be joining their ranks as she is leaving for China. What she doesn't say is that she will be on a secret mission for Nick Fury. After she leaves Hercules and the Enchantress come knocking on the door, where there wasn't one, opening it for next week's action as we are promised Hercules attacks.
Avengers Readers Assemble
Steven Garron from Lancashire confesses that he hasn't been reading Marvel comics for long but he points out that you couldn't find better comics than them. He's fed up with people constantly requesting the return of Daredevil when he's already featured along side the Hulk. Well that's the lag between letter writers having their thoughts published and the actual printed comic, those things happen. Robert Miller ROF? KOF, QNS, FFF from Hereford thinks that Marvel mags are absolutely fantastic and the best thing the Bullpen has done is put Shang-Chi in the pages of the Avengers. He would like to see a comic with the X-Men, the Silver Surfer and Sub-Mariner in it, he also wants colour posters on the back of the comics so he can stick them up on his wall. Christopher Griffin from Lancashire likes Shang-Chi but the comic is called the Avengers so why has the Shang-Chi taken over the front page? Douglas Allen from Dumfriesshire writes saying that the artwork in the three weeklies is great and people shouldn't complain about it if they can't do better themselves.
Doctor Strange “Clea must die!”
Writer: Stan LeeArtist: Marie Severin
Inker: Marie Severin
Originally published in Strange Tales #154
Cover date March 1967
(Published in December 1966)
Doctor Strange has been forced to battle a lone Mindless One in an attempt to rescue Clea. Using a spell to protect his body has he assumes his astral form Doctor Strange watches as the Mindless One becomes confused and wonders off to find a more animated opponent. Returning to the Dark Dimension Strange seeks to enter Umar's castle. Deep below the caverns, he meets Veritas an eerie being who hides their face behind a cloak, who helps Strange reach Umar's throne room.
The pair confront Umar who becomes frightened by the visions under Veritas' cloak, which give Strange the time needed to conjure up a mystical screen showing the location of Clea. However Umar threatens to kill Doctor Strange's love by firing a mystical bolt into the screen. The return of Stan Lee to the writing or possibly Marie Severin's quickly improving art has lifted this strip up to a higher level. A level that may not suit a super-hero strip but this quirky mystic strip fits smoothy into a comic that lends itself to the more eclectic mature strips.
Whether everyone likes it or not, the differences between Master of Kung Fu, the Avengers and Doctor Strange compliment each other making it a mag that mature thinking teenagers would enjoy. Having comics that are something other than Super-hero fodder would be a template for future mags. Proving the point that things can only get better. See you next week as I say...
See you in seven.
Make Mine Marvel.
Writer: Stan Lee
The pair confront Umar who becomes frightened by the visions under Veritas' cloak, which give Strange the time needed to conjure up a mystical screen showing the location of Clea. However Umar threatens to kill Doctor Strange's love by firing a mystical bolt into the screen. The return of Stan Lee to the writing or possibly Marie Severin's quickly improving art has lifted this strip up to a higher level. A level that may not suit a super-hero strip but this quirky mystic strip fits smoothy into a comic that lends itself to the more eclectic mature strips. 
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