Spectacular mags in the sunshine.

 Week Ending 29th June 1974

The Mighty World of Marvel #91

This is a run of the mill Hulk cover from Ron Wilson (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks), it tells you some of the gist of the story, the Hulk gets sort of cured, but not how. It plays fast and lose with the facts, Banner wasn't chained to a machine( at least not in this issue,), a girl (possibly Betty Ross,) wasn't there at the time and Raoul Stoddard doesn't look anything like the character on the bottom right of the cover, or as threatening. But saying all that it probably got young readers to pick up and buy the comic anyway.

The Incredible Hulk “If I kill you- I die!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Herb Trimpe

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #130

Cover date August 1970

(Published in May 1970)

There are two things that I quickly picked up on from this story, the first is Herb Trimpe likes to draw aircraft and he's really quite good at it. From the opening page with the Hulk colliding into a US Airforce scout RB-66 jet plane, which looks dramatic straight from the start, to another USAF scout plane, this time a single propeller aircraft, that's tracking Banner later in the story.  

The second point of interest is that some previous adventure is missing, but details are given about that adventure with General Ross infor-dumps that the Hulk must have torn into the RB-66 scout plane after leaping away from a University. Those events at that University happened in MWOM #44, which would have been just under eleven months ago as far as the UK reader would have been concerned. That adventure should have entailed a clash with Captain Marvel at the Desert State University in Navajo in New Mexico. So in this panel the editors are connecting it to the heavy re-written, re-drawn and re-edited version in which only Rick Jones was seen, as Mar-Vell wasn't present. It you want to see what really happened, or at least what happened in the US Marvel Universe, you'll need a copy of Captain Marvel #21, cover dated August 1970, published April 1970.

Just to confuse the UK readers on the next page Banner recalls through his shared dim memories of those events that the Hulk did battle Captain Marvel at the Desert State University campus as he voiced his concern for safety of his old teacher, Doctor Weller, during the student riots. Really that panel could have been edited out to save on later answering tricky questions. 

Bruce goes to the DSU to find his friend but Dr. Weller wasn't present after the events had left him in a state of nervous collapse. Instead he found his old classmate Raoul Stoddard who offers him a chance to pool their brains to find a cure for Banner. You know that Stoddard is intelligent or ignoble, or both, due to his large forehead, that would give the Leader a run for his money. Stoddard and Dr. Weller had been working on a Gammatron devise in their own secret underground base, built from funds appropriated from generous grants from the US Government. 

Working together they quickly adapt the Gammatron to their needs as it delivers a steady pulse of radiation that seems to isolate the gamma radiation from Banner's body into almost a giant grotesque Hulk-like image. Bruce is over-joyed to be finally free of his monstrous alter ego. However the image doesn't fade instead it solidifies into the Hulk. For the first time Bruce Banner comes face-to-face with his own Mister Hyde persona in the flesh.

My clearest memory of this story was when it was reprinted in Spider-man plus the Incredible Hulk issue 500 (yeah for those who don't know Marvel UK comics that well, that's the same comic as Spider-man Comics Weekly, just with a name change.) cover dated 6th October 1982. It's an absolutely marvellous story. OK it borrowed a lot from the classic Star Trek episode "The enemy within", (which first aired in the US on the 6th October 1966.) written by novelist and screen writer Richard Matheson. Best known for writing "I am legend", "The Omega Man", "The incredible shrinking man" and many more. In that episode Captain Kirk is split into two people, one "good," the other "evil," by a freak teleporter accident. Roy Thomas is known for taking classic science fiction ideas, but there's nothing wrong with that, if you're going to steel, steel from the best. 

If you want an adventure of a lifetime all you need is a rubber dinghy! At least that's what it says the winner of the Marvel Boat contest will have. The contest started in British Marvel weeklies from week ending 23rd March 1974 and finished on 30th March 1974. Over the two weeks two tokens had to be collected and five questions had to be answered, however as a mis-spelling of the word "Marlin" in the third multiple choice question that question was deleted, leaving the other four questions, to which the other four answers are:- 

1) Sir Francis Chichester was the famous knight who sailed around the world single handedly.

2) The Butterfly is the name given to a type of swimming style.

4) Mordo is Doctor Strange's enemy.

5) Iron Man suffers from a weakened heart.

Malcom J. Bourne from Manchester, won the star prize of a Gladding Rubber dinghy with snorkel,  mask and flippers. At least that's how I read it, Malcom let me know if you only got the dinghy. Five runner-ups who each got a Gladding mask, snorkel and flippers set were Duncan Little from Bedford, Alexander Andrews from London, Peter McCormick from Liverpool, John McLintock from Dundee and Mark Spence from Newtown Abbey in Ireland. Twenty more winners each won a mask and snorkel set. That's far too many for me to list so if you want to know who they are zoom in on the page to the left. 

 

Daredevil “If this be justice..!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Daredevil #14

Cover date March 1966

(Published in January 1966)

Daredevil's UK adventure concludes this week with a telegram from Murdock asking for Foggy Nelson and Karen Page to come to England to help him through legal channels to free Ka-Zar who has been framed for the murder of Feeper by his villainous brother Lord Plunderer. The Plunderer and his henchmen plan on using his Vibra-ray gun to take over a US early warning base in the north Atlantic. So Daredevil disguises himself as one of the Plunderer's men enabling him to sneak aboard the Plunderer's sub-marine. The base is quickly overcome as the troops weapons melt in front of the Vibra gun's ray. 

In Britain Ka-Zar stands trial in chains for murder, a very strange view of British justice, but this is how British law works with a pinch of Marvel salt. The savage lord has had enough of the civil world's laws and breaks free, showing incredible strength before he's subdued with gas from a shell barrage. Daredevil uses his super-senses to detect that the Plunderer's weapons were made of plastic. He over powers the Plunderer and the US troops make light work of his men who give in way to easily. The Plunderer confesses his brother is innocent. Although he does say that a spy named Feepers did it. A marvel slip up in the writing there, Feepers was shot by fellow spy Boswell. DD returns to London with aid from the US military, so that Matt Murdock can meet with Karen and Foggy to accept an offer to return to work at Nelson and Murdock. This story stretches credibility somewhat but on the whole it's a good read, more of the same next week? Oh yeah!

A teaser for next week's Meccano competition uses the open splash page image from the Fantastic Four issue 84, cover dated March 1969, published December 1968. Drawn by Jack Kirby and inked by Joe Sinnott. In that story Crystal was the fourth member of the Fantastic Four due to the fact that Sue Storm had taken a leave of absence from the team after she gave birth to her son. So Crystal appeared in the top right "bubble" of this crazy travel machine from the mind of Jack Kirby. In this image Crystal's hair band had been rubbed out and the number four was added to her uniform to make her look more like the Invisible Girl.  

The Fantastic Four “Lo! There shall be an ending!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #43

Cover date October 1965

(Published in July 1965)

A blown up panel from the last page of last week's story was used again together with the original story title. It's use here was more fitting as this issues story would conclude the Frightful Four's story line. Doctor Doom appears foreshadowing next week's historical Fantastic Four adventure. I had always thought that Doom's appearance in the opening page of that classic was a cold start, forgetting all about this teaser. But more on that next week.

Reed and Sue watch over the recovering Thing as the Frightful Four sneak into the Baxter Building to demand their total surrender so that they can use the Wizard's ID machine on them or else they will kill the captured Human Torch. Reed stalls them until Ben can recover. The Wizard believes that the Thing is still loyal to him, but instead the Thing crushes the Wizards "Anti-grav" master control which allows the Torch to free himself, turning the tables on the evil foursome. Medusa escapes easily from a hesitant Torch in the Wizards craft. Much to Johnny's own annoyance with himself. Leading an open future return for the long haired beauty. It ends with an open invitation Marvel style to the wedding of Reed and Sue. Bring your best hat.

 A shortened advert for FOOM and the Airfix Colditz Glider advert share the inside back page. While the Cresta competition seen last week on the back of the Avengers weekly fills the back page. No space for the Mighty Marvel Mailbags, Bullpen Bulletin pages or any in-house ads this week. So on to the next comic.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #72

This is a version of the cover from the Spectacular Spider-man magazine issue 2, cover dated November 1968, published August 1968 by John Romita Sr. There have been alterations to it but I have no doubt that it was taken from Romita's original pencil or ink work before the finished version was approved for the "Spectacular" edition. Spidey's left hand is different, his face looks more towards the reader showing less of his back, also the web-slinger is balancing on a tightrope of webbing in the UK version. The fight seems to be more in daylight in the SMCW edition, the Goblin's finger blast looks smaller. I like them both, the painted artwork of the "Spectacular" was so ahead of its time. Bet Alex Ross love that one. In fact he payed homage to it on the cover of the Amazing Spider-man volume 4 issue 25, cover dated May 2017, published March 2017. It's easy to see why he would, it's stunning and easily wins my Cover of the Week award.

Spider-man “The Goblin lives”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Spectacular Spider-man #2

Cover date November 1968

(Published in August 1968)

Let's cut to the chase this week, I love this story, I love the artwork and the writing, I love Spider-man. So I'm probably going to be very biased. But it is a glorious story. If you want another persons point of view on it I recommend Alan Stewarts blog 50 year old comics that takes an in-depth look at the original magazine. While here I'll try to give a British readers point of view. 

This story starts as it means to go on, with a double splash page opener that is quite a sight, the size of a UK comic, much like the original Spectacular Spider-man magazine, gives the artwork the room to breathe. There's loads of big panels in this story. In one speech bubble from this opening double splash one of the watching gentlemen says to Jameson, "Great pictures, aren't they?" Yes they are!

Captain Stacy is giving a lecture on the history of super-villains to the members of the Executive club to which Norman Osborn has invited his son Harry and his best friend Peter Parker. The lecture turns to the Green Goblin and his battles against Spider-man. That in turn leads to anxiety from Peter as he's worried that the images might trigger the return of memories for Norman, where he recalls that he was once the Goblin and also Peter is Spider-man.  

Peter recalls those battles in a spectacular series of flashback panels that fill page after page. In truth most of this week's half of the story is in flashback, but I'm not complaining it's great to see them again, especially in these newer panels. Romita seems more at ease, without any burden of taking over from Steve Ditko so quickly after Spider-man's creator had left. Romita had freely admitted that he tried not to deviate too much from fan favourite Ditko when he first started on the strip. Take a re-look at Romita's artwork from SMCW #33 to see how he first drew Spider-man and the Goblin.  

It does stare memories in Norman leading him to have hot sweats, which to be fair he had been having hot flushes quite regularly over the last few weeks. Then he collapses, leaving Peter to worry even more. Harry Osborn takes his father to hospital where the fever dreams pierce through the fog of his amnesia.
 

Quite a bit of the dialogue refers to the Green Goblin as the Goblin. It seems very intentional, taking the story from a kids comic to a teenagers fantasy fiction. I do that myself, it makes him less cartoonish, although you can't completely get away from that with his costume. The Hobgoblin version helped in many ways to mature the image, but I would never go as far as the Sony Spider-man 2 Harry Osborn version did. That really did stink. I've always thought that the Green Goblin was a pretty lame character, especially in the early Ditko work. But Romita's depiction and the way he was later written certainly rounded the character off better. With this story originally intended for a special one-off magazine we get the most serious version. Norman and the Goblin are packed with drama of a troubled soul.

Norman rushes out of the hospital, pushing past his worried son, to walk seemingly aimlessly through the streets of New York, until he arrives at a flat picked out of the dim, half-forgotten memory from the Goblin's past. Inside he finds one of the many hidden hideouts that the Goblin left. He dons a Goblin costume and finds equipment he'll need to exact is revenge on Spider-man. I can't say it enough Romita's artwork is spectacular but the one thing this British presentation leaves with a bitter taste is the heavy shading on some of the panels. I get it was intended to be dark and moody, but sometimes it overwhelms the art. It's still a billion times better than some comics I've read though. So I'll definitely back to read next week's "The Goblin strikes!" 
  

Bullpen Bulletins

The first item on this week's Bullpen Bulletin page is on a couple of articles in the UK press about Marvel. Charles Snaar Murray writes in the New Musical Express an in-depth feature length report on Captain America. The Bullpen calls it a swell job. Another article entitled "The Mighty World of Marvel" was published in the Teacher Magazine, which analysed the various aspects of the British weeklies. The author, Mr Simpson presented a quote by DeBoar and Dallman from "The Teaching of Reading" which said "The comic book is a highly popular new medium. It appeals because of its colour, action, suspense, romance, and adventure. As in the case of the motion picture, radio and television, we have no choice but to accept it, to improve it if possible, and to develop discrimination in its use."  So true. Stan Lee adds to the intellectual conversation with his own philosophical view on life in his Stan's Soapbox, in which he considers "Buddha, Christ and Moses" as men of peace, whose thoughts and deeds have influenced countless millions throughout the ages, with their presence still felt everywhere. He labels them as men of goodwill, of tolerance, and especially of love. Then he considers practitioners of hate who have sullied the pages of history with their words. He asks "Where is homage still paid to their memory? What banners still are raised to their cause? The power of love and the power of hate. Which is most truly enduring?" Stan is the perfect Priest for my Sunday sermon. The next item talks about the British readers who supported the growth of Marvel comics in the UK, adding that the editors have never felt the need to talk down to the readership even when things had gone wrong or they never tried to bribe the readers for their loyalty,  Marvel always tried to stick to their principles. The next item talks about Marie Severin, who's work on the humour strips has kept her away from the super-hero/adventure stuff, but this week Stan as given her a "whack" at Doctor Strange, as we'll see later. A mention in the next item of cover artist Ron Wilson who's collaborated with Tony Isabella (the assistant editor of these British Marvel weeklies,) on a new US comic book called Luke Cage Power Man. There's also a Mighty Marvel Checklist about this week's MWOM and the Avengers, as well as a Special to Spider-man Comics Weekly that is nothing more than a review of the very issue it was printed in. 

The Web and the Hammer

Stephen Wood from Glamorgan who like me loves SMCW. Here's a few of his questions and my answers, he asks how many people will be invited to the wedding of Cap and the Scarlet Witch? What? That's a new one on me. Will Dr. Strange fight vampires? In the distant future yes. He asks can he see a little more blood? Well Stephen these comics generally are for kids, so not much. Next Dean Ireland from Essex who has been waiting for over seven weeks for SMCW. Wow, don't wait that long, place a regular order. Bobby Smithson What's to know who is stronger the Sub-Mariner or Thor, is the Thing bullet proof, who's heavier the Thing or the Hulk and who's Stan's favourite hero. Manor in water, Thor everywhere else. To small caliber bullets, yes. The Hulk by a ton. Stan can't have favourites, he loves them all like a father. But the answer is Spider-man. Jeremy Slithope  from Twickerham wants a permanent name for the Avengers letter page, don't we all? He also wants the X-Men to be in the Avengers weekly and for Spider-man to have revealed his identity to someone, when he was suffering from amnesia way back when he fought along side Doc Ock. Philip Marshal from Essex loved the Marvel Annual but it said that only Thor, the Thing and the Hulk were stronger than Spider-man, while in SMCW #36 the Sub-mariner and Hercules are included in that list. I would say all five are stronger than Spidey.

The Mighty Thor “The people breeders”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #134

Cover date November 1966

(Published in September 1966)

Thor and the Recorder return from battling Ego the Living Planet in the Black Galaxy to report that they kept their side of the bargain with the Colonizers, who agree to release earth from their "Space-lock". Thor then carries on his way to return to Earth to continue his search for Jane Foster. In the sixth panel of the second page of this story a large space craft nearly collides with the Rigal ship. British readers don't get to see who was piloting that craft but readers of the American comic would have seen Galactus on his way to the Black Galaxy to feed off the life energy from within the shadowy galaxy. A story for another time maybe.

On Earth the Colonizers recall Colonizer Nile, promoting her as a way of compensation for losing the Emperorship of the Earth, with the gift, of sorts, by becoming the wife of the High Commissioner of Rigel. Thor is gifted a "Psyche-search Gauge" from the Coloizers to locate Jane Foster. Don't you just love these Kirby devices. What a mind he had. Jane Foster is with Count Tagar and Sir Porga as they make their way through the European countryside to Wundagore, until they are attacked by well armed bandits who have heard of the wealth Wundagore has. Thor arrives to scenes of fleeing bandits who have been scared off by the legendary Knights of Wundagore, the Thunder God rushes onwards to discover for himself what these strange knights are like as they fly around him on their futuristic atomic steeds, in the name of the High Evolutionary, who'll we'll get to see face to face with next week.

No more pages spare for Iron Man with the extra pages given to the epic Spider-man tale, but still two pages free for a FOOM Rolls Again! advert and a Matchbox kits catalogue 1974-75 offers, yours for the price of a three and a half pence stamp, well two stamps as I imagine you'll need one to stick on the envelope you use to post the form and one for the return.   

Spider-man's back page is given over to a full colour pin-up of Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu with a little write up about him. I couldn't find any information on the artist or where it first appeared. It looks to me like it could have been drawn by Ron Wilson, it might have been commissioned for one of the British weeklies, this could be its first appearance. Anyway now's the time to take a look at the kung fu master's own comic.

Avengers Weekly #41

Well of course it's the Avengers own comic, Shang-Chi just seems to star on the cover every week. This cover comes from Master of Kung Fu #20, which would have only just been released on the 18th June 1974 with a cover date of September 1974. The artist was Gil Kane with Frank Giacoia adding the inks to finish it off. 

Master of Kung Fu “Poison of the soul”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Al Milgrom

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #20

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

"Poison of the soul" is the second story from MOKF #20 which follows directly from last week's tale. The art crew remains the same but Doug Moench takes over writing chores from Gerry Conway. In that story gangster Demmy Marston had sent three assassins to kill Shang-Chi for reasons unknown. This second part sees our hero sneaking onto Martston's yacht. I took another look at the original MOKF strip and I noticed that nearly a page and a half had been removed from last week's British version. It dealt with Marston hitting his girl friend Diana. May be it was removed to save space or may be "wife/girlfriend" beating was thought to be too much for young British readers. Part of this week's tale has also been removed probably for space.

Shang-Chi fights his way past the guards on the yacht deck and later in the hidden casino room he quickly dispatches more of Marston's thugs. But waiting for him is the assassin Korain who Shang-Chi has heard of as a samurai who gained a position of high respect in Fu Manchu's court when he was a child. By now Korain should have been an old man, but his looks and fighting skills are like a man in his prime.

The samurai goes in for the kill but starts to have convulsions and visibly ages. He takes out a vial that contains Fu Manchu's elixir, his youth and strength returns filling him with ecstasy. He lunges towards Shang-Chi as his heart fails as he has taken it more times than he could endure. His sword slips from his grip piercing Diana's heart, leaving Marston begging for Diana's forgiveness as he only wanted to arrange Shang-Chi's murder to receive a reward from Fu Manchu. The young China man leaves contemplating that "nature has attained a cruel balance. Death has arrived late for one and prematurely for another." 

Bullpen Bulletins

The Avengers weekly version of Bullpen Bulletins is virtually the same as the one from Spider-man Comics Weekly except for the change in image from Spider-man to one of the Avengers with the Black Widow and Hercules. Speaking of Hercules in an item Special to the Avengers Hercules is remember from his appearance in Thor's strip Spider-man Comics Weekly issues 60 to 65 in which Thor had to fight for the God of Power's freedom against Pluto. The Mighty Marvel Checklist looks at this weeks MWOM and SMCW mags.

The Avengers “To conquer a colossus!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in The Avengers #37

Cover date February 1967

(Published in December 1966)

The second part opening splash page uses the last panel of last week's story with the original story title added, fresh credits and two new text boxes filling in readers on last week's tale. I thought the clunky dialogue from Goliath and Cap had also been added by the British editors, but no that was part of the original page. I thought it could have been from a Stan Lee script however Roy Thomas was the writer at the time. It makes me wince, Roy must have had a bad day when he scripted this one. The Avengers attack the giant sized Ixar the Invincible.

Each Avenger takes a turn to beat Ixar, ending in poor results. Early on Cap on suggests they should fight as a team as Ixar is too big for anyone to tackle alone. That's a little bug bear of mine, the Avengers are supposed to be a group that relies on teamwork but lots of early stories have them fighting individually. As the team fall one by one Cap ponders that they could do with Hawkeye and his "Blast Arrow" foreshadowing Hawkeye's return. Of panel the archer had left to find the separated Black Widow. The pair return just as the last Avengers falls. Hawkeye has theorised that Ixar is somehow connected to the kidnapped Burgomaster. Acting on this hunch, he threatens to kill him unless Ixar surrenders.

Ixar speculates that Hawkeye will not carry out his threat as he is bound by Avenger's moral code which forbids any Avenger from taking a life. The Black Widow adjusts her "Widow's Bite" to a lethal charge and reminds Ixar that she is not an Avenger. Ixar believes that she is just bluffing until the Widow asks him to look deep into her eyes and see if they are eyes that deal in empty words or idle threats. Ixar yields, releasing all the Avengers. I love this darker side to Natasha, it opens up some great question on how fit she is to become an Avenger. Roy Thomas will have a great time fleshing that out over the next stories. And that is a great sign for upcoming adventures as this one was "so so", I know good stuff is right around the corner.

Avengers Mailbag

Neil Robinson from Derbyshire writes that the Avengers #27 was the best comic he's ever read as he enjoyed a series of themes running through the Avengers tales, like Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch losing their powers, Goliath search for Dr. Anton while Swordsman, Power Man and the Black Widow turning up again. The only thing that marred the issue was that page 5 was out of place, I felt the same too as I mention in my blog for that week's comics. Dianne Yates from Yorkshire bets that Marvel doesn't get many girls writing in to the mags? Well I've noticed there are a good handful. She wants the return of longer Hulk stories and she wants to see Iron-Man back in the Avengers. Russell Thompson from Warrington questions just how many readers are fans of Doctor Strange as the editor has said that for every two fans of the Doctor there is one fan who isn't. He suggests that for every five fans of the Avengers, Hulk or Daredevil there is only one reader who doesn't like them. So clearly five out of ten fans see Doctor Strange as the most unpopular person in Marvel. Well that's a clear as a foggy day. I do see some of his point but I counter that Doctor Strange may not be universally like but he isn't universally hated either. There's a small place for him in the Avengers weekly that allows the character to grow and gain popularity. Finally this week David Bailey from London asks who is the fastest Flash or Quicksilver? My answer to that is "who is the Flash?"

Doctor Strange “Alone, against the Mindless Ones!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Marie Severin

Inker: Marie Severin

Originally published in Strange Tales #

Cover date November 1966

(Published in February 1967)

In the the Bullpen Bulletins page an item stated that Stan had given Marie a chance to draw this Doctor Strange strip after her great work on some of the Marvel humour strips, that wasn't completely true as this was her first Marvel strip she was given to draw in the 60's. She had drawn some strips for pre-Marvel Atlas comics in the 50's but this and her work over Bill Everett's layouts for the Sub-Mariner story "Moment of Truth!" (from Tales to Astonish #87 cover dated January 1967,  published October 1966 and can be seen by British readers in the Titans issue 17 cover dated 14th February 1976.) which came out at a similar time was probably her first silver age work. It's certainly not as refined as her later work.

I'm not sure she has got the feel of Doctor Strange Master of the Mystic Arts, this story see Strange more of a street fighter has he dukes it out with the Mindless Ones. May be that was the intention all along as magic had little effect on them, not that kung fu did any better. Marie Severin was a quick learner on the job and is in many ways one of Marvel's unsung artists in the 60's. Her work certainly improved. I won't give-up on Doctor Strange strip or on Marie Severin, the best is yet to come.
 

The Avengers weekly shared pages like these competition winners page, Matchbox kit catalogues offer, the FOOM offer and the Meccano competition teaser, with the other British weeklies. 

Like the back cover of this week's Spider-man Comics Weekly Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu features in a pin-up page, using the same dialogue from SMCW, but the artwork is different. It uses the cover artwork from the Avengers weekly #34 by Ron Wilson (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks). It made my Cover of the Week award that week and I still love it. 

Well another week another blog, the sun is shining and the garden needs weeding but I much rather be reading some cool comics in my hammock under the summer sun. Till next time...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.