Walls come tumbling down!

 Week Ending 20th July 1974

This week in British Marvel comics feels, to me at least, very symbolic. The three core weeklies have returned to their usual content that has a classic feel. They are starting to have creative teams on the majority of the strips who will produce some of the greatest tales from the mid sixties to the early seventies, creating a golden age for UK Marvel. In MWOM the Hulk has Roy Thomas, Herb Trimpe and John Severin, Daredevil has Stan Lee, John Romita Sr and Frank Giacoia and now Joe Sinnott has join Stan and Jack to create some of the most perfect Fantastic Four strips ever. In SMCW Stan and John Romita Sr are churning out classic Spider-man after classic Spider-man, backed up with Stan and Don Heck's Iron Man with the breath taking Thor by Lee, Kirby and Vince Colletta. The Avengers have Roy Thomas settling into his roll as writer on the title's stars, with John Buscema artwork just around the corner. Doctor Strange has Lee and Thomas "tag-teaming" on the writing and a fine selection of arts producing some very interesting adventures. Even those who had taken umbrage with the Master of Kung Fu stealing the limelight from the Avengers in their own comic can't deny that it's a great read each week. Yes those creators may not feature each and every week but this period is definitely a golden age that strongly leads into the next phase come the autumn. Happy Days indeed.

   

The Mighty World of Marvel #94

The artwork from this cover is taken from the Incredible Hulk (US) issue 131 by Herb Trimpe, with some minor colour changes.

 

The Incredible Hulk “The Power of Iron Man!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: John Severin

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #131

Cover date September 1970

(Published in June 1970)

The opening splash page to this second part of this Hulk story uses a blown up fourth panel from the eleventh page of last week's issue. A new text box helps the reader with a quick story update and the credits are added at the bottom. The Hulk's dialogue is taken from the fifth and sixth panels from last week's page eleven. The new title is a classic, it's dynamic and foreshadows some of what's coming, but let's be honest the power of Iron Man probably isn't a match for the power of the Hulk. But I'm a sucker for any title that starts with "the power of..."

Jim Wilson brings the Hulk out of the abandoned derelict building with the pretence that Bruce Banner is waiting across the road. What is waiting is a truck and inside it General Ross, Major Talbot and Iron Man, armed with a newly mounted Gammatron on a turn-table that swings into action when the Hulk gets into position. This issues fourth page is actually made up of the twelfth and thirteenth pages of the original comic that both featured half pages of adverts. The Hulk grabs Jim making it impossible for the Gammatron to get a clear shot. Iron Man flies into action to save the kid.

Like I mentioned before the power of the armoured Avenger isn't enough to match the emerald monster's strength, but he does give Jim the chance to run out of range, then with two well directed repulsor rays he brings down the bricks and mortar of the abandoned tenement on the green goliath. Yet the monster still lives to charge at the golden Avenger until General Ross orders the Gammatron to be fired. The first shot merely stuns him, Bruce Banner, who was ordered to remain on the base, runs from cover towards the Hulk. The second blast hits man and monster, merging the pair into one entity with Banner fading into the Hulk's form. So ends the story with the moral of sorts from Roy Thomas that each person must survive with their good and bad sides making them whole. The good side keeps the bad in check. 

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Billy Tomlin doesn't see why both MWOM and SMCW have three stories per issue while the Avengers have two. He sees an opportunity to have either the X-Men, the Sub-Mariner, the Silver Surfer or even Doctor Doom fill that space. Too late Billy, Shang-Chi got there first. David Barrett from London thinks there hasn't been a mistake in MWOM until issue 70 when the Mighty Marvel Mailbag was replaced by the Web and the Hammer letter page. Well David you wasn't the first to spot that and there has also been mistakes made before, no-doubt there'll be more to come. Peter (ideas man) Benson from Surrey who wants to see the X-Men as the Avengers weekly's third strip, but the main point of his letter is the idea that a "poster mag" which would feature the origin of a character but when unfolded the other side would sport a large colour poster of that hero. Mark Goodrum from Norfolk points out that the Hulk says nothing can hurt him yet in MWOM #77 he was hit by a missile that injures his legs in such a way that he couldn't leap for a time. 

Mark Marriott from Yorkshire wrote in using one of the Marvel Letterpack sheets, adding that they look better than they did on the advert for them. He thinks the picture of Spider-man in the corner of the sheet is by Steve Ditko. Lots of people have said that the Hulk's looks have changed a lot depending on the artist who drew him, Mark thinks that so has Banners, he uses the version of Banner in MWOM #10 compared to Banner as seen in MWOM #81 as examples. Stephen Lisle from Newcastle likes the Master of Kung Fu strip in the Avengers, he also raves about the Daredevil story by Stan Lee and Wally Wood as seen in MWOM #77 to #79. He writes that the Fantastic Four Story that featured the appearance of Medusa in #77 was also excellent, noting that she would in the future become a member of the FF. Marvel does get around he says as he's bought some Marvel patches and posters in Newcastle, however he isn't been able to buy the Spider-man LP yet. As a collector he hates cutting up his mags for competitions or coupons so he suggests that they are loosely attached to the comic via the original staples. Finally he says that it's the Comic Code who demand that the "goodies" should always win, but it would sometimes be more interesting if they lost once in a while. I'm not sure that's always been the case as Marvel heroes like Spider-man and the Hulk get their fair share of defeats too.  

Daredevil “Enter...Spider-man!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Daredevil #16

Cover date May 1966

(Published in March 1966)

Daredevil issue 16 has become legendary has it has often been said that Stan Lee used this as a try out for John Romita Sr to become the regular artist on the Amazing Spider-man. However that would be in issue 39, released on the 10th May 1966, cover dated August 1966, which would be some three month after the original Daredevil comic hit the stands on the 3rd of March 1966. Was Stan aware that Steve Ditko would be leaving and he was preparing for a replacement? There is a strong possibility that Stan was getting Romita ready for the roll, in an interview with Tom DeFalco in "Comic Creators" for Titans Books in 2004 Romita admits “Stan contrived that because he and Steve Ditko were not getting along.” adding that “Since Stan knew that Ditko was about to take off, he decided to see if I could draw Spider-Man.  That’s why he guest-starred the web-head in my book.” Romita also discussed in the 2007 interview with Roy Thomas in ‘John Romita: Fifty Years on the ‘A’ List’, from the TwoMorrows.com site, (originally from Alter Ego Vol 3 #9,) in which he says "part of Lee’s ‘back-up’ plan apparently involved having Spider-Man guest-star in a two-part Daredevil tale beginning with issue # 16.  The story would also feature appearances from Spider-Man’s supporting cast.  When asked many years later whether he suspected this was Lee’s way of trying him out as a potential replacement for Ditko on ‘Amazing Spider-Man’, Romita replied: “Actually, I did think so – but I was hoping against it, believe it or not.  People laugh when I say this, but I did not want to do Spider-Man.  I wanted to stay on Daredevil.”" Stan had Romita take home a stack of Daredevil comics home to get up to date with the character. Sales had started to improve on Daredevil as the partnership between Lee and Romita flourished despite the challenge of following in the footsteps of the well liked Wally Wood. In an interview with David Anthony Kraft from the June 1977 issue of FOOM ("The FOOM Interview" #18) Romita says “Stan asked me to take home a stack of Spider-Man books, all the existing issues up to that time (around #33 or #35), and to get used to the character, in case I ever had to back it up. I spent the weekend looking them over.  And then, about two or three months later, he said Steve was leaving Marvel.” So maybe the path had been prepared.

It's worth noting that the Romita version of Spider-man in this story looks completely like the Steve Ditko version, an intension that Romita says he continued while taking over those early Amazing Spider-man issues. One of Romita's early creations was the Masked Marauder who makes his debut in this story. I really liked him, he's a simple yet effective antagonist, in this tale he allows the reader to focus on the two heroes and their fight between each other, as arranged by the villain. His plan is to stop Spider-man from interfering with his robberies by having him distracted with his battle against the unsuspecting Daredevil. To accomplished this he has his gang members dress up as Daredevil to randomly attack Spider-man. From most of this first half of the adventure that's what we get, hero fighting hero and it's amazing. Just what this Marvel fan wants to see. More next week? Oh yes please.

Bullpen Bulletins

In the "Bombastic Bullpen Biography Dept." a look at Mike Esposito is taken. At an early age he fostered an ambition to become an animator but before he could for fill that dream National service called. On release from his duty Mike devoted his talents to becoming a comic book artist when he learned that the animation studio he was going to work in had gone out of business. He enrolled in the Cartoon and Illustrator School for seven months before leaving to join Marvel with his first strip Tex Morgan. In 1952 he give up the pencils to take up the ink brush and in only a few years he started working with his old high school buddy Ross Andru to form one of the longest partnerships in comic history as Mike worked with Ross exclusively from 1958 to 1970, a total of 14 years. At the time of this Bullpen page he serves as inker on a variety of strips and also as back up man, handling emergency inking job and art corrections. In a Special to the Mighty World of Marvel there is a back ground item on the creation of this and last week's Hulk story. When Roy Thomas and Herb Trimpe first came up with the idea of Jim Wilson, they considered a character who could sympathise with the Hulk's alienation from society. Someone who felt in many ways like the Hulk feels. Who could better than an outcast young lad from the slums. Pushed to the point that he felt he had to steal in order to survive? To drive the point across even more Roy decided that a character from as far possible from the slums was needed to show the contrast. His logical choice was Iron Man, who else? After all the suave, sophisticated millionaire industrialist Tony Stark is the man beneath the mask. You know these stories aren't just thrown together. For insight into Stan's Soapbox and the remaining item I'll go over them both later in the Bullpen Bulletin pages reviews for the SMCW and Avengers sections of this blog, so keep reading.

The Fantastic Four “The gentleman's name is Gorgon!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott  

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #44

Cover date November 1965

(Published in August 1965)

This story marks an important time in the history of the Fantastic Four, not only in the first appearance of Gorgon, his connection to the returning Medusa, a prelude to one of Stan and Jacks most interesting creations the Inhumans, as well as the return of the Dragon Man, but it also marks the start of Joe Sinnott's long run as inker on the Fantastic Four. He inked all of Jack Kirby's FF from issue 44 till issue 102, then from issue 106 to 231 he inked over a fabulous list of penciler's work, who's name included John Romita Sr, John Buscema, Rich Buckler, George Perez, Ron Wilson, John Byrne and Bill Sienkienwicz to name a few. That's 167 issues over something like sixteen years, he never missed inking Kirby's FF and only missed one issue of Buscema's, then only missing 18 issues spread over the rest of the artists, well everyone is allowed a holiday now and then. In my opinion Joe Sinnott is the greatest inker to work on the "Worlds greatest Comic", Nuff said!

No time for a honeymoon after last week's wedding as Reed and Sue domestic bliss is interrupted by the intrusion of a pair of powerful feet that belong to a gentleman whose name is Gorgon. He is chasing Medusa who we'll later find out is his sister. Medusa escapes him with the aid of the Human Torch and his Stingray sports car. Gorgon follows in the FF helicopter. The Torch takes Medusa to a secluded spot last seen in MWOM #75 to talk. Talking quickly becomes fighting as the Torch shoots a fiery blast at her feet as a warning , but in the process it awakes the resting Dragon Man last seen in issue 75. Gorgon arrives to take Medusa away but the Dragon Man has become attached to her beauty and defends her. They escape again and head towards New York.

Reed and the others recover from the shock of Gorgon's attack so Mister Fantastic stretches himself upwards to search the city with the Thing as his anchor. Suddenly something tugs at him, pulling the Thing and Sue up into the sky. At the end of Reeds outstretched body is the Dragon Man leaving us with more action next week with a "Riot on the rooftop!" It'll be Fantastic!

Two more winners from the mighty Marvel showing action in the mighty Marvel tradition. This week's Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Avengers weekly. Both dynamite covers on terrific comics, filled with action-packed stories. So without any further a do let's take a good look at Spider-man Comics Weekly numbers 75. But first before we do that...

...here's a quick look at the advert from this week's Mighty World of Marvel's back page. Dinky Toys promote that there's nothing to touch Dinky for action, with this Model No.609 105mm Howitzer with gun crew, that fires shells. Six supplied, how many did you lose? The Motor patrol boat, Model No. 675, also fires missiles to add to the adventure at sea, although it wouldn't float on water, mine had wheels to run on the carpet. The final model was a Dinky Kit Land Rover breakdown crane, Model No.1030, for you to build. Great for loads of action, but not as much as what Spider-man Comics Weekly has in store for us.

 

Spider-man Comics Weekly #75

Ron Wilson draws this weeks Spider-man Comics Weekly cover, it was great seeing Spider-man going toe to toe with Daredevil in this week's MWOM, can you imagine how cool it would be seeing him take on the Avengers? Well you can with this piece of artwork. It's an amazing looking cover, I'm a sucker for hero filled covers so it's easy to see why I've made it my Cover of the Week. Mike Esposito added the inks to Wilson's design.  

Spider-man “...To be an Avenger!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr and Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man Annual #3

Cover date November 1966

(Published in August 1968)

This story in Marvel continuity should take place between Spider-man's clash with the Rhino, seen in SMCW #35 and his encounter with the spore infected Colonel John Jameson as seen in SMCW #36. I imagine that this story was held back because of the appearance of Hawkeye and the Goliath suited Hank Pym would have with the Avengers seen in the UK version of the Avengers at that time. Plus in this story the Avengers ask Daredevil for information on Spider-man as he has fought with and against him. Well the only time he fought against the web-slinger at this point in UK Marvel history would be the freshly published story in this week's MWOM, so that only just makes sense. Spider-man fought with Daredevil in SMCW #8.

The Avengers are prepared to offer Spider-man a chance to join their hallowed ranks, possibly because Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch are on extended leave due to the weakening of their powers. This is basically an opportunity for Stan Lee to write a tale with Spider-man and the Avengers in it to pad out an Annual for the US market. The result is this joyful romp. Romita mainly drew the layouts for this strip with Don Heck cleaning them up with his pencils and Mike Esposito finishing it all with his inks. In many ways it does look more like Don Heck's Avengers strip than a John Romita Sr Spider-man Strip. The continuity needed to make sense has Peter Parker riding a motor bike to which in a thought bubble he says "I even managed to borrow this bike for a couple of weeks while one of the guys at school is on vacation." covering nicely the fact that he had to sell his bike some issues ago. I'm not sure Spidey's heart is really into joining the Avengers as he's temper flies up when the Avengers propose some tests to see if he can become a member of the team. It's a bit out of character that but maybe slightly understandable due to the fact he's worried about his Aunt. They fight but it seems that it should be viewed as part of a test. The next part would be for Spider-man to find the Hulk and bring him to them. So to do that he must battle the Hulk, for that, be back next week.      

The Web and the Hammer

R. Neal's Dad doen't approve of him reading comics and every time he sees the artwork in them he tears them to shreds. (I hope he means metaphorically speaking and not physically. If he does mean it literally he sounds like a very violent man with anger issues.) He asks what should he do? The editor replies with this advice "Tell him that each time he tears up a Marvel mag it's like tearing up pound notes. Because according to the

Sunday Times Marvel mags are a gilt-edged investment for the future." I'm not sure that would work but I would give it a try. Stephen Gough from Middlesex is a fairly new reader who thinks that Marvel mags are great and he likes the glossy covers. He has an idea that Marvel should print a paperback book about the adventures of Marvel's characters adding that there would be no need for artwork, so I imagine that more story could be told. The editor says they'll drop his idea into a suggestion box, but "Peta" answers they haven't got one. Is this the first time Peter L. Skingley's real name is mentioned? It was custom at the time that editors should be men so Peta became Peter. What an enlighten age we live in now. 

Peter Carcaran from Essex asks in the years to come when British Marvel comics catch up to the "Yankey" mags will they suddenly "fizzle" them out like Pow, Wham, and Fantastic did? The editor makes a point about the difference between those comics and the current British Marvel mags, those three mags mentioned bought the rights to reprint Marvel stories, but British Marvel is the real genuine Marvel article. So in terms of British Marvel drying up is like thinking of Marvel itself going into a fatal decline. I have to add that British Marvel started in 1972 while Power comics started in 1966, which gives British Marvel a larger ever-growing back catalogue to pick from. But come back to me in six to eight years to see how that holds up. David King from Berkshire asks why there are pictures on the letter pages that have nothing to do with the letters printed? Well the simple answer is it makes the page look prettier. 

Iron Man “The Black Widow strikes again!”

Writer: Stan Lee and Don Rico

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #53

Cover date May 1964

(Published in February 1964)

 

The veteran Timely Comics writer Don Rico scripted this tale under the pen name of N. Korok. At this period in US Marvel Stan employed other writers to help him with the large work load as script writer, Don Rico was one of them, but in my opinion in doing so Marvel lost some of the magic that made it special. Whatever people may say about Stan's involvement with crafting the Marvel universe he certainly created the rhythm of the dialogue that made Marvel comics unique. Later writers like Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway and Marv Wolfman to name but a few picked up Stan's torch and carried on that style in the Marvel way.

The Black Widow makes her second appearance (in US Marvel continuity, still every bit a Mata Hari and looking nothing like the femme fatale seen in the Avengers weekly of late. In this short tale the Widow steels Tony Stark's new Anti-Gravity device  so that she can win some favour in the eyes of her ex-leader from Russia, or as in this UK comic says the country of Bodavia. I had thought that the use of the fictitious country had been forgotten and sense had returned as there was no need to hide who the "enemy" was. Iron Man recovers Starks Anti-Gravity device but the Widow makes her escape to return later to give Iron Man more troubles in later adventures.

Bullpen Bulletins

In all the mags this week Stan Lee uses his Soapbox to discuss why there seems to be so much moralising in Marvel mags. Even though comics are supposed to be escapism but Stan sees it as "a story without a message, however subliminal, is like a man without a soul. In fact, even the most escapist literature of all - old-time fairy tales and heroic legends - contained moral and philosophical points of view." He adds that at the very many colleges he's visited he has discussed war and peace, civil rights and the so-called youth revolution as much as the discussions about Marvel mags. He ends with "None of us live in a vacuum, none of us are untouched by the everyday events about us, events which shape our stories just as they shape our lives. Sure our tales can be called escapist, but just because something's for fun, doesn't mean we have to blanket our brains while we read it!" In a Special to Spider-man Comics Weekly in which we are told that Stan and Jack's inspiration for the High Evolutionary tale seen in the Thor strip over the last few weeks was the H. G. Wells novel The Island of Doctor Moreau. That would probably come as no surprise to many sci fi fans. The piece also explains that the creators might have also been influenced by George Orwells Animal Farm. It's not all high literature, the character of Porga was inspired by the cartoon character Porky Pig. More from the final item in this week's Bullpen Bulletin in the Avengers weekly review.

The Mighty Thor “The awesome origin of the High Evolutionary!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #135

Cover date December 1966

(Published in October 1966)

The opening splash page of this second part uses the eleventh page of the original strip with the upper part blacked out for a new title to be added, as well as a "so far" text box and another text box for the credits.  Thor launches himself headlong in to the evil New Men's assault. Fighting his way to the Man-Beast, the two become locked in a grapple, the monstrous wolf beast tries to use his superior mental powers against the Thunder God. However Thor's Asgardian  might gives him the physical advantage to beat the Man-Beast into submission.

With the battle won the High Evolutionary sends the evil New Men into exile in deep space in what he calls a Star Chamber. The Evolutionary reveals that he was once a research scientist who developed a Genetic Accelerator but was mocked by his colleagues at first. Determined to prove his theories correct he uses it on his pet Dalmatian but that ended in tragic results when hunters shot it, believing it to be a wild beast. 

The Evolutionary relocated to the isolation of Wundagore mountain. He found a deposit of uranium that made him wealthy enough to continue his research and experiments. He bids Thor and Jane Foster farewell as he must make a decision that he knew he must one day make. Leaving with Jane the pair watch as the complex known as Wundagore rises like a rocket into the heavens taking the High Evolutionary and his Knights of Wundagore to the stars. The adventures of the Knights continue  next in the MWOM #39, way back at the end of June 1973, a year ago for the readers of these weeklies. But at least it makes more sense to them now. 

Another in-house advert for this week's Marvel weeklies, showing the covers from the Mighty World of Marvel issue 94 and the Avengers weekly issue 44.

The back page is given to Cresta drinks to advertise with a short strip about the adventure of the Cresta Bear on the moon. The more I see these adverts for Cresta the less I can remember about the drink. So it might be best that I take a look at the next comic that was released from British Marvel in the week ending the 20th July 1974 instead of this advert. 

 

Avengers Weekly #44

This cover is another Ron Wilson creation which was probably inked by Frank Gaicola and Mike Esposito, or at least that's what Nick Caputo from the Grand Comicbook Database suggests.

Master of Kung Fu “The Council of 7”

Writer: Doug Moench 

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Al Milgrom

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

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

The third chapter of this story starts with another manikin of Shang-Chi with a message for him, pinned to it, that read as the anniversary of his birth wanes so approaches the moment of his death, signed by Fu Manchu. Shang-Chi kicks down the front door of Fu Manchu's headquarters and enters an oasis of China in the heart of New York. Deep inside Fu Manchu reconvened his Council of Seven after learning that yet another assassin has failed to kill his son. Behind the panels two more members of the Council of Seven join the other remaining members and are lead into the inter chamber of Fu Manchu's headquarters.

Fu Manchu pounds the table with his fist, one of the robed figures slumps forward to be revealed as the third effigy of Shang-Chi. Shang-Chi removes his robe, briefly explaining that he ambushed two council members and substituted himself and the effigy for them, and launches himself at the remaining five. It's a slightly unnecessary account needed to explain the appearance of the dummy, Shang-Chi could've just knocked out one member and replaced them, I have to question when and how he brought the effigy in, it was never shown. Shang-Chi fights the five remaining Council members, beating them with aplomb, as Fu Manchu makes his get-away in a helicopter with his pilot as he vows to "journey to the heart of America...to still it, forever".

The Avengers “Enter..the Mad Thinker!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: George Roussos

Originally published in The Avengers #39

Cover date April 1967

(Published in February 1967)

The original title for this story should have been "The Torment...and the Triumph!" however that title will be used in next week's second half as it fits in better with the story's conclusion. Although the "Torment" part of the title does fit well with Hawkeye's mood at the start of this adventure. Crestfallen he stands, a newspaper in his hand with the headline that reads "Black Widow a traitor?" The story inside told in flashback panels, of the Widow steeling the blueprints for the US Navy's nuclear powered "A-Sub". Nick Fury, Dum Dum Duncan and Agent Sitwell from SHIELD are only the few who know that the Widow is working for them as a double-agent. This cameo appearance by Sitwell would be his first in UK Marvel. To be honest it could also be Dum Dum's too, but I think Dum Dum could have been one of the agents who kicked Stan Lee and Jack Kirby out of Reed and Sue's wedding in last week's Fantastic Four strip.

Feeling betrayed by his ex-lover, Hawkeye walks into a trap set by the Mad Thinker, who believes the Avengers will be easy targets without the leadership of Captain America. A call for help sends him into a fight with a new villain called Hammerhead. Hammerhead is a typical Don Heck designed super-villain, just as you would imagine he wears a hammerhead shaped helmet. He looks silly, but this strip was originally from the sixties.  The Mad Thinker had warned him of which arrows the archer would use, so he manages to avoid or disable them. Even so Hawkeye temporarily gets the better of him until an image of the Mad Thinker to distract Hawkeye, enabling Hammerhead to knock him out. The Avenger's guest, Hercules is already frustrated with his exile on Earth, so he does what every Olympian God would do, he hits the night life in New York's nightclub area, giving Don Heck a chance to show one of his gifts, he does draw beautiful looking ladies. Meanwhile Goliath and the Wasp answer Hawkeye's distress call, but are attacked with a bulldozer. Am I detecting a theme here? Find out next week, or little bit about it in the Bullpen Bulletin.

Bullpen Bulletins 

As promised in the review of the Bullpen Bulletins page from MWOM and SMCW I'll look at the third item from that page and it's big news about the editors behind British Marvel comics. Tony Isabella has taken over the reins of nine American magazines, meaning that with the extra work load and the five regular comic books he writes per month he will be leaving his position as associate editor on the British weeklies. However he will still be supervising the covers and keeping an eye on his replacement, who is named as Roger Slifer. Slifer would be know for editing some of the Marvel Magazines line and some of the Classic Comics series, he also wrote and co-wrote stories for Marvel Two-in-one, the Fantastic Four and the Defenders. His contribution to Marvel may not leap to the front of your mind, but one note for DC fans is that he is the co-creator of Lobo. June Braverman also leaves her UK Marvel post to take up lettering the US Marvel comics so David Cohen will take over her production chores. In a Special to the Avengers weekly an item details Roy Thomas's thought process when he first decided to use the Mad Thinker in this week's Avengers adventure strip. Roy didn't want to use the Thinker's android, so he decided to introduce a trio of super powered foes who would later be known as the Triumvirate of Terror! We've meet Hammerhead in this issue, but next issue we'll meet the remaining two members. Here we get a preview of them and some background in their creation. To Roy's fertile mind the names of Hammerhead and Piledriver came easily but the third foe, presented a little more of a problems, as his power lay with his feet. Names like Thunderbolt, Stomper, and Thunderfoot were considered, but none quite fitted what Roy was looking for. Finally he decided on Thunderboot. I have to be honest that isn't one of Roy's better choices.  

Avengers Readers Assemble

I started to write the Avengers Readers Assemble page review part of this blog and got half way through it, then I realised that it was a repeat of last week's ARA first letter page, including the image of Captain America at the bottom. I'm having a No-Prize for that, even though it's fifty years too late. I'll not waste my time copying it, just pop along to last week's Power of the Beesting blog if you're interested. The good thing is the second page of this week's Avengers Readers Assemble is made up of new letters. At least I think it is. 

John Frankish from Middlesex read in his newspaper that a man had his collection of comics stolen, which he valued at thousands of pounds worth, because his collection contained some early Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-man comics. John wants the Marvel editors to value his collection. Their answer bears reprinting, "The value of any Objet D'art, whether it be a Chippendale chair, a masterpiece by Rembrandt or a comic by Marvel is what anyone is prepared to pay for it. Which means that neither we nor anyone can tell you what your collection is worth because it could be worth more to one person than to another. It comes down to the little matter of just how keenly the buyer desires it. But as a general rule the older such things are the more valuable they become." See it's as clear as mud. Stephen Hypard from Essex says that people write in complaining about the stories in the weeklies being "reprints", but when they give a suggestion to that issue, the editor says the'll think about it but nothing ever changes. Robert Janes from London thanks a long list of Marvel creators in his letter. The final item in this letter page is a list of the answers to questions from a letter published in last week's letter page from George Moniteith from Glasgow. How ever I don't recall any letter from George in last week's letter page or any other. I can only conclude that last week's ARA first letter page should have been this weeks and that George's letter featured on the missing page. May be it'll get printed in future issues. But in a "Timey-Wimey" way I'll show you the answers (with the questions,) here, possibly before his letter get printed in issues to come:-

 

1.) What is the Silver Surfer's real name?

Answer: Norrin Radd.

2.) Name the Home Planet of Galactus

Answer: Taa.

3.) What is Hawkeye's secret identity?

Answer: Clint Barton.

4.) Who is King of the Trolls??

Answer: Gerroder.

Doctor Strange “Umar walks the Earth!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Marie Severin

Inker: Marie Severin

Originally published in Strange Tales #156

Cover date May 1967

(Published in February 1967)

The evil ruler of the Dark Dimension, Umar unleashes her power on New York, as the Ancient One decides it is time to return Doctor Strange from his temporary exile. Strange convinces the Ancient One to come up with some way to defeat her, to which he tells him he must free a being by the name of Zom. So Strange journeys to the legendary Amphora, where the power of Eternity had imprisoned him. With only Wong alone in the Sanctum Sanctorum he is powerless to stop Umar from destroying the Doctor's home by driving into the Earth. 

Doctor Strange succeeds in freeing Zom, and removing the binds from the creature's eyes. In Tibet the Ancient One is shook by Umar's deadly summons, but chooses Stonehenge as the place where he will battle Umar until Doctor Strange can arrive with Zom. Umar comments that Stonehenge was the site where the Ancient One once humbled her brother the Dread Dormammu in the dim forgotten past.

Strange arrives followed by Zom, who the Doctor gambled would attack the one who claims to have the greatest power. We learn from Zom that Dormammu bound his hands with the chains of living bondage, before Eternity imprisoned him. Umar tries to stop Zom with her power but finds nothing affects the massive creature and so she flees back to the Dark Dimension. Having used Zom to beat Umar Doctor Strange and the Ancient One now face a larger threat, as Zom breaks the chain that binds his hands together, turning his violence towards the two Earthly sorcerers.
 The artwork in the current Doctor Strange has become very detailed since Marie Severin took over, you can see her style and technique improve with every strip. Stan has also stepped up to the challenge, keeping up with her, as the strip has also become more "wordy". It certainly has moved away from the mystic super-hero strip it was once to a more fantasy literate appeal. Mature Marvel fans would appreciate the Avengers weekly for the other strips, but especially for this one. It's a pity that some of the tones on the strip darken it too much.

There's no paid for advert on the colour back page of this week's Avengers weekly, instead we get the return of the "Meet the Avengers" feature. This week a poster of the Avengers marksman Hawkeye, whose quickness of tongue is matched with his skill with the bow. It's great to see this feature return and I'm glad that the original owner of my copy didn't cut the back page out to stick it up on their bedroom wall.

Now I'm off to watch the footy, come on England! "With the Icons of the Infinite, bestowed with the Crimson Crystals of Cyttorak, in the name of the Eternal and the Rings of Raggadorr, Trent must score the winning goal!" Well it is against Spain, they need all the help they can get. Till next week...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.