I don't like War comics, oh no (I love 'em)!

 I don't like War comics...

As a kid I never really got into War comics, I liked playing soldiers with my mates or arranging battles with my regiment of Action Men and I loved a good war film, but War Comics were never my thing. It's not like there wasn't any around, the newsagents shelves where full off them back in the 70's. It's just the brightly coloured long johns wearing super-heroes caught my eye more. The closest times when I ever got to reading them would be when I went for my regular hair cut at Cliffy's Barbers. I used to go last after my Dad and Brother got their's cut first, so I could read the selection of comics on a large coffee table, next to the usual newspaper left for the gentleman to browse. The comics were interesting but I knew my wait would be short so again the action/adventure strips became my reading choice, rather than the War comics. Maybe the thought of having my hair cut and the reflection in the barbers mirror of a dusty first aid box above the door created some anxiety that I subconsciously projected on to War comics.

I think also I found some War comics to be not very good. Almost lazy to write and lazy to read. Films, history books and race memory train us to know who's the bad guys and who's the goodies. For most wars history has told us how it ends and who victorious. There's no surprises, generally we don't care if the villain dies, we're kept safe in the ignorance then an innocent dies. Our side won, their's didn't. End of story! The blood and violence is watered down because it's expected in war. People die, victory goes to those who don't. 

I know there can be other comic genres that fall into the trap of lazy comics, western, horror, sport, romance, sci-fi and even my beloved super-heroes can be just as bland. But those genres make up for that pit fall in other ways. The horror scares the reader into wanting more gore, you'll do anything to see your team win, your favourite hero has to deal with the outrageous villain while trying to sort out his personal life. I'll admit that War comics don't have to be lazy too, but more on that later.

I did read some War stories when I was younger, in the pages of Marvel comics. There was Fury, (#1 cover dated 16th March 1977,) British Marvel's attempt, lead by then editor Neil Tennant's idea to produce a Marvel War comic to rival D.C. Thompson's Warlord and Victor and IPC magazine's Battle Picture weekly. It used great covers from excellent artists like Dave Gibbons and Carlos Ezquerra, but the inside was bland, with few gems from Marvel's back-catalogue. Stories like Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos and Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders, meant that readers were fed a diet of America winning the war by themselves, the heroes where strong and clever, while the German and Japanese solders where ugly and stupid. 

The comic didn't last long before it merged with the Mighty World of Marvel, taking a back seat behind Marvel's more colourful heavy-hitters. For the record the Nick Fury Strip started in MWOM (#220, cover dated 15th December 1976,)  before he was rewarded with his own comic. Paul Neary tried again with the same formula with Forces in Combat, with issue one, cover dated 15th May 1980, but this time sci-fi and Sword and Sorcery strips joined the usual war stories in Combat. It only lasted 37 issues before it merged with its Marvel UK companion title Future Tense with its 13th issue, cover dated 28th January 1981. Marvel comics may well be responsible for my dislike of War comics to be honest. Well I was still young and then super-heroes were so cool.  

When I started to mature into other genre of comics 2000AD was there to show me how War comics could be great. With legends of British comics Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons creating Rogue Trooper in 1981. Granted there was obviously large elements of science fiction in those stories but the heart of it was a War story told brilliantly.  Brett Ewins, Cam Kennedy, Colin Wilson and my personal favourite artist Steve Dillon would later handle the artwork. Other War stories of note would follow like Bad Company created by Peter Milligan with collaborators Brett Ewins and Jim McCarthy. It almost feels like a cheat, War stories they would be but with a sci-fi punk slant that came with 2000AD. 

As I grew older I would be hit by shells of nostalgia for some of the great comics of my childhood, looking backwards to any classics I missed. I've read and heard about what an incredible strip Charley's War was, especially from the writer's own mouth, the interesting and inspiring Pat Mills, you can't help but fall in love with this tale of an everyman who could have been your grandfather or even he could have been you, in a war were no-one cares about them or the insanity around them, except for Charley who tries to make sense of the hellhole that was World War One. 

I could say that Pat was lucky to have Joe Colquhoun as artist on that strip, but it wasn't luck, more like fate. Pat and Joe just got what the other was trying to do. It was grim and gritty, with some charm and gallows humour. But instead of the British being the good-looking, smart heroes and the Germans being the ugly and stupid villains, both sides had their incompetent leaders, whose ugliness was shown in the needless horror of war. A particular scene that I like was when Charley is stopped by his superior officer and asked what was in the bag he was carrying? Was he stealing supplies? Charley replied coldly "My mate, sir. My mate, Ginger." Charley had recovered what was left of his friend from "no-man's land" after he was killed in the relentless shelling! All that was left filled the contents of a small bag.

I'm never going to be as articulate as Pat Mills is. But here is a brilliant interview he gave to Eamonn Clarke for the  Mega City Book Club where he talks about many things like Charley's War. He also talks to Tony Esmond in this episode of The Awesome Comics Podcast, which is also a great listen. 

Another great writer who I've always found engaging to listen to is Garth Ennis. His passion for the War comics of his youth is infectious. I think he's one of,  if not the greatest writers of his generation. Last year I picked the third issue of Rebellion's Battle Action from the shelves of WH Smiths. You can read all about that little adventure here. This volume of Battle Action is a homage to the classic British boys comic. It was a revelation in War comics, that I soon got myself hooked on, picking up the next issues and ordering the first two from Rebellion's Treasury of British comics website. Ennis is just one of the incredible creators who worked on this small, but perfectly packaged set of comics. 

When you hear Garth talk about War comics in such a joyful way you can't help but get drawn in. I read his Johnny Red serial in Judge Dredd Megazine from late last year and into early this year. Drawn by the talented Keith Burns, the pair really produce the stuff that gets me hooked. I couldn't help but pick up the 2022 Annual of Battle Action, filled with even more interpretations of a classic comic from modern writers and artists, as well as a Titan hardback graphic novel, Johnny Red: The flying gun, from my local comic shop, Forbidden Planet in Liverpool. 

If I can't hook you on the greatness of War comics, let Garth Ennis himself pull you in with his own words, as he talks to the chaps at the Awesome Comics Podcast about his love for the genre. 

On Saturday morning the first issue of the third volume of Battle Action fell through my letterbox, the first of my regular subscription to the comic. It opens with a brilliant on going Johnny Red adventure from Ennis and Burns. And is backed up with American writer Brian K. Vaughan, who turns out to be a massive fan of British comics and American artist Chris Burnham, who show their version of Kids Rule OK. Originally created by Chris Lowder and Mike White for the IPC comic Action, the strip was published at the height of the British tabloid press-led moral panic over the contents of Action. I'm looking forward to more War strips next month, with news on them here's Garth Ennis on Forbidden Planet TV with the big sell. I can't wait for each month for this short run of fantastic  comic fix of Battle Action.

War comics can be rubbish, they can also be interesting. They can be dark, grim, or sometimes lazy. But when done right they can make you think about the world we live in. About the sacrifices others made so that we can enjoy all we have. We can find the heart and soul of a character we grow to love. We can wish the real horror of war never greets us or our families and friends ever again.

   

So I don't like War comics, oh no...I love 'em!

The power of one hundred!

 Week Ending 31st August 1974

The Mighty World of Marvel reaches its one hundredth issue! OK some might say "So what? There are many comics that easily pass that number." Which is very true and those mags should be applauded for it, but on the packed newsagents selves of the 70's it was quite an accomplishment. Spider-man Comics weekly would do so soon, as would the Avengers, although it would need to merge with the Savage Sword of Conan first to reach its century. The "coming soon" Planet of the Apes would also reach over one-hundred issue with the help of a merger with it's twin mag Dracula Lives. There would be many weeklies released by British Marvel, many with short runs as they are "hatched, matched and dispatched", with only Star Wars Weekly reaching the century mark. It took ten years after MWOM #100 for Marvel UK to release the last comic to pass the one hundred mark, The Transformers was published 3rd October 1984, it lasted 333 issues and Valentine's Day 1987 saw it hit it's first century. The pre-runner of British Marvel, Odhams Press's 'Power Comics' line POW!, Terrific and Fantastic never managed to reach one hundred. Wham! and Smash! which some may consider to be part of the "Power Comics" line did, but both relied on home grown strips, plus some DC strips and less so on imported Marvel strips. So I think you'll agree that MWOM with its, more or less, steady mixture of Hulk, the Fantastic Four and Daredevil/Spider-man strips should be celebrated. 

Does it deserve all that hype? Is this a super-special issue? Well some regular Power of the Beesting readers may think that I'm the Hulk's number one fan and that I think MWOM is the "bee's knees"! Well here's the truth, I really appreciate it the Hulk strip now I'm older, less so when I was young. I was always more a Spider-man fan. Strangely I'd always created stories with the Hulk in them though. I was interested in MWOM because it was one of my brother's comics, you always want what your older brother has. One of the first comics he gave me was MWOM #200 which was absolutely fantastic! When I started collecting all the back issues and got issue 100 I was less than thrill with it. It didn't match #200 for sheer brilliance, with its incredible, mighty, savage and fearless strips and an inside cover pin-up of the Hulk holding a host of Marvel heroes. Hopefully in less than two years I'll have a chance to talk in detail about that issue, if I reach "Week Ending 28th July 1976"! I know the Hulk is the star of MWOM but was it such a good idea to just fill the one hundredth issue with three of his stories? Well let's see.    

The Mighty World of Marvel #100

The one hundredth issue of MWOM features the original artwork from the cover of the US Incredible Hulk #1 by Jack Kirby (pencils,) and George Roussos (inks,) with the UK version seeing a green Hulk instead of the original grey monster. The original was a classic marking the iconic first appearance of the Hulk, but really I don't think it's great. The British cover is a perfect choice to mark the one hundredth anniversary issue and in my opinion the revised colours look great, so by rights it should be my Cover of the Week. May be it should be. It's very, very close to being, but today not quite close enough.   

The Incredible Hulk “Monster vs. machine!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sal Buscema

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #134

Cover date December 1970

(Published in September 1970)

The fourth and fifth panels from last week's twelfth page have been pasted together to form this very creative opening splash page. It works well as a summary/catch-up piece. Strangely Herb Trimpe' name is first in the credit bubble, something that isn't the norm, I don't think it's meant to mean anything by having it first though. The Morvanian resistance fighters make their way through the streets of a small town, with some settling old wounds with a lone soldier, the rebel strangles him, justified by the crimes the soldier had carried out against humanity in Draxon's name. Subtly written by Roy Thomas where two wrongs don't make a right but somethings aren't easily forgotten. As the resistance pushes on they enter Draxon's trap, out manned and outgunned.

The Hulk watches the carnage from a hill top, contemplating that "Men kill each down there! Everyplace Hulk goes, men are the same! But it has nothing to do with the Hulk! Nothing!" Thomas possibly misses out the word "other" in "men kill each other", making the Hulk sound simple or childlike but also having the brute hit man's inhumanity to each other on the head. Next follows three panels in silence in which the touch of the small girl's hand creates a powerful wordless dialogue between them. Then the Hulk breaks the stillness saying he wants nothing to do with the fighting. But the girl pleads with him to help her "Poppa". It's a wonderful page, Thomas and Trimpe tell a heart felt story with brilliant skill. But it's the tears of the child and her words "Please, giant...be what Poppa said! Be our Golem...Please...help us...!" As powerful as the Hulk is, nothing is a powerful as the tears from a small child! The Hulk leaps into action against Draxon's troops.

 

Draxon attacks the Hulk with his new, American supplied "War-Tower" ultimate weapon with its death ray and unbreakable tentacles, but the Hulk shows that Draxon's latest toy isn't as powerful as he is lead to believe by making scrap metal out if it. The girl's father offers Hulk the Imperial Amulet, taken from the dead body of Draxon and with it the title of King of Morvania. But the Hulk shows what he thinks of the amulet and being king by crushing it to dust in his powerful hands. Hopefully the people of Moraine will learn from their mistakes and become governed in a fair and democratic way. I've always liked this story. Lots of sub-text and morality lessons, as well as the Hulk doing what he does best...smashing! 

The Incredible Hulk “The origin of the Hulk!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #3

Cover date September 1962

(Published in July 1962)

This three page retelling of the Hulk's origin is a nice page filler that helps new readers but to long term readers it might be a bit of a waste of space. But as this is the one-hundredth issue it's fine to indulge in the nostalgia. I'm all for that. Rick Jones' mind drifts while he keeps vigil over the Hulk, to the events that changed both of their lives forever. It started with a dare as Rick trespassed onto a top secret military test involving Doctor Bruce Banner's Gamma Bomb. Seeing the teenager riding across the blast area in his jeep, Bruce Banner abandons the safety of a bunker to throw the lad into a ditch just as the bomb exploded. The intense wave of gamma radiation alters Banner's body chemistry, transforming him into a muscle-bound hulk whenever night fell. Right enough of that nostalgia, let's get back to the present day (kind of,) and onto the next incredible story.

The Incredible Hulk “Decent into the Time-storm!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sal Buscema

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #136

Cover date January 1971

(Published in October 1970)

This story is obviously about time with the future effecting the present Hulk's past. Which is ironic as I first read this story in its second British Marvel printing some ten years later in the pages of Marvel UK's Spider-man #604, cover dated 16th October 1984. It's funny how time plays tricks on you, as I'll elaborate on later. It starts in the 41st Century with Kang joyfully declaring he has found a way to defeat the "accursed" Avengers and conquer the 20th Century.

Kang's long winded plan is that by killing the World War One flying ace the Phantom Eagle before he has chance to destroy a German super-gun that, if it remains intact, will destroy the village where Bruce Banner's Great Grandfather lived and so end Banner's lineage generations before Bruce became the incredible Hulk or helped form the Avengers. It's a Terminator plot well before James Cameron even started thinking about making films. Was it Roy Thomas's cool script or James Cameron's fever dream that sent Arnie looking for Sarah Connor? Kang could just have killed Banner's mother thus leaving nothing to chance. In later Hulk tales written by Peter David it was Bruce's father who was always abusive towards mother and son, who killed his wife in a fit of rage. Possibly forming the reason for the Hulk's rage. Kang could have made it look like the husband had killed the wife before Bruce was born. But we would never get all these incredible stories if that had happened. 

Kang couldn't pilot his Chronosphere through a Time Storm that blanketed the World War One period to kill the Phantom Eagle himself. How ever he hatches a plan that a being as powerful as the Hulk could survive the storm. Kang or Thomas make no mention of the Time Paradox that the Hulk would create if he was to kill his own ancestor even if indirectly. Which brings me to the trick that time played on me forty years ago. I thought that the Phantom Eagle was Bruce Banner's ancestor not some nameless boy from a French village. Why I thought that I had no idea. As you never see that ancestor I foolishly put two and two together and made five. May be Roy Thomas missed a trick there. It wasn't till I read this MWOM mag that I picked up years later that I found the truth. I did spent time looking for where they removed that bit of evidence that the Eagle was related to Banner, but it was never there.  

Kang's heart's desire Ravonna makes a nice continuity, connecting with her last appearance in Avengers weekly #21. Although her appearance in suspended animation will spoil the reveal of her predicament in the Avengers (and the Savage Sword of Conan) weekly issue 104 week ending 13th September 1975.

Kang captures and tricks the Hulk into carrying out his plan, so soon with the help of Kang's 41st Century technology the Hulk navigates the Time Storm and ends up on a war ravaged battle field. 

I've raved about Roy Thomas's clever storyline and his beautiful writing but Herb Trimpe must also get credit. Herb is really quite good at the future elements of this story but his World War One scenes are wonderful. The detail on the weaponry, machinery and uniforms for this period is above and beyond that most artists would take. Herb must have had a passion for it. Trimpe had enlisted in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1966, working chiefly as a weatherman. He would supply aviation weather support to the First Air Cavalry Division who would use helicopters to move troops around, where he achieved the rank of Senior Airman. That time fed his interest in aircraft.

The Phantom Eagle would pilot a plane that would carry another plane under it that was filled with explosive. Basically a flying bomb. His mission was to deliver the payload on a flight path right down the barrel of the German super-gun. This would have worked but for the interference of the green rage monster who's impending collision with the airborne Phantom Eagle caused him to release his deadly cargo too soon, sending it off target, saving the gun's destruction and as Kang hoped allowing its use for the destruction of Banner's ancestor. However the German troops who protected the weapon opened fire on the Hulk, enraging him so much that he attacks the super-gun itself. Leading to the inevitable destruction of the weapon and ending Kang's dream of the total conquest of time!

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about the Hulk

To celebrate the one-hundredth issue of the Mighty World of Marvel we are presented with "everything you always wanted to know about the Hulk, but were too afraid to ask!" It's really a mishmash of images from previous Hulk adventures. Telling most readers what they already knew. The first shows the Hulk against a collage of Avengers with the Hulk to prove that ol' greenskins was once an Avenger. Another image shows the Hulk's arch-nemesis the Leader, while Bruce Banner was transformed from a genius to a rampaging brute the opposite occurred to him, as a simple worker becomes a genius to rival Doctor Doom or Mister Fantastic. Thirdly a panel is shown with the Hulk battling the Fantastic Four's the Thing. 

Significant moments in Banners life are shown on the next page when Rick Jones believes the Hulk to be death and so reveals that the Hulk and his friend Banner are one and the same. And the time when Bruce Banner had control over his alter-ego, allowing him a chance at an easy life by marrying Betty Ross. It was a pity that his happiness didn't last as the Rhino and the leader gatecrashed the wedding. 

All in all I can't say that this centenary issue was spectacular. The first and third were both a high standard Hulk stories and the second was a fine short strip. It wouldn't have put me off buy more Marvel mags in the future, but it never lived up to the cover top tag line "Inside: A senses-shattering surprise feature!"

    

Spider-man Comics Weekly #81

This iconic Spider-man cover by John Romita Sr was originally from the cover of the Amazing Spider-man issue 70. A spotlight falls on Spider-man backed against a wall as only our hero can, surrounded by New York's finest. It's beautiful and it's my Cover of the Week. Nuff said!

Spider-man “Spider-man wanted!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #70

Cover date March 1969

(Published in December 1968)

This story starts off with the Kingpin behind bars, ranting about how he'll destroy Spider-man to get back the priceless stone tablet. Part of the prison scene slips in another cryptic mention of the big man's wife which. riles him up more. That's sure to feature again maybe. Meanwhile the wall-crawler is trying to hand back the tablet when he's shot at by a police officer. Disarming the officer, he returns to his apartment, stashing the tablet there before calling it a night. After a hard night's sleep he meets up with Gwen, who argues with him for not calling him and for "chickening out" whenever it's time to take a stand. At police headquarters, the dean of the ESU meets with the arrested protesters to inform them that he had previously decided to allow the Ex Hall to become a dorm for under-privileged students. The protesters are freed with a warning. At the same time the Kingpin frees himself. It looks like Peter and Spider-man may face big troubles next week.

Bullpen Bulletins

This week's "Profound, perplexing pronouncements and preposterous philosophy, all portending practically nothing!" opens with the first Item about Roy Thomas, who was recently awarded an "Alfred" for best comics writer in a foreign language by the first International Comic-Strip Congress at Angouleme in France. The "Alfred" a coveted prize named after a precocious penguin who appears in a French comic-strip. In a Special to Spider-man Comics Weekly teases the introduction of a new super-villain called the Unicorn. Strangely the item doesn't mention that he'll be fighting Iron Man in next week's strip. The next item is all about American Marvel comics and their delay in shipping. Those issues that should have appeared in June will finally be on sale this week. In Stan's Soapbox this week he discusses the significance of milestone numbers like 13 years as an enlighten age, as is your 21st birthday. But to him the number of most significance is 100. With this week's issue of the Mighty World of Marvel reaching that milestone it makes it in his opinion an important issue. The Mighty World of Marvel was the first British Marvel mag and because of that it will always have a special place in his affections. There've been headaches (like the disastrous days when three issues failed to arrive in time from the Spanish printers'.  Disappointments like when economics forced them to replace most of the colour pages with black and white printing. Stan says "Welcome. Let's forge a firm and lasting friendship in the Mighty Marvel Manner." Onward together to the next hundred mark! Excelsior! 

Iron Man “No one escapes the Mandarin!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Don Heck

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #55

Cover date July 1964

(Published in April 1964)

Last week's cliffhanger takes nothing more than a quickly boosted miniature generator to recharge the armoured Avenger's strength to shatter his bonds. Iron Man follows the Mandarin to a room that house the "Interceptor ray's" equipment and the stolen missiles, where he overhears that another missile is about to be intercepted. Iron Man deflects the incoming missile away from the ray, then returning via the "Interceptor ray" he crashes through the open window, grabbing the lintel and smashing it into the Mandarin's machinery. After a quick battle with the oriental master of menace Iron Man releases the two captured missiles on a return course to the US with himself safely inside one of them. It is what it is, nothing special really, can't wait for better stories.

 

The Web and the Hammer

Duncan Wallace from Berkshire picks out that even though Jameson sees Spider-man as a menace and a villain, however in SMCW #50 Jameson was responsible for the headline "Super-hero turns bad" so why did he then consider Spidey to be a hero? Maybe Duncan is reading too much into it. John Barlow  from Liverpool only at the time owns twenty-one issues of SMCW and gravely needs more. I imagine that John would have bought loads by now. Back in 1974 he was keen to see British Marvel having four mags a week. With them featuring Spider-man and Daredevil in one, the Hulk and Iron Man in another, Thor and the Fantastic Four in the third, while the Avengers and Master of Kung Fu in the fourth. Glyn Jones from "Wugan" in Lancashire, (Glyn would become a regular letter writer, some of them lengthy and interesting. I expect there'll be another letter soon about the "i" and "u" mix up.) He praises the multiple character cover of SMCW #63. I've got to agree, it was my Cover of the Week.

Micheal Rhodes RFO, KOF from Birmingham letter debates the question pf where Thor was before Doctor Don Blake discovered Thor's hammer? Thor was unexcelled in combat and pride, however Odin perceived he lacked humility he placed him on earth in mortal guise with no memory of what had happened before. Odin even gave his exiled son a limp, playing an important part in him becoming Thor again. As Blake, Thor learned humility, so Odin placed the cane in the cave for Don Blake to find. Micheal congratulates Jack and Vince's artwork on Thor, but is also looking forward to John Buscema's future work on the strip. Graham Lee from London points out that in SMCW #64 the depiction of Cerberus of the Netherworld was drawn as an armoured warrior, but when Graham checked in a book of myths he found out he should have been a three headed hound. 

Part of the Reel Fishing contest from Week Ending the 1st of June mags was that readers can send in jokes, well here are some of the best and worst from readers. Robert Duncan of Hornsey first with "What lies at the bottom of the sea and twitches?

A nervous wreck." Tony Copping of Norfolk as well as scores of other readers offers, "What is the fastest thing under water? A motor pike and side carp." Phillip Exhall from Middlesex jokes "Hey, Bert, I can't pull this fish up" Bert: "It must be a rock salmon". Ian Wood from Huddersfield and David Tomlinson from Warrington offer up "Two men fighting in a fish shop. One got battered." "Where do fish keep their money? In the river bank." was from David Dawson of Spalding. Less funny from Ashley Randle from Cheltenham writes "Fishing is like school dinners, you never get what you want," From Essex, Mark Wayman's attempt is "Man: 'Hello, son. Fishing?' Boy: 'No. Drowning' worms'. The final one is from Richard Bentley with  "Any fish in this plaice?" Man behind counter '(bearing a striking. resemblance to our beloved Sub-Mariner) "Sorry. Namor in stock." And with that groan we're told that the Reel Fishing Contest winners will be revealed next week. 

The Mighty Thor “The age of the Destroyer!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor Annual #2

Cover date September 1966

(Published in June 1966)

The original cover of the Mighty Thor Annual #2 is used as the opening splash page for this second half story with a new story title and a credit box. The following page sees Thor going full tilt after the Destroyer, attacking the enchanted armour all by himself. His initial attack seems to catch the Loki directed Destroyer off guard, but soon it's sufficient might is proven the better of the Thunder God.

When the Destroyer gets to Odin, Loki reveals that he's the one that is piloting the suit, lowering its blast visor in readiness to blast Odin with its disintegration ray. Before he can do so, Balder returns with news of location of Loki's physical body. Odin casts a spell of forgetfulness on Loki's inert form blocking out all of his thoughts. With no mind or memory to remember how to pilot the armour, Loki's soul returns to his body rendering the Destroyer inert once more. Odin declares all the brave warriors heroes. Unlike the Iron Man stories at this period in SMCW the Thor strip is a fun and thrilling read. 

The inside back page features a Dynamite! in-house advert for the hundredth "Hulkin' great issue" of the Mighty World of Marvel. "Three fast moving Hulk thrillers! Including his awe-inspiring origin!" it boasts. Under the Hulk big frame and the century cover is tucked the fiftieth issue of the Avengers weekly. Not as big an anniversary as the one-hundredth but still nothing to sniff at. Let's take a closer look at that milestone magazine. 

Avengers Weekly #50

I could quite easily make this John Buscema cover my Cover of the Week, but I resisted and stuck with Romita's Spider-man effort. A cover by Buscema would make me pick up any mag and I have to say I was a little disappointed to find out that the big man hadn't drawn the Master of Kung Fu strip inside. Not that Paul Gulacy's work is poor, it surely isn't. I thinks John Buscema is one of my top three artists, somedays my number one. Joe Sinnott inks the cover too. I must be mad not to make this my CotW. I guess I've picked too many Shang-Chi covers lately so SMCW keeps the award for this week.

Master of Kung Fu “A fortune of death!”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #22

Cover date November 1974

(Published in August 1974)

The original US MOKF comic that this story is taken from was published on the 15th of August 1974, just nine days before this meg hit the UK newsstands. Even with the last three weeks Spider-man/Shang-Chi team-up this strip runs pretty close to the US edition. The team of Moench and Gulacy return but this time inker Dan Adkins finishes off the artwork instead of the reliable Al Milgrom. Even though I mentioned earlier that I quite liked to see a John Buscema version of Master of Kung Fu Gulacy and Adkins' artwork hit the correct note for this strip, forming a completely enjoyable read. The story starts off simple enough with Shang-Chi entering a Chinese restaurant, where in he is greeted warmly and taken to a table. After studying the menu he orders Chow Har Kew.

Of course this wouldn't be a Master of Kung Fu story without there being a twist in such a normal everyday occasion. A strange hooded figure watches Shang-Chi from a table shaded with a large leafed house plant. The hungry China-man finishes his meal off with a fortune cookie, with a message inside that reads "A man very close to you will seek your death, Shang-Chi." The shaded figure attacks the kung-fu hero, leading to a beautifully choreographed fight scene in which warriors fight and diners flee, with one gentleman telling his female companion "Let's get outta here baby! I've already seen this flick!" 

After a fight with swords, dining utensils and crockery Shang-Chi renders the assassin unconscious, only to be set on by the restaurants waiters who too are school in the deadlier aspects of martial arts. After defeating them only the head waiter remains to answer the question that I originally asked when first reading this strip. Why didn't they just poison his food? The head waiter had protested against that idea, favouring a more personal execution. To which a quick bout ends with Shang-Chi sending the waiter on a dining trolley through the restaurant window and into a parked car window in a scene that would make a Hollywood stunt man proud. It doesn't end there, an unseen person calls out Shang-Chi's name, but who that is will have to wait till next week, which I'll look forward too another fast paced, action packed strip.

Although nothing is mentioned the fiftieth issue of the Avengers weekly should be celebrated. Avengers fans would prefer some sort of Avengers feature but as MOKF is seen by many to have taken over the comic and kung fu was popular at the time a two page feature on the origin of the martial art and some of the techniques used in its practices are smartly illustrated by Frank McLaughlin. McLaughlin was an inker at Marvel at the time working on various comics from Captain America to the Defenders and many more. But he also wrote and illustrated features for the Marvel/Curtis magazine The deadly hands of Kung Fu. In the credits for those articles he was titled as "Head Instructor-Westport, Conn. YMCA." As he had practiced judo from ages 18 to 50, initially studying at Joe Costa's Academy of Judo, he was the perfect choice for those features. This original feature had appeared in Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #1, cover dated September 1974, published June 1974. It originally was in full colour, this black and white UK version had an ornate border added as well as a text box mentions that Iron Fist, who will be premiering in a few short weeks in this mag was the character shown in this feature. Then it does go on to say that this sneak preview is for the landmark 50th issue. So maybe they did feel it was worth celebrating. 

Avengers Mailbag

Russel Fern from Devon wants to know if the stories from American King-Size specials will ever get repeated in the UK? The editor says they are saving them for when they start producing British monthlies. Marvel UK does later use the king-size stories in certain black and white monthlies towards the end of the 70's and into the 80's. Portman Distribution Ltd used some of the Horror stories from Marvel/Curtis's horror magazines in four UK black and white magazines, Castle of Horror, Journey into Nightmare, Tales of Terror and Demon! until Marvel UK put a stop to their licence agreement with Marvel US. In 1974 British Marvel have already used some of the stories from Giant-size Master of Kung Fu and Giant-size Spider-man in the Avengers weekly. Matthew Hayes from Worcestershire is a big Captain America fan, but he wants the X-Men to replace Doctor Strange in the Avengers weekly and Conan to replace Thor in SMCW. Colin Hopkirk from Lincoln is "hooked" on Jim Starlin's Master of Kung Fu and only started reading the Avengers weekly because of it. Sadly he missed issues 28, 29 and 30.  Alexander Hagen from Falkirk thinks that the Sons of the Serpent storyline in the Avengers was perfect and spectacular. 

 Bullpen Bulletins

In a Special to the Avengers the Bullpen page mentions again the sneak preview of Iron Fist demonstrating certain techniques of the Oriental martial arts in this issue. "The Kung-Fu hero... with a difference!" will be appearing in the not so distant future. The next Items notes when John Buscema was witnessed walking out of Stan Lee's office after an hour long conference, he was heard to mutter "Well, we just polished off a few holocausts, and a cataclysm or two! Now, I'll go out and relax by dreaming up a few simple disasters!" In Stan's Soapbox the Man shares a letter he received from a teacher who has struggled to help a 13 year old boy whose regular school had failed to teach the basic reading skills for six years. After trying all sorts of approaches he picked up a Spider-man Comics Weekly and took turns reading the different characters. His reading improved to which the teacher sights that comics that are exciting and interesting with beautiful artwork and dynamic writing make learning to read fun. He also states that unlike T.V. that has a short attention-span, requiring the viewer to have very little initiative, the printed literature of the comic book medium combines art and words in a mutually enchanting dialectic which requires effort and creativity by the reader. That's why comics are king. In the final Item another example of comics are worthy is taken directly from the Sunday supplement magazine Parade which describes why college students are reading comic-books to which it says "Although today's comic-books still feature super-heroes who survive by supernatural intervention, they have been transformed from the purely 'escape literature' of Flash Gordon to a relevant, new, and interesting art form. They even approach social commentary. On some campuses comic-books have become so popular that they run the risk of acceptance by the Establishment." Well isn't it the Marvel Age of Higher (and Hipper) Education?

The Avengers “The plan--and the power!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: George Roussos

Originally published in The Avengers #42

Cover date July 1967

(Published in May 1967)

Now I finally get my fix of John Buscema. Hawkeye quarrels with Hercules over his lack of interest in the captured Avengers, Goliath and the Wasp and their abductor Diablo and his android Dragon Man. It's just what you expect from a Roy Thomas Avengers script and soon we are treated to some John Buscema action artwork after Quicksilver has learned of the location of Diablo's Transylvanian castle and the Avengers set off to rescue their teammates. 

The team splits in two as Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch take the direct approach and attack the front of the castle. But they're greeted by Goliath who has agreed to work for Diablo under duress because the fiend is holding the Wasp as prisoner and she will die if the giant Avenger doesn't help the evil alchemist with his scheme to take over the world by mass producing an army of Dragon Men.

Unknown to Goliath Hercules is already taking steps to free the Wasp, or would be if not for the original Dragon Man who is presently guarding her. It will be a clash of friends and foes next week and this Avengers fan can't wait for the conclusion. 

Doctor Strange “From the Never-world comes Nebulos!”

Writer: Jim Lawrence

 

Artist: Dan Adkins

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Strange Tales #163

Cover date November 1967

(Published in August 1967)

Doctor Strange and his companion Victoria Bentley come face to face with the mysterious Nebulos on the weird world known as the Planet Perilous, where he gives Strange his Staff of Polar Power in order to initiate Nebulos' own powers. Taking the staff the Doctor finds himself transported to Baron Mordo's hidden palace. Instantly the two sorcerers battle, with the good Doctor emerging victorious as Nebulos' staff absorbs Mordo's excess mystical powers and banishing him to another realm. 

Doctor Strange travels back to Stone Henge where he hopes to prevent Earth's destruction by destroying the Glass of Doom. However before he can Nebulos transports both it and Strange back to his planet. where Nebulos reveals that Victoria is his captive, as he takes back the staff. Before he can reveal his evil plot, Doctor Strange spots the Living Tribunal is about to arrive on the planet. More cosmic cataclysmic catastrophe next week. So till then...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.