Memories of yesterday's bedlam!

 Week Ending 19th October 1974

The Mighty World of Marvel #107

This week's MWOM cover originally appeared on the front of the Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #2, cover dated October 1969, published July 1969. Drawn by Herb Trimpe, this simple none-specific Hulk cover worked well on that special as it contained a number of Hulk stories, originally from the Incredible Hulk #3 and Tales to Astonish #62 to #66. The left-side circle textbox originally highlighted that the special contained the Hulk's origin, the right box read "Enter the Chameleon", while the lower text box read "Featuring the ever sinister Leader and his Humanoid Horde!" The MWOM version keeps the text box shapes but changes the text, so that the left circle box "In this landmark ish: The Hulk's most deadly super-foes!" Leader replaces the Chameleon in the box on the right and the lower box informs any potential buyer that this mag also features the "Ever-dynamic Daredevil!" and the Fantastic Four. If you didn't already know that MWOM was "Britain's all action comics weekly!" a top banner told you that it definitely was. 

  

The Incredible Hulk “Many foes has the Hulk!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sam Grainger

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #139

Cover date May 1971

(Published in February 1971)

Guess who's back? The Leaders back! And it would be a little same old, same old, if not for a twist that Roy Thomas uses, in that every young Hulk fan would like to see. That is the Hulk fighting all his old foes. It starts with the Leader stalking once again in his "War of the World" looking aircraft and pondering that no single foe could annihilate the green muscle bound brute. But what if he faced them all at once? 

The Leader visits Major Talbot to gain his aid by having him persuade his superiors to allow the leader access to Project: Brainwave. Talbot remembers the last time he trusted the gamma spawned fiend, he attempted to blow up the entire planet as seen in MWOM #67-#70. But once he mentions Betty Ross and her current predicament he wins him over and soon General Ross too. May be they should remember what happened last time and not agree, but that would spoil a good story.

 The Leader's plan is simple, Project: Brainwave, which is also refer to as the Brainwave-booster and the Mentallo-projector, amplifies human brainwaves to create artificial constructs, in this case the device allows the Leader's mutated brain to project solid versions of the Hulk's most powerful enemies, starting with the Rhino, the Xeron the star slayer and the Sub-Mariner. last seen in MWOM #81, MWOM #104 and MWOM #72 respectively. The Leader would have been aware of the Hulk's last encounter with the Rhino but not the other two, but I guess that he's been keeping tabs on the green goliath for some time. Three down, loads more super-foes to go in next week's issue. 

Bullpen Bulletins

I'll start this week's look at the Bullpen Bulletins page with a look at Stan's Soapbox first, over the past few months Marvel has brought superheroes to the peak of their popularity, made a world-wide cult of monster masterpieces, given fandom the greatest in sorcery and magic, as well as kung fu, science-fiction, and supernatural thrillers. But Stan says they've only just begun. He hints at a new mag coming to the UK soon and he'll tell us the title as soon as it's de-classified. One thing he does say is that the lead character has had his own successful comic book in America and that the new book will be a step in a new direction, Later in his column he offers more news about Marvel's own fan club. FOOM now has more than 25,000 members, to celebrate that, Stan wants to do more than send out FOOM mags every three months, but as Marvel is busy drawing and writing the greatest strips in comics to give it enough thought! So he wants the readers help by sending in suggestion about how to make FOOM better. In an Item the editor asks is there any readers who still haven't subscribed to the club magazine? Don't they know what they missing? Well if you did subscribe to it you would get the magazine mailed to you every three months, filled with awesome articles, dynamic drawings, captivating contests and much more. This Item sells it but all that's missing is a subscription form. I'll take a look at the other six Items later when I review the Bullpen pages in SMCW and Avengers weekly.

Daredevil “The birth of the Tri-man!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Daredevil #22

Cover date November 1966

(Published in September 1966)

It's a straight forward continuation from last week's conclusion after surviving the Owl's attempt to kill Daredevil and Judge Lewis we discover that DD has managed to pilot the robotic flying Owl safely back to Long Island. Making a landing of sorts, seconds before the Owl decides to activate the machine's self destruct. But we can forget the bird inspired fiend for a while as two of DD's old foes, the Masked Marauder and the Gladiator, are cooking up new plans to become rulers of the world's greatest crime cartel, Hydra!

It's worth noting that in the original US comic the Marauder says that Maggia are leaderless, giving them an opportunity to take over them, not Hydra. Calling the Hydra the world's greatest crime cartel did feel strange to me, I can only assume that Maggia was changed to Hydra as to not contradict the current Spider-man storyline in this week's SMCW. The Masked Marauder has become a sort of Victor Frankenstein and created an android and taking the life-force of his three best men he endows the android with the best characteristics from the them.

They were a wrestler/mob enforcer called the Mangler, a fast moving safe cracker know as the Dancer and an underworld genius simply referred to as the Brain. The strength pf the Mangler, the speed of the Dancer and the cunning of the Brain make up the qualities that will give the newly named Tri-Man the edge to destroy Daredevil and in doing so allow the Masked Marauder and the Gladiator to stake their claims on becoming the leaders of the crime cartel, whether that's Hydra or Maggia, you choose.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Philip Langham from London opens this week's letter page feast with a debate about how adults condemn comics as they are a bad influence on the young. He puts forward that magazines are a priceless fountain of information not to mention they give hours of reading pleasure. When certain adults claim that comics encourage juvenile delinquency, he counters that argument with the controversial Amazing Spiderman #96 which featured a well written storyline that warns about drug-abuse. Laurence Milstead RFO, KOF Hertfordshire laments that the Silver Surfer hasn't appeared yet in British Marvel. Well Laurence will be very pleased with the Surfer's current appearance in the Fantastic Four. S.R. Karim RFO thinks that Marvel mags are great but the only hero they don't like his Daredevil, much preferring him to be replaced with the X-Men or the Silver Surfer. 

Peter Sudge from London, could well be Peter Judge the famous 1975 Marvel Mastermind winner, but they may have misspelled his surname. Peter suggests that Spidey's webbing is held in miniature aerosol cans like cartridges around an elasticated wristband. Steven J. May from London thinks that reprinting the early Marvel stories have come off fairly well, apart from the over use of tone, the annoying panel revisions and his biggest gripe is the letter pages with really weak replies. John Stirrat from Sydney Australia has 215 American Marvel comics and only 14 of the British weeklies, all of which are the Mighty World of Marvel. He says that no matter how much he tries he can't find the Avengers weekly in the newsagents around Sydney.  

The Fantastic Four “The startling saga of the Silver Surfer!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #50

Cover date May 1966

(Published in February 1965)

The opening text box says it all, "The awesome Galactus has chosen Earth to provide him with the energy he needs to sustain himself! But, in stripping a planet of its energy, Galactus also drains away all life from the helpless world. For ages, the mighty alien has thus plundered the planets...but now, his once-loyal herald, the glistening Silver Surfer, has turned against him, and one of the most mind-staggering battles of all time is about to begin...with Marvelytes everywhere privileged to bear witness the wonder of it all!" Jack Kirby carried all the hard work on these Marvel classics with Stan possibly taking too much credit when it wasn't due, but never let it be said that Stan Lee never knew how to inflame those sparks and make them burn like the brightest star. The Man certainly knew what worked and knew how to sell it.

Humanity has rekindled that spark in the Surfer's soul and he wasn't going to let it burn out, by standing by as his master destroyed a world and its people. Kirby did what he did best, drawing the spectacular and turning that up to an eleven. In a cosmic battle between the two aliens Galactus unleashes his cosmic might towards his rebellious underling as the Fantastic Four watch helplessly.  

The Watcher's plan comes to fruition as the Human Torch returns from his deadly mission with the one weapon that might destroy the devour of worlds, the Ultimate Nullifier! (Not to be confused with the Nullifier stolen by Doc Ock in SMCW #47.) The Watcher warns Reed Richards that if it is used on full power it could erase the entire Solar System! Galactus for the first time shows signs of fear when Richards threatens to use the weapon against him, saying "your feeble mind cannot begin to comprehend its power!" Adding "You hold the means to destroy a galaxy...to lay waste to a universe!" Reed holds his cool and bluffs the cosmic being with the threat that should the universe crumble, could even Galactus survive? Galactus does make a good point towards the Watcher that he has given a child power beyond his grasp.

Galactus capitulates, agreeing to spare the Earth and leave if Reed gives him back the Nullifier. The Watcher mediates between the two confirming that the promise of Galactus is the living truth itself. True to his word, Galactus does not go back on his promise adding that for the first time since the dawn of memory his will has been thwarted but he bears no malice towards the lesser beings. However his feelings towards the Silver Surfer is very raw, punishing his herald by removing the Silver Surfer's space-time powers. In the process exiling him on the planet he vowed to save. To roam the galaxies no more. Next week's second part will see an epilogue of how the Fantastic Four deal with these cosmic events and with the Surfer, who's now trapped in a world he never made! 

An in-house advert with these pair of winners from British Marvel with the Avengers weekly featuring Doctor Strange in a re-telling of his origin and Spider-man facing a crossfire against a spotlighted wall on the cover of this week's Spider-man Comics Weekly. More on that up soon, just after this word from the Mighty World of Marvel's sponsor... 

The cost of a comic is subsidised by income from advertising, a necessary evil, you might say, but sometimes the adverts are interesting to the reader. This back page full colour advert for Dinky kits probably intrigued and mesmerised young readers who enjoyed building models as much as they did reading super-hero comics. The first was a Ford Capri rally special, an iconic car from the 70's this 1:25 scale model in red looks fabulous. When finally built it would stand at almost seven inches long. For war fans a 155mm Mobile Gun has flexible tracks and an elevating barrel that can also fire shells, of which six are included, if you don't lose any of them. The third model is a Motor Patrol Boat that also fires missiles, only two supplied. It runs on concealed wheels. I had that one, I thought it was magnificent.  

Spider-man Comics Weekly #88

I love this original UK Spider-man cover by Sal Buscema (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks) that seems to be a "one second later" version of the John Romita Sr cover from the Amazing Spider-man #70, cover dated March 1969, published December 1968, (you can see that artwork on the cover of SMCW#81,). This original Sal Buscema artwork sold for $2,868 in February 2018 by Heritage Auctions. That's £2,189 in your English money. Spider-man in the spotlight is iconic, it's also my Cover of the Week.

Spider-man “If this be bedlam!”

 

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #74

Cover date July 1969

(Published in April 1969)

This week's tale is drawn by John Romita Sr with Jim Mooney inking the finished artwork as John Busecma has left the series. You can tell it's definitely all Romita's work now and with or without Buscema the story and artwork is still on top form.  Silvermane has demanded that Curt Connors assist in deciphering the stolen tablet, sending the renowned biologist with the Kingpin's henchman Wilson into a locked room to work out if the inscription will unlock the mystery of life itself. With the stress endured by those events Curt begins to change into the Lizard, a transformation that he suppresses with some difficulty.

Spider-man tracks down the stolen tablets by following a lead from a newspaper headline which reads "Kingpin's crime lieutenant bailed out by Maggia lawyer." Spider-man recognises Caesar Cicero as a mouthpiece for the Maggia and as it was Man-mountain Marko who said it was a Maggia tip-off that led him to finding the tablets, so the web-slinger heads out to investigate. When he does he gets a very unfriendly reception as Cicero's men try to gun down Spidey. One gunman lets slip that that they are holding Connors' family as hostage. However Cicero manages to escape with the mother and son, leaving a booby-trapped door to stop Spider-man from following them. On that cliffhanger come back next week for "the Elixir of eternity!"

 

Bullpen Bulletins

The first Item on this Bulletin offers that the Bullpen are more than just names on a page. There people behind the set type in the credit boxes have recently changed as the Marvel staff grows. And so follows three Items with backgrounds behind those new names. Since Tony Isabella has vacated his position as Associate Editor of these weeklies, the mantle of the sleeping bag has been passed to another, Jim Salicrup does the lion's share of the production work on these weeklies learning from Tony how to do much of it while asleep. Scott Edelman another new Associate Editor working in these mags from the US side of the Atlantic has hidden talents, he's a song writer and can be found belting out his fresh formed lyrics. Maybe the Bullpen would like to see his talents to remain hidden. the third of the terrific trio is David Cohen has only just returned from a week's holiday, from where it doesn't say, but his green tinge and third eye could act as a hint?  I'll reveal more about the last two Items in the Avengers weekly Bullpen page later. 

The Web and the Hammer

Gary Fretwell from Warwickshire enjoyed reading SMCW #72 but believes that Jeremy Silthorpe's letter was a lot late on arriving. A point that the editor makes between sending copy to the press and the same copy appearing on the newsagents shelves.  Mark Le Fear from Teeside says that ever since the day he first picked up a Marvel mag he was hooked, but he still asks "who's the strongest questions". His "Why doesn't the Hulk's hair grow longer?" is an original question. His final question "Is the Marvel crew in America or England may carry some weight as the editors process has never really been explained. The answer is put simply with there's a Bullpen in both New York and London. Fiawol the writer of our next letter is fourteen and has never had the chance to appreciate early Marvel, until the British editions have been brought out. He calls it a crime to print Thor stories from 1965 next to Spider-man ones from 1968 without telling people that they were created in different years that lead to different styles. Added to that point he notes that British Marvel is a good bit behind, so why don't they do the Evil Mutants story and then jump to the Factor Three stories. Anthony Davies from Swansea points out that the Nullifier seen in SMCW #47 looks nothing like its appearance in SMCW #49. 

Clifford Joseph from London wants a No-Prize for spotting that Peter sold his motor bike in SMCW #68 but was seen in SMCW #71 riding on it. Well in the Week Ending review of that issue I point out why that happened. Ralph Garth from Dunbartonshire is probably one of the oldest readers at twenty, but he thoroughly enjoys all three of the weeklies. He started at nine years old reading the American mags but they disappeared over the years, thankfully his collection is building up again with the British mags. Bernard Carson from London believes that Spider-man Comics Weekly is the best-valued comic for money around. Although he says that the title "Spider-man" Comics Weekly is a hollow mockery as the main star only gets eleven to twelve pages per week. Mark Roughly from Surrey favourite "super-baddie" is the Beetle. Mark also gets a kick out of the dramatic sound effects like THOK, SPRAK, SOK and BTOK for punches and the sound of Spidey's webbing with THWIP and TWOP. David Deakin from Stoke-on-Trent has been collecting the American and British Marvel mags for over seven years and has been inspired by the artwork to draw his own super-heroes for over a year. He would love to reach the standard required to become a Marvel artist. The editor states in their reply that in their opinion it's a worthwhile ambition for anyone to aspire to a career as a comic strip artist. Pointing out that the business is only just starting to expand. They offer some tips on how to improve and make a living out of it.

The Mighty Thor “The Growing Man!”

 

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #140

Cover date May 1967

(Published in March 1967)

Iron Man takes a leave for a week, giving some page space to this full length Mighty Thor tale. I have to say that it pleases me that he does. Most of the early Iron Man strips are dull, while Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Thor strips are anything but, especially at this period in his continuity. Kirby captures the pomp and ceremony of the regal Asgard Golden Throne room. Thor requests leave from Asgard to return to Earth as it'd protector.  

On Earth a strange doll-like effigy has appeared, puzzling the local New York constabulary when it grows to the size of a large manikin. The figurine awakes much to the shock of the police as it attacks them. Gun fire aimed at it causes it to grow larger by the minute. Thor returns to Earth without the Lady Sif who offered to accompany him. I imagine explaining away a six foot two inch goddess would be an issue when he resumes his mortal form. 

The police battle the "Growing Man" as the police have come to name him, in a suburban park when Kang turns up an shrinks the android to it's original "doll" size.

There seems to be a jump in the story one minute Don Blake is talking to the building janitor, Olson. then later the Doctor is being transported in a police car to the sight of the rampaging "Growing Man"  They offer Blake little reason other than he knows how to contact the Thunder God when the situation needs him. I thought that a page or some panels had been removed from the UK version, so I checked and the US version is the same. When the police mention the name Kang, Blake is intrigued and slips away to transform into Thor. Kirby once again proves he's great a these sort of battles as the mighty Thor slugs it out with a seven foot tall Growing Man, causing the android to once again spring up to it's giant-sized statue. Kang appears stunning the Thunder God, then shrinks his android once more and escapes in his camouflage Time Machine. But as he does Thor uses Mjolnir to create a universal infinity vortex around it, entrapping the man and "stimuloid" for all time. You and I know that Kang will return but let's not let that spoil an ending. Stan lets Jack have fun with this one, but if I'm honest the storyline could do with tightening up a tad. The to-ing and fro-ing of the plot leaves some awkward plot-holes, but because the artwork is great and the dialogue is smart I can forgive its faults. 

There has been a little teasing about a new comic featuring an iconic character who has had a popular US comic for some time coming to the British Marvel line-up in the Bullpen pages, but other than that little else. I knew not one but two more comics would be coming but readers in 1974 would be quite shocked to see those mags on the newsagents shelves next week. There hasn't been any build up like when Shang-Chi took over the Avengers weekly, in fact the only in-house advert is this half page piece. If you hadn't see them on TV and didn't recognise the ape in the corner you might have wondered what he was talking about. Find out what the mystery is about next week. 

What is still on sale this week is the Mighty World of Marvel and the Avengers weekly as shown in this in-house advert for the pair. Adventure and excitement for every Marvel fan with Daredevil, the Fantastic Four and an angry Hulk on the cover of this week's MWOM. While Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme himself gracing the front of the Avengers weekly, with mentions of the mighty assemblers themselves and Iron Fist also. So without further ado let's take a look at that the last of this week's mags.

Avengers Weekly #57

This cover was nearly my CotW but for the wonderful Sal Buscema Spider-man cover. Dan Adkins does do an incredible job on this Doctor Strange cover for the Avengers weekly. Originally used for Doctor Strange #169, the Sorcerer Supreme's first solo comic following the numbering of Strange Tales after Nick Fury left to star in his own comic. On the original cover the Doctor's Astral form was a more wraith like coloured in shades of white and grey. I kind of like the more colourful UK version, even if it isn't as accurate.

Iron Fist “Memories of tomorrow”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Larry Hama

Inker: Dick Giordano

Originally published in Marvel Premiere #17

Cover date September 1974

(Published in June 1974)

The final panel of last week's first half to this story is blown up and used as the opening panel to this week's half. It works well but even I'm not sure about the new title. "Memories of tomorrow" seems to be something you should think about doing for the rest of your life, as in "making memories for tomorrow" but as tomorrow never comes it all makes little sense. I wonder was the editor trying to be far to cleaver. "Memories of yesterday" would have fitted better, as Iron Fist hangs vicariously on the edge of a pit causing him to recall his father's death at the studded snow boot of Harold Meachum,  but maybe I'm reading far too much into it.  

More traps are sprung, a ferocious wolf, a gas filled lift, a crushing under a falling lift, a sword welding janitor and then a laser mounted cctv camera which would have hit its intended target if not for a mysterious Ninja who deactivates the camera's lens causing it to fire blindly. When Iron Fist turns to thank his saviour he finds the unconscious janitor and the ninja have vanished. A text box mentions "..a glimpse of the dark blur again.." which seemingly implies that the ninja has appeared already in this story. I checked with the US version, Iron Fist did indeed briefly see him before our hero falls into a trap door at the end of last week's first half, but that page had been removed. It doesn't spoil the UK version, I enjoy both. I checked this story's second appearance in the Marvel UK monthly Blockbuster from July 1981 and the full version is shown intact.

Breaking through the final door (with the name plate reading "F Meachum",  (what the "F" stands for I can't  fathom,) leading to a chamber with walls of circuitry where Iron Fist comes face to face with a man named Triple-Iron. The final assassin offers Mister Meachum's apologies for not being able to greet Iron Fist in person. But when Triple-Iron says he has been paid well to kill Iron Fist on Meachum's behalf, our hero knows that the final trap has been designed specially for him by a man who cannot know he even exist. For more answers Iron Fist will have to over come the Lair of Triple-Iron! in next week's issue.

Bullpen Bulletins

Just two Items left to talk about in this week's three Bullpen Bulletin pages. The first regard the changes to the format on the Bullpen pages and throughout the mags over the next few months. They're going to attempt to turn back the controlling reins over to the readers, starting with more puzzle pages, pin ups and more. They promise to start running them regularly. The final Items involves the Spectacular Spider-man Treasury Edition, and the fact that Stan autographed 1,000 copies of that Treasury. Now they must be worth a tidy sum fifty years later.  

The Avengers “Blitzkrieg in Central Park!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Avengers #45

Cover date October 1967

(Published in August 1967)

This second part Avengers strip opens with a new splash page that takes some of the artwork from the cover of the X-Men #29, cover dated February 1967, published December 1966. The Mimic was removed and replace with Goliath by some unknown artist. This week's story title is the original story title from the American edition which does fit better in this concluding chapter, although last week's UK made up, "The Fury of the Super-Adaptoid!" would have worked just as well here. Goliath and the Wasp battle the Super-Adaptoid as it attempts to kill Captain America. 

Each member of the Avengers vainly take turns in the skirmish with little effect as the AIM created android uses two powers at a time from the Avengers to best them. It isn't till Quicksilver deduces that the only way to defeat it is to attack all at once so that it is forced to use all its stolen abilities at the same time causing it to overload itself and collapse. It's a simple Avengers knock about with a smart, if not a very obvious solution that many readers would have suggested, but still a pleasant read. 
 

Avengers Readers Assemble

Damian Cahill from Dublin criticises the quality of the vast majority letters that are printed, as they ask the same old questions and point out some irrelevant mistakes. He wants to see more mature and interesting letters. Damian is sorry to see the end of Steve Ditko's time on Doctor Strange but Bill Everett did a good job replacing him. Damian wants to see some summer specials and doesn't want IPC to produce the Annuals any more. Well it's a good thing then that World Distributors (Manchester) Limited have taken over the production of this year's up-coming annuals. John Tomlinson RFO, KOF from Oldham pleads for his letter to be printed as it concerns the superhero models everyone has been clamouring for. Captain America and Spider-man eight inch versions with moveable joins will be available in 1975. Andrew Skeoch from Essex thinks that SMCW and the Avengers weekly are great, but he makes the cardinal sin by asking what DC stands for, among other questions like "what strapped to DD's leg" and "what's a No-Prize?" I'll not waste space answering those questions. 

Micheal Hall from York has every one of the British Marvel comics and over a hundred US mags. Micheal rates Ross Andru's art on the Shang-Chi/Spider-man team-up seen in Avengers weekly #48 as magnificent and should take over drawing the FF after Jack Kirby and then John Buscema finish drawing them. Paul Crow from London was bored while on holiday in Algeria, until an Algerian friends give him a copy of a French magazine called Strange. It starred the X-Men, Daredevil, Iron Man , Nick Fury and Spider-man. It cost 30 pence for 80 pages of full colour art. Simon Elliott from Edinburgh congratulates Marvel on using the Not Brand Echh! strip called "Super-hero day dreams" in SMCW #68, saying it was hysterical. Brian Williamson KOF, RFO, FFF from Lanarkshire defines that a No-Prize cannot be defined by anyone, as each person vision of it is different. Although it is not of solid tangible material, a No-Prize is very real all the same, as it is an award of the highest acclaim, endowed to any Marvelite who serves the faith above and beyond the call of duty. Mark Pennington from Surrey wants to claim a No-Prize for spotting in Avengers weekly #22 that Doc Strange when he goes through the Earth to Tibet he is chased by spirits sent by Mordo, he says "It's too cramped down here! I must battle my way to the surface once more... I can be too easily trapped within these thought that to one's caverns!" But in his ectoplasmic form physical obstacles are meaningless.

Doctor Strange “The coming of...Doctor Strange”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Dan Adkins

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Doctor Strange #169

Cover date June 1968

(Published in February 1968)

As this tale featured in the 169th issue of Strange Tales, now re-named Doctor Strange, Roy Thomas took over the writing chores on this strip, seeing it as a perfect opportunity to retell the Doctors origin story while giving him the chance to explore what really made the character tick. While recuperating in the Ancient One's Sanctum, Strange sleeps and dreams of the events that led to him becoming a master of the mystic arts. We see his vulgar ego fuelled by his successful career as a top surgeon, followed by the career ending car accident, which lead to him becoming a drunken derelict. On an over heard rumour he travels on a voyage to the timeless wastes of the Himalayas in search of a a cure from a mysterious legend called the Ancient One. I really like this version it feels more of a mature tale than the version seen in Avengers weekly #1 over a year ago.

There's a half page teaser for next week's Avengers weekly, that sees the Avengers battling a new super-villain, at least to British Marvel readers who haven't read Ant-man or Giant Man's adventures in Tales to Astonish, called the Whirlwind. I'm not sure why the editors didn't use this space to promote next week's two new comics. 

The inside back page does feature a Double Dynamite in-house advert for Marvel's two other triumphs, showing the wonderful cover for Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Hulk's imposing cover for the Mighty World of Marvel. It says Action in the Mighty Marvel tradition in the bottom footnote. But next week sees British Marvel release two more weekly comics that aren't what many would call traditional Marvel fair. As only slightly teased in a Bullpen Item and a half page tease in SMCW, next week will see the movie and TV sensation Planet of the Apes hit the newsstands with their own Marvel comic and just in time for Halloween Count Dracula stars in his own weekly comic titled Dracula Lives with Werewolf by Night and Frankenstein's Monster. Well it's time for me to stop monkeying about and get my teeth into next week's blog. It's going to be a biggie with not just three mags to take a look at but five! Hopefully if I survive it all that there'll be more reviews, opinions and pointless waffle on more magnificent Marvel mags next week. So to see if I survive it...

 

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.