Week Ending 30th November 1974
The Mighty World of Marvel #113
The Incredible Hulk “Sanctuary!”
Artist: Dick Ayers
Inker: John Severin
Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #143
Cover date September 1971
(Published in June 1971)
Herb Trimpe goes on holiday, or so we're lead to believe from the Bullpen Bulletin page and Dick Ayers steps in to pencil the artwork. I have to be honest Ayers isn't as good as Trimpe, but John Severin manages to keep some of ol' green skins style so the drop off isn't too bad. This story follows from last week's climax which finds Bruce Banner the subject of a manhunt, with authorities scouring New York City to try and find him. The local police chase him, but Banner makes good a getaway when a limousine pulls over and offers him a lift. His mysterious benefactor is Doctor Doom who offers him sanctuary in the Latverian Embassy, thanks to Doom's diplomatic immunity.
Bullpen Bulletins
The Mighty Marvel Mailbag
Daredevil “Enter: The Leap-Frog!”
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Frank Giacoia
Originally published in Daredevil #25
Cover date February 1967
(Published in December 1966)
I like Daredevil and I like Gene Colan's art on the character, but sometimes there are some really poor creative choices. One of them is the "super-villain" Leap-Frog. It's a silly idea that could only be used once, but the they kept it going for a while. Goodness knows why. But if I can get over the silly concept and find some enjoyment, anyone can. Returning from England Matt Murdock exits his plane at the airport and is confronted by a man in civilian clothes, a handkerchief mask, and special spring-loaded shoes, appears leaping next to the plane. The police pursued him, as his chaotic behaviour is preventing all airplanes from taking off. The Leap-Frog escapes to cause chaos later.
The Fantastic Four “When strikes the Silver Surfer!”
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Originally published in The Fantastic Four #55
Cover date October 1966
(Published in July 1966)
"See a raging, fighting-mad Thing leap into action...When strikes the Silver Surfer!" OK let's mention the silver elephant in the room, part of me is raging, fighting-mad, ready to leap into a blog rant. This story comes three US issues after last week's cliffhanger when the Black Panther was about to reveal a tale of tragedy and deadly revenge that makes sense of why he attacked the Fantastic Four. Instead we get a massive continuity jump! The editor does offer an apology stating that the conclusion to the Black Panther tale will appear in two weeks time and that their only reason for the jump is that of an ever encroaching deadline.
Here's the truth, my review of this issue of MWOM might seem negative, with Dick Ayers replacing Herb Trimpe, Daredevil's questionable guest villain, the story's lame Matt Murdock secret brother plot and the Fantastic Four story jump. I don't think I noticed them when I was a kid, some older kids or teenagers would have, if I did I just let it go. I might be too hard on this issue. But really the Hulk strip is still good, Daredevil's strip has hit a bump but soon recovered. Anyway Gene Colan's art was always pretty neat. As for the Fantastic Four it had the Thing battling the Silver Surfer from the creative pairing of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. What's not to love? In the words of Queen Elsa, I'd better "let it go!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Spidey can't reason with the Torch as to why he wishes to avoid harming the Lizard without giving away Curt Connors identity. So what we get is a dam good super-hero versus super-hero versus super-villain scrap, in the capable hands of Stan Lee and John Buscema. Virtually every page is split into four panels of high flying superhero action. With only one page, still split into four, that interrupts the good stuff with a little bit of civilian drama as Martha Connors comforts her son, Billy, when news of the rooftop battle between Spidey, the Lizard and the Torch breaks. Billy Connors, having heard of the Torch's inclusion in the battle and understanding that Spider-man is only trying to save his Dad, rushes out to try and talk the Human Torch into not hurting his father. I'm all out for action but it wouldn't be a Marvel comic without a bit of human drama, which is why I love them. The fight heads to the waterfront next week.
Writer: Stan Lee
What we do get is a follow up to the Black Widow and Hawkeye story from SMCW #90, which saw the Widow escorted onto a plane back to her native Russia to face the consequences for her failures. We find her returned to America and her lover Hawkeye, with new gadgets like suction boots and a nylon line shooter bracelet, as well as a sexy new fishnet and basque costume to go with her codename. It's a classic Don Heck design, but not a patch on John Romita Sr's redesign that British readers will feast their eyes on in SMCW #109 cover dated 15th March 1975. The Widow, under orders from her Russian superiors wants to destroy Iron Man, Hawkeye is less interested in that as he doesn't want to betray his country, but love wins out and Hawkeye agrees to help her. They hatch a plan to kidnap Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan to bring out Iron Man. but Tony Stark goes instead but tricks the deadly duo by causing a distraction and changes into the armoured Avenger. Their plot fails when Hawkeye misses a chance to beat Iron Man when Natasha is in danger. Sometime after this adventure Tony Stark or Iron Man asks Hawkeye to renounce is questionable past and become an Avenger. The results can be seen in Avengers weekly #13.
Colin Bateman from County Down is a member of and probably chairman of the BMM. Which stands for British Merry Marvelites. The club has its own library, which is in two parts, one for American Marvel comics and the other British Marvel mags. As well as its own monthly magazine that is properly printed and drawn, with a Marvel Spotlight feature on different super-heroes as well as puzzles and competitions. Liam Ward RFO, KOF from Tyne and Wear like's Spidey, Cap and Shang-Chi. He says the action, the art, the scripts are fantastic! But the Master of Kung Fu artwork in Avengers weekly #38 wasn't great. He thinks Iron Man spoils SMCW as it cuts down the size of the Spider-man strip and the art isn't at its best. Anthony Kent from Coulsdon points out there's a super-hero for every letter of the alphabet. Although some of them are villains, he doesn't pick one for Y and who's the Fearsome Freak?
Colin Charnock from Manchester asked in his last unpublished letter "Who has the strongest lungs, Thor or Hulk?" He doesn't get an answer but at least his letter got printed. A Barber from Essex wonders how there are tales of a young Thor in Tales of Asgard yet Doctor Blake only became Thor when he found his hammer in SMCW#1? As a child Thor grew up in Asgard. But Odin decided that the Thunder God was displaying too much pride and punished him for it. He transformed him to crippled Dr. Don Blake and banished him to earth. Don Blake had no memory at all of his life as Thor. But because Odin had no wish for Thor's exile to be permanent he left the cane in the cave and ordained it that Don Blake should find it. Fraser Hunt from Edinburgh wants to brag that even though C. Reed says he gets sixty Marvel comics a month, Frazer says he gets 84 comics from Marvel a month. 28 Avengers, 28 Hulks and 28 Spiderman. I think he's counting the strips in each weekly over a month. A Thor fan from Newcastle-upon-Tyne gives his review on all three weeklies, to which he says the Avengers are great except Doctor Strange, MWOM is usually good but some stories are a bit too unbelievable. And in SMCW Iron Man ruins the mag as the artwork and stories are rubbish, but the Spider-man strip is good apart from it gets too involved in Peter Parker's life. I have to say I like those bits.
Writer: Stan Lee
At the minute Gene Colan is becoming one of my favourite artists, mainly due to his work on Dracula and Doctor Strange, as well as some of his current Daredevil artwork, so this was a very close second to my Cover of the Week. I have to say that the UK version is better than the original cover for Doctor Strange #172, simply because you can see more of the demons behind Dormammu. The wider format of the weekly comics helps too.
Writer: Doug Moench
He flips onto a normal floor. The truth serum causes Shang-Chi to hallucinate. Taking the only exit, which leads to a deadly maze that has an assassin around every corner, but in Shang-Chi's eyes they are white faced skeletons, or shadows on walls that fight like men. All the time the voice of Fu Manchu demands the secret, mocking him, threatening him, as the lurking Si-Fan assassins continue to physically grind him down. When he can go no further, he meets a female death figure who calls out for his embrace and offers a deadly kiss. With his perception weakened he wonders is this Sandy Chen or another Si-Fan assassin? The spectre lunges forward to strike him, with all his remaining strength he delivers a killer blow to whatever it was, they fall before his fury. As does a wall that blocks his exit path.
Fu Manchu still wants the scientist's secret but as Shang-Chi has proven that his father cannot force the secret from him, as the truth is Chen research failed and there was no secret. Doctor Chen took his life in anguish, not because he feared Fu Manchu's arrival. Fu Manchu doesn't believe him and demands to know what the goal of his lifetime research was. With the effects of the drug wearing off Shang-Chi opposes his father by telling him what he wants to know. Doctor Chen's goal was synthetic nourishment that would feed a starving world. Fu Manchu is irate, Shang-Chi asks about Chen's daughter Sandy, Fu Manchu tells is son that he had killed her in the maze and he will soon join her in death, but before he can channel his anger Sir Denis Nayland Smith, Black Jack Tarr and their agents rush into Fu Manchu's lair, in a scene straight from a Bond movie. After the battle is ended Sir Denis tells Shang-Chi that Sandy was one of his agents and he had warned her that she might face death. Her body was found in the maze. Distraught the young chinaman leaves. This story over the last four weeks has really delivered the goods. It was another terrific read.
The first thing I noticed about this Avengers letter page is that the editor wrote "Repeat 'some' #11 Page 12" in the top panel. At first I wondered if this letter page had been copied from issue 11, but it wasn't. I checked other issues and I haven't seen it elsewhere. What's also strange is that the title panel covers part of the first two letters, so all I can say about Raymond Weeks' letter, from Hampshire, is that he stared buying SMCW with issue 2 and he would like issue 1. Glyn Jones from Wigan also has part of his letter covered up. Glyn has written letters to Marvel before and will in the future so we'll read more of his opinions in upcoming letter columns, but all I can see with this letter is that he really enjoyed John Buscema's artwork on the Avengers. A.J. Birchall RFO, KOF from Oxford is mystified why Jonah Jameson hates Spider-man so much. Robert Wolstengolme RFO, from London writes about the Hulk story from MWOM #100, the Shang-Chi/Spider-man story from Avengers weekly #49 and answers "yes" to a "mail-a-mag" service. But the editor answers his letter by talking about "those classic Iron Man stories he refers too", but he never mentioned Iron Man once in his letter.
The Avengers weekly is Murray Craig's, RFO, KOF from Luton, favourite Marvel comic, he's read virtually all of them and possessed at least 80% of them until his mother got her hands on them. Murray gives his opinion on every strip from MWOM, SMCW and Avengers weekly. Peter Watkins RFO, KOF from London describes MWOM issue 100 as "What a mag. What a party!" He praises all the Hulk stories from Draxon vs the Hulk, to his "Beeyootiful" origin and the Hulk/Kang/Phantom Eagle story topped it all off. Bobby Nandan from Middlesex lists every Avenger but is puzzled as to why they call Captain America "the Immortal"? Glen Cranston from Stockton-on-Tees wonders what is the criteria for being awarded a RFO, when in America you have to buy three Marvel mags per month while in the British editions they say you have to buy at least three Marvel mags a week. Well the definitive answer is both definitions are correct, depending where you live. US Marvels are published monthly, therefore a regular purchaser of three mags is a qualification for the title RFO. British Marvels are published weekly, so the qualification is also on a weekly basis. Three Marvel purchases a week.
Writer: Roy Thomas
Magneto raises the metal platform that Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch are bond to and exist the castle onboard a supersonic cruiser that was built and powered by Magneto's own magnetic abilities. The Black Knight heads towards the Avengers mansion carried aloft by his winged stallion Pegasus. In later stories his horse would be christened Aragon. With all the research that I can find Pegasus and Aragon are one and the same. Later Lord of the Rings fan, Roy Thomas, must have preferred the Aragon name. He goes to the Avengers to offer them his help, but mistaking him for another evil knight, they attack. They briefly battle but when a stray shot from the Knights power lance dislodges some masonry that could hit innocent bystanders Goliath grows to full size to reach it but in doing so he falls from the edge of a building. The Knight sweeps down and saves the Avenger, gaining the trust of the others. Dane takes them to Garrett Castle but the mutants have long gone. When Goliath wonders if they can really trust the Knight he becomes angry and flies off on his own, leaving "Three against Magneto!" next week.
The Avengers weekly version of the Bullpen Bulletin page comes under the title of Bullpen Newspage. Another point of notice is that in the MWOM Bulletin page Scott Edelman (which is mis-spelled in that page's credit box,) is listed as Associate Editor, but here Pate Iro is named as Associate Editor. The weird thing is that in last week's Avengers weekly Bullpen page the first Item revealed that Scott was stepping down from his UK roll. But on with the Items, it's a happy first birthday for Alexander Spurlock Trimpe, the son of Herb and Linda Trimpe. Alex would later follow his father as a comic artist, co-pencilling RoboCop #11 cover dated January 1991, The Mighty Thor Annual #16 cover dated 1991, and Fantastic Four Unlimited #3 cover dated September 1993 with his father. While Herb Trimpe was mentioned the next Item points out that Herb had gone on holiday for a few weeks so Dick Ayers stepped in to pencil the Hulk strip, the results can be seen in this and next week's MWOM. Carrying on from last week's insight with the UK members of staff a little tip bit of information is revealed that Dave Cohen, Interior Production Editor, looks a little bit like Charlton Heston. I wonder if he modelled for George Tuska's rendition of Heston in Planet of the Apes?
Writer: Roy Thomas
I had previously moaned about this week's the Daredevil plot and main villain which was drawn by Gene Colan, here we get a great plot and a stunning villain by the same artist. Some of these pages are wonderful. We're in for a nice treat. Dormammu reveals himself to be the Doctor's real opponent. Grown to a colossal size the evil fiend adds Doctor Strange to his collection of prisoners.
Later Clea had appeared in that realm, Dormammu took her prisoner. Once he discovers that the Ancient One had sent Clea into exile he plotted to use her to trap Doctor Strange. With his enemies imprisoned, Dormammu conjures up a demon guardian to keep sentry over them while he deals with more pressing matters as the doorway to the dimensions awaits. Once Dormammu leaves Doctor Strange focuses on using the Amulet of Agamotto to shatter the crimson crystal that confines him. The inhuman jailer doesn't fully realise what is occurring as the master of the mystic arts breaks free.
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Meanwhile Clifton Graves transports Dracula who is resting in a makeshift coffin to the location of the person who purchased Castle Dracula from Frank Drake. Back in London at Scotland Yard's morgue, the dead porter's body suddenly rises from the slab as a vampire. Hungry for his first taste of blood he leaves to get his first meal only to be attacked and staked by Rachel Van Helsing. Witnessing the entire spectacle Inspector Chelm is more inclined to believe their story and offers his help. Finally, Dracula arrives at the home of Ilsa Strangeway, an aged model, who had purchased Castle Dracula from Drake. Through the window, Dracula listens as Ilsa tells her lawyer that her purchase of the castle would help her learn the secrets to eternal life and restore herself to a more youthful age. When her lawyer dismisses the legend of Dracula as fiction. Angered Ilsa dismisses him. After the lawyer leaves, Dracula makes his presence known. Ilsa realises that vampires cannot enter a home unless invited by a member of the household, bids Dracula enter, in the hope that the Lord of the Vampires can give her what she truly desires. Goodwin and Colan weave a gripping story that will continue next week.
Writer: Gerry Conway
Writer: Gary Friedrich
His time is spent brooding until his own desire for revenge drives him to go back out into the world solely and hunt down his creation. It ends when Frankenstein and the Monster meet on an icy arctic shore. The two are once more separated by the sound of ice breaking, leaving Frankenstein stranded on an iceberg in the cruel ice sea. But the doctor is rescued by the ship of Captain Robert Walton's Great Grandfather. The Monster manages to pursue him, boarding the ship a day after Frankenstein had passed away with exposure. The Monster decides that his life no longer holds any meaning, but still runs to escape murder at the hands of the ship's crew. He jumps into the merciless icy waters, where he would be found frozen in ice over a hundred years later by Captain Walton who had followed his Great Grandfathers story right to this conclusion. The surviving crew suddenly are alerted to danger as their ghost ship collapses on top of them trapping the Monster.
The inside back page previews next week's tales from Dracula Lives number 7. Featuring Frankenstein's Monster stalking the night, the Werewolf attacking Kraig and Dracula facing a cross held by Isla Strangway, with a promise to learn her story. All the artwork is taken from next week's comic. Mike Ploog's Frankenstein's Monster from the third panel of page thirty-one, the Werewolf from the fourth panel of page sixteen, again by Mike Ploog and Dracula cowering before Isla Strangway's cross by Gene Colan from the third panel on the second page. It's a great use of art to get horror loving readers back next week.
Writer: Doug Moench
Before long though, Doctor Zaius orders Taylor to be brought to the ape courtroom for an official tribunal in front of a judiciary panel for the purpose of settling custodial and jurisdictional questions regarding Taylor. Or it could well be that the ruling apes are looking for a reason to eliminate the problem of a human that contradicts their beliefs. Presiding over Taylor's fate is a tribunal made up of the President of the Assembly, Doctor Maximus, the Commissioner for Animal Affairs and Doctor Zaius in his roll Minister of science and Chief defender of the faith. Doctor Honorius is chosen to prosecute the state's case against Taylor, while Zira and Cornelius argue in his defence as the court does not recognise a human as a sentient being. Taylor asks Zara to show the President what he wrote on a piece of paper, but we'll have to wait till next week to find out what he wrote.
Writer: Gerry Conway
The Petrified Man is losing control of his Sun God powers, in an attempt to rescue a group of fishermen on a boat from a lake monster, Garokk vaporises both hunter and it's prey as well as the lake itself. The event of this carnage has driven the Petrified Man insane, but Zaladane, the priestess of the Sun God, calls him to his temple, where Ka-Zar attempts to calm him. After a brief fight Ka-Zar throws the Petrified Man into the ancient pool in the cavern beneath the Sun God's Temple. The mystical waters that give him his immortality and his powers drains his life force as he sinks into the murky waters. The tomb starts to collapse as Ka-Zar escapes, leaving Zaladane to her fate as the temple guardian attacks her. More savage action next week. 
Writer: George Alec Effinger
Last week I mentioned, admittedly in a none PC way, that in this strip I was particularly enjoying the metal bowl bikini clad females. This week who ever was in charge of the editorial decisions decided to cover them up, giving some art bodger the task of drawing flimsy clothes over them. This causes a clothing continuity error with last week's strip. (Slight play on words there, I have to admit.) This kind of censorship would happen from time to time in British Marvel comics. They wouldn't want to corrupt the minds of young British readers, would they?
Spider-man Comics Weekly #94
This is the best cover of this week's five mags. With just one look you can tell that Gil Kane drew this one, it has all his tell-tales. Dynamic poses, lots of action and big nostrils. I can't find anywhere else that this artwork was used, unless someone can tell me otherwise it must have been commissioned for this issue. At the time Kane was one of the most prolific cover artists at Marvel. It's brilliant and it's most definitely my Cover of the Week.
Spider-man “In the blaze of battle!”
Artist: John Buscema
Inker: Jim Mooney
Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #77
Cover date October 1969
(Published in July 1969)
The credits list John Romita Sr as "Consultant emeritus in residence." I wonder did Romita have some input in the page layout or even the plotting? The Marvel Wiki website doesn't list him as having any involvement in the production of the story. Continued from last week the Human Torch has gotten into the middle of Spider-Man's fight with the Lizard, much to Spider-man's announce, as he wants to safely beat the fiend so that his alter ego can be returned with any harm to his family. The Torch is bent on destroying the creature.
Iron Man “Hawkeye and the new Black Widow strikes again!”
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Dick Ayers
Originally published in Tales of Suspense #64
Cover date April 1965
(Published in January 1965)
Here's another continuity jump, after Iron Man defeats the Mandarin last week, he would have tired up some loose end, like working on a way to remove his armour so he doesn't have to wear the complete suit all the time and explaining how he survived the Mandarin's missile attack from three weeks ago. The missing story would have introduced the villain the Phantom and also developed the Stark/Potts/Hogan love triangle a little more.
The Web and the Hammer
The Mighty Thor “This battleground Earth!”
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Originally published in The Mighty Thor #144
Cover date September 1967
(Published in June 1967)
Another slight disappointment this week is that Vince Colletta returns to ink Jack Kirby's Mighty Thor artwork. If you want to see why so many moan about Colletta's work just look at last week's Thor strip with Bill Everetts inks and this week's with Colletta's inks. Bill Everett was a vastly superior inker. Like I said earlier in this blog, I don't mean to sound so negative, it's just I prefer last week's art to this week's, but that doesn't mean that this week's is terrible, it's still pretty cool, so I'll just "let it go!"
Thor, Sif, and Balder plan how they can stop the Enchanters when they are interrupted by the Living Talisman. Thor throws his hammer through the energy construct, dispatching it with ease. Magnir and Brona, the two Enchanters challenge the three Gods, so preventing them from interfering with their plan. On Asgard, Forsung, the third Enchanter, unleashes the Living Talisman onto Odin's guards in the throne room, until a blast from Odin's Sceptre of Power, which seemingly destroys the Living Talisman. Forsung appears before Odin and challenges the All-Father to a fight to determine who is the rightful ruler of Asgard. On Earth, Thor, Balder and Sif begin their battle against Magnir and Brona. However the two Enchanters cause the ground to raise up into space carrying Thor with the two Enchanters upon it so that they can fight and overpower Thor without interference. The two villains' superior mystical abilities that allow them to change their forms to other elements give them an edge against Thor. Magnir super heats the Thunder Gods hammer to glow with the heat of a million suns so that even Thor cannot grip it. Can Thor, now denied his enchanted hammer beat the two Enchanters? Find out next week.
Avengers Weekly #63
At the minute Gene Colan is becoming one of my favourite artists, mainly due to his work on Dracula and Doctor Strange, as well as some of his current Daredevil artwork, so this was a very close second to my Cover of the Week. I have to say that the UK version is better than the original cover for Doctor Strange #172, simply because you can see more of the demons behind Dormammu. The wider format of the weekly comics helps too.
Master of Kung Fu “The murderous maze of mayhem!”
Artist: Paul Gulacy
Inker: Jack Abel
Originally published in Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #2
Cover date December 1974
(Published in September 1974)
After being captured last week by Fu Manchu, Shang-Chi has been drugged by his father in an effort to learn the secret of Doctor Chen's research. Fu pulls a lever, opening a trap door Shang-Chi falls through into a giant sized hourglass. The sand seeps out of the bottom half revealing metal spikes set in a pool of acid! Fu Manchu demands to know the secret, but time runs out and Shang-Chi falls headfirst only saving himself by grabbing two spikes.
Avengers Readers Assemble
The Avengers “The Black Knight lives again!”
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: George Tuska
Originally published in The Avengers #48
Cover date January 1968
(Published in November 1967)
The thirteenth page from the original story has been removed to make space for this opening splash page. It is slightly missed but the fill-in text boxes make up for it. In that missing page Dane Whitman dons a new chain mail armour and becomes the new Black Knight. Magneto chastises Quicksilver for his attempt to free himself and alert the Avengers. The Toad creepily demands that Pietro should be punished with his death. Magneto kicks the grovelling mutant.
Bullpen Newspage
Doctor Strange “...I Dormammu!”
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Tom Palmer
Originally published in Doctor Strange #172
Cover date September 1968
(Published in June 1968)
Dormammu then explains that when Strange thought he was destroyed battling Eternity, he was really transported to the Nameless Realm. There he gained control over the local demon. From there he plotted his revenge on Doctor Strange and the Ancient One.
Dracula Lives #6
Here's another Gene Colan cover, originally from Tomb of Dracula #3. It has been re-coloured from the US version, which looks more darker, more gothic, which is perfect for a horror comic, weirdly enough I prefer the brighter US colours. Tom Palmer, who I think is the best inker for Colan inks this cover.
Dracula “Hunt for a vampire!”
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Tom Palmer
Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #3
Cover date July 1972
(Published in April 1972)
The final panel of last week's Dracula strip gets the blown up treatment to become this week's opening splash page, with a new title. Dracula transforms himself into a bat to make his escape, with Clifton Graves, his hypnotised servant, following who bolting the door, trapping the vampire hunters inside. Taj finally breaks through the door to find Inspector Chelm from Scotland Yard waiting for them. Van Helsing and the others try to explain the situation, however the police do not believe in tales of vampires. The three are taken away for questioning.
Werewolf by Night “Werewolf by Night!”
Artist: Mike Ploog
Inker: Mike Ploog
Originally published in Marvel Spotlight #2
Cover date May 1972
(Published in December 1972)
Full Moons come pretty quick for Jack Russell, so it must have been a month after last week's events. The Werewolf's path crosses with his younger sister who has gone out for a night drive. Her path crosses a biker group named "The Hell-Runners." They chase her back to her house, obviously up to no good. The Werewolf saves her from a biker gang. The beast flees as the sun rises, Jack is picked up by a strange man named Nathan Timly who was acting as a psychologist for Jack's step-father. Nathan takes Jack back to the home of his wife, Andrea.
Andrea has a deep interest in the occult and is looking for the Darkhold, an important mysterious book that was last in the hands of Jack's father. Jack knows nothing about it, but they don't believe him, so they lock him up in their cellar. Jack is menaced by Andrea's deformed and metal-handed servant, Kraig, who believes that Jack knows the secret of how he can get his real hand back. This story has all the classic horror tropes, werewolf in front of a low full moon, weird psychos with rounded glasses, an aging woman with jet black hair and grey highlights who's into the occult. A deformed hunchback servant and an evil book of the occult. None of them feel cheap, it reads beautifully if you're a horror fan. It's a nice tale that I wasn't expecting to enjoy, but I did immensely.
Dracula Lives offers an in-house advert for British Marvel's three super-hero comics with the covers of this week's Spider-man Comics Weekly, the Mighty World of Marvel and the Avengers weekly used to show mighty Marvel's triple action of mags on sale now! This advert will also feature in this week's Planet of the Apes comic. But under it will be a newsagent's reserve form for the Planet of the Apes with an ape telling you to "Make sure of your copy-every week!" instead of Victor Frankenstein here telling you to do the same for Dracula Lives.
Frankenstein’s Monster “A death of death!”
Artist: Mike Ploog
Inker: Mike Ploog
Originally published in The Monster of Frankenstein #3
Cover date May 1973
(Published in February 1973)
Mike Ploog's cover from The Monster of Frankenstein #3 is used beautifully as this week's second half opening splash page. Captain Walton continues to tell all he knows about the Monster's origin. Victor returns to his honeymoon suite to find his bride murdered, driving him to despair he cries out like a wounded animal. The Monster watches the broken man through a window, but he feels no joy, but sympathy for the poor devil. After burying is wife he returns to Geneva to be treated with news of his own father passing away, compounding Frankenstein's insanity he is spent to an asylum.
Planet of the Apes #6
Ron Wilson (pencils,) and Mike Esposito (inks,) create this cover for the weekly. It's Wilson's first for Planet of the Apes. Apart from issue one the covers for Planet of the Apes haven't been good, they do get better but (spoilers,) not for a good while, but this one does stick in my mind as a memorable cover and for that I do like it.
Planet of the Apes “Chapter six Trial”
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: Mike Esposito
Originally published (in the US,) in Planet of the Apes #4
Cover date January 1975
(Published in November 1974)
The eagle eyed of you may have noticed that for this strip review I've adapted the "Original publishing" line. The truth is British readers get to see this strip on the 23rd of November 1974, three days before their American comic counterparts do on the 26th November 1974 in the Curtis/Marvel magazine Planet of the Apes issue 4. This sixth chapter sees that Taylor has been returned to his cage with Nova for company. Julius, still angry with Taylor for being knocked down during his earlier escape attempt hoses him down with a fire hose so that he can remove Nova to a separate cage. When Taylor asks to see Doctor Zira Julius calls him a freak.
A full page photo from the Planet of the Apes TV series, or at least that's what the caption implies. Appearing on TV screens every week, if your local ITV network decided to broadcast it. From Twentieth Century Fox television Urko, the leader of the Gorilla Law Enforcers, whose quest is to track down the two renegade astronauts Burke and Virdon, who are intruders on the Planet of the Apes.
Ka-Zar “Rampage!”
Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith
Inker: Frank Giacoia
Originally published in Astonishing Tales #5
Cover date April 1971
(Published in January 1971)
Barry Windsor-Smith's artwork is beautiful on this Ka-Zar strip, the detail on this opening splash page is breath taking, as Ka-Zar gamely fights to wrestle control of Zaladene's pterodactyl, high above the Savage land. He brings it to ground in front of the Temple of the Sun God. Zaladane tricks Ka-Zar into entering the temple so that its guardian, a savage apelike monster, can attack the Jungle Lord.
Gullivar Jones “What price victory?”
Artist: Gray Morrow
Inker: Gray Morrow
Originally published in Creatures on the Loose #20
Cover date November 1972
(Published in August 1972)
Gullivar Jones continues his adventures on a future Mars with his companion Chak as the search for Heru, fighting strange beings on the way. As luck would have it they are captured by Chak's people the Wingmen who take the pair to Ap-Hap, a mutated ruler with an extra head, who happens to have captured Heru, who he wishes to make her his queen. Gray Morrow takes over from Wayne Boring, improving the general art and making it less than "boring". Although not all the art is Gray Morrow's, as we'll soon see next.
Like Dracula Lives there is also a "Next Week" feature on the inside back page, showing what's to come. Taylor's fateful meeting with fellow time misplaced astronaut Landon, while Ka-Zar meets the Wind God. George Tuska's artwork comes from the second panel of page five from next week's Planet of the Apes, while the Wind God image comes from the fourth page from page twenty-nine of the same comic, this time drawn by the great Barry Windsor-Smith.
Lots to look forward to, I better start preparing for it soon. Till next week then...
See you in seven.
Make Mine Marvel.
Once again, as with last issue, the cover of SMCW 94 appears to be a Gil Kane original for the UK. I checked all the covers for Marvel Team-Up up to the time and also Marvel Tales reprint issues of the stories but they were using Romita's originals (quite right, too). Seeing original works by a quality artist like this on the UK editions is a real treat and you're right to make this one cover of the week.
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