The Power and the Painful discovery!

 Week Ending 4th January 1975

These fantastic five would have hit the British newsstands on the 28th December 1974, slap bang in the middle of Christmas and the New Year, what I like to call "Crimbo-limbo!" If kids had out played their presents and read all their Marvel annuals, they might have needed a bit of a Marvel boost to get them through the cold wet weather and short days. Don't forget that there was only three TV channels, no videos, DVDs or Blu-Rays to watch. These five came at the right time. So come with me through a world of pure imagination, travelling in the world of childhood nostalgia and Marvel at these weekly sensations, from fifty years ago. No "Golden Ticket" required. 

The Mighty World of Marvel #118

The original cover from the Incredible Hulk #145 (US edition,) by Herb Trimpe (pencils,) and John Severin (inks,) is used for this week's MWOM cover with only slight changes to the Colossus' colour pallet. This version may look more interesting but I do like the US version with its cleaner finish. 

 

The Incredible Hulk “Of Gods and green giants!”

Writer: Roy Thomas and Len Wein

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: John Severin

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #145

Cover date November 1971

(Published in August 1971)

This second part opening page came at the perfect time in the original comic. A new title has been added although in the US version a title of sorts was already seen, "Godspawn--Part II". Why they didn't use it I have no idea, or why the editors of these British weeklies always chose to give a fresh title to the second parts of these split stories. General Ross has called in his daughter, Betty and Major Talbot to look over his plans for Project Greenskin. Notice the last text box on this page says "For a close-up of the General's plans, faithful one-turn the page!" But the next page continues with the story. In the American version Herb Trimpe drew a full page schematic of the "Hulk Busters" base. It's a shame that British Marvel chose not to print it. 

Meanwhile the Hulk has become a star in his own movie, (the Hulk in a movie, now that's a great idea!) somewhere in Egypt. As old greenskin relaxes into the roll he transforms into Bruce Banner, spoiling the take in the process. Taking some time to collect his thoughts Banner wonders the film lot, taking a look at the movie props, when five of the Egyptian statues come to life. They are in fact the five aliens seen at the beginning of last week's Hulk strip. They kidnap Bruce and with a mind probe, a retelling of the Hulk's origin is retold. After an explanation that they came from the planet Horus many centuries ago, where all war was abolished. All future disputes would be resolved by creating gigantic warriors, who would battle on alien worlds. Earth is just such a world and soon one such warrior would rise. Banner watches as first, a stone creature called the Colossus rises out of the desert. 

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Mark A Freeth from Birmingham disagrees with the editors answer to Stephen Walker's letter in MWOM #103 by saying Ben Grimm is the oldest member of the FF. Mark makes a point have you looked at Reed's GREY sideburns lately? Andrew Gallacher from Dumbarton has created his own super-hero who was a gorilla who was effected by High Evolutionary's evolutionary ray which evolves him into a handsome boy of about twelve with everything in common with a gorilla except looks and intelligence. Alan Harwell's letter, from Surrey, covers a whole host of points about British Marvel mags. Among them he think's that Ron Wilson's art on Shang-Chi isn't as neat and tidy as Paul Gulacy, Jim Starlin or Ross Andru's versions, but Ron's covers are great. He want's to read more letters from Jim Ivers and Mike Mittlestadt and finishes by saying that the single Sergeant Fury, by the Alex Harvey Band is sensational. Pete Taylor from Birmingham is aggrieved at the way England is depicted in the Daredevil story from MWOM #91. The London airport layout is wrong, Ka-Zar was facing a "trial for his life," but  capital punishment was stopped in 1959, the police uniforms are decades old and the judge addresses one of the counsellors as "Milord", only the judges themselves are addressed so.

 

Jim Rose from London is looking for a Marvel Pen-Pal. Gary Crooks from County Tyrone would tell the Hulk that he could be one of his friends. P. Frewin from Norfolk wants Marvel to reprint collectors' issues of the first MWOM, SMCW and The Avengers. J Milligan from Ayrshire stores his Marvel mags in "Boots ring-plan folder" that cost five pence from Boots. But that would mean punching ring holes in your comics! Not a good idea. Joseph Bennett from West Midlands asks "Isn't Dr. Blake ever missed when he is out crusading as Thor?" Andrew White RFO, KOF, from Liverpool has an ambition to become a comic artist. He and his two friends make a comic every month, which they don't sell, instead they offer it around for others to read. He does the art, editing, script-writing and lettering, while his mates do the heavy inking and outlining.

Daredevil “Mike Murdock must die!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Daredevil #27

Cover date April 1967

(Published in February 1967)

The fourth panel from page twenty-three of last week's mag is enlarged to create an opening splash page for this week's second part. The Stilt-Man can't find Mike Murdock's address, well that's because Mike Murdock is just a made up character by Matt Murdock to protect his own real identity. Why doesn't the Stilt-Man or the Masked Marauder ask their captives, Matt, Foggy and Karen where "Mike" lives? But instead the Stilt-Man's latest brain-wave is to draw Daredevil out by robbing a jewellery store. This only draws out Spider-man and the two fight.

The Masked Marauder feels that his hostage's usefulness has run out, so he attempts to throw then out of his helicopter one by one, starting with Matt, who was "cowardly enough to reveal his "brother's" secret identity. Murdock finally manages to break the bonds that held his hands and attacks the Marauder, knocking off the deadly force field that surround the aircraft. The villain pushes the blind man out of the copter, just as Murdock intended. In an impossible mid-air feat, the blind man hangs off the helicopter's landing skids and changes into the man without fear. Daredevil re-enters the cockpit and fights the Marauder who as Daredevil reveals the villains true identity, removes his mask. The villain slips and falls from the craft, right into the force field, which he himself turned back on, killing him instantly. The Stilt-Man escapes from Spider-man by using his stun gas, but when he returns to his partners helicopter he shorts out the electrics in his stilts by walking through the Hudson River. These Daredevil stories are always action packed and are drawn in a dynamic way by Gene Colan, but the plots and sometimes the set pieces are a little lame. But in the future all that improves.

The Fantastic Four “The evil eye!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #54

Cover date September 1966

(Published in June 1966)

The first panel from the eleventh page of the original US comic is enlarged to make a smart opening splash page. The second panel from that edition is left out, but the third panel is carried over to the next page, where the second panel is also discarded. Johnny Storm discovers an ancient temple where they awake Prester John, the last survivor of Avalon, and the keeper of a powerful weapon known as the Evil Eye. Demonstrating its power, the Knight fires a destructive beams of force and then creates a force dome that imprisons Johnny and Wyatt. 

Elsewhere we find the Inhumans, Maximus the mad has created a "circulator suit" that allows Triton to breathe freely when out of water, to which his cousin, Gorgon is displeased with as the mad Inhuman should have been spending his time finding a way of breaking the Negative barrier that imprisons the Great Refuge. Black Bolt enters a "Cycle-Electronic Chamber" that will amplify his powerful vocal powers in the hope that it might shatter the barrier. We'll have to wait till next week to find out if it does. Meanwhile Prester John releases Johnny and Wyatt. The Torch steals the Evil Eye from the Knight in the hope that it is powerful enough to free Crystal and the other Inhumans. Prester John warms Wyatt that the safety setting hasn't been set, causing it to over load and explode before he can use it. The Knight and the Indian follow the Torch in the Gyro-Cruiser and shoot the weapon out of his hand before it can explode. "Next issue: The Thing battles the Silver Surfer!" At least that's what it says, but we've seen that story printed in MWOM #113, in-between the Black Panther and Klaw stories, so you can expect we'll see "Klaw, the Murderous Master of Sound!" next week instead.

As either a pre-view intended to promote that story or a gift to appease the Silver Surfer fans who would be disappointed to not see that story printed as promised, Mighty World of Marvel readers are given a late Christmas present of a Marvel Collectors Special pin-up featuring the Silver Surfer. The artwork is by the brothers John (pencils,) and Sal Buscema (inks). The text box has a message from Stan Lee supposedly written in London, sometime in October 1974. I can't confirm it was, but here's what it says. "From the vast mystic reaches of the boundless universe he comes...the power of the cosmos in his hands and in his soul a longing for brotherhood, a yearning for peace which will ne'er be quenched so long as the breath of life endures within his indomitable soul!" Nuff said.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #99

This cover by John Romits Sr. is my Cover of the Week. It originally appeared on the front of the Amazing Spider-man issue 80 and this slight re-coloured version hasn't lost any of its charm. Spider-man is on the trail of the Chameleon, but anyone could be that super-villain as the ghostly figure of the master of disguise looms behind him. Classic! 

Spider-man “Captain Stacy the accused!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: John Buscema and Jim Mooney

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #80

Cover date January 1970

(Published in October 1969)

Peter Parker is brooding over his bruised relationship with Gwen Stacy. Harry Osborn enters their apartment with Flash Thompson in tow, to knock some sense into the love sick fool. Peter's anger boils over, threatening Flash with violence, as he thinks his ex-college friend has been seeing Gwen. His actions nearly give his secret identity away but Flash cools the situation down by telling the "nit-wit" fool that he's got it wrong, Gwen's "batty" about Peter and she was only worried about his constant disappearances. 

Peter rings the lovely Miss Stacy to apologise, which of course she accepts and soon he, as Spider-man hot-swings it across town to take the beautiful blonde out on a date to the Midtown Museum Art Gallery, where Gwen's father is in charge of guarding the priceless paintings. Captain Stacy walks past Peter and Gwen without acknowledging them. Jonah Jameson joins them, looking for Captain Stacy but the alarm sounds, warning that a painting has been stolen. Witnesses claim that the Captain was the culprit! The Captain is found at home with no knowledge of what has happened. The readers quickly discover that the Chameleon, the master of disguise was the offender all along. Spidey organises a plan with Robbie Robertson to trap the villain, which will see next week.

Everyone's talking about Marvel!

This week's article comes from the Evening Standard, written by political writer Angus McGill, who gives his views on the "new" phenomenon of Marvel Comics. The headline reads "McGILL, still fascinated by politics, brings extraordinary scoop from the Corridors of Power...Nasties, your time has come!" His opening gambit is that Mr (Harold) Wilson, the new Prime Minister of the time, who been elected for the second term after evicting Edward Heath's Tory government on the 4th March 1974, need look no further than Spider-man to head up a new Ministry for Sorting Out the Nasties. The piece goes onto suggest that American superheroes have always had admirers in England, listing many of the usual suspects. He adds that comic book followers can be found in the many specialist bookshops devoted to them, like Martin's in Bloomsbury and Dark They Were and Golden Eyed in Berwick Street, as well as Comic Marts all over the country. Angus tells the story of Rob Barrow, aged 19 a superhero devotee with a personal collection of well over 10,000 comics, kept on metal racks round his bedroom and in piles in the box-room. He publishes a magazine called Comic Mart and his personal favourite superhero is The Swamp Thing. When asked about the character Rob tells the journalist "He has lost the power of speech so is often misunderstood. The good people often don't realise that he's on their side." Angus McGill offers the very political observation that Mr. Heath had a similar problem. I for one couldn't comment as I was more into Spider-man than any political figure at that time. If only the troubles of politics could be solved with a "Zap!" "Pow!" and a "Kerump!" At the foot of this page a teaser that next week will be issue 100!

Iron Man “If a man be mad!”

Writer: Al Hartley

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito 

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #68

Cover date August 1965

(Published in May 1965)

Returned from Ireland, Happy Hogan resumes work at Stark Industries much to Pepper Potts joy. Tony Stark gets a letter from his cousin Morgan asking for help. What Tony doesn't realise is that his cousin Morgan is under the employment of Count Nefaria who is hoping to use Morgan in a plot to destroy Tony Stark. It's strange seeing this version of Count Nefaria after the "Dream Master" version of the Count that Stan Lee shoehorned into last week's story.

Here Don Heck draws him like he did when we first encountered him in Avengers weekly #10, looking every bit a European count. Morgan Stark looks every bit a portly greedy low life, a fit opposite to Tony Stark's noble playboy. Under Nefaria's orders Morgan to undermine is cousin by using a "visio-projector" to make Stark hallucinate and see aliens. causing everyone including Senator Byrd doubt Tony's sanity. The Senator demands that Stark be stripped of his defence contracts. Iron Man investigates but before Morgan can blast Iron Man with the "visio-projector" again real aliens from the planet Froma arrive and attack. Morgan becomes involved with the skirmish, but Iron Man fights off the aliens. With Iron Man saving his life Morgan is forced to tell everyone that Stark is sane, so Senator Byrd retracts his demands. Morgan is taken back to Europe to face punishment from Count Nefaria.

 

The Web and the Hammer

Gerrard Lonergan TTB, from Northampton is grieved to write that Marvel mags are slowly and steadily deteriorating. He says that the latest Avengers line up is the worst, he wants Shang-Chi in his own comic with the Hulk and Spidey as back-ups and Doctor Strange should headline his own comic with the Avengers and Fantastic Four as back-up strips. Joseph Bourke from London thinks that the Shang-Chi strip is suffering from a lack of continuity, which he gives loads of examples of. Mark Fletcher RFO, KOF from Birkenhead was sad when there was no mention of Spiderman, Submariner, Hulk, Avengers and Silver Surfer in the list of imported US comics coming to the UK. C Fuller from London has spotted in a book he owns called "The Penguin Book of Comics" that Captain America originally had a shield shaped with two dips in the top, like the knights of old. Mike Griggs RFO, KOF, TTB, from Kent has donated in his will, his entire Marvel Collection to the Bullpen. Johnny Green RFO, KOF, from Aberdeen fancies becoming a comic script-writer. Brian Boggs from London has listed all the sound effects found in SMCW #32. Ursirus Araval RFO, KOF and TTB, writes to tell Marvel that not only do they find their stories entertaining, but also they find a message in them, giving various examples of why. 

Tony Hodge from Wiltshire doesn't think people who write in should always, endlessly keep on complaining about the lack of colour in the weeklies. Philip Greenaway from Merthyr Tydfil has started a Marvel Club which readers can join by sending a stamped addressed envelope with a letter explaining why they like Marvel so much to his address. Kevin Wright QNS, RFO, Hertfordshire has spotted three boobs, which he lists, that could earn him and No-Prize. Mark Wood from Kent asks what's on Sub-Mariner's belt? Is it a shell, a jewel, a "S", a "N" or a star? The answer is the instruction given to the artists is it should be a "S". Raymond Clarke from Liverpool recently bought The Marvel of Icarus LP and he wonders who is Icarus? The editor answers that Icarus is a character from Greek mythology. That LP and Spidey's "Beyond the Grave" LP have created so much interest from readers. 

The Mighty Thor “This servant God!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #146

Cover date November 1967

(Published in August 1967)

The eleventh page from the original US edition is missing from the UK version with only the fourth panel enlarged to become the opening splash page for the third part of this Thor tale. That missing page shows that the guards have been incapacitated, the Ringmaster orders the Thunder God to carry the Golden Bull out of the building through a hole, made by the Circus of Crime, in the wall. Other  museum guards enter the fray, firing their guns. One of their bullets ricochets, causing Thor to snap out of the Ringmasters control. 

Confused, Thor drops the bull accidentally pinning Princess Python under it. Meanwhile in Asgard Balder and Sif watch as the events unfold. Fearing for Thor's safety now he's no longer invulnerable. Until Thor has made a penance for his actions Odin refuses to do anything. Back on Earth, the police order the Thunder God to surrender or they will fire. Between not wishing to be sentenced as a criminal and Princess Python's pleas for help, Thor dallies for too long, the law unleashes a storm of bullets. Find out what happens next week with "The wrath of Odin!" 

Speaking of next week, the inside back page features a teaser for the comic book event of the year! Well it would be released on the first Saturday of the year so technically, there haven't been many events of 1975 yet. But this amazing one hundredth anniversary issue of Spider-man Comics Weekly features not one but two web-slinging thrillers and a bonus Spidey feature. I guess that'll mean that the Iron Man and Thor stories won't appear next week. A loss maybe but I have to say that it does sound great even without them. Come back next week and see how good it is in the Power of the Beesting's Week Ending 11th January 1975 blog.

Avengers Weekly #68

The artist behind this cover is a little bit of a puzzle. Nick Caputo from the Grand Comics Database believes that it's either Ron Wilson or Ed Hannigan. Before I did any research for this comic I felt that Ron Wilson drew this cover, however when I saw the GCD webpage for this issue and read that it could also be by Ed Hannigan I had second thoughts, it could well be drawn by him. After some time looking at it I'll have to go with my original gut feeling and stick with Ron Wilson. One thing for sure is that (according to the GCD,) Frank Giacoia inked it. Another fun point about this cover and the original US cover the Goliath is seen wearing his blue and yellow costume, however British readers wouldn't know it but in this story Goliath wore his blue and red outfit. 

The Avengers “In the clutches of the Collector!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: George Tuska

Originally published in The Avengers #51

Cover date April 1968

(Published in February 1968)

Hank Pym is trying to regain his growth powers, but the experimental electric harness overloads and threatens to kill him. Hawkeye tries shutting the grid down, but the circuits have been shorted. The Wasp flies into the machinery, quickly unplugging the connections just in the nick of time. The Avengers take a break as Janet Van Dyne goes for a swim in the pool. Janet picks up a comb she finds next to the pool. It becomes charged with power and pulls the Wasp into the air. Her teammates grab hold of her, but they to are pulled upwards, unable to let go they too are abducted by the strange force.  

The Avengers are prisoners of the Collector, who we or the group haven't seen since Avengers weekly #25. The Collector has an ally who the heroes recognise, Thor. The Thunder God had earlier been abducted and tricked into drinking a magical potion that throws him under the Collector's control. The Collector has his eyes on collecting Captain America, who's battling along side the Black Panther in Africa, the Hulk and Iron Man. Find out what the "Collector's Master Plan" is next week.

Avengers Readers Assemble

Mick McKenzie RFO, KOF, from Cheshire feels compelled to write about the letter pages in the three weeklies from August the 10th issues. The first from MWOM #97 comes from Kevin Nuency, whose letter Micks thinks bears an interesting resemblance to letters printed in US Marvels, which he says are generally well-structured and more mature than British letters. I feel that his letter may have been edited down, as his review of the second letter page is missing.  He does say that the best letter comes from Richard Moore. Guy Bowles RFO (Definitely). KOF (Unquestionably), FOOMer (Absolutely) and QNS (Hopefully). was lying in bed and thought to himself, "Why not a Marvel Dictionary?" He gives some examples of possible entries. Liam Ward from Tyne and Wear thinks that Shang-Chi is the best strip but thinks the artwork is just average. (Really??) And that the Iron Fist artwork is very good but could use a bit more action. (Really???) Jot Shah and Sates Khan from Middlesex both have an idea to start an Avengers and Fantastic Four club. Clive James from Glamorgan is a big Kung Fu and thinks that Iron Fist and Shang-Chi should both feature in the Avengers at the same time.

 

Mark Burrows from Gwent writes saying that many American super-hero monthlies have been pouring into the shops in his town as well as a good number of spine-chilling series like Dracula Lives, Zombie Tales, Frankenstein's Monster and Kung-Fu monthly. (I presume that he means the Marvel/Curtis magazines Dracula Lives, Tales of the Zombie, Monster's Unleashed and Deadly Hands of Kung Fu.) In his letter he gives his reviews on the weeklies which include the Avengers weekly -it's great, except for the blurred print. MWOM - the Hulk is gonna turn up something big soon, DD is OK, the FF are on top form. The Planet of the Apes - is bound to be great and the poster is F-A-B. Finally he says of Dracula Lives - Dracula leaves you in suspense, Werewolf is groovy and Frankenstein has a great script and great art. Andrew Sullivan from Glamorgan says his Mother thinks that all his comics make the place look untidy, so why not make folders for each mag. Peter Press from Tottenham remembers on his way to work two years ago he discovered the first issue of MWOM in his newsagents from that moment he tried to pick it up every week. R Leyland from London has also been buying Marvel mags since October the 1st when MWOM came out. He's been delighted with the colour pages, pin-up pages. puzzles and games, but unfortunately over the years those things have disappeared and he feels the mags have been downgraded.

Master of Kung Fu “Rites of courage, fists of death!”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Sal Trapani

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #25

Cover date February 1975

(Published in November 1974)

Shang-Chi, Sir Denis Nayland Smith, and Black Jack Tarr have begun a long trek through the Brazilian jungle after last week. They hear Fu Manchu's helicopter over head, but Shang-Chi's hearing picks up an unusual sound. He leaves the two Englishmen to investigate. In the middle of a clearing there is an abandoned child crying...and a jaguar about to pounce! He fends off the big cat until it gives up and leaves. 

Paul Gulacy's artwork is amazing at this point, capturing the bizarreness, danger and elegance of the predator's movements as well as Shang-Chi fighting prowess together with the vulnerability of a distraught infant. Shang-Chi picks up the child as several tribesmen step out of the jungle. They move so quietly that even Shang-Chi didn't hear arrive. Thinking the child is lost he holds it out toward them. One raises a machete to kill the child, instantly  Shang-Chi kicks the man away. They allow him to keep hold of the infant as they lead him to their village. Bound to a stake the tribesmen have a captive Si-Fan assassin, who had been chosen for his familiarity with the region. He explains that these Jivaro headhunters tried to sacrifice the child because he was born during a new moon which is considered unlucky. The assassin says that the chief, considers Shang-Chi's arrival a sign from their Gods, to spare the child, while the chief's main rival, considers Shang-Chi a mere mortal. They agree to settle their differences of opinion by putting the stranger through a trial by fire.

Bullpen Bulletins

The Bullpen Bulletin page only appears in Dracula Lives, Planet of the Apes and this weekly this week. The first item looks at the background of Jim Salicrup, the editor of these weeklies. Jim started at the age of fourteen as editor on Kids Magazine, a publication produced entirely by kids. After outgrowing that job he joined Marvel where for the past three years he has been doing production on a variety of projects including these weeklies, the black-and-white magazines, and Marvel's 1975 calendar. Jim had just graduated from the prestigious School of Art & Design. In 1974 Jim was a mere seventeen years old. The next Item deals with the man Jim Salicrup replaced, Tony Isabella, who left his editorial duties to devote himself to writing on a full-time basis. Tony still has to work straight through the night to keep up with the workload that includes scripting  Power Man, Ghost Rider, Iron Fist and the Living Mummy. I'll take a look at the next items in Dracula Lives and the Planet of the Apes Bullpen Bulletin pages later in this blog.

Doctor Strange “The Power and the Pendulum!”

Writer:Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Doctor Strange #174

Cover date November 1968

(Published in August 1968)

This second part of this Doctor Strange story uses the artwork from the US cover of Doctor Strange issue 174 with the figure of Lord Nekron tilted so that instead of him appearing to worship in fear of the demon Satannish his new posture looks as if he's towering over Doctor Strange. The profile of Strange at the bottom left corner was taken from the third panel of last week's thirty-fourth page. The peaks of the Doctor's cape have been added later.

The title for this week's second half uses the original title, "The Power and the Pendulum!" that was replaced last week in the first half of this story with "Trapped within these walls!" The font used for the "Power..." title is the same as the one used on the cover of Doctor Strange #147, the art bodger just lifted it upwards to the top right of the splash page. The dialogue that both Lord Nekron and Doctor Strange speak is from the fourth panel of last week's thirty-fourth page. A Text box and  credit box has been added to complete the opening page.

The artwork from Gene Colan is sensational, he uses lots of full splash pages in this story, or pages with chaotic panels that cut each other at bizarre angles to portray the mystic/psychic battle between the two magicians. This page is particularly stunning, Strange passes through a psychic portal from a bleak dimension to one where mammoth clocks represent time and space. The face of Nekron appears on a large clock face under the mystic heroes feet gloating to Strange "that most men have but dimly glimpsed such hidden realms..thru the dust-laden windows of their ordered minds! You are the first who shall be privileged to die therein!" The psychedelic craziness of Roy Thomas and Gene Colan's Doctor Strange matches, if not betters the work of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's best Doctor Strange tales. Colan has even drawn a pendulum above the clock face that causes Strange to duck for safety, allowing the title to make more sense.

Nekron toys with the Doctor, creating endless obstacles of death in the weird dimension he controls, so that the Doctor's will becomes broken and when Nekron's demonic master, Satannish arrives Strange will plead to take Nekron's place as Satannish's slave. However Doctor Strange proves himself to be too skilled for Nekron, and when his time is up, Satannish claims the evil sorcerer's soul instead of Strange's. Satannish warns Strange that even though he has survived this confrontation there are others on Earth who have struck similar blasphemous bargains with him. He hasn't heard the last of Satannish. Doctor Strange return to Earth and Castle Nekron to find Victoria Bentley, who remembers nothing save Nekron raising a toast at dinner. Strange tells Victoria that he cast a spell that made time go faster, so that Nekron's last allotted hour fled, causing the evil magician's own undoing as such a spell could only work in a world gone mad, a world created by Nekron. Doctor Strange parts company from Victoria, leaving in a psychic sphere. Next week more magical mystic stories from Thomas and Colan as we meet "The sinister Sons of Satannish!"

This in-house advert shows a fist full of mighty Marvel Mags. I've already done Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Mighty World of Marvel with the Avengers weekly as you've just seen. So on to the Planet of the Apes comic, but first up let's take a look at Marvel's horror mag, Dracula Lives. 

Dracula Lives #11

Pablo Marcos pencils this Dracula lives cover and Mike Esposito inks it. "You have dared to enter the realm of Count Dracula..and so you die!" is what the Lord of the Vampire says to two young lovers. Dare you enter the world of British Marvel's horror comic? Oh yeah, you bet we do.

 

Dracula “The Moorlands Monster!”

Writer: Gardner Fox

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #6

Cover date January 1973

(Published in October 1972)

Dracula and his female vampire companion Lenore return from 19th Century Transylvania to the modern era, via the mystic Dark Mirror to a ruined chapel somewhere on an English moor. The hunger for fresh blood falls upon Dracula so he finds a young girl alone in the fog and feasts on her. Leaving her for dead Dracula doesn't see a hairy creature removing her body and striding off into the foggy night. Lenore finds her own victim to feast on.

The three vampire slayers return to Lisa Strangeway's mansion through the "Dark Mirror" only to find that Dracula did not arrive there. Inspector Chelm, hoping to find the three slayers, informs them of some horrific murders on the Moors near Hagscroft Castle. There had been rumours of a shaggy monster of some sort for years on those moors, but it never harmed anyone. These current attacks sound more like the work of a vampire. Soon Rachel Van Helsing, Frank Drake and Taj Nital arrive at the ancestral home of Lord and Lady Dering to question the couple, who seem relieved that their guests are investigating a possible vampire attack and not something else. The three vampire slayers are soon engaged in a fight with the Dracula and Lenore. Rachel fires a crossbow bolt in to the female vampire's heart, ending her unholy afterlife. With the confusion Dracula slips away into the fog. Next week: "End of the monster!"

Cryptic Correspondance

Alan Splen RFO, KOF, from London writes that MWOM, SMCW and the Avengers are three of the greatest weeklies going and when he saw Dracula Lives and POTA he decided to give them a miss as they didn't appeal to him. A week later, with nothing to do he decided to give them a look. He now says both of them are great, he's always wanted to see Ka-Zar in his own strip, Gullivar Jones is terrific and the POTA strip is great. Dracula has brought an added dimension to the British weeklies. Nicholas Hunter from Humberside writes about the Hulk and a TV series, which I think he means the 1966 animated Marvel Super-Heroes series, although I didn't think it was shown on UK TV till much later than 1974, I must be wrong. Nicholas also wrote about Dracula Lives but the editor didn't print that part of the letter, which is weird as this is a Dracula Lives letter page. Keith Hood from Durham expresses his feeling over the two new mags saying that POTA is superb and that Dracula Lives is just as good as the super-hero weeklies, although there is a little too much shading in one or two panels. N McIntyre RFO, KOF. from Chester says the first issue of POTA didn't impress him much, but the second was a vast improvement. N goes on to praise Doug Moench's writing and George Tuska's art. No part of his letter mentions Dracula Lives which makes me wonder why the editor chose to print it in Cryptic Correspondence?

Werewolf by Night “Full moon rise..Werewolf kill!”

Writer:Gerry Conway

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #1

Cover date September 1972

(Published in June 1972)

This second part story opens with the cover art from Werewolf by Night issue 1. It's a great piece of art by Mike Ploog showing the Werewolf hiding in an alley way somewhere in the city, but the next page shows Jack Russell fleeing to the countryside before his transformation occurs. They could have removed the two pages showing Jack's torment and his physical change to fit the continuity better, but they are two great pages that I wouldn't want to miss for the world.

Instinctively the Werewolf circles back to rescue his sister and his friend. But that leads to a brutal struggle with Strug. Marlene fires her gun at both of them. The Werewolf drops out of Strug's crushing arms to the floor. But it is Strug who takes the fatal hit and falls over dead. Marlene is shocked as she never meant to hit her monstrous lackey, facing the recovered Werewolf she removes her sunglasses intent on turning him into stone. The beast lunges out of the way, allowing Marlene to accidentally catch her own reflection in a wall-mounted mirror. Both her and her father are instantly turned to stone. The Werewolf rounds on Jack's unconscious sister who awakes and screams into its face. The beast flees into the night. The next day Buck Cowan donates the "statues" to the Santa Monica Art Museum. 

Bullpen Bulletins

Roger Slifer and Scott Edelman have become additions to the Marvel's growing proofreading department. Scott is also the new editor on FOOM magazine. Peter Iro was itching to get back to the drawing board he abandoned after he took up the interim job as editor, he now uses it to do art corrections in Marvel's production department. The next Item introduces the next writer on the lead feature of Dracula Lives, Marv Wolfman. Marv might be a name known to readers of the black-and white Marvel/Curtis magazines, as the editor. They joke that Marv Wolfman isn't his real name but no-one would believe a name like Viad Frankenstein. In truth his real name actually is  Marvin Arthur Wolfman. The final Items will be reviewed in Planet of the Apes later in this blog.

There must have been a spare page left in this week's mag. This page was seen in Dracula Lives #1 as the opening page to the first Frankenstein's Monster story. Although Gary Friedrich wrote the script for the first three panels, an uncredited writer must have added the text that covered the original credits and Ploog's signature from the bottom of that page. The new text box details the events that saw the discovery of a frozen monster and his creation by Victor Frankenstein.

Frankenstein’s Monster “Devil Woman!”

Writer: Gary Friedrich 

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: John Verpoorten 

Originally published in The Monster of Frankenstein #5

Cover date September 1973

(Published in June 1973)

Another great use of the original cover artwork is used as the opening splash page for the second part of this split story. Again it's Mike Ploog who creates the masterpiece. The strange thing about this is that the story title "The Monster walks among us!" appears on the original cover, but here the British editors create a new title, "Devil woman!" for this second half and add "Part 2 of..." to just above the original title. Wouldn't it have made more sense to not have the new title and called the story "Part 2 of...The Monster walks among us!"? 

The Monster retreats into the forest, taking the unconscious Lenore with him, to keep her safe from the attention of the mad villagers. He looks after her until that night when the full moon rises to find her gone. The Monster discovers a wolf's carcass hanging from a tree, with tracks leading towards the village. He follows them and sees a villager attacked by a ferocious werewolf. The Monster confronts the beast in battle, eventually managing to free Lenore's father's silver-tipped sword from the tree where it was impaled, to drive it through the creature's chest, destroying it. As the werewolf dies it transforms into Lenore. The villagers and her father were right, she had indeed been possessed by a demon, a wolf-demon. So the lyrics by Creedence Clearwater Revival from their song, Bad Moon Rising did make sense on last week's opening splash page. The Monster leaves the village behind, lonelier than ever. To search for the only living relative of Victor Frankenstein in next week's "Along comes a spider!"

Planet of the Apes #11

Another Ron Wilson drawn cover for the weekly version of the Planet of the Apes. Inked by Frank Giacoia. This was their version of the Bob Larkin cover from the Marvel/Curtis magazine issue 6, cover dated March 1975, published on the 21st January 1975. I have no idea why they didn't just re-use Larkin's beautiful painted cover. Maybe it wasn't finished in time, maybe they couldn't afford the cost of it on two comics, or maybe the Ron Wilson version was the original one and Bob Larkin copied it. Who knows? I think they should have used the Larkin cover for the British weekly if they could, it's absolutely stunning! I would have given it my CotW award, but rules are rules and my rules are it must be one of the covers from a British Marvel comic for that particular week.  

Planet of the Apes “Planet of the Apes”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: George Tuska

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in Planet of the Apes #6

Cover date March 1975

(Published in January 1975)

This second part to the conclusion of the Planet of the Apes adaptation, doesn't bother with a new title or a new opening splash page it just goes right into the story. Taylor climbs on to his horse with Nova and bids his friends goodbye. He tells Doctor Zaius not to follow him as he's handy with a rifle. Taylor asks the Doctor why when he means him or his ape brother's no harm, he continues to hate and fear him? Zaius replies that he was right and he knew about man all along, that man's wisdom must walk hand in hand with his idiocy,  his brain is ruled by emotions, he is a warlike animal who battles everything around him, including himself.

Taylor asks for evidence of that, as there was no weapons in the cave. Zaius tells him that the Forbidden Zone was once a paradise that man made into a desert ages ago. Taylor leaves, the gorillas try to follow him but Doctor Zaius orders them to let them go. He tells Zira and Cornelius they will still stand for heresy and that all the evidence will be destroyed. Cornelius ask Zaius what Taylor will find out there, to which the "Defender of the faith" coldly answers "His destiny." An explosion is heard as Taylor and Nova  begins to follow the shoreline around the ocean. 

Doug Moench and George Tuska recreated the final scenes from the original film beautifully. By using very little word balloons and panels that unfold events, repeating many of the shots used by the film makers to expand the tension and crank up the suspense. 

After traveling for several hours Taylor stops when he sees something that leaves him completely horror-stricken. 

"They did it. They did it! Those..damn..FOOLS!"

Half buried in the sandy wastes is the broken remains of the infamous Statue of Liberty. Taylor had been on Earth this whole time! The horrific realisation that mankind had destroyed their own planet giving rise to an evolutionary upsurge of intelligent apes. Next issue the beginning of a new Apes epic!

The Apes on TV

Just a quick note on last week's blog, the Apes on TV feature in particular, regular Friend of the Beesting, Mark Lotinga pointed out that James Naughton’s brother David, would years later pop up in a film a few readers may have heard of, a little something called "An American Werewolf in London!" He played the hairy lead, David Kessler opposite Jenny Agutter. A roll quite memorable for his werewolf transformation and a nude scene in London Zoo. He would later go on to have rolls in various TV series. 

This week's star of the Planet of the Apes TV series is Mark Lenard who at six feet one inch plays the formidable figure as Urko, the Militant Leader of the Gorillas. Urko's quest to hunt down the two fugitive astronauts and their  chimpanzee companion Galen, to bring them to Simian justice. The actor behind the ape mask was born in Chicago and grew up in South Haven, Michigan. At the age of twenty years he joined the paratroops, serving in Europe during World War Two, as a radar specialist. Once leaving he enrolled in a University in the South of France, there he joined a theatrical company and chose to leave University to start an acting career. After touring with the Noel Coward play "Hayfever" for six months he returned to the states, studying under numerous acting coaches. Many studio appearances followed from classical to farce, collecting many awards on the way. It was some sixty plays that kept Mark Lenard on the stage, before appearing in his first film "The Greatest Story Ever Told". His other film appearances included the well-known "Hang 'em High" western. Television viewers would see him in various roles in "Mission Impossible", "Gunsmoke", "Hawaii Five-O" and of course is iconic roll in "Star Trek" as Mr. Spock's father. Mark has other interests including being a professional writer of fiction as well as tennis, swimming, hiking and photography.

Bullpen Bulletins

The last listed Item in this week's Bullpen Bulletins pages is a teaser that due to demand from readers letters the Silver Surfer may well be returning to these weeklies very soon. Whether it was meant as a guest appearance in the Fantastic Four or was it meant as a hint that his own strip might be printed in one of the weeklies, who can guess? The Thing has one last announcement to make, there's something extra-special cooking from the Bullpen. The big, big news is 1975 is gonna be a year to remember, because, with a Mighty Marvel Calendar, every day is gonna be a day to be lived in the Merry Marvel Manner! Full of all the inside information on all your favourite superheroes and villains; the birthdays of the Marvel stars, Marvel facts for the last decade and you can even use it to tell the date! It starts next week so stick with the Power of the Beesting to find out more!

Ka-Zar “To die in fire!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith

Inker: Sal Buscema

Originally published in Astonishing Tales #10

Cover date February 1972

(Published in November 1971)

The fifth, sixth and seventh panel from last week's page twenty-four are repositioned, with the last one enlarged to make a second part opening page. Ka-Zar is discovered by Heinrich Draco and Captain Christopher, who have been keeping a fake war going since World War Two. Ka-Zar is imprisoned in a cage hidden within a cave tunnel that connection the main land to the island of New Brittania, while the two mad old soldiers continue their insane conflict. 

Ka-zar escapes to find the insane war has escalated by Heinrich Draco who plans to detonate a bomb in the Black Volcano, destroying the island. Ka-Zar and Zabu race to stop him. Insanely he is prepared to kill his own flesh and blood in the name of war. Zabu circles round and attacks the mad German officer, causing him to slip and fall into the volcano.

In a special Bullpen note, readers are told that this is the last appearance for Ka-Zar, as he makes way for more behind the scene articles of the Apes movies and TV show. But if readers want to see more of the jungle lord they could write in and let them know. It does work because later in the POTA he does return. Next week "Rod Sterling recalls!"

Doctor Doom “Revolution!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Wally Wood

Inker: Wally Wood

Originally published in Astonishing Tales #2

Cover date October 1970

(Published in July 1970)

Prince Rudolfo uses incredible strength to escape from his cell. Doom confronts the "prince", revealing that he knew he did not capture the true prince but a robot duplicate, however before he can learn Rudolfo's plans, a Doombot destroys the Rudolfo robot. The real Rudolfo plots to over throw Doom and regain his kingdom with the aid of an alien creature known as the Faceless One. 

Meanwhile Doomsman wanders the countryside, eventually leaving Latveria and entering a neighbouring nation, where he is attacked by that countries armies. The Doomsman destroys the attacking tanks with great ease. It is confronted by the Faceless One and Rudolfo who convinces it to join their ranks. Doom frees Ramona, allowing him time to search for the missing Doomsman. Rudolfo's resistance army is armed with laser weapons attack Doctor Doom's castle. While Doom repels them the Faceless One flies his spheroid ship into Castle Doom with the Doomsman. Realising this, Doom returns to his castle to face off against the Faceless One. Battling Doom one-on-one, the Faceless One admits that he is using Rudolfo's resistance army to achieve his own goals. With the two equally matched, the Faceless One commands the Doomsman to enter and slay his creator.

This spine chilling in-house advert is for the latest issue of Dracula Lives. And there's a tiny little ad for Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, who can be seen appearing in the Avengers weekly. 

The back page of the Planet of the Apes features a full colour pin-up of Urko, the militant gorilla leader, who is played by Mark Lenard, the star of this week's "The Apes of TV" feature. 

And with that, the last Power of the Beesting of the year, I'll take this opportunity to thank the many people who have read any of these blogs, especially those who have help me in any way. Thanks to Friends of the Beesting who have corrected and commented on the blogs, like regulars  Rod Tough and Mark Lotinga who have been like editors to the blog when mistakes creep in. Mark Rice the ape expert whose knowledge has cleared up many a monkey mistake. Steve W. from the Steve Does Comics blog for all his promotion and support this year. Finally to my big brother for introducing me to Marvel comics in the first place and his aid this year when it came to producing this blog. 

The Power of the Beesting will return in 1975.

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.