"Three Festive Annuals" - Marvel Annuals 1975

 

Merry Christmas to all the Power of the Beesting readers, It's Christmas time, an ideal time to take a break from examining the weekly mags from British Marvel comics and take a nostalgic trip through the Marvel Annuals from 1974. So come with me, the Ghost of Christmas past as I take a look at the three festive annuals that kids from 1974 wanted in their Christmas stocking. 

The last two Christmas's Fleetway annuals, a part of IPC Magazines Ltd publishing company produced a Marvel Annual for British Marvel fans, running pretty much the time as British Marvel comics started in the UK. The Marvel Annual appeared in British Bookshops and newsagents in autumn of 1972 in time for Christmas, the following year, in the autumn of 1973 the Marvel Annual 1974 was released. British annuals are normally leased in time for the Christmas market with the following year date on them. In the Autumn of 1974 World Distributors (Manchester) Limited took over from Fleetway/IPC and started producing Marvel annuals for the British Christmas market, with three titles that took their leave from the three British Marvel weeklies that had been running all year, the Mighty World of Marvel, Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Avengers weekly. To simplify things the annuals were titled Marvel Annual, Spider-man Annual and the Avengers Annual. These three titles would feature for two more years and World Distributors (Manchester) Limited, would continue to publish Marvel annual titles every year until Grandreams took over 1979. Founded in that year by former Brown Watson bosses Peter and Brian Babani, Grandreams produced annuals based on television and film properties. Granddreams worked closely with Marvel UK, but that's a story for another Christmas. Let's take a look at the Marvel Annuals from 50 years ago starting with Marvel Annual 1975.

     

Marvel Annual 1975

Ron wilson drew this cover artwork with Frank Giacoia or possibly Mike Esposito applying the inks. This cover artwork was used in December 1975 as the artwork for a set of Marvel Value stamps that was cut up to make "puzzle-piece" stamps, Once collected and placed together they would re-form a larger image. You needed all ten stamps to make the image and there was another nine "puzzle-piece" sets to collect making ten different images in total. The stamps could be found in various US Marvel mags.

This is the inside cover that shows a double page image of the Hulk leaping into the night sky. Even though the front title is simply the Marvel Annual 1975, here its full title is shown, The Mighty World of Marvel 1975 Annual, connecting it to the British Marvel weekly of the same name. The lower right text adds that it is "starring the Incredible Hulk." Maybe it was intended to have been titled that from the beginning. The artwork has been taken from December's page of the Marvel 1975 Calendar. Two adjustments have been made, the first was the direction of the Hulk's leap. In the calendar it is in a general upwards direction and coloured in blue, in the annual it is more from a left to right direction, fitting the double page better but loosing some of the artists intent. It's been coloured in yellow too for no logical reason. The second is as the original artwork was used for the month of December the Hulk leaped past Father Christmas riding in his sleigh. The price in the bottom right corner is given as 90 pence. An absolute bargain.  

Each annual this year started with a contents page. The Marvel Annual had four Hulk stories, "The phantom from 5,000 fathoms", "The green-skinned god", "The destroyer and the dynamo" and "He who strikes the Silver Surfer". The artwork featured on this page is a ghostly image of the Hulk above Bruce Banner who lays unconscious on the High Evolutionary's slab. The artwork is drawn by Marie Severin taken from the cover of Tales to Astonish #95, cover dated September 1967, published June 1967. It's slightly strange that they chose that cover artwork for the contents page as it came from a story that was printed two issues after the fourth story of this annual. It's worth noting that the copyright on this and the other two annuals is MCMLXXIV which is 1974 and these annuals have been printed in Spain. 

  

The Incredible Hulk “The Phantom from 5,000 fathoms!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sal Trapani

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #164

Cover date June 1973

(Published in March 1973)

This story would have been new to many British readers, unless they bought the American import of the Incredible Hulk #164. If MWOM readers hadn't been bought this fantastic annual they would have to wait till the week ending 22rd of November 1975 and picked up issue 164 of the Mighty World of Marvel. The Hulk is trying to find his way home across the ocean. A military sub attacks him. The battle is witnessed by Captain Omen aboard his ship, the Infra-World. Under Captain Omen's orders his gargantuan crew salvage the sub-marine. 

The Hulk is also captured and brought on board, after fighting with Captain Omen's men the Hulk tries to escape through the ship's hull, only to find himself at an incredible depth beneath the ocean. He tries to surface for air but at that extreme depth even the Hulk's biochemistry cannot cope with the bends as compressed bubbles of nitrogen in his blood stream expand, filling his arteries and veins, causing intense pain. Omen commands his crew to recover the Hulk, which they do, removing the unconscious body of the Hulk to a de-compression chamber. The Hulk recovers and reverts to the body of Bruce Banner. When he regains consciousness Captain Omen interrogates Banner who once again becomes the Hulk. The Hulk escapes once more to the dark depths but this time Captain Omen gives him a helmet that supplies him with oxygen whose supply is controlled by the cruel Captain. Hulk is made to follow the Infra-World sub-marine as punishment.

 

In-between the first and second story is this Hulk pin-up. I've no idea who drew this pin-up.

The Incredible Hulk “The green-skinned god!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sal Trapani

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #165

Cover date July 1973

(Published in April 1973)

The Hulk is being forced to follow the Infra-World sub by its captain, Captain Omen, who rules the under-sea community in an evil autocratic way.  However, all is not peaceful in this sub-sea paradise. The captain's own son, Filius Omen is leading a mutiny aboard the vessel. The mutineers switch the Hulk with an impostor and bring the green goliath back aboard the sub. The Hulk is shocked when the Infra-World rebels bow down before him.

Anyone from the surface is sacred to them, they wish to return to the land and feel the sun on their faces. The Hulk agrees to help with their rebellion. A spy in their midst reports back to Captain Omen, who is furious with his son for leading a mutiny. He sends  Aquon, a genetically mutated half-human, half-fish monster to smash the rebellion. As the Hulk battles Aquon the hull is ruptured, Captain Omen has no option but to seal the hull and pump out the water, but in the process he sucks out his own creation, apparently killing it. Captain Omen surrenders to them and so allows them to go to the surface. Those who decided to leave the ship rejoice at achieving their moment in the sun, until to their horror, one by one the crew members begin exploding. They have evolved to live in the oceans depths with the incredible pressures but on the surface their blood pressure is literally causing them to burst. Captain Omen returns to the depths abandoning his son to his horrible fate. This two part story was retold over four issues of the Mighty World of Marvel from issues 164 to 167 in the winter of 1975.

 

Here comes the incredible Hulk in another pin-up page. 

The Incredible Hulk “The destroyer from the dynamo!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sal Trapani

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #166

Cover date August 1973

(Published in May 1963)

The Hulk has managed to swim all the way back to New York after the previous strip shown in this annual. The reason for this is that he was drawn there by Doctor Strange, with an explanation given in the third panel of the second page of this tale. That explanation might not have made sense to some British readers unless they read an imported copy of Marvel Feature #1, cover dated December 1971, published July 1971. 

This is a great single issue tale that introduces the electricity, energy being called Zzzax. The creature is created when a group of terrorists attempt to disrupt the city's power supply by bombing a nuclear power plant. Things start to go crazy when their bomb causes the energy in the atomic pile to gain sentience and start consuming everything in its path. This sentient energy takes on a human form, calling itself Zzzax. The creatures rampage draws the attention of Hawkeye, who has recently quit the Avengers. The Hulk and the archer team-up to defeat the high voltage monster. This tale leads into Hawkeye joining the Defenders, that readers of British Marvel comics can see in Rampage Weekly #8 from week ending 7th December 1977 or the original US comic the Defenders #7, cover dated August 1973, published May 1973. This particular tale will be reprinted in MWOM #168 to #169, from the week ending 20th December 1975.

  
 The first of two "Gallery of the most deadly foes of the Incredible Hulk" features are printed with the full covers from the US editions of the Incredible Hulk, minus the cover date and number box. They make good pin-ups, but as they are from stories featured in this annual I have to wonder why they wasn't placed before their corresponding story? This cover was originally from the Incredible Hulk #165 and was drawn by Herb Trimpe. 

This second "deadly foes" cover comes from the Incredible Hulk #166 and once again by regular Hulk artist Herb Trimpe. 

 

The Incredible Hulk “He Who Strikes the Silver Surfer”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Marie Severin

Inker: Marie Severin

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #93

Cover date July 1967

(Published in April 1967)

British Marvel readers wouldn't had read this Hulk story even though it should have been printed in MWOM #39 week ending 30th June 1973, but it was left out as the Silver Surfer had yet to make his appearance in the Fantastic Four strip. It would be printed in the weekly comic one hundred issues later in MWOM #139, cover dated 31st May 1975. 

The circumstances leading up to this story, as seen in MWOM #39, jump to the story from Tales to Astonish issue 94, printed in the same issue of MWOM, lead to these events remaining a secret to most young readers at that time. In the previous story the Hulk had been hounded by the authorities. Spying a light in the sky the Hulk begins to hope for a way off the planet. He spots what he thinks is a spaceship and tries to stop it, but gets pushed away by an unseen force. That force turns out to be the Silver Surfer. Angry that the Surfer cannot take him to another world the Hulk attacks. It's the battle of two titans that every Marvel fan wanted to see. It might only be ten pages long without an outright winner, but it's a cracking little story. 

This bonus pin-up uses artwork by Marie Severin (pencils) and Dan Adkins (inks) was originally taken from the cover of Tales to Astonish #99, cover dated January 1968, published October 1967. British readers of the Mighty World of Marvel would have seen that story in MWOM #42 from week ending 21st July 1973 as the Hulk fought against the Legion of the Living Lightning.

The inside cover features the same leaping Hulk artwork as what was on the front inside cover. The outside back cover features artwork of the Hulk bursting out of the cover. It also featured on the Marvel 1975 Calendars first page with Spider-man as you'll see later. It's an iconic image, but I have to admit I'm not sure who the artist was, but as John Romita Sr was responsible for both covers of the calendar and much of the inside artwork its very possible that he also drew this image.

Spider-man Annual 1975

Ron Wilson (pencils) and Mike Esposito (inks) drew this cover. The gunmen's features are right out of the Ron Wilson character book. The inclusion of the Green Goblin is a little strange as he makes no appearance in this annual. Maybe a Goblin story was intended to appear. I also wonder did World Distributors (Manchester) Limited commission the artwork directly from Marvel US or was the artwork just hanging around in the Bullpen offices.

This inside double page names this annual as "The amazing Spider-man Annual 1975" and features a parade of supporting characters from the web-slingers comic. Drawn by John Romita Sr. this artwork that was adapted from January's page of the Marvel 1975 Calendar, Spider-man is slightly repositioned, the "Happy 1975" text and new years celebration bunting is removed and Aunt May's thought bubble of her nephew Peter's floating head is enlarged. The missing inclusion of Gwen Stacy would have been quite normal for the period when this image was drawn, but readers of the current Spider-man Comics Weekly might have wondered why she was missed out. But lets not explain why...Spoilers!

The artwork on the contents page is also by John Romita Sr. and like the back cover of the Marvel Annual it was taken from the first page of the Marvel 1975 Calendar. There are three Spider-man strips this year and one Giant-man and the Wasp story, which just happens to guest-star the web-slinger. They are "The Punisher strike twice", "Betrayed", "My Uncle...my enemy" and "On the trail of the amazing Spider-man". 

Here you can see the original Marvel 1975 Calendar with the opening page that features the Spider-man artwork that was used for the Spider-man Annual 1975 contents page and the Hulk Artwork the was reused for the Marvel Annual 1975 back cover as seen elsewhere in this blog. 

Spider-man “The Punisher strikes twice!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Ross Andru 

Inker: Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #129

Cover date February 1974

(Published in October 1973)

This story is a very special one, that maybe at first sight readers wouldn't have imagined it was going to be, but as the first appearance (in costume at any rate,) of the Jackal and more importantly the first ever appearance of the Punisher, who would go on to be as much of a fan favourite as Spider-man (maybe,) this story marks a landmark moment. If you never saw the US import of Amazing Spider-man #129 and you wasn't lucky enough to have received this annual in your Christmas present pile, British readers would have to wait till the week ending 7th of July 1976 and pick up Super Spider-man with the Super-heroes #178. 

The character of the Punisher is certainly different from the anti-hero we've come to know. The Jackal has reasons for wanting Spider-man dead, reasons that we'll have to wait to find out what they are. (No spoilers here!) To accomplish Spidey's death the mysterious Jackal hires the Punisher to assassinate him. Giving the Punisher that extra incentive he tells the soldier that Spider-man is a killer. After a brief skirmish between the Punisher and Spidey, that gets interrupted by the Jackal striking the web-slinger with an electric shock from his electro-prods claws, Spidey leaves. A clue he finds of a bullet case, leads our hero to "Reiss Armoury". Where he find the owner, "the Mechanic," dead. The Punisher arrives and accuses Spider-Man of his murder. After another brief fight the pair piece events together that shows the Jackal had been responsible and was setting them both up. 

  

This pin-up featuring Spider-man and Captain America fighting against the Grey Gargoyle comes under the feature title Spidey's fabulous friends. It was drawn by Gil Kane (pencils) and John Romita Sr. (inks) and was originally used as the cover of Marvel Team-up #13, cover dated September 1973, published June 1973. The title masthead, price, Marvel Comics Group box, cover price and issue number had been removed. For readers of UK Marvel comics they would have to wait for Captain Britain weekly issue 36, week ending 15th June 1977. 

Spider-man “Betrayed!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Ross Andru 

Inker: Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #130

Cover date March 1974

(Published in December 1973)

This story follows on from the Punisher story and makes its British Marvel comics debut in Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes #179, week ending 14th July 1976. Here Spider-man comes across a group of well equipped thieves, who are murdered by their mysterious leader when they are beaten by Spidey. Their leader turns out to be Hammerhead. 

We also find that the Jackal's machinations are running deeply through the plots of these Spider-man stories and beyond. We also get to see the iconic Spider-Mobile for the first time. Corona Motors want to promote their new non-polluting car engine and approach Spider-Man about building a Spider-Mobile and using it as the engine. After first he refuses the idea, but changes his mind, when he feels the publicity would be good.  

Spider-man enrolls the help of Johnny Storm, the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, to build it. In truth I think the Torch, possibly with a lot of help from Mister Fantastic, must have designed and built most of it. This pimped up buggy has a built in Spider-Signal spot light and can shoot web fluid. It also has a built in camouflage mode. Spider-man takes it for a test drive around New York with the Human Torch riding shot gun. This plot idea must have been to sell some toys by the Marvel US office of marketing ideas. One bizarre fact is even though Peter Parker might have had a motor bike licence but he doesn't hold a car driving licence and can't drive well at all. 

Spider-man stops another theft by Hammerheads gang, using jetpacks to rob unnamed objects from the high floors of a building. This time the hard headed villain joins his men to fight Spider-man. After hammering Spider-man into a wall the thieves escape. Spidey discovers an envelope with Aunt Mays name on it in the snow.

The mysterious envelope was planted by the Jackal. After reading the contents of the envelope, Peter realises why Doctor Octopus has been so interested in Aunt May. As Spider-Man he rushes to the Doctor's Westchester mansion to discover the shocking sight of Aunt May and Doctor Octopus, dressed as a bride and groom are about to be married in a private marriage ceremony. Things are getting very interesting, can't wait for the next part.

Another pin-up showing Spidey's fabulous friends, this time showing Spider-man with Iron Man. The artwork was originally fro the cover of Marvel Team-Up #9, cover dated May 1973, published February 1973, drawn by John Romita Sr, (pencils,) and Joe Sinnott (inks,). To find out just what is the "Tomorrow War!" British readers will have to wait till the week ending the 23rd March 1977 and pick up Captain Britain weekly issue 24, or buy the US import of Marvel Team-Up #9.   

Spider-man “My Uncle...my enemy?”

 

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Ross Andru 

Inker: Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #131

Cover date April 1974

(Published in January 1974)

British readers would have to wait until week ending 21st July 1976 to pick up Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes issue 180, so its a pleasant Christmas treat to read this before that issue and in full colour. Everyone likes a wedding, but I don't think that Peter will approve of his Aunt's groom. He's not the only one as Hammerhead crashes the wedding.

Doctor Octopus escapes with his bride to be and flees to a remote island via jet helicopter. Hammerhead and his gang follow, with a certain web-slinging stowaway. It turns out to be that Aunt May has inherited an uranium rich island somewhere in Canadian waters. Not only that but it comes with its own nuclear reactor. Doc Ock's men and Hammerhead's gang battle, while Doctor Octopus enters the reactor building and is shocked to find out the facility's primary function is a nuclear breeder. As Hammerhead bursts in, Doctor Octopus warns the gangster that the slightest vibration can cause a violent explosion. The thick skulled Hammerhead charges right into Doc Ock who is standing in front of the reactor control panel. Meanwhile Spider-man rushes a confused Aunt May to an awaiting jet, with Spidey at the controls it takes off into the air as the reactor explodes. The question that I know you're thinking is how on earth can Peter/Spidey fly a jet-plane when he struggles to drive a car? Aunt May looked terrified, I wonder what she looked like after Spidey landed it?

Giant-man and the Wasp “On the trail of the amazing Spider-man!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Dick Ayers

Inker: Paul Reinman

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #57

Cover date July 1964

(Published in April 1964)

British readers will have to wait till The Super-heroes issue 47 is released in the week ending the 24th January 1976 to see this Giant-man and Wasp tale in the British weeklies. I'm not sure who decided the colour scheme for this tale? But all the way through this strip it's very off-putting, maybe not to some British readers who haven't seen them in colour, but a yellow suited Giant-man? That looks plain weird. 

Here's the original colours, far better don't you agree? In this tale Hank Pym gives the Wasp her first "Wasp Sting" which fires compressed air. How that's going to stop any villain is beyond me. These early Marvel tales were cheap and cheerful if nothing else.

Meanwhile, long time Giant-man villain, Egghead uses a transmitter implanted in a nearby ant hill to transmit false messages to Giant-man about Spider-Man, in the hope that the two super-heroes clash. His plan works as the Wasp is first to encounter the web-slinger, while the Egghead and his gang try pulling off a heist.  Giant-man arrives and after a very brief fight the three heroes team-up and make an omelette out of the Eggheads plan. 

The back page artwork is a classic Spider-man pose by John Romita Sr,

Avengers Annual 1975

Ron Wilson draws the cover for the third of our 1975 annuals. He must have been having a busy year, luckily he had some help as Frank Giacoia inked the finished pencils. Readers of the UK Avengers weekly may have wondered who the red faced, green and yellow suited character was as the Vision had yet to make his first appearance in the weekly comic. He would make his debut on the week ending 12th April 1975 in Avengers weekly #82, in the classic story, "Behold...the Vision!" American's could have read that story in the Avengers #57, cover dated October 1968, published August 1968. If you hadn't been lucky enough to pick up the US imported Avengers mags there would also be lots of surprises inside this annual as we'll soon see.

John Buscema drew most of this inside cover double splash page. I initially thought that his brother Sal might have had some hand in it, particularly with the way the Scarlet Witch has been drawn, but I did find out that the image of Captain America was indeed by Sal Buscema from the cover of Captain America #154 (US edition) cover dated October 1972, published July 1972. The completed collage forms the April pages of, once again, the Marvel 1975 Calendar. It originally had the Vision front and centre with Captain America on the bottom left. Here the Cap image is enlarged and moved to the centre, replacing the Vision and Quicksilver is added, cut and pasted from the cover of the Avengers #75 (US edition) cover dated April 1970, published February 1970, again drawn by John Buscema, that time inked by Tom Palmer. The Iron Man image was also cut from the cover of the Avengers #58 (US edition) cover dated November 1968, published September 1968. I've not been able to track down the original appearances of the Thor and Scarlet Witch images. You can have some Christmas fun tracking them down. The logo title for this annual uses the British Marvel Avengers weekly logo on this page even including the "Britain's Greatest"tagline. 

The contents page lists three Avengers stories and one vintage Captain America story nestled between the second and third Avengers strip. In the order they appear they are the Avengers in "...And now Magneto!" and "With two besides them!" then the Captain America strip, "Among us, wreckers dwell!" then the final Avengers strip "The Lion God lives!" The action packed image accompanying the contents showing Captain America battling the agents of Hydra is taken from the cover of Tales of Suspense #86, cover dated February 1967, published November 1966, by the King himself, Jack Kirby with inks added by Frank Giacoia. 

    

The Avengers “...And now Magneto!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Don Heck and John Buscema

Inker: Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito 

Originally published in The Avengers #110

Cover date April 1973

(Published in January 1973)

Don Heck drew the first twelve pages of this strip, but the style changes slightly from the thirteenth. Steve Englehart wrote in the fourth volume of the Avengers Marvel Omnibus essay, "To carry the banner onward" that Don heck had become sick and only managed to finish the first twelve pages, so John Buscema chipped in from page thirteen and finished the comic. Steve added that Don was always on time with his pages other than that time. I can't admit to being a huge fan of Don Heck's Avenges but I do like Buscema's pages, even though they may have been rushed.

There's a lot of things in this story that might catch out the typical British Marvel comics reader at this time, the Black Panther had not joined the group yet in the UK weekly. Neither did the Vision, a character that had not even made a British Marvel Comics appearance yet. Quicksilver had left the Avengers and was hanging out with Crystal, even though Johnny Storm hadn't really started his romance with the beautiful Inhuman yet. Plus the Scarlet Witch had begun a relationship with the android Vision, much to her brother's anger. Hawkeye has left the Avengers and is looking for his old sweetheart, the Black Widow, who has moved to San Francisco with her new lover Daredevil. The X-Men make an important appearance here in new costumes and the evil Magneto returns. The action really starts with a video message of Professor X who has been attacked by an unseen foe. The Avengers rush to the X-mansion and walk right into a trap set up by the X-Men's number one enemy, Magneto! In the British Marvel publication timeline this story would be printed in Super Spider-man and the Titans #216, week ending the 30th of March 1977 and much later in the Marvel UK/Panini comic The Avengers United #55, cover dated 27th July 2005.

The Avengers “With two beside them!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito 

Originally published in The Avengers #111

Cover date May 1973

(Published in February 1973)

The Avengers story continues after the previous story detailed that Magneto had captured Captain America, Iron Man and the Scarlet Witch. He's controlling their minds by manipulating the iron in their blood, a new use of his powers, not one that I can recall him using before or since, although I could be proven wrong. The other free Avengers, Thor, the Vision and the Black Panther had gone to recruit some more super-heroes to help them against the threat of Magneto, his mutates and his mind controlled slaves. They go to San Francisco to recruit Daredevil and the Black Widow. Hawkeye is also there but storms out when he thinks that the Widow called them. The Widow and Daredevil agree to help. That tale appeared in Daredevil issue 99, cover dated May 1973, published February 1973 and wasn't used in this annual. It would have made some sense to use it, but it would also have created lots of difficult unanswered questions too. 

 

Magneto sends his enslaved Avengers and X-Men to attack a gathering of intelligence officials. But the kidnap attempt is interrupted by the arrival of the remaining Avengers with the Black Widow and Daredevil. Magneto's group escape in a aircraft, but the Avengers are unable to stop them or even follow it out off fear that Magneto will start dumping their comrades out of the ship The heroes regroup and discover that the Vision has gone missing. Later Magneto explains that he plans to have a nuclear device built to create an army of mutants for him to command. After tracking down the mutants the Avengers, Daredevil, and the Black Widow attack, finding themselves fighting the various Avengers and X-Men under Magneto's control. Suddenly the Piper strikes out Magneto rendering him unconscious. The controlled captives regain their own minds and the Vision reveals that he had used his intangibility powers to take possession of the Piper, so that he could get close to Magneto without the mutant noticing. The Avengers offer Daredevil and the Black Widow permanent Avengers membership. Daredevil refuses, secretly because of the large number of people in the group would confuse his senses, but the Black Widow agrees to join, much to Daredevil's confusion. This story would see print in Super Spider-man and the Titans #217, week ending 6th of April 1977 and much later in the Marvel UK/Panini comic The Avengers United #56, cover dated 24th August 2005. 

This iconic piece of art was the back cover art of FOOM magazine volume one issue one by Sal Buscema. It's a classic, that's been reprinted and reworked many times. British Marvel comics readers wouldn't have meet Henry Pym's Yellow Jacket yet or Clint Barton's Goliath either. The Black Knight hadn't officially been offered full Avengers membership, even though Dane Whitman had appeared in Avengers weekly #60 and appeared in full costume in Avengers weekly #63. The Vision would join the Avengers in Avengers weekly #85, week ending 3rd of May 1975.

Captain America “Among us, wreckers dwell!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #64

Cover date April 1965

(Published in January 1965)

This ten page strip was necessary as with the other two annuals, three twenty page strips, a contents page and a handful of posters would only leave ten pages in an eighty page annual. A vintage Hulk strip fits fine in the Marvel Annual, a Giant-man, the Wasp and Spider-man team-up fits well within the pages of the Spider-man Annual, but for the Avengers Annual there wasn't any small Avengers strips. The solution was a Captain America strip from Tales of Suspense issue 86, a comic that he shared with Iron Man, having half the allotted page count each.

 This Captain America adventure is set during World War Two, with his sidekick Bucky. The duo become aware of stage performancers Omar and Sando, who process the ability to predict the future. One prediction is that an envoy of US tanks would be destroyed, a prediction that apparently comes true. The heroes snoop further to find out that the show is a hoax.  Cap and Bucky attack Sando and Omar but soon find themselves fighting Nazi spies as well having to protect a female reporter. After defeating the Nazis we learn that Omar was a helpless victim, used by the Nazi spy-ring leader, Sando. We also discover that the female reporter was in fact a government agent known only as Agent 13, named Betsy Ross in the original telling of this story "Case No.2" from Captain America Comics #1, cover dated March 1941, published December 1940. But this retelling of that classic tale would soon be followed by stories that reveal that Agent 13's real name is Peggy Carter! This version printed here would see print in The Titans #2, week ending 1st of November 1975 and also in the Marvel UK, The Titans Pocket Book #3 from November 1981. 

This Captain America pin-up was drawn by John Romita Sr and originally appeared in Giant-size Captain America #1, cover dated December 1975, published September 1975 as a pin-up page. It would be used in many other Marvel merchandising items. Like many of the artwork in these annuals it is very fresh. Marvel US must have given or sold copies of them to World Distributors (Manchester) Limited in large amounts, maximising the value of them.  

The Avengers “The Lion God lives!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Frank Bolle

Originally published in The Avengers #112

Cover date June 1973

(Published in March 1973)

This story would see print in Super Spider-man and the Titans #219, week ending 20th of April 1977 and much later in the Marvel UK/Panini comic The Avengers United #57, cover dated 21st of September 2005. Somewhere in Africa, a reporter is writing a piece on a tribe that worships a real African god of myth, the Lion God. However he gets more than he bargained for when his own soul is offered up as a sacrifice. In New York the Avengers are confronted by protesters who claim the Black Panther has "sold out" to the "white establishment". The reporter turns out to be the Lion God in disguise. 

The Avengers battle the Lion God. At first the Lion God has the upper hand, however, the Black Panther manages to swing the battle in the Avengers favour. Thor summons lightning and commands it to strike the Lion God's staff, destroying him in a flash. After the battle, the Black Widow decides to leave the Avengers and return to Daredevil. However one panel epilogue reveals that the Lion God somehow survived and that he will have his revenge on the Black Panther and the Avengers. 

Earlier in this story a mysterious woman makes an appearance. Naming herself Mantis, she tells a a figure, seen only in shadows, that the Avenger Hawkeye has left their ranks and fate tells her that they will join them. A story for another time maybe.
 

This collage pin-up of Captain America, the Living Legend of World War Two and his young ally Bucky Barnes is the last poster page in this annual. The panel features artwork from the cover of Tales of Suspense #63, cover dated March 1965, published December 1964, by Jack Kirby (pencils,) and Don Heck (inks,) on the left side of the page, Captain America from the cover of Tales of Suspense #74, cover dated February 1966, published November 1965 in the top right side of the page and Captain America and Bucky from the cover of Tales of Suspense #65, cover dated May 1965, published February 1965 by Jack Kirby as seen in the bottom right side of the page.

  

The back cover uses once again the Sal Buscema artwork that had already appeared inside as a pin-up page, although this time its back ground has been coloured in a very fetching light green. The glossy finish of the hardback cover brings out the magnificence of the art and although it has been used once already in this annual I see no reason to not feature it again on the back cover. And so ends this years feast of festive fun. Two hundred and forty pages packed with magnificent Marvel action, all in full colour and for ninety pence an annual, even at 1974 prices that seems a bargain. Readers of the British Marvel weeklies from the week ending 12th October 1974 would have seem the back page advert for all three annuals, with an offer for one annual at one pound fifteen pence, which includes the postage and packaging, two annuals for two pound with P&P included or even all three for two pounds and seventy-five pence again with the postage and packaging included in the price, making it an extra 1.6 pence each, but at least you wouldn't miss out if your couldn't find them in the shops. Either way I hope that you as a kid, enjoyed them as much as I did as an adult. I hope that this little bit of Christmas nostalgia has brightened your seasonal holiday and that you and your families have a had great Christmas.

The final "Week Ending" blog of the year should be released before the New Year. Then hopefully it'll continue into 2025, till then have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.     

Make Mine Marvel.