Along came a Spider!

 Week Ending 11th January 1975

Has it been one hundred weeks since I looked at Spider-man Comics Weekly #1? Doesn't time fly when you're having fun reading Marvel mags! Now we get a proper fist full of comics to flick through. And the fun doesn't stop. As we enter 2025 I'll look at the cool comics from fifty years ago from British Marvel. Meaning more stories to read, more comics to review, more mistakes to correct and more stuff and nonsense to share. Each week from the Power of the Beesting. Happy New Year!

 

The Mighty World of Marvel #119

This is a bit of a weird cover, when I first saw this it, before I read any of the content inside the comic I thought that the Hulk had been shrunk and the Thing was going to pound him into the ground. The image makes more sense once you read the story, but I'm a little disappointed, I would have love to have seen "the small Hulk giant Thing" storyline. Another thing about this image, when I was younger and used to make my own strips, characters would only half appear in the panels, because I couldn't draw to save my life. Ron Wilson's attempt reminds me of an artist who cut the corner to give this image scale. Frank Giacoia inked Ron's art.

 

The Incredible Hulk “The Colossus!”

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)

I use this blog to give the low-down on British Marvel comics, but to place this issue into context I'll have to talk about the Hulk's US parent comic. Issue 144 of the Incredible Hulk cost fifteen cents and for that you got twenty pages of savage Hulk action. With issue 145 the price increased to twenty-five cents but you got a whopping 30 pages of comic strip. This all started with DC comics who with their cover dated August 1971 editions, that increased their cover price to 25 cents and their page count. Three months later Marvel did the exact same thing, converting its line to the larger 25 cent package. Both companies used the same printing company, who could have informed them that the cost of production was increasing. It's possible that both companies had a verbal agreement to increase the price, but after one month Marvel decreased their price to twenty cents, five cents higher than it had been two months previously, but compared to DC's 25 cents, it looked like a bargain. Was Marvel's publisher, Martin Goodman, playing a blinder? It certainly worked as sales of Marvel comics soared, by 1972 they had surpassed DC's. You can find out the interesting details on the "Cent Wars" here at Delanceyplace.com. It's worth a read. What it meant for this week's Hulk story was that it was serialised over three weeks not two. The third part discarded the original twenty-third page and started with the third chapter from the twenty-fourth page, but with "Godspawn: Chapter III" removed and replaced with a new title, "The Colossus!" Also the panels were rearranged for the opening page of this reprint. 

Banner stops the second titan from forming, using the alien helmet to nullify the combatant's life-force, reverting it into a creature of unfeeling, lifeless stone that bears an uncanny resemblance to a sphinx. The aliens discover Banner's actions, but the strain causes him to change into the Hulk. They lure him into the transporter and teleport him back to the surface. Which is perfect for Hulk fans because the Colossus was looking for an opponent and we get the kind of fight we all wanted. Although many of the scenes may have inspired the Black Knight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, (released in 1975,) or possibly not as I can't imagine a Python reading a Hulk, with the exception of Terry Gilliam. The Colossus receives more that "mere flesh wounds" as the Hulk rips his limbs off, even to the point of having a headless, single armed torso continuing to battle the Hulk.

But before the Colossus can "call it a draw", the Hulk rips open a riven in the desert and buries the remains of the once colossal creature. The Hulk doesn't understand why his victory was important as he walks off towards the rising sun. Next issue "the death of Doc Samson!" What that means we'll have to find out next week.

Brooke Bond Tea and Tea Bags has a full page advert for their "Inventors and Inventions" Album. The album costs eight pence at all good grocers. I remember my brother getting this one and other albums. They were great. You would get full colour cards, fifty in all, that would relate to entries in the album, free with packs of Brooke Bond tea bags. This advert asks "What's wrong with these pictures?" The panels show Captain Drake playing bowls as the Spanish Armada are spied attacking, while the next sees the Spanish readying their guns as they spy the English fleet leaving Plymouth. If you read the "Inventors and Inventions" Album you would have known that the telescope hadn't been invented at the time of the Spanish attack. 

Daredevil “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours planet!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Daredevil #28

Cover date May 1967

(Published in March 1967)

I really love Gene Colan's artwork, especially in the Doctor Strange and Dracula stories, here the first of this week's three examples is something that I can't get excited about. Not because of the artwork, which is clean and clear, but because the story is very uninspiring. Mike Murdock is hanging around the law offices of Nelson and Murdock. It seems like a load of padding to justify the Mike Murdock plot. The real Murdock, Matt, has gone to give a lecture at Carter College about the potential legal implications of aliens from outer space trying to enter into our society. It's a weird idea for a Daredevil story. Tom Brewster is a professor at the college who claims to have seen flying saucers, later he does encounter an alien. Daredevil investigates so next week we'll find out if "They came from outer space!"

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

John Rigby from Leeds has only been collecting the three weeklies for a few months but already he's obsessed. J Hasler from London gives his review on the FF story from MWOM #85, he thinks that it's one of the greatest FF stories to day, however as for Doctor Doom, what a corny name. T Edge from Essex says there's an incredible buzz of discovery than it comes to reading Marvel for the first time when seeing all that real life in amongst the fantasy. Probably Marvel are making even more money, not to mention the likelihood of all-colour monthly sales being umpteen times higher than before. Paul Williams from North Wales picks the Hulk as his favourite super-hero. M. Simpson from London wants to thank Marvel for bringing out Planet of the Apes and Dracula Lives. He asks fans not to ask for colour in them, because in the states they were printed in black and white. Well he's half right, only Planet of the Apes was in black and white, the stories seen in Dracula Lives were originally in colour. David Brewer from Bristol was pleased with the speedy arrival of the posters he ordered.

J M F RFO, KOF, from London gives a quick history run-down for David Hodson on the character Shazam/Captain Marvel and how he became a DC character. The editor points out that a letter from Mike Mittelstadt reminded them that the word SHAZAM stands for the names of six great gods and heroes of old legends Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury. Peter Judge RFO, KOF, TTB, QNS and PMM, (who in the future will be known as the Marvel Mastermind of 1976.) from London nominates his younger brother Derek, for walking all the way round Lewisham, searching for shops selling American Marvels. Although he didn't find a single one. He's not given up as he's trying to get a map of Greenwich, so he can search there too. Peter is glad that Marvel has stopped putting "those corny, childish, unnecessary captions" at the top of the pages and that the shading has improved in the Avengers. Peter has a fiendishly simple plan when the British mags will catch up with the American ones and stop, like Fantastic and Terrific did. When one story catches up, replace it with another! Humphrey, Arnold and Egbert hope that the editor's are being honest with the readers and print all letters they get, including the rotten ones. The there lads might come from a posh background, or maybe they're putting it on but they add "I say, old chap, we think your Kung-Fu bit is really spivvo." Well it takes all sorts. John O'Donovan from Ireland has solved the secret of the Invisible Girl's powers. When she was struck by the Cosmic rays she received the power to reflect the light rays either on herself or on other objects.

The Fantastic Four “Law the murderous Master of Sound!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #56

Cover date November 1966

(Published in August 1966)

We are magazine deep into the greatest period of Lee/Kirby's Fantastic Four run. The creativeness of those two legends is incredible. They don't need to hold anything back, there's no need for plot gimmicks, right from the opening page Stan lets you know that Klaw, the master of sound is back and Kirby shows off his new look, on this opening splash page. No words, apart from the title, are needed, this one's going to be action all the way. 

It all seems a normal day in the life of the Fantastic Four, Sue Storm is looking for her husband, to tell him dinner is ready. Reed is with Ben Grim, in the "Space-time room"  experimenting with the Negative Zone to find a way it might lead to breaking through the Negative barrier that imprisons the Inhumans in their Great Refuge, while Johnny is searching for other ways to see Crystal again, as seen last week. Klaw, last seen entering his "sound transformer" in MWOM #116 appears here for the first time in his new form. With a shock wave he traps Ben and Reed inside the lab behind a wall of "solidified sub-sonic waves". He then goes on the attack, corning the Invisible Girl, so that he can vent his ego and fill in readers with invaluable plot lines. 

  Things look grim for our heroes, but trapping Reed Richards in one of his labs is like trapping the A Team in a garage with an acetylene torch, a tool kit, copper pipes, five rolls of gaffer tape and an industrial size box of fireworks. Ben is going to love it when a plan comes together. Reed cobbles together a "counter-sonic harness" for the Thing to wear as he charges at Klaw's Sonic barrier. Only from the mind of Reed Richards, well really from the incredible creative mind of Jack Kirby. Blindly the Fantastic Four's strongest member stampedes towards a wall, hoping that next week he'll come "face-to-face with...Klaw!"

During the Power of the Beesting Christmas Bonus Blog, "Three festive annuals!" you might have read that I mentioned the Marvel 1975 Calendar a number of times, because quite a bit of the accompanying artwork featured in those annuals. It would have been a great calendar to own, but British readers need not shell out the expensive costs of buying one from America. Instead they could collect the month pages for each pair of months printed on the back of the British weeklies. All five weeklies this week have the January/February months. With Spider-man Month throughout January and Doctor Strange with the Defenders featured on February. They list many of the Bullpener's birthdays, like Artie Simek and Loretta Young on the 6th January, John Romita Sr on the 24th January, Sal Buscema on the 26th January, Rick Buckler on the 6th February, Frank Brunner on the 21st February and Doug Moench on the 23rd February. Another day of note is on the 2rd of January in 1963 Spider-man number one went on sale. March and April's pages would appear on the back of next week comics. Although the 28th and 26th of January does deliver a shock! Spoilers! It's worth noting if you fancy it, you could print out this page with the others that follow and use them again as the 1975 dates and days line-up perfectly with the 2025's calendar. 

Spider-man Comics Weekly #100

I love this cover. It's clean but action packed. A perfect anniversary cover and my Cover of the Week. John Romita Sr. drew this cover, I imagine that as Marvel's Art Director when it came to handing out the art chores John read that it was for the one hundredth issue of Spider-man Comics Weekly and he said "I'm doing this one!" And who better to draw an anniversary but the great John Romita Sr? Mike Esposito inked this cover. 

Spider-man “On the trail of...the Chameleon!”

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)

This second part opening splash page uses an enlarged panel that was removed from the following page. Its replacement is an adapted panel with a close-up of Peter Parker's face, originally from the sixth panel of last week's page eleven, with a new thought bubble added. Peter slips off to begin his search for the Chameleon. Changing into Spider-man he interrupts the meeting of bankers who are transferring the bonds of money.

He's disappointed when any of the men are not the Chameleon. It turns into a fiasco when the police rush in with Jonah Jameson and one of the bankers accuses Spider-man of trying to murder him. Spidey slips out the way he came in. However, the web-slinger finally spots the Chameleon leaving the building in a disguise. Our hero leaps in grabbing hold of the person he knows has to be the Chameleon by the collar. Much to Jameson's anger again. That person turns out to be Peter Parker! The police jump on Spider-man allowing "Peter" to escape. Jameson sees "Parker tossing a bomb at the melee of cops, luckily Spidey webs it up and chases "Peter" who tries to escape in a car. Spider-man pulls "Peter's" face off revealing the villains true identity. 

This is one advert I don't need to follow, as my super-powered alter-ego, the Beesting,  has no need for a "muscle building course" or a free Karate Jiu-Jitsu course, as my powers of being a Geek, with the ability to drink cups of tea, read comics and tell bad dad jokes haven't required the need. But there may have been some kids who need it to build up their confidence and this ad might have interested them. 

Spider-man “The coming of the Kangaroo!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Buscema and Jim Mooney

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #81

Cover date February 1970

(Published in November 1970)

This special anniversary edition of Spider-man Comics Weekly featured a second full-length Spider-man adventure to celebrate. In the credit box John Romita's name was listed under Stan Lee, John Buscema and Jim Mooney. Romita had some hand in the strips plot. It's not a spectacular story by any means, although it's very nicely drawn and inked by John and Jim. The writing is smooth and flows along. But it's not an unforgettable classic. I can't wax lyrical about it. The Kangaroo isn't the most amazing super-villain Spider-man has ever fought either. Let's be honest he's a bit lame. But this story does follow on from the Chameleon one so we'll have to live with it.

Spider-man is rushing to meet Aunt May, who has returned from Florida. May thinks that Peter is coming down with something because he's hot and sweaty after swinging across town. She insists that he stays at her house while he recovers. Meanwhile the feds are transporting a criminal known as the Kangaroo who is about to be deported back to Australia. The Kangaroo discovered his incredibly silly powers when he studied kangaroos in the wilds of Australia. He became a boxer but was banned after seriously injuring another fighter, so he absconded to the United States where we find him. The Kangaroo escapes and decides to become a "super-criminal", the first thing he steals is a deadly experimental bacteria. 

Peter hears about the theft on the news and rushes out to recover the bacteria and stop the villain. To cover his disappearance he leaves a webbed dummy of himself in the bed with the covers pulled up high. Let's hope Aunt May doesn't come in. Spidey easily beats the Kangaroo. It was no contest really. And you've guessed it, Aunt May enters Peter's room to administer some flu medicine. The shock of seeing a webbed cadaver in Peter's bed is more that the elderly Aunt can take. Spidey returns and his horrified that he had caused his Aunt to faint.

What makes it even worse is that May thinks what she saw was created from her imagination and that she must be getting senile and started to see things. Peter is heartbroken with the fact that he is responsible for causing her to doubt her own sanity. He's worried that before long the shadow of Spider-man destroys all. Next week "Electro!" in a story that would have been a more fitting 100th issue anniversary tale.

This 100th issue celebration centrefold poster features fourteen of Spider-man's deadliest foes. Drawn by Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr. and Jack Kirby, they are from right to left the Vulture, the Rhino, the Green Goblin, the Beetle, Doctor Doom. The next row starts with the Sandman, the Scorpion and Jonah Jameson, who's less of a foe and more of a pain in the arse. The bottom row is the Kingpin, Mysterio, the Shocker, Doctor Octopus, Craven the Hunter and the Chameleon. At fourteen villains I'll let you decide where these images first appeared, I've got a blog to finish you know. A Power of the Beesting No-Prize (PotBNoP) for the first to list were all fourteen images were taken from. 

Avengers Weekly #69

Readers of last week's Avengers weekly may think that they've already seen this cover. And in a way they have. The original artwork was by Gene Colan (pencils,) and Tom Palmer (inks,) from the cover of Doctor Strange #174, cover dated November 1968, published August 1968, which was adapted for last week's Doctor Strange opening splash page featuring Nekron towering above a cut and pasted panel of Doctor Strange. Here the full cover is used, but instead of Nekron cowering under the imposing Satannish another artist drew the head wear of one of the Sons of Satannish on him. The Grand Comics Database suspects that Mike Esposito may well have been the art bodger to fit the cowl on the wicked Satannish worshipper. 

Master of Kung Fu “A test of courage..A touch of hell!”

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)

The twenty-sixth page of Master of Kung Fu #25 is used as the second part opening splash page. It looks great with Paul Gulacy's beautiful kung fu fighting artwork, but it doesn't quite flow with the story as on the next page Shang-Chi is just standing still while the tribesmen are arguing about what they should do with him. The full page splash should actually come between pages six and seven of this comic.

The fighting is incredible, I love it all, even the slight moment when I have to suspend my disbelief at seeing Shang-Chi catching a blade in his teeth and biting a chunk out of it. All I can say is those tribesmen haven't perfected making weapons of steel. The Si-Fan assassin says that the Jivaro consider Shang-Chi a true god. Shang-Chi asks that they release the Fu Manchu's man. The two leave, but later in the jungle, the assassin shows that his duty outweighs his gratitude to Shang-Chi. He draws a knife. Two panels later he is last seen flying out of the trees and over a precipice. As Shang-Chi returns to Sir Denis and Black Jack he recalls that his father had expressed gratitude to a dacoit who had saved his life from an enemy, but several years later the same dacoit failed to assassinate that same enemy so Fu Manchu ordered his death by slow torture. The young kung fu master isn't pleased that he had spared Fu Manchu the sin of hypocrisy by refusing to die. 

  Very early on this "Next Issue" page is shown, letting readers know that Iron Fist, the living weapon is back next week. To give the Master of Kung Fu strip a chance to complete a storyline in its US edition before it starts again on its weekly schedule in the UK. It says "Because you demanded it!" Iron Fist is chosen to return to the Avengers weekly to keep kung fu fans happy. But did readers really demand his return? Well possibly, I know I would have liked to see his return. 

Bullpen Bulletins

"Blasts from the Bullpen, memos from Marvel and an iota of advance information!" the first Item deals with a teaser for the heroes that everyone had been demanding  will receive their very own comic. The next Item says that Len Wein strikes again as the writer of the classic tales of Iron Fist fills in for Roy Thomas on the current run of Hulk stories. The third Item stops the presses, started from the next issue of FOOM there will be a special section that is devoted to news about the British weeklies. An Item on back issues tells readers that Marvel no longer has any for sale, but check out Marvel Swap Shop if any readers have copies they wish to swap as the feature will return soon. The final Item compares the piles of mail received for choosing between Shang-Chi and Iron Fist, which the editors says they're neck and neck. Therefore Iron Fist is re-introduced next week and the possibility of an Iron Fist/Spider-man team-up is mentioned. I'll deal with the column under Captain America later when it appears in the Plant of the Apes, Apes Forum feature. Next week the Bullpen Page gets a new look. A Marvel Checklist of sorts appears at the bottom of the page reviewing Spider-man Comics Weekly issue 100 and the Mighty World of Marvel issue 119.

The Avengers “The Taking Of the Avengers”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: John Buscema

Originally published in The Avengers #51

Cover date April 1968

(Published in February 1968)

The third panel from page eleven of last week's issue is enlarged and used as an opening splash page. The Collector is kidnapping the Avengers to complete his collection, Iron-Man attracts his attention next, so he dispatches Thor, who is under his control, to retrieve him. Thor intercepts Iron-Man in midair. The sudden attack catches Iron-Man off-guard but the golden Avenger does his best to fight back.

Onboard the Collector’s ship the Wasp has escaped from her holding cell. She explains that she was freed  with help from the Sauro-Beast, which is actually a form of insect life that she could control. Once the other Avengers are freed they take on the Collector, who sets his giant Robotoid on them. An explosive arrow shot by Hawkeye causes it to run wild. It grabs the Collector, who is now unable to control it. He teleports himself away, abandoning his ship, his menagerie, and the three Avengers.

The Robotoid strength outmatches the Avengers, until Goliath feels an odd sensation. He begins growing, the experiment had worked after a delay.  Goliath grows to 25 feet high to tackle the Robotoid. Thor regains his senses and carries the Avengers to safety. Thor and Iron Man work together with Goliath to permanently restore is growing powers. Captain American radios in requesting that the Black Panther join the Avengers as Cap's replacement. Next week we'll meet the Black Panther and the death dealing Grim Reaper.

Avengers Readers Assemble

Tony Ware from Surrey is a fourteen year old who's been reading Marvel comics for about six years. He doesn't like the idea of Iron Fist or Shang-Chi being put before the Avengers. Alan Harries from Birmingham is a kung fu addict who would like to see a magazine called Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu which could feature Shang-Chi, Iron Fist and the Sons of the Tiger. His other idea is a monthly puzzle book with pin-ups, crosswords, jokes and puzzles. Cavan Wood from Sussex wants Shang-Chi, Daredevil, Spider-man and the Black Widow to form a super-hero group as he's a fan. Regular letter writer super-fan Jim Ivers RFO, KOF, QNS, TTB, PMM and FOOMer, is touched by the comments and recognition which he and Mike Mittlestadt received from Tommy McDermid's letter as seen in Avengers weekly #53. Having read the origin of Iron Fist he is sorry to say he didn't think much of it, as it lacked the blending qualities of Steve Englehart and Archie Goodwin. Jim recommends the book "The Pulps" edited by Tony Goodstone, which produced great tales by Howard, Williams, Burroughs, Lovecraft, Wallace, Bradbury and others, as well as capsule histories of Stretch Smith. Weird Tales, The Shadow and Doc Savage.

John Parker from Chester gets two fist fulls of American Marvel mags and was lucky enough to pick up two 75 cent magazines, Tales of the Zombie and Deadly Hands of Kung Fu. Roger Paterson from Manchester wonders why Spider-man Comics Weekly and the Avengers weekly both cost seven pence while Planet of the Apes cost eight pence? The editor says it boils down to a world of ever-increasing costs. Adding that it now costs much more than it did back in 1972 to launch a new magazine. Andrew Pennock RFO, KOF from London almost forgot to pick his regular order of MWOM. Each week Andrew selects a "Cover of the Week" from the best of the week's covers. How that's an idea, hope he didn't copyright it back in 1974 otherwise I could be in trouble. Anyway his CotW winners from February the 2rd are SMCW 17 times, MWOM  14 times and the Avengers weekly 10 times. I never kept a list of last year's CotW winners. Maybe I should. M Starling RFO, KOF from Norfolk started disliking Len Wein's scripts, but now he thinks they are "masterpieces". He also thinks that Doug Moench's Iron Fist is very admirably done. P Harris from Birmingham thinks it's unkind that there are no Captain Marvel posters. Eamon McDermott from Essex gets all three weeklies but he's also very keen on the American Marvel monthlies with Warlock his favourite character. David Fearon from Liverpool is chuffed with the two new mags, but he wants the Avengers to stop quarrelling with each other.

Doctor Strange “Unto us the Sons of Satannish!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Doctor Strange #175

Cover date December 1968

(Published in September 1968)

Earlier in this very blog I said I was disappointed with the Daredevil story that Gene Colan drew. Here we have a polar opposite, the story is spectacular and Colan's art really meets the same level as the writing. The story title takes two pages to fully read but in a way it builds up the tension.

A group of Satannish worshippers are stalking Doctor Strange and Clea through the tunnels and sewers beneath New York while the young couple take a stroll through the peaceful Central Park. Once it's time to leave Stephen flags down a taxi to take the couple home. At this point the Sons of Satannish summon their master to mystically attack the pair. 

The conjuring up of Satannish looks incredible when portrayed with the pencils of Gene Colan and the inks of Tom Palmer. Their trademark dynamic splash pages and dramatic intercutting panels are breath taking. While riding in the taxi Doctor Strange senses the threat but as to not disturb Clea he enters a trance so that his astral form can meet the threat that menaces them without revealing their secret to the world. Next week "When strike the Sons of Satannish!" 

Dracula Lives #12

This cover was originally from Tomb of Dracula #6, by Neal Adams. When I first saw this UK cover I thought that the Man-Thing was attacking Dracula, obviously it's not the Man-Thing, but the Monster of the Moors. In the original US cover his colour scheme was orange. 

 

Dracula “End of a 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)

This opening splash page gives the impression that Dracula has just killed this female victim, but in fact this page was the enlarged fifth panel from last week's fourth page used to make this second part opening page, with a credit box, a new title and a new text boxes added to re-cap the story. Dracula had ended last week's story by fleeing into the fog after Frank Drake, Taj and Racheal  Van Helsing had slain his female vampire companion Lenore. Dracula is unaware that he is being stalked by the shaggy creature that has been prowling the Moors.

The slayers return to Dering manor. Even though they fought the two vampires, Lord Dering explains the origins of the shaggy creature out in the Moors. Some males in the Dering family to inherit Rachitis, a genetic disorder that causes a twisted form and a body full of hair. Lord Dering explains that his son Randolph was affected with this affliction and is the creature out in the bogs. He goes on to admit that they hid the boy in the chapel, where the servant girl would go to feed it. Randolph grew fond of the girl. Lord Dering suggests that the trio search for Dracula in Hagscroft Castle, an ideal place for Dracula to rest. Once at the castle Dracula ambushes them, knocking Taj out and tossing both Frank and Rachel into a pit. Dracula taunts Frank, suggesting that as a descendant of the vampire lord with the same blood running through his veins he will have to live by feasting on the girl or die a living death. Once the vampire seals the pit the two young hunters finally express their feelings to one another and share a kiss. Suddenly the stone lid is removed to reveal the Moorland Monster, with a rope he pulls them up. They find Taj and the four of them stride into the fog continuing their hunt for Dracula.

Cryptic Correspondance

A short Cryptic Correspondence letter page this week with only two letters. First up is from Alexander Hagen from Falkirk, he says "After much grovelling and pleading we finally got what we wanted. Not one, but two new Marvel mags." Starting with Dracula Lives he says that he should be happy, but with issue two there was only five pages of Werewolf by Night, when surely there should have been more. Then Alexander reviews POTA. Unfortunately he missed the feature films and hasn't read the original book by Pierre Boulle or even seen the TV series so it's completely new to him and he'll be reading it out of curiosity rather than comparing it with the original. He said he would enjoy Ka-Zar but in the jungle not the New York concrete jungle. As for Gullivar Jones he thinks that Kane's artwork is amazing. The second letter comes from Barry Twonlow RFO from Hampshire who saw Stan Lee's interview where he talked about Marvel comics and that it inspired him to write in and compliment him on the two latest comics, Planet of the Apes and Dracula Lives.

Werewolf by Night “The hunter..and the hunted!”

Writer:Gerry Conway

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #2

Cover date November 1972

(Published in August 1972)

It's the third night of a full moon and the Werewolf prowls the streets of Los Angeles, pursued by a police car. He evades them, but catches the attention of a mysterious helicopter. The helicopter chases him to the water front where the pilots ensnares the Werewolf with a net. To escape Jack dives off the pier into the water, tearing through the net only to find himself prey for a hungry shark that has swam close to the docks looking for food.

The Werewolf easily dispatches the shark and resurfaces to find the helicopter gone. The following morning, two surfers find Jack's unconscious body washed up on the beach. Jack returns to Buck's cottage, but refuses to talk about the previous night's events. Buck, Jack and his girlfriend Terri attempt to translate the passages from his father's journal. Unable to do so they consult with a former University teacher named Father Ramón Jóquez. Jóquez who takes particular interest in the entries. They leave it with him. Time passes and one evening Jack receives a visit by a man named Mark Cephalos. Who he is will have to wait till next week, in the "Deadliest game of all!"

Frankenstein’s Monster “..In search of the last Frankenstein!”

Writer: Mike Ploog and Gary Friedrich 

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: John Verpoorten 

Originally published in The Frankenstein Monster #6

Cover date October 1973

(Published in July 1973)

The original US comic changes its title with this story from "The Monster of Frankenstein" to "The Frankenstein Monster". I've always preferred the much simplified "Frankenstein's Monster", it get straight to the point, without the apostrophe S it sounds that the Monster is called "Frankenstein, which he isn't. All titles are canon, but I think my choice makes more sense. This story starts with the Monster searching his creator's last remaining relative, while a Baron imprisoning a gypsy for steeling a horse, only to have him disappear from jail days later.

The story title appears a page later on this double page spread that really shows off Mike Ploog as an incredible artist and story teller. In this tale he even gets credit of plotting the story. Here the Monster travels to Ingolstadt searching for the remaining Frankenstein family line. As he nears Castle Frankenstein, he spooks the horse of a military soldier, who is thrown to the ground. Shaken the Lieutenant attacks the Monster with his sword, but the creature easily evades his attack, knocking him unconscious.

The Monster enters the subterranean ruins of Castle Frankenstein, discovering a grotesque group of men lowering the body of the gypsy/horse thief into a pit. In the British edition the 30th, 31st and 32rd pages have been swapped by accident, spoiling the story flow. The reading order should be 31, 32 and then 30, so the story should see the castle's owner, which the Monster guesses is the descendant of Frankenstein, entering the chamber, him noticing the Monster, then he orders his men to attack. The Monster is more powerful than the horde but a lucky swing of a club stuns the creature, allowing them to subdue him through sheer weight of numbers. With his face peering over the pit's edge to see a giant spider moving in on its victim. Frankenstein tells the Monster that the spider doesn't feed on men's flesh but men's souls. Once the victims have been sapped of their mental ability they become the mindless horde that serve him. The Monster will be its next victim in next week's "And along came a spider!"

Planet of the Apes #12

Ron Wilson drew this cover with his artist's impression of Rod Serling. The photo that Ron used was seen on the first page of the "Rod Serling Recalls" interview seen on page thirteen of this very issue. Mike Esposito inked this cover. 

"A rugged terrain remains, from that which was once a city. This is a planet that knows little of its original form, some three thousand years before. A planet once known as Earth.

For this is the upside-down world after the holocaust. The holocaust that brought about such unimaginable change, not only geographically, but evolutionary!"

"For where man once reigned supreme, now rule... the APES!

The Apes have survived the radioactive wind of change and re-shaped the planet earth to their own simian way of life.

They have tamed the beast they call man. He was once mute, but now he has been allowed the power of speech. But man is still a servant of the Ape. He is terrorised by the Gorillas, and lives in constant fear of this simian culture! The only ally of man, is the pacifist Chimpanzee. Among them, a voice cries out, a voice of strength and authority, yet carrying a plea of sanity. A voice of peace. The voice of the Lawgiver... And there is peace, and co-existence. But can it last in a world of war? ...On a planet of Apes, which is also a planet of humans?"

That's how "Terror on the Planet of the Apes" starts, before we see the strip. A similar opening text piece was printed in the Marvel/Curtis magazine original version of Planet of the Apes, but that one is quite different from the UK version, giving the British readers a unique take on what the following story is about. The line "once mute, but now he has been allowed the power of speech," gives the impression that this tale happens after the events in the comic strip adaptation of Planet of the Apes or even "Beneath the Planet of the Apes", but that would be quite wrong. Chronologically speaking, Terror on the Planet of the Apes takes place some time following "Battle for the Planet of the Apes", but prior to "Planet of the Apes". That works for me, you might consider "Terror.." to be an alternative world, or a What if.. story. Either way I can tell you that you're in for a real treat. It's possibly one of the best  original Planet of the Apes sagas that hasn't been adapted straight from a movie. Doug Moench's clever writing and Mike Ploog's beautiful artwork is a joy to read and look at, so simply enjoy!

Planet of the Apes “The Lawgiver”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Mike Ploog

Originally published in Planet of the Apes #1

Cover date August 1974

(Published in June 1974)

Here humans and apes live in relative harmony in a primitive city. Jason, the human protagonist meets his friend, Alexander, who just happens to be a chimpanzee. Jason is full of youthful rebellion, while Alexander is more sensible and comfortable with the status quo. We meet the Lawgiver who brings the Community news that he is leaving for a time to investigate a matter of immediate attention. 

The Lawgiver leaves his brother Xavier in charge of the community while he's gone, which displeases Jason no end, as he describes him as "the most inept bumbler" in the Lawgiver's cabinet. Jason admires the Lawgiver for his intellectual coolness. Moench writes the characters of this relatively primitive society as peaceful with intelligence. A kind of world that new thinkers would strive to live in. This tale is very much a fantasy epic filled with characters from the dreamy intellect of a sixties child with a hippy-ish quality. I for one love it. Jason and Alexander follow a few minutes behind the Lawgiver, watching him head towards the Forbidden Zone. They return to the city and their homes.

All is not peaceful in the human/ape garden of eden, Alexander returns home to find his father had been attacked in his own home by masked gorillas who claimed he was a traitor to the "Ape Cause", and a "human lover!" That home wasn't the only house to be attacked, Jason's parent's house was also attacked with torch welding gorillas on horse back. They burn down the house with Jason's mother and father trapped inside. Jason arrives, but he's too late to stop them or catch up with the fleeing simian arsonists. End of Chapter One!

Rod Serling recalls

This interview with the famed creator of TV's Twilight Zone and the Night Gallery as well as the screen writer of the hit movie "Planet of the Apes", Rod Serling, was originally printed in the very first Marvel/Curtis magazine version of Planet of the Apes, cover dated August 1974, published June 1974 and was written by David Johnson. Rod Serling adapted the novel by Pierre Boulle creating many of the memorable scenes in the film in collaboration with the producer Arthur Jacobs, including the classic Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison scene, with them riding along the beach past the tip of the Statue of Liberty, indicating that the astronauts had landed on their own planet in the future. When the film was given the go-ahead the producer Jacobs enlisted screen writer Mike Wilson to re-write the dialogue, but keeping many of the set pieces. 

As well as dealing with his input into the Planet of the Apes film and the propose sequel that became "Beneath the Planet of the Apes," this interview also asks about Serling's part as creator of the Twilight Zone and how he became the voice of the Chariots of the Gods TV series based on the controversial bestseller by Erich von Daniken of the same name. It's an interesting interview and I'll recommend you read it in full, especially if you are a science fiction fan.

Here's a full page advert for Airfix Models that smartly uses a comics strip to sell the model kits. The Airfix Gang is a comic strip that was written and drawn by an unknown person. Alan wants to join the Airfix Gang but his model doesn't impress the gang as it's not as detailed as an Airfix model would be. He goes to the toy shop and buys a genuine Airfix model kit. His Jet fighter plane wins the first prize at school and soon Alan becomes the President of the Airfix Gang! 

Apes Forum

This page starts as a mini Bullpen Bulletin page, but with a message from the Hulk, while it was Cap in the Avengers weekly, explaining what the Marvel 1975 Calendar is all about. with January and February's on the back pages of all the weeklies and next week March and Aprils will follow. On to the very first POTA letter page neatly called Apes Forum. Paul Donnachie QNS, from Scotland is first up, he has never read anything as good or as exciting and well-drawn as "Planet of The Apes". He thinks that Ka-Zar and Gullivar Jones ruined the mag in issue two. Kenneth Caswell from Liverpool wonders if Marvel had made a mistake in "The Faces of The Apes" feature, Rodney McDowell starred as Cornelius in "The Planet of The Apes", but it says that in the series on television he stars as Galen. The editor clears that one up by saying that Roddy McDowall plays different characters in the films and the TV series. Wayne F Wooton from Wolverhampton describes the new POTA mag as a widely-acclaimed masterpiece that has been superbly adapted. G Read from Hertfordshire wants literature about Planet of the Apes or addresses of where I could get some pictures or photos on the subject. They'll get loads of that sort of thing just reading the comic every week. See the next article for an example.

The City of the Apes

This next article originally appeared in the Marvel/Curtis magazine Planet of the Apes issue 2, cover dated October 1974, published August 1974, was written by Ed Lawrence, it deals with how the sets of the Apes city was created for the first feature film "Planet of the Apes." It's another interesting look at the design and construction of the actual sets from the artists original designs and the construction process. There's no need for me to go through it, I'll show all the pages with the fantastic photos from the finished article here. If you're a massive POTA film fan it's a great read, even if you're not it's still pretty cool.

Doctor Doom “Doom must die!”

Writer: Larry Lieber

Artist: Wally Wood

Inker: Wally Wood

Originally published in Astonishing Tales #3

Cover date December 1970

(Published in September 1970)

Prince Rudolfo's resistance army continue their attack on Doom's castle while the Doctor faces-off with Doomsman, who has become independent of his master's control and seeks to with the Faceless One, destroy him. But before he can Doom mentally exerts his control on the Doomsman, turning his creation against the Faceless One. When the Doomsman seizes the Faceless One's body he finds that it is only an android body, and that the head like dome is actually the creatures head body, as it flees on tiny spider-like legs. The body then self destructs, allowing the Faceless One time to escape in his ship. 

The Faceless One starts bombarding Doom with anti-particles, which makes it look like Doom is destroyed. However he is not and shows it so by projecting a hologram of himself over the kingdom. He claims he will destroy them by using a vibration machine to affect the fault line that Latveria rests on rather than face defeat. The resistance and the citizens of Latveria flee as every structure is shaken to the ground. Once more under its own control, the Doomsman decides to go after Doctor Doom, tracking its creator to his secret cavern base where he attacks. Doom manages to exert his will power once again, rendering it inert. He abandons the  Doomsman project, realising that they all could rebel against him. Doom allows his creation to regain itself control before he sends it to another dimension where it will not be a constant threat to his life. 

That's the final Doctor Doom story in the Planet of the Apes. Next week a new series starts. We're told it's called the Watcher! Watch out for that in next week's the Power of the Beesting blog...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.