Week Ending 1st February 1975
A little tidying up left over from last week's Week Ending blog, Mark Rice a member of the UK Marvel in the Seventies Facebook page pointed out that the photo in the Planet of the Apes comic showing an ape next to the lawgiver statue is not Doctor Zaius, but an unnamed orangutang who was conducting a funeral just before Taylor was recaptured and spoke for the first time in public, as seen in the first Planet of the Apes film. Great spotting, a PotBNoP is on its way to you for correcting my mistake.
The Mighty World of Marvel #122
The Incredible Hulk “The end of Doc Samson!”
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Inker: John Severin
Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #147
Cover date January 1972
(Published in October 1971)
Hulk returns to the US by hitching a ride on an airplane just in time to stop the Leaders evil plan. What's the chance of the plane going to the new Gamma Base in New Mexico you might ask, well it was diverted under military orders so that the Hulk could be taken to the best place to capture him. Those orders given by the Leader to his android who is impersonating General Ross. When Betty questions her father he hits out at her, striking her in the face. This feels quite brutal and isn't easy to see.
The Mighty Marvel Mailbag
Nothing made of tin could be that nasty!"
Daredevil “Unmasked!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: John Tartaglione
Originally published in Daredevil #29
Cover date June 1967
(Published in April 1967)
This second part uses Gene Colan's cover artwork from Daredevil #29 with the second, third and fifth panels from last week's page 22. It's good that this great US cover was recycled in the UK but it does give away some of the upcoming story when it shows Daredevil being unmasked. Daredevil walks into a trap by pretending to be the blind lawyer Matt Murdoch, who is pretending to be Daredevil so that he can rescue Karen Page. It's all very silly and unnecessary. I might have found the story more interesting if Matt had walked into the trap as himself to get caught and later change into Daredevil. Or if Daredevil had taken down the gang covertly.
Bullpen Bulletins
The Fantastic Four “Defeated by--Doctor Doom!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Joe Sinnott
Originally published in The Fantastic Four #57
Cover date December 1966
(Published in September 1966)
The following page is one of Kirby's greatest. It would make a fantastic poster or even a fabulous cover. Doctor Doom triumphant standing over a weak Silver Surfer. Doom who now has taken possession of more cosmic energy than any human ever has. Totally supreme, invincibly superior to any human, Doom with powers without limit, powers enough to challenge even Galactus himself.
We saw this advert on last week's Planet of the Apes back cover, with it teased on the back of Spider-man Comics Weekly. Well on the back of all three super-hero weeklies it replaces the Marvel 1975 Calendars for the months of July and August. I guess this in-house advert was more important than that free feature. You had to buy Dracula Lives issue 15 if you wanted to collect the set. Maybe that was a clever bit of marketing from Marvel to increase the sales of that horror weekly. Maybe sale of this special Marvel Treasury Edition was more important. The giant hundred page colour super spectacular went on sale and was a must for all Fantastic Four fans. For just fifty pence that sounds like a bit of a bargain even by 1975's money rates.
Spider-man Comics Weekly #103
Now I didn't need to look up this cover's artists. It's another Ron Wilson (pencils,) and Mike Esposito (inks,) piece that must have taken them less time than it takes to have their dinners. I never know why Ron always has a thug looking away from the action and toward the reader? It's just his thing.
Spider-man “The Schemer!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita Sr.
Inker: Mike Esposito
Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #83
Cover date April 1970
(Published in January 1970)
This story was the first Spider-man tale to go on sale in 1970. It was released to the American public on the 12th of January of that year, it feels fresh but still riffs of Spider-man's 60's glories. Many long term Marvel fans may well know of the Schemer and where he fits into Spider-man's long history. I'll not say more until the villain's motives are fully revealed. On the face of it his objective is to take over the Kingpin's hold of the New York underworld.
Elsewhere in this story the teenage gang see Flash off at the airport, followed by Peter and Gwen growing closer even after Peter's problems over the last few stories have created friction. A leisurely walk through the streets of New York leads the couple to danger when an out-of-control truck is sideswiped by a speeding car sending it toward Peter and Gwen. Don't miss next week's issue.
David Ewen from Leicester debunks the science fiction of the Silver Surfer with the coldness of science fact. He gives lots of details that I don't have the space or time to go into, but it's a cool letter. I will repeat his final line about these magazines "in their field (and I stress that) artwork, content and characters are unequalled." David Francis from Manchester says he's favourite star is Spider-man and not a 70's pop star who's best not named. Andrew White from Liverpool gives away future plot lines, I also like that he relates to Peter Parker as his problems are so real that sometimes some of them remind him of his own. Damian Gascoigne from Hertfordshire lists his favourite artists as Neal Adams and Gil Kane, his top choices followed by Jim Starlin, Barry Smith and Paul Galacy. Clive Evans Staffordshire thinks of Shang-Chi is terrific and stupendous, adding that he really appreciated Ross Andru's artwork in Avengers weekly #47, 48 and 49. Simon Jenkins from Oxon spotted that on the cover of SMCW #84 the Shocker had one thumb and five fingers on each hand!
Gavin McAvoy RFO, KOF, from Middlesborough saved up and bought the 1975 Spider-man Annual and thought it was worth every penny apart from the Giant Man and Wasp story which he describes as a waste of time. S Chana from London is offering some of his back issues for sale. Steven Howard from London thinks the that Marvel comics are just great and his favourite superheroes are Spider-man and Thor. Duncan Stroud from Kent just says "The Spiderman Summer Special, WOW!" By that I take he meant the Marvel Treasury Edition starring the Spectacular Spider-man. Ashley Wilson from Bradford is glad that the stories in the weeklies last two issues long, because he doesn't feel you can get the proper characterisation and motivation into so few pages and still have space for action.
Spider-man Comics Weekly's version of this week's Bullpen Bulletins page looks exactly the same as the one featured in MWOM, both feature an artists impression of "smiling" Stan Lee. The image of Stan was flipped over copy of the art from a Spider-Man audio album called "Reflections of a Rock Hero." It was also used as the "Series B" Marvel Value Stamps puzzle. What is a puzzle is who was the original artist. An answer I don't know, if I had to throw in a name I would go with Marie Severin, but as ever I could very easily be wrong. If you've got a better idea let me know. The third Item in this week's Bullpen Bulletin page talks about the Marvel adaption of Fredric Brown's science fiction classic "Arena" re-printed in Planet of the Apes #14. The Items suggest that the comic was still on sale, but surely issue 15 of Planet of the Apes had taken its place on the newsagents shelves when this mag was on sale. The fourth Item focuses on Stan Lee's latest blockbuster "The origins of Marvel Comics." With that news we're presented with a review from Cue magazine on that very book. CUE magazine was a highbrow weekly that covered theatre and arts events in New York from 1932 to 1980, until it was taken over by New York magazine. I'll look closely at that article in the Avengers weekly Bullpen Bulletin page later.
Meanwhile a notorious criminal known only as the Wrecker has gone on a crime spree. His weapon of choice is a crow bar. The police corner him forcing him to drop his loot. His next building he breaks into looking for a new victim happens to be the apartment where Loki is staying. Loki plans to request aid from the Norn Queen, in the hope that she will grant him power. But before the Queen can answer the request the Wrecker breaks in, knocking the God of mischief unconscious. The Norn Queen materialises just as the thief places Loki's horned helmet on his head, she mistakenly grants strength to the figure who she believes was Loki.
Peter decides to follow the green and yellow suited kung fu mystery man, in the hope there may be a story that will make him some money after selling the photos of the masked martial artist. Spider-man follows Iron Fist, but the pair are watched by a strange man, who has the habit of talking backwards to himself. A sure sign that he's not right by any measure. There are translations to his "backwards speak" in handy text boxes, which is very helpful as it would have slowed down the story no end. Later the translations are done straight-away, which helps but also bugs me as it spoils what was set up earlier. Drom, the Backwards Man, (Or should it be Mord the Backwards Man? Both version sound weird, but not in a good way.) has been following Iron Fist, creating events that cause the kung fu hero to engage in fighting, so that Drom can absorb the energy from. Using a laser he cuts through Spider-man's web line causing him to accidentally fall onto Iron Fist's back, initialising another fight.
Spider-man webs up Iron Fist so that he can explain that his falling on him was an accident. Iron Fist admits his rash actions have lead to a mistake as he had let his momentary anger usurp his intelligence. He frees himself from Spidey's webbing, which in itself is impressive as the webbing has been known to have held the Hulk for a time. Maybe Iron Fist used his chi to break the bonds like he does when he calls forth his Iron Fist powers. The pair walk away as new friends, but what happens next? Well "!sekirts morD :eussi txeN"
The Avengers weekly Bullpen Bulletin page shifts the page sideways, putting the Items on top of the CUE magazine article by removing the Stan Lee portrait, which is a pity. The article is titled Super Stan the comics man, starts with a visit to Stan Lee's office overlooking Madison Avenue. An office that is big enough to have two soft sofas with three chrome and leather chairs, as well as a big glass-topped coffee table that's shaped like a boomerang. Stan enters, tall, thin, and greying, dressed all in brown, with a kind smile. Little would suggest a dynamo executive, an original thinker lurks beneath his nice-guy exterior. Lee had been in the comic book business for over 35 years, with his first Marvel triumph only 15 years ago. Stan points out that his success comes from good ideas, but ideas are just the tip of the iceberg, the crucial point is what use you make of the ideas. Stan discusses how Marvel has grown, taking a whole series of super-heroes and turning them into profitable projects, growing quickly with more magazines, books, movies, television programs, action figures and t-shirts. He mention their work with the Electric Company on a TV show, in which Spider-man appears, played by an actor who doesn't speak, instead his word appear in a balloon over his head, helping young children to read. Stan travels across the country speaking at colleges where he meets up with students and teachers who have a greater acceptance towards comics than earlier generations. He believes that "Marvel Comics are always highly moral, I believe. All of them tell young people, 'Don't be afraid because someone is different or ugly. They may be good guys under that awful outside.'" When asked why comics have continued to grow in popularity his answer is "They are fairy tales for older people. They are fun, like Vonnegut and Tolkien. Comics are the last place where you can recapture that fantasy, the wonder."
Jarvis lies to the Wasp, saying that he is on his way to visit his Mother in the Bronx, instead he heads uptown to a condemned building and a secret tunnel that leads to a startling meeting with the new Masters of Evil, Klaw, the Whirlwind, the Melter, the Black Knight and the Radioactive Man. These fiends have been banded together from the ranks of Baron Zemo's original Masters of Evil, with new members like Klaw and the Whirlwind by their new mysterious leader known only as the Crimson Cowl. Each have their own reason for destroying the Avengers. The Klaw wants revenge on the Black Panther for events seen in the Fantastic Four as seen in various issues of the MWOM. The Radioactive Man seeks revenge on Thor and Iron Man for what happened to him in Avengers weekly #3.
The Crimson Cowl had either broken the villains out of prison or invited them to join him in his quest to destroy the Avengers, but the mystery of why he hates the Avengers so much remains a secret for the time being. As do Jarvis the once loyal butler's reasons for giving away the secret plans for the mansions defences. Surely it can't just be for money, the once mild mannered butler seems to have had a character lift to which he has become greedy and sinister. You can't just say "the butler did it" that won't wash, so the mystery goes on. The scarlet-robed leader fires a gaseous pellet at Jarvis before the traitor can claim his blood money. Another mystery is the inclusion of the Black Knight. We learned that the Master of Evil's original member was kill by a fall from his winged horse as told in Avengers weekly #62 and that his nephew Dane Whitman had taken up the roll to become a force for good. This version had only joined the Masters of Evil to discover what their sinister plans are so that he could warn the Avengers. Let see if he does "Save the Avengers!" next issue. 
Here's a half page in-house advert for Dracula Lives which the printer cuts off the top half the comic's logo in my hard copy and the digital copy too. In truth the top part of the Iron Fist story was also trimmed close to the title.
Paul Barlow from London wants a few things cleared up regarding what the abbreviations RFO and TTB stand for. J B Shropshire had a copy of the Silver Surfer issue 3, where they spotted one letter from a Tony Isabella in the letter column and asked is he the same Tony Isabella who works for Marvel? The answer is yes. John Alexander Frazer from London thanks Marvel for putting their magazines in this part of the world. Colin Peachy from Croften gets MWOM, SMCW and the Avengers every week, describing it as the best thing since the invention of paper. John O'Brien RFO, KOF, QNS, TTB, PMM from Liverpool complains about people who write titles after their names which they have not earned, like one letter writer who claims they have "never had a letter printed" but profess they have already earned a TTB for being a No-Prize winner, but it shouldn't be given if his letter hadn't been printed first. The editor is also troubled that there are certainly some readers who write in claiming titles for which can only have been self-awarded. David Hodson from London thanks Marvel for bringing in more US mags and Marvel Treasury Editions. 
James Callan from London asks just under a dozen questions from "will there be Marvel cartoons on TV?" to "could we see more of the Scorpion?" Most readers, in 2025, would know the answers, but in 1975 the editor's answer was "We've just gotta cut down and give a group answer. Most of what you're querying will be coming about-so why not wait and see?" Keith Mutch from Aberdeen managed to buy all three Marvel 1975 Annuals which after seeing a Hulk story guest starring Hawkeye give him an idea, shouldn't the archer be given his series? Pantopios Christofis from London thought that the Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag was one of Marvel's most fabulous ideas. He makes a suggestion that there should be an origin story for one super-hero printed each week in SMCW. Derek Palmer from Stoke-on-Trent has spotted a mistake on page 14 of the Avengers weekly #12 where it shows the Black Knight's flying horse with no wings. He asks for a No-Prize for being attentive but the editors have adopted a new hard line when it comes to dispensing No-Prizes for mistake-spotting, which feels harsh but that issue was well over a year ago. Neil Snedden from Dunbartonshire in Scotland must win an award for the shortest letter that has only one word, "Yes", but a long post script, "P.S. This refers to the state of Marvel at this moment. and I bet this is the shortest letter and the longest post script ever published." The editor's reply is just "True." The Avengers weekly again lists the names of other readers who have sent letters in, Graham Walker from South Yorks, Paul Janman from Kent, P. Hubka from Ipswich, lain Angus from Aberdeen, Kevin McMahon from Edinburgh. Timothy Osamor from London, Gary Hindley from Sheffield, Davi McLoughlin from Dublin and Ken McLoughlin also from Dublin.
Meanwhile, Asmodeus manipulates Clea into doing their bidding, ordering her to return to Doctor Strange's Sanctum, murder the Doctor and steal the Book of Vishanti from him. Before she can carry out her orders Doctor Strange questions her but he is distracted by a phone call from his ex-colleague, Doctor Benton, who is still persisting in his offer for Strange to become his consultant in medicine. The entranced Clea uses this opportunity to take an ornamental sword and plunge it into Stephen, but he is alerted by its shadow that falls across his face and he over powers her through mystic means. Strange allows Clea to take the Book of the Vishanti, following her to a cemetery where she enters a mausoleum. The Doctor discovers a grave stone with his name engraved, listing his birth and death dates. Born in November of some year, died in October of 1968, the year in which this strip was originally published. Strange follows Clea deep into the Sons of Satannish's lair, only to be captured by the Sons. Using the stolen Book of the Vishanti Strange and Clea are exiled to a savage world and an ignoble death! Next week "The cult and the curse!"
This inside back page is used as a full page in-house advert for the Planet of the Apes weekly, with the headline of "Terror on the Planet of the Apes" followed by the tagline "The latest greatest apes story has just started..." Text boxes continue telling the readers that "...and two friends flee for their lives. One because he's human..and has just escaped jail...and the other because he is a chimp and he engineered his friend's escape." The image is made up from panels taken from last week's Planet of the Apes weekly #14. The three chasing gorillas were from the fourth panel of page ten and the fleeing friends were from the first panel of page three. I could go on to review the current Planet of the Apes comic, but let's keep with my usual order and take a look at this week's Dracula Lives first.
Right here's a cover that's up for discussion, this cover was originally from Tomb of Dracula #8, Marvel.Fandom.com lists John Buscema as the cover artist, the Grand Comics Database lists Rich Buckler as the artist, sourced from the Marvel.com page for Tomb of Dracula #8 so I imagine that they must know. But just to complicate things the original artwork for the US cover was sold on the 10th February 2005 by Heritage Auctions for $3,450 (At the current rate it is £2,792.69. Wow!) and they attribute Gene Colan as the artist. When I first read Buscema's name I thought yeah I can see that, then when Buckler's name is added it becomes very easy to see that too. Colan's name sends me into total self doubt. It could easily be any of them. One thing everyone agrees for sure is Tom Palmer inked it.
Tony Ware from Surrey offers himself up to answer any questions about Marvel comics if readers send him a stamped addressed envelope. Tony also offers his opinions on the first issue of Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes. He doesn't like the artwork or the colouring on the Dracula Lives #1 cover but does like the Planet of the Apes cover. Grant Lenton from North Humberside wants to complain about the "disgusting shortness" of Werewolf by Night. He demands that the mag should be re-arranged to give him more space. Richard Moor from Cheshire thinks that Dracula Lives will be a big winner. He describes Gene Colan as an artist whose shadowy, liquid pencilling he has long admired. With Colan's style particularly suited to this strip as he shows by the shadows and cobwebs he liberally distributed across the panels. Only John Romita Sr's drawings of the fairer sex rival Colan's.
The cover of Werewolf by Night is repurposed as the splash page for this second part opener. The body of Father Jóquez has been possessed by the spirit of the mad monk Aelfric who uses magic to secure the Werewolf to the wall of the rectory, while simultaneously releasing a plague known as the Grey Death upon the land. Jack's sister, Lissa, finds the note he left for Buck, after reading it she sets off in search of her brother.
The horror is ramped up for this one, surprisingly more than I remembered. Mike Ploog shows again that he's the master of horror comic strip art. The scenes of Lissa heading towards the monastery as she approaches a police road block is one. The Grey Mist creeps towards one police man it strips his clothes and flesh revealing only bone.
They have to leave their horses who won't enter the Forbidden Zone, to continue on foot. Brutus tracks the trail the horses left so he gathers a group of law enforcers to continue his hunt for the fugitives. Jason and Alex find the remains to city demolished by the cataclysm that ravaged the world in the past. They discover ancient weapons, a revolver and two swords as well as a group of benign shaggy savages that could have been the descendants of apes or man. One is captured by a tank like machine and taken into a tunnel that leads deeply into the mountain. The friends discover a a foundry with mutant drones bossing the shaggy creatures into feeding the foundry fires with ancient scrap. When one creature resists death is the reply. Shocked at what they see Alex and Jason are discovered. They flee from the mutants only to run into the path of Brutus's gorillas. Stuck between mutants and gorillas our heroes must face "Spawn of the mutant-pit!" in next week's issue!
Chris Claremont the future X-Men scriber carried out loads of tasks at the Marvel Bullpen before he became the super-star writer that we know and love. From small editorial duties, to creating plot ideas for other writers to develop and also he became a feature writer for the Curtis/Marvel magazine line. Most notably for the US Planet of the Apes magazine, writing a number of articles that also saw print in the UK comic. This piece, originally seen in Planet of the Apes (US Curtis/Marvel edition,) #3, cover dated December 1974, published October 1974, tells of Chris's journey from Manhattan to Los Angeles to arrive at the Twentieth Century Fox Planet of the Apes sound stage, to interview the cast and crew of the TV series. What we get is ten brilliant pages of insight to the show, crafted by Claremont that really makes for interesting reading. Even if you're not a fan of all things Ape this article is worth reading for Claremont's ease with words that develop his "Journey to the Planet of the Apes" into a gripping tale in itself. 
An extraterrestrial pre-invasion force infiltrates a remote radar outpost in Canada, manned only by two men: Lou and the unnamed hero of the story. Lou has grown tired of the isolation of their work, but his partner recognises the importance of their position. The aliens break into the outpost and take the men hostage. They reveal themselves to be the Krill from the Ninth Galaxy whose mission is to destroy Earth's radar capabilities so their massed war fleet can land and avoid an atomic retaliation. Still needing the men to deactivate the radar network the Krill offer them wealth and riches. Lou is tempted but wants more. Upping the ante the Krill offer him the most beautiful women in the galaxy to be his bride. Lou accepts but gets into a fistfight with our hero, who is then incapacitated by a Krill ray gun. The hero awakens from paralysis in time to press the alarm button as he hears Lou's screams of terror as he is shown his new bride. The man called Lou overlooked one small butt vital fact, beauty is in the eye of a Krill. With the alarm sounded, the invasion is defeated. As for Lou, the fate of a traitor is none of our concern.
The colour back page of this week's Planet of the Apes could have been used for the Marvel 1975 Calendar or even the in-house advert for the latest Marvel Treasury Edition, but a photo from the Planet of the Apes TV series was used instead, keeping ape fans happy. It shows Urko's law-enforcing gorillas, with clubs ready by their side, searching for the runaway astronauts, Virdon and Burke. Personally I think this feature could have been saved till after the calendar series had finished, but I suppose to many the POTA TV series was fresh in their minds and British Marvel couldn't miss out on the bandwagon of free publicity.
The Web and the Hammer
Iron Man “What price victory?”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Wally Wood
Originally published in Tales of Suspense #71
Cover date November 1965
(Published in August 1965)
Happy Hogan has been critically injured while bringing the Avenger a new component for his armour so that Iron Man can continue is battle with the Titanium Man. He quickly fits the miniature transistor to boost his strength and vows vengeance for his fallen friend. Eventually Iron Man manages to overpower the Titanium Man, finishing the match between the two with an easy win. Victory comes at a loss, but things aren't quite as gloomy as Iron Man first thought as he finds out that Happy is not dead but still critically injured. Stark goes to a nearby hospital to check up on Happy. Tony comforts Pepper, but angers the Countess who he ignores, causing her to storm off vowing to get back at him. Tony has to push back his feelings for Pepper leaving both thinking they can never express their feelings for one another.
Bullpen Bulletins
The Mighty Thor “Let there be...chaos!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Vince Colletta
Originally published in The Mighty Thor #148
Cover date January 1968
(Published in November 1967)
Odin is furious at Loki, Sif and Balder for disobeying his orders and journeying to earth, he strikes down the three Gods with a bolt of energy which robs them of their godly powers just as he had done with Thor. Loki, losing any advantage of defeating Thor flees the scene hoping to find another way to beat his half-brother.
Avengers Weekly #72
I've named a lot of Avengers weekly covers the Cover of the Week, that because with the cover stars rotation every three weeks you're going to get pretty much a reproduction of a US cover every week. This week it's Doctor Strange's turn to star and Gene Colan delivers the artwork with this cover that was originally from Doctor Strange #176. The grave stone on the cover, as well as on page 31, shows that Doctor Strange was born in the month of November. The year of his birth, in both cases is obscured. It's a really spooky cover, so this week the Avengers weekly gets another Cover of the Week from me!
Iron Fist “For a few fists more!”
Writer: Gerry Conway
Artist: Jim Mooney
Inker: Vince Colletta
Originally published in Marvel Team-up #31
Cover date March 1975
(Published in December 1974)
This story was very fresh, its original publication in Marvel Team-up #31 had only been released on the 24th of December in the US, following on from the successful team-up of Spider-man and Shang-Chi as seen serialised in the three issues from Avengers weekly #47. This time Gerry Conway handles the writing, while Jim Mooney produces some great artwork. The story opens with Iron Fist kung fu kicking a thug through a diner window, spoiling Peter Parker's breakfast.
Bullpen Bulletins
The Avengers “...And deliver us from the Masters of Evil!”
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: John Buscema
Inker: George Tuska
Originally published in The Avengers #54
Cover date July 1968
(Published in May 1968)
After last week's tale the Avengers should have gone in search for their missing teammates, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, in an adventure seen in the Avengers #53 US edition, instead the UK continuity jumps to #54, leaving that tale with the pre-tale from the X-Men #45 for another time, possibly due to the X-Men's strip inclusion would have flagged up continuity errors. After the ease in which villains like the Grim Reaper break into the Avengers mansion Henry Pym sets up some new traps to detain other offenders. Of course the four Avengers must know where the traps are and how not to trigger them, as well as their trusty butler Jarvis. After his debrief Jarvis leaves to make a quick phone call, telling someone he has been delayed but soon will bring them the information they require.
Under the in-house advert is another advert for a Master of Kung Fu sew-on patch. At first I thought this was a colouring in competition with the colours marked with arrows. But inside it was Marvel's way of saying that this patch would look better coloured in like the patch that you could buy for only forty pence each.
Avengers Readers Assemble
Doctor Strange “In search of Clea!”
Writer:Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Tom Palmer
Originally published in Doctor Strange #176
Cover date January 1969
(Published in October 1968)
This second part opening reuses the second, third and fourth panels from last week's thirty-fourth page, with an inverted image from page thirty of that same comic laid under the new story title. The layout looks as good as any page from Gene Colan's Doctor Strange, in fact I had to double check it wasn't. Doctor Strange survives a deadly fall as his mystic shield is covered in mystical brick cladding, so he returns to his Sanctum Sanctorum to search for clues in the Book of the Vishanti.
Dracula Lives #15
Dracula “The Hell-crawlers”
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Ernie Chan
Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #8
Cover date May 1973
(Published in February 1973)
Dracula has trapped Frank Drake, Quincy Harker, Rachel van Helsing and Taj in a room with a group of hypnotised children whose last order was to slaughter the vampire hunters. Harker had managed to hit Dracula in the arm with a poisoned dart. The Lord of the Undead races off to find an old associate, Heinrich Mortte, a doctor who is also a reluctant vampire. Back with the trapped vampire hunters, Harker formulates a plan, allowing Rachel to escape through a window so that she can nip round to the front of the building. Knocking out Graves, who had been guarding the door. the three men rush past the children, quickly escaping and locking the door behind them.
Elsewhere Dracula demands that Heinrich perform a total blood transfusion to cure him of the poison, initially he refuses but when Dracula threatens to reveal that Heinrich is a vampire to his daughter Adrian, he readily agrees to perform the transfusion on Dracula. The operation is done quickly. Quincy and the others jump into his car but the engine won't start they are descend on by the escaped children, Back at the doctors office, Dracula demands that Mortte takes him to a device called the Projector. Unable to disobey the vampire lord's commands, Heinrich takes Dracula to his lab hidden in a cemetery mausoleum, where he gives Dracula the Projector. The device would allow Dracula to raise the dead from the graves to create an army of zombie vampires to do his bidding.
Cryptic Correspondance
Werewolf by Night “Dragons has entered!”
Writer:Gerry Conway
Artist: Mike Ploog
Inker: Frank Chiaramonte
Originally published in Werewolf by Night #3
Cover date January 1973
(Published in October 1972)
In another Lissa is confronted by a security guard who is also consumed by the nightmarish fog. A close-up of his face shows his features melting like wax leaving a grim deaths head facing a horrified Lissa. Aelfric finds her and welcomes her, the shock of his face causes her to screen and then faint. He realises that she must be Jack's sister, for were she not the Grey Death would have taken her life like it did the others.
Seeing his unconscious sister the Werewolf breaks free, ready to attack the monk. Aelfric summons a bull-headed servant named Dragonus to defend him with first an axe and then a sword. Dragonus charges towards the Werewolf, but with his speed he ducks out of the way sending the monster's body plunging towards Aelfric, goring him with his horns. Aelfric's soul is released, but the injuries inflicted upon Father Jóquez causes him to die, a man at least. The Werewolf picks up Lissa and carries her unconscious form out into the moonlight. What happens next will have to wait till next week.
With the danger now averted, Madame Marguerita leads the Monster deeper into the cave which she says is the resting place of the last Frankenstein. Through an archway a sealed coffin rests covered in spider webs and years of dust. She orders the Monster to break the seal and lift the lid revealing a skeleton with a wooden stake sticking out of its chest. Marguerita rushes past him and pulls the stake free from the body. Mists swirl around the body as it reforms into the shape of the Lord of Vampires, Dracula lives! The horror cross over you really wanted to see continues next week.
The fourth set of months from the Marvel 1975 Calendar only features on the back of Dracula Lives, for reasons discussed earlier. With American Independence Day being on the 4th, July had to belong to CaptainAmerica (who else?). Although I have to question why on that date Captain America is throwing a sick of dynamite in that panel? Birthdays this month, artists Billy Graham on the 1st, Frank Giacoia on the 6th and Mike Ploog on the 13th. August is a warm super-villain, where the would-be world conquerors feature, but let's take a look at the birthdays of some good-guys. Artist Jim Mooney celebrates on the 13th, artist Marie Severin and Ozma of Oz share a birthday on the 21st. Who's Ozma of Oz you ask, well I'm not sure the only thing that I can find out is she was the fictional character from the L. Frank Baum penned Oz books. The final birthday in this month's list is for Jack the King Kirby who was born on the 28th of August.
Frankenstein’s Monster “The secret of the gypsies!”
Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: John Buscema
Inker: John Verpoorten
Originally published in The Monster of Frankenstein #7
Cover date November 1973
(Published in August 1973)
The eighth panel from the original US fifteenth page was left out of the thirty-fifth page from last week's Dracula Lives. But here it is enlarged to form an opening splash page for this week's Frankenstein's Monster second half. It doesn't quite ease the story telling if you aren't completely engaged in this tale, it's meant to be Madame Marguerita who transforms into a vampire bat to fly to the local town. There she reforms into a beautiful young woman who attacks a constable. Only the beauty spot on her cheek lends any clue that this young beauty is the same ageing gypsy. The townspeople learn of the attack and decide to mob the gypsy camp. The gypsies flee into the mountains and Marguerita leads them to a cave blocked by a giant boulder. The Frankenstein's Monster rolls the boulder towards the onrushing mob.
Rumour has it that John Romita Sr. made alterations to the Monster's face on many pages, possibly due to John Buscema's artwork resembling the Karloff version too closely. Also on another cinematic reference the on film the first encounter between Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster was in the 1944 Universal Pictures film, House of Frankenstein.
“Man in the rat-hole!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Steve Ditko
Inker: Steve Ditko
Originally published in Tower of Shadows #6
Cover date July 1970
(Published in April 1970)
It's another one of those charming little sci-fi/horror tales that Lee/Ditko used to churn out in the 50's/60's. This version is taken from Tower of Shadows #6 which was full of stories from earlier Atlas Comics/Marvel comics. This particular story originally appeared in Strange Tales #78, cover dated November 1960, published June 1960. Its original title was "Worm Man", but all mention of that was removed, including when the spy referenced himself by that name. The plot idea of having a pill that can shrink and then re-grow a person pre-dated Henry Pym's first appearance (were he used a serum to shrink,) in "The Man in the Ant Hill!" from Tales to Astonish #27, cover dated January 1962, published September 1961. This tale feels like it comes very much more from Steve Ditko, certainly in style and substance than Stan Lee. The plot shows a spy who uses shrink pills in order to steel military secrets. On his last mission he comes across a rat that attacks him, quickly he topples the rodent spilling his growth tablets into the same box as the angry rat fell. Without his pills he would remain tiny forever. I love the final line from the spy as panic sets in, "Time grows short!! What can I Do??".
Planet of the Apes #15
The third Ron Wilson (pencils,) and Mike Esposito (inks,) weekly cover this week. Again you can tell Wilson drew it, I'm only slightly disappointed that Jason or Alexander isn't looking away from the action and towards the reader.
Planet of the Apes “Lick the sky crimson”
Writer: Gerry Conway (Plot) and Doug Moench
Artist: Mike Ploog
Inker: Mike Ploog
Originally published in Planet of the Apes #2
Cover date October 1974
(Published in August 1975)
This opening page for the second part of this UK presentation uses the second chapter opening page from the Marvel/Curtis magazine #2 version, but here the chapter number is changed from two to three, keeping with the UK serialisation chapters. Jason and Alexander decide to take justice into their own hands by setting fire to the gorilla insurrectionists camp by firing flaming arrows into their huts. The young friends flee on horse back in the only direction they feel safe, towards the Forbidden Zone.
Journey to the Planet of the Apes
Apes Forum
The apes are getting more intelligent as Imperial Superior, Nathaniel Nobblenoze from Section 3-G, New Apetown, N. Aperica has written in saying that he's quite astounded by Marvel's ability to foresee the future. Apes are only now beginning to study astrology, but to think that humans have actually succeeded in prophesying may mean that perhaps not all Homo Sapiens are morons. Next up is one of those "none-moron" Homo Sapiens, Tim Haws from Sussex who thought the dramatization of Planet of The Apes is very good, but he couldn't say the same for the other two stories. He suggests that they should publish stories about characters from the TV series, Galen, Virdon and Burke. Andrew Taylor from Staffordshire, who works at Debenhams, has lots of posters but would like one of Galen. Tyrone Busto from Ipswich first found out about the Planet of the Apes when he went to the cinema to watch "Battle for the Planet of the Apes". He says "Battle of..." but I assume he means "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" because he mentions seeing "Planet of the Apes" and "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" and that he's missed the last one. Does he mean "Conquest for the Planet of the Apes" or the actual last one in the original film franchise "Battle for the Planet of the Apes"? Tyrone if you're reading this blog let me know.
Tales of the Watcher “The coming of the Krills!”
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Inker: Paul Reinman
Originally published in Silver Surfer #2
Cover date October 1968
(Published in July 1968)
"The Coming of the Krills!" has been recreated from a story of the same name that first appeared in Amazing Adult Fantasy #8, cover dated January 1962, published September 1961, written by Stan Lee and drawn by Steve Ditko. Ditko may have had more creative input into the plot and dialogue, but the basic nine panels per page formate of the original does slow the story down to a dull pace. With the Watcher as the host in this version adding gravitas and Gene Colan's art the pace is sped up creating a more dynamic and stunning affair.
See you in seven.
Make Mine Marvel.
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