The Cowl and the Crowbar!

 Week Ending 8th February 1975

Before I start this week's fist full of Marvellous mags, Mike O'Doherty, mentioned in the Facebook page The Mighty World of British Comics, that while reading the Power of the Beesting blog he spotted his name in the Planet of the Apes #14 Apes Forum letter column, where his 2nd (and last) published letter was printed, although he had intending it for Dracula Lives! He had forgotten that the whole letter column in that issue was a Dracula Lives letter column that was accidentally printed in POTA, as is obvious from the reply to the last letter. Vincent Kelly is also a member of The Mighty World of British Comics Facebook page and he commented that he reads the Power of the Beesting "Week Ending" blogs on the train every Monday morning while going to work! Good morning Vincent, I hope these blogs help your commute pass in an entertaining way. Well I better get on with this blog before Vincent arrives at work.

The Mighty World of Marvel #123

This cover, by Sal Buscema, was originally used on the Avengers #88 (US edition), but it had to be altered for this British weekly edition due to the appearances of  Goliath (the Clint Barton version), the Falcon and Redwing, as they had yet to be introduced to readers of the British Marvel weeklies they had to be removed. This was easily done by inking them out and moving Iron Man slightly to fill the gap. In the UK version Iron Man flies straight into view instead of towards Psyklops as seen in the original. I considered making this my Cover of the week but I much prefer the American version.

The Incredible Hulk “The summons of Psyklop!”

Writer: Harlan Ellison (plot) and Roy Thomas

Artist: Sal Buscema

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in The Avengers #88

Cover date May 1971

(Published in March 1971)

This is a brilliant story with a fantastic group of creators that are giving the readers their all to produce an incredible reading experience. The plot by Harlan Ellison, the American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in the field of science-fiction on multiple medias, hands in a masterpiece that earns him a name-check on the cover, something that was very unusual at the time. Roy Thomas smooths the edges on the dialogue, keeping the characters on the Marvel-steady-path, while adding some future important riffs like Mister Fantastic, Professor X and Tony Stark working together, although that particular riff might also have come from the imagination of Ellison. And finally Sal Buscema, who had worked on the Hulk was pressing his pencil to the pages of the Avengers at the time, making him the perfect choice to draw this epic, rather than Herb Trimpe. I could go into more detail about how great those creators are on this strip, but it's probably best if I leave that till next week, instead I'd like to focus on were this strip fits into Marvel continuity and how it didn't quite fit with British Marvel discontinuity. 

This story was originally from the Avengers #88 (US edition,) and leads into the Incredible Hulk #140 (US edition,) both published in March 1971, meaning that for British Marvel readers this story would have followed the events in the Hulk story from MWOM #108. The readers of MWOM #109 wouldn't notice a missed beat as the Hulk returned from the climax of this adventure and as this story is so good the editors couldn't resist printing it even though a lot of changes needed to be made so that it would fit in with British Marvel current continuity. The main problem was that the current line up of the Avengers didn't match with the Assemblers seen in this story. Could they have overlooked that issue like they did with Professor X's appearance? Well possibly. Could they have waited till the Avengers line up in the Avengers weekly caught up and then print this tale? Definitely, but events in the Hulk's own strip would soon need explaining, so I guess it was no time like the present if some of those continuity errors could be airbrushed away. Well let's see.

Well first up is the Avengers roster. Henry Pym and Janet Van Dyne as Giant Man (or Goliath, or Yellow Jacket,) and the Wasp where no longer active members, but Clint Barton had taken up the roll of Goliath, sporting a very different costume. His appearance was disguised by having an art bodger draw Pym's old mask on Barton's Goliath. Although in one panel Barton's "kiss-curl" fringe could still be seen in the shadows. Strangely in some panels Barton's Goliath is completely removed. I always thought that this British Marvel Barton/Pym Goliath hybrid should have been used in the Avengers Forever series as a multi-verse version. 

Also the Vision, who had yet to make his debut in the Avengers weekly, should have appeared, pun intended, but his inclusion was limited and easily edited out, with the exception of the back of his head, mainly in shadow, in the Avengers meeting room, easily over-looked. And a panel in which Quicksilver says that "We other three must remain on monitor duty.." meaning himself, the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, the android Avenger was completely removed from his position between the two mutant siblings. Also throughout this tale Captain America's partner, the Falcon, with his pet bird Redwing, remain as part of the story, even though he had yet to appear in British continuity. I guess the editor thought no-one would bother to mention this new character. The gist of this story is The Hulk has been captured and Mister Fantastic with Professor X are trying to cure him, while Captain America and the Falcon are investigating the falcon's missing friend and other strange goings on in New Orleans. The mystery deepens so Cap calls in help from the Avengers. So a group of assemblers checks out a strange island in the Pacific, but what has this to do with the Hulk? Find out more answers and more questions next week as they go "into the land of monsters!"

Everyone's talking about Marvel

Marvel's own version of what the papers said continues with a closer look at what Charles Murray from the New Musical Express had to say when he meet Stan Lee. After a lengthy introduction to "The Man" Murray notes that Stan was over in the UK to promote the new Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes mags, which the NME writer describes "Dracula and his co-stars the Frankenstein Monster and Werewolf By Night as pretty good", as for the Apes he uses the line "as lame as ***!!" I think Murray is very impressed with Lee, taking the opportunity to list his achievements aided principally by artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko while admitting that Stan is the only living human being who he ever asked for an autograph. Stan goes for the big sell, telling him that Marvel is different than other Comic companies by saying "I think our people at Marvel were a little bit more in the real world than our competition. What prompted us to do it was boredom, more than anything else. I'd spent twenty years writing ordinary comics, and I was sick of it. One day I decided, just for fun, to see if I could write the kind of stories that I myself would want to read if I was still reading comics." When asked about Doctor Doom he lays on the charm by answering that he finds the villain one of the most charming people he's ever invented. Adding that he's no common thief, as head of a foreign government he has diplomatic immunity, he has certain rights and he can't even be arrested. Stan says "we treat it all with a little humour. It's all a bit tongue-in-cheek." But does he take Captain America seriously? Well he said he brought him back three times but this time he's more like a Hamlet character, He soliloquizes, questions, wonders what's the meaning of it all. After twenty years frozen in ice Lee wanted to question the characters super-patriotism, was it relevant today when there are more important things than just being blindly obedient to the Establishment? He used a similar technique with Iron Man in a way both characters could rile readers when they bucked the trend when all the other Marvel characters are hip. Stan recons that he starts to let Cap question his own validity before Steve Englehart took over the strip and took it much further than Stan had been doing. So that Captain America became a very interesting and very complex character. Charles ends his column with "And that, kids, is the Marvel effect."

Daredevil “...If there should be a Thunder God!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: John Tartaglione

Originally published in Daredevil #30

Cover date July 1967

(Published in May 1967)

Unbelievable robberies have been takin place in New York by a team of super-powered menaces. Matt Murdock and Foggy investigate and arrive at the conclusion that the Cobra and Mister Hyde are behind the crime spree, Matt decides to try and flush the crooks out by disguising himself as their old foe, Thor the God of Thunder. 

This isn't Gene Colan's best work this week, probably not because of any fault of his own. John Tartaglione had taken over from Dick Ayers three issues back and I feel that he's adding very little to Colan's artwork. In my opinion Frank Giacoia, George Klein and Tom Palmer offer much more to Colan's Daredevil artwork. 

I also wasn't impressed with Colan's version of the Thunder God. Even the disguised Daredevil version. You can see why he was never asked to take over from Jack Kirby when he left Thor's comic book. Things get really complicated when Matt Murdock as Daredevil, while pretending to be his twin brother Mike Murdock, disguises himself as Thor in order to flush out the criminal duo. However, he attracts the wrong attention when Don Blake learns about someone impersonating his alter-ego. Next week "will the real God of Thunder please stand up?"

Competition Results

You may remember way back following the launch of Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes British Marvel held a "Marvel Charades" competition in all five weeklies with cover dates of Week Ending 2rd November 1974. After solving a number of clues, thirty in all, a pair from each comic for three consecutive weeks. There were numerous prizes to the winners who discovered what the Marvel charade word was and chose a word of phrase that best described it. All five mags this week listed the top prize winners while next week listed the 50 runners ups. But what was the word? Well if you hadn't already guessed it was SATELLITE. Check out more clues in the mags from Week Ending 9th November 1974 and Week Ending 16th November 1974. I'll spread out this week's top prize winners throughout this week's blogs, so keep reading.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Lawrence Mead RFO, KOF from Essex has 425 Marvel comics in his collection, that reached its peak with the introduction of iron Fist, who he believes is a more original character than Shang-Chi. Simon Stevens from Hertfordshire had seen an advert in the Defenders #16 (US comic,) for twelve mags for the price of eight ad he asks could British Marvel make the same offer available in the UK. Colin Maughan RFO, KOF from West Yorkshire has solved the problem of car pollution by having people travel using the Silver Surfer's surfboard. Keith Bent ROF, KOF, QNS from Gloucestershire asks who rebuilds the monuments and buildings that get inadvertently knocked down when The Hulk has a fight? The answer is the taxpayer! Just breaking from my traditional review of the mail bag page by pointing out the picture on the top right of this page. It shows Johnny reading a summons to Reed regarding Sue starting divorce proceedings against Reed. I wonder did many readers notice this spoiler? Surely the editor could pick another image. Back to the letter page with a short one from A Snell from Devon who says everyone at his school is ordering MWOM from his local newsagents. Mark Guilder from Staffordshire spotted a six-legged spider on Spider-man's costume from way back in MWOM #17, for that he wins a No-Prize.

S P Pentagon puts forward his reasons for naming Thor as stronger than Hercules. Barry K Winetrobe from Glasgow can't believe that a FFF have been awarded to readers of Marvel comics for ten and six years. Berry himself as been reading superhero comics, both Marvel and DC, for over ten years, Ian Baker from Worcestershire saw Stan on Pebble Mill at One and calls the Planet of the Apes a masterpiece. Gary Bird from Leyton collects all five British weeklies as well as picking up two back issues of Fantastic and Terrific. Mannix Bennet from County Louth had been reading Marvel comics since he was five, at the time of writing his letter he turned thirteen, once the British comics came out he immediately started collecting them. He originally missed issue 1 of MWOM and had to spend three days looking for it. He now has all issues of MWOM, SMCW and Avengers weekly. The Hulk from Colwyn Bay in Wales wrote in saying that someone who previously wrote saying that he was the Hulk was an imposter. I'm not so sure that either of them are the Hulk. Matthew Vaughan from Wimbledon in London, could it be the Matthew Vaughan who wrote and directed Kick-Ass, X-Men First Class and the Kingsmen series? If it is you Matthew let me know. Anyway he wanted to congratulate Marvel on the two new mags, two days after getting the first issues he went to watch the film Planet of the Apes. He was so interested in it he could practically dictate the script from the film, as the script from the comic is almost identical. Maybe he is the film maker Matthew Vaughan after all.

The Fantastic Four “The dismal drags of defeat!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #58

Cover date January 1967

(Published in September 1966)

The Thing, Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Girl are startled by some sort of visual illusion of Doctor Doom caused by a raging storm. The Image of impending Doom, again pun intended, is brushed away by Reed in an attempt to not upset Sue. But in fact it was a demonstration of Doom's newly acquired powers. Using his stolen powers, Doom summons the Surfer's surfboard and sails to New York in a quest to defeat the foursome once and for all. Reed and Sue leave the Baxter Building for a break, leaving the Thing alone with only a "Ghost Stories" book for company. 

Shortly thereafter Doom arrives, attacking the Thing with all the cosmic might that the Surfer once possessed, smashing him towards Central Park. The Thing proves to be no match for Doom's Cosmic Powers that render him immobile like a stone statue. Meanwhile the Inhuman pet, Lockjaw, returns to the Baxter Building with its companions, the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot, who discover the carnage of Doom's attack. While at that very same moment Reed and Sue are attacked by Doctor Doom who has used the Surfer's cosmic tracking abilities to find the couple. Are they Doomed? Find out next week.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #104

John Romita Sr. drew this cover, that originally appeared on the front of the Amazing Spider-man #83. I don't know why the Schemer has an orange face, like an Italian Donald Trump, but less evil. He's very pail in the American version. 

Spider-man “Search for 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 second part opening page uses the sixth panel and an enlarged seventh panel from last issue's page eleven. When a truck is jackknifed off the road after it is attacked by the Schemer's men, Peter and Gwen are pinned under it. Gwen is knocked out and Peter uses his spider-strength to hold the weight off them. He uses a broken meter to wedge the truck so that he can tag the Schemer's getaway vehicle with a spider-tracer. Peter accompanies Gwen to the hospital, until she is stable, then Peter goes into action as Spider-man, tracking down the Schemer to his lair. 

There Spider-man fights off the Schemer's men with some ease. Attacking their leader Spidey leaps towards the Schemer himself,  but the crook traps the web-slinger between his desk and the weird lamp fitting that converts into an hydraulic press. Spider-man breaks free, but not before the Schemer can escape. With no leads to go on, Peter returns to the hospital to check up on Gwen who has just regained consciousness. She is upset to say the least as Peter wasn't by her side when she came to. Her father escorts Peter away. Captain Stacy consoles Peter, telling him that Gwen will be in a better mood the next day. But Peter almost lets slip to Stacy that he's really Spider-man when he says "He should be used to people never knowing the truth about me!" but quickly departs brushing it off by adding he meant how he feels about her. Snow breaks out as Peter ponders what to do next. These classic Spider-man adventures by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. are jam packed with action and personal hardship for hero and teenager. They brilliant! Next week "The Kingpin takes over!"

Competition Results

The two first prize winners were awarded a Colour TV each. Ben Addison from Blackheath in London won his TV for finding the Marvel Charade was Satellite and describing it as a "Star Spangled Scanner". Stuart Watson from Hartlepool used the phrase "Friendly 'Ole Orbiting Machine to describe Satellite. which of course also spells out FOOM! Spider-man Comics Weekly's Competition page was exactly the same as the page from the Mighty World of Marvel. Keep reading to see how the Avengers weekly, Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes displayed the results as well as who won which prizes.

Iron Man “Hoorah for the conquering hero!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: Mike Esposito

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #72

Cover date December 1965

(Published in September 1965)

Iron Man returns to a hero's welcome following his battle against the Titanium Man, however his only concern is for his friend Happy Hogan who still means critically injured in hospital. Meanwhile, Countess Stephanie de la Spiroza , who affections was spurred by Tony Stark last issue, hires the Mad Thinker as her means for revenge. As if things couldn't get worse Senator Byrd demands that Tony Stark reveal the secrets of Iron Man's armour to the US Senate for reasons of national security.

Stark is kidnapped by the Thinkers Awesome Android, and taken to the Thinkers lair, where he  learns that the Contessa is behind his kidnap. The Thinkers real objective is to learn the secrets of Stark's armour. Stark tricks the Thinker and manages to break away to change into Iron Man. The Awesome Android and the Mad Thinker are soon defeated and turned over to the authorities. The Contessa is allowed to walk home by herself as punishment. Later Pepper informs Stark that something happened to Happy at the hospital but they wouldn't divulge what. Stark seems cold, but really it's all an act to push Pepper further away.

The Mighty Thor “The wrath of the Wrecker!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #148

Cover date January 1968

(Published in November 1967)

Once again the second half of this Thor/Wrecker tale starts with a prologue recounting events from the end of last week's strip as well as carrying on what happens next. The Norn Queen accidentally bestows Asgardian powers on the Wrecker instead of Loki. The titled opening splash page uses the Kirby/Colletta cover from the Mighty Thor #148 showing the Wrecker on the roof tops testing his new Asgardian might, with the images of Balder, Thor and Sif removed. It doesn't quite fit in with the run of the story as on the next page the Wrecker banishes Loki to Asgard.

Thor, Sif and Balder witness the Wrecker's rampage on a television news bulletin. The three Asgardians leave to stop the Wrecker, even though they are without all of their powers. The Wrecker continues to run amok using his magical strength to enhance the power of his crowbar to wreck entire buildings. Thor, Balder and Sif confront the Wrecker, but the super-powered crook uses his newly gained Asgardian powers to banish Balder and Sif, like Loki, back to Asgard. With only Thor remaining the Wrecker wants to test his powers by beating the Thunder God in combat without any interference from anyone else. As battle rages, it becomes clear that Thor is no matched for the Wreckers added might. On Asgard, Sif and Balder beg Odin to restore Thor's full power. But still furious with his son's past disobedience, he refuses to return his son's powers as he had not yet met his penance. The artwork should be magnificent but this particular period of Jack Kirby's Thor was marred by Vince Colletta's "phoned in" inks. Colletta did ink some of Kirby's work well but maybe these few stories had to be completed with a tight deadline, which Colletta could do but sometimes at the expense of the original artwork. Next week's tale sees what happens "When falls a hero!"

Avengers Weekly #73

Originally from the cover of Marvel Team-Up issue 31 this Gil Kane (pencils,) and Frank Giacoia (inks,) cover was nearly my Cover of the Week, It's certainly action packed and any other week it would be my choice, but there is one other that I like better.

Iron Fist “Enter the Spider!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Jim Mooney

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Marvel Team-Up #31

Cover date March 1975

(Published in December 1974)

The sixth panel from the last page of last week's final Iron Fist page is enlarged to form this week's second part opening splash page. Spider-man and Iron Fist retire to a children's play ground to discuss what happened last week when Spidey fell onto Iron Fist. Drom, the Backwards Man, fires his weapon into the sandpit to transform it into a massive four armed sand creature. With the creatures opening salvo Iron Fist is knocked out. Spider-Man manages to wrap the sand monster in webbing. Drom reveals himself but Spider-man's attempt to web up this new opponent fails as the webbing disintegrates before making contact with Drom leaving Spider-man confused. A blast from Drom's weapon knocks out the hero.

Spider-man awakes tied to a chair in Drom's lab. Handily the villain uses a device to translate his backwards words so that he can explain his origins. Shortly after his birth, some bizarre twist of fate turned him from an infant to an old man. He quickly learned that he was aging backwards so he invented technology he needed to keep himself alive, such as devices that can transform food that his reversed metabolism could consume, another that drained energies from people and a specially made mirror that slows his reversed aging. He instigated the battle between Spider-man and Iron Fist, in order to draw the power he needed. He can now drain all the energy he needs now he holds Spider-man as his prisoner. As Drom activates the device, Iron Fist crashes through the wall, having followed Drom to his base. Iron Fist frees Spider-man and the pair quickly figure out a way to defeat their foe. Smashing the mirror to the ground suddenly Drom begins to rapidly de-age until he no longer exists. In the aftermath of the battle the two heroes find it hard to remember their ordeal, as if all memory of Drom is being erased. Hoping to keep some kind of record of the battle, Peter Parker records an account in the hope that this way he will remember this strange battle. This story takes so many liberties with how much a reader can suspend their disbelief. There is something enjoyable about it but like Peter I can't remember what it was. Next issue in answer to all readers demands, the origin of Iron Fist! But did readers really demand that story so soon?

Avengers Unite!

John Fortune from Dundee wants Marvel to ignore the phrases "Take Doctor Strange out of the Avengers and put in the X-Men and Silver Surfer." But he thinks Doctor Strange is unique and deserves his place among the best. John Hall RFO, KOF QNS from Middlesex, who I'm pretty certain is the same John Hall who runs the UK Marvel in the Seventies Facebook page, John writes that changing Shang-Chi for Iron Fist was a brilliant idea, as was allowing the different strips to take turns on the cover. John Hogger from South Humberside and his friends Carl Frosdick, Steven Smith, Neil Everic, Jean Gordon, Martin Green, Gary Greenhold, Jim Turner, Andrew Wilson, Teddy Heaton, Billy Constantine, Nathan Milne, Steven and Gary Young, all agree that Shang-Chi should remain as a regular strip in the Avengers weekly or at least have him rotate with Iron Fist every month. Robert Dickson from Glasgow who is a 5th KYU in Karate, points out some discrepancies in the kung fu strips, from fighting techniques and naming of weaponry. Too much detail to go into here, but Robert's letter is certainly worth a read if you have the time.

Avengers Unite!

Avengers unite for prize winning time with Captain America as your host. Two second place prizes of one pound each week for a year was awarded to the first pair of runner ups. Robin Sneller from Benfleet in Essex got a years supply of pocket money for describing Satellite as "The Batty Bullpen's Bounce-Off Box", while Steven May from Neasden used the word MITSWE, which stands for "Marvel In The Sky With Eyes!" to win his weekly wage. More winners in Dracula Lives and Planet Of the Apes.

The Avengers “The face behind the cowl!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: George Tuska

Originally published in The Avengers #54

Cover date July 1968

(Published in May 1968)

This second half opening splash page uses an enlarged first panel from the tenth page of the original US Avengers comic, adding a fresh title and a credit box. While the following page compensates that missing panel by increasing the second panel, adding legs and a full cape to the Black Knight, who has been ambushed by the Masters of Evil, as the Crimson Cowl didn't fully believe the Knight was loyal to their cause. I have to admit who ever was the art bodger on that panel did an incredible job, I couldn't see the join from Buscema's original art to theirs. 

With the Knight unable to warn the Avengers and Jarvis' inside information on the locks and defences of the Avengers Mansion the new Masters of Evil quickly beat and capture the Avengers. Their leader appears on screen to gloat at their success. The Masters of Evil want to know why the Crimson Cowl was so intent on capturing the Avengers. Their manic leader says as hirelings they have no right to know, but his desire for the Avengers to know who engineered their defeat he pulls away the Cowl revealing a robot that had pretended to be the Crimson Cowl. In the close future readers of the Avengers weekly would recognise that robot as Ultron-5. The fiend whose's hand that made the reveal belonged to Jarvis, the Avengers butler! Who mocks the Avengers telling them that he was the Crimson Cowl along. Goodness! The butler did it! Find out why next week! 

Doctor Strange “The cult and the curse”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Doctor Strange #177

Cover date February 1969

(Published in November 1968)

Doctor Strange and Clea have been sent into a savage hostile dimension by the Sons of Satannish to face a swift and inevitable death. Stripped of his Cloak of Levitation and his "Eye of Agamotto" amulet he could only rely upon his remaining mystical prowess and his wits. A "protoplasmic shape" captures Clea, who cannot defender self by casting spells. Another entraps Strange also, but he frees himself and pursues Clea using the "Eye of Agamotto" which he had removed from his amulet before his capture by the Sons of Satannish.

Meanwhile, Asmodeus is behind himself with evil glee now that he has obtained the powerful Book of the Vishanti. But before he can use the formidable incantation within its pages to make himself as leader of the Sons of Satannish Master of the world, it vanishes, as do the cloak and the amulet. The Book of the Vishanti returns to the Ancient One's home in the Himalayas. Asmodeus plans to unleash Ymir, the last of the loathsome Frost Giants and Surtur the fearsome flaming Fire Demon with a spell from the Book of the Vishanti. By reciting the Trance of Transferal, which gives the cultists' powers to Asmodeus, who then sends his band of Satannish worshippers in to oblivion. The evil sorcerer then takes on the form of Doctor Strange to trick the Ancient One into returning the Book to him. Long term Marvel readers may remember Ymir from the Tales of Asgard strip that appeared in SMCW #25 and again in SMCW #30. Surtur first appeared in a Tales of Asgard adventure from the following issue, SMCW #31. Will the Ancient One be fooled? Find out next week.

No Marvel 1975 Calendar this week on the back page of any of the weeklies. Mighty World of Marvel, Spider-man Comics Weekly and Dracula Lives featured the in-house advert for the Marvel Treasury Edition #2 starring the fabulous Fantastic Four. The Avengers weekly featured a paid for advert from Dinky Toys. A Leopard Recovery Tank (Model No.699)  took the lion's share of the page, demonstrating its working jib that elevates and rotates, its adjustable bulldozer blade, a rotating machine gun, removable towing cable and moving tank tracks. There was a Beach Buggy (Model No.227) with detachable hood and a die-cast model kit for a Panavia Multi-Roll Combat Aircraft (Model No.1045) with working swing wings and retractable undercarriage also. All at your Dinky shop now! Goodness it must have been great being a kid in the 70's.

Dracula Lives #16

This iconic horror scene was drawn by John Buscema, originally from The Frankenstein Monster #8. It's says it's "the battle of the century" with two of the greatest literature and cinematic monster of all time. What's not to love? John Buscema is one of my favourite artists and this cover has got to be this week's Cover of the Week!

Dracula “Death in the snow!”

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Ernie Chan

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #8

Cover date May 1973

(Published in February 1973)

The first panel of page eleven from last week's issue is enlarged to make this second part opening splash page with a new title and credit box added. At the snow covered car, the hypnotised children attempt to break into it by throwing rocks at the windscreen. Their attack is broken off by the arrival of Edith Harker in a helicopter equipped with sonic sirens that knocks out the children. Edith tells the vampire slayers that among their members is a high-ranking member of the House of Lords who has influence in getting the specially equipped helicopter. Quincy assures his daughter that the children will awake up free from Dracula's control.

Elsewhere in a graveyard, Dracula and Heinrich are about to use the Projector, when Heinrich is spotted by his daughter who had come to prey at her Mothers grave. Heinrich is force to explain to his daughter that he is a vampire and must bow to Dracula's rule. Uninterested Dracula uses the Projector to raise the dead from their resting places, transforming them into an army of vampires, whose first order is to kill all humans, their first victim will be Heinrich's daughter. 

Horrified, Heinrich grabs the Projector and flies off with it in his bat form. Furious, Dracula pursues after Heinrich. The two fight causing Heinrich to drop the Projector, smashing it to pieces on the ground. With the device destroyed, the newly risen vampires dissolve into dust. With foiling Dracula's plan and feeling saddened with his daughter's seeing what he's become, Heinrich ends his life as a vampire by falling from the sky and impaling himself on the spikes of the cemetery's pointed fence posts. With his opponent dead, and his plot thwarted, Dracula flees the scene leaving Adrian to mourn her father's death.

Monsters of the movies No.1 Dracula

Writer: Denis Gilford

Denis Gilford was a British writer, broadcaster, journalist, comic artist and historian of film, comics, television and radio who held a special fascination for Horror. He was an active figure in horror fandom of the 1950s, 60s and 70s and was a member of the Gothique Film Society. In the second half of the 70s he would write regular columns in House of Hammer magazine for Dez Skinn. His first was in the second issue of HoH dated December 1976. Here he puts that knowledge to good use by compiling this semi-regular article about horror monsters from the movies. Denis's knowledge of horror movies makes him perfect to write this article giving a detailed insight into the many cinematic appearances of Dracula from Bela Logosi in the Universal Pictures version of Dracula to Christopher Lee in the Hammer film classics.

Frankenstein’s Monster “My name is Dracula..”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: John Verpoorten 

Originally published in The Monster of Frankenstein #8

Cover date January 1974

(Published in October 1973)

Right this is going to cause some controversy, I'm naming this strip Frankenstein's Monster, obviously this story was from his US comic and it does star Frankenstein's creation. But the editors used "Count Dracula, Lord of the Undead" as the title head and Dracula does guest star. But it's my blog so I choose to use Frankenstein's Monster. Marguerita has removed a wooden stake from the skeleton of Dracula's corpse, reanimating the Lord of the Vampires.

Hungry for blood the newly risen vampire attacks Frankenstein's Monster. The creatures strength proves superior to that of Dracula even with the help from Marguerita. Carmen, Marguerita's granddaughter comes to the Monster's aid for saving her life previously. Marguerita and Carmen struggle but the grandmother is impaled through the heart with a wooden stake by the Monster. She disintegrates into a skeleton, much to Carmen's horror. Dracula flees and the Monster with Carman return to the gypsy village to find it destroyed with everyone slain. Furiously the Monster seeks revenge against the townspeople who were responsible for the slaughter of the gypsy community. Elsewhere Dracula thirsts for blood and goes on the hunt.

The villagers rally a mob together to try and destroy both the Frankenstein's Monster and Dracula. But the Monster comes looking for them, angry as hell. Although they defend themselves, they are no match for the superior strength of Frankenstein's creation. A shot from a rifle graces the Monster's brow, knocking him out, allowing the villagers time to tie him up to a lamppost. Under his feet they pile wood and tinder, preparing to set him on fire. The horror continues next week.

Cryptic Correspondance

Manuel Gonzalez from Crystal Palace in London thinks both Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes are fab. Manuel doesn't think that loyal fans should go searching for mistakes in Marvel comics. Steven Jay from Fleetwood in Lancashire also thinks the two new mags are great but asks that they don't stop sending the US mags Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf By Night and Frankenstein's Monster over to the UK. Mark Kearslake from Stockport in Cheshire like Manuel and Steven is very pleased with Planet of the Apes and Dracula Lives but adds it's a pity British Marvel didn't bring out the Sub-Mariner in his own mag with Ka-Zar and Captain America backing him up. 

Competition Results

Dracula takes a bite at the ten Marvel Charades Competition winners, who each received a copy of the LP record "The spine-chilling tale of vampirism" narrated by Christopher Lee from EMI/Studio 2/Hammer City Records. The winners where, Philip Crosby from Sale in Cheshire with TIN MOON, Steven Farcas from Burnleyin Lancashire with COM-IX, Stephen Mason from Newcastle with DAGUERROTYPE, Niall Rigby from Twickenham with LORD OF THE RINGS OF SATURN, Roy Leyland from London with THOR'S-DAYS CHILD, David Bocking from Sheffield with THE INVINCIBLE IRON MOON, Jim Gardiner from Falkirk with WALT ZINGMA TILDA, A Crowther from Manchester with THE MARVELLOUS HULKIN' GREAT THING, Mario Savva from London with INFINITUS and lastly David Sparks from Hastings with FOOMER ZOOMER. Find out the next prize winners in the Planet of the Apes very soon.

“The Gargoyles”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #46

Cover date October 1963

(Published in July 1963)

With the full length Frankenstein's Monster story taking up a good chunk of this weekly there was no room for any Werewolf by Night tales but there is enough space for a classic Lee/Ditko mini monster tale. The title gives it away which creature this is about. A big game hunter discovers a race of creatures that African natives base their wooden carvings upon. The hunter flees, fearing the Gargoyles mean humanity harm, but everyone who he talks to refuses to believe his fantastic tale. Finally he turns to a renowned authority on African folklore and tribal customs who agrees to hear him out. After listening to his story the expert convinces him that in Africa it is only natural that the blazing heat from the sun can play tricks on the mind and he is simply imagining things. After leaving the expert removes a rubber mask revealing himself to be one of the gargoyles.

Planet of the Apes #16

Ron Wilson drew this cover that sees Jason and Alexander caught between a group of mutant drones and some very angry gorillas. It's got the standard Ron Wilson "character looking towards the reader". I'm not knocking him, Ron had to produce cover artwork every week at a moment's notice, that matches up to the current Planet of the Apes storyline. For this cover Frank Giacoia has given him a hand by adding the inks.  

Planet of the Apes “Mutant pits”

Writer: Gerry Conway (Plot) and Doug Moench

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Planet of the Apes #3

Cover date December 1974

(Published in October 1974)

After a great start with the Planet of the Apes movie adaptation, followed by the promising Terror on the Planet of the Apes we get the third part of "Terror..." and it really feels like interesting and original ideas have suddenly ground to a halt. Mike Ploog's  usually impressive artwork has become messy, granted this strip is set in a gloomy  underground labyrinth but still the detail has become very inky. The dialogue compensates for lack of plot detail by becoming overly wordy. I'm not a fan of this strip, much preferring to read the other short back-up strips. Although I do know this strip will improve soon. With a choice of five weeklies, and more coming, I might have put this mag back down on the shelf and pick something else. 

Alexander and Jason are caught between a horde of charging mutant drones and a mob of attacking gorillas inside the stygian warren of tunnels they find themselves in as part of their quest to find the Lawgiver. What should they do? They just step back against the tunnel wall and let the two swarming rabbles fight it out amongst themselves. We do have some info dumps about these mutant drones, their masters and these dark underground passages. The mutants are part cyborg, their masters are known as the Inheritors and these tunnels are part of their sacred domain. Jason and Alex do have to fight smaller groups of mutant drones as they go deeper into the maze of tunnels, taking their "scorch-weapons" from them, which are basically laser pistols that can vaporise flesh. Also keeping with the sci-fi feel there's an underground monorail too. We'll have to find out next week where the weird railcar takes the young companions to.

McDowall: The man behind the mask

Samuel James Marnie takes a closer look at the career of Roddy McDowall, especially focusing on his participation as Cornelius and Caesar from the Planet of the Apes films and Galen from the Planet of the Apes TV series. This article originally appeared in the Curtis/Marvel magazine #3, cover dated December 1974, published October 1974. It's a must read for Planet of the Apes fans.

Competition Winners

The Lawgiver gives out ten sets of Marvel 1975 Calendars, all signed by Stan Lee to the next set of Marvel Charades Competition winners, who are. Philip Harris from Leeds with SPOOGLEWOOGLE, Vivian Banks from Cardiff with SCYCLOPES, Graham Barlow from  Colwyn Bay with THE BATTY BEAM BOUNCER, W. M. Waszczuk from Preston in Lancashire with HYPHEN, Kenneth McCarron from Wallasey with TELSTAN, Pete Taylor from Birmingham with BULLPEN ORBITING OUTER SPACE TRANSMITTER (B.O.S.T.), John  Poole from Chester with THE SILVER SURFER'S REST HOME, Martin Eliot from Oxford with ó śelvos Koóùos (which apparently, means THE TERRIBLE WORLD in Greek,), Marcus Hill from Harrogate with EXPLORBIT and finally Ralph Moore from Slough with THE SPACE DUSTBIN. Next week the fifty runners-up will be listed who each win a Fantastic Four Colour Special.

Tales of the Watcher “The terror of Tim Boo Ba”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Howard Purcell

Inker: Paul Reinman

Originally published in Silver Surfer #4

Cover date February 1969

(Published in November 1968)

Another Tale of the Watcher originally used as a back-up strip for the Silver Surfer in his own US comic. This story was adapted from a story of the same name, written and drawn by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, form Amazing Adult Fantasy #9, cover dated February 1962, published November 1961. Which in itself was similar to "Earth Will Be Destroyed!" from Tales of Suspense #9, cover dated May 1960, published December 1959. As well as "When the Earth Vanished!" from Tales of Suspense #13, cover dated January 1961, published August 1960 and "Monsteroso" from Tales to Astonish #18 April 1961, published January 1961. All with the same creative team of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Well when you've got a smart idea, get the best value for money out of it. An alien warlord called Tim Boo Ba, is master of all he surveys, leads his armies against his enemies without mercy. Slaughtering all before his wrath. His appetite for conquest can never be appeased. Survivors become his prisoners or his slave. That is until a catastrophe occurs, a torrential flood that wipes out the despots's achievements. But it was no natural disaster that finished Tim Boo Ba. An Earth boy drips water on the small scale model of a planet that had been Tim Boo Ba's home. 

“The day after the day the Martians came!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Ralph Reese

Inker: Ralph Reese

Originally published in Worlds Unknown #1

Cover date May 1973

(Published in February 1973)

This strip has been adapted from a short story by Frederik Pohl, that was first published in Harlan Ellison's anthology Dangerous Visions in 1967. It opens with the news that a manned mission to Mars has returned with a Martian aboard. The world takes it all in its stride as the story focuses on a motel and its residences who carry on with their game off cards, making jokes and references derogative  and xenophobic towards the alien. At the end of the night the motel owner, Mr. Mandala, discusses with his employee, Ernest, how things have changed with the visitation of the martian. "You think there'd be some new jokes. All I've heard are the old ones. Instead of Catholics or Jews or anybody... they picked on the Martians." he says. Ernest, a black man realises that his people's lot in life is going to be better now that the Martians have been put in the role as second-class citizens. It's certainly a piece from the 70's that might not sit well in these modern times. Sadly the truth of it still remains the same, just the names of those who are prejudiced against have changed.

Apes Forum

When Gullivar Jones ended in POTA #7 Marvel asked would any readers want to see more, well Derek Baker from London did and he liked it very much. Andrew Allom RFO, KOF from Tyne-and Wear definitely wants to see more of Gullivar Jones. He also thinks that Shang-Chi and Iron Fist should take alternating turns every ten weeks or so as back up strips in the Avengers. R M from Essex is delighted with the artwork in the Frankenstein strip from Dracula Lives #8. It exceeds anything he's seen by Mike Ploog with the exception of perhaps "Man-Thing" No. 5. James Pollard from Plymouth says that he can always find American Marvel mags down in his own town. He's also seen Aurora models for sale in Plymouth too.

Another photo image of apes and humans from the Planet of the Apes TV series. Astronauts Burke and Virdon attend an injured or dead gorilla, with Galen in the foreground. (Quick Update: the Power of the Beesting's Ape Expert, Mark Rice points out it was not Galen in the foreground, but the prefect of a settlement that succumbed to an outbreak of malaria, which the gorilla laying down has been infected with. Thanks Mark. Using Mark's information I think there's a good chance that the episode was called "The Cure".)

Well no time left to crowbar in any more facts or figures or any more stuff and nonsense. Got to sort out some images from the next batch of British weeklies. This blog doesn't write itself you know. Till the next one...  

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.