Will the real villain please stand up!

 Week Ending 15th February 1975

Welcome to another instalment of the Power of the Beesting's Week Ending blog, packed full of facts and opinions about these five fantastic mags from British Marvel published 50 years ago this week. All the stuff and nonsense a Marvelite needs. Also welcome back Mark Lotinga, regular reader and commenter of the blog who hasn't be able to leave any comments for a while, glad things got sorted. 

The Mighty World of Marvel #124

In this issue the Avengers fought Psyklop, while the Hulk...well basically had a sleep. So if you wanted an Incredible Hulk cover you couldn't really use any scenes from this week's story. Instead they use the cover from the Incredible Hulk #149, (US edition,) a comic whose story would only see print in five weeks time. Was this cover used too soon by accident? Well may be but the replacement cover for that story will be quite spectacular. Herb Trimpe was responsible for the pencils and John Severin handled the inks.   

The Incredible Hulk “Monster world!”

Writer: Harlen 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)

The tenth page from the original comic makes an ideal opening splash page for this second part, the fifth panel from last week's page ten is added to give this image context. Without the shocked looks from the Avengers tha main panel would feel completely strange, especially as the next page switches scenes instantly. I have to say as a child I thought that the Avengers faced an attacking beast and not a sinister statue. The Avengers are getting closer to solving the mystery of this story. But readers will have to wait to find out what's occurring as back in Nevada Mister Fantastic continues his experiment with the unconscious Hulk, until the green brutes body suddenly becomes transparent and blinks out of existence.

The eerie Psyklops has kidnapped the Hulk for his own nefarious reasons, descended an ancient insectoid race who worshiped the Dark Gods, a race that existed before man. His aim being to take over the world to appease them. The Hulk part in his plans is that by shrinking the Hulk down to size he hopes to use his body as a power source to summon the Dark Gods. The Avengers are by chance stumbling on to his goal, first with last week's confrontation with the Dark Gods human worshipers and now they are getting closer to Psyklops lair. The fiend sends a grotesque monster to stop them. Of course the Earth's Mightiest heroes make short work of it, attacking the villain of the strip right in his own haunt. I love this page as the Avengers storm Psyklop's hideout we see them from the villain's point of view. This insect's eye view is a perfect way of showing the shock in an Andy Warhol esque way.  

The Avengers attack the insect-humanoid just as he begins striking down the Hulk, the distraction means that the process goes unchecked, shrinking him so small that he vanishes from sight. Furious at losing the Hulk, Psyklop uses a teleportation device to send the Avengers back to New York, materialising in the middle of a subway. I talked a lot last week about the changes that were made in the artwork to make it fit in with British Marvel's continuity, like drawing Hank Pym's Goliath mask on to Clint Barton's face. Well on this page Psyklop must have kicked Goliath so hard that he kicked it right off revealing Clint's "kiss-curl" hair. Over the last two weeks Hulk fans may have been a little disappointed with the lack of Hulk action as he basically slept through most of the story. Well next week the story will be "Hulk-inued" as the Hulk action is ramped up.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

John S. Bichard from Jersey has returned to the Marvel fold with MWOM #105 after what he calls "a year's defection." He describes Jack Kirby's artwork as magnificent. Gerald Peters from Hampshire knows Marvel is about to bring out a new mag and suggests that most people would settle for a "Not Brand Ecch!" story as one of the strips. Unsigned writes the next letter, they agreed with one letter writer who said that No-Prizes shouldn't be given for miner mistakes. Armano Iannucci KOF, RFO from Glasgow, is that the same Armano Iannucci who was the writer, director, producer behind "Alan Partridge", "The thick of it" and "The Death of Stalin" amongst many more, who was born in Glasgow and lived there during this period, could it be the same person? I can't say that Armano Iannucci would be a common name in Glasgow. Anyway he gives his own Marvel Awards with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby winning Best Writer and Best Artist respectively. Marc Evans from Swansea is pleased that Marvel are sending over many colour mags as well as the black and white 75 cents mags. His favourite mag is Savage Sword of Conan. Now then that's a great title.

Daredevil “Will the real God of Thunder..please stand up!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: John Tartaglione

Originally published in Daredevil #30

Cover date July 1967

(Published in May 1967)

For this second part of this Daredevil adventure the cover of Daredevil #30 is used as a symbolic splash page. A text circle even tells you as much, but by now British readers must be well aware that second part opening pages don't always match up with the story's continuity. The following page the Thunder God goes in search of an imposter, while that said imposter, Daredevil in disguise, searches for Mister Hyde and the Cobra. The two heroes clash in a meeting that's less than impressive or memorable. 

Thor leaves, warning Daredevil to never impersonate him again. I guess Gods have no sense of humour or the sensibility to tell Daredevil that his plan to flush out the two villains was a lame one. However after he departs the lame plan bores fruit, alerting the villains to the skirmish. The duo attack the solo Daredevil before fleeing back to their hideout. Daredevil follows and walks into a trap, Mister Hyde has concocted a formula that can rob a man of his eyesight. Why is it in Daredevil stories part of the plot involves someone losing their sight? It hardly happens elsewhere. The twist with this plot is with no sight to lose the formula steals Daredevil of his other hyper senses. Wow! Stan Lee is really phoning that one in! More next week.
 

More Lucky Winner's

Last week Marvel listed the Marvel Charade winners who won one of two colour TVs, or one of two pocket money for a year prizes, one of ten Marvel 1975 Calendars and one of ten Christopher Lee narrated LP records, "The spine-chilling tapes of vampirism."  Here is the second instalment naming the fifth winners who each received a "Fantastic Four Special Issue". By that I take it they meant the Marvel Treasury Edition no.2 featuring the fabulous Fantastic Four. Here's the first ten, skip to the FF story if you're not interested:- 

RUSSEL MARTIN LONGLEY from Walsall, DAVID SOUTHALL from Penbridge, LARRY BONHAM from London, HERMAN LUCIEN from London, PAUL JENKINS from London, IAN FOWLER from Doncaster, CHRISTOPHER ROWE from Farnham, ANDREW FOSTER from Birmingham, DAVID CARTER from Tyne and Wear, and TIMOTHY BRADLEY from Staffordshire. See the next ten winners in SMCW, later in this blog.

The Fantastic Four “Dr. Doom wins!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #58

Cover date January 1967

(Published in October 1966)

The Jack Kirby/Joe Sinnott cover from the Fantastic Four issue 58 is used as a symbolic splash page to open this second part instalment. The cosmically powered Doctor Doom takes on Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Girl in their weekend home outside of New York, after he had defeated the Thing by turning him into a literal living statue. Johnny discovers Ben and heads of to help his sister and brother-in-law, but not before off panel he tells Wyatt Wingfoot about the Thing's grim state and how Reed's "Metabolism Accelerator" could help free Ben. 

Johnny joins Reed and Sue in battling Doom. Stan and Jack have a knack of ironing out the subplots. making the readers forget about how long it should have taken Jonny to fly from Central Park to the Baxter Building and then fly to the weekend cottage in Southampton. But Jack's masterful artwork and Stan's crowbarring in the "Metabolism Accelerator" smooths every plot point out. Soon Wyatt has rescued the Thing and the pair join in with the rest to confront Doom. With the Silver Surfer's cosmic powers he's become so powerful that nothing can stop him. Reed realises this and admits defeat, playing on Doom's vanity and giving the team a chance. The manoeuvre spares them from Doom's wrath. But does this mean "Doomsday" for the world? Find out next week.

With the sixth week since the new year MWOM's back page is given over to the November and December calendars from the Marvel 1975 Calendar. November is "a time to remember Daredevil" so many of the panels feature Daredevil related images. Birthdays from this month are artist Jim Steranko on the 5th and writer Roy Thomas on the 22rd. December "is a green-skinned gent called the Hulk." Artist John Buscema has a birthday on the 11th, writer Tony Isabella on the 22rd and Stan "The Man" Lee celebrates is birthday on the 28th of December. But where was last week's September and October's calendars I hear you ask? Don't worry they haven't been forgotten. Keep reading there's more to come.   

Spider-man Comics Weekly #105

The week's controversial choice could be my choice of Cover of the Week is this Ron Wilson (pencils,) and Mike Esposito (inks,) cover that was commissioned for this issue. There may be better drawn covers but there's something about seeing a Kingpin snowman totin' a machine gun that really tickles my funny bone. It's a cover that sticks in the memory. I wish that the publishing of this story had coincided with the Christmas period.

Spider-man “The Kingpin strikes back!”

 

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr. and John Buscema

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #84

Cover date May 1970

(Published in February 1970)

I really love John Romita Sr's opening splash pages, they're the best in all comics. It's just an image that tells so much story with the newspaper headline facing the reader, while being fun and interesting at the same time. Spider-man his having trouble finding the Schemer so he takes time out to change into Peter Parker and see if Gwen is still angry with him. She's cooled a little, but Parker you ready need to stop running off when her father and Gwen get too probing. It looks really suspicious. 

Meanwhile the Schemer is hiding out in his snow drifted hidden car, while he schemes his next move. Those next moves are on the Kingpin himself. When he's ready for action he activates the car's heating ducts to defrost his car to meet up with the Kingpin's men, for a chat, I mean a not very friendly chat. The car must be quite insulated and those heating ducts work a treat. I could do with them to defrost my car in the morning before I go to work. Bruised and battered the Kingpin's men get the message and they pass it on to a very unhappy Kingpin. Expect some very unfriendly chats between the King of the criminal underworld and the would be crime-lord next week, with Spider-man caught in the middle.

The Web and the Hammer

Robert Chapman RFO, KOF from Portsmouth has been collecting Marvel comics for years,  since he was six his Mum would buy him Fantastic, Terrific, Smash, Pow and Wham comics and he has since collected about 300 American mags. Garry Whitehead from Humberside is appalled that there aren't enough pages given to Spider-man and the Werewolf by Night. I. Philips from Northants picks through the inconsistencies of the Kingpin's weight. John McColl from Glenrothes started reading SMCW from issue 68, he has since set himself the task of acquiring the other 67 issues. Anthony Kelleher from Cork has been collecting British Marvel mags for over a year, he is disappointed that the Marvel Treasury Edition of Spectacular Spider-man hasn't been seen in Ireland.  

John Hurst from Liverpool never really believed that Marvel was on the move until he saw in the Horse-racing section of his newspaper and saw a horse named "Quicksilver". Sounds like a great name for a race horse to me. Adam Roscoe from Durham has just moved from the USA in December, he now gets all three Marvel weeklies and says the TV cartoons are great when he saw them in America. A K P Mulholland from Stoke-on-Trent really "digs" John Romita's art but isn't as positive with Don Heck's work on the Avengers and Iron Man strips. Colin Bateman from Bangor thinks that the stories printed in the weeklies are good for collectors of Marvel Comics who weren't able to get the early comics. Paul Davies from North Wales has noticed that many characters in Marvel stories don't come from normal families.

Take Peter Parker for example, he has no parents, neither does Mary Jane Watson. Gwen Stacey and Harry Osborne both have  no mother. He also points out that Matt Murdock is blind, Don Blake is a cripple, Tony Stark has a weakened heart, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are orphans. Oh the trials and tribulations of Marvel characters.

Iron Man “My life for yours!”

Writer: Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and Flo Steinberg

Artist: Gene Colan 

Inker: Gary Michaels, Sol Brodsky and Marie Severin

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #73

Cover date January 1966

(Published in October 1965)

 

Gene Colan takes over the art chores on the Iron Man strip from Don Heck and even though I wouldn't name Iron Man as one of Colan's best strips it is certainly an improvement. Iron Man arrives at the hospital after hearing that there was bad news that couldn't be revealed. He learns that Happy Hogan has been kidnapped. There are discreet clues left for the armoured Avenger to follow that lead to a castle on the Potomac river in Washington DC. 

An English Baron had transported the castle brick by brick to the United States before he died. Why do Europeans in Marvel Comics always export their castles to America brick by brick. Count Nefaria did it in Avengers weekly #10, Grigory Russoff's castle was bought and moved by Doctor Miles Blackgar in the Werewolf by Night story from Dracula Lives #8 and here it happens again. I can safely say this isn't Garrett Castle, the ancient home of Sir Percy of Scandia and Dane Whitman current home in England. Together with Iron Man we soon learn that Happy's kidnapper is the Black Knight, who is seeking to get revenge on Iron Man over an earlier defeat, presumably from the Avengers in Avengers weekly #13. At the end of this tale the Black Knight falls from his winged horse. He would die from those injuries and release the title of the Black Knight to his nephew Dane Whitman as seen in Avengers weekly #62. Iron Man would rescue Happy just in time but Starks failing heart was starting to give out, will he recover? Find out next week. 

More Lucky Winner's

This week's Spider-man Comics Weekly features the same page as the "More lucky winner's" page from the Mighty World of Marvel, that lists the Marvel Charade winners. Here's the next ten:-

KEITH SCHOFIELD from Oldham, MICHAEL BUTLER from Doncaster,  PAUL COYLE from London, WILLIAM McCORMACK from West Lothian, MARK SPORE from Cleveleys, DAVID KEITH from New Milton, DENA HAYIES from Barry, South Wales, DARREN HAYWARD from Telford, STEVEN ATKINSON from Haxby inYorkshire and IAN GOLTON of York. 

I'll print the next ten with the Avengers weekly's "More lucky winner's" page. 

This Mighty Thor Pin-up page is actually the cover of the Mighty Thor #149 (US edition,) by Jack Kirby and Vince Colletta. I'm surprised it wasn't saved till next week's second instalment as the opening splash page. But at least it was used to good effect here. The only difference from the original cover is the corner box has been removed and the "When falls a hero!" text has been lowered from the top left, where it now reads "Pin-up page!" to the bottom right.

The Mighty Thor “When falls a hero!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #149

Cover date  February 1968

(Published in November 1967)

Thor now stripped of his Godly powers by Odin, must face the Wrecker, who has been accidentally gifted mystical powers by Karnilla the Norn Queen. With New York as their battleground the combat rages on. While in far away Asgard, Balder and Sif watch in horror as their friend and ally is savagely fought on Earth. 

No longer able to stand being idle and doing nothing, Sif convinces Balder to join her in trying to persuade Odin to come to Thor's rescue. Overhearing this, Loki decides to steal the mystic crystal, preventing Odin from being able to view the Earth bound battle. There are some great fighting scenes this week. Jack Kirby is really pulling out all the stops with page after page, panel after panel of the mighty titans clashing. Even Vince Colletta's ink-work has improved from last week's efforts. Did he have more time per page, or was the subject material more easy to complete? Who can tell. Either way Asgardian action fans will love this week's work.    

Spider-man Comics Weekly's back page plays host to another Dinky toys advert. You can either "Dig it" with a giant Atlas digger or go to war with the powerful Leopard Tank. The Atlas digger, Model No.984, stands at over 11 inches long, with moveable joints that reproduce the digging action, a rotating base and flexible tracks. The Leopard Tank, Model No.1036, has a revolving turret that fires shells (six included, well until you lose them,) a revolving machine gun and flexible tracks too. 

  

Avengers Weekly #74

Now some would say that this cover should be the Cover of the Week. Drawn by John Buscema and inked by George Klein, it was used on the front of the Avengers #54, US edition. It's certainly is better drawn than any other cover in this week's selection of five. Goodness I absolutely love John Buscema art, but I can't just pick a Buscema cover every week. Or can I? But in saying that I'll stick with Ron Wilson's "frosty" the Kingpin Snowman cover as my CotW, just for the fun of it. 

The Avengers “'Mayhem' over Manhattan!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: George Klein

Originally published in The Avengers #55

Cover date August 1968

(Published in June 1968)

You may wonder why in the title the word "Mayhem" has speech marks around it. It also appeared like that on the US cover too. Well Roy Thomas pointed out in Marvel Masterworks, The Avengers Volume 6, that the Comic Code Authority had problems with the word, not as much as "horror" or "terror", but they still considered it to be violent. Somehow either Stan Lee or Production Manager Sol Brodsky convinced the CCA that putting the marks around it would take the edge off it. Bizarrely they accepted that theory. 

This strip also features new inker George Klein, Now I know very little about the man, it's not a name that gets me excited. He used to work for pre-Marvel, Timely Comics and had also inked Super-man and other DC characters. Roy Thomas said that his style had reminded Stan Lee and himself of Joe Sinnott. Well that's good enough for me, I can certainly see that. The Masters of Evil are well equipped, this opening page features a fantastic sci-fi ship that slightly weakly called "Scout Ship One" and there are loads of Buscema designed tech like an underground hanger, a mobile platform and even Ultron himself. Speaking of the manic robot, we get a quick double bluff of plot when the robot reveals that he is the mastermind behind the Avengers demise and not their butler, Jarvis, who was just hypnotised. It's a brilliant strip and I can't wait to read next week's conclusion.   

More Lucky Winner's

More Lucky winners of the Marvel Charades competition, from twenty-one to thirty:-

JOANNE LUSHEY from London,CHRISTOPHER MAY from London, MARK GREAVES from Staffordshire, JAMIE WOODCOCK from Huddersfield, KAMALGIT SINGH from Slough, SHAUN BRYAN from Wantage, Oxon, BARRY LEWIS from North Shields, PHILIP MARSTON from Haxby, York, MICHAEL MULLINGS from London and ANDREW TANKARD from Wakefield.

Winners thirty-one to forty will appear in the Dracula Lives section of this blog while forty-one to fifty will appear in Planet of the Apes section.  

Iron Fist “The shaping of vengeance”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Don Perlin

Inker: Don Perlin

Originally published in The deadly hands of kung fu #10

Cover date March 1975

(Published in February 1975)

This story is a retelling of Iron Fist's origin, I not sure it was necessary as it had only just been printed a couple of months ago. I had to check if some of the panels seen in this story were lifted directly from the original artwork seen in the Iron Fist run from Avengers weekly #52 to Avengers weekly #55, they were similar, but Don is very respectful to Gil Kane and Larry Hana's original work, using many of the points of view of the panel while keeping his own style. The story basically takes out events that had been told before and edits them together in the correct order making a more coherent tale. I presume for The deadly hand of kung fu readers to catch up with the character of Iron Fist if they hadn't seen the Marvel Premiere issues. Like the UK mags the Curtis/Marvel mag Deadly hands of kung fu was also printed in black and white. 

Avengers Readers Assemble

David McIlroy from Glasgow pens a letter about kung fu which when translated from Chinese has a number of equivalent meanings. The most common is Wu-Shu. meaning martial. or war arts. Simon White from France spotted that when Shang-Chi was in the marshes he took off his coat which was sucked up in the mud, later he is seen wearing it. Peter Benson QNS, RFO from Surrey thinks Shang-Chi is alright but he would rather see the X-Men instead of him. Daniel Marchant RFO from London doesn't want Shang-Chi to leave the Avengers weekly. 

Doctor Strange “By any other name!”

Writer:Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Doctor Strange #177

Cover date February 1969

(Published in November 1968)

This opening splash page uses the cover artwork from Doctor Strange #177, a great piece of art but it does give away the Doctor's new look, here teasing "Introducing: the New Dr. Strange!" The story continues from last week, after a brief rest, Clea and Strange are attacked by weird vines. They envelop Strange, but he sends the Eye of Agamotto to retrieve his cloak, which he left hidden in a graveyard on Earth as seen off panel in the Doctor Strange story from Avengers weekly #72.

Strange had transferred much of his power into his cloak, half expecting that his next encounter with the Sons of Satannish would be one he couldn't win. He tricked the cultists to take illusory doubles of the cloak and the amulet. Now with his full powers returned, he attempts to return to Earth, but is prevented by the spell Asmodeus cast when he took the Doctor's form. He therefore changes his form, into a bald blue figure. This was just a way for Roy Thomas to give Doctor Strange a super-hero makeover. He hastens to the Ancient One's retreat. 

There he confronts Asmodeus who is about to use the Book of the Vishanti. The pair duel, Asmodeus reveals his true nature. But the battle takes its toll on Asmodeus, whose heart fails. The spell of concealment falls revealing the leader of the Sons of Satannish. Strange removes his mask and finds Doctor Benton, a former colleague, who first appeared in Avengers weekly #65, Roy Thomas was certainly playing the long game when he plotted this tale. He wanted supreme power and he payed the supreme price. 

Strange had defeated his enemy but the moment had arrived too late. For Benton had spoken the words "Thermidorus...Frigibus...Nihilius...!" from the Book of the Vishanti, the Spell of Fire and Ice, that summoned forth Ymir, the Frost Giant and the fiery demon called Surtur. An epic battle has just begun and Doctor Strange will need "One more beside him!" if he's to stop the monstrous forces unleashed upon the world.  

Dracula Lives #17

The second John Buscema cover this week. Another cracking Dracula/Frankenstein's Monster cover. I think that the two Buscema covers split my opinion on which cover should be my Cover of the Week, so that's why the Ron Wilson's Kingpin/Snowman cover won out. Tom Palmer applied the inks here.

The many faces of Count Dracula starts with a photo of the legendary Bela Lugosi as the lord of the Undead. But in fact the character he portrays here isn't Count Dracula. The photo was taken from the 1935 American made horror film "Mark of the Vampire" that was directed by Tod Browning. It has been described as a talkie remake of Browning's silent film "London After Midnight" from 1927.  In "Mark of the Vampire" Bela Lugosi played a vampire called Count Mora, not Count Dracula. 

Dracula “The vampire killers!”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: John Verpoorten

Originally published in The Frankenstein Monster #9

Cover date March 1974

(Published in December 1973)

Right this week I chickened out and just titled this strip as Dracula's because it was the first strip in the Dracula Lives comic, even though this strip was originally from the Frankenstein Monster comic book. The Monster has been captured by an angry mob of villagers in Transylvania and tied to a street lamp while a pyre under his feet set ablaze. As the fire burns, Dracula enters the bedroom of his next victim. Her dying screams alert the villagers who set off towards her home in the hope finally destroying him.

The Monster breaks his bonds and stalks towards the villager who been unable to kill Dracula, as he has flown away. The villagers are caught off guard when Frankenstein's Monster appears, beating them aside he walks passed them, more interested in destroying Dracula, he heads into the darkness in the direction of the cave where Marguerita resurrected Dracula. Meanwhile, Dracula visits an undertaker who he orders to give him a coffin. Finding one suitable for his needs, Dracula then feeds upon the undertaker. Just before sunrise the Monster arrives at the cave to find the gypsy girl, Carmen. He orders her to leave as she could be in grave danger. The girl becomes very unnaturally flirty towards the Monster. She leans in towards his neck, with vampire teeth she takes a bite out of his neck, paralysing his vocal cords. 

The Monster takes a wooden shard and drives it through the female vampire's heart. The creature cradles the girls corpse in his arms when Dracula enters cursing him for daring to kill his bride. The two fight with the Monster forcing Dracula towards the morning sun rise in the mouth of the cave. As the vampire struggles the Monster reaches out to two pieces of wood, to which he forms a crucifix, Dracula starts to crumble as the sun burns his flesh. Before he is finished off the Monster drives one piece of wood deep in to Dracula's heart. There is no triumph for the Monster, only bitter bile of revenge and the memory of a girl called Carmen. Suddenly a voice from behind him greets him "Good morning! I understand you've been looking for me...My name is Vincent Frankenstein!"    

More Lucky Winner's

The penultimate ten lucky winners of Marvel Treasury Edition #2 the Fabulous Fantastic Four are:-

STEPHEN JONES from Bristol, DERICK CARTER from Swindon, M.T. TUNG from London, D.C. STOOKE from Aylesbury, ROBERT PIERCE from Liverpool, J.M. TAGG from High Wycombe, STEPHEN BUTLER from Doncaster, DEAN FARRAN of Cheadle, CLIVE JOHN SWAN from Bedfordshire and JACK TAYLOR from the Isle of Wight.

We find out that there was some amusing answers given by contestants, like the Marvelite who said the Marvel word was LONDON and Named it PLANET OF THE APES. .. or even that the Marvel words were A HAPPY CHRISTMAS and named it HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The final ten winners will be listed in the Planet of the Apes "More lucky winner's" section soon. 

 

Werewolf by Night “The danger game!”

Writer:Gerry Conway

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Bolle

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #4

Cover date March 1973

(Published in December 1972)

This story starts in the middle with the Werewolf being hunted in a Wild West town, by a cowboy called Joshua Kane. In flash back the Werewolf had taken his sister away from the Rectory where he'd fought the possessed priest called Joquez. Leaving her near a river where Joshua Kane finds her. The sun rises before he can return, he wakes up captive of the hunter, who plans to force Jack into letting him hunt the Werewolf.

Cryptic Correspondance

Eamonn Ryan RFO from Birmingham gives his opinions on all the weekly comics, his review of Dracula Lives is a very good addition to the ranks of British Marvel mags. He comments that Dracula is very good, although he thinks that the Werewolf by Night should have taken the leading role. He doesn't like the Frankenstein's Monster much, but his stories are improving. Unlike most British Marvel readers Ian Smails from Tyne-and-Wear, only gets one comic, even though he's tried the other comics but Dracula Lives is that one. He offers a useful complaint, Vampires do not cast shadows, yet Dracula is constantly drawn throwing a shadows. But he admits that the rest of the strip seems to have a fair bit of the folklore correct. Ian knows a lot about vampire folklore including "Dracula was real enough, but he was not Vlad the Impaler as imagined by most people. The impaler was a Prince, not a count, and he was no vampire. Vlad Dracula's real family name was Vlad Bassarabe, a dynasty founded by the brothers Dan and Dragul Bassaraba of Wallachia. A pun was made on Dragul's name by calling him DRAKUL. The nickname stuck upon the whole dynasty. Vlad Bassaraba Drakul was the Impaler's father, who verified the title of Drakul by joining the martial order of the Dragon. Drakul means Dragon as well as Devil." Ian has loads more interesting bits and bobs like that in the rest of his letter.

“I am the living ghost!”

Writer: Uncredited

Artist: Steve Ditko

Inker: Steve Ditko

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #15

Cover date  March 1961

(Published in October 1960)

Another classic Tale of Suspense drawn by Steve Ditko and very possibly written by him too. Although there's absolutely no proof he did. A man who doesn't believe in ghosts or any superstitious goings on enters a castle determined to prove he's right. His experiences convince him that the castle is haunted. It turns out that the castle does not contain any ghosts, but is possessed by animated suits of armour and a living stone gargoyle. 

Planet of the Apes #17

This is a weird cover, it doesn't relate to the Planet of the Apes story inside, at least I don't recall seeing a gorilla riding some kind of giant lizard while he attacks Jason. Don't get me wrong I kind of like the crazy Sci-fi feel to it. It's certainly one of Ron Wilson's better Planet of the Apes covers. Although Frank Giacoia's inks might be the reason for it looking so good. 

Planet of the Apes “The abomination arena!”

Writer: Gerry Conway (Plot) and Doug Moench

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Chiaramorte

Originally published in Planet of the Apes #3

Cover date December 1974

(Published in October 1974)

Alexander and Jason are captured as their monorail car is forced to stop or else crash into a giant steel door. The sixteenth page breaks nicely with the start of chapter two in the original Curtis/Marvel magazine, so after a "Prologue" of page fifteen the story starts with the second chapter, although  the words "Chapter Two" were removed from the title and "The Abomination" was moved to the left. Brutus visits Xavier, the deputy administrator, to push his own agenda on the weak willed official. 

I took a closer look at the original Curtis/Marvel magazine that this story was taken from to see how the artwork looked in that version. It too was in black and white, but the tones were much more subtler than the British Marvel version. Heavy shading spoils the artwork. The artwork look great in the original, may be even classy, but the darker tones of the UK edition blots the story in such a way that it becomes a chore to read. Why the same tones from the US version couldn't be used is beyond me. May be it was the copying and printing processes that are to blame. 

Jason and Alexander are brought before the Inheritor leaders, a collection of giant glass globes that contain consciousness constructed of three disembodied brains. The Inheritor tri-brain sentences them for execution in a battle arena. In the pit arena, Jason and Alexander find another prisoner, a gorilla who was one of Brutus' renegade terrorists. All three are forced to fight several horrific monsters. Ron Wilson's cover makes a little more sense when you see the battle scene in the arena, a mutated monster pins down Alex while the gorilla pulls the creature off him and Jason knocks it out with a sling. It's not quite the same image, but maybe it inspired the symbolic scene seen on the finished cover.  

Through team work, a bit of luck and Jason's quick thinking they escape from the pit, fighting through several more mutant drones until they come to the prison cell of the Lawgiver. Once the Lawgiver is freed he leads them through a tunnel and to a sky-ship. Miraculously the futuristic hover-ship is quite easy to operate. As more mutant drones converge on their position, Jason, Alexander, and the Lawgiver rocket their way to safety, however Brutus' soldier orders them to fly to Brutus' encampment. Next week "A riverboat named  Simian."

Michael Wilson: The other "Apes" writer

David Johnson interviews the co-author of the original Planet of the Apes film, Micheal Wilson, who re-wrote much of the original Rod Serling script. Wilson had also worked on the classic The Bridge Over the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia, he talks about those films and how his controversial career was effected by being on the Communist Blacklist and his battles over screen credits on several movies. It's a very interesting interview and I know I say this a lot but it's one well worth reading. The original article featured in the Curtis/Marvel Magazine Planet of the Apes #2, cover dated October 1974, published August 1974.

Apes Forum

David A. Simpson from Aberdeen writes after reading the comic version of Planet of the Apes he watched the TV series and the film before immediately re-reading chapters 1 to 8 and thought in comparison the adaptation was better than the film, apart from Roddy McDowal's portrayal. John Swift from Cleveland collects both Dracula Lives and POTA and he likes the poster pin-ups very much. Vincent Conner from Glasgow wants Ka-Zar and Gulliver Jones removed to give the POTA story more room. Paul Andrews RFO, KOF from Nottinghamshire also likes the two new mags and their free posters, although most of his letter is about the Fantastic Four from MWOM. Mike Ivangelisia's from Lancashire letter also seems a little misplaced as it deals with the Avengers weekly and a mention for Dracula Lives. He does write that he love's Marvel's new mags so I guess that was enough to include it in the Apes Forum letter page. 

Tales of the Watcher “I the Gargoyle”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Howard Purcell

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Silver Surfer #7

Cover date August 1969

(Published in May 1969)

Adapted from the story "I, The Gargoyle" which originally appeared in Amazing Adult Fantasy #12, cover dated May 1962, published February 1962, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. This version has the Watcher as the host. Its a touching story of a kind, lonely but ugly man who pilots a digging machine on a one-way journey to the centre of the Earth, where he discovers a civilisation who "see with their hearts" and not their eyes in the dim light. He believes he's found heaven when they offer him love and acceptance. 

More Lucky Winner's

The final ten winners are:-

TONY BEVAN from London, ANDREW HARMER from Runcorn, KEITH GODWIN from Southampton, MARK HANNAFORD from Cheltenham, S. LONGMAN from Kent, JOHN CARROLL from Coventry, IAN FOULDS from Blackburn, STEPHEN HYNARD from Chelmsford, PHILIP SWEENEY from Haughton and finally ROBERT BEVERIDGE from Nelson in Lancashire.

A special mention goes to M. Saunders for ingenuity and imagination. In fact, Marvel was so pleased with his entry that they end this list by printing it in full:

"The Marvel Satellite encircled the Atlas and took it over, went on around the Planet of the Apes and published it, visited World's Unknown for 20 cents a trip, passed Giant Sized Superstars, knew no Fear as it Made it's Journey into Mystery Satellite is indeed telling its Marvel Tales. Yes, the Marvel the Ghost Rider in the sky. It had Amazing Adventures and learnt Astonishing Tales. In the Dead of Night or the Tomb of Darkness it learnt that War Is Hell. What a Crazy idea this Marvel Satellite is. What a Marvel Spectacular Idea!"

No Planet of the Apes TV series photos this week, instead last week's missing September and October pages of the Marvel 1975 Calendar is featured on the back page. "September means never having to say you're THORry" Yeah that even too cheesy for me. With the September related dates there are birthdays for Gene Colan on the 1st, writer Gerry Conway celebrates his birthday on the 10th and writer Steve Gerber celebrates his on the 20th. "October is a mixed up monster rally" as you would have imagined. Artist and inker Joe Sinnott has his birthday on the 16th, fellow artist Jim Starlin has a birthday on the 19th and finally Gynnis Wein celebrates on the 26th. Now if you wanted to you could reuse these calendar pages again as the dates line up with the days of the week in 2025. 

Right that wraps up this week's blog, time for a break before I look at next week's batch.     

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.