The good, the bad and the uncanny!

 Week Ending 19th April 1975

This week in 1975 offers up the best of Marvel with the good, the worst of Marvel with the bad, of which there is very little and the uncanny, such as mutants mayhem, Nightmare magic, cosmic adventure or barbarian action. With the good, the bad and the uncanny there's loads to enjoy. 

The Mighty World of Marvel #133

Ron Wilson draws the Hulk like a modern day Samson as he brings down the columns of the United States House of Congress. The inker could be Mike Esposito or John Tataglione. It's a pretty standard MWOM fill in cover. 

The Incredible Hulk “When monsters meet!”

Writer: Archie Goodwin

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: John Severin

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #151

Cover date May 1972

(Published in February 1972)

Two hearts left heartbroken is a different way of starting an ordinary super-hero strip, but the Hulk isn't any ordinary super-hero strip and this opening brings more gravitas to the comic than my young self realised. Bruce channelling the Hulk's feelings towards Jarella just as his green alter-ego had channeled Banner's feelings towards Betty Ross in many earlier stories. On the request of Betty, the Major drives her away from a delirious Bruce who had called out the green queen's name, in a situation that many of us have accidentally fallen in to.

The emotional anguish triggers Banner's gamma irradiated body chemistry, transforming him into the Hulk once more, follows the departing couple. The green brute spies Talbot comforting a woman who desperately needed warmth and assurance, which may to some seem like he is taking advantage of of her situation, or was it just inevitable that these two would be pulled closer together? The Hulk's reaction, perhaps remembering the brief moment of peace and happiness with Jarella, the sadness also when he considers he could once have been the man in the Jeep, or maybe he understood that he'd been responsible for so much pain in Betty's life, his love for her meant that he had to let her go. It's all so beautifully written and drawn.

While General Ross, unaware of his daughter's heartache, has to plead the case for Project Greenskin at a congressional hearing in Washington DC. He locks horns with Senator Dutton who questions why the millions of tax-payers dollars have been used on a "Hulkbuster" base that had failed to hold the Hulk at the first time of asking (see MWOM #130,). Money that could have been spent on fighting poverty or pollution. It's funny that fifty years later those same questions are still being asked. The General's bluster wins for the time being and his supporter, Senator Morton Clegstead, congratulates him. But the Senator has other reasons for wanting the Hulk's capture. Dying of an aggressive formal cancer Clegstead had enlisted a scientist called Doctor Lathrop, whose theory pointed to a cure that used the Hulk's gamma radiated blood as a form of radiotherapy. Clegstead had moved heaven and earth and a good deal of Government funds to get Lathrop what he needed. The Doctor injects the untested results into the Senator. Meanwhile Banner has travelled to Washington in the hope that he can fined Henry Pym, the super-hero sometimes known as Ant-Man and scientist who has extensive knowledge that may help the Hulk travel to Jarella's sub-atomic world. Things don't go smoothly as you can imagine, see the results next week.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Mike Griggs RFO, KOF, TTB from Kent writes in to aid his fellow Marvelites throughout Britain with a short, concise history of British Marvel since the week ending the 7th October 1972, when MWOM was first put on sale. With #14 FOOM was first mentioned. On 10th February 1973 Daredevil jointed MWOM in #20 and Spider-man Comics Weekly was released starring Spidey and Thor. By MWOM the Hulk had double the story length, while DD took a rest. 22rd September 1973 saw the Avengers weekly join the scene. On the 28th January 1974 DD returned to MWOM #69 while at the same time Iron Man joined SMCW #50.  The kung fu craze hit the Avengers weekly when Shang-Chi join them with issue 28, twenty-four weeks later Iron Fist replaced him. When the comics got their glossy covers the price increased to 6 pence. On the 26th October 1974 two new mags, Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes hit the newsstands. What happens next will become history. Jayson Lowery KOF, RFO from Northumberland points out that letter writers can't add a QNS to their names if they use a false name like "Thor" or "the Hulk". Liam McCarthy from Coventry writes that the other four British mags aren't as good as MWOM and he should know, he's been buying it since issue one. Richard Domar from Wolverhampton has after ten years of collecting US Marvel mags 1025 comics. He notes that from March to July he could not find any US mags. When they started to arrive he couldn't find Hulk, Avengers or Spiderman magazines. He asks Why those titles and the giant-size mags stopped? Could it be because they are the stars of the British weeklies? And how long before Dracula stops coming now he's got his own British mag?  

Martin Dunkley from Northants thinks that things went "a bit soft" in MWOM #50, citing that Captain America give up too easy and what has happened to all Hulk's nice foes which he used to make mince-meat of? It's not only in MWOM he asks about Peter Parker's "Dolly Birds?" Not very PC, even by 1970's standards. Nicholas Wragg RFO, KFO from Lincolnshire wonders how Matt Murdock knows that Karen Page is a "fair Maiden?" Christopher Reid KOF, QNS from Leeds thinks the battles between the Hulk and Doctor Doom and the Silver Surfer and the Thing were both masterpieces. He gets the Avengers weekly not because of the Avengers, but because of Shang-Chi. T W Groves from Birmingham congratulates Marvel on the wonderful Hulk story, "Godspawn" as seen in MWOM #117 especially the prologue as it seemed to give the readers a sense of awe about what is to come. Daredevil on the other hand seems to have an unpredictable future, with Matt Murdock inventing a twin brother, which seems to have landed Matt right in it. The Fantastic Four as always are up to it's usual high standard.

Daredevil “Daredevil dies first!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: John Tartaglione

Originally published in Daredevil #35

Cover date December 1967

(Published in October 1967)

The offices of Nelson and Murdock have an unexpected visitor as the Trapster crashes through the window seeking legal advice. The solo member of the Frightful Four, who after getting defeated by the Fantastic Four so many times plans on gaining a name for himself among the super-villain community, demands to know if he could get away with murder, if the body wasn't found. He intends to go after "easier" target, by killing Daredevil. 

Matt Murdock doesn't offer him any serious advice so the villain leaves, knowing that the law firm has some kind of connection to the super-hero, his warning will set up a trap for the man without fear. Having been tipped off to the Trapster's plan, Matt changes into Daredevil and goes after the crook. There's no direct indication of what period of the Trapster's life that this story take's place in. For British readers he was last seen captured in MWOM #91 and should have been seen in MWOM #96 in prison with the Sandman, but that was edited out to save space. So to ease a British Marvel continuity headache let's just say that he escaped at pretty much the same time as the Sandman must have done before his appearance in the current Fantastic Four tale starting with MWOM #129. This story isn't rocket science or criminal law, it just a super-hero strip and that's what you get, super-hero action masterfully drawn by Gene Colan. The action is thrilling, but it'll have to continue in next week's second part, which they just had to call "Trapped!" because it's the Fantastic Four's turn next in the mag.

The Fantastic Four “Blastaar, the living bomb-burst!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #63

Cover date June 1967

(Published in March 1967)

With the Fantastic Four lulled into a false sense of security Blastaar and the Sandman attack in page after page of Jack Kirby action. He uses big panels to show-off the biggest explosions, wallops and punches that only the King could draw. No tight plot is needed, just fist fulls of "Kirby crackle" and I wouldn't have it any other way. Stan Lee just lets him get on with it and once more I feel like a kid again.

There are many artists that I adore, Buscema, Byrne, Pérez, Davis, Gibbons and so many more, the list is endless. But I would be very, very happy if I could draw like Jack Kirby. The boldness, the bombastic style, the sheer brilliance of it all it's what us lesser mortals strive for and very few achieve. If I could master the pencil and have the imagination of Jack I would be drawing comics now, instead of writing about them. But I can't draw so what I will do is just enjoy them, like so many of you. And look forward to next week's clash as the Thing takes on the two fiends in what could see the FF's strongest member "Belted by Blastaar!"

Jack Kirby with Steve Ditko, created so many of the characters we love and know today, under the direction of Marvel's editor and chief writer Stan Lee. Many would argue that who did what and how much input any individual put into the universe of Marvel comics. But back in 1974 Stan Lee put forward his version of events that lead to the Origins of Marvel Comics in a book titled just as that. With 180 full-colour pages of comic strip and 46 pages of Lee's text on Marvel's early days this book became almost a bible to many Marvelites. At the price of £3.30 you could have you own copy, one of only 500 offered that had been imported via this in-house ad. It had at the time sold 100,000 copies in the US, but hadn't yet been released in the UK. I never got to buy this edition, although I did pick up the revised edition of it in September 1997, with it's new cover and added current strips that followed the original origin strips of the 1974's version. I would have loved getting this original version, even though Stan's version may not have been totally true, I was and still am a sucker for Stan Lee's "tongue-in-cheek verbosity and ad-man hyperbole".

Spider-man Comics Weekly #114

Originally used as the cover of the Amazing Spider-man #88 by John Romita Sr. Really this one should have been used for last week's cover instead as this week's seconds half story doesn't see Spider-man fighting Doc Ock's mechanical arms like this. He did do in last week's first half.

Spider-man “The arms of Doctor Octopus!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita Sr.

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #88

Cover date September 1970

(Published in June 1970)

For this week's second part of Spider-man's adventure the third panel from page eleven of last week's issue is enlarged to make the opening splash page. Last week saw Doctor Octopus reunited with his mechanical arms after they break their master out of prison. Now Doc Ock flees the prison to begin his criminal activities anew. His first enterprise is to "Skyjack" a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet and take the passengers hostage.

The luck of an Octopus should be a thing, but it isn't, as the aircraft is bound for New York and carrying General Su, a military leader from a foreign country, let's not say China incase we upset someone, who is going to the UN Building in New York to sign important paperwork. The criminal demands a ransom of 10 million dollars from the US government for safe release of the passengers. Peter Parker has been covering the story for the Bugle, quickly slips away and boards the plane as Spider-man. Doc Ock and Spider-man fight but Spidey manages to free everyone on board the plane. While trying to escape the Doctor manages to activate the plane's engines with one of his arms, sending the plane down the runway out of control, The web-slinger leaps free just before it crashes. Everyone believes that Doctor Octopus died in the crash. Spider-man however isn't convinced and neither am I, the hint for that is next issue's title is "To live again!"

Iron Man “The return of the Titanium Man!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Jack Abel

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #81

Cover date September 1966

(Published in June 1966)

 

Continuing from last issue Tony Stark believes that it's time to turn himself over to the authorities and appear at a US Senate Committee in Washington DC to answer questions, even if it means that he must finally reveal the secrets of the Iron Man armour to the Government for the sake of national security. After repairing and recharging his armour, Stark is escorted to the Airport by the police, however, Stark opts to instead don his Iron Man armour and fly to Washington under his own power. As he travels, Senator Harrington Byrd and his associates and the press eagerly await the millionaire/inventor's arrival.

Meanwhile in the Soviet Union, sorry I mean Bodavia as British Marvel is still using that made up nation to cover any communist country from Russia to China, the governing party learns of Starks call up to congress, so they sends off the revived Titanium Man in order to disrupt the session, simply because they can. After a quick testing session of the Titanium Man's new lighter and more powerful armour, which involves firing a missile at him from close range, they launch him into US airspace inside a rocket which attracts the attention of an US airforce interceptor plane and the armoured Avenger. When the missile is fired on the giant Titanium Man bursts out and instantly attacks his arch-foe in an aerial dogfight that will be "To the death!" next issue!

The Web and the Hammer

P Panayi QNS from London thinks the secret of Spiderman's webbing is polystyrene. He can prove that US mags are coming to England, previously his newsagent sold only DC mags. Now they've got hundreds of Marvels! He buys 15 Marvels in a week, surely he means a month. Kevin McMahon RFO, KOF from Edinburgh tells everyone how he traces the artwork from the weeklies with grease-proof paper. Greg Webstar RFO, KOF from Bedfordshire read in one of his American Marvel mags (the Amazing Spider-man #77,) a letter from Donald F McGregor and instantly recognised he was the future Marvel writer Don McGregor in his younger days. Philip Walsh from Gloucestershire strongly disagrees with the readers who have written in saying that Iron Man is spoiling Thor's place in the mag. He thinks that "Tin head" has been having some of the best stories in Marvel, what with "The Mandarin" and "Titanium Man." SMCW also heard from Dominic Moran from London, Alan Lye from Nottingham, N Powell from Liverpool, Sean Farrell from London, Simon Taylor from Birmingham, K Baines from Kent, Philip Elliott from Essex, Tim Moody from Sussex,  Huw Davies, James Hazell from Bristol, B Gordon from London,  Graham Cairns from Scotland, Steven Houghton from Stevenage, Roland Swift and Kevin Jenks from Hanpshire, Neil Youngman Middlesex, Mark Jones from Merthyr Tydfil and Dave Harding from London.

The Mighty Thor “Thor triumphant”

 

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #153

Cover date June 1968

(Published in April 1968)

The cover of the Mighty Thor #153 makes for a symbolic opening splash page for this week's second part, with the word "triumphant" added to the comic book title to make this week's story title. Thor rushes to Sif's side when he finds her seriously injured. Quickly he sends the attending police officer to get an ambulance, while he transforms back into Doctor Don Blake to give her the important medical attention she needs.

In Asgard, Karnilla expresses her love for Balder and thanks him for his part in defeating Ulik, whom Thor had sent into the Abyss of Darkness. Where in the troll manages to stop himself from falling deeper by grabbing an outcrop of rock. On Earth Blake performs an emergency surgery on Sif. Loki finds out where Sif was taken to and capitalises on the fact that Thor must remain in his Donald Blake form if he is to save Sif's life. When Loki attacks the operating room, Blake quickly manages to create enough of a distraction to allow the other medical staff to escape the operating room and then transforms back into Thor. The Gods battle takes them outside of the hospital. Thor gains the upper hand with his superior strength, however the tide is turned when Loki uses his mystical powers to freeze Thor solid with incredible cold. Watching the battle from Asgard, Odin is very grim due to an impending doom that will threaten all of Asgard. Not wishing to see his sons battle each other he demands that both stop fighting. Which they do when Thor is forced to let Loki escape so that the Thunder God can prepare for the coming battle. Next week we get to see "That which Odin fears!"

Avengers Weekly #83

This Gene Colan cover was originally used on Doctor Strange #182, although  I much prefer the UK weekly's version of this cover, simply due to the colour changes to the background. The green and grey may have looked very eerie but there is something about the pure white sky with a light ground and planet that enhances the main scene and makes the cover so much appealing. It's a perfect cover in so many ways, well nearly perfect. The top headline reads "Plus: More martial arts magic with the Master of Kung Fu!" Which to many would mean that the Master of Kung Fu strip with Shang-Chi would feature inside, but it doesn't, instead we have Iron Fist. Who is a pretty great kung fu expert and certainly has mastered that martial arts, but Master of Kung Fu isn't his tag line. However we do get a little compensation for that headline error inside. Either way the artwork is absolutely magical, it's my Cover of the Week. 

Iron Fist “Death is a Ninja”

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: Arvell Jones

Inker: Aubrey Bradford

Originally published in Marvel Premiere #22

Cover date June 1975

(Published in February 1975)

I have to be honest when I first took a look at this week's opening splash page as part of my research for this blog I had to check that this opening splash page wasn't a fill-in piece of art made just for the British weeklies when they split stories in half, because I didn't think the artwork was good enough for the main strip. Arvell Jones has drawn some covers for British weeklies and he has drawn some Iron Fist stories, while in the future he'll draw the Avengers, but he isn't a top, top Marvel artist and this page looks a little rushed.

The Ninja battles Iron Fist, while the forces of the Cult of Kara-Kai regroup to enter the fight again as the police arrive to break things up. The police want Iron Fist for the murder of Harold Meachum, Colleen Wing tells them that the Ninja was responsible. He confesses that he did kill the business man, not the accused Danny Rand. In fact he revels in it. The sister goddesses Shaya and Ushas use the distraction to escape. Wanting to kill Iron Fist, the Ninja transports them to another realm, where the two battle in a gravity-less mystical plane. "The sinister secret of the Ninja!" will be revealed next week. 

Avengers Unite!

John Russell from Berkshire is overjoyed that the Avengers are getting to star on their own front covers instead of Shang-Chi. He wants to see the rotation of all the strips including Doctor Strange on the front covers. Simon Forester from Leeds congratulates Marvel on 2 things. The first the brilliant artwork, like John Buscema when he draws The Avengers, as he makes his drawings look more lifelike than most of Marvel's other artists. Secondly, congratulations on the two fantastic new mags, "Planet of The Apes" and "Dracula Lives". Neil Sneddon from Merseyside has some suggestions. Chuck out all Kung-Fu rubbish. Bring back the names of letter writers on the letters pages so people can see their names in print. And bring back the short sentences at the top of the pages. If people don't like them, they don't have to read them. Micheal St. Aubyn from Hampshire was browsing through a book he had recently purchased, to his delight he noticed quite a few Marvel super-heroes and villains. The book was called "The Horrific World of Monsters" and featured Annihilus, the Bi Beast, Cyclops, Fantastic Four, Green Goblin, Hulk, Human Torch, Invisible Girl, Lizard, Mysterio, Dr. Octopus, Rhino, Sandman, Spiderman, The Thing and of course Dracula, Werewolf and Frankenstein.

Michael Melsom KOF, RFO, QNS Wiltshire wants to congratulate Marvel on the finest stories epics ever, Doctor Strange story "starting" with Avengers #67. The whole story flows so smoothly as to render impossible the discerning of start from finish. Lislie Cowell from Manchester considers that the Avengers story from Avengers weekly #70 to #71 seemed to jump out of the page and perform its tale in front of him. All thanks to Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Vince Colletta and Sam Rosen. Leslie wants to see the Defenders and the Silver Surfer in the Britain weeklies. Philip Hart from Devon really appreciates the five Marvel mags, he looks forward to reading them in bed of every Saturday morning. Karen and friends from

Luton in Bedfordshire wants to thank Marvel for the new Master of Kung-Fu adventure. Especially for using Sandy as co-star.

Often girls are only used as a prop. She writes that girls read comics too. She and her friends feel they are acting as the part of Sandy, doing things as she would.

This piece of art, signed by the artist along the nunchuck on the right, was drawn by Ron Wilson and appeared in the Marvel/Curtis magazine Deadly Hands of Kung Fu issue 10, cover dated March 1975, published February 1975. Here it is used as a promotion for the return of Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu in two week's time. I really do like it.

The Avengers “Origin of the Vision!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: George Klein

Originally published in The Avengers #57

Cover date October 1968

(Published in August 1968)

This second part splash page is the second panel from the following page (page fourteen,) cut down and then enlarged to form this opening page. Sneakily a title was added which covers next week's Avengers story with a handy "Part 1" added even though this is the second part of "Behold... The Vision!"  The Vision calms down and his memories return to him, informing him that he had been sent to destroy the Avengers by Ultron-5!  

He leads the Avengers back to Ultron's hideout that they couldn't find after their last encounter with the manic robot as seen in Avengers weekly #75. To the Avengers it could have at first seemed like they have been lead into a trap. Goliath is separated from the group and must face a giant android, while Black Panther, Hawkeye and the Wasp with the Vision are trapped in a room with the walls closing in like the scene in the DeathStar waste compactor from Star Wars, A New Hope film. The Vision phases through the wall. But he has not abandoned the Avengers, instead he confronts Ultron. Learning what the manic robots weakness is the android tricks him to destroying himself, saving the Avengers. 

The Avengers believe that the threat is ended as they couldn't find Ultron's head. A boy find the discarded head and plays football with it. As an epilogue, Roy Thomas quotes the poem "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Percy was married to Mary Shelley, who was famous for the Gothic novel "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus". "Ozymandias" is an alternate name of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, tells of a crumbling statue of Ozymandias as a way that portrays the shortness of political power but also praises how art has the ability to preserve the past.

"I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

So many levels to its meaning and how Roy Thomas views both Ultron-5 and the Vision. Roy Thomas wrote in the Marvel Masterworks The Avengers Volume 6 article "Shed a tear", that it occurred to him that the Shelley sonnet would perfectly underscore the epilogue, so he hand wrote the lines of the poem in upper and lower case above the panels exactly how he wanted the letterer, Sam Rosen to present it.

 

Another full page pin-up that teases the return of the Master of Kung Fu starring Shang-Chi. I'm not sure were it was first shown, it could well have been in the pages of the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, but as this week's blog is a little behind it's deadline I haven't got the time to find out, so I can't be sure. If you know let me know where it originally appeared and if possible who drew it. 

Doctor Strange “And Juggernaut makes three!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Doctor Strange #182

Cover date September 1969

(Published in June 1969)

Wong and Clea helplessly watch Doctor Strange trapped by his own Eye of Agamotto. Seemly powerless to stop Nightmare as who plans to combine Earth with both its past and its future, however the demon is interrupted by the arrival of the Juggernaut. Juggernaut has yet to make his first Marvel chronological appearance which will be in a future X-Men story that will appear in The Titans #20, week ending the 6th of March 1976.  

The Juggernaut had been exiled to the Crimson Cosmos, as seen in events yet to be told in The Titans #21, week ending 13th March 1976. Although he would briefly escape the Crimson Cosmos once more before his appearance here, that can be seen in issue 46 of The X-Men (US edition,) cover dated July 1968, published May 1968. That story to my knowledge hasn't been published in any British Marvel or Marvel UK  comics. At this point Doctor Strange had arranged that Juggernaut, who has come seeking a passageway back to Earth, could find a way to return, all be it through the body of Doctor Strange, that still remains on Earth behind a psychic shell. Doctor Strange intends to use the Juggernaut to battle against Nightmare. Suddenly Doctor Strange's astral form cowers in pain. Nightmare had anticipated Strange's part in bringing the Juggernaut and attacked the Master of the Mystic Arts. On Earth Clea watches on in tears. Next week someone will need "to flight the Juggernaut!" but will it be sorcerer or demon? Find out in seven days.  

The yellow background version of this in-house offer for the Origins of Marvel Comis by Stan Lee had appeared on the back covers of this week's Mighty World of Marvel and Spider-man Comics Weekly. This blue background version appeared on the back of this week's Avengers weekly, Planet of the Apes and the Super-Heroes. Dracula Lives featured the yellow with a blue border in-house advert for the Marvel Treasury Edition issue three, featuring the Mighty Thor, as seen on some of last week's back pages. You might ask "What about the Savage Sword of Conan's back page advert?" Well, wait and see.

Dracula Lives #26

I can't find out who drew this British Marvel cover. It looks very rushed, as if they needed a cover very quickly. The Grand Comics Database though does list Mike Esposito as the inker of this cover. 

Dracula “Voodoo Queen of New Orleans!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Dick Giordano

Originally published in Dracula Lives (US) #2

Cover date August 1973

(Published in April 1973)

This is another story from the Marvel/Curtis magazine that doesn't follow or connect with the previous tales that have been taken from the Tomb of Dracula comic, however it does follow on from last weeks Dracula strip as the readers will find out. In New Orleans, a tour group is taken to an old cemetery where the bones of a famous Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau are believed to rest. As dusk falls a young couple decides to stay on for a moment of passion. You're under no illusion on what they intend to do, which is very risky for a mid 70's British boys comic, but this slips by any editor's blue pencil. Dracula awakens from his daily sleep to kill the man and feed on his lover. 

Dracula feels a strong mystical pull as he walks through the Mardi Gras revellers, one of them looks like Simon Garth, the Zombie, or it could actually be the genuine Zombie. Soon Dracula finds the source of the force that pulled him to the home of the elderly and withered Marie Laveau, who is very much alive. It is a trap set by Laveau and her would be lover, Gaston. The Voodoo Witch had hoped to use Dracula's blood in a spell to reverse Marie's age. While Marie is restored to her youthful vigour, Gaston realises that he had been betrayed. Instead of becoming immortal the spell ment that he would only exchanged ages with Marie as he withered away into old age and died. Amused by Marie Laveau's brutality, Dracula bids her farewell declining her offer of a union with her, as he has his own ends to follow.

Cryptic Correspondance

Jayson Lowery from Northumberland Doesn't like the horrible shading on the Frankenstein artwork, although he thinks it's fine on Gene Colan's Dracula art because it suits the story as most of it is at night. Dracula writes in to his own comic,  (possibly,) he says that he is pleased that a British version Dracula Lives has joined the American Tomb of Dracula comic, Vampire Tales and of course Dracula Lives magazines. Liam Ward RFO, KOF, QNS thinks that Dracula Lives is Marvel's best all-round comic, but he doesn't like the amount of space reserved for things like the 'Interview with Rod Sterling' and the history of the character who plays Urko, in Planet of the Apes. He adds "as if anyone cares!" Mark Emmett from Essex gives some constructive criticism for Dracula Lives #12, in Dracula, a good story but the ending was hurried. Werewolf by Night was a bit below average and Frankenstein's Monster, he likes the art but the lettering was poor. Neil Marshall from Carlisle thinks that Dracula Lives is going to be great with Mike Ploog doing a fine job with the artwork on Werewolf by Night and Frankenstein's Monster. Adrian Webb, from Coventry, Simon Redford from Cheshire, Ken Moore from Belfast, Raymond Davies from Yorkshire, Heather McCabe from Merseyside, David J. Searle from Berkshire, David Titlow from Suffolk, D M Richards from Essex and David Summers from  County Durham all wrote in to Dracula Lives.

Dracula “Demons in darkness”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Pablo Marcus

Inker: Pablo Marcus

Originally published in Dracula Lives (US) #5

Cover date March 1974

(Published in December 1973)

This text story originally appeared in the Marvel/Curtis magazine Dracula Lives issue 5, which would have been more suited to that adult style magazine. I'm not sure how young British readers would take to a text story, would they be aggrieved to find it instead of a comic strip? Then again text stories were quite common in UK annuals. We'll have to keep reading the letter pages to find out. In this tale a tall dark stranger arrives at a small guest house in a small town in middle America. Mason, the young helper at the hotel is curious about "Mr Drake" and discovers some very scary things about their new guest and his interest in the abandoned the old Jennings Mill. It's actually a nice change to read a text story and the double page opening artwork by Pablo Marcus is really cool.

Monsters of the Movies

No. 7 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Writer: Denis Gillford

Denis takes another look at a classic cinematic monster, this time it's Henry Jekyll MD and his monstrous alter-ego Edward Hyde. Originally written by Scotsman, Robert Louis Stevenson, better known for the family friendly Treasure Island. It was an immediate best-seller and in a year or two was turned into a play. So it was only natural that when cinema came along it would be an ideal choice. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, made in 1908 was the earliest American horror film. In 1920 John Barrymore, the great stage actor, filmed his version. The story goes that he made the change from Jekyll to Hyde without the use of makeup! In 1931 the first talkie version was made, and Fredric March won the Academy Award for his double act as doctor and monster. Of course in 1970 Christopher Lee played the two halves in I Monster. Denis looks at the (or more likely doesn't look at,) the Invisible Man next week.

Werewolf by Night “Kragg! The lurker from beyond!”

Writer: Len Wein

Artist: Werner Roth

Inker: Paul Reinman

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #8

Cover date August 1973

(Published in May 1973)

This week's second part opening splash page does give some of the plot away as it was originally the cover artwork for Werewolf by Night issue 8, by Mike Ploog. It was in fact the last Werewolf by Night cover that Ploog would draw for the comic. The title of this story actually appears on the original cover. Jack Russell is spending the period of the full moon away from his sister Lissa and his friend Buck in the wilderness where he discovers a cave with a secret chamber hidden behind a sealed door.

 Unfortunately, a demon called Krogg was trapped inside and set loose by Jack's breaking of the seal. As the night's full moon rises into the sky, Jack is transformed once again into the Werewolf. The demon Krogg appears before the Werewolf and attempts to steal his life energy to feed himself, but his prey turns out to be more than he bargained for. After a drawn out battle through the forest, that sees the deaths of two hunters. Following the Werewolf back to the cave were Jack discovered the legend of Krogg their battle continues as the Werewolf knocks the demon on to his back so that his fire breath hits the cave roof, causing a cave in, which traps Krogg in the cave. The Werewolf strides away into the forest as a rabbit crawls out from the rubble to scurry off into the night, making a quiet snuffing sound that has a hint of demonic laughter.

Planet of the Apes #26

This cover looks like it was rushed too. The Apeslayer doesn't fire a gun in this week's strip, but it certainly captures the imagination of young readers. It's still a generic cover from Ron Wilson with inks by Mike Esposito. 

Planet of the Apes “Death in the Ape-pit”

Writer: Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas (plot)

Artist: Howard Chaykin

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Amazing Adventures #19

Cover date July 1973

(Published in April 1973)

This week's second part opening splash page used the 15th page of Amazing Adventures issue 19, which conveniently happened to be a splash page. An art bodger adds an ape face where there was once a Martian monster and a new story title. The novelty of this War of the World and Planet of the Apes mash-up is becoming a little awkward to read. As an entertaining piece of storytelling I tend to find myself looking for the adaptions and skirting over any actual plot or story.

 Here's what the actual page originally would have looked like. Like I said last week a lot of this story still had easily recognisable "War of the World" undertones. The text has also been slightly adjusted, with some speech balloons moved upwards to make room for the new story title"Death in the Ape-pit!" and the text that reads "the rebels" has mysteriously been changed for "The Generals" which I feel was an error as the use of "the rebels" in both versions worked perfectly well.

 

The Apeslayer has been captured and forced to fight one of the ape gladiators in the arena, while the Ape Overloads watch on. The slayer breaks free and defeats his opponent and escaped to join up with Mala and the other Freemen to declare that the apes began, "but man will end the War of the Apes!" In the original Killraven tale he faced a mutant while the Martian Overlords watched on. Killraven preferred to wear a mankini and stripper boots. Well it takes all sorts. 

Apes Forum 

David Sharrock from Lancashire writes that POTA is a great success as he enjoyed the Gullivar Jones story from POTA #2. Derek Morris from the West Midlands offers congratulations on POTA but has a complaint, In POTA #15 on page 6 on the last picture there's a scene of a war museum and a German Mauser. On the same panel Marvel should have shown a Nazi swastika, but instead it is a Buddhist cross. Peter Hession from Berkshire has seen two of the POTA films and thinks the masks they use are brilliant. A Devoted follower of Galen from Leicester is possibly the first human female to have fallen in love with Galen. She goes on to rave about the ape. Leonard Dean-King from Grimsby thinks that POTA is really great, especially the pin-ups. James N from Warwickshire is a great fan of the Planet of The Apes TV series, so when he heard it was coming to a close he was very upset. He asks are they going to make a second series? Sadly for he and many others they didn't. 

Natalie Trundy:
Monkey business on the Planet of the Apes

This article originally appeared in the Marvel/Curtis Magazine Planet of the Apes (US version,) issue 7 and looks at the life of the actress Natalie Trundy, who appeared in four of the five Planet of the Apes films. In the early 1970s, Trundy played the telepathic mutant Albina in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, then in the 1971 film, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, she played the human Dr. Stephanie Branton. Later she featured as the chimpanzee Lisa, who was the mate of Caesar, in both Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). Natalie was married to her second husband, Arthur P. Jacobs, from 1968 until he died in 1973. Jacobs was the producer of all five Planet of the Apes films. You can find more about her in this article.

“A gun for Dinosaur!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Val Mayerik

Inker: Ernie Chan

Originally published in Worlds Unknown #2

Cover date July 1973

(Published in April 1973)

Roy Thomas adapted L. Sprague de Camp's story of the same name. De Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, whose original story first saw publication in the March edition of the magazine Galaxy Science Fiction from 1956. Later it became part of the anthology "The World That Couldn't Be". It feels like a Future Shock story that I used to love reading in 2000AD or more similar to the plot of the 1977 2000AD series "Flesh" which was originally created by the Legend that is Pat Mills with artwork by Joan Boix and also ran from 1977. 

Val Mayerik with Ernie Chan, do an incredible job on the artwork as you would expect. The story starts with Mister Rivers, who runs the Rivers and Aiyar Time-Safari, telling a customer, Mister Seligman, that he won't take anyone hunting in the late Mesozoic period as it is far too dangerous. Seligman won't take no for an answer so Rivers retells how one expedition went deadly wrong when Courtney James, a stupidly rich playboy, who wanted to go dinosaur hunting. Rivers, his business partner Aiyar, James and  another "would-be-game-hunter," August Holtzinger, who you wouldn't call an action-junkie, all travel back in time to go dinosaur hunting on a time traveling safari in the Mesozoic period. It ends in disaster when James's actions endanger the other members of the expedition, Holtzinger is killed and James is seriously injured. James loses it and pulls a gun on Rivers but Aiyar shoots the gun out of James's hand. Later James bribes the designer of the time machine to send him back to the Mesozoic period, mere minutes before they had originally materialised so that he could kill both Rivers and Aiyar, but the instant he started to visibly change the world of 85,000,000 BC he was automatically snapped back to the present to prevent a time paradox, ripping his body to pieces. Mister Seligman changes his mind and gives the Time-Safari a miss.

The Super-heroes #7

Now this is a really good cover from Keith Pollard, one of the best he's ever done for British Marvel comics. It certainly good enough to have featured on an American cover. I don't like saying that, it makes it sound like it was standard practice to have poorer covers for British comic. Sadly it was quite common that they did. Things got better when British artists were commissioned to do some of them. But lets concentrate on this cover, I love Asgard in the background, I love the crackle of energy surrounding Loki and the Surfer and I love the rage and pain in Loki's and the Surfer's faces. It's really quite good.

Silver Surfer “The Good, the Bad and the Uncanny!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Sal Buscema

Originally published in Silver Surfer #4

Cover date February 1969

(Published in November 1968)

It's a great title this week and a fantastic, moody opening splash page from John Buscema that sees the brooding Loki, God of Mischief planning the demise of his half brother, Thor. In searching for a champion to do his dirty work he dismisses the Hulk, whose strength is boundless but the brute lacks any skills. The Thing due to him being a mere mortal and Hercules, the son of Zeus due to the potential wrath of the assembled Olympus if things go wrong. Finally Loki spies an object hurtling through the sky, the Silver Surfer!

Looking through the Surfer's past Loki comes to the conclusion that he would be the ideal choice to defeat the Thunder God if he can convince him to battle his hated brother. Rushing to put his plans into effect Loki pushes past the Warriors Three and taking an opportunity to brag and maybe set the seeds to his next plan, he warns them that he has found a way to vanquish the mighty Thor. The Warriors report to Thor who angered sets of to make preparations for a war with Loki. Meanwhile the Silver Surfer has found friends in the jungles of Earth. The beasts sit in peace as they have food plentiful and no longer hunger. Unlike humans there is no violence in their hearts, no hint of avarice, no smouldering hate. All is peaceful until the arrival of Loki who attacks the Surfer to test his powers.

At first the Surfer doesn't wish to fight, preferring to turn the other cheek, like a cosmic Jesus. But Loki's continuous attacks and threats to innocent people mean that the Surfer must retaliate. Gripped in an exchange of power as they wrestle with Asgardian magic and cosmic might the two are matched, the Surfer will not yield but the Asgardian admits defeat and ends the struggle. Loki tells the Surfer that he had to test him to see if he was powerful enough to oppose the mighty Thor who is as they speak amassing an army to threaten the throne of Asgard. To sweeten his lie Loki offers him a chance to return to Zenn Lar and finally be with his beloved Shalla-Bal. Fallen for the God of Mischief's lies the Surfer and Loki travel along the Rainbow Bridge to the Golden Realm Eternal, where next week we'll witness the "Battleground: Asgard." 

The X-Men “The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Paul Reinman

Originally published in The X-Men #4

Cover date March 1964

(Published in January 1964)

This week's mutant adventure starts with the X-Men in the middle of their latest training session, with each member going through a different set of tests. Marvel Girl is given the task of lifting a lid from a box, which seems too easy for her telekinetic powers, but once it is opened, she finds  the contents of the box to be a celebratory cake, marking one year since classes first started at the school. The young mutants tuck into the cake with happy delight. 

Elsewhere another group of mutants eat a meal, but this bunch aren't as happy of carefree as the X-Men. We are introduced to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants whose members are the Toad, Mastermind, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Obviously this tale takes place well before the mutants siblings Pietro and Wanda join the Avengers in Avengers weekly #13. It does feel a little strange that they could be villains in one weekly and heroes in another. Luckily for new readers they didn't appear as current member of the Avengers. The Brotherhood's leader, Magneto has stolen an old ex-convoy freighter that he intends to use to invade the small country of Santo Marco, to turn it into a nation where mutants rule. Professor X confronts Magneto on the astral plane to dispute their different views on mutant and human relations. But Magneto is set in his ways. Later using an army, but in reality an illusion conjured by Mastermind, the nation of Santo Marco falls. The Scarlet Witch questions Magneto's need to planet fear in the hearts of Santo Marco's people but the master of magnetism is convinced that mutants should rule through fear. Professor X travels the X-Men to the repressed country in preparation of a "War between the mutants!" in next week's issue. 

The inside back page of this week's Super-Heroes sees an in-house advert for three more triumphs from Marvel. It simply uses the covers from Spider-man comics Weekly, the Mighty World of Marvel and the Avengers weekly to show the readers what "Action..in the mighty Marvel tradition!" is "now on sale!"

 It's worth noting that the bottom left panel featuring Iron Man had in the past teased readers that FOOM subscriptions were available. This week's version sees him warning the readers who had ordered the FOOM magazine, that due to a dock strike the FOOM kits would be delayed a further two weeks later than originally advertised. That sort of thing was quite common at that time. How long did you have to wait for your FOOM kit?  

Savage Sword of Conan #7

This cover, originally used on Conan the Barbarian issue 7, is by Barry Windsor-Smith. There isn't much difference between the UK version and the US version, apart from the original version has more of an orange background.

Conan the Barbarian “The Lurker within”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith

Inker: Dan Adkins and Sal Buscema

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #7

Cover date July 1971

(Published in April 1971)

"The Lurker Within!" was freely adapted by Roy Thomas from the Robert E. Howard story "The God in the Bowl", which was first published in the September 1952 edition of Space Science Fiction. Howard wrote a letter to his friend H.P. Lovecraft, circa April 1932, describing how Farnsworth Wright the editor of the Weird Tales magazine had rejected three stories, which many Howard historians believe could have included  “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” and “The God in the Bowl”. Thankfully his persistence worked and fans like Roy Thomas got to read them, which set in motion the creation of this strip. 

Travelling along the road of kings to Zamoras Conan discovers a woman who is being attacked by a pack of wolves. He chases the animals off and after a frosty start with the spoiled noble woman, Lady Aztrias, he agrees to drive her chariot in order to safely pass through Numalia's city gates. After a brief run-in with the owner of the Hall of Relics, Kallian, and the guardsman Dionus, Aztrias reveals that heavy gambling debts have felt her in dire need of money. She asks Conan to break into the Hall of Relics so that he can steal a treasure recently brought to the city by Stygians for Karanthes, priest of Ibis. Conan is intrigued and that night sneaks into the museum only to find Kallian dead and the golden bowl, which contained the treasure, empty.

Conan is discovered by Arus, a watchman at the House of Relics, who quickly summons the guard. Demetrio, Dionus and Aztrias arrive and she wastes no time in blaming Conan for the mess. A scream interrupts everything. It came from an adjoining room the dying Arus stumbles out. Rushing into the locked room the men find the room a shambles. A golden mask on the wall with snakes for hair entices Aztrias to approach it, but in reality the mask is the  gruesome face of a giant serpent who bursts from the wall killing Demetrio and Aztrias. Conan fights the beast, realising that the Stygians had discovered this "god in the bowl" and sent it to destroy the priest of Ibis, a plan ruined when Kallian peeked inside the bowl, releasing the creature to early. Conan finally bludgeons the monster to death. Stealing a look inside the bowl Conan witness the frightening visage of Thoth-Amon staring back at him. The full horror of it all rushes over Conan. He flees in Lady Aztrias's stolen chariot until the shimmering spires of thrice-cursed Numalia fades into the coming dawn behind him. So ends another classic Conan tale as told by the great duo of Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith.

Ka-Zar “Maa-Gor the Man-Ape”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gil Kane

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Astonishing Tales #11

Cover date April 1972

(Published in January 1972)

This second part opening splash page is an enlarged third panel from last week's thirty-fourth page, with a new title added. This story that looks at Ka-Zar's origin focuses on Maa-Gor's rise through the Man-ape tribe. Maa-Gor suffered with the loss of an eye after a Zubu's raking talons had gouged it out when the sabre-toothed tiger had defended the young Ka-Zar after the Man-ape had murdered the boy's father. Gil Kane's artwork suits this story, especially the physical fight scenes between Ka-Zar and Maa-Gor.

Many years later Maa-Gor leads his tribe to Ka-Zar and Zabu to fulfil his desire for revenge. Trapped on a high cliff, surrounded by the attacking Man-apes and with Zabu injured by a spear, Ka-Zar pushes a giant bolder to release a landslide that crushes all of the Man-ape tribe, save for Maa-Gor. With the odds evened Ka-Zar battles the half blind brute, defeating him in single combat, repaying the loss of Zabu's murdered family and the murder of Ka-Zar's father. The jungle lords beats Maa-Gor within an inch of his life but allows him to survive so that he can experience how it feels to be alone like Ka-Zar and Zabu, leaving Maa-Gor the last of the Man-ape tribe. With the dream gone, the memory of that day remains as the next day Ka-Zar leads Bobbi Morse and Paul Allen out of the Savage Land. Next week Kull returns in "The Forbidden Swamp."

The back page of the Savage Sword of Conan features "The great Badge N' Patch offer!" To celebrate the launching of the Super-Heroes and Savage Sword of Conan comics British Marvel offers readers a chance to buy a metal badge with a three and a half inch sew-on patch featuring either the Silver Surfer or Conan for the price of seventy pence per set, or the special offer of both sets for one pound and thirty pence. The artist behind the Conan badge n' patch looks like John Buscema to me. As for the Silver Surfer that too could be John Buscema. Let me know if you think different and why, I would love to place the original artwork. Personally even though I love the Silver Surfer I would choose the Conan set. I hope you've found more good in this week's blog than bad and that it's been an uncanny read. So till next week...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.