Here comes the Doomsday man!

 Week Ending 6th September 1975

I was worried that last week's controversial sounding title might have kicked up a wasp nest. I'm glad to be reassured that all the readers of these blogs who took it as its intended meaning. But also allowed it to open an intellectual conversation, as evident in the comments, on offence was taken as no offence was intended. Please keep all the comments coming. This week's title also has connections to three, may be four strips in this week's collection of super six mags, so let's get stuck into all this week's stuff and nonsense.

The Mighty World of Marvel #153

Herb Trimpe originally drew this cover for the Incredible Hulk (US edition,) issue 157.

The Incredible Hulk “Rhino, Rhino, who's got the Rhino?”

Writer: Archie Goodwin

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: John Severin

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #157

Cover date November 1972

(Published in August 1972)

Last week's cover artwork from Dave Hunt with inks from Frank Giacoia is repurposed as this week's symbolic opening splash page, with a pretty poor new story title, (even by my low standards,) and a credit box added but no catch-up box. Jim Wilson spots the Hulk rampaging on the highway, but manages to calm him down enough so that he reverts back into Bruce Banner. Jim breaks the news about Betty and Glenn's upcoming wedding. Bruce blames the Hulk for messing up his opportunities with Betty, but accepts the situation with a sense of loss.

Suddenly Bruce and Jim are interrupted by the Leader-controlled Rhino, who taunts Bruce and tells him that he intends on crashing Betty and Glenn's wedding. Bruce resists the urge to change into the Hulk not wanting to ruin the wedding by showing up as the Hulk, but the last straw is when Jim attempts to stop the Rhino who swats him aside. This sets off Banners transformation into the Hulk. The green goliath clashes with the Rhino, but the Leader's superior mind controlling the Rhino's body grants him the upper hand. Smashing the Hulk aside, the Leader-controlled Rhino boards his ship with the intent of crashing Betty and Glenn's wedding. The Hulk leaps after him, grabbing hold of the Leader's ship. With no other choice Jim calls General Ross at Project Greenskin to warn him of the Hulk's approach. The news greatly upsets Ross, but he hides the truth when Betty comes to express her excitement of the coming wedding. Will it be "Wedding or wake?" Find out next week.

Daredevil “..The final Jest!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: George Klien  

Originally published in Daredevil #46

Cover date November 1968

(Published in September 1968)

After being captured, by the police, who used a sedative to knock him out Daredevil is taken to the State Prison infirmary where he awakes, just as a crook is about to unmask him. Daredevil easily overpowers the crook. Then using a doctor's coat to cover his costume he sneaks out as Matt Murdock to return to the officers of Nelson and Murdock law firm.

Now it all might sound a little too far fetched how easy his escape was but Stan Lee and Gene Colan handle it really well, making it quite readable in a first half story that could have been very uninteresting. Daredevil then has to ditch his stolen outfit to prevent anyone from tracking him. He then buys some clothes from a down-and-out drunk. You kind of hope that Murdock goes back and compensates the fellow, a set of clothes in exchange for a stolen coat. When Matt gets to his office he tells Foggy and Deborah that he was mugged and then took everything including his clothes. Fans of Daredevil action will have to wait till next week for that.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Stephen Vitoria from Hertfordshire would like to know who are all the super-villains since Marvel comics started? That's an impossible list for the editor's to compile for a letter page. Dirk Charlton RFO, KOF, from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is sick that the Hulk and the Thing don't have hordes of fans like other super-heroes have. James Page from Glasgow noticed in a recent episode of Coronation Street that Ken Barlow's son was reading MWOM and next to him on the couch was a copy of POTA. John Stirrat from Sydney in Australia has been a fan of American Marvel comics over the last two years, but has also become a big fan of the British Marvels for over a year, he thinks that they're "MARVELous." Michael Sale RFO, KOF, from Lancashire considers that the Thing does all the fighting in the Fantastic Four, if Reed Richards changed him permanently back into Ben Grimm they would be lost. Glenn Daken from Cambridgeshire has thought of a great way to stop people from sending in too many "I've spotted a mistake" letters, the editor should put one or two deliberate mistakes in every issue, but don't really put them in, so if anyone finds an error they'll put it down to the fact that it's one of the deliberate ones! Mark Bryant from Berkshire wonders has everyone thought how much of a "carrier" book the Fantastic Four have been? Just think, without Stan and Jack's Fantastic Four we might never have seen the likes of Doctor Doom, the Negative Zone, the Silver Surfer.

Galactus, the Inhumans, Adam Warlock and the Black Panther, to name a few of the greater creations.

The Fantastic Four “A Thing of beauty”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #70

Cover date December 1967

(Published in September 1967)

The Jack Kirby/Joe Sinnott cover from the Fantastic Four issue 70 is repurposed for this week's second part opening splash page, with a new story title, that is so much better then the one used for this week's Hulk second part. The Mad Thinker, while disguised as Doctor Santini has tampered with Reed Richards latest attempt to cure the Thing. Instead of it changing his body back into a human, it turned Ben's mind in an ego that is fuelled with hate and anger. While Reed and Johnny seek to calm Ben down the Thinker plunderers Richard's labs that are filled with scientific wonders.

The Mad Thinker stumbles into one of Reed's most dangerous discoveries, a room that contains the portal to the Negative Zone. While the Fantastic Four and the National Guard try to stop Ben's rampage across the city, the real Doctor Santini awakens to find that he's being watched by a powerful Android. At the Baxter Building the Thinker calculates that Reed Richards has figure out soon who was impersonating Doctor Santini and rushes back to his hideout to cover his tracks while he can. With a lull in fighting the Thing, Mister Fantastic realises that the series of incidents could only have been orchestrated by the Mad Thinker and asks the police to sweep the city to try and find the Thinker's hideout. While elsewhere in the city, the rampaging Thing manages to sneak past the authorities by stealing a coat and hat, there seems to be a lot of that around in this week's MWOM. His twisted mind blames Reed for turning everyone against him and is dead set on finishing the Fantastic Four off once and for all.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #134

Here's another cover that was originally from the American monthly, the Amazing Spider-man issue 98, this time drawn by Gil Kane with inks by Frank Giacoia. It's a good cover but the one slight gripe I have about it is that Kane has missed out the spider emblem from Spidey's back.

Spider-man “The Goblin's power!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Gil Kane

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #98

Cover date July 1971

(Published in April 1971)

As opening second part splash pages go this is the most miss placed, poorly chosen one ever. I think the UK editor must have gone on holiday and left the office cleaner in charge with the most basic of instructions. The story title is fine, but what Goblin power in this episode makes it anymore different than others? The credit box is correct but the catch-up box text reads like it had been written by a 1970's version of a chatbot AI. In what way do these words make sense? "Ol' Peter Parker and Gwendy have been having a grand old time..but now we're ready for some slam-bang, spider-style super-action!" Peter and Gwen have been separated by the Atlantic Ocean and only reunite on the final page of this story, so how can they have been having a "grand time"? The final nail in the coffin is the art choice. It uses the cover artwork from the Amazing Spider-man (US edition,) #99 by Gil Kane (pencils,) and Frank Giacoia (inks,) that will also be used as next week's cover. Was this page meant to be the week after next's second part opener? If so the title is just plain wrong. Keep reading the blog and find out if it does make a return.

After last week's grim and gritty social problems that Harry and indirectly Peter faced, it was time for the web-slinger to deal with the super (-villain) problem of Harry's father still being on the loose as the insane Green Goblin. He doesn't have to look far before the Goblin finds him and the two of them duel. The villain uses a new pumpkin bomb that releases a smoke that soaks into the wall-crawler's costume and temporarily removes his ability to stick to walls. When added to the problem that Spidey has forgotten to refill his web-shooters things start to look bad. However, he manages to perch himself on the Goblin's shoulders and with some manipulation he forces him to fly to the hospital where Harry Osborn is recovering from a drug overdose and coerce him into looking at his son. Realising the severity of his son's condition causes the Green Goblin to return to his Norman Osborn identity and faints. Spidey then takes him home, strips off his costume and destroys it, hoping that this is the end of the Goblin's scourge.

I was never sure about the Norman Osborn/Green Goblin's fits of amnesia, it always felt too much like an easy plot devise, even if it could be simply explained away with the goblin formula or even the actions of an unhinged mind or even the combination of the two. But I've had to suspend my disbelief and I've made my peace with it. It solves Peter problem when the only other plausible solution would have been Osborn's death, and Stan didn't want to go there, at least not yet. It's nice every now and then to give Peter a happy ending in his messed up world and this week he get's one when Peter returns home he is greeted by Gwen who rushes into his arms as the couple kiss like lovers do. I love a happy ending!

The Web and the Hammer

Craig Tompins from Sheffield doesn't think that George Stacy should have died as he likes him too much. What he likes about Marvel is that story plots are always brilliant and the heroes private lifes are always very interesting. Roger Pachebat from London says that Jack Kirby's artwork on the Mangog story in Thor, from SMCW #120 was brilliant. He used to only get SMCW, now he's ordered The Avengers and The Super-Heroes. Adrian Webb from Coventry thinks that when British Marvel catches up with American Marvel a new group of artists and writers could create new stories especially for British Marvel mags. The editor answers that it would be a "revolutionary set of

notions!" but they concede that it's possible that something like he suggests may come about. Who knows what will happen, Dez it's over to you in four years time.  

Philip Russell KOF, RFO, QNS, TTB, PMM and FOOMer from County Antrim consider 1975 to have been a notable year, in which Planet of The Apes and Dracula Lives hit the stands. SMCW reached issue 100 and the Savage Sword of Conan and Super-Heroes came into existence. But above all those achievements looms one greater accomplishment-something he has been hoping for, the revitalisation of Spider-man between issues 112 and 122, with the sight of Doc Ock's arms running amok in New York, the demolition of a 747 jet-liner, Captain Stacy deducing Spider-man's secret identity before he loses his life, then the rise and fall of Sam Bullit! An amazing list! Adrian Land from East Kilbride wants to know if the giant-sized Spider-man puzzle as advertised in FOOM are available in the UK? Sadly for Adrian they are not. Trevor Swistchew from Edinburgh writes to say thanks for putting a decent magazine on sale for the kids.

This page was credited as a Marvel Masterwork, it's the first of a new series of collectors specials featuring examples of Marvel art. The first introduces a splash page of art by the superb Herb Trimpe originally taken from the Incredible Hulk (US edition,) #123, but British reader of the Mighty World of Marvel would recall seeing it on page nine of the hulk story titled "No more the monster" from MWOM issue 80. The editor requests readers to let them know what their favourite are so that they can publish their choices. 

Iron Man “Whip of death”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #97

Cover date January 1968

(Published in October 1967)

 

The second part features a new splash page by an unknown artist, previewing Iron Man's first encounter with the Maggia hitman Whiplash. Morgan Stark is taken before the leader of the crime family Maggia to repay his gambling debts or face the cartel's new enforcer. In order to square his debts Morgan offers to bring them Iron Man, sweetening the deal and improving the chance of success by revealing that he's the only surviving relative of Tony Stark. They agree to give him a chance, but inform him that if he fails he will have to face Whiplash.

Traveling to Stark Industries, Morgan manages to convince the security guards that as a relation to Stark he can help Iron Man whose armour has been left frozen stolid after defeating the Grey Gargoyle last week. He makes off with Iron Man's body with a half-baked story about Stark being away on an important weapon test and he is to take Iron Man  to him. Conscious, Iron Man soon becomes aware of Morgan's plot to betray him when Morgan is boasting out loud that he doesn't feel guilty as he's not harming Iron Man just turning him over to the Big M, while driving back to the docks. As Morgan's attention is on the driving, he fails to notice that Iron Man plugs in a lead to the back seat cigarette lighter adapter to recharge his armour. Allowing himself to be brought before the Big M, Iron Man springs up and makes short work of the Big M's goons, but the crime boss seals the golden Avenger in a room so that the Big M can send for Whiplash. As Iron Man tries to get out, Whiplash enters to confront the armoured hero. Next week, "The warrior and the whip!"

The Mighty Thor “The demons strike!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #163

Cover date April 1969

(Published in February 1968)

Page ten of the original American comic is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page, with a new story title and credits text box added. Thor finally discovers Sif who is held captive by the Mutate's leader, who challenges the Thunder God as he boasts that none can match his power. However Thor's might is more than he bargained for and the creature flees with a warning that it knows someone just as powerful as Thor. Thor frees Sif and the two begin to explore the strange world.

It soon becomes apparent that this world has been ravaged by a cataclysmic war. Searching the ruins they find a museum and are horrified to learn that they have travelled to a future Earth has been decimated by nuclear war, and that the resulting radiation fall out has mutated humankind into the horrible Mutates that Thor fought earlier. They also discover that the Atomic Research Center has been transported to this apocalyptic future as well, Thor and Sif head to investigate it. They find a man in dark glasses and a heavy coat waiting for them. He tells them that they have blundered into his time tunnel as he had planned them to and it was his scheme that lead to Sif's capture. A scheme that laid a trap for the Thunder God.  Thor quickly realises that the man with the cold and merciless voice was no stranger to him, he was Pluto, Lord of the Netherworld.

Thor and Sif attempt to attack the Grecian God of Death, however he stops the two dead in their tracks with a mystic bolt. Pluto explains that he has been scheming to get revenge against Thor, once he found a future in which he could seek out allies in the form of the Mutates. Pluto had appeared in modern day New York and transported the Atomic Research Center into this dystopian future, taking advantage of the scientific devices inside. With his plot revealed, Pluto lets Thor and Sif free from his spell, and Thor naturally resumes his attack but he and Sif are then ambushed by an army of heavily armed Mutates who succeed in knocking the two Gods unconscious. While Pluto gloats over his victory, a metal holding casket begins to open deep inside the Atomic Research Center. Its contents revealed a very familiar looking cocoon. Find out where you recognise it from in next week's "the Final War!"

Avengers Weekly #104

This cover was commissioned especially for the Avengers weekly, it features the Avengers joined by Captain America, being pulled through time towards a future world with the giant face of Kang plastered on top of it. But it doesn't connect with this issues current Avengers story. However it does with the following week's story. Was this a case of printing the wrong cover at the wrong time? Yeah probably, anyway the artwork was pencilled by Dave Hunt with inks applied by Mike Esposito.

Conan the Barbarian “The song of Red Sonja”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith

Inker: Barry Windsor-Smith

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #24

Cover date March 1973

(Published in December 1972)

"The song of Red Sonja" is probably my first "go to" Marvel Conan tale, or possibly my second just behind "Red Nails". Barry Windsor-Smith has reached the peak of his artistic powers with this tale, every line and every sweep of the brush are perfect in every panel. Roy Thomas may write more classics about the Cimmerian, but this one reads like poetry. Red Sonja entertains a tavern full of soldiers in Makkalet with a dance, which quickly leads to a typical bar brawl, which Conan deals with in his typical way. Punch first talk later.

The only two killjoys with this British version is the editing out of the of text between two members of the bar fight, the word "wank" was replace with "savage". The word in American Heritage dictionary means the same as the UK version, but also "a detestable person". For any American readers the British would add an "er" at the end of the word to mean the same thing. The second savage edit was the removing of six panels of Conan and Red Sonja swimming in a pool. Sonja takes her chainmail top off as she admits it is scarcely made for floating. These panels show Conan move towards her to initialise a sexual encounter, or a snog as we British say, but Sonja rebukes him, at least till later, as she has other plans for that night, in which she'll need him. The night watch arrive to haul the motley crew out of the tavern, leaving their horses tied outside. Conan takes the captain of the guards horse and pulls the redhead warrior woman up to share the ride, when the captain's return and call frightens the other horses away, though the two ride off to cause more mischief as they head toward the Royal Palace. We'll discover what Red Sonja intends to do in next week's part two!

This Marvel Masterwork pin-up features two masters of kung fu, Shang-Chi verses Iron Fist. The artwork is signed by Gary Brodsky. British Marvel fans might recognise his work from the covers of the British World Distributors Hulk annuals cover dated 1978 and 1979. He also worked as an artist on the Marvel/Curtis magazine series Crazy Magazine issues 23 to 34 as well as issues 36 and 50. My hard copy of Avengers weekly issue 103 had this page cut out. I imagine that it wasn't for the letter page on the other side, so the previous owner must have like the art enough to stick it up on their wall.

Avengers Mail

David Toyne from Hunderside has been a Conan fan since he first bought "Conan the Conqueror" and he agrees with Barry Lewis, SSOC #17, that Conan is to him, more than a drug, but a dire necessity to have more and more and even more! He noticed in some earlier editions of the mag that the stories have been slightly altered from those published in the books. This, of course, must be done for the sake of younger readers. Patrick Green from Essex asks why Conan has been merged with the Avengers weekly? He thinks the Cimmerian ruins it. Neil Leslie RFO, KOF, QNS, from Fife thought that "Stan Lee has flipped his lid. This move cannot improve The Avengers!" But he admits Conan has improved the mag. What made Anthony Boden, from Sussex, look and look again at the Avengers weekly issue 73 was the words on the cover that read "Spider-man and Kung Fu fury together again for the first time!" Yet I admit that's a bit silly. Alexius Lewczuk from Cleveland wants to express his displeasure at the recent team-up of Savage Sword of Conan and the Avengers, since he had expected the number of Marvels on the British Market increase, not decrease. His opinion on letters from young readers is Marvel comics are meant for everyone including " kids from one to ninety-four". Colin Anderson from Lancashire sees the merger from another angle with, " What's the idea of spoiling Conan by putting him in a second-rate Avengers mag?"

L Taylor from Surrey pens his grievance, he has been a Marvel Comic fan for many years and when Conan was introduced he really flipped over it, getting SSOC every week. But to his horror, Conan was teamed up with the Avengers. He asks why wasn't he teamed up with the Silver Surfer in the Super-Heroes? Eddie Reynolds from North Shields writes to say that Doctor Strange is about the most fantastic super-hero produced by any Marvel mag. Way back in Avengers weekly issue 81 Rob Sinclair from London had a letter printed, the ten week's later in issue 91 Mike Griggs reiterated his feelings and even went further in his condemnation of a misguided person who blasphemed against the Doctor Strange. Rob would like to tell Mike that he felt obliged to tone down his letter a bit, for who was it said, "Don't mock the afflicted"? The final word in this Avengers letter page comes from an unsigned writer from Rotherham, who simply writes "The Avengers mag is Ace. But now, with Conan in it, it's Fab, Fab, Fab!"

The Avengers “Ultron no more!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Sal Buscema

Inker: Sam Grainger

Originally published in The Avengers #68

Cover date September 1969

(Published in July 1969)

Sal Buscema (pencils,) and Sam Grainger's (ink,) cover from the Avengers (US edition,) cover is repurposed as this week's second part opening Splash page. Only a new story title and credits needed to be added. Doctor MacLain had been addressing the United Nations Security Council when Ultron had smashed his way under the council chamber to get to the Doctor. A group of highly trained SHIELD agents couldn't stop the indestructible robot who required MacLain for his insane purpose that would make him the slayer of mankind. 

Ultron's attack sends the agents flying like tenpins, which leads to yet another counter-attack by the Avengers. Valiantly Thor, Goliath and the Wasp attack Ultron who make little progress against the mad android. Holding Doctor MacLain as hostage the trio of Avengers can do nothing as Ultron attempts to absorb knowledge from MacLain. But the procedure goes wrong and Ultron begins to go insane. The robots face starts to convulse as if he is being torn apart from the inside. Wishing to not allow MacLain be the instrument of his destruction he decides to set himself to self-destruct so as to take the people of the city with him. However, the Avengers save the day by using a prism that expands in to a dome of Vibranium, trapping Ultron and the explosion. "MacLain" is revealed to have been Henry Pym in disguise, who had used self-hypnosis to convince himself and everyone he was MacLain. When Ultron attempted to steal "MacLain's" knowledge, all he absorbed was the phrase that had been planted deep within his sub-conscious, "Thou Shalt Not Kill."

This in-house advert for the Super-Heroes comic is slightly a little too late. Even though The Silver Surfer and the X-Men are main stays of the weekly and will continue so for a while, Doc Savage will be finishing this week with another new feature starting next week, this is the last time this advert could be used. 

Doctor Strange “The shambles in the sea!”

Writer: Gardner F Fox

Artist: Frank Brunner

Inker: Sal Buscema and Ralph Reese

Originally published in Marvel Premiere #6

Cover date January 1973

(Published in October 1972)

Master of Kung Fu fans might have been expecting the story "Island in an angry sea!" that would have originally be printed in Master of Kung Fu issue 32, cover dated September 1975, but it had only just been released on the 10th June 1975, making the story too current and as that story line lasted four US issue it would catch up with the American version in eight weeks. OK it wouldn't streak ahead of the American comic but it would get close to a printing deadline. The return of Doctor Strange continues where we left the story in the Avengers weekly issue 98. The Doctor's legs are trapped in a crevice as the sea pours in threatening to drown the sorcerer. Just to make matters worse the deadly priestess of the dread Shuma-Gorath, Ebora, enters the cavern with a Trident aiming to kill Strange.

With nothing to defend himself the Doctor uses his cloak of Levitation to ensnare Ebora's Trident from a grasp and with it he prices the crevice apart to free his legs. but before he can escape the flooded labyrinth a monstrous hand of grabs at him. Breaking the surface to take a breath of air, he is pulled down once more into the murky water by Sligguth. Frantically, he breaks free again and makes the surface where he finds a wooden cross washed up. With it he bludgeons the creature as if it was a medieval battle axe. Downward s through the depths Sligguth sinks, almost as if to signal the next hideous creature from the deep awakens. N'Gabthoth the Shambler from the Sea comes to life and begins to make its way to the surface. Wong and Clea arrive in Starksboro where they meet Johnny Frames, whose fiancé Deborah had been changed like the locals into a serpent/human hybrid. I have to be honest Johnny's predicament seems to much like the one faced by Ethen Stoddard as seen in Avengers weekly #94 and #95. The editor comments as much. Had the change in writers from Archie Goodwin to Gardner F Fox messed up continuity? Making it become a bit of a mess. Wong, Clea and Johnny are captured by the troglodytes of Starksboro and prepared to be offered as a sacrifice to Shuma Gorath. Now a prisoner of the Shuma Gorath worshippers of Kaa-U, the Ancient One sends his astral form to help Strange who is at that time about to rescue his friends and Johnny Frames who are tied to an altar. Find out if he succeeds in next week's "Doctor Strange must die!"

Dracula Lives #46

The Rich Buckler artwork from the cover of Tomb of Dracula issue 22 is used again here for this British weekly. Tom Palmer was the inker of this cover. 

Dracula “..In death we join!”

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #22

Cover date July 1974

(Published in April 1974)

In the village of Kamenka, Moldavia in the USSR, Ulsa and Peter Vornik rush home when they hear the screams of their daughter Petra, who is being attacked by her ex-husband Gorna, who is a vampire. Peter manages to drive Gorna away, who vows he will return to claim his wife. Not far away, Dracula finds a young couple having a romantic moment in a barn. Dracula kills the boy and then feeds on the young girl.

Back at the Vornik home, Petra family reassures her that she is safe after she awakes screaming. Petra recounts how her husband, an abusive man who was extremely jealous of anyone who showed her attention. He even once killed a man for talking to her in the street. When Gora fell sick and on his death bed he vowed that he would kill any man that she would see. After his funeral, a man who had been friends with Petra was killed the night after he visited her at the funeral. It was then that she realised that Gorna had become a vampire. Dracula, meanwhile, arrives at the local cemetery, where he comes across Gorna. Gorna is insolent and orders Dracula away saying that he has no loyalty to the Lord of the undead. Dracula attempts to attack Gorna, who inturn summons down a bolt of lightning to strike Dracula before transforming into a bat to. fly away. Dracula forbids him to leave, but he does anyway. Dracula changes too and fruitlessly scours the villain in search of the renegade vampire. As he does he wonders how Gorna managed to ignore his commands. Find out more in next week's Master of the Living Lightning!" 

Cryptic Correspondence

Aston Kaye from Buckinghamshire has worked out who has been the most successful correspondent to Dracula Lives, as far as issue 36 at least. They are 1st. lan Smails, with 3 letters. 2nd Mack Kearscale, Michael Malsom and Aston Kaye himself with 2 letters each. David Roberts from Birmingham really liked the Werewolf vs the Hangman. Jeremy Robertson from Harrow has a few criticisms about Dracula Lives, the first one the artwork in Dracula is very dark and the origin of Brother Voodoo was pretty unbelievable. He does have lots of positive things to say about the comic too, including the general artwork in the stories are great, especially the pictures on the back of the comics seen on issues 10 and 33. Nicholas Shingler from Wolverhampton has just recently noticed some subtle improvements in the mags. The professionalism of Marvel has fully emerged. In his opinion it is mainly because they have stopped using those dots for shading  and also the stories are becoming very modern and up-to-date.

Werewolf by Night “Vampire on the moon”

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Artist: Don Perlin

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #19

Cover date July 1974

(Published in April 1974)

The story starts in the middle where the Werewolf is attacked by two vampire bats on the surface of the moon! The bats change into a Dracula look-a-like and a young blonde woman. It then switches to a flashback. Jack is having to deal with his apartment flatmate Sandy who is organising the builders to repair a damaged  wall caused by Jack and his other flatmate Raymond Corker who fought each other in their werewolf forms. If only to make things worse Coker confronts Jack about keeping their secrets. They fall out, but Jack has to leave to find a way to get his sister back from the evil Committee. 

 Jack's search for his sister leads him to a movie studio. The scene changes to Gary Stones, an actor working for Mallet Studios, who has to identify the dead corpses of fellow actors Louis Belsk, known for his Dracula style rolls and Liza Pyne a young actress, whose stories where told in the Count Dracula tale seen in Dracula Lives #25. Events here follow that tale with Belsk and Pyne being resurrected as vampires to attack and kill Stones before changing to bats to fly to Mallet Studios to cause more carnage.

“Thunderbird”

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: Ernie Chan

Inker: Ernie Chan

Originally published in Monsters Unleashed #6

Cover date June 1974

(Published in April 1974)

Indian legends tell of a winged creature that attacks villagers. Coincidentally the natives of Rhodesia have a similar legend. When a man investigates the legends he shows the tribe a picture of a  Pterodactyls. They back away with fear shouting "Konamato", their name for the Thunderbird. I love these short one page strips, fun and factual with legends and folktales. 

The Living Mummy “Power times four”

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: Val Mayerik

Inker: Val Mayerik

Originally published in Supernatural Thrillers #8

Cover date August 1974

(Published in May 1974)

3,000 years ago N'Kantu was a warrior king, who freed his people form the tyranny of the Pharaoh, For that he was sentenced to a living death. One year ago he awoke to walk the streets of Cairo. Earlier today he rose again to walk the New York streets. Now the Mummy finds himself without any explanation travelling through an unknown universe. Arriving on a weird planet strange creatures attack him.

 

The clay-like creatures continue their assault but N'Kantu does not yield. As he fights he recalls the day's events, how he was chased down a blind alley by the police, how he was struck by a strange light that had teleported him to this weird world. After defeating the mud creatures he is attacked by dust demons that lift him aloft as the earth opens up and sprays him with molten fire and then followed by heavy rain, as if the elements have turned against him. Eventually he is overpowered and knocked unconscious. In that state he is taken to a timeless castle and its dungeon to slowly regain consciousness. The Living Mummy's story continues next issue in "the dreams of Gods!" 

“The Atomic Monster”

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: Arvell Jones

Inker: Duffy Vinland

Originally published in Monsters Unleashed #9

Cover date December 1974

(Published in October 1974)

Another great tale from Tony Isabella, this time drawn by Arvell Jones, one of his first strips for Marvel. The one page story is about a supposed monster, some seven feet tall and extremely hairy, who was sighted in Michigan near the Enrico Fermi atomic power plant. It had attacked a young man who was driving a group of women home. Later the monster was shot at. The monster was sighted a dozen times more. A few months later the atomic power plant was shut down temporarily because of some mysterious sabotage. Was the creature responsible? The question remains unanswered.

Bonnie Wilford drew this Marvel Masterwork Pin-up of Man-Thing on the inside cover, as his signature proves. Bonnie would later be more well known as a colourist for Marvel comics in the 70's. Inks are by Frank Giacoia. I'm pretty sure that this was the first appearance of the Man-Thing in a British Marvel comic. Soon the Man-Thing will guest star in the Ka-Zar strip in POTA #59, the week ending the 29th November 1975 and he gets to star in his own strip in Dracula Lives #62, the week ending 27th December 1975.

 

Planet of the Apes #46

This beautifully painted cover by Bob Larkin originally appeared on the front of the Marvel/Curtis Magazine issue 10. At first you might think it looks perfect for the conclusion of the Beneath the Planet of the Apes adaptation, however Nova appears on this cover yet she died in issue 45 of the British edition. To be fair it wouldn't have matched the American issue it appeared in really, but who cares, it's a fabulous cover anyway. But sadly I can't award it my prestigious Cover of the Week award. You'll discover in a while why.

Planet of the Apes “The end of the Planet of the Apes!”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Alfredo Alcala

Inker: Alfredo Alcala

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #11

Cover date August 1975

(Published in June 1975)

This opening splash page for the final part of Beneath the Planet of the Apes uses last week's cover artwork by Alan Kupperberg (pencils,) and Frank Giacoia (inks,). It's a very economical use of artwork that symbolises the imminent destruction with apes and men fleeing haplessly before the mutated humans who control the destiny of the world, ultimately they won't give up that control and so take the insane choice to destroy what they can't have. Planet of the apes fan John Roche owns the original art for the cover and he says "it's a lot more creepy with the red colour added." I kind of like the black and white version here more, as a foreshadowing of doom.

Taylor's sanity cracks after the invading apes shoot Nova, shouting that everyone, not just the gorillas, but every living thing deserves to die, telling Brent, "Look how it all ends! It's time it was finished!" Brent tells Taylor to snap out of it as they've got to stop the bomb. May be Brent should have taken more notice of his fellow human's emotional state. The army of gorillas converge on the centre of the city, Doctor Zaius discovers a room that gives him his first hint of who his enemies are. A row of busts showing generations of human leaders, with each one named Mendez, cause him to have a fit of uncontrolled anger as he shatters each false idol, calling them "obscene" as an unusually quiet gorilla sergeant watches on. When the apes enter the inner Cathedral where the mutants worship their bomb god, Mendez XXVI activates the bombs starting sequence. His voice speaks, "The instrument of my god shall rise before you!" but it isn't the impending annihilation that shocks the gorillas it's the fact that he speaks. General Ursus orders his death, stopping him from activating the final switch in the sequence. 

Ursus then takes aim at the bomb but Zaius shouts at him to stop as he will kill everyone if he does. Ursus answers that it will be Zaius's cowardice that will kill everyone and not his gun. His bullets ricochet harmlessly off the bomb's hard casing. The apes then try to pull the bomb down. Just then the orangutang doctor sees Brent sneak into the room. The General shoots at him and tries to finish him off but his gun jams. Man and gorilla fight with Ursus biting Brent's arm. Zaius grabs the human's fallen rifle and takes aim at its owner. Taylor shouts out to Zaius to not pull the trigger or he'll press the switch which will end the world. Taylor pleads with Zaius to help him stop all of this madness, to let Brent go and convince Ursus to let him dismantle the bomb permanently. Zaius ask why should he help a human when man is evil, capable of nothing but destruction. Taylor calls him a "stinking, sanctimonious beast!" But the doctor replies "No, Taylor, you are the beast, you are the destroyer!"

Taylor tells Zaius that he had better stop him, but he can't. Ursus grabs the rifle and shoots Taylor, once, twice, three times but still he reaches for the switch. With his dying breath he whispers "Damn you Zaius...damn you...you could have...stopped him...you could have... " A fourth bullet hits its target, but still a blood drenched hand, with an out stretched finger pushes the final button. The world goes black and then white.

"We must now record the final event of this somber history. The universe at present contains billions of spiral galaxies. In one of them, one-third from its edge, a medium-sized star. And one of its satellites a green and insignificant planet...is now dead."

I think that the Beneath the Planet of the Apes film and this adaptation is the best and most important part of the five chapters of the Ape saga. Doug Moench's writing and Alfredo Alcala's art captures the cold hard truth about our society. Their use of words and silence mixed with real hard emotions tell the tale that hate of others and mistrust, will ultimately, bring about our own destruction.

Captain Marvel “Out of the holocaust..a hero!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Captain Marvel #1

Cover date May 1968

(Published in February 1968)

Gene Colan and Vice Colletta's cover artwork from Captain Marvel issue 1 is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page. The comic's title logo is kept as the strip title and the story title from the cover is also kept. No "part two" is added. Last week saw Captain Mar-Vell battling the rampaging Sentry at Cape Kennedy Space Center, this week starts with Walter Lawson's, (the Captain's fake identity,) landlord suspiciously searching his room for proof that his lodger might be a foreign spy. Finding Mar-Vell's carrying case, he sets off a device inside of it.

Mar-Vell's attacks on the Sentry prove to have little effect as any damage caused to the robot is instantly repaired. However, when Mar-Vell and Carol Danvers are trapped inside a force field with the Sentry, Mar-Vell manages to use his Uni-Beam to first smash open the robot, then with it's  magnetising device he makes the Sentry's inner workings contract on itself, deactivating the robot. With the Sentry defeated, Yon-Rogg attempts to have Mar-Vell punished by his superiors. Ronan the Accuser passes judgment on Mar-Vell's actions, denying Yon-Rogg of his desired recourse as the mission was not jeopardised due to Mar-Vell's actions. Back on Earth, General Bridges thanks "Captain Marvel" for helping them. Mar-Vell allows them to continue believing him to be a costumed hero for the sake of his mission and leaves before they can ask any more questions. Carol wonders if they will see Captain Marvel again. She will in next week's "the somewhat sinister Super-Skrull!"

“Adam...and no Eve”

Writer: Danny O'Neil

Artist: Frank Robbins

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2

Cover date March 1975

(Published in December 1975)

This tale is based on the short story of the same title, by the American science fiction author Alfred Bester. That original story first appeared in the September 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. Krane, an astronaut and scientist is asked by his mathematician, Hallmyer, to stop the testing of his latest rocket fuel as the catalyst for it could start a chain reaction that would envelop the world if one drop was to reach the atmosphere. It would destroy any iron atom, everywhere, even in the human body. Krane refuses so Hallmyer tries to sabotage the rocket. Krane launches the rocket taking its controls he flies it into space. Through the ships window he sees Hallmyer's prediction came true. When he lands his atoms are dissolved into the planet's surface. An insane smile fills his face as he realises that it is not the end of life as his body rots into the sea millions of tiny cells grow and evolve  as the cycle of life starts again. The final line reads "Krane smiles up at the stars that have not yet formed into familiar constellations. And will not for another hundred billion centuries..." Does that imply that he has travelled backwards in time to the creation of life on Earth? Makes you think!

The Super-heroes #27

This Arvell Jones cover was especially commissioned for this British weekly, with inks from Mike Esposito and possibly John Tartaglione. As the top headline reads this comic contained "the thrilling conclusion to the greatest Doc Savage story ever!" so to prove the comic had "Cover-to-cover" super-hero adventure!" all seven super-stars appeared on the cover, that in it's own way a homage to the classic Jack Kirby cover from the Fantastic Four issue 49, cover dated April 1966, published January 1966, but with a more benevolent Silver Surfer bathing the other heroes in cosmic energy, than  his malevolent master did in that comic. It really caught my eye when a number of years after it was published I saw it for sale at a jumble sale at my brother's secondary school fair. I was pretty young and probably didn't know the Silver Surfer or the X-Men and definitely didn't know who Doc Savage was but I recognised it as a Marvel comic, much like my beloved Super Spider-man. I handed over the mere pennies it cost and fell in love with all the stories and the characters I discovered within. It showed me that there was more to Marvel than I first imagined. So for sheer nostalgia I'm going to award it my Cover of the Week. 

Silver Surfer “The Dawn of the Doomsday Man!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Silver Surfer #13

Cover date February 1970

(Published in December 1969)

The Silver Surfer reads in the newspapers that the United Nation is calling a special session to discuss the threat of the Doomsday Man. Unsure of what this Doomsday Man is, he recalls a recent incident when the Surfer came across a remote island in the Pacific. It was heavily guarded by battleships and infantry. On the island a heavily fortified structure is being constructed. As the mystery didn't concern him he leaves. But now he's determined to go to the United Nations and find out if what he saw and the Doomsday Man problem are connected.

At the United Nations, the ambassadors meet to hear Doctor Kronton explain the history of the Doomsday Man. The powers that be were concerned about threats from space so they built a powerful robot as an ultimate defensive against attack from space. It can survive on any world and under any conditions. However, after the robot was completed, they realised that they made the indestructible robot too powerful. Unable to destroy it, they instead sealed the robot into a large concrete prison on an uninhabited island. They thought they had solved the problem, but recently reports of movement inside the bunker had increase their concern that the robot could be trying to escape. Meanwhile, the Surfer arrives at the United Nations building in civilian clothes, but a guard stops him from entering. He decides to bypass security by flying directly to the floor that the meeting is being held. With a cosmic powered gesture the Surfer waves the window panel away and enters the meeting room, much to the shock of those there. Next week sees what happens when "the Doomsday Man strikes!" 

Doc Savage “The coming of the Silver Ziggurat”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: John Buscema 

Inker: Tony Dezuniga 

Originally published in Doc Savage Vol 2 #1

Cover date August 1975

(Published in June 1975)

An unnamed artist drew this final part opening splash page, with a new story title and credit box added. There are two text boxes but other than a very brief description of the strip's lead character and a mention to this story's villain there isn't anything that helps the reader catch up with events. What also doesn't help is that two whole pages from the original version have been removed from last week's ending and this week's beginning. They would have shown Savage's impressive fight with a wild tiger and his first encounter with a man-beast that would have more significance with events later on in this story.

If readers had looked at last week's adventure they would have seen Savage charging at the tiger and then see the adventurer scaling a wall to get to the Silver Ziggurat's laboratory, were the fiend is about to transform Winston Tremaine into another man-beast. The Doc rescues Winston and has Long Tom take him to th Helldiver for safety. Doc goes after the Silver Ziggurat who reveals himself to have been Thomas Bolt all along. Bolt's men round up Savage and his men and herd them towards a pen filled with weird beast-men, right out of a scene from the H G Wells novel "The Island of Doctor Moreau". An electric fence pens them in, however the man-beast who the Doc had meet in the missing pages, writes "I AM TRIPP" in the dirt, to show that he is Wigeons Tripp, who they originally thought was the Silver Ziggurat, had been experimented on and turned into this sad creature. Tripp helps them by destroying the fences power generator at the cost of his own life. Savage rescues Angelica Tremaine and escapes. Bolt in a fit of rage destroys his island base with lightning from his Silver Zeppelin, but a chain reaction causes an explosion that catches the volatile gases of the airship resulting in a spectacular destruction, Doc and his crew head back to the Helldiver and then on to his own airship, where Winston Tremaine explains how he never trusted Bolt and tried to pay him off from marrying his sister. But the villain had planted false clues that incriminated Tripp. Angelica and Winston offer their thanks to Savage, but Monk wished they could thank a man named Wiggens Tripp. As a child I only read this chapter of the story, but still it was enough to ignite a love of those types of pulp cult heroes like Indiana Jones and of course Doc Savage.

The X-Men “Prisoners of the mysterious Master Mold!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby and Werner Roth

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The X-Men #15

Cover date December 1965

(Published in October 1965)

The X-Men have tracked the Sentinels back to their base, in the hope of rescuing Bolivar Trask, but they are caught off guard by the base's defences that causes a localised earthquake. Professor X calls for a retreat so that another strategy can be planned, he instructs Iceman to create a glider out of ice that he and Beast will ride, followed by the Angel, Cyclops will supply the drive for the glider with his optic blasts. The glider flies into the air, but Hank and Bobby are soon taken captive by metal tentacles that spring out of the base. Angel follows not far behind, but he's forced to retreat when a flame thrower almost sets him ablaze.

The steal tentacles drop Iceman and the Beast into a glass cage that quickly seals itself. Knock out gas is released so that the Sentinels can examine them further. Witnessing this, Bolivar Trask denounces the Sentinels’ plans to take over humanity in order to protect them from the mutant menace. The Sentinels take Trask to their creator, a giant machine he invented to create his Sentinels, the massive Master Mold. Master Mold demands that Trask pledge his allegiance to him, or he will use the weapons cache that Trask had armed them with to destroy half of the United States. When Trask tells the giant robot that the X-Men will stop him the Master Mold tells him that he created them to be more powerful than the mutants and that they will be helpless before them. He will examine the two captured X-Men before he orders them destroyed.

Outside of the Sentinel Base the Angel reports to the Professor who is now considering a different strategy. Knowing that his mental powers have some effect on the robots, he exerts all his will causing the Sentinels who control the base's defensive weapons to suddenly shut down. The remaining Sentinels are incapable of independent action and leave to get further instructions from Master Mold. Meanwhile the Beast is brought before the Master Mold for a closer examination. Find out if next week's episode sees "the Sentinels, triumphant!" or if the X-Men win the day.

As with all of the back pages of this week's weeklies, save for MWOM, the Marvel Treasury Edition issue 6 featuring Doctor Strange advert featured. MWOM featured Marvel Treasury Edition issue 5 featuring the incredible Hulk. But my much treasured second hand copy of the Super-Heroes was slightly more unique than anyone else's. Its previous owner fancied themselves as a bit of an artist, or maybe colourist and decided to highlight the top tag line "By the hoary hosts of Hogarth you dare not miss this special!" by underlining it in red felt tip pen. As well as drawing blood coming from the Doctor's eyes and lips, turning him into a sorcerer/vampire hybrid with a slight look of Christopher Lee. They also coloured some bits of the inside, not enough to spoil my reading of it. Although the colouring in of the word "Death" in the Doc Savage story title did make me wonder if that juvenile delinquent still held some psychopathic tendencies. A red nail, or was it meant to be a dagger or sword over the "T" in "Death" didn't help my character judgement of the graffiti artist. I wouldn't swap this comic for a perfect copy. My childhood memories are imbedded in every page. I wish they hadn't drawn on it, but their wilful abandonment of this comic may have lead to them to give it away to a jumble sale and allowed me to buy it in the late 70's. Then I would have missed out on one of those key moments in my comic collecting life. 

Right I'm off to read some more magic mags in readiness for next week's blog, so till then...  

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.