Marvel is the drug that I'm thinking of!

 Week Ending 23rd August 1975

In Britain it's summer and surprisingly it's very, very hot! I can imagine that in the summer of 1975 many kids spent their summer holidays eating ice cream and reading comics. Some of those comics may well have been some of these sizzling, spectacular, super six. But enough of the hyperbole, were they that great or was it just rose tinted nostalgia? Read the next chapter of British Marvel history and find out. The fun, facts, stuff and nonsense starts here.

The Mighty World of Marvel #151

This week's cover features the artwork from the cover of Marvel Feature issue 2, drawn by John Buscema with Frank Giacoia's inks. Some of the art was also modified by John Romita Sr. but I have no idea what bits. 

The Incredible Hulk “Battle in Bald Mountain”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Ross Andru

Inker: Sal Buscema

Originally published in Marvel Feature #2

Cover date March 1971

(Published in October 1972)

Last week's cover art by Ron Wilson (pencils,) and Dan Adkins (inks,) gets it's third outing in it's third successive week, this time as the third part opening splash page to this Hulk/Defenders, "Nightmare on Bald Mountain!" story. A new story title, catch-up box and credit box is added, however the credits list it as "A Roy Thomas/Sal Buscema  double barrel bombshell!" There's no mention of Ross Andru who was the artist, Buscema was actually only the inker.

After Doctor Strange's body was abducted on Halloween by a group of Dormammu's legions and taken to Rutland. To be used in a ceremony to open a rift between dimensions that will release their master. Wong and Clea, with the aid of Strange's astral form gather Namor and the Hulk to help save Strange's mortal body. Travelling to Rutland where it's their annual Halloween parade, the group battles Dormammu's legions. During the battle, Strange's astral form rises from Wong, who he had been unknowingly to Wong, using his servant as a host to keep his astral form safe. Strange confronts Dormammu in the Dark Dimension and fends him off. The awesome forces released during their battle strike with such mystic might that they seal the portal. The resulting explosion buries the followers of Dormammu, only the Defenders escape unscathed. Over the last five weeks the Defenders adventures had made a splendid replacement for the Hulk's solo strip allowing it a little more room before it catches up with the original American material. It would have helped if they continued to mix in the Defenders stories, but that wouldn't be the case. British Marvel readers would have to wait until Marvel's greatest none-team got their own weekly strip in Rampage weekly on the week ending the 19th October 1977 in some twenty-six months time!

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Lucian McLellan RFO, KOF, from London reprints s Stan's Soapbox from the Mighty Thor (US edition,) #173, that answers the eternal question, "asking exactly how we produce our mags?" Stan goes into great detail on Marvel's "free-and-easy, highly-creative method." that allows artist to  contributes as much to the story as the writer does. The general method is once the plot details have been worked out, the artist goes off by his lonesome and draws the strip in pencil-drawing any way he pleases, since the script has not yet been written. The pencilled drawings are given to the writer, who creates the dialogue balloons, captions, and any other copy needed. After that, a letterer prints all the copy in the correct places. Finally the pages go to the inker. Copies are made of the pages and then a colourist uses one of those as a colour guild for the printers. Read the rest of Lucian's letter to find out how it ends up in the readers hands. Paul Sullivan from Cheshire has only been a Marvel reader for six months, but they have been fantastic. He's started a regular order for the Avengers weekly, followed by MWOM, then the Super-Heroes and SSOC. He also got the incredible Marvel annuals and has become addicted to the giant 100 page specials. Stephen Martin from Devon doesn't writes in for a "No-Prize" but instead want's to tell everyone that he gets four of the weeklies and as many of the US monthlies as he can.

Daredevil “The dismal dregs of defeat!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Daredevil #45

Cover date October 1968

(Published in August 1968)

After the Jester had faked the murder of Jonathan Powers, his own alter-ego, framing Daredevil in the process, the man without fear tracked down the villain to Central Park. However this had been all part of the Jesters plan, that would help him capture Daredevil. Surrounded by the police and the mad Jester Daredevil has no other choice but to flee. He ends up having to evade the police and the Jester all night. Taking refuge in the subway Daredevil is forced to steal a man's overcoat to cover his costume, with his masked removed Matt Murdock tries to take the subway to safety. Will he get home "Jest in the nick of time?" Find out next week.

The Fantastic Four “The Thing...berserk!”

 Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #68

Cover date November 1967

(Published in August 1967)

Jack Kirby's cover from the Fantastic Four issue 68 is repurposed as this week's second part opening splash page. Last week's story title is moved down from the original art and placed at the bottom right of the page, a new story title is made. New credits and catch-up boxes are added. As British readers have come to expect this page is more like a symbolic preview, rather than part of the main story. Reed Richards has invited an expert to help him cure Ben Grimm of his monster facade. A mysterious enemy of the Fantastic Four has kidnapped Santini and disguises himself as the doctor so that he can get closer to the Fantastic Four.

"Doctor Santini" is introduced to Ben after seeing a display of the Thing's power, "Santini" promises that after this experiment Ben will be an entirely different person. Richards begins to work with "Santini" on a possible cure. Meanwhile, Ben takes a walk, he's so lost in thought that he's oblivious to the Yancy Street Gang attempts at knocking off his hat with a shot from a slingshot. The two scientists complete their work, they believe they have some sort of success. Sue has come to mistrust "Doctor Santini" although she cannot explain why. Ben returns excited to get the experiment under way. First Ben goes into a chemical bath and then is bombarded with mesa rays. Finally Ben is strapped into a "molecul-board" for a final bombardment of energy. "Santini" makes adjustment to the devices that Reed is too late to stop. The beam hits Ben, however it doesn't affect his body but instead changes his personality. Now filled with  rage, the Thing blames Reed for failing to restore him. This looks like the fake "Santini's plan all along. Find out who he really is next week in "..By Ben betrayed!"

The inside back page features a half page for Marvel's Comic Mart, that also appears in this week's Spider-man Comics Weekly.  Under that is a half page teaser for a new competition that appears in next week's mags. Spider-man tells readers that they have a chance to win one of four bikes, either a Raleigh Chopper or a Raleigh Commando or one of the 100 other prizes on offer. The full details of how will follow next week. This half page teaser also appears in this week's Spider-man Comics Weekly, the Avengers weekly and the Super-heroes.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #132

Regular Power of the Beesting blog readers may have noticed that when I pick my choice for Cover of the Week the original American comics covers are more favoured, probably because those covers had been drawn by the "bigger named artists" like Romita, Buscema, Kane etc. The British commissioned covers tend to have been created under a quicker deadline and sometimes, even with good intensions, looked rushed. Sometimes those British commissioned covers give the artists another chance to create something original and special. This cover by Ron Wilson (pencils,) and Mike Esposito (inks,) mates both the action of Spider-man versus the Green Goblin with the human drama of Harry Osborn's addiction to drugs. That's why it's my Cover of the Week. The only downer with this cover is the incorrect top text line that states that Iron Man faces Whiplash. However it's next week's issue in which the villain faces Iron Man. 

Spider-man “Bring back my Goblin to me!”

 Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gil Kane

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #97

Cover date June 1971

(Published in March 1971)

John Romita Sr.'s cover artwork from the Amazing Spider-man #97, that was also used as the cover of last week's issue is used here as the symbolic splash page for this week's second part opener. It follows on from Spider-man's defeat at the hands of the returning Green Goblin, who left after his battle with Spidey ended with the Goblin believing that he'd destroyed his enemy and Peter Parker heading home to discover a very angry and emotionally lost Harry taking comfort in a bottle of pills. The next day when Peter and Harry head off to class, Mary Jane once more snubs Harry in favour of Peter. 

Peter scolds her for her behaviour towards Harry, but she tells Peter her avoidance of Harry is a long story. She offers to tell Peter the details, which Stan Lee decides to not share with the young readership. I'm guessing that most older readers might have put the clues together. If we think it through we might consider that she has witnessed first hand Harry's addiction and maybe it all hits a little to close to home for her to ignore it or try to manage it without letting the toxicity of it get to her. Some might say that she dropped Harry for the next meal ticket, but I like to think that she was orbiting towards Peter in the hope that he may be able to help Harry out in someway. Harry meanwhile has meets up with a sharp dressed man who had witnessed the whole thing and pushes him to take some more pills that'll make him feel like a "king of the world!" The man obviously knows Harry so you might assume he is his dealer, however after he gives Harry a bottle of pills and says "this stuff is real new" followed by "Nice doing business with you Osborn! See you again" Harry tells him "Oh no! This is the first time..and the last. I'm not getting hooked." I wonder was Harry a regular , as seen with the amount of pills seen last week in his medical cupboard, or was he just trying to fool himself? Either way the pusher leaves saying "Yeah, that's what they say." 

Peter can't find Harry and decides to resume his hunt for the Green Goblin. When that comes up blank he tries Osborn's office as Peter Parker, but it turns out to be another dead end. Later that day, Harry confronts Mary Jane over her giving him the cold shoulder. Fed up with Harry's behaviour she dumps him. Harry returns to his apartment and takes it out on Peter. Peter tells Harry that he has troubles of his own, presumably his worry about the Green Goblin and he's tired of Harry blaming him just because he can't hold onto a girl. Paranoia and schizophrenia take over Harry. Peter offers to call a Doctor, but Harry says he's been studying too hard and just needs a rest. Peter leaves to start another fruitless search for the Green Goblin. Harry finds artificial comfort in the new bottle of pills.

Frustrated Spider-man still hasn't found any signs of the Green Goblin so he decides to return to his apartment, where he finds Harry sprawled out after taking an overdose of pills. Harry is barely conscious and needs immediate medical attention, but before Peter can call for an ambulance he hears a manic evil laugh coming from outside the window. The Green Goblin appears outside the apartment challenging Parker once more. This tale might seem clunky to different generations of readers, but even so I imagine that it would be nearly impossible to find anyone who has read it and has not felt that the subject matter and the way that it is portrayed, doesn't find it a worthy classic. It's not over yet, there's more to come as next week we'll discover "the Goblin's power!" and a little more human drama that makes these stories more than just "for kids!"

The Web and the Hammer

Billy Watson and Martin Woodhall from County Durham thinks that all Marvel super-heroes are pretty much the same. Their point is that they are all very reluctant heroes. Vincent Sweeney RFO, KOF, from Strathclyde thinks that Marvel comics would be better if they went back to ordinary paper covers. James Tayler from London thinks that even though the Spidey stories always seem to ring true and are so realistic. But they aren't giving enough space to the star of the mag. James does think it was a good idea that Captain Stacy was bumped off, however the one thing that is unrealistic about Spidey is that Jameson always knocks Spider-man, stirring up trouble even when he's seen him fighting super-villains. Michael Jenner, RFO, KOF, from Hertfordshire gives his own version of Marvel super-heroes' origins, starting with Spider-man, who was bitten by a radioactive spider. The Fantastic Four was exposed to Cosmic Rays and Bruce Banner became the Incredible Hulk after saving Rick Jones but he himself was affected by Gamma rays.

Michael ends on Norrin Radd who sacrificed himself save his planet, Zenn-La. He agreed to serve Galactus who transformed him into the Silver Surfer. Later he rebelled against his master, who imprisoned him on earth for his troubles. David Emery KOF, FOOMer from Avon wonders if the rumours are true about a Spider-man TV cartoon. The answer is the rumours are true, it's going to be released in late summer. Mark Schlachtaub RFO, KOF, QNS, from Leighton Buzzard requests that letters aren't printed from people who write in to say what they like about Marvel comics, as he's not interested in their opinions. That's a little weird as I'm very interested in what people like and don't like and I'm sure the editors do too. Mark also want's Spidey, the Silver Surfer, the Hulk and Tony Stark to be more liked by the people in the comics. Doesn't that go against his earlier point? Finally he wants each weekly to have four strips per issue. This week's The Web and the Hammer letter page also heard from Thomas Walsh from St. Helens, Mare Wolozynskie from Hertforshire, Adrian Roberts from Bedfordshire,  Mark Hall from Yorkshire, Stephen Joy RFO, from Lancashire, Aulhik Khan from Kent, Wayne Davies and David Park from Lancaster.

Iron Man “The deadly victory!”

 Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #95

Cover date November 1967

(Published in August 1967)

The cover from Tales of Suspense issue 95 by Gene Colan and Frank Giacoia is used as this week's second part opener, with the title from the Iron Man story from Tales of Suspense issue 96 used as this week's story title. Iron Man continues his fight with the Grey Gargoyle, who has broken into Stark's factory to steal cobalt weapon that can help him destroy Thor. The battle isn't going well as the Gargoyle begins slowly changing the golden Avenger in to stone. Agent Sitwell tries to call SHIELD for back-up however he finds his radio is broken. The Gargoyle succeeds in turning Iron Man into stone and throws him off the Stark Industries building.

Originally published in Tales of Suspense #96

Cover date December 1967

(Published in August 1967)

Other than the opening splash page only the next two pages came from Tales of Suspense issue 95, with the latter being with Iron Man's deadly fall. The next page sees the cliffhanger again as it was the opening page from the Iron Man story from Tales of Suspense issue 96, with the strip title and story title removed with the credit box. As a stone petrified Iron Man falls to his death the quick thinking, Jasper Sitwell manages to get a dump truck filled with sand to catch Iron Man's body to prevent it from smashing to smithereens if it had hit the ground. The Gargoyle's confidence had prevented him from watching Iron Man's fate as he turned away to look inside the factory for the cobalt weapon. With little to stop his progress he quickly retrieves the weapon. Strangely Iron Man's stone predicament wears off, which doesn't match previous and future tales where victims revert back to their normal state after one hour, here Iron Man returns to normal in next to no time. With Jasper in tow, the armoured Avenger confronts the Gargoyle once more. The cobalt weapon falls between Iron Man, the Gargoyle and Sitwell. The villains hands reach out for the weapon and just to make things worse the story ends there with the promise that "the man called Whiplash" will make his debut next week!

The Mighty Thor “Galactus is born!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #162

Cover date March 1969

(Published in January 1969)

It's a good thing that Jack Kirby loved full page splash pages. This second part opening page came at the right time for it to easily by used here, a catch-up box, a quick credit box and Odin's cry to battle was moved down and used as this week's story title. To discover the origin of Galactus, Odin call up an image of the first world that Galactus ever devoured leaving it dead. Mistakenly Thor believes that this is the world of Galactus' birth. Looking further into the past, Odin brings up an image of how Galactus was found in an "incuba-cell" in space by an army of conquerors who unwittingly unleashed Galactus who quickly destroyed them all. Consuming that world he would travel out into the stars, begining his quest to feed his hunger.

With the visions from the past over, Odin retires to ponder on the power of Galactus. Thor is then visited by Torger who tells Thor that there is danger on Earth and that in his absence Sif had gone to the mortal world to investigate. Elsewhere Balder awakes from a restless night with the Norn Queen Karnilla in his thoughts, he struggles with conflicting emotions he has over her. He is determined to seek out the Thunder God's help, who is already heading towards Earth to aid Sif. We'll find out what danger she is in next week in "What on Earth..!" 

This week's tale is an expansion to Galactus' origin that Lee and Kirby first explained in the Fantastic Four, but it won't be the last version. His origin story has been retconned many times, In the more popular version, Galan came from a dying universe and opted to die in the terminal point of the universe. however he became the last survivor of that universe. With my knowledge of those events this story felt a little stale, although the artwork was grand and epic.

Avengers Weekly #101

Now I really like this Avengers cover, in a way it could also have been my Cover of the Week. It was drawn by Paty Cockrum who joined Marvel's production staff in the early 70's, initially spending her time gathering production art for marketing purposes. And if your are wondering where you might have heard that name, artist Dave Cockrum, well known for his work on the X-Men and Legion of Super-Heroes, married Paty (Greer)  in 1978. Frank Giacoia inked this cover.

Conan the Barbarian “The shadow of the Vulture!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith

Inker: Sal Buscema, Dan Adkins and Chic Stone

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #23

Cover date February 1973

(Published in November 1972)

Roy Thomas adapted the Robert E Howard short story "The shadow of the Vulture!" which was published in pages of The Magic Carpet Magazine, in January 1934. The story introduces the character of Red Sonya of Rogatino, who later became the inspiration for the popular character Red Sonja, the archetype of the chainmail-bikini-clad female warrior. British Marvel readers will have to wait another week for Red Sonja to make her appearance in this Conan story. The original “The Shadow of the Vulture” was set in the 16th century and didn't feature the dark haired Cimmerian.

Conan reaches the hyrkanian city of Pah-Dishah, ruled by Queen Melissandra's father king Ghannif, who he delivers King Eannatums request for help for the besieged city of Makkalet to. Wanting no more to do with either Makkalet, its Queen or the invading army of Turin he leaves the city, heading south, despite the king's interest in his "barbaric tales." Meanwhile, at Makkalet, Yezdigerd is visited by Mikhal Oglu, a mighty warrior known as the Vulture. The Prince Yezdigerd orders the Vulture to find and punish Conan for the scar the barbarian gave him some weeks back, as seen in the Avengers weekly #98. Now that Conan had left the walls of Makkalet he is no longer shielded by the wizard Knaram-Akkad's spells so Mikhal Oglu could use a "Seeing stone" to track down Conan. The next day Conan is awoken by Ivga, a maiden at a sleepy village near the Zaporska river, with news that the countryside is aflame. News comes that it is Turanian forces. Conan realises that there is nothing of interest to Prince Yezdigerd this far south save Conan's own head. Soon the forces arrive needlessly killing all in their way, including Ivga to get to Conan. Under attack from mounted archers the Cimmerian steals a horse and heads northwards. The chase continues next week.

Avengers Assemble!

This week's letter page deals with readers reaction to Savage Sword of Conan joining the Avengers weekly back in issue 95. Tom Darragh from Dublin wrote that he had real despair with the decision to scrap Savage Sword of Conan and merge it into the Avengers weekly brought to him. To him the 12th July 1975 will always be a black day. He considers that if quality doesn't sell well in the UK couldn't SSOC have not been put "on ice" until such time as a weekly magazine became feasible once again. He points out that Roy Thomas fought valiantly in the US to keep Conan the impeccable pinnacle of comics art that it is. When Savage Tales proved a small seller, he and Stan Lee held the mag in abeyance till comic readers grew up sufficiently to appreciate it. The US sword and sorcery genre benefitted richly. Mike Agree RFO, KOF, QNS, PMM, from Manchester takes a different point of view about the new comic saying "Nice one Stanley", now that Marvel have two great comics in one. Mike wonders will they bring out another new title? Jeff Stygall RFO, KOF, QNS from Kent writes that bringing in Conan was the best thing you could have done. "Hawks From the Sea" really complemented this fantasmagorical decision. The Avengers story "Assault on a Deadly Star" was the best Avengers he has  read in a long while. About the back-up strip Jeff considers the rotation of Shang-Chi and Doctor Strange would make this one of the best comics out. Neil Christie RFO, KOF, TTB, from Aberdeen isn't a fan of the merger, his cry of anguish echoed through half of Aberdeen when he says, "Not only have you put Conan in the same mag as two of your worst features, you've cut his stories in half as well!" C Stewart from Dumfries gets straight to the point after reading Avengers weekly #95 by writing that it was great, Conan is fabulous and the artwork couldn't be better. the Avengers, as usual, are brilliant.

The Avengers “...While visions of death dance in his head”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith

Inker: George Klein

Originally published in The Avengers #67

Cover date August 1969

(Published in June 1969)

This week's second part opening splash page is the original cover art from the cover of the Avengers (US edition) issue 67 by Sea Buscema (penciled,) and Sam Grainger (inks). New story title, credit box and Catch-up box added. The Avengers recover from Ultron-6's assault with Iron Man forced to rest, Goliath has to removed scrap metal to reach their Quintet and fly to the last place that the Avengers fought Ulton, beneath a demolished tenement on the lower east side, as seen in the Avengers weekly #93.  

Seeking to make up for betraying the Avengers, the Vision has already followed Ultron back to his abandoned base to learn the robots intensions. The mad robot intends to destroy New York City with a giant nuclear explosion. SHIELD Agents Dum-Dum Duncan and Contessa Valentina arrange for Suicide Squad One to retrieve the stolen Adamantium and their jets arrive shortly after the Avengers. Yellowjacket uses a geiger counter to detect that the radiation level in the area is climbing at a maddening pace. The Vision confronts his creator. However the battle is lost because of the untimely intervention of SHIELD agents, who are tracking the Adamantium which Ultron's body is constructed of, who arrive and stun the Vision, which allows Ultron-6 to escape. The Avengers are left to deal with the atomic devices that Ultron set to start a chain reaction that would destroy the whole city. Next week "The final gambit!"

Master of Kung Fu “Snow buster”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Dan Adkin 

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #31

Cover date August 1975

(Published in May 1975)

I love this original opening page by Paul Gulacy, it looks just like a movie poster. It would have been the best Bond/Bruce Lee film ever! Shang-Chi, Black Jack Tarr, and Clive Reston have tried to escape from Carlton Velcro's headquarters, but instead have discovered a secret arsenal of nuclear missiles. Velcro's narcotics empire was just a smoke screen for global plans for world conquest. Unarmed and perched on a ledge in a cave under Velcro's fortress, Reston and Tarr disagree with their next action, with one wanting to go after the missiles, while the other wants to find a way out and get reinforcements. 

Shang-Chi finds a rope and secures it to an outcrop for the others, while he dives off the ledge, knocking a soldier off the dock before he lands in the water. Tarr and Reston follow quickly via the rope and join in the fight. They make their way to a futuristic tank. Elsewhere Carlton Velcro tells his lover and  bodyguard, Pavane about the annoyance of the British agents who have escaped. Pavane reassures him that she will stop them. Inside the tank Tarr tells Reston that along as they stay inside they'll be safe, just then Shang-Chi realises the place will be destroyed and leaves the tank to rescue Razor-Fist, whom he left unconscious. Shang-Chi heads toward the entrance and enters a garden. Pavane, Velcro's bodyguard and last line of defence, tries to stop him. Shang-Chi grabs her whip, pulls her into range, and knocks her out. Just then through a door behind the China man the now freed Razor-Fist enters. Part two continues next week.

A variation of last week's colour advert for the latest Marvel Treasury Edition, the Hulk on the rampage. This version uses the image of the Hulk looming above the special by Marie Severin's artwork from the Incredible Hulk opening splash page taken from Tales to Astonish issue 92, cover dated June 1967, published March 1967. British readers may also recall it as the cover of the Mighty World of Marvel #139. See last week's blog for this Marvel Treasury Edition's listings.

Dracula Lives #44

John Romita Sr's cover from Tomb of Dracula issue 21 is reused as this week's cover. I can'y admit to liking it.

Dracula “Deathknell”

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #21

Cover date June 1974

(Published in March 1974)

Frank Drake, Rachel van Helsing and Dracula have been captured by Doctor Sun, who has been attempting to capture Dracula for some time to take his title as lord of the vampires. Lucas Brand explain the Doctor's origin. In 1966 had been a prisoner of the Chinese government during the Cultural Revolution and was forced into an experiment where his brain was removed from his body and placed into an anti-matter container and wired into a computer in the hopes that his powerful mind would be used as a weapon for the Chinese government. They got more than they bargained for when Sun exerted his massive mental powers to kill the men who did this to him. He soon learn that in order to survive he required fresh blood and devoted himself to learning about vampires.

Sun orders Lucas Brand to bring him the blood of Rachel van Helsing, however as Brand seeks to carry out this task, Sun unleashes Dracula to test Brand's abilities. Dracula and Brand fight to the finish when Brand picks up a wooden stake and rams it into Dracula's heart. In London, Quincy Harker tries to convince Blade to stay but he declines the offer, preferring to hunt down his mother's killer. Back at Doctor Sun's laboratory Dracula has had the stake removed and has been wired up into a machine. The evil Doctor explains to further his need for fresh blood he seeks to have dominion over all vampires who will form an army of minions to collect blood from the bodies he needs. As part of this plot, he had one of his men seek out the body of Lucas Brand to learn all he could about vampires in the hopes of learning a way to best Dracula and seize control of all the worlds vampires. Having Brand hook himself into the devices as well, Doctor Sun intends to transfer all of Dracula's memories into not only Dr. Sun's data banks, but also into the mind of Lucas Brand in the hopes that Brand would become his medium to control the vampires of the world. Find out how this sci-fi horror continues next week in "Of men, minds and vampires!"

Cryptic Correspondence

Simon Herbert from Staffordshire takes a look at the many artists who drew the strips in Dracula Lives. He considers that the return of Gene Colan and Tom Palmer after issue 27 increased the level to a higher standard. Tom Sutton is almost as good as Mike Ploog on the Werewolf strip. On Brother Voodoo, Simon considers him a really good replacement for Frankenstein's Monster. I need a translator for John Wallace's letter from the Isle of Lewis, but I think he likes Brother Voodoo, the Werewolf and Dracula. Richard Latham from Glasgow asks if your name is printed in the "We have also heard from..." column do you qualify for a QNS? The answer is no! Raymond Brooking KOF, RFO, QNS, FFF from Devon thinks that since Brother Voodoo has joined Dracula Lives' unhallowed ranks the comic has improved a great deal. So much so that he thinks that there's enough content to create another new comic with possibly the strips like the Man-Thing, Man-Wolf and other strips from Vampire Tales. 

Werewolf by Night “Murder by moonlight!”

Writer: Mike Friedrich

Artist: Don Perlin

Inker: Mark Royer

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #18

Cover date June 1974

(Published in March 1974)

This week's Werewolf tale starts with a "mind-flashback" to a Transylvanian forest in 1795, where a young girl called Valeria Patcek was staked by a Werewolf under a full moon. That werewolf turned out to be Grigory Russoff, Jack Russell's great-great-great-grandfather. Why that was an important way to start of this week's Werewolf By Night tale I have no idea. It feels almost an attempt by Friedrich or Perlin or even from a directive from the editor, Roy Thomas to inject some much needed gothic horror to this strip. 

In the modern day, Lieutenant Hackett has called in at Jack's apartment to question the young lad about a possible sighting of  werewolf. Interrupting the interrogation is the new cleaning lady, however she turns out to be another lame agent of the Committee, who  goes by the name of Ma Mayhem. She is in reality a witch who uses mystical weapons to fight the Werewolf. She knocks out Hackett and attacks Jack just as he conveniently turns into the Werewolf. Their fight crashes through the wall of Jack's reclusive neighbour, Ray Coker, disrupting his meditation, which reveals he too suffers from the Werewolf's curse.

The Living Mummy “The return of the Living Mummy!”

Writer: Steve Gerber

Artist: Val Mayerik

Inker: Val Mayerik

Originally published in Supernatural Thrillers #7

Cover date June 1974

(Published in March 1974)

The return of the Living Mummy is marked with a change of style, mainly due to change of artist, but I really like it as it feels like a movie sequel where all the best bits are used again. In a darkened Egyptology wing of a New York museum, a fist swathed in bandages punches its way out of a dusty crate. Amid the jagged wooden shards, illumined by the pale moon light through a skylight, stands the Living Mummy. Steve Gerber is an excellent writer who gets that the atmosphere creates the tale and knows how best to work in partnership with Val Mayerik to create an absolute atmospheric joy of gothic horror.  

A security guard comes upon the three thousand year old man and flees in terror to telephone the police, as well as the museum's curator, Dr. Carroll Harter. Harter arrives at the museum, along with Alexi Skarab, but the Mummy is long gone. Skarab tells Harter the history of N'Kantu, and his recent resurrection and rampage in Cairo. Now readers would have already read the last two week's issues and know well these events, however to be fair to the creative team of this tale, it had originally appeared in issue seven of Supernatural Thrillers, the previous Living Mummy was published in issue five of that comic some eight months earlier, so this recap was probably necessary. To be honest if I had to suggest one Living Mummy tale to read, I would advise missing the earlier story and jumping straight to this one. Believe me, you'd thank me. This week's tale ends with the Mummy wandering the streets, of which we'll see more of next issue where "A Mummy stalks New York!" 

Whereas three of this week's other weeklies, namely the Avengers weekly, Planet of the Apes and the Super-Heroes, feature on their back pages in-house adverts for the fifth issue of the Marvel Treasury Edition, starring the Hulk on the rampage, Dracula Lives gives back cover space to another. These one-hundred page colour specials are coming thick and fast as the sixth edition is shown for the first time. Issue six stars the most mystical hero of all, Doctor Strange. The image shown displays the American price and nowhere on this advert mentions the UK price, but after digging out my copy I can tell you it originally sold for 50 pence. This deluxe limited edition of the Sorcerer Supreme contained six Doctor Strange tales. The first being weirdly "The End..At Last!" originally from Strange Tales #146, (which appeared in Avengers weekly #34,) "The Origin of the Ancient One!" from Strange Tales #148, (as seen in Avengers weekly #36,) "To Dream.. Perchance to Die!" from Strange Tales #170, (as seen in Avengers weekly #59,) "Face-to-Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo!" from Strange Tales #111, (as seen in Avengers weekly #3,) "The Cult and the Curse" from Doctor Strange #177, (as seen in Avengers weekly #73,) ironically the final story is "Finally, Shuma-Gorath!" originally from Marvel Premier #10, which will appear in the Avengers weekly #116 on the week ending the 6th December 1975. So if you bought this Marvel Treasury Edition at the time of its release you would have been able to read that tale before most other Avengers weekly readers did.

Planet of the Apes #44

British Marvel comics gets their money's worth out of Ron Wilson's cover artwork, as well as being used as this week's cover, turn the page and it appears again on the inside front cover as the opening splash page for the Planet of the Apes story. Frank Giacoia inked the artwork. 

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

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Alfredo Alcala

Inker: Alfredo Alcala

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #10

Cover date July 1975

(Published in May 1975)

As I mentioned earlier Ron Wilson's front cover artwork is repeated on the inside cover as the second part opening splash page with an added story title, catch-up text box and a credit box. Brent, Taylor and Nova have freed their selfs after discovering that the human mutants are planing to fire a "Doomsday" bomb against the city of apes, who are about to march into the Forbidden Zone.

The army of apes, lead by General Ursus, with Doctor Zaius, enter the Forbidden Zone but as they do they witness apes crucified on inverted crosses, who plead for their help. Suddenly a wall of flame envelops them as the Ursus and Zaius watch helplessly. The Doctor cannot look at the apes suffering and asks the General to order his soldiers to shoot them out off pity. Ursus replies that he cannot give that order as the Lawgiver has forbidden ape from killing ape. Just then a giant image of the Lawgiver rises out of the smoke. As the apes hold their positions the Lawgiver bleeds causing the gorillas to panic and attempt to flee. Doctor Zaius calls it a vision, a trick and to prove it false he rides his horse towards the smoking effigy only to stop at its base. The Lawgiver topples towards him, both disappear in an explosion of smoke. When it clears Zaius still sits on his horse's back, showing the other apes the way to truth. The apes march on and discover a shaft that leads down below. The human mutants watch a screen that show the apes progress. Coldly their leader Mendez orders the bomb mechanism be set and primed for the Ape city. Next issue will be a literally cataclysmic conclusion in "The hell of Holocaust!"

Captain Marvel “Where stalks the Sentry!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Paul Reiman

Originally published in Marvel Super-Heroes #13

Cover date March 1968

(Published in December 1967)

Gene Colan's (pencils,) and Frank Giacoia's (inks,) cover from Marvel Super-Heroes (US edition,) issue 13 is used as this week second part opening splash page, with pretty much everything it had on the original cover, including the strip title and the story title, only a credit box was added. Mar-Vell decides to infiltrate the Cape Kennedy Space Center. using his new stolen identity of Doctor Walter Lawson and learn what he can.

As "Lawson", Mar-Vell is introduced to General Bridges and the base's new security chief Carol Danvers. This character choice was quite ahead of its time, a woman in such a high position in the late 60's was a strong decision, as before that time women in comics had always been portrayed as the shrinking violets and scream queens who would be terrified or get captured at the drop of a hat. They would be the supporting character who was the girlfriend, wife or daughter of one of the main characters. Carol Danvers would become one of the most important characters in Marvel comics, when later she gains super-hero powers to become at first Ms. Marvel, then the cosmically charged Binary and later taking the name Captain Marvel. 

Carol doesn't trust "Doctor Lawson" at first as the original Doctor had a reputation of being an eccentric recluse. She has a feeling that Walter Lawson is hiding something. Even so he is given clearance to see the captured Kree Sentry which has been recovered from the ocean floor after it was defeated by the Fantastic Four, as seen in the Mighty World of Marvel #140. Yon-Rogg decides to use the Sentry for his own ends to eliminate Mar-Vell, so has it reactivated. When Mar-Vell learns of the Sentry's rampage, he quickly puts on his Kree armour and flys into action to stop the Sentry robot from destroying the Cape Kennedy Space Center. While the carnage starts General Bridges rings the hotel number given to him by "Doctor Lawson" to see if the scientist can in someway deactivate the robot, the landlord answers and is shocked to find that the man who originally signed his name as Marvel is Walter Lawson from the description given to him by the General. So being suspicious he decides to snoop around his room to see if he could be an enemy agent, well it was the height of the Cold War. Find out want he finds and how Captain Marvel's fight the Sentry gets on next week in "Foes!"

“War Toy”

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: George Pérez

Inker: Rico Rival

Originally published in Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction #2

Cover date March 1975

(Published in December 1974)

This is a wonderful tale written by the incredible Tony Isabella with gorgeous art from George Pérez with Rico Rival's perfectly balanced inks. A robot is rushed into hospital while a reporter asks if reports of the robot being found in the gutter are true? The doctor's order the reporter to leave while they try to revive the mechanical man. The reporter recalls FM-1's origin. It was an intelligent robot created by General Hamilton Arkay, a prototype for a project to create robot soldiers.

Fighting Man-1 as it was officially named was later cruelly nicknamed 'War Toy' by his scornful comrades. As the project cost millions, a cost that the army's valuable resources couldn't afford it was shelved  and relegated to serving as the General's assistant. When alien invaders devastated Australia, General Arkay and FM-1 were sent behind enemy lines to gather information because of Arkay's previous experience of the country. The General was killed by the aliens, but FM-1 managed to return to base with vital tactical information. Subsequently it insisted in joining the fight against the invaders, which he was pivotal in winning. After the liberation of the country the ungrateful government decided that a robot soldier could set a dangerous precedent, so FM-1 was discharged into civilian life. Unable to earn enough to maintain his failing systems, he ended up falling into disrepair and eventually, it was taken to the veteran's hospital where after partially being repaired he told his story to the sympathetic reporter. Then, FM-1, the soldier nobody wanted, commits suicide by crushing his own vital systems with his steel fist. Heart broken at being unable to stop him the reporter leaves only to head a tear when news of the aliens return breaks. It's one of the best stories British Marvel printed around this time, like an extended Future Shock. Beautiful!

The Super-heroes #25

Paty Cockrum creates another good cover, commissioned especially for British Marvel. This split cover features the Silver Surfer being threatened by a satanist priest and the Abomination and a proud Doc Savage. I'm not so sure what the concept is meant to be, but still I think the look of it is very eye catching. 

Silver Surfer “Gather, ye witches!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Silver Surfer #12

Cover date January 1970

(Published in October 1969)

A slight change in the genre of this week's Surfer tale, but in many ways that's the norm for these Silver Surfer strips. A different theme but with the same thread running through it about humanity's own self destruction and fear of the things it doesn't understand. Near Stonehenge a coven of witches practice their dark arts while above the Silver Surfer once again tries to force himself through Galactus' barrier in desperation to return to Zenn-La after sending his sweetheart, Shalla-Bal back there in the hope she can recover from her injuries she received last week. The intense collision with the barrier knocks him unconscious and sends him crashing to earth, near Stonehenge.

Warlock Prime, the leader of the witches coven, witnesses the Surfers fall and investigates. He brings him home and tricks him into drinking a sedative. The Warlock Prime brings him to the coven's meeting place with a plan to destroy the Surfer and thus prove to the world the power of the coven. To destroy the Surfer, the coven conjures forth a demon, but instead the Abomination materialises. Chronologically speaking in Marvel continuity his last appearance would have been in MWOM #34, where after fighting the Hulk, the Stranger transported the Abomination to his own home world. However he last appeared in British Marvel continuity as part of Cybor's alien crew that fought the Hulk, as seen in MWOM #104. They are shocked when the Abomination does not listen to their commands. He throws Warlock Prime against the other witches and sets off to take over the planet. 

Cosmic Communications

Brian Lynch QNS, TTB, from Glasgow isn't pleased that the villain in the Silver Surfer strip is Mephisto again. He can sees it might be OK in a monthly mag, but not in a weekly comic. Brian sees Mephisto as an eyesore and an irritation, who is no good as an arch-enemy for the Surfer, he's not in the same class. As for the difference between Jack Kirby and John Buscema, Brian points out that the Kirby/ Lee story lacked the emotional depth that Buscema/Lee stories have. Gordon Talbot from Peterborough read the letters in the Avengers weekly he saw everybody clamouring for the Silver Surfer and wondered what made him so attractive to everyone. Now he knows, he's great. Gordon ends his letter by naming his favourite writers as Stan Lee and Doug Moench and his favourite artists are John Buscema and John Romita Sr. Allan Scott from Carlisle thinks that Mephisto making on and off appearances in the comic shows great promise, but many of the readers would be very pleased if Galactus made another appearance in the Super-Heroes.

Doc Savage “Savage fury!”

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)

This opening splash page was commissioned especially for this British Marvel weekly, but I can't find out who the artist was, It could possibly be a rush job by Ron Wilson but your guess is as good as mine. Anyway it is only a symbolic image. Doc Savage is in pursuit of a silver skinned Zeppelin in his Autogyro. When he catches up to it he hovers above it and sets the craft to automatic stable mode so that he can make a death defying feat by climbing down a rope ladder to the airship below.

Unseen by the Doc the Zeppelin's bomb bay doors open in the bottom of the crafts's gondola as huge electrical dynamo cannon takes aim at the Velvet Room restaurant. The shriek of thunderous charge shattered the building sending jagged shards of brick, steel and glass in all directions. The Shock wave from the blast hits everything within a mile radius, including Doc Savage while descending his ladder. Now the Zeppelin has completed its task it smoothly flies away with Savage unable to keep up with it and still ascend the ladder to reach it. Returning to his headquarters he finds that the Ziggurat men have blasted Ham and Johnny with their lightning guns and kidnapped Angelica Tremaine and Thomas Bolt. Luckily Ham and Johnny survived thanks to their thickly insulated rubber boots. Doc finds another clue so that Doc and his friends follow the Zeppelin in his own airship, the "Amberjack", that also carried a sub-marine called the "Helldiver." Luckily the Doc had managed to attach a magnetic tracker to the Silver Zeppelin before it got away and it had also stopped to pick up someone, which gave them a better chance of catching up to it. To be continued next week.

The X-Men “Among us stalk...the Sentinels!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby and Werner Roth

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in The X-Men #14

Cover date November 1965

(Published in September 1965)

This story follow the X-Men's encounter with the Juggernaut as seen in the Super-Heroes #20, even though the X-Men in the American continuity would have had four adventures since that story, the British Super-Heroes readers would have been left thinking that the X-Men were recovering from last week's tale with Ka-Zar, due to the mixing up of stories that was necessary due to the introduction of the Stranger earlier than he should have in the Super-Heroes #15, before he made his appearance in the Silver Surfer strip in the Super-Heroes #17. The text in the top catch-up box names the Juggernaut's attack, in "last ish", as the reason for the X-Men's aches and pains. I'll like to see the British editor explain their way out of that one in the letter pages. This story sees the introduction of Werner Roth as penciler over Jack Kirby's layouts. 

The Professor gives the X-Men a clean bill of health. At that very moment, scientist Bolivar Trask is holding a press conference to denounce the mutant race as a menace to humanity that must be crushed. The press jump on Trask's paranoid rants to fill the front pages of newspapers all over America. Unaware of that the X-Men prepare to depart for a well earned break. Jean leaves with Warren, leaving Scott to wonder how he can compete with his rich and handsome teammate for Jean's affections. Hank and Bobby ask Scott to join them, however he declines passing the newspaper to Professor Xavier before leaving. Opening the paper, the Professor is horrified to find Trask's epitaph against mutants complete with a wild story about how mutants will take over and enslave humanity. Wanting to stop the anti-mutant hysteria, the Professor arranges a televised debate between Trask and himself. 

That night on television, Professor Xavier and Bolivar Trask argue their points to a national television audience, sparking debate all around the United States. Bolivar offers to the audience a means of defence against the supposed mutant menace by demonstrating his new invention on live television. Unaware that Xavier is himself a mutant Trask orders his new Sentinel robot enforcers to restraint the Professor. From behind a curtain a giant robot grabs hold of Charles, behind him more Sentinels are revealed. Trask begins to order the section leader, Sentinel #1. However, things take an unexpected twist when the robot suddenly turns on Trask, stunning him with a ray beam as it declares the Sentinels superior to humanity. With  Xavier and Trask subdued, Professor X sends out a mental distress call summoning the X-Men. Bobby, Hank and the Warren are the first to hear the call and all three set off to face the robot menace in next week's "The Sentinels spell death!"

I'm getting a mental call to go out and enjoy a little bit of summer sun while I can before I have to start next week's blog. so until them...

 

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.