Woah-oh, oh, mercy, mercy me. Oh, things ain't what they used to be!

 Week Ending 6th December 1975

With just over three weeks to Christmas how do I find the time to read seven weeklies and blog about them? Plus sort out gifts for loved ones? Goodness knows! Oh for easier days when all that any young reader would want to do was just read and read. Oh happy days filled with nostalgia like this.

The Mighty World of Marvel #166

This Herb Trimpe drawn Hulk verses Aquon cover originally appeared on the front cover of the Incredible Hulk issue 165. I love that the British version re-coloured the "Hulk" part of the comic's logo blue, to match the in-rushing water and how in both versions the "murderous Man-Fish", Aquon tells the Hulk that soon the "chamber will be filled with PURE H20!!" instead of saying "water!" How very scientific. This week isn't a good week for covers, so this one gets my Cover of the Week for being miles ahead of the rest in a very poor group.

The Incredible Hulk “The green-skinned god!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Sal Trapani

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #165

Cover date July 1973

(Published in April 1973)

The Hulk is forced to follow Captain Omen's giant under-sea ship, the Infra-World, along the ocean floor with only Omen's breathing helmet keeping the green goliath alive. As the Hulk trudges along the sea bed, some of Omen's crew spy an opportunity to kickstart their mutiny by switching him with an impostor and bring the Hulk back aboard the sub. Deep within the bowels of the submersible the Hulk is introduced to the leader of the mutiny, Filius Omen, the captain's own son. The Hulk at first believes its a trap, but then is shocked when he finds the band of "Children of the new order," as they call themselves, bowing down to him in praise.

Meanwhile General Ross is being transported to a Russian prison through the Russian countryside by train. He refuses any food and thinks about his daughter Betty, now left in the capable hands of Glenn Talbot, back in the States. The story moves to Project: Greenskin, where Colonel Armbruster and Glenn Talbot mobilise troops for a covert mission to rescue the General. Glenn promises Betty that he and her father will come back to her. Back aboard the Infra-World, Filius shows the Hulk various items that were brought aboard the ship by the original crew, that have been secretly kept hidden from his father. He asks the Hulk to help them get to the surface, to experience the sunlight and fresh air. The Hulk agrees to help, but unknown to them one mutineer among their midst is unhappy that their revolt depends on a monster. His allegiance switches back to Captain Omen and he reports the current turn of events to him. Omen is shocked to learn that his son is the leader of the rebellion, however he is prepared to deal with any mutiny aboard his vessel. When the Hulk leads the charge to the command centre, Captain Omen unleashes another one of his genetically engineered creatures. An amphibious monster named Aquon, who is half-man, half-fish and all hate! Obviously the story concludes next week.

I'm not sure why this page was included in this week's Mighty World of Marvel, it had appeared in last week issue of Spider-man Comics weekly, issue 146, as the second part of the Thor strip opening splash page, as you can see with the strip's title, credit box and story title remain. The original artwork was taken from the cover of the Mighty Thor (US edition,) issue 169, with art by Jack Kirby (pencils,) and George Klein (inks,) with the centre image of Thor drawn by John Romita Sr. Was this page intended as a pin-up feature? If so they could have removed the strip title and credit box and replaced that text with a "Marvel Masterwork Pin-up" tag line. Was the print deadline nearing and they needed a quick page filler? Probably.

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

J Doenhoe and P Dunne, both from Dublin are cousins who offer a "Marvel question answering service" like John Porter did in MWOM #136. The next letter is from Dave Thorpe from Lancaster, there is a good chance that this Dave Thorpe who may have been the same Dave Thorpe who wrote a letter to Captain Britain #17, cover dated 2rd February 1977, then with an address in Scorton, near Garstang in Lancashire, who would go on to write the new adventures of Captain Britain under the editorship of Paul Neary in Marvel UK's Marvel Super-heroes from issue 377, cover dated September 1981. With art by Alan Davis. It could be another Dave Thorpe, but the two addresses aren't hundreds of miles away. The Dave from that Captain Britain letter also like this letter, has strong opinions on Marvel Comics, which are very valid. Please take the time to read this Marvel Mailbag and the Down the Tubes article to find out more about the writer Dave Thorpe. Mark Ryder from Essex is sorry to hear about the passing of artist Bill Everett in the September 1973 issue of the Sub-Mariner and in the September 1975 issues of other Marvel US mags, the passing of letterer Artie Simek. Russell Ayres from Australia writes to inform British readers that in Australia they have their own comics group called "Newton Comics". Which have 44-pages of Marvel stories per issue. The 9 titles include The Amazing Spider-man, Doctor Strange, Dracula, Conan, the Avengers, The Fantastic Four Science Fiction, Planet of The Apes and The Hulk.

Daredevil “Run, Murdock, run!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Barry Windsor-Smith

Inker: George Klein

Originally published in Daredevil #51

Cover date April 1969

(Published in February 1969)

After three Marvel comic strips under his belt (X-Men #53, Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD #10 and Daredevil #50,) Barry Windsor-Smith is starting to settle into being a good super-hero artist. This strip shows off his creativeness with taking standard panels and allowing his artwork to go over the border edges, with large amounts of black ink that give a better definition of power and energy. I think Roy Thomas's writing allows him to have a ball. Which is what I'm having reading this strip. 

Biggie Benson has made a big mistake striking Daredevil down when he had come to warn him that Starr Saxon's Plastoid robot has come to kill him. Desperately Benson tries to wake up Daredevil so that he can save him from the rampaging robot, but it's too late as the giant picks him up with one hand. Prison guards assemble with the Tony Stark invented "stumulator" that was originally designed for full scale riot control. Sensing danger the robot drops Benson allowing the guards to blast his attacker. The mammoth Plastoid is bombarded and bludgeoned with energy, that for the first time makes the robot feel the human sensation of pain. It grows even larger with each blast until it topples onto Benson, killing him. With Benson terminated, the robot shuts down waiting for new instructions from Saxon. With the danger over the prison doctor offers Daredevil some medical treatment for a cut on his arm. He heals quite rapidly but the doctor still wants him to wait for his blood test results, but Daredevil wants to find out more about the robot's master. Next week we'll all find out more about Mister Saxon, in seven days.

Clean-up Comp. Winners!

Over the last two weeks the runners-up winners for the Marvel Clean-up Competition have been featured, now after hours of deliberation and argument it's time for the judges final choices to be listed. In the weeklies from the Week Ending the 30th August 1975 Marvel ran a Clean-up Competition, for the readers to think up the best way Marvel characters could clean-up the planet in the most ecologically friendly way. Now four lucky winners from the thousands of entries in Marvel's Ecology competition are named. Who each will be receiving a super Raleigh bike as their prize! Daniel Malone from Suffolk suggested that Magneto would attract a huge heap of cans, then Quicksilver would punch the bottoms out of them allowing Magneto to make them into a long tube. The Hulk would climb up the tube and suck the smog out of the atmosphere with his massive lungs, then Doctor Strange would teleport him to the other side of the galaxy to blow it out. The Human Torch would then melt the tube into ball bearings. Michael Maccariello from London would have Doctor Strange magic up all the rubbish in the world and use it to create a barrier around Dormammu's realm. Louis Albert also from London would have the Silver Surfer make his board spin on its axis to create a super tornado to collect all the rubbish, then he would use his cosmic powers to break it down in some remote desert, to form a miniature sun that could be harnessed for energy. Finally Ian Davies from Cornwall would have, of all heroes, Professor X use his mutant mental powers to bore a hole to the centre of the Earth. Reed Richards would invent a "special pressuriser" to stop the lava from shooting up. All waste could be dumped there as with the great heat and pressure it would revert to its normal chemical state. A power station could be built over the hole to harness the great unlimited heat and turn it into electricity.

The Fantastic Four “Stranded in Sub-Atomica!”

 Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott 

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #76

Cover date July 1968

(Published in April 1968)

With impending doom awaking the Earth if the Silver Surfer isn't brought before Galactus the male members of the Fantastic Four journey into the Microverse dimension by using Reed's newly build "Reducta-Craft", which allows them to shrink down in size small enough to cross over into this micro-universe. As they prepare to venture to this other world, Sue's doctor pays her a visit to monitor the progress of her pregnancy. He is surprised that her husband isn't with her as the time of the birth grows near. When she starts to fret over it the doctor orders her not to listen to any upsetting news stories.

After he leaves, Sue begs Crystal to tell her about the news stories the doctor mentioned. The young Inhuman avoids telling her what she knows, in case it has any adverse effects on Sue's pregnancy. Meanwhile the "Reducta-Craft" has shrunk down to a microscopic size and with Reed at the controls the three heroes fly towards a slide on a microscope beginning their adventure into the Microverse by breaching the barrier between universes. There they begin their search for the Silver Surfer, but Reed cautions them to be careful as they are venturing into the realm of their foe the Psycho-Man. Soon they cross paths with the missing Surfer.

British readers turning to page 26 of this weekly, will find a page that wasn't printed in the original US comic, although the word-bubbles from issue 76 are. The Jack Kirby page from the Fantastic Four issue 76 is missing, in its place is a montage page that uses art drawn by John Buscema with the original speech text added. The top Surfer artwork is from the Silver Surfer #14 opening splash page "The Surfer and the Spider!", as seen in the Super-Heroes #13, with Dan Adkins inking John's artwork and the image underneath that looks like another John Buscema piece, I can't pick out where it was originally from, although I'm pretty sure the whole page has already appeared in another British Marvel comic advertising the Silver Surfer in the Super-Heroes, but at the time of publishing this blog I can't recall where. Was there a fault with Kirby's original page 6 and this page artwork was hanging around? Who knows? 

 

Here's what the original page would have looked like. The Fantastic Four soon attack the Surfer with a stun blast that has little effect on him. He lands on a nearby asteroid, giving the Fantastic Four a chance to land their ship and try to communicate with him the danger that threatens the Earth. With the on coming rush of the Human Torch and the Thing the Surfer erects a cosmic protection shield around himself that can withstand the Torch's most powerful flame blasts. The ninth page from the Fantastic Four is also missing from the British version, which causes the story to make no sense as Mister Fantastic is suddenly trying to capture the Surfer's board. If the page had remained we would have seen the Thing try to smash the Surfer's cosmic protection shield and the alien hurl his board towards them. When the Torch tries to burn the board the three heroes are thrown back. Find out what happens in next week's conclusion. 

Marvel Bonus Feature “The spell of the Sea Witch!”

Writer: Allyn Brodsky

Artist: Jack Katz

Inker: Bill Everett 

Originally published in Adventure into Fear #10

Cover date October 1972

(Published in July 1972)

I find it a little strange that pages were removed from the Fantastic Four strip that left room for this short story. It's a good little tale, but surely Fantastic Four fans would have liked to see more of the FF strip. Small time bank robber Frank "Bugsy" Malone robs a bank, killing a guard as he escapes. Fleeing to a deserted marina he hijacks a motorboat, piloted by the innocent Ted and his girl friend, Jan. 

At gun point Bugsy orders Ted to get the boat moving fast as it goes into the fog filled ocean to reach international waters beyond the five mile limit. Just then the fog breaks and a ghost ship appears through the mist. They try to out run it but even at full throttle it catches up with them. They are boarded by ghost pirates who are weary of the four centuries that they have been roaming the seas. The crew of the Sea Witch raided a forgotten isle where a native priest had cursed them to eternal life. The ghost pirate Captain convinces Bugsy, a descendant of Black Harry Malone, to dig up some buried treasure, that will break the curse. Bugsy agrees while the ghost First Mate frees Ted and Jan, telling them that he and the other ghosts are really actors who allow the young couple to flee. Having done a good deed and atoned for their sins, the ghosts, not actor's at all, are freed from the curse and fade away. Bugsy is left stranded alone on a desert island, digging for a treasure that doesn't exist.

Spider-man Comics Weekly #147

Keith Pollard drew this Spider-man Comics Weekly cover with possibly, as the Grand Comics Database suggests, Mike Esposito inking it. The top headlight is a bit off as it says that "Once again Thor must face the wrath of Loki!" but for once he doesn't in this issue. Instead he faces the terror of the Thermal Man!

Spider-man “The hunter and the hunted!”

Writer: Roy Thomas 

Artist: Gil Kane

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #104

Cover date January 1972

(Published in October 1971)

This splash page, by an un-named artist, is used as this week's second part opening, with only a credit box and new story title used. Spider-man and Ka-Zar have arrive after listening to Kraven the Hunter's tale. Spider distracts the alien Gog, while Ka-Zar leaps down to clash with Kraven. Ka-Zar strength would give him the advantage but the villain uses gas to knock him out. The savage holds his breath so Kraven employs his "electro-bursts" to stun the jungle lord. Then the fiend uses a plastic-cord to hang Ka-Zar from a tree. In spite of Kraven's many hunting devices, Ka-Zar proves to be the victor when as Kraven hauls him up into a tree with the plastic-cord, Ka-Zar swings from the noose, kicking his opponent over, but the momentum sends Kraven tumbling off a cliff. 

After that conclusion Gwen Stacy tells Ka-Zar that's she's pleased to see him, but he replies that "there is no time for words, not while the monster called Gog thrashes wildly through the jungle on the trail of Spider-man!" That bit of dialogue is a mistake by Roy Thomas, as later there is no mention of Spider-man in the Savage Land making Jameson unaware that the hero is there, Peter can keep any suspicion of his duel identity and his involvement a secret, which he does. Even Gwen fails to mention it. Spider-man meanwhile is still being chased by Gog, when his path crosses a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The dinosaur on the alien fight in a scene straight out of the classic King Kong movie. Gog defeats Rex and the alien continues his pursuit of Spider-man, straight into the same quicksand the hero had gotten caught up in earlier. The creature sinks to its ultimate demise. Ka-Zar then rushes Gwen back to the camp where she asks Jameson and Calkin what happened to Peter. Jameson tells her that the monster had Parker off a cliff and into a river. Just then Peter rushes into camp after removing his costume. Gwen is pleased to see Peter safe. Bidding Ka-Zar farewell they depart from the Savage Land. With the last line of this tale Roy dedicates the story to Carl Denham. That was an in-joke as Denham was the fictional entrepreneur from the films "King Kong" and "The Son of Kong", played by Robert Armstrong in the 1933 films and by Jack Black in the 2005 remake.

Iron Man “Challenge of the Unicorn!”

Writer: Archie Goodwin

Artist: Johnny Craig

Inker: Johnny Craig

Originally published in Iron Man #4

Cover date August 1968

(Published in May 1968)

The Johnny Craig cover from Iron Man issue 4 is used as this week's second part opening splash page, with a credit box, catch-up box and new story title added. The Unicorn with his newly increased powers has sets his sights on a scientific congress, where he hopes he can force the scientists there to find him a cure for the negative side effects of the Hyper-Activator's treatment that has given him his improved strength, which is slowly killing him. Tony Stark is also attending the congress. 

The Unicorn terrorises the attendants with his new powers, making demands in front of the television crews present. Tony Stark has managed to hide amongst the carnage long enough to locate his briefcase and change into his Iron Man armour. Like a rocket Iron Man's jet boots spend the golden Avenger full-force into the villain, crashing them both through the scientific convention's wall and out into the snow filled fresh air. The two begin to fight, with Iron Man eventually crushing the Unicorn's power belt and tossing it in the nearby river. The enraged Unicorn dives in after it. Iron Man watches the villain fall, unable to see if his flight rockets are working or if he is falling to his doom after his damaged belt. He tries to save him, but there is no splash or sound from the lake below. The Unicorn has disappeared. The story ends with the text 'And coming up next month..."Frenzy in a far-flung future!" "Next month " was a layover from the original American comic as that story appears in next week's mag.

The Mighty Thor “The Thunder God and the Thermal Man!”

Writer: Stan Lee 

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Bill Everett

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #170

Cover date November 1969

(Published in September 1969)

Bill Everett takes over from George Klein as inker with this story and boy I'm wishing he hadn't, even Vince Colletta would be better. For some reason Everett's inks make Kirby's artwork more "blocky" than usual. I think that it might have been a "rush ink job" as Everett even inks out character details in some panels, murdering what I imagine would have been Kirby's detailed pencil drawing.  See Volstagg in the splash page below and other Asgardain warriors in later pages. A crime I would associate with Vince Colletta, but I wager that Colletta wasn't as bad as this week's inks.

Having been teleported to New York City by Odin, Thor is horrified to find a new communist robot known as the Thermal Man rampaging through the city. The Thunder God challenges the culprit of the disturbance when he is called to halt by the Warriors Three and Balder, who have proved to be too weak to stop the powerful robot. The Asgardians regroup just as the US military arrive with a massive barrage of fire-power towards the robot, but to no avail as the robot's thermal blasts easily blows them away. Seeing the mortals helpless the Son of Odin leads the Warriors Three and Balder back into the fray. Even though Thor's own hammer staggers the robot and the five Gods outnumber it, the Thermal Man still proves itself able enough to fight them all off. As the Asgardians regroup an aeroplane is heard over head. The "powers-that-be" from behind the "Bamboo Curtain" have supplied the US airforce with a missile powerful enough to stop their creation after they realised that the Thermal Man had proven itself to be too powerful and possibly a threat to their own nation. The new missile, of "implosive" design, will "hopefully" only explode "inwards" affecting the target and not the city. Find out if it works next week.

Avengers Weekly #116

Arvell Jones does another great Avengers cover for this week's mag. This time inked by Frank Giacoia. Although wouldn't it be nice to see a Conan cover for a change?

Conan the Barbarian “The hand of Nergal!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Ernie Chan

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #30

Cover date September 1973

(Published in June 1973)

This week's Conan tale is adapted from “The Hand of Nergal”, which was one of many untitled and incomplete short stories by Robert E Howard which stared Conan the Cimmerian as its lead hero. The incomplete piece was started in the 1930s but not finished or published in Howard’s lifetime. It was however completed and titled, “The Hand of Nergal” by Lin Carter. An alternative title was "The battlefield stretched silent..." In Roy Thomas's version We find Conan now working for the Turanian army in a battlefield drenched in sun-birthed fires and bathed in human blood. Conan has fought for five long hours against the iron shod legions of Munthassem Khan, a rebellious satrap of the northernmost province of Turan. 

Cut off from his fellow troops of irregulars who had been slain or fled from the fall of hostile arrows from the enemy, Conan with shield and sword in hands swerves his way through a field of combat  to battle alone, until he gains the high ground, leaving a trail of corpses behind him. Cut off from his comrades, Conan is give a moment to pause. Absently his fingers rubs an amulet with curiosity, an amulet he had found the other day when his army had lay encamped at Bahari. From his high vantage point he sees the Turanians and Legions of Munthassem Khan below attacked by a flock of giant bat-monsters. Conan rejoins his comrades below who have sheltered from the bats. The Cimmerian warrior tells them to stand their ground and face the monsters when one giant swoops down on him. His sword slices through it, only to see it rejoin whole again. With its second attack Conan only survives by virtue of his seemingly harmless amulet, which frightens the creature away. As the only survivor of the battle, Conan stumbles away, until his path crosses an unconscious girl. Upon her awakening she reveals that she has been sent to find him by her master Atalis the Far-Seeing. Wary at first as Atalis lives in Yaralet, Conan agrees to accompany the girl, Hildico, since he no longer has an army to fight with. Meanwhile in the nearby city of Yaralet Atalis and Prince Thann are discussing Conan. Atalis reveals that the Khan had all wizards in the city slain, but cursed the philosophers Atalis and Thann with bouts of pain and blindness. Conan with the girl, enters and asks what reason would they have to send a girl to fetch him? Find out why next week.

Avengers Mailbag

Alan Morgan from Swansea buys the Avengers and the Savage Sword of Conan for the two title strips and thinks that the other stories should be removed into another comic called "Doc Strange and Master of Kung-Fu," James Cassidy from Bury thinks that moving Conan into the Avengers weekly is another brilliant idea. The writing in Conan is also brilliant with unfortunately, one blemish. In "Hawks from the Sea", due to the combining of the two mags ment that the stories have to be cut. However he does point out that it will give the American Conan comics time to gain more distance on the British strip. James is always thrilled to read the Avengers, but he has never like the Master of Kung Fu strip. Alan G Bowen from Glamorgan thinks that the Hyborian age and the 20th century Avengers strips mix quite well. Alan also thinks that the Avengers are brilliant, but like the previous letter writer he's had enough of Shang-Chi. John C from Yorkshire thinks that the recent Avengers stories from issues 82 to 95 have been truly brilliant, especially with the introduction of the Vision, Yellow Jacket and Goliath. He thinks that those stories are as good as the Hulk tales from MWOM issue 95 to 100. As for the Conan adventures, he is truly the best character Marvel has ever written about.

The Avengers “The blaze of battle...The flames of love!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in The Avengers #76

Cover date May 1970

(Published in March 1970)

With the Scarlet Witch and some of the Earth's top nuclear scientists adducted by Arkon the magnificent, the ruler of a far-flung dimension the Avengers have swiftly acted and built a device called the D-Machine, which they hope will allow them to bridge the gap between worlds. This feels a "little outside of the box" for the Black Panther with the help of Captain America and the Vision to be able to construct such a devise, but lets give Roy Thomas a little leeway, as Iron Man and Tony Stark with the help of Henry Pym might have been tinkering with the prototype during previous adventures and the Panther is just trying to get it working.  

The first test however proves unsuccessful and the machine explodes nearly killing the Panther. With the Avengers having to start from scratch all over again much to Quicksilver's irritation. Meanwhile, Goliath's trying to take his mind off his inability to help with the dimension hopper, by working out in the gym, when he is visited by the Black Widow who has returned from yet another mission for SHIELD. She is still in her old costume so this must predate her appearance in SMCW #109 when she adopted her new costume in the Spider-man story. She explains to Goliath that she can never see him again, breaking his heart by telling him she never loved him. While on Arkon's world, the Scarlet Witch tries to convince Arkon not to destroy her world, a request that Arkon refuses to grant. He takes her into his castle's prison where the Toad is held with the kidnapped nuclear physicists. There he is using a device to siphon knowledge of nuclear power from the physicists,  in order to build a device, which Grand Vizier Greybeard calls the "atomic sphere," which they believe will restore the light to Arkon's world by destroying the Earth, leaving it a smouldering cosmic corpse! See the destruction next week.

Butlins Marvel Super-Joker!

The final checklist of "Joker of the Week" at each of these Butlins holiday centres. Ayr Centre winner is Alexander Kelly, aged 7, from Glasgow. The Barry Centre winner is Martin Evans, aged 9 from Gwent. Clacton Centre winner is Deborah Osmond, aged 10 from Kent. Minehead Centre winner is Andrew Robinson, aged 12 from the West Midlands and from the Pwllheli Centre the winner is Stephanie Hardman, aged 7, from Yorkshire. Also from the week commencing 20th September winners are from the Ayr Centre, Paul Harwood, aged 10, from Belfast. Barry Centre winner is Rachel Harris, aged 9, from Mid Glamorgan, with this joke, "A magician and his parrot were acting on a ship. The parrot spoiled his act by saying "It's in his hat or it's up his sleeve". Then the ship sank and they were on a life raft for six months. During that six months the parrot did not speak at all. After six months it said: "I give in, where's the ship?" The Clacton Centre winner is Claire Matthews, aged 5, from Norfolk whose joke was, "Question, Which is the strongest day of the week? Answer Sunday because all the rest are weekdays!" From the Filey Centre

Dean Allen, aged 10, from Hull won. At the Minehead Centre Laura James, aged 10, from Surrey also won. Tara Davin, aged 6, from Cornwall won at the Pwllheli Centre. Finally at the Skegness Centre winner is Neville Fletcher, aged 7, from Luton, who won with this joke. "Question. If buttercups are yellow what colour are hiccups? Answer. Burple!" Right thank goodness that competition is over, I'm in tears, not with laughter but with finger cramp from writing those results out.

Doctor Strange “Finally Shuma-Gorath!”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Frank Brunner

Inker: Ernie Chan and Crusty Bunkers

Originally published in Marvel Premiere #10

Cover date September 1973

(Published in June 1973)

Shuma-Gorath has used the Ancient One's mind as a portal to Earth's dimension, rising from the Ancient One's brow is a negative image of the Doctor's mentor. Using that image Shuma-Gorath tells Strange that his mentor mind was a gateway to the universe and the secret of power. He was spawned in a dimension diametrically opposed the earth's. He has feed on the strengths of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme to become the exact opposite. So soon as the Ancient One perceived Shuma-Gorath's existence he realised he could not defeat him and nobly attempted to end his own life.  

During a moment of weakness Shuma-Gorath opened the Ancient One's mind to the Doctor's struggles in the hope that this would weaken the Ancient One's mind and allow the ancient demon cross over. Doctor Strange is the only force standing in the demon's way. With a dangerous plan Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto to focus all his sorcerous strength and shrink down before Shuma-Gorath can comprehend it to the size of a dust mote so that he can enter the skull of his mentor, traveling into the Ancient One's mind, to battle Shuma-Gorath. The ancient demon raised defences including a conjured up apparition of Dormammu from the Ancient One's memories. On the Earthly plain in the Crypts of Kaa-U the Living Buddha orders his minions to take him to the Ancient One's prison chamber to witness events. Finding only the inert body of the Ancient One suffering the final death-throes, one demon says perhaps he should grant him mercy with a swift end. The magic and the horror continues next week.

Dracula Lives #59

The original artwork for this week's cover was by Gil Kane (pencils,) with Tom Palmer (inks,) and was taken from Tomb of Dracula issue 27, with only alterations made to the colours from the night sky and the woman's dress. 

Dracula “Night-fire!”

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #27

Cover date December 1974

(Published in September 1974)

While searching for the powerful Chimera statue, Dracula had inadvertently fell into a trap set by an unseen mastermind. Trapped in a sealed room as holy water, deadly to a vampire, pours into the room. His only one method of escape is through the opening where the lethal water is coming from. Transforming into his bat form to make an attempt to escape, Dracula finds the gaps in the grating too slim, changing into his mist form Dracula manages to make it through alive. However the holy water horribly burns him and he passes out from the excruciating pain.

Meanwhile in South America, Frank Drake and Chastity Jones arrive in Brazil where they meet Danny, one of Frank's old colleagues. Driving into the jungle, Danny explains to Frank that he intends to make Frank a partner for his new company called "Summer Inc." In London, Rachel van Helsing visits Quincy Harker to ask for his fatherly advice about her relationship with Frank Drake. Putting the situation into perspective Quincy explains that after blowing his entire fortune Frank has to go out and prove to himself that he has what it took to be as independent as Rachel. He adds that if he loves her he will return. Rachel hopes for the best. Elsewhere outside of London David Eshcol and Shiela Whittier continue their search for the missing sections of the Chimera in the hope that he can find who murdered Davis's father. One of the thieves returns to his boss, bringing only the head of the Chimera with him. claiming that the body and tail sections were missing, but they were still looking for them. Detecting deceit, his unseen boss slowly opens a trap door in the floor revealing a pit of acid, demanding him to reveal its location. Cracking under the possibility of death, the thug tells him he had stashed it in a safe deposit box for his own use. The man dies anyway when floor opens further. The mastermind order his agent, Mae Li to retrieve it. David Eshcol and Shiela Whittier stop their car when they find Dracula on the roadside. Shiela is pleased to see her master as he explains to David that he intends to use the Chimera to rule the world. Grabbing the Chimera's tail to prove to David that the artefact has power by summoning a flaming image of the Chimera in the sky, causing it to rain down fire on the world.

Cryptic Correspondence

Glynne Cook RKO, KOF, QNS, TTB and PMM from Cheshire, wants people with collections of over 250 mags to contact him, so he can create a Marvel Library. He also hints at a few masterpieces coming up in the next few months. He should have left it at that but instead gives away some major plot spoilers. Peter Andrews also from Cheshire, gets most of the British Marvel mags, Spider-man and Daredevil are his favourites and Dracula Lives is good but could do better. N Pavey from Somerset goes further by saying that Dracula Lives is a great magazine with his favourites being Dracula and the Living Mummy strips. He's a massive horror fan with 541 horror films in his collection, ranging from the 1919 film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" to the 1969 classic "Eye of The Cat." He likes the stills from the Dracula films that he's seen in Dracula Lives and what would he give for a pin-up of Max Schreck in the 1922 film "Nosferato". Terry and James O'Connor from Dublin buy Dracula lives every week. They write that Bram Stoker, who wrote the famous Count Dracula novel, got a lot of his ideas from when  he came to the Catacombs in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. The two boys are starting a "Horrors Fan Club" in Ireland if anyone fancies joining.

Werewolf by Night “The dark side of evil!”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Don Perlin

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Werewolf by Night #24

Cover date December 1974

(Published in September 1974)

Jack returns to his apartment after a night on the town as the Werewolf to find that his locks have been changed. His landlady, Sandy, tells him that after destroying the flat for the third time she has no choice but to evict him. Buck puts him up and offers a possible solution to his full moon problem. For that last eight months he has been following the work of a research scientist named Winston Redditch.

Redditch is a former behavioural psychologist, who has turned to chemistry as a tool for the most astonishing research project, in which he theorises that like the Robert Louis Stevenson novel Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde in which there are two sides to the human psyche. The human side, which is supposedly noble and good and the darker bestial side that is the pure essence of evil. Redditch like Stevenson, contends that all men are a synthesis of those two psyches, with neither being completely good, nor fully evil. Redditch believes that there are isolated sections of the brain that control and promote anger and hostile aggression, which could be suppressed using chemical treatment. Buck thinks that it could effectively be a cure for Jack's lycanthropy. Hoping to find a way to isolate his bestial side, Jack goes with Buck to visit the scientist. Redditch is working on the chemical formula at his home, as his wife cleans around him while nagging him. The hen pecked husband doesn't notice that his wife has mixed the formula around. So when he decides to test the formula that will suppress any evil side of man's nature on himself, he unfortunately drinks the opposite formula, that makes him become a rampaging evil monster who renames himself DePrayve. You can well imagine how the story continues next week.

The Living Mummy “God-stone!”

Writer: John Warner

Artist: Val Mayerik

Inker: Al McWilliams

Originally published in Supernatural Thrillers #14

Cover date August 1975

(Published in May 1975)

An un-named artist created this second part opening splash page with a new story title, credit box and catch-up text boxes added to a scene that shows Doctor Skarab receiving a shock from the radiated Scarlet Scarab ruby that makes him see a vision of a grim faced apparition of his ancestor Nephrus, who tells Skarab how to utilise the power of the Scarab. The experience knocks Skarab out just as the Living Mummy and Zephyr arrive.

Elsewhere, Asp, Oldann and Ron decide to go out looking for Zephyr and the Living Mummy. Making their way through the abandoned streets of Cairo they are confronted by a legion of the Elementals' followers. Crudely armed men who surround them never wanted to serve their masters, it was a matter of survival that drove them to it. Their minds adapted too easily to it as a way of escaping the inherent horror of their situation that saw them trapped inside a force field under the ancient beings, hostile rule. Back at the hospital, Doctor Skarab awakens to tell Janice, Zephyr and the Living Mummy that to unleash the power of the Scarab one has to let it influence the user instead of the other way around. He now has the key to fighting back against the Elementals. Before they can leave more of the Elemental's followers attack them. N'Kantu lunges towards their barrage of bullets, as Zephyr tosses them through the window with a violent gust of wind. Exiting the hospital the four freedom fighters are confronted by the Elementals who have come to destroy them once and for all. The mind bending conclusion starts next week in "The war that shook the world!"

Planet of the Apes #59

If I hadn't researched this cover I would have said it was another Ron Wilson cover and then moved on. But it isn't! It was drawn by Pat Gabriele. "Who!" you might say? Well the Brooklyn born artist began his career in early 1970s comic fandom where he learned from Frank Kelly Freas in his Virginia Beach studio. Then in 1974 he worked for Rich Buckler at Marvel Comics as a supporting production artist doing art chores and drawing his first covers and splash pages for British Marvel comics. This cover is one of them. Frank Giacoia inked the final cover.

Planet of the Apes “When the calliope cries death”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Rico Rival

Inker: Rico Rival

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #16

Cover date January 1976

(Published in November 1975)

This strip is very quickly catching up with the American parent magazine that was published on the 4th of November 1975. Splitting the story into four parts just about keeps it comfortably behind its American counterpart. Doctor Otto Hasslien has got his way, the members of the Presidential Commission have voted on the evidence taken from the chimpanzee Zira while under the influence of truth serum, with the unanimous recommendation that the birth of her child should be prevented and after that both chimpanzees should be rendered incapable of bearing another child. 

Cornelius is furious at the way his pregnant wife was treated. Zira points out that she did worse on humans before in the future. An orderly enters the room with a tray of food. Zira tells him she isn't hungry, with a well intended reply the orderly tells her that the unborn child needs her to have food, but his description of the baby has "a little monkey" is taken very offensively by Cornelius as a racist slur. He smashes the tray of food into the human's face, then sets about beating him with it. Cornelius takes his wife's hand and leaves through a grown floor window. Zira is concerned about the orderly, but Cornelius tells her he'll recover from it with nothing more than a slight headache. Inside their room the man lies unconsciously in broken glass and a pool of blood. Elsewhere Doctor Dixon phones Doctor Stevie Brantonis to tell her the Commissions finding, asking her to help him break the bad news to the chimpanzees. When the call ends Dixon confronts Hasslein with his suspicion that he wants both child and parents dead. An evil thin smile crosses Hasslein's face. The apes slip through the compound gates and flee into a forest, while at the compound the orderly is found dead. The President is told the news, he wants them found soon, without any need of a shooting match, however Hasslein tells him that the killers of today could become the mass-murderers of tomorrow! The search continues next week.

Ka-Zar “Man-Thing!”

Writer: Len Wein and Roy Thomas

Artist: Neal Adams and John Buscema

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Astonishing Tales #12

Cover date June 1972

(Published in March 1972)

This week's second part of the story looks like it had been taken from another comic altogether as Neal Adams drew the Man-Things origin story as written by Len Wein, but it was actually part of the strip from Astounding Tales issue 12. When the story moves to the present Neal Adams' incredibly detailed art does make John Buscema's art look basic, which I never thought I would ever write. In this strip the only criticism I could level at Adams is here his art is very "inky", but it still works and looks fabulous! I wish Adams had done more work for Marvel.

We see the once human Man-Thing listening outside the researchers building, the conversation inside fills the cluttered and cloudy mind of the creature with memories of a time when it was a man named Ted Sallis, who was fleeing from evil men after being betrayed by a woman he thought loved him. His car had skidded from the road and into a swamp. He had taken a secret formula that the pursuing evil men wanted. A formula that could create the ultimate soldier. To keep it from falling into the enemy's hands he had injected it into his own blood stream. The unstable solution had began to react with the primal ooze that Sallis struggled to escape from, twisting and turning his form into a misshapen monstrosity. Filled with a burning desire for revenge the monster's touch had burned the men who had chased him and the face of the girl called Ellen. The creature then follows an old woman, Doctor Wilma Calvin, through the swamp. Also following her is a local man who thinks that the research centre is used to make monsters. The Man-Thing steps out in front of him, grabbing his gun holding hand, burning it to the bone.

As the man flees into the night the Man-Thing continues to follow Calvin back to her laboratory at Project Gladiator. With news that no-one has found Doctor Sallis. Doctor Morse has gone looking for him too and the locals have been phoning the centre with stories of a monster loose in the swamp. Calvin blames the group AIM, Advance Idea Mechanics, the spy group that SHEILD had warned them about, for stirring up the locals. Project Gladiator had been working on a new super-soldier formula and had moved to the Florida swamp to isolate themselves from the world. Just then an angry voice calls the scientists out. Doctor Barbara Morse had been held hostage by the locals, lead secretly by an undercover AIM agent. They blamed the scientists for the monster loose in the swamp. Seeing Barbara held at gun point the Man-Thing attacks, burning them with his touch. When the crowd flees Doctor Calvin goes to the creature and tries to talk to it. The sound of a gun shot is heard as Calvin falls leaving her in a coma, the creature flees in anguish. In the present as the creature's memory fades it turns and moves back into the swamp, breaking an old branch as it does. Ka-Zar alerted to the noise becomes aware that something had been watching them. Ka-Zar gives chase after the muck-monster. The Man-Thing ends up falling into a pit, dug out by soldiers from AIM, and when Ka-Zar stumbles upon the AIM foot soldiers, but his battle is abruptly ended when he is struck on the back of the head and thrown into the pit. Ka-Zar comes around realising that he isn't alone. Next week "Horror beyond recking!"

Following that fantastic Ka-Zar tale there is a full page special announcement. After just finishing the "sense-shattering" epic introduction to the murky menace of the Man-Thing readers can soon follow the horrific happening of Marvel's muck monster in Dracula Lives. Last week a similar in-house advert appeared saying the same thing, but this week we are given an issue number for his solo strip appearance in Dracula Lives, which will be issue 62, in three week's time. In case you missed it last week the art for this advert was taken from Adventures into Fear issue 10, cover dated October 1972, published July 1972 and was drawn by Gray Morrow.

Black Panther “The man called Kill-Monger!”

Writer: Don McGregor

Artist: Rich Buckler

Inker: Klaus Janson

Originally published in Jungle Action Vol 2 #6

Cover date September 1973

(Published in June 1973)

This week's second part opening splash page uses the cover artwork from the front of Jungle Action volume 2 issue 6, by Rich Buckler (pencils,) and Frank Giacoia. (inks). The story title is the same one that was seen on the cover, but the speech bubbles from Killmonger have been removed. Catch-up boxes and a credit box have been added. After returning to his kingdom T'Challa last week happened upon a pair of mercenaries torturing a loyal Wakandian man. This has lead him to the obvious fact that all isn't well in the country of Wakanda.

The Black Panther leads an expedition to find a village that has been ran sacked to the ground. Finding a survivor in the water T'challa dives in, to rescue the woman. When asked about the terror that has befallen the village he is told that there was many soldiers who spoke very little, but their leader was a vengeful giant. She heard his name above the screams, Erik Killmonger. W'Kabi tells his Chieftain that a group of men spotted near Warrior Falls are being lead by a giant of a man with a white leopard. The Panther quickly goes to the Falls, dispatching to of Killmonger's men with ease. Suddenly he is attacked from behind by Killmonger and his pet white leopard. The battle is hard and fierce, with the leopard mauling T'Challa. The Wakanda warrior holds its jaws apart to stop its sharp teeth from ripping his neck open. For a moment both opponents hold their own in a contest of incredible strength, until slowly gloved fingers' stained by his own blood and the giant cat's saliva, push the gaping mouth to its limit, breaking the leopards neck. In anger Killmonger lifts the weary warrior and hurls him from the top of the falls to his doom. Next week the savagery continues with "Death regiments beneath Wakanda and Venom!"

The Super-heroes #40

A super-hero team up cover by a team-up of artists, Arvell Jones and Audrey Bradford pencilled the art while Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito inked it. 

Giant Man and the Wasp “The peril of the Porcupine”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Dick Ayers

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #53

Cover date March 1964

(Published in December 1963)

Once again I'm not sure who drew this second part opening splash page, I like the detail of Giant-Man looking out of a window while the Porcupine swings to the ground, even if he does look a little like a gorilla. The miniature image of the Wasp near his car is cute too. As expected a catch-up text box, credit box and new story title are added. Realising that the Wasp is heading into a trap, Giant-Man races to her rescue, but cannot prevent her capture by the Porcupine, as he's too late to stop the villain escaping in his car with the Wasp as his prisoner. 

The Porcupine locks the Wasp in a room but allows her to escape, then with a remote control quill follow her  to Giant-Man's home, yeah a remote quill is a thing, well it was from an early 60's comic. When the Wasp arrives home, Giant-Man spots the quill, destroying it but not before it gives his New Jersey home location away. The Porcupine breaks in, trapping the Wasp this time with sticky fly-paper from one of his quills, like I said before this was from an early 60's comic. Giant-Man battles the Porcupine until he grabs a number of Giant-Man's capsules from the hero's belt. Thinking they are growing capsules, the Porcupine takes them all. The grave error leads him to start shrinking. Unable to stop the process Giant-Man loses sight of the villain once he has shrunk to a microscopic size. The giant hero then frees Jan from the paper, and the two talk about the battle as the story ends.

Super-Mail

Jonathan Davies RFO, KOF, FOOMer from Salop attempts to explain "Cosmic Power." Norrin Radd's silvery coating consists of two layers. The outer coat consists of molecules of every substance or element known in the cosmos. The inner layer is similar to a high-power solar energy receiver, which can store or release energy at any time. Angels Watton from Birmingham is a devoted MM (Mature Marvelite), who cannot find fault with the story-lines, artwork and at times the inspired use of the English language. She has read capaciously from Shakespeare but Marvel mags give her great joy. She feels pity for the "Non Titanic True Believers" who are constantly seeking trivial faults in continuity or out to gain a coveted No-Prize. R Jacques RFO from Avon has just completed reading the amazing "Lord of the Rings" by J.F. Tolkein and thought that as 'Conan' is a book as well as a comic, wouldn't it be great if Stan Lee and Jack Kirby got together and brought out a 'Lord of the Rings' comic. Paul Moss from West Yorkshire gets Super-Heroes every week and thinks it's really fantastic. But issue 23, was a sheer masterpiece now that Doc Savage has been included.

Spidey and the Cat..together “At the mercy of the Man Killer”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Jim Mooney 

Inker: Jim Mooney

Originally published in Marvel Team-Up #8

Cover date April 1973

(Published in January 1973)

This second part opening splash page artwork was penciled by Dave Hunt with Duffy Vohland adding the inks. The original artwork is, at the time of blogging, for sale on the Cool Line Art website. It is a completed piece with strip title, credit box, catch-up box and story title already added. Spider-man and the Cat race across the city to stop the Man-Killer from carrying out her plan to destroy the Harlem Power plant. As they go the Cat briefly  explains to him how she got her powers. 

As they arrive a futuristic armoured hover-car loudly makes an announcement of its arrival, as the Man-Killer launches her attack. The vehicle's root mounted cannon blasts the power plant wide open, with the guards no match for Man-Killer and her small army, Spider-man and the Cat enter the scene to lend a hand. Spider-man quickly rounds up the female militia with ease, but even though the Cat kicks the Man-Killer into submission, the villainess still manages to escape. The plant manager then informs the heroes that Man-Killer has stolen a top-secret component that is highly radioactive. Spider-man rushes off to track her down. When he finds her he soon learns that her powers make her live up to her name as her exo-skeleton gives her seven times the strength of him. The Cat arrives and explains to the Man-Killer that the device she stole for her Militant group is actually funded by a group of men from the organisation known as AIM. Refusing to believe it, she falls into a fit of rage that leaves her in a catatonic state as she tries to process the idea of working for men. With Man-Killer defeated, the heroes leave her for the authorities.

The X-Men “At the mercy of Count Nefaria”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Werner Roth

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in The X-Men #22

Cover date July 1966

(Published in May 1966)

Yet another splash page by an un-named artist to represent the second part of this story. Cyclops now in uniform searches for who he thinks is Marvel Girl, above him he spots Angel flying in the sky. However it isn't Angel as Warren who is still driving his sports car when he hears on the radio a news bulletin about the X-Men in the park and goes to investigate as the Angel. He is soon captured by another of Nefaria's minions, the Scarecrow. Meanwhile the Beast is also investigating events in the park, by he is captured by the Porcupine, who is also under Nefaria's employment. 

Bobby returns to his hotel room to find Hank not there so he decides to investigate. Along the way, he sees an illusion of himself going towards the park. Following  it he is attacked by the Eel, who has the better of Iceman, until the timely arrival of Cyclops, who knocks the villain out with his optic blast. The two are then confronted by the Unicorn, who keeps them on the defensive until Iceman manages to seal the crooks unicorn horn in a block of ice. The victory is only temporary as an electric jolt from the Eel knocks the young mutant out. Cyclops attempts to stop the villain, but the Unicorn breaks free of the ice and knocks out Cyclops too. The villains take their captives to Nefaria's freighter where they are locked up in the lower hold. Nefaria commends his men for their work, but is angry that they resorted to force when he ordered them not to harm the mutants. Meeting with his captives Nefaria offers them the chance to join him in a plot to steal the entire city of Washington DC. The X-Men refuse to betray their country. Despite that Nefaria prepares his men to carry out his plot, leaving the young mutants imprisoned. Learn more in next week's chapter.

Promoting the up coming strips that will replace the Cat strip that ends this week, this full page showcases future stars. The Scarecrow will start next week, then later weeks Bloodstone will replace him, then the plan was that the Phantom Eagle would replace Bloodstone. Spoiler! The Eagle strip didn't land! This great looking piece of artwork was created by Dave Hunt. 

The Titans #7

A typical Ron Wilson cover, with a close-up of one of the characters looking towards the artist/reader. Two if you count Nick Fury, he should be really looking at that tank that's about to mow him down. No wonder his shots aren't stopping it. Frank Giacoia is the inker. 

The Inhumans “An evening's wait for death!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Neal Adams

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Amazing Adventures Volume 2 #7

Cover date July 1971

(Published in April 1971)

After last week's ending that saw the Inhuman Royal Family fee from the Great Refuge and Maximus, who has now proved that he's totally mad. Now we find them crashed on a desolate shore somewhere on the coast of Red China, just when a platoon of Chinese solders charge in to arrest them. But the stunned Inhumans don't stay stunned for long as they take on the soldiers. Roy Thomas and Neal Adams really pull out all the creative stops by giving the plot an incredible creative jump, Triton dives into the sea to find a hidden underwater leaver that activates a panel revealing an Inhuman ship hidden in the cliff face, which the four Inhumans jump in and head off to look for Black Bolt.

Speaking of the Inhuman's leader, Black Bolt was in San Francisco with amnesia thanks to a mental attack from the newly powered up Maximus. He is helped by an orphan boy called Joey, who sheltered Black Bolt from the police after he accidentally destroyed a ship in San Francisco harbour. The pair was discovered by a mysterious character called Mister Dibbs who holds them both at gun point. Mister Dibbs' gun was part of a prosthetic hand that he could switch to a false hand. Dibbs leads them both to a car, in the front of it is Joey's Uncle, the villainous Roscoe, who activates knock-out gas that fills the sealed back of the car. Roscoe works for Dibbs and learning what Black Bolt can do Dibbs has a nefarious plan for him. Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak and Triton arrive in San Francisco and after dealing with some muscle-bound beach bums they set off in search for Black Bolt, while wearing modern-day clothes. They soon find him when Mister Dibbs as a minority rights activist has recruited Black Bolt to bring down a rat infested shack tenement. All isn't what it seems, find out in next week's "By this cry...I kill!" 

An in-house advert for next week's Super-Heroes comic, that sees the start of a new strip called The Scarecrow! "The Scarecrow rears back his misshapen head and laughs the laugh of a madman. His huge gaping wound of a mouth paying testament to the inhuman nature of the creature. Any sane man would look silently on the scene unable to laugh and wonder perhaps what's the joke?" Next week's cover for the Super-Heroes issue 41 can be seen at the bottom of the page. The Scarecrow of this strip shouldn't be confused with the Marvel villain of the same name who was appearing in the X-Men strip in this week's Super-Heroes comic, or the DC villain of some super-hero called Batman? A man who acts like a flying rodent, that will never be popular!

The Sub-Mariner “Uneasy hangs the head...!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #76

Cover date February 1966

(Published in November 1965)

Namor's great quest has ended after gaining the Sacred Trident of Atlantis and with it he hopes to regain the royal throne. But his attention is with the beautiful Lady Dorna, who lies near death. He hopes that the "Revitaliser" will cure her. Warlord Krang faces the wrath of the true prince of Atlantis when he attempts to prevent Namor from using the "Revitaliser Ray" on Lady Dorma. Not even his special armour can prevent the Sub-Mariner from beating the cowardly Krang into unconsciousness before using the Revitaliser Ray on full power to heal Lady Dorma.

With Krang dethroned and locked up, the people of Atlantis celebrate the return of their true ruler. At the height of the celebrations, Namor asks Lady Dorma to sit by his side. Vashti the Elder is reinstated as the royal adviser, making him a Lord of Atlantis. As the festivities end, Krang is brought before Namor for punishment. Much to Krang's shock, Namor only orders him exiled from Atlantis forever and is thrown out of the kingdom. After Krang's departure, a powerful quake shakes Atlantis. When the crisis is over, Namor suspects that the quake was caused by the surface men's nuclear bomb tests. His next quest will be to find out what has caused the sea tremors. 

Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD “Sometimes the good guys lose!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: John Severin

Originally published in Strange Tales #138

Cover date November 1965

(Published in August 1965)

Knowing that the evil hordes of Hydra plan to launch a super destructive Betatron Bomb into orbit where it will threaten all life on Earth. Nick Fury and his agents search the remote Balkan terrain. They are too late to stop the launch of the Betatron Bomb in time, but Fury orders its launch site to be destroyed. 

The Imperial Hydra watches the destruction of the launch site when his daughter, Laura Brown, reports to him. She still has concerns about the destructive power Betatron Bomb. Fury returns to SHIELD where he discusses with Tony Stark what can be done about the Betatron Bomb. Stark has built a new machine that may help, he takes the Colonel to see it. HYDRA agents manage to infiltrate the building and attack Fury in front of the armour-less Stark. As the bullets fly return here to find out what happens next week.

The Inhumans take on the Fantastic Four in this week's specially commissioned British Marvel Masterwork Centre-spread. The artist is un-named.

Captain America “Midnight in Greymoor Castle!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Dick Ayers

Originally published in Tales to Astonish #69

Cover date September 1965

(Published in June 1965)

In a desolate part of Britain stands the silent foreboding Greymoore Castle, within it's cold walls strangely garbed men lift a lead lined cover to expose two figures of Captain America and Bucky to a deadly form of radiation. The radiation shrinks the two weirdly motionless figures down to the size of a child's doll. Doctor Rawlings tells Major Uberhart that he should inform the Red Skull that the process will work that will shrink Captain America and his partner Bucky down to microscopic size having success on dummies of the two heroes. 

Doctor Rawlings is chastised by his sister for helping out the nazis. The doctor reveals that the reason why he works for the Nazis is for revenge on the world over the loss of his hand. Elsewhere in Britain, US troops are preparing for operations against Nazi opposition on British soil. Among them are Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. While Steve is on a mission in his civilian guise, Nazis attack the base, prompting Bucky to change into costume, however he is captured. Meanwhile Steve's unit is in action in Nazi-occupied France, when he stumbles upon communications that inform the Red Skull that they had captured Bucky and are transporting him to Greymoore Castle for "disposal". Captain America races back to Britain, stealing a lift aboard a Nazi fighter plane as Rawlings prepares to bathe Bucky in the Z-Ray experiment, ignoring his sister's warnings that the Nazis will eventually betray him.

Captain Marvel “Rebirth!”

Writer: Arnold Drake

Artist: Dick Ayers

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Captain Marvel #11

Cover date March 1969

(Published in December 1968)

The story title sums up this strip, "Rebirth!" With a change in artistic talent and a story line that lets Mar-Vell move away from an alien hidden in plan sight every week and starts to deal with more cosmic tales. Mar-Vell stands before an execution squad, when the Kree soldiers charged with assassinating him are killed by an Aakon attack party. Resulting in a battle between the Kree and the Aakon.  Una, who had tried to halt the execution, is fatally injured in the crossfire, prompting Mar-Vell to flee with Una's body.

In a desperate move Mar-Vell steals one of the rockets from the Cape in the hopes of getting Una to the Kree galaxy so that Kree advanced technology can save her life. However the primitive ship takes too long. Una dies before Mar-Vell can get her medical help she needs. Burying Una on an asteroid, Mar-Vell goes back to Earth to get revenge against Yon-Rogg, who he blames for her death. However, Yon-Rogg intercepts Mar-Vell's ship, then using his ship's tractor beam he throws the earth ship out into the deepest reaches of space. After months lost in space, with no food delirium sets in. He starts to hallucinate seeing images of Uma, of his parents and in the darkness of deep space visions of alien monsters. The madness sets in as he eventually the rocket is pulled down gently to the surface of a barren planet. After being greeted by visions of beautiful women a voice from an obelisk calls out to Mar-Vell, apparently the home of the god Zo. Zo grants Mar-Vell with new powers super-strength, illusion casting powers and the ability to teleport. Then he is freed of the communication band which Yon-Rogg used to control him. With these gifts he can reap his revenge on Yon-Rogg. The only price is that he must do Zo's bidding at a later date. A price he is willing to pay. But find out the full cost next week.

As the last month of 1975 starts the landscape back page reminds readers that for 50 pence they could have a festive treat with the Marvel Treasury Edition Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag. These blogs are making it hard to get my festive shopping done. So I'd best get a head of the game to create more time for the yearly festive slog. Till next week then...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.