The Metamorphosis is coming!

 Week Ending 9th June 1976

The first thing you may notice is that the week ending date on this week's blog is only four days after last week's cover dates. Regular reader Colin Jones noticed it, he mentioned it in the comments of last week's blog those weeklies would be the last to have a Saturday publication date (June 5th 1976) before all six weeklies switched to a Wednesday publication date (beginning June 9th). I was aware of that change and did consider changing the date of the blogs posting. Since I started the "Week Ending..." posts I've always posted on the Sunday afternoon and as the number of weeklies grew it changed to Sunday evening or late evening, so that the blog would nearly, but not quite, be released close to the date that the mags hit the newsagents shelves some 50 years ago. Which would have been a Saturday. My thinking was the Sunday would be have been the day that many people read the weeklies. In truth it was just easy for me. Really this blog should have gone out on Thursday the 4th July. But as this blog is aimed at adults who look for the nostalgia I picture you reading this on the commute to work, or in your work break or dinner time, or even when you get home after a hard days work. If you're retired I'm jealous at your free time. Anyway I'm going to keep the usual routine for the time being. There's another thing about this week's mags, for two of them it is their penultimate issues. Most will know which mags I mean, so I'll say no more, but look out for the "spoiler warnings!" Anyway enough monkeying around it's time to get on with some spine-chilling stuff and nonsense on this week's super six. 

The Mighty World of Marvel #193

This British commissioned cover was inked by Mike Esposito, but the penciller isn't named by the Grand Comics Database. I can't put my finger on who did it. I would almost say that it could be Ron Wilson but the Hulk's face is all wrong so I'll have to leave it as a mystery.

The Incredible Hulk “And he shall rise again!”

Writer: Gerry Conway(plot), Tony Isabella (script), Roy Thomas (concept)

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Jack Abel

Originally published in The Incredible Hulk #178

Cover date August 1974

(Published in April 1974)

The splash page was commissioned by British Marvel comics to appear as the link between part one and part to of this Hulk adventure, but it was not used as the opening page of the second part, instead page 17 of the original comic strip lead with minor changes to the first text box to ease readers into the action. The new art, by an unnamed artist fits in seamlessly with the action and allows room for a new story title and credits. The Man-Beast has returned to Washington, to implement a nuclear war across Counter-Earth with his human Generals seemly in agreement, but when he presses the "nuclear button" it fails to work. One of the Generals tells Man-Beast that they are "realists, not fools. Mankind would never survive this war!" Before the Man-Beast can fulfil his threat to kill them his base is attacked by the Hulk and Warlock's followers.

As the fight rages, the Hulk finds he's no match against the Man-Beast's combined physical strength and mental powers. Elsewhere Ben Vincent and June Volper of the Justice Department seek to question President Carpenter about his strange behaviour, the security in the White House is none existent so as they move through the corridors they spot one of the New-Men and follow him down to the cell where Carpenter and his sister are being held prisoner. Realising the danger Ben knocks the creature out cold-and frees Carpenter and his sister. While at the hideout of Warlock and his followers, the humans who remained and the Recorder who remained behind witness the cocoon containing Warlock's corpse begins to glow. Simultaneously at the Man-Beast's base, the Hulk manages to turn the tide and gain the upper-hand against his foe. The green brute's anger becomes so great that he threatens to kill the Man-Beast, but the timely arrival of the resurrected Warlock, with his human "disciples." There shall be no killing in his name and with a simple gesture Adam Warlock uses his powers, now at their peak, to devolve the Man-Beast back into a wolf. With evil defeated, Warlock tells all those gathered that they must combat it with their intellect. He warns mankind that the Man-Beast will remain powerless as long as man recognises the beast within himself, if they do not the Man-Beast shall be back again someday. When his followers ask if he will be there to fight them, Warlock tells them that they must fight him alone as he is needed among the stars to help other worlds in need of his aid. With that he flies off into space to seek his destiny among the stars. The Hulk thinks about Warlock's words and is strangely at peace with himself. Next week, "the Missing Link!" Nuff said!

The Mighty Marvel Mailbag

Martin Tudor RFO, KOF, QNS from Birmingham read Jim Ivers' letter from MWOM #182 as it reminded him of his own reintroduction to Marvel in 1973. In an Austrian Hotel he saw on a table 2 comics entitled: "The Mighty World of Marvel." With nothing to do he decided to have a glance through them. The old Marvel magic began again. When he returned to the UK he started  collecting the British mags and the American titles again. C Roome from Nottingham writes that the Daredevil adventure in MWOM #180 was truly great, the reveal that Starr Saxon was disguised as Mr. Fear was really something. Stephen Myers from Trentham doesn't want colour in the weeklies as he colours the picture in the letter pages and pin-ups. He also adds that the glossy covers make the mags look more exciting than the old style ones. One other thing about the covers is sometimes they can be very misleading, as in MWOM #154 when the Tiger Shark is shown, but he wasn't introduced until #158 so why put it on? Philip Greenaway from Merthyr Tydfil Makes a couple of points over Neal Adams, because some readers disapproved of Jack Kirby work and say Adams is better. He may be a great artist, his Conan and Dracula posters were really great, but when it comes to drawing comics, Philip says he's "absolutely zilch." Even the Marvel editors have admitted that Neal Adams can't keep a deadline. One final word from Philip, is that the new magazine editor, Neil Tennant, is by far the best and he really enjoyed his reviews. May be Philip became a Pet Shop Boys fan.

Daredevil “Trapped..by the Trio of Doom!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Syd Shores

Originally published in Daredevil #61

Cover date February 1970

(Published in December 1969)

Designed by the late, great Frank Lloyd Wright, the Guggenheim Museum, known world wide, remains an iconic building that is praised and condemned by countless critics for its modernistic design. It is visited daily by those who love and question it and its content. This night it will be visited by two newcomers with evil intensions, the sinister villains known as Mister Hyde and the Cobra. They have come to undertake orders from an unnamed partner to steal particular items from the vast collection of artefacts.

What makes it more strange is that they only take certain pieces from an exhibit of the world's most valuable toys and leave the rest behind. Their robbery alerts the guards and soon the alarm sounds. Meanwhile Matt Murdock is getting ready for a date-night with Karen Page. Things seem to be on again after the last two weeks of being "off." The chemistry doesn't quite feel right between the too as Karen can't shake the spectre of Daredevil from their relationship. As the news of the villains break-in reaches Murdock the date ends. Daredevil arrives too late. The next day in District Attorney Foggy Nelson's office Lemuel Frye arrives seeking a meeting with Nelson or Murdock. Find out why next week in "And now the Jester!"

Mastermind Press File

Peter Judge, Britain's Marvel Mastermind 1975 winner, featured in both the London Evening News and the South East London Mercury! Not only that but he has been interviewed on Radio One's "Newsbeat" and on Capital Radio's "Hullaballoo" programme, But here's what the paper's said. In the Mercury- "Pete's Marvelling" Peter, 14, is an avid reader of Marvel comics, with some 2,000 copies stacked in empty cereal cartons, no less. And to prove how well-read he is on their adventures, he holds the title of Marvel Mastermind, beating 1,500 other Marvel fans in a quiz. Peter has been collecting comics since he was seven. What started as a lighthearted hobby is now a highly organised and absorbing interest. He has his collection catalogued. Every copy is filed away neatly in a plastic cover and only handled with care. Peter's prizes in the Marvel comics competition were two books by the famous Stan Lee - Origins of Marvel Comics, and Son of Origins, both personally inscribed by him. The Evening News heads with "Comics no joke to Peter the Marvel Mastermind" It quotes Peter saying "Some people collect stamps. Well I collect comics. It's just as important. And once you're bitten by the bug you can't stop. I spend most of my pocket money on them. I buy about six a week and I get the American ones as well. which brings it up to about 20 a month. My favourite character is the Mighty Thor. I like him best because of the mythological background and all the people talk like something out of Shakespeare". Peter never takes his comics to school. He says people would borrow them and not return them. He prefers to sit quietly at home and lose himself in the world of the super-heroes." Neil Tennant, editor of Marvel, said today: "Peter was a worthy winner. We thought this would be a simple quiz but we underestimated the depth of our readers knowledge. In fact our readers take such a fanatical interest in the comics that they sometimes seem to be students rather than fans!" This article also appears in the Avengers weekly and Dracula Lives.

This in-house advert features classic art from Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom, (Shang-Chi from the Master of Kung Fu cover seen on Marvel Special Edition #15 and also seen on Avengers weekly #29,) John Buscema and Ernie Chan, (Conan as seen on the opening splash page from Conan the Barbarian #29 as seen in Avengers weekly #110,) John Buscema and George Klein, (the Vision from the cover from Avengers #57, also seen on the front of the Avengers weekly #82,) and John Buscema with Tom Palmer (Captain America from the second page and second panel from the Avengers #79 and as also seen in the Avengers weekly #122,) This in-house advert was used to promote the Avengers weekly and its fantastic strip to Mighty World of Marvel readers. Was it a last ditch attempt to boost sales? Or a hint at what's to come.

The X-Men “If I should die...!”

Writer: Roy Thomas 

Artist: Don Heck

Inker: George Tuska

Originally published in The X-Men #41

Cover date February 1968

(Published in December 1968)

Angel and Iceman are furious. Marvel Girl tells her teammates that she can't go with them to join Cyclops and Beast in battling Grotesk. The Professor arrives and refuses to allow Marvel Girl or them to leave. Meanwhile deep below New York City, Cyclops and Beast battle Grotesk, one of Scott's optic blasts strikes a machine that causes the cavern to fill with radioactive fog. Detecting the Professor attempting to probe his mind, Grotesk believes that it is Xavier who is responsible for the earth tremors that  have destroyed his kingdom, so he departs to find Charles.

When Cyclops and Beast return to the mansion, they seek an audience with the Professor, but Jean keeps them from entering his study with her telekinetic powers. Suddenly she tells them that she has received a mental command from the Professor to come to his aid. The Beast questions why they did not receive it too? Grotesk, meanwhile, has smashed his way into the lab where he has detected the Professor's mental probes and finds what he thinks is the device causing the earthquakes, as well as Doctor Hunt. The subterranean throws Hunt aside to destroy the machine, but "Hunt" takes off a mask that reveals he's really Professor X. Grotesk's possible tampering is likely to cause the destruction of the world, so the Professor keeps Grotesk stunned with his mental powers until the other X-Men arrive. However the deadly vibrations descend down through the Earth's core. Suddenly the Angel with a pair of solar orbs that the Professor uses to store the sun's energy for his experiments, blasts at the Grotesk's light-sensitive eyes. The rest of the X-Men join in the fight with the subterranean giant. Marvel Girl is ordered to stop the machine, but the lever is jammed in position. As the Oscillotron approaches maximum intensity the Professor and Marvel Girl combine their mental powers to bombard the machine, in the hope of causing its effects on the Earth to slow down. Find out if they succeed next week.

Bullpen Bulletin

The latest and greatest goodies from maniacal Marvel!

The Bullpen Bulletin page gets the colour treatment this week on the back pages of this week's Mighty World of Marvel, Dracula Lives and Planet of the Apes with a ring of ten Ben Grimm's surrounding a wall of news. The first Item is the biggest of the three, that announces that they have been planning a long time for a project under the code-name "Quadra-poster!" What's a Quadra-Poster you ask. Well, it's four posters that interlock to form a pretty powerful giant-size poster in itself. When combined it'll knock you outta your chair! The four parts are appearing where you usually find the Centre-spreads in two consecutive issues of each of The Titans and Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes mags! It's big, it's bold, and it's perfect for your bedroom, workroom, or for your den! To perk your interest the scene of the poster is set in London and features some of your favourite Super-Stars that's out of this world. I dig into the other two Items later in Super Spider-man section.

Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes #174

The Grand Comics Database states that Howard Bender pencilled this landscape cover, but I think that there's more to it than that. The three figures in the centre of it look exactly like the three that John Romita Sr. drew for the Amazing Spider-man issue 125. Even the bus on the right looks the same. The only thing different is the buildings in the background. In my opinion as I see it Howard Bender cut and pasted Romita's art and added the back ground.

Spider-man “Wolfhunt!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Ross Andru

Inker: John Romita Sr. and Tony Mortellaro

Originally published in the Amazing Spider-man #125

Cover date October 1973

(Published in July 1973)

An unnamed artist, if I was to guess I would say Dave Hunt, put please don't quote me on that, re-drew Ross Andru's opening splash page to fit better with this comic's landscape format. It's not been a good week  for the wall-crawler, two deaths haunt him, one the death of his girlfriend, the other his flat mates father and worst enemy. Now for the second time this evening he is about to be attacked by a rampaging Man-Wolf.

Taking him by surprise the savage beast leaps at Spider-man. During their fight, Spider-man notices the pendant worn by the monster and finds it familiar. I don't know why. Peter never meet with John Jameson while he was wearing it. I really like Gerry Conway's work, both at Marvel with Spider-man, Thor and the Fantastic Four and at DC on Batman he has done some great stuff. But every now and then this kind of slip up occurs. Let's not dwell on it the good stuff outshines the bad. When the moon begins to set, the Man-Wolf makes a break for it with Spider-man trying to follow him until he trips over some bins in an alley. Losing the trail and feeling very tired the web-slinger returns to his empty apartment, as Harry still hasn't been back since his father's death. The next day, Mary Jane is having breakfast with Flash and Randy Robertson, when Harry enters the diner. Mary Jane tries to get Harry to talk to her, but he angrily lashes out at her for paying more attention to Peter Parker than him even though she's supposed to be his girlfriend. He tells her to get lost. Upset and shocked Mary Jane flees the diner in tears. Elsewhere in the city, J Jonah Jameson pays a visit to his son's apartment. There he finds John passed out, wearing the exact same outfit the Man-Wolf wore the night before, confirming his suspicions the werewolf that attacked him was his son.

Waking up John, Jonah pleads with him to explain. John tells Jonah of a secret mission to the moon he participated in. He discovered a strange stone and brought it back to Earth. Breaking protocol he had it fashioned into a necklace. When the light of the moon touched the pendant it transformed him into the Man-Wolf. He explained that he had tried to keep it under control with a special suit that blocks most lunar radiation, but that had failed. When Jonah asked why he had not simply removed it he explained that the pendant had become grafted to his skin. An hour later, Peter changes to Spider-man to see if Joe Robertson can shed some light on the Man-Wolf. However, when he arrives at the Bugle building, Jameson is waiting with police officers and he is forced to flee. After changing back to Peter he goes to Mary Jane's apartment, but she mistakes his weariness as sullenness and kicks him out until he's more pleasant. That night Jonah again confronts his son, who is once more changing into the Man-Wolf. Coincidentally Kristine arrives for a date with John. Peter finally connects all the details together, with a little stretch of the readers imagination and correctly deduces that the Man-Wolf is John Jameson. Spider-man arrives just as the beast attack Kristine. The British printers or the British editors mix the pages up. The correct order should run as page 8, page 10b, page 9 then page 10a, followed by page 11. When the Man-Wolf rips Spidey's webbing off the pendent the web-slinger realises that it is the source of his power and tears it free from the beast's body with a little bit of hairy flesh, causing him to change back to into a human. Spider-man tells Jonah to take John to a hospital, but Jameson fears the publicity. Angrily Spider-man tells him to take responsibility because his son could have hurt or killed someone. With that Spidey throws the pendant away into the nearby river. Jameson tries to thank the wall-crawler but he tells him to save it for the papers. Next week "Where stalks the Kangaroo!"

The Mighty Thor “The monarch and the maiden!”

 Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in The Mighty Thor #183

Cover date December 1970

(Published in October 1970)

This second part landscape opening splash page was pencilled by Jeff Aclin and inked by Duffy Vohland. Don Blake has recovered Thor's hammer, quickly changing into the Thunder God he crash's his way into Doom's castle to confront the Latverian monarch. 

Doom demands Thor's hammer or he will unleash a thousand missiles that will vaporise every city on Earth. With no choice Thor hands him Mjolnir. But he has not the strength, of the worthiness, to lift the hammer and it pins his hands to the floor. In the 60 second limit Thor smashes Doom's missiles controls then fights Doom with enough time left to regain his hammer. With Doom staggered, Thor flies off to the missile silos and destroys them all. With the threat of Doom over for now, Odin calls Thor to come back to Asgard to travel to the "World Beyond." However, before he goes, Thor returns to Professor LaFarge's lab to make a final attempt at rescuing LaFarge for his daughter Cossette, only to discover that LaFarge wasn't forced to create the weapons. He willingly did so for money and had sent his daughter away as she meant nothing to him. The crazed professor then turns a gun on Thor, firing bullets at him. One ricochets back, hitting the professor, who with his dying words curses the "meddlesome Cossette" for sending Thor. The Thunder God then leaves Latveria, with Doom calling him a coward. Thor returns to tell Cossette that her father had died. But instead of tarnishing the girls memories of her father, he misleads her by saying "He didst perish while Fighting, for that which he believed! And the final words he spoke were of Thee!" With his mission complete Thor returns to Asgard to travel into the "World Beyond" in next week's issue. 

Bullpen Bulletin

This version of this week's Bullpen Bulletin page appears here and in Marvel's other landscape weekly, The Titans. With the half page size of the landscape page the Thing is replaced with his teammates Johnny, Reed and Sue. The black background does make it hard to read so if you want to read it all enlarge the colour version. The second Item looks at this week's Super Spider-man and this week's Doctor Strange where the Sorcerer Supreme have to deal with Baron Mordo, but he also has to contend with Eternity. The story comes from the talents of Steve Englehart and Gene Colan. The final Item looks at the fabulous Fantastic Four who have become the talk of Marveldom! First there was the way we playfully way Stan and Jack parodied the theme of television's "The Prisoner" some weeks back. Now the FF's adventures on the planet of the Skrulls, with overtones of every vintage gangster movie you've ever seen. It's knocking fandom out of its collective tree! Take a bow, Lee and Kirby, they've done it again.

I kind of wondered why this Doctor Doom vs the Fantastic Four centre-spread wasn't featured in The Titans. But I guess that Doctor Doom's inclusion in this week's Thor tale made a connection with it. Sadly there's no artist listed for this piece. 

Doctor Strange “Alone against Eternity...”

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Doctor Strange Vol 2 #10

Cover date October 1975

(Published in July 1975)

This Doctor Strange story starts like so many Steve Englehart sorcerer supreme sagas, with a mystery that comes from the twisted reality of our world and the otherworldly. Strange ponders his reflection in a mirror and that of a doorway. Doorways can be opened, but there's always something lurking behind them. He is the master of the mystic arts, but neither he nor any other man can fully understand, when surrounded by the illusion men call reality and the reality men call illusion.

Suddenly his deep philosophical pondering is disturbed by the sound of a scream. The Doctor's visitors are awakened and join him in looking for the culprit. Strange leads them to the room of Baron Mordo, who has been living in Strange's mansion since he had gone insane when he witnessed God, or Sise-Neg if you like, as seen in the Avengers weekly #123. With his mind unhinged the Doctor had been taking care of him. Strange steps into Mordo's room but once he crosses the threshold he drops into a void , an empty infinity of cosmic grandeur. His cloak of levitation carries him to the Baron's side. As he grasps an unresting arm the planets rush towards them. Instantly he realises that he is in Mordo's dreams. With a simple spell he sends the dreaming Baron into a resting sleep. But on a ridge the figure of the demon known as Nightmare comes into view. Returning to the waking world Strange dismisses his house guests and ventures to the roof to ponder why Nightmare was terrorising the Baron's dreams. Soon Clea joins her lover with playful intentions. But as they kiss the sky begins to fall and to their shock above the New York skyline Eternity appears.

The Web and the Hammer

Sean Conran from Herts offers to help new Marvelites to settle them into the world of Spider-man by sending them facts on Spidey's greatest foes, if they send him a stamped addressed envelope. He's also offering 50 pence for SMCW #1 or MWOM #1. Keith Buckley from Birmingham has bought Marvel comics since the day his brother brought back a boxful of US Marvel comics from his eighteen-year-old friend. His favourite artists are Steve Ditko and John Romita Sr.. Larry Berry from London would like to know if Marvel makes Spider-man costumes for boys under the age of fifteen, as he would like to see one, because he's been a Spider-man fan for years. Nick Lomas Manchester gives his sincere views on the new Super Spider-man mag. He didn't like the format when it first appeared in The Titans, but after much thought he thinks it's great because it gives the star of the mag a full story each week. He thought that the Spider-man/X-Men story was alright but Gil Kane's interpretation of the X-Men was sadly lacking. Jean Grey looked ugly and Warren Worthington III, flys around topless, without even a mask, just isn't on. Thor was fantastic. Iron-Man gets better every week. Doctor Strange was sheer magic, mainly because of Frank Brunner's art. The Thing was... where'd he go? The Torch's appearance made up for the Thing's absence. The mag was terrific, as was the poster.

Simon James KOF, RFO from Somerset has a mint copy of Amazing Spider-man issue 15 as well as over seven hundred American monthlies, many came from his father's time in the USA when he was in the army. He's now 14 years old but he reckon's that he'll still be reading them when he's 108. Evan Artro-Morris from London has read SMCW #156 and thought it was great, he noticed that the editor was in a particularly-generous mood, giving away a No-Prize for merely letting-on as to the number of the issue in which Spidey first met the good Doc. Well Evan is claiming that No-Prize, it was issue 23 as drawn by Steve Ditko. David Smith from Lincolnshire gets Super-Spider-man every week and believes that the mag has certainly improved since it was changed from Spider-man Comics Weekly to Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes. He seen Spider-man on TV in the Midlands for half an hour every Tuesday from 5.20 to 5.50. Finally David wants to know if there's an Iron-Man or Spider-man fan club, as he would like to join it.

The Thing and Iron Man..together! “The stalker in the sands!”

Writer: Bill Mantlo

Artist: Ron Wilson

Inker: Vince Colletta

Originally published in Marvel Two-in-One #12

Cover date November 1975

(Published in August 1975)

Ben Grimm has offered to pilot a new experimental rocket on its test flight for Stark Industries, with Tony Stark over seeing operations. If there's any accident the Thing's physical mass would, hopefully, save him from injury. The countdown is set and it's launched but soon the radar system fails to track it. Stark goes to change into something more suitable to help with the search. In the desert launch area smoke rises from the silo launch pad, but if they follow it downwards instead of upwards they might find that the engineers overlooked the strength of the bedrock below the desert sands.

Beneath the cavern floor rests the rocket cockpit module. As the Smoke clears Ben forces his way free. Suddenly he is shocked with a sight that makes even him speechless. The golden Avenger appears in the skies above the launch pad. Iron Man had realised that the radar systems had failed to track the rocket as it didn't launch. And things that don't go up, must still be there or go down below the ground. Iron Man flies down and discovers an ancient cavern. Where in he finds the Thing kneeling at the feet of the newly revived Prester John. The Knight of the long-dead Richard the Lionheart and once wielder of the Evil Eye of Avalon sees the Thing and Iron Man as a demon and knight and uses the Stone of Power to take control of Iron Man as he had with the Thing. With the two under his thrall, he tells them that after his encounter with the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot, as seen in MWOM #118. The Torch had taken the Evil Eye from Prester John so that he could free his girlfriend, Crystal, from the dome that covered the Inhumans Great Refuge. Wyatt had to destroy it as he learned from the knight that it was building up to explode. The story continues next week.

Iron Man “The train of thought!”

Writer: Archie Goodwin

Artist: George Tuska

Inker: Johnny Craig

Originally published in Iron Man #13

Cover date May 1969

(Published in February 1969)

This third part opening landscape splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. The controller is a madman who possesses the wills and power of thousands of helpless slaves who he has turned into living batteries for his suit of armour.

While waiting for SHIELD to immobilise its PSI division to stop the fiend Iron Man had to blast a mountainside to cause a landslide to block the Controller's train that he had planned to take to New York to gather more victims to become his mind slaves. The Controller clears the track by hand, so Iron Man takes this opportunity to distract him. the Controller throws boulders at the armoured Avengers and then boards the train to continue towards New York. Not injured Iron Man boards the train to resume their battle. At first the Controller doesn't realise that he's getting weaker even as he knocks Iron Man out of the carriage. Instantly Iron Man returns and knocks out his now-powerless opponent as he tells him that while he was clearing the debris on the tracks Agent Sitwell had uncouples most of the train's cars. When the  train set off again the Controller unknowingly left his victims and "absorbatron" behind. Later Stark is reunited with Janice, Stark ponders Fury's earlier dilemma, realising he couldn't make that decision where Janice is concerned, their relationship puts her in danger. The drama continues in "Night of the drums!" in next week's issue. 

Avengers Weekly #143

Sal Buscema pencilled and inked this cover that originally appeared in the Avengers issue 90 (US edition). I like the design and the brightness of this cover, there's enough mystery there for potential readers to pick up the mag. I would have grabbed it off the shelf and stick my Cover of the Week award on it.

Conan the Barbarian “The cry of the Afterlings!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Ernie Chan

Originally published in Conan the Barbarian #43

Cover date October 1974

(Published in July 1974)

This second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Conan and Red Sonya find themselves in a strange cavernous environment, prisoners of Uathacht and her brother the grim Morophla, the master mage, sorcerer the inner circle who has ambitions on being the supreme ruler of serpent-riddled Stygia. Morophla wonders if the barbarian has been sent by his enemy, Thoth-Amon. Conan has heard of that name but can't remember where, long term readers would in SCOC#7, but that matters not as the mage's words and eyes does something to him that causes him to charge and attack. Where the sorcerer was standing he no longer stands as the Cimmerian collides into a pillar. 

Conan in pain accuses Morophla of using mirrors to twist the room, but his tormentor tells him that it is no illusion chamber that befools the barbarian. Now at any rate Conan could not be a hired assassin sent by Thoth-Amon as he would have provided him with charms against a simple spell. Uathacht relates how she and her brother are so old the stars have forgotten their birth. They were content till Thoth-Amon, Lord of the Serpent-Ring came to power and drove them out. He placed a spell that would turn them to bone and dust for a cruel jest. To survive they had to live off the blood of others. Conan calls them Vampires but Morophla says they aren't quite as crude, even though with the power of his mind he forces Conan to help Sonja as they are shown the vast dungeons beneath the tower. There inhabit bat-creatures, called Afterlings, an early experiment of Morophla's that didn't work out. Next Morophla shows them a hideous creature called Dromek, who was used as a breeder for the brother and sister's food supply, but has since devolved into a monster. With jealousy Uathacht pushes Sonja into Dromek's pit, but Conan jumps in and slays the creature, impaling it with a bone from one of its victims. Conan carries Sonja under Morophla's thrall to a cell where they await their fate in next week's "The fiends of yesteryear!"

Avengers Mailbag

The first half of the letter from Simon Elliott PMM from Edinburgh deals with the American comics, praising the artwork of Don Heck and his love of Marvel's newest characters the Moonknight. The second part moves on to the British Marvel mags, the centre-spread in Super Spider-man by Frank Hampson was good, taking into account that he didn't have such a knowledge of the Marvel characters. Eagle comics were before Simon's time, but straight away he could tell Frank was suited to a Sci-Fi strip. He points out that the Thing and Doctor Strange sagas are going to catch up, so he suggests the Defenders as replacements. For the replacement of the Werewolf in Dracula Lives he suggests that Ghost Rider would be a great match. Hayn Pritchard from Glamorgan loved the climax of the Spider-man story, especially the bit where Aunt May tells Peter she is in love with Doc Ock. Days Davies KOF from Newport is tired of not knowing when your comics are out in the shops. The Avengers weekly came out on Saturday, then on Friday and now on Thursday so he doesn't know when they are out. The same goes for The Titans, the first issue came out on Wednesday, but second issue came out on Friday. He had to wait for The Titans issue 24 for a fortnight and had given up hope of getting it.

The Avengers “Death at the top of the world!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: Sal Buscema

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in The Avengers #90

Cover date July 1971

(Published in May 1971)

This second part opening splash page was up for sale at a LA comic art show and was listed as Sal Buscema's work. Of course it wasn't, the seller failed to notice the name Aclin on the top left of the art-board, meaning that it was more likely drawn by Jeff Aclin. The re-cap text tells readers that so much has happened, Captain Marvel has been abducted by the Kree Sentry and the Wasp has called for help after her husband, Hank Pym, is in trouble. The Goliath has taken a Quinjet to Alaska and left a message for the other Avengers to follow.

Goliath arrives to find the Wasp alone. She explains that she and Hank were exploring the Arctic Circle in search of missing members of a science expedition. They came across an inexplicable tropical jungle in the middle of the frozen wasteland. Summoning one of the jungle's prehistoric insects, they ride closer until they feel a strange sensation. Yellowjacket then knocked the Wasp out, tying her to the insect with his belt he orders it to carry her back to the expedition base. When she comes to the insect had died and Yellowjacket was nowhere to be seen. Goliath decides to press on into the jungle to search of Yellowjacket, while ordering the Wasp to stay and wait for the Avengers, His reasoning is that subconsciously he hasn't worked well with women, not since the Black Widow left him and his mind keeps on dwelling on the Scarlet Witch. The giant Avenger finds many strange, prehistoric creatures, which he has to fight. Suddenly he is attacked by Ronan the Accuser and the Sentry who render him unconscious. When the other three Avengers and Rick arrive, they along with the Wasp head off into the jungle where they have to fight the Sentry and Goliath who is now under control of the Kree Android. The Wasp is knocked out by the mind-controlled Avenger. Elsewhere the captive Captain Marvel demands that Ronan lets the Avengers go and he destroy the unnatural jungle. The fiend tells him that his goal is nothing less than the destruction of mankind and "Plan Atavus" will revert the planet back to a pre-historic time before the Kree discovered it. As the fight rages on between the Avengers at the two giants the Wasp is discovered by Yellowjacket who has been de-evolved into a primate being. Find out what happens in next week's "Race for the stars!"

This beautiful pin-up originally appeared on the frontispiece in the Marvel/Curtis Magazine the Savage Sword of Conan issue 8 and was drawn by Tony deZuniga, hence the initials AdZ signed at the bottom.

This in-house advert promotes The Titans and Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes, as both mags next week will feature the first two centre-spread posters that will make up a new concept that will be called a Quad Poster! All readers need to do is collect the centre-spreads from issues 35 and 36 of The Titans and issues 175 and 176 of the Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes. When placed together they make up a majestic Marvel poster that measures 16 inches by 44 inches. It will feature nine super-heroes and villains battling over London. It's guaranteed to become a collector's item! 

Master of Kung Fu “The menace of Mordillo”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Paul Gulacy

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Master of Kung Fu #35

Cover date December 1975

(Published in September 1975)

The artist who created this second part opening splash page is unnamed. Black Jack Tarr has arrived on Mordillo's island and rescued Shang-Chi, Clive Reston and Leiko Wu, who the two gentlemen had been originally sent to rescue after Mordillo had kidnapped her to learn the full secrets of the Solar Chute that had been hidden in her subconscious mind. Meanwhile Mordillo readies the Chute that even with the basic of instructions is a deadly weapon. 

The three British agents search for where on the Island Mordillo has hidden the Solar Chute when they see a Geodesic Dome's two halves start retracting. Shang-Chi demands that Tarr take Reston and Leiko back to his rescue craft while he faces Mordillo alone. Shang-Chi confronts Mordillo telling him that he will not allow him to use the weapon. Mordillo replies that the Red Chinese will pay him a million dollars for the Solar-Chute and that if they don't use it to fry Britons and Americans, Smith would use it to fry Chinese. If Smith didn't want to use it for those deadly means why did he program the info about in Leiko's mind when he could have destroyed it. Shang-Chi replies if Smith intends to use the sun as a source of power to commit murder he would stop him as well.  Suddenly the Solar Chute rises into the air where it releases concentrated freon gas to dissolve a neat hole in the ozone layer. Within minutes ultra-violet rays will stream down to focus through the Chutes octagonal lens. 

It was in 1974, that chemists Mario Molina and F Sherwood Rowland from the University of California, published a landmark paper in the journal Nature, in which they outlined the discovery that although CFCs were inert at ground level, they accumulated in the stratosphere, where intense ultraviolet radiation broke them down, releasing chlorine atoms that destroyed the ozone layer. One year later in 1975, researcher V Ramanathan discovered that CFCs strongly absorb infrared radiation, meaning they acted as "super pollutants". Amazingly this three-part "Mordillo" story-arc which was conceded by Doug Moench was published in the summer of 1975, he really must have had his finger on the scientific pulse. 

Below Pavane catches up to the three British agents as they make their way to Tarr's craft, just as Mordillo unleashes the Solar Chute upon the island. Their battle with each other is forgotten as they flee for cover. Shang-Chi takes on Mordillo in hand to hand combat. as the people on the ground find shelter in a cave. Mordillo is defeated by the superior fighter. Unable to face failure he jumps off the platform. He falls through the Solar Chute’s beam dying instantly. Shang-Chi smashes the Solar Chute's controls that causes it to crash into the China sea. Later he and Leiko embrace as a jealous Reston looks on. While the agents leave the island, Brynocki cradles Mordillo’s skeleton and promises not to leave him. Next week more kung fu action in "Cages of myth!"

Dracula Lives #86

Originally from Tomb of Dracula issue 40 this cover by Gene Colan (pencils,) and Frank Giacoia (inks,) appears again as the cover of the UK's "Number 1 fear magazine!" I do find it a bit bland to be honest. (Spoiler warning 1!) Speaking of honesty this issue is the penultimate issue of Dracula Lives and you can see why this mag might have been losing passing readers, which is a shame because for the most part the strip that have appeared have been great, especially the current Man-Thing run. May be the more mature story-lines might have been beyond the younger readers attentions and mature readers might have been tempted away by Dez Skinn's House of Hammer that debut May 1976 or Skinn's other horror mag called simply Monster Mag, which folded out to become a giant poster on one side and articles on the other, mainly about Hammer Horror film characters. It's worth noting that an advert for House of Hammer appeared in Dracula Lives #79. While an advert for Dracula Lives appeared in HOH issue 3 that was published July, after the Dracula Lives weekly (Spoiler warning 2!) had merged with its brother weekly Planet of the Apes!

Dracula “The triumph of Dr. Sun!”

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Originally published in Tomb of Dracula #40

Cover date January 1976

(Published in October 1975)

This "scratchy" second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Although keeping with the plot at the break it doesn't connect perfectly with the action, but saying that Gene Colan's army jeep doesn't look the same in any two panels either, so I guess I'll have to let it slip. Quincy Harker and company head to Doctor Sun's hideout with an entire platoon of US soldiers, but suddenly Sun unleashes an audio signal that puts all the soldiers under his control. Unaffected by it Quincy, Frank, Rachel, Harold and Aurora have to fight their way through the enslaved soldiers to get to safety.

When the group arrive at Harold's apartment they begin to consider that they are powerless against Doctor Sun as he may be a foe who is even worse than Dracula ever was. Although Quincy and Rachel reflect on how their families were destroyed by Dracula. The vampire lord had killed Quincy's wife and turned his daughter into a vampire, while Rachel as a child, had witnessed him slay her parents. As seen in Dracula Lives #71, #29 and #42 respectively.  The group decide that Dracula is the only force that could possibly stop Doctor Sun. But to do that they must break into Sun's hideout and steal Dracula's ashes. Frank and Rachel decide to go together, and Aurora guilts Harold into going along with them. Despite Harold's bungling he is instrumental in the success of the break in and recover of the ashes even though Sun was aware of the intrusion the moment they entered his hideout. Frank dispatches the guard and when Juno arrives, Rachel kills him by firing an arrow into his chest. It was Harold who manages to steal Dracula's ashes even though he still trips over his own feet. The trio escape without facing Doctor Sun's wrath making it back to Harold's apartment. Gazing at the ashes of their mortal enemy the group realise that, in order to save the world Dracula must live again!

Letters to the House of Dracula

Stephen Noonan from Kent writes a letter so big it takes up one full page of the "Letters to the House of Dracula" page, but amazingly it just deals with just one issue, Dracula Lives #76. On the Dracula strip he describes it as deserving to be the showcase of Marvel as it is consistently of a high standard that is superior even to Doctor Strange, Conan, the Black Panther or the Silver Surfer, perhaps because if its realism. He adds that it would seem churlish to criticise, however he does point out that the stories are getting a wee bit predictable. And also the inventiveness seems to be running out with the pro and anti vampire gimmicks. Ethics are another question to Stephen, in his opinion Quincy Harker and Blade should examine their own morality for killing vampires. After all, if Hannibal King can be good, can't others be?  The Werewolf by Night strip though constantly readable, seems to meander from one rut to another. Doug Moench, has a never-ending quest for new and increasingly ridiculous villains, has now spewed up Moon Knight. a rather inferior version of The Gladiator. On to Man-Thing Stephen writes that it's rubbish that bores him when it first came out. With the passing of time, it has become tiresome. dull. simple-minded and almost offensive. Steve Gerber insults his readers intelligence with his blatantly-biassed ecology plots. which could have the opposite effect to what was intended. That's just some of the highlights of Stephen's letter, some of which I totally disagree with, but if you read one full letter this week make sure it's Stephen's.

Garry Selemba from Luton believes that currently Gene Colan/Tom Palmer artistry in the pages of Dracula Lives is some of the finest he has laid his beady little eyes upon. Colan draws some of the most natural-looking people ever to grace comics. He asks does he use photographic tracing of any sort? The editor jokes that he achieves that natural look by rigidly avoiding using any member of the Bullpen as a model. Mykel Evengetista from Manchester read the Man-Thing strip from Dracula Lives #74 and #75 and thinks he's read it before in some DC comics. Or the basic story. I mean, a fated planet, worried scientist, baby in space rocket, super-powers, etc. It would have been great as a satire, but never in Man-Thing. If it was a satire it wasn't very satirical, or even humorous. His letter also deals with the Avengers weekly and about those who complained about the Sise Neg storyline in Doctor Strange, especially the religious view of it. Mykel adds "Just a comic-book story." Aston Kaye from Buckinghamshire points out that Pete Underwood's letter appeared in both #75 and #76 of Dracula Lives. He also thinks that it's not fair to single out particular letter writers as being the best. Some are more interesting than others, but it's not for anyone to say that for example, Neil Fisher is better than Jim Ivers. Each writer has his own style and one cannot be adjudged better than the other.

Man-Thing “Death winds across the Everglades!”

Writer: Steve Gerber

Artist: Val Mayerik

Inker: Sal Trapani 

Originally published in Adventure into Fear #3

Cover date March 1974

(Published in December 1973)

I really like this bold second part opening splash page, even though I don't know who the artist was. It's full on super-villain look and cruel heartless murderer makes it an anti-hero vibe, years before that tag became popular. The Foolkiller, a magical crusader of self-righteousness has just murdered two men who committed the "sin" of not divulging the whereabouts of Richard Rory, a young man who is the unfortunate next target on the Foolkiller's mad list of extinction.    

Meanwhile at the construction site of F A Schist, where the owner bemoans Professor Hargood Wickham's Slaughter Room's failure to destroy the Man-Thing and how the creature nearly killed him. The Foolkiller arrives with knowledge of Schist, even knowing that his Christian names are Franklin Armstrong. He offers his services to kill the Man-Thing but the price will be his own life twenty-four hours later. Schist thinks he's just another looney when he reads his card, "Foolkiller. -E Pluribus Unum- You have 24 hours to live. Use them to repent, or be forever damned to the pits of hell, where goeth all fools. Today is the last day of the rest of your life. Use it wisely..or die a fool!" The latin "E Pluribus Unum" is the motto of the United States and means "From Many to One" which feels very sinister especially with reference to the current US administration. The Foolkiller tells Schist that his wealth was gained immorally and he has contempt for the Lords as he had desecrate his work by draining the swamp. Thinking he's an ecology nut and a religious fanatic Schist orders his men to get rid of him. With his laser pistol he blows up some of the construction sheds and leaves. 

Meanwhile Richard and Ruth are still broken down at the side of the road when a car that does look like Foolkiller's, although that's a mis-direct, arrives and a helpful stranger offers them fuel to get going again. That "helpful stranger" was meant to be Steve Gerber, who in the Marvel Universe is a bit of a reporter. While hunting for the Man-Thing, whom the Foolkiller knows to be Ted Sallis, he spots a helicopter, believing it to be Schist trying to escape he shoots it down. The downed helicopter draws the Man-Thing to its location, but also the swamp creature senses Foolkiller's emotions when he realises that he's made a catastrophic mistake, the occupants of the copter are a family, who after surviving the crash are about to be attacked by a pack of hungry alligators. The Man-Thing draws their attack and saves the family's lives. Watching events the Foolkiller has decided to spare Sallis' life. Few words have the power to piece the thick fog of the Man-Thing's mind, but "Sallis"is one of them, it fills him with revulsion. The creature moves toward the Foolkiller who feels he has no choice but to fire multiple laser blasts at the swamp monster, seemingly killing the beast. More madness next week with the origin of the Foolkiller and the terrifying secret of "the body in the bottle!"

Son of Satan “From hell he come!”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Marvel Spotlight #12

Cover date October 1973

(Published in July 1973)

This second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. The man known as the Son of Satan is determined to question Roxanne Simpson, the girlfriend of Johnny Blaze the supernatural superhero known as the Ghost Rider, to find the whereabouts of Blaze and Linda Littletrees, who while under the possession of Satan is known as the Witch-Woman. Tracking down Roxanne, he finds her being attacked by a gang of bikers who had wanted to teach the Ghost Rider a lesson he would never forget. The Son of Satan momentarily saves her from the Ruthless Riders and their leader Big Daddy Dawson, melting the leader's gum with hell-fire. 

Then a page from the original American strip is left out of the British weekly, possible for censorship reasons, where the Son of Satan questions Roxanne, so British readers fail to see him violently questioning her. See has no knowledge of Satan but tells him that Johnny disappeared with an Indian woman. It's a shame that page was missed out it really shows that this person of Daimon Hellstrom is not a nice person and connects better with much later tales including the Hellstrom:Prince of lies series.  but leaves her to her own fate when she doesn't know what happened to those he seeks. In the British version he travels to Hell and discovers Johnny and Linda chained as prisoners. Confronting his father the Son of Satan is attacked by his fathers minions, however Son of Satan manages to fight off the horde of demons and save Johnny Blaze and Linda Littletrees before returning them to Earth's dimension. There the Son of Satan leaves the two to seek out their own fate, flying off into the sky on his chariot. This story leaves lots of questions, but next week we'll get some answers with "The birth of Satan's son!"

Keeping the the horror theme, this in-house advert for this week's Super Spider-man with the Super-Heroes appears with the less than supernatural, more super-villain, Man-Wolf fighting against the web-slinger himself. It uses the artwork and a cover shot of that week's cover, but take a closer look at the "issue and date" box on the cover. The date has been blacked out from the proof copy. I guess at the time not many noticed the date change, but the editor must have felt it was wise to cover it up. 

Planet of the Apes #86

Another Ron Wilson Planet of the Apes cover, it's clean and efficient, just what is required. Frank Giacoia inks Ron's artwork on this one. 

Planet of the Apes “...And shall one survive?”

Writer: Doug Moench

Artist: Herb Trimpe

Inker: Dan Adkins

Originally published in Planet of the Apes (US) #21

Cover date June 1975

(Published in April 1975)

This second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. Derek Zane has travelled to the future in his homemade Time Machine to rescue the crew of a failed space mission that he believed have entered a time warp and landed in the future. While searching for the Captain of that mission, Taylor, he had encountered a world where Apes ruled. Escaping to an island he discovered humans and apes who lived together in an Arthurian Society. Though happy with his lot in Camelot, Zane could not shake his guilt over abandoning his search for Taylor and so returned to the mainland. On the way he met a chimp named Robin Hood, who agreed to accompany him. 

On the mainland, Zane pretended to be Hood's slave to make passage easier when meeting local apes who were used to that hierarchy. The pair meet General Zaynor who hits Zane with the butt of his rifle, which cause the human to let slip some words. Hood made an excuse and the pair continued on their way. Later they visited Doctor Cassius, pretending an ape from another village had sent them. Cassius' assistant told them about a talking female human in their captivity. Zane perked up, hoping he had found Lieutenant Stewart from Taylor's crew, but it wasn't her. Cassius prepares to remove her larynx, but Zane begged him not to kill her. Distracted by another human speaking Cassius doesn't see the woman grab a scalpel. In panic she kills him and cuts Zane free. They ran to escape across a stone causeway, the girl gets away but Zane is caught. The girl is captured by Hood who tells her that he plans to free his friend. Zane is tried and found guilty with a noose around his neck before the verdict is given. As the trap door opens an arrow splits the rope in half, quickly Zane races to a wagon driven by Hood. The girl cried out Zane's name and runs for the wagon. She dies in his arms from a shot fired by a gorilla. Angered Zane fires a burning arrow into the armoury, blowing it up as they race out of town. Hood suggested they return to Avedon but Zane felt he could no longer stay there, for his destiny lay elsewhere.

"Watch out for a spine-chilling surprise comin' your way in Planet of the Apes!" said one gorilla to another in the quarter page teaser. (Spoiler warning 3!) This is the first hint at the merging of Dracula Lives and the Planet of the Apes. It's very subtle, I wonder did any readers get the significance of the wording? 

Ka-Zar “A quest for vengeance...A taste of death!”

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: John Buscema

Inker: Alfredo Alcaca

Originally published in Ka-Zar Vol 2 #6

Cover date November 1974

(Published in August 1974)

The artist for this second part opening splash page is unnamed. Ka-Zar has befriended a young boy by the name of Kem Horkus, whose older brother Bar Horkus, had been scarred for life by the dreaded swamp creature his tribe had named the Behemoth. Even after all those years Bar has sworn to have his revenge on the monster. Ka-Zar has agreed to accompany Kem on his brother's quest, but the savage lord's arrival has not been meet with open arms. As he approaches the campsite he gets a very unfriendly welcome.

Bar's men capture Zabu and surround Ka-Zar, but their leader tells the Lord of the Savage Land that he is out numbered and his men won't harm him. Ka-Zar agrees to talk. Bar Horkus tells him of his first encounter with the Behemoth. It cost him his left arm, his right eye and the lives of eight of his best men. It is his destiny to hunt down the beast and slay it. Bar's mad obsession has been gradually wearing on his men, but Ka-Zar agrees to help his quest for his brother's sake. When the waking hours come, the hunters set out on the river in two rafts, each equipped with a large ballista. When they find The Behemoth, Bar Horkus fires the giant bolt, but it only wounds the monster. Bar orders Ghakar to fire the other raft's ballista. In fear Ghakar's raft turns and races away before it can be fired. Refusing to retreat, Bar Horkus leads the rest of his men to their deaths against the angered Behemoth. Ka-Zar knocks out Kim to save the boy, instructing Zabu to carry the lad to shore before finally killing The Behemoth himself with only his hunting knife. Afterwards, Ka-Zar consoles Kem with the promise to find Ghakar for betraying his brother. Find out if he does in "the Beast within!"

Captain Marvel “Metamorphosis!”

Writer:Jim Stalin

Artist: Jim Starlin

Inker: Pablo Marcos

Originally published in Captain Marvel #28

Cover date September 1973

(Published in June 1973)

Jim Starlin takes full creative control of the Captain Marvel strip with this week's story. It'll be a proper treat with an imaginary tale that is made real with mind blowing art that takes the reader on a journey into far-out fantasy. Enjoy the ride! The title says it all as the text before it reads "Beware hero! It's time for a Metamorphosis!" Eon has waited many years, eight million to be exact. A truly long wait to do what they were created to do! Their life's mission is to destroy Captain Marvel the Warrior!

Eon has waited since the dawn of Olympus, where Kronas, the Cosmic Balance has foretold the coming of Captain Marvel. The Warrior must die so that the universe may live. Mar-Vell is confused so he is asked to look deep into the Cosmic being's eye to discover the truth. The truth shows him his enemies, who keep him rooted to the past and keep him from his future. In this insane mind-scape he fight with Thanos's Ravagers. But the Universe has a greater need of a champion and he must become that champion. Eon shows Mar-Vell visions of the history of Olympus, a time before Gods, when Uranus ruled the land with an iron fist. It was the home of the original Titans and a time of war! A war between Uranus and his band of Mad Titans against Chronas, Oceanus and the other younger Titans who wished for peace and order. Chronos' faction prevailed and Uranus was exiled to the planet that now bears his name. Peace reigned and Chronas fathered children, Zeus and A'lars. He experimented with the Cosmic Life Force until one day disaster struck, an unimaginable explosion rocked Olympus. But Chronas life force was spread throughout the universe becoming one with the cosmos. Zeus took control of Olympus and as his first act he exiled A'lars, who he hated for being so faithful to his father's way of life. A'lars wandered the stars, soon coming across a huge satellite off Satun, a moon that would be later known as Titan. He found a dead world whose only survivor was a girl named Sui-san. With her they created a new world and with that a new name, A'lars became Mentor. The dead world quickly became a land of peace and beauty. A star of sanity in a universe of chaos. That star is now in danger of being snuffed out by Thanos and the Cosmic Cube. Deep in a cavern the being called Drax, having failed to stop Thanos, vows to find Captain Marvel. On Earth the Controller prepares to experiment on Lou-Ann while Rick Jones remains buried under rubble in the Avengers Mansion. These cosmic events will line up in next week's issue!

The Titans #34

The Grand Comics Database suggests that this is another Ron Wilson (pencils,) with Frank Giacoia (inks,) cover like this week's Planet of the Apes. I really agree with GCD as it has all of Ron Wilson's hallmarks. I do quite like this cover it was very close to being my Cover of the Week. I like the top banner on this week's cover, it sums up what this comic is about, "Starring more super-heroes than you can shake a fist at!" 

The Fantastic Four “The Thing..enslaved!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in The Fantastic Four #91

Cover date October 1969

(Published in July 1969)

This opening splash page was re-drawn from Jack Kirby's original to fit the landscape format. Things in this tale aren't quite what they seem. A gangster, named Boss Baker, with his moll, talks to his men about his latest prizefighter, Ben Grimm, known to all as the Thing!

A Skrull, known as the Slave Master has captured the Thing and taken him to the planet Kral, a world whose culture is a mirror of the Prohibition Era in New York in the 1930s. Back in the 1930's a mobster named Machine-Gun Martin escaped prison and was captured by the Skrulls. The inhabitants of Kral, fascinated by gangster culture, adopted it as their own. Decades later Boss Barker makes a bet with his opponent Lippy Louie that his acquisition of the Thing will be able to defeat Louie's best fighter, Torgo, in the Great Games. Meanwhile on earth the Fantastic Four begin to search for their lost teammate, although they don't know where to start. In deep space the Skull known as the Slave Master lands on Kral with the Thing and a host of alien slaves to trade. Ben tries to escape but his weighty "Nerve Collar" delivers a painful shock, even through the Thing rocklike hide skin. With no choice but to submit Ben is delivered into the hands of Boss Barker. 

Along the way, Ben learns that the Skrulls of this planet adopted 1930's humanoid forms, inspired by Martin and why they capture beings from other worlds to fight in their gladiator pits. Suddenly Boss Baker's men are attacked by what looks like a bi-plane, but it fires a futuristic weapon at the slave truck only to be deflected by an invisible force field. the Slave truck opens outwards to reveal anti-gravity rods that allows the truck to fly. The plane gives chase but the truck has its own futuristic weapons that blows it out of the sky. The truck carries on to what looks like an old prohibition brewery, but is in fact a hideout for Baker's Slave Keeper, where he can train his gladiators in the fighting skills they need. After testing the Thing's fighting prowess against a creature called Taxtor, Ben is taken to his cell which he shares with his future opponent, a giant android called Torgo! Back on Earth, Reed concludes what has most likely happened to Ben was that he was kidnapped by the Skrulls.

Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD “When sounds the Overkill Horn!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby (layouts,) and John Buscema

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Strange Tales #150

Cover date November 1966

(Published in August 1966)

An unnamed artist created this landscape second part splash page. Both Colonel Fury and Dum Dum Dugan have been injured while testing out new sonic devices that proved the possible existence of a weapon named the Overkill Horn. Senator Dudley uses a Projector camera to introduce Don Caballero. He is one of the richest men in South America and he offers Nick an invite to a party he's holding in the ancient ruins of Karnopolis, in the Sahara Desert, which Fury accepts. Already in Karnopolis there is a SHIELD agent who stumbles upon a secret Hydra base. Caballero is merely a disguise for the new Supreme Hydra, who knew the man who made the suggestion was a spy all along. Fury puts Sitwell in charge of SHIELD command while he's gone. Just then, a sonic boom shakes the HQ, as the "Overkill Horn", a sonic weapon designed to detonate a nuclear missile, is being tested. Fury will find out some answers from Don Caballero in next week's episode, "OverKill!"

Titanic Transcripts

Eddie Wright from London thinks the Superman-Spidey team-up was great, if you like endless battles like DC fans put up with. But the thing that puts Marvel comics characters above any DC characters is their private lives. Spider-man has dealt with drugs, Vietnam, prejudice, to name but three. One thing that gets Eddie's anger is the killing off of Gwen Stacy! What was the mindless unthinking morons who hatched and okayed the idea thinking? Gwen Stacy was the best non-hero character that existed in the whole Marvel "shebang"! First Betty married another guy, Captain Stacy died, Norm Osborne knew who Pete was and then Gwen died. That is laying it on a bit thick and it is beginning to make Spidey look a little unreal. On to The Titans, Eddie liked it at first, now he really hates it because Spider-man followed it into that format. He hates the artwork on Nick Fury and the Sub-Mariner because it looks childish. The 2 in 1 pages idea ruins both mags. David Keegan from Kent decided to buy The Titans when he discovered to his amazement five stories compared to the usual three, for only 9p that's 1p extra for two more stories.

David Young RFO from Surrey fills in Nick Fury fans on the character. Nick first appeared in Marvel as Sgt. of the famous Howling Commandoes, one of the stars of the golden age of comics, fighting for freedom, democracy. In Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandoes #13, the Howlers fight side by side with Captain America and Bucky, to save Britain from being invaded by the Nazis via a continental tunnel, built by the third Reich using slave labour. Mark Howe from Nottingham only noticed Nick Fury and his agents of SHIELD, the Sub Mariner and Captain Marvel when The Titans #20 caught his eye! Louis Berg from Portsmouth writes that there is a steady flow of US mags are coming down to his area. Mags like Guardians of the Galaxy, the Champions, Inhumans and Defenders are great, Captain America and Falcon are not bad, but Captain Marvel is out of this world. Night Rider just doesn't do it for him. Neuadd Sibly from Swansea quotes Act Five, Scene Five of Macbeth, were the treacherous king claims that life is a tale "Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing..." is a lesson we must take with us from the play is that the 'nothing' referred to is the human everything, ridiculous and insane though it may be. We are to strive in that knowledge. When Roy Thomas writes in the fifth panel of Captain Marvel in The Titans #17, "the sound is full of quiet fury and who's to say if it signifies nothing ..or everything?' The tale is the same. Rick's song tells of lost love, the apparent futility of endeavour. It is a lament, yes, but there is also celebration in the discipline of the songwriting, and fresh endeavour in the wish to communicate. Roy writes in the tradition not only of the Bard, but also of Samuel Butler and Edward Thomas ('The roar in my ears as I walk deafens me to all sound), in seeing quiet far, as the human condition: neither placid nor tragic, but both at once. Iv'e re-printed most of Nevada's letter as how can you summarise all that. Marvel and classic literature go hand in hand.

This Marvel Masterwork centre-spread of Robert E Howard's Solomon Kane was pencilled by Marshall Rogers and inked by Duffy Vohland. A few years later it appeared in The Comics Journal #39, cover dated April 1978, above the editorial by Gary Groth. It looks great!

The Sub-Mariner “To save the Queen!”

Writer: Roy Thomas

Artist: John Buscema 

Inker: Frank Giacoia

Originally published in Sub-Mariner Vol 2 #3

Cover date July 1968

(Published in April 1967)

The Plant Man has unleashes a seaweed monster, that he calls the Leviathan, against the city of London. The Sub-Mariner and the Inhuman Triton find themselves shackled together and in a desperate battle with it as it heads towards Buckingham Palace.

As the giant sea creature smashes into the Palace, guards escort the Queen to safety via a helicopter. Namor, carrying Triton and a battle ship's anchor aloft, with his might he hurls it at the creature severing it in two. But the two halves rejoin. Next they try fire with only little effect. Finally they try a vat of molten metal lifted from a refinery. This time it destroys the Leviathan. Facing a defeat the Plant Man flees before Namor and Triton can return. The energy bands that shackled the two heroes dissolve, as it was attuned to the seaweed creature. Namor and Triton part as good friends as the Sub-Mariner continues his search for the man named Destiny. More undersea adventure as next week the Prince of Atlantis faces an old foe when "Attuma attacks the Atlanteans!"  

Captain America “If this be MODOK!”

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: Jack Kirby

Inker: Joe Sinnott

Originally published in Tales to Suspense  #94

Cover date October 1967

(Published in June 1967)

While attempting to rescue Agent-13 from AIM, Captain America himself has been captured when he was hit with a paralyser ray. Agent-13 was taken away to meet AIM's leader, the mysterious MODOK. A member of AIM orders the execution of the star spangled Avenger. However, the execution is halted under orders of MODOK who demands that Captain America be brought to him as well.

Captain America is freed from paralysis in a chamber that leads to MODOK. MODOK commands him to stop where he is as the power beam from his brain hits the Captain, knocking him to the floor. MODOK comes into view, a being with a giant head that rides a hoverchair. MODOK explains that he was once a human guinea pig for the scientists of AIM. But they did their job too well and his expanded brain gave him the power to become their master.  Captain America is forced to battle MODOK and dodge his powerful  mind-bolts. While Captain America keeps MODOK occupied a section of AIM scientists takes the opportunity to destroy MODOK and free themselves from his slavery but attacking their master while his attention is on Captain America. A second squad prepares an escape craft if the first squad fails in their task. The AIM soldiers open fire upon their leader. Believing him to be dead, they then try to kill Captain America and Agent-13, but the freed heroes easily defeat them and force themselves on board the escape sub just as MODOK, with one last ounce of power sets off a detonator which causes the entire base to explode. Cap and Agent-13 escape and take the captured AIM to SHIELD. More action next week in "The death of a legend!"

Ghost Rider “They who serve Satan!”

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: Mike Ploog

Inker: Frank Chiaramonte

Originally published in Marvel Spotlight #7

Cover date December 1972

(Published in September 1972)

This second part opening splash page was drawn by an unnamed artist. The Ghost Rider races to find Roxanne Simpson who has been kidnapped by  Curly Samuels.

Johnny had learned that someone matching Curly's description had left Madison Square Garden so he had to wait till the following night to become the Ghost Rider to seek him. That night he confronts Satan's Saints. One of them tries to shoot him with a gun but the bullets have no effect. Encircling them with hellfire the group tells him that Curly hangs out at some weird church just around the block. Already at the church Curly with an ungodly congregation prepare a sacrificial Black Mass with Roxanne in a hypnotic state as their victim, dressed in a chainmail bra and lace wrap. She is taken to the alter and chained down. Curly snaps his fingers and she awakes to see him holding a dagger above her, ready to kill. Suddenly the Ghost Rider arrives just in time to stop Curly before he can sacrifice Roxanne to Satan, Satan intervenes changing Curly back into Crash Simpson and orders him to kill Ghost Rider. Roxanne is terrified, shouting for Johnny to not kill her father! The horror continues next week, so till then...

See you in seven.

Make Mine Marvel.