The Gargoyle, the Mole and the teenager.

The Mighty world of Marvel No.2

Week ending 14th October 1972.

 The latest Marvel masterpiece arrived with what looked like new stories for Hulk and the Fantastic Four but what is actually the second parts of the original US comics Hulk issue 1 and The Fantastic Four issue 1 respectively. You could almost imagine that in 1961 Stan Lee -the forward thinking editor, had planned those US issues with the hope that the origin first-half of those issues would be reused in Mighty World of Marvel No.1 and then the second-half action adventure tales would set up the direction of those stories following from issue 2 onwards. The action packed cover by Jim Starlin and Joe Sinnott boasts "The world's greatest superheroes!" in "Britains all action weekly!" With a header box enticing young readers to pick up this edition with an offer of a three amazing Spider-Man T-shirt transfer! No doubt less of them survived to this day than last weeks free Hulk transfers!

Pippa M Melling, the UK editor does cover over the "Part 3" of the original page with a handy "what's going on?" information-box right at the top of the page, that kind of says that this story is the second half of the origin but in my opinion this story changes very quickly from an origin story to what quickly becomes the Hulk against the Reds/Commies propaganda/paranoia story that becomes the norm for many early Marvel tales of the 60's, especially early Hulk tales. Not really sure how well this sits with a young British readership in the early 70's. To me today I'm fine with it, it was of its time and the story feels quaint. I wonder if with Russia and Putin's current stand against Ukraine and the rest of the world is colouring perception of how acceptable these story lines feel to me today? Is it a  case of history repeating itself? Strangely at one point the cured Gargoyle address a portrait of the "Soviet" Leader, quite possibly Nikita Khrushchev, but in the British version he bears a moustache and the partly obscured title "Big Brother" was added to cover up his identity/ use graffiti to ridicule him/ or as a George Orwell 1984 in-joke for the British literary educated readership. If this comic was made today would Putin's image be inserted in a satirical comment on current affairs? 

The Fantastic four story, like the Hulk's is the second half of their origin issue, but like the Hulk's it too makes a key change from last weeks story direction. This part showcases the strengths and weaknesses of early Stan Lee/Jack Kirby work. A clever mystery story with science fiction beats mixed with great Kirby Monsters and ideas. The weakness comes from the villain of the piece. I can't really see the Mole Man making an appearance in the MCU anytime soon, at least not in this 60's version. 60's villains are kind of lame even though I carry a very strong nostalgic love for them.   

The Mole Man's motivation are laid out clearly but how he manages to accomplish his objectives are not clearly defined. Do the gigantic creatures bore out the tunnels that enable him to reach his nuclear power station targets or does he employ machinery for those tasks? All in all a splendid story that I've read in so many different comic that have always been enjoyable, this version only had very minor adjustments made to the story flow and only one "Ben Grimm bitter Reed comment" removed that really doesn't effect the story one bit. I love the final page were heroes defeat the Mole Man, escape from a "mad nightmare" of "roaring, running, snarling" "army of underground gargoyles" and then wonder if they've seen the last of the Mole Man? Like the Hulk's villain -the Gargoyle, in his story, of course they haven't! But what really stops the Mole Man from finishing what he started? Was it the lack of pages left in the original comic? 

My copy of issue 2 has the wonderful novelty of second coupon for the Mystery Gift offer not being cut out. So I don't get a window onto the Fantastic Four strip. I must thank the previous owner who resisted temptation and may be bought two copies? The clues for the Mysterious Gift now included "It's as colourful as a rainbow!" I'm guessing a rainbow coloured bread bin! 

The remaining interior colour pages sported "Pin up pages".  The Jack Kirby Thing pin up from the FF issue 2 US comic, the Hulk pin up was the cover for the Hulk's US comic number 1with a re-coloured grey Hulk to a green Hulk and the FF pin up was the cover of the Fantastic Four number 2 as a teaser for the next MWOM issue, all three with added text. The Spider-man pin up presented on the back page was the original unused Steve Ditko cover from Amazing Fantasy number 15 that wasn't approved over the legendary Jack Kirby classic.

The final story in our second issue is Spider-man from The Amazing Spider-man issue 1, or at least a third of it. This humble tale retells our teenage hero's origin, as if we'd forgot last weeks story, but with its fill of teenage angst, the full spectrum of high school life, supporting an elderly family member, holding down a job, the works. More's to come for this tale, so we'll have to wait seven days to find out how it develops. I feel Spider-man gets the smallest share of the comic but that won't last as he's born to be a massive star. 

Make Mine Marvel.

The Mighty World of Marvel : The start of the revolution!

 The start of the revolution!

"Wow! We meet at last! After all these exciting weeks of planning, plotting and preparing, here we with the first supersensational issue of... THE MIGHTY WORLD OF MARVEL!"

That's what Stan Lee, or someone from the New York or London office of Magazine Management (London) Ltd (that later came to be known as Marvel UK) wrote for him in the first issue of The Mighty World of Marvel issue one dated week ending 7th October 1972, but in you local newsagents from Saturday the 30th September 1972. That was fifty years ago, for many it was the start of a life long love for super-heroes that has been passed onto their children and maybe even grandchildren, through comics, graphic novels, films, TV shows, T-shirts, action figures, sandwich boxes and so much more.

1972 wasn't the start for these incredibly, fantastical, amazingly iconic characters, no their first appearances began in1961/62's America. Nor was it their first British appearance, no Marvel characters had been published by Alan Class and Odhams Press in various comics during the 60's to various degrees of popularity and continuity. Both mixed Marvel stories with characters from elsewhere, with the likes of Star Trek's Captain Kirk and DC's Batman rubbing shoulders with Spider-man or the Thor and Iron-man with British comic cuts shorts and strips like The Missing link/Johnny Future a British character as close to an American super-hero without you seeing the tracing paper. Original US comics had also found their way to our shores but with sporadic distribution that created a headache for comic fans if they wanted to follow their favourite hero's adventures. In fact Odhams Press through their Power Comics, especially Pow, Fantastic and Terrific, had stumbled onto the format that Marvel UK would follow but this time with greater control from the US and better continuity of stories that would hook the next generation of fans. Marvels UK revolution had begun!

Bursting on the British comic scene and front cover swings Spider-man with the rampaging Hulk and the Fantastic Four under an iconic The Mighty World of Marvel logo. It's a title that is quintessentially British and has appeared headlining seven British volumes from 1972 to 2019 for Marvel UK. I'm surprised that it has never be used in the US. Showcasing heroes that are well known by todays standards but to kids in the early 70's, who may have been too young to pick up those 60's comics, they must have been very intriguing. Two monsters, a man on fire and a girl sliding down a rubber band man! I can't imagine life without Spider-man, the Hulk or the Fantastic Four but these characters must have been strange indeed to many kids. MWOM has always been a vehicle for the Hulk. But child/teen friendly Spider-man was placed front and centre with his name the first you see on the lower bar, but amazingly enough the webbed wonder holds the last spot in the comic. He would later gain pole position in his own comic in February 1973 but that's a story for another blog. I love this action ready cover from John Buscema, but was the missing 4 logo from the Invisible Girl's uniform a mistake? Or could it have been a choice made to give the impression of numerous stories staring numerous characters? A quite common practice in British comics to have loads of smaller stories, although a banner also states "3 Big supernatural movie length adventures" so may be not, it could have just been a "No Prize" winning mistake! Not sure "supernatural" was the correct way to describe this comic but it was possibly used as a way to pull in the punters. "Movie length" is definitely not false advertising as the three classic tales fill this forty page blockbuster! No 3 or 4 page fillers here!

Also on a clothing note this issue boasts a "FREE! Green-skinned monster t-shirt transfer!" My second-hand copy didn't come with one and I guess not many do, if any.  

The first story to greet the reader starts with a green coloured Hulk looking imposing in the Jack Kirby splash page. Originally the Hulk was coloured grey in his early US comics but British readers never saw anything other than a green Hulk either on the front covers or the inside green, black and white pages. Of the forty pages only five were in full colour, the front and back pages, one inside poster and a double page feature (more on that later), while 24 pages had shades of green on black and white, leaving the remaining eleven purely black and white, all for money saving reasons. Stan Lee's 60's style dialogue, like the artwork, is workman like and enjoyable. Never taxing the reader, the Gamma Bomb starts off as an awesome G-Bomb, a Geiber Counter is explained to Rick Jones by Dr. Banner and overstated clues are made of Igor's evil intension. The unnecessary part 2 splash page goes missing as parts 1 and 2 are used in this first issue, while parts 3 and 4 would be used in the second issue making one original story of four parts into two separate stories for editorial reasons. 

It's worth noticing that Pippa M. Melling is named as editor and would mother young minds with changes to dialogue. The copyright bar also indicates that the comic was originally printed in Carlisle in the Lake District by Carlisle Web Offset Limited. A company which sadly no longer exists. 

Our second tale is the Fantastic Four origin. Sue Storm starts off in strong independent woman by playing tricks on a taxi driver, being a willing adventurer and calling out Ben for his cowardliness but in the original US version her character is shows a weaker side that is prepared to go on a deep space adventure just to be with her fiancèe Reed. This was because their whole relationship was edited out in the UK version. I noticed this as Ben says Reed called him a Thing not Sue! Which didn't sit well with my older self, why would Reed Richards, a scientist, describe Ben Grimm's monstrous new appearance as a Thing?  Was adult relationships too much for young minds. Pippa also changed a line were Sue says to Ben "we've got to take that chance...unless we want the Russians to beat us to it!" instead on the original "Commies". British comics never do politics in the 70's, Russians, Commies or Reds later would be Bodavians as to not offend  more liberally minded Brits.

The centre pages would offer a message from Stan and a mysterious gift that could be yours in exchange for ten coupons, one each from the first ten issues. This left holes in the middle of many copies as young fans wanted to get their hands on the mystery gift, that was bigger than a breadbox! Was this an US or UK attempt to sound more British? In Lancashire its was always called a "bread bin"! I wonder how many kids cut out these coupons , thus ruining the comic for life and didn't send them off? Anyway my second hand copy has a hole right in the middle of the Fantastic Four strip!

It's almost like Spider-man is spying on the Human Torch! I'm not overly anger at the damage, it's a piece of human history, were some young scallywag has had a thrill out of collecting those coupons and sending off for the mysterious gift after hopefully enjoying the FF's adventure first. The tale of this comics journey from its original owner in 72 and into my possession is a mystery that only my imagination can picture, but for me its a happy ending.

The final strip is Spider-man's classic origin story by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Were the green, black and white colouring suits the Hulk strip it looks strange for Spider-man. There's no need to lay on the heavy editors pen this teenage lead story suits British kids as much as Americans. The only bit of editing needed was the complete removing of page 7 of the US version, the scene with Spider-man in the TV studio, which must have been for lack of space reasons. Spider-man gets the full coloured back page as a bonus. Which I did notice that the Burglar's hat and pants change from green in the original to brown in the UK version and his jacket changes from brown in the US to green in the UK for absolutely no reason! I kind of think the UK colours look better if truth be told, green pants! No way! 

I never liked Spidey's eyes when confronts the unconscious Burglar. It looks like an editor added the two dots to make the young British reader notice that this is the moment that Peter realises that he could've stopped his uncles death, but no this was exactly how Steve Ditko intended it. The end text box finished with an order to not miss next weeks issue of The Mighty World of Marvel, for more action-packed adventures of Spider-man, the Fantastic Four and the incredible Hulk! 

This comic starts the ball running for Marvel UK, a publishing empire that lasts right up till it was bought out by Panini Comics in 1995. Producing 170 different titles with 8584 issues, it give the starts to so many comic creator talents, who went on to have careers both at home and in America. I've always had a soft spot for Marvel UK, even when I started collecting the American imports regularly 

Issue one is a fine piece of nostalgia that as a child of the 70's I would've loved to have read and owned. Fifty years later it still holds that magic and I treasure it! 

Make Mine Marvel.

#MUK50

It's been 50 years since The Mighty World of Marvel No1. smashed its way onto the scene on Saturday the 30th September 1972. Even though my memory of that week is extremely limited, well you can forgive me for that as an adult of 52 years not many can remember what they were doing as a 2 year old child, I fancy giving over this blog to recording the history of Marvel UK week by week but fifty years later. With more wiser and mature eyes (well some might say more senile, jaded and bitter, with tired eyes that need glasses). So I'll try to blog about my weekly read through my complete 1970's Marvel UK collection starting with MWOM issue 1 and continue through the decade and maybe into the 80s and beyond. A tricky task as during March 1975 seven weeklies are published. By October of that year it drops to six with the latest comic The Titans a landscape weekly with practically twice the content of a normal weekly and by February 1976 Spider-man Comics Weekly merges with the super heroes to become Super Spider-Man with the Superheroes, another landscape comic making the amount of weekly reading virtually eight comics a week. Hopefully keeping up with task on a weekly bases but may be switching to fortnightly or monthly if I fall behind. 

Twenty years ago I did read through my smaller collection on a time slip routine and I managed to keep up even with two small children and a wife. Now with a complete 70's collection this could get tricky. It's a mammoth task, may have tried. So it's important for me to list those who have gone before. Starting with Tim Field and his wonderful blog Week Ending, it's a great little read that well worth following as you read those issues he writes about. Steve W. who's blog Steve does comics  regularly contains posts about Marvel UK, especially look for "Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week" which obviously start 10 years ago with a fun offbeat approach to Marvels British output. Thought Balloon is another great website that offers insight to key Marvel UK issues, an absolute treasure trove of comic goodness. Facebook holds a host of fan groups that also carry many posts from like minded fanatics, Marvel UK Comics Make Mine Marvel UK The Mighty World of British Comics and UK Marvel in the Seventies. 

So if you love Marvel UK comics from the 70's and 80's read along with me and see if we discover something new on our nostalgic trip through our childhood passion in what I'm calling HashtagMUK50. Yeah it's not very catchy and doesn't roll off the tongue but it is 2022 and I'm trying to sound trendy and down with the kids. (Not really working that but never mind.) Plus I can't think of anything else. See you in seven.

#MUK50 

Make Mine Marvel.

 

For Queen, country...and Otherworld!

 

The first version on the Captain Britain Omnibus was released on the 21st October 2021, a fine collection of of the good Captain's adventure, but it was missing some of the pre Excalibur stories thus making it feel slightly incomplete. Fan didn't have to wait too long for the second edition to be released with it bulging new Alan Davis cover that contained the rather more all encompassing history of Mr Braddock, from his humble beginnings in Captain Britain Weekly to his guest appearances in The New Mutants Annual #2 (October 1986) and The Uncanny X-Men Annual #11 (1987), this version hit the shelves in April 2022. Omnibus editions are heavy, expensive and extravagant, only for fanatic followers. However if you can live with the weight they offer a cheaper option than buying over priced back issues. They give a historic insight into their chosen subject with behind the scenes articles, extra covers, posters, artist sketches and so much more. Personally I have a cherished complete run of the original comics so is there really a reason to buy this edition? Damn right there is! I found lots of new story versions and extras I've never seen before making it an absolute treasure trove not to be missed.

I first encountered the lion of Britain was on the back cover of Super Spider-man and the Titans #203 in a Merry Marvel Christmas pin up by George Mina in 1976. I was intrigued by this new hero standing front and centre. As a six year old I hadn't begun my comic collecting life and would have to wait 'till I was older to collect his first weekly exploits as back issues. 

No the first time I passed over my pocket money for any patriotic comic goodies was for the Captain Britain Summer Special from 1980, enticed by its stunning cover with the central image of our hero flying into action by Pablo Marcos, a college of contents by the knife and glue of Dez Skinn and Paul Neary. The back cover also left an impression on me, I probably learned to draw from that poster of Captain's Britain and America by The King, Jack Kirby. Inside was filled with reprints of Captain Britain  from his weekly and British produced Black Knight stories that guest star the captain from Hulk Comic. New articles about the Knight and CB lit the bonfire of my interest, these can be found in the Omnibus.

Lets start at the beginning of the Omnibus, the original weekly comic proclaimed that it was in full colour, this wasn't completely true, only the Captain Britain strip was,(the Fantastic Four strip had to settle for black and white while the end Nick Fury strip gained colour) although due to an editorial mistake the last page of CB strip was in black and white with a text line offering the reader to colour it in as a bonus feature! Chris Claremont wrote and Herb Trimpe drew this tale which kind of felt rush and out of order in some ways, but completely intriguing  in other ways because of how it starts with the action and goes back to his origin. The early tale where re-edited and fully coloured with new splash pages for the US comic Marvel Tales (131-133) in 1981. These stories are also printed in the Omnibus and give another insight into the Captains origin. Claremont lasted 10 issues, but they weren't earth shattering. Just enough to set out Brian Braddocks background and make the first appearance of his sister Betsy, the future X-Man Psylock. Gary Friedrich took over the writing chores and Trimpe continued to give a fair account of an action hero strip.

Things really improved when John Buscema and Tom Palmer took over as artists with issue 24, but at the price of colour. Buscema's artwork shines in monochrome with subtle shading giving more character to the strip, although I wonder if coloured version might have been a nice touch with this Omnibus? Possibly not as I really can't fail these strips. Writers and artists come and go, Larry Lieber,  Len Wein and Jim Lawrence took up the typewriter with Ron Wilson and Pablo Marcos on art duties. Stories raise and fall in quality but still there are some gem moments.

Colour briefly returns to the Omnibus with the Chris Claremont and John Byrne classic Marvel Team-Up #65. I originally read this in black and white in another much treasured Captain Britain Summer Special from 1981, it was first premiered in the UK in Super Spider-man and Captain Britain after CB finished his original run, strangely enough never making it to the cover of those issues. Byrne's redrawing of the Captain's origin, feels like the definitive version, improving on Trimpe with Claremont getting another go at getting it right. This story also makes the debut of Arcade and sets up, at least off page the next chapter of Braddocks life story. 

Dez Skinn ramps up the Marvel Revolution with the Black Knight strip that appears in the heavily packed British created content of Hulk Comic, were a mysterious stranger turns out to be Brian Braddock. Steve Parkhouse writes an Arthurian tale that firmly embeds the Captains history in an Otherworld, beautifully drawn by John Stokes and Paul Neary. Here we get to see Captain Britain die for the first time! Again I wonder if these tales should be re-coloured for this edition but once again the detailed beauty of the black and white artwork might get lost so I'm happy they kept the originals. 

Time for a rebirth! The Captain gains a new costume and his most associated artist- Alan Davis, in a new comic, Marvel Super-Heroes #377. Dave Thorpe takes Brian back down to earth with this dark 80's Britain modern setting. A mixture of 1984, The Avengers TV series, Alice in Wonderland and Thatchers Britain, where all is not well in this political Orwellian world. This is Davis' first professional work, but already it looks like the work of an artist we know and love. Originally it was printed in black and white but this Omnibus chooses to print the coloured version from X-Men Archives. Davis' work is stunning in black and white, its also stunning in colour so why not print the colour version. Things were things were bleak and twisted. Things were about to get more crooked and warped!

With issue 387 of Marvel Super-heroes a new writer picked up the typewriter and changed the comic world as I knew it. You won't find his name in the credits of this Omnibus or many of his other works. Mostly credited as the original writer, or complete deleted from any credits due to his personal request. But his name is Alan Moore. And he is the greatest writer of comic fiction ever! Well possibly, well maybe, well...well I really love his stuff! Within two issues he has twisted reality to breaking point while laying clues for the future and finally killing off our hero in a Fury. But Alan Moore is like an insane angry child who kicks over his toys and puzzles in a play room, then calmly sits down and rebuilds them to make them better. I've always known what Alan Moore was and how he wrote but I could never but it into a simple word or phrase, however while listening to the never iron anything podcast I heard Tony Esmond call him "The Great Adaptor!" That perfectly sums up the man. I'm stealing that! Moore does the work, he really looks into the character past and works him out. He takes all the small parts of the characters backstory and creates a bigger and better picture. You don't realise he's doing it until the climax has been reached. In issue 388, the last issue to feature a Captain Britain strip before it continued in The Daredevils #1, Moore wrote an article titled "A short history of Britain." in which he waxed lyrical about Captain Britain's  history though the Marvel comics. It was insightful and would have made a smashing inclusion in this Omnibus, but I guess he wouldn't allow them to reprint it, which is a shame but fair enough. I'm just glad I've read it in that mag. 

Moore cherry picked from every previous version of Captain Britain. Merlin and Lady Roma from the very beginning, Mastermind, Betsy and Jamie from those early issues. After seeing her gang we finally got to meet Vixen. We got more of S.T.R.I.K.E. and the Slaymaster. He reintroduced the Special Executive from old Doctor Who weekly back up stories. The Crazy Gang, Mad Jim Jaspers and the crooked worlds Captain UK made an important return. All old but new and engaging. Magic is science in the Marvel Universe was Moores idea, numbering earths was Moores too,  everyday normal becomes nightmares that's  all thanks to Moore. He adapts tales and characters while others just copy. 

All good things come to an end and so Alan Moore finish his time with the Captain. It's not a sad time 'cause all the while another Alan has been taking notes as he delivers the amazing artwork. Alan Davis steps up and in truth you don't see the joint. Taught by the master "Bad moon rising" and "Tea and sympathy" are seamless as what came before. The strip had gone from Marvel Super-Heroes to The Daredevils and onto The Mighty World of Marvel (Vol 2), now it was time for Captain Britain to get his own comic again. With the help of Jamie DeLano, Alan Davis produces 14 issues of the new monthly. All strong, interesting and enjoyably mature tales. The character had completely grown up and the Moore/Davis version really got it right. Later American writers never fully understood him. If you really love the character don't look anywhere else, this is as good as it gets and this edition has got it all.

The Omnibus also includes a spin off back up strip "The Cherubin", a text story by a young fellow by the name of Grant Morrison and two Mastermind specification scans (fact files to me and you) from the monthly. From Marvel USA the previously mentioned New Mutant and X-Men annuals stories, the first two of many Chris Claremont/Alan Davis/Captain Britain collaborations. Finally the compilation ends with various edits of stories, behind the scene artwork, posters and covers. 

It's only missing "Contest of Champions" and a Captain America story from his comic issues 305-306. The Cap A. issues may have been included in the 2021 version of this Omnibus but removed to make room for more relative content in the 2022 edition. They both don't add to the saga so it's no big loss.

It's complete, it's wonderful, it's an Omni-verse-al Omnibus, it's a must have for a true red, white and blue Captain Britain fan. It just looks so god damn cool sitting on my bookcase, in it's trendy jacket. And my copy is mine all mine! And no I'm not going Mad as Old Jim Jaspers, it's money well spent and I absolutely love it!

Make Mine Marvel!