Sunday 15 February 2015

February 15th, 1975 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

By some miracle beyond human comprehension, I survived the recent Friday the 13th with barely a mark on me.

But were our favourite Marvel UK mags able to approach this week of exactly forty years ago with equal insouciance?

Only a trip back in the Steve Does Comics time machine will be able to tell us.

Marvel UK, Planet of the Apes #17

I think we're still doing the Jason and Alexander thing.
Mighty World of Marvel #124, Hulk vs the Inheritor

This is a bit strange. Last week, Marvel UK gave us the Hulk's battle with Psyklop but, this week, it seems they're giving us the Inheritor - rather than the Jarella tale that followed directly on from that previous story. Did continuity mean nothing to these people?
Marvel UK, the Avengers #74, Masters of Evil

For me, this is when the Avengers' great era arrives, as the Masters of Evil make their deadly return.

We also get the origin of Iron Fist, as dealt with in this here post here.
Spider-Man Comics Weekly #105, the Schemer

I'm not sure that's the greatest hiding place for a criminal, what with the danger of hypothermia.

Not to mention that people might get a little suspicious as to why a snowman has a human face and a gun.
Marvel UK, Dracula Lives #17, Frankenstein

What a fool I am.  Only seven days ago, I declared that last week's issue was one of only two issues of Dracula Lives that I ever owned. In fact I didn't own that issue at all. This was the issue I owned.

19 comments:

Kid said...

I've still got my original copy of that issue of MWOM, plus the two U.S. Frankie comics with that cover and the previous one you showed. Did have all of Dracula Lives weekly at one time, but never kept 'em. You, of course, never kept any of your comics, it seems, which is why you don't own any of the ones you feature. Huh! And you call yourself a comic collector?

Kid said...

Oo-er, just re-read that, and it doesn't come over as humorous as I'd intended. Better give up my dreams of being a comedian, I guess.

Anonymous said...

A lot of the 'UK Only' Marvel covers could be rather poor but some of them were fantastic such as that Spider-Man cover which I've always loved - a gangster masquerading as a snowman, brilliant. I was in school one day, circa 1981, and opened a drawer and to my amazement there was a copy of SMCW No.105 inside - you could have knocked me down with a feather as they say.

Steve W. said...

Kid, the problem is I have most of the stories from the Marvel UK mags in Essentials form, so I couldn't justify having them in Marvel UK form as well.

Colin. I agree. Despite the impracticality of the killer's methodology, it is a really good Spidey cover.

Kid said...

Regarding the Spidey cover, it might be an atmospheric cover, but it's hardly a good one when it comes to the way it's drawn. Is Spidey behind the snowman or in front of him? If behind, he looks as if he's in front - and if in front, he looks far too small.

Anonymous said...

Oh, kid - you nitpicker. I've never even thought of that in 40 years. Spidey is right alongside the snowman, isn't he ?

Steve W. said...

I have always assumed Spidey to be behind the snowman, because of his smaller size.

John Pitt said...

Steve, you know that cold you passed on to me through YouTube? - It's the bloody cold from HELL!
( so I'm sending it back again! I don't like it! )

Steve W. said...

John, I hope it's not as bad as mine. All the glands in the top of my throat swelled up and, for three days, I looked like someone had inflated the bottom half of my face with a bicycle pump. It was the most melodramatic cold I've ever had.

Kid said...

If he's in front, he's definitely far too small in relation to the guy disguised as a snowman - unless he's 12 feet tall.

Anonymous said...

If Spidey is in front, he looks too small, and if he's behind, he looks too big.

John Pitt said...

Only HALF your face? - YOU were lucky!!
No, seriously, mate, as bad as it is, you've got me beat! I take my ( furry ) hat off and bow down to ....KING COLD!!
Speaking of furry hats, I wonder when we might see another?........

Anonymous said...

Sorry about your colds, Steve and John - apparently if everybody in the world stayed indoors for a fortnight and never had any contact with anybody else it would make all cold and flu viruses extinct. As for "Sizegate" - looking at that cover again it does seem as if Spidey is behind not only because he looks smaller but because the snowman/gangster seems to be waiting for him to pass by so he can shoot him.

Dougie said...

All I have to offer is that the Inheritor was an evolved cockroach from the lab of the High Evolutionary. A cousin of the original Spider-Woman, so to speak.

What lurked in the pages of POTA? Was it "Dig Me No Grave", by REH via Gil Kane?

Steve W. said...

Sadly, Dougie, I have no memories of the contents of the POTA issue in question, so don't have a clue what was in it.

Steve W. said...

John, I'm planning on trying to shoot another video tonight but, given my incompetence at both shooting and editing, can give no guarantees that it or my hat'll actually manage to see the light of day.

Anonymous said...

"Dig Me No Grave" - now theres a great comic story, some of Gil Kane's best work. Can't recall if it was in that exact issue of POTA, but that sounds right. Which would make it a shame that its hidden behind such a bad cover.

Mind you, its not quite as bad as that Spiderman cover. Steve, if the amazing shrinking Spidey is behind the snowman, why is the gun pointed at him, and how do you make sense of the word balloons?

-sean

Steve W. said...

I must admit I have no memory at all of Dig Me No Grave. I shall have to research this further.

Steve W. said...

I have now found a copy of the tale. I shall read it later.