The Marvel Lucky Bag - November 1974.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

It is time, once more, for us to enter the cinemas of 1974 and discover just what lies in wait for us, therewithin.

Therewithin, we encounter Blood for Dracula, Confessions of a Window Cleaner, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, Earthquake, The Tamarind Seed and The Land that Time Forgot.

A cynic may argue it's a "unique" kind of month when The Land that Time Forgot is the pick of the crop but, then, even the maddest of fools knows The Land that Time Forgot would be the pick of the crop in almost any month in human history.

The Celestial Madonna saga rumbles on, with the death of the Swordsman and other, no doubt, shocking unfoldings. All brought to us by the sturdy pencil of Dave Cockrum.

But that's not all - because this issue also contains a reprint of the Fantastic Four's first-ever encounter with Rama-Tut. The one in which they go back in time to Ancient Egypt, seeking a cure for Alicia's blindness -  only to discover the land is ruled by Kang the Conqueror's earlier incarnation.

The most startling swamp creature of all is back. And back in a tale I don't think I've ever read and have no knowledge of.

Still, I can at least say that's a dramatic cover, if nothing else.

I'm led to believe, by the internet, that Dracula pursues a magic statue and this causes him to be captured by an unknown opponent.

And that, dear Reader, is why I never pursue magic statues.

Gabriel the exorcist makes Bob Larkin's front cover. But what occurs inside?

Mostly, we get Satana stories titled This Side of Hell and Doorway to Dark Destiny.

There's also a chiller called Fright Pattern, starring a woman called Mary Jane. I'm going to assume it's not that Mary Jane.

And, of course, we close with Gabriel in To Worship the Damned. 

Panther's Rage takes another step forward when T'Challa infiltrates Killmonger's lair but is knocked out cold by Sombre who dumps him in the snow-filled Land of Chilling Mists, on the assumption he'll be killed by passing wolves.

Needless to say, he won't be.

We also get a two-page map of Wakanda, overlaid with images from the serial so far. That means we can now know exactly where each story's taken place, should anyone ever ask us.

It's the clash that had to happen, as Kraven decides it's about time he got to beat up a werewolf.

I assume he fails in the task, although I've no doubt at all that he'd easily vanquish Werewolf by Night.

It's a very Conanesque tale, as the jungle lord gets to tackle a giant river reptile in a thriller drawn by John Buscema and Alfredo Alcala.

But forget all that. This is what we came here for, as the Giant Superhero Holiday Grab-Bag smashes its way into our lives!

It's not one I ever had but I do know it contains such sights as Spider-Man and the Human Torch in Have Yourself a Sandman Little Christmas!, Daredevil In Mortal Combat With... Sub-Mariner!, the Black Widow in ...And to All a Good Night, and concludes with the Hulk vs the Thing from Fantastic Four #25 & #26.

Drama hits ever-higher levels when the High Overlord sends the Death Breeders after Killraven and his gang.

I think this might be Craig Russell's first issue as artist but don't quote me on that.

There's also a three-page sci-fi reprint from 1956's Journey into Unknown Worlds #47. That reprint is called The Strangers and is brought to us by the potent pencil of Happy Herb Familton.

Fifty years ago today - November 1974.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Strap yourself in. We're on a journey - and we're not stopping until we plough into 1974!

The Celestial Madonna Saga rumbles on, and on, and on - although I'm not sure when the Vision developed the ability to fire force blasts from his hands.

It's one of my favourite Conan tales, as he and Red Sonja find themselves in a tower inhabited by a pair of sex-mad sorcering siblings who haven't failed to notice that their new guests are on the attractive side.

And it's one of my Daredevil faves, as the horny hero finds himself facing a Death-Stalker who comes to a rather unfortunate ending, thanks to the forces of gravity and a vat of acid.

Or does he?

I don't think I've ever read this issue but I have reason to believe Mahkizmo is the villain responsible for our quartet's dreadful plight.

I have, however, read this issue. And I should have because history is made when Wolverine makes his full debut.

But, as he battles both the Hulk and Wendigo, unknown to the three of them, plans are afoot, to transfer the curse of the Wendigo onto the Hulk. 

Maybe it's just me but it sounds like a perfect moment for an act of self-sacrifice by a supporting character.

But forget Wolverine. Iron Man's so tough he can smash through paper!

Other than that knowledge, I possess near-total ignorance of what occurs in this one.

I do, though, know that that pound-shop Mandarin, the Yellow Claw, is involved.

The Mindworm makes his debut and is out to take control of an entire community, including Flash Thompson!

I've always liked this tale.

No one else seems to.

What kind of madness has afflicted mankind?

I've genuinely not got a clue what happens in this one - and the cover's furnishing me no hints.

Scooping deep into the depths of my memory, I'm going to guess Steve Rogers has decided to give up being Captain America.

But he then has to foil a master criminal who's handy with a bow and arrow.

Who then turns out to be Hawkeye who adopted the guise in order to convince Steve to go back to heroing.

That's Marvel's big hitters triumphantly dealt with.

But what of that other body? The body the world knows as DC? Just how would a random sampling of its output that bears the cover date November 1974 look?

Three tales of mystery and intrigue greet us, as we encounter yarns that bear such spine-chilling titles as Blind Child's Bluff!, The Price and Flight into Fright.

I must confess my memory of these masterpieces is sketchy but I do know the final one features both Dracula and Quasimodo and is, possibly, a light-hearted yarn.

Come to think of it, I feel like they might all be light-hearted yarns. I suspect light-hearted yarnery may be the USP of this particular title.

Frank Robbins arrives with full force - and does so with a cover which should compel anyone with a pulse to buy this book immediately.

Inside, we encounter the melodrama of a glamorous Broadway star, a possessive mobster, and a hunchback blessed with zero intelligence and an urge to protect our acting sensation.

It's the only issue I ever owned of this mag, and its triptych of terror treats us to The Thirteenth Floor!, Satan's Sister! and The Girl Who Walked on Water!

All are 1950s reprints. The last one is by Simon and Kirby, and the middle one features a detective and an evil twin.

No wonder I bought it. It all sounds more than worthy of my 20 cents.

It's the clash we all wanted to see, when the man of steel must take on Sean Connery!

Yes, it's true. Fresh from making Zardoz, the uniquely-dressed Scot decides to murder Lois Lane!

But wait. What's this? The comic's trying to disguise the fact that he's Sean Connery? By calling him Vartox?

I don't care what lowdown tricks DC pulls. I know who he really is.

It's a tale we'll never forget, as Iron Mike Grell and Adequate Arnold Drake bring us the Phantom Stranger's first encounter with Deadman who's still in search of the man who killed him.

It does make me wonder why Deadie doesn't just contact Jim Corrigan to do it. I can't help feeling that particular detective would solve the case very very quickly.

Anyway, despite me claiming that no one could forget this tale, I'm struggling to recall what happens in it, other than that the vengeance-happy ghost keeps flitting from body to body, and suspects a gangster may be the guilty party.

And, also, that the Stranger keeps randomly appearing to lecture him, while making no effort whatsoever to help him.

Secret Oranges brings us the oranges of Robin the Boy Wonder and Aquaman the wet wonder, via the medium of reprints.

While I remember the Robin story pretty well, I must confess I recall nothing at all of the Aquaman tale. In my head, it's exactly the same as the origin of the Sub-Mariner, although I suspect it's not, in reality.

Regardless, this would appear to be the last issue of this mag.

It must be our lucky month because, not only do we get the epic meeting of the Phantom Stranger and Deadman, we also get the unification of Batman and Manhunter!

We've followed the Manhunter's progress through the last few months of this mag but, at last, that progress comes to an end, as the huge-sleeved adventurer finally stops the secret organisation that revived him.

Unfortunately, he stops himself as well.

Explosively.

Needless to say, as this is a hundred-page comic, other tales greet us. And they star the likes of the Spectre, Green Lantern and Creeper.

It's another of those DC Limited Collectors' Editions I never encountered anywhere in the wild.

This time, it's the granddaddy of all super-heroes who gets the treatment, thanks to a bunch of reprints including The Origin of Superman.

There's also a look at Superman on the Screen, a guide on How to Draw Superman and the obligatory table-top diorama.

And we finish with a book that allows us to re-experience the joy of reading 1940's Whiz Comics #2.

Strangely, as well as the original Captain Marvel, this book also contains a Dan Dare adventure.

Although I suspect it's not the same character as the British Dan Dare.

November 2nd 1974 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

It's time, once more, to fling ourselves into a look at what Marvel UK was up to half a century ago.

And the thing that suddenly leaps out at me is that, of their five titles, the two newest cost a full one pence more than their older ones do. What kind of madness is this?

And is it a portent of things to come?

It's trouble-a-go-go, as Silvermane finds himself getting younger and stronger by the minute, thanks to a serum knocked up by Curt Connors.

Still, not to worry. It's not like there's a track record of Curt Connors' serums going horribly wrong.

And, speaking of the man, I do believe he's managed to transform himself into the Lizard again!

There's also trouble for Iron Man. Unable to remove his armour, thanks to his dicky ticker, he's suspected of having murdered the officially missing Tony Stark.

And, meanwhile, Hawkeye decides to launch an attack on Stark's factory and abduct Pepper Potts!

Thor's still up against Replicus - and still getting nowhere in his struggles with it.

Fortunately, mob leader Slugger Sykes is available to sabotage the alien robot by flinging himself at its control panel and blowing himself and its creator to pieces.

But all of that pales into insignificance when compared to the chance to win ourselves one of these fancy modern colour TV things that everyone's talking about, these days.

Apparently, you can win it by playing Charades.

I'm not sure exactly how you play Charades via the medium of the comic book but you could clearly never accuse Marvel UK of lacking optimism.

I do detect the arrival of Doc Samson who's out to both cure Bruce Banner of being the Hulk and Betty Ross of being Lalique.

But, once he's done that, will he be able to resist the temptation to use all that drained-off Gamma energy to turn himself into a super-strong hero?

I think we can all guess the answer to that question.

Especially with his surname being Samson.

Elsewhere, having halted the threat of the Tri-Man, Daredevil now has to contend with the latest plans of the Masked Marauder and the gallivanting Gladiator.

The Fantastic Four, meanwhile, find themselves in an atypical tale when an aggrieved but bald scientist decides to assume the identity of the Thing, in order to gain access to the Baxter Building and bump off Reed Richards.

Will Reed spot the deception in time?

And will he even need to?

Iron Fist has finally managed to reach the office of Harold Meachum but, once he gets there, Meachum's poor health leads our hero to decide not to kill him.

Then a ninja shows up and does it.

Meaning Fisty's going to get blamed for the slaying. It seems that, when you're a Marvel martial artist, you just can't get a break.

But, hooray! Ant-Man is fighting against his own ants, thanks to the Whirlwind having shrunk him down to insect size.

Dr Strange, meanwhile, finds himself trapped in one of the Ancient One's nightmares.

And I think we can all guess which villain that's likely to cause the reappearance of.

In Transylvania, Frank Drake manages to accidentally revive Dracula and must then watch in horror as the fiend kills his girlfriend Jeanie and turns her too into the undead.

Still, at least the locals have turned up with flaming torches, to set fire to things.

I think Jack Russell's lycanthropic alter-ego has to fight an actual real-life wolf, this week, for reasons I can't recall.

And Robert Walton IV is still trying to liberate Frankenstein's Monster from the block of ice he's living in lately, while telling the cabin boy just how the creature came to be.

No painted covers for us, this week.

And that's not the only shock to our system. Having had the whole of last issue dedicated to the adventures of Charlton Heston; this week, only a third of the book is dedicated to them.

Instead, we discover a whole new world, as Gullivar Jones is accosted by a man on a flying carpet who transports him to Mars and an adventure even John Carter could only envy.

And then, we round off the issue, with Kraven the Hunter deciding he wants to defeat Ka-Zar and Zabu in a tale drawn by Jack Kirby.

Speak Your Brain! Part 91.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

This weekend, the clocks went back in Britain. A nightmare reminder that winter is well and truly on its way.

And you know what else is on its way?

Only the return of the feature the whole world is talking about.

And what are they saying?

They're saying, "I've never heard of it."

Yes, it's that fearless feature in which the first person to comment below gets to decide just what the subject for debate is going to be.

I have no idea what that subject will be. And, so, all I can do is sit here, like everyone else, in the gloom - brooding, majestic - and pondering just what might be about to be unleashed upon this dark and autumnal evening.

October 1984 - Marvel UK monthlies, 40 years ago this month.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

October 1984 was a good time to be alive if your name was Ringo Starr.

That's because it saw the broadcast of the very first episode of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, featuring that very same ex-Beatle on narration duties.

Outer space witnessed transport matters of much loftier ambition than even Thomas could have attempted, as Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut Kathryn D Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a space walk.

But there was also more sombre news because it was the month in which Michael Buerk's BBC television reports informed the world that an Ethiopian famine was threatening the lives of up to ten million people.

When it came to the UK singles chart, the month began with Stevie Wonder's I Just Called to Say I Love You triumphant but, after what seemed like a million weeks on top, it was finally pushed aside by the noticeably livelier offering that was Wham's Freedom.

On the accompanying album chart, October launched with U2's The Unforgettable Fire ruling the roost but that was soon dethroned by Big Country's Steeltown which, itself, had to then make way for Paul McCartney's Give My Regards to Broad Street.

  

It's a special treat as we're granted an interview with Ian Marter, otherwise known as Harry Sullivan and, "That bloke on the ship in Carnival of Monsters."

But it gets even more exciting than that. For, if that cover's to be believed, we're also given the chance to meet the Loch Ness Monster. Though I'm not sure how that works.

We also encounter Part 4 of the comic strip the world knows as The Voyager and there's a report from the set of Attack of the Cybermen.

Just to send us all off to bed happy, the issue supplies us with a full-colour poster of a grumpy-looking Zygon. And who wouldn't want a thing like that hanging on their bedroom wall, looking down at them at night when they're trying to get to sleep in the dark?

Sadly, the latest incarnation of Marvel UK's flagship title meets its doom, when its final issue hits the book shelves.

But it goes out in a strange way, with a reprint of Little Girl Lost, sourced from the pages of Magik #1.

And there is, of course, the latest episode of the Night-Raven tale Night & Day.

However, the rest of the issue just seems to be a hotch-potch of three and four-page bits and bobs, with the comic's usual strips being nowhere in sight.

It all seems rather half-hearted, almost as though everyone involved has given up by this point.

There is, though, one human being who'll never give up under any circumstance.

And that's Conan the Barbarian!

But what's he up to, this month?

As far as I can make out, this issue, a demon's playing two kings off against each other, in order that it can gain control of their kingdoms.

Can our trusty swordsman put a stop to their plans?

And will he pick up a new girlfriend while he's at it?

October 26th 1974 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Thrilling things await us in this week's look at the output of Britain's excitingest comics imprint, exactly fifty years ago.

But what of the music charts?

It turned out Ken Boothe was in a generous mood, as he hit the top spot on the UK singles listings, thanks to his reggae track Everything I Own. And possibly, after the success of this single, he could afford to own quite a lot.

Also able to own a lot were, possibly, the Bay City Rollers who retained their perch atop the associated album chart, with their latest LP Rollin' which we must all have had on repeat play on our turntables.

With one mighty lunge, Dracula's free of his coffin, and a brand new book hits a newsagents near you!

And it's just in time for Halloween!

In our first tale of dread and terror, Frank Drake inherits Castle Dracula, just in time for its previous owner to wake up and cause trouble. No sooner is Drac up and about than he kills someone called Jeanie and turns her into a vampire.

In our second tale, a man called Jack Russell celebrates his 18th birthday by learning of his family curse. And I think we all know what that curse is but not why his parents were daft enough to call him Jack Russell.

While, in our third and final tale, Robert Walton IV leads an Arctic expedition to retrieve Frankenstein's Monster. While he's at it, he tells the cabin boy how that monster was created.

And that's not all, because I do believe this issue also contains a free poster recycled from the front of the US Dracula Lives #1.

But what's this? We don't just get the launch of one comic this week? We get two? Never before has Marvel UK demonstrated the level of ambition it is now!

And what a way to demonstrate that ambition, by creating a book dedicated to the greatest film the world has ever seen!

We don't just get a classic Bob Larkin cover. We also get an adaptation of the movie that started it all. Drawn by George Tuska, no less. In this exciting issue, three astronauts crash into a mystery planet - only to discover it's ruled by apes.

And humans are hunted as prey!

But there's even more. We also encounter a five-page article dedicated to the makeup process used in the film, and a fabby poster recycled from the first issue of the American Planet of the Apes mag! There's even a message from Stan Lee!

Truly, entertainment doesn't get more apetastic than this!

The comic may be called The Avengers but it's obvious who the editor thinks the star of the show is, as Iron Fist meets a man with nunchucks!

Even more excitingly, that cover announces that Ant-Man is back!

And it's because I demanded it!

Frankly, I don't remember demanding it but I'm sure the editor knows best what's good for me.

I do suspect this means we're getting the tale in which the Pyms' chauffeur turns out to be the Whirlwind and shrinks Goliath to insect size before trapping him in a deadly ants' nest, without his ant-controlling hat!

As for Iron Fist's tale, he's still invading Harold Meachum's office and must deal with the towering menace of the man they call Triple-Iron.

And deal with him, he does - with the help of a baffling ninja who keeps randomly appearing.

But just what kind of a state will Harold Meachum be in by the time the fist man gets to him?

And we close the issue with the second part of the re-telling of Dr Stranges' origin.

Now there's trouble because the Hulk's up against a seemingly endless parade of Leader-created replicas of his deadliest foes.

Can Jim Wilson successfully overcome an entire military base in his quest to foil the Leader's plans?

And can he overcome his total inability to understand how the base's wiring system works?

Daredevil, meanwhile, is still combating the threat of the Tri-Man.

And I do believe it's time for some downtime, as the Fantastic Four rest and recuperate, following their grapples with Galactus.

I suspect this means Johnny Storm's heading off to ESU to begin his studies.

And that means he's going to have an encounter with a mysterious youth called Wyatt Wingfoot...

From the looks of it, Silvermane learns it's not always a good idea to keep taking the tablets, as he seeks the key to eternal youth.

When it comes to Iron Man, I think he's having his first-ever encounter with the Black Knight.

But there are bigger problems afoot because, in Tony Stark's unexplained absence, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan are starting to suspect our hero's killed their boss!

Thor, meanwhile, has problems of his own when a robot called Replicus, built on behalf of gangster Slugger Sykes, goes on the rampage across New York.

But is that robot all it seems?

And just what are the true motives of the mad scientist who created it?

Speak Your Brain! Part 90. Comics and songs that remind you of autumn.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

***

Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

We're rapidly approaching that time of year when pumpkins roam and witches fly. But there's about to be something else on the roam that might just take flight.

And that's whatever it is we're talking about this week.

But what is that, "whatever?" And whatever can it mean?

There's only one way to find out because, as so often in the past, we see the return of the feature which refuses to die. The one in which the topic for debate is set by whoever comments first in the box below.

Therefore, feel free to type that comment. After all, you never know what may happen.