The Marvel Lucky Bag - February 1976.

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

***

Movies. You can't beat them!

So, that in mind, what were we failing to defeat in our local cinemas in February 1976?

I can sensationally announce it was the month that gave us such classics as Taxi Driver.

And, erm, nothing else.

Granted there were other films released, that month but, as they included Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Hot Potato, Gable and Lombard, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Griffin and Phoenix, none of which I've ever even heard of, I'm going to go out on a limb and declare it wasn't the best month for any soul hoping to encounter motion picture greatness.

Then again, maybe I'm the only one who doesn't remember them.

Maybe everyone else does?

Is this the end for the golden boy of comics?

It would seem not, as his book will continue for another four issues after this one.

But it is his death.

And one that sees the whole Magus thing get wrapped up, with metaphysical somesuch and a visit from the In-Betweener.

In the same month that Hellcat makes her debut in The Avengers, the woman whose costume she's pilfered just happens to get her own series, and I find it hard to believe that's coincidence.

Tragically, however, I can shed no light upon what actually occurs in this, "Pulse-pounding premiere."

Look out, demons of this world because America's attempt to do Worzel Gummidge gets a one-off adventure that I believe was originally intended to appear in his very own comic! A comic that never actually appeared.

I know little of what transpires in this one but I do know it's called Death Waters of the River Styx which does feel a bit like tautology.

I don't know what they've put in Chris Claremont's coffee, this month but, just as in the X-Men's mag, an airport finds itself getting wrecked by those with super-powers.

This time, it's Heathrow in the firing line when Danny and Misty show up and immediately get into a scrap with the Ravager.

But who is the mystery villain, why does he have to wear all that armour and will Misty's bionic arm ever recover from the encounter?

Dr Strange proves that anything Adam Warlock can do, he can do better, by managing to look even more dead on his front cover than Adam does.

As for how this situation arose, it seems our hero confronts the Ancient One and the masked Dr Strange while Earth, in the grip of madness, gets destroyed!

Blimey.

A hero like no other makes his size-shattering debut!

Well. All right. He's just like a bunch of other heroes. Mostly ones that are secret identities of Hank Pym. But, regardless, scientist Bill Foster lands himself work in a research team for Stark Industries.

But, soon, in his super-doer guise, he must investigate a series of radium robberies - and encounter the untrammelled terror of Atom-Smasher!

Can it be?

Can all our favourite Marvel monsters have teamed up to fight the forces of evil?

I'm struggling to tell you, as I don't think I've ever read it but I do know this epic is titled There's a Mountain on Sunset Boulevard!

Marvel's most extra-terrestrial pack of powerhouses are back - and in a series of their very own.

But it initially looks like they're not going to be getting much action. Following the defeat of the Badoon, all they want to do is return to everyday life.

However, they soon discover they're not cut out for humdrum normality.

And the lure of outer space is a-beckoning...

Fifty years ago today - February 1976.

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

***

A wise man once said, "Time, time, time, see what's become of me."

I've no idea what's become of him.

But I do know what's become of time.

And that's because, like a veritable god, I have the power to bend time between my eyeballs.

And watch me do it, right now, as I fling us all back into the past and into the days when all problems in life could be solved by donning Spandex.

My razor-sharp senses tell me Hellcat makes her fearsome debut, this issue.

This is indeed good news but I am interested by the cover's claim that we wanted her.

I don't remember ever wanting her.

That is, I don't remember ever thinking, "If only the half-forgotten Patsy Walker would find the Cat's old costume and become a crime-fighter, from out of nowhere."

I am, of course, perfectly happy that she's done it.

My razor-sharp senses also tell me that this issue features the origin of Bêlit.

I must confess I've totally forgotten what that origin was.

I'm guessing it may have all been somewhat in the Tarzan envelope but I could be wrong.

I've never read this one but, as far as I can make out, someone called William Taurey hopes to use the Madbomb and a mercenary Royalist army to destroy democracy in the United States and return the country to a state of aristocracy.

While he's at it, he also wants to visit vengeance upon Steve Rogers for being the descendant of the man who killed his ancestor.

It all makes perfect sense to me.

From what I recall of this one, Daredevil has problems with Voodoo in Central Park.

Including chicken sacrifice!

I first came into possession of this comic on a Sunday morning and, as I've said elsewhere on this site, I've never encountered a comic on a Sunday without liking it.

More importantly, I believe this was the first time I learned of the existence of that big arch in whatever city it is that the big arch is in.

As for what's going on inside, the Hulk and Thing have teamed up against everybody who wants to stop them.

But is prolonged exposure to the Hulk's radiation going to have a strange effect on Benjy?

The Hulk's still convinced that the Abomination is his best friend.

I fear he may be disappointed.

It looks like trouble for the mighty metal marvel when he has to take on the Red-Ghost and his Super-Apes.

I can't help feeling the Super-Apes should just ditch the Red Ghost and go off on their own. I'm not sure they truly need him.

As reprinted in the 1977 UK Spider-Man Annual, we get a strangely atypical tale of child kidnapping, unfulfilled professors and American college football.

Sadly, in order to make it fit it into that annual, great chunks of the story were excised - including half of the all-important Mary Jane college dance scene - meaning sections of the yarn made no sense.

Happily, I'm sure this comic doesn't suffer from those problems.

The Time-Twisters are still causing trouble in the age of Zarrko.

I do believe Jane Foster's wielding that blade, on the cover, because she's been possessed by the spirit of Sif.

Presumably, this means she'll wave a sword around a lot and go on about being a warrior born, without ever actually being any noticeable use in a fight.

Dave Cockrum's classic early run on the X-Men continues apace and I think this tale may have been the first time I encountered Erik the Red.

I also encountered an airport in it but I'd already encountered the concept of airports before.

Mostly in stories written by Chris Claremont.

Regardless, Havok and Polaris turn up and attack the X-Men, thanks to the manipulations of the aforementioned Erik.

Thus are the major heroes of the Marvel universe accounted for.

But what of that other company?

The one that fair rivals The House of Ideas itself? Just what shall we find if we encounter a random sampling of its mags that bear the same cover date?

If there's one thing you can never escape in the world of comics, it's war.

And so it is that Blitzkrieg #1 arrives to send our spinner racks into a spin.

And this one takes the bold - and some might think potentially foolhardy - step of seeing things through the eyes of the Axis powers.

We kick off the series with thrillers that bear such titles as The Enemy, The Huns and The Anteater; Dornier Night Fighter DO-335A.

Plus, we encounter a one-page Allan Asherman feature which appears to explain just why the decision was made to launch this mag.

1st Issue Special can always be relied on to surprise us and, this month, we encounter the Assassin who I know nothing of but, from that Mike Grell cover, does have a bit of a vibe of an Atlas/Seaboard character about him.

Anyway, I've no doubt it'll look good, as it's drawn by Frank and Nestor Redondo.

We also encounter a one-page Gerry Conway article The Story Behind the Story which, I'm assuming, gives us info about the creation of both strip and character.

The clown prince of crime has yet another escapade and I know nothing of it other than it's called The Joker Goes "Wilde"! and features something called The Royal Flush Gang.

Also, it's brought to us by Martin Pasko and Irv Novick.

Just four more issues remain for this mag.

Just when you thought the 1970s had thrown every sword and sorcery book at us they were ever going to throw at us, the Warlord gets his very own mag and does so with a tale called This Savage World.

Just how savage that world is, I cannot say, as I've never read this, nor indeed any other, Warlord adventure.

However, it would seem we're treated to the Introduction of Travis Morgan into Skartaris - and that Tara and Diemos are re-introduced.

I have no idea what any of that means.

Following that, we get a one-page feature in which Iron Mike Grell discusses the Hollow Earth Theory. Whether this discussion is on a par with Neal Adams' treatises on the Expanding Earth Theory, I cannot say.

January 31st, 1976 - 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. 

***

Mamma Mia?

Here I go again?

You bet I do.

And, more importantly, so do ABBA because, this week in 1976, their single of that same name became their second UK chart topper, keeping Midge Ure's Slik off the top spot.

While that was going on, the adjacent LP listings saw The Best of Roy Orbison seize the crown from Queen as he ascended to the throne.

Now the Avengers are in trouble - because it looks like the Vision, Iron Man, Thor and Captain America are going to, somehow, have to overcome the unstoppable power of Red Wolf!

And his pet dog!

But, before that, Conan still seems to be having trouble with those seven wizards he's been having trouble with for ages.

However, none of the above is the big news of this issue.

The big news is that - because I demanded it - we're seeing the return of Iron Fist!

Admittedly, I don't remember demanding it but, now that he's here, I'm not going to complain about it.

Having said that, I don't actually know what he's up to but, whatever it is, I'm sure his flaming fist of fury's bound to get used at some point. I wonder if there's ever been an Iron Fist story in which he doesn't use his neon knuckles and manages to win just by using his martial arts skills? You know, like Shang-Chi routinely manages to do?

From that cover, I'm going to assess that our hero's still having to clean up the mess caused by whatever it was Flash Thompson was up to in Vietnam.

Not to worry, Spidey's got the help of Dr Strange!

Meanwhile, Iron Man continues to battle the Gladiator and his paymasters the Maggia.

And Thor must endure The Carnage of the Crypto-Man!

And let's all remember that Crypto can be very volatile.

I remember little of this tale - and of its antagonist - but can't help feeling it contains echoes of earlier adventures involving Thermal-Man and Replicus.

Ken Barr gives us a cover we'll never forget, as Conquest reaches its newest stage.

And I do believe we've reached the section of the movie in which Ricardo Montalbán is interrogated by the authorities.

I must confess I got all over-excited, for a moment, misreading the cover blurb as saying, "Apeslayer gone berserk!" Oh, the happy memories that brought back for me.

Meanwhile, a whole new challenge begins for Ka-Zar who, on SHIELD's Helicarrier, spots Gemini running off with the super-soldier serum and heads off in pursuit of him.

And, thanks to his fight with Baron Macabre, the Black Panther encounters King Cadaver and discovers Killmonger's been looting the official Wakandan armoury!

That's a very strange portrayal of the Bi-Beast. In fact, other than him having two faces, it bears no resemblance to him at all.

But, of course, what matters is what happens inside the book.

And what happens is Betty Ross abducts the Hulk and accidentally flies him to that floating city of dead bird-people once made famous by Red Raven!

And, now, they have to deal with the Bi-Beast and the forces of MODOK!

Far below that but still somewhat elevated, Daredevil continues to sit on a rooftop, reminiscing about his origin.

And he doesn't even mention Elektra!

Does the man have amnesia or something?

And comic book history's made when the Fantastic Four travel to Wyatt Wingfoot's ancestral home, in order to tackle the towering terror of Tomazooma the titanic totem pole!

But what a coincidence that we should get Red Wolf and Wyatt Wingfoot adventures in the same week.

And what of Marvel UK's newest publication?

The Mimic is back to, again, perplex the X-Men.

But, this time, the Puppet Master's lurking in the background!

And Daredevil's not the only one waxing nostalgic, this week, because Capt America too is in a retrospective frame of mind. In his time off, he remembers once meeting a mysterious young female Resistance leader in World War Two, and wonders what happened to her.

He is, however, unaware that, in the present, she still lives!

It's bad news for the leader of the Secret Empire because his plot to get the Sub-Mariner to kill the Hulk has failed so miserably that, now, it's he himself who faces demise at the hands of the brute.

And it's great news for music lovers everywhere, for this is the issue in which Rick Jones first gets up on stage and wows the world, with his vocal talent, thus landing a deal with impresario Mordecai P Boggs.

But there's to be no sweet music for Nick Fury and SHIELD, as the Fixer encounters Mentallo and the deadly duo agree to unite against the counter-espionage agency.

I do believe the Thing and Iron Man manage to polish off Thanos' Blood Brothers, before parting company.

Following that, I divine that we discover more of the origin of Bloodstone who, as we all know, was a prehistoric man who, by means I have no recollection of, became immortal and now dresses like a big game hunter.

And Giant-Man and the Wasp continue their battle with Spider-Man, before the power trio realise they need to join forces and bring to justice the true villain of the piece -- Egghead.

I don't know what's going on on that cover but I do know that, inside this thrill-packed issue, the world of politics enters the fray when Dracula threatens members of the UK Parliament.

What he threatens them with, I'm not sure but I suspect it won't be anything nice.

Following that, Jack Russell must confront The Darkness From Glitternight.

And the Man-Thing finds himself Where Worlds Collide. A tale of which I know nothing, other than that it's brought to us by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik.

Speak Your Brain! Part 116.

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

***

Image by Tumisu
from Pixabay

As UK readers will know, there was once a chocolate bar called a Topic. And its adverts boasted that it contained a hazelnut in every bite.

In fact, I once ate one and there were two hazelnuts in one of its bites. Needless to say, I sued and am now the richest man in Europe.

But there is a topic that contains nothing but pure, spun gold.

And that's the topic we're going to be discussing tonight.

Granted, I don't know what that topic will be, as it's up to you the Reader to decide upon that. But such is my level of faith in the users of the internet that I have no doubt my prediction of triumph shall be fulfilled.

Therefore, feel free to ask, in the comments section below, whatever question it is you feel needs answering.

And we shall see just what we shall see.

January 1986 - 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. 

***

In January, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, just 73 seconds after takeoff, killing its crew of seven astronauts, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.

In Britain, meanwhile, unemployment hit 3,204,900. A post-war high that represented 14.4% of the workforce.

It may have seemed, at that point, that the month had nothing going on but doom, gloom and depression.

However, there were some bright spots.

For instance, the United Kingdom and France announced plans for a Channel Tunnel, expected to open by the early 1990s.

And, in Australia, the Gateway Bridge opened in Brisbane, becoming the world's longest pre-stressed concrete free-cantilever bridge.

While, on an even lighter note, the game show Catchphrase was launched by ITV, hosted by Roy Walker along with the computer-generated Mr Chips.

Meanwhile, far out beyond our world, any minds immeasurably superior to ours would have seen the Voyager 2 space probe make its first encounter with Uranus. A fact about which I'm saying nothing.

But what of the art form that hath the power to tame the savage breast?

In the UK, any savage breasts that may have been on the rampage were being tamed by the Pet Shop Boys whose debut hit West End Girls sat proudly atop the singles chart. However, that soon had to make way for A-ha's The Sun Always Shines On TV. I did always feel that title made it clear A-ha had never seen any British television.

On the accompanying album chart, January arrived with Now That's What I Call Music! 6 at the summit before that was then deposed by the return to prominence of Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms.

There's clearly something special going on because this month's edition of the magazine dedicated to the universe's greatest interventionist has no fewer than eight extra colour pages!

Just what that special thing is, I have no idea.

However, as we can clearly see, this issue presents us with the 22nd Season Survey results, a brand new comic strip called Exodus and a look at alien worlds.

I'm assuming those are the alien worlds of Doctor Who but don't quote me on that.

Elsewhere, we encounter an Interview with Victor Pemberton, writer of Fury From the Deep.

And there's a feature titled Growing Up With the Doctor. 

Captain Britain's monthly mag penultimates but does it do so in style?

I'm not totally convinced it does, as this is the issue in which poor old Betsy Braddock is blinded by Slaymaster. A fact which, to be honest, is a development my delicate sensibilities could have done without.

Then, the Black Knight finds himself tangled up in Dawn of the Hellravens, as reprinted from 1979's Hulk Comic #3.

Next, there's A Dream of Night-Raven, reprinted from Hulk Comic #12.

And that's followed by a new five-page yarn titled Captain Granbretan.

And we complete the issue with a five-page Cherubim tale the world knows as Playgrounds and Parasites! Part 3.

January 24th, 1976 - 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. 

***

Come, let us leap forward into the past!

The Lethal Legion might be doing their best to get all the attention but I'm more intrigued by the cover's claim that Dr Strange is meeting the greatest star of all.

But we all know Taylor Swift is the greatest star of all.

Is he meeting Taylor Swift?

As for Conan, I think he's still having problems with those seven pesky wizards he was having problems with, last week.

As for the Sorcerer Supreme, I suspect he may be trying to get Sise-Neg to fight Shuma-Gorath, in a bid to save us all!

From that cover, I'm guessing this is the one in which Flash Thompson's Vietnam experiences come back to haunt him - and Dr Strange somehow gets dragged into it for reasons I struggle to recall.

Less exotically, but more buzz-sawly, I do believe Iron Man finds himself up against the gallivanting Gladiator - and that the Maggia seem to be to blame!

And Thor's still hanging around with the Circus of Crime while Ulik does whatever the Ringmaster tells him to.

It's a dramatic cover, even though a more militarily-minded man than I might claim that gorilla's pointing his gun above his intended victim's head, which is not the ideal place to shoot at.

Still, given how bad everyone's aiming is on every Planet of the Apes cover, I'm starting to suspect artists have been bound by a rule preventing them from showing anyone pointing a gun at anyone and they, therefore, have to contrive ways to avoid it while still creating a sense of impending doom.

Anyway, inside we get the latest instalment of Conquest.

And that's followed by a one-page feature revealing A 3-Stage Make-Up Lesson for Apes.

Following that, Ka-Zar defeats The Pusher, and Dr Calvin wakes, from her coma, to discover her wayward son Vinnie's now a hero.

And, in Wakanda, the Black Panther enters King Cadaver's secret HQ beneath a graveyard...

I would claim the Bi-Beast makes his dashing debut, this issue, but I suspect - going by the misleading nature of the past few weeks' covers - that we're going to have to wait for that one.

And so will the Hulk as he, first, has to deal with the maddening menace of Betty Ross!

Daredevil's still reminiscing over his origin, thanks to Stan and Gene.

And not a mention of Stick.

The ungrateful swine.

And a powerless Ben Grimm has to deal with the Mad Thinker's latest escaped robot.

But will he be powerless for much longer?

I do believe the X-Men are tangling with El Tigre - only for the villain to transform into Kukulkán!

Subby's blundering around with amnesia and has been convinced, by the Secret Empire, that he works for them.

And, now, they want him to kill the Hulk!

Nick Fury finds himself caught up in something called Operation Brain Blast.

Cavewise, Rick Jones frees Captain Marvel from the Negative Zone.

But not to worry. Rick has plenty of negativity of his own to make up for it.

Finally, Captain America and Batroc are still running around town, trying to find a deadly cylinder that could kill everyone within miles, if it explodes.

My knowledge of Drac's tale, this week, is vague but I suspect the lord of vampires is looking back upon his first-ever encounter with Blade.

Jack Russell, meanwhile,  has to contend with yet anther monster Dr Glitternight has based on his beloved Topaz.

And the Man-Thing's still encountering a racist Sheriff.

But, as a bonus, we encounter a Lee/Kirby thriller in which an escaped convict flees to Easter Island, only to discover its statues are alive and well and space aliens who bear a remarkable resemblance to Thor's Stone Men from Saturn!

Can it be?

I think it can!

I do believe this is the first appearance of Thanos in a Marvel UK comic!

Come to think of it, he seems to be holding the Cosmic Cube. Does that mean it's also the first British appearance of that object, as well?

Either way, I think we can take it for granted it's the first UK sighting of the Blood Brothers.

Bloodstone meanwhile, finds himself up against the Hellfire Helix Hex, whatever that is.

And, thanks to Egghead's evil schemings, the Wasp and Giant-Man are tricked into attacking Spider-Man!