January 25th, 1978 - Marvel UK, 40 years ago this week.

"Good God above, Steve!" I hear you ask. "What are you doing right now?"

Well, hold on to your boarding passes because I'm currently watching a film that involves Dean Cain piloting a plane that's being attacked by volcanoes. I don't mind admitting I don't have a clue what's going on in it.

There's only one thing for it. To quell my whirling senses, I'm going to have to abandon the flight and partake in an activity that involves me not knowing what was going on forty years ago, instead.

As mentioned in last week's comments section, this is the tale in which Magneto gets reverted back to childhood and has to be raised all over again.

If I recall correctly, this leads to him becoming a more reasonable character, upon re-reaching adulthood.

And, if I recall correctly, this change of heart was later revealed as being entirely due to Moira MacTaggert having exerted some undue influence over him in his infant years, in order to turn him into a better human being.

As I also mentioned last week; despite not recognising the cover, I think I must have had this comic, as I've definitely read this tale and am totally sure it was in black and white.

I have no memory of the Nova story, unless it started with a splash page that involved the Sphinx sat in his chair, in a bit of a sulk.

But what's this? Iron Man? In the pages of Rampage? I have no recollection whatsoever of Iron Man's strip ever having appeared in this book. I wonder which particular adventure it is?

I think I may also have had this issue as well, despite having no recall of its cover either.

I base this entirely on me being sure that my youthful self read both parts of this Avengers/Fantastic Four cross-over.

The back-up tale is what would confirm or deny it. I know I had at least two issues of The Complete Fantastic Four because I had one that reprinted the first appearance of the Miracle Man - which was issue #6 - and I had another that featured Doctor Doom getting inflatable dummies to follow the FF around.

No, I don't have a clue why Doomie did that but it was, no doubt, a nefarious scheme beyond human imagining.

I do believe this is the start of the tale that features Greenskin's first encounter with the almost-ubiquitous-on-this-blog Jack of Hearts.

It may, therefore, also feature Bruce Banner's new landlady - who I think was called April - and that stage magician who seemed to be in the strip for no noticeable reason.

I think Captain Marvel is still in Mexico and still battling the Sentry.

But forget Jack of Hearts! This is the tale we've all been waiting for! The Rocket-Racer finally arrives in the pages of Marvel UK!

OK, I admit it, he was a terrible villain with a terrible gimmick and a terrible costume. From what I can remember, he wasn't even that interested in being a villain. He was like a more conceited version of the Prowler.

Still, if he's underwhelming and silly, at least we get the return of the Molten Man. Despite the cover trying to act like his identity's a big mystery, I don't think one has to be Sherlock Holmes to work out just who he is.