I'm staring at that wall.
I'm still staring.
I'm staring at it even more.
It's staring straight back at me.
I'm staring straight back at it.
I'm starting to have doubts.
It's starting to have its doubts about me.
I think maybe I should just launch straight into the post before I have to teach the wall a lesson it'll never forget.
Apparently, this issue reveals the origin of Michael Korvac.
After all these years of internetting, I still know nothing at all about Michael Korvac, who he was or what he was up to but I gather, from the number of times I've seen his name mentioned, that he was of some significance.
Judging by that cover, the Avengers clearly agree.
Comedy covers for Conan? What is this madness?
Apparently, our heroes encounter a giant in a cavern that's been opened by an earthquake. When will they ever learn to stay out of uninviting places?
It's one of those I've read but struggle to remember. It seems DD must battle his deadliest foes, in order to save Heather Glenn.
I have no idea who Heather Glenn is.
She wasn't Foggy's niece, was she? Or am I thinking of someone else?
I believe this is the story that leads to Dr Doom losing control of Latveria, forever.
I bet that doesn't last.
I don't have a clue what happens in this one but it would seem that the Hulk's origin's retold. How this involves the original Avengers, I know not.
Either way, it's nice to see happy Herb getting to do another Hulk cover.
This is a remarkably similar cover to that of this month's Hulk comic. Given that both feature the Avengers, it would be nice to think it was all planned but I suspect it's pure coincidence.
As for the action, Iron Man finds himself up against the menace of Arsenal.
Presumably, next week, he'll be up against the terror of Millwall.
The impressively lengthy Ross Andru era's rapidly approaching its climax and the White Dragon makes what I assume is his senses-shattering debut.
I was thinking he was a good guy but I think I may have been mixing him up with the White Tiger who, I believe, turns up in this month's Spectacular Spider-Man.
It's interesting to see that it's not just the Hulk who's now being billed as, "Marvel's TV sensation," though I do feel the word, "Sensation," may be a bit of a stretch, as I seem to remember Spidey's show flopping quite dismally.
Still, at least the TV version could console himself with the fact that he never had to put up with being flung into a vat of burning oil, like his comic book equivalent has to.
The Maggia are out to capture Moon Knight but our favourite TV sensation gets in the way.
I do recall Moon Knight's strip having been a regular feature in one of Marvel UK's mags. It was either The Titans or the landscape version of Super Spider-Man and the Super-Heroes but I recall little of his adventures or what he was about, other than wearing a cape and throwing croissants at everyone. I'm not sure he ever actually managed to hit anyone with them.
Thor finds himself becoming yet another of Marvel's TV sensations - but, this time, for real.
Balder is dead and Odin's battling to stave of Ragnarok, while a television crew try to film it all.
The X-Men escape Magneto's lair and bring a whole load of lava down on their own heads.
Apparently, this issue sees Cap's false origin revealed.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't think of any comic from my youth that was more obsessed with its star's origin then Captain America was. It genuinely did seem to be regurgitated in every other issue of the book.
Hulk Spidey, Peter Parker, Thor make references to "television." It's like the Marvel Bullpen put down the Hooch and the Hooka and discovered the boob tube that month?
ReplyDeleteMarvel were clearly determined to grab their lucky break with The Hulk as hard as they could.
ReplyDeleteHeather Glenn was Matt Murdoch's love interest, and fiancee at one point. She was eventually usurped by Elektra, which wasn't all bad because it may have saved her being stabbed through the heart, by Bullseye.
ReplyDeleteDW
Steve - I think your statement about Cap's origin being incessantly retold is quite interesting. Why is it so?
ReplyDeleteMoon Knight was Marvel's Batman knock-off. AFAIK, DC never sued Marvel over it, although MK was at least as similar to the Dark Knight as the original Captain Marvel had been to Superman.
ReplyDeleteHeather Glenn was Matt Murdock's on-and-off love interest in the Bronze Age. I seem to remember a 1970s story where her father was framed for a crime and Matt was trying to find evidence to exonerate him, but it was too late, as Glenn had already committed suicide. I think Heather was in Frank Miller's Daredevil run in the early 1980s, and was killed off (probably drank herself to death) sometime around 1985.
IIUC, the Spider-Man TV series had respectable ratings, but it was too expensive to produce. Also, the CBS TV network already had the Hulk and Wonder Woman, and did not want to get an image as the network that made comic book superhero shows.
That Conan cover gag was atypical for Marvel, but DC used it often from 1968 well into the 1970s. It was most common on their war comics (G.I. Combat #192, Our Army At War #195, Our Fighting Forces #131-133, #138, #146), but they also sometimes used it for their superheroes (Teen Titans #27, Brave & Bold #92). Pat Curley's Silver Age Comics blog called them the "Don't Worry, There Are No Enemies Here" covers.
TC, thanks for the Moon Knight, Heather Glenn, TV, and DC cover info.
ReplyDeleteDW, thanks for the Heather Glenn info.
Charlie, I have no clue why it was so. Marvel writers/editors just didn't seem to be able to leave it alone.
On the FF cover Dr. Doom's mouth is wide open despite him wearing a metal mask!
ReplyDeleteThe Incredible Hulk cover soon re-appeared as a cover of Marvel UK's Mighty World of Marvel but the MWOM cover had a huge banner across the middle saying "Britain's No.1 TV Show" which completely ruined the cover. Today is the first time I've seen that cover without the offensive banner!
Some of the banners on future MWOM issues are indeed spectacular in their intrusiveness.
ReplyDeleteI think the whole Captain America "origins" really started in Cap 155 from August of 1972. I bought it on the spinner and was just mystified there were two Caps and two Buckys: one from the 40s and one from the 50s.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what happened much after that... there was a Nomad who I think was 1940 Cap looking for a change? But it was drawn often, as I recall, by Fr*nk R*bbins so I wasn't too keen.
Whatever happened to 1950s Cap and Bucky? In Cap 155 I think they were put on ice b/c their brains were deteriorating or...? I just recall they were looking for anyone to beat up and that wasn't cool so they were "decommissioned."
Well there's something for my bucket list when I retire: go and read all about Cap from the 70s to the present!
Charlie, don't know what happened to the commie smasher Cap, but I think 50s Bucky eventually became Nomad after 40s Cap did it first.
ReplyDeleteOn the origin thing, maybe it has to do with Captain America being symbolic? The easiest way for a new writer to establish a fresh direction for a superhero is to retell their origin with a twist, and with Cap the contrast between the WW2 setting and the (then) post-Vietnam present creates meaning (r, more often, at least appears to).
Steve, don't know if Doom did lose control of Latveria - didn't it turn out he was a Doombot in that story?
"Worlds greatest comic magazine" - pah! Those FF issues running up to #200 were terrible.
-sean
I had every single issue you posted, Steve.
ReplyDeleteI had subscriptions laying on my bed, in brown paper. Piled up.
After partying , driving around and hooking up with broads. I eventually drove home, sometimes coherent, sometimes waking up in the morning in the drive-way wondering how I got home. Then checking for blood on the fenders.
Yikes!em
Either way I knew I was going to have Marvel comics to read. And just like you, I readem, but I don't remember them.
Sean, I could not say for certain. It's always possible that he was a Doombot and the real Doom lost control of Latveria in the same story, comics being what they are.
ReplyDeleteKD, it is always a mystery as to why some stories lodge in one's memory and others don't.