The Marvel Lucky Bag - September 1971.

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

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Charts. Where would we be without them?

Not September 1971, that's for sure. September 1971 had charts up to its eyeballs.

In fact, it had the same amount of charts as any other month but I couldn't think of any other way to start this post.

So, now that they've been mentioned, what were they up to?

On the UK singles chart, that month, just two 45s ruled the roost. The first was I'm Still Waiting by Diana Ross, while the other was the Tams' Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me which replaced it at the summit.

But Diana Ross thought she'd been waiting? That Tams track had taken seven years to get to Number One, following its initial release.

And, in its native United States, it didn't even chart at all.

The British album chart was, however, filled with far more life. No fewer than four albums hit the top spot that month.

They were; Bridge Over Troubled Water, the Who's Who's Next, Fireball by Deep Purple and, finally, Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story. Classics all, I have no doubt.

And, speaking of classics...

I've never read this story but it clearly involves Black Bolt vs Thor.

As Bolty once flattened the Hulk, with his shouting, I can only assume it's curtains for the thunder god.

I don't have the foggiest what happens in the Black Widow yarn but I do know it's her last appearance in Amazing Adventures. In future, her fans'll have to look out for her in the pages of Daredevil.

Issue #13 and it's unlucky for some. Most notably, the poor sap on the cover who only wanted a bit of fun watching TV and finds the device putting him in mortal peril.

Fortunately, he's saved from doom, by having failed to pay his electricity bill.

After that, we get a tale about a tree being an alien, and a boy who nobody believes.

While, in our third tale, experimental surgery creates a werewolf which then dies while attempting to kill its romantic rival.

Kull makes it to his second issue but it's one whose contents are a mystery to me.

I've no doubt, though, that sorcerers are involved.

It all gets bandagetastic when an archaeologist uncovers an ancient mummy which is really an alien invader.

Sadly, for the alien, it can't breathe Earth's atmosphere and duly dies.

I would have to say that's the worst invasion attempt of all time. I mean, at least check you can breathe the atmosphere of the world you're trying to take over.

In our second tale, a spider, accidentally exposed to radiation, grows to a huge size - and gains human intelligence while it's at it. There's no doubt about it, that sounds like trouble.

Finally, a spy from Jupiter, disguised as a human, stows away on Earth's first rocket to Mars, only to discover there's also a Martian on board!

My Love also hits that unlucky-for-some 13th issue - and does so by presenting tales with such titles as How Do I Make Him Love Me? At First Sight! and When the Honeymoon Ends.

I remember this one as being both boring and confusing, as Namor's captured by a madwoman who wants her son, who's made of rock, to kill him for reasons I can't recall.