Forty years ago today - September 1982.

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

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Momentous events are occurring in the place we humans call the real world. But what of forty years ago, in that alternate realm where people have super-powers and there's always an evil-doer to be squashed?

It's the team-up we've all been demanding, as Hawkeye and Ant-Man unite to battle the might of Taskmaster.

"But, given his abilities, how can the two weakest Avengers possibly defeat such a foe?" I hear you cry.

Sadly, I can't tell you, as I don't recall how they do it.

But I'm totally sure that they do do it.

It's just like World War II all over again, as the Howling Commandos return to help Cap face the maddening menace of a mystery villain who, to nobody's surprise but theirs, turns out to be Baron Strucker.

Not only is the monocled menace back but he's kidnapped Happy Sam Sawyer and stolen a bomber packed solid with nuclear weapons!

People often complain there's too much doom and gloom around but, this time, there's definitely too much Doom around when Marvel's first family finds itself up against a horde of Doombots determined to restore their comatose creator to perfect health.

And that's when we get our twist because, as the tale reaches its denouement, it turns out Doom's successor as leader of Latveria's made a right old Horlicks of running the place and it looks like, for the good of the kingdom, the FF are going to have to help their deadly nemesis reclaim his throne.

With Rick Jones' life still endangered by the radiation he's been exposed to, the Hulk heads for Gamma Base where his sometime sidekick's being treated by Betty Ross and Bereet.

But he's not the only visitor there because thief-for-hire Jackdaw's also skulking around and decides to stop him with the abandoned robot known as Megalith. I can't help feeling Megalith does seem a bit of an It! The Living Colossus knock-off.

I've read this one but have genuinely no idea what happens in it.

Whatever it is, it looks like it's curtains for Shellhead.

Cloak and Dagger are back!

And so is Silvermane who, in his habitual state of being close to death, decides to have his head attached to an unstoppable robot body.

Needless to say, that body gets stopped.

But, perhaps more significantly, while all this is going on, Debbie Whitman's being tormented by her fears that Peter Parker is really Spider-Man.

Ed Hannigan channels his inner Kirby for this month's cover.

But, inside, Steven Grant and Greg LaRocque give us a tale from Thor's youth, in which the thunder god must tackle an enigmatic villain who turns out to be the living embodiment of our hero's own fear.

Conan must rescue a young woman's father from a prison cell somewhere.

A task which requires him to slaughter various monsters along the way.

Baron Strucker's having a busy month. Not only is he inside the pages of Captain America, he shows up in The X-Men, as well.

In a tale from Professor X's past, Xavier and Magneto meet for the first time, discover how much they have in common, what separates them, and that they must thwart the Baron's attempts at staging a kidnapping and gold theft.

It's trouble for Daredevil when his super-senses start to become too sensitive for him to control.

But there are other concerns for him.

For instance, a minor crook manages to steal Stilt-Man's armour and decides he can use its awesome power to get himself hired by the Kingpin.

Meanwhile, Matt Murdock begins gathering criminal evidence to sink Glenn Industries whilst simultaneously proposing to the company's owner Heather.

Mr Hyde's back!

And it's bad news for the Cobra who the vial-fuelled villain's out to kill for deserting him during their last fight with Captain America.

But never fear, Spider-Man's on hand to protect the herpetological heel.