Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
This week in 1972 saw no global events that catch my eye. Nor was there any change at the top of the UK singles or album charts. I shall, therefore, fling myself directly into my look at just what Marvel UK was up to at the time.
It's a magnetic nightmare for the world, as the Hulk stumbles across The Terror of the Toad Men when the amphibious aliens kidnap his human alter-ego.
Little do they know they've bitten off more than they can chew. And it's no time at all before the brute's planning to steal their weapons and use them for his own purposes!
Speaking of aliens, the Fantastic Four are also bothered by extra-terrestrials. Thanks to this, they must survive their first-ever encounter with the Skrulls from Outer Space!
No aliens for Spider-Man to contend with.
Yet.
But he does have to worry about space-related matters, as he's still in the process of rescuing all-American astronaut John Jameson from his malfunctioning space capsule.
But there's more.
We're also given a one-page feature about Peter Parker's house, and a single-page feature that shows us the Inside of the Baxter Building. The latter of those two features seems an odd thing to publish at this stage, as the FF in Mighty World of Marvel have yet to establish the Baxter Building as their base.
But who cares about that?
Not me!
I'm too busy having fun with the stickers I'm told come free with this issue!
Posts
19 comments:
MWOM # 2 - A truly historic edition! It's introduced the time-honoured, Marvel UK tradition of predominantly yellow covers!
Phillip
King Charlie would like to say that that cover is wonderful! Mostly in a nostalgic sense because it reminds me so much of those early 64 page covers for marvel tales!
The lettuce 🥬 won???
As aluded to a fortnight ago, this was the oldest issue of MWOM I owned. An uncle found it in his loft during a move, probably around 1976, and saved it for me. It was pristine and still had the free stickers. I was used to Trimpe Hulk, Romita Spidey and late Kirby/Buscema FF and so these early tales were fascinating. I assumed Peter Parker looked skinny because he was simply younger in these early stories. This reprint of Hulk #2, by the unusual combo of Kirby pencils and Ditko inks, featured a very Frankenstein looking Hulk. The extra page count, newsprint covers, and combination of spot and full colour made this seem from a different time, even though it was probably only 4 or 5 years old at the time.
I've long since severed the nostalgic attachment to the physical comics, but if I did crave an actual issue, this would be it. (full disclosure, I have most of the 70s decade Marvel UK comics in digital form)
DW
DW-
Yeah, I remember that Kirby/Ditko Hulk. I've seen the first Hulk run (I got reprints somewhere buried in my collection) and clearly, they were going for a Frankenstein vibe.
I think Stan once described the early Hulk as the Frankenstein monster crossed with Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde.
And of course, they beefed the Hulk up quite a bit more than any movie monster. Boris Karloff was a skinny guy, there was a lotta padding there.
Say, any of you guys familiar with Marvel's short-lived The Frankenstein Monster? It was pretty uneven, but I have a warm place in my heart for goofy '70's horror comics. I thought the issues John Buscema drew were great. At one point the monster takes out a bunch of enraged townsfolk by hurling a wagon at them, a move worthy of the Hulk himself. Then Dracula shows up, and he's being a real dick. What's not to like?
M.P.
The page count must have been reasonable if - as getting to the Skrulls and Toad Men by #3 suggests - they were reprinting half issues of the US monthlies at a time. That seems fairly good value for 5p.
Btw Steve, I believe both Miles Davis' phenomenal 'On The Corner' album, and Captain Beefheart's 'Clear Spot' were both released around the middle of the month in October '72. That seems quite eventful, at least on the cultural level.
-sean
How come the lettuce doesn't get the option of trying to form a government?
Personally I'm disappointed to see Liz Truss go - hey, you know what they say about Britain's difficulty being an opportunity for the Irish - but apparently she was just too useless for even the English to put up with.
Any predictions Steve, seeing as you were on the money last time? Seems Boris Johnson fancies his chances...
-sean
It is ironic that Liz 'massive fan of Thatcherism' Truss was undone by a bunch of bond traders. Surely they'll now get someone warm, fuzzy and likeable. Jacob Rees-Mogg?
DW
She walked smilingly into a meat grinder.
M.P.
Political pundits missed the fact that "I'm a fighter, not a quitter!" is what Peter Mandleson said, shortly before his comeuppance. Truss going from being a Thatcher impersonator, to channeling Peter Mandleson, is quite a stretch!
Phillip
Phillip, some did mention Peter Mandelson - he actually said it when he was re-elected as an MP in 2001 (by the way, didn't you have any opinions about self-service checkouts in Speak Your Brain?)
I heard this morning that Boris Johnson has a very good chance of reaching the 100 MP threshold which means the geriatric loons who make up the Tory membership will put him back in office. To quote Taylor from Planet Of The Apes:
THIS IS A MADHOUSE!!!
MP, The Frankenstein Monster appeared in early issues of Marvel UK's 'Dracula Lives' weekly which ran from October 1974 to June 1976.
Colin - Hmm, yes - but not strong opinions. At first self-service checkouts riled me; but now I use them all the time, and quite like it. Problems only arise when, accustomed to one self-service checkout (e.g. Tesco), on spec, you try Asda's (for example), which then seems far more difficult. My full attention wasn't on Speak Your Brain, this week, as I've been messing about with other problems. At least yesterday I completed my first draft of 50 Years Ago's DD # 93. That's leaves me 10 days proof-reading/checking - way ahead of schedule! But now I'll probably leave it until the night before!
Phillip
I've just had another comment removed by a moderator on The Guardian website because I said Boris Johnson's supporters are Britain's version of "the deplorables" and I stand by my comment so f*ck you Guardian moderator. That's my rant for today.
Steve, this is king Charlie of the Bolshevik republic of the east side of Chicago. Is there any chance you can provide live coverage of the international hedge-laying competition taking place in England next weekend?
Charlie, sadly, it doesn't seem to be on free television. So, such a thing won't be possible.
Sean, I think it's all gone beyond any human being's ability to predict.
MP, I read a couple of issues of Marvel's Frankenstein but not enough to have an opinion of the series as a whole. From what little I read, it seemed to become more interesting once it switched to the modern day.
Matthew, some of the moderators are much more intolerant of opinions than others so it depends who you get on any given day. I recently had a comment removed because I said Kwasi Kwarteng proved that BAME Tories are just as vile as white Tories (see Braverman and Badenoch for further proof) but I've seen other comments saying the same thing which weren't removed. The Guardian should stop treating its' readers like children anyway and stop removing comments.
I know what you mean Steve - its hard to know whether the tory party will go for a sensible (from their point of view) safe pair of hands, or someone who only resigned in disgrace only a few months back, might well be disqualified as an MP soon anyway, meaning there'll be yet another leadership contest in the new year, and almost certainly blow away the Halloween budget plan.
Actually, put like that Boris Johnson being the new prime minister seems almost inevitable. If he gets enough nominations to stand I can see it happening. What a mad country.
-sean
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