Fifty years ago today - February 1973.

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

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Time. I hear it goes well with parsley. But here's where we have to be sage, as we cast our eyes back through the years, to 1973, and decide just which Marvel issues would have been worth handing over 20 cents for.

"You'll kill him! And if you do--!" says Cap but I've never read the tale and may, thus, never know to what grim fate he alludes.

Whatever it is, it would appear to be bad news for the Viper.

The Disruptor demonstrates his own brand of bringing politics to the masses, as Richard Raleigh continues his terrible attempt to become Mayor of New York.

Or is he trying to become President? I can never remember.

It's the long-awaited return of the Space Phantom!

I say long-awaited but, when I first read this tale, as a youth, I got the Space Phantom mixed up with the Space Parasite and was highly confused as to why he'd so dramatically changed appearance.

I struggle to remember just how the Grim Reaper ties into all this.

At last, the Vulture finally shows up!

As mentioned last month, his arrival was delayed by the trials and tribulations of the postal service but it's worth the wait, as Conan and Red Sonja ensure the villain suffers a fate that shall live long in the recall of all who read this tale.

It's a magnificently melodramatic cover from Gil Kane when the Man-Bull starts turning San Francisco's residents into monsters.

With DD in hospital, can a solo Black Widow hope to succeed where he failed, and thwart the Taurean terror?

As it turns out, the answer's, "No."

It's another classic, as the Hulk meets Tiger-Shark.

It's all because Bruce Banner's discovered Betty and Glenn have got married. And that means his alter-ego's headed to Niagra Falls, in a bid to wreck their honeymoon.

Unfortunately, the fishy fiend thinks the Hulk's come looking for him, on behalf of the Sub-Mariner, and the inevitable fight breaks out.

Hooray! No doubt, tired of drawing Mighty World of Marvel covers, Jim Starlin shows up on Iron Man!

And, no sooner has he arrived than so have Thanos, Drax, Mentor, Eros, Kronos and I.S.A.A.C.

Jim isn't exactly wasting time, is he? It's a miracle he didn't throw in Moondragon, Gamora and Pip the Troll while he was at it.

Jim Steranko gives us the outside but Ross Andru gives us the insides, as the Human Torch gets a little miffed upon discovering his beloved Crystal is to marry no one's beloved Quicksilver.

Next, we'll be discovering Dorrie Evans is marrying Sunfire.

Thor must defeat the hot and cold menace of Mercurio, the Fourth-Dimensional Man. All while whittling over the disappearance of Sif and feeling guilty about having snapped at Jarvis the butler.

I don't have a clue what happens in this one, other than knowing that both the Juggernaut and Factor Three put in an appearance.

That's Marvel accounted for but what of DC?

Just what was happening in a random assortment of its books that bear the same cover date?

This is what's happening.

It's the clash we've all been waiting for, when Superman must find a way to defeat Popeye!

Or, at least, Captain Strong who bears no resemblance to the cartoon sailor man and has gained super-strength after eating too much seaweed.

In the book's other strip, the Green Arrow can be found in solo action.

Possibly the first issue of The Brave and the Bold I ever owned, and one that sports a cracking cover by Jim Aparo.

It's a shame, really, that I can't remember anything about the plot. I do know Diana Prince's Amazonian guardian angel shows up, at one point, in order to save her life.

I do believe offshore gambling ships may also be involved but don't quote me on that.

Here's a surprise for some of us. I never knew the Legion of Super-Heroes had their own book so shortly before they became a regular back-up strip in Superboy's comic.

However, there's not that much to get excited about because this publication will only manage to last for four issues before folding.

In this one, Command Kid joins the Legion but his arrogance alienates his teammates. I'm not sure what any of that has to do with the front cover.

We also get a Tommy Tomorrow adventure that goes by the title The Riddle of the Space Rainbow.

I've no idea who Tommy Tomorrow is but he sounds like he might be the sort of kid who hangs around with Joe 90.

DC finally notices it has the rights to the original Captain Marvel, and gives him his own comic.

However, thanks to legalities involving Marvel now having a character of the same name, that new book must be called Shazam.

In this issue, we're regaled with the good Captain's origin, followed by a battle with Dr Sivana.

Jack Sparling  gives us an attention-grabbing cover, and the Secrets of Sinister House offers up such tales as Rub a Witch the Wrong Way!, The Dance of the Damned and The Abominable Snowman.

A brand new book arrives to rock us all when 100-Page Super Spectacular #DC-14 hits the racks. Why it's labelled #DC-14 if it's the first issue, I've no idea.

Anyway, its senses-shattering pages feature action from Batman, the Atom, Blackhawk, Wonder Woman, Dollman and Wildcat, in a string of elderly reprints that can't fail to hook the discerning and undiscerning reader alike.