Fifty years ago today - September 1973.

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

***

It is time to collapse into the ever-swirling Time Vortex that has filled my living room and see just what strange shores we land upon.

And we land upon the strange shores of the West Midlands, as the world's mightiest super-team visit central England and discover that the area which gave us Slade, ELO and Duran Duran is actually inhabited by homicidal troglodytes who the gang have a baffling amount of difficulty overcoming.

We all know you can't go wrong writing a tale that features giant spiders.

Sadly, I suspect the Yellow Claw does go wrong with them and that Cap and his plucky sidekick will, ultimately, win the day.

I've not read this one but I gather Conan helps the Turanian army against the legions of someone called Munthassem Khan.

But does the title mean it's an adaptation of Robert E Howard's The Hand of Nergal?

I read this one on holiday in 1978. After all those years of Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, suddenly being exposed to Don Heck at his less-than-finest convinced me it was the moment Daredevil as a strip had died.

Fortunately, I was wrong. I'm glad to say the strip recovered and had many a happy year ahead of it.

As for what happens this month, boy reporter Peter Parker visits San Francisco to interview Daredevil and the Black Widow but Ramrod attacks their house, and the trio of heroes must join forces to stop the brutal battler.

The Miracle Man returns but can't get what's left of the Fantastic Four to take him seriously.

But, then, with a twist that could stagger the gods themselves, it turns out he now has actual real super-powers - and he's not afraid to use them.

And that's bad news for Wyatt Wingfoot's tribe whose land he's rudely decided to take control of.

It's good news for Betty when her father returns from his Russian captivity.

But it's not such good news when he has to tell her her husband Glenn kicked the bucket rescuing him.

Needless to say, this all puts Betty in a psychiatric institution.

And that's when MODOK shows up, looking to use her as an instrument of vengeance.

Apparently, Whiplash steals Tony Stark's latest Micro-Power Cell and then destroys every single one of Shellhead's weapons.

Fortunately, our hero then hits upon the genius idea of taking his whip off him. At which point the fight's over.

Everyone's favourite astronaut John Jameson is back from the moon but now has a gem stuck to him that turns him into a yellow-clad werewolf!

And, for some reason, that werewolf has it in for his own father!

I believe this is the one where Thor fights a giant, stroppy space crystal that's holding Sif and Karnilla captive.

Fortunately, the thunder god has the help of the ever-mercurial Mercurio.

That's Marvel accounted for but, for comparison's sake, what was a random selection of DC books bearing that same date offering us?

It's an iconic cover for a famous issue, as the Joker returns to cause mischief and mayhem for Gotham's finest. If I remember right, the villain sets out to bump off some of his old henchmen and it all climaxes with a shark fight and a wheelchair.

Mike Kaluta provides the cover and Jim Aparo provides the innards when DC's premier man of mystery meets Mary Shelley's man of many parts in a tale of demonic possession, big houses and blood-thirsty vendetta.

History's made when America gets its youngest-ever president, in a short-lived series that's either groundbreaking satirical genius or total cobblers, depending on who you ask.

It's the only issue of Shazam I ever owned and I'm struggling to recall anything that happens in it but I do recall liking CC Beck's artwork.

Apparently, a leprechaun and a boy who wants to be the world's toughest guy feature in the issue's first two tales.

And there's even room for Captain Marvel Junior to launch himself into sensational solo action.

Excitement greets us all, as Timber Wolf returns from the dead.

Not that I'd previously been aware that he was dead.

Nor had I previously been aware that he'd ever existed.

Still, his return proves to be big news, with potential assassination involved and plenty of Dave Cockrum magic. Not to mention a classic Nick Cardy cover.

I've no idea what goes on in this one but it's a cover that demands I buy it.

Apparently, writer Robert Kanigher is credited as Charles Moulton in this issue. I can only assume there's a Bob Kane style situnario underway.