February 23rd 1974 - Marvel UK, 50 years ago this week.

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

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If I were to declaim, to you, the words, "Come alive! Come alive!" you'd know exactly what I was saying to you.

I'd be saying, "Come alive!"

But where would I be saying it?

Why, down at Devil Gate Drive, of course.

For, verily, it was that very song which was topping the UK singles chart, this week in 1974. And that was good news for Suzi Quatro who was the woman responsible for it.

Over on the British album chart, there was no change from the week before, with the Carpenters' The Singles 1969-1973 still ruling the roost.

But none of the above truly matters.

This is what matters.

That here is the issue where I began regularly reading the Avengers' weekly comic, rather than just seeing the occasional edition of it.

And what a way to start that era, with that rascally rogue Attuma kidnapping the winsome Wasp, as she flies across the ocean, looking to warn the world of a potential attack by the Sub-Mariner.

Needless to say, such an affront forces the world's most powerful heroes to get involved.

And involved they get by quickly getting stomped all over by the villain.

I do believe that, in his strip, Dr Strange is still battling a Baron Mordo whose power is being boosted by that of the dread Dormammu.

But, unfortunately for the villain, Dormammu's becoming increasingly distracted by events in his own dimension.

Unless I miss my Gamma-loving guess, the Hulk finds himself in a Central American republic where the locals reside beneath the hypnotic spell of a giant robot.

And that's not the only shock for our hero because it turns out that robot's a mere lackey.

And it's under the control of none other than Maximus the Mad!

Elsewhere, it seems like good news for Matt Murdock because one his old friends is now supreme ruler of a European country and invites the blind lawyer over for an operation to restore his sight.

However, once there, it doesn't take Matt long to realise his friend is a ruthless dictator - and has an army of robot knights!

And even more elsewhere, Attuma's proving to be a busy lad, this week, because not only must he contend with the Avengers, he's also got to foil the Sub-Mariner who - whether he knows it or not - is being aided and abetted by the Fantastic Four.

From that cover, I think we can deduce the Spider-Slayer is back - and deadlier than ever!

Clearly, this is bad news for everyone's favourite web-spinner who's only just regained his memory after his near-death experience with Ka-Zar.

Iron Man, meanwhile, finds himself Trapped by the Mad Barbarian.

Based on Marvel UK's previous form, I'm going to assume the Mad Barbarian was called the Red Barbarian in the original US comic and has had his name changed to avoid offending whoever it is who'd be offended. I'm also going to suspect his home country's been renamed, "Bodavia."

It all involves a commie scheme to send malevolent master of disguise The Actor to steal the plans for Tony Stark's latest weapon. I think we can all assume Tony's not going to stand for that kind of malarkey.

And, almost finally, for this issue, Thor fights the Demon to recover a Norn Stone.

But is the thunder god ready for the wrath he's about to face from Odin for revealing his secret identity to Jane Foster?

And the issue closes with a two-page map of Asgard to make sure we won't get lost the next time we visit it.