Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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Change was not an option atop the UK singles chart, this week in 1974.
And that's because Mud were still at Number One with their Chinnichap-penned classic Tiger Feet.
Change was, however, available on the accompanying LP chart, as The Singles 1969-1973 by the Carpenters jumped 19 places to claim the tippermost of the toppermost of the uppermost poppermost.
Needless to say, the guardian of truth, justice and the American way can't tolerate such an outrage and rushes to their rescue - but succeeds only in succumbing to defeat. What a catastrophe!
Meanwhile, in Dr Strange Land, Baron Mordo's back - and this time, he's got Dormammu on his side! How can even the mystical master of the mystical arts possibly hope to titanically triumph against such a putrid pairing?
More to the point, can he do it before Colonel John Jameson and the military put a bullet in his head?
But Spidey's problems are almost nothing when compared to those of Tony Stark who, in his second mission as Iron Man, must defeat a giant hypno-robo-Neanderthal from space that's taken an entire town hostage as a prelude to invasion.
Meanwhile, Thor's still in Asgard and still stood around, watching Odin thwart the attack of both the Absorbing Man and Loki.
That's because the Leader's got his hands on two of America's finest nukes and has launched them at one of America's finest enemies.
Bruce manages to shoot down one of those missiles but he's going to have to stop the other one the old-fashioned way, by turning into the Hulk and beating it up.
Fortunately, there's no one beats up missiles better than the Hulk does.
Next, we get the conclusion of Daredevil's origin, as brought to us by Stan Lee and Gene Colan.
And, finally, the FF must vince the Invincible Man who may or not be the father of Sue and Johnny Storm but may also have to make the greatest sacrifice of all, in order to protect our heroes from the treachery of the Skrulls.
Posts
50 comments:
Best wishes to you on Imbolc, Steve - hope you had a good day. And everyone else too.
Anyway, the Dr Strange story in that issue of Avengers - 'Face-to-Face At Last With Baron Mordo!' - is a classic.
Pretty sure its the first Doc story I ever read, in the kind of barely remembered way of the last Speak Your Brain. At the end of the 70s I had a book that collected a load of Ditko Strange stories - and the Barry Smith one from Premiere #3 - which I thought I was discovering for the first time... until I recognized some of it.
Not sure how I came across Strange Tales #132 when I would have barely been able to read the words, but I must have done.
So the story really strikes a chord with me to this day. But the whole Mordo/Dormammu arc - that leads up to the first appearance of Eternity - is great. Its peak Ditko, and well worth looking for if you haven't read it.
-sean
That AVENGERS cover looks great. Looks like they based the color on the reprinted version (MARVEL TRIPLE ACTION 17) rather than its original AVENGERS 23 color scheme — which is really quite spectacular actually, but MARVEL TRIPLE ACTION 17 was the one I had as a freshly minted Comics Nerd Back in 1974 so it’s the version I prefer. Kang’s helmet and gloves are a bit more garish magenta than fuschia/royal purple but I’m just splitting hairs now — all three versions look sweet. Romita was an excellent inker over Kirby pencils on the handful of times they teamed up. Maybe there’s an alternate universe where Jazzy Johnny said ‘Nahhhh, pencilling is a lot of hard work, especially if I have to pretty much write the story myself from Stan’s meager story springboards. Think I’ll just stick to inking.’ Means we wouldn’t have his iconic Spider-man run but we’d have lots of Kirby/ Romita comics to drool over ( and Romita wouldn’t have been in a position to kill off Gwen Stacy and traumatize young Charlie.) Tempting….but I’m grateful for the continuum we actually got.
b.t.
Well, b.t., we actually did get a lot of Kirby comics inked by Mike Royer, so thats the main thing.
I just had a look at the cover of Marvel Triple Action #17, and I have to say I find Avengers #23 more striking. But either way, that UK cover is really let down by leaving out the spacey background, especially that large star - or quasar or whatever it is - behind Kang to the right.
-sean
Like Sean I had a late '70s (Dec '78) book that collected the early Ditko Dr Strange stories but not Barry Smith so obviously it was a different book (it was the same size as a paperback novel). As previously mentioned, I didn't discover Marvel until Nov 1974 so I missed all the Ditko Strange stories in Marvel UK and that little book enabled me to read them for the first time.
I am also more drawn to Avengers 23. Spectacular!
For some reason I am now recalling the weird coloring of the Hulk on SDC a few weeks ago. Probably due to the non-purple Kang on Avengers 23.
B.t. Anything that would have kept Conway’s and Romita’s mitts off Gwen would have been muy bueno with me. Plagues, Pestilence, Thermal Nuclear explosions… you name it buddy!
Sean-
One Ditko Doc Strange story that always stuck with me was Strange Tales #136 "What Lurks Beneath the Mask?"
I read a reprint of it in the '70's when I was still in short trousers and it was my introduction to the Lee-Ditko arc.
It kinda spooked me! Strange, seeking the secret of Eternity, mistakenly enters a dimension of "eternal doom." He encounters a horrible demon. Of course, I re-read the copy to pieces.
I was maybe eight, and I thought Ditko was just some guy who drew horror stories for Charlton Comics. Little did I know.
His work at Charlton was pretty scary to little M.P. too. I remember one story where some burglar is robbing the crypt of some old dead miser and ends up getting trapped with his ghost. Forever.
Brrr. I had nightmares about that one.
M.P.
Thanks, Sean, and the same to you. :)
Happy Candlemas Day to one and all - today is your last chance to take down your Christmas decorations before they turn into demons and devour you. DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED!
Thanks, Colin. And a happy Candlemas Day to you too. :)
Steve, I feel I was somewhat remiss in not also congratulating you - and your British readers - on the anniversary of Brexit, and beginning your fifth year free of Brussels.
Good to read that those nice Ulster Unionists have given the rest of the UK a gift to mark the occasion -
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/01/post-brexit-food-labelling-rules-to-appease-dup-will-lead-to-higher-prices-says-industry
So, moving on from that completely gratuitous off-topic comment...
M.P., yeah, 'What Lurks Beneath the Mask?' is a good one too. That horrible demon's eyes when Strange first takes its mask off - spooky! Although for all the scariness, the bit where the demon fights Dr Strange's cape had quite a slapstick quality (which was a nice touch imo).
I think that story also featured the first appearance of the Aged Genghis. And Rama Kaliph. Ditko was really inventive at that point, and hadn't yet tipped over into self-parody.
-sean
Sean, I guess I was thinking that Romita could have inked those Pre-Sinnott FFs that Colletta pretty much ruined. I don’t have a problem with Colletta’s inks on THOR but holy crap, those FF’s are terrible. Maybe Romita would have been available to ink those CAPTAIN AMERICA issues that Syd Shores did too.
Charlie, if Romita wasn’t drawing Spider-man as his main Marvel assignment, it’s possible that none of us would have fallen head over heels for Gwen in the first place…
b.t.
The stupid Ulster Unionists thought Brexit would drive a permanent wedge between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic but it's made reunion more likely. Finally getting rid of those orange bigots would be a definite Brexit bonus! Meanwhile Brexit itself is such a pathetic failure that even its' hardcore supporters prefer not to mention it, oh dear! But don't worry because here comes Keir Starmer to save the day - apparently he's going to "renegotiate" the Brexit deal so the UK gets all the benefits of EU membership without pesky EU membership, hurrah!
Sean, Radio 4's FILE ON 4 this week was about those recent riots in Ireland over immigration. Apparently Conor McGregor (the boxer) says Ireland is "at war" and he wants to be the president. I didn't hear the programme last Tuesday but it's repeated on Sunday at 5pm so I'll definitely be listening then!
B.t. Fair enough. But it’s not like JR’s Gwen was so different than GK’s? I guess what im saying is “who would have been the ASM artist if Romita hadn’t been?”
Maybe Gene the Dean? Im imagining Gwen being drawn by Colon and inked by Palmer or Everett… not sure if that ever happened?
b.t., To be fair to Vince Colletta, I think those FF issues he inked were a real deadline crunch at short notice.
I don't have a problem with his Thors either, as his style gave the series a distinct feel, different to the FF... although once you know he skipped a lot of backgrounds and whatnot it's hard not to conclude someone else would have been a better choice.
Actually, thinking about it, iirc that issue of Strange Tales that M.P. mentioned - #132 - also featured a SHIELD story, with John Severin inking Kirby. Now thats a combo that could have worked well for Thor.
Colin, Connor McGregor is a gobshite looking for a bit of publicity. Running for president he'd be lucky to do better than Dana.
-sean
We got plenty of people like that over here, God knows.
M.P.
That's an interesting question as to who would have drawn Spidey Hamas Romita bot been available, I assume Him Kane for a wee while at least Not sure if Ross Abdru would have left DC at this time (never liked Adru's Spidey(.
I didn't realise it was a glorious year since we left the shackles of the EU. Thank goodness that all workout for us. idiots!!!!
Gawds NI worries me as if and when they reunite those Orange idiots will come over here ( Glasgow, Lanarkshire etc) and join our alrady well estsblished Orange idiots
Hamas Romita? interesting typo!!! meant to read "had Romita not.."
Hey Paul, don't blame the north Irish. Have you considered that if you lot in Scotland sorted out independence, then all the idiots would move down to the United Kingdom of England & Wales instead?
-sean
lol yeah fair poi t Sean. Independence for us has sadly ( for me at least) slipped away for at least 10 years now.
If you are going to talk politics then serious discussions only! Did the White House connive with the NFL to have KC get to the super bowl so Taylor Swift and KC receiver Kelsey can announce they support Biden at half time???!!! How damn dumb can republican folks get?
UK chaps - have you heard about this latest maga thingy?
I kinda wish I hadn’t brought up the idea ‘Who would have taken over Spider-man if Romita had turned down the gig? ‘ — the possibilities are all pretty dis-heartening. Thinking about it is actually causing me some anxiety!
First, let’s look at who was available when Ditko walked away in the Spring of 1966. Gil Kane and Ross Andru both had steady gigs at DC at the time. Kane would have been a good choice to replace Ditko , and he did do some work for Stan around then (a few Hulk and Captain America half-book stories for ASTONISH and SUSPENSE) so it’s possible he might have jumped ship to Marvel if Stan offered him the job. I think Marvel would have had to match Kane’s page-rate for what DC was paying him on GREEN LANTERN — which Stan might have been willing to do, but would the notoriously stingy Martin Goodman have agreed? I’m gonna say ‘probably not’, so Kane’s out. I dig Ross Andru’s later Spidey run but IMO in 1966 his work was a bit stiff and looked very ‘DC house style’. I kinda doubt he’d have been very high in Stan’s list.
Who else? Don Heck is a possibility. Stan would have had to get someone to replace Heck on The Avengers, but for now let’s say Stan would consider Spidey a priority and if he really wanted Heck to do Spidey, he’d make the switch. Would it have been a good idea though? He’d handle the ‘soap opera’ stuff well enough (the female characters would have looked great) but he was never a top action artist. I kinda doubt Spidey would have gone on to be Marvel’s top book if Heck was the main artist.
John Buscema had just started freelancing for Stan, so he’d seem to be a good candidate. Unfortunately he hated drawing cityscapes, cars etc and later on when he did draw a few issues of Spidey to spell Romita, he decided he hated the character. HATED him! Depending on how hungry he was, maybe he could have just sucked it up and powered on through but it doesn’t sound sustainable to me.
Gene Colan might have been a decent fit. His storytelling wasn’t as sharp as some other Marvel artists — his stories tended to be paced more slowly, especially if he was working from a 5-minute ‘story conference ‘ (over the phone) with Stan. Left to his own devices, he’d gladly fill 3 or 4 pages drawing the lead character entering a building, taking the elevator, walking down a hallway, opening a door, etc. Also, his overall approach might have been just a bit too ‘straight’ and moody for Spidey.
I love Bill Everett and think he could have been fun on Spidey, but his alcoholism made him a bit of an undependable wild card. I can’t see Stan rolling those dice, not on such an important book — he’d been burned by Everett more than once.
Marie Severin, George Tuska, Jim Mooney, Werner Roth: not very exciting. Dan Adkins drew well, was capable of delivering handsome, exciting work but he was always an obvious slave to his swipe file, and never stayed on a title for more than 5 or 6 issues.
Who else am I forgetting? Maybe another DC artist who might have been willing to jump ship? Nick Cardy maybe? Snag young Neal Adams before he got too big for his britches at DC?
I dunno, I’m having a hard time imagining any of these folks making as big an impact on Spidey as Romita did…
b.t.
b.t. - Not as good as Romita, but an alternative would be Larry Lieber, who did good Spidey covers, for Marvel UK. Also, according to google, Lieber drew a sindicated Spidey strip.
Phillip
For the artist to replace Ditko on Spider–Man, was Steranko with Marvel at the time? Or could Herb Trimpe have been moved over from Hulk? Was Willy Wood still around, or did he disappear around the time Romita came over? Romita did take over Daredevil from Wood. Maybe Stan would just have handed it over to Larry Lieber for. Couple of months while he g e a few DC names to the headhunters.
Larry Leiber is a good call. I think a Steranko Spidey would have been a very different character, but a cool one. Big John was for me the best Spidey artist after Ditko and Romita. Was Sal around at this point?
oh and Jim Mooney of course.
Charlie, the Taylor Swift conspiracy theory has reached these shores, although I'm not sure if anyone over here has ever heard of her boyfriend. So, I suspect its impact has been limited.
When it comes to the other matter, Don Heck and Jim Mooney drew a fair number of Spidey issues during the John Romita era. So, they'd definitely be contenders. There is, of course, always the possibility of Marie Severin being roped in to do it.
The Taylor Swift conspiracy theory I always liked was that she's a clone of renowned Satanist Zeena LaVey. There's no denying the resemblance is striking.
Steve, I believe she prefers to be known by her married name Zeena Schreck these days, and identifies as a Sethian rather than a Satanist.
Also, I'm not sure about your use of the term 'conspiracy theory'. Are you suggesting Taylor Swift isn't a deep state psy-ops asset planning to steal the Superbowl for Sleepy Joe? That Roseanne Barr is wrong?!?
-sean
B.t - that was a marvelous analysis! Were you anle to see Larry Lieber’s art on the Spidey comic.strip? I did because my grandfather subscribed to the Chicago Tribune (thus the Tribune Syndicate of comic strips ). Strips had their limitations and were not really suited to superhero action. But Larry’s art did remind me of Romita’s on Spidey: simple, uncluttered. He might have been the best choice.
I feel Colon’s art would have been an experience in itself. But as you say it would have been a moodier, more mature Spidey.
Kane, Andru… honestly DC books at that time were really boring. Kane’s Green Lantern did not exactly get the heart pounding. I mean, it was good art but snoring boring.
Folks- we just had dinner with my best army buddy and wife. They just bought $1,200 of “apocalypse “ food because they heard the head of DoD (whomever) testify that the Chinese will conduct a cyber strike on us soon; it is inevitable. . They also bought Baretta 9 mm. Im telling you the USA is coming unhinged. Charlie said he hoped we respond by ending the world in a nuclear holocaust. Enough madness. That was a weird dinner but the food was all organic.
Larry Lieber did pencil a bona fide Spider-Man story. It was either ASM Annual #4 or #5, the one where he finds out his parents were spies and battles a (not the) Red Skull.
Madman Mooney is a good shout as a Ditko replacement. But, more generally, the were probably other inkers that could have stepped up to become pencilers. As well as Mooney, what about Dan Adkins or Joe Sinnott? If Ed King can go from bass to third guitar in Lynyrd Skynyrd and if Ronnie Wood can go from Jeff Beck's bassist to Stones guitarist, then why not?
Charlie, it does rather look like the US is trying to get in there first by starting World War Three now, in the middle east.
I would have a go at the British as well, but frankly I think they're holding the war drive back. Have you seen their recent effort in the region? Those two warships colliding off the coast of Bahrain...?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tefY7S7J9T4
Not sure the Houthis - or their blowfish - are going to be too worried about those clowns.
I liked the Spidey analysis too, but b.t. - is it really causing you anxiety?
What is it you're worried about exactly? That our timeline might change? That one day you'll wake up one in a world where John Romita didn't replace Steve Ditko on Amazing Spider-Man?
Not sure theres much any of us can do about that kind of thing really. For all we know, maybe it happens all the time, and we just don't realize because of the retro-active continuity of reality.
-sean
Dangermash-
"Madman Mooney"?! (SNORT!)
That made me laugh out loud.
But I'm sure Mr. Mooney was not a lunatic.
Get it? Lunatic-moon?
...ah, forget it.
On another note, Taylor Swift is a shepherd for the Devil!!
That goon she's playing house with, if he loses the Superbowl, she'll kick his ass to the curb so fast his giant ape-like head will spin.
Then she'll write a buncha songs about what an A-hole he was.
He'll be Swift-boated.
M.P.
Charlie, a British general recently said we need to prepare for war with Russia in the near future!
He can fight the Russians if he wants but I'm too old.
Colin-
As you well know, after the fall of Napoleon, one of the highest priorities of the British Empire was to contain the Russian one, whether by keeping them well away of the Mediterranean by allying with the Turks or even obliquely supporting the Japanese in 1905.
But I think today, as then, Russia is an existential threat to the balance of power or whatever peace we do have.
Such as it is.
Then again, I haven't been a soldier for over thirty years so it's not my ass that would have to fight in a war.
...presumably...
Anyway, I hope to God there isn't one.
M.P.
M.P., I recently read that after Napoleon no major European city was seriously shelled tíl 1916, in the First World War. Apparently the first was Dublin. By the British.
So you'll forgive me for not getting too excited about the empire containing the Russians (who I don't think were particularly looking for a port in the Irish Sea).
-sean
Point taken, Sean.
Maybe there's some argument to be made about who was threatening who.
M.P.
Madman Mooney was what Stan used to call him in the credits. No idea why though.
vis-a-vis b.t.'s earlier comments, "good Colletta" sounds like an oxymoron! Nevertheless, in Thor vs Ulik, (Super Spidey & CB # 247 ?) Colletta's inking was good - almost like a completely different inker. In another subsequent Thor story, Colletta excelled himself, too - as were odd Defenders stories.
dangermash - Regarding Larry Lieber, is the 1978 UK Spidey Annual story, what you're thinking of? To me, its cover has one of Spidey's best every pics - really "Spiderish":
https://www.abebooks.com/9780723504429/Spider-Man-UK-Annual-1978-Stan-0723504423/plp
How Spidey's eyes are drawn, on his mask, makes all the difference! For years, I remembered that pic as being Romita Snr. However, a few years ago, close observation revealed it's actually by Romita Jnr - who must have been very young, at the time! My memories of Lieber's (?) interior art are vague, but I remember the story as being good.
Regarding "The English", etc. Blaming an entire nationality/race for its ruling class's actions seems nonsensical. Even more nonsensical, if that ruling class was attacking its own nationality, just as it did foreigners - e.g. the Peterloo Massacre in the C19th, or the Battle of Orgreave in the C20th. The conflict's not between nationalities, but between those in power, and the powerless!
M.P. - Wasn't that late 19th/early 20th century stuff about Britain containing Russia, referred to as "The Great Game" - c.f. that late 70s/early 80s Robert Powell tv series, inspired by "The 39 Steps"?
I don't understand Taylor Swift's popularity. But, then again, my interest in music largely ceased, after the early 90s. American pro-athletes being "trophy heads", for female celebs, was covered on Family Guy, however - so that, I "get" !
Phillip
"as he did in other odd Defenders stories" - too early in the morning to not write gibberish!
Phillip
Yea Phillip - the Spider-Man story I'm thinking of was reprinted in that annual. I a bit out of sync having not been reprinted in the comics.
Some of Taylor Swift's songs are actually pretty good though I admit I only know a handful of them. I especially liked ANTI-HERO which was a big No.1 hit in 2022 - I've heard it played in Tesco a few times.
On the subject of Tesco - they are selling cans of toffee-apple flavoured pop. I'll have to buy one out of curiosity.
Colin - Iceland are selling Caramacs, despite the bar being supposedly discontinued! I'm sorely tempted, as these remainding bars may be Caramacs' swan song!
Phillip
Iceland is...remaining (typos!) Caramac's (more typos!)
Phillip
Yes, buy one, Phil, before they are gone!
Colin - Dared & done! It's a triple pack, comprising three 30g Caramac bars, for £1.25! The pack looks big, but the bars must be wafer thin. Nevertheless, it's quite a coup, seeing as Caramac's now met its Waterloo!
Phillip
Phillip, re: 'the English'
Personally, I am in favour of following through on the logic of Brexit, and breaking up the failed experiment of 'England' so the ancient lands of Northumbria, Cornwall, Mercia, the People's Republic of South Yorkshire and the rest can take back control.
With a border poll to give Merseyside the option of becoming the 33rd county of the Irish Republic, obviously.
-sean
Sean:
I know it’s silly, but when I first started seriously contemplating who would have been available to take over drawing Spider-man if Romita had declined, I went thru my list of potential candidates and eventually started imagining a world where images of Spidey drawn by George Tuska would be re-purposed as stickers and package art and t-shirts and lunchboxes and came to the conclusion that if Tuska had been Ditko’s replacement, Spidey wouldn’t have become nearly as popular as he did in this continuum, and therefore Marvel itself probably wouldn’t have thrived and might even have gone out of business, meaning we’d be living in a world with no Panther’s Rage, no Starlin Captain Marvel, no Barry Smith Conan, no Master of Kung Fu, no Tomb of Dracula or Werewolf By Night or GIANT-SIZE MAN-THING, no Frank Miller Daredevil, etc etc and it actually made me sad for a bleak minute.
Look, I understand how ridiculous this is. To put things into the proper perspective, I just saw an article at POLITICO.com about JFK only narrowly beating Nixon back in 1960 and postulating that if Nixon had won, the world would probably have been annihilated in a nuclear war with the USSR.
So…happy Sunday, everyone :)
b.t.
b.t., Maybe looking at it the other way round would make you less sad.
Like, what if George Tuska DID actually replace Ditko? Maybe it was an alteration in the time stream that changed that, with Panthers Rage, Starlin's Mar-Vell, Barry Smith's Conan and the rest - and our memories of them - only popping into existence last week?
-sean
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