February 9th 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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Even as I type these fateful words, snow is falling all around me but, like a trooper, I shall plough on and see what lies hidden in the drifts of the roadside ditch that humankind knows as History.

It's one I've never read but that cover's making me wish I had.

It would seem our heroes ally themselves with Princess Ravonna in an attempt to stave off an invasion by Kang the Conquerer.

But what's this? It seems the inveterate loser Kang is somehow victorious?

However, his troops soon put a stop to that because they then rebel and he's forced to seek the assistance of the people he's just been fighting.

That's all well and good but what's Dr Strange up to?

Sadly, it's a question I'm incapable of answering.

Which is as it should be, bearing in mind the cover says he's facing unknown danger.

Spidey's still suffering from amnesia - but there's one man who can't forget.

And neither can he forgive.

That man is J Jonah Jameson and, when Ka-Zar arrives in New York, the publisher does his best to convince the jungle lord to bring the webbed wonder to justice.

This is, I detect, a noticeably similar storyline to the one which first introduced Kraven the Hunter to the comics readers of this world.

In his adventure, Iron Man's still having to deal with the seemingly prehistoric peril of Gargantus.

Happily, Shellhead quickly realises his foe's a robot and uses the transistor-powered might of his magnets to tear the machine to pieces, prompting its alien creators to abandon their plans for invasion.

And, finally, this issue, having returned to Midgard, Thor reveals his secret identity to Jane Foster.

But he has no time dwell upon the decision, as he must zoom off to Asia to confront the freshly-spawned menace of the Demon.

It's the most epic clash of them all, as the Hulk and Subby come blow to blow when the Avenging Son thinks there's something going on between Bruce Banner and Lady Dorma.

Needless to say, there's no such hanky been pankied but try telling that to Captain Hair-Trigger.

Back on dry land, the stultifying Stiltman makes his awe-inspiring debut when Nelson and Murdock find themselves hired by a disgruntled scientist who says his boss has stolen his invention.

And this week's issue is completed when cash-stacked globalist Gregory Gideon makes a bet that his limitless wealth can succeed where the world's super-villains have failed - and defeat the Fantastic Four.

And, to do it, he even acquires Dr Doom's time machine which has just been left lying around in its castle.