May 11th 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 it's true that, as Paul Young once told me, everything must change, there was little evidence of that atop the UK single and album charts of exactly fifty years ago, with ABBA's Waterloo and the Carpenters' The Singles 1969-1973 retaining their respective holds on their respective Number One slots.

Obviously, one is a lover of all things ABBA but other tracks I approved of on that week's UK Hit Parade chart were:

Sugar Baby Love - the Rubettes

Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks

Everyday - Slade

This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us - Sparks

Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley and his Comets

I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) - Genesis

There's a Ghost in My House - R. Dean Taylor

Emma - Hot Chocolate

I Can't Stand the Rain - Ann Peebles

America - David Essex

Judy Teen - Cockney Rebel

and

W.O.L.D. - Harry Chapin.

Should you wish to investigate such matters in greater depth, that week's UK singles chart may be found here.

While its parallel album chart resides within.

Interesting to note that the Wombles have two singles in the Top 40.

Quality stuff.

It's the Hulk's toughest battle yet, as he has to combat the copycat criminality of the Absorbing Man!

And, as far as I can remember, he doesn't do much of a job of combating it, as Absorby wins the fight...

...only to lose the battle with gravity when he discovers that trying to hold up a mountain, using the absorbed strength of an unconscious Bruce Banner, is what some might call a, "tactical error."

Lovers of Daredevil will be devastated to discover his strip is once more absent from this comic.

But they'll be delighted to discover it's because he's present in the Fantastic Four's strip!

You guessed it, tiger, it's the one in which, after being nuked by the Frightful Four, the team have lost their super-powers, and Doctor Doom takes advantage of it by seizing control of the Baxter Building.

Fortunately, Daredevil's on hand to assist the heroes in their quest to remove their armour-clad squatter.

That's a noticeably dynamic cover from Ron Wilson.

Inside, Jim Starlin may have departed the strip but we don't have too much to complain about because Paul Gulacy takes his place, as Shang-Chi finally agrees to assist Sir Denis Nayland Smith in his war against his own father.

That's Shang-Chi's father. Not Sir Denis Nayland Smith's. Waging war on Sir Denis' father would be a total waste of time when there's a Fu Manchu to be stopped.

Elsewhere, the Avengers find themselves up against the Living Laser who you wouldn't have thought would be much of a challenge for them but, no doubt, they'll make a right old Horlicks of trying to thwart him.

But what's this? He's decided the best way to make the Wasp fall in love with him is to kill her boyfriend? That well known way of winning over a woman?

Having said that, didn't Yellowjacket win her over by claiming to have killed her boyfriend?

And it worked for him.

Meanwhile, it's all kicking off and bowing out in Dr Strange's strip when Dormammu and Eternity decide to have a punch-up in what I think may be Steve Ditko's last story on the strip.

Can the universe survive such a clash?

And can the strip survive such a departure?

Can it be? Has the Vulture finally defeated Spider-Man?

Not as far as I can remember but he does flee the scene, leaving Spider-Man to spend some valuable, "Me Time," being unconscious.

Meanwhile, the Melter's still causing trouble at Tony Stark's factory - and it seems our hero's helpless to stop him.

However, the villain hasn't counted on one thing. Iron Man's ability to whip up some armour that's so aluminium that the Melter's gun is incapable of harming it.

And, finally, Thor's still battling to rescue Hercules from Hades!

And, at last, he finally manages it!

But, now, it looks like he's going to have to rescue Jane Foster who's having all sorts of problems with her flatmate from space.