Thursday, 27 June 2024

June 29th 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
***

Don't cry for me, Argentina?

It seems that, this week in 1974, they weren't, because it was the week in which Isabel Perón was sworn in as the first female president of that country, replacing her ailing husband Juan Perón who opted to die just two days later.

On the UK singles chart, even as that was happening, another woman was making an impact

That woman was the one the world knew only as She.

However, she was not the She of the, "Must be obeyed," variety. She was She of the, "Being sung about by Charles Aznavour," variety. And, at that very moment, she was the She of, "Being at Number One on the UK singles chart," variety.

There was, however, no change atop the accompanying LP chart, with David Bowie's Diamond Dogs retaining the top slot it had grabbed several weeks earlier.

The Mighty World of Marvel #91, the Hulk

It's another timeless classic, as Bruce Banner reunites with an old classmate and the pair create a machine designed to rid Bruce - and the world - of the menace of the Hulk forever.

At least that's what they think but all it succeeds in doing is splitting Bruce and Hulkie-Baby into two totally separate characters.

And one of those is a mindless beast who wants nothing but the total destruction of the other!

I do believe this issue concludes the Daredevil/Ka-Zar storyline. And, if I remember correctly, that means the jungle hero gets put on trial in merry olde Englande, for some crime or other, while DD must stop the larcenous lordship that is the Plunderer.

But how easy can that be when the man's toting his plastic, melty, bendy gun?

I also believe this'll be the last time we see the man without fear for some while, as he appears to disappear from the book from next week onwards.

Still very much present - though not totally correct - are the Fantastic Four. But not to despair, as this is the issue in which they finally manage to get the Thing to stop wanting to kill them and get him to concentrate on the job at hand, which is beating up the Frightful Four.

The Avengers #41, Shang-Chi

I suspect it may be another case of Shang-Chi going for a stroll and promptly being attacked by an assassin.

This time, the assassin's a samurai called Korain, hired by a minor hood who's out to collect the bounty on our hero's head. 

But what's this, the wannabe killer has to keep drinking a potion to prevent himself from ageing to death?

I can't see this ending well for the man.

Elsewhere, the Avengers finally manage to overcome the deadly interstellar menace of the Ultroids, even after those villains have set their giant robot on the gang.

But perhaps the greatest drama of the tale is that the abducted local burgomeister only goes and turns out to have been the leader of the Ultroids all along!

I think Doccy Strange is still battling Umar but I can relate few details of just what occurs in the scrap.

Spider-Man Comics Weekly #72, the Green Goblin is back

John Romita's classic cover heralds the arrival of a never-to-be-forgotten epic, as Norman Osborn regains his memories of being the Green Goblin and sets out to avenge himself upon his hated rival. All true believers will know this is reprinted from the pages of 1968's mammoth publication Spectacular Spider-Man #2.

But what new and endless madness assails me? As far as I can determine, there's no sign of Iron Man to be found in this entire issue!

Thor, meanwhile, returns to Earth following his encounter with Ego and the Colonizers, only to discover Jane Foster's still missing.

Thus, he sets out to find her, little suspecting the nurse has landed a job teaching the High Evolutionary's New Men in the mysterious and hidden kingdom of Wundagore.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steve - Probably, with Shang-Chi, the assassin thing's just because Kwai Chang Caine had a bounty on his head & had at least 3 episodes with assassins hunting him. Similarly, Iron Fist had Caine's thing about lifting the cauldron with the dragon/tiger brands, and then collapsing in the snow. So, between Shang Chi & Iron Fist, Marvel plundered Kung Fu for all it was worth!

Phillip

Anonymous said...

Charles never ever thought he’d see Charles. Avnazour mentioned here. Jaques Brel perhaps… but not Avnazour. Chapeau!

Anonymous said...

Don't cry for me Argentina? That was Eva Perón, Steve, not Isabel.

What was Perónism? Its long been debated whether it was a fascist movement, or simply influenced by fascism. I say that doesn't sound too good either way, so who cares? And good riddance.

You're right that like last week the Shangalang-Chi story is one that starts with a stroll. In fairness to Marvel though, thats because its the same story as last week, with Avengers reprinting the second half of MOKF #20, in which our bay city stroller hero fights Korain on Jim Steranko's yacht.

-sean

dangermash said...

Pretty sure this is where I first start keeping my SMCW comics in a box rather than throwing them away every week.

Anonymous said...


Some highlights from this week in 1974 on the U.S. Top 40 charts:

1. SUNDOWN - Gordon Lightfoot
3. YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW - The Stylistics
6. ROCK THE BOAT - The Hues Corporation
9. ROCK YOUR BABY - George McRae
20. SIDESHOW - Blue Magic
21. MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS - Maria Muldaur
28. MY GIRL BILL - Jim Stafford
29. RADAR LOVE - Golden Earring
30. WATERLOO - Abba

b.t.

Anonymous said...

b.t. - My family met the Hues Corporation (or at least one of them!) As a little kid, however, I didn't know what the Hues Corporation was, or realize it was famous (this was a few years after their hey-day!) I'd never even heard 'Rock the Boat'. We've still got a signed (?) album, and some kind of photo booklet (albeit it's sun-damaged, being taller than the vinyl albums it's stacked amongst). Also, there's some photos/colour-slides my dad took (I seem to remember we had a meal, of some sort!) Well, that's my claim to fame. A hazy memory of meeting at least one member of a band nobody in the UK's heard of!

Phillip

Steve W. said...

Sean. Wait. What? You mean there was a reason they called that musical Evita?

Anonymous said...

Who knew, Steve?

-sean

Anonymous said...

Seriously?? All this time I though it was a musical about highly-processed cheese “food” — VELVEETA

b.t.

Anonymous said...

No - it's a type of crispbread - RYVITA!

Phillip

Anonymous said...

b.t.-

'74 was a great year for music. No doubt about it.
I always thought "Rock Your Baby" was sublime.

Phil-

About brushes with musical fame, my brother has a buddy from California who says his mother...ah, "dated" Burton Cummings. Back in the early '70's, I guess.
It's probably true. It's too random to make up.

M.P.

Anonymous said...

M.P. - Yeah - I'm semi-embarrassed even mentioning it. Your brother's buddy and I both probably feel like tiny lizards telling people they knew a T-rex. But, like you say, nobody'd make up meeting a band that's so obscure nobody's heard of it!

Phillip

Anonymous said...

There is a Tesco in Budapest! If only Colin was around to give me some tips!

Charlie

Anonymous said...

Charlie - Does it sell goulash?

Phillip

Anonymous said...


Phillip:

Speaking of T-Rex, just a few days ago I came across a pic of Marc Bolan holding a copy of CREATURES ON THE LOOSE featuring Man-Wolf. Dude was apparently into comics. I know you were actually talking about a very different type of T-Rex but I couldn’t resist…

M.P. :

A woman I know was once cat-fished by a guy pretending to be Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos. I believe that means I win the ‘Second Hand Brush With Musical Fame’ contest :D

b.t.

Anonymous said...

b.t. - Brushes with fame (second hand/or at however many removes) could be a 'Speak Your Brain' topic! "Dating" those individuals is "dating" the thousands of others they've "dated" too - so, probably not good for personal health!

Charlie - Tesco = T.E. S(tockwell) & Co(hen) - I don't know how to highlight the appropriate letters, so I've used brackets to exclude other letters!

Phillip

McSCOTTY said...

M P. - Marc Bolan was a big Marvel fan. He met Stan Lee and there was even and interview with him in UK Marvel around 1975/76.

Anonymous said...

Phil-

That guy who imitated Bun. E. Carlos on line clearly was not aiming for the fences. He was managing expectations. He wasn't pretending to be Zander, for chrissakes. It was almost plausible.
Who knows what kinda trouble the real Bun got into?

McScotty-

I was already a Marc Bolan fan before you told me that!
Now even more so.

...I shook hands with Eric Bloom once at a concert in the '80's. Does that count for a brush with greatness?
He seemed pretty cool.
Sunglasses, hair, cigarette, the whole nine yards.
I babbled something like "Great concert! I've been a fan of you guys since I was a kid!"
He shook my hand and said something like "Hey, thanks, man."

...and that's pretty much it. Another anecdote without any point whatsoever.

M.P.

Anonymous said...

Charlie always visits book stores to assess the level of intellectualism in a culture. The local “non-Hungarian language “ book store in Budapest hads, of all things, the Penguin Classic volumes of Ff, Spidey, Xmen, et al. I did not even know such things existed!

I did not even know they would be considered classics or literature, lol.

Charlie opted for The latest issue of “Paris Match “ which is completely dedicated to François Hardee.

Alas… Charlie was and still is a bit sad to learn of her passing. And Charlie really stil enjoys those pictures of her and Jagger together from 60 years ago. Classic 60s!

Anonymous said...

Here you go Charlie, Francoise Hardy and Malcolm McLaren -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf330orV65w

And a heads up to everyone that McLaren's 'Paris' was reissued this month. First time on vinyl.

-sean

Anonymous said...

M.P. - You could've asked Bloom to get you a meet-up with Moorcock. Now that anecdote you could've dined out for a month on!

Phillip

Anonymous said...

*Name dropper alert*
I've spoken with Michael Moorcock a few times, Phillip. He used to be very accessible and chatty (he probably still is if you live in Austin, Texas).

-sean

Anonymous said...

Details, Sean!

Phillip