Fifty years ago today - November 1974.

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

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Strap yourself in. We're on a journey - and we're not stopping until we plough into 1974!

The Celestial Madonna Saga rumbles on, and on, and on - although I'm not sure when the Vision developed the ability to fire force blasts from his hands.

It's one of my favourite Conan tales, as he and Red Sonja find themselves in a tower inhabited by a pair of sex-mad sorcering siblings who haven't failed to notice that their new guests are on the attractive side.

And it's one of my Daredevil faves, as the horny hero finds himself facing a Death-Stalker who comes to a rather unfortunate ending, thanks to the forces of gravity and a vat of acid.

Or does he?

I don't think I've ever read this issue but I have reason to believe Mahkizmo is the villain responsible for our quartet's dreadful plight.

I have, however, read this issue. And I should have because history is made when Wolverine makes his full debut.

But, as he battles both the Hulk and Wendigo, unknown to the three of them, plans are afoot, to transfer the curse of the Wendigo onto the Hulk. 

Maybe it's just me but it sounds like a perfect moment for an act of self-sacrifice by a supporting character.

But forget Wolverine. Iron Man's so tough he can smash through paper!

Other than that knowledge, I possess near-total ignorance of what occurs in this one.

I do, though, know that that pound-shop Mandarin, the Yellow Claw, is involved.

The Mindworm makes his debut and is out to take control of an entire community, including Flash Thompson!

I've always liked this tale.

No one else seems to.

What kind of madness has afflicted mankind?

I've genuinely not got a clue what happens in this one - and the cover's furnishing me no hints.

Scooping deep into the depths of my memory, I'm going to guess Steve Rogers has decided to give up being Captain America.

But he then has to foil a master criminal who's handy with a bow and arrow.

Who then turns out to be Hawkeye who adopted the guise in order to convince Steve to go back to heroing.

That's Marvel's big hitters triumphantly dealt with.

But what of that other body? The body the world knows as DC? Just how would a random sampling of its output that bears the cover date November 1974 look?

Three tales of mystery and intrigue greet us, as we encounter yarns that bear such spine-chilling titles as Blind Child's Bluff!, The Price and Flight into Fright.

I must confess my memory of these masterpieces is sketchy but I do know the final one features both Dracula and Quasimodo and is, possibly, a light-hearted yarn.

Come to think of it, I feel like they might all be light-hearted yarns. I suspect light-hearted yarnery may be the USP of this particular title.

Frank Robbins arrives with full force - and does so with a cover which should compel anyone with a pulse to buy this book immediately.

Inside, we encounter the melodrama of a glamorous Broadway star, a possessive mobster, and a hunchback blessed with zero intelligence and an urge to protect our acting sensation.

It's the only issue I ever owned of this mag, and its triptych of terror treats us to The Thirteenth Floor!, Satan's Sister! and The Girl Who Walked on Water!

All are 1950s reprints. The last one is by Simon and Kirby, and the middle one features a detective and an evil twin.

No wonder I bought it. It all sounds more than worthy of my 20 cents.

It's the clash we all wanted to see, when the man of steel must take on Sean Connery!

Yes, it's true. Fresh from making Zardoz, the uniquely-dressed Scot decides to murder Lois Lane!

But wait. What's this? The comic's trying to disguise the fact that he's Sean Connery? By calling him Vartox?

I don't care what lowdown tricks DC pulls. I know who he really is.

It's a tale we'll never forget, as Iron Mike Grell and Adequate Arnold Drake bring us the Phantom Stranger's first encounter with Deadman who's still in search of the man who killed him.

It does make me wonder why Deadie doesn't just contact Jim Corrigan to do it. I can't help feeling that particular detective would solve the case very very quickly.

Anyway, despite me claiming that no one could forget this tale, I'm struggling to recall what happens in it, other than that the vengeance-happy ghost keeps flitting from body to body, and suspects a gangster may be the guilty party.

And, also, that the Stranger keeps randomly appearing to lecture him, while making no effort whatsoever to help him.

Secret Oranges brings us the oranges of Robin the Boy Wonder and Aquaman the wet wonder, via the medium of reprints.

While I remember the Robin story pretty well, I must confess I recall nothing at all of the Aquaman tale. In my head, it's exactly the same as the origin of the Sub-Mariner, although I suspect it's not, in reality.

Regardless, this would appear to be the last issue of this mag.

It must be our lucky month because, not only do we get the epic meeting of the Phantom Stranger and Deadman, we also get the unification of Batman and Manhunter!

We've followed the Manhunter's progress through the last few months of this mag but, at last, that progress comes to an end, as the huge-sleeved adventurer finally stops the secret organisation that revived him.

Unfortunately, he stops himself as well.

Explosively.

Needless to say, as this is a hundred-page comic, other tales greet us. And they star the likes of the Spectre, Green Lantern and Creeper.

It's another of those DC Limited Collectors' Editions I never encountered anywhere in the wild.

This time, it's the granddaddy of all super-heroes who gets the treatment, thanks to a bunch of reprints including The Origin of Superman.

There's also a look at Superman on the Screen, a guide on How to Draw Superman and the obligatory table-top diorama.

And we finish with a book that allows us to re-experience the joy of reading 1940's Whiz Comics #2.

Strangely, as well as the original Captain Marvel, this book also contains a Dan Dare adventure.

Although I suspect it's not the same character as the British Dan Dare.