March 8th, 1975 - 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. 

***

50 years ago, this week, I made a discovery that would change my life and probably alter the entire course of human history.

That's right. It was the week in which I discovered Conan is pronounced Coe-nann and not Connun.

How did I discover that?

Because none other than Stan Lee himself appeared on ITV children's magazine show Magpie to plug the launch of Marvel UK's two new comics, The Super-Heroes and Savage Sword of Conan.

Not only that but he did so by appearing dressed up as J Jonah Jameson while presenter Mick Robertson was dressed as Spider-Man.

I believe it was also the first time I'd ever seen Stan Lee on TV, although I could be wrong.

But what else was occurring in the world?

March 8th, 1975, was a crucial date when it came to TV because that was the day on which, evil creator of the Daleks, Davros first appeared in Doctor Who; finally, after all those years, giving the tyrannical trash cans a clearly-defined origin story.

And what of the UK singles chart? That was treated to a brand new Number One, as Telly Savalas managed the unlikely feat of topping the British Hit Parade thanks to his cover of the David Gates song If.

But there was no change atop the corresponding album chart, with Status Quo's On the Level retaining its supremacy.

That Telly Savalas track is, of course, a unique musical experience few will ever forget but other songs I approved of on that week's UK singles chart were:

Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) - Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel

Only You Can - Fox

Shame, Shame, Shame - Shirley and Company

Dreamer - Supertramp

How Does It Feel? - Slade

Your Kiss Is Sweet - Syreeta

Angie Baby - Helen Reddy

January - Pilot

and

Shoorah Shoorah - Betty Wright.

Should you wish to investigate the matter in greater depth, that singles chart can be located here.

While the adjacent album rankings reside within.

And blow me down if it's not the very first issue of one of the books I was just talking about, as the Silver Surfer gets his own mag and is now free to inflict his unique brand of self-pity and sanctimony upon the good people of Britain.

This being the sensational first issue that we the readers demanded, we do, of course, encounter the first half of the Surfer's origin, as relayed to us by John Buscema and Stan Lee.

But that's not all. We also find the first half of the opening outing for the X-Men when a man called Magneto hijacks an American missile base and has plans to do bad things with it.

I'm not totally sure what those bad things'll be but my God will they be bad.

And Conan too hits the shops with a vengeance!

But how ironic that he and the Surfer should get their own mags in the same week. Were there ever two characters who were more the polar opposite of each other? One, all moping and speechifying. The other, a man of few words, with barely any capacity for moping at all.

But was Conan technically Marvel's first British hero? I suppose it depends on exactly where Cimmeria was.

Personally, I like to think it was somewhere near Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

And Conan's not the only thwarter of wizards in this book. For its backup strip features the man who preceded him in more ways than one; King Kull.

I do believe we also receive a free poster with this issue. It's Neal Adams cover artwork for  the US Savage Sword of Conan #2.

It's time for mind-splitting sensation, as we finally discover the true identity of the Schemer and just why he has it in for the Kingpin!

Admittedly, I think every single person who's been following this saga's already guessed the answer to both those questions, what with them having been somewhat telegraphed.

Elsewhere, the good news for Tony Stark is Happy Hogan's finally stopped being the Freak.

The bad news is Tony's now been ordered to testify to Congress about something or other.

The even worse news is that, on his way to testifying about something or other, he's teleported all the way to China by the Mandarin - and the Mandarin has a giant robot called Ultimo!

But Stark's problems are nothing compared to those of Thor. Not only has he been killed by the Wrecker, he recovers just in time to see the crowbar-carrying buffoon get flattened by the Destroyer. Which means our hero must now fight that unstoppable engine of destruction - totally oblivious to the fact it contains the spirit of his beloved Sif!

Marvel UK seems to be merrily printing the Hulk's adventures out of order. No sooner has our first Jarella encounter ended than we get a second. The one in which she visits our world, making Bruce Banner's day but quickly discovering she has to go back home or the sun will explode.

Meanwhile, I think Daredevil's still blind and still having to deal with the menace of Mr Hyde and the Cobra.

And the Fantastic Four are, yet again, trying to get the better of a Cosmic-powered Dr Doom.

Here's an odd issue because, not only do we get Part 2 of the armrest gripper in which the Avengers go back in time to discover just what happened to Bucky on the day he exploded, we also get a second Avengers adventure.

You probably guessed, from that cover, that it's a continuation of the ongoing Dr Strange storyline in which Ymir and Surtur have been unleashed upon Earth, and the good doctor must seek assistance from the world's mightiest team and the Black Knight, in order to tackle them

But, before all that, I do believe we encounter the final part of the triptych in which Iron Fist, Shang-Chi and the Sons of the Tiger must each thwart one third of Fu Manchu's latest scheme.

And, this week, it's Shang-Chi's turn to hog the spotlight.

I take it, from the cover, that the Jason and Alexander serial's concluded.

And I'm fairly certain that means we're getting the tale in which, following a battle between men and apes, a wounded gorilla and human must work together if they're to survive.

Even better, the week's second story is Marvel's adaptation of Black Destroyer in which an alien big cat is adopted by the crew of a spaceship, then sets about killing them off, one by one, before trying to steal their ship!

A less than stellar cover greets us but do we care about that when that cover informs us we're about to meet the man who will go on to become Marvel's first major movie star?

I can only mean Blade who encounters the king of the vampires on a cruise ship.

Next, I do believe Frankenstein's Monster is cheated of the revenge he wishes to inflict upon the last descendant of his creator.

And, to close the issue, Jack Russell's ordered to kill a reclusive millionaire, by a man who's holding his sister prisoner!

The Marvel Lucky Bag - March 1975.

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

***

Moving pictures. What a marvellous diversion from the stresses, strains, indignities and vicissitudes of life they can be.

But just what was offering to divert us, should we deign to enter our local movie theatre in this month during 1975?

There were more than three movies in the world but these are the three I've actually heard of: Terror of Mechagodzilla, Tommy and Escape to Witch Mountain.

I must confess that, after much consideration, I would plump for Escape to Witch Mountain from that list, if I had to re-watch one of them, even though I recall seeing the trailer for Tommy in Mansfield Road's now demolished Rex Cinema, as a child. It was the cinema in which I ate my first Curly Wurly.

But, as we all know, not all pictures have to move in order for them to move us.

Some of them can be static.

And printed upon paper.

In the format that mankind knows as comics.

Drama heeds no limits when the Headmen unleash a wave of madness across the city, in order to distract our idols, as the cranially committed crooks commit a crushing crescendo of diabolical jewel thefts.

It's a classic Mike Kaluta cover for a memorable issue when Marvel gives us War Toy in which the US military builds a robot to fight its wars for it but he turns out to be far more sentient than they might want such a thing to be.

I do always wonder if the makers of Short Circuit read this strip before creating that film.

Next, we find an interview with Alfred Bester.

Then, we get tales bearing such titles as Adam... and No Eve, The Hunter and the Hunted, Specimen and, of course, The Day of the Triffids Chapters 4 &5.

I do believe that nearly all the tales featured in this issue will later be reprinted in Marvel UK's Planet of the Apes weekly.

Tales of the Zombie hits its last-ever issue. And does so with an Earl Norem cover we'll never forget.

It also does so with a 21-page thriller in which Brother Voodoo travels all the way to Haiti to stop Dramabu and his zombie army.

Next, there's a story in which someone called Dr Harris discovers an agency that supplies zombies for all your needs.

Then we find a chiller in which a voodoo priestess inflicts vengeance upon a judge who likes to kill his prisoners.

And we finish with one in which the dead take revenge upon the robbers of their graves.

It's double trouble for all mankind, as Dr Doom and the Sub-Mariner seemingly team up, although it has to be said the cover doesn't exactly scream at me that they're on the same side.

Then again, perhaps they're not. As far as I can make out, this epic sees Diablo abduct Valeria in a bid to force Doom to partner with him. I predict this is not a move that shall end happily for the alchemist.

And how Subby fits into all that, I cannot say.

The Hulk gets his very own Treasury Edition and, in it, has to fight Hercules who's on his way to forge a career for himself in Hollywood.

He must also battle the Thing when the Leader and Kurrgo have a bet as to which of the two bruisers would win a scrap.

There is, too, his first encounter with Doc Samson - and a Marie Severin drawn clash with the Sub-Mariner that involves the Puppet Master.

But, of course, the biggest struggle for Jade Jaws is he has to fight almost every foe he's ever encountered, when the Leader creates mental projections of them and unleashes them upon our hero.

Needless to say, it all backfires disastrously for the big-bonced bonkers bounder.

A dramatic Perez/Romita cover invites us to read a pulse-raiser in which, as far as I can remember, John Jameson and his shaggy alter-ego encounter some kind of illegal smuggling operation run by a one-legged man and must risk everything to stop it for reasons I don't recall.

I'm fairly certain that, despite what the cover suggests, Fearless Frank only comes up against one pig-man-monster in this issue. But I'm sure it's quite enough.

Having said that, it turns out not to be quite enough, as the patchwork protagonist defeats it with ease.

Probably of more immediate concern to him is someone called Cardinal who seems to work for a criminal organisation called ICON and has his very own warehouse. Never underestimate a man who has his own warehouse.

I remember little of this issue's main tale, other than that Dr Petrie puts in an appearance and seems to be alive and well, despite having been previously murdered by Shang-Chi.

We also encounter a Yellow Claw adventure reprinted from 1956's Yellow Claw #2. It seems to feature a group of mutants, which is a very modern thing for a comic book story from the mid-1950s to feature.

I think we can all guess this is the one in which the Panther enters a mysterious valley and discovers his rivals for control of Wakanda are rounding up dinosaurs to use in an attack on his kingdom.

It's the only issue of Tomb of Darkness I've ever possessed and it's one that features a story in which a mobster seeks to join a lodge. This leads to the reluctant lodge members subjecting him to their toughest initiation test of them all.

It also features a tale in which an actor who despises his fans gets his wish to be left alone, when he loses the ability to see other human beings.

Next, a reporter's driven to murder his editor, in order to create a great news story.

And, finally, a scientist looking for volunteers to spend the rest of their lives buried in a time capsule settles upon a husband and his overly-talkative wife.

Given that this is a 1970s colour Marvel horror anthology, you may have guessed that all of these morality tales are reprints from the early 1950s.

Fifty years ago today - March 1975.

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

***

The Past. No one knows where it resides but everyone knows where to find it.

Right here.

Holy shooting heck, we're about to get the shocking reveal of just who Mantis's dad is!

And he's one of the Avengers' naughtiest foes!

And the Celestial Madonna Saga still isn't over!

Red Sonja's back but there's no sign of her on the front cover.

That's because she isn't in the main tale. Instead, she has an adventure all of her own. One in which she's captured by someone called Vincentius before escaping and giving him the good killing he's asking for.

The issue's main story, however, is called The Rats Dance at Ravengard! and adapted from Gardner F Fox's Kothar and the Conjurer's Curse.

I've definitely read this tale but can't remember anything that happens in it.

The internet, however, informs me that Nomad fights Gamecock, Roscoe dies and Steve Rogers again becomes Captain America.

Seriously? There's a Marvel character called Gamecock?

The Crusher's back!

Wasn't he from Cuba or somewhere?

Or am I thinking of someone else?

Either way, it doesn't matter because this isn't the real Crusher.

Instead, this is a boxer from the gym where Daredevil's dad used to train. One who's somehow managed to acquire the powers of the original Crusher.

Is this the one with the imitation Shalla-Bal being used in some mad plot by Dr Doom to control the Silver Surfer?

And then it turns out she's actually the real Shalla-Bal?

But the Surfer never discovers that?

I must confess I'm struggling to remember exact details about it or of just how it is that Shalla-Bal manages to end up in Latveria.

Thunderbolt Ross manages to get his hands on his own equivalent of the Spider-Slayer.

Needless to say, such a wobbly-looking contraption proves to be no match for the Hulk.

But it does have a satellite dish. So, at least he'll be able to watch Sky News while he's inside it.

I am 100% certain I've never read this book. And I'm 100% certain I don't know what happens in it.

But I do note that it's tagged, "Fury in a Far-Off Land," which does make me wonder just how many Marvel stories have managed to use that tagline over the years?

And is it more or less than the number that have proudly declared, "Lo, There Shall Be an Ending!"?

How can you not love a cover like that?

Though I suppose the fact we all know Mysterio's a master of illusion does somewhat lessen its ability to stun the senses.

Let's face it, if it had been Aunt May who was removing her own head, that'd be a whole other matter.

But, of course, just as this month's Crusher isn't the real Crusher, this month's Mysterio isn't the bona fide deal either. In fact, he's an old friend of the allegedly deceased villain, who's merely adopted his act.

Nope. No idea what happens in this one.

It looks like bad news for Midgard, though.

Thus are Marvel's greatest heroes disposed of.

But what of that company's greatest rival?

For purposes of context, let us visit a random sampling of what DC comics was offering which bore the same cover date.

We're well and truly into the Mike Grell era and encountering a tale in which the Legion of Super-Heroes discover that foul futuristic fiend filled with felonies, fury and fighting finkdom Universo has escaped.

This brings them into contact with a Science Police officer called Dvron.

But will he help them apprehend Universo?

Or will he hinder them?

That's followed by Lightning Lad's Day of Dread in which the tale's titular character honours the first anniversary of his parents' death by visiting the place where they died.

But, there, he encounters his crime-loving brother Lightning Lord...

Do I detect a Nick Cardy tribute to the cover of Flash #123?

I suspect I do.

Inside, from what I can recall, the Superman Revenge Squad are out to kill our hero but he thwarts them by using the services of an actor who plays him in a TV show.

That's followed by a yarn titled Find Black Canary, Dead... or Alive!

From memory, I'm going to assume that's the one in which the heroine's been kidnapped and the Green Arrow has to rescue her.

Everyone knows I love a good horror comic. And I have no doubts at all this'll prove to be such a beast.

Having said that, I recall nothing of the tales in this one.

I do know we kick off with a chiller called Almost Human which is followed by a thriller called The Lottery.

And that's followed by nothing at all because it seems there are only two tales in this issue, rather than the usual three.

I've never read this one but the Grand Comics Database assures me the five spine-tinglers in it are called When You Were Alive!, The Girl in the Grave!, My Dolly Is the Devil!, Send Us Your Dreams and It!

All of them are 1950s reprints and a number of them are the handiwork of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

Frank Robbins' stint on the strip continues but the cover's by Joe Kubert.

Within, we find The Night of the Falling Death! in which the hat-wearing hero must thwart a bout of smuggling at Niagara Falls.

But just how are the miscreants doing that smuggling?

And how does it involve a stuntwoman who likes to impress the crowds by going over the falls in a barrel?

And, because we have an insatiable appetite for the character, there's also a two-page history of the Shadow's appearances in various media.

Jim Aparo creates another memorable cover but it's Gerry Talaoc who illustrates the insides.

As far as I can remember, a man determined to revive his dead wife abducts the Phantom Stranger, in order to transfer his life force into that woman.

Needless to say, it all goes wrong for the man, and the Stranger lives to lecture us all another day.

That's followed by a Black Orchid tale called Operation Frame-Up! in which a villain uses a super-computer to plan his crimes.

Until the Orchid's access to X-rays, rubber masks and robots puts a stop to it.

March 1st, 1975 - 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. 

***

In Britain, we might have spent the early 1970s complaining about our comics being in black and white.

But in Australia, they had to put up with their TV shows being in black and white.

But that was all about to end.

Because this was the week in which that fair land's broadcasters finally switched to full colour.

Now, at last, viewers could see just what colour Skippy was.

Thinking about it, I think he was grey.

A bit of a waste of money switching to colour, really.

I am, of course, working on an assumption that Skippy was the only thing being broadcast on Australian TV in the 1970s. Which I'm sure must be true.

When it came to the UK singles chart, that was still being dominated by the stop-start magic of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel's Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me).

While the summit of the parallel album chart was now claimed by none other than Status Quo, with their latest platter that mattered On the Level.

Maybe it's just me but I don't recall the Schemer ever managing to be this dynamic in the actual story.

For that matter, I don't remember him having death-gas either.

I do, though, remember him having death-beef with the Kingpin. And, as far as I'm aware, that death-beef continues in this very issue.

Meanwhile, Iron Man's up against the Freak, otherwise known as Happy Hogan. And the musclebound maniac's only gone and abducted Pepper Potts!

Can Tony Stark's Enervator - the device that created the Freak in the first place - possibly be the route to stopping him and curing Happy?

Meanwhile, out on the streets of New York, The Wrecker's succeeded in killing Thor.

And that can only lead to Hela putting in an appearance.

But, somehow, our hero manages to talk his way out of being dead. When my time comes, I'm definitely going to see if that works for me as well.

And there's more good news for the thunder god because, determined to stop the Wrecker, Sif and Balder come up with a great plan.

They'll reactivate the Destroyer.

What could possibly go wrong?

I do believe we get the ceiling-shattering conclusion to the Hulk's first visit to the home world of Jarella, when Psyklop breaks up their happy relationship - only to get on the wrong side of his own dark gods!

I do believe Daredevil's still blind, thanks to the antics of the Cobra and Mr Hyde and is going to have to make them think he's not blind at all, mostly by walking around on a tightrope while not being able to see.

And things are also looking bad for the Fantastic Four in their struggle with the now-cosmically-powered Dr Doom.

Or perhaps they're not.

Because Reed Richards has come up with just the device to stop him.

A robot bat!

What's that it says in that blurb on the left? "Fifty fingers of death!"? That's like the world's worst marketing for the signature product of Findus.

Inside, we find the first part of the only story I've ever read that contains the Sons of the Tiger, as they try to stop Fu Manchu getting up to some naughtiness or other at the United Nations building.

Following that, we encounter a classic Avengers adventure when the gang go back in time - via Dr Doom's time machine - in a bid to find out just what happened in the incident that killed or didn't kill Bucky.

And I think you can guess that means plenty of Zemo, rockets and giant robots.

I think it also means a mention of Marilyn Monroe, even though the story's set in the 1940s.

And, of course, Dr Strange and the Black Knight are in another realm and trying to survive the menace of Tiboro!

The Cowering Blonde of Gil Kane is back.

Inside the book, Dracula's still in A Town Called Death!

Elsewhere, Jack Russell's forced to try and kill a reclusive millionaire, thanks to the schemings of Luthor Kane who's holding Jack's sister hostage.

Next, we encounter a one-page article about the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

And Frankenstein's Monster's still in London, having to overcome the modern-day descendant of the scientist who created him.

Hold on a minute. Despite what it says on the cover, that's not the Lawgiver. The Lawgiver's an orangutan, and that ape's clearly a gorilla.

And, for that matter, those other gorillas have remarkably hairless arms and legs!

Whatever, within this mighty tome, the Lawgiver falls into a deadly river and, somehow, this leads to an encounter with a Davy Crockett style ape called Gunpowder Julius.

Following all that drama, there's a one-page article about Booth Colman who plays the TV version of Dr Zaius.

Then we find a nine-page spotlight on Arthur P Jacobs, principle producer of the Apes films.

As you may have noticed, this means the issue would appear to be devoid of any Tales of the Watcher.

But without his morality tales, how am I supposed to know how to live my life?