Forty years ago today - January 1985.

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

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1985.

What will it bring us that 1984 didn't?

And are we going to like it?

The warriors of Asgard, and Earth's mightiest heroes, are tackling Surtur's demon hordes in the streets of New York. But is that where the important action is?

It seems not because the horn-topped giant has headed to Asgard for a showdown with Odin.

And the villain has only gone and shattered the Rainbow Bridge!

From that cover, I'm guessing the Thing is back.

And he is!

At least, he's back in the comic.

However, he's not yet back on our beloved planet.

He's still on an alien world where he encounters a version of Frankenstein's Monster and a werewolf.

Meanwhile, in New York, Spider-Man's alien costume escapes its solitary confinement in the Baxter Building...

The Hellfire Club are back.

And they have a new Black Queen.

Selene!

But that won't last for long because Rachel and Magma are out to put a stop to it, and the Hellfire Club don't seem as sold on Selene being their queen as she herself is.

Meanwhile, thanks to no longer having super-powers, Storm quits the team.

Can it be? Can the Kingpin have driven a fatal wedge between Spider-Man and the Black Cat? One that will end their romance forever?

The reader can only hope so.

Meanwhile, one of the Kingpin's scientists does some after-hours research and accidentally gains the power of polka dots.

I know. That doesn't sound like much of a power. But these are no ordinary spots and involve some sort of trans-dimensional weirdness that will, no doubt, go on to cause our superstar much perplexity.

It's a very odd story in which, as far as I can recall, the presence of the Hulk is all but irrelevant.

While the Gamma-governed galoot gets bullied by everyone in sight, some sort of princess tries to stop a bunch of ruffians from harassing and oppressing her people, using the power of a hedge, or something.

Thanks to the machinations of the late Red Skull, Captain America's on the brink of dying from old age - and only the Avengers and their miraculous technology can save him.

But will they get the chance? No sooner has the attempt to restore his lost youth begun than the Sisters of Sin show up to exact their vengeance upon Cap for thwarting their beloved mentor.

I'm struggling to recall what happens in this one but I do believe the Vision's having nightmares about whether he's machine or man.

And, apparently, Paladin puts in an appearance, this month.

At last, after what seems an eternity, we finally reach the end of the Micah Synn saga, with the jungle-raised aristocrat finally exposed to the world for the malevolent thug he really is and, with surprising speed, becoming a washed-up destitute on the streets of New York.

There's more of the usual trouble for Conan and his bezzie Fafnir when they discover that, once a year, a warrior may challenge the local Baron's champion for the right to rule the district.

Fafnir, reckless as ever, is convinced, by nogoodniks, to accept the challenge.

And it turns out to be a terrible idea.

What with that champion being twice his size and having twice as many arms as him.

I do believe the Hobgoblin's trying to make Harry Osborn hand over whatever documents he has that relate to the original Green Goblin, but Harry's not up for that sort of thing.

Sadly, that can only lead to one outcome. The villain kidnapping Mary Jane and Liz Allan and using them as a bargaining tool.

Rhodey may be taking on the Termite but his big foe is his own mind, as he becomes more and more unhinged, thanks to a mixture of paranoia and mysterious migraines.

Can it only be a question of time before Tony Stark is forced to don the Iron Man armour, once more, in order to stop his old friend?