Fifty years ago today - April 1975.

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

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British Summer Time's arrived!

And that means we've had to fling ourselves one hour into the future.

But now let us fling ourselves fifty years and one hour into the past!

After what feels like centuries, the Celestial Madonna Saga still rumbles along.

And, this time, we discover the senses-shattering truth of the origin of the Vision - and how it ties in with the disappearance of the first Human Torch!

Isn't this the flashback tale that reveals how Conan got his cherry popped by a mysterious woman in a log cabin?

And she turned out to be a wolf-fixated witch?

Then again, maybe I'm just imagining that story ever existed.

And maybe Conan's just imagining it ever happened.

I don't think I've read this one but I take it Sharon Carter's still not dead by this point?

Clearly, someone's been to the same tailor as Kraven.

More importantly, Matt Murdock gets the Black Widow to attend a party thrown by Foggy Nelson.

And, with the sort of luck that only people who hang around with Foggy Nelson can know, they're promptly attacked by Hydra and El Jaguar!

I recall nothing of what occurs in this one but, judging by that cover, it's all kicking-off as the brand new Doomsman makes his presence felt.

Much as I love this era of the Hulk, I can't claim the Devastator's one of Marvel's greatest villains.

In fact, so far away is he from being one of Marvel's greatest villains that I remember nothing about him, other than that he's Russian.

And that he's dead by the end of the issue.

Speaking of not being Marvel's greatest villain, here comes the Cyclone, the only super-menace ever to be defeated by an electric fan.

Still, it does give Spidey, JJJ and Joe Robertson a chance to visit France for reasons I don't recall.

Nope. I have no idea at all as to what happens in this one.

I'm assuming Thor and Loki have a fight.

I would also assume that Firelord puts in an appearance.

That's Marvel's main superstars. more or less, dealt with but we should never forget they aren't the only people we'll encounter should we enter our local vendor of quality reading matter.

We'll also encounter the denizens of DC.

Therefore, for contrast and comparison, let us see what a random sampling of that company's product bearing the same cover date looks like.

Limited Collectors' Edition #C-35 brings us the original Captain Marvel - and a cover of somewhat doubtful aesthetic appeal.

But, inside, we discover 68 pages and a string of yarns reprinted from the 1940s and '50s.

Not to mention such features as Shazam! The World's Mightiest Family, Shazam! Puzzle Page, How to Draw Cap's Friends and Foes, Shazam! On Television!! and the obligatory table-top diorama these projects always seem to include.

That cover can only mean one thing.

We're about to encounter a reprint of the whole of 1942's Wonder Woman #1.

Brace yourself, then, for action, as the amazing Amazon bondages her way through a string of uplifting adventures, including the origin story in which she first meets Steve Trevor.

We also meet a 4-page biography of Florence Nightingale, A Message from Phil, Sweet Adeline, The Greatest Feat of Daring in Human History!, Little Oscar's First Air Raid - and an ad encouraging America's children to buy at least one 10-cent Savings Stamp each week, in aid of the war effort.

It's always exciting when a new comic hits our spinner racks and that's exactly what happens with the launch of 1st Issue Special.

And its debut appearance stars none other than Atlas himself.

Not that I know anything beyond that, other than that it's written and drawn by Jack Kirby.

The gravely grim ghost of retribution is back.

But he's not drawn by Jim Aparo!

He's drawn by Ernie Chua, with Aparo on inks.

And Jim Corrigan's alter-ego must halt the lunatic practices of a museum curator who has people delivered to his workplace where he plans to make an exhibition of them.

Following that, we find the launch of a Seven Soldiers of Victory series which sees a septet of Golden Age heroes on a mission to do something or other in a tale that I think was written in the 1940s but never drawn and published until now.

What's this?

A mystery person trying to join the Justice League?

One who appears to have wings?

And has already been a member?

Who can it be?

Well, obviously, it's Hawkman!

And he re-enters the mix when the gang help him thwart the plans of the Equalizer.

And I don't mean Edward Woodward.

I mean an interplanetary villain who's unleashed a plague on the people of Thanagar. One which makes them all equal in physical and mental capabilities.

And then the crafty crook does the same with the JLA!

In our brand new opening tale, the dark-night detective must do something about The Scarecrow's Trail of Fear!

Then, we receive reprints of The Round-Robin Death Threats and Where There's a Will-- There's a Slay!

But, also, there are various short features of interest to the dedicated Batfan, including one about strange old laws.

It's  a comic that only a mad thing wouldn't want, when the Legion prepares to give a peace negotiator a big trophy.

But, before it can happen, Superboy, Mon-El, and Ultra Boy are attacked by their parents! 

It can only be the work of our heroes' crime-packed counterparts the Legion of Super-Villains!

And, when it comes to reprints, the publication offers us the always endearing Lana Lang's Superboy Identity Detection Kit! and The Evil Hand of the Luck Lords!

The horror comic that never seems to take itself too seriously gives us Magic by Moonlight Only..., Satan's Revenge and The Hanging Man. All narrated by Eve.

Off the top of my head, I only recall the cover story which I think involves a battle of witches/sorcerers within the confines of a pharmacy and is drawn by Ruben Yandoc.

This month, the world's spookiest dispenser of tales of conflict gets 64 pages.

And it uses those pages to deliver such nightmares as Escape, The Moon Is the Murderer, The 13th Man, The Pool..., Monsieur Gravedigger, Bloody Halloween, The Day after Doomsday, Colonel Clown Isn't Laughing Anymore!, Death-Gram and The Deadly Seeds.

Not all of which are reprints.