June 14th, 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. 

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These days, we're so used to proceedings in the UK Parliament being televised, it's easy to forget there was a time when we didn't know what such things looked or even sounded like.

But that changed, this week in 1975, when the nation reeled with shock as the House of Commons was broadcast on radio for the first time ever and we got to hear the full panoply of our elected representatives' magnificent array of farmyard impressions.

Elsewhere, after a referendum, and seven years of military rule, modern-day Greece was created via the establishment of The Hellenic Republic.

When it came to music, the UK charts were still being dominated by the sound of Whispering Grass, thanks to sitcom stars Windsor Davies and Don Estelle.

While, on the associated album listings, the pinnacle was, yet again being held by The Best of the Stylistics.

I, of course, revere Whispering Grass; mostly because I remember hearing it on the radio while reading that Barry Smith drawn Dr Strange story based on The Shadow Over Innsmouth. A concurrence which lent the line, "Why tell them all the Old Things? They're buried under the snow," a strangely Lovecraftian tone I shall never forget.

But there were other tracks I approved of on that Hit Parade and amongst them were:

I'm Not in Love - 10 CC

Listen to What the Man Said - Wings

Disco Queen - Hot Chocolate

Autobahn - Kraftwerk

Israelites - Desmond Dekker

Imagine Me, Imagine You - Fox

Lovin' You - Minnie Riperton

Stand by Me - John Lennon

Hurt So Good - Susan Cadogan

and

Honey - Bobby Goldsboro.

Should you wish to investigate the matter further, that week's UK singles chart can be found here.

Whilst the parallel album chart resides within.

Can it be?

The Hulk? Up against his deadliest opponent yet?

The Chameleon?

Yes, it can!

Granted, his peril's somewhat embiggened by the fact that our battling brute has been emsmallened by Hank Pym's shrinking serum, thanks to his attempt to return to Jarella's world.

And that can only mean a confrontation with the giant rats of Hydra!

Daredevil, meanwhile, is still fighting the Ani-Men who, thanks to the Exterminator's T-Ray, have sent Foggy's girlfriend Debbie Harris out of temporal sync with the rest of us!

And the Fantastic Four discover there's a price to pay for wrecking a Kree Sentry.

And that's getting a visit from Ronan the Accuser!

From the looks of it, Spider-Man and Iceman are taking a break from hitting each other, for long enough to put a halt to the malignly manipulative machinations of Sam Bullit.

Which is just as well, as the putrid politician is about to rub out poor old Joe Robertson!

Elsewhere, Iron Man and Pepper Potts are in the process of trying to escape from the Mole Man's underground world.

And I do suspect that Thor's one-sided struggle with Mangog finally comes to a halt, as Odin wakes up and easily magics the monster out of existence.

Dr Strange may make the cover but the issue kicks off with Shang-Chi who's fighting a bunch of Si-Fan assassins in an Egyptian pyramid, in an attempt to get his hands on some magic rubies before his own sister and Fu Manchu can get them.

Next, the Black Panther manages to survive the challenge of the Man-Ape when the villain contrives to get himself crushed beneath a stone idol.

And I do suspect that, no sooner has he returned home from his last adventure, than Dr Strange finds himself having to battle - himself!

I am somewhat curious as to why that man on the cover goes out at night shooting bats. Is bat-hunting a popular pastime?

When it comes to what occurs within the book, my knowledge of the Dracula tale is fuzzy but I think he may be having flashbacks to his earlier years as a vampire.

The Werewolf by Night, meanwhile, is about to encounter the maddening menace of Taboo and his lovely daughter Topaz.

And there's a shock in store for us all because Brother Voodoo's demonstrated his awesome magical powers by vanishing before our eyes and being replaced by the return of the strip that belongs to Frankenstein's Monster who finds himself up against a pig-headed fiend!

From that cover, I do believe we've reached the pulse-pounding conclusion of Kingdom on an Island of the Apes in which General Gorodon discovers King Arthur's island and leads a small army against it.

However, Derek quickly defeats Gorodon and then marries Lady Andrea.

I'm hoping Lady Andrea isn't an ape.

Not that I have anything against apes. I'm just not sure it's a healthy sign if you want to marry one.

After that, we get Al Satian and Heather Johnson recounting their experiences on location during filming of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.

But hold on.

Al Satian?

Is that really his/her name?

And Adam Warlock finds himself caught up in The Day of the Prophet!

History is made, as two of Fantasy's greatest heroes bump into each other when Conan must confront Elric!

From what I can recall, Zukala is also, somehow, present and in need of assistance in his conflict with evil sorcerer Kulan Gath.

Elsewhere, Thongor is up to something but I don't know just what.

For reasons that are completely beyond me, Mephisto's demanded the Silver Surfer attack SHIELD's HQ!

But what our hero doesn't know is that within that building is Shalla-Bal - and his attack on that complex could lead to her death!

Elsewhere, in a shock to absolutely no one, the X-Men find themselves up against the power of Magneto!

But what is new is that a stranger's arrived in town.

And that stranger is called The Stranger.