August 23rd, 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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Vikings. They weren't just savage brutes who trashed everywhere they encountered. They also discovered the planet Mars.

At least I assume they did, as, this week in 1975, NASA launched the Viking 1 planetary probe at that very world. A year and a half later, Mars would be part of the Danelaw and would never be the same again.

But, on TV, a whole other level of history was being made. That's because, on August 23rd, 1975, BBC Two showed a never-to-be-forgotten late-night double-bill of Barbarella and This Island Earth.

It was the first time I'd seen either film and, on first viewing, they both seemed like masterpieces.

Sadly, these days, only This Island Earth still appeals to me, as Barbarella now feels like a joke that only the director got.

This Island Earth, on the other hand, features a mutant with its brain on the outside of its head. And that's quality entertainment in anyone's book.

As I think we can all spot, Spider-Man's still battling the Green Goblin, and Harry Osborn's still losing his battle with drugs.

Can these two facts be related to each other?

And can our hero use one of them to put a stop to the other?

Despite what the cover claims, I do believe it's the Grey Gargoyle who's battling Iron Man, this week, and that Whiplash will have to wait at least another seven days before making his metal-shredding debut.

Meanwhile, Thor's still in the process of discovering the origin of Galactus.

Apparently, this week's cover was drawn by 

Paty Cockrum. As far as I know, this makes it the only artwork by her that I've ever seen.

I do believe we kick off this issue with Conan still mixed up in the siege of Makkalet and on course to have an encounter with ace swordsman, assassin and wearer of cardboard wings, Mikhal Oglu. Otherwise known as The Vulture!

Following that, determined to make amends for unleashing an indestructible Ultron upon the world, the Vision confronts the fiend but, just as the Avengers had done before him, fails to bring a halt to his plans.

And Shang-Chi's involved in the adventure the world knows as Snow Buster, a story I recall the title of but whose plot is more than a little opaque within my mind.

Yet again, the Defenders prove triumphant, as they thwart Dormammu's dastardly plan to rule Vermont!

Meanwhile, wanted by the police, for the murder of the Jester's everyday alter-ego, Daredevil must take to the streets and hide in the form of Matt Murdock.

But is he about to have a fateful encounter on an underground railway?

And Reed Richards and a world-renowned scientist strive to find a cure for the Thing's condition.

But one of those two men is actually the Mad Thinker in disguise!

Needless to say, it all leads to the Thing - not for the first time in his career - becoming evil and turning against his teammates!

Marvel's adaptation of Beneath the Planet of the Apes is threatening to get explosive, what with the mutant humans deciding to prepare their doomsday bomb for use

But will even that be enough to prevent the apes from invading their city?

Elsewhere, Captain Marvel has plenty on his plate when the sinister Sentry decides to wake up and attack the military base at which Marv is now working.

And we close the issue with the Tony Isabella / George Pérez short tale War Toy which I remain convinced was at least a partial inspiration for the movie Short Circuit.

There's plenty at stake for Dracula who's been captured by Dr Sun, a communist blood-drinking brain-computer in a jar who, I think, wants to transfer Drac's mind into the body of Lucas Brand in an attempt to control the vampires of the world.

Or something.

Meanwhile, Jack Russell's having trouble with his homicidal cleaning woman who goes by the name of Ma Mayhem.

And he's having equal trouble with his next door neighbour who's turned out to also be a werewolf!

As for the Living Mummy, I do believe there's consternation in the museum because he's only gone and gone missing from it!

It does strike me, though, that isn't a, "living mummy," just a normal man wrapped in bandages?

Clearly, they should rename the strip The Normal Man Wrapped In Bandages. There is such a thing as The Trades Description Act, after all.

Readers of long-suffering and even longer-standing may be aware that, possibly, the first story I ever read which featured a Marvel character was the one in which the Silver Surfer must battle the Abomination, thanks to the activities of a bunch of witches.

And I read it in the summer of 1971, in the pages of TV21.

However, it's now 1975 and I have a chance to read it all over again!

Not that I do so, because, if it's available in my local newsagents, I never see any sign of it.

Meanwhile, in his strip, Doc Savage is involved in what can only be titled Savage Fury!

And the X-Men are about to have their first ever run-in with the Sentinels when a man called Dr Trask unveils the ruthless robo-bigots, on live television!

Apparently, this cover is also the product of Paty Cockrum.

This means I've now seen two pieces of work by her.