Atlas/Seaboard September 1975.

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

***

It's a calamity worthy of Atlas Comics themselves!

As Sean rightly pointed out; last month, I forgot to look at the September comings and goings of the greatest comics publisher of 1970s!

But, right now, is where I put that right!

The company's best barbarian reaches his fourth and final issue, with what looks to be a dramatic battle with something or other.

I do know this tale's called Death-Night in the Darkling Forest! and it's brought to us by the nocturnal majesty of Mike Friedrich and Jim Craig.

But, apparently, they're not the only ones involved, because the story has four inkers; Dan Adkins, Pablo Marcos, Frank Giacoia and Aubrey Bradford. I can only assume that's because it's so awesome that only the combined power of four delineators could possibly restrain it.

Regardless, it's followed by the single-page Larry Lieber editorial What's Happening With Atlas!

I've not read that but, having encountered the contents of earlier such articles, I suspect it'll be about the great plans the company has for the future as it soars to ever greater heights.

The GCD informs me that 267,000 copies of this issue were printed, including 15,000 for the UK market. All of this month's Atlas comics seem to have had the same size print-run.

Unlike Wulf, Tiger-Man hasn't yet reached his fourth issue.

Like Wulf, however, he has reached his last issue.

And he does so by battling a mad psychotherapist who uses his powers of hypnosis to make his patients kill themselves.

Fortunately, his attempts to do the same to our hero completely fail. Mostly due to dumb luck rather than any traits that hero actually has.

With all these deaths of short-lived titles, one might think it's all doom and gloom for the company.

But it's not.

Even as we experience the demise of those other mags, a brand new contender appears to steer the company towards a safe, secure and thrilling future.

That mag is Demon-Hunter and, thanks to the work of Rich Buckler and David Anthony Kraft, its titular star finds himself up against The Harvester of Eyes! which, from that title, sounds like a relaxing tale.

I know little of the contents of this one but I do know it'll be the only issue of this comic ever produced.

Or will it?

Or will Kraft and Buckler sneakily transfer the character across to Marvel Comics by renaming him Devil-Slayer?

October 4th, 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. 

***

This week in 1975, lovers of quality music were in for a treat and a half because there were no fewer than two versions of Fattie Bum Bum and two versions of Una Paloma Blanca on the UK singles chart at the same time. With news like that, how did we ever survive the 1970s with sanity intact?

We survived because we had the world's greatest comics company to restore our equilibria.

But, before we get round to that, we should acknowledge that, despite those two songs' logic-defying achievement, neither of them was top of the pops.

No.

That honour was reserved for David Essex who was currently at the UK summit, thanks to his demand that we, "Hold Me Close."

And the LP chart too saw a fresh new Number One, thanks to Pink Floyd's latest smash Wish You Were Here now ruling supreme.

Also feeling supreme, that week, was Muhammad Ali who defeated Joe Frazier in the Thrilla in Manila. A fight which was watched live by over 100 million people, worldwide.

Speaking of which, Spider-Man's definitely in need of some equilibrium restoration as he hits Hallucination Mode this week, encountering a whole host of imaginary foes, thanks to having drunk a potion designed to rid him of his super-powers.

But, as we know, it only means he's going to end up with six arms instead.

A man who could probably do with six arms, right now, is Iron Man who continues to be up against the Maggia on their gambling ship.

Frankly, he's making a bit of a meal of it. He seems to have been on that boat for several years now. Still, at least AIM have showed up to sink it. So, he might finally get away from the place.

If he survives...

Elsewhere, Him's leapt out of his cocoon and taken a shine to Sif.

And that means a punch-up with Thor!

"The master of kung-fu begins his wildest adventure yet!" the cover breathlessly informs us.

And I do believe that signals we're being introduced to the yarn in which Shang-Chi teams up with a New York cabbie who looks and talks like Groucho Marx.

I must confess the details of just how that team-up occurs elude my memory.

As does any explanation for the man's appearance. 

But, of course, before that, we get to read the latest instalment of Conan's life when he must survive The Murderous Mirrors of Kharam Akkad. Not to mention the atavistic attentions of his tentacled monster!

When it comes to the Avengers, I think Thor's in combat with the seemingly unbeatable Hyperion who the thunder god makes surprisingly short work of, while Goliath makes a complete and total meal of dealing with the Whizzer.

If Aubrey Bradford's cover doesn't make you want to rush out and buy this comic, you must have no pulse.

Then again, if you had no pulse, you wouldn't be buying this comic. You'd be starring in it.

But the big news is that Dracula Lives has confounded the sceptics by hitting the Big 50.

And I do believe the book's star celebrates by standing around having an argument with his daughter Lilith before returning to a haunted house.

Meanwhile, the Werewolf by Night helps Tigra and friends escape the clutches of Hydra.

I'm sure the Living Mummy's up to something.

And we finish the issue with a Neal Adams tale about two teenagers who encounter a noise-powered cavemen.

That Ken Barr cover can only mean one thing. Marvel UK's simian weekly celebrates reaching fifty issues, by launching into its adaptation of Escape From the Planet of the Apes!

Part One, of course, sees a trio of apes emerge from a crashed spaceship.

And we all know what happens next...

Following that, Captain Marvel's still battling the Super-Skrull - and I do believe this is the week in which he finally wins.

Next, a four-page Chris Claremont article takes a look at Our Martian Heritage which I suspect of discussing movies and TV shows that have featured beasties of that inclination.

And Adam Warlock's fighting the Brute who's trying to drown him.

Despite a cover that reveals little of this week's contents, I do believe the Hulk is in the process of clobbering the Abomination, following that character's recovery from his recent coma.

I believe that Daredevil has his work cut out protecting Foggy from the attentions of the Stilt-Man, following his friend's announcement that he's going to run for election as District Attorney.

And I believe the Fantastic Four are yet again struggling with the Mad Thinker's latest android in a storyline that's definitely been going on for too long now.

Happily, introducing that android to the Negative Zone, via the medium of flinging him through its doorway, soon brings an end to the tale.

The Silver Surfer's gone - and the Cat arrives to take his place!

Granted, she can't be taking it for very long, as her American book only survived for four issues before biting the dust.

But with the Cat and the original X-Men headlining it, how can this comic possibly fail?

Especially when they're joined by the adventures of Giant-Man?