The Marvel Lucky Bag - February 1976.

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

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Movies. You can't beat them!

So, that in mind, what were we failing to defeat in our local cinemas in February 1976?

I can sensationally announce it was the month that gave us such classics as Taxi Driver.

And, erm, nothing else.

Granted there were other films released, that month but, as they included Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Hot Potato, Gable and Lombard, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Griffin and Phoenix, none of which I've ever even heard of, I'm going to go out on a limb and declare it wasn't the best month for any soul hoping to encounter motion picture greatness.

Then again, maybe I'm the only one who doesn't remember them.

Maybe everyone else does?

Is this the end for the golden boy of comics?

It would seem not, as his book will continue for another four issues after this one.

But it is his death.

And one that sees the whole Magus thing get wrapped up, with metaphysical somesuch and a visit from the In-Betweener.

In the same month that Hellcat makes her debut in The Avengers, the woman whose costume she's pilfered just happens to get her own series, and I find it hard to believe that's coincidence.

Tragically, however, I can shed no light upon what actually occurs in this, "Pulse-pounding premiere."

Look out, demons of this world because America's attempt to do Worzel Gummidge gets a one-off adventure that I believe was originally intended to appear in his very own comic! A comic that never actually appeared.

I know little of what transpires in this one but I do know it's called Death Waters of the River Styx which does feel a bit like tautology.

I don't know what they've put in Chris Claremont's coffee, this month but, just as in the X-Men's mag, an airport finds itself getting wrecked by those with super-powers.

This time, it's Heathrow in the firing line when Danny and Misty show up and immediately get into a scrap with the Ravager.

But who is the mystery villain, why does he have to wear all that armour and will Misty's bionic arm ever recover from the encounter?

Dr Strange proves that anything Adam Warlock can do, he can do better, by managing to look even more dead on his front cover than Adam does.

As for how this situation arose, it seems our hero confronts the Ancient One and the masked Dr Strange while Earth, in the grip of madness, gets destroyed!

Blimey.

A hero like no other makes his size-shattering debut!

Well. All right. He's just like a bunch of other heroes. Mostly ones that are secret identities of Hank Pym. But, regardless, scientist Bill Foster lands himself work in a research team for Stark Industries.

But, soon, in his super-doer guise, he must investigate a series of radium robberies - and encounter the untrammelled terror of Atom-Smasher!

Can it be?

Can all our favourite Marvel monsters have teamed up to fight the forces of evil?

I'm struggling to tell you, as I don't think I've ever read it but I do know this epic is titled There's a Mountain on Sunset Boulevard!

Marvel's most extra-terrestrial pack of powerhouses are back - and in a series of their very own.

But it initially looks like they're not going to be getting much action. Following the defeat of the Badoon, all they want to do is return to everyday life.

However, they soon discover they're not cut out for humdrum normality.

And the lure of outer space is a-beckoning...