March 13th, 1976 - 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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We all need things in our life we can love and, this week in 1976, Tina Charles was taking it to the limit, as she was telling everyone she knew - and didn't know - that, "I Love to Love." Still, it wasn't doing her any harm. She was, as she had been the week before, at the very summit of the UK singles chart, thanks to the song of that name.

Also retaining its Number One status was The Very Best of Slim Whitman. This time, on the corresponding LP chart.

As we all know, I Love to Love is an irresistibly bouncy bundle of catchiness that we'll never forget but there were other tracks I approved of on that week's UK singles chart. And among them were:

Dat - Pluto Shervington

Squeeze Box - the Who

Mamma Mia - ABBA

(If Paradise is) Half as Nice {1976} - Amen Corner

and 

Yesterday - by the Beatles.

For any brave soul who wishes to delve deeper into the subject, that UK singles chart lives here.

While the corresponding album rankings dwell within.

Looking at that singles chart, it is striking that there are two versions of Let's Do the Latin Hustle on it. One at Number 20 and the other, directly beneath, it at 21.

And, just to add to the confusion, we can also find (Do the) Spanish Hustle by the Fatback Band at Number 10.

Clearly, you were no one, in March 1976, if you didn't know how to hustle.

It's a ground-breaking moment for us all, I'll be bound, as my favourite Defender makes her senses-shattering debut!

Or does she?

Is she, instead, the Enchantress, in disguise, seeking to gain revenge upon all men because she's been dumped by the Executioner?

I suspect she is.

But you have to hand it to the Valkyrie. There aren't many super-doers who could have three different alter-egos in their first three appearances.

But, of course, it means we also get the first and - as far as I'm aware - last appearance of the Lady Liberators, when the Masters of Evil decide to wreck a load of people's Halloween celebrations.

And what of Conan?

Neal Adams takes over on the art front, as the battling barbarian must survive The Curse of the Golden Skull.

I don't know much about this week's Iron Fist tale but I do know it's called Valley of the Damned and, presumably, we shouldn't confuse it with the classic films Village of the Damned, Children of the Damned nor the obscure favourite These are the Damned.

And we end the issue with a Lee, Lieber, Kirby short classic in which the owner of a factory that uses only robots is, himself, revealed to be a machine!

Can it be?

Have Spider-Man and Dr Strange teamed up again, so soon after they last did so?

No.

They haven't.

Instead, our lead adventure's one in which the wonderful web-spinner delivers the defeated Martin Blank into the care of the nearest hospital before then running into the surprise return of Dr Octopus, while out searching for the missing Aunt May!

As for Dr Strange; in his strip, he's still inside the Eye of Agamotto - with the Silver Surfer - and now encounters a bunch of people who seem to be the Defenders but aren't. This means we get two doses of the Valkyrie in the same week.

After that, the Thing and Captain America accidentally find themselves on a future Earth ruled by the ruthless Badoon. I can only suspect a meeting with the Guardians of the Galaxy is on its way!

Then, Iron Man has a scrap on his hands when none other than the Incredible Hulk acts oddly out of character by kidnapping Janice Cord!

Next, Loki's fled Asgard, to escape the attack of Surtur but Thor and his friends stay behind in a bid to prevent the rampaging fire demon from destroying the kingdom

All of that's great, of course, but what really matters, to me, is that, if the cover's to be believed, I'll get a free colour sticker!

Of what, I cannot say. 

Judging by that cover, things are getting shouty on the Planet of the Apes.

But why not? It's a well-known fact that Shouty on the Planet of the Apes was going to be the next film in the series, after Battle but, sadly, they changed their minds and it never got made.

As we can probably guess, we've reached the stage in Conquest in which Caesar's stirring up rebellion among the apes.

And, speaking of obstreperous primates, the Black Panther's still battling those legendary giant white gorillas of Wakanda - and showing them they won't be taking over the planet while he's around.

Elsewhere, having taken SHIELD's latest Super-Soldier serum, the somewhat elderly Victorius is out to show Ka-Zar who's boss.

And it looks like he might just succeed!

In this thrilling issue, Frank Drake encounters Brother Voodoo while, in London, the star of the comic has a run-in with the busies.

Next, Jack Russell, Topaz and Buck take a holiday in the snowy wilderness, along with Buck's new girlfriend and her young daughter.

But how long can it be before the Werewolf by Night starts to see that child as a potential snack?

And Man-Thing is in caught up in a tale called Cry of the Native!

I think it's the question we've all asked; "Who'd win a fight between the Hulk and the Juggernaut?"

And this is the week in which we get our answer!

Although, come to think of it, I don't think we do, as an intervention by Professor X brings the whole battle to a sudden halt.

Daredevil, meanwhile, gets another crack at Mr Fear, despite his disaster against the villain, last time out.

And it turns out the villain is, in fact, Starr Saxon in disguise!

But not for long, he's not, because he then plunges to his death from his big flying disk-thing.

Rather more fortunate are the Fantastic Four who wrap-up their first encounter with Annihilus, just in time to get back the Earth and give Sue the dose of cosmic energy she needs in order to survive her current ailment.

And even more in time for the birth of Reed and Sue's baby!

Following that, we get a Lee/Kirby short in which a fleeing criminal takes refuge in a barber's shop.

Only to discover it has its own way of dispensing justice.

"Lo! The Eggs Shall Hatch!"

I'm not convinced that's going to go down as one of the great story titles of all time.

Regardless, I have no doubt it'll be a stressful situation for Nick Fury.

Elsewhere, the Juggernaut's won his battle with the X-Men and, given the magical nature of his powers, it looks like they're going to have to recruit the aid of Dr Strange and the Ancient One if they hope to win the rematch.

But if the X-Men think they've got problems, that's nothing compared to Captain America who's up against a Red Skull who now owns the Cosmic Cube and is determined to make use of it!

Captain Marvel's still grappling with the nuclear menace of Megaton.

And, as referenced in last week's post, Prince Byrrah has gained control of Atlantis!

And, now, in alliance with Krang and Attuma, he only goes and banishes Namor, a man you'd have thought must be used to that sort of thing by now.