May 1st, 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. 

***

This week in 1976 was not a happy one for fans of comedy, as it saw 62-year-old actor and Carry On mainstay Sid James die from a heart attack, on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre. An event most of the audience assumed to be part of the show.

It was, though, a far happier time for Southampton F.C. who won their first major trophy when a Bobby Stokes goal gave the Second Division club an unexpected 1–0 victory over Manchester United in that year's FA Cup Final.

When it came to music, there was still no change at the top of the singles chart, with the Brotherhood of Man's Save Your Kisses for Me continuing to rule the roost.

The accompanying LP chart, on the other hand, did see movement, as the TV soundtrack album Rock Follies reclaimed the Number One spot it had previously lost to Led Zeppelin.

As far as I'm aware, the issue kicks off with Conan trying to get his hands on a bag packed with priceless jewels - but a giant demon has other ideas.

Then, the Avengers are still on an alternate Earth and trying to help the Squadron Supreme put an end to the deadly antics of Brain-Child.

And Shang-Chi continues to be aboard a ship, with a mysterious blind woman who, I'm sure, will turn out to be more than she seems...

No sooner have the Fantastic Four flown the coop than the X-Men arrive to take their place.

And in their new costumes!

But, first, the Incredible Hulk's still in the Great Refuge and causing trouble for the Inhumans as they seek to launch themselves off in a rocket pointed at Counter-Earth.

It can only mean Black Bolt's going to have to use his secret weapon.

You know, the one he always uses.

When it comes to the life of Daredevil, not only does our hero reveal to Karen Page that Mike Murdock never existed, and that he faked the death of Matt Murdock, he also asks her to marry him

And, amazingly, after those revelations, she agrees!

As for the X-Men, it turns out they're not in their new costumes at all, despite what the cover suggests. They are, however, having to fight the members of Factor Three!

Jason and Alexander return to Ape City - only to find conflict is everywhere.

Conflict that's about to get a whole lot worse when someone shoots the Lawgiver, with a crossbow bolt!

And things are getting heated in Wakanda too, as Killmonger and his men attack the capital, aided by giant dinosaurs!

Speaking of men who know about dinosaurs, there's trouble for Ka-Zar, as, under instruction from Maa-Gor, El Tigre gains control of Zabu's mind and orders the sabre-toothed cat to attack his best friend, the lord of the Savage Land!

It looks like our hero's bitten off more than he can chew when a mysterious telegram sends him off to Canada and an encounter with a man you won't like when he's angry.

But, back home, Harry Osborn's not feeling very well...

Elsewhere, Dr Strange visits the Dark Dimension, in search of Umar but is drained of magical knowledge, by the G'uranthic Guardian.

Meanwhile, thinking him to be Loki, Odin's banished Thor to the realm of Mephisto - and now his friends have to get there and rescue him!

I know little of this week's Iron Man tale but I do know it's called The End of Tony Stark! I feel like I detect another of those stories in which the hero fakes his own death to fool the world into not guessing his secret identity. Like the one we've just had in Daredevil's strip.

And the Puppet Master's concocted his latest wheeze, which is using the power of Radion to super-charge his special clay and make the mighty Thor do his bidding.

I suspect the Thing is going to have to step in and do something about that little scheme.

In our main strip, while the lord of vampires is feeling weak - thanks to the machinations of Dr Sun - Brother Voodoo prepares to visit the United States where it can only be a matter of time before he comes into conflict with the star of this comic.

Then, we encounter more of the origin of the Ghost Rider - and how he came to have a flaming skull where his head should be.

And a moment of historical significance arrives in the Man-Thing's strip when, in the middle of the swamp, a talking duck appears...

What with Power Man and the Swordsman on the scene, it looks like Captain America's got his work cut out for him.

But, first, we must encounter the Fantastic Four who continue to be trapped in Latveria, as Dr Doom re-enacts the premise of The Prisoner for them.

Following that, the Sub-Mariner's having problems with Mentallo who, it seems, knew his father.

Then, when Captain America receives a distress call from Bucky, he has no choice but to go to the island where his supposedly late sidekick claims to be being held.

But is it a trap?

And who can be behind it all?

The Black Panther's not the only Marvel hero whose domain is under siege, this week. So is Nick Fury's when the colonel and his men must protect their barber shop from an attack by the forces of AIM.

And Captain Marvel battles the Thing, thinking him to be the Super-Skrull in disguise. But it all comes to a head when the Super-Skrull's mysterious employer shows himself.

And it turns out he's Thanos!