Fifty years ago today - April 1976.

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

***

Well, it's heady days indeed because I can start this post with a thrilling announcement. 

And it's that, because I'm no longer covering the Marvel UK monthlies - what with them no longer existing - space has opened up on this site for a new feature.

But a new feature is what any old website would do. Here at the House of Steve, we like to do things differently.

And, so, in that slot, I shall be doing the random DC summaries I've previously been doing as part of this feature. This will help streamline site workflow, increasing reader permeability to actualise gains in efficiency and help fully multi-scale the bootstrapping of a whole new paradigm shift.

Or something.

That, of course, means this feature will not include them.

But it will, of course, continue to include all your favourite Marvel heroes.

And Iron Man.

At last, Conan takes on his deadliest foes yet.

Moths!

And it all happens when Bêlit is captured by giant ones!

It may sound like just another day at the office for the dynamic duo, but it turns out to be a moment of great significance, as this is the tale in which we get to meet Amra himself!

It had to happen! It's the one in which Captain America and the Falcon find themselves in a deadly skateboard derby!

And I have a feeling that means it's the one in which our hero loses his shield and has a complete and total meltdown over it!

It has always struck me that it's not a very dignified response to something that happens to him almost every time he sets foot out of the house.

I can only assume all that skateboarding has, somehow, damaged his mind.

I think I might have had this one, as a youth.

Which would make you think I can remember something about it.

Sadly, I can't.

But the Grand Comics Database does tell me that Bullseye trounces Daredevil before the man without fear returns the favour.

Looking at that cover, I do wonder if the villain's devoted any thought at all as to what he's going to do when gravity kicks in and he has to start coming down after being fired from that cannon.

I assume this is the issue in which Power Man replaces bashless Benjy in the Fantastic Four?

However, I can share no thoughts upon the matter, as I don't think I've ever read any of the Power Man-related Fantastic Four stories.

At last, it's a comic whose contents I have proper familiarity with.

As far as I can recall, Hulkie and Man-Thingie tackle the Collector and, in a manner somewhat reminiscent of the Captain Omen story, it has a not-altogether-happy ending for some of its participants.

I don't think I've ever read this one but, from that cover, it would seem Happy Hogan's no longer just the Freak.

He's an exploding Freak!

In other news, I'd love to know what the promised dramatic new change is for Iron Man's armour.

It's not him getting rid of his nose-piece, is it?

Spidey does the Ellery Queen routine as he turns super-sleuth.

I remember watching the first episode of the 1970s Ellery Queen TV show and - when they stopped the show to challenge you to work out who the murderer was - I concluded that Ellery Queen was the murderer.

In my defence, I didn't realise it was a series and that, therefore, the protagonist wasn't likely to be the killer.

Unlike Murder She Wrote, where we all know Jessica Fletcher was always the murderer.

Anyway, I'm proud to announce that, when it comes to this comic, I did successfully guess who the killer was.

I must confess that Firelord's high on my list of annoying Marvel characters. His head may be on fire but he's never seemed to be too hot between the ears.

As for the adventure contained within this masterpiece; beyond the stuff that's on the cover, I have no idea what happens in it.

Hooray! The Sentinels are back, in a tale that gave me much pleasure, as a youth, even if the X-Men probably didn't enjoy it as much as I did.

Needless to say, the towering terminators are out to abduct various mutants, and our heroes have to stop them.

But, more importantly, is this the one that features cameo appearances by both Stan and Jack?

I do, of course, mean Lee and Kirby. Not Stan and Jack from On the Buses. I know Chris Claremont was born in England but I find it hard to believe even he'd throw in a tribute to those two.

The Assassin's still up to no good, even though I have no recollection, whatsoever, of the character.

Nor of whatever it is he or she's up to.

Fifty years ago today - March 1976.

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

***

Yet again, the past is knocking upon our doors and, like its servants, we have no recourse but to answer it.

I know nothing of The Assassin, other than that he's been hired to kill the Avengers.

But whom has hired him for that task?

It's one I've never read but I do know Conan must overcome warriors on crocodiles, in order to save the village of the Watambi.

Bêlit, meanwhile, gets herself kidnapped.

Did you know alligators are less closely related to crocodiles than people are to chimpanzees? This fact has nothing to do with anything but it's the sort of info you can astound your friends with. Especially the ones who like to ride around on crocodiles.

"The Assassin never fails!"

"Bullseye never misses!"

It's clearly a good month for over-confident villains.

I am quite intrigued that, on a cover which shows Daredevil about to be killed by Bullseye, the blurb declares, "Plus: A Startling New Job For Matt Murdock!" as though anyone not convinced to buy the comic by the threat of their hero's imminent demise would suddenly be moved to purchase it by the promise that he gets a new job.

I've not read this one but I'm assuming that, cured of being the Thing, Ben Grimm can only stand and watch, as Luke Cage takes his place in the team.

I'm assuming that because that's what it says on the cover.

I believe I detect a Berni Wrightson illustration. Is this the only time he ever did a Hulk cover?

Regardless, it's clear our hero takes on the Man-Thing, and that the Collector's involved.

I do believe the Glob also turns up in this tale - but not the one that's previously fought the Hulk.

You know how, on at least two previous occasions, Tony Stark's saved Happy Hogan's life by using his Enervator but it's turned Happy into the not-so-happy Freak?

Well, it's happened again.

You would've thought Tony would have learnt his lesson, by now.

I do believe this issue was drawn by Sal Buscema because Ross Andru was busy drawing the epic Superman vs Spider-Man tale that all 1970s comic fans knew they had to get their hands on.

But a thought does strike me. Is this the Sandman's first Spider-Man appearance since the original Sinister Six story, way back in the days of Steve Ditko?

If so, that seems remarkable, bearing in mind his status as one of Spidey's classic foes.

I believe Thor may still be tangling with the world-mangling menace of the Time Twisters.

"The Savage World of 1984!" I remember it well. Nik Kershaw on the pop charts. Give My Regards to Broad Street in the cinemas. Orville the Duck on TV. It was a living nightmare.

Anyway, it seems that, in the Royalist Forces base, Cap and Falc encounter someone called Cheer Chadwick who forces them to fight in an arena.

And, so, are the greatest heroes that Marvel can provide accounted for.

But it's not the only company with heroes. That in mind, let us take a look at a random sampling of what was occurring in DC's output which bore the same cover date.

It's looking like bad news for Wonder Woman.

And for the rest of the Justice League too, as no sooner is the amazing Amazon back than they have to deal with the terror-inducing nightmare of Nekron who, as far as I can remember, is an alien who can make even the bravest of heroes too scared to do anything.

I always like to see Deadman and the Phantom Stranger on the same cover together.

And that's exactly what I've got, thanks to the moody pencil of Jim Aparo.

As for what happens inside, I have little info, other than that the main tale's called A Time for Endings and the backup strip is Will the Real Black Orchid Please Stand Up?

I shall assume the latter yarn to be the one in which a bunch of female criminals convince an innocent woman they're all the Black Orchid, in order to trick her into doing something or other.

But what's this? The presence of a statement called Epilogue for the Phantom Stranger?

Can it be? Can truly be the last issue of this legendary comic?

Yes, it can. And all I can say is that, truly, there is no justice in the world.

Because it wouldn't be a month in the 1970s without the launch of a brand new comic, DC supplies us with issue #1 of Kobra!

And I know absolutely nothing about it, other than it would appear to feature two symbiotically-linked brothers. One a good guy and the other a villain. 

Maybe it's just me but this all sounds suspiciously similar to Marvel's legendary villain Gemini.

Regardless, it seems that Jack Kirby's heavily involved, in terms of both plot and art.

Another new book hits us between the eyes - and it's an outlet for those antagonist-stopping adolescents the Teen Titans!

As we might expect, from that cover, this is made up almost entirely of reprints from the 1950s and '60s.

Among its deathless content, we encounter such adventures as Monster Bait and Skis of Death! Not to mention the inclusion of a brand new article; Introducing the Teen Titans.

And, as seems compulsory in this era, we discover an instalment of Justice For All Includes Children, to make us rethink our attitude.

There may, as David Bowie insists, be a starman waiting in the sky but, right now, there's also one waiting in our comic shops.

And will he blow our minds?

That, I cannot say, as I've never read this issue but I do know he must face someone called Turran Kha who's been sent to execute him, which seems a little rude.

I've a feeling there may be some conceptual similarities, here, to the early days of Marvel's Captain Marvel strip.

I also know it's all brought to us by Gerry Conway and Mike Vosburg.

The Marvel Lucky Bag - September 1975.

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

***

September 1975 didn't exactly bombard us with movies of renown - or even of non-renown - but perhaps the two most memorable to surface were Dog Day Afternoon and Three Days of the Condor. I've never seen either film but I do remember Barry Norman reviewing Dog Day Afternoon, making me wonder if it's the first film I can recall watching him review.

But what of Marvel?

And its random marvels?

It's my favourite Killraven tale, as he and the gang enter an abandoned leisure complex, only to discover that Only the Computer Shows Me Any Respect.

In it, we learn that Hawk's dad liked to play-act as a Sherlock Holmes type figure and that Old Skull wants to hang around with cartoon animals.

All good things come to an end - and so it is that Panther's Rage reaches its nation-deciding climax when the Panther and Killmonger have an epic duel which will see one of them dead and the other saved by a child!

And the Black Panther's not the only one having trouble with dinosaurs, because Doug McClure can barely move for them when Marvel gives us its Darwin-bothering adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Land that Time Forgot.

Granted, it had already sort of given us that in the pages of Ka-Zar but, now, we can see a whole new take on the concept, thanks to Marv Wolfman and Sonny Trinidad.

Perhaps worthy of even more note is that this cover was created by Nick Cardy and it's the only example of his work I can remember ever seeing on the front of a Marvel publication. It's just a shame it's not one of his better covers.

Also in this issue, Lin Carter writes about stories which feature lost races, illustrated with stills from such movies as Spartacus and Gulliver's Travels.

But there's more because we also receive five pages of stills from the The Land that Time Forgot!

It's a mammoth-sized mountain of manic martial arts mayhem and misadventure, as the noble art of fisticuffs gets its own treasury-sized edition.

Needless to say, it's made up of reprints, mostly The Master Plan of Fu Manchu, that multi-part epic in which Shang-Chi, Iron Fist and the Sons of the Tiger must independently interfere in the villain's plan to destroy the United Nations. Each without any knowledge that the others are involved.

Captain Marvel gets his first ever giant-size book and it kicks off with a reprint of the thriller in which Rick Jones first becomes his sidekick!

And there's more.

We also encounter a reprint of the tale in which Cap and Rick set off in search of Bruce Banner, in the mistaken belief he may be able to separate them for good.

And, of course, that leads to a clash with Bruce's less reasonable alter-ego who turns out not to be half the scientist he is.

And another captain gets his first ever giant-size issue.

In this one, while Steve hangs around in the Avengers Mansion, costumed thugs break in, looking to steal any secrets or weapons it may contain!

In the next tale, Baron Zemo sends an army of assassins after Cap. Fortunately, for our hero, Rick Jones is around to help him.

Then, Cap must face The Strength of the Sumo!

Then, he must break up a prison riot.

And, then, we get a retelling of his origin.

Needless to say, all these masterpieces are brought to us by Lee and Kirby.

Ron Goulart, H. G. Wells and Dan Adkins bring us a warning of just what can go wrong when a man turns himself invisible.

That's followed by such classics as The Man Who Cried Werewolf!, Dig Me No Grave!, The Music of Erich Zann, Pickman's Model and The Roaches. All reprinted from a variety of now-defunct publications.

But no one cares about that.

Not when we've got The Legion of Monsters to keep us company.

In our first death-defying tale, Frankenstein's Monster attends a costume party but becomes inconveniently framed for murder!

Next, Manphibian finds itself in a drama labelled In Vengeance Crude!

That's followed by something called The Flies!

Which is followed by a partial adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula .

Tragically, as far as I can make out, despite the title of this magazine, there is no actual monster legioning going on.

January 11th, 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. 

***

No one knew it at the time but footballing history was about to be made, this week in 1975.

That's because it was the week in which, having been fired by Leeds United, Brian Clough was put in charge of Second Division strugglers Nottingham Forest. Within five years of his arrival, the club would win the English title, and twice become champions of Europe.

It's a moment humanity will never forget, as Spider-Man Comics Weekly becomes the second of Marvel UK's mags to hit the hundred issue mark.

And what a way to do it.

By battling the awesome power of...

...the Kangaroo!

That's right, the Antipodean antagonist makes his debut this very week. And I don't think anyone will ever forget it.

But that's not all. Thor and Iron Man have been dumped from this special issue, and so it is we have room for the concluding part of the thriller in which the Chameleon steals a priceless painting from an art gallery and frames George Stacy for the crime.

Can the webby wonder thwart the two-faced villain?

You bet he can.

And you can read my review of this landmark issue, right here.

Shang-Chi's up to something but I don't know what.

Meanwhile, the Collector's still out to collect the Avengers.

Needless to say, his attempt is unsuccessful. But a pleasing consequence of it all is that Hank Pym finally regains his  growing powers!

And Dr Strange is about to have an encounter with none other than Satannish himself!

An exciting new chapter begins for us all, as, Marvel's adaptation of the first movie now out of the way, the company's free to unveil the adventures of Jason and Alexander featuring fabby artwork by Mike Ploog and a whole new take on the secrets and weirdnesses of the Forbidden Zone.

After that, Rod Serling recalls highlights from his career, followed by a look at the sets used in the Ape movies.

But even that's not enough for us.

And, so, the issue closes with the latest trials and tribulations of Doctor Doom, as he must combat both the Faceless One and Doomsman, for control of Latveria. This is brought to us, of course, by Larry Lieber and Wally Wood.

The Hulk's arguing with a talking fist - and that can only mean trouble.

And it can only mean the concluding part of the tale in which our hero must fight a giant stone robot activated by aliens who double up as Egyptian gods.

Needless to say, such a foe proves no match for Marvel's mightiest mortal and it soon finds itself falling to pieces.

Elsewhere, Daredevil's strip goes distinctly atypical when, upon being invited to deliver a college lecture about aliens and the law, the man without fear must thwart an alien invasion that intends to send the whole world blind.

And what's this attacking the Baxter Building?

Is it Klaw?

Yes it is and, having survived his recent encounter with the Fantastic Four and Black Panther, he's now a creature of living sound!

Neal Adams provides a memorable cover for a tale in which Dracula and someone called Lenore return to 20th Century England, pursued by our regular set of vampire hunters.

Still, not to worry, fans of fiends, because Drac has plans for their disposal.

Sadly, for him, those plans are scuppered by the arrival of a deformed son of a nobleman.

When it comes to werewolves, Jack Rusell's captured by Mark Cephalos - a man who's out to use the energy released by his werewolf transformations for, no doubt, nefarious purposes.

And, finally, this issue, Frankenstein's Monster thinks he's found the last descendant of his creator.

Then it turns out he hasn't.

January 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. 

***

It may have been a brave new year, this week of fifty years ago but some things were still hanging over from the previous one.

And one of those was that, in the United States, John N Mitchell, H R Haldeman and John Ehrlichman were found guilty of the Watergate cover-up.

On a much lighter note, it was also the week in which Roger Hargreaves' Mr Men series was first broadcast by the BBC.

As we can tell from that cover, the almost powerless Avengers are up against no lesser foe than the mighty Thor.

And, to make it worse, he's working for the Collector who's decided that right now would be a great time to add the lot of them to his collection.

Meanwhile, Shang-Chi's still in the Amazon and gets to combat a jaguar.

Needless to say, the jaguar's total lack of formal martial arts training means it proves to be no match for our hero.

And Dr Strange is still battling the latest servant of Satannish. The man they call Nekron.

Tragically, I never had this issue when I was a child. Who would have thought 1975 would have begun with such heart-rending deprivation?

Can it be? Can Marvel's adaptation of the original movie finally have reached its stunning climax?

Yes, it can, as Taylor finally discovers the truth of the world he's been stranded upon.

That cover blurb does raise the obvious question though. Were Marvel comics and Aleister Crowley books the only places in the 20th Century where one could still find human beings using the word, "Lo?"

Following that, we get a one-page biography of actor Mark Leonard, better known as both Urko and Mr Spock's dad.

Ka-Zar, meanwhile,  is managing to bring peace to the Savage Land when he forces an end to the feuding of Germans and Britons who won't let past grievances lie.

Meanwhile, Dr Doom has his work cut out when he has to see-off an uprising by Prince Rudolfo. That crafty prince has not only managed to escape Doom's dungeons. He's also found allies in the mysterious Faceless One and bandage-tastic Doomsman!

Hooray, the Chameleon's back!

And concocting an art theft which'll frame the ever-luckless George Stacy for a crime he hasn't committed.

More importantly, I seem to recall this being the tale in which Spider-Man basically out-and-out tells the whole world he's Peter Parker, and yet everyone around him seems to be too dim to notice.

There's trouble for Tony Stark when his dubious cousin Morgan agrees to help Count Nefaria discredit Stark by faking an alien invasion in front of him.

The only problem is that a real alien invasion shows up, Tony thwarts it and now he's a hero.

Lastly, a weakened and hypnotised Thor is still on the wrong side of the law, thanks to him having helped the Circus of Crime steal a big metal bull.

From what I can make out, our fang-packed fiend must deal with the threat of the Moorlands Monster when he and Lenore return to 20th Century England. His plans to kill Rachel van Helsing, however, are foiled by the deformed son of a nobleman.

Next, Jack Russell and Buck Cowan flee with The Darkhold but are followed by Miles and Marlene Blackgar who'd very much like to reclaim that tome.

And, finally, this issue, Frankenstein's Monster saves a girl who's been tied to a burning boat, by the residents of her own village.

Even the gods aren't safe when the Hulk's on the loose!

And it turns out that neither is the Sphinx, as it and another stone robot from space must contend with the gruesome grappler's temper.

In Daredevil's strip, the stakes are raised even further when the Masked Marauder decrees that Mike Murdock Must Die!

He can say that again.

Elsewhere, the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot are continuing their first encounter with Prester John and his Evil Eye.

The Evil Eye which Johnny decides would be the perfect tool for gaining access to the dome-enclosed city of Attilan.

But is that realisation going to send the boy mad?

The Marvel Lucky Bag - September 1984.

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

***

It feels like you had to be a bit cultured to enter a cinema in September 1984.

It was, after all, a month which saw the release of both Amadeus and Carmen.

Fortunately, for those whose tastes weren't quite so high-brow, the month also saw the unleashing of The Brother from Another Planet and Irreconcilable Differences.

I must confess that I've never seen any of those four movies. My opinions on them are, therefore, completely without value.

The official Marvel news magazine is back to thrill us with all the latest goss on all the firm's latest happenings. 

Which means that, among other items, we're treated to an interview with Denny O'Neil, a look at Marvel's Coming Attractions and all the facts you need to know about brand-new book Questprobe.

Not only that but there's even info on how to submit your samples. 

I'm assuming that means your artwork and writing samples and not any other samples you may happen to have in your possession.

Marvel Fanfare heralds its return, with a cover that looks like it's doing all it can to channel as much Golden Age magic as is humanly possible.

What I do know is it gives us a World War Two yarn involving someone called Sky-Wolf, which the GCD tells me is in the style of Blackhawks.

That's followed by A Fable. Otherwise known as a ten-page Sub-Mariner tale from Bill Mantlo and Mike Mignola.

A stylish cover by Mike Kaluta introduces us to an issue in which Conan searches for Taurus, with the help of Dexitheus and his Black Dragons.

Following that, Prince Conn's headed for the gallows after supposedly murdering a wealthy merchant. However, just as he's about to hang, the prince vanishes and reappears in a forest!

What can it all mean?

I haven't the foggiest.

I admit it, I've included it for its Bill Sienkiewicz  cover.

But it turns out he also draws the insides, as well.

Thanks to Chris Claremont's script, Danielle Moonstar's fighting for her life in surgery while Warlock and Magus encounter the Starjammers in space.

Elsewhere, Magik starts to manifest armour.

And, as if we could ever forget, the Demon Bear attacks again. This time, transporting the New Mutants - and two others - to its own dimension!

All I can say is it's teleportier than the average bear.

It's the last-ever Marvel Team-Up Annual and the book bows out in the only way any good comic should - with heroes in turmoil, a giant snake and a man on a flying carpet!

Frankly, I don't have a clue what's going on but it seems Spidey and someone called Marrina have attracted the attentions of the Collector. The cosmic kleptomaniac wants to nab Spidey because of his alien costume, and Marrina because she's a Plodex.

I have no idea what a Plodex is.

Meanwhile, in the issue's second tale, Arthur Berman finds himself haunted by the violence super-heroes bring into people's lives.

It's the book that had to happen, as Marvel gives us Part One of its three-part adaptation of the movie the people in cinema queues are all talking about.

And David Michelinie and Butch Guice are the men bringing it to us.

The company which gave us comics devoted to the Micronauts and ROM bows to the inevitable and delivers unto our laps the Transformers who, as we all know, are robots in disguise.

I must confess that, despite having sat through many an advert dedicated to them, I'm no expert on the Transformers but my understanding is that, on the planet Cybertron, war has raged for far longer than is healthy, between the Autobots and the Decepticons.

But now, that war has arrived on Earth!

So, basically, the plot of Galactica 1980.

It's the mystery that's haunted many of our childhoods. Why do all super-heroes live in New York?

And does that mean there are no super-villains outside that city either?

Now, at last, we're going to get an answer because the West Coast bags its very own branch of the Avengers.

Will there be anyone for them to fight?

Or will the team's presence magically attract a whole bunch of trouble-makers to the region?

But, first, a team as to be assembled - and that task is left in the hands of Hawkeye.

Given his character, this news would make me suspect the team will, therefore, be made up entirely of the man himself and whatever half-dozen nubile young women want the job.