October 18th, 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 saw great news for those who aren't keen on deadly diseases, thanks to the planet's last naturally-occurring case of smallpox being diagnosed and cured. The patient was two-year-old Rahima Banu who, Wikipedia informs me, is still with us.

Meanwhile, prehistory is also made because I do believe this is the week that finally brings an end to Conan's Living Tarim story line, thanks to that character being ruthlessly slaughtered by his own guards.

Not that that affects his career trajectory because it turns out a lifeless corpse can carry out the functions of a living Tarim perfectly comfortably.

Elsewhere, the Invaders foolishly take on a trio of Avengers in war-torn Paris.

Not they know that they're Avengers, or what they're doing in Paris. But it does mean the Vision gets to fight himself without knowing it.

Even more dramatically, I do believe we reach the finale of the Kang/Grandmaster melodrama, with the Kangster blowing his chance of revenge upon the team, thanks to him forgetting the Black Knight isn't actually an Avenger!

And I do believe Shang-Chi and Groucho Marx now enter the sewers of New York, as they pursue someone or other for some reason or other.

The cover blurb implies Dracula's inside the room.

The picture implies he's outside the room.

Which is the deadly truth?

I can't remember but I'm fairly sure we're still in the midst of the tale in which he and a young lady must survive a night in a house haunted by the ghost of an Aleister Crowley type figure.

Following that, the Living Mummy proves to be more alive than the Living Tarim but, no doubt, will struggle to keep it that way when he finds himself in The Asp's Big Score.

And the Werewolf by Night's battling to rescue his sister from the clutches of Ma Mayhem and Baron Thunder.

But, this time, he has an advantage!

He has a ring which allows him to retain his normal intelligence, no matter how furry he gets!

Our primate protagonists have escaped the Planet of the Apes but it looks like escaping the forearm of a fellow simian's going to be a far greater challenge.

Beyond the death of poor old Dr Milo, this issue contains the dramatic moment when Zira reveals, to her human hosts, that she and Cornelius can speak!

Elsewhere, Warlock's battle with the Brute continues. A battle that I think climaxes with the death of Counter-Earth's Dr Doom.

And I do believe it may also witness the demise of the strip, as I suspect Adam will not be appearing in the comic again.

Also making his last appearance in the mag is Captain Marvel who aims to go out in style by battling the Sub-Mariner for reasons I don't recall.

It's a classic tale for Spidey who travels to Curt Connors' not-at-all nightmarish beach house, looking to develop a cure for his current condition of having too many arms...

...only to encounter not only the Lizard but, also, Morbius the living vampire!

The Living Tarim? The Living Mummy? The Living Vampire? You can't move, this week, for living people.

But what I remember most about this issue, from when I first read it, is me suddenly realising that the colours on its cover consisted of tiny dots - and me, therefore, subsequently trying to colour in a picture by using tiny, hand-drawn dots.

I soon realised that such an act was more trouble than it was worth, and I never again dared repeat such a dread experiment.

Iron Man, meanwhile, has a scrap on his hands when he must thwart a deadly robot built by the mad scientist father of Tony Stark's latest love interest Janice Cord. This tale is, of course, brought to us by the plucky pencil of Johnny Craig, an artist whose quaint and tidy simplicity I've always had a soft spot for.

And I do believe Thor sees off his love rival Him but, in doing so, succumbs to Warrior Madness.

And Odin hasn't given him permission to become insane.

And that means Thor's in trouble with his dad.

Again.

Its the return of Tiger Shark - and the return of that cover from just five issues ago.

This time, however, the cover's appropriate, as the jade juggernaut does indeed find himself in watery conflict with Prince Namor's old foe.

And it all happens because Bruce Banner decides to gatecrash Glenn and Betty's Niagara Falls honeymoon.

Back in New York, the man without fear's still striving to introduce the knuckles of democracy to the chin of the Stilt-Man who's out to kill Foggy Nelson, in his bid to sink the lawyer's quest to become District Attorney.

And the Silver Surfer's determined to be a threat to all mankind, in a bid to get mankind to grow up. Needless to say, thanks to the Fantastic Four, that bid fails and, seeing the error his of ways, the pewter pontificator agrees not to get up to that sort of thing again.

It's an exciting week for me, as the Human Top makes his debut in the pages of Giant-Man's strip.

I, of course, hold that tale in high regard, simply because I first read it in the pages of an Alan Class comic. Astounding Stories #93, to be precise. A fact which, of course, lent a whole other kind of magic to it.

Following that, the Cat has plenty to worry about, as she must deal with the overwhelming menace of the villain the world knows as the Owl!

And the X-Men must survive their first encounter with the Mimic who seeks to join their ranks but is a bit short-tempered.

And, as we all know, no short-tempered character could ever be accommodated within an X-Men lineup.

Atlas/Seaboard October 1975.

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

***

Atlas/Seaboard; the company launched with a mission.

A mission to sink Marvel Comics and take over the American market.

With Marvel's former publisher Martin Goodman at the helm and a huge pile of cash in its bank account, it couldn't possibly fail.

And yet it did. A victim of the clumsiness of its comics and the randomness of its editorial decisions.

But did it at least go out in style?

It goes out with the Phoenix, in his fourth issue, having a dramatic change of direction when he tries to kill himself by friction - but is instead rescued by Teutonic aliens who employ nurses in space bikinis and give him a new costume, a new name, new powers and a new mission.

Surely, from now on, he'll be unstoppable.

Or would be if he hadn't already stopped.

Regardless, in some ways I'm glad the Phoenix is the last Atlas character to bite the bullet, as I always felt he was one of the company's more potential-packed super-doers. As such, it seems only right that he should outlive their lesser lights. Even if it is by just one month.

But this shall not be the end of the story.

Because, from nowhere, he and several other Atlas heroes will return, thanks to 2011's three-part Atlas Unified mini-series.

During 1974 & 1975, Atlas/Seaboard published 28 titles, all of which failed to survive past their fourth issue, and introduced a whole slew of new characters to the world, many of whom had a fondness for cannibalism and near-plagiarism. It would be easy to say they it was not a popular company but some of us have a respect for plucky underdogs and have fond memories of buying their books. In my case, during a two-week buying frenzy in the summer of 1975 when they seemed to be everywhere and really did look like they were here to stay.

Will we ever see their likes again?

We can only stare at any empty spinner racks we come across in our journey through life, and wonder...

The Marvel Lucky Bag - October 1975.

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

***

What amazing movies were unleashed, released, escaped, paroled or let out for good behaviour, this month in 1975?

These amazing movies were: The Giant Spider Invasion, Rooster Cogburn, Lies My Father Told Me, Shivers, Royal Flash, Lisztomania, Mahogany, Hard Times and Conduct Unbecoming.

And I have a feeling I've never seen any of them.

I do recall The Giant Spider Invasion being on the telly, the other night. However, I didn't watch it, having assumed it to be the one that stars William Shatner, which I've already seen.

But, apparently, it's not the one that stars William Shatner.

I am shocked to discover there's a film called Mahogany, having never before realised that Diana Ross's Theme From Mahogany was from an actual film, rather than it just being a song with a weird title.

My recollections of this one are more than fuzzy but I have a feeling the whole tale might be told in flashback.

And the GCD tells me it's directly narrated, in person, by Steve Gerber who appears throughout the issue.

Conan rides into action, once again, when he occupies a tale called The Forever Phial which sees an immortal sorcerer conspire to get the barbarian to end his life for him.

That's followed by The Gods Of The Hyborian Age, Part III: The Elder Gods then Death Song of Conan the Cimmerian and then Sorcerer's Summit.

But we complete the issue with The Hyborian Age, Chapter 2: The Rise of the Hyborians and, finally, Corsairs Against Stygia!

As you might guess, this issue sees the first full appearance of Starhawk!

And there's plenty more action where that came from, as Nighthawk, Charlie and Martinex get captured by the Badoon, Starhawk helps Vance and Valkyrie return to Earth, and the Hulk and Yondu find themselves engaged in a thing called the Super-Death Sweepstakes!

Warlock's previous attempt to sustain a mag of his own failed after just eight issues but, following his triumphant run in Strange Tales, he's got his old book back, and picks up the numbering where he left off!

Needless to say, Adam's still trying to thwart the Magus and his church and I do believe this issue sees the first appearance of the In-Betweener.

Not to mention the return of Thanos.

At last, after all this time, the Incredible Hulk gets a Giant-Size comic of his very own!

And astute readers will have guessed, from that cover, that it centres around a reprint of 1968's Incredible Hulk King-Size Special #1.

That's the tale in which our superstar encounters the Evil Inhumans who try to recruit him in their latest plot to overthrow Black Bolt.

Marvel Presents #1 introduces us to a contemporary of Conan that the world will, no doubt, take to its heart, as Ulysses Bloodstone arrives to battle a whole array of fiends with names you can't pronounce.

This month, he must tackle none other than Ullux'yl Kwan T'ae 'Sny. It's hard to understand why he's not become one of Marvel's most popular villains.

Needless to say, we also encounter Bloodstone's origin and discover just how someone from the Hyborian Age happens to be around in the 20th Century.

Who needs Dr Strange?

Not us. Thanks to Marvel Chillers #1, we have Modred the Mystic to save us whenever supernatural peril abounds.

And it seems we get his origin. And it seems he's been asleep since the days of King Arthur and is awakened by something or other to do with that pesky Darkhold they're always fighting for in Werewolf by Night.

But hold on. Isn't Modred supposed to be a bad guy?

Regardless, that's followed by the three-page short It Happened in the Attic!, reprinted from the pages of 1957's Mystical Tales #7.

Yet another crack team of super-doers smashes its way into our lives, as the Champions go flying out of the starting blocks.

And how can a comic that features such fan favourites as Hercules, the Black Widow, Ghost-Rider, Angel and Iceman fail?

Come to think of it, I don't have a clue what happens in this issue or just how this disparate group manage to come together.

I do note that various anti-social Greek gods show up, this month. I shall, therefore, assume that it's activity by them which forces the heroes to assemble.

For those of us who never got to read the Doug Moench and George Tuska adaptation of the movie of the talking apes, we get another chance to read it, thanks to a brand new comic.

But what can be the shocking secret of the Planet of the Apes?

What?

October 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. 

***

On October 11th, 1975, Model World made its first appearance on BBC television. In it, man of the people, Robert Alexander Baron Schutzmann von Schutzmansdorff showed us all how to make a model railway from bits of paper and cardboard.

Believe it or not, this was the most interesting thing that happened in the world on that day.

There was only one thing for it! We were going to have to take refuge in the thrills and spills of Marvel UK, as never before!

But, before that, what of those vital UK charts?

When it came to the singles listings, David Essex was still ruling the roost with Hold Me Close.

While, on the LP rankings, Rod Stewart stood supreme with Atlantic Crossing.

Hold Me Close is, of course, a classic but there were other tracks that gained my approval on that week's Hit Parade. Among them were:

Sailing - Rod Stewart

SOS - ABBA

Moonlighting - Leo Sayer

The Last Farewell - Roger Whittaker

Space Oddity - David Bowie

and

Love Is the Drug - Roxy Music.

Should one wish to study the matter in further depth, that week's UK singles chart can be discovered here.

While the accompanying album chart dwells within.

The Avengers tackle the team who'll become the Invaders, in what my razor-sharp senses tell me can only be Blackpool.

But, first, I do believe Conan finally discovers the truth about the Living Tarim whose existence has been the main cause of all the unpleasantness of the past few months.

Then, the Black Knight finds himself drawn into the Grandmaster and Kang's chess match, even as Yellowjacket, Cap and the Vision find themselves confronting a trio of 1940s super-doers.

And Shang-Chi's still having an adventure in the back of Groucho Marx's taxi.

Despite what that cover might imply, the king of vampires hasn't decided to enter the world of show business.

Instead, he's spending the night in a haunted house possessed by the spirit of an Aleister Crowley like character.

Elsewhere, I do believe Jack Russell gets his hands on a ring which enables him to keep his human mind, even while he's in the form of a werewolf.

And that's good news because he's going to need all the smarts he can summon when he comes up against the bludgeoning bulk of Baron Thunder.

And I do believe the Living Mummy's hanging around in a desert, for reasons I'm not sure of.

We're still escaping from the Planet of the Apes.

Although "escape" may be the wrong word because our chimpanzee adventurers find themselves in a cage at the zoo and having to pretend they can't speak, in order to preserve their safety.

Next, I do believe Captain Marvel must confront the Sub-Mariner, for reasons I can't recall. AND he has to put up with the malevolent Yon-Rogg watching his every move for signs of treason!

And it would appear Adam Warlock's still having trouble with Counter-Earth's version of Reed Richards - also known as The Brute!

Drama can't get more dramatic than this because not only does Spider-Man wake from a dream, to discover he now has six arms, we also get our first encounter with Morbius the living vampire!

Well, Spider-Man may have six arms but AIM have three Iron Mans.

It's true. Those badly behaved beekeepers have managed to make three duplicates of Tony Stark's armour!

And I think we can assume they're not going to use them for the betterment of mankind.

Elsewhere, I think Thor's still looking to beat up Him for trying to steal his girl.

If we don't count that cover from the other week, Tiger Shark makes what I believe to be his Marvel UK debut.

And it all happens when Bruce Banner heads to Niagara Falls after discovering Betty and Glenn are honeymooning there.

Quite what he expects to do when he gets there, I don't know but what he actually does get to do is launch into a scrap with the fin-foreheaded fiend who thinks the Sub-Mariner must have sent him.

Following that, Daredevil's fists engage in vigorous political debate with the Stilt-Man's face when the telescopic terror is hired to kill Foggy Nelson, in the mob's ruthless attempt to prevent him from becoming District Attorney.

And the FF have problems when the Silver Surfer decides the best way to unite mankind is for him to become its deadly enemy!

It's terrible news for Giant-Man fans, as the crane-sized crime-clobberer gets literally rubbed out by the Living Eraser!

That's followed by the senses-shattering conclusion of the Cat's origin.

And I do suspect the X-Men have to prevent Magneto from making clones of the Worthington family!

But an oddity does strike me.

Which is that all the heroes on this cover will go on to be replaced, in their roles, by someone else.

The original X-Men will be replaced by the New X-Men, Greer Nelson's Cat will be superseded by Patsy Walker's Hellcat, and Hank Pym will be replaced, as Ant-Man, by Scott Lang and, as Goliath, by Clint Barton and Bill Foster.

Fifty years ago today - October 1975.

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

***

Comics.

They need no introduction.

In a shocking twist capable of wrenching a man's sanity from his very brain, the Vision carries out a manoeuvre that's known in the trade as The Reverse Neal Adams.

I seem to recall this all being down to the aftermath of  a fight with the Whirlwind and, possibly, our hero having grown too tall too fast.

My memories of this one are fuzzy but I do believe it includes a battle between a giant scorpion and a killer shadow. I'm going to assume that fight was set up by Conan - and that it leads to the salvation of a city.

No shortage of Kirby Krackle on that cover from Gil Kane, while, inside, Cap and the Falcon must thwart Deadly Nightshade's plan to gain control of SHIELD's male agents, as part of her bid to conquer the whole of the United States. 

This issue's victory for common sense sees the Falcon regain his Sam Wilson persona!

A brand new villain makes his debut!

In fact, two of them do! Because there are no less than two villains called the Torpedo making their first appearance, in this tale.

Sadly, for one of those villains, it's also his last appearance. For no sooner has he started fighting Daredevil than he's crushed by a falling wall!

Fortunately for the world of crime, there's an insurance salesman called Brock Jones who just can't wait to take his place.

It's the moment we've all been waiting for, as Gaard shows up!

But doesn't he turn out to be Johnny Storm?

Regardless, I've no doubt that, next issue, the FF will find themselves up against the deadly threat of Wikketkeeper.

And, the issue after that, they'll be battling the terrifying menace of Centralholdingmidfielder.

Iron Man finds himself confronting a pair of foes I've never heard of but it seems they're called Professor Kurarkill and Quasar.

All I know is I'd stay away from any hill called Murder Mountain. I can't help feeling someone's trying to tell me something.

At last we reach the conclusion of the Jackal saga - and the truth about the return of Gwen Stacy.

Not to mention the launchpad of a Clone Saga everyone will love.

It all happens when our hero must fight another our hero, in order to rescue Ned Leeds from the clutches of Professor Warren.

But, when the scrap's over, how does our surviving hero know he's really our hero and not just a perfect copy of him?

Isn't this the story where, for some reason, Odin decides to do to himself what he usually does to Thor and banishes himself on Earth, with no memory of his true identity?

I have no doubt that, by doing so, he needlessly endangers the whole universe and then, after Thor's sorted it all out for him, decides to punish him for it.

In other news, I do believe Egyptian gods turn up in this one

The Ani-Men may not be able to beat Daredevil but perhaps they'll have more luck against the all-new X-Men.

Then again, they probably won't.

Either way, one of our superstars is going to be dead at the end of it all, thanks to his determination to thwart the evil plans of Count Nefaria.

Hooray! The Hulk comes up against the Loch Ness Monster!

Tragically, for reasons unknown, the tale never admits it's the Loch Ness Monster. Instead, labelling it The Loch Fear Monster, as the green one must endure the jealousies and rivalries of the not-at-all-stereotypical Black Jaimie MacAwber and Angus MacTavish.

That's enough of Marvel's big hitters. In order to see their activities in context, we need to know just what the competition was up to at the same time.

And that means it's vital we peruse a random sampling of DC comics which bear the same cover date.

Drama's piled upon drama when the Avenger finds himself battling the menace of The Monster Bug! which I think is a virus that turns people into murderous fiends.

But who's behind the evil scheme?

And can the putty-faced crime-fighter put a stop to it in his penultimate issue?

My knowledge of this one is especially hazy but I'm led to believe that, while planning the Justice League's next adventure, Cary Bates and Elliott S! Maggin enter Carmine Infantino's office, find a Cosmic Treadmill and accidentally activate the thing.

Thanks to this, Bates appears on Earth-2, as a super-villain. Whereas Maggin appears on Earth-1, in the company of the JLA!

I've picked this one purely for the Joe Kubert cover but I'm sure the insides are just as splendiferous, being filled, as they are, with stories bearing such titles as Old Soldiers Never Die, Twice Dead and The Year 700 After The Bomb! [Part 1]. I'm assuming Part 2 of that thriller must be appearing next month?

It's the first issue of a sensational new comic that will last for just one issue.

But what an issue. Not only is it drawn by Walt Simonson, it features two tales of mystery, intrigue and riddle-solving.

The first such tale is an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's The Final Problem which, no doubt, involves an appearance by the legendary Reichenbach Falls.

And the second is an adaptation of The Adventure of the Empty House. The details of which elude me but I suspect an empty house may be involved.

As if all the Batman goodness we've encountered over the years hasn't been enough for us, we're set to get even more of it because Batman Family #1 enters our lives!

In our first thrilling tale, Batgirl and Robin must unite to keep British mega-patriot Benedict Arnold from taking over the United States!

Then we get The Origins of Batgirl and Robin the Boy Wonder.

Next, Alfred the butler finds himself battling The Great Handcuff King!

Following that, a crook once caught by Commissioner Gordon uses the detective to lure Batman into a trap!

Now, we encounter a reprint of Batman's first-ever encounter with the Man-Bat!

And, a one-page feature tells us how Alfred became Batman's butler, and of his time as the villain the world could only know as The Outsider!