Week Ending March 10, 1973

If you were browsing the shelves of your local newsagent 47 years and one week ago, what were Marvel UK offering to part you from your pocket money? If their covers are to be believed, it would seem that they suspected the sight of Daredevil talking like Spider-Man while Electro attacks a miniaturised Fantastic Four and the prospect of the actual Spider-Man unmasked were the most likely methods to get your ten pence into their bank account.
They probably weren't wrong.

Mighty World of Marvel #23

Bruce Banner is still temporarily inconvenienced by being dead, this doesn't prove to be too much of a set back as his body is stolen by Rick Jones from under the noses of the US army. While General Ross and Major Talbot are admiring the Leader's creepy life-size plastic model of the Hulk, Rick has plans to bring Dr Banner back to life. Rather shockingly, Rick's plan works, even creating a Hulk with the brain of Bruce Banner. There is little time for celebration though, Dr Hulk almost immediately finds himself battling a 500 foot tall version of one of the Leader's Humanoids.
As well as some fun Kirby technology in the background, I think this story gives us our first reference to 'the madder Hulk gets, the stronger he gets'.

Last week's sophomore Daredevil tale continues, and the trajectory of its quality has not changed. I doubt I would ever be ok with Electro shooting DD into space trapped inside a rocket belonging to the Fantastic Four, but the running commentary via Daredevil's thought balloons explaining how his unique powers enable his every feat, really makes this story an especially painful read.

We get our second Marvel mini poster and I realise what I thought was an advert for last week's mini poster was actually the poster itself. Also a house ad for SMCW and another opportunity to join FOOM,

The FF have their first meeting with the Impossible Man, its a daft little story, though entertaining. It has been a bit of an eye-opener to realise how many of these very early Fantastic Four tales are not classics. It really feels like Stan and Jack haven't quite hit their stride yet.

Spider-Man Comics Weekly #4

Now I have been around the block, I know when a comic cover promises that the hero will be unmasked, that's not what you are actually going to get. So I was pleasantly surprised when this week's story actually did what it said it would, there was obviously a twist, but it was well delivered. Spider-Man continues his battle with Dr Octopus, as well as fighting off a cold. Lots of Peter Parker background stuff going on this week too, as Pete suddenly finds himself an object of desire for both Betty Brant and Liz Allen, Ditko's art works well in these less dynamic moments, but as a large chunk of the story is taken up with the smackdown between Spidey and Doc Ock, we don't have to wait long before it is all bendy limbs and ungainly poses again.

The full colour promotional pages hint at a free gift, any ideas?

The god of thunder returns, and this week he faces a cut-price prototype Kang the Conqueror in the form of Zarrko the Tomorrow Man. Stan Lee's brother Larry Lieber gets a script credit for this tale and delivers a respectable diet-Stan performance. The conflicting directions for Thor's character are on show again, as our story opens with Thor taking part in military tests to aid in "keeping the free world strong and secure against the forces of tyranny". While we start with this weirdly square 1960s take on the character, just a couple of pages later Mr Kirby has Thor summon up the visage of Odin to provide advice on how to pursue the Tomorrow Man who has stolen the army's new Cobalt bomb. As luck would have it, for this episode at least, Thor can use his hammer to time travel to the future. Once there, we are treated to Thor's attempts to prevent Zarrko 'dropping the C-bomb' much to my childish delight.