Week Ending July 28, 1973

Reading the output of Marvel UK from the early 70s in the here and now of 2020 is immense fun, even as a cynical 50-something, it is hard not to get that old, familiar excitement about what the next week's issues will bring. However, now I realise, at least in these early years that 'Marvel UK' was more a concept or gimmick. Despite being printed in Britain, these early issues were clearly the creation of a small team in the US bullpen, working to squeeze more money from the corporate IP within the restrictions of two weekly UK format comics. This is actually having the effect of increasing my affection for them.

Mighty World of Marvel #43

 

The cover of Tales to Astonish #100 gets a reworking, with a slightly rotated Namor by Marie Severin/Dan Adkins and the addition of a Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers FF panel. Colours by a child with felt-tip pens I assume.

Last week we had two Hulk stories created five years apart that both ended with our anti-hero caught in an explosion/earthquake. This week with a couple of text tweaks, we have a Hulk/Sub-Mariner crossover that can continue from either, depending on your preference.

Marie Severin and Dan Adkins provide some really pleasing artwork, with its slightly soft and rounded figures for what would be Namor's swan song in their original shared title. The Sub-Mariner looks to Hulk as a potential ally against mankind, but his plans are disrupted by an unknowing chance encounter with the Puppet Master. Yes, once again the Puppet Master is back from the dead and looking like he has been eating well thanks to Marie's pencils. Seeking revenge for his previous defeat at the hands of Namor, he wastes no time in using his radioactive puppets to take control of the Hulk and provoke a clash of the two titans. The rest of the story is little more than Hulk and Namor beating the crap out of each other, which is no bad thing when it is done as beautifully as it is here. It will come as little surprise to find out that the Puppet Master seemingly dies again, did any other villain die in all his early appearances?

The Fantastic Four are in the middle of a family science project involving a meteor when they are disturbed by the overly theatrical appearance of the Watcher. What does the universe's greatest proponent of failing at his only job, have to say? Well it seems that he is now breaking his vow of non interference to tell the FF the origin of the Molecule Man after transporting them to another dimension, which is nice for me as I have never read it. Returned to their own dimension and New York to find the first occurrence of what will become the well worn trope of the Baxter Building removed from its foundations and hovering above the city. Needless to say, the Molecule Man is behind this turn of events. As this is only half the original story reprinted here, we just get a few pages of the Fantastic Four getting trounced by the Molecule Man, but Kirby makes the most of the team fighting a guy who can control molecules with some wacky fight action.

Spider-Man Comics Weekly #24

It must have been a busy week in the bullpen, as we don't have any specially drawn covers this week, SMCW receives a montage of repurposed Ditko and Kirby panels. Which actually works pretty well.

We should be reading a reprint of Amazing Spider-Man #29, featuring the second appearance of the Scorpion, but for some reason we skip straight to ASM #30. A No-Prize awaits anyone who can come up with an explanation for this odd editorial choice. A couple of text edits gloss over the loose ends from the story we missed and we are straight into a very Ditko-y story featuring an old fashioned cat burglar and hints of a further shadowy underworld menace. J. Jonah Jameson finds himself robbed and offers a reward for the capture of the cat burglar, presenting Peter Parker with the opportunity to make some money and rub Jameson's nose in it as Spider-Man. Unfortunately, we all know what happens when Peter Parker has a plan. Maybe if he spent less of this issue being a self-pitying arse to the women in his life, things might have worked out better for him? I may have thought in the past that Stan could not write teenagers, I don't think I could be more wrong. Here he nails the self-obsessed attitude of Parker, along with that sense of entitlement that comes so naturally to young men, but without the moral exposition or pay-off of dawning self-awareness that would normally frame a teenager's story. I can't tell if this is genius or a happy accident.

Continued from last week, Thor is up against the double threat of the Cobra and Mr Hyde against the backdrop of an industrial machinery exhibition. Sounds exciting? Probably not but Kirby does his best with it, while throwing in some of the most laughable secret identity quick-changes ever. I can only hope that going on the established pattern, we might see a more mythological story next week.