Week Ending November 24, 1973

 The past really is a foreign country, though some of it is a bit like Devon or the Isle of Wight, basically rubbish but full of great childhood memories. Reading some of these early stories, which I'm sure must have seemed amazing on their original publication, has made me appreciate the ones that I read only a couple of years later all the more. 

Mighty World of Marvel #60

Perspective takes a holiday as the Hulk dukes it out with a slightly constipated looking Black Bolt. Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia serve up a slightly flat looking cover, which also promises us a surprise guest-star. 

The Incredible Hulk: In The Land of The Inhumans! Reprinting The Incredible Hulk Special #1

I fully intended to lay into this story heavily, I love Marie Severin's work normally, Syd Shores inks don't do her any favours here, but this is a mess. However, I believe that several pages were cropped out of this story for the UK reprint, so the incoherent visual storytelling can't be laid at any one contributor's feet. That said, the painful exposition required because there is absolutely no way to follow what is going on by looking at the art in the panels, is a fantastic example of a comic not working. I will be glad to leave this "Special" behind and return to the events of the regular title next week.

The Fantastic Four: It Started On Yancy Street ...But It Finishes On The Moon! Reprinting Fantastic Four #29

Sadly the limited imagination shown in coming up with an additional title for the second half of this UK reprint, is probably the creative highpoint of this tale. The FF have been captured and flown to the moon by the Mad (can't be bothered to keep adding "Red" in brackets) Ghost and his super-apes. Despite this journey taking a couple of days through the hostile vacuum of space, the Mad Ghost decides to dump our fab foursome on Earth's natural satellite. From this point on it appears that Stan gives up any pretence of this story having a plot or even a point. The team make it to the blue area of the moon, defeat the Mad Ghost and his monkey army, then the Watcher literally phones in his "I must not interfere" shtick. Stan even fits a semi apology into the final panel in the hopes we can all forget it and move on with our lives.

Spider-Man Comics Weekly #41

There are few things more likely to make me buy a comic than the image of Spider-Man being blasted by Kraven's deadly nipple-lasers. Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito clearly knew this in 1973 and capitalised on that knowledge to good effect.

The Amazing Spider-Man: In The Hands of The Hunter! Reprinting The Amazing Spider-Man #47

Our story opens with a flashback to unseen events during Spidey's last encounter with Kraven, when our jungle antagonist was working at the behest of the Green Goblin. Once again, Romita impresses with his aping of Ditko's style for this segment. Entirely unnecessary but a lovely flourish. Kraven is back in town and out for revenge on Spider-Man and Norman Osborn, who he believes to be a flunky of the Goblin. A lot of the action revolves around a party for Flash Thompson who is joining the army, which gives Stan the opportunity to try out some of the most unconvincing teen-speak ever committed to paper, truly toe-curling stuff. It's a harmless enough story that hints at the possible return of the Green Goblin and cements Peter's improved position with his peer group. Romita's art is great to look at, spoiled only in places by the bizarre choice to ditch the Zip-A-Tone shading and substitute a heavy cross-hatching.

The Mighty Thor: Call Him Destroyer! Reprinting Journey Into Mystery #118

After considerable effort to have the Destroyer finally and permanently rid him of his troublesome brother, Loki starts to panic when he realises his plan might work. I'm sure everyone with siblings is familiar with that feeling. He rushes to the side of Odin to save both Thor's and his own skin, unfortunately the All-Father is in the middle of the Odin-snooze and not receiving visitors. Loki is locked in an Asgardian cell for his trouble. In my last post I think I said nice things about Vince Colletta's inks, I take it all back. Clearly he got tired halfway through the original comic and just gave up. The Kirby goodness is still just about visible, but much of the excitement is killed by pedestrian inking. Still, Thor gets his ass kicked and hammer cut in half, so there is some drama.

The Avengers #10

Jack Kirby and Chic Stone have Count Nefaria laying down some phat beats at what appears to be the Avengers' office party. With a cover like that, can you imagine the excitement that awaits us inside? It might just be best to stick with your imagination...

The Avengers: The Castle of Count Nefaria! Reprinting The Avengers #13

It will be a few more years before Marvel grasped the scope of the sort of epic tale you need if you intend to group together the Earth's mightiest heroes, until then, Stan was more than happy to open a story with the team foiling a fur robbery. However these world shaking events do introduce us to the Maggia (in no way connected or related to the Mafia, and saying otherwise will get you a swim with the fishes) and Count Nefaria. Nefaria is a bit of an odd duck, quite why he is having is minions steal furs, when he owns a matter teleportation device that he demonstrates by transporting one of those minions halfway around the world instantaneously, is never full explained. Anyway, miffed that the Avengers are interfering with the whole fur stealing business, he plots his revenge. This involves moving his entire European castle brick by brick to New York, drugging and framing the Avengers for treason, all the while ranting that the Feds can't touch him because he hasn't hurt anyone or done anything himself. A bigly perfect plan, some say the most perfect plan ever. It isn't and he gets busted.

Doctor Strange: Witchcraft In The Wax Museum!

Baron Mordo is back for yet another rerun of his previous encounters with the Sorcerer Supreme. This plays out exactly as it has for every other attempt; Mordo sets a trap, Strange ends up in astral form, battle of wits, magical  showdown, Strange triumphs. Yes, it is incredibly derivative of all the previous stories, but I still find it hard to dislike. Hopefully next week will bring some variety.