Week Ending May 11, 1974

Apologies for the slow down in posting. The problem with mid-life crisis' (crisises? crisisi?) is they tend to make you revive all the hobbies of your youth while granting you none of the time and energy you used to possess.

At least Marvel UK were on the ball back in 1974, with some engaging covers to soothe our short attention spans.

Mighty World of Marvel #84

This week's issue gives us a reworking of the original Herb Trimpe cover, some small changes to accommodate the UK title format and revised colouring that has an almost watercolour look to it. It appeals to both my eye and sense of nostalgia.

The Incredible Hulk: Death Match! Reprinting The Incredible Hulk #125

MWOM #83 contrived to send Bruce Banner into space at the controls of an experimental rocket for reasons I have already forgotten. The narrative purpose was actually as an excuse to bring back The Absorbing Man from his interstellar banishment by Odin. As long-time blog readers will know, any excuse to bring back Crusher Creel is going to be OK by me. Trimpe brings his A-game for the inevitable showdown as Roy Thomas turns his fuax Stan Lee upto 11. The result is an enjoyable romp with a twist on the inevitable Creel-absorbs-the-wrong-thing ending.

The Fantastic Four: A Blind Man Shall Lead Them! Reprinting Fantastic Four #39

The previous issue saw the FF narrowly escape an exploding island trap set by the Frightful Four. Rescued by a passing US navy submarine, our heroes realise that the explosion has robbed them of their cosmic Ray gifted powers. Reed knows the danger this will place the team in should their enemies find out and turns his genius to creating facsimiles of their original powers as cover. Unfortunately, it is at this point that Dr Doom discovers his previous victory over the FF was a hypnotic suggestion placed by Mr Fantastic, Von Doom is not best pleased and heads out to beat the Fantastic Four for real. The team's pseudo superpowers do not hold up well, but fortunately Daredevil is on hand to even the odds. I had puzzled over DD's absence from MWOM last week, this would seem to be the reason. Evidently, us poor, stupid UK readers would be baffled by the man without fear turning up twice in a single issue and our fragile minds must be protected at all costs. Jack Kirby is on fine form this week, providing extremely kinetic art, ably assisted by Frank Giacoia's inks. Stan even seems a little restrained on the exposition, letting Jack's action move the story forward for the most part.

Spider-Man Comics Weekly #65

When Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito provide a cover for the UK weeklies, the results can be a bit variable. Probably due to time constraints rather than any particular shortfall of talent. This composition of this one feels like it would not have looked out of place as a US original though, with some better background colouring this could be a damn fine cover. 

The Amazing Spider-Man: Doom On A Rooftop! Reprinting Amazing Spider-Man #64

Spider-Man finds himself taking on a revitalised original Vulture on top of the Daily Bugle building. Sporting his now traditional shoulder/arm injury and fending off the increasingly irritating J. Jonah Jameson while trying to attend to the injured Joe Robertson, it is probably safe to say that Spidey is not having a great day. Elsewhere, even greater horrors are afoot, as Mary Jane unveils her 'ginchy new hairdo' to Aunt May. It seems that May is made of sterner stuff than we thought, when the shock of this does not kill her. I'm don't think MJ's little old lady perm will last for long and will be surprised if we have to put up with it for more than a few issues. In slightly better news, Gwen Stacey is relieved to hear that her father has regained his memory after being hypnotised by the Kingpin and the revelation that Peter Parker did not actually attack him. This is great news for Gwen, especially as her hair is now better than Mary Jane's. The rest of the episode is a Spidey/Vulture slugfest that ends in a draw, solid work from Stan as Romita provides pencils that do their best to survive the inks of Don Heck and Mike Esposito. 

Iron Man: The Trap Is Set! Reprinting Tales of Suspense #47

I quite like it when the combination of pencils and inks by different artists creates the illusion of a third artist. This is almost the case in this story with the mixture of Ditko and Heck giving birth to the artist I will call Son Hitko, though this unnatural artist chimera does take after Mr Heck more than his mother Ms Ditko. When I started reading this story in the previous issue, I was under the impression that it ended with the change to Iron Man's Mk3 armour. Instead we just get the Mk2.5 aluminium version, I can't say I am not disappointed. 

The Mighty Thor: All Hell Breaks Loose! Reprinting Thor #130

Thor continues to fight on behalf of Hercules in order to free him from the underworld as on Earth the mysterious Tana Nile engages the next phase of her unknown scheme. The real conflict this week though is between Jack Kirby's mighty pencil and the all-powerful eraser of Vince Colletta. Several panels hint at the glory of what might have been with a different inker, but the pyrrhic victory goes to Colletta. 

The Avengers #34

Credit to Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito for trying something different with this cover. Our combatants are locked in a dynamic and unusual pose that almost works were it not for the somewhat constipated expression of Shang-Chi and the half-hearted background. 

Master of Kung Fu: Attack! Reprinting Master of Kung Fu #18

This week Paul Gulacy makes his debut on Shang-Chi pencils, I had no idea that his run on the title started so early in its history. His knack for nonlinear storytelling and inventive panel structure is already in evidence, even if his drawing style has not developed its full power at this stage. Shang-Chi is now fully engaged with the idea of taking down his crime-lord father Fu Manchu, and this episode whips along in equal parts James Bond/Indiana Jones style even if we only get a few pages of it. 

The Avengers: The Living Laser! Reprinting The Avengers #34

I am no Don Heck fan but there is no denying that his bad guys are every bit as recognisable as his work as that of Kirby and Ditko. Take The Living Laser: far too much fabric in outfit? Check. Fussy, overcomplicated design that hints at technology without detail? Check. Stupid looking helmet? Oh yes. The Living Laser could not be any more Heckian if he tried. Lucky Stan Lee wasn't phoning in the storylines on these early Avengers tales too... oh wait. There is a bank robbery and third-rate bad guy LL decides to take on the Avengers, some stuff happens but I can't remember it and I just read the thing. 

Dr. Strange: The End.. At Last! Reprinting Strange Tales #146

As I have mentioned at length on this blog, I was never a fan of Steve Ditko's work when I was younger. His bizarre rubber-limbed stick figures never appealed to my juvenile self. Having now read through the early Dr Strange and Spider-Man stories I can now appreciate that he probably did as much for Marvel as Kirby did, only with considerably less material. This would be Ditko's final work for the House of Ideas until his return in 1979 and he goes to town wrapping up the plot threads of what has been quite a sprawling epic for the master of the mystic arts. All the Ditko artistic signatures are there (each as recognisable as the Kirby Krackle) and he throws his whole bag of tricks at the showdown between Dormammu and Eternity with some images that make me slightly sad we didn't get colour in the Marvel UK weeklies. With various plots tied up neatly, Strange exits the last panel. The final text hints at his return but with the unspoken acknowledgement that it will be a Dr Strange without the influence of his creator. 

Bullpen Bulletins

If the Bullpen Bulletins look familiar to you, you are not alone. Yes, this is last week's bulletin reprinted in error by someone at Marvel UK. I wonder if it is too late to claim a No-Prize?