Terrific #1 (Power Comics/1967)

Terrific #1 (Power Comics)

Various (w) & (a)

The final title from the "Power Comics" range from Odhams publishers, Terrific arrived not long after Fantastic in April 1967. In the same "midway" format it also retailed at 9d. With five titles on the market, two of which were presumably aimed at older readers with perhaps more pocket money meant they were in danger of competing with themselves.

A lot of readers were collecting the U.S. colour comics where they were available and though they were more expensive at a shilling for the average sized editions (I forget how much the Annuals and 80 page giants cost) that may have affected sales. Nevertheless it was not long before someone at Odhams finally did an audit and found their comics line was actually losing money.

However for 43 wonderful editions readers were treated to tales of the Sub-Mariner, the Avengers and Doctor Strange.

The first issue had three stories the Sub-Mariner's first solo adventures in Tales to Astonish #70, the Avengers oddly from Avengers #6, though prefaced with several two page features on Captain America and other heroes that readers may not have been familiar with.

The final story was from Strange Tales #110 (who didn't even warrant a mention on the cover!) and was the origin of Dr Strange with wonderful art from Steve Ditko which actually looks great in black & white.

 



For some reason Terrific dropped the date of publication on the cover which may have been an attempt to keep it on the shelves longer. Terrific only lasted 43 issues and less than a year before being "merged" (as is the British tradition) with the higher selling Fantastic, but this only put off the inevitable.

Power Comics were being wound down for a sell-off. The final comic of a superb line of titles that entertained this child in the sixties.