Marvel UK launched Avengers Weekly in 1973 which went on to run for 148 issues absorbing Conan the Barbarian's short lived weekly as of #95. Additional features including Shag-Chi Master of Kung Fu and Iron Fist reflecting the interests of the time along with Doctor Strange.
However it was left to World Distributors to issue a series of hardback and full colour annuals cover dated 1975 to 1978. This was the fist and had good production standards reprinting no less than three consecutive issues of the Avengers US editions #110 to #112. Tere was also an additional Captain America short story from Tales of Suspense #64.
The first two Avengers stories see the team go to the rescue of the X-Men who have been defeated and fallen into the hands of Magneto. Along the way the survivors pick up Black Widow and Daredevil when help is required. Magneto has learnt how to use the iron in blood to mind control people. A battle commences to save the world as Magneto plans to use kidnapped nuclear scientists to radiate the world to create more mutants even though most people will die...but it's the missing vision that saves the day!
This is followed by a Captain America and Bucky story from the War as they face the evil of Sando and Omar in Among Us, Wreckers Dwell by the classic Marvel team-up of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The colouring is a bit odd but it doesn't detract from this wonderful little silver age tale.
Last but by no means least the Black Panther is kidnapped by the Lion King one of a pantheon of African "Gods" who seeks to take over from the Panther God who never appears or hadn't back in those early days of Marvel. Not sure if Lion God ever reappears despite him swearing revenge.
It's a great annual and a fantastic collection of stories, one that I treasure. I must add that the Avengers stories come from April-June 1973, making them relatively new as the annual would have been put together around the early/mid summer of 1974 for an autumn release with plenty of pre-Christmas sales. The Lion-God did make a return two issues later in Avengers #114 "The night of the Swordsman!" August 1973. Which British readers got to see sometime later in Super Spider-man and the Titans #223-224 18-25th May 1977.
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