Mighty World of Marvel #50 (Marvel UK)

The Mighty World of Marvel was the first attempt by Stan Lee and co to break into the British comics market and by the time it reached #50 tow other titles joined MWOM to bring the adventures of The Hulk, Fantastic Four and Spider-man in glorious black and white to these shores.

Previous attempts to market Marvel characters had taken place back in the sixties with Power Comics (Odhams publishing) incorporating them first in their weeklies and then in two short lived but fondly remembered titles Fantastic and Terrific.

 

These had ceased publication after just 89 and 43 issues a piece with Terrific being "merged" with the stronger title Fantastic. Power comics had been long gone by the time MWOM was launched featuring Spider-man, who went into his own weekly and the Hulk who became the mainstay of MWOM itself.



The fiftieth issue of Mighty World of Marvel featured the fight between Ben Grimm: The Thing and a rather different Hulk to the one mostly featured before. It seems that chronological order had not been maintained. The Hulk that appears here is the one from the first series of The Hulk which had only lasted six issues.

This story brings the Fantastic Four and The Avengers together for the first time. Originally printed in Fantastic Four #26.



A straightforward story of two super-beings fighting it out in an area of New York that just happened to be awaiting demolition with squalling heroes from the two competing super-groups squabbling over who should deal with the rampaging behemoth known as the Hulk.

Nobody really wins or loses but its a great opportunity to see all Marvels early heroes cram into one story.

And unlike the American original available at a much cheaper entry price on the second hand market.

The next issue features the lovable green one fighting the Space Parasite.

And Hulk simply "smash" in this one unlike the grumpy version seen in the issue before. But as kids did we really care? Nah. Even as an adult I'm not bothered after all since those classic days the Hulk has developed multiple-personalities.

Make Mine Marvel UK!

The Incredible Hulk #126 (Marvel/1970)

The Incredible Hulk #126 (Marvel Comics)

Roy Thomas (w) Herb Trimpe (a)

Following his battle with the Absorbing Man in the previous issue, the Hulks battle and subsequent transformation back into puny Bruce Banner is witnessed by a group of hippies that turn out to be more than they seem.

Cultists for the "Undying Ones", previously seen in Sub-Mariner #22 where they were stopped by the combined might of Namor and Doctor Strange.



These worshippers of evil have use for his power.

"If the green skinned Hulk falls, he dies", "but if he triumphs..then the entire earth falls screams Mandrake their deranged leader.

And off to a mystical dimension our hero goes to face a dilemma he cannot win.

One of the cultists, a certain Barbara Norris changes her mind and tries to intervene. For her betrayal she too is banished to the realm of the Nightstalker.

The fight is on as Hulk smashes his way to victory, meeting an imprisoned Doctor Strange during his struggle and Barbara makes the ultimate sacrifice by changing places with the good doctor to be imprisoned for all eternity.

One of the stories that made Marvel great back in the day and was not the last we saw of young Barbara either.

Valkyrie anyone?

The Man From Atlantis Annual 1979

When I noticed a copy of this in my local comic shop I just had to pick it up as it's been years since I either saw or read about this programme from the seventies. The missus grabbed it from me as soon as I got it out the plastic covering because the main star was non other than Patrick Duffy of Dallas fame.

Dallas never meant much to me, never heard of it until JR got shot and it was all over the papers. But this programme starring Bobby Ewing, I mean Patrick Duffy was a Saturday early evening treat that I used to watch before going to work.

Complete nonsense of course, but aren't all the fun programmes.

Man From Atlantis lasted for just 13 episodes which surprised me as I thought it lasted longer but despite having "kids" appeal it did not attract enough of an "adult" audience to make it a viable TV programme.

However it did spawn on British Annual and a Marvel Comics series, though the latter lasted just 7 issues.

 

As for the Annual itself?

Disappointing I have to say. No comic strips and only text features with a few photos. I must say if I had found a copy in my Christmas stocking my initial excitement would have been short lived.

Better to track down the Marvel comics version, sadly my shop didn't have any but I'll look out for them.

Finally a reminder of the shows opening credits!

Marvel Two-In-One # 11 (Marvel /1975)

Marvel Two-In-One #11 (Marvel Comics)

Roy Thomas & Bill Mantlo (w) Bob Brown (a)

I was reminded of this comic after reading Stan Lees latest blog post These are the top 8 Jewish Super heroes this evening as not only did it star the mighty Thing but also featured the Golem from Jewish folklore.

The Golem (no, not the deformed Hobbit) was a magically animated being of matter (tone or mud) who was both a force to save and to destroy.


Prague Golem: Michal Maňas

During the seventies as the Comic Code Authority relaxed it's rules there was a big boom in horror comics. Amongst the ones produced by Marvel was a feature in Strange Tales # 174 to 177 simply called The Golem: The thing that walks like a man, published in 1974

 

The feature didn't last long but Golem did get to meet Ben Grimm (The Thing) in Marvel Two-In-One #11 a year later. Not a particularly memorable story but entertaining enough as Grimm and the Golem slug it out due to the manipulations of the inevitable demon seeking world domination.

The cover misleadingly shows the Golem speaking, which of course "he" never does. Silence is more Golem's style.

Emeth.

Oh and Happy Hanukkah!

Dan Dare: The 2000AD years Volume #1 (Rebellion)

Dan Dare: The 2000AD Years Volume 1 (Rebellion)

Various (w) & (a)

This is not your grandfathers Dan Dare, or so Garth Ennis reminds us in the introductory essay.

Dan Dare was a character originally launched in the then (and now) defunct Eagle comic. Far from having the stiff upper lip and manners expected of a British officer from those different times, the Dare is a rebellious somewhat more action hero version of the classic character.

The Eagle had been discontinued in 1969 as sales fell but Dan Dare did survive in the newly merged Lion and Eagle until that title went the way of so many classic British comics. With the "new wave" of grittier comics now appearing in newsagents like Action and Battle, the newly launched 2000AD comic revived Dare for the late seventies.


 

This volume collects the early adventures of the "new" Dan Dare that appeared in the first fifty or so issues of 2000AD. These adventures are grimmer and far more frightening than the original fare as we see the Biogs come to our solar system to use mankind as "fuel" for their race.

But how did they arrive from distant parts of the galaxy with knowledge of Earth's existence?

Enter the instantly recognisable Mekon, the little power mad alien who has threatened Earth since Dare himself came on the scene.

 

A rebellious and discredited Dare is resurrected as a hero and sent into the Lost Worlds to seek out the mystery of the missing spaceships and colonists that have disappeared in this unexplored region of space.

His "army" is made up of 200 or so of the worst characters that the galaxy has to offer. And boy does he need them as episode after episode he meets a new threat.

The volume ends mid story and will be picked up in volume 2 which hopefully will not be too long in being published.

This book is an expensive hardback with over 320 over sized pages costing thirty quid, but well worth the price of entry.

Rebellion list the Progs that these adventures originally appeared in:

• Dan Dare (2000 AD Progs 01-11)
• Hollow World (2000 AD Progs 12-23)
• Legion (2000 AD Progs 28-33)
• Greenworld (2000 AD Progs 34-35)
• Star Slayer (2000 AD Progs 36-51)
• Dan Dare: Untitled (2000 AD Summer Special 1977)
• The Curse of Mytax (2000 AD Annual 1978)
• Visco (2000 AD Sci-Fi Special 1978)
• Dan Dare: Untitled (Dan Dare Annual 1979)
• Dan Dare: The 2000 AD Origin (Dan Dare Annual 1979)
• 
  
• 

Super DC (1969)

As a youngster I became a big fan of DC comics which in those days were widely available in newsagents across the country. Superman, Batman, the Justice League and the Legion of Superheroes all ranked amongst my favourite characters.

These 12 cent imports cost 1/- which was expensive in comparison to British comics which cost about half the price.Hence the decision of DC to make a foray into the world of British comics publishing was more than welcome.

Super DC was launched after the collapse of Power Comics which had featured Marvel Comics superheroes and had a similar format to Fantastic and Terrific. The main difference being that DC's title featured complete stories reformatted for larger pages in black and white.

 

As would be expected Super DC featured Superman and his friends Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen along with Superboy. Batman filled the remaining pages. Most of these stories were from an earlier period in comics "silver age" and with reading habits being changed by Marvel may not have had the same appeal. Certainly the comic didn't last long, just 14 issues plus if I recall correctly a "special".

One of the other reasons this comic may have failed was it's price. Double that of it's British rivals and competing with itself as DC advertised and promoted the imports which were also eagerly grabbed by hardcore DC fans such as myself.

As far as I can remember I only purchased a couple of these which now seem quite quaint when compared to contemporary British comics such as Smash! published by IPC/Fleetway.



I've been trying to get hold of copies for a while and two (issues 5 & 6) turned up at my local comic shop in excellent condition.

A fine addition to anyone's collection if you can find them.

Judge Dredd vs Aliens (Dark Horse/2003)

Judge Dredd vs Aliens #1-4 (Dark Horse)

John Wagner & Andy Diggle (w) Henry Flint (a)

One of the joys of comic books is the ability of writers and artists to bring together characters from different fictional continuities and make a good story out of them. This crossover features every-bodies favourite Judge fighting those pesky Aliens in Mega City One.

How did they get there. The "perps" brought them in for pit fighting. Trouble is there's more to it than that and this very violent story will give every citizen a sleepless night for a while.

Judge Dredd decides to investigate how these dangerous beasties got into the city and discovers a plot to destroy the Judges.

 

With dark art from Henry Flint and a good plot from John Wagner & Andy Diggle this four-issue mini-series originally published in 2003 (collected from a serialisation in 2000AD) is worth picking up even if like me you only dip into Dredd once in a while.

I felt sorry for the "verminators", called in to eradicate a little pest that spurted out a perps chest. Little did they know what they were letting themselves in for.

And what lurks below Mega City One is a plot to destroy the judges formulated by one very evil mutant who tries to claim he should have been treated better and not exiled. An army of Aliens might not be the best way to prove a point.

Evacuate citizens. The infestation is coming your way.



Judge Dredd also once faced the Predators. The collected edition features both stories.