Favourite comics: Dr Strange #178 - Gene Colan, Tom Palmer, Roy Thomas

I first read the above Dr Strange tale in the UK Avengers weekly comic (issues 74-76) and was blown away by Colan and Palmers artwork which at the time was going from strength to strength. So when I saw an original US copy for sale at around 9 US dollars (£8 UK) during a recent holiday, I had to pick it up. The strip in colour is even better than the UK black and white version.

Future postings and replies to any comments may be limited due to personal family issues.

Silver Surfer #1 ( Facsimile) - Stan Lee and John Buscema

Ever since I picked up my first Silver Surfer comic (issue 12) as a 10 year old in 1970 I have been a massive fan of the broody Sentinel of the Spaceways. So you can imagine my excitment to find out that Marvel will be publishing facsimile editions of the first 7 issues of his original series by Stan Lee and John Buscema. Today (Wednesday) I picked up the first issue (originally published in 1968) and I have to say that I was surprised to find out that it was such a thick book of around 50 pages of silvery fun. Although I have read these Surfer tales in various UK reprints its good to see these stories in full colour and in their original format.

In addition to the main 38 page Silver Surfer tale is a very nice 13 page Gene Colan\Stan Lee Watcher story which I seem to recall reading in a Marvel UK weekly many years ago.

Favourite Comics: Dr Strange , Master Of The Mystic Arts #1 Brunner & Englehart

Don't you just love it when you find what you thought was a long lost item from your past, well thats what happened to me last week when I was looking through a box of old British comics in my loft . There sandwiched between two 1970s issues of the Lion comic was the above first issue of "Dr Strange Master of the Mystic arts", one of my all time favourite titles. I don't think that I purchased this comic in 1974 as from memory issue 4 was the first issue of this title that I picked up so this was probably bought in the late 1970's to early 1980's when specialist comic book stores seemed to be everywhere. Regardless this issue sees the start of the excellent Silver Dagger story arc featuring a certain caterpillar and some of Brunner and Giordano's best art - enjoy.

The greatest ( comic book) love of all - Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker

With Valentines day rapidly approaching I thought I would reread my old issues of "Marvel Tales" to reacquaint myself with comic books most romantic and tragic couple, Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker. I initially read about this comic book romance in the pages of the UK "Spider-Man Comics Weekly" and as a teenager and I found their relationship as fascinating and entertaining as the adventure element of the stories. I was genuinely shocked and upset when Gwen was killed off. Below are a few of the main events from Gwen and Peters time together.

Above. The first meeting between Gwen and Peter from Amazing Spider-Man #31 ( illo from Marvel Tales #24).

Above - Peter asking Gwen out on their first date from Amazing Spider-Man # 53 ( illo from Marvel Tales ,#38)

Above- Peter and Gwens first smooch from Amazing Spider-Man #59 ( illo from Marvel Tales # 42).

Above- The death of Captain Stacy put a strain on Gwen and Peters relationship from Amazing Spider-Man #90 and 91 ( illo from Marvel Tales #72)

Above- Gwen and Peter reunite after the death of Gwen's father from Amazing Spider-Man #98 ( illo from Marvel Tales #79)

Above - Sadly Gwen and Peter were not to be and with the legendary Amazing Spider-Man #121 Gwen is killed off.

Above - Like many readers at the time I had hoped that Gwen was not dead, but Amazing Spider-Man #122 nipped that hope in the bud showing Gwens body being taken away to the morgue.

Above. In Mexico , La Prensa the publisher of Spider-Man were given the go-ahead to publish an alternative storyline where Gwen did not die and she actually married Peter. Eventually the Mexican publisher had to ignore this story and Gwen was again killed off. Above illo from internet.

Favourite comics: Nova #1 John Buscema , Marv Wolfman - A new hero or Spider-Man in space?

By 1976/77 I was 16 going on 17 years old and my interest in superhero comics was starting to wane. I needed something new that would be a fun and exciting read to retain my interest in the genre and that happended in June 1976 with the first issue of Marv Wolfman's brainchild, “The Man Called Nova” ( cover above by Buckler/Sinott). Of course the main selling point about Nova was that he had more than a passing resemblance to a certain Peter Parker, with a bit of Green Lantern in his origin. The fact that issue 1 ( and #2) was illusrtated by John Buscema and Joe Sinnot added even more fun to this origin issue.

From issues 3-14 the equally great Sal Buscema took over the art chores (with Tom Palmer and Frank Giacoia on inks) and from issue 15 until #25 (the final issue) Carmine Infantino was the artist. Although the first 4 issues showed great promise with issue 5 the storyline ( for myself anyway) took on a bit of a dip by trying to emulate Lee/Kirby/Ditko's trick of trying to bring the character into the "real" world by having him visit the Marvel bullpen in order to get them to give him his own mag - unlike Stan Lee's simialr storys this failed big time, and my interest in Nova began to wane- although when I saw the above cents copy on sale recently, it didnt stop me picking it up to replace my long lost 10p UK original .

The Groovy 1970's Christmas Countdown: Spider-Man the Newspaper strip -Stan Lee & John Romita Snr

I don't recall ever reading the Spider-Man newspaper strip in my local/national papers but I did read them when I picked up vol 1 of the collected strips in 2005. Most newspaper adventure strip rarely had much of a Christmas storyline to them as they were probably in the middle of an ongoing adventure as the festive season arrived. However, the Spider-Man newspaper strip went all out and featured a specially written Christmas themed tale.

This story follows on from an earlier segment involving J Jonah Jamieson who hires Kraven the Hunter to capture Spider-Man. As can be seen from the above colour Sunday strip, in the story Peter heads to a department store to buy Christmas presents but it is so busy that he decides to shop as Spider-Man. The strip then meanders a bit and over the next few instalments Peter basically goes through the presents he bought and calls Mary Jane and Aunt May. The action improves (very slightly) when Spider-Man see a crook and captures him. This is not the best Christmas tale but it has a. certain charm to it and of course it is nicely illustrated by the late great John Romita.

Next up: Hot toys, comics, and Santa all in a Christmas comic!

The Groovy 1970's Christmas countdown: Amazing Adventures #5 - Black Widow by Colan, Everett and Thomas

As we begin the countdown to the big day, I thought I would look out some of my favourite 1970's comics which contained a Christmas story, or at least a tale that occurred in winter (basically anything with snow!). First up is "...And to all a Good Night" from Amazing Adventures #5 (1970) by Roy Thomas, Gene Colan, and Bill Everett. I didn't actually pick this comic up until around 1976 a year in which the UK experienced an unusually hot summer, so the winter theme of this tale may have been lost on me, but the stunning art and the Black Widow made up for that.

In 1970 when Marvel decided to launch a couple of anthology titles the Black Widow was chosen to get her own series. John Romita who was initially going to draw the feature, designed her new costume (gone were the spectacles and frumpy clothes etc) bringing her into the 1970's. As it turned out John Buscema drew the first few issues before Gene Colan took over the art chores.

In 1976 my knowledge of the Black Widow was limited to her occasional appearances in the pages of the Avengers (UK weekly) and in the Iron Man tales that were reprinted in "Spider-Man Comics Weekly". Most of these tales were drawn by Don Heck so it came as a pleasant surprise to 16-year-old me to see Gene Colan's wonderfully sexy art on Natasha showing her in the shower naked (although covered up by a strategically placed towel).

In this story a young man is about to kill himself when Ivan, the Black Widows chauffeur saves his life. It turns out the young man is mixed up with a dangerous gang led by the Astrologer who want him dead. Ivan gives the teen the Black Widows card telling him that she can help him. In the end the young man sacrifices himself to save Natasha. A rather dark tale for 1970.

To wrap up a wonderful issue was the lead "Inhumans" strip in Amazing Adventure illustrated by the great Neal Adams. Below is the cover to this excellent comic.

Next up, Spider-Man at Christmas, but not the Spidey of the comic books!