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.

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!

Favourite Comics: Avengers - #96 - The most expensive comic (I ) ever purchased - Neal Adams

As I mentioned in my last post the Avengers "Skrull - Kree wars" storyline (Avengers #89-97) is one of my all-time favourite story arcs. Although I read most of these strips in the mid 1970's when it was reprinted in the UK's "Mighty World of Marvel and Avengers" comic I always wanted to pick up the original US comics, especially the Neal Adams issues. I managed part of this quest when I picked up #94 in 1979, however it wouldn't be until 1982 until I tracked down my second Avengers US comic (#96) in Glasgow’s (legendary) AKA Books and Comics. Despite finally finding this issue (never an easy task in early 1980s Glasgow) it took me a few hours to eventually decide on purchasing the comic as at £15 (around $19 today) it was (and still is) the most expensive comic I have ever bought. Below are some of my favourite pages from this comic which was the first issue to feature the modern Avengers logo, enjoy.

Above: The only picture I can find of the (rough) location of the original AKA Books and Comics (ground floor) in the now demolished Virginia Galleries in Glasgow. AKA was the place that future comic book giants like Grant Morrison, Mark Miller and Frank Quitely (Vincient Deighan) would meet. ( Picture from "Glasgow Live")

Favourite Comics - Sub-Mariner #35 - Part 2

As noted in my previous post featuring the first part of this tale (Sub-Mariner #34) from 1971, it would be a further 3 years before I would manage to track down this issue and finally read the conclusion to this epic story. My discovery of this issue occurred when I was accompanying my dad on a work trip to Perth (the original city in Scotland not the "new" one in Australia) . While waiting for my dad to complete his business I visited a local newsagent and was looking through their rather bland US comics collection which consisted of “cartoon” based comics (Porky Pig, Archie, Popeye, Richie Rich etc). Possibly noticing that I wasn’t interested in any of these comics the owner asked if I liked superhero comics and presented me with a bag that contained around 10 old US superhero titles that were his sons who no longer wanted them. Many of the comics were pretty tatty but a couple were in good condition ( this issue and Action 415) both of which he gave me for free (well I purchased a Picnic chocolate bar and a newspaper). Unfortunately I parted company with both of these comics at some point and only picked up another copy of Sub-Mariner #35 around 1984/5 in AKA Books and Comics (a legendary and sadly missed Glasgow comic shop).

In the story itself, as Namor, Hulk, and the Silver Surfer track down the experimental weather device (from #34) the United Nations contact the Avengers for assistance in stopping the trio. As is the norm with these types of stories the teams battle each other. As the battles rage between the trio and the Avengers, Namor's scientists fix the device's errors thereby nullifying its use as a weapon of destruction. The Avengers and United Nations then realise that the three were only trying to prevent a global disaster and not use the device to take over the world. The fighting stops and the Hulk and Surfer depart, disbanding the short-lived super team “Titans Three”. In the pages below you can see Sal Buscema’s art start to develop and evolve into the style he is best known for.

Both Sub-Mariner #34 & #35 (and Thor #193) were reprinted in “Marvel Tales - featuring Silver Surfer” ” (solo series) #1 in May 2020, well worth tracking down.

Favourite comics: Sub-Mariner #34 - Titans Three! Part 1

This is one of those comics that the march of time has not yet managed to dim my memory of when I purchased it in my local newsagents back in July 1971. Although Sub-Mariner #34 was cover dated February 1971 (and would have been on sale in the US around Nov 1970) it wasn’t until July that it reached these shores and the spinner rack of my then home town. No 11 year old comic book fan could resist that action packed Sal Buscema cover and I immediately purchased it without attempting to sneak a peek inside (my usual method of deciding whether or not to buy a comic). The downside of this issue was that it was a two part story and US comic distribution being what it was would mean that #35 would not appear in my local area for some time. But in the meantime I had an exciting comic to enjoy, a comic that has remained one of a my all-time favourites to this day.

The story itself starts when Namor becomes aware that there is a machine that can control the weather, and in order to save the Earth from possible danger he enlists the help of other heroes to help in its destruction. The story opens with the Hulk unknowingly trespassing on the fortified island of San Pablo, where he attracts the army led by its dictator "El General" . As Namor monitors the conflict, he hopes that he can convince the Hulk into aiding him in destroying a device that poses a threat to the entire world.

But before he tries to engage the Hulk, he first confronts the Silver Surfer and, after a brief fight, convinces him to help.

The Surfer and Namor then seek out the Hulk's assistance and, after a brief fight the Hulk also agrees to join Namor's quest.

The three heroes (who are never refered to as a team or "Titans Three") then end up battling El General's army, smashing apart his weapons, and defeating his military, thus allowing the people of San Pablo to revolt and oust their leader.

In the aftermath of the battle Namor, the Silver Surfer, and the Hulk fly off to deal with the menace which Namor had gathered them to fight. This story continued in Sub-Mariner #35 (cover March 1971) an issue I woudln't pick up until 1974, but thats another story for next time.