A Tale of Two Marvels

Mighty World of Marvel 1972

Captain Marvel 2012

I knew there was something familiar about that logo for the new Captain Marvel comic; were Marvel trying to fool me into buying a new comic from them? One featuring my favourite Bronze Age Marvel heroine? Nice try Marvel, but no sale.

Giant-Size Avengers #1

In the mid-70s there were some comics I wanted more than all others, and Marvel’s line of Giant-Size comics were undeniably the most coveted. They promised much, yet were denied me because of their non-distribution status in the UK. My hopes were raised by house-ads in the regular comics, and dashed by their lack of availability in the many newsagents I would frequent in my weekly search for new comics.

One in particular fascinated me; the cover of Giant-Size Avengers #1 promised the ‘startling reappearance of the fabled All-Winners Squad’ - a team of Golden Age characters I’d discovered recently in a battered copy of Fantasy Masterpieces #10 - and furthermore, I’d been made aware (most likely by an Editor’s note in a later issue of The Avengers) that it was the comic where it was revealed that The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were the children of Bob (The Whizzer) Frank and Madeline (Miss America) Joyce. Being a fledgling continuity obsessive, and fan of stories that filled in the gaps of the rich tapestry the Marvel Universe once was, Giant-Size Avenges #1 made me think this one would live up to Stan Lee’s oft- repeated declaration that ‘This one has it all true-believer’.

I never did get hold of a copy during those formative years, but on eBay all things are available (for a price), and so I now own a copy of this once highly sought after comic.

Was it worth the 38 year wait? It certainly scratched a Bronze Age itch; the story of Nuklo - mutated by the terrible power that had just recently devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki; a child in possession of uncontrollable force and locked away for 25 years - was a sad acknowledgement of Man’s unknowing use of nuclear energy, written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Rich Buckler (inked by Dan Adkins). However, the reveal of the parentage of the mutant twins was slightly anti-climactic, almost tacked on in Thomas’ quest for a cohesive Marvel Universe. It was likely this lack of a solid underpinning that allowed for the later reveal that the twins were the children of Magneto.

Still, it stands as an interesting artefact of Marvel's Bronze Age. And one can't condemn something for not entirely living up to childhood expectations.

Buy Giant-Size Avengers #1 at My Comic Shop

Sub-Mariner #48

Cover date: April 1972

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Mike Esposito

The quest for the Cosmic Cube has led Doctor Doom, Namor and Cindy Jones to the Mississippian Bayou, but Doom isn’t convinced that Cindy should accompany them any further. This does not sit well with Namor so he leaves, taking Cindy with him.

Landing in New Orleans, Cindy immediately recognises the dwelling where she once lived and hints at the unhappy reasons she left. We soon discover that this place is, in the words of her old roommate - hippy Johnny - a “happy little drug-pushing nest”, which seems a contradiction.

Johnny threatens Namor with a gun, which is never a good thing; in the confusion one of Doom’s henchmen appears and kidnaps Cindy, and as the police arrive so does Doom, to collect his ‘friend’ Namor. He makes it clear that Cindy is his hostage and will remain so until Namor has fulfilled his part of the bargain.

Sometime later, Doom’s jet is over the Gulf of Mexico and Namor is tasked with scouting out the underwater den of the criminal organisation A.I.M.

Doom believes M.O.D.O.K., A.I.M.’s erstwhile leader, to be dead - following the events of Captain America #133 - a mistake M.O.D.O.K. plans to use to his advantage with his Android Army.

It’s clear that Conway still doesn’t have a solid handle on the direction he wants to take this title, and the inclusion of Doctor Doom almost relegates Namor to a supporting role in his own comic. There are still some dodgy allusions to Doom’s nobility, especially in his prevention of the rape of Cindy by one of his henchmen, and the internal monologue he is given on page 10:

“Doom…you are a fool. Once more your clever manipulations have alienated a man who might have been an ally…a man you might have called your friend! Namor hates you now… and though it pains you to admit it, Von Doom – he hates you with good reason.”

Don’t you just feel sorry for the ol’ terrorist?

The interlude in New Orleans also came across as padding, adding nothing to the plot, but highlighting Doom’ stupidity; if he hadn’t demanded that Cindy go no further with them, then he wouldn’t have had to organise Cindy’s subsequent kidnapping to ensure Namor’s co-operation.

The art was disappointing, Mike Esposito not being a particularly sympathetic inker for Gene Colan, but Colan’s storytelling is, as always, clear and distinctive.

Buy Sub-Mariner #48 at My Comic Shop

Captain America #148

Cover date: April 1972

Writer: Gary Friedrich

Artist: Sal Buscema

Inker: ?

“Eat some dirt! It may be the last thing we ever taste!”

So says Cap on the final page, and one can only wish... it’d be preferable to the bad taste left in my mouth by this stinker of a comic.

Yep, it’s the Red Skull (again!) with his dreams of Nazism and the rise of the Fourth Reich. He even has another Sleeper (the fifth), because Cap only defeated the last four. Oh hum.

So Cap is given an ultimatum; to surrender to the Sleeper (as tall as a skyscraper!) on the outskirts of Las Vegas, or the Red Skull will crush the free world with his unbeatable Sleeper. Leaving the Falcon to contact SHIELD and FEMME FORCE, and The Kingpin to rouse his men (organised crime in armoured vehicles), Cap sets of by jet-pack.

You can guess the rest. SHIELD, FEMME FORCE and The Kingpin’s men attack the Sleeper to no avail, while Cap sneaks aboard. Battlin’ his way through the Red Skull’s hordes, he confronts ol’ Skully who pulls a gun on him. Luckily, Redwing (Falc’s trained Falcon) swoops in and saves the day, and Cap accidentally knocks the Red Skull to his death. Cap and the Falcon smash up the controls and the Sleeper explodes.

So much for the unstoppable Sleeper, and the rise of Nazism!

Everything about this comic stunk. The plot, the pacing and the dialogue (oh, the dialogue is the worst!). It’s only saving grace are some nice panels here and there by Sal Buscema, who I am going to hazard a guess was inked, or finished, by Romita. I wonder why no inker was given a credit? Too embarrassed, maybe?

Buy Captain America #148 at My Comic Shop

Daredevil #86

Cover date: April 1972

Writer: Gerry Conway

Artist: Gene Colan

Inker: Tom Palmer

Natasha (The Black Widow) loves Matt (Daredevil), but Matt thinks he still loves Karen (the movie star), who doesn’t love Phil (her agent) anymore; and isn’t sure about how she feels about Matt, either!

Oh yeah, and The Ox too!

If you’re wondering about The Ox - who died some months ago - it involves transplanted brains and radiation and doesn’t bear much thinking about. The meat here is the cast’s complicated love lives, which wouldn’t be out of place in an issue of Our Love Story.

Thankfully, Gerry Conway wraps everything up in a final two page sequence that finally puts to rest the Matt Murdoch/Karen Page romance, and moves Matt onto a new relationship with Natasha with a symbolic passing of the baton between the two women. It’s beautifully illustrated by the art team supreme of Gene Colan and Tom Palmer.

Karen: “It’s all right Natasha, you’d better go to him now. He needs you. There’s nothing more I can give him.”

Exit Karen, and next issue: SAN FRANCISCO!

Buy Daredevil #86 at My Comic shop