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Post by Myke Gee on Jul 8, 2023 8:45:33 GMT -5
[/b]. ***** MAN-THING #9 "The Old Die Young!"
Written by Steve Gerber. Art by Mike Ploog. Cover by Ploog The Man-Thing meets a swamp-dwelling couple and suddenly finds itself drawn into a desperate game of survival against a sinister swamp spirit. (...) [/quote][/div] The two-parter from Man-Thing #9-10, which I call 'the Dawg saga' is my favorite Man-Thing story and one of my favorite stories by Steve Gerber in general. About this, though...
Nope. Out of that entire crop of comics writers/artists who got their start in the 1970s and had a reputation for being 'out there', Gerber was probably the only one who didn't do any drugs at all, he didn't even drink. His only vice was smoking ordinary cigarettes.
[/quote] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Something's weird about the way this site is letting me respond to your comment. It's not doing what it usually does and that's a little hard to explain. Anyway, yes, I learned that after I wrote this. I hate to think about what he would have written if he was partaking, lol!! |
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Post by chaykinstevens on Jul 8, 2023 10:25:06 GMT -5
DOC SAVAGE #1-8 I wanted to really like this series, but as I said before: I never really “got” Doc Savage. He’s not really a superhero, but more like an adventurer. Outside of standing with his legs spread as far apart as possible, lol, he doesn’t have superpowers, but he does some near-super things. As I read the series, he, sort of, reminded me of both Dr. Benton Quest and Race Bannon rolled into one. At any rate, I remembered that he teamed up with the Thing in MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE, so I decided to give this series a try. Nothing about this series worked for me. The stories were bland, his team of helpers was bland, and the art was bland. Well, I do recall giving one issue a high mark, but otherwise…“Meh”. Eight issues were more than enough. I was actually glad when this was canceled. Grade: 4.5I don't understand why the grade for this series was so low. It wasn't one of my favourites, but the individual issues had received 7.5, 7, 8, 6, 8, 6.5, 7.5 and 6. I thought artwork in the three issues by the Ross Andru and Tom Palmer pairing was more atmospheric and characterful than much of Marverl's Bronze Age output. MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #2-4/WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1-15 If nothing else, WBN and TOMB OF DRACULA revealed to me just how narrow-minded my tastes in comics were. Again, I make no apologies for this because I’m just a huge fan of superheroes. Just like the TOD book, I gave this series a shot because it was set in the Marvel Universe, and, again, that pesky ol’ “pleasantly surprised” thing happened. Unlike Red Wolf in issue #1 and Ghost Rider, which followed the Werewolf’s brief tenure, I could see why the Werewolf was awarded his own book. The SPOTLIGHT stories were great. As he gets into his own series, things get a little spotty, at times. For the most part, a really good series, it occasionally has a so-so issue here and there. It didn’t help that Mike Ploog was replaced by Don Perlin as the artist. As of this writing, the crossover with TOD was the highlight of this series. Grade: 8.0
I think you may be confusing Tom Sutton with Don Perlin again. Perlin hadn't pencilled any WBN issues by this point. |
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Post by chaykinstevens on Jul 8, 2023 10:37:42 GMT -5
I've heard that the B&W Doc Samson series was much better than the full-color book, but my interest in the character may have been killed by the color book. I've been meaning to go back and read that series. Did they ever have Doc Savage and Doc Samson meet? |
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Post by chaykinstevens on Jul 8, 2023 12:04:43 GMT -5
GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #1 "Nuklo: The Invader That Time Forgot!"
Written by Roy Thomas. Art by Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins. Yet another great story from Englehart.According to the credits, it was from Thomas not Englehart. FEAR #23 "Alone Against Arcturus!"
Again, I believe that my biggest problem with this series is its star: Morbius. I’ve never been a fan of the character and, while he’s grown on me juuuussst a little bit, he’s still nowhere near one of my favorite characters and never will be. I’ve, now, seen him written by Gerry Conway, Mike Friedrich, Steve Gerber, and Stan the Man, himself. Yet, I’m still, pretty much, apathetic to this character.I don't recall Stan Lee writing Morbius. Roy Thomas created the character in Amazing Spider-Man #101. FANTASTIC FOUR #149 "To Love, Honor, and Destroy!"
My only gripe with this issue is that the trip down memory lane via a Ben Grimm flashback wasn’t unnecessary and felt too much like filler.How can you gripe if it wasn't unnecessary? |
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Post by Calidore on Jul 8, 2023 13:34:34 GMT -5
Anyway, yes, I learned that after I wrote this. I hate to think about what he would have written if he was partaking, lol!! :-D That was my first thought after reading that; what would Gerber under the influence have been like? |
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Post by Myke Gee on Jul 8, 2023 20:14:02 GMT -5
DOC SAVAGE #1-8 I wanted to really like this series, but as I said before: I never really “got” Doc Savage. He’s not really a superhero, but more like an adventurer. Outside of standing with his legs spread as far apart as possible, lol, he doesn’t have superpowers, but he does some near-super things. As I read the series, he, sort of, reminded me of both Dr. Benton Quest and Race Bannon rolled into one. At any rate, I remembered that he teamed up with the Thing in MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE, so I decided to give this series a try. Nothing about this series worked for me. The stories were bland, his team of helpers was bland, and the art was bland. Well, I do recall giving one issue a high mark, but otherwise…“Meh”. Eight issues were more than enough. I was actually glad when this was canceled. Grade: 4.5I don't understand why the grade for this series was so low. It wasn't one of my favourites, but the individual issues had received 7.5, 7, 8, 6, 8, 6.5, 7.5 and 6. I thought artwork in the three issues by the Ross Andru and Tom Palmer pairing was more atmospheric and characterful than much of Marverl's Bronze Age output. MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #2-4/WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #1-15 If nothing else, WBN and TOMB OF DRACULA revealed to me just how narrow-minded my tastes in comics were. Again, I make no apologies for this because I’m just a huge fan of superheroes. Just like the TOD book, I gave this series a shot because it was set in the Marvel Universe, and, again, that pesky ol’ “pleasantly surprised” thing happened. Unlike Red Wolf in issue #1 and Ghost Rider, which followed the Werewolf’s brief tenure, I could see why the Werewolf was awarded his own book. The SPOTLIGHT stories were great. As he gets into his own series, things get a little spotty, at times. For the most part, a really good series, it occasionally has a so-so issue here and there. It didn’t help that Mike Ploog was replaced by Don Perlin as the artist. As of this writing, the crossover with TOD was the highlight of this series. Grade: 8.0
I think you may be confusing Tom Sutton with Don Perlin again. Perlin hadn't pencilled any WBN issues by this point. I really wanted to love the Doc Savage series, but it was just okay to me. As for the Perlin goof, he was on the book for so long, I completely forgot about Sutton and Gil Kane. I’ll make the edit later. |
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Post by Myke Gee on Jul 9, 2023 14:56:12 GMT -5
GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #1 "Nuklo: The Invader That Time Forgot!"
Written by Roy Thomas. Art by Rich Buckler and Dan Adkins. Yet another great story from Englehart.According to the credits, it was from Thomas not Englehart. FEAR #23 "Alone Against Arcturus!"
Again, I believe that my biggest problem with this series is its star: Morbius. I’ve never been a fan of the character and, while he’s grown on me juuuussst a little bit, he’s still nowhere near one of my favorite characters and never will be. I’ve, now, seen him written by Gerry Conway, Mike Friedrich, Steve Gerber, and Stan the Man, himself. Yet, I’m still, pretty much, apathetic to this character.I don't recall Stan Lee writing Morbius. Roy Thomas created the character in Amazing Spider-Man #101. FANTASTIC FOUR #149 "To Love, Honor, and Destroy!"
My only gripe with this issue is that the trip down memory lane via a Ben Grimm flashback wasn’t unnecessary and felt too much like filler.How can you gripe if it wasn't unnecessary? Okay, so, obviously, I need an editor, lol!!! I have no idea what happened on the Englehart/Thomas credit goof. For some reason, I thought that Stan wrote ASM #101. By the time Morbius was starring in FEAR, most of the stuff that I read before was a blur. The "unnecessary" goof was, more likely, an auto-correct issue. I write a lot of these on my iPad. So, I'll make the edits. |
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Post by Myke Gee on Jul 9, 2023 14:56:49 GMT -5
I've heard that the B&W Doc Samson series was much better than the full-color book, but my interest in the character may have been killed by the color book. I've been meaning to go back and read that series. Did they ever have Doc Savage and Doc Samson meet? UUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!  |
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Post by Myke Gee on Aug 20, 2023 12:01:41 GMT -5
Hey, guys!! It's been a while since I last posted one of these here. A lot of things going on with me, at the moment. I really thought that I would be up to where my current reviews are that I post on Facebook. Even over there, I've taken a hiatus because I realized that I've been working on this project since 2016 and that I've read (at this point) 17 years (1961 - 1977) worth of books in a seven-year span. I needed a break from the project because I felt like I lost my passion for it. But, I haven't completely abandoned it. I'm just "recharging my batteries", and once I've done that, I will resume. In the meantime, I'll try to get these posted here so that both groups will be up to date with my last post (December 1977). As always, I hope that you enjoy this review.
*** ORIGINALLY POSTED ON FACEBOOK ON FEBRUARY 27, 2021 *** JULY 1974 (Cover Dated: May 1974) Good morning, everyone!! Texas’ Snowmageddon is pretty much done, now, and mine was one of the fortunate enough households to have power. Thank you to the great members of the group for the well-wishes. It really meant a lot. So, I’m continuing my journey through the Marvel Universe from its inception with FF #1. This week, I’m sharing my thoughts on Marvel comics for the month of July 1974. All books are first-time reads except where indicated. On sale July 2, 1974 DAREDEVIL #114
“A Quiet Night in the Swamp!”
Written by Steve Gerber, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Dan Adkins. The Man-Thing proves a silent stalker when he helps Daredevil take out Gladiator. The full barrage of Death-Stalker's powers incapacitates both Man-Thing and Hornhead! Appearance by the Black Widow. First full appearance of Death-Stalker.
I’ve stated ad nauseum how I was never a fan of Gerber because he “just wrote a bunch of weird stories”. Yet, as I continue to turn the corner on him, I’m learning that he can also write straight-up “good guys vs bad guys” superhero tales, as well. “Daredevil’s Florida Adventure” has been great, so far. This story being set in Florida, of course, we get an appearance from the Man-Thing. Talk about an odd team-up! But it really works. Maybe the best Daredevil story since the book began! Grade: 9.0
![]()  ![]() INCREDIBLE HULK #180
“And the Wind Howls...Wendigo!”
Written by Len Wein, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Jack Abel.
Cover art by Herb Trimpe.
While in Canada, Hulk is lured into an occult ritual conducted by Marie Cartier. Will Marie use Hulk’s body as the host for an evil spirit? The Canadian government gets involved and sends in their own agent to take care of a recent Hulk sighting; the mutant known as Wolverine. First appearance of Wolverine.
So, I’ve finally read the first appearance of the Wolverine. A pretty good story with a great fight scene between the Hulk and the Wendigo. My biggest fear was, for all the “less filling/tastes great” debates about this issue and the next, that the story would suck. While it wasn’t epic, I really enjoyed it. Grade: 8.0
TOMB OF DRACULA #25
"Night of the Blood Stalker!"
Written by Marv Wolfman. Art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer.
Cover by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer. A woman believes her husband was killed by a supernatural being…and asks private investigator Hannibal King to take the case! He specializes in the macabre and the unexplainable. He's the best there is at his job. That may be because Hannibal King also has a macabre secret of his own. First appearance of Hannibal King.
Of course, I’ve heard of Hannibal King, and I know his story. Even still, it was fun reading a P.I. story with King acting as a vampiric Phillip Marlowe. Grade: 8.0
ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
**************** On sale July 9, 1974
 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #137
“Death Trap Times Three”
Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt.
Cover by Gil Kane. Green Goblin attacks a truck carrying radioactive materials. What is the villain’s end goal with this dangerous bounty? Plus, Peter’s friends and family rally by MJ’s side after she is injured by an explosive. Green Goblin makes Spider-Man choose between saving his friends, or Aunt May! Harry Osborn's second appearance as the Green Goblin.
*Broken Record Alert* Ssoooo...once again, Gerry Conway writes a story that starts out great and ends...just “good”. At least the endings don’t suck, but it seems like, with Conway stories, I’m always waiting for a spectacular ending. Hey, I’ll take a great ending. Yet, almost every time, his endings fall just a little short of everything that preceded it. Grade: 7.5
CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON #178 "If the Falcon Should Fall!"
Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover by John Romita, Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia. The Falcon battles Lucifer in perhaps the most action-packed Cap thriller of them all! Read, as the world asks, "Where is Captain America!” First appearance of Roscoe (becomes Captain America for a few issues beginning in #181). Action-packed, yes, but kind of silly, in a way. Cap runs out in a ski mask to save the Falcon, lol!! What’s worse is that it wasn’t meant to be played for comedy. At any rate, the ending makes it clear why this scene was needed. Silliness aside, another strong issue. Grade: 8.0DOCTOR STRANGE VOL. 2, #4
“...Where Bound'ries...Decay”
Written by Steve Englehart (co-plot, script) and Frank Brunner (co-plot), pencils by Frank Brunner, inks by Dick Giordano and Bob Wiacek (as Crusty Bunkers).
Cover art by Frank Brunner.
Face to face with DEATH! Doctor Strange is locked in battle with the spirit of Death herself, and whether he wins or loses, the life of the Sorcerer Supreme will change forever!While I may just like the stories in this book, I absolutely love the artwork of Frank Brunner! Stunningly beautiful panels that leap off the page to convey an incredible battle between Dr. Strange and Death. Fantastic chapter to this story! Grade: 8.5
GHOST RIDER VOL. 2, #8
"Satan Himself!"
Written by Tony Isabella. Art by Jim Mooney and Sal Trapani.
Cover by Gil Kane. Mephisto (as Satan) takes center stage here as the devil torments Ghost Rider and attempts to seduce and turn one of his allies against him. Guest-starring Stunt Master.
After two great issues, it’s back to fighting boring ol’ demons. (Who names a demon “Slifer”?) *Sigh* Anyway, “Slifer” has been transformed by Satan into a bigger, more powerful bore...I’m sorry... I meant demon, now called “Inferno”. Part of the fun of reading G.R. is watching him go into his spook routine against mortal villains. It falls flat with other supernatural beings. A step backward with this issue. Grade: 6.5
 GIANT-SIZE DEFENDERS #2New story: "H... as in Hulk... Hell... and Holocaust!"
Written by Len Wein, pencils by Gil Kane (layouts/breakdowns) and Klaus Janson (finished art), inks by Klaus Janson. Cover pencils by Gil Kane and John Romita (alterations), inks by Klaus Janson and John Romita (alterations).
When the Defenders are lured to hell, they'll enlist the aid of the Son of Satan to free themselves!
Reprints: "Sub-Mariner" (starring Betty Dean) - Written and drawn by Bill Everett.
"Black Knight" - Art by Fred Kida.
"Beyond the Purple Veil!" - Written by Stan Lee, art by Steve Ditko
New story: An interesting story about rescuing the Hulk from Hell, but each Defender, plus the Son of Satan, must face their own personal “Hell”. Most interesting among them is Nighthawk who fears being made to answer for his past crimes. It is interesting that he changes sides and it’s like his past crimes are just erased. I hope that this issue resurfaces later. Grade: 7.5
TALES OF THE ZOMBIE #7
"The Blood Testament of Brian Collier”
Written by Doug Moench and art by Alfredo Alcala. Cover by Earl Norem
The zombie wanders onto the grounds of a mansion where murder and mysterious happenings are taking place. Issue also has "Voodoo in the Park" (Article by Kenneth Dreyfack), "Haiti's Walking Dead" (Written by Doug Moench and art by Win Mortimer), "Inside 'Inside Voodoo'" (Article by Chris Claremont), "A Second Chance to Die" (Written by Carl Wessler and art by Alfredo Alcala), and a photo feature with Stan Lee promoting CRAZY MAGAZINE. All stories are in black and white. Every time I get ready to read an issue of this magazine, I always dread it. I have no idea why because every story that I’ve read has been quite enjoyable. This one almost justified my dread because it was a little slow in the beginning. Then, it evolved into this intriguing murder mystery. The exquisite artwork by Marcos gave it a film noir feeling so much so that, in my head, everyone sounded like actors in a “Thin Man” movie, lol!! When it was done, it was, yet another great tale of the Zombie. Grade: 8.0
THOR #228
"Ego: Beginning and End!"
Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Rich Buckler with Arvell Jones and Keith Pollard, inks by Joe Sinnott.
Cover by Rich Buckler and Frank Giacoia
Ego origin. Who was Ego before he was a Living Planet? Thor enters the dark recesses of Ego's mind…and surely wishes he hadn't. Also, the Destroyer takes Firelord's place as the herald of Galactus. Hercules, Firelord, and Galactus guest star. Cameos by Sif and Odin.
This issue is a step up from the last issue, but still not the spectacular ending to a story that started off great. I guess I may as well give up on expecting Conway to deliver in the end, at least on this book. Grade: 7.5
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On sale July 16, 1974
 AVENGERS #128
"Bewitched, Bothered, and Dead!"
Written by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (breakdowns) and Joe Staton (finishes).
Cover by Gil Kane and John Romita.
Following the attack on the Inhuman wedding, the Avengers and Fantastic Four return from the Hidden Land. The Scarlet Witch agrees to continue her hex training with Agatha Harkness, due to her winnowing control over her abilities. While Wanda and Agatha battle Necrodamus, Mantis makes her move on Vision. Also, the return of Kang the Conqueror!
I had almost forgotten that Wanda was once a mystical disciple of Agatha Harkness. This story was a great “initiation” for the beginning of Wanda’s tutelage. Necrodamus has always been a decent villain, but it is Kang, who appears at the end, that I’ve always found to be quite boring. This issue begins his signature storyline. I hope that he is more impressive than he’s been before and since. Grade: 8.0 DEFENDERS #16
"Alpha, the Ultimate Mutant!"
Written by Len Wein. Pencils by Sal Buscema. Inks by Mike Esposito.
Cover by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia.
Alpha the Ultimate Mutant is Magneto's newest creation. Are the Defenders powerful enough to defeat Alpha, Magneto, and the Brotherhood? Guest-starring Professor Xavier.
Ever since I read Magneto’s return in X-MEN #104, I’ve been dying to read this story. Alpha is a very intriguing character and I wish that he were used more. Great story! Grade: 8.5FEAR #24
"Return to Terror!"Written by Steve Gerber, pencils by Craig Russell, inks by Jack Abel.
Cover by Gil Kane and John Romita.
Guest-starring Blade! The vampire hunter is primed and ready to take down Morbius! I, actually, remember this story a little. Morbius finally gets back to Earth and, as luck would have it, he just happens to run into Blade. Blade spends most of the battle finding out that Morbius isn’t a typical vampire and Morbius spends most of the battle thinking that Blade is crazy for, actually, believing in vampires. You’d think that this would be a bit more enjoyable, but it was just your average Morbius story. Grade: 6.5
GIANT-SIZE WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #2
“The Frankenstein Monster Meets Werewolf by Night”
Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover pencils by Gil Kane and John Romita (alterations), inks by Tom Palmer and John Romita (alterations). The Frankenstein Monster travels to California to see if Danton Vayla can help him. At the same time, the Brotherhood of Baal, run by Vayla, kidnaps Lissa Russell and plans to sacrifice her in a magical ritual. Jack Russell, while searching for his sister, changes into the Werewolf by Night and attacks the Frankenstein Monster. From the moment I first saw the cover, I couldn’t wait to read this “modern day” Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. As usual, the Werewolf gets the sh!+ kicked out of him, but at least, this time, it’s understandable. The Frankenstein Monster is no pushover. I haven’t read this month’s issue of THE FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER yet, but if this issue is any indication, I don’t think that I’m going to be too fond of the voiceless monster. One of the things that I loved about his book is how eloquently he spoke. At any rate, this was a really good issue. Grade: 8.5
MAN-THING #10
"Nobody Dies Forever!"
Written by Steve Gerber. Art by Mike Ploog.
Cover by Gil Kane.
Concluding a two-part story that left the readers wondering how the Man-Thing would escape the demon-possessed snakes that surrounded him, has Zeke Tork been killed, and what happened to Maybelle Tork. Did she truly have a heart attack and if so, did she survive? Yep! Just like the last issue, I get the feeling like some illegal substances was the inspiration for this story, lol! Honestly, it’s a crazy story about jealousy and envy given physical form. I guess that since the Man-Thing’s swamp is the Nexus of Realty, we can expect more stories like this. Kind of thought-provoking, in some ways, I must admit. (Side Note: the name of this story sounds like a James Bond movie, lol!!) Grade: 7.5
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #18
“Madhouse!”
Written by Steve Gerber, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Frank Chiaramonte.
Cover pencils by Gil Kane.
At a party being held by Dr. Wilfred Nobel, party guests recognize Daimon as a famous exorcist and begin peppering him with questions. Breaking away from the guests, outside he discovers Nobel’s dog had been killed with an axe. Later, the Son of Satan investigates Wilfred’s home, which has burned to the ground. SPOTLIGHT goes monthly, at least for this month. The next issue is two months after this one. Anyway, a demonic whodunnit that isn’t as good as the previous issues, but still very interesting. Colan comes aboard and adds a bit more atmosphere than the previous artists. Grade: 7.0
MASTER OF KUNG FU #21
"Season of Vengeance..."
Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Al Milgrom.
Cover by Herb Trimpe and Mike Esposito. In the Deadly wake of last issue's events, Shang Chi makes his way ashore and into the city of Miami. Meanwhile, back on the yacht, Diana lies dead and Demmy vows revenge on the Chinaman whom he blames. Plus, find out if Shang Chi is a match for the deadliest predator of the deep, the Great White Shark. I always find the issues not drawn by Gulacy to be a little less interesting. However, even if Gulacy had drawn this story, I don’t know if that would have made it better. Shang Chi’s time in Miami isn’t much more interesting than his time in New York. With these stories, you can almost feel Moench searching for the right formula for this series. He’s not quite there yet. Grade: 7.0
POWER MAN #21
"The Killer with My Name!"
Plot assist by Len Wein, written by Tony Isabella, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover by Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia. Before Luke Cage, there was another man called Power Man (1st appeared in AVENGERS #21-22), and he's come to reclaim his title. It's a heavyweight bout with Power Man vs. Power Man for the championship. Man was this fun!! A good ol’ knockdown, drag-out brawl! Hard to believe that the original Power Man gave the Avengers trouble because Cage kicks the crap out of him. So much so that he’s still bitter about it when he’s next seen in AVENGERS #164. Great story! Grade: 9.0SUPERNATURAL THRILLERS #9
“Pyramid of Peril!”
Written by Tony Isabella, pencils by Val Mayerik, inks by Dan Adkins.
Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Al Milgrom.
The Mummy battles the Living Pharaoh for the possession of the scarlet scarab.
I was surprised to see the Pharaoh in this issue. I would have loved to see the Living Monolith as well, but, as formidable as N’Kantu is, that would, hardly, be fair. An entertaining story that’s not quite as good as the previous issue, but still enjoyable. Grade: 7.5
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On sale July 23, 1974
ASTONISHING TALES #26
“The Enemy: Us!”
Written by Rich Buckler (Concept; Plot) and Doug Moench (Plot; Script), pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Pablo Marcos.
Cover art by Rich Buckler. Deathlok goes on a mission to rescue Mike Travers (an old army buddy) from Major Simon Ryker. He manages to extract Mike, but he is recaptured by Major Ryker's men. When Deathlok goes after Mike again he encounters the War-Wolf, who Major Ryker says is Mike's mind in a cyborg body.
Once again, there’s a feeling of “What the heck is going on?!!” I remember as a kid, this was the book that I always wanted to collect, but it was never on the spinner racks in places where I bought comics. I finally read this series about 10 or 15 years ago. I was really disappointed and read the first two issues again, I got the feeling that I’m not going to have a change of heart like I have with the Son of Satan. Grade: 6.5 DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU SPECIAL #1
Cover by Harold Shull. Includes: "The Rising and Advancing of a Spirit!" An editorial by Tony Isabella.
Shang Chi, the Master of Kung Fu, Iron Fist, and the Sons of the Tiger star in "The Master Plan of Fu Manchu!" Prologue. Written by Tony Isabella. Art by John Buscema.
Chapter 1: Iron Fist. Written by Doug Moench. Art by Frank McLaughlin. "Kaii-Yaahhh!" An exclusive look at Fred Hamilton's All-Dojo Tournament by John Warner and Mary Skrenes. "Fu Manchu, Sax Rohmer, and Shang Chi!" An article by David Kraft. Chapter 2: Sons of the Tiger! Story by Chris Claremont. Art by Herb Trimpe. "The Chinese Machine!" A movie review of the film starring Barry Chan by John Warner. "Shaolin Flashback!" An exclusive look at the Shaolin Monks by Malachi Ronin. Chapter 3: Shang Chi, the Master of Kung Fu. Story by Doug Moench. Art by Mike Vosburg and Dan Adkins.
Epilogue. Story by Tony Isabella. Art by John Buscema. I was told by a group member about this issue very recently. Maybe I misread what they wrote, but I thought that Shang Chi, Iron Fist, and the Sons all teamed up to thwart a plot by Fu Manchu. What actually happened is that they each, individually, played a part in ending the threat. *Sigh* I thought that I was about to enter kung fu comics heaven, lol!! Even though I’m disappointed that I didn’t get to see them all fight together, I wasn’t disappointed with the story. Grade: 8.5  FANTASTIC FOUR #151
"Thundra and Lightning!"
Written by Gerry Conway. Art by Rich Buckler (layouts) and Joe Sinnott (finishes).
Cover by Rich Buckler. Mahkizmo has come to Earth! And the man-monster's first battle is against the Thing and the Human Torch inside the Baxter Building! What does Mahkizmo want? Thundra may know! Origin of Thundra and her home world. Guest-starring Thundra. First appearance of Mahkizmo. When I first saw Mahkizmo on the cover, I rolled my eyes. “*Sigh* Another corny barbarian type with a super-corny name!”, is what my first thought was. As I was reading the story, that thought quickly went away as I realized how brutal and vicious a villain he was. Now, I’m thinking that no other name would fit, lol!! The guy is about as macho as they come. He clearly out-powers the FF. So, now I can’t wait to see how/if they can beat him. Grade: 9.0GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-MAN #2 "Masterstroke!"
Written by Len Wein. Pencils by Ross Andru. Inks by Al Milgrom. Cover by Gil Kane (pencils), John Romita, and Tony Mortellaro. Guest-starring Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. It's the master plan of Fu Manchu! Make Spider-Man and Shang-Chi believe that each other is a criminal, and then set up a super showdown at the Con Ed Power Plant near the 59th Street bridge! Even if the web-slinger and the Master of Kung Fu survive their epic battle with one another, the two heroes plus Black Jack Tarr must still stop Fu Manchu at the Empire State Building! A terrific action issue! Shang Chi has already met the Man-Thing in Florida. Now he’s back in New York and he meets the amazing Spider-Man. (He sure gets around for a guy with no job! 😅) With the Human Torch and Thor occupying this month’s MTU, Spidey gets his “team-up” on in this issue. My biggest hope was that their initial meeting would be half as good as the team-up in MTU #82-85. Well, it wasn’t as good as that under-appreciated classic, but it was a whole lot of fun. It’s no secret that Shang Chi is my favorite character, but even I found the fight with Spider-Man a bit hard to swallow. But, then again, that was part of the fun. Honestly, it makes no sense to not call this book GIANT-SIZE MARVEL TEAM-UP, but as long as the stories are as good as these first two issues, I can live with it. Grade: 8.0MARVEL PREMIERE #18 “Lair of Shattered Vengeance!”
Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Larry Hama, inks by Dick Giordano. Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Jack Abel. Iron Fist fights his way through Triple-Iron to get to Harold Meachum, only to find that the man who killed his parents has lost both of his legs and lived in terror for the last decade waiting for the inevitable confrontation with Daniel Rand. Harold’s daughter Joy Meachum has an unfortunate misunderstanding with Iron Fist. The only word on her lips? “Revenge!”
Like MARVEL SPOTLIGHT this month, PREMIERE also goes monthly for just one month. Don’t know why, but I thought that it was interesting enough to mention. I never realized that Moench was writing, both, Iron Fist and Shang Chi stories at the same time. Interesting that, with both books, he seems to be struggling with what direction to go with each character, although he just started writing Iron Fist last issue. I liked this story a bit more than the last issue’s, but it was hardly a page-turner. Grade: 7.0 MARVEL TEAM-UP #26
"The Fire This Time!"
Written by Len Wein. Pencils by Jim Mooney. Inks by Frank Giacoia and David Hunt.
Cover by Gil Kane and Mike Esposito. Molto the Lava Man (from JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #97) gets the Human Torch and the mighty Thor to help recover one of the Mole Man's powerful weapons from a rogue Lava-man witch doctor! As I’ve said before, one of the reasons that I’ve always been a fan of MTU is to observe the interaction and chemistry between the two featured characters. Spider-Man has personality, but his manner doesn’t always sit well with the guest star, but most of his team-ups work. The Torch usually comes off as a smart-mouthed teenager (like Spidey), but for some reason, it isn’t the same. Can you imagine Johnny and Thor having a casual conversation about...anything?!! That’s apparent in this issue and adding boring old Lava Men and Subterraneans doesn’t help. Not a bad story, but pretty mediocre. Grade: 6.5STRANGE TALES #176
"Black Crossing”
Written by Mike Friedrich, art by Tony DeZuniga (not Luis Dominguez).
Cover art by John Romita. Having just been saved by the Golem from a rebel army, Wayne Logan and Jason and Rebecca Adamson are shocked at the creature’s lethal methods. As the statue becomes inert again, they theorize how Rebecca's recently deceased grandfather Abraham Adamson, managed to revive the creature. The Golem becomes a subject of interest for a sorcerer named Kaballa, who wishes to destroy it. The Golem has piqued my curiosity, a little. The similarities between him and It, the Living Colossus, are definitely just visual. Interesting that the Living Colossus could think and speak, but the Golem is completely silent and much more intriguing. Also, I’ve seen DeZuniga ink, but have I seen him handle both pencils and inks? Can’t recall but damn good stuff!! Excellent work on this issue. Grade 7.5WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #22
“Face of the Fiend”
Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover pencils by Gil Kane and John Romita (alterations), inks by Dan Adkins and John Romita (alterations). A mutilated former actor, now known as Atlas, murders movie producer Simon Kolb in cold blood, and Jack Russell is taken in for the crime! Welp! Once again, the Werewolf gets his furry behind kicked. This time, by a former actor with a disfigured face who hit the gym and is in “peak physical condition”. Raise your hand if you think that makes sense. But what am I talking about? Regular humans beat superbeings all the time in comics, right? I just expect the star of the book to have a better win/loss record. Oh, it was still a good story, by the way, lol! Grade: 7.0
A lot more books graded in the 6.0/6.5 area than I can ever remember giving in the past. Not a lot above 7.0/7.5, for that matter. Don’t know why this month’s books didn’t “wow” me as much as they have in the past, but it was still a good month. Only FF, POWER MAN, and DAREDEVIL (believe it or not) were graded at 9.0. Same with the covers. Other than the DOCTOR STRANGE cover, nothing really blew me away. Anyway, hope that you enjoyed this week’s review. More to come next week. Until then, take care, everyone.Top 5 Books of the Month:
1. DAREDEVIL #114
2. FANTASTIC FOUR #1513. POWER MAN #214. DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU SPECIAL #15. DEFENDERS #16
Top 5 Covers of the Month:
1. DOCTOR STRANGE #4
2. ASTONISHING TALES #263. DEAD OF NIGHT #6
4. DAREDEVIL #1145. FEAR #24
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Post by Myke Gee on Aug 20, 2023 21:26:50 GMT -5
*** ORIGINALLY POSTED ON FACEBOOK ON MARCH 6, 2021 ***
AUGUST 1974
(Cover Dated: November 1974) Good morning, everyone. Continuing my journey through the Marvel Universe, here are my thoughts on Marvel Comics published in August of 1974. (As always, for those that are new to my reviews, these are all first-time reads except where indicated)On sale July 30, 1974
 DAREDEVIL #115
“Death Stalks the City!”Written by Steve Gerber, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Frank Giacoia. Daredevil returns to New York to rescue Foggy and Candace, and once again finds himself facing Death-Stalker! Black Widow guest appearance. Cameos by the Gladiator and Man-Thing. This has been a great story. DD has had one of the worst Rogue’s Galleries in comics, but characters like Death-Stalker are a huge step in the right direction. One more thing: one of the signature DD “tropes”, for lack of a better word, is the circles and silhouette that indicate that he’s using his radar sense. I’ve been trying to keep an eye out for the first time that it was drawn. I think that it was this issue. I don’t recall seeing it before now. I’m gonna check on this later. Grade: 8.5 INCREDIBLE HULK #181
“And Now...The Wolverine!”Written by Len Wein, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Jack Abel.
Cover art by Herb Trimpe. Canadian super-agent Wolverine teams up with the Hulk to battle Wendigo. Once the monster is felled, however, Wolvie turns on the Hulk, and the two battle. Marie goes ahead with her plans of trying to transfer the power of the Wendigo into the Hulk but when the guilt becomes too much for best friend Georges who feels responsible for Paul's monstrous condition, he works the change on himself. Paul Cartier is returned to human form and Georges becomes the Wendigo. Wendigo's story continues in MONSTERS UNLEASHED #9. I’ve told the story a few times in the group about how my mom said, “If you don’t get these ‘funny books’ off the floor, I’m gonna throw them in the trash!” and, of course, she kept her word and one of the most historic books in comics history went in the trashcan. What I never mentioned is that I never got to read that issue...until now. After all these years and all the reprints, I’ve never read it! Now that I have, I’ve realized that most people argue over whether or not it was Wolverine’s first appearance but say nothing about the story itself. It was very enjoyable, but I was expecting more from such a highly debated book. Grade: 8.0 TOMB OF DRACULA #26
"Where Lurks the Chimera!"Written by Marv Wolfman. Art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer.
Cover by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer. Dracula seeks out the Chimera statue, an ancient relic imbued with the energy of the Cosmic Eternal. You'll gasp when you see the soul-searing shock ending of this tale of terror! Okay, so “shock ending” is a big oversell. But, that brief synopsis is a cut-and-paste, so don’t blame me, lol!! Anyway, the story is really good and it’s the first chapter of what looks like the makings of a great story. Grade: 8.0
ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
On sale August 6, 1974
 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #138
"Madness Means...the Mindworm!"Written by Gerry Conway. Pencils by Ross Andru. Inks by Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt (backgrounds).
Cover by Gil Kane (pencils) and John Romita Sr. (inks).
Peter laments over his totaled apartment following Spider-Man’s battle with Green Goblin. Although invited to stay with Flash Thompson, Peter reconsiders when he finds out Flash lives in faraway Queens! Plus, the introduction of Mindworm, a strange mutant with the ability to manipulate emotion. First appearance of the Mindworm.
I’ve heard so many group members say that the Mindworm creeped them out as kids. I think about myself as a nine-year-old reading this and I don’t get it. I doubt that I would have found him creepy at all. Now, the 55-year-old me found him a little boring. For some reason, I was expecting more from this story. A little disappointed in this one. Grade: 7.0
CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON #179 "Slings and Arrows!"
Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Vince Colletta. Cover pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Frank Giacoia.
Hawkeye disguises himself as the Golden Archer to lure Steve Rogers into resuming his crime-fighting career. Roscoe tells the Falcon that he plans on being the new Captain America. After his confrontation with the Golden Archer, Steve returns to the life of crime-fighting, but not as Captain America. First appearance of the first Golden Archer.
The road to Nomad continues. I’ve always known about Hawkeye’s one-time stint as the Golden Archer, but I didn’t know that he adopted the identity along with Thor’s dialogue, lol!!! Even without the costume and shield, this book continues to be great. Grade: 8.5
DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU #4
Cover by Neal Adams.
Includes: "The Way of the Tiger." An editorial by Tony Isabella. Shang Chi, the Master of Kung Fu, stars in "Circle of Serpent's Blood!" Written by Doug Moench. Art by Mike Vosburg and Al Milgrom.
"Enter the Letters!" A letters page with readers' thoughts on issue #2.
"The Dragon has Entered!" Part 3. The conclusion to Don McGregor's in-depth review of “Enter the Dragon”. "Kung Fu Revisited!" An introspective of the TV show Kung Fu, starring David Caradine, by Frank McLaughlin.
Plus, the Sons of the Tiger star in "Night of the Death-Dream!" Story by Gerry Conway. Art by Don Perlin and Dan Adkins. Includes a B&W poster of Shang Chi, the Master of Kung Fu. Black and white.
Shang Chi: Shang Chi defeats a Si-Fan assassin who reveals a false plot of Fu Manchu. Learning of the Si-Fan’s failure, Fu Manchu mutates the assassin and battles Shang Chi a second time in the city of Los Angeles. Nothing special about this story as it’s yet another indirect battle between father and son. Grade: 7.0
Sons of the Tiger: The Sons continue their mission to take down the Silent Ones; the organization that ordered the murder of their teacher. A highly enjoyable story that would have been more so if it had a better art team. What’s becoming clear is that Lin Sun is the star of this series. Another parallel to the classic “Enter the Dragon”. Grade: 8.0
 THE FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER #13
“All Pieces of Fear!”Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Val Mayerik, inks by Jack Abel. Cover pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Mike Esposito and Frank Giacoia.
After a century on ice, the Monster thaws and awakens! A modern world emerges, promising new terrors and torments. After being attacked by a street gang, the Frankenstein Monster is befriended by Ralph Caccone. But will Frankenstein’s Monster reel it in when he meets Night-Creature? So, another monster befriends a teenage boy.
I’m hoping that there’s more to bringing the monster to “modern” times than just having him emulate the Hulk. One of the biggest mistakes with this series, in my opinion, was taking away his ability to speak. Now, we have another Zombie/Man-Thing clone, only he’s not mindless. The Frankenstein Monster has proven to be quite eloquent in past issues and it would be a shame to relegate him to “mindless monster” status. Grade: 7.0
 GIANT-SIZE MAN-THING #2
"Of Monsters and Men!"Written by Steve Gerber, pencils by John Buscema, and inks by Klaus Janson.
Cover art by John Buscema.
The widow of F.A. Schist has arranged for the Man-Thing to be captured and killed for the death of her husband. His capturers decide to study him, instead, and place him on display in a museum. When faced with a room full of prying eyes, Man-Thing goes berserk in New York City. Guest starring Mr. Fantastic.
What makes this book work is the characters surrounding the Man-Thing. The more interesting they are, the better the story is. This didn’t feature a bunch of charismatic characters, but it did feature characters that are starting to understand that the Man-Thing is more than just a monster. I feel like this may be an important moment in establishing his place in the Marvel Universe. I look forward to seeing whether this development is expounded upon. Grade: 8.5
THOR #229
"Where Darkness Dwells, Dwell I!"
Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Rich Buckler, inks by Chic Stone.
Cover pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Mike Esposito.
Hercules and Thor try to solve the mystery of the "spontaneous insanity" afflicting New York. But Herc's hunting for answers lands him in deep trouble!
When I was looking up the synopsis for this issue (my versions are too long, lol), I was shocked to find this book was $150 at My Comic Shop. I was looking for the significance of such a price. Yet, there was no first appearance or anything that I could see to warrant paying that much. The story was good, however, but not $150 good. Grade: 7.5
ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
AMAZING ADVENTURES #27
"The Death Breeders”
Written by Don McGregor, pencils by Craig Russell, inks by Jack Abel.
Cover by Jim Starlin.
Learn the tragic origin of Man’s Last Hope…Jonathan Raven! The Death Breeders are deployed against Killraven and Carmilla Frost! First appearance of Volcana Ash.
Shang Chi isn’t the only character that seems to be wandering aimlessly through his book. Killraven is supposed to be on a quest to find his brother that is being held by the Martians. Yet, he comes off as just wandering instead of committing to a specific task. McGregor is really dragging this thing out. This issue, also, introduces Volcana. From what I remember, she brings some much-needed personality to this crew. Finally, this issue marks the arrival of P. Craig Russell. A shame that his pencils are muted by Jack Abel’s inks. Grade: 7.0
 THE AVENGERS #129
"Bid Tomorrow Goodbye!"Written by Steve Englehart. Art by Sal Buscema (breakdowns) and Joe Staton (finishes).
Cover by Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito.
Kang the Conqueror appears at the Avengers Mansion seeking a woman who is known as the “Celestial Madonna”. One of the two women at the Mansion will be the Madonna that Kang must “sire an heir with.” The rest of the team decides to defend Mantis and Scarlet Witch by warding off Kang’s overtly creepy advances. Story continues in GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #2.
I’ve made it no secret that I find Kang quite boring. This will be my first time reading “The Celestial Madonna” in its entirety. This is supposed to be the story that established him as a major league bad guy (because, Lord knows, the others didn’t). Well, the first part was pretty good, but Kang did nothing to change my opinion of him. Grade: 8.0
MAN-THING #11
"Dance to the Murder!"
Written by Steve Gerber. Art by Mike Ploog and Frank Chiaramonte.
Cover by Mike Ploog.
Richard Rory and his macabre protector soon find themselves drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a damsel who is anything but distressed.
Interesting little one-and-done that, in the end, is a post-Vietnam lesson. Another one that has the feel of an inventory story. Grade: 7.0
MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #6
"Death-Song of Destiny!"
Written by Steve Gerber, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Mike Esposito.
Cover by Jim Starlin.
A giant rat is running amuck in downtown New York and only the Thing and the Master of Mystic Arts, Doctor Strange, can stop its rampage before it's too late.
This type of story is the reason why I’ve always preferred TEAM-UP over TWO-IN-ONE. Spider-Man is just more charismatic than the Thing, in my opinion. The chemistry always seems to work better with him. The Thing and Dr. Strange seem somewhat forced in the chemistry department. The story is good, but something didn’t work for me with these two. Next issue stars the Valkyrie. I’m really curious about how those two will work together. Grade: 7.0
MASTER OF KUNG FU #22
"A Fortune of Death!"
Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Paul Gulacy, inks by Dan Adkins.
Cover by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott.
While eating at a Chinese restaurant, Shang-Chi is nearly killed by murderous waiters! But that's the least of his problems -- Sir Denis and Black Jack Tarr are still in captivity, and Fu Manchu wants to destroy Mount Rushmore!
The problem that I have with these early issues of MoKF is that they remind me of the early stories of Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America in that they repeatedly fought Loki, the Mandarin, and the Red Skull, respectively. Once again, Shang Chi finds himself dismantling the plans of Fu Manchu. The repetition gets tiresome, at times. I mean, Fu Manchu wants to blow up Mt. Rushmore as a “symbolic victory”?!! *Sigh* I guess. Fortunately, I know that the book finds its direction very soon. A few more issues of mediocrity won’t kill me, I guess. Grade: 6.5
ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
On sale August 20, 1974
 CAPTAIN MARVEL #35
"Deadly Genesis!"Plot by Steve Englehart, script by Mike Friedrich, art by Alfredo Alcala.
Cover by Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia.
The Living Laser and Annihilus strike as Annihilus has taken Captain Marvel under his control! Brief Ant-Man and Wasp appearances.
Talk about a month late and a quarter short! My first-ever issue of CAPTAIN MARVEL came one issue after one of the greatest storylines from Marvel to date. In fact, this was the very first time I had ever seen Captain Marvel. I don’t know what happened to my original copy, but I re-purchased it again about 15 years ago and I remembered very little about it. Same thing today as 15 years ago. I do remember not being overly impressed with this story. I like it a bit more this time around, but not by much. Grade 6.5
 CREATURES ON THE LOOSE #32
"Moon of the Hunter!"Written by Tony Isabella, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover by John Romita.
Man-Wolf steps out in the moonlight to take on the deranged Kraven the Hunter! Jameson’s at risk of having his head mounted on Kravinoff’s wall!
Okay, I’m just going to say this: The Man-Wolf is more interesting than the Werewolf. Well, “interesting” may be the wrong word. As far as I can tell, he’s definitely more formidable than the Werewolf. The Werewolf rarely ever wins a fight, but the Man-Wolf, even in his pre-Star-God days, kicks more butt than the Werewolf ever did. Kraven had to resort to trickery to capture him. But it’s not over and I can’t wait for the Man-Wolf to take Kraven down. Grade: 8.0
 THE DEFENDERS #17
"Power Play!"Written by Len Wein. Pencils by Sal Buscema. Inks by Dan Green.
Cover by Ron Wilson and Al Milgrom.
Guest-starring Power Man! The Wrecking Crew has destroyed two of Kyle Richmond's skyscrapers in New York City! And are now threatening to demolish an unfinished third one! However, Doctor Strange and Nighthawk converge on the construction site to protect it! But unknown to the two defenders, someone else has already been hired to guard the skyscraper...Luke Cage! A genuine misunderstanding leads to a fierce struggle between Power Man and the Defenders! And that's just fine for the four supervillains lurking in the background! First appearance of the Wrecking Crew.
THE DEFENDERS was very much a straightforward super-team under Wein despite their non-team status. Last two issues, Magneto, and the Brotherhood. This issue is the return of the Wrecker (who hasn’t been seen in 5 years) and the debut of the Wrecking Crew. These guys are always fun, but before they arrive, we’re treated to a great hero vs hero battle as Dr. Strange and Nighthawk take on Power Man. I’m still grinning as I type this, lol! Grade: 9.0
GIANT-SIZE FANTASTIC FOUR #3
"Where Lurks Death...Ride the Four Horsemen!"
Written by Marv Wolfman and Gerry Conway. Art by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott.
Cover by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott.
The Fantastic Four battle around the world against the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse! (Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death) Guest-starring the Watcher.
I should have known that a cool name like the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse was used before the second team showed up in X-FACTOR. I wish that these Horsemen were as interesting as their counterparts. It’s kind of annoying when the bad guys are presented as an unstoppable force, only to find out that they’re all bark and no bite. A good story, but nothing special. Grade: 7.0
JUNGLE ACTION #12
“Panther's Rage Pt. 7: Blood Stains on Virgin Snow”
Written by Don McGregor, breakdowns by Billy Graham, and finished art by Klaus Janson.
Cover by Rich Buckler and Klaus Janson.
The Panther infiltrates Killmonger's lair but is rendered unconscious by Sombre. He is dumped in the snowfield of the Land of Chilling Mists where it is expected he will be killed by wolves. 2-page backup: “The Hidden Land of Wakanda!” Written by Don McGregor. Summary of the story so far, with reprinted panels from JUNGLE ACTION #6-11 superimposed over a map of Wakanda.
I know that I’ve harped on this ad nauseum, but as great a writer as McGregor is, I wish that he would scale back some of the narration. This was an action-packed issue that slowed by reading excessively loquacious narration. Graham and Janson did a spectacular job artistically, but it was hard to enjoy because it was covered in words. A very good issue that could have been great. Grade: 7.5
ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
On sale August 27, 1974
 THE FANTASTIC FOUR #152
"A World of Madness Made!"Written by Gerry Conway. Art by Rich Buckler (layouts) and Jim Mooney (finishes).
Cover by Rich Buckler and John Romita.
Guest-starring Thundra. Thundra attacks Mahkizmo, the Nuclear Man, in order to give Reed, Ben, and Johnny a chance to recover from their fight! But in a brilliant flash of light, the powerful femizon and the monster from Machus vanish from the Baxter Building. Where did they go? Reed thinks somewhere in the future, so the Human Torch, Medusa, Thing, and Mr. Fantastic use Dr. Doom's time machine to go forward in time...to Machus! How will the FF fare in round two vs. Mahkizmo?
Not quite as good as part one, but still a great story, so far. This is a Gerry Conway story. A great ending is not a foregone conclusion. Grade: 8.0
 GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #2
"A Blast from the Past!"Written by Steve Englehart. Art by Dave Cockrum.
Cover by Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia.
The story continues from AVENGERS #129. The Avengers hurtled through time at the hands of Kang! Earth’s Mightiest Heroes find themselves neck-deep in a rescue mission…in ancient Egypt! Will Thor, Iron Man, and Vision be saved from Kang’s Macrobots? A revelation about Mantis’ true identity tears the time stream in two. An Avenger falls in battle.
So, for the other three people in this group that haven’t read this story, I’ll refrain from revealing who dies. Yet, like Kang, I’ve always found this character just as boring. Fortunately, the story isn’t boring. So far, it’s not on the level of some other classic stories (although, it’s supposed to be). However, it’s still very enjoyable. Can’t wait for the next part. Cockrum art gives this tale an extra half point. Grade: 8.5
 IRON MAN #71
"Battle: Truth and Yellow Claw!"Written by Mike Friedrich. Art by George Tuska and Mike Esposito.
Cover by Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito.
After defeating the Mandarin in the previous issue, the Yellow Claw sets his sights on Iron Man. Shell-head battles the Yellow Claw from cover to cover and also has a brief encounter with the Black Lama.
This may be the first time since he was introduced that Iron Man came off as a badass. I remember him shining a bit in one of the Titanium Man fights, but not like this. Whatever the Claw threw at him, he handled it. Fantastic story, for a change! Grade: 9.0
 KA-ZAR #6
“Waters of Darkness, River of Doom!"Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by John Buscema (layouts) and Alfredo Alcala (finished art), and inks by Alfredo Alcala. Cover art by John Buscema.
Ka-Zar rescues a young boy named Kem Horkus from pterodactyls and takes him back to the hunting party led by his brother. Bar Horkus has spent 20 years pursuing a Tylosaurus they call The Behemoth that took his eye and arm in their first encounter. Bar's mad obsession has been gradually wearing on his men, but Ka-Zar agrees to help his quest for Kem's sake.
The last issue announced a new creative team and already after one issue, they produced a much better experience than the first five issues. John Buscema’s art never looked better as Alfredo Alcala's inks beautifully complements his pencils. The splash page alone is worth the price. Great start. Grade: 8.0
 MARVEL PREMIERE #19
“Death-Cult!”Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Larry Hama, inks by Dick Giordano.
Cover pencils by Jim Starlin, inks by Al Milgrom.
The trap has been set and Iron Fist is the prey! Joy Meachum lays the groundwork for her plot against Iron Fist. The Ninja bursts back into Daniel Rand’s life bearing really bad news. And what is the Cult of Kara-Kai? Note: First appearance of Colleen Wing.
Colleen’s debut is probably the most special thing about this issue. Otherwise, the story is just a bit better than average. Grade: 6.5
 MARVEL TEAM-UP #27
"A Friend in Need!"Written by Len Wein. Pencils by Jim Mooney. Inks by Frank Giacoia and Dave Hunt.
Cover by Jim Starlin.
The crafty Chameleon tricks the Incredible Hulk into helping him break a friend out of prison! Can Spider-Man stop them?
The Chameleon. *Sigh* Spider-Man may have one of the best Rogue’s Galleries in comics, but not because of this loser. He’s Matador-level lame. Despite his inclusion, this was a decent enough story to be entertaining. Grade: 7.0
 PLANET OF THE APES #2
Cover art by Bob Larkin.
Chapter 1: “Terror on the Planet of the Apes: The Forbidden Zone of Forgotten Horrors” Written by Doug Moench, art by Mike Ploog.
Chapter 2: “Terror on the Planet of the Apes: Lick the Sky Crimson” Written by Doug Moench, art by Mike Ploog.
Jason and Alex continue to flee from Xavier and Brutus for a murder that Jason didn’t commit. Their flight takes them into the Forbidden Zone where they discover many bizarre things. “World of Captive Humans” Written by Doug Moench, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Mike Esposito. Based on the movie series. Ape City photo feature.
This has taken me completely by surprise! I found myself turning page after page with excitement! We all know the PotA lore. This is a fresh new story that is faithful to that lore and mythos and the end result is a fantastic tale. It continues next issue, and I cannot wait! Grade: 9.0
 WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #23
“The Murderer Is a Maniac”Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover pencils by Ron Wilson, ink touchups by John Romita.
Buck Cowan bails Jack Russell, who was charged with the murder of Simon Kolb, out of jail. Plus, the battle between the Werewolf and Atlas makes its way to the famed Chinese Theater, where Buck, once again, comes to his beastly friend's rescue!
So, it’s round two with Atlas. This issue really makes me wonder what the Werewolf’s win/loss record is because had it not been for the intervention of Buck, the Werewolf would have gotten the shiznit kicked out of him again! I mean, the stories are still (though not great), but I just wanna see the star of the book get star treatment. No one kicks the shiznit out of Dracula, lol!!! Grade: 7.5
ALSO ON SALE THIS WEEK
That’s it for now, everyone. See you next week. Until then, take care.
Top 5 Books of the Month:
1. IRON MAN #71
2. THE DEFENDERS #17
3. PLANET OF THE APES #2
4. GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #2
5. DAREDEVIL #115
Top 5 Covers of the Month:
1. AMAZING ADVENTURES #27
2. MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #47
3. MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #6
4. IRON MAN #71
5. THOR #229 |
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Post by Calidore on Aug 20, 2023 22:15:08 GMT -5
Coincidentally, I just (re)read Cap #179 about an hour before you posted this.
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Post by Myke Gee on Aug 20, 2023 22:31:26 GMT -5
Coincidentally, I just (re)read Cap #179 about an hour before you posted this. I posted two reviews today. Did you see the July 1974 review, as well? |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Aug 21, 2023 3:02:30 GMT -5
(...)MAN-THING #10
"Nobody Dies Forever!"
Written by Steve Gerber. Art by Mike Ploog.
Cover by Gil Kane.
Concluding a two-part story that left the readers wondering how the Man-Thing would escape the demon-possessed snakes that surrounded him, has Zeke Tork been killed, and what happened to Maybelle Tork. Did she truly have a heart attack and if so, did she survive? Yep! Just like the last issue, I get the feeling like some illegal substances was the inspiration for this story, lol! Honestly, it’s a crazy story about jealousy and envy given physical form. I guess that since the Man-Thing’s swamp is the Nexus of Realty, we can expect more stories like this. Kind of thought-provoking, in some ways, I must admit. (Side Note: the name of this story sounds like a James Bond movie, lol!!) Grade: 7.5
(...)
Yeah, as I noted in my comments about the first part of this story, this is probably my favorite Man-Thing story ever; however, the over-the-top titles, esp. the one for this issue, really don't suit it. That's why it will always be "The Dawg Story" or "Dawg, parts 1 & 2" to me. |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Aug 21, 2023 3:14:41 GMT -5
(...)
CREATURES ON THE LOOSE #32
"Moon of the Hunter!" Written by Tony Isabella, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover by John Romita.
Man-Wolf steps out in the moonlight to take on the deranged Kraven the Hunter! Jameson’s at risk of having his head mounted on Kravinoff’s wall!
Okay, I’m just going to say this: The Man-Wolf is more interesting than the Werewolf. Well, “interesting” may be the wrong word. As far as I can tell, he’s definitely more formidable than the Werewolf. The Werewolf rarely ever wins a fight, but the Man-Wolf, even in his pre-Star-God days, kicks more butt than the Werewolf ever did. Kraven had to resort to trickery to capture him. But it’s not over and I can’t wait for the Man-Wolf to take Kraven down. Grade: 8.0
Haven't read many Werewolf by Night stories, but based on the few I've read, I'm inclined to agree with you about these - but then again, I've always had a soft spot for the younger Jameson and his lupine travails. And to be honest, I think the Man-Wolf stories really hit their stride a little later, when David Anthony Kraft took over the writing chores (and then some fella named Perez - wonder what became of him? - came on as artist).
Otherwise, this...
...amazes me. You were *really* ahead of the curve, not only with FB but also the online world in general!
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Post by Myke Gee on Aug 21, 2023 8:53:40 GMT -5
(...)
CREATURES ON THE LOOSE #32
"Moon of the Hunter!" Written by Tony Isabella, pencils by George Tuska, inks by Vince Colletta.
Cover by John Romita.
Man-Wolf steps out in the moonlight to take on the deranged Kraven the Hunter! Jameson’s at risk of having his head mounted on Kravinoff’s wall!
Okay, I’m just going to say this: The Man-Wolf is more interesting than the Werewolf. Well, “interesting” may be the wrong word. As far as I can tell, he’s definitely more formidable than the Werewolf. The Werewolf rarely ever wins a fight, but the Man-Wolf, even in his pre-Star-God days, kicks more butt than the Werewolf ever did. Kraven had to resort to trickery to capture him. But it’s not over and I can’t wait for the Man-Wolf to take Kraven down. Grade: 8.0
Haven't read many Werewolf by Night stories, but based on the few I've read, I'm inclined to agree with you about these - but then again, I've always had a soft spot for the younger Jameson and his lupine travails. And to be honest, I think the Man-Wolf stories really hit their stride a little later, when David Anthony Kraft took over the writing chores (and then some fella named Perez - wonder what became of him? - came on as artist).
Otherwise, this...
...amazes me. You were *really* ahead of the curve, not only with FB but also the online world in general!
LOL!!! I knew that someone was going to find that before I did. I was so busy doing other things while I was posting this. Then, I thought, "Wait...did I just put 1978 on something?" I was so distracted, I was looking everywhere but the beginning of the post, lol!! Man, do I need an editor!!! Anyway, I made the correction. Thanks for the support, Ed. And yes, that Man-Thing story probably should have gotten a higher grade. If memory serves me correctly, as odd as it was, I really enjoyed that story. |
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